The Forgotten City XI
General Summary
La Compagnia exited the domed room to the north, Alex tittering gleefully as he shouted the command word, Paruhatpa at the door and holding up the key like a wand. Teleptyon mused that this was likely why the Oameni race had not been entrusted with much magic ability. The Alvi and Keb remained in a lotus stupor and followed where they were led. Alex, Kegho and Riven led the way down the spur of caves they had not visited, but even after searching carefully could find no path forward, but heard the rumbling that sounded of bearmen trying to open the wooden door on the far side of the domed room. They quietly debated whether to let them through and pretend to be helpful or hope the Rusati door would hold them. When they eventually sounded like they had given up at the door Alex asked how they had been getting through the sealed door previously anyway. Kegho shrugged and suggested thinking too much only cause pain.
They returned to the smithy, which Teleptyon and Alex kept insisting be called the Chamber of Re-Khepri-Khamat-Neb and every one else called "the Smithy." The dreaming Alvi and Keb became agitated on returning to the room of their enslavement and the Keb began picking up and setting down the tools arrayed on the table out of nervous, half-dreamt habit. Reminding himself that he had been tasked with prostelytizing to the Wem, and seeing these creatures as feral cousins of the Wem, Theo called for assistance in burying the small creatures whose broken bodies where strewn about the room. Riven asked Teleptyon to climb the vines with her and use the rosewood astrolabe to climb the vines and help her fix their location and that of the cave. He looked up at the canopy, handed her the astrolabe, and said that Theo needed his help. Asbjørn offered to escort her and they began their ascent. Kegho climbed the wall where the serpant man had been and followed the trail of blood nearly to the bridge but saw no new activity since they had been there. He returned and waited at the top of the wall just in case. Alex assessed the equipment in the smithy, trying to decide if anyone would be able to carry the anvil or not. All told he found several staves that might be used to fashion new sling staffs, firewood, a bucket of coal, a chisel, mallet, tongs, sword blanks. He was glad they were traveling light as much of this would be useful in the cave.
After collecting themselves Riven reported that there was a significant complex of wasps' nests on a mesa, and while they might normally be able to clamber down she was unsure the dreamers would be able to manage the drop from the plateau to the desert floor. They decided to continue down the path where the serpant man had run.
Teleptyon mumbled and gesticulated and Riven disappeared from view, she crept cautiously over the wooden bridge, which swayed with the winds rushing through the chasm and over the waters below. She found the end of the bridge and two chained lizards chained in the opening of the cave, quite large and though she was invisible and had crept quietly through the noisy environment, she knew that their flicking tongues meant they could smell her. She retreated across the bridge before they became too agitated and Kegho thought to tame the beasts with his Rhuden skills.
Alex took followed them with his dusky red lamp but a little over half- way over the bridge he noticed an opening off to the side of the bridge. He saw the shapes of several Wem-like creatures and as he heard the cranking sound of something being tightened. He loosed a sling bullet and was pleased with the heft of the newly forged ones. The first creature fell into the ravine below with an exploded skull. A boulder was loosed from whatever infernal machine they were working and Kegho was struck in the abdomen with a stone. Battle was joined and sharp wooden javelins began raining down on Kegho and Asbjørn but in the darkness all but one were not true. Kegho swallowed an oath to a bleak Stepplander god as one bit deeply into his shoulder. Alex helpfully suggested they should probably clean that before it got infected as Kegho tore it out and threw it into the crevasse. Another stone loosed from the machine missed Asbjørn but worryingly took a chunk out of the bridge.
Kegho and Asbjørn moved to the other end of the bridge and began to fight with the two lizards who were much bigger than Riven's description had made them sound. Kegho missed, and one sunk it's teeth into Asbjørn. From a distance they heard the mutterings of Teleptyon and flacid bolts of the Ar struck the lizards. A lizard scratched and then sank its teeth into Kegho's torso. Theo made his way quickly across the bridge and was narrowly missed by another javelin. Alex lofted a flask of oil at one and it slicked one of the creatures completely. He suggested urgently that Teleptyon enchanting Riven's arrows with flame would be very helpful. Theo joined the fray with the lizards, swinging his mace, but missing as he was standing on the edge of the bridge. Asbjørn and a lizard attacked each other and he caught it in the neck when it rose up to bite him. Riven loosed an arrow at the creature Alex had oiled and wounded it. Alex heard the sickening sound of the boulder being drawn back and thought "We need that" before several of his ribs were shattered by a speeding stone. A javelin followed close behind but was wide. Alex hoped he would be able to limp his very wounded self out of their range as two more bolts of Ar zipped past him striking the lizards meekly. Keg followed up with a deep slice with Wraithcleaver. Before he could turn and run another javelin sank into his leg. A curse formed on his lips, but a second arrow from Riven obliterated the creature who had fired the machine, and as he pulled the javelin from his leg he began reciting the Oameni prayers for the dead for himself and turned to flee.
Rewards Granted
- Exploration XP: 1739 per player character
- Minor Feats (745): Exploration, Hazard (Rapids), Lore (Entrance), Puzzle (Chest)
- Major Feats (1863): Location (Paruhapta Entrance)
- Extraordinary Feats (3726): None
- Campaign Feats (5589): Safe Haven (Cave)
- Combat XP:
- Treasure XP:
Notes
Contents taken from smithy
- Blacksmith's Chisel (2#)
- Blacksmith's Mallet (2#)
- Blacksmith's Tongs (1#)
- 3 pig iron sword blanks (2#/each)
- A bucket of coal (3#)
- Firewood (20#)
- 7 wooden staves (3#/each)
