Session Seventy-Five Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)

Session 75, December 29 2021

Introduction

We continue at 10:00AM on the 30th of Laurilden (00.000.10.01 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party in the midst of using Borthan's Astral Projection Tea to scout Hdrasta ...

Larry's Summary

• • Kauri:
    

1. **Throne Room** [Session 74]
2. **Vault** [Session 74] Only ornamentation is the depressions where the stones can go. (Stones match gauntlet and the one One Horn has.)
3. Kobold Area (Western Side of shaft)

• • Philomanthraxus:
    

1. Dragon Bone Area - Very large chamber lit with torches all around. It is huge. SW area of chamber. Center of room is a pillar of bones. The bones are clearly dragon bones and are contained in pillar shape by a huge net of wire mesh. c. 30' across. Pillar 30' diameter, c. 50' high. A lot of doors out of here. Dbl doors to N, Dbl doors to S. A few single doors. S of pillar to E. North of pillar to W. Open Double door to W. with fortifications. Large open area off central open shaft. Mostly cleared out. In the center there is a dragon with a single set of bones. Laid out in correct positions, if it was a living dragon. There is currently an ogre directing a hill giant to place the final bone in the tail and shift it. Couple more hill giants w/o anything to do.

2. Central Area 1 level up from Bones - Flies up through pillar. Floor of a very tall chamber. Just a bit of sky way far above. The center of this floor is littered with bones, actually, the top of the pillar. A walkway around the edge. "Pool of bone" in the center with walkway around. Balconies with ballistas. Way high above is the underside of the elevator. Not just bones. Random garbage that is much fresher. A group of hobgoblins and orcs goes rushing through. Short passages about 20' long to N, S, E, W then a door. Just a chamber beyond the W door and perpendicular hallway to E door. Clamor of hammering, perhaps workshops to E. Bone pit has other bones, humans, kobolds, feline. Any dead thing tossed in as a bone pit. Base layer is dragon. Higher than the walkway around it. Elevator does not appear to be made to go to here.
3. Pool of water somewhere S of bones - Slips through floor and comes in a hallway to other side of collapse to S. full 20; passageway. To S. torchlight and a lot of orcs gathered around something to S. two rough passages to E. & W. E & W passages very rough perhaps created by current residents. Crowd is a bunch of orc women, gathered in N. end of large pool of water. Room must have been huge. On S. end the ceiling has collapsed blocking the walkway that goes around the pool. Orcs filling buckets. Originally looks like a purposeful water feature. Walkway around water with lip separating the pool. S the collapse is pretty solid. Through the water there is a passage under the water. Pool goes for awhile. c. 30' past beginning of collapse. about 12' deep all the way through. c. 4' through the collapse. S. end of pool sees underwater there is a grate and can feel and see that water goes past the grate. There is some garbage. Pokes head above water. pitch black, other side of walkway. About 5'x5' under the grate. (metal grate) c. 40' before yanked back.

• • Velkin**
    

1. Surface - Above mountain 5 wooden structures around pit - S. side semi-circle. . two wooden towers near pit - above it. Two ballistas either side of pit. E & W. Currently pointing so cover the arc that is down hill. Can be moved. Looks like have handles and hill giants could just pick up and aim.
2. Upper balcony with the ballista - Two empty ballista spots that explains the two up top. Originally 6 ballistas, 2 gone, leaving 4. One to NE, one to SE, each originally 3, now each has 2.
3. 30x30 room doors to W, N, & S came from W. Statue in center - candle in right hand, it is a candle holder. Vandalized, head removed. (Everburning candle could have powerful effect.)

Two new blood magic spells - Lightning & Bless.

We make plans.

Lungmold & Velkin & Tyriol escort Ithirialma to Jax.

Azrael will check the portal once a week. Lungmold says, "Make sure you're not alone when you check it." I don't trust this portal, but it does seem useful.

Dragons are gathered and Azrael has 15 CLW & 8 CSW potions.

We suggest leaving the 3 orcs for helping raise Prixithalma and take Druug with us, and the dragons will turn Ajax, Velkin, and Philomanthraxus invisible. Velkin can carry the portal and ride Philomanthraxus, then land at night, and Ajax fly the portal in past the guards and ballistas.

Velkin's Scrolls

Velkin’s Scrolls 42 – Session 75

Laurilden 30, 10am

Apocalypse Clock 00.000.10.01

...Continuing our Astral Scouting of Hdrasta

Phil scouts the dragonbone area: We get the layout of the bonepit and it’s exits with the pillar of dragonbones. 30’wide and 50’ high. Also the view of the dragon bones laid out properly covered in runes.

Central ‘balcony’ above the pit: We get the layout of this central area on this level with the pillar of bones coming up through the central hole almost touching the sides. Fair bit of detritus from the current residents.

Pool: South of the bonepit with a collapsed room with a pool. Walkway around the pool with the collapse cutting off the southern waterway. Orc women gathering water. 12’ deep 30’ passage under the collapse ending in a grate above into a dark room the room is about 5’x5’.

My Scouting: Starting outside the mountain above Hdrasta: Encampment with 5 large wooden structures surrounding a pit in the center. 2 wooden guard towers 40’ uphill from the pit. 2 Ballista, manned on either side of the pit pointing downhill.

Lots of orcs, dozens and dozens (70 to 100 beings) A lot of hobgoblins A few giants a handful close to the pit. At the pit - opening about 50’ diameter a clearly old structure built across it. Original elevator? The thing attached to it isn’t original, it’s a crude improvised elevator attached to the preexisting brace over the pit. It looks very sketchy.

Looking down over the pit edge - can barely make out the first balcony. A gangplank is extended to the edge from the elevator sitting at level 1. 2 empty ballista spots (they’re up top) 6 ballistas were originally on this balcony, 4 are here now. A platform on either side, NE and SW side, each side having 2 ballistas. 1 ballista is functional on the SW platform manned by 2 ogres and 10 hobgoblins. Behind the platform area there is a hallway E and W respectively. The creatures aren’t paying too close attention.

North through east passage 30x30 room stairs down NE corner - decorations: N wall, undefiled original painting showing magic users shooting lightning out. Combination of ancient common and runic chr’s Blood magic for Lightneing bolts. Open door to west - old barracks not in current use. Down the stairs in the Norther room in NE corner. Long stairwell. Come out into another 30x30 room in room west side. North Wall - painting - Caster is surrounded by warriors and they all have a halo effect on them. Bless. Blood magic. 4 way intersectoin: wait til later

Down the stairs, 20x20 room, continues down. Off the landing to the east, there’s a chamber 30x20 from the staircase. Door in N wall - west open door, Guardpost 10 orc hanging there, completely uninterested in the staircase, drinking a lot.

Closed door - large chamber about 60’ n/s less E/W in a balcony over a 2 story room. Ceiling has a mountain on it Kauri will be here in a second. Mural on N wall with MAtriarchs. (Kauri comes in and Velkin heads out)

Back out past the guardroom, N or E N - 20’ then widens East 10’ 30x30 D to W,N,S Center of room, Statue - vandalized. Holds a candleholder in it’s right hand. North: 10’- 30x20 room. West is a section opened. 10’ passage to open area, N,W W-Empty room 30x30 no exits N-30x30room- secret passageway into it bulk of passageway head down the passage - 20’ sidepassage to the south. It would open in a north wall of the W room above. Another 40’ it goes S, then 20’ to a secret door - kauri is looking around. Head’s stuck through the mural - North side upper level.

We finish our Astral scouting and all pop back to reality in the dining room/planning center of Azreal’s stronghold and recover with varying success from our journey.

Knowing that the dragon bone ritual appears to be close to completion and with Droog’s recollection of the timing of Shaitan’s visit for One Horn to show off his project, we plan on leaving very soon to keep the desecration of the dragon remains to happen and thwart this small piece of Azmodeus’ incursion. Azreal urges us to leave now.

Alisceon is instructed to give us ¼ of their stores of healing potions.

Before we go, we’re going to escort Itherialma to Malgrim to work with Jax on the DVL trapping device and that aspect of DVL thwarting. The Winter Realm portal has closed. Based on what we know, we’re assuming the Magisters reopened it closer to the Silence so the Winter King’s campaign there can be continued. It’s still not known precisely what interference here caused it’s instability.

We leave a list and money for Bili to fill for Drow Sleep poison, healing potion, super healing add on ingredients.

I also ask Bili without the rest of the party’s knowledge to check into any Drow not aligned with the Winter King present in Malgrim.

Jax and Itherialma know each other. Jax 1 isn’t super happy, but Jax 2 is excited that she’s here. Jax’s efforts have uncovered another pylon.

Lucifer purrs and rubs Lungmold, cat attaboy. Azra and Bili’s aunt prepare for Itherialma’s stay once we let them know…

We leave the tattered web portal so Itherialma can return easily. Azreal will check it on a weekly basis.

Alisceon has the potions to divide up, we leave equipment and non essentials in the vaults here for safekeeping while we go to Hdrasta.