Book 10, Chapter 2 �In which Zytsi is not disembowelled, or There is no Wisdom in Harn�
18/10/2014
The famous Erana Sir Martyn Yanyez De Barbudo had problems getting here as the M40 and M1 were closed, Zytsi the magnificent Khuzdul mason had a very short journey but was late, Aruth the legendary driver of the War Wagon with the beautiful paintjob had problems setting off, Daniel the legendary Bard with the wondrous Harp of Galeroth had an easy journey and arrived first and Bowlhead the close friend of Gloriana didn�t need to go anywhere. The Universe was undertaken by a bomb squad van with flashing lights while park for an hour on the M5.
Yea verily was there talk of computer games whilst eating
lunch. Attila is better than
We are in Ochryan and it is the end 22nd of Nolus. Sir Martyn had a cunning plan but we faffed a lot.
Sir Martyn looks up Ilvir in his observer�s book of Gods for some background info to find out if it is worth having a word with the local Clerics. Probably not, there is a dissident group that went into the caverns below Araka-Kalai 30 years ago who may be behind the current problems.
Daniel got a level for a suggestion. Icarus is in thrall to Panaga and the bits we have of him can be use to free him. We have Icarus� eye, tongue and horn in two silver boxes. See Book One, Chapter Three when we were in Kiraz. Icarus is most powerful of a powerful race of demons, almost a God.
Sir Martyn feels he needs the hand of Agrik so we have go to Golotha. We leave on the 23rd Nolus and arrive on the 30th Nolus.
Icarus� race is a satyr type creature with small wings, 3 to 4 � feet in height who have a random teleport when under threat. Generally classed as weak demons, if they lose their eyes, tongue and horns they lose their free will and can be summoned. Neither good nor evil as a race, they just like getting drunk and having sex.
Everyone gets some gear, except Sir Martyn who gets the
hand. There will be a religious blessing from the
And Sir Martyn goes drug shopping, and Daniel wants some Mirena Berries. The local herbalist type is now out of mirena berries, rewk, the one splayfoot, some kind of haste mushrooms, and any other herbs we could think of.
The Agrikans are sending have sent a force of 20
Knights to Hlen, and they left before we left. We did a week in Golotha, 3 or 4
days to godstone, Azadmere for 1 day (or rather one night). Lots of leaving
stuff behind by 2 members of the party, and did that leave whatever it was that
was being used to track us? (Zytsi�s gold coin from a dragon.) We have a night
of celebration and feasting and 10 Royal Guards come back with us. Then 4 days
to Hlen, and the Agrikans are there already, so that�s the 15th
Larane then.
In the evening of the 15th we all are standing in the centre with wagon, Knights and Royal Guard outside temple. At midnight a cold wind blows, we get cold, glow and we tingle and disintegrate painfully. We eventually pass out. It is painful and doesn�t get much better.
When we wake up we are elsewhere, it doesn�t smell nice and everyone is a -25%. We�ve been transported but the Knights and Royal Guard haven�t. We are in a glade but beyond the trees is mist. After a bit, after the -25% wears off, and man walks into the circle from out of the mist. He hands us a scroll and points into the mist, where we can see an archway.
The Scroll of Varax
Here seven trials and seven gates
To challenge one who contemplates
The wisdom and the strength that hold
The live and succour of the bold.
For he that dares these gates to try
Must seven pass or shall he die.
Should one in temper�d strength prove wise,
His fallen comrades might arise.
Now not with eyes do all men see,
Let trust and courage succour thee.
For he who dares the seventh way
Might pass the void to win the day.
Unto the fires that flow like hell.
His wit and courage serve him well.
For fire kills both meek and great.
Yet most beware the safer gate.
The test of steel may call for one
To cast his life, to die, have done,
For who shall forge a greater name
Than he who stays bright hero�s bane.
A man who slays without fair cause
Is said to tarnish nature�s laws,
Let love of life they savoir be,
And stay the haste that comes to thee.
The eye of man cannot avail
Where, in the darkness, all lights fail.
Mere flesh might see the world around
To rise above the challenge found.
So where flies wisdom when winds blow
Fell madness from the depths below?
And who can make all choices true,
And thus forget that winds e�er blew?
Yet most, fear most, the final part
That wrenches souls and tries the heart.
True hearts yield not to false rewards,
To wealth or fame of mortal lands.
Fail not thy heart, nor courage lack,
And tarry not, nor turn thee back,
Through air and mind and ice and fire
And steel to win thy heart�s desire.
OK� so its riddles and challenge time. We walk up to the first gate, i.e. the archway in the mist, which shows a willow tree being blown with a gem in the middle. If you blow on it then it opens. We come into a very large cavern, with a gigantic chasm running through it, six bridges across it and a wind blowing from all directions. Sir Martyn ties a rope around himself and assumes he says to walk across letting the wind blow him across. Intuitions, he will fall to his death. Bowlhead finds the invisible bridge, so we cross and find the exit the other side.
We come to another arch with a gate, pictures of flames and faces in agony. Fire to gem in the centre, and gate opens. It goes and down to a large triangular room of red marble and 6 pillars either side. We faff around until Aruth walks into the centre exit and takes 10 points of damage and save, and take 20 points of damage and save, and for 30 points and save, then 40 points of damage and saves. Then we followed him but we can see him, with Bardic inspirations. After taking 100 points of damage we are OK.
The next gate is a gate of steel. In the middle there is a raised area with a plough sheer above, a sword below with a keyhole in the middle. Zytsi uses lock lore and you are supposed to take the plough off and use it as a key, which works. Beyond is 15 � 20 wide corridor opens out into a gigantic maze, we can only travel single file due to the swords and daggers, and eventually we get out the other end
Marching order - Sir Martyn, Zytsi, Aruth, Daniel, and Bowlhead. We take three lots of damage based on armour penalties which means that Sir Martyn and Zytsi take loads of damage. Then the maze opens out at the centre and there is a large steel or iron golem. Zytsi looked at it and used his rank of Recognise Golem to realise it as a polished bronze or iron golem, and we now think we should have brought the sword from the gate. Oh yes there are seven exist but only one for the exit.
Bowlhead and Zytsi go back for the key. They take a load of damage and get the sword key. Back they come taking damage, boy this hurts. One the second set of rolls coming back Zytsi is disembowelled, so invokes the totem and it is re-rolled and isn�t so bad next time. Bowlhead has a really scared nose now.
Once getting with 50 feet it glows and grows, and on the blade it says �Cordo�s Bane�. It is passed forward to Sir Martyn and he psyches himself up who goes for a bit, then falls over in a heap. Then Zytsi steps in and picks the sword up. It is painful as it takes 3 consecutive hits to down it. Sir Martyn hit it twice then would have died except for Bowlhead. Zytsi picked the sword up and didn�t hit it so reset clock and Zytsi had to hit it three times and it fell to bits.
It was painful getting out and the party junkies took their drugs for a relaxing fix.
The next gate is green with a picture of a tree in a pot with a snake coiled round it. This door is just pushed open, there is a large vale apparently open to the sky with a little stream running though the middle and path winds through the vale. Dotted around are eight foot tall ugly statues.
We peaceful follow the path and when we get close the first statue and it animates and shouts (we save) and attacks Bowlhead. He doesn�t parry and he isn�t hit at all. We wade though the stream. One attacks Daniel and he blade turns it, it hit him! He saves and next round he does nothing and it does nothing. Bowlhead was the usual victim who always did nothing, and Aruth was the last victim who did nothing. We come to a large lake with a large raft.
The next gate shows a rolling ocean in an abstracted design. Splash water one to open. Corridor goes away for about 40 or 50 feet then we are standing in water and goes for 20 feet and open out into a darkness. Ah we need the raft.
In the darkness there is a lever, pull the lever doors close and the room fills up with water and we get on the raft. It rises up and we go into a corridor which is 3 foot deep in water. And we get into the next bit and the next gate.
The sixth gate is decorated with tiny runes �Speak the answer, touch the key, wit and truth, thy shelter be� In the symbols there is one of a key, say answer and touch the key.
There is a large pit in the middle of the cavern, but you can walk around it and there are two exits, one close and one on the far side. We around it to the exit on the far side. It is a dead end with a plaque on the far wall with inscription of a small key with a riddle. The riddle answer seems to be wind, press the key and say wind. Next room, next riddle, Fire seems to be the answer. Next room, next riddle, Steel. Next room, and riddle, Earth. Next room and riddle, Water.
The final gate, picture of a maid on a unicorn. If it could only be opened by a virgin we would be in serious trouble, none of us are. We push the gate open. It is the Heart Desire room. Roll 1D10 1-3 get item of choice, 0 you die, otherwise nothing. Aruth and Daniel say they want to live and don�t make the choice. No body gets anything in the end.
Next room is a large and ornate, and in the middle is a small table with a silver key on it, which fits the silver boxes with Icarus bits. But it doesn�t open yet.
We go out side, the mist is gone. The bloke we saw before appears, we don�t have to do the tests to use these gates again. These gates are in his mind.
The wind blows and its painful and we are on the top of a
hill looking down on a city, the City of