Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Beginning the Delve

Afternoon, July 30 by Kingdom Reckoning

In response to Shade's question as he hurries underground, the giant responds, "Kotas." Then says, in what sounds like a rehearsed chant, "my work is finished, I return to the ground to await the pilgrims." The outlines of the spell begin to shine through the skin on his forehead and as you pass into the darkness underground, you hear the clatter of bones. 

The earth seals behind you.



The stairs are steep, obviously made for longer legs than any in the group have so the going is slow. The ceiling is vaulted and it's far enough above your head that you have to squint in the torchlight to see it, easily 15-20 feet. At regular intervals there is a landing, lined with columns like the staircase, with walls set with basins and alcoves. The alcoves must be there for illumination but contain no lamps, the basins are empty.

The stairs go on for quite a long time. Your knees grow tired from stepping, stepping, stepping down farther than is comfortable with every step. Your back hurts from the weight of your pack, bouncing on your back. Your eyes are sore from squinting and you can hear the pounding of your heart in your ears.

Finally, at a depth that Rayla estimates as 600 feet below the earth, you see that the stairs open up into a large doorway which in turn opens up into a room lined with columns. It is still dark, and even those with darkvision can see nothing beyond the torches but more columns.

The room is quiet and dark as a tomb, you stand 10-15 feet back up the stairs, near the same level as the top of the entrance to the great room. What do you do?

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Tracking the Horses

Noon, August 30 670 by Kingdom Reckoning

Tom leads the party southwest in the direction that the horses bolted but after two hours he loses their tracks in the sparse grass and loose sand that makes up the dunes in this barren area of land. He casts about for a time, moving east and west several hundred yards to try to pick up the trail again, but to no avail. 

He does, however, stumble upon something interesting: a humanoid skull, as high as a man's thighs, covered in a pattern of runes. In a single eye socket in the middle of the head, is a yellow gem.