Session One Hundred and Sixty-Three Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)

Session 163, December 13 2023

Introduction

We continue at 6:10PM on the 16th of Anurilden (00.000.08.14 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party having survived an ambush by two gelatinous cubes and the restless spirit of the former head of security in Gharaz'Khel. On their way out of the residence area, the group decides to check one of the rooms the spirit entered and there they discover a second ghost -- one of the saboteurs who collaborated with Prixithalma during the rebellion against the ancient dwarves. While he has been trapped inside magical glyphs of blood for millenia, he has kept tabs on the changes in Gharaz'Khel through conversations with the moles, monkeys, and other creatures who scurry through the walls of the installation. From him the party learns that the Master of Revels is one Juiblex and that it might be possible to finish the destruction of the massive trans-spatial generator and still live. Will they find the two overseer keys that would allow them to do this? Are they going to free the ancient ghost? Can they reach the Core controls without confronting Juiblex? Find out next time; or not.

Larry's Summary

The name of the monkey who could speak is maybe Darro?

Glompus asks about the money machines. Are there security systems on them. The only security is the necessity of the cards and the number. Mine is 7543.

We ask him to not attack us. He says that he will not since we are travelling with Prixithalma.

We ask Prix if she has anything to add. She says, I just wanted you to know that your sacrifice was very important and even if our plan back then didn't work out perfectly, it swoldn't ahve worked at all without your sacrifice.

We scrape away the line and he sighs and is gone.

Velkin and Kauri copy the sigils that held the ghost. Kauri has Edan's notes with the notes from the other undead blocking sigils.

We search the room. There is a bed and footlocker in addition to the sigils in blood.

``` The PIN number is 7543. The card is in my residence. My residence is in Block D room 3-7 third intersection 7th room, take a right. ```

Braids of evil dward Thorfus thinks he is the 2nd son of a middling clan, it ancient braids are similar to current dwarfs.

Thorfus leads the way pointing his sword in case there is another dwarf.

We go to the door we believe is the correct one. It is locked, and Thorfus unlocks and opens it. It has a desk with a few papers spread out. All covered in dust.

There is also a footlocker. Thorfus checks the papers on the desk and Chris checks the footlocker. Valkin checks the bed and under it. Glompus, Kauri, and Prix watch the door for other deskc.

The desk is like a drafting table, no drawers.

The paper is some sort of drawing. Thorfus lightly holds the paper with his fingers and blows the dust away.

It looks like some sort of schematic or blueprint and it labeled maintenance access shafts and is very blocky. There are marks here and there. It is very similar to Kauri's discussion with Tygus that line up with where we would need to do the work.

Druul opens the foot locker. There is some clothing. Druul finds the card.

Velkin only finds large dust bunnies.

Thorfus tells Kauri about the map and Kauri corrects the map he made with talking to Taigus.

Glompus thinks things are mostly OK.

Glompus looks to the North and in the intersection is a tree stump that wasn't there before. He asks Prix if she see's it? That's weird, how did a tree grow here, let alone become a stump.

Druul uses his light coin and we see a low growing shrub. Spiky leaves and roots poking through the floor from the central stalk.

Glompus shoot a sling stone over it and the bush doesn't react, so it isn't another gelatinous cube. He tries again to hit it. It is a solid hit and a shudder goes through the leaves but it doesn't move otherwise.

Prix shakes her head, nah, that's not right. Are we almost done here, she asks?

We go to the room where the ghost turned off the lights. Glompus stays at the intersection to keep an eye on it.

There is no door and a high level of radiation. The stump has not moved.

Kauri looks at the rest of the books in the one room that had them, and there is no sign of random dwarven digits.

There is a bush at another intersection to the North as we are leaving. it looks a lot like the other one.

Velkin tries to talk to the bush. It does NOT answer.

Thorfus suggest we leave and lock it with a platinum key. The others suggest to use a lesser key.

Thorfus says, "Anyone that doesn't want to get locked in with the bush, come with me."

Glompus turns back and the bush is not at that intersection. Prix agrees very much to keep an eye where the bush might show up.

Thorfus moves in and there are two islands with 5 doors on the North side of each island. There are stacked pots that are metal. Next door is more cooking ware pots, strange objects. The third opens top/down. It is weird, the walls are made of metal and there is a lot of dust. There is some kind of iron or metal tubing at the bottom. 4th is full of plates5th door is large decanters. There are 5. No labels and are empty.

In the first counter moving West to East. 1st is more plates, then metal containers with utensils sticking in them. Some are oversized. Quite a few look like for eating. Next is large platters. Fourth open top down like the other. Last is empty.

North wall door to West 10x10 room full of shelves. Very dusty cans and boxes on the shelves. They are labeled in ancient dwarven. These are dry goods. One is a cannister of nuts. Various grains, and some things we don't recognize, but some sort of food.

Velkin searches the room for anything of value. It seems like it was organized back when it was in use.

Velkin sees evidence of small footprints and nibbling at some of the boxes.

Thorfus locks the door behind with his platinum key.

Next door gives a blast of cold air and is about 10x10. There is a hook with barbs and frostbitten meat that has been gnawed off in the past. Thorfus locks the door with a platinum key.

The last door is ten feet in and hooks to the right. There are some boxes in the South end. Something has chewed through them and whatever was in them is long gone. Thorfus locks the door with a platinum key.

Door to the South is a cabinet like the one Velkin was messing with on the Reservoir level. There is a panel with keys on it with various ancient dwarven numerals, and this light like the one on the mechanism used to scan for transspatial energy. The light issues from a square panel beside the number panel.

Druul goes up to the device. There is no slot for the key card to go into. There is a sort of closed door between the panels. Druul kicks the bottom of it and says, "I don't understand ancient dwarven." Thorfus explains that the numbers of 0-9.

Druul punches in 7453.

Druul puts a key card that isn't Tygus's.

We go to the door on the East of the South room. it is a 20x20 room. In it is a hodgepodge of stuff. Benches piled up. A shorter table folded up and leaning against the Eastern wall. Boxes with weird shiny stuff poking out the top. Streamers poking out. On one that is sticking out, it says something about a birthday. Druul asked if Thorfus wanted to celebrate his birthday. Why would I do that? To celebrate an ancient tradition. I don't know how they did it.

Velkin looks in a box, there are banners, pointy hats or beaks? it has a string on it. Joyful birthday. Joyful arrival day. Whatever they are made of is very shiny. Velkin looks for some pieces more intact than others as a token. Velkin puts a cone in his pack. Thorfus locks the door with a platinum key.

We try using Tygus' key card and punches in 7543. There is a beep from it. Nothing else happens. Velkin has Druul turn it over and try again. The bottom panel pops open and a tray slides forward with a lot of platinum on it.

Velkin has Druul takes the platinum off the tray taking 3/4 of it which is around 1,500 platinum pieces. Velkin will see if he can see how the mechanism works and if he sees more inside. There may be another door behind that the tray came forward from, but it is closed.

Velkin takes the nanocarbon dagger and runs around it to see if there is a seam or a catch in the back wall of the area the tray came from. Velkin wiggles the dagger into the seam. Suddenly the machine lets out a very loud noise. The light turns off, the tray starts to retreat and Druul sweeps the platinum off it. Velkin pulls his arm out and the door flips up and the whole thing goes dark and quiet.

2,150 platinum in total. (10,750 gp/XP) 21.5 inventory slots. We fill some pots from the room to the North and fill 5 pots with coins.

Thorfus locks the door to the security room and the door in the hallway.

Velkin unlocks the doors with a platinum key and locks again with the silver key.

Glompus uses the security chief's card and looks for a bush and it is at the first intersection. He closes the door and locks it with the security chief's card.

Velkin tells Thorfus about it and Thorfus unlocks with platinum and relocks it and the security chief's key doesn't work.

Velkin tries to switch out the locked door. As Glompus is walking out, Thorfus is locking the door and Velkin unlocking it.

Glompus has something catch the corner of his eye in the big room in the ceiling. It has ten tentacles and some floating off to the side and a large brain with a beak. The beak is pointing towards Glompus, Kauri, Druul, and Prix behind Glompus with Thorfus and Velkin behind.

Glompus yells "brain squid!"

Thorfus runs up by Glompus and does psionic blast.

It takes a bit of damage and it stunned and falls and takes falling damage.

It is lying on the ground. Druul misses with his crossbow. Velkin moves up to coup de gras the creature.

We slice up the creature and find that it has organs inside the "brain" and ten tentacles. Velkin and Glompus look for swallowed gems. Glompus follows the beak to the stomach.

Velkin locks the doors to Blocks A, B, & C. We then go to the elevator and return to the Reservoir level.

Velkin locks the doors to Reservoirs 1 and 2. We return to the overseer's office and Renthark grabs Thorfus and points at Felix who is sitting next to a pile of his armor and Snuffles is backed into a corner of the room.

We were resting, and Snuffles started getting agitated, then there was a sound from the ceiling and it collapses and this green stuff falls on Felix. We got him out of the armor as quick as we could and points to the armor.

Lambertus said it was king of like a slime. We scraped it off Felix, so he's OK the armor's gone, then is just kept going. It ate the armor and down into the floor. There is a hole in the floor where the pieces of the armor are laying.

Snuffles doesn't want to leave the corner. Velkin asks Snuffles about it. Snuffles says it is in the walls. Can you turn and face it? It is moving towards the wall. The one behind you.

Snuffles says we need to leave this place, it's climbing the wall,

We leave the overseer's office.

``` Exits through reservoirs drain them, or through animal testing. ```

Velkin suggests making friends with the monkeys.

Prix says it would be great to finish this place off, but it's so dangerous. Other than stopping this Jubilee or whatever. From what Tygus said this whole place may explode on it's own. Perhaps this is a problem that will take care of itself.

Peronelle asks about the monster from Feldmark, we think it is afraid of this place and/or Jubilex.

Velkin asks Renthark if he knows that the floating brainy thing is. We call them grell. Their touch paralyses you and they devour you when you can't move. They taste alright. Velkin pulls out the tentacle. Not the best part, that is the brain flesh.

Thorfus makes a case for going to the animal testing level and make a break out of here.

Velkin suggests stopping at the residence level to get the grell and offer to the monkeys, and nods to Renthark.

Back to elevator to residence level.

We split into groups to fit into elevator. First group to residence level, then send elevator up to others who come down. Druul sees them waiting nervously, but nothing happens while waiting 20 minutes for the elevator.

Renthark comes over immediately and approves of the cut, but says it needs to be cooked before eating. It is very poisonous. You'll live, but you won't like it. You would need to find a place far from the party to relieve yourself.

Druul you notice that there is a mole watching the group from the other side of the lift on it's hind legs watching us. Druul moves to see where it came from and it backs up a bit to see both Druul and the party. Some of the flooring the other side of the lift has been popped up.

Druul whispers to Velkin that we have a visitor. Glompus talks to him and asks what's up?

You're the ones here for the jubilee right? We might step out for a bit to get some stuff for the jubilee. You're leaving? No we're stepping out then coming back. Oh, that sometimes happens.

The Jubilee will happen very soon so don't take long.

The master is gonna free us all and we're gonna go out into the bigger world.

Glompus tells us he thinks the moles have been lied to.

Druul sees another mole pop his head out.

Velkin translates for the party. What if you took the mole to scout for after the jubilee. I think the master would like that. No, I had relatives go out who will return.

What happens if we aren't here in time for the jubliee. Then you'll miss it. You'll be sad.

Will the master be angry if you miss the jubilee? I don't think so. You plan to miss it? I could go ask the master, you want to come too?

We want to surprise the master, we don't want to let him know we're here. Does he have a lot of eyes, literally, he does.

There might be a way to surprise him. I don't think you could do it, but I'd use the tunnels. Maybe you could make it, but not your friends. No, I don't think you could do it.

Velkin asks if there are any tunnels big enough for that guy pointing to Renthark that lead to the surface. Yes, with the sewees. What are they? they live downstairs. Do they look like us, but hairy. Not really. Are they monkeys? Maybe. Do they live in the jungle area? Yes.

The sewees have questions about the jubilee. Are they gong to it to? I thnk, yeah. I just know that they're not sure. They're ok, but weird. I think it's because they have another master of their own. He's old, but he's not the master, master. He tells him what to do adn that makes them weird. Is it Derro? Yes, you know him?

They're not sure if they're staying for the jubilee, it's more fun for the rest of us. Do you think the sewees will talk to us. Derro likes talking, but the others don't.

Would they harm us in their area? Maybe. If you introduced us would they harm us? Maybe. Would they let us pass? Maybe.

What kind of things do they like? The molerats don't go there, sometimes they eat them.

Velkin asks the mole to not let us know we're here.

I'm going now. Velkin says I'll trade you. Do you know about the green slimy thing. If I tell you where it is will you avoid telling the master.

I wouldn't leave, you'll miss out on all the fun. Good luck with the sewees, bye!

The rat joins the other one and they close the floor and are gone.

We make ready to leave now.

We go to the research level and wait in the lift room. The door to the East has been opened.

20 minutes later the others join us. It is a little after 10 PM.

Door to accelerator to South is closed door to animal testing to East is open.

We move East.

The inner door is Red, so they probably just go around via the window. We carefully go through the window.

The door out is open.

It is quiet.

To the left is the closed door and bones.

To the right are trees and vines.

To the West we hear a door closing.

We move to the East.

Glopmus locks the doors behind us with the master security card.

A monkey steps out from the vegetation in front of us.

Velkin says greetings you must be one of the sewee.

It has splotches of blood red on hands, black face, mostly grey fur, and prehensile tail.

We would like to see Derro. It raises a hand and makes a beckoning gesture as it half turns away.

It heads into the trees.

The back of the group loses sight of him.

Using its tail it stays off the floor. About 30 feet from where we came out from the hallway, it looks like there was a railing with a balcony/overlook. We can't tell how far down, if even there is a floor anymore.

The sewee looks back. Velkin asks if there is a way the others can follow.

[We left off trying to decide how to follow the sewee.]

Glompus's Letter

Hey there Spud,

My friends finished asking the ghost dwarf we met some questions while I was writing my last letter. After that, we said our goodbyes to him and scratched out the magic to let him go on to the afterlife. I hope he finds the same spot of peace that you did.

We left to look more of these cards that spit coins out of machines, since that's how adventurers pay the bills, and to investigate the ghost's room. Prixithalma and I saw a shrub down the hall. Now, we're very deep underground, so like I taught you when you were growing up, there shouldn't be plants here. We shot some rocks at it, and it quivered a bit. Given our recent experience with quivering inanimate objects, we decided to leave. Unfortunately, it kinda seemed like the bush was following us? Kinda tracks our luck with objects in hallways the past few hours

Prixithalma and I watched for the bush while the others investigated the communal rooms. Velkin came out to check on me while I was watching. The bush hadn't come after us yet, but we were being vigilant. I asked him to bring me some dry goods from the stores they were investigating, but he said they probably weren't good. I was a bit bummed about that, was hoping to try some ancient dwarven food.

After we got a bunch of coins from the machine in one of the communal rooms, we started to retreat back to the elevator room. The bush kept following us, so we got a move on and locked everything behind us.

When we got back to the elevator room, this crazy brain squid dropped on us! I was a bit distracted worrying about Snuffles and the creepy bush, but Grandpappy's senses kicked in and I was able to jump out of the way of it trying to eat me, and yell to warn my friends. We were able to beat it and tried to dissect it like we have some of the other weird monsters, but we didn't find much.

When we got back up the elevator, we found that our friends had been attacked. Poor Snuffles was all out of sorts and getting more worried even after we got back. While I was trying to calm him down, this green goo dropped from the ceiling. The ooze hit Felix and dissolved his armor, then continued down through the floor. Snuffles was getting more and more worried the whole time. Velkin was able to talk to Snuffles (I'm a bit jealous) and ask him what happened. Snuffles said he could hear and smell the ooze in the wall, so we packed everyone out of there as quick as we could.

After we filled everyone in on what we found on the lower levels, we decided to leave the mountain. After hearing the bit about the brain squid, Renthark told us he'd eaten them before and that the brain flesh was the best part. On our way to where the monkeys live, where we think the exit is, we carved up the brain squid, and packed it up to cook later. I asked Renthark if you could slice it thin and eat it raw like some fish, but he said to cook it or it causes diarrhea. Grandpappy's got enough digestive problems and this environmental suit is really hard to use the bathroom in.

While we were walking, we ran into another mole. We tried to get the moles to come with us, but they said the jubilee was too soon. I'm upset about that. They're cute little creatures, and mostly harmless. They don't deserve what's coming when this whole place blows. We bidded farewell to them and kept going towards the area where we last saw the monkeys.

We finally met up with one of the monkeys and asked him to take us to Darrow. He's leading us into an overgrown area (I'm writing this on the back of Snuffles saddle). I sure am glad the old dog's ok, he's seemed to calm down a lot since we left that room. I know you'd be happy he was safe too.

Love, Grandpappy Glompus 16th of Anurilden