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Chaosium Digest Volume 24 Number 12
Chaosium Digest Volume 24, Number 12
Date: Sunday, April 5, 1998
Number: 4 of 5
Contents:
>From Foreign Shores, Part 4 (Paul Williams) CALL OF CTHULHU
--------------------
From: "Paul Williams" <paulw@betanet.co.uk>
Subject: From Foreign Shores, Part 4
System: Call of Cthulhu
Scene 49: The Night of Thoth
As the sun sets over the western horizon and the constellation of
Orion rises in the east the dying beams of sunlight strike the face of
the great tomb at the end of the valley. A single beam is centred
exactly on the stone-blocked alcove. Suddenly, with no smoke, loud
noises, or noisome stenches, the alcove is filled with a deep red
light that seems to come from within the rock itself. Although the
light is not painful to look at it is too bright to see through.
After a few seconds the sun sets completely below the horizon and the
light fades. Where in the alcove there was once stone there is now
only air, allowing passage into the tomb beyond.
Investigators who make successful Astronomy rolls, or those who make
POW x2 rolls, see a faint pattern of stars in the sky over the tomb
that have the definite shape of an ibis--the sacred bird of Thoth and
one of his hieroglyphic symbols.
Of course, the tomb is not going to stay open forever and the stone in
the alcove will reappear at dawn the next morning. This gives the
Investigators around eight hours to explore the tomb and thwart the
foul machinations of the Old Ones.
Scene 50: The Great Tomb
The deep ones used the tomb as their main refuge after Santorini
exploded violently, devastating their Mediterranean colonies. With
their number drastically reduced the Egyptians rose up and overthrew
them, forcing them into the now dry marshes.
The tomb was built as a sanctuary for Father Dragon (who had been
magically trapped by the summoning magic going awry) and to allow the
deep ones somewhere to re-populate the colony in safety. After several
score years their numbers were strong and the tunnels were growing
cramped. To make matters worse the marsh outside the tomb was rapidly
succumbing to the desert and was becoming too dry for them to survive
in.
So the deep ones elected to travel deeper into the marshes in search
of habitable areas. The tomb was sealed with great magics to protect
the imprisoned Father Dagon. As the desert crept nearer and nearer, so
the deep ones were pushed towards the centre of the marsh, and when
that eventually dried the deep ones perished in the scorching desert
sun. All that remains in the tomb are the dead, a few foul underworld
creatures which have entered the tomb since the deep ones' departure,
some left over items that were overlooked, and Father Dagon. Somewhere
in the endless expanses of desert lie the sun-scorched remains of the
last deep ones to perish following the exodus.
As forecast by the astrologer Ibrahim, when the stars are right, as
they were on the fateful night that Santorini chose to explode, the
tomb will open and Father Dagon will walk the Earth once more, freed
from his chains. For even though the deep ones abandoned the tomb
Father Dagon rests still within the chambers, awaiting the day when he
will be freed from his magical shackles. That day has come.
The air inside the tomb is breathable, if a little musty. There is no
source of lighting so the Investigators need to provide their own.
[Keepers will clearly need to design a map to go with this portion of
the adventure.]
Shrine to Dagon:
Across from the door through which the Investigators enter is a forest
of pillars, each around twelve feet high and carved with the likeness
of a fish-man. There are seventy-two pillars and atop them is a large
flat platform. Two stone doors flank the pillars (See Dagon's Prison,
room 3 below, for more details on the doors).
What the Investigators cannot see from this room is that atop the
platform stands an altar to Father Dagon (Oannes). The altar is carved
from large pieces of bone and Investigators making successful Natural
History rolls recognise them as being from different species of whales,
found normally in the warmer waters around the Caribbean Sea.
Standing before the altar, like two silent sentinels, are the statues
of two seven feet tall fish-men. These actually represent Father
Dragon and Mother Hydra.
Oracle room:
As the Investigators approach this small side room the light from
their lanterns reflects from the oily skin of a giant fish-man which
leers at them from the dark. Each Investigator must make a single
successful San roll to avoid losing 1d2 SAN points. The creature is
actually a stone statue of Father Dagon and is extremely life-like,
although it is only ten feet high.
The walls of the chamber are covered with a script that closely
resembles Egyptian hieroglyphs but is also noticeably different. A
Language (Egyptian hieroglyph) roll can decipher the text with a -30
percentile point penalty. Once deciphered the text is revealed as a
ritual spell (see Appendix A for further details. The spell takes 2d6
weeks to learn (as normal) but the reader loses no San and gains no
Mythos knowledge. Copying the spell down increases the language
penalty to -40%, to allow for errors or ambiguous symbols.
The statue acted as an oracle for the deep ones, who would leave
offerings here for their living god in return for blessings or
receiving dreams on how to overcome a problem they faced. If the
Investigators should leave an offering for Father Dagon then nothing
untoward happens.
The statue can be used as part of the Contact Deep One spell, in which
case the number of deep ones increases by an extra 2d6.
Dagon's Prison:
The two doors that lead to this chamber from the Shrine (room 1) have
a grid carved onto them consisting of sixteen prefect squares. The
squares actually depress into the door and represent a lock. To crack
the code the Investigators need to consult the bizarre fragment from
the diary purchased in Schuler's shop. The answer can be found by
reading every fourth word starting with "from" after the semi-colon.
Every time the Investigators enter the wrong code the ground shakes a
little, getting progressively worse each time. On the tenth incorrect
go a Cthonian, summoned by the magic contained within the lock, bursts
through the floor of the shrine and attempts to devour all
present. Each lock is identical, but they are effectively joined
together. Thusly they do not have twice the chances to crack the code.
Once the code has been successfully entered both doors retract into
the ceiling and lock in place. They will not shut again unless the
code is entered in reverse order.
Seated upon a throne is a 30-foot high stone statue of a fish-man
creature, undoubtedly a representation of the Sea Peoples' foul god
Oannes. The statue is grotesquely life-like and Investigators with low
SAN are likely to see it twitch or spot one of its eye following them
around the room. Seeing the figure costs the Investigators 1 SAN point
each unless they make a successful SAN check.
The figure is in fact the magically imprisoned Father Dagon, whose
frozen appearance gives him the look of a statue. His skin although
cool to the touch like stone, also feels unmistakably clammy, like a
fish's scales. Touching the statue and realising this costs the
Investigator a SAN single point unless a SAN check is passed. Until he
awakens the magic protects him from any mundane weapon (including
dynamite).
Stood on both sides of the statue are rows and rows of wooden statues
of deep ones. Each is full size and is well carved, although not in
enough detail to scare the Investigators. A total of sixty statues are
here. These were left as symbolic guardians of Father Dagon and cannot
harm the Investigators.
The walls are richly decorated with scenes depicting the glory of
Father Dagon. Whilst not bizarre or alien enough to cause any Sanity
loss they are unsettling in their content and investigators who view
them shudder uncontrollably for a brief second.
The magic imprisoning Father Dagon in this tomb shatters on this
night, as foretold in the legend given to them by Ibrahim the
astrologer. Exactly when Father Dagon is released is pretty irrelevant
but the investigators should have been given chance to explore some of
the complex before he is released. When he finally gets free go to the
scene below; The God Awakens!
Decorative Room:
This room's walls are covered in one long and continuous painting that
starts to the left of the doorway and runs right around to the right
side. It depicts a giant fish-man hybrid creature devouring Egyptian
soldiers by the handful. If the picture is an accurate representation
the creature is over twenty feet tall. If the Investigators have
spoken to Professor Breccia they may assume that this is the Sea
Peoples' god Oannes being praised by his followers. Viewing the
painting costs the Investigators a single SAN point unless they make a
successful SAN roll.
The creature is Father Dagon and the scene commemorates his defeating
the Egyptian army when the deep ones first settled in Egypt some 4000
years ago.
Built into the far wall is a cunningly disguised secret door, which
can be opened by pressing the wall in certain points. A successful
Spot Hidden With a 20-percentile point penalty reveals the location of
the door and a Luck roll finds the catches if the Investigators search
for them.
The Long Stair:
This long and narrow staircase leads up towards the top of the
cliff. The passageway is only three feet wide and three feet high so
Investigators have to either crawl or monkey-walk up them. The deep
ones trapped the stairs shortly before they left to deter intruders or
tomb-robbers.
Collapsing Stair:
This stair is designed to collapse when anyone walking down the stairs
treads on it. The activation stair is situated eight steps above it
and so Investigators walking up the stairs are quite safe. When the
stair is trodden on it collages, ensuing the Investigator to make a
DEX x2 roll to avoid falling downstairs for 1d6+1 damage. The trap
cannot reset itself.
Scarab Pit:
The small landing is also trapped. The entire area is a false floor,
the release bolts to which activate when the intruder steps on the
fourth stair of the next flight of stairs. Thus once again the area is
safe going up but is dangerous when coming down. Anyone who steps onto
the false floor when the trap has been activated falls twelve feet
into a pit filled with flesh eating scarab beetles, taking 1d4 damage
per round until rescued or dead. The trap cannot reset itself.
Folding Stairs:
The last trap is a double trap. The last ten stairs that lead to the
lift mechanism fold flat, thus causing the intruder to slide down the
stairs and, potentially, to plummet into the scarab pit. Stepping on
the last step before the lift mechanism chamber activates the trap.
Sliding down the stairwell causes 1d4 damage and the Investigator must
make a Luck roll to avoid activating the scarab pit trap. Those who
fail this roll fall into the pit and are attacked by the hungry
beetles.
Secret Entrance:
This small chamber has a raised area in the centre of the floor. If
any weight of more than 100lbs is placed on the platform the
Investigators hear the grinding of gears and the platform begins to
rise slowly towards the ceiling. When the platform is eight feet from
the ceiling a hatch in the ceiling opens, letting sun or moonlight
stream through.
The platform stops when it is level with the desert sands above. Any
Investigator who travels on the platform finds himself on the cliffs
that loom over the entrance to the tomb. There is no way that the
Investigators can find this hatch if they search the top of the cliffs
before entering the tomb.
When the weight is removed and then replaced the platform lowers
itself back into the tomb and the hatch closes shut. When the platform
reaches the floor it will not rise until the weight has been removed
for at least one minute (whilst the machinery resets itself).
The Cracked Room:
The walls, floor and ceiling of this chamber are riddled with deep
cracks and holes, each no wider than a man's finger. The Investigators
cannot see down the holes. Investigators who make a successful Geology
roll know that these cracks and holes were made sometime back in
antiquity and show all the hallmark of being caused by acidic erosion.
The holes, in fact, lead down into the underground tunnels where
formless spawn make their home. Passing through the chamber sets off
enough vibrations to bring one to the surface for a look. By the time
the Investigators return through the room the area of floor by the
door is coated in a black, shiny substance covering two square meters
(the spawn). An Idea roll is required to notice this as having
appeared since they entered the chamber.
The Formless spawn attacks once the Investigators are within in
range. If damaged down to one-quarter or less of its normal hit points
it slithers away through a crack in the wall. It follows if the
Investigators run back through the other rooms along this passageway
as it knows there is no other way out.
The Room of Future Prophesies:
Within this chamber are three extremely large paintings that cover the
entire walls on which they are drawn. The deep ones recorded certain
facts relevant to their existence and that of the world around them.
Painting One shows an island sinking into, or possibly rising from, a
large expanse of water. Above the island is a representation of the
night sky and familiar star patterns are easily visible. Investigators
making a successful Astronomy roll determine that the star formations
point to the date of December 23rd, 2012. This mosaic actually shows
the next rising of R'lyeh.
Painting Two shows a sun disc with rays emanating from it that end in
hands coming down from a black hole in the sky. All around the sun
disc lie the prone bodies of people. It is hard to tell if the bodies
are dead or merely lying down. The people depicted in the scene do not
look particularly Egyptian.
An Investigator making an Anthropology roll can determine that the
people represented are South American Indians, a breed of people whose
existence could not have been known in this part of the world when
this tomb was built.
A successful Archaeology or History roll reveals that the sun disc is
a representation of the Aten, a nameless and faceless god who ruled
without other gods and who was worshipped by the renegade Pharaoh
Akhenaten.
This actually represents the daemon sultan Azathoth and shows the
permanent gates in Mexico which allows him access to Earth.
Painting Three shows a black skinned Pharaoh set upon a golden throne
flanked by two winged serpents. There are no hieroglyphs stating who
the pharaoh is. Investigators who make their History rolls know that
an old Egyptian legend says "an evil Pharaoh with skin as black as
night was overthrown by a mighty hero and the Pharaohs name was
stricken from the records and monuments of the land. The Pharaoh did
not die but instead sleeps an endless sleep, awaiting to be
resurrected by his evil minions." The figure is in fact Nyarlathotep
in his guise as the Black Pharaoh.
The Treasury:
When the deep ones abandoned the tomb they took all their valuables
with them. However, a few small items were overlooked in the confusion
and they lie around the floor of the old treasury, in which the
Investigators now stand. For every five minutes of searching through
the remains of chests and caskets have each Investigator make a Spot
Hidden roll.
If the roll is successful the Investigator finds some small trinket,
such as a gold coin, a ring, or maybe a necklace. Allow a total of
live items to be found before the treasury has been finally
emptied. An investigator who makes an Archaeology roll can determine
that the items date back to the time of the reign of Akhenaten,
although none bear his image or that of any other Egyptian ruler.
On a Special success the Investigator turns over a chest which has a
false floor panel. Inside is a large golden stylised wadjer eye (the
Eye of Horus). Not only is it worth a large sum of money but it can
also be used as an Elder Sign. An inscription in hieroglyphs on the
back reads, "The Eye of Horus Which Keeps the Foul Serpents in the
Underworld." The deep ones stole the casket from an Egyptian tomb
(after all why would they need an Elder Sign?).
Any Investigator who fumbles his roll discovers a large poisonous
spider in the casket into which he has just thrust his hand.
The Library:
When the tomb was in operational use as a home to Father Dagon and his
deep ones this room housed the library. Upon stone shelves sat
hundreds, if not thousands, of papyrus scrolls covering all manner of
topics. However, the sealing in the tomb was not perfect (and several
other tunnels to the outside air have been made) and the vast majority
of them have crumbled away.
Investigators who search the chamber easily discover a complete
scroll, still in its case (see Appendix A, the Gemhetep Papyrus). This
was stolen from the same tomb as the Eye of Horus above. The other
scrolls that are intact are written in an ancient and extinct language
used only by the deep ones and their human mating partners.
The Map Room:
This small chamber has inscribed on its longest wall a detailed map of
the entire world. The map is in accurate detail, showing major
mountain ranges, rivers and valleys, is drawn from a Northern
Hemisphere view, and seems to be centred on Egypt.
Investigators making a successful Idea quickly realise that something
is wrong with the drawing of Antarctica. It is shown with valleys and
mountains and seems to be free of glaciation. Investigators making a
successful History, Archaeology or Idea roll knows that Antarctica has
supposedly been covered with ice for millions of years.
The map also contains five large red stones, which are placed on
Australia, Egypt, China, Israel and Antarctica. The stones are big
enough to make an accurate guess impossible as to exactly where in the
country they are supposed to represent.
Spawning Chambers:
This series of chambers was once used as a spawning ground for the
deep ones, which dwelt in the tomb. When the tomb was abandoned the
chamber was cleared of all inhabitants. Now only a single, foul
creature lurks in the unlit recesses of the chambers.
When the Investigators enter the last chamber they notice a faintly
luminescent sphere roughly two yards across hovering just of the
ground in the far corner. The sphere is slimy-looking and covered in
small pulsating nodules. If the Investigators approach the sphere it
elongates and lunges for them with lightning speed.
The creature is a Shoggoth and fights until defeated. If the
Investigators flee from the chambers the loathsome abomination
follows, seeking to devour them. It crawled up from the underground
tunnels hundreds of years ago and hat been here ever since.
Ante-chamber:
Lying in the middle of the floor of this chamber are two naturally
mummified deep ones. Their skin is hard and sunken and their bodily
fluids have long since evaporated. They are also extremely fragile and
moving them causes large chunks to crumble away to dust. There is no
way the Investigators can return them to civilisation intact. They can
be photographed without causing them any damage.
The two deep ones elected to stay behind with Father Dagon during the
exodus and managed to crawl here before they died of thirst.
Ghast Chamber:
At the bottom of the stairs stand a dozen-gilded sarcophagus belonging
to humans who lived and mated with the deep ones who inhabited the
tomb. When they died the deep ones mummified them in the manner of the
Egyptian style.
However, several decades after the tomb was first built ghasts dug
their way up from below ground and entered this chamber. Unable to
discover the secret passage that lead to the main part of the complex
and too afraid to venture through the gateway into the Underworld they
remained here.
After eating the inhabitants of the sarcophagi they took over them for
their own sleeping areas. A total of three ghasts currently remain in
the chamber. Once they are gone there will be no more. Any
investigator who opens a sarcophagus is instantly attacked by a ghast
(regardless of which one he opens first), and within seconds the other
two ghasts have joined the fray. Appropriate SAN checks should be
made.
The tunnel through which the ghasts came is barely navigable and any
Investigator who travels down it soon becomes helplessly stuck and at
the mercy the foul beasts that dwell beneath the Earth.
Boat Chamber:
Dominating this chamber is a full sized boat, built in the classical
Egyptian design. The vessel is painted in bright colours and is
completely seaworthy, as any Investigator who makes a successful Pilot
(Boat) roll can tell.
Against the wall, pointed to by the bow of the vessel, stand two
colossal statues of human-fish hybrid creatures that stand almost
thirty feel tall. Anyone seeing them must make a San roll or lose 1d4
SAN. Even a successful roll costs the Investigator one point of
SAN. The statues represent Father Dagon and Mother Hydra.
Between the statues is a large opening in the wall, measuring ten feet
across and twenty feet high. The opening is perfectly cut and stairs
can be seen descending into the inky darkness below. A wind blows from
below up into the chamber causing the Investigators' lanterns to
flicker. Those who succeed in a Listen roll can hear what sounds like
rushing water. Those who roll a Special success can also hear the roar
of some unknown subterranean beast. Those that hear (he beast must
make a SAN roll to avoid losing one SAN point.
These stairs lead into places that no sane human would dare to travel
and they link up with N'Kai eventually. They also lead to an
underground river that eventually links up with the
Mediterranean. Travelling these tunnels, which are inhabited by
formless spawn and flying polyps, amongst other horrors, is beyond the
scope of this adventure and almost guaranteed to he the death of all
the Investigators.
When it became clear that the tomb colony was doomed to failure the
deep ones attempted to tunnel down to the underground river they knew
existed. They were driven back by the foul creatures that dwell in the
natural tunnels and gave up trying to find the river. Of course, the
doorway they carved allows access both ways.
--
