City:
Wild animals, oversized vermin, the occasional walking dead.
Kobolds live in an area southwest of the city.
The beast-soldiers sometimes visit the kobolds who live in that massive thicket southwest of Arden Vul. It's the best time to ambush them, when they're far away from home. Sometimes the beastmen bring captives from the Thicket to the Halls.
A tower impervious to entry, was once owned by a man named
Pol the Devious. He died from too much exposure to an orange mineral that's in Arden Vul. Since his death, the tower's been empty but his spirit haunts the very stones of the place.
Pyramid of Thoth
The old Pyramid of Thoth is the most accessible means of entering Arden Vul. There is a long staircase through the pyramid and it leads to the first level of a dungeon. Not sure how sturdy it is, but there are some scribbles there that might be useful.
- I told Robin not to touch the eyes. Now his picks are mine.
- A faint and primitive sketch of a biped with huge thighs and an amphibian head
The Court of the
Goblin King, a powerful goblin from Archontos, holds court in the upper levels of the pyramid. We will have to ingratiate ourselves with him if we wish to investigate the deeper levels later on. He is known to trade information, but his 'court' is a nest of intrigue and backstabbing; and contains both powerful magicians and ogre guards.
Halls of Thoth:
A group climbed down a well from the surface into the halls of Thoth. Only one came back, and he was blind and mad. He kept babbling about the dark and the hooting!
A tomb in the Thothian area just off the great hall; small, even unremarkable, but inside is the stench of death and undead mummies.
The priests of Thoth, on the deepest level, built a Whispering Hall. If activated, you can listen to secrets whispered into it aeons ago.
The priests of Thoth lead by
Ptarmis, discovered an enormous underground cavern containing a river, lake, and giant grove of mushrooms. The priests tamed the creatures in the grove; and used it for food. They also concealed in it their tombs. Beware the dragonflies.
Dragonflies in the underground areas, their eyes are gems; some of them talk and bargain for gems.
The Glory of Thoth is a glorious, bejeweled statue depicting the god Thoth. The statue lies directly beneath the Pyramid of Thoth. The Glory comes to life to protect followers of Thoth and to smite evildoers. Placating the Glory with gifts of gnostic knowledge will secure a blessing from the god.
- large room on level 2; with stairs heading north?
- not bejewelled; magic scroll caused it to grant a blessing
Note on halfling corpse in the Basement:
Use the little pyramid to access the Howling Caves. Beware of the Darkness!
- sounds like the teleport pyramid we found.
"Stilicho was here" - carved into camp located in cavern, in the ceiling at the western end of the crypts.
Led to a "balcony" overlooking a large cavern encountered Followers of Set, who told party to leave.
Halls of Set:
The priests of Set arrived here many years after the priests of Thoth and their holy sites can only be accessed from the cliff face, and not from the city proper.
- Not true? The tunnel in the ceiling in the crypts led to a cavern claimed by followers of Set.
The Red Bridge was located halfway between the grand staircase of Set on the cliff face and the Set Forum. Made of red granite, it was warded against all those who would do Set harm. It also announced the presence of travelers to the Set guardsmen on the other side of the bridge.
A plan of the old precincts suggests that the main Temple to Set was located up a long set of broad stairs from the Forum of Set. Strangely, this plan suggests that the Set temple was located only a few yards from the main temple of Thoth.
The ancient Set cult was centred around three rituals, or mysteries.
The second mystery demonstrated Set's control over a magically-created sandstorm. Within the anonymity of the sandstorm, participants attacked each other with impunity; indeed, such chaos was celebrated.
Stephania a priestess of Set would handsomely reward for the ring and some tablets to be found in the tomb of a Set priest named
Thiskel.
The Great Hall:
The Great Hall, is of crucial importance to the exploration of Arden Vul. Some argue that the Great Hall is the same as the Hall of Forty Pillars; others claim it holds the
Obsidian Gates; and still others say it is the punishment hall of the priesthood of Thoth, where the barks and whoops of dead prisoners still echo today. Only a handful describe it as two- or three-story hall filled with broken pillars and strange statuary, lying moreover in a strategic position on the borders of the territory of some deadly humanoid warriors. All agree, however, that the Great Hall is an essential landmark, one that provides a jumping-off point to the Great Cavern.
Obsidian Gate/Chamber of Life/Tomb of Kaitor:
From a journal found in the stirge nest- We have located the Obsidian Gate, but it is barred and we lack the proper key. We heard the drums, and retreated to the Chamber of Life.
- Gregor felt we should brave the precincts of the Dead but Otto insisted that we try again at the Obsidian Gates. A terrible hopping demon emerged from the caves near the Sundered Span and drove us back.
- Gog lent us aid, but at a steep price. Jasmine suggested we try the Chasm again.
- We followed his lead, and found the entrance to the Drowned Canyon, but it proved too formidable. Again we retreated, but the way was blocked. Gregor died fighting the slimy ones near the Troll Lift. We buried him in a tomb beside two other fallen heroes, a certain Kaitor and
- Otto led us back to the chasm, but the fire took his spell book. We began climbing. Otto fell at once.
- Jasmine heard the howls of the white ones. They fear the light, but our supplies were limited.
- Jasmine fell. I am alone. But I know the way out! Ha ha ha.
Trolls:
A patrol of animal-soldiers said that Trolls operate a series of elevators that can take you from the upper levels to the lower levels quickly. But the permission of the troll thegn is required to use them.
A market run by trolls. On the floor of that market-cave we glimpsed some ancient military insignia; it looked like the symbol of the
Sheepshead Rangers a legion that got destroyed with
Adrienic a few centuries ago.
The Drome would be interested in that information. Of course you'd need hard evidence from the Troll Market to convince Keko the Lame.
Dwarven Forge:
Vul Zhorak, the great dwarven smith, had crafted wondrous enchanted items at a special forge heated by lava. He specialized in automatons, including the infamous
Myrmex. An automaton was like a stone man that walked and talked on its own.
Temple District:
A drowned canyon, a mystical location with unplundered treasure contains the tombs of wealthy officials containing wondrous items of magic. Likely well preserved because it is underwater. It is located in the old temple district.
Rastite Lotus Powder:
One of those creepy patrols of dog-men asked if we could procure some rare substance for them, a drug called 'rastite lotus powder'. They were willing to pay a lot in coin and information for a supply.
Sodality of the Fist/Vislok clan:
A secret organization called the
Sodality of the Fist recruits braves to enter the Arden Vul dungeons to participate in arena duels of some sort. The leader of the Sodality is from the
Vislok clan. They specialize in bare-knuckle fighting.
Bone Ring of Jagri-Naz and the Iron Circlet of Ghanor
Lady Alexia, who runs Gosterwick, is competing with her brother,
Lord Burdock, to locate four valuable items that used to be held by the archons of Arden Vul. The items include the Bone Ring of Jagri-Naz and the Iron Circlet of Ghanor. Lord Burdock has a map leading to both items, but requires that adventurers take his bailiff along with them.
Translations:
Parchment with Mithric writing from Tower of Pol:
- partially translated by Lankios:
"Something about a tower... Dragons... Seeing over..."
- proper translation in Gosterwick:
"In answer to the pious inquiry of Kel Bormol, Overseer of Thoth, Uriel Basileon, most humble archon, offers this reply. Your assistant, the Second Overseer, has not dared show himself since of his cowardly retreat before the Sortian onslaught. He cowers within the Tower of Scrutiny, refusing entry to all. Should conditions improve, and should the Sortian dragons depart, I shall smoke him out of his lair, and deliver him to you for punishment. I should warn you, furthermore, that my agents have noticed a messenger from Hithra Paleologos obtaining entrance to the Tower of Scrutiny. I know not what this portends, but it cannot be good. Be warned."
Heavy Spear found in the Basement:
- partially translated by Lankios:
"Breath of the dark time..?... the name, you see! Laylat-Alriyh. Means '
Nightwind'
Bronze rod with knot-shaped head found in stirge nest in Basement:
- partially translated by Lankios:
"Something about fish"
- proper translation in Gosterwick:
"The cause may be hidden, but its fate is obvious."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:51, Tue 15 Feb 2022.
