A7-Tomb of Gold

A7-Tomb of Gold or Rufus' Beating...Again

It took a month for Rufus’ hip injury to heal. Time to listen to gossip about the area around the Tomb-Of-Gold: most prior groups returned beat up with reports of more Orc or Lizardmen. We provisioned and prepared for the 5-day sail to the same bay to the north and westward inland trek. Per the dry/hot/humid season, we used mud for insect repellent and to stay cool. We didn’t account for “Wanderlust fever”: despite Rufus’ protest “stick to the path”, we strayed per thoughts of avoiding Orc and other threats. Our wandering added 2 days to the trek as we struggled to navigate and forage.

Noon on the 7^th day we heard Lizardmen coordinating battle plans for a siege. Lemmy climbed a tree to spot the ziggurat of concern. He saw Saurus lizardmen building defensive walls out of brush. A distant blast alerted Tulkir who noticed long-barreled guns (held by paws) aimed from the temple heights. A siege meant no rush on their part as 30+ lizardmen slowly pushed the brush-walls closer.

With fighting along the south, we stealthfully circled the ziggurat and found a hidden doorway on the eastside. No tracks. Stale air announced the tombs inside. Our lanterns revealed lizard iconography: this ziggurat is/was a temple to Sotek! Perhaps the Tomb-Of-Gold? Alcoves were piled with the bones of ancient lizardmen. Lemmy found a few scattered gold coins. But our lanterns attracted others as we heard the squeaking of rats!

A larger Skaven with a whip drove a gang of lesser skaven slaves forward. Noticing us, he fired his pistol loaded with warpstone bullets. The fight was on! While we made quick work of the weaker slaves, the driver ran away down a side passage. While Rufus and Ranulf chased after him, the others were preoccupied with other rats drawn to the pistol shots.

If only we understood rat chittering: the driver called forth 2 riflemen teams who stepped out to blast at Rufus. Knowing they had to reload, the wounded Rufus charged at the driver and almost killed him (1HP remaining, 8 advantages for 2 extra attacks: swing-and-a-miss…TWICE!). But any attempt to get at the riflemen was thwarted by the slanted upward passage soaked in oil. Until Lemmy came forward with his lantern to ignite the oil. The trio rushed forward to engage the lizards still reloading. Not a true fighter, Ranulf tried to sling at one of the teams. He soon had to dodge their repeated claw attacks!

Meanwhile, Tulkir berserker-charged to block the doorway where 6+ other skaven warriors advanced. He became the target of their warpstone bullets or blades. Dargo joined his side to hold the gap. Realizing the greater threat at the gap, Lemmy came to their aid, thinking surely Rufus and Ranulf could handle 2 skaven. Maybe it was the effects of the warpstone bullet wounds: Rufus couldn’t hit his target. But his foe connected with a critical hit to his left arm (sacrificed 1 armor point to avoid bleeding, thus taking a minor torn muscle instead).

Back at the gap, when Dargo cleaved a foe, his (cursed) blade stuck in the body. He struggled to free it as he heard the advance of a skaven priest wielding a pot (of smoking warpstone ashes) on a long chain. Meanwhile, Tulkir stood his ground despite repeated wounds from the thinning horde of skaven before him. At least Lemmy’s magic missiles helped wound the horde.

Even if he hit his foe, Rufus received worse wounds in return: another critical arm hit (sacrificed another armor point to avoid wrenched, thus taking a major torn muscle instead). With his blade arm useless, Rufus resorted to shield-bashes against his foe. A head-shot left Rufus near death (2HP). Meanwhile, a head-shot from the skaven’s censer staggered Tulkir. [had to burn a FATE to avoid 22 points of damage] Another swing of the censer almost dropped Tulkir had it not hit the doorframe instead.

But somehow we withstood the skaven’s attacks (yes, even Rufus and Ranulf vanquished their foe), and when the priest fell, one skaven ran off for reinforcements. Tried to run: magic missiles dropped him. [Cool test] Silence except for the faint demonic whispers that echoed from the warpstone effects. Lemmy took time to cleanse wounds for all (with poultices) to avoid the chance of infection from rat-claw wounds. We explored the rooms, finding gems and gold cutlery worth 298g.

After exiting the temple, and hiding the treasure, Ranulf/Rufus/Lemmy approached the lizardmen’s siege battlements to proclaim the rats were weakened and to reveal the hidden entrance. A large Kroxigor escorted a smaller skink who asked, “Are you part of the great plan?” It was then we realized this was the same skink, Anomog at the pyramids who ate the heart of the human. We realized he meant ridding the world of rats, “Yes.”

In return, he offered we take any treasure found as reward for vanquishing rats. In response to us relaying the prophesy of the Coatl …

Beware the advance of green on the soft tissue. Its advance is a testing but will soon be perfected. Once unleashed all flesh must burn. Seek the forgotten city mapped by the ancient beards. Lord Tecciztac has the ancient map. Haste results in doom, the blade must be sought from the grave that is not occupied. Then the blade must be imbued with power at the unseen citadel.

Anomog revealed “Lord Tecciztac can be found in the City of Tlaxtlan: a lizardman temple city in the main part of Lustria. The mentioned Unseen Citadel is where pointy-ears live.” The more we talked with Anomog, the more we learned of their clans and gods. “The mighty serpent Sotek (the god of war) is perceived to swallow whole the enemies of the Lizardmen. Temples devoted to him host sacrificial beheading ceremonies to let the blood of the servants of Chaos (especially Skaven) gush in torrents down the steps of the pyramid, to mingle with the waters of the great rivers. But the weakling Servants of Chotec do not support the great plan. They are content to lay about with reflective icons and armor of gleaming gold as they venerate him as the bringer of warmth and energy.”

We returned to the ship with plans to maybe deliver the potion of revenge to the Druidic leader Marion before sailing onward to the mysterious island. But first, needed rest and recovery in Skeggi for Rufus’ and Tulkir’s severe wounds. Besides, isn’t the Festival of Morrslieb soon approaching?

NEXT SESSION: A8-Cursed Island