"Those are all good ideas, but I think we are getting a bit ahead of ourself. Let's wait until Orum finishes. If it's not trapped, it might be better to open it here. If its got something nasty inside, I'd rather deal with it here instead of bringing it back to our allies. Afterwards, we can check the rooms as we go back, if whatever is inside doesn't render that moot," she suggested.

“Ah. Yes. My recommendation on returning was for after Orum completed his examination and assuming nothing happened.”

"So.....much.....chatter," Orum muttered.

Left momentarily distrait by the animated chatter of his cohorts, Orum regains his focus and lifts the lid of the puzzle box. Within rests a solitary scroll, having the appearance of the one King Alexander had. Unfurling it releases the scent of myrrh and frankincense. Ah, this must be what ancient times smelled like. As for the scroll itself (he must have been studying -- not reading -- it), it's a map of desert! While not many of the details can be made out, a couple of essential ones can be.

--A= Cynidicea
--C= Skulls. Avoid.
--K= Our Salvation?

There are no Js.

l'Atreq looked over the map and made something of an 'Uuuurgh' sound (somewhere between a zombie and a stone golem) before pronouncing.  "It is possible that the places marked D are either hills (since there are little drawings of hills at or near them), or oases.  Logic suggests that we aim for the nearest, which I believe is the one that is E to ESE of here if here is K, just to confirm or negate this hypothesis.  Alternatively, we could just aim for F on the map and then follow the pathway to A."

While V really wanted to stay and continue the explorations, it just did not seem that that was the fate planned for them. Maybe it was time to move on- hopefully with the balance of power having changed due to the loss of the Gormites, the Sisterhood and the Usamigarians would band together for mutual protection against the Zargonites on their own. And perhaps they could come back at some future point.

"There's no scale on the map, so we will have to get as much food and water as we can from the Sisterhood before departing. My recommnendation, building off of l'Atreq, is that we do take the path south, but we stop at B first, then back to the path to E, then D, then on to F. B is hopefully not that far off, and could stand for anything. Maybe it's a marker for Al-Kalim's Used Camel Emporium, and that would make the remainder of the trip must simpler."

That is, if they were all planning to depart. "Myrwen seems rather taken with Cynidicea, and might not come along. Is anyone else staying, or are we all going? And for those departing, other than spending a night to rememorize spells for a desert journey, and collecting the honey one more time, is there anything else anyone needs to do here?" She hefted the queen's scepter and said, "Plus I'll see if I can get any more information from this."

"I should be able to cover the water issue with my spells.  I can also purify it if we find some 'suspect' water while we travel.  We should obviously travel as light as possible and, what about the loot we found?  How much do we take and/or leave?"

“I’m game for exploring the desert further. But how do we get out of this Pyramid? The entrance at the top was a one-way door in and the whole purpose of exploring down here was to find a way out. Perhaps the Sisters can help us. As far as the map is concerned, C “skulls” looks promising. Fe fiddly fo, off to X we go!” Fodor smiles.

"Fodor, I know you weren't with us the whole time, so do you know something we don't? For us, the door was secret, but not one-way that we know of. For us, it shut when we moved a hobgoblin blocking it open, but I assume that it could be opened again if we needed. The Warrior Maidens and some of the others perform some activities outside the pyramid, such as gathering or growing food, or stargazing, and we know that they don't go down further to do so. We were exploring down more for supplies- food, water and more- that would help with a desert trek, and hopefully directions since we were lost. But Tarrahn will solve most of the former, the food stored with the sisters the rest of it, and the map handles the latter."

"As for what we take? I would say leave the silver, and leave the Gorm ceremonial items, since none of that seems worth carrying who knows how long. I'd also leave the gold masks as well, unless someone wants a souvenir. If the Sisters or Myrwen have them, then they can collect honey for themselves, even if they are loathe to see them. Maybe hide one for ourselves to use if we ever come back, and find the Warrior Maidens destroyed the others. As for the rest of the loot, I would think we can try to bring with us. The plate mail might not be best worn during the day, but if we travel nights when it gets cold, that would help."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:02, Thu 25 May 2023.

“Víxl: That all sounds good! The magical plate mail is surprisingly light, form fitting, and temperature agnostic, so I don’t think it will be bad wearing outside in the heat and sand. Regular plate mail is probably a different matter. But we definitely need to Identify the Queen’s scepter and crown before we go.”

Vixl's words would prove prophetic in a rather immediate sense, with the truth of her prophecy shattering the dreams of most, if not all, of the male members of the outfit, leaving them deflated and listless for many of the days to come. During these times, Vixl would catch a pair (or two or three) of eyes darting away from their ineptly covert appreciation of her assets.

For upon the outfit's return to the bower of the warrior maidens, it discovers that they were maidens no more. They had been despoiled, most vigorously by all appearances, if a certain tangy odor is any indication, by the combined efforts and exertions of a certain band of magic men, conveniently situated on the same tier. The various participants (no wallflowers here) lie in various attitudes of exhaustion, scarcely garbed (if garbed at all) to receive visitors.

Sheepishly, Lisa Lisa raises herself from a supine pose, gently maneuvering myriad limbs and members languidly reposing on and about her to free her ascent.

"The seasons changed. We were insatiable," she confesses, looking for all the world completely satisfied.


(OOC)
It's a rod of paralyzation with 6 charges.
The crown is not magical.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:06, Thu 25 May 2023.

l'Atreq says quietly, "I'd like to go back to wearing leather or studded leather or whatever I wore before.  Ptah has blessed me with a vision of the near future when I am able to cast 3rd level spells and one of them will make wearing plate mail something of a liability."

Elves didn't have the same morality as humans, and often different value systems, so Víxl didn't have a judgment on either the fertility ritual or any glances. Nature was nature. If anything, she was pleased with what she saw- their combining suggested hope for the future.

With the scepter being identified, Víxl gives it to Loran to wield for now, loathe as she might be to pass it off. "Just don't use the last charge, since if we make it to civilization, it might be possible to have it recharged." She looked at the Cynidiceans around her, and added, "I'd ask the Usamigarians, but they all seem to have been afflicted with some sleeping sickness."

While most seemed to be lolling about, basking in the afterglow, that would give the Infidels time to get their provisions and treasury packed and ready for the journey.

After enough time passed, when the Sisters recovered, she checked to see if they had leather, studded leather or a hide armor that could be traded for l'Atreq's platemail, as per his request.

She also asked the Usamigarians if a small tour of their home might be arranged. After all, how could they go out into the wider world and talk about Usamigarius without truly knowing about him?

Loran's eyebrows compete to join her hairline. "Wow! Unexpected. Pardon me: thank you! Erm. How many charges does it have?"

The conjoined sisters and brothers respond in a desultory fashion to the infidels' inquiries, eventually producing whatever basic supplies they might require and a tour of the male quarters from which no profit is obtained.

Lisa Lisa, unlike her slatternly sisters, has cleaned herself up and donned marmoreal robes. She dances about and sings a breathy tune to herself:

"Come on home, girl," he said with a smile.
"I cast my spell of love on you, a woman from a child."
But try to understand, try to understand
Oh, oh, try, try, try to understand,
He's a magic man, oh, he's got the magic hands.

Her eyes, as they flit about the room, do not fall upon any of the infidels.

                                                             ~~~

The conjoined brotherhood and sisterhood of the Lost City outfits the infidels with both a seven-day supply of water and mounts of their choice for their journey through the Desert of Desolation.

Camel: (AC 7; MV 21”; HD 3; hp 3d8; #AT 1; Dmg 1-4; AL N; spits) The weight camels carry affects their movement. They move at a maximum of 9” if carrying between 500 and 600 lbs. (5,000-6,000 gp weight) or at 15” if weighted between 400 to 499.9 Ibs. (4,000-4,999 gp weight). Camels attack by biting and spitting. There is a 50% chance that they will spit at those trying to ride them. If they do, there is a 25% chance of blinding that rider for one to three rounds. They are ill-tempered and will refuse to rise for travel 40% of the time. Check again after 2 turns of coaxing. Once they have risen, however, they will continue on without much further difficulty. If the camels remain in one place without moving for one hour, there is a 20% chance they will lie down.

Draft Horse: (AC 7; MV 18”; HD 2+2; hp 2d8+2; #AT 3; Dmg 1-6/1-6/1-3; AL N). A medium horse can carry up to 650 lbs. (6,500 gp weight) but its movement is slowed to 9” with any weight in excess of 400 lbs. (4,000 gp weight). Horses are panicked by raging fire, sudden movement, loud noises or strange smells 90% of the time.

Having never ridden a camel, and not knowing if the opportunity will come again, V choses the dromedary.

I think Tarrahn will go for the camel.  He can use a spell to hopefully nullify some of the quirks the animal has.

I think l'Atreq also will go with the camel

Horse for Orum.

Eonwe will choose the camel.

Fodor will also try the camel since we are in a desert. Seems safer bet despite their surly attitude.

Loran will take whatever they have left.

A choice must be made.

Camel.

After the infidels exit the pyramid through the door by which they had entered it, they descend the steps until they reach their fully laden pack animals, willing and unwilling, below -- as promised by the comingled Cynidicean cultists. Before they had left, Lisa Lisa herself, every inch of her a woman, had presented each of them with parting gifts according to her whim and favor.

They were as follows: for Fodor, a Potion of Giant Strength (roll d20 for type); for Tarrahn, a Potion of Diminution; for Vixl, a +1 Glaive Guisarme; for Eonwe, a scroll of Silence 15' Radius (cast at the 5th level of ability); for Loran, a Scroll of Monster Summoning II (cast at the 7th level of ability); for l'Atreq a +1 medium shield; for Orum, the Dust of Illusion.

The joy of the gifts is tempered somewhat by the discovery that two doses of the invisibility potion seemed to have been lost during the messy transfer process, the ones that had been intended for Loran and l'Atreq.

As the caravan makes its way away from the Lost City, Lisa Lisa's sultry voice can be heard from across the sands, encouraging them to return before the next change of the seasons. She sounds like she means it, too.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:43, Sat 03 June 2023.