After commemorating Nevik's death in Cambaris for several days Zou Kov went about recruiting for a second incursion into the palace. They were joined by another warrior of their tribe, Naim Tocs, and Teragram, a thief for who the small town had become so dangerous that visiting the abandoned palace appeared preferable.
The raiders this time consisted of:
Zou Kov Q3+ C3 Leader @ 60
Aushog Q3+ C3 @ 30
J'Neb Q3+ C3 @ 30
Saylok Q3+ C3 Shooter Medium, Stealth @ 44
Nurmi Q3+ C4 @40
Wetham Q3+ C3 Berserk @38
Naim Tocs Q3+ C3 @ 30
Teragram Q3+ C2 Stealth, Traps @ 32
For the second excursion Zou Kov led the band up to the plateau as before then, reasoning that the area they had previously visited was fully explored, no unopened doors having been found, round the outer wall of the palace to the east. There a second entrance, apparently identical to the first, was found. This time their approach was more subtle. Teragram, escorted by a warrior, approached the door which led off the initial, undoored, vestibule. Signalling the others to silence she listened carefully at the door then she worked with her tools until the click of the opening lock could be heard. She then carefully pushed at the door, testing for traps, and when satisfied swung it open and entered.
Another, inner, vestibule was revealed, as before lit by luminescent growths on the ceiling. With growing confidence Teragram investigated then unlocked this door. As before she swung the door opened and revealed a band of skeletal swordsmen awaiting the intruders.
The barbarians were this time better prepared to deal with the skeletal guards. A fierce charge by Wetham, Nurmi laying about him with his axe, the others finishing off skeletons outnumbered or off-balance or staggered by blows, and they were all destroyed.
.
The group took stock of the situation and moved on. Again and again Tegaram proved worth her hiring, opening doors that would previously been battered down. The palace seemed largely abandoned, with once-lavish furniture disintegrated with age and wall-hangings of purple embroidered with gold thread falling to dust at a touch.
Before long the party entered a transverse corridor with a door at either end. Tegaram as always approached a door and checked it; this time she urgently signalled the others to move back and worked at the door with intense concentration. After some time she stood up, announced that the door as well as being strongly locked had also had a trap in the form of a spring-loaded spike embedded in its jamb. She opened the door to reveal a corridor choked with rubble. Zou Kov surmised out loud that the roof had fallen in after the door was locked, and thet something of value must have been beyond. The other door proved to be locked and trapped in the very same way and Tegaram confidently threw the door open and stepped inside.
The group took stock of the situation and moved on. Again and again Tegaram proved worth her hiring, opening doors that would previously been battered down. The palace seemed largely abandoned, with once-lavish furniture disintegrated with age and wall-hangings of purple embroidered with gold thread falling to dust at a touch.
Before long the party entered a transverse corridor with a door at either end. Tegaram as always approached a door and checked it; this time she urgently signalled the others to move back and worked at the door with intense concentration. After some time she stood up, announced that the door as well as being strongly locked had also had a trap in the form of a spring-loaded spike embedded in its jamb. She opened the door to reveal a corridor choked with rubble. Zou Kov surmised out loud that the roof had fallen in after the door was locked, and thet something of value must have been beyond. The other door proved to be locked and trapped in the very same way and Tegaram confidently threw the door open and stepped inside.
Much quicker than she had gone in through the door Teragam fled back out, and a low moaning and a scuffling sound followed her. Inside the room was a curious wall-feature and a treasure chest. More alarmingly three mummies, presumably guardians of the treasure or carving, were also in the room and shuffled towards the opened door.
A ferocious fight ensued, as the mummies strove to get out of the room and the barbarians to keep them inside. The mummies proved tough opponents, shrugging off blows that would have cut any other creature in two. Wetham and Naim Tocs were in the forefront, side by side blocking the narrow passageway. There was an alarming moment when a fourth mummy emerged from a door behind the group, but fortunately Saylok and J'Neb had been alert in their rearguard position. The mummy seemed untroubled by two of Saylok's arrows jutting from its body, and forced J;Neb to the ground and began to throttle him. In the nick of time Nurmi was able to come to their aid and the three despatched the mummy. The decisive moment in the main fight came when Naim Tocs, who had been dragged to the ground by a mummy and was being strangled by it, managed to break free, get behind it, and exerting all his strength twist its head off. The other two were finished off by Wetham and, arriving back from the other melee, Nurmi.
The chest in the room lay open, and contained a slightly disappointing selection of coins and jewel-encrusted articles. Also in the box was a sword wrapped in a now-brittle oil-cloth, which Zou Kov retained for examination in daylight.
Lugging the box between two the adventurers made their way back to the entrance, tired and battered and bruised and eager to share out the spoils. The hired animals were only lightly laden on the return journey to Cambaris, but the barbarians were delighted to have got away so lightly from such eldritch opponents.
DUNGEON GENERATION
The first tile is a 3 x 2 corridor with a door at the end. Roll for the door on the Doors Table.
On opening a door roll for what is beyond on 1D20 on the Rooms Table.
A corridor always has a door at the far end. If a corridor is indicated it 1-4 continues on straight 5-6 runs transversely (a T junction).
A room has 1D6-3 doors leading out, with a minimum of one (where you came in).
Then roll for what is in the room on the Contents Table. Roll 1D20, minus 2 if it is a corridor.
Before assessing the value of a treasure chest it must be opened. A roll of 1 means there is a trap.
Once opened roll again: 5,6 for a major treasure, or 6 for a minor, gives a magic item. Otherwise roll 1D6 for value, subtracting 1 if minor. It takes one figure to carry a point of treasure with a one step movement reduction. (Example - a four point treasure takes 4 figures in contact to carry it.)
If a room or corridor is re-entered after having been cleared roll 1D20. On a 1 some mummies (1-3) have wandered in; on a 2-3 a band of ghouls (1D4) have stalked the adventurers to there; on a 4 a giant scorpion is on the hunt.
,
Skeleton swordsman, spearman, axeman
Quality 4+ Combat 2 Undead 20 points
Skeleton standard-bearer
Quality 4+ Combat 2 Standard Bearer, Undead 20 points
Skeleton archer
Quality 4+ Combat 2
Shooter: Medium, Undead 26 points
Ghoul
Quality 3+ Combat 2
Undead, Poison 32 points
Mummy
Quality 5+ Combat 3
Undead, Tough, Slow 28 points
Covidius
Quality 3+ Combat 3 Hero, Magic-User, Undead 96 points
Giant scorpion
Quality 3+ Combat 3
Animal, Heavy Armor, Poison 36 points
Undead wolf
Quality 4+ Combat 3
Undead, Long Move 42 points
Patrol = 5 x swordsmen (100 points)
Squad = 1 x standard-bearer, 1 x archer, 9 x swordsmen (226 points)
Guard = Covidius, 1 x standard-bearer, 1 x archer, 9 x swordsmen (322 points)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The barbarians dare to enter the ruined palace - http://www.spodilicious.com/the-palace-of-covidius-i.html
The search for more money - http://www.spodilicious.com/the-palace-of-covidius-ii.html
The barbarians return to the palace and receive an unwelcome surprise - http://www.spodilicious.com/the-palace-of-covidius-iii.html
Skeleton swordsman, spearman, axeman
Quality 4+ Combat 2 Undead 20 points
Skeleton standard-bearer
Quality 4+ Combat 2 Standard Bearer, Undead 20 points
Skeleton archer
Quality 4+ Combat 2
Shooter: Medium, Undead 26 points
Ghoul
Quality 3+ Combat 2
Undead, Poison 32 points
Mummy
Quality 5+ Combat 3
Undead, Tough, Slow 28 points
Covidius
Quality 3+ Combat 3 Hero, Magic-User, Undead 96 points
Giant scorpion
Quality 3+ Combat 3
Animal, Heavy Armor, Poison 36 points
Undead wolf
Quality 4+ Combat 3
Undead, Long Move 42 points
Patrol = 5 x swordsmen (100 points)
Squad = 1 x standard-bearer, 1 x archer, 9 x swordsmen (226 points)
Guard = Covidius, 1 x standard-bearer, 1 x archer, 9 x swordsmen (322 points)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The barbarians dare to enter the ruined palace - http://www.spodilicious.com/the-palace-of-covidius-i.html
The search for more money - http://www.spodilicious.com/the-palace-of-covidius-ii.html
The barbarians return to the palace and receive an unwelcome surprise - http://www.spodilicious.com/the-palace-of-covidius-iii.html
