GURPS – The Scrolls of Tau Lehan

 

 

Storyline Summary

 

Ael Breia, the high priestess of Kelia comes to the agency.  The Scrolls of Tau Lehan have been stolen.  She suspects the worshippers of Belos, the death god.  If asked for others she also thinks the Sisters of Rissus, a god of water and fertility may take the scrolls to dirty the Kelians image who compete with them for many of the same followers.  It becomes evident though she wants it to be the Belos worshippers as she despises them.

 

The agents need to ascertain who stole the scrolls, retrieve them and return them to her.  They need to be low-key about it because if this became common knowledge it would cause panic amongst the Kelians who hold the scrolls as sacrosanct. 

 

When the party finds out it is Belos, if they ask the Kelian priests for help they will tell them that the priests cannot go into the Temple of Belos if that is in fact where the scrolls are as there are many traps amongst the catacombs beneath the temple, and most are highly attuned against the Kelian mages and psis.

 

Background

 

Kelia

 

Many religions flourish these days.  Each race has its own collection of religions.  Most humans now follow a reformed, unified religion that combines many old rituals and gods.  However, an ancient religion, Kelia, still is popular, particularly amongst many nobles and people who live outside the city. 

 

Kelia has its roots in worship of the forces of nature.  Every force, be it thunderstorms, death, or earthquakes has a personality, a deity behind it.  Over time rituals developed for each.  Some follow the words attributed to each god, while Kelians in general believe in a balance of multiple gods (something akin to the Greek gods, though not as much in-fighting).

 

Over thousands of years, many documents have been taken in by the church of Kelia as having significance.  The greatest of these is the Scrolls of Tau Lehan.  In Kelian hierarchy, an Ael is a female priestess of great rank, and a Tau is a male counterpart.  The hierarchy is a very traditional one of priests and priestesses who rise the ranks.  Lehan was a great priest and seer of the future, who also spoke to the gods.  His scrolls recount a great time of communion with the gods and supposedly record many conversations of great importance.  Even non-Kelians have heard of these.  In our world it would sort of be like having a copy of the original bible including parts that were actually penned by God and Jesus Christ.  No one ever actually sees these except for high priests.  In fact, it’s sort of just a rumored thing, some don’t think they really exist.  Were people to find out they are real and stolen, it would cause panic amongst the followers.

 

Belos

 

Belos is the god of death in Kelia.  The source of all things evil and dark, many attribute bad luck to him.  “The luck of Belos, I have today!”  Others use his favor as a curse “May Belos be your guardian this day”.  Some though, see eternal strength in him.  While life is fleeting, death is eternal and comes to all.  Belos may be cruel, but he is also clear of judgment, no sympathy biases his view.  Present a situation to him that rewards yourself and him, and he will grant it (so the stories go).  The Children of Belos as his followers go live generally simple lives and occasionally aspire to use his powers to rise in society (some clerical/necromantic magic is attributed to his high priests).

 

The Temple of Belos is an old, grand cathedral of high, dark stone spires with gargoyles and other stone beasts crawling over its surface, the guardians of hell.  Legend says the stone creatures come alive at night.

 

Rissus

 

Rissus is a female god of the river.  Many midwives and herbalists worship her as a symbol of life, hope, and fertility.  Rissus and Kelia compete for many worshippers and their competition sometimes gets underhanded (handing out small scrolls of prayer for the other religion at one religion’s ceremonies).

 

GM Storyline

 

Here’s what’s actually happened:  It’s just as Ael Breia suspects, more or less.  The Children of Belos have stolen the scrolls and protected them in their booby-trapped catacombs beneath the temple.  On midnight of the night of the Spirits Rejoicing they will summon Belos. 

 

What they actually want to do though is infuse his spirit into a golem and control the golem both psychically and magically.

 

The team will need to secretly investigate the cult and discover if they are the ones that stole the scrolls.  Once they do this they’ll need to infiltrate the catacombs, and bypass the traps to get to the central ritual chamber.  There they will need to retrieve the scrolls.

 

Once outside the temple the Kelians can safely transport the scrolls and the adventurers away to their temple and return the scrolls to safekeeping.

 

 

Detailed Adventure

 

Introduction

 

Ael Breia, the high priestess of Kelia comes to the agency.  She is tall and fair, with long flowing silvery hair and green eyes.  Despite her apparent advanced age she still has a certain youthfulness about her.  She wears a flowing silver gown ornamented with green embroidery and silver bells which ring gently as she moves gracefully. 

 

The Scrolls of Tau Lehan have been stolen.  She suspects the worshippers of Belos, the death god of attempting to use the scrolls to resurrect his spirit for some unknown purpose.  She brings with her aged, official documents proving the Kelian ownership of the scrolls signed by the government.

 

She stresses that word of this theft cannot get out because the image of the religion would be very tarnished and they would lose many worshippers.

 

She is reluctant to talk about the subject much, only repeating that the scrolls must be found.  If the team works with her, they find out that one of her most trusted high priests, Tau Dorr Karif, had cast many spells recently and worked with a trusted psi to ensconce the scrolls in protection.  Little did she know that apparently he set it up to allow a bypass through these protections to enable someone to steal the scrolls, or so she assumes.  He has since disappeared.  She will reward the team with 100 gold if they return his silver ring which contains five gems, a small diamond, ruby, emerald, topaz, and sapphire for the five main gods of Kelia for proof that he is destroyed, she doesn’t care if he is killed or not.

 

She cannot allow them to visit the sacrosanct location of the scrolls, but she brings a small black feather that was left behind and an impression stone which has a psychic impression of the chamber left upon it.

 

Who may have done this?

 

The Children of Belos, she says with a fervor in her eye.  Who else who would do such underhanded work?  Does the church have other enemies?  Yes, the Women of Rissus compete with Kelia for many followers and have long wished to make the church look bad.  When she mentions Rissus, she speaks as a merchant does of a competitor and their underhanded techniques in stealing her worshippers and tricking them.

 

Questioned about the Children of Belos, she is reluctant to speak about them and when she does so she does with disgust.  She knows very little except for something about the Day of Aresh’ Bana Bel, in the dead languages the day of the spirits rejoicing, is a Belan festival soon approaching. 

 

Soon after, tense and nervous, she flees the agency.

 

Investigation

 

Places/things the team may investigate:

 

  • Impression stone
    • A psychic with any kind of mind reading (Telereceive, any ESP skills) can make a skill roll and get an impression of a large stone chamber, dimly lit.  In the center in a lowered area is a pedestal with a glass case on it, scrolls inside.  Impressions of two or three people with shielded minds sneak in, making incantations as they approach.  They eventually gain the scrolls, dropping a feather at one point, then leave.  A good psychic roll will indicate something strange about one of the three people as if a cloud sat over his or her mind, like something controlled it or deluded it.  One of their hands, when they reach for the scrolls is tattooed with a black star emblazoned with a glowing silver blade.
      • A roll succeeding by 3 or more will reveal the incantation words “Aur elum cannore” but only if the psi is a mage or linked to a mage.
      • Further research or knowledge will reveal this spell is a necromantic spell allowing passage on a spirit plane that may have been used to bypass the safeguards.  This is a clerical/necromantic spell, any necromancer will tell you.  It is studied by the students of Belos.
      • The logo can only be identified by a student of Belos who is persuaded or mind read, or with a very good library skill.  High ranking Belos priests use it to signify their attachment and dedication to Belos and it supposedly charms them against attack.
  • Black feather
    • Spells or psi powers used on the feather reveal it is a raven’s feather dusted with the dried blood of a bat.
      • The only spell to require this makes a person of dark character change their aura.
  • Library
    • The spells mentioned above and logo can be researched here at -5 to skill.
    • Details on what the Belos priests could do are only found on a good roll, otherwise just a general mention of what may happen (some ceremony on the eve of the big day)
      • The Day of Aresh’ Bana Bel, in the dead languages the day of the spirits rejoicing, is the day when the connection to the spirit world is strongest.  It is in 4 days from the day she comes to the agency.  Likely they will try on midnight of that day to perform some ritual.
        • Good rolls: Mention of wordings in the Scrolls of Tau Lehan that talk of how Belos could be summoned to be asked to walk amongst the living in a physical form.
  • The Kelian Hall of Worship
    • The clerics in front are friendly and will allow you to see Ael Breia one more time, but she is of no more help.  They will keep you waiting and seeing many lower level intermediaries before you get to her.
  • The Temple of Belos
    • The temple is highly guarded.  Most gatherings occur at dusk and most are black robed.  If you don’t appear to be a follower you can’t get in.  If they do disguises, there is a 10% chance they will be discovered (or a roll vs. spell or disguise against a 13 skill to find them).
    • They may follow a priest or follower out to a home or bar, or capture in a corner.  Interrogating inside is risky as a roving psi or mage may detect their activities and dispatch a guard to intervene.
      • The followers will tell them the excitement about the big evening, but no details.  A priest can tell more, but only with good skill rolls.  Worshippers wear simple dark brown or black cloaks, priests wear robes.  High priests often have a silver necklace or carry a staff with a silvered tip.
      • If they approach at night and attempt to break in, are not disguised, etc. then one of the stone creatures (a winged gargoyle like beast) on the walls breaks free to attack.  They are mindless (cannot be controlled by psychic powers).  Work the enchanted statue as a Stone Golem (Magic Items 3, p. 58) with these changes: ST 12, HT 12/15, Speed 4, PD/DR ½ Damage 1d.  It has the ability to jump and lunge from 2 hexes away (or 1 hex) making defense difficult at -1 and adding +1 to damage, otherwise it just slashes in close combat.  If it lunges it is at -1 to defend that turn.
  • The Circle of Rissus
    • The head council, or circle of Rissus (the circle is a religious symbol to them) meets in a wealthy midwife’s home.  She is midwife to many nobles.  The group should not give away the fact the scrolls are stolen otherwise the circle will use this to dirty the Kelian’s name and any rewards are cut in half.
      • The midwife is older, but has a well kept appearance and fine clothing in a deep blue, conservative cut.  She is formal with them, but polite.  If they try to read her mind or probe her, they will find a resolve to compete with Kelia, but never do anything underhanded.  It seems likely this is not the culprit.

 

Tau Dorr Karif’s home

 

The location of his home is actually in a not so good part of town away from the Kelian hall of worship.  They can only discover it by persuading a cleric or mind reading (possibly meeting the cleric at a local dining hall and persuading to have a drink, etc.)

 

His home has a simple ward of stones in front of the door.  A person cannot touch them or move them with a staff, etc. or the guard will be notified.  Any knowledge roll or guild experience, etc. will reveal this.  Any simple spell, knack, or psi power to move them will break it, or anyone invisible or doing a GOOD stealth roll.  Otherwise they have 3 minutes to face two City guard members (Supporting Cast p.14 – vary one to have a broadsword, the other an axe and buckler).

 

His home is sparse, a simple diary is hidden in a false bottom of a drawer.  In it he writes of his devotion to the Kelian gods, recites his chants and prayers, typical things.  He begins to make mention of something he’s been wanting to do but Ael Breia does not approve.  In recent posts he decides to go ahead and meet with ‘them’ and see if he can make things happen.  “Neither the Kelian Ways or the Children of Belos have true sight.  Perhaps I can guide them all. I will see them tonight at the fourth warehouse of Kavel’s docks.”  That is the last entry, dated two days before the robbery.    What did it mean?

 

Kavel’s docks, 4th warehouse

 

Nothing much here during the day.  If they wait around at night they see someone sneak in on the side.

 

The side door is locked, but searching reveals an unlocked window nearby.  The main warehouse is large with a few crates of various goods, some appear to be illegal (large shipments of weapons, etc.).  A small office sits off to the side and a light comes through the grimy windows that look into the warehouse.  Faintly voices are heard.

 

In the room are two desks, a small bookcase.  The desks are scattered with scrolls and maps.  These people ship things illegally and legally for Belos so the church can make money.  Anyone who can read will figure this out.  In the room are two men who it will turn out helped abduct Tau Dorr Karif when he came there to talk to the Belos worshippers.  He had actually hoped to unite the two churches, and the Belos worshippers tricked him because they needed his help to get to the scrolls.  Once there they took over his mind and body.

 

To discover this though, the team will have to interrogate these two.  They are just warriors, but will still be tough.  Two warehouse thugs:

 

Breaking into the Catacombs

 

If the group monitors the Temple of Belos, researches the religion significantly or otherwise makes it obvious they are interested in them, then on the first evening afterwards, a Belos priest controlling a creature sneaks up on them and attacks.  If they can realize the priest is in the shadows controlling the beast and take him out they will have a much better chance.  The creature is a black panther, treat as Bestiary p. 36 terror cat.  At night with dim light and the black coat, all rolls are at -1 unless the person has acute vision or sound (sound compensates for the fact it is hard to see) or night vision.  Panther’s trainer:

 

The Temple of Belos is a large, imposing building with stone gargoyles and monstrous creatures writhing around the outside.  It seems to be made of a deep black stone that is very unique.  The temple is strongly warded against tampering.  Two huge, thick oak doors stained a deep brownish-red are the only ground level entrance.  It’s easier for them to sneak in during the day as the place is more lightly guarded and attended, but the entrance to the catacombs is sealed at that time.  Careful observation, research or good spell rolls will reveal a private meditation chamber and sleeping quarters for the priests in the rear has a hidden entrance, but is guarded.

  • If  don’t slip past him with knocking him out or disguises, encounter Belos guard here:

 

Once inside, the group is awed at the vast space captured within the cathedral.  Its high ceilings rise into darkness.  Huge stained glass windows along the sides depict pictures of horror and hell, Belos overlooking them all, depicted as only a vague human shape in the form of shadow.  The main area is empty, worshippers stand for services.  In the front is a large slab, the altar. Behind it rises a highly detailed stone and metal edifice featuring creatures, people and spirits entwined in their toils beneath a vast sun.  It is through this edifice that the group must enter.  The portal is warded against psychic seeing and magical scrying, but analysis of its materials or its structure shows something odd about it. 

  • A good research roll, very good rolls in conversing with a priest, good IQ roll, etc. will show some unusual people in the relief.  Most are bent over fighting or lugging something, suffering.  One is standing with his hand raised towards the sun’s rays.  Another kneels with his hands outstretched towards the edge of the relief, and finally towards the end one lays flat, subservient before his god.  If someone stands and pushes on the sun where the first does, another kneels and puts his hands on the 2nd, and a third lays flat, then the portal opens.  The incantation “Oaui col shanno erpif” (through our toil you reign) opens the portal as well. (This can be read from the mind of the guard on a good roll).

(Church. Final Picture. At night)

 

 

The catacombs are as they sound: dark, infrequently lit by a waxy, outstretched hand (that looks very real, and is) holding a burning flame.  Spiderwebs crowd the corners of the passageways.  Occasionally tapestries and oil paintings hang on the walls, nearly forgotten underneath layers of dust and soot from the torches.  The halls wind and turn and occasionally have doors off of them.

 

 

 

 

 

Map of the Catacombs:

 

 

Level 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Map Notes - Level 1

 

  1. Upon entry into the catacombs, there is a long hallway.  At the end of this hallway is a grand arch into a large room.  The room is circular with a ring of steps down to a central circular area that is lowered and has patterns inlaid into the marble.  Columns ring the room, and a dark mural depicting Belos casting people into flames adorns the ceiling.  The room is dim, but in the center is a stand with scrolls setting upon it.  As the group approaches the stand, they hear sounds of people approaching from the other hallways (illusions).  There are similar arched entrances across from them and one to each side.
    1. If they attempt to move the scrolls with powers they will not move, the group will think it is a counterspell or something. 
    2. If the group touches the scrolls, the illusion is shattered and it turns out to be a square room and a cage above them, which falls, likely capturing all of them.  It is 15x15 and made of coarse steel bars (PD 2 DR 25 crushing/50 cutting, at least two complete breaks in a bar and at least 3 bars open to get out).  The creatures in #3 come out through the door.
    3. Any clever ideas by the party to break the illusion will also work! ;-)
    4. The other doors are unlocked except the one to #3 which is locked but can be picked simply or busted open.  No sounds from the other two, but a faint whispering from this one.
  2. Priests’ bed chambers.  Several simple beds are made up.  Two basins and pitchers for washing up, a couple of chests and a bookcase containing various religious scrolls, some are indecipherable.  Nothing to be found in the room or the first chest but old robes and clothes.  (They can put the robes on to get a reaction roll bonus on anyone else they run into in the catacombs of +3)
    1. If they do not search for traps first on the second chest, there is a dart that will shoot out and hit the opener.  It does 1d-2 damage.  In the chest is a small satchel of 20 silver and 2 gold.  Also is the Holy Censer, Magic Items 3 p. 79.  If undamaged in the fight (any falls by the holder make a roll on a 9 or less the censer is damaged and worth 1/3) and taken to a magic shop they can sell it for about 1500 silver (there would be more but questions would be asked so they have to go to a less reputable dealer).  They can however choose to keep it and use it.  It is actually prepared, all they need do is light it to fight off any undead in the catacombs.  An appropriate religion roll or something similar is needed to recognize it.
  3. Here be nasty creatures! These will come out of the room if the cage falls in #1, but otherwise the door must be picked or bashed in (standard door).  A soft mewling, whispery sound is heard if they listen first.  There are 1d+3 Shadow Wolves (Fantasy Bestiary p. 65).  Slight changes are that they are incorporeal (ghostlike) as they jump and attack (this is how they jump through the cage and bite and land).  As they land, they will corporealize for about 1 second and then leap again.  Attack rolls are at -2 to hit once the group notices this, but until then they only hit on a critical success.  The wolves bite goes right through PD and DR. A parry has no effect, but a dodge can avoid them.  The way they notice is the wolves are an eery green hue and seem to be made of shadow, but they flicker to silver, more normal looking wolves before changing back.
    1. The censer if lit will keep the dogs back more, and when they attack only on a 12 or less will they be corporeal. 
  4. This room is a variation on the see saw room in Traps Too p.6.  It looks normal enough, stone walls, ceiling and floor, and a rug on the stone floor.  A door lays opposite but does not open, it’s fake.  A large wooden chest lies across the room, disappointingly empty and unlocked should the group make it that far.  Once the room see-saws, the door closes but does not lock.  The room is roughly 10 hexes wide by about 25 hexes long.  Once a majority of the weight passes the pivot point at 8 hexes, the floor starts swinging (there’s a ledge to keep the other side from giving it away).  All PCs make a DX roll -2 unless they have combat reflexes or something similar to stay standing.  Each turn the room slowly swings further.  Each turn make a ST roll to move only 1 hex down, otherwise roll 1d to see how far you go.  To stand make DX to kneel, DX to stand after that.  Each turn the room tilts more, so an extra -1 for each DX roll each turn.  If they can get their weight past the pivot point the room will swing back down. They’ll find crawling is best, standing means a DX roll or fall down each turn as the room swings more (at the penalty).
    1. If the room swings open for more than 2 seconds, a dark pit is opened in the far wall.  Out of it crawl 1d+1 flying turtles (Bestiary p. 16).  These fly at the team while they are trying to stand and crawl back.  The turtles hit on a roll of 13 or less, otherwise they missed and hit the floor, stunned and roll for 1 turn before lifting back up and taking a turn before ramming again.
  5. Likely the group will think going straight is the way into the catacombs.  The room is richly appointed with tapestries.  On one wall is a recessed jewel ornamented relief of a scene of nobles passing in a street. Diamonds and rubies sit lightly built into the relief.  The celing is etched and has a slight recess all about it.  There are no actual physical objects in the room (to get in the way…)  On the far side is a large door with scrollwork about it.  The team will try to get through that.  It is locked twice with complex locks and is difficult to break down.  Unfortunately behind it is a small empty space and earth (it goes nowhere).  Anyone with greed, curiousity, etc. will want to try to take one of the gems.  Once  gem is removed, the first door locks and the ceiling moves down from a height of 6 hexes at the rate of ½ hex per second.  It will stop at 6 inches off the ground and move back up.  Anyone who is caught will suffer 3d crushing damage.  The only way out is to get back through the last door, or some spell or psi power to hold the ceiling in place.  If the ceiling is moved back up and the gem is restored to its place, the latch will reset and the ceiling will stay there.  The ceiling weighs about 300 lbs.
  6. In the hallway on the way to the priests’ bed chambers, as there are in all the hallways, is a large tapestry.  In it a priest carries a candle and follows a trail that is laid down by the servants of Belos.  Behind it is a secret door that will be found with an IQ roll if anyone looks.  Open the door, and steps lead down to level 2!

 

3
 

2
 

To level 1
 

To level 3
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

1
 

 
 

5
 

4
 
Level 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Map Notes - Level 2

 

  1. A stockroom with shelves.  Candles, incense, a few jars of dried powders, nothing of any use.  Some small pieces of rope, blank scrolls and ink.
  2. This room has a plush, clean deep red carpet.  A similar tone paint adorns the walls.  In the center of the otherwise empty room resides a black obsidian pedestal on which sits a small box.  The box is inlaid with writings in an unknown tongue.  Magic detection will find wards on the box, but they don’t seem to be wards to keep people out, just simple barrier wards.  Only on a very good roll is it determined they are to keep something in.  If someone opens the box, an invisible wraith sneaks out of the box into the opener.  There is a contest of will, the wraith has a will of 20. Give them a note saying the GM controls all their actions from now on, but not to give it away (don’t give this note right away, after a few seconds).  Tell them to control the character as normal, but send them notes when you want to control them.  In the next battle scene, the wraith takes over and makes the character hang back from the group. As they all begin to attack, the controlled person either casts a spell or uses a weapon on another member of the party.  At this point if they are doing something they don’t want to do, they can get a Will roll – 3 each time to stop it for a moment.  During this second they can do anything they want.
    1. The only way to remove this is to use the censer near them, do some sort of exorcism or mind control.
  3. Guard room.  3 guards are sitting around the table playing cards.  If the group is wearing robes the guards are at -3 to the initiative roll.  Do a reaction roll to determine who reacts first.  Behind them is the door to a bathroom, on the side is a door to another hallway, both unlocked.  Guards:
  4. Library.  Several bookcases contain old scrolls and books. Some have spells on them.  Roll 3d, on a 9 or less the group if they take anything that has a spell they can sell it for 30 silver.  In the room at the desk studying are two priests.  One of them is Tau Dorr Karif.  He will attack them unless they break the mind control on him.  If they do, he’ll join the party but will generally be too baffled and confused to help much.  Tau Dorr Karif and priest:
  5. This is the high priest’s chambers.  They are richly appointed.  Sconces on the wall light the room.  An old thick tapestry hangs over the bed.  A desk and bookcase lie opposite each other.  In this room is a journal that recently notes the manipulation of Tau Dorr Karif to be controlled by the priests.  Also detailed is the ceremony to be performed that evening.
    1. On the bookcase amongst books and scrolls is a small, simple jar. In it are a set of bones.  These Necromantic Divining Tiles are similar to Magic Items p. 60 the Diviner’s Tiles, with this change: they must have fresh blood (1 HT worth) spread over them each time and the same creature/person’s blood cannot be used within a week.  When blood is dropped on them, shaken and emptied they will fall in a shape that answers the question in a somewhat non-word based sense based on the die roll (the shape of the building where the person is staying they are asking about, etc.).  They can be sold at a necromantic-related store if they are able to find one but if they don’t know what they are they’ll only get $100 silver, otherwise they’ll get about $400.

 

Level 3