Chapter 9: Abyss of the Xenomorphs

[Bluetongue]

Sheriff Yul

Pulls in the lantern as the company gather at the metal portal. A spark fizzles from under his collar as the last acid drops evaporate in little steam hisses.

"The Kirk, honour to his name, is being kept bound at the Djinni Hearing I understand. These creatures must be servants of those etheral antagonists. Let us proceed with caution."

He loads his crossbow ready to quick-draw from his hip, taking a place in the middle of the group as others try the door.

[Urson]

Maskelyn
While the others work on the door, Maskelyn pauses a moment to pray. Hey, Doc! Thanks for helping us outta that spot. And thanks for letting me use your Voice.

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo shrugs. “I got nothing for locked doors,” he says. He does listen intently, though, for sounds of movement on the other side.

[Inferno]

DM:

The sly cat-man probes the iron door with keen eyes, sharp ears and knowing fingers.

Connak hears nothing, finds no lurking deathtraps lying in wait, nor keyholes in which to work his cunning lockpicks. He voices the all clear.

Hey redwarrior,
No harm, no foul this time. But moving forward, I'll handle rolls for listening and finding traps. If a PC senses nothing, they shouldn't know whether it's because nothing was there, or that they failed their roll.
Thanks!

Actions?!

[redwarrior]

Connak stands up, braces his feet against the doorjamb, sinks his fingers in at the seam of the door and heaves until he is panting, to no effect.I can't move this thing... It seems well stuck.

OD 1-3 [1d6] = 5 Opps just saw the spoilered text. Will do. Hopefully, the OD check, being just strength is good.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan scrapes any remaining filth from his body and glares up and down as the others work at the door. "I will try the door if all others fail!"

[Urson]

Maskelyn
Once his prayers are done, Maskelyn will get out of the way (as much as possible) and keep watch down the shaft, fearful of some other Horror that may be heading their way.

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo watches with interest, the lens on his cybernetic eye telescoping, as the others struggle with the door.

[Inferno]

The Bottomless Pit, Castle U.S.S. Enterprise
The Barren Wasteland, Forbidden Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Five. Evening? March 29th, 912 CY







BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

On his third attempt, Ko-Nan the barbarian breaks down the door in the bottomless pit!

Adrock raises his lantern and the questers still struggle to understand what they see beyond the iron threshold!



The ship's dungeons are seemingly swallowed up by earth and rock!

The strange, alien chamber is warm, humid and deathly silent.

Open passageways loom before them, and to either side!


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 5 feet.


Behind the DM Screen:

Ko-Nan Open Door (1-4): [1d6] = 6
Ko-Nan Open Door (1-4): [1d6] = 6
Ko-Nan open door (1-4): [1d6] = 4

PC Status:

Connak: Cat-Man Fighter/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 18/19
Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 26/26
Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 24/32
L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 9/9, Spells: 2/6 1st lvl, Lantern
Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 10/14, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Sheriff Yul: Robot Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 29/38

PC Magic:

None currently

Player Resources:

End of the World (game description)
Strange New World (maps and realms)
Memory Tapes (the story so far)
Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo edges forward and swings to the right upon entering, his battle-fork, Enard’, in hand and pointed down the hallway.

“Is this what was on the map?” he says. “Somehow I have the feeling this wasn’t what was on the map.”

[Urson]

Maskelyn
The gnome looks around doubtfully. Maybe they redecorated?

[redwarrior]

Trying to take in what has happened over the last few minutes, especially that acid-blooded thing, Connak keeps his saber out and watches the shaft we just came down, in case it has friends. He'll follow the group in whichever direction it goes.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan seems to relax a bit at seeing the caverns open up before him. It is no longer the foreign walls of above. It is a bit of a reminder of the deep mines of his past. He clutches the steel that he know can trust and moves forward.

[Bluetongue]

Sheriff Yul

"Well let us press on cautiously."

He backs up Ko-nan and explores the tunnels, careful what he touches. He checks the floor for prints then thinks of crawlers who might travel the ceiling like spiders so looks about for signs of recent passage.

[Inferno]

Engine Earring, The Castle U.S.S. Enterprise
The Barren Wasteland, Forbidden Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Five. Evening? March 29th, 912 CY






As feline Connak watches their back, the questers of The Kirk cautiously edge out of the bottomless pit into regions strange, silent and inexplicable.

Crossbow drawn, Yul scans the ceiling for any lurking horrors waiting to drop down upon them. Nothing. Nor does he find tracks on the floor. They advance slowly and with trepidation beneath witchlights eerily diffused by thick white mist.

His accursed ancestral fork held before him, Fiefo the rodent man asks, “Is this what was on the map? Somehow I have the feeling this wasn’t what was on the map.”

"No," answers Adrock who had committed the sacred visions to his formidable memory.

"Maybe they redecorated?" offers the faithful disciple of the Grey One.

Underneath the stony structures are elusive half-glimpses of what was on the map: the exalted architecture and mysterious trappings of the gods, like that which they've encountered throughout the astonishing Castle Enterprise.

In their imagination, they can see how it once was:







But now, the wondrous creations of the ancients are all shrouded beneath a labyrinth of curving rock formations.




At home in a mineshaft, Ko-Nan the barbarian leads the way into these weird, enclosed territories. Upon closer examination, the explorers realize their environs are not forged of stone, but of some bizarre resin.


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 5 feet.





PC Status:

Connak: Cat-Man Fighter/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 18/19
Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 26/26
Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 24/32
L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 2/2: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 9/9, Spells: 2/6 1st lvl, Lantern on back
Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 10/14, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Sheriff Yul: Robot Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 29/38

PC Magic:

None currently

Player Resources:

End of the World (game description)
Strange New World (maps and realms)
Memory Tapes (the story so far)
Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[Bluetongue]

Sheriff Yul


Pushes a finger into one of the rippling textures on the wall to test how soft and viscous it is. He does the 'scratch and sniff' test and nibbles on a crumb of resin.

"Desert ants line their hive tunnels with sugary food storage and bees honeycomb. Maybe this is a similar substance."

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo watches somewhat incredulously as the Sherrif tastes the wall, but does not remark on it.

"So, Adrock, buddy... which way to this Engine Earring? Let's get this over with alright?" he says.

[redwarrior]

Connak follows along with the group, saber at the ready, spinning to check our rear regularly and keeping his eyes peeled for any obscured doorways.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan, overhearing Yul's words, cools to the new found familiar surroundings. He too pauses and considers the walls more closely, "The hard shiny walls are covered with this... what? Filth of those creatures above?" He sniffs the air before continuing. He will keep to the left if the corridors become a maze of pathways.

[Urson]

Maskelyn
I wouldn't do that if I were you, Doc.... Maskelyn looks slightly nauseous as Yul checks the resin for flavor. He's sticking close to the others, trying to watch all directions.