2011-08-19

Hall of the Underlords

Here's another "special".  This one gives a little history - most of it is meaningless flavor, but Uligob the Hive-Mind still lives down in the levels below.  I left the first bas relief blank to encourage ambitious players who felt like establishing an underworld dominion.  Ha, good luck with that if they try!

97. Hall of the Underlords
This hall stands 40’ tall, with a byzantine vaulted ceiling, carved into abstract spirals and triangles.  The walls are decorated with bas reliefs, depicting ambitious underlords of the Anomalous Subsurface Environment who sought to rule the subterranean realm.

Each bas relief occupies a 20’ by 20’ area on the walls, and is bordered by raised black stone, carved in a spiral and veined with a translucent blue mineral.

a. This section of the wall bears the same border the other bas reliefs do, but is empty, except for these words carved at the bottom:  “The Last Underlord, Whose Rule Is Yet To Come.”

b. This bas relief depicts a goblin in armor, attended by robed, man-sized goblinoids with swollen heads.  These words are carved beneath:  “Uligub, Lord of the Labyrinth. His mind lives still.”

c. The mural here shows three robed bearded men of advanced age.  The first man holds a loaf of bread, the second has a belt around his waist from which dangle severed hands, and the third is cutting through his robe and abdomen to reveal his bowels.  The image is titled:  “The November Gentlemen.  Living or dead, all kneeled before them. Devoured by darkness, they shall not return.”

d. Carved onto this section of the wall is a spider in a vast webbed hall.  It is titled:  “Morguilos, Spinner of Lies. Fire burned lie and spider alike.”

e. The section of the southern wall pointing inwards is carved with skulls.  Below the skulls are carved the words “The Treasures of the Underlords.”

f. This bas relief shows a man-shaped figure made of spikes and blades, surrounded by corpses.  The words carved below it read:  “The Blade of Kharg.  He slew all who fought with sword, but was laid low by the song of Lem.”

If the bas relief of the November Gentlemen is inspected carefully, the players will find that the carved bowels of the third gentleman may be depressed.  Doing so will cause the eye sockets of the skulls carved into the southern wall to open.  If the skulls in the Disco Vault (room 27) are still within, alternating green and blue lights will shine from the sockets, resulting in bright circles of color on the northern wall.  Players may peer through the sockets to see within room 27.  The sockets will remain open for as long as the bowel-carving is depressed.

2 comments:

  1. Is F a reference to the Shrike from Hyperion? I love that guy!

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  2. Ha, I hadn't consciously intended that at all, but now that you mention it that's exactly what it must be. Another subconscious inspiration...

    Lem is a reference to Lemmy of course.

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