[IC]Shadow over Stygia

Whipstitch · Post by **Whipstitch** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 3:52 am

"Nay."

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:27 pm

"If Karenthes will grant Neb and I access to his magic resources, I would be willing to attempt this. But my magic is limited, both in breadth and power, and I cannot do this alone. ...or with only a small horde of animate skeletons."

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 9:18 pm

"Katsetshuset bested us in battle once already, we'd need more to defeat him"

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 12:11 am

"Oh certainly, but an army of 16 skeletons snuck into his chambers as he studies would certainly go a ways towards ruining his day. If I can manage to restore my power quickly after creating those skeletons, I can even actually be somewhat active in the combat."

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:16 am

A week passes - full of strategy meetings, training, and argument. Finally, riders come from the south - nomads from the look of them. Karanthes meets with them briefly, and then they travel on, leaving behind their cargo and a passel of women before disappearing again. Karlus, Isandro, Velasco, and Taotieh drag in the heavy loads, opening up the first packages to reveal swords of Akbitanian steel, flasks of alchemical potions and poisons, and six strange amulets - star-shaped stones with a curious glyph in the center. The next packages seem to contain only corpses, some fresh, some little more than bones...

"The news is grim," Karanthes says. "My spies tell me that there are strange omens in Kheshatta - milk gone sour throughout the city; camels, serpents, and children born with two heads; and sporadic rains of blood - quite out of season! Worse, there is movement in Katsetshutset's household - as many as sixty warriors may be preparing to travel. I hope it does not come down to a siege, but there is little we may do except make our plans and prepare as best we may."

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:42 am

The Ambush at the Forbidden Fane
The atmosphere in the temple is grim over your week of preparation; Karlus is increasingly distant, disappearing for hours at a time, muttering about stones and Crom. At last a runner comes, and in between gasps of breath explains that Katsetshutset and his retinue are less than a day's march away - and so the sorcerers begin their final preparations. The runner, along with Nekka and the camels, Karanthes sends away to the west.

"It is better if they not be here for this. If we succeed, they shall return to bear us away...if we do not succeed, we are all doomed in any event."

Looking around, you notice also that Karlus has disappeared - though none can say where the half-Cimmerian has gone. Yet fifteen skeletons and fifteen newly-minted werecrocodiles stand at your command, the latter still in their mortal guises as nubile women.

From the shrine's gateway, at the top of the stairs, Velasco and Isandro watch the cloud of dust come closer. The group is actually smaller than you had thought - some fifty warriors - but they travel on horseback, dragging behind them a brace of slaves in chains, and in the lead is a hunched, robed figure on a chariot. Still hidden in the shadows, the Zingarans watch as the group pulls up short before the temple.

As the robed figure steps down from the chariot, he is immediately attended to by two familiar-looking women - one tawny-haired, the other dark, both dressed as handmaidens of Set. Then the hood of the robe falls back and they behold Katsetshutset...but not the sorcerer they had seen before. He had been tall, straight-limbed, dusky-skinned, and muscled like a charioteer. Now, the corded muscles bulge over a prominent and twisted spine, and his face seems fixed in a permanent toadlike leer with one bulging eye, and he moves about on bowlegs...yet there is no mistaking the sorcerer, or the half-book he carries in one arm as he waddles towards the entrance of the shrine.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:37 am

Kamoses ushers the assembled skeletons and werecrocodile maidens into two groups. The maidens are told to remain in their mortal guises until a signal is given, and the skeletons are placed in a concealed, but nearby place--guile may yet win the advantage in this.

He confers with Neb--"He will probably demand our half of the book. I don't dare expect that the meeting of the two halves would not cause an immediate devastating effect, but we may be able to ply him with our gift. Thoughts?"

Kurama314 · Post by **Kurama314** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 4:46 am

Velasco will move down the stairs once he sees Katsetshuset to alert everyone.
"Getting him down the stairs before attacking would be best, I prefer the odds of a mob to duel on a stairway."
In preparation for the sorcerer's descent Velasco will ready the elixir he asked Karanthes to procure. He'll do his best to conceal it beneath his duelist's cape.

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 7:17 am

"If you wish to attempt to convince Kat. to accept your gift, Kamoses, then denying him the higher ground of the staircase seems prudent, as Velasco suggests. Insofar as he has twisted his form in search of the book's secrets, it seems unlikely that he'll be dissuaded from his goal, but since I largely capitulated to him in our previous encounter, perhaps I can lull him into a false sense of security."

Standing near the top of the stairs, Neb. addresses the contingent.

"Welcome to this humble shrine, High Priest of Kheshatta, Keeper of Set's Mysteries, Katsetshuset of the Black Circle . Would that we had more time not spent in preparing for the approaching celestial alignment we would have provided as proper a welcome as these wastes could afford us. As it is, your men may wish to avail themselves of our bouquet of desert roses while we men of learning discuss how best to accommodate your rather more sophisticated desires. Pay no mind to the attendants of Ibis, for the botanical extracts I slipped in their provisions should be taking effect momentarily, and they would serve well as sacrifice."

(WINK)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Wed Jul 23, 2014 7:27 pm

Katsetshuset halts, the unnaturally pale Stygian staring in wide-eyed surprise at Neb as he gives his speech. This close, Neb can see how poorly the sorcerer's skin sits upon his frame...and he swears the he sees something shift and move beneath the wizard-priest's robes.

"You!" Katsushuset croaks, "How? No matter. KILL THEM ALL!" he yells, waving the lamia forward as, still clutching to his tawny leman, he continues to stumbles forward at a quick walking pace. The warriors behind him draw their weapons and follow.

Released to kill, the lamia stalks forward confidently, her smile wide, a forked tongue flicking out to lick her lips as she tries to lock eyes with Neb.

(Reflex save, Neb avoids the gaze.)

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 4:47 am

"Nice tongue. I have many just like it. Come and see."

Neb. hightails it down the steps.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Thu Jul 24, 2014 7:09 am

Kam. signals the girls to create a throng at the bottom of the stairs and change when the soldiers attack someone in the group, or one of the girls, and signals to the skeletons to sweep in from either side once the girls are engaged with the soldiers.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 11:45 pm

The Battle of the Stairs
The lamia leads the way, hissing, and locks eyes with the foremost of the girls at the bottom of the stairs - who immediately begins to transform and turns, biting and slashing at the girl next to her. The Lamia strides forward toward the melee, her laughter echoing throughout the underground shrine, the soldiers at her back following more slowly, their khopeshes at the ready...

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Fri Jul 25, 2014 11:50 pm

Kamoses shouts to his assorted minions, "Now! The enemy is upon you! Rend their skin and crack their bones! Your feast has been delivered by our rival!"

(There should totally be a stunt mechanic for sorcerers in Conan that works off of maniacal in-character lines)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 12:13 am

Karanthes appears at Kamoses' side. "The stair is too narrow. I fear our numbers and the demon's sorcery work against us."

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 12:18 am

(I meant for them to attack the lamia who is now at the bottom of the stairs, and what soldiers don't run for it and continue down and past the stairs)

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 12:25 am

(The fighting werewomen are blocking the rest of the werewomen from attacking the lamia.)

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 12:27 am

(Well shit)

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 2:58 am

"Karanthes, you said you could banish the lamia. At the least now keep her occupied, so as to end this fractious crocodilian squabbling!"

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sat Jul 26, 2014 3:16 am

The old priest nods. Raising his ibis-stick high, he wades through the crowd of werewomen, right up to the two snapping she-crocodiles that are locked in combat. Each step is a measured tread in time with the strange chant that pours from his throat, a hissing, guttural, croaking song that you would never have thought a human could utter...and indeed, you can barely see through the women how blood is pouring down the priest of Ibis' throat as he holds the god's implement high.

The lamia, coming to the very foot of the stairs sees it - but too late. With a thunderous voice Karanthes utters the final word - a single, awesome, syllable that spreads like the silence after the clap of a bell - and before your eyes the lamia fades away into a column of dark smoke, which presently swiftly vanishes as if blown apart by an unseen wind.

Karanthes stands, serene and calm before the crocodile-women, who have ceased their struggle, though blood pours from their jaws and the rents in their scales. He looks drained and pale, almost translucent, and you wonder for a moment at what the exorcism must have cost him.

Then the soldiers of Katsetshut descend the stairs in force; the first man down the steps leaps across the snarling crocodile-women and swings his khopesh, nearly slicing the aged priest in twain, and he falls.

Now the melee is joined in full, the crocodile-women changing to their scaled shapes, pitting fang and claw against steel and flesh. The warriors of Kheshatta are well-trained and armored, but the sorcerous strength and ferocity of the women is telling, and soon the bodies of at least a half a dozen of both litter the bottom of the steps. The battle seems at an impasse; the soldiers able to hold the bottom of the stairs, but unable to make much headway, nor are the beastwomen able to force their way up the stairs.

Then, there seems to be a commotion, a great concerted push as the soldiers rush down the stairs, pushing each other on...and you hear the rumble of fallen stone and a familiar voice scream "Crom count the dead!"

As the battle around the base of the steps intensifies and all sunlight to the chamber is cut off, you quickly realize what has happened. Karlus - whom you had given up as mad - set a trap in the great gate at the top of the stairs, rigging rocks to fall down upon anyone below. He must have waited, trying to catch the sorcerer in the trap...and now that the portal is sealed by rubble, he is alone up top with the remainder of Katsetshuset's men, at least twenty to his one...

...but there is nothing you can do for Karlus now. By the light of the flickering oil lamps in the walls you can just see the pale, twisted form of Katsetshuset at the top of the stairs, urging his soldiers - there can be only ten or twelve of them in the steps - onwards. The trap must have fallen closed just behind the stunted wizard's form, but at least now he is cut off from his slaves and most of his soldiers, there may be a chance...

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Sun Jul 27, 2014 7:34 pm

[Is there a way for Taotie to get to Katsetshuset and punch/grapple him without wading through the melee?]

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sun Jul 27, 2014 7:44 pm

[Katsetshutset is at the top of the stairs with his back to a pile of rocks, and in between Taotieh and him are 10-12 of his guys and 9 of your werewomen. So no, no easy way up to him.]

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sun Jul 27, 2014 9:20 pm

Kamoses sends two of his skeletons up the stairs abreast to engage Katsetshuset, and the rest into the melee to fight the soldiers

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sun Jul 27, 2014 11:20 pm

Code: Select all

   ~~~~
   |K |
   |SS|
   |SS|
   |SS|
   |SS|
   |SS|
___|SS|___
 UUUWWUUU
 UUWWWWUU
 UUWWWUUU

T N O I V

This is a rough diagram of the situation. K is for Katsetshutset. S is for his soldiers. W is for werewomen, U is for undead. T is Taotieh, N is Neb, O is KamOses, I is Isandro, V is Velasco. ~~ is wall o'rock

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sun Jul 27, 2014 11:24 pm

Ah, I see. I'll have my werewomen start "digging" through the soldiers, killing and pulling them out and advancing up the stairs.