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substitute Mitra, Set, Crom, etc. as religious dictates indicate!

The Hyborian Age:  Day 15

     Early in the morning, we departed Chastenay, bound for the mountains to the north, and the plains of Koth beyond them. Our Heroes were accompanying a caravan of 75 camels, along with three dozen other persons -- merchants, guards, and dependents.

Day 36

     We reached the caravan-town of Ataku, on the northern edge of Shem. The town was built around an oasis, and had a population of a couple thousand persons (including several hundred passing traders, camel-drovers, guards, and travelers). Our Heroes recuperated from the long, dry trip across the sandy desert, and restocked supplies. From here, we can see a mountain range, only two days travel away.

Day 41

     After five days in Ataku, we proceeded onwards with a different caravan:  25 merchants and camel-drovers, some dependents, and a dozen tough veterans of "Theodoric's Horse", the last remnant of a company of Corinthian mercenaries who set out five years ago to make their fortune. Many of the merchants are also Corinthians. We bought horses for our journey with this caravan.

     Also traveling with the caravan:

• Vetruvius, a cleric of Crom. Small but strangely strong, he carries a heavy flail

• a magician, capable of creating lightning-bolts
  

Day 43

     We entered the mountain range, climbing amid cold, rocky passes, and traversing narrow stone ledges along mountain-sides.

Day 44

     During the night watches, the caravan was attacked by bandits! Our Heroes, the mercenaries, and the lightning-bolts of the wizard almost immediately put fear into the hearts of the attackers. Those who survived more than half-a-minute fled into the darkness. One of the merchants was hit by an arrow, but Qua Lin was able to treat his wound.

Day 45

     This night, the caravan guides told us of a hot spring near the camp; we all took advantage of a warm bath in its sulfurous waters.

Day 46

     The caravan crossed the highest point of the pass this day, at about 10,000' above sea level.

Day 49

     We entered the plains of Koth, a desert rather like the Mojave. This there were springs to be found, infrequent game to be hunted, and generally less hostile conditions than back in Shem. The guides and merchants expect we will be on the far side of this desert in 30 days or so.

Day 68

     However, while camping, we are attacked at night again. This time the bandits are more numerous, bold and dangerous -- two dozen mounted raiders, in fact, with four chariots. The horsemen swept once through the camp, but gain only injuries and death for their trouble. A dozen horses were left for Our Heroes and the caravan members to claim, along with plentiful tack and gear -- the raiders used curved bows, short spears, and scimitars, and wore armor of mail and leather.

Day 79

     The caravan reached the southern flanks of the Karpash Mountains; wild spring storms gathered about the peaks, and the streams ran fast and cold with melt-water from the snow and glaciers on the high slopes. We entered the Donai Pass; it was not as precipitous as the route between Shem and Koth, but still a test of stamina.

Day 81

     While camped at night, two wives of a caravan-merchant were furtively kidnapped by someone -- or something. In the morning, the merchant offered a double handful of "treasure" for the return of Thetis and Berencyia. Our Heroes agreed.

     The caravan continued onwards, unwilling to wait in such a grim, haunted place; Nora and two of the guards remained camped, with our baggage and spare horses.

     Tracking the missing women and their abductors was difficult, but Our Heroes managed it. The trail led into a narrowing defile; from a copse of barren trees a group of six undead things attacked! They were quickly dealt with, but our hearts chilled at the thought of what fell fate might have befallen the merchant's brides.

     At the end of the long, deep canyon we found the entrance to an ancient temple. The worn figures of ancient priest-kings flanked the entrance, still able to chill the hearts of even the boldest men. Nonetheless, we tethered our pack-horse and entered!

     The chambers were in a ruinous state; fortunately for our sanity the evil monuments to ancient horrors were mostly decayed. Pressing onwards, we entered a vast, worked cavern, in the form of a cathedral -- a fane of evil! Stone lamps glowed with a hideous purple flame, and strange mists glowed and shifted before our eyes.

A useful page, the Lovecraft Generator

     At the far end of the temple, on a dais of ancient black stone, stood a throne, carved in the form of skulls, dragons and demons. Seated on the throne was a robéd figure, whose only visible feature were two glowing blue eyes -- eyes that drew our gaze. Flanking the dais were the forms of two warriors, powerful but long-dead, their flesh given fiendish animation by the evil priest's spells.

     With a cry of, "What sorcery is this?" Our Heroes sprang into action! The necromancer cast spell after spell upon us, and some indeed were affected -- driven back with cries of fear or pain. Bill Davis, Qua Lin Worthington, and Major DeLacy drove back a horde of undead things which surged into the temple from side-passages, while Lotta and Fury engaged the evil priest itself. Fury threw an obsidian blade at the lich-priest, who surprisingly caught it with his fingertips. This was followed by a barrage of incendiary and illuminating rounds, which fell upon the throne, dais, and far end of the chamber. The lich and his two minion-warriors vanished from sight in a cloud of smoke and flame!

     Driven out of the inferno born from modern chemistry, the sorcerer floated forth, carried above our heads by unholy spells. This proved his undoing:  Fury launched a particularly cunning attack up between the lich-priest's legs, and it was dispelled screaming into the depths of hell.

     A variety of odd objects fell down around Fury, spoils of our victory over the lich. 

     Once the smoke and flame died down, we found the throne entirely destroyed -- but the dais was undamaged. A passage at the back of the temple led to a vault or crypt, with two large stone sarcophagi, and two graceful female forms bound to them:  the missing brides!

     Also in the crypt:  the treasure of the lich-priest!  

     Not wishing to remain in the vile temple, risking more attacks from ghasts and other ghoulish creatures, we took the treasure and women outside, and sent one of our number back to fetch more horses from the camp.

On to Travels in the Hyborian Age