"Well, I think we should put the nine cubes we have into this door with nine spots. I also think we need to keep the eye pendant...it must be important or else it wouldn't be hidden like this!" the fighter opines...
Timber helps place the cubes in their particular spots, all the while keeping an eye out for the traps. "Is it just me or are those gargoyles making others feel quite uncomfortable?"
Acererak is a powerful lich known and feared throughout the multiverse. Much of his past is forgotten, but ancient texts assert that he comes from a world called Oerth.
Acererak travels the planes in search of artifacts. When he finds something useful or interesting, he locks it away. Although he’s powerful enough to pursue godhood as other liches have done (Vecna being a prime example), Acererak has no interest in being a god or being worshiped. He prefers to create evil gods and unleash them on mortals and immortals who oppose him.
Despite passing up opportunities for godhood, Acererak attracts his fair share of followers and worshipers. He doesn’t grant spells, nor does he give his devotees much of his precious time. Mostly he likes to watch them suffer and die as a result of their magical pursuits and folly.
Although he has lived on many worlds and crafted countless demiplanes, Acererak spends most of his time building tombs. He fills each one with treasure to attract powerful adventurers. He then kills them off in terrible fashion, using deadly traps and monsters while baiting and ridiculing them. The terror he evokes scars their souls, which he traps in his phylactery, the location of which is one of the multiverse’s greatest secrets.
As for Unkh
You have pieced together the Legend of the Nine Trickster Gods
Long ago, the god Ubtao hardened his heart and vowed to weep for the people of Omu no longer. The rains stopped, the jungle withered and died, and death swept through Omu.
One morning, a wise zorbo emerged from her hollow tree and spoke to the dying Omuans. To convince Ubtao of their worth, she decided to cook him a stew made from all their good qualities. Catching such virtues wouldn’t be easy, so she asked a wily almiraj to help her. The almiraj snuck recklessness in the pot, which she saw as a virtue, and Ubtao spat out the stew when he tasted it. From that day on, Obo’laka the zorbo and I’jin the almiraj became terrible enemies.
At noon, a brave kamadan hopped down from her rock. She saw the evil in the Omuans’ hearts and decided to lance it like a troublesome boil. The kamadan fashioned a holy spear, but she left it by the riverbank and a crafty grung stole it. In her rage, Shagambi the kamadan forgot all about the Omuans and chased Nangnang the grung forever across the sky.
When evening came, a wily eblis stepped from his reed hut. He didn’t like the Omuans, but without them he’d have no one to play his tricks on. The eblis sent a marsh frog to reason with Ubtao, but the frog was angry and decided to wrestle the god instead. This amused Ubtao, so he gave the frog tentacles to make it stronger. When Kubazan the froghemoth returned to Papazotl the eblis, he chased Papazotl into the swamp with his new tentacles.
That night, a su-monster broke into Ubtao’s palace and stole a pail of water for the Omuans. When the god came running to find it, the su-monster hid the pail in a jaculi’s burrow. Ubtao asked the jungle animals where his water was hidden, and Moa the jaculi was too honest to lie. When Wongo the su-monster found out how Moa had betrayed him, he vowed to catch the jaculi and eat him up.
All the while, Unkh the flail snail lived deep under the earth. The noise of the other animals fighting made her slither up to the surface, and when day dawned over her shell, the light blinded Ubtao and made his eyes water. Life returned to Omu, and the people built shrines to honor the animals who’d saved them.
As Timber places the last cube in the spaces provided the nine cubes flare with light, then disappear. Growling like an angry beast, the slab begins to slide up into the ceiling. Another slab blocks the hallway twenty feet beyond the first door. An iron lever is set into the door’s surface, with a graven stone skull leering down from above. Pulling that lever opens the next door, but the one behind closes in its place.
A moss-covered corridor extends beyond the second door. Tree roots hang from the sagging ceiling, and the air reeks of rot and damp. Ahead, a bas-relief carving of a bearded devil’s face adorns the wall at a T-shaped intersection. The devil’s open mouth is a well of utter darkness.
"'In the darkness it hides.' That's what the inscription said...Be ready." Kirinar walks forward slowly, looking for traps and ready for something to come out of the carving's mouth!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Timber had grabbed the small pendant from the Unkh statue. As the party moved from that hallway and passed near the obelisk Timber felt the pendant tug him toward the hidden tomb entrance.
Now within the first corridor Kirinar steps bravely forward looking for trouble. As he steps past the second door 25 a small dart catches him in the neck and he takes 3 damage. He feels a bit woozy and realizes the dart is poisoned (DC 15 Con Save 12) and takes an additional 13 poison damage.
feeling the tug of the pendant that he had swiped, Timber gestures to the group. "Guys, i think there is something this way!" he says heading in the direction guided by the pendant.
feeling the tug of the pendant that he had swiped, Timber gestures to the group. "Guys, i think there is something this way!" he says heading in the direction guided by the pendant.
I'm was just letting you know that the pendant tugged you towards the hidden entrance that you had already found previously and have now opened and started into.
"Kirinar! Are you ok?" Keyleth calls out. "We, um... we might want to do something about these holes in the wall before the rest of us proceed," she says, gesturing at the hole that the dart came out of, and beginning to search her bag for anything that she could stuff into the holes, and finding a spare shirt from which she tears a few small pieces, and begins attempting to block the dart holes.
Keyleth is able to tear the shirt to pieces and stuff the holes with the fabric. As they move further up the short hallway they again step on something that seems to activate the darts but nothing flies at them. You reach the end of the hallway and you now stand before the bas-relief carving of a bearded devil’s face which adorns the wall at a T-shaped intersection. The face is sculpted from stone and melds seamlessly with the surrounding wall and the devil’s open mouth is a well of utter darkness. The mouth is large enough that you could crawl inside it if you so choose.
Looking west the passage continues 30 feet. Creepers and vines cling to the walls of this corridor, at the end of which is an arched crystal window, six feet wide and ten feet high. Through it, you can see a dark chamber.. You also see a rusted iron grate is set into the corridor floor. Through its bars, you see muddy water flowing slowly past.
To the east the corridor continues 30 feet and then appears to open into a larger room shrouded in darkness.
"I'm sensing that 'darkness' is a theme of this place," Keyleth remarks after scanning the corridor. "I don't have any particular reason to think that any one of these directions is likely to be better than any other, though I will say I'm not inclined to climb into that thing's mouth."
"When in doubt, go left?" she suggests, jumping over the grate along the edge of the wall just in case, and examining the crystal window. She holds a lantern up to it and tries to make out what might be on the other side.
"When in doubt, go left?" she suggests, jumping over the grate along the edge of the wall just in case, and examining the crystal window. She holds a lantern up to it and tries to make out what might be on the other side.
Kayleth looks through the window. This vaulted tomb is overgrown with moss and creepers. A stone sarcophagus rests on a stepped dais in the middle of the floor. On the wall behind the sarcophagus, two large statues of bears grip a five-foot-diameter bronze disk embossed with a dozen glaring eyes. Six desiccated corpses slump on thrones in niches along the walls. Each corpse wears a black mask made of papier-mâché and feathers.
((As a reminder, my maps will update as I go along, so you can look back at the last posts to see the map as it updates. I will try to have the map show up on each page of the thread.))
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Ah, thanks Doc. I just need a moment to catch my breath. I'll be OK!" While waiting for Keyleth to finish her examination of the glass window, Kirinar will do some dlow breathing exercises and rub out the area on his neck where the dart hit him. When he's done, he looks practically unhurt!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Timber wanders up to the bears, his eyes open with wonder. He then looks up at the bronze disc and surrounding corpses, trying to detect any signs of lingering magic.
Arcana: 23
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"Well, I think we should put the nine cubes we have into this door with nine spots. I also think we need to keep the eye pendant...it must be important or else it wouldn't be hidden like this!" the fighter opines...
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Timber helps place the cubes in their particular spots, all the while keeping an eye out for the traps. "Is it just me or are those gargoyles making others feel quite uncomfortable?"
Dr A recalls what he knows of Acererak
Acererak is a powerful lich known and feared throughout the multiverse. Much of his past is forgotten, but ancient texts assert that he comes from a world called Oerth.
Acererak travels the planes in search of artifacts. When he finds something useful or interesting, he locks it away. Although he’s powerful enough to pursue godhood as other liches have done (Vecna being a prime example), Acererak has no interest in being a god or being worshiped. He prefers to create evil gods and unleash them on mortals and immortals who oppose him.
Despite passing up opportunities for godhood, Acererak attracts his fair share of followers and worshipers. He doesn’t grant spells, nor does he give his devotees much of his precious time. Mostly he likes to watch them suffer and die as a result of their magical pursuits and folly.
Although he has lived on many worlds and crafted countless demiplanes, Acererak spends most of his time building tombs. He fills each one with treasure to attract powerful adventurers. He then kills them off in terrible fashion, using deadly traps and monsters while baiting and ridiculing them. The terror he evokes scars their souls, which he traps in his phylactery, the location of which is one of the multiverse’s greatest secrets.
As for Unkh
You have pieced together the Legend of the Nine Trickster Gods
Long ago, the god Ubtao hardened his heart and vowed to weep for the people of Omu no longer. The rains stopped, the jungle withered and died, and death swept through Omu.
One morning, a wise zorbo emerged from her hollow tree and spoke to the dying Omuans. To convince Ubtao of their worth, she decided to cook him a stew made from all their good qualities. Catching such virtues wouldn’t be easy, so she asked a wily almiraj to help her. The almiraj snuck recklessness in the pot, which she saw as a virtue, and Ubtao spat out the stew when he tasted it. From that day on, Obo’laka the zorbo and I’jin the almiraj became terrible enemies.
At noon, a brave kamadan hopped down from her rock. She saw the evil in the Omuans’ hearts and decided to lance it like a troublesome boil. The kamadan fashioned a holy spear, but she left it by the riverbank and a crafty grung stole it. In her rage, Shagambi the kamadan forgot all about the Omuans and chased Nangnang the grung forever across the sky.
When evening came, a wily eblis stepped from his reed hut. He didn’t like the Omuans, but without them he’d have no one to play his tricks on. The eblis sent a marsh frog to reason with Ubtao, but the frog was angry and decided to wrestle the god instead. This amused Ubtao, so he gave the frog tentacles to make it stronger. When Kubazan the froghemoth returned to Papazotl the eblis, he chased Papazotl into the swamp with his new tentacles.
That night, a su-monster broke into Ubtao’s palace and stole a pail of water for the Omuans. When the god came running to find it, the su-monster hid the pail in a jaculi’s burrow. Ubtao asked the jungle animals where his water was hidden, and Moa the jaculi was too honest to lie. When Wongo the su-monster found out how Moa had betrayed him, he vowed to catch the jaculi and eat him up.
All the while, Unkh the flail snail lived deep under the earth. The noise of the other animals fighting made her slither up to the surface, and when day dawned over her shell, the light blinded Ubtao and made his eyes water. Life returned to Omu, and the people built shrines to honor the animals who’d saved them.
I have copied this information onto the campaign page for future reference.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/campaigns/176830
As Timber places the last cube in the spaces provided the nine cubes flare with light, then disappear. Growling like an angry beast, the slab begins to slide up into the ceiling. Another slab blocks the hallway twenty feet beyond the first door. An iron lever is set into the door’s surface, with a graven stone skull leering down from above. Pulling that lever opens the next door, but the one behind closes in its place.
A moss-covered corridor extends beyond the second door. Tree roots hang from the sagging ceiling, and the air reeks of rot and damp. Ahead, a bas-relief carving of a bearded devil’s face adorns the wall at a T-shaped intersection. The devil’s open mouth is a well of utter darkness.
OoC: Did anyone take the pendant from the Unkh statue?
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
"'In the darkness it hides.' That's what the inscription said...Be ready." Kirinar walks forward slowly, looking for traps and ready for something to come out of the carving's mouth!
Perception: 10
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
If it caught the eye of Timber, I am sure his hands would have grabbed it given half a chance.
(Kirinar said that we should take it...so I'm assuming that we have it!)
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Timber had grabbed the small pendant from the Unkh statue. As the party moved from that hallway and passed near the obelisk Timber felt the pendant tug him toward the hidden tomb entrance.
Now within the first corridor Kirinar steps bravely forward looking for trouble. As he steps past the second door 25 a small dart catches him in the neck and he takes 3 damage. He feels a bit woozy and realizes the dart is poisoned (DC 15 Con Save 12) and takes an additional 13 poison damage.
feeling the tug of the pendant that he had swiped, Timber gestures to the group. "Guys, i think there is something this way!" he says heading in the direction guided by the pendant.
I'm was just letting you know that the pendant tugged you towards the hidden entrance that you had already found previously and have now opened and started into.
"Kirinar! Are you ok?" Keyleth calls out. "We, um... we might want to do something about these holes in the wall before the rest of us proceed," she says, gesturing at the hole that the dart came out of, and beginning to search her bag for anything that she could stuff into the holes, and finding a spare shirt from which she tears a few small pieces, and begins attempting to block the dart holes.
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
Keyleth is able to tear the shirt to pieces and stuff the holes with the fabric. As they move further up the short hallway they again step on something that seems to activate the darts but nothing flies at them. You reach the end of the hallway and you now stand before the bas-relief carving of a bearded devil’s face which adorns the wall at a T-shaped intersection. The face is sculpted from stone and melds seamlessly with the surrounding wall and the devil’s open mouth is a well of utter darkness. The mouth is large enough that you could crawl inside it if you so choose.
Looking west the passage continues 30 feet. Creepers and vines cling to the walls of this corridor, at the end of which is an arched crystal window, six feet wide and ten feet high. Through it, you can see a dark chamber.. You also see a rusted iron grate is set into the corridor floor. Through its bars, you see muddy water flowing slowly past.
To the east the corridor continues 30 feet and then appears to open into a larger room shrouded in darkness.
"I'm sensing that 'darkness' is a theme of this place," Keyleth remarks after scanning the corridor. "I don't have any particular reason to think that any one of these directions is likely to be better than any other, though I will say I'm not inclined to climb into that thing's mouth."
"When in doubt, go left?" she suggests, jumping over the grate along the edge of the wall just in case, and examining the crystal window. She holds a lantern up to it and tries to make out what might be on the other side.
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
Kirinar stays at the intersection, alternatively watching Keyleth and the other corridor...
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Kayleth looks through the window. This vaulted tomb is overgrown with moss and creepers. A stone sarcophagus rests on a stepped dais in the middle of the floor. On the wall behind the sarcophagus, two large statues of bears grip a five-foot-diameter bronze disk embossed with a dozen glaring eyes. Six desiccated corpses slump on thrones in niches along the walls. Each corpse wears a black mask made of papier-mâché and feathers.
((As a reminder, my maps will update as I go along, so you can look back at the last posts to see the map as it updates. I will try to have the map show up on each page of the thread.))
“Kirinar do you want me to have a look at that scratch?” Dr A asks
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
"Ah, thanks Doc. I just need a moment to catch my breath. I'll be OK!" While waiting for Keyleth to finish her examination of the glass window, Kirinar will do some dlow breathing exercises and rub out the area on his neck where the dart hit him. When he's done, he looks practically unhurt!
(Second Wind to heal 13 HP.)
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Timber wanders up to the bears, his eyes open with wonder. He then looks up at the bronze disc and surrounding corpses, trying to detect any signs of lingering magic.
Arcana: 23