Forgotten Suns: Log - Chiaroscuro and Wyr'palja's mausoleum: Difference between pages

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[[Forgotten Suns: Log - Mining the Sun|previous chapter]]
Tomb of [[Wyr'palja]]. Murals outside. Very steep, narrow stairs to entrance.


==Getting There==
== Top Level ==
[[Image:Wyrpaljas-mausoleum1.png]]


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
*Aviary: Glass bird scultptures, animate like obsidian butterflies (but peircing) when anyone enters the space between the steps. Statue and pool filled with coins; might also be a Grimtooth-style "spear dips down into the pool to electrocute anyone messing with the coins" trap to discourage mortals (tomb built by dragon-blooded, after all).
|-
*False Tomb: Find three fire pots, one five colors of jade, one moonsilver and starmetal, one orichalcum. They have faint scents. Rack of potions without labels on the outer aviary well, can match by smell or with serious botantical/alchemy skill. Disks for each circle of magic. When pots filled with correct stuff, and put in correct location, then lit, smoke swirls around white circle. For one hour, those who step on circle are teleported to second level. If mixed wrong, lethal gas. Sarcophagus itself trapped (essence explosion). Meaningful murals on all, including one map of pre-Contaigion Creation (possible hint to Parlainth-type lost cities). Hints on founding of city.
| colspan="2" |'''17th day of Resplendent Wood, RY 769'''
**Mosaic of First Age Creation
|-
**Lots of birds
| ''Dense Effulgence Root''|| align="right" |''22 Sep 2005''
**A winged Wyr'palja's holds a caduceus up to a hideous dragon that appears to be made of shadows of people.
|}
**Standing on the tip of a tree, Wyr'palja raises a city from the forest.
**Wyr'palja surrounded by strange symbols (salt, quicksilver, gold, etc.)
**Numerous small paintings of Wyr'palja's life and exploits. Fighting various creatures, lecturing, teaching alchemy, spell craft, etc. In one, she stands over an apparently dead woman, channeling energy into her mouth while others battle a dark force in the background.


The morning the circle planned to leave, a message showed up in a bottle claimed from [[Cathak Cacek Omnus|one of the dragon-blooded]]:
== Second Level ==
[[Image:Wyrpaljas-mausoleum2.png]]


<blockquote style="font-family: cursive; font-size: 12pt">Dearest cousin -<br><br>
=== Vestibule ===
I know you said not to use the bottles until you contacted me, but I have news that bears directly on the matter at hand, regarding the one with whom you have struck a deal. I inadvertently (really!) overheard a discussion between our mothers. They seem to believe they've uncovered a connection between Last Envy and the Cult of the Illuminated. If that's true, I can't help but wonder if the cargo you will deliver to him will be handed over to those heretics, though I have no idea to what use they might put it. Surely they are not sophisticated enough to actually forge it.<br><br>
I beg you again to avoid this business altogether. At the very least, postpone it until I can dig more into this matter. Breaking an edict is one thing, but consorting with heretics is another. They'd never let you back here if that happened. Tread lightly, cousin. I couldn't bear it if anything were to happen to you.<br><br>
Yours,<br>
A.</blockquote>


The group realized that they'd killed [[Last Envy]], but had only a vague idea of what the [[Cult of the Illuminated]] is. After some discussion, [[Varden]] found enough writing samples of the intended recipient of the message to forge a response (five successes):
Automaton, possibly something like the Feathered Serpent (which would be right in character with Wyr'palja), but more lethal. Maybe two or more. Animates when door opens. Murals with hints.
<blockquote style="font-family: cursive; font-size: 12pt">Your words have persuaded me. I will try to delay as long as possible, but time is of the essence. Find out quickly.</blockquote>
After some last minute preparation, including Gutts taking crude pictograph notes from [[Kardak]] on his techniques of "wooing" women, the group piled into the [[Cloudwalking Ingot]] and took off. A quick flyby of [[Watch Valley]] revealed the shield had been deactivated, and dragon-blooded seemed to be in charge. The group flew towards [[Chiaroscuro]] at low altitude, mostly over the water. They circled around to approach the city from the south, landing well outside the wall to the old city. Concealing the vehicle (five successes), the used the water from the [[Forgotten Manse]] to contact [[Jorias]]. He indicates his just arrived in the city, and will be looking for a hotel on the north side. After agreeing to use the water again in two hours, they headed on foot into the city.
After a long walk, they reached the main slave market in the old city.  [[Gutts]] buys two 20-year old slaves, both of attractive northern stock. [[Emily]], the female, is a skilled tailor and cook. [[Morton]], the male, is built more for manual labor, so Gutts buys a palanquin, ording Morton to pull he and Emily northward, leaving the rest of the circle to walk. He eventually hits a commercial district and stops at [[Fig Leaf Fashion]] to but clothes for himself, the circle and his new slaves.
Meanwhile, the group eventually hires a coach and heads north as well. While many foreigners mill about the city, an ornate carriage with a jade seal of [[House Mnemon]] on the doors catches their eyes, largely because a half-dozen humanoid creatures with no eyes or other facial features stand guard around it. The circle ignores the blank looks of the nearly jet-black beings, continuing north. By then, Jorias has secured a suite in the [[Marble Crane]], an up scale hotel on the north coast. Checking in under the name of [[Grey Rose]], the group eventually rendezvous there.  
Upon arrival, Gutts comes across as noble of some kind, and the concierge assumes [[Guen]] is his seneschal, negotiating everything with him. A smaller suite of rooms is reserved for the new slaves. Jorias, fully shaved and in much better physical shape than Gutts and Guen remember, waits in the main suite and the group catches up.
Guen tells the circle about [[Tamuz]], the lunar who installed the [[Tri-Kahn]] of the city into power and [[Tamaz]], a First Age lunar with a suspiciously similar name who is thought to lair near by. He suggests that these two might be one and the same and, even if they aren't, it might be useful to talk to someone who lived during the First Age at some point. 
For his part, Jorias informs them that [[Adrios]] wants a message delivered in secret to the mother of [[Golden Hand]] of the Tri-Kahn's wives. The mother's is apparently referred to only as [[Unfettered]]. Adrios didn't specify the contents of the message, and Jorias didn't look. The rest of the circle doesn't even consider reading it, or wonder much about who the woman is what Adrios wants with her. Gutts remembers that Adrios mentioned working for the Tri-Khan at some point in the past.
He has also has been told, via whisper in his ear from a spell, that [[Sundial]] wants them to meet [[Pollen Song]] at a place called the [[Vermillion Ribbon]] about an hour before noon the next day.
Emily knocks on the door, indicating she has prepared a feast, so the circle eats, bathes and sleeps.


==Dancing Girls, Scavengers and Books==
=== Hall of Mist ===


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
when all in room, door shuts, room fills with mist. Those inside teleported to random locations in room. Pitch dark and filled with mist. Like simulacrums of smoke. Each round, essence darts fly around, dealing damage. Pits as well. Possibly a Cloak of Deadly Automata (guardian) defends the place, scary in the smoke. Basically, best defense is not to enter.
|-
| colspan="2" |'''18th day of Resplendent Wood, RY 769'''
|-
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''28 Sep 2005''
|}
At first light, Guen becomes a bird, grabs the silver tube containing Varden's message and flies into the palace of the Tri-Kahn to locate Unfettered. His efforts are hampered by not knowing what she looks like, and by the fact that he does not speak the language that the people in the house speak. He uncovers a couple of candidates for Unfettered and Golden Hand, but is interrupted when a northern looking man notices something odd about the bird carrying the metal tube and starts asking it questions. Guen eventually returns back to the hotel with the message undelivered.  
Stag goes to Vermillion Ribbon ahead of time, a couple hours before noon. Noticing a very long line and sign saying "Dancing today only: Blossom", he bribes his way into the club through neighboring apartment. Having talked to some people outside who described Blossom as the most amazing and beautiful dancer ever, Stag develops an irrational need to get past her guards to get backstage, but does not succeed. Guen comes later, shapeshifting in. Gutts, who was looking at houses and buying another elephant, comes with slaves, presenting a massive bribe to get in, really irritating the patrons on line. Varden's gem of desire allows he and Jorias to get past the doorman with no problem.
After introductions, Pollen Song indicates that he has seen a sapphire containing five glowing lights, mounted in a necklace in possession of unexalted member of imperial family. He gave it to a dancer at the Vermillion Ribbon named [[Volaria]]. Volaria supposed to be there, but isn't. While this is happening, two dragon-blooded enter with eyeless servants and start questioning a waitress named [[Rila]]. Just as the circle moves to investigate, Blossom starts dancing, transfixing everyone in the room. With eye contact, she plants suggestions into most people's heads:


* Gutts: "You should impress me by putting a large tip in my donation bowl." Gutts didn't even try resisting, and put something like a talent of jade into the bowl.
=== Alchemy Workshop ===
* Guen: "You should order two bottles of Marin Etos for your table, then tip the waitress really well. She�ll take good care of you." Guen doesn't resist, and orders the wine.
* Stag: "You should remove your mask. You'd be more comfortable." Stag resists this compulsion
* Varden: "You should find out what the names of the two Imperials hassling Rila are, then write them down and slip the paper into my donation bowl." Varden does as he is asked.
After the dance, the dragon-blooded take waitress by the arm outside. At various intervals, Gutts, Guen and Jorias follow, while Stag tries to get back stage again, this time succeeding. When he gets close to Blossom, he is entangled by her suddenly animated clothes. They flirt a bit and she kisses, then releases him. Stag leaves via the stage, barely hearing Blossom chew out her guards and start smashing stuff.
Meanwhile, outside, Guen finally manages to eavesdrop a bit on the dragon-blooded. They are clearly using truth detecting magic, asking Rila about wearabouts of [[Emerald Singer]]. Eventually, they toss her out of the wagon, and the circle gets some information out of her.
They go back into the now empty club. The manager is bribed to reveal the location of Volaria's home, and the circle goes there, with the elephant. Circle in Volaria's apartment building, looking for her.
{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
| colspan="2" |'''18th day of Resplendent Wood, RY 769'''
|-
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''20 Oct 2005''
|}
Scent track to club, then to abandoned building. Find dead Volaria. Track scent of killer to plaza. 
Meet Grandmother Bright. Has gem. Will give it to party if they retreive a book supposedly found by [[Tower Horse]]. Warns Gutts that creator of his armor will want it back if he sees it.
Bathtub animation. Gutts shoots with firestick. Fondue.
{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
| colspan="2" |'''19th day of Resplendent Wood, RY 769'''
|-
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''20 Oct 2005''
|}
Guen finds house of Tower Horse. Dragon blooded are walking out. Tower Horse is dead in secret room.
Emerald hides book in Tower Horse's candle factory, but Tower cannot find it. Scent of human/bear in drawer in factory.
{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''25 Oct 2005''
|}
Guen hears people moving down the alley toward the candle factory. This turns out to be the eyeless ones. With no consultation to the others, Stag runs out the door to confront them. He sees two dragon-blooded at both ends of the alley and becomes entranced with a magical contradiction floating in the air above one of them. Unresisting, two of the eyeless ones bind his hands behind his back. Gutts runs out to defend him, but is also transfixed by the magic. He is disarmed and led down the alley. As the rest of the circle starts making ranged attacks at the eyeless ones from within the factory, Stag manages to solve the contradiction and shake off the effects, spin-kicking the eyeless one leading him down the alley into unconsciousness and running back into the factory. Just before diving through the door, he sends one last kick, this one magically ranged, towards Gutts, which snaps him out of his fascination. Gutts breaks his bonds, calls his sword to him, and moves back into the factory.


Gutts starts cutting through walls, leading the group through a restaurant. Guen, in beastman form, causes quite a stir.
The Dragon Blooded who built Wyr'palja's tomb constructed two workshops for themselves within, to hide some of her treasure from other terrestrials. One of these was an alchemy workshop which, while a pale shadow of Wyr'palja's real alchemy cathedral, remains an impressive facility.


While small, this well-stocked workshop acts as an advanced workshop (''Savant & Sorcerer'', pg. 32) for alchemy, complete with First Age tools. In addition to a large assortment of jars, beakers, magical braziers, pots, steam works and inscrutable apparatus, the following can be found within this room:
{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-  
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''22 Nov 2005''
|}


Gutts sword smashed. Varden's staff.
{{Include|Salt|4}}
{{Include|Aether|4}}
{{Include|Gold|4}}
{{Include|Alkahest|4}}
{{Include|Berith|4}}


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
==== Celestial Phoenix Cauldrons ====
|-
{{:Celestial Phoenix Cauldrons}}
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''29 Nov 2005''
|}


==== Resplendent Satchel of Healing ====
A [[Resplendent Satchel of Healing|rectangular green case]] 12"x12"x3", containing healing items. It is described in ''Wonders of the Lost Age'', pg. 69. Contains:


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
*Rod of Cleansing the Body
|-
*Wound Mending Needles
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''6 Dec 2005''
*Jade implements giving +4 Medicine
|}
*Instrument of Regrowth


Kill unconscious earth aspect. Gather bodies into carriage and race up waterfront (Stag glowing on top). The stop and Varden (the only one not glowing) hires a boat. With some heavy bribes, the captain arranges a distraction, and the rest of the group is brought on board, with the crew paid not to look. Gear examined and dealt with. Varden and Guen (as Frank and Bob) stage a fight to distract crew as Stag (Stan) and Gutts (Eduardo) dump the dead over the back. They talk to the captain, who mentions some unusual ghost activity.
==== Potions & Reagents ====
{{:Wyr'palja's mausoleum - reagents}}


==Bring Out Your Dead==
=== Artificing Workshop ===


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
Once a serviceable workshop for artificing, this room was consumed by fire when the death of the terrestrials who used the tomb released the fire elemental under service within. This spirit is long gone, but left behind a ravaged room. Remnants of books, wooden racks, barrels and so on are in evidence, but all reduced to an ashy shell. Even metal tools have been warped by heat. Standing in stark contrast to these are a number of items that, though slightly scotched, remain in good condition, obviously magical. They are:
|-
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''4 Jan 2006''
|}


Meet ghosts. Demon attack. Most of crew killed. Red Haze. External recon of [[Velvet Savor Vineyard]] spots spine chains patrolling the grounds.
*One [[Hand of the Mountain]], with lines of mystical runes down its arms and legs, which indicate to occultists that it is built to be animated by a fire elemental. It is from this automaton that the elemental that torched the room escaped. This automaton stands in an alcove evidently built for the purpose. Originally, it was intended to do heavy lifting and tasks that required hands capable of withstanding high temperatures or dangerous chemicals.
*Five [[Folding Servant]]s, folded into six inch cubes of steel and jade (one of each color of  jade). These were originally intended to act as artificing assistants, as well as handling mundane tasks in the workshop, such as cleaning. These are stored in shelves within the same alcove as the other automaton.
*A large crystal [[Unconsuming Forge]] dominates one side of the room. It is unlit.  
*One one of the stone workbenches, surrounded by piles of ash, is a pair of [[Forge-Hand Gauntlets]], casually dropped there by their last user.
*Five ingots of blue jade
*Five ingots of black jade
*Five ingots of green jade
*Five ingots of red jade
*Five ingots of white jade
*Seven ingots of adamantite
*Five ingots of orichalcum
*Three ingots of moonsilver
*One ingot of starmetal


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
=== Acid Rainforest ===
|-
| colspan="2" |'''20th day of Resplendent Wood, RY 769'''
|-
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''17 Jan 2006''
|}


Gutts buys boat. Return to hotel, where [[Onyx Blossom]], [[Flaxen Catacomb]], [[Masked Ox]] and [[Hammer in the Woods]] interrogate circle and reveal themselves as solars, and the true power behind the throne in Chiaroscuro. They know Adrios. Lots of talking about the ghost activity and zombie activity. The groups decide to team up to fight it. Gutts requests some help repairing his sword. They reveal Last Envy was working for them, and that they were waiting on the arrival of his orichalcum (now in possession of the circle). The groups move to a First Age building/ruin known as [[Tears of Heaven]]. The bottom is flooded, but just above the flooded level is a First Age forge. Stag and Varden combine talents to repair the weapon.
*Acid Rainforest: Forest of crystal trees. When far door touched, unless trigger hit, starts rain of acid.


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
=== Reality Engine ===
|-
| colspan="2" |'''21st day of Resplendent Wood, RY 769'''
|-
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''25 Jan 2006''
|}


Guen makes more detailed recon of the vineyard. Discovers more zombies, ghosts, shadowy demons, man-beasts and lots of slaughter. The house is owned by [[House Cynis]] and is a wood-aspected manse. There is also a large soulsteel and green jade urn in a magically significant position near the hearth room. Guen gets seen by a shadow-demon and flees.
like Wonderous Globe of Precious Stability, but bigger and draws power from the wyld itself, not a hearthstone. Section of floor hides stairway to lower level.


The team spends a lot of time plotting. Plan is to split into two teams, one stealthy, one loud. [[Flax]] can arrange for a pair of catapults, with crew. The idea is to attack at dawn, using the catapults to get as much sunlight into the house as possible. One team will attempt to get into the room that Guen got chased out of, the other will go into the wine cellar, to find out what's in a secret room that Guen couldn't get into without revealing himself. Guen will attempt to find the bear-like person who is assumed to be a lunar and make sure he doesn't escape.
== Lower Level ==
[[Image:Wyrpaljas-mausoleum3.png]]


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''30 Jan 2006''
|}


The attack begins. The catapults made a bunch of noise and spine chains were lying in wait for them. The group dispatched them without much trouble. Gutts (on the loud team) stormed the east side of the house, going through the large hole created by the catapult. The others followed more quietly, arriving a bit behind him. Cutting down the wall into the map room (where Guen had been spotted during his first recon), Gutts found five [[shirikai]] (shadow demons), a number of war ghosts and the man-animals Guen saw earlier.
=== Stairs ===


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
The floor section reveals a five foot drop onto a landing from which marble stairs lead down.  The ceiling continues only five feet above the stairs, leading into a short hallway, also with a five-foot ceiling. All but the shortest characters must crouch, putting them at a -2 penalty for any Dexterity based tests.
|-  
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''15 Feb 2006''
|}


Blossom charms ghosts. Guen infected with shadow disease. Fire bomb zombie room.
On each side of the two yard hallway are extremely realistic paintings men and women in ornate jade armor, apparently portraits of dragon blooded. Each kneels on one knee, their swords at rest like crosses, point down with a hand resting on the pommel. All bow their heads, more in shame than reverence. At the end of the hall is a door, ornately decorated with the five colors of jade. A theme of wings and birds is consistent throughout, with the solar imagery on the right giving way to lunar on the left.


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
Perceptive characters who understand Old Realm may notice the design contains a subtle inscription:
|-
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''28 Feb 2006''
|}


Lunar is killed, demon escapes. Demon tells Stag "I doubt the book will bring you much happiness, Flowing Pen."
<center>''Here lies a golden sun, to whom we owe, and from whom we took, everything.<br>Beside her, in death as in life, lies the silver rain that saved millions by killing one.''</center>


{| width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
The door has a complex mechanical lock (Dex + Larceny (4)) and opens outward. Touching the door triggers a magical trap, causing the paintings to sprout phantom arms that thrust phantom swords into the hallway. These blades are intangible and can hit unmanifested spirits. They also completely ignore all armor and cannot be parried by physical weapons. Unless the trap was detected (with Essence sight, for example), the attack is likely unanticipated, working as an attack from behind (meaning 0 dodge dice without charms, no shields). The attack is as if made with a jade daiklaive thrust, made with seven successes, for a total of 12L damage. In addition, each blade hits as if backed by Dragon Graced Weapon (db.208) of the element of the dragon-blooded in the painting. There are two of each type of element. On the right side, from the stairs to the door they are: earth, air, water, wood, fire. On the left side, the order is water, wood, fire, earth, air).
|-  
| ''Chiaroscuro''|| align="right" |''8 Mar 2006''
|}


Place looted. Book found (entrusted to Stag). Hammer tells of training camp.
=== Inner Hall ===


<!-- Eyna will reach Chiaroscuro on 5th day of Descending wood -->
Featuring another low ceiling, this hallway is also packed full of four foot ceramic jugs, amphora and other vessels, all painted to look like jade. These fill the hallway so completely that most need to be removed to gain entry. These a grave goods, filled with foodstuffs of various kinds. The jugs are all well sealed, but most of the food is spoiled, fermented, or otherwise foul. The low ceiling continues to cause the same -2 to Dex for those crouching. Long weapons at another -1.
 
Hidden among the jugs are fifteen [[Grave Hornets]], which will awaken and attack any who move the jugs. They will attempt to do so with stealth at first, but will swarm if intruders put up a fight.
 
If enough jugs are cleared out, the walls can be seen to be covered with paintings. All have a very macabre tone, as if intended to scare away intruders. Many scenes of death, destruction, and callousness. Among the scenes:
 
*Wyr'palja turning a neighborhood into glass.
*Wyr'palja fanatically engrossed in an experiment while mortal servants helping her are being burned and crushed to death in the background.
*Wyr'palja idly watching while vicious creatures stalk and savage mortals in the back alleys of a city.
*Wyr'palja officiating a ceremony where lizard men sacrifice hearts cut out of living victims to the Unconquered Sun.
*Wyr'palja in radiant glory in front of a crowd of people with unnaturally vacant, adoring stares.
*A series of paintings showing Wyr'palja casting a flashy spell in front of a hundred children. As the sequence progresses, the children rapidly age until dead, while Wyr'palja becomes slightly more youthful.
*A large painting of a naked half-man, half-parrot, kneeling on a bed, pointing a silver sword to his own belly. His clawed hands are covered in blood. Behind him, a dead Wyr'palja is tied naked to the bed with golden silk rope, bleeding from eviscerating wounds to her abdomen.
 
=== Lunar Tomb ===
 
This ten yard radius tomb is crammed full of grave goods and effigies. Many of the goods are real silver, though now tarnished, and include furniture, silk clothing, weapons (some silver, some painted to look like jade), wooden coins painted gold, sculpture, gems (glass and real),  even an alabaster bathtub. Like the hallway that precedes it, the ceiling is only five feet high. The walls, floor and ceiling of the room are painted as rich forest, with many birds, particularly parrots.
 
The room conceals five doors behind the plaster of the walls. The only visible indication of the doors are very slight cracks that can only be noticed by close examination (Per + Awa (5)). Some forms of magical sight will see the doors for what they are. When the doors open, most of the plaster on and around the door will crumble. The doors are plated with moonsilver covered in ornate designs with deep details (designed to support the plaster).
 
The doors open into perfectly spherical rooms about four yards in diameter. The doors are set at the equator of the spheres, with half the room above and half below.
 
==== Full Moon Door ====
 
Two royal warstriders are crammed into this room, sitting back to back, with limbs folded to take up most of the sphere's remaining volume. It is unclear how these massive artifacts came to be in this room, as the door is too small even to fit one of their limbs through it. (In reality, Monsoon placed them here prior to his death using Elsewhere manipulating magic. Wanting to keep them out of the hands of the terrestrials, he also did his best to destroy the machines' AIs.)
 
*[[''Luminous Talon Rain'']] - An orichalcum royal warstrider. Holds firelance, small essence cannon and flight apparatus.
*[[''Molt-Defying Plumage'']] - A moonsilver royal warstrider. Holds protean gauntlet, small essence cannon and flight apparatus.
 
==== Half Moon Door ====
 
A colorful forest fills this sphere, made entirely of jade. More peculiarly, the jade is of nearly every color of the rainbow, from brown bark, leaves in all shades of green, and fruits  and flowers of all colors. (This jade is the result of [[Quintessence]] Circle Alchemy.) Throughout the forest are a number of preserved animals, mostly parrots and other birds, but also forest cats, wolves and even a bear. These animals appear to have been once alive, now preserved with taxidermy.
 
Knowing he intended to die, Monsoon put his pack to death and had them enshrined here, to accompany him in the Underworld.
 
==== New Moon Door ====
 
The walls of this sphere are pure white marble, covered with a strange writing in silver ink. The writing is clearly a code, combining Old Realm with strange scratches. Any who use one of the [[Monsoon Needles]] recognize the languages and be able to read it. Contained in this writing are spells known by Iron Monsoon:
 
*Becoming the Wood Friend
*Blood Lash
*Calling the Wind's Kiss
*Commanding the Beasts
*Eye of Alliance
*Hound of the Five Winds
*Personal Tempest
*Thunder Wolf Howl
*Virtuous Guardian of Flame
*The Faithful Ally
*Summon the Army of the Wyld
 
==== Waning Moon Door ====
 
This sphere is packed with terracotta sculptures of men and animals in all shapes in sizes. The largest stand in the center of the room, nearly scraping their heads on the ceilings, with the sculptures getting smaller moving away from the center. These are all very detailed, with gemstones for eyes.
 
These sculptures have little real purpose, other than to act as a formidable entourage in the Underworld.
 
==== Waxing Moon Door ====
 
The walls of this room are a slick stone, enchanted to display a moving image of the sky, complete with clouds, night and day and weather. Floating in the center of the sphere is a large sarcophagus, stylized from moonsilver and many colors of jade to suggest the shape of a flying parrot.
 
The moonsilver on the sarcophagus is coated with contact poison. Within seconds after touching this poison with bare skin, it is absorbed into the bloodstream and spreads through the body, causing the target's skin to start liquefying. The target must make a Stamina + Resistance (5) test or take three unsoakable lethal health levels and loose a point of Dexterity and Appearance. If they succeed, they still take one health level of damage. Attribute damage is healed like aggravated damage. This poison is invisible to human senses, but magically enhanced smell will detect it automatically (Monsoon wanted lunars to know it was there). The poison looses its potency within minutes when not in contact with moonsilver.
 
Within the tomb are the remains of [[Iron Monsoon]]. Though once wrapped in silk, nearly all organic material has decayed, leaving only dust and some portions of the skeleton behind. Those with good eyes will notice the nine [[Monsoon Needles]] that the lunar inserted into his flesh before taking his own life.
 
=== Solar Tomb ===
 
*Solar: spell book w/ celestial and solar spells. Other loot. On the solar side, one chamber holds the real body and the goodies, the others all hold Minions of Deadly Touch, all created by Wyr'palja and made to look exactly like her. All will pretend they were in suspended animation and that they are the real Wyr'palja. These minions also contain pocket of Elsewhere containing Wyr'palja's most prized possessions, which she entrusted to no one.
**Minion (orichalcum earrings), Wings of the Raptor, [[Wyr'palja's Spellbook]]
**Minion (moonsilver earrings), Wings of the Raptor, [[Wyr'palja's Workbook]]
**Minion (starmetal earrings), Wings of the Raptor, [[Wyr'palja's Stylebook]]
**Minion (jade earrings), Wings of the Raptor, [[Wyr'palja's Notebook]]
**Real body (salt earrings), Wings of the Raptor, [[Wyr'paljan Caduceus]]
 
== Data ==
*[http://thor.divnull.com/pub/exalted/wyrpaljas-mausoleum.pdf PDF map]
*[http://thor.divnull.com/pub/exalted/wyrpaljas-mausoleum.zip Adobe Illustrator map]
 
[[Category:Forgotten Suns]]
[[Category:Place]]

Revision as of 23:11, 21 April 2007

Tomb of Wyr'palja. Murals outside. Very steep, narrow stairs to entrance.

Top Level

  • Aviary: Glass bird scultptures, animate like obsidian butterflies (but peircing) when anyone enters the space between the steps. Statue and pool filled with coins; might also be a Grimtooth-style "spear dips down into the pool to electrocute anyone messing with the coins" trap to discourage mortals (tomb built by dragon-blooded, after all).
  • False Tomb: Find three fire pots, one five colors of jade, one moonsilver and starmetal, one orichalcum. They have faint scents. Rack of potions without labels on the outer aviary well, can match by smell or with serious botantical/alchemy skill. Disks for each circle of magic. When pots filled with correct stuff, and put in correct location, then lit, smoke swirls around white circle. For one hour, those who step on circle are teleported to second level. If mixed wrong, lethal gas. Sarcophagus itself trapped (essence explosion). Meaningful murals on all, including one map of pre-Contaigion Creation (possible hint to Parlainth-type lost cities). Hints on founding of city.
    • Mosaic of First Age Creation
    • Lots of birds
    • A winged Wyr'palja's holds a caduceus up to a hideous dragon that appears to be made of shadows of people.
    • Standing on the tip of a tree, Wyr'palja raises a city from the forest.
    • Wyr'palja surrounded by strange symbols (salt, quicksilver, gold, etc.)
    • Numerous small paintings of Wyr'palja's life and exploits. Fighting various creatures, lecturing, teaching alchemy, spell craft, etc. In one, she stands over an apparently dead woman, channeling energy into her mouth while others battle a dark force in the background.

Second Level

Vestibule

Automaton, possibly something like the Feathered Serpent (which would be right in character with Wyr'palja), but more lethal. Maybe two or more. Animates when door opens. Murals with hints.

Hall of Mist

when all in room, door shuts, room fills with mist. Those inside teleported to random locations in room. Pitch dark and filled with mist. Like simulacrums of smoke. Each round, essence darts fly around, dealing damage. Pits as well. Possibly a Cloak of Deadly Automata (guardian) defends the place, scary in the smoke. Basically, best defense is not to enter.

Alchemy Workshop

The Dragon Blooded who built Wyr'palja's tomb constructed two workshops for themselves within, to hide some of her treasure from other terrestrials. One of these was an alchemy workshop which, while a pale shadow of Wyr'palja's real alchemy cathedral, remains an impressive facility.

While small, this well-stocked workshop acts as an advanced workshop (Savant & Sorcerer, pg. 32) for alchemy, complete with First Age tools. In addition to a large assortment of jars, beakers, magical braziers, pots, steam works and inscrutable apparatus, the following can be found within this room:

Salt

This leather bound book, written by hand in High Realm by Wyr'palja in black ink, introduces readers to mortal alchemy, providing step by step instructions to master salt circle alchemy. While most of the book is extremely clear, roughly every tenth page is written in some kind of code, and strange symbols litter the margins throughout the book. Products of this circle are the weakest of potions, but also the easiest to make. This circle focuses on the "three essentials" of alchemy -- salt (the contractive force), sulfur (the expansive force) and quicksilver (the integrative force) -- so is sometimes called "sulfur circle" or "quicksilver circle" alchemy.

Those who follow this book's instructions and make all of its formulae can learn the thaumaturgical science of Alchemy without a trainer. This book includes the following formulae:

  • Blood-Staunching Compress: Bandages that stop bleeding
  • Hallucinogenic woad: Pain killing hallucinogen
  • Court poison
  • Venom-Allaying Draught (several versions): Allows mortals an automatic roll to resist poisons.
  • Wound-Cleansing Unguent: Prevents infection during surgery
  • Draught of Blessed Respite: Sleeping potion
  • Maiden tea: Contraceptive and abortifacient.
  • Philtre of Desire: Improve social interaction with a specific target.

Aether

Similar to Salt, this sharkskin bound book was also written by hand in High Realm by Wyr'palja in silver ink. This volume details the aether circle, a more advanced form of mortal alchemy. Its formulae are more complex, but also more effective. This circle focuses on the "elements" of alchemy: air, earth, fire, water and wood. More coded pages are scattered throughout this volume as well.

Those who follow this book's instructions and make all of its formulae can learn the thaumaturgical science of Alchemy ●● without a trainer. This book includes the following formulae:

  • Eagle's Eye Potion: Improve eyesight.
  • Final Vengeance: Allows mortals to ignore all wound penalties and succeed at Valor tests.
  • Ghost flower: Allows communication with ghosts.
  • Ice fern: Dream enhancer, mild divination enhancer.
  • Munificent Antivenin: Counteracts poision.
  • Seven bounties paste: cures disease.
  • Valiant Warrior Formula: Allows an extra to be treated as a normal character.

Gold

The last of Wyr'palja's tomes on mortal alchemy, the gilded pages of this book are bound between gold covers. The gold circle described by herein represents the perfection of mortal alchemy, symbolized by the most perfect of mundane metals. Coded pages appear about twice as often in Gold.

Those who follow this book's instructions and make all of its formulae can learn the thaumaturgical science of Alchemy ●●● without a trainer. This book contain a number of so-called "Heavenly Transmutation Processes" for transmuting mundane materials into more noble, yet still mundane, materials:

  • Glass into a transparent material that resists hammer blows.
  • Lead into gold
  • Raw iron into flawless steel
  • Wood into ivory

Alkahest

The universal solvent, described in the book Alkahest.

Berith

The philosophers stone, described in the book Berith.

Celestial Phoenix Cauldrons

These two cauldrons are wide-mouthed orichalcum vessels held up by the undulating coils of a dragon with crimson gems for eyes. The the 2,000+ pound body of each is about a yard across at its widest point, with a two foot wide mouth standing about five feet tall.

These cauldrons can produce alchemical products of up to berith circle alchemy, provided the correct ingredients are added and motes committed. Nearly any alchemical recipe known to the First Age can be produced, but the cauldrons themselves provide no knowledge of these recipes whatsoever, so the user must have a formula to make something.

Instances

A pair of these are held in the vault of the Forgotten Manse.

Game Information

Summary: Large vats that mix potions
Rating: ●●●●
Commitment: 0
Activation: 5
Repair: ●●●
Materials: orichalcum

Resplendent Satchel of Healing

A rectangular green case 12"x12"x3", containing healing items. It is described in Wonders of the Lost Age, pg. 69. Contains:

  • Rod of Cleansing the Body
  • Wound Mending Needles
  • Jade implements giving +4 Medicine
  • Instrument of Regrowth

Potions & Reagents

Scattered in various cabinets, drawers and shelves are a number bottles and other containers filled with dusts, liquids and various raw materials. These are all labeled in Old Realm, but not otherwise explained. All told, you find:

  • "Ash Devourer - Ashia" - 1 box containing 12 star topaz, shaped like very large teeth
  • "Ash Devourer - Baramini" - 1 box containing 12 star topaz, shaped like very large teeth
  • "Ash Devourer - Chiruku" - 1 box containing 12 star topaz, shaped like very large teeth
  • "Black Jade Dust" - 1 tiny bag
  • "Black Jade Ink" - 6 vials
  • "Black Jade Oil" - 8 vials
  • "Black Jade Water" - 10 vials
  • "Blue Jade Dust" - 1 tiny bag
  • "Blue Jade Ink" - 6 vials
  • "Blue Jade Oil" - 9 vials
  • "Blue Jade Water" - 13 vials
  • "Briardust" - 5 vials - coarse greenish-grey powder
  • "Cage Sweat" - 3 vials - clear liquid
  • "Clarity Spirit" - 2 vials - thin, pale turquoise, slightly carbonated liquid
  • "Dragon Walker" - 1 vial - like champagne, with a slight greenish tinge
  • "Eight-Scream Devil Powder" - 2 parchment bags, sealed with beeswax - dusty red powder
  • "Elemental Memories" - 1 box containing 7 small, but flawless, emeralds
  • "Empty Canvas" - 3 small jars - viscous brownish paste
  • "Firedust" - 5 vials - coarse reddish-black powder
  • "Forest Mimic Horn" - 1 jar - coarse white powder
  • "Green Jade Dust" - 1 tiny bag
  • "Green Jade Ink" - 6 vials
  • "Green Jade Oil" - 6 vials
  • "Green Jade Water" - 14 vials
  • "Green Jade Whiskey" - 1 vial - whiskey with a slight green tint
  • "Hound's Tongue" - 2 vials - thick purple liquid with swirls of black
  • "Moonsilver Dust" - 1 tiny bag
  • "Moonsilver Ink" - 4 vials
  • "Moonsilver Oil" - 4 vials
  • "Moonsilver Water" - 22 vials
  • "Nitric Acid" - 50 gallons
  • "Omen Juice" - 6 vials - bright pink liquid
  • "Orichalcum Dust" - 1 tiny bag
  • "Orichalcum Ink" - 5 vials
  • "Orichalcum Oil" - 7 vials
  • "Orichalcum Water" - 20 vials
  • "Quicksilver" - 3 gallons
  • "Red Jade Dust" - 1 tiny bag
  • "Red Jade Ink" - 6 vials
  • "Red Jade Oil" - 7 vials
  • "Red Jade Water" - 16 vials
  • "Skin-Like-the-Mountains Oil" - 3 vials - metallic blue-black oil
  • "Skydust" - 5 vials - coarse bluish-grey powder
  • "Starmetal Dust" - 1 tiny bag
  • "Starmetal Ink" - 10 vials
  • "Starmetal Oil" - 3 vials
  • "Starmetal Water" - 24 vials
  • "Stonedust" - 5 vials - coarse grey powder
  • "Tree-singer Urine" - 1 gallon jar, one-quarter full - golden/yellow liquid
  • "Vinegar" - 50 gallons
  • "Waterdust" - 5 vials - coarse black powder
  • "White Jade Dust" - 1 tiny bag
  • "White Jade Ink" - 9 vials
  • "White Jade Oil" - 9 vials
  • "White Jade Water" - 15 vials

Artificing Workshop

Once a serviceable workshop for artificing, this room was consumed by fire when the death of the terrestrials who used the tomb released the fire elemental under service within. This spirit is long gone, but left behind a ravaged room. Remnants of books, wooden racks, barrels and so on are in evidence, but all reduced to an ashy shell. Even metal tools have been warped by heat. Standing in stark contrast to these are a number of items that, though slightly scotched, remain in good condition, obviously magical. They are:

  • One Hand of the Mountain, with lines of mystical runes down its arms and legs, which indicate to occultists that it is built to be animated by a fire elemental. It is from this automaton that the elemental that torched the room escaped. This automaton stands in an alcove evidently built for the purpose. Originally, it was intended to do heavy lifting and tasks that required hands capable of withstanding high temperatures or dangerous chemicals.
  • Five Folding Servants, folded into six inch cubes of steel and jade (one of each color of jade). These were originally intended to act as artificing assistants, as well as handling mundane tasks in the workshop, such as cleaning. These are stored in shelves within the same alcove as the other automaton.
  • A large crystal Unconsuming Forge dominates one side of the room. It is unlit.
  • One one of the stone workbenches, surrounded by piles of ash, is a pair of Forge-Hand Gauntlets, casually dropped there by their last user.
  • Five ingots of blue jade
  • Five ingots of black jade
  • Five ingots of green jade
  • Five ingots of red jade
  • Five ingots of white jade
  • Seven ingots of adamantite
  • Five ingots of orichalcum
  • Three ingots of moonsilver
  • One ingot of starmetal

Acid Rainforest

  • Acid Rainforest: Forest of crystal trees. When far door touched, unless trigger hit, starts rain of acid.

Reality Engine

like Wonderous Globe of Precious Stability, but bigger and draws power from the wyld itself, not a hearthstone. Section of floor hides stairway to lower level.

Lower Level


Stairs

The floor section reveals a five foot drop onto a landing from which marble stairs lead down. The ceiling continues only five feet above the stairs, leading into a short hallway, also with a five-foot ceiling. All but the shortest characters must crouch, putting them at a -2 penalty for any Dexterity based tests.

On each side of the two yard hallway are extremely realistic paintings men and women in ornate jade armor, apparently portraits of dragon blooded. Each kneels on one knee, their swords at rest like crosses, point down with a hand resting on the pommel. All bow their heads, more in shame than reverence. At the end of the hall is a door, ornately decorated with the five colors of jade. A theme of wings and birds is consistent throughout, with the solar imagery on the right giving way to lunar on the left.

Perceptive characters who understand Old Realm may notice the design contains a subtle inscription:

Here lies a golden sun, to whom we owe, and from whom we took, everything.
Beside her, in death as in life, lies the silver rain that saved millions by killing one.

The door has a complex mechanical lock (Dex + Larceny (4)) and opens outward. Touching the door triggers a magical trap, causing the paintings to sprout phantom arms that thrust phantom swords into the hallway. These blades are intangible and can hit unmanifested spirits. They also completely ignore all armor and cannot be parried by physical weapons. Unless the trap was detected (with Essence sight, for example), the attack is likely unanticipated, working as an attack from behind (meaning 0 dodge dice without charms, no shields). The attack is as if made with a jade daiklaive thrust, made with seven successes, for a total of 12L damage. In addition, each blade hits as if backed by Dragon Graced Weapon (db.208) of the element of the dragon-blooded in the painting. There are two of each type of element. On the right side, from the stairs to the door they are: earth, air, water, wood, fire. On the left side, the order is water, wood, fire, earth, air).

Inner Hall

Featuring another low ceiling, this hallway is also packed full of four foot ceramic jugs, amphora and other vessels, all painted to look like jade. These fill the hallway so completely that most need to be removed to gain entry. These a grave goods, filled with foodstuffs of various kinds. The jugs are all well sealed, but most of the food is spoiled, fermented, or otherwise foul. The low ceiling continues to cause the same -2 to Dex for those crouching. Long weapons at another -1.

Hidden among the jugs are fifteen Grave Hornets, which will awaken and attack any who move the jugs. They will attempt to do so with stealth at first, but will swarm if intruders put up a fight.

If enough jugs are cleared out, the walls can be seen to be covered with paintings. All have a very macabre tone, as if intended to scare away intruders. Many scenes of death, destruction, and callousness. Among the scenes:

  • Wyr'palja turning a neighborhood into glass.
  • Wyr'palja fanatically engrossed in an experiment while mortal servants helping her are being burned and crushed to death in the background.
  • Wyr'palja idly watching while vicious creatures stalk and savage mortals in the back alleys of a city.
  • Wyr'palja officiating a ceremony where lizard men sacrifice hearts cut out of living victims to the Unconquered Sun.
  • Wyr'palja in radiant glory in front of a crowd of people with unnaturally vacant, adoring stares.
  • A series of paintings showing Wyr'palja casting a flashy spell in front of a hundred children. As the sequence progresses, the children rapidly age until dead, while Wyr'palja becomes slightly more youthful.
  • A large painting of a naked half-man, half-parrot, kneeling on a bed, pointing a silver sword to his own belly. His clawed hands are covered in blood. Behind him, a dead Wyr'palja is tied naked to the bed with golden silk rope, bleeding from eviscerating wounds to her abdomen.

Lunar Tomb

This ten yard radius tomb is crammed full of grave goods and effigies. Many of the goods are real silver, though now tarnished, and include furniture, silk clothing, weapons (some silver, some painted to look like jade), wooden coins painted gold, sculpture, gems (glass and real), even an alabaster bathtub. Like the hallway that precedes it, the ceiling is only five feet high. The walls, floor and ceiling of the room are painted as rich forest, with many birds, particularly parrots.

The room conceals five doors behind the plaster of the walls. The only visible indication of the doors are very slight cracks that can only be noticed by close examination (Per + Awa (5)). Some forms of magical sight will see the doors for what they are. When the doors open, most of the plaster on and around the door will crumble. The doors are plated with moonsilver covered in ornate designs with deep details (designed to support the plaster).

The doors open into perfectly spherical rooms about four yards in diameter. The doors are set at the equator of the spheres, with half the room above and half below.

Full Moon Door

Two royal warstriders are crammed into this room, sitting back to back, with limbs folded to take up most of the sphere's remaining volume. It is unclear how these massive artifacts came to be in this room, as the door is too small even to fit one of their limbs through it. (In reality, Monsoon placed them here prior to his death using Elsewhere manipulating magic. Wanting to keep them out of the hands of the terrestrials, he also did his best to destroy the machines' AIs.)

  • ''Luminous Talon Rain'' - An orichalcum royal warstrider. Holds firelance, small essence cannon and flight apparatus.
  • ''Molt-Defying Plumage'' - A moonsilver royal warstrider. Holds protean gauntlet, small essence cannon and flight apparatus.

Half Moon Door

A colorful forest fills this sphere, made entirely of jade. More peculiarly, the jade is of nearly every color of the rainbow, from brown bark, leaves in all shades of green, and fruits and flowers of all colors. (This jade is the result of Quintessence Circle Alchemy.) Throughout the forest are a number of preserved animals, mostly parrots and other birds, but also forest cats, wolves and even a bear. These animals appear to have been once alive, now preserved with taxidermy.

Knowing he intended to die, Monsoon put his pack to death and had them enshrined here, to accompany him in the Underworld.

New Moon Door

The walls of this sphere are pure white marble, covered with a strange writing in silver ink. The writing is clearly a code, combining Old Realm with strange scratches. Any who use one of the Monsoon Needles recognize the languages and be able to read it. Contained in this writing are spells known by Iron Monsoon:

  • Becoming the Wood Friend
  • Blood Lash
  • Calling the Wind's Kiss
  • Commanding the Beasts
  • Eye of Alliance
  • Hound of the Five Winds
  • Personal Tempest
  • Thunder Wolf Howl
  • Virtuous Guardian of Flame
  • The Faithful Ally
  • Summon the Army of the Wyld

Waning Moon Door

This sphere is packed with terracotta sculptures of men and animals in all shapes in sizes. The largest stand in the center of the room, nearly scraping their heads on the ceilings, with the sculptures getting smaller moving away from the center. These are all very detailed, with gemstones for eyes.

These sculptures have little real purpose, other than to act as a formidable entourage in the Underworld.

Waxing Moon Door

The walls of this room are a slick stone, enchanted to display a moving image of the sky, complete with clouds, night and day and weather. Floating in the center of the sphere is a large sarcophagus, stylized from moonsilver and many colors of jade to suggest the shape of a flying parrot.

The moonsilver on the sarcophagus is coated with contact poison. Within seconds after touching this poison with bare skin, it is absorbed into the bloodstream and spreads through the body, causing the target's skin to start liquefying. The target must make a Stamina + Resistance (5) test or take three unsoakable lethal health levels and loose a point of Dexterity and Appearance. If they succeed, they still take one health level of damage. Attribute damage is healed like aggravated damage. This poison is invisible to human senses, but magically enhanced smell will detect it automatically (Monsoon wanted lunars to know it was there). The poison looses its potency within minutes when not in contact with moonsilver.

Within the tomb are the remains of Iron Monsoon. Though once wrapped in silk, nearly all organic material has decayed, leaving only dust and some portions of the skeleton behind. Those with good eyes will notice the nine Monsoon Needles that the lunar inserted into his flesh before taking his own life.

Solar Tomb

  • Solar: spell book w/ celestial and solar spells. Other loot. On the solar side, one chamber holds the real body and the goodies, the others all hold Minions of Deadly Touch, all created by Wyr'palja and made to look exactly like her. All will pretend they were in suspended animation and that they are the real Wyr'palja. These minions also contain pocket of Elsewhere containing Wyr'palja's most prized possessions, which she entrusted to no one.

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