War for Gateway Session Recap #10

[GM Mad]

War for Gateway Session Recap #10

April 17th, 569 CR:

After their horrifying encounter with the Shadow of Death, Wyvern Squad makes there way back to the Sunken Temple. The middle gem on the keystone is changed to a bronze gem. The key is tried once more above the portal and this time the bronze gem glows, but none of the smaller gems light up. After many switching of gems it is discovered that this portal works with a bronze middle gem, 2 blue, 1 brown and 1 tan gem on the outside.

There is a whoosh of energy and an image forms in the portal. It looks into another room, but it is dark inside. A rock with a Light Cantrip on it is tossed through the portal. Beyond is a 25' x 20' chamber. On the far wall there are three statues of Mardura each holding a short sword in her hands. Between the statues are 2 more inert portals like the one just activated. There are 2 more statues on either side of the active portal.

Anik and Saladino step through into the distant chamber, but as soon as they arrive the statues on either side of the portal start to move threateningly and they quickly step back. Eris steps through the portal and the statues seem satisfied that she is close enough to a follower of Mardura to not be an enemy. It is also discovered that the portal remains for about ten seconds after the keystone is pulled out giving users enough time to grab the keystone and then pass through the portal before it fades.

Wyvern Squad passes through the portal and it closes behind them. They arrive in a 20' x 25' room. There are three statues of Mardura on the longer sides of the room with two portals between them. The wall to the left has something that looks like a portal, but there is no place to put the keystone in it. Instead there is an raised circle with a hole in it, something that sort of looks like a doughnut. This Keystone, as configured, does not work on any of the other portals. The air here is not stale.

A pair of stone double doors lead out of this room. Some sand has blown in from underneath the door. The stone doors have to be forced open and then lead out to the end of a hallway. To the left is an alcove two more Mardura statues on guard in it. A hallway leads away to the right. Sand fills the hallway, growing deeper as it goes along.

Up ahead is an intersection. To the right is another alcove with Mardura statues in it. A partially buried skeleton sticks out of the sand. Only part of one of its arms can be seen with a short sword laying near its hand. Wimzy determines that it is not undead. The skeletons leather armor, short sword, dagger and thieves tools have survived all this time. They all detect as magical.

To the left is another hallway that where sand is even deeper. There are two doors on either side of the hallway and both are half buried. Its clear that the source of the sand is further down this hallway. The group scouts off in this direction. At the end of this hallway is another set of double doors that have been forced open and the sand flows in from them. Another hallway is here going to the left and to the right. There are two more double doors with sand coming through them on the same wall as the first. The hallway to the right is buried in sand and nothing can be seen. To the left there is a second of stone double doors that burst open and an opening can be seen at the far end of the hallway with yet another Mardura statue.

The hallway the group was first in continues onward to another set of statues and double doors. The sand is only a few inches deep as they get closer to the end of the hallway. The doors are forced open and a treasury is found. Six more Mardura statues stand on guard. Chests of ancient gold, silver and copper coins are found. Of more interest are eight of the rods the group saw when the unknown female flew away on the hover barge. Each of these rods has lightning playing about inside them like a plasma ball. They all sit upright in racks and there more spaces for rods to be placed.

The group decides to set up camp for the evening and several study the copper rods. They are actually Pyramid Power Control Rods. These particular rods are used to power hover vehicles, such as the barge the group saw earlier or the chariot from the old tapestry. The more potent the lightning in the globe, the more power in the rod. Each night the rod replenishes its energy if it is close enough the Pyramid Power Network.


April 18th, 569 CR:

Next morning, the group continues their explorations. They head down the hallway choked with sand. In the deepest places they have to duck to avoid hitting the ceiling. The chamber where the sand is coming from is huge and to no surprise completely buried in sand.

Turning down the hallway towards the burst open doors the group makes there way into a large workshop. The are forges, forms and anvils here suggesting a metal manufacturing area. After looking about, the group realizes that this area is used to make and maintain hover chariots. In a side storage room 5 more functioning control rods are found. These ones aided in the craftsmen working here.

Going out of the room and further down the hallway, a partially buried Mardura statue is seen. To the left of it is an opening to stairs going up. Once high enough the sand recedes. After about 50', there is an opening leading out while the stairs continue to spiral upwards.

The group leaves the stairs and emerge into a vast courtyard that is over 100' square feet in size. Predictably most of it is covered in sand, but around the edges is not too bad. The courtyard is a second story walkway going all around it supported by posts. To the groups right are several recently killed kobolds lay close to two more Mardura statues on either side of a pair of double doors. Oddly enough there is a strange shaped rock sticking out of the sand. It almost looks like a rocky horn of some creature. This courtyard is open to the sky.

“Be filled with joy! You have found the Horn of War! You may present your tribute!” The horn seems to call out startling the group. The group starts to offer those enchanted items that they had no use for to the 'horn of war'. Laurel starts to play her pipes and Saladino dances. While this is going on, Anik goes up to the horn thinking the someone underneath is trying to scam the group and ties to push the horn over. To the shock of everyone, something very large emerges from the sand! It is a blue dragon and the horn emerges from the top of its nose!

The Blue Dragon says that he is Ralvax, a collector of fine art and treasures. His kobold lackeys were killed by the statues and Ralvax found them beautiful, so he didn't destroy them. He commands the group to go past the statues and find some work of art for him while Laurel continues to play her pipes and Saladino dances.

The rest of the group are ignored by the Mardura statues once more and push open the stone double doors. Beyond is a 30' hallway that leads to a large temple of Mardura. Pews fill the area and against the far wall is an altar that Eris can tell radiates Mardura's power. Two larger statues are on either side of the altar.

The group plots to get their comrades away from the dragon. To that end, a Wall of Fog spell is cast between the dragon and Laurel and Saladino and they rush into the temple. The dragon is angry and moves up to the doorway. The Mardura statues attack the dragon as it breathes lightning down the hallway striking several of the pews and setting them on fire. The group dove off to either side to avoid the attack. The dragon remains at the doorway, raging about what horrible things it is going to do to the group.

Eris rushes up the altar and prays for Mardura to defend her temple. In response to the Priestess of Ishtar's prayer, the large stone statues animate! With each footfall sounding like thunder, the statues advance on the dragon and start to pummel it. The dragon soon departs, promising to get revenge on the group. Afterwards, the statues return to their point of origin.

Only two doors lead out of the temple. One door leads into a large study where the walls are lined with scroll holders. Many of these ancient scrolls have rotted away with the passing of years, but enough remains to keep Laurel and Sann busy for a very long time.

The other door leads into a priest area where they could prepare for services or relax.

M'Lady is sent out to scout once the group is confident that Ralvax is gone. The hawk will report that the group is now in a large valley, but still in the same mountain range as before. The valley is some 16 miles long and at its widest 9 miles wide. The Mardura Temple is build along the side of the valley.

Many objects, many buried underneath sand, can be seen in the valley. There are three pyramids and several obelisks. At the southern end of the valley some ruins can be seen and fighting is going on there. Wyvern Squad has arrived in the Valley of Fangs.

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

That's where things were left at. For a the first time ever, a session without any real combat! Everyone's Hit Points are at maximum.

Here's the maps for the new areas:

wfg011.jpg (54.87 KiB) Viewed 1620 times

Lowest level of Mardura's Temple:

I remove those doors that were burst open from the sand on the map so that they could be different from those doors that are closed. Where the doors are missing, the doors are open. The sand color shows where the sand is. The stars are the locations of the statues. The squares are 5'. A statues takes up a 5' square.

1. Portal Room: Area where the group first entered the temple at.

2. Hallway: The number shows the location of the partially buried skeleton.

3. Temple Treasury: Ancient coins and Pyramid Power Control Rods were found here. Group camped here for the night.

4. Sand filled hallway.

5. Hover Chariot manufacturing area.

6. Storage area. More control rods for the works found here.

9. Sand filled hallway. Impassable.

10. Not as filled sand hallway.

11. Large sand filled chamber.

[GM Mad]

Temple Ground Level:

wfg012.jpg (69.63 KiB) Viewed 1620 times

12. Outdoor courtyard/Training area. Huge somewhat sand filled area where Ralvax was found. The kobold bodies were in front of the doors between the statues. The broken lines show where the above ground walkway is in the level above this one. The frames for the large entry doors can be seen on the far wall but they are filled with sand.

13. Main Temple of Mardura. Two large (stone golem) statues of Mardura stand on either side of the altar. The hallway leading to the temple is 10' x 30' to help give a sense of scale.

14. Temple Library/Study. Many ancient scrolls found here.

15. Priest area.