4. The First Expedition

Jacky ties Billie's reins around one of the baboon statues, making the knot loose enough for the mule to tug free with any real effort. Better that in the unlikely chance that they got stuck in the halls longer than anticipated. He pats the mule's nose before falling in line.

The only XP you've earned so far is a small amount of mapping XP courtesy of Jacky/Testlum (below). The vast majority of your XP will come from finding and safely recovering treasure (which, at this point in the campaign, probably means depositing it in Gosterwick, the nearest town). The only other source of XP is defeating enemies. But, to answer, the question, I award XP whenever you earn it. But, to level up, you will need to undergo training (OSRIC page 123).

- Belisarios:17 XP
- Ellagel:50 XP
- Grimidek: 55 XP
- Jacky: 63 XP
- Thrudmarr: 50 XP
- Zacharias: 50 XP

Stairs
You commence your descent into the pyramid. The stairs are composed of rough granite blocks and have seen heavy use. The walls and ceiling of the stairwell look like they were originally plastered and decorated, but only tiny shreds of plaster remain.

The stairs continue due north for around 100’ before arriving at a small landing, the walls of which are covered with graffiti of many vintages and natures.

At this landing the stairs change direction, turning to the south. Looking down the stairway, about another 100’ ahead of you, you can see that the stairs open into a lit area.

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9:00 am, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Belisarios, Archontean Magic User 1: 3/3, ?’
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 90’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’

Jacky pauses to take a gander at the graffiti. At the least, it would broaden his understanding on just what sort of art the tallfolk enjoy! Can he see the difference between the graffiti and anything that was originally on the wall, if any?"Hey, Thrudmarr," the halfling calls out as an afterthought. "You wanted to write down your name somewhere, right? Want to see if there's an nice spot around here?"

Thrudmarr's eyes light up at Jacky's suggestion.

"Yes, everyone see Thrudmarr was here and know he great hero of Arden Vul!" Setting down his axe for a moment, he fumbles in his pouch for his chalk with his free hand. While Jacky's inspecting the graffiti, he finds a clear spot and writes his name while holding the lantern steady. He concentrates hard, tongue sticking out slightly as he writes out "THЯUD" in childish scrawl.

He continues holding the lantern high to illuminate the area for the party.

The flickering torchlight sent odd shadows across the walls of this landing, distorting expressions and making the graffiti dance under her gaze.

As Thrudmar and Jacky busied themselves with the wall, the elf decided to take advantage of the short pause to start moving slowly down the south-leading stairs.

"I’ll be right back", she whispered, before disappearing beyond the torchlight.

She was betting on her elven light-footedness to carry her undetected closer to the illuminated chamber below. A brief scouting mission.

Grim approaches the graffiti wall. Well done, Thrud. Now all de ream’ll know!
Our dwarven fellow then studies the graffiti. Attempting to discern meanings and useful information!

Zach peruses the graffiti for Mithric characters to continue his study.

Whilst the others pause on the landing to study, or contribute to, the graffiti, Ella descends the next flight of stairs, which lead her south. She continues for 70’, pausing 30’ before the stairway opens into a larger chamber. The most noticeable thing about this space is how brightly and consistently it is lit. There is none of the characteristic flickering of a torch, nor the dull yellow light of a lantern. The space is lit almost as brightly as if it were daylight.

From Ella’s current position, much of the chamber is obscured. She can see that the stairway intersects with the westernmost section of the chamber’s northern wall and that the space is 20’ deep ahead of her. However, she cannot see how far it extends east of the stairway (to Ella’s left). The chamber’s rough stone walls are also covered in graffiti.

Back on the landing, whilst Thrud leaves his mark, Jacky, Grim and Zach peruse the graffiti in search of anything useful.

Jacky, Grim and Zach - each roll me a 1d20.

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9:10 am, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Belisarios, Archontean Magic User 1: 3/3, ?’
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 90’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’

Jacky scratches his chin.

Rolling.

Thrudmarr returns to holding the lantern for the others to read the graffitti, but keeps glancing nervously in the direction Ella went, awaiting her return and listening for any signs of conflict.

Give me a d20 first; the graffiti you find could be in any one of a number of languages.

Upper Landing
Jacky’s graffiti (in Archontean) …

The goblins hate the beastmen more than we do!

Grim’s graffiti (in Archontean) ...

Roger the Rapier

Thrud’s graffiti (in Archontean, barely) …

THЯUD

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9:10 am, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Belisarios, Archontean Magic User 1: 3/3, ?’
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 90’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’

Ellagel was surprised to see such kind of illumination here. It diminished her sense of dread, so she decided to tiptoe very carefully some 20feet further down the stairs, hoping to see more of this strange chamber, without calling attention to herself.

Sorry, missed that. No, whilst there are telltale signs that the wall was once plastered and decorated, very little of that now remains. Certainly not enough to discern anything. All the graffiti has been chalked or scratched onto the underlying stone.

Zach’s graffiti …

XXX

Zach’s eyes are drawn to a pornographic sketch that is best left to your imagination!

Meanwhile, Ella moves closer to the illuminated chamber at the bottom of the next flight of stairs. Peering inside she sees a square room that is 20’ x 20’. The staircase meets the chamber at the westernmost section of the northern wall. Within the chamber there are only two noticeable features … just to her left is a circle made from bits of stone that has been used as a fire pit. And, along the central 10’ section of the eastern wall, another flight of stairs descends northwards even deeper into the halls. Other than the two staircases, there are no other visible exits.

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9:10 am, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Belisarios, Archontean Magic User 1: 3/3, ?’
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 90’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’