[Conan/Call of Cthulhu d20]Shadow over Stygia Recruiting

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 3:16 am

Here's the Stygia map from the Mongoose book.

Fantasy cartography being what it is, maps of Hyboria are rather widely divergent, and while New Kingdom Egypt had knowledge of surveying techniques as applied to relatively small areas, it would be a fair assumption that larger maps depicting vast swathes of desert are almost entirely symbolic.

The original suggestion was to continue NE until reaching the Bakhr, finding work in some combination of floating temple-brothel guard/pirate/privateer, and returning to Kheshatta via the ocean route after picking up mercenaries in Khemi or Karnath. At a minimum, that's a couple of thousand miles, so I could see an argument for just traveling SW overland to Kheshatta.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Wed Jun 04, 2014 3:02 pm

In case it's not clear, I'm basically using Nekka to prompt you guys into deciding what you want to do - I know the game has been slow 'lo these many months, and I could force a climax and finish if everyone is down with that, but my general preference as Mister Cavern is to give players their own head most of the time.

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Wed Jun 04, 2014 5:01 pm

Taotie's overall goal is to now stop the world from ending catastrophically as well as figuring out everyone's intentions.

Like that ibis priest who was going to turn us into gold, should we go beat him up or get him on our side (at risk of being turned into gold later). Basically Taotie wants to know if there's someone whose trustworthy in all this.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Wed Jun 04, 2014 10:38 pm

Kamoses would be down with going and beating the shit out of the Ibis priest and making him turn stuff into gold for us so we could spend the rest of the time the world's going to exist in booze, drugs and women.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 12:07 am

And Karlus is currently telling the rocks that they are not worthy of Crom in between bites of lizard. Sounds like at least one of you needs to leader-up.

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 4:38 pm

Forcing Karanthes to do anything probably isn't a realistic option. My dude would choose to go north, hole up somewhere, and in between tavern brawls attempt to cobble together some sort of tattoo/mirror countermagic , but anything that gets people to participate is cool with me.

1. Go towards Kheshatta
2. Go away from Kheshatta
3. Wait at the oasis until Katsetshuset zeros in on Taotie's position and wipes out the party.

Kurama314 · Post by **Kurama314** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 4:51 pm

Option 3 is interesting. Not in the getting wiped out part but in the fact that Katsetshuset needs to find us as much as we need to find him. Rather than going to Kheshatta and trying to get his half of the book on his terms why not force him to confront us on our terms? If we choose the time and place we might stand a better chance.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 8:59 pm

Karlus will go with the majority opinion. Anyone else want to cast their lot for option 1, 2, or 3 (or add another choice?)

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:38 pm

From 1 August

Ancient History wrote: Karanthes studies the map more closely for a time, then speaks again. "The third route is more perilous still. North of Kheshatta is the ruin of Mogul, the Hill of Black Sorcery, which was once a city of Acheron, fallen long ago to sorcerous calamity, abandoned by humanity and home now only to abominations and demons of the outer dark who are still bound to this world. Yet there is a fane there, untouched by time, and beneath that blasphemous altar is a stair that leads down to the ancient highways of Acheron, that were built underground. Of olden times such a tunnel went directly to the temple of Set and Tsatha...and if it still exists, would carry you speedily and stealthily there. Yet even I know not what conjurations remain in that dark edifice."

So saying, the old man grows quiet, lost in contemplation of ancient horrors.

4. Look for that

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 12:26 am

Kamoses would be down for making Karenthis come to us, or searching for the fane.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 3:09 pm

Whipstitch, does Isandro want to chime in?

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 5:08 pm

I am willing to delve any dark holes in search of booty to plunder.

Whipstitch · Post by **Whipstitch** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 4:37 pm

I am fine with a majority decision. It's not like it'd be easy to go home alone anyway.

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 4:41 pm

Okay, it looks like the majority is split between "stay here at this oasis next to the sunken shrine and wait" or "go look for this forbidden city" (the nearest entrance being back near the valley of the shrine).

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 4:57 pm

I vote for the forbidden city. Maybe the party can start taking revenge on those whom have wronged them with the sorceress and her protohuman minions, and in so doing be able to travel back to Kheshatta unnoticed.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 8:21 pm

Whipstitch wrote:I am fine with a majority decision. It's not like it'd be easy to go home alone anyway.

"Screw this! I'm going home!

....now which way is Zingara?"

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:30 pm

A forbidden city sounds fun

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Sun Jun 08, 2014 2:44 am

Forbidden city it is...

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 1:33 am

I know that Korgan0/Karlus is on vacation, but if everybody else could try to post at least once every 24 hours (schedules permitting, I realize real life takes precedence) I think we can get a decent pace going for the final stretch of the game.

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Wed Jun 18, 2014 1:27 am

Taotie inquires if any other travelers had passed through recently

Ancient History · Post by **Ancient History** » Fri Jun 20, 2014 9:20 am

If everyone's cool with resting and continuing on this road, we can skip ahead a few days. Is that cool with everyone?

OgreBattle · Post by **OgreBattle** » Fri Jun 20, 2014 10:10 pm

That's cool with me, though does anyone anticipate things like "Sirens try to lure you off the road" or "there's a big bowl of drugs off the road and Neb scurries to his death"?

Nebuchadnezzar · Post by **Nebuchadnezzar** » Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:49 pm

I say the party only tries to start shit just before reaching the Acheronian temple, so as to necessitate being chased into it. Any incidental scurrying while in transit, whether forced or not, could be Yakety-Saxed.

Kurama314 · Post by **Kurama314** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:24 pm

I'm good with skipping a few days of just walking down a road.

Prak · Post by **Prak** » Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:19 pm