The Megadungeon

>>500552

Character Sheet

HP: 4
AC: 2
XP: 40/1000

Stats

Str - 11 (+2)
Dex - 8 (+1)
Con - 7 (+1)
Int - 9 (+1)
Wis - 7 (+1)
Cha - 11 (+2)

Skills

Awareness
Decipher
Lore
Survival

Special Abilities

Command: Can command demons, spirits and elementals (you are not aware of this ability yet)
Lucky: Once per day, turn a miss into a partial success
Tough: +1 Armor
Slayer: +2 Melee Damage

Inventory/Equipment

Throwing Knives (d6) (x1/3)
Light Armor (Armor 1)

Occult Items (x2)

check the prisoner!

>>500563
>>500546

What is this man doing here? I move forward to check his vitals. Immediately my mouth and eyes begin to burn and my nose starts to run. I know this feeling. It was one of the reasons Alnoor allowed me to join their ranks -- a sixth sense. Usually it means evil is nearby...I stop in front of the man. He's isn't moving, but I can make the rise and fall of his chest. He's still breathing. He's still alive.

>I release the man from his restraints
>I try the metal door
>I retreat to the balcony
>Write-in

>>500600
Wont we be a target for the javelins if we go back to the balcony?
And I assume the door is where the other lizardmen are coming from.

Check the door, if it really leads down, barricade it.
Try to talk to the man. If no answer, release him and I guess we can use him as human shield if push comes to shove.

>>500607
Yeah I think we should talk to the man

Rolled 2, 3 = 5 (2d6)

>>500607
Forgot to roll I guess.
>high roll gave us a warning of evil
I wish I could just abandon the dude, but honestly we'r probably trapped and he might be a wild card.

>>500607
>>500619
>>500612

I try the door. No luck, it's locked. I flip over the table and jam it against the door to barricade it. Then, despite my better judgement, I remove my waterskin and splash some water on the chained man. He sputters awake.
"Listen. There isn't much time. Who are you? And why have you been chained here?"
No answer. The man raises his head. His eyes...they're all black. He's possessed! I jump back. The creature laughs. A cruel, raspy cackle -- a demon's laugh. The sound grates your nerves like blade on a whetstone.

I hear banging on the metal door. The lizardmen are here.
"In a bit of trouble are we?" Says the man. Another thud, this time from the balcony. I quickly shove a chair under the door knob of the balcony door. One of the javelins stuck to the door is retrieved from the other side and an eye peers through the hole it created. Two-pronged attack.
"Sssurrender now human! Thisss sssport is ssspoiling my appetite!" The Khan has caught up with the lizardmen on the other side of the metal door.

I feel the possessed man's eyes follow me.
"Need some help?" My stomach sinks. I look up. Black eyes, no pupil, no white. Definitely possessed. "I can help you. Just untie these bonds." He smiles, showing all of his teeth.

"What's the catch?" More pounding on the metal door, the table starts to creak.
"No catch. Just freedom." The creature licks its lips and smiles again.
A clawed fist bursts through the door on the balcony and fumbles blindly to knock away the chair.

>I cut the bonds restraining the possessed man
>I prepare for a last stand against the lizardmen
>I kneel down offer my blood to the gods for aid (roll 1d6)

>>500659
Free the demon.
I think that it'll provide enough of a distraction to let us flee for good.

>>500659
>I cut the bonds restraining the possessed man
You got a name? I want to know who to curse before my last breath if this help of yours proves to be insufficient.

>>500666
>those perfect trips
>>500672

The time where I had choices is long gone. I'm no longer part of Zi'rah Alnoor, the vows I took have long since been broken. I grab the throwing knife from my boot.
"You got a name? I like to know who I need to curse if things go bad." He laughs.
"Nice try." Well, it was worth a try, a demon's true name is the source of its power. "You can call me...Omel."

As the last bond is cut, the balcony door smashes open and the glass half of the other wall is shattered to pieces. Lizardmen start pouring in from all sides.
"Ah more manflesssh. There will be a feassst tonight! Get them!" Omel just stands there, quietly rubbing his wrists.
"Well? Do something!" He glances back at you and winks, then bites the palm of his hand -- hard. Blood splashes onto his lips and teeth and drips to the floor. Omel licks his lips. Even the lizardmen are stunned by this display and stop in their tracks. Omel then slams his hand on the ground leaving a bloody palm print. Millions of roaches spill out from the print and skitter toward the lizardmen, engulfing them in a moving mass of tiny black bodies. They enter through the ears and eyes, nostrils and mouth so that the lizardmen cannot even scream. The other lizardmen turn tail and run with the Khan close behind.

Omel stands and turns toward me. I watch behind him as the roaches eat through all the flesh of the lizardmen, leaving only bones and dust. Then they return to the bloody palm print and disappear back to whatever dimension they came from. Omel draws closer, I can't help but recoil. He sniffs the air around me.
"You smell...familiar...some how...ah well, time to die." He rears back the blade of his hand. Son of a fucking bitch.
"Stop!" To your great surprise, and apparently to his own, he actually stops. His hand freezes mid swing. "Uh...we made a deal. Leave now. Begone!" The possessed human looks around confusedly as his body seems to betray him. He withdraws his bloody hand and runs into wall beside me, disappearing into it.

I slink to the ground. Fully exhausted.

>I rest for an hour (recover 2d6 HP)
>I explore the rest of this building
>Write-in

Rolled 2, 6 = 8 (2d6)

>>500734
>I rest for an hour (recover 2d6 HP)

>>500734
Damn OP, I was hoping on getting a freebie with the demon's name. I guess the skill kicked in atleast.
I ain't resting an hour just to recover 3 HP, just check our wounds and patch up if needed. Check the room for clues on who Omelette is. Loot the lizardmen, the bugs didn't eat metal.

>>500748
3 hp is a lot when we only have 7 max hp

>>500800
We're lost and I'm not sure those lizardmen gave up on us. I'd rather avoid fighting at all.

>>500805
I don't think we can avoid fights completely while we're in here

>>500902
We've done a good job so far.

I vote for loot the lizardmen skeletons

>>500748
>>500948
Rest can come later -- when I'm dead, for instance. I pick over the dead skeletons of the lizardmen. Their bones are completely clean, white as salt. There are three such skeletons in this room and one more on the balcony. One other lizardman jumped off of the balcony, sparing him the agony of being insect food but not that of cerebral hemorrhaging.

The rest of lizardmen and the Khan have already fled far into the distance. I hope they are scared enough not to return, but I fear they are stupid enough to be bold.

The Lizardmen wore no armor (except for the Khan he was wearing a cuirass of bronze) only a scrap of cloth around their waist protects their modesty.

There are two javelins still stuck to the door, a third is on the floor of the balcony. They are crudely made instruments, nothing more than some twine and some kind of sealant to lash together a sharpened metal point to a carved wooden shaft. They are too short to use like a spear, but I can still throw them.

Two of the skeletons are also holding strange clubs -- or swords depending on your definition. They have a long white center -- possibly bone -- with sharp serrated teeth at evenly spaced, small intervals. It's actually their own teeth, bound to the central shaft by the same sealant as the javelins. A small part of the central shaft has cloth wrapped around it, acting as the hilt.

I have enough room for two items:


Lizardman Bone Sword (x2) (d6+1)
Lizardman Javelin (x3) (d6)

>>501212
One of each

>>501225
Supporting this.
We should always try to have atleast two throwing implements.

>>501212
We need a new sword, 2 might be overkill.
Thirding.>>501225

>>501225
>>501244
>>501283
The bone sword looks a bit flimsy, I wonder how much punishment the teeth can take. Well, beggars can't be choosers. I'll take one of the javelins too, it could come in handy.

I head into the other half of the room, through the metal door. A narrow staircase descends on the left side while a short file cabinet stands on the right.

>I should head downstairs and try to figure out where I am
>I should head back to the other building
>I should check out the filing cabinet.
>Write-in

Character Sheet

HP: 4
AC: 2
XP: 50/1000

Stats

Str - 11 (+2)
Dex - 8 (+1)
Con - 7 (+1)
Int - 9 (+1)
Wis - 7 (+1)
Cha - 11 (+2)

Skills

Awareness
Decipher
Lore
Survival

Special Abilities

Command: Can command demons, spirits and elementals (you are not aware of this ability yet)
Lucky: Once per day, turn a miss into a partial success
Tough: +1 Armor
Slayer: +2 Melee Damage

Inventory/Equipment

Lizardman Bone Sword (d6+1)
Lizardman Javelin (d6)
Throwing Knives (d6) (x1/3)
Light Armor (Armor 1)

Occult Items (x2)

Rolled 5, 3 = 8 (2d6)

>>501435
>I should rest and heal up

>>501439
OP could I get a refresher on what the occult items are for and how they are used?

>>501435
lets check the cabinet.
Better to collect all the loot in the place before resting in case we might need to use the loot.

Rolled 2, 3 = 5 (2d6)

>>501435
> head downstairs
We are not a fucking accountant

How are you using the rolls OP, I mean why 2d6 instead of 1d12?
Also, hire did we open the metal door all of a sudden?

>>501557
That was a goof. I meant you climbed in through the shattered glass. The metal door is still locked.

2d6 allows for a near-Gaussian distribution, such that most results will hover around 6-9. 7-9 results in a partial success, whereas <=6 is a fail. >=10 is a critical success.

In addition to this I average the rolls resulting in an even greater pull toward the mean. What this does is create lots of partial successes that allow for constant action with occasional (but rare) critical failures/successes that keep it lively and interesting. Speaking of which I haven't keeping track of the boxcars (i.e double 6's) which would be critical successes. I'll start doing that now.

1d12 gives only a flat distribution. Also modifiers don't have as much effect on a 1d12 distribution as on a 2d6 one.

>>501457
Occult items are just a generic placeholder for any item which might be occult. Basically if you need a certain item which falls under "occult item" you can just say you have it and you use up one of the occult item "slots". Examples of such items: quicksilver (per dose), pouch
of bone dust, vial of holy water (one use), vial of blood, ritual incense and oils.

Such items are normally used for rituals to summon spirits/demons. You do not have ability the ability to summon, however, so for now its just flavor and whatever other use you can think of for them.

>>501628
So there's no normal success? Just partial or critical? It seems like it would be hard to balance modifiers for different difficulty levels for each action

>>501640
How do you define "normal success"? And more importantly, would it be interesting to read (or write)?

There are no difficulty levels, the rolls alone determine the outcome. As for modifiers, each roll is modified by an applicable stat. Modifiers have a small range, -3 to +3, but in general difficulty/ease comes from the narrative details themselves. For example when you (almost) covertly assassinated those lizardmen with throwing daggers, we could have rolled damage but I felt the surprise attack justified an instant kill so I just went with that.

Rolls will be secondary. Rule of cool is always primary.

are you with us OP?

>>501917
There's no consensus yet and it's quite late here, so I'm going end it for today. We'll start again tomorrow morning.

>>501956
If there is no consensus you could always do all three, keep everyone happy

Rolled 4, 2 = 6 (2d6)

>>501457
Supporting.

>>501435
>I should check out the filing cabinet
Might have some demon supressing related stuff.

>>502456
>>502628
>>501457
The cabinet is worth a quick search. There might be details on Omel. Details like what actually happened at the end there and why I was able to send him away.

The cabinet surprisingly empty, but I do find a small purse of silver coins and a necklace with a purple gem -- I might be able to get into Fa'ra's good graces after all -- but nothing on Omel.

No one uses gold as a currency anymore because its practically useless here, but silver can be a potent agent against certain creatures. Spirits for one, wereanimals and nosferatu for another. As such they've been adopted as a de facto currency in the enclaves, used to line the edges or tips of weapons and mixed with quicksilver to increase the potency of its magical effects.


Purse of Silver (50s)
Purple gem Necklace (150s)


I head down the stairs. The bottom floor has been totaled by the lizardmen. The entrance was smashed from its frame, tables have been up turned and chairs and stools are scattered every where. It's a long room with a relatively high ceiling. Perhaps a mess hall or a a dining hall. The tables are long and there is an unlit, shattered, but once fancy, chandler hanging from the ceiling. At the far end of the table, to the left, is a slightly taller and more expensive looking chair than the others.

I head outside to check my surroundings. It's too dark to tell where I am, and I've run out of torches luckily the unfortunate lizardman that fell from the balcony has one. I light it and take a look around. The building with the library is a few paces behind me. The building I just came from is the squat wide one I saw earlier. There is another building 20 paces in front of me, also tall.

>I should head back to the library
>I should wander around a bit to get my bearings (roll 2d6+1)
>I should rest for a bit (roll 2d6)
>I should enter the building in front of me
>I should head back into the mess hall
>Write-in

>>502777
>I should enter the building in front of me

>>502777
They might be waiting to ambush us in the library, as tempting as knowledge is. Dunno if those fungus would be useful, but whatever.
I'd say enter the building in front of us.

>>502780
>>502782
The other buildings aren't going anywhere, might as well check the unexplored. The door of the building is stuck for some reason, but a quick kick loosens the hinges. I almost fall to my knees from the smell -- the putrid stench of decay and death is suffocating. I gag a few times, using all the willpower I posses to keep from vomiting.

The buzz of maggots and flies fill the air, hundreds of them fly out the opening I've just created. Whatever is in there, is not pleasant.

>I go inside anyway
>I have no time for this, I need to find the Warlock
>I should explore the surrounding area, figure out where I am and then head back to the courtyard to spy on the lizardmen
>I should head back to the library
>Write-in

>>502790
>I have no time for this, I need to find the Warlock

>>502790
Hold your breath and peek inside.

>>502795
>>502796
I know I have no time, I know must search for the Warlock yet something--perhaps the horror itself--compels me to remain. I can peek my head, at least, there is time enough for that.

I hold my breath and I pinch my nose; it is not enough, the smell burns my eyes and I gag again. Whispers fill the darkness. My torch reveals a heaped mass in the center of the room, a pile of bodies stacked without care or caution; corpses rotting out of place, faceless from decay and digestion, naked and limbless from the brutality that was done against them.

I cannot hold back the vomit this time.

I hear the whispers again. They are louder this time, the voices swirl around me, suffocating me like an elephant's trunk.
You abandoned us Ishmael...you left us to diiiiiie...
No. We all ran. Didn't we all run?
You killed us Ishmael...why did you not die with us? Why do you liiiiive?
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The sobs come unchecked and uncontrolled.
You killed us! You killed us! Murderer! Killer! Why did you survive? Why did you live?
"I don't know! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
A coward! A murderer! You wanted us to die! You hated us because we took you from Manbuz
"No. Please...no...I'm sorry. Please..." I crawl out of the entrance and instantly the voices dissipate and I can breath again.

And I wept there for a time.

Ghosts cannot cause bodily harm, but not all wounds show on the skin. Ghosts can read memories and fears and through them they feed their insatiable thirst for living experience. Fear is the most vital experience, the closest reflection of light, so they seek it first.

>I should take some time to burn these corpses and give their spirits rest
>I should leave this place and explore the surrounding area
>I should go deeper into this building
>Write-in

>>502825
Burn and move on. Maybe that will give the ghosts some peace.

>>502831
Seconding. Also say a prayer, or whatever ritual is custom.

Burn the corpses. Perhaps this will increase our resistancr against future ghost encounters.

>>502831
>>502846
The funeral rites are simple. I know the prayers. I know the steps. The trouble is the tinder, there's nothing burn here. Ultimately I decide to break apart some of the chairs and stools from the dining hall and use that as kindling.

I set the fire quickly and close the doors to keep the smoke and smell away. I grab one of the chairs from the dining hall and watch as the fire burns and smoke crawls out from the windows. The building walls are made of stone and they do not crumble to the flame. I offer the psalm, the words fall away so easily--a product of ceaseless, mindless repetition--but now with greater meaning:

Flesh is prison, gods of men
Free us from our flesh
Flesh is poison, gods of men
Cure us of our flesh

Decay is timeless, gods of men
Remember us not of flesh
Actions fruitless, gods of men
Our wills are not of flesh

Life is vain, gods of men
Rest our tired flesh
Sin is easy, gods of men
Forgive us, sins of flesh

If we lied, gods of men
Burn it with our flesh
If we stole, gods of men
Burn it with our flesh
If we hurt, gods of men
Burn it with our flesh
If we killed, gods of men
Burn it with our flesh

Flesh to dust, gods of men
And peace without our flesh
Flesh to ash, gods of men
And rest without our flesh

Sin and vice, gods of men
GIve form to our flesh
Let virtue rise, gods of men
As flames from our flesh

Let virtue rise, gods of men
As flames from our flesh


I sit and watch the flames and the smoke rise up from the windows. Between the crackles I can almost hear a collective sigh of relief, perhaps only in my imagination.

I feel suddenly weary, suddenly heavy. But the smoke has attracted some lizardmen who were waiting in ambush at the library. They must've missed the retreat call, they are looking around in confusion wondering where their comrades went. There are three of them, 6 feet tall with their strange swords in hand.

The path behind me splits into two alleyways. I can run. Or I can fight.

>I should run, I can lose them in the alleyways
>I've run enough. It's time to fight.
>Write-in

>>502902
Glad we dodged the library. We didnt recover our HP so

Run away while they are confused

Even if we can dagger 1 down, I doubt we can win 1v1

>>502902
>I've run enough. It's time to fight.

>>502911
Supporting.

Unfortunately we'll have to cut today's session short. However, we'll pick up tomorrow, or if not, on Friday.

>>502944
Until then.

>>502944
Let´s get started Op, I want dead reptiles.

>>506412
We all do, but OP might only be available tomorrow.

>>502911
>>502926

With heave of shoulders and a great sigh I rise to my feet. I do not wait to glance back at the lizardmen, I simply sprint into the alleyway in front of me.

The lizardmen give chase.

>Roll 2d6+1 to see if you can lose the lizardmen

Rolled 2, 5 + 1 = 8 (2d6 + 1)

>>506420
All hail Op

>>506420
Welcome back

Rolled 4, 5 + 1 = 10 (2d6 + 1)

>>506420

>>506424
>>506460
The alleyways wind and split at random intervals, and despite my best efforts the lizardmen are simply too fast. That's the bad news.

The good news is that the lizardmen are also very stupid. I've managed to lead them into an alleyway so narrow that they have to enter sideways, one at a time, to get in. Unfortunately, the alleyway leads to a deadend.

There is a window on the building to my right, 10 feet up. I can try and climb up off of the wall. If I miss the jump, however, it's not going to be pretty.

>I should brace myself for melee combat
>I should throw my javelin and dagger to start (roll 2d6+1)
>I should try and climb up the wall to the window (roll 2d6+1)

>>506486
Cant we use the dagger to climb more easily?

Rolled 1, 3 + 1 = 5 (2d6 + 1)

>>506486
>I should throw my javelin and dagger to start (roll 2d6+1)

>>506490
I don't see why not. If you do this add another +1 to the roll.

Rolled 6, 5 + 1 = 12 (2d6 + 1)

>>506486
Lets toss the javelin and then climb with the dagger.

>>506493
Thanks OP

>>506495
ok that´s smarter than just fighting.
+1

Rolled 6, 1 = 7 (2d6)

>>506486
>I should brace myself for melee combat
These are literally the most favorable conditions to fight these guys we're gonna get

>>506540
I just realised you are right, since they have a hard time moving and are coming 1 by 1. Unless they flank us.

>>506495
>>506502


My heart was ready to explode from the non-stop sprinting and my breathing came short and heavy. My legs hurt, my lungs burned, my back and chest ached from the blow the lizardmen had dealt me above the library. I was, as Alnoor would say "feeling it". But training goes deep.

In moments of combat it is important to keep calm, to keep the heart steady and the breathing slow. To this end Alnoor tried many things: self-hypnosis, meditation, visualization, even drugs. Why was the calm so vital? Because combat was always decided by a sudden insight, a realization of some weakness. A tired knee, a dull weapon, a broken guard, poor footing, . Such moments of insight did not come to a clouded mind; battle was always a test of wits and not mettle.

I close my eyes. And I begin to count my breath. One. Two. Three. I open my eyes. The lizardman is sliding between the walls of the alley. Four. Five. I draw my javelin. Six. Seven. Eight. The lizardman knows what is coming. I almost wish I could see what he sees at this moment, to feel what he feels, because he that knows he is to far away to do anything, he knows that in a moment his blood will be on the floor. He knows he will not taste air or flesh or water again. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Did he have a lover? A lizardwoman that was waiting for him? Did he have a child? A home? Did he ever start in the dark? Did he know sadness? Did he dream?

I throw.

I retrieve the dagger from my boot and stab it into a soft spot on the wall. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. My breathing has returned to a steady state now. My mind is clear and cold, almost peaceful. I look behind me. The javelin has struck the lizardman downward into the hollow of the armpit. He cannot even fall from the blow, the walls catch his descent and prop him into a sideways crouched position, with his knees at his chest. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. What does he know in that moment? What does he see as the life draws out from him? His face turns upward from the momentum of his descent.

I start to climb. I can hear the other lizardmen try to prop their comrade up, one of them offers consolation. I jump from the wall onto the window and from the window I climb into the building. Through the window I can see the lizardmen dragging their comrade's corpse out of the alley. Maybe they won't chase me now. Maybe now they'll learn that three of their dead were not killed by coincidence.

But lizardmen are a stupid and stubborn race. They do not see the death of a brother as an incentive to quit, they see it as reason to continue. Well, so be it, I have reasons to continue too.

The room around me is dark. I have no more torches to burn and cannot see anything.

>What do you do?

I'm gonna try leaving out options for a bit to see what happens.

>>506551
Calm down for a minute to get your eyes used to the dark. Meanwhile just keep your ears up.

>>506551
>His face turns upward from the momentum of his descent.
Loved this btw.

>>506551
Feel out a wall and make our way forward. No reason to let the lizards catch up.

first>>506561
then>>506553

>>506587
shit, other way round

>>506592
That makes more sense

>>506553
>>506561
My breath already caught, I wait for my eyes to adjust to the dark. I feel along the walls and step forward. I can make out some shapes in the darkness, something square and stiff along the wall, on the other wall there are hooks and clothing hung upon them. Dust has covered everything as with all else in this place.

Approaching the square thing along the wall and feeling its form in the darkness, I understand that it is a chest of drawers, like the one beneath the library. I pull open the drawers and feel inside. Dust and cobwebs and clothing with holes in them. I sneeze from the dust.

I turn to the hooks. I wonder how long it's been since someone touched these clothing. Who did they belong to? What is the true history of this place? My neck hairs prickle at the sense of mystery.

The clothing are all dresses. A wardrobe for a woman, lots of lace and ruffle. It reminds of Fa'ra's legs, smooth as Xian glass and softer than air. I reach into my pocket and finger the chain of the necklace. Perhaps I will see her again, after all this.

This building is much larger than the others. I saw that from the outside. I think I've finally entered the main keep. That's good. If the warlock really is here, as the rumors suggest, he'd be in the bowels of the main keep. I could be wrong, but a slight burning sensation in my eyes and tongue, suggests otherwise.

I should be wary, warlocks are not known to be inviting people, I wouldn't be surprised if this place is trapped wall-to-wall.

Now where's that exit?

Straight across from the window along the northeast side of this room, there is an iron door. Locked. Next to this door lie the hooks, one of which (the middle one) was strangely empty of clothing.

>What do you do?

>>506661
the hook is a lever, let's get into a defensive pose in case its trapped and pull that bitch

Rolled 2, 6 = 8 (2d6)

>>506661
Pull the hook? Might be a hidden lever.

>>506675
Seconding

>>506675
>>506677
I clap my hands of dust and brace myself. Then I pull on the hook. I can feel the hook come out of a socket on the wall. My body tenses, all the nerves taut in expectation of flying daggers or falling axes. Instead, there the wall rumbles, dust falls from the ceiling and then the part of the wall with the hooks rotates around the middle hook, pushing me into a long and dark corridor. The settles back into place and the hook recedes back into the wall.

This place gets more interesting by the minute.

The walls of the hallway are of smooth stone, expertly set and chiseled. The floor is of flagstone. A cool breeze passes through the hallway. In the distance I can see faint lights along the wall. Torchlight. The surest sign of life. I keep a ready hand on my sword.

>What do you do?

>>506720
carefully advance towards the light

>>506720
Carefully advance

Rolled 1, 5 = 6 (2d6)

>>506720
I'd really like to rest and regain hp here if possible

>>506753
We are in unknown territory. What if someone comes through the passage while we nap?

>>506756
Resting does not mean sleeping

>>506756
And we're at the end of an empty long corridor. I'm nervous about only having 4 hp.

>>506746
>>506749
I keep moving. The hallway extends 50' before turning right. A sconce holds a torch at the bend of the wall. I take it out of its socket and continue on. The hallway winds and twists for several hundred feet before coming to a fork in the path.

A path leads further into darkness on the right. Another path extends in front of me. I wonder which path I should take.

>What do you do?

>>506818
Anything remarkable on each path? Footprints, dust, marks on the walls?

>>506829
The path in front looks a lot older. The walls are covered in more dust and the stones are not as polished or smooth as the other path.

>>506843
Go to the new path.

>>506818
Go right I guess.

>>506849
>this

>>506849
>>506851
>>506854
I continue right, better to stick to familiar paths. Again the path winds and curves. No more forks in the road. Torches hang on sconces, but these are not lit and look untouched -- perhaps for many years.

Finally I come to the end of the hallway where stands a heavy wooden door. Nothing bolts it, no discernible handle of any kind. The door's weight itself is the deterrent.

>I should try and open the door (Roll 2d6+2)
>I should go back the way I came
>I should try for the other path
>Write-in

Rolled 6, 2 + 2 = 10 (2d6 + 2)

>>506895
>I should go back the way I came
>I should try for the other path

I'd assume this are the same ptions... hmmmmmmmm

>I should try and open the door

Rolled 1, 4 + 2 = 7 (2d6 + 2)

>>506895
>I should try and open the door (Roll 2d6+2)

Rolled 2, 5 + 2 = 9 (2d6 + 2)

>>506895
Take some of the torches, than
>I should try and open the door (Roll 2d6+2)

>>506910
>>506913
>>506919
I push against the door but my strength is not enough. I walk a few paces back and sprint at the door kicking it with all my might. The door budges just enough to let me through. Unfortunately my foot struck at the door at an incorrect angle, and it now hurts to put pressure on it. I limp inside the room.

It is a map room of some kind. Large ornate maps on sheepskin and cloth hang from every wall. The room is relatively small, about 30' by 70'.

A heavy bookcase obstructs the opening of the door. It is empty, but the wood is more than enough to serve as a blockade. On the floor, an intricate mosaic of painted stone tiles depicts a man riding into battle on a raven steed.

In the middle of the room there is a large table, but no chairs and with nothing on it. To the right of the wooden door and bookcase, there is another wooden door, but this is one is tightly padlocked.

>I should take a closer look at that mosaic (roll 2d6+1)
>I should take a closer look at those maps (roll 2d6+1)
>I should head back the way I came
>I should head back to the fork and take the other path
>I should try opening that padlock (roll 2d6+1)
>I should try slamming down the locked door (roll 2d6+2)
>I should rest a while (heal 2d6 points of damage OR the injured foot)

>>507015
>the injured foot)

>>507015
>I should rest a while (heal 2d6 points of damage OR the injured foot)
Injured foot. Partial successes are annoying.

>>507032
>>507036
I push the door back into place and drag the bookcase to cover it. There are no other discernible exits or entrances, I should be safe for now.

I limp over to the table and sit on the edge, taking off my boot to examine the offending foot. Already the ankle has swollen. I take out the waterskin and splash some water on the bruise. The cool water feels good against the hot skin. I take a swig of the water and look around.

It doesn't quite make sense that this room should be connected by a secret passage to a woman's wardrobe. But then, there are many unexplained variables. Who was that demon, for one? Why was he chained up? And why did he listen to me at the end?

I place my pack on the far side of the table to act as a makeshift pillow and close my eyes. All the fatigue of the day jumps on me at once; I am asleep in an instant.

I awake with a jolt sometime later, cursing myself for falling asleep. I ready my sword for a fight, but there is no one else in the room. My foot feels much better. All in all, not the worst decision I've made today.

>I should take a closer look at that mosaic (roll 2d6+1)
>I should take a closer look at those maps (roll 2d6+1)
>I should head back the way I came
>I should head back to the fork and take the other path
>I should try opening that padlock (roll 2d6+1)
>I should try slamming down the locked door (roll 2d6+2)

Rolled 6, 6 + 1 = 13 (2d6 + 1)

>>507096
>I should take a closer look at those maps (roll 2d6+1)

Rolled 4, 6 + 1 = 11 (2d6 + 1)

>>507096
Closer look at mosaic

>>507103
Well shit, cant ignore this roll now

File: Al-Shaytani Crypt.png (69KB, 1751x2251px) Image search: [Google]

69KB, 1751x2251px

>>507103
These maps are unfamiliar to me. They look to be maps of faraway lands from before the closing of the sky, they look to be more ornamental than actually useful.

However, one of the smaller maps is drawn by hand. It does not describe a country or a town, but the innards of a temple. There are small notes on the margin, all of them illegible save one: "...crypts of Al-Shaytani, where his bones and treasure rest..."

I roll up the map and put it in my bag.

>I should take a closer look at that mosaic (roll 2d6+1)
>I should head back the way I came
>I should head back to the fork and take the other path
>I should try opening that padlock (roll 2d6+1)
>I should try slamming down the locked door (roll 2d6+2)

>>507137
Mosaic

>>507137
Also taking a break. Be back in two hours.

Rolled 1, 1 + 1 = 3 (2d6 + 1)

>>507137
>I should take a closer look at that mosaic (roll 2d6+1)

Rolled 2, 3 + 1 = 6 (2d6 + 1)

>>507137
>I should take a closer look at that mosaic (roll 2d6+1)

>>507158
Ok we don´t see shit, not even a mosaic I guess -,-

>>507158
son of a bitch... that's our third critfail

>>507158
The mosaic is gonna possess us.

>>507137
This is the crypt of the guy we read about earlier. Maybe we should get that book back from the library.

>>507258
Library = lizardmen

>>507260
I still think it would be worth a shot when we're on our way out of here. Contrary to popular belief Ishmael is actually good at fighting monsters.

>>507158
Anyone wanna use our lucky perk to turn this into a partial success? I for one think we should save the lucky perk for a fight or use it for rest when critically wounded.

>>507420
I definitely want to save it for a more dire situation

>>507170
>>507163

>>507158
I take look at the mosaic. The man on the raven horse is strangely compelling.

He is hideous.

One side of his face is handsome, almost beautiful, with clear black eyes and smooth, pearlescent skin. A noble mustache hangs from his lip and his hair is sleek and shiny. But the other side of his face is bald and marred by shiny yellow boils; it appears as if the skin itself was on a rolling boil. In a way the beauty of one side adds to the ugliness of the other. The ruination of something perfect, is so much worse than simple mediocrity.

He wears something around his neck...I crane my head to look closer. One of his hands holds the reins of his horse where is the other is reaching out. I still cannot make out what he wears around his neck. I kneel and look closer. I need know what it is he wears. I must know. I bring my closer still, until it is only centimeters from the floor, from his outstretched hand.

He wears a necklace of human eyes.

I recoil back but it is too late. My head slams forward into the floor, I can feel the hand close around my eye. I scream and push myself away. My head pops up like a fish out of water. I pant and wipe my brow.

I cannot see out of my left eye.

My fingers climb toward the left eye socket. There is nothing there. Just bone. Only a black hollow where the eye should be, but is not. Looking down in the mosaic I see a single eye in the rider's hand--my own. I kneel and touch the eye, but it is just stone now.

For the second time in one day, I throw up. There is no more food to expel, it is mostly dry gagging and some stomach acid, but I find some relief anyway. My throat burns. I touch the hollow again. There is something there, etched into the bone, some kind of symbol, but I cannot tell what it is. Something for the witch doctors to diagnose--if I get of this place alive.

Permanent -2 to Charisma
>I should head back the way I came
>I should head back to the fork and take the other path
>I should try opening that padlock (roll 2d6+1)
>I should try slamming down the locked door (roll 2d6+2)

>>507685
Ishmael

HP: 4/7
AC: 2
XP: 50/1000

Stats

Str - 11 (+2)
Dex - 8 (+1)
Con - 7 (+1)
Int - 9 (+1)
Wis - 7 (+1)
Cha - 9/11 (+1)

Skills

Awareness
Decipher
Lore
Survival

Special Abilities

Command: Can command demons, spirits and elementals (you are not aware of this
ability yet)
Lucky: Once per day, turn a miss into a partial success
Tough: +1 Armor
Slayer: +2 Melee Damage

Inventory/Equipment

Lizardman Bone Sword (d6+1)
Throwing Knives (d6) (x1/3)
Light Armor (Armor 1)

Occult Items (x2)

Rolled 2, 6 + 1 = 9 (2d6 + 1)

>>507685
>I should try opening that padlock (roll 2d6+1)
Fuck.

>>507685
Wow lots of grammatical errors in here, I guess that's an indication to end it for today. We'll pick up from here tomorrow.

well this adds a new quest:
obtain a glass eye or an eyepatch to fix our charisma, and perhaps an arcane way to restore our field of sight.

Rolled 4, 4 + 1 = 9 (2d6 + 1)

>>507685
open the padlock!

I'm surprised only our charisma took a dive there.

>>507703
>>507804
I walk to the wooden and examine the padlock. It's going to be tough getting used to this monocular vision. I wonder what Fa'ra will think. Damn this place!

The padlock is a simple detachable lock with a keyhole. I don't have the key, but the lock is so rusted it looks as if a good blow will knock it to pieces. I take out my throwing knife and start hitting the side of the lock. The knife digs in with solid thunk. I give a couple more good whacks and the lock is soon broken. The side of my dagger looks broken too, the edge is now only sharp enough to cut butter. (-1 damage). I remove the lock and walk through.

Another hallway. This time there are no sconces or torchlight, it is completely dark. I grab my torch and venture inside. The hallway winds and twists as before, but there is no light and no forks in the road. After some time, I begin to hear something...it's music. It starts quiet at first, just strings and hints of winds, then everything fades away and the trumpets blare and the music sounds out from the walls!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQWhP3Zzip8

>I should run back
>I should keep going
>That music sounds familiar...(state what Ishmael remembers about the music and roll 2d6)
>Write-in

Rolled 5, 5 = 10 (2d6)

>>509178
This sounds like the enchanted battle music ishmael's mentor liked to collect, the likes of which is usually played by battle bards to boost their allies or debuff their enemies. Specifically, this is a song of slow enemies.

Rolled 5, 5 = 10 (2d6)

>>509204
This works

>>509204
>>509213
I'm at work so I cant listen to youtube. But these guys seem confident.

is quest kill?

>>509204
>>509213
>>509245
I know this piece. It's one of the movements from 'The Tragedy of Orktuk', played during the funeral scene. When played correctly, those that hear it have their sense of time slow down.

I feel a slight sensation of things becoming slower, but it might just be my imagination. The music would have to be played live for the real effect. More curious is where the music is actually coming from. There is no sign of the players, just walls of stone.

I continue along the path the music swells and ebbs until I come to the end of the hallway, where a short wooden portcullis separates it from another room.


Through the bars of the portcullis I can see that this room is long and with a high ceiling. There are marble pillars curve into the ceiling creating gigantic arches every few feet. The floor is tiled in a black and white checkerboard pattern. A long table, made of aged stone, stands in the middle of the room. Thrones of ancient marble, noble and unmovable, stand on either side of the table in two rows. A larger throne stands at the head of the table.

The portcullis has no discernible lock or mechanism to keep me out. However the rope and pulley to bring it up lies on the other side.

>I shoudl pull up the portcullis with my bare hands (roll 2d6+2)
>I should use the bone sword as leverage to pull the gate up (roll 2d6+1)
>I should smash open the wood of the gate (roll 2d6+2)

Also, I'm changing the rolling rules a bit to keep things moving along faster:

1. Roll <=6 and it is an immediate critical fail, no further rolls are necessary
2. Roll >= 10 it is an immediate critical success , no further rolls necessary
3. Roll anything else, and it is a partial success which is averaged with other rolls, until/unless rules 1 or 2 come into effect.

Rolled 6, 4 + 2 = 12 (2d6 + 2)

>>512711
>I shoudl pull up the portcullis with my bare hands

>>512766
The portcullis swings open easily to my might. The wood was much lighter than I expected.

Entering the room I see there are two wooden doors on the eastern wall (the wall in front of me) about 10 feet apart. The one on the right swings open with ease, into a surprisingly well-lit hallway. The one on the left has a working knob, but the door is stuck, probably from age and disuse.

Next to the open door, someone has scribbled something on the wall.

>I should kick open the stuck door (roll 2d6+2)
>I should go through the other door
>I should try reading what has been scribbled (2d6+1)
>I should head back the way I came

Rolled 3, 4 + 1 = 8 (2d6 + 1)

>>512771
>I should try reading what has been scribbled

>>512774
The script is familiar but the letters are so jumbled that it's almost impossible to make out what was written. You make out the words:
"gray, gray, crimson, crimson, crimson"

But the surrounding words (perhaps an explanation for the cryptic message) is unreadable.

>I should go through the hallway
>I should attempt to break open the stuck door
>I should head back the way I came
>I should rest here for a while (heal 2d6 hitpoints)

>>512950
*heal 1d6 hitpoints (unless you set up camp and rest overnight)

Rolled 6, 2 = 8 (2d6)

>>512950
>I should rest here for a while (heal 2d6 hitpoints)

>>512950
>I should rest here for a while (heal 1d6 hitpoints)

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>513086
Shit, forgot roll

>>512966
The nap back in the map room wasn't enough to cure my fatigue. I close all the doors and the portcullis and lean back on one of the corners of the room to rest my eyes (or eye)

You healed 2 HP

I awake from something blunt and hard striking my face. My head crashes onto the floor and I spit blood. I reach for my sword but it isn't there. Something grabs my hair and pulls me up.
"Wha--"
"You have lot to answer for human rat, I'd kill you right here for what you did to Kokopei, I'd do it slow, inch by inch." He pulls your head to meet his own ugly snout, revealing teeth like little knives, little white stalagmites and stalactites in the cavern of his maw. The smell of rotten fish fills your face. "But the Khan wants you fresh. So fresh we'll give him." The lizardman starts to drag me by my hair. I struggle but to no avail, his grip and strength is too much. Then he suddenly stops. He releases me. I flip backward and stand, ready to fight.

But the lizardmen stand frozen. In front of them...a mouse--yes it's definitely a mouse, no larger than a matchbox--stands on its hind-legs. The mouse waves its little paw and the lizardmen go flying onto a pillar, their heads are squished open like ripe strawberries, leaving red streaks on the white marble. For a brief instant I thought I saw something silvery and white holding the lizardmen and throwing them. But I can see nothing there now.

The little mouse turns to me and then begins to talk. I step backward in disbelief. First because his voice sounds like someone castrated him several times in succession and second because his speech is nevertheless cold and merciless (maybe moreso because of the high pitch).
"Miserable pests, I told that imbecile to keep his goons out of my affairs...and you--you must be the intruder that's been running about."

>I should run. As fast as I can. As far as possible.
>I should slowly reach for my throwing dagger and then try to hit this...thing
>I should say something...but can I say?
>Write-in

>>513102
>I should run. As fast as I can. As far as possible.

>>513102
>I should say something...but can I say?
Are you the wizard I heard about? I mean you no harm. I only have questions that you yourself might be interested in the answers to

>>513102
>I should say something...but can I say?

Kneel and apologize for causing him trouble. Tell him we searched him out hoping to gain knowledge of our biology. We wound be willing to trade our service for his assistance.

(Where are we going to run before he plays wallball with us? )

>>513102
>>I should say something...but can I say?
"Are you the warlock that lives here?"

Yo OP you should really get a twitter or something so I don't miss a shitload of updates again. I had no idea you were running since we're past the 3 day autosage

>>514288
Sorry about that. Since I'm bit a swamped with work, we'll continue once the first thread has been archived--which should be in a day or two.

Also, I'll generally start around 9:00-9:30 EST