Post by K Man on Jun 2, 2006 12:03:52 GMT -5
{To speed things up, since we're so close to the end of this adventure, I'll sum up the rest of the complex.}
{Long Post}
Deciding that there is work to be done yet, those that want to move deeper into the complex while others escort the traumatized prisoners to the outside world. [I'll assume Belle escorts to the exterior and waits for the rest of the party.]
Heading directly West, you find a macabre laboratory. Several steel tables are littered about the room, each covered in bits and pieces of corpses. Some are more whole that others, others are barely recognizable from the whole. Another, larger table sits near the West wall but is covered in open tomes, alchemal tools and strange substances. A silvery powder here, a bluish liquid there. It's pretty clear that someone used this place to experiment...to dabble in the necrotic. The tomes and substances may mean something to someone else with more time, but for now they are just strange and foriegn.
Moving back across the throne room, you first examine a set of double doors to the North. Behind them is empty space, littered with bits and pieces of furniture, tapestries and various knick-knacks. It looks like this is storage for many homes....or for things taken from many homes. These things look personal and rudely shoved in here. They are dusty from years of misuse and may hold countless treasures inside. Or they may just be purlouned household goods.
Following the hallway directly South of that, you come to a door halfway down its middle. It is unlocked currently and a good shoulder to it reveals yet another hallway beyond. Two doors to your right, one double door to your left.
The first door on the left reveals a study, a private place of peace and quiet. There are two plush arms chairs that look well used placed evenly before a bookshelf covered in musty tomes. A writing desk nearby has the usual goods, inks, quills and parchment. Inked into the parchment is what appears to be a journal. No dates, just a series of entries written in the common hand. A quick glance has you reading more;
Our search for the drink of death goes slow. Though we gather more subjects each and every day, the results are less than desired. Many do not survive the change at all, becoming useless lumps of flesh and bone. Others are changed, but become mindless monsters that we must undo immediately. I fear our search for an instaneous way into the afterlife will be arduous.
Less progress made this month than last. We have exhausted subjects from this area and to no avail. More attempts to create the drink have produced distasterous results. Neophysis lost many samples...we will have to work harder.
A blessing in disguise today. Our efforts at obtaining subjects have garnered attention from a group of adventurers that sought to destroy us. We easily defeated them, but instead of slaying them, Neophysis thought to use them for subjects. Results with the drink of death were far better in the hardened bodies of adventurers. They retained a bit of consciousness, moreso than all other subjects combined. We must find more adventureres.
The groups of adventurers have us closer to success than ever before. We continue to use weaker materials as slaves, the weakest and most mindless of the undead, but we continue to seek and trap adventurers. However, it is becoming taxing to collect these men and women that know how to swing a sword. I will devise a way to strip them of their strength, to sap them of their ability to fight back. We must have more materials.
We are closer than ever. Neophysis has learned of an academy nearby that was, until now, unknown. I will use the disguise to lure the academy's best to our temple and trick them into wearing the rings. We accept that losses will be great but when the academy sends their best and we defeat them, it will only be a downhill stroll from there. Each successive group will be weaker and weaker until we have every body in the academy at our disposal. I imagine it will not be long before we have the potion; a way to slip into eternal afterlife while keeping one's mind full and healthy.
Life eternal my sweet...it will be ours...
And the entries end there.
The story comes together. A pair so immersed in death and the necromantic that they sought to move into the afterlife with but a sip of a drink. To this end, they tested their potion on countless others, treating all of them like wood to be hammered, nailed and tossed aside. You feel no remorse for killing this pair.
Moving South to the next door, you come upon an altar; dedicated to the goddess Wee-Jas. The room is simple, ebony curtains hang from the walls and are embroidered with silver thread in Wee-Jas' symbols. There is a small bone altar topped with a child's skull. {Understand if you want to destroy}
The double doors in the hallway lead to a bedroom area. It is complete with closet full of blackened robes and garb; though none of it as high quality as what you've taken from the duo' corpses. There is a bed, lined with furs that look well used. There is also a privy. A thorough search reveals no hidden areas with stashed items. It appears this team was to meet you with their best gear.
Lastly, there is a kitchen and dining area. The table is marble-topped, laced with veins of grey and black stone. Silver place settings are set for two at either end of the table, candle settings to match. The kitchen is stocked with various other utensils, none of it worth much note.
So it seems this place is otherwise empty. The remaining undead will probably remain in the corner for eternity, unable to accept new commands. You feel confident that the academy will deal with them accordingly. As you head out to meet Belle and the prisoners, Tham notices something out of the corner of his eye. Directly across from the prison section is another secret door. Readying your weapons, you give it a toss open.
The first thing to assail you is the stench. The air is thick and green, almost toxic to breath. Your lungs fight for air and you manage to keep whatever food that was in you there. Walking forward, to the left is a room where the door is covered in frost. Opening this door, you find a huge freezer of sorts beyond. Racks line the walls from floor to ceiling and are stacked with bodies rigid from the cold. There must be at least four dozen bodies in here...if not more. Maybe these were used for more parts? You shudder to think...
The end room is where most of the stench and foul odor is coming from. There are two large vats in the stone floor that bubble incessantly. Surrounding these are casks, barrels and vials of all sizes, colors and textures. The liquid looks extremely dangerous to near, so you'd best not examine it much further.
Lastly, on your way out, there is a room that is filled with chests. Dozens of them lay about the floor in neat orderly rows. Each chest is indentical, a few feet long, just as wide and just as high. Each chest has a plaque on the front with a date and a number. Opening one up, your stomach drops as you realize what this is...this is where they kept the gear from the previous adventurers they've captured. Each chest is the same, filled with the remains of a party's gear...just like your own. To think, your items could have been added to this macabre collection....
But it wasn't. You defeated these mages and bested their undead regiment. You have stopped the cycle of death in this region...hopefuly for good.
{I'll pause here in case someone want to do something else.}
Found in Complex
Mundane Items
Ivory Statuette of Wee Jas (50 gp)
Brass Mug w/Jade Inlay (100 gp)
Weathered Painting of Underwater Cityscape (1,600 gp)
Sapphire pendant on gold chain (2,000 gp)
Bloodstone (40gp)
Peridot (50gp)
Silver Pearl (140 gp)
Silver Ewer (50 gp)
Twin Purpleheart Harps w/Ivory inlay (1,200 gp)
Jewelled Anklet (2,000 gp)
Battered Golden Circlet w/Aquamarines (4,000 gp)
String of Pink Pearls (5,000 gp)
Pearl (14 gp)
Red Garnet (70 gp)
Tourmalene (110 gp)
Black Pearl (400 gp)
Alexandrite (500 gp)
Aquamarine (700 gp)
Hematite (5 gp)
Obsidian (9 gp)
Lapis Lazuli (11 gp)
Sard (40 gp)
Rose Quartz (50 gp)
Amber (110 gp)
Coral (140 gp)
Blue Diamond (6,000 gp)
Total = 24,839 gp in mundane treasure
Gold Pieces (And Miscellaneous coins) = 9,300 gp
Magic Items
Scroll of Flaming Sphere (2 uses)
Elixer of Swimming
Potion of Endure Elements
Potion of Aid
Scroll of Protection form Arrows (3 uses)
Oil of Magic Weapon
Potion of Spider Climb
Scroll of Cat's Grace
Wand of Eagle's Splendor (23 Charges)
Rod of Metal and Mineral Detection
Potion of Cat's Grace
Potion of Eagle's Splendor
Scroll of Alarm (3 uses)
Wand of False Life (11 charges)
Rod of Metamagic, Silent, lesser
{Map for Reference}
{Long Post}
Deciding that there is work to be done yet, those that want to move deeper into the complex while others escort the traumatized prisoners to the outside world. [I'll assume Belle escorts to the exterior and waits for the rest of the party.]
Heading directly West, you find a macabre laboratory. Several steel tables are littered about the room, each covered in bits and pieces of corpses. Some are more whole that others, others are barely recognizable from the whole. Another, larger table sits near the West wall but is covered in open tomes, alchemal tools and strange substances. A silvery powder here, a bluish liquid there. It's pretty clear that someone used this place to experiment...to dabble in the necrotic. The tomes and substances may mean something to someone else with more time, but for now they are just strange and foriegn.
Moving back across the throne room, you first examine a set of double doors to the North. Behind them is empty space, littered with bits and pieces of furniture, tapestries and various knick-knacks. It looks like this is storage for many homes....or for things taken from many homes. These things look personal and rudely shoved in here. They are dusty from years of misuse and may hold countless treasures inside. Or they may just be purlouned household goods.
Following the hallway directly South of that, you come to a door halfway down its middle. It is unlocked currently and a good shoulder to it reveals yet another hallway beyond. Two doors to your right, one double door to your left.
The first door on the left reveals a study, a private place of peace and quiet. There are two plush arms chairs that look well used placed evenly before a bookshelf covered in musty tomes. A writing desk nearby has the usual goods, inks, quills and parchment. Inked into the parchment is what appears to be a journal. No dates, just a series of entries written in the common hand. A quick glance has you reading more;
Our search for the drink of death goes slow. Though we gather more subjects each and every day, the results are less than desired. Many do not survive the change at all, becoming useless lumps of flesh and bone. Others are changed, but become mindless monsters that we must undo immediately. I fear our search for an instaneous way into the afterlife will be arduous.
Less progress made this month than last. We have exhausted subjects from this area and to no avail. More attempts to create the drink have produced distasterous results. Neophysis lost many samples...we will have to work harder.
A blessing in disguise today. Our efforts at obtaining subjects have garnered attention from a group of adventurers that sought to destroy us. We easily defeated them, but instead of slaying them, Neophysis thought to use them for subjects. Results with the drink of death were far better in the hardened bodies of adventurers. They retained a bit of consciousness, moreso than all other subjects combined. We must find more adventureres.
The groups of adventurers have us closer to success than ever before. We continue to use weaker materials as slaves, the weakest and most mindless of the undead, but we continue to seek and trap adventurers. However, it is becoming taxing to collect these men and women that know how to swing a sword. I will devise a way to strip them of their strength, to sap them of their ability to fight back. We must have more materials.
We are closer than ever. Neophysis has learned of an academy nearby that was, until now, unknown. I will use the disguise to lure the academy's best to our temple and trick them into wearing the rings. We accept that losses will be great but when the academy sends their best and we defeat them, it will only be a downhill stroll from there. Each successive group will be weaker and weaker until we have every body in the academy at our disposal. I imagine it will not be long before we have the potion; a way to slip into eternal afterlife while keeping one's mind full and healthy.
Life eternal my sweet...it will be ours...
And the entries end there.
The story comes together. A pair so immersed in death and the necromantic that they sought to move into the afterlife with but a sip of a drink. To this end, they tested their potion on countless others, treating all of them like wood to be hammered, nailed and tossed aside. You feel no remorse for killing this pair.
Moving South to the next door, you come upon an altar; dedicated to the goddess Wee-Jas. The room is simple, ebony curtains hang from the walls and are embroidered with silver thread in Wee-Jas' symbols. There is a small bone altar topped with a child's skull. {Understand if you want to destroy}
The double doors in the hallway lead to a bedroom area. It is complete with closet full of blackened robes and garb; though none of it as high quality as what you've taken from the duo' corpses. There is a bed, lined with furs that look well used. There is also a privy. A thorough search reveals no hidden areas with stashed items. It appears this team was to meet you with their best gear.
Lastly, there is a kitchen and dining area. The table is marble-topped, laced with veins of grey and black stone. Silver place settings are set for two at either end of the table, candle settings to match. The kitchen is stocked with various other utensils, none of it worth much note.
So it seems this place is otherwise empty. The remaining undead will probably remain in the corner for eternity, unable to accept new commands. You feel confident that the academy will deal with them accordingly. As you head out to meet Belle and the prisoners, Tham notices something out of the corner of his eye. Directly across from the prison section is another secret door. Readying your weapons, you give it a toss open.
The first thing to assail you is the stench. The air is thick and green, almost toxic to breath. Your lungs fight for air and you manage to keep whatever food that was in you there. Walking forward, to the left is a room where the door is covered in frost. Opening this door, you find a huge freezer of sorts beyond. Racks line the walls from floor to ceiling and are stacked with bodies rigid from the cold. There must be at least four dozen bodies in here...if not more. Maybe these were used for more parts? You shudder to think...
The end room is where most of the stench and foul odor is coming from. There are two large vats in the stone floor that bubble incessantly. Surrounding these are casks, barrels and vials of all sizes, colors and textures. The liquid looks extremely dangerous to near, so you'd best not examine it much further.
Lastly, on your way out, there is a room that is filled with chests. Dozens of them lay about the floor in neat orderly rows. Each chest is indentical, a few feet long, just as wide and just as high. Each chest has a plaque on the front with a date and a number. Opening one up, your stomach drops as you realize what this is...this is where they kept the gear from the previous adventurers they've captured. Each chest is the same, filled with the remains of a party's gear...just like your own. To think, your items could have been added to this macabre collection....
But it wasn't. You defeated these mages and bested their undead regiment. You have stopped the cycle of death in this region...hopefuly for good.
{I'll pause here in case someone want to do something else.}
Found in Complex
Mundane Items
Ivory Statuette of Wee Jas (50 gp)
Brass Mug w/Jade Inlay (100 gp)
Weathered Painting of Underwater Cityscape (1,600 gp)
Sapphire pendant on gold chain (2,000 gp)
Bloodstone (40gp)
Peridot (50gp)
Silver Pearl (140 gp)
Silver Ewer (50 gp)
Twin Purpleheart Harps w/Ivory inlay (1,200 gp)
Jewelled Anklet (2,000 gp)
Battered Golden Circlet w/Aquamarines (4,000 gp)
String of Pink Pearls (5,000 gp)
Pearl (14 gp)
Red Garnet (70 gp)
Tourmalene (110 gp)
Black Pearl (400 gp)
Alexandrite (500 gp)
Aquamarine (700 gp)
Hematite (5 gp)
Obsidian (9 gp)
Lapis Lazuli (11 gp)
Sard (40 gp)
Rose Quartz (50 gp)
Amber (110 gp)
Coral (140 gp)
Blue Diamond (6,000 gp)
Total = 24,839 gp in mundane treasure
Gold Pieces (And Miscellaneous coins) = 9,300 gp
Magic Items
Scroll of Flaming Sphere (2 uses)
Elixer of Swimming
Potion of Endure Elements
Potion of Aid
Scroll of Protection form Arrows (3 uses)
Oil of Magic Weapon
Potion of Spider Climb
Scroll of Cat's Grace
Wand of Eagle's Splendor (23 Charges)
Rod of Metal and Mineral Detection
Potion of Cat's Grace
Potion of Eagle's Splendor
Scroll of Alarm (3 uses)
Wand of False Life (11 charges)
Rod of Metamagic, Silent, lesser
{Map for Reference}
