The End of the Road to Bisu

The Great Wall of Deeds (#27/31; #239/365)

"This square chamber has walls covered in inscriptions and pictoglyphs in a variety of languages. At the far end is an old wooden bench, atop which are a large copper spike and an old wooden mallet. There is a door in the opposite wall, flanked by two frescoes of tall ram-headed men, in Djaratian clothing and armed with silver khopeshes."

Contents: This chamber is where Heroes who survive the Seven Portals are required to inscribe their name on the Great Wall of Deeds. The two frescoes represent Khunam the Djaratian god of languages. Anyone who attempts to leave the room without using the mallet and copper spike to inscribe their name on the wall, will cause the two FRESCO MONSTERS to animate. They will step out of the wall as two-dimensional tiled constructs each armed with a regular three-dimensional silver khopesh and attack the guilty Heroes. If slain, they will reappear on the walls, this time depicting their wounds, but leave their weapon behind on the floor.

If the Heroes can read the various languages on the wall (Djaratian, Vatosian, Ancient Allansian, etc.), they will match the names from the Ledger of Heroes kept by Feruginean the Dracon, Guardian of the Ritual Chosen's Possessions. Heroes may learn the names of heroes who have gone before, here, but will still need the correct ivory chit from the Sacrifice Storage Chamber to claim their possessions.

Stats:

2 FRESCO MONSTERS, SKILL 9 STAMINA 7, Silver Khopesh (as per Scimitar), Light Armour. Take half damage from sharp or bladed weapons and normal damage from blunt or crushing weapons.

The two silver khopeshes are worth 80GP each, likely more to a collector. The copper spike and wooden mallet are not really worth anything but may be useful in the next chamber.

The Garden of Stasis (#28/31; #240/365)

"This long, wide chamber unbelievably appears to be some sort of bizarre underground garden, covered in giant colorful fungal growths. Several paths, picked out in white stone gravel, wander through the garden before converging at a far door. Here and there you can see various structures; a gazebo, a domed cupola, a fountain, and so on."

Contents: By following the paths, the Heroes may encounter various discrete areas within the Garden of Stasis, as follows:

• A Fountain of Life: This is identical to the Waters of Life, from before the Seven Portals. However, it is guarded by a large bed of GLASS FLOWERS (SKILL 0 STAMINA 16, Acid Spray attack - see The Titan Herbal, p. 35) that must be defeated in order to access the fountain.
  
• The Gazebo of Melodia: From this ornate white gazebo comes the sound of ancient Djaratian music. Inside are 4 DANCING DEAD (SKILL 6 STAMINA 5, bladed or edged weapons only cause 1 STAMINA damage), playing antique Djaratian instruments (a harp, a gong, a hand-drum and a bamboo pipe). It requires a Test for Luck to avoid the enchanted music, failure indicates a Hero has begun dancing uncontrollably and can do nothing else unless the music stops. If the Heroes have the animated left hand of the undead Magister Nimquarlotep, it will point straight up, after they defeat the Dancing Dead. Clinging to a narrow perch within the ceiling of the Gazebo is Nimquarlotep himself: LICH, SKILL 12 STAMINA 20, MAGIC 9, Magic Points 24, Talents: Darkseeing, Arcane, Skills: Djaratian 4, Common Speech (Allansian) 2, Magic-Necromancy 3, Magic Lore 3, Second Sight 2, Undead Lore 2, Underground Lore 2, Swords 1 (Among others) Spells: All Necromancy Spells, has an Ebon Wand. Nimquarlotep will be delighted to be reunited with his hand, which will reattach itself to his body, allowing him to use magic again. He will insist on accompanying the Heroes further along the Road to Bisu, and will not take no for an answer! The musical instruments are worth 60GP each to a collector.
  
• Pit Trap! This requires a Test for Luck to avoid. It leads to a chute that ends at the Bone Pit. Anyone tumbling down this extensive chute takes 2-12 STAMINA damage.
  
• The Lawn: This appears to be a carefully cultivated grass lawn, dotted with ornaments in the form of large stuffed flamingos. The lawn is actually CRAB GRASS (SKILL 6 STAMINA 16, Small Bite, -1 to Damage Roll), which will attack anyone stepping on it. At the same time, the four flamingos will animate as FLYING GUARDIANS (SKILL 8 STAMINA 8, Large Claws, Medium Armour) and attack.
  
• Foulweed Folliage: Several serried rows of Foulweed grow here (see The Titan Herbal, p. 33). A dedicated herbalist could harvest 4-24 useable Foulweed leaves here.
  
• The Maze of Iron Leaves: The maze has been constructed from dormant IRONHEDGE (SKILL 9 STAMINA 4 per wall, see The Titan Herbal, p. 42), while at each point marked 'X' there is one of four LEAF BEASTS (SKILL 6 STAMINA 4, Large Claws) in the form of a black lion, a panther, a hyena, and a Nandibear. At the centre of the maze is a plinth bearing upon it a single preserved Xentos Fruit (see The Titan Herbal, p. 73). If the fruit is removed, or all four Leaf Beasts slain, the Ironhedge will animate and attack anyone within the maze.
  
• The Cupola of Fulmination: This small dome is supported by four pillars, and protected by a barrier of crackling electricity. Within the cupola is a plinth on which rests a strange suit of red scaly armour. The barrier causes 1-3 STAMINA damage to anyone who attempts to breach it, and an extra 1-3 STAMINA damage if they are wearing metal armour, before hurling them backwards some distance, blackened and lightly smoking. The best way to gain access is to safely place the copper spike from the Great Wall of Deeds  (or another pure metal object) next to barrier, causing the electricity to arc away from the cupola and into the metal object. The armour is Demonskin Armour (see Demons of Doom, p. 55).

Stats:

For randomly generating fungi for the Garden of Stasis, use the table from the Fungus Cavern.

The Chamber of Rebirth (#29/31; #241/365)

"This is a wide chamber with a sandy floor, emerging from which are the blackened tree stumps and trunks of several large trees. Perched in a gigantic nest of smoking branches on one tree, which appears to be surrounded by green flames, are two huge eagles, with burnished gold feathers covered in a hallow of yellow flame. They both eye you expectantly."

Contents: The creatures are PHOENIXES, and if the Heroes have read the Djaratian Book of the Dead, they will know that they must throw their Bronze Key(s) into the green fire. The green fire only burns bronze metal items - keen-eyed Heroes will notice chunks of melted bronze amidst the sand and blackened charcoal. This ritual celebrates the one way nature of the Ritual Chosen's road, and the fact there can be no turning back.

The Phoenixes will attack any group that does not destroy their Bronze Key (therefore, if  a party had more than one key, they could keep the extra secret upon their person). Traditionally, Heroes who had got this far, but were savagely injured, near death, or crippled in some way, would end their life by baiting the Phoenixes to attack them.

Stats:

2 PHOENIXES, SKILL 9 STAMINA 7. When attacking, each Phoenix will make a burning swoop attack that causes 2 STAMINA of fire damage. If this fails to deter any attackers, each Phoenix will self-immolate every Attack Round for 0-5 STAMINA damage to its attackers. The Phoenix is immune to fire or heat damage of any sort.

In the nest of the Phoenix can be found 4 Yokka Eggs.

The Hall of Judgement (#30/31; #242/365)

"This enormous pillared hall is deathly quiet. All the stonework is completely blank, with no inscriptions whatsoever. At the far end of the hallway is yet another giant bronze door. In front of it are two figures; one a strange cowled creature with the head of a diseased black bird holding a black staff and a set of brass balances in its clawed hands, while the other creature is a hideous amalgamation of Black Lion, Crocodile and Hippohog. The bird-creature calls to you in Djaratian, the beast alongside it snarls in defiance."

Contents: The bird-creature is Meleagris, an AWKMUTE and twisted evil relative of the Hamakei, while the beast is AMIT-RA, the Great Consumer. Meleagris will collectively weigh the Heroes souls on the scales it carries, versus an ivory token called the Feather of Mhaath. If the Heroes are found worthy, they will be permitted to open the bronze door to reach the end of the Road to Bisu. If they are unworthy, Amit-Ra will attack them immediately.

To determine the Heroes worth, roll two dice and apply the following modifiers:

+1 have an ivory chit

-1 lost ivory chit, or never had one

+1 for every SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK point lost when making the initial sacrifice

+1 for every Cleansing Chamber visited

+2 for crossing the Lake of Fire

+1 for crossing the Green Lake

+1 for making an offering at the Shrine of Cracca

+1 for drinking from the Waters of Life

+1 for every Portal Guardian that was slain

-1 for every Portal Guardian that was fled from

+1 for recording their name on the Great Wall of Deeds

+1 for discarding a Bronze Key

-1 for still having a Bronze Key

20 or more points means the Hero is worthy; less than 20 and they are not!

Stats:

Meleagris, AWKMUTE, SKILL 8 STAMINA 8, Ebony Staff (roll 1d6 when hits: 1-2 lose STAMINA as normal, 3-4 lose 1 SKILL, 5-6 lose 1 LUCK).

In addition, to its Ebony Staff, Meleagris also has the Feather of Mhaath and the bronze balances (worth 20GP).

Feather of Mhaath: Mhaath is the Djaratian aspect of Libra, goddess of Truth and Justic. This artefact resembles a white ostrich feather, carved from ivory. Other than being used in the Hall of Judgement, its powers are currently unknown.

AMIT-RA THE GREAT CONSUMER, SKILL 12 STAMINA 24, 4 Attacks, Very Large Bite, Heavy Armour, Double Damage. If Amir-Ra rolls a double 6 it has swallowed one victim whole who takes damage every Attack Round until dead or freed. Amit-Ra can only be wounded by silver or enchanted weapons.

Amit-Ra has a gold and leather collar studded with star-sapphires worth 200GP.

The Portal to the Plain of Reeds (#31/31; #243/365)

"You enter an immense hallway, flanked by columns covered in Djaratian script. At the far end is a huge bronze portal in the shape of an enormous circle. Through the portal, you see an alien landscape, a forest of red and purple and black mushrooms of all shapes and sizes, encrusted with other smaller and even more colorful fungi.

Two red-skinned Fiends are beating at the Portal with iron hammers, but stop at your entrance, and one approaches you hesitantly.

'Pilgrims on the Road to Bisu?' it inquires. 'I'm afraid this exit is non-operational. It was supposed to go to the Plain of Reeds, where dwells Bisu the Maker God, but, for some reason, currently leads to the Plane of Rust, within the Demonic Pit. You can go there if you want to, of course, or you can go back the way you came."

Contents: The FIEND is right, something has gone wrong with the Portal. It is aligned with the location of Bisu, who normally resides within his home-forge upon the Plain of Reeds, in the heaven of the gods. However, Bisu has been kidnapped by forces unknown, and taken prisoner to the Demonic Plane of Rust, hence the realignment of the Portal.

Anyone entering the Portal will be instantly transported, along with all of their gear, to the Deepshadow Woods, north of the Carnelian Desert, on the Plane of Rust within the Demonic Pit.

The Fiends will not prevent the Heroes from either returning back the way they came, or, venturing through the Portal. They will defend themselves if attacked. If bribed with 4-24 GP, the Fiends will reveal a third exit, the secret service-tunnel that leads back to the Fiend-patrolled feeding corridors.

The script carvings are a rehash of the entire Djaratian Book of the Dead in sequential order.

Stats:

2 FIEND "Technicians": SKILL 6, STAMINA 8, Warhammer or Small Claw, Light Armour. Breathes Fire: hits on a 1-2 on one die for 1 STAMINA damage. The Technicians have their iron hammers, 1-6 GP, ear plugs, and a Potion of Noise each. One of them has a book entitled "Portal Technology of the Ancients" by a collective called the Fellowship of the Black Door (this is actually a propaganda pamphlet from the Brain Slayer city of Grx).