From Bartholomew's Journals: Where Crows Dare Go!

[written by Phil, player of Bartholomew Pettibone, concerning both a caper in the Undercity, and a jaunt in the tombs of the Necropolis, and earning him 100 xp per level. Concerning the skull pilfered from the Klackons, the Scribes have updated the notes for Session #50 to include it in the lucre.]

From the Journals of Bartholomew Pettibone, of the House Pettibone

A Purveyor of Enchanting Sorcery

28 August 2021

Where Crows Dare Go!

Sesel and Zaida's pre-wedding fiesta was a smashing success! During the festivities, many of us wandered away from the main activities and engaged in somewhat lucrative efforts. I found myself pulled into an impromptu game of chance with some under-city dwellers, and was able to win back all that I had spent on fiesta preparations! I heard tell that others had similar experiences.

The wedding itself was indeed a remarkable event! Many representatives from various Great Houses were present, and the gifts lavished upon the happy couple were exceptional. Among the various marital spoils, Andolin (son of Dalinar al Khalid), and his arms-man, Teleb the Bowman, gifted the couple the means by which to outfit a retinue of warriors. As for myself, I supplied enough coin so that the newlyweds could procure those warriors, and pay their salaries for a full two-year period. Other gifts included: wardrobes, agricultural beasts, a fine riverboat (the Silver Qaqtla, by name), hunting falcons, a promise of architectural assistance (from the Klackons of the 5^th House), amulets, expensive perfumes, aphrodisiacs, entertainment, and exquisite dinner-ware! Ah, the happy couple certainly has much to celebrate!

Afterward, a small group of us ventured into the under-city for a bit of a lark. However, while we were somewhat successful in acquiring baubles and smattering of experience, we met with a decidedly uncomfortable end. We all escaped without serious physical injury, but a number of our companions (my hireling Nuur, among them) were reduced to blithering idiots by some uncanny arcane, demonic mind-flaying! So, it fell upon the rest of us to find a way to bring their minds back to sanity. While others of us were busy with important projects, Gan was given over as custodian of this mission, and we awaited his success (or failure). It pains me greatly that I have lost one hireling to death (at the hands of Sakkra), and now poor Nuur's mind had been scrambled. Even Gan has suffered terribly under my hire and tutelage. Yet, he remains steadfast in his loyalty and assistance. Hopefully, these mishaps and stumbles are laid to rest, and we can move forward with greater plans!

Indeed! Gan was able to locate a healer, and our compatriots were returned to full mental capacity! Well, we believe them to be fully healed – but we shall see; Nuur still seemed to be somewhat shaken and ill at ease.

We then gathered around the tables at Cothon-Understar to decide on our next adventure. Which turned out to be a return to Dalan's tomb – in order to divest it of what Avin, Durham, Ravna, and Sesel declared were 'super-klackons'! After hearing of their earlier, harrowing encounters in that tomb, with those super-klackons, I was certain that we would perish. Gan shrugged his shoulders, and decided to 'bear' it.

Materials were purchased, especially amphorae of oil, and we made our way to the tomb – the Heroon of Dalan! Our merry fellowship for this caper consisted of Sesel, Avin the Dark, Ravna, Hey-Jo, Durham (and his boon companion Pako), Gan (Bearer of All Things), and myself. Gan seemed particularly glad to have Durham and Pako with us, once again. He claims that protecting the scholars, as he calls those of us experienced with the arcana, is most difficult – like trying to herd wild alkari fledglings! Our journey to the tomb was unhindered, and after arriving, we wasted no time in lighting our lanterns and entering. Sesel led the way.

Inside all was dark, dry, dusty, and quiet. We paid little heed to the artistic frescoes and reliefs upon the walls, but made our way quickly through to a certain doorway. Avin placed an orb into the socket, and the portal was unlocked. Farther in we came to a much larger chamber – massive – within which we approached an altar upon a raised dais. Again, upon that altar was a cupped receptacle, into which Avin placed another orb. The altar slid away, revealing a stairway in the floor, leading down into a deeper darkness, which we entered without trepidation.

At the bottom of the stair we found ourselves in a chamber, on the floor of which was a circular opening and a narrow shaft that dropped deeper into the earth. Ravna was disturbed by the fact that the portal to this shaft was open; they claimed it had been sealed shut upon their earlier retreat from the super-klackon demons. As there seemed to be no sign of life or light coming from the bottom of the shaft, a rope was made secure and Durham was lowered down into the darkness.

Durham found the lower chamber empty and quiet. The rope, and his crumpled shield, both of which had been left behind during their harried withdrawal on the previous foray, were found in the chamber at the bottom – but there was no sign of defeated super-klackons. Nor was the body of poor Ix anywhere to be seen. And the truth came out. Ix had gone berserk last time, possibly enthralled by the super-klackons, and had battled Durham – both of whom had fallen down the shaft. Ix had been presumed dead. As had two of four super-klackons.

Durham returned up the rope, described the scene below, and we all decided to descend – quietly. A large double door leading into what the others called the sarcophagus chamber was found to be locked. As we contemplated our next moves, we all became aware of a low, distant, barely audible humming, coming from nowhere, and everywhere. It was almost imperceptible – akin to a deep-throated mosquito heard (or felt) just at the edge of perception. Undeterred, I retrieved my lock-picking instruments and deftly disarmed the door's locking mechanism. The hum persisted. After falling back from the door, and declaring it unlocked, I reached into and twisted the arcana around me, rendering myself invisible.

Avin quietly opened the door, just a bit, and peered inside. It was dark, and divining no signs of life, it was suggested that I enter (invisible) and scout the chamber. Which I did. The central character of the chamber was that it contained a wide, squat cylindrical pillar, covered in a myriad of lighted 'panels', surrounded by five large (very large!) sarcophagi, arranged like spokes extending from a hub. Each chest was connected to the central power hub by a thick cable, and had on their sides various 'magic mirrors' (similar to what we have encountered and used aboard Bob). Each of the mirror panels had various lighted script, all in green – except for one chest, which was red. The script seemed oddly familiar, almost like it might be related to Klackon, but perhaps only as a distant eons-removed relative. The face of each chest appeared to be of a crystal substance, and peering in, I saw nothing in those chests whose panels were green, but in the one showing red I discerned flaws and cracks in the crystal face, and what appeared to be a long dead and desiccated corpse. Finding little else, I reported back to my comrades, who all entered the room.

We had noticed (thanks to Gan and Pako) that there were faint ichor and drag marks upon the floor of the first chamber, that led into the sarcophagus room and ended at the chests. It appeared that three of the chests may have been 'used' at some point in the not too distant past. For what purpose, it is difficult to say. I have a notion that the chambers might be used for purposes of regeneration, healing, or restoration – and perhaps for suspending life for long passages of time. My friends explained that the super-klackons had emerged from these caskets, who had been certain that their life force had been suspended for perhaps many thousands of years!

We searched this room further, noting an odd rectangular, gray, metallic panel (quite large) adorning one wall, and a separate door on another wall. It was explained to me that in the room beyond lay many urns, each of which contained either a thick tarry substance, gems, coins, or odd bits of arcane materials. It was even thought that weapons might be found within. The tarry material, so it is thought, might be used to induce increased stamina and strength to those who feast on it. None of us were brave enough to test this hypothesis. Durham used his detection device and saw that, while nothing living lay in that chamber, it did contain much metal (coins we supposed). And he noted that the central hub in the sarcophagus chamber showed as one of the most intense power sources we have seen yet!

Ravna, Durham, Pako, Gan, and Hey-Jo entered the urn room and began pillaging. Sacks and packs were filled to capacity with odd coins and gems – and a few of the urns with tarry substance were also collected. As this was going on, Avin and Sesel began exploring the gray metallic wall panel. While the rest were busy with their various tasks, I decided to set about discovering how to uncouple the sarcophagi from the central power-hub, starting with the casket whose panels glowed red.

The cables appeared to be detachable; however, they were securely connected, and in my haste to pull the plug (as they say), an arc of intense lightening jumped from the socket to my hand. I was immediately filled and covered with a sudden jolt that tensed every muscle in my body. My heart jumped and skipped, and my very bones seemed to suddenly ache! Even my teeth were pained. It lasted but a moment, and when it was over, I'm certain that I could smell burning hair and seared flesh – mine. And to my ears, all fell deathly silent. However, at the same moment the clanging of warning chimes began and each of the sarcophagi hissed and popped, as their lids lifted. A bone-chilling cold rushed out of those chests and filled the room, and inside could be seen padding, needles, tubes, and oddly lit dials and panels. But there were no bodies – except in the chest that glowed red. In it lay a long dead super-klackon, rotted, dried, and crumbling. Apparently, this sarcophagus had failed, perhaps hundreds, or even thousands, of years previous. I rummaged around the dead body, expecting to find jewelry, arms, or armor, but alas, found nothing. As a concession, I retrieved the skull of the dead warrior and placed it within my backpack.

Avin and Sesel had discovered that the large gray metallic panel could somehow be 'activated and operated' by someone having special psionic abilities. Sesel determined that it could be used to scry upon and hear the voices of individuals he was familiar with – the more familiar and friendly, the more clear the communication was – however, it seemed to be only a one way communication. Sesel could see and hear others, but they could not percieve his presence. Hmm. A magic mirror of the first order! Sesel was also able to concentrate on Ix, and though the images and audio were murky, broken, and diluted, they were able to tell that Ix lived! And Ix was accompanied by three of the super-klackons and another normal, but lighter-carapaced klackon. We thought it might be Txach'achit of the Fifth House, but it was not. They talked as if this lighter colored klackon might be a prisoner of theirs, and could be 'used' for returning … something? However, before more could be learned, the wall panel ceased functioning and all communication ceased.

While the others continued recovering all that they could from the urn room, Avin and I searched closely over the central power-hub and located what we were certain was a power-rod (or battery) inside a small pocket. Thinking that it might be able to be adapted to provide power to Bob, Avin prepared their special sack of deep pockets and deftly removed the battery, placing it within the sack. As it was removed from the hub, again the clanging of warning chimes echoed around us! All of the lights on the four operational chests dimmed to a faintness, then glowed brighter (but not as bright as before). And in very short order, each of the sarcophagi re-closed and sealed themselves, except for the one I had disconnected – all of it's lights had been extinguished upon being disconnected, and remained so.

We gathered all that we could carry, mustered ourselves back to the shaft and ropes, and began operations to haul our loot out and away. Avin, Pako, Gan, and Hey-Jo ascended, while the rest of us affixed sacks to ropes for them to haul out. As we were completing this task, Pako noted and alerted us to movement and noise in the upper chamber beyond. Whoever, or whatever, was out there seemed oblivious to our presence, and so Avin attempted to peer outside. To their bewilderment, Avin saw Razo, Raoden (who should have been aboard Bob), and two other ne'er-do-well hirelings they were acquainted with – all milling about randomly. Those fellows professed friendship and wonderment that they had found us, and began conversing (oddly) with Avin, who was not convinced they were who they claimed to be. Avin led them away and down another corridor, explaining that we had amassed a great treasure, and needed help ferrying it out of the tombs.

As Avin led those others away, the rest of us quietly made our way out and up the long stairs to the altar chamber. There, at the top of the stairs, we set up two of our amphorae of oil, preparing them as a fire-trap in case Avin required assistance during a retreat. Which, of course, came to pass! Avin discovered that those who claimed to be close friends were likely shape-shifting denizens of the tombs, escaped their clutches, and made a hasty retreat. As they climbed the stairs, Ravna and I dumped the oil and lit it on fire! A great conflagration arose, and as the orb was retrieved, and the altar slid back to cover the stairwell, we could hear the screams of the beasts trapped below. What would an adventure with Bartholomew Pettibone, of the House Pettibone, be – without FIRE!

Harried, mentally worn out, and smelling of oily smoke residue, we decided the best course at this moment would be to return victorious and whole to Cothon-Understar. And so we did. Once safely there we began to take account of our pilfering, relaxed with some fine Misrian wine, and regaled those patrons who were present with our splendid deeds! We had sacks of loot, a new, highly concentrated power supply for Bob (hopefully), and new knowledge to ponder. What of Ix, who was presumed dead, but who seemed to be quite alive and now enthralled to this new order of super-klackons? Curiouser and curiouser.