"The Great Stone Head of Zothalech", Chapter 2 of The Fates of Kalmath

This week, two members of the company will perish! Who will survive the deadly Great Stone Head of Zothalech!

The Company:

Ser Valerius, Armiger Errant, Executor of Justicia (Human Level 5 Paladin)

and his Celestial Lion Mount.

Absolom, Justicar (Human Level 4 Cleric/Level 1 Monk)

Gravy, Priest of Thumn (Human Level 4 Cleric)

Balatan of Clan Brocktaw, Bronze Draconic Priest of Bahamut (Dragonborn Level 4 Cleric)

Aline, a Thaumaturge of half-Human/half-Sylvan parentage (Level 4 Half-Elf Wizard) 

Thaddeus, Under-City Scout from Swallow (Human Level 5 Ranger)

First, Some Personal Stuff
I apologize for not updating this blog much. I got a bad case of cellulitis, a type of skin infection, in my right leg in early December. This put me out of commission for several weeks. Then, after that, we had Christmas and New Years. As a result, we have not gotten together to play D&D since December 5th. I am happy to report that my leg is nearly completely healed and Christmas went very well. I hope everyone else had a happy and safe holiday season.

Prologue
Aline left Swallow on her long journey to rejoin the company. On her way, she took a detour to the cave that once belonged to the ogre that menaced a young farmer. The cave was on a ridge with a magnificent view of the lower Xanthus river valley. Mist constantly blew up from the humid jungles below. Braxton Hicks had once proclaimed that he would one day retire to this cave.

Aline took the clay jars containing the last remains of Braxton Hick and placed them within the cave. She then performed a magic ritual to cast a spell onto the cave's entrance. From this day forward, any time anyone approached the cave, a voice would proclaim, "Welcome to the cave of Braxton Hicks!"

She paused for a moment to admire the view, then turned and continued her hike to Flinch.

How Much for Your Dragon?

Dawn broke over the desert city of Horek, eastern-most city of Kalmath. Valerius and the company rose and prepared to leave the hospitality of the satrap of the city. A messenger informed them of an invitation to the court of the satrap, they accepted.

The court of the satrap was populated with courtiers, advisers, gnomes, a few dwarves, some dragonborn traders from the north, and tieflings from the southwest. The satrap rose from his high seat and approached the company. He walked past Sablius, inspecting him and admiring him like he would a horse for purchase.

The satrap asked which of them was the owner of the magnificent beast. Valerius politely responded that Sablius had no owner but that he considered himself himself the dragon's guardian.  The satrap offered 50,000 gold pieces for the purchase of the dragon. Valerius politely refused. The satrap pressed, offering slaves, land, fortresses, even offering a male winged saber-toothed dragon-tiger (an offer that made Absolom whisper into Valerius ear to at least consider), finally asking what could he offer that would change Valerius' mind. Valerius continued to politely and respectfully decline.

Seeing that no sum would sway Valerius, the satrap acquiesces, "I see there is no price that I can pay. This is a city of commerce. I am a man of honor and I recognize the ownership of property. The ownership and transfer of property is the root of trade.  You may take your leave.

The company was informed they could stay in Horek until sundown at which point their passports would no longer be valid. With that, Valerius and the company left the court of the satrap.

Princess Murti Makes an Offer
The party exited the city and stopped in the hostel and inn known as the Drunken Merchant. There they reunited with Balatan and Princess Murti, who was disguised as a simple slave girl. Also present was Aline, who had traveled from Swallow to Flinch, learned of the company's plans to go to Horek, and had finally caught up with the company this morning.

Princess Murti met the company in a private room. She thanked everyone for helping her reach Horek. She has found her secret cache of gold intact and instructed Ashlor to stand guard over it. Ashler is prepared to pay 1000 gold pieces to the company for helping her reach the city.

"However, I have an additional offer. Help me free my royal guards from the Prison of Zothalech and I will reward you with an additional 2000 gold pieces!"

The company agreed and asked for details.

"While I was in Horek, I did some research, consulting some trusted sages. The prison of Zothalech used to be an ancient fortress. It was built on the ruins of an even older fortress. Its roots run deep below the city. The fortress is today used as a prison. It is run by the gnomes of and houses both common debtors and noble prisoners.

"The prison is surrounded by a twenty-foot thick outer wall and a forty-foot wide moat filled with vicious carnivorous fish.

"The only way into the dungeon is as a prisoner or a supply wagon. The only prisoners it takes are those unable to pay their debt to the gnomes, the strategically important, relatives of nobles who are willing to pay to commute a death sentence, be more valuable alive than dead, or otherwise receive a sentence other than beheading for whatever reason.

"Normally, the only way out of the dungeon is to serve your sentence, have your ransom paid, or death.

"There are three known dungeon levels beneath the fortress. The level closest to the surface contains pens for commoners, the perimeter is lined with dungeon cells for nobles. The lower level contains oubliettes for prisoners given "life sentences". They are lowered into a pit and left to die a slow and horrible death.

"The lowest level is known as the 'crypt'. Prisoners are told that somewhere within the crypt is an exit to the outside. Any prisoner may choose the crypt over their current sentence. Should they do so, they are lowered into a pit from which they are never head again. It is not known if there is, in fact, an exit or if it a cruel lie. No one has ever escaped the crypt to confirm the story.

"I have learned from trusted sages that, according to legend, the crypt does, indeed, contain a secret escape route built by the original inhabitants of the fortress. The secret route is a hidden teleport gate that connects the crypt with the under-city beneath Horek. I have learned the location of the gate in the undercity and the magic phrase that activates it: 'Sesallah-Setah'.

"My royal guard number 100 men. They are being held in two pens with the commoners in the level closest to the surface. I leave it to you to plan the best route of entry and escape."

The company discussed their options and decided to enter via the secret route through the crypt, ascend the various levels, free the royal guard, and escape the same way.

While the company purchased supplies, Aline consulted the crystal ball in the privacy of a room in the inn in order to scry on the satrap and on the prisoners.

She saw a vision of the satrap speaking to a courtier, "I must have that dragon, do you understand?" The courtier responded, "I understand, my satrap. I will make it so. I already have agents following them outside the city." The satrap eyed the courtier warily, "Know this, if you plan on doing anything dishonorable, I don't want to know about it!" The courtier replied with an evil grin, "Of course, my satrap."

Changing focus onto the prisoners, she saw the interior of the prison of Zothalech. A hundred well-muscled men of noble bearing were held in two large cages in a chamber supported by thick columns. Guards occasionally patrolled between the cages carrying rings of keys.

Looking away from the crystal ball, she noticed that her mouth was unusually dry and her throat hoarse.

Into the Under-City

Willie and Drew

Valerius took Sablius to a livery stable that friendly to the Order of the Gauntlet.  He placed Willie and Drew in charge of his safety. Absolom gave them a potion of diminution, instructing them to shrink Sablius in case agents of the satrap came to take him. As an added measure, Valerius left his celestial lion to stand guard with the two comical men-at-arms.

Using their passports, the company re-entered Horek, passing Princess Murti as a slave. Valerius hired ten water bearers and donned common burlap tunics and wrapped their heads and necks in keffiyeh scarves so that they would blend in with the bearers.

The disguised company, hidden among the water-bearers, then followed Princess Murti into the Under-City. Stairs led down from the street to an underground labyrinth filled with people, slaves carrying amphorae filled with water, peddlers offering the crushed root of the Red Lotus, smugglers, and others on daily business. The hired water bearers broke off from the group at various points, leading potential followers on a wild goose chase.

The princess led them to the great cistern, vast chamber filled with millions of gallons of water. The ceiling high above was supported by massive columns. The architecture of past ages was visible everywhere in haphazard strata. The company hired a skiff and crossed the cistern, taking a flooded tunnel. The tunnel led to an abandoned passage blocked by bars. Valerius and Balatan easily pulled the ancient rusted bars out of the wall and they continued. The passage was moist and covered in roots and mold.

They ultimately entered a round chamber, a hemisphere, the walls of which were covered in ancient symbols. Roots and moss dangled from cracks in the ceiling. A silver disk was embedded in the floor, surrounded by arcane symbols. As agreed, Princess Murti would return to the surface while the rest of the company continued. The company entered the chamber and said the magic words, "Sesallah-Setah". The room was filled with light while glowing motes swirled around. The company vanished.

The Crypt
The company was transported to an identical room. Balatan, using his magic dwarven warhammer, could tell that they had descended from their previous location and were about two hundred feet below ground. They left the chamber and entered a wide corridor that stretched left and right. The door into the chamber was made to blend into the wall and be hidden. Valerius marked the door with chalk.

The company went left and after a short corridor found another round chamber with a silver disc and arcane text in the floor. There was one exit to the right. While holding open the entrance as a precaution, they tried unsuccessfully to open the far door. They returned the way they came.

The company found a room used by priests to prepare for ceremonies. Doors on the opposite wall were engraved with the bas relief of a great angry face. They opened the door and found a large chamber. A great stone head with the angry face stood on a raised platform against the wall to their right. Half a dozen white marble statues stood in various poses across the room, all figures captured in a moment of terror, frozen in mid-scream as they looked upon the great stone head. They carefully closed the door and tried another exit from the priests' room.

The Foiled Gas Trap
The wall of the adjoining short corridor caught Gravy's eye. On closer inspection, he noticed a loose brick which Thaddius removed with his thieves' tools. Behind the brick was a hole, large enough for a man's arm. The hole turned down about elbow's length. Wary of a trap, Aline cast a spell known as "Mage Hand" to explore the hole. Just past the bend, the hand encountered a small metal wheel attached to a valve. She turned the valve to the right until it stopped. There was no other effect.

The company opened the next door, noting that the door attached to a spring to close it automatically and was built to form an airtight seal. Thaddius used pitons to spike the door open. They entered the long corridor beyond. Halfway down the corridor, the door strained to close and a gasp of air was released into the room. The company had bypassed the gas trap by turning off the gas before entry.

Beyond the far door, the company encountered another round room with a silver disc and magical writing. This time, believing that only one door could be opened at a time, they allowed the entrance to close. The moment they did so, they were surrounded by light and glowing swirling motes and vanished from the room.

The Chamber of the Zombie Snakes
They appeared in a niche in a nondescript hallway with several other niches and doors and other corridors. They explored a path to the left, eventually coming into a large chamber filled with thousands of rasping zombie snakes, the sound of which resembled thousands of pieces of sand-paper being rubbed together. They stood on a platform in a corner of the room, stairs led down into the writhing mass. Similar platforms could be seen in two other corners. The fourth corner contained a passage.

Balatan called upon his god, Bahamut, to banish the zombie snakes. Half the snakes in the room crumbled to dust. Aline and Gravy used magic to zap some remaining pockets, but as they did so the snakes from the other half of the room began to fill in the cleared area. Valerius suggested that since this would take forever and since they didn't know if they needed to cross this chasm, they should go back and try one of the other doors.

The Great Stone Head

The company retraced their steps and took another door. They soon found themselves in the chamber of the great stone head and the frightened statues. They carefully entered the room, wary of the statues. Suddenly, the eyes of the great stone head began to glow. Thaddius, Absolom, and Aline looked at the statue and found themselves frozen in place. Meanwhile, Valerius, Balatan, and Gravy managed to avert their eyes or were otherwise not looking at the statue's eyes.

Suddenly, three of the statues came to a jerking scraping life with the sound of scraping stone. The statues closed on Balatan, Valerius, and Gravy and attacked. Aline cast two fireball spells at the great stone head, causing it to crack then explode into chunks of debris. She found herself suddenly free of the freezing grip of the statue's gaze. The remaining two statues froze in place, the source that controlled their actions now destroyed.

Unfortunately, Thaddius and Absolom had lost their fight against the magic of the great stone head. To the dismay of the rest of the company, they remained statues of white marble.

The surviving members of the company briefly discussed their options. It was clear that should this mission succeed, the its secret route would be discovered and would be sealed up forever. There was no way to save their companions. They pressed on.

They took another exit and explored a short passage. They opened the door at the end onto a large dark chamber. Pale white blind beings with long scraggy hair, beings that were once human, turned from their feeding from a font of black ichor, bearing sharp twisted teeth and hissing.

TO BE CONTINUED!

After Thoughts

The gun is good. The penis is evil.

The Great Stone Head was described as looking like the angry stone head from Zardoz. It was depicted on the table with an Olmec head figurine purchased from the pet store as an aquarium decoration.

The way it worked was anyone just looking at the head from outside the room had no effect. Once you entered the room, you made a save. Each player got to choose: Dexterity (to look away), Wisdom (for quick thinking), or Intelligence (to know what was coming). The DEX save had a difficulty of 20. The WIS save had a difficulty of 16. The INT save had a difficulty of 12. However, I didn't tell my players what the difficulties were and that, I feel, was a mistake on my part. Some players chose DEX because it was their best bonus, but had they known that INT had the lowest difficulty, they might have chosen that. As a result, Thaddius and Absolom were turned to stone.

What I now realize I SHOULD have done was either make all three saves the same difficulty or told the players up front what the difficulties were and allowed them to choose.  Ah, hindsight.

Once you started making saves, the only thing that would save you was the destruction of the Great Stone Head, which was a large stone object with an AC of 17 (for its hardness) and 27 hit points, with resistance to fire, piercing, and slashing; vulnerability to thunder; and immunity to necrotic, poison, psychic, and radiant.Destroying the Great Stone Head stops the need for ongoing saves but does not save anyone already turned to stone.

Because I felt bad for not telling them the difficulty, I had a vial of Potion of Great Restoration located within the head so that the players could choose one character to bring back to life. However, both of the players who lost a character protested! They felt that their characters' deaths were justified and added to the drama of the story, and that bringing one or both of them back would be wussing out. They said without the threat of death, there was no sense of danger. So I obliged and withdrew the potion.

"The Satrap of Horek", Chapter 1 of The Fates of Kalmath

The team decide to escort Princess Murti to Horek. After sending a bullette packing, they arrive and meet the captain of the guard who invites them to a special dinner with the satrap of Horek. There they become involved in plots and schemes that could threaten the entire valley in a night of high role-play, grand intrigue, deep world-building, campaign back-story, and lots of exposition!

The party:

Ser Valerius, Armiger Errant, Executor of Justicia (Human Level 5 Paladin)

and his Celestial Lion Mount.

Absolom, Justicar (Human Level 4 Cleric/Level 1 Monk)

Gravy, Priest of Thumn (Human Level 4 Cleric)

Balatan of Clan Brocktaw, Bronze Draconic Priest of Bahamut (Dragonborn Level 4 Cleric)

Not Present This Week

Thaddeus, Under-City Scout from Swallow (Human Level 5 Ranger)

Non-Player Characters (So Many!)

Sablius the Bronze Dragon

Knott, Warrior of Questionable Ethics

Jalani, Priestess of Amun-Tor

Babu, a humble businessman from Horek, currently a wizard, formerly a thief 

Princess Murti, Exiled Ruler of Kalmath

Ashlor, Half-Elf Fighter from Horek

Nevra, Wizard from Thither

Willie and Drew, mercenaries from Swallow

Plans are Changed

Valerius planned to split the party, with Team-A, including Knott, Babu, Jalani, Ashlor, Nevra, Willie, and Drew, escorting Princess Murti to Horek and Team-B, including Valerius, Absolom, Balatan, Gravy, and Thaddeus taking Sablius back through the pass to Wince. 

The party spent the evening camping amid the ruins of the great western gate of the Defile of Castragon. They spent the time cataloging their loot and examining their newly acquired magical relics. While examining the two scrolls given to her by Gravy, Nevra accidentally set off a magical trap on one of the scrolls. The explosive runes detonated, catching Nevra with the full force of the blast and Gravy partially. Nevra was killed! Gravy was wounded but recovered. Cursing their luck, they buried what was left of poor Nevra and settled down for the night.

Around the campfire, the party shared their hopes and dreams. Valerius spoke of his dream to build the greatest city in the world, to one day re-take and re-build Duirnhold and return the Xanthus river valley to its former glory. Part of that dream involved restoring the Secret Citadel of Oron and re-establishing law and order over the Defile of Castragon. But he was about to start building a manor home on his property near Wince, and it was there he planned to return with Sablius. Absolom encouraged Valerius to consider building the citadel into his new home instead. 

Valerius was enamored of the idea and they began talking logistics. It could be done. They had a wagon-load of money and jewels. They could hire workers and guards, they could restore the citadel and staff it! Valerius started to make plans to hire workers from the nearest town. At first, he thought he could hire people from Flinch, but Absolom explained that Flinch was over 20 miles away to the east through the Defile and had only 30-50 people in the entire village. Princess Murti, however, suggested that he hire his men from Horek. Horek was 20 miles away to the south over flat terrain and had a large population from which he could draft his required laborers.

A Refresher on Kalmath

Also, while in Horek, if they wished, they could help her free her guard. Valerius, confused, asked her what she meant. Absolom reminded him of the Princess' story. She was the daughter of the queen of Kalmath. Their mantri had the mother assassinated and sold the princess as a slave to a nobleman in Thither. Valerius asked why the mantri had not simply killed her. The princess explained that she was beloved by her people and that killing her would turn them against the mantri. When he had her mother killed, it looked like an accident. To have them both killed would draw too much attention. 

Absolom continued, telling Valerius that the royal guard, who were loyal to the queen and the princess, had been arrested and imprisoned in Horek, an outpost far away from Kalmath. The princess added that the mantri had them arrested on charges of failing to protect the queen. To have them executed would likewise draw suspicion. 

With the queen dead and the rightful heir missing, the mantri had assumed control of the monarchy as steward. However, the princess managed to escape her captivity back in Thither. She had made her way to Swallow where she met Absolom. Her goal is to reach Horek and free her royal guard. Once she does so, she can rally her army and re-take her throne in Kalmath, hundreds of miles to the southwest across the Great Waste.

Knott, ever the uncouth pig, said to Valerius, "Don't worry. I'll keep the princess warm, I mean company, I mean safe. Heh heh."

With that, Valerius had decided. He would take Absolom, Gravy, Balatan, Ashlor, Willie, and Drew south to Horek with Princess Murti and Sablius. Team-A, consisting of Thaddeus, Knott, Babu, and Jalani, would head back to Flinch and Swallow to recruit from that direction. Once in Flinch, Thaddeus would leave Team-A and travel back to Horek to join Team-B in two days.

Land-Shark

The next day, "Team-B" packed their things and, with Sablius pulling the wagon filled with treasure, headed south. To the west, the vast dry flat-lands of the great waste. To the east rose the near vertical slopes of the great blue stone edifice known as Nightflame mountain. The rest of the Great Wall mountain range stretched off to the horizon to the south.

Team-B walked for seven or eight hours over flat, rocky, dusty terrain. There were no streams, no lakes, no trees to be seen. The only wildlife were the occasional snake and a single herd of Aepycamelae scrounging for stubby grass. 

A few miles from their destination, they could see the land rise, a finger-like ridge stretching out from the Great Wall. To the west, higher up, they could see the great temple of the monks of Dahaka. Princess Murti explained that the monks appeased Dahaka, the three-headed dragon that prophecy said would one day destroy the world. At the end of the rise was the great walled city of Horek. At the base of the rise, a smaller outer city of tents and small structures could be seen. 

However, only three hundred feet ahead of them, they could see the ruins of a splintered merchant wagon, its meager wares scattered along the ground. The dirt around the wagon had been overturned as if tilled by a giant plow. Gravy and Absolom warily approached to see if anyone needed help.

Once they were within 120 feet of the wagon, the ground began to split in a line coming right at them, something large and just underground was charging them! Absolom and Gravy split up. Whatever it was dove deep underground, only to burst out a mere fifteen feet from Gravy. The massive form of a bullette, the dreaded land-shark of the desert, launched itself into the air, crashing down on him! 

Absolom rushed back to help his friend. Valerius rode to help astride his mighty leonine mount. Balatan ran forward, sending bolts of holy fire at the beast! The creature dove back down, only to re-launch itself into the air and crash down among Valerius, Absolom, and Gravy. 

Balatan urgently prayed to Bahamut, god of dragons, and the armored land-shark found itself within a zone of holy rebuke! The creature suffered great pain and turned to flee, but its feet were heavy and its movement was slowed. The party struck at the creature as it dove underground to escape. They cautiously waited for the monster's return, but the wounded beast had fled. 

The Outer City

The party finally arrived at the outer city of Horek in the mid afternoon. Here there were pens for animals, tents, merchants selling their wares, and a few permanent structures such as inns and a water shops. The men of this region had brown skin and black hair, their eyes were almond-shaped and they wore loose gauzy clothing and covered their legs, arms, and heads in bandage-like wrappings. Dozens of men took turns hammering at massive pilings. Princess Murti explained that the hammering annoyed the land-sharks and kept them at bay. As long as the men pounded on the pilings, the bullette would keep their distance. It was rare for the one they encountered to come this close to the city.

A massive ramp led up the side of the rise to the gates of the city. Massive statues of griffons flanked the gate, watching all who entered. Guards inspected passports and searched all wagons before they allowed entry. Travelers waited in the outer city, some for several days, before they were allowed entrance.

The party drew much attention as they entered the outer city. Few could not notice the bronze dragon pulling a cart filled with sacks and chests, the brass dragon-man walking with the dragon, the paladin of Justica riding a white celestial lion with tiny dove wings growing from its shoulder, and the young man wearing gilded plate armor polished to a blinding finish and carrying a bejeweled sword in a bejeweled hilt. A crowd gathered and stared but kept their distance, 30 feet in all directions. 

Princess Murti covered her face. No doubt the mantri by now knew of her escape and has hired assassins such as those they encountered in Swallow to kill her. She was not prepared to let her return be known to her people. So she needed a false passport to enter the city where she and Ashlor would do some investigating. She needed to find where the royal guard were being kept. She told the team that she would meet them at the Inn of the Drunken Merchant in the Outer City. Willie and Drew, meanwhile, were instructed to cool their heels in the Outer City.

Captain Subhadar

Soon after she left, a small sortie rode of city guards rode down the long ramp from the gate. The leader was a man in his fifties wearing gleaming armor, a long pheasant feather adorned his conical helmet. The crowds parted for his approach. He stopped his guard a few dozen feet away and called out to the strangers in Kalmathi. Sensing their incomprehension, he tried again in Agarthan.

Subhadar, Captain of the Guard of Horek

"Who are you and what business have you in Horek?"

The party introduced themselves, explaining that they were here to hire workers and guards to travel to Xanthus. 

The captain, whose name was Subhadar, said that travelers have told tales of the heroic exploits of a simple ditch digger from Xanthus who became a paladin and his jolly priest friend had reached even Horek. Was Valerius that paladin? Valerius conceded that he was. 

Captain Subhadar was in awe of the dragon that accompanied the party and asked of its origin and intent. Valerius told the captain that the dragon was named Sablius, and that it was friendly and traveled with them. 

Captain Subhadar, who could scarcely hide his interest in the dragon, informed the party that in order to enter Horek, one must possess a passport. Valerius said that they did not have one. The captain said Valerius could apply for one and wait for its approval, but before he would approve such a request, his men would have to search the wagons. Valerius agreed.

Upon seeing the vast wealth contained within the wagon, the savvy captain's demeanor quickly changed from cautious awe to that bordering obsequious reverence. He stammered that he would expedite the processing of the paperwork and that he would personally escort the party, including the dragon, to the palace of the satrap of Horek, who would no doubt wish to meet the members of the party personally! 

The Palace of the Satrap
The party were treated as honored guests of Horek. They were issued temporary passports that allowed them to enter the gates. They were led through the city, down the boulevard to the public forum and marketplace at the center of town. They passed large residential blocks filled with flat-roofed multi-story tenements stacked on top of each other like piles of blocks. Ladders and stairs led to the upper levels, rope bridges and sky-walks connected the penthouses. The occasional palm tree or cyprus grew from cracks in the ancient pavement. Linen and canvas awnings draped across every entrance providing shade.

Everywhere the party went, they were a spectacle for the curious masses. Word spread fast and crowds gathered to see the bronze dragon pulling a cart for the foreign armiger riding a large white lion as a steed.

The party was taken to the palace of the satrap. Through the gates they entered a garden of tall grasses, palm fronds, cyprus trees, pines, and exotic flowers and orchids. Fountains trickled lazily. Birds of paradise flew from perch to perch. A menagerie of strange animals wandered the grounds freely, some stopped to gaze curiously at the new arrivals.

The captain took the group to the north wing of the palace.There they were allowed to bathe with the assistance of beautiful slaves. They were given wardrobes more suited for the local climate. Afterwards, the captain returned and told them that he had informed the satrap of their arrival. The satrap was intrigued by their story and wished to meet his guests. They were invited to a dinner to be held in their honor at sunset.

In the meantime, they had the rest of the late afternoon to spend in Horek as they wished. The captain offered himself as a guide to the city's many sites. He also suggested a visit to the local money exchange where they might deposit their wealth in the safe keeping of the gnomes.

Absolom said he'd like to visit a library. The captain offered the library of the satrap. Valerius and Balatan indicated a desire to oversee the feeding and care of Sablius. Gravy, meanwhile, wished to explore the city alone. He asked if there were areas to avoid. The captain warned against delving too deep into the warrens of the residential blocks. The narrow alleys are labyrinthine and dangerous.

At that, Absolom spent the rest of the afternoon researching bronze dragons. He learned of their diet and life cycle. He learned that a great bronze dragon named Pitala was said to live in a lair deep within Mount Ignoit. He found that interesting and planned a future trip there. Perhaps Sablius could be reunited with his own kind.

Shenanigans with Gravy
Meanwhile, Gravy was exploring the town and seeing the sights. He passed an alley where he happened to see a nefarious looking figure skulking in the shadows. Gravy took up a position of observation across the street where he witnessed the figure set a trip-wire about shin-height across a curtained doorway in the alley. The door appeared to be a back-door to a local tavern. Soon afterwards, the figure emerged from the shadows. The wiry looking man with the bearded face looked around, gave Gravy a stern look, and entered the tavern.

Gravy, sensing an opportunity to thwart shenanigans, went into the alley and removed the trip wire. He then returned to his position across the street and began eating crescent rolls from a nearby vendor.

Twenty minutes later, the vendor was out of crescent rolls and Gravy was about out of patience when suddenly, the curtain was thrown aside and a man came running out, seemingly for fearing for his life. The man escaped into the street without impediment and disappeared into the throng. The wiry bearded man came running out, surprised that his wire did not trip his prey. He looked around in confusion and shouted a curse in Kalmathi. His plan did not work and his quarry got away. He looked at Gravy who innocently ate his last crescent roll and walked away.

Balatan meets with the Princess
Before sunset, Balatan left Valerius and Sablius. He planned to meet Princess Murti and Ashlor at sunset as planned. He returned to the Inn of the Drunken Merchant and found a booth in the back corner. Soon, Princess Murti, her face covered, entered the inn and found Balatan. She told him that Ashlor waited outside. She asked where the others were and was told of their encounter with the captain and the palace of the satrap. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

Princess Murti then explained to Balatan what she had learned. The royal guards were being held in a dungeon beneath the army compound, guarded by soldiers led by the satrap and loyal to the mantri. However, the city of Horek is ancient, built on the ruins of many previous cities, and is riddled with passages, catacombs, and tunnels. There was a secret entrance into the chambers beneath the compound which would ultimately connect to the dungeons.

Balatan asked if there was any need to hurry. Did they need to act tonight for any reason or could they reunite with the rest of the team and formulate a plan? The princess conceded that she could not think of a reason and agreed to be patient.

Dinner with the Satrap

That evening at sundown, Valerius, Absolom, Gravy, and Sablius were taken to the great hall of the satrap for a dinner. The great hall was an arcade of polished marble that overlooked the west wall of Horek. One could see far towards the western horizon. The sky burned with glowing pink clouds against a backdrop of electric blue as the sun set over the flat expanse of the Great Waste.

The Satrap of Horek

The satrap made a powerful entrance before dinner was served and introductions were made. The satrap was a man in his early forties, bald with a dueling scar on his right cheek. He was athletic and healthy with a military bearing. He sported a wide mustache and smiled little, wearing instead a look of steely resolve. He was a man of few words, direct, to the point, with little care for the niceties of diplomacy. He was, however, enamored with Sablius, inspecting the dragon as he would a horse before purchase.

The party was seated at one of two long parallel tables. There were no chairs, only cushions. There were no forks, only napkins, knives, and bowls for dipping your fingers. Dinner was served. Plate after plate of ripe fruits, sweetened meats, unleavened bread, and dips made from lentils and chick peas were brought out and placed in the space between the two tables. Then the main course was served. The captain of the guard clapped his hands in delight as a giant roast sabre-toothed dragon-lion was served - apparently a male due to its wings. One of the courtiers announced that the creature was selected from the menagerie in the palace gardens. Absolom swore under his breath at the honorless death of such a rare and magnificent creature.

Valerius and Absolom shared conversation with the satrap over dinner. Valerius asked the satrap of current events, specifically, how he felt about the mantri's rise in power. The satrap's answer was to the point. He said that the death of Queen Shahmam was the best thing to ever happen to Kalmath. Under the mantri, Kalmath would once more rise to greatness. The mantri has brought wealth to the satraps, he is building roads and fortresses and temples. His agenda had brought wealth and prosperity to the kingdom.

Valerius asked the satrap how the mantri felt about trade and commerce. Surely the wealth of a kingdom comes from exports and a strong economy. The satrap replied that the vizier cared not for such things.

"They are irrelevant! Those were the strategies of the queen. They were too slow, too unpredictable. The mantri has employed a different strategy, one that guarantees wealth for the satrapies. The mantri will simply TAKE what he needs from the neighboring kingdoms by force! Take, for example, the city-states of Xanthus. They are divided and weak. They can be easily conquered! Our spies in Xanthus- Oh yes, we have many agents in Thither, Swallow, and other villages, most in positions of wealth and power- our spies are already making the way easy for us. As we speak, we gather an army here in Horek that will march through the undefended Defile of Castragon and invade the Xanthus River Valley. Once we have taken the valley east of the Great Wall, we can move south unimpeded and attack the Kingdom of Myradonia. Soon all of Agartha will bow down to the Kingdom of Kalmath!"

To be continued in three weeks!

A rare and magnificent Sabre-Toothed Dragon-Tiger

After Thoughts
For an entire week, the players made plans to go west through the Defile of Castragon, back to Flinch, and all the way back to Wince. So I pre-rolled random encounters for the trip, I planned some roleplaying encounters, made contingencies for the various factions that await them, etc.

So OF COURSE they decide at the last minute on Friday night, an hour into gaming, to go south to Horek! It's what players DO! I had no map of Horek. I didn't know who ruled Horek. I had no idea what would await them in Horek, other than that was where the princess' royal guards were imprisoned and that she had a hidden cache of royal gold with which the pay the party for their assistance.

So all you see above was ad-libbed. Some was contributed by the players, for example the idea of pounding a pylon into the ground to ward away the bullette came from the players, and they kept elaborating on the idea. The name of the inn in the Outer City, "the Inn of the Drunken Merchant", was contributed by a player.

The Sabre-toothed dragon-tiger was an accident. I kept trying to say "Sabre-Toothed Tiger", but I kept saying "Dragon-tiger". There was much laughing at my linguistic ineptitude, but the image was implanted, so we went with it.

The little side-encounter with Gravy and the guy with the trip-wire was the result of a random encounter from the old Cities sourcebook by Midkemia press, a book I use a lot.

In other related news, I picked up the new Dungeon Master's Guide about an hour before gaming started on Friday afternoon. It's fantastic! I love it! We updated all the magic items to fifth edition. I used the random tables for NPCs (such as the Satrap).

I did have to downgrade a few of the magic items they got last week from Deception Pass. I took away the Ioun Stones and the Everfull Purse and replaced them with (random roll on challenge-level-appropriate table in new DMG) a few potions. The players weren't too happy about that. I allowed them to keep the crystal ball, however. That will come in handy later as a plot device.

This Friday I'm going to my wife's company's holiday party. Next Friday we're going to my company's holiday party, so no new campaign updates for a few weeks. In the mean-time, I'll write up stats for the Sabre-Toothed Dragon-Tiger and provide a visual guide to Horek.

Plus, I need to come up with a dungeon for the under-city of Horek.

"The A-Team", Chapter 3 of Deception Pass

The party rescues some more prisoners who form a way cooler new party that the players wish they could play, all while taking on a charming vampire (or is he?), setting off some clever traps (or are they?), and meeting a defenseless old man (or is he?). Nothing is as it seems in the Secret Citadel of the Shape-Shifting Cyclops!

The party:

Ser Valerius, Armiger Errant, Executor of Justicia (Human Level 5 Paladin)

and his Celestial Lion Mount.

Absolom, Justicar (Human Level 4 Cleric/Level 1 Monk)

Thaddeus, Under-City Scout from Swallow (Human Level 5 Ranger) 

Gravy, Priest of Thumn (Human Level 4 Cleric)

Not Appearing This Week:

Balatan of Clan Brocktaw, Bronze Draconic Priest of Bahamut (Dragonborn Level 4 Cleric)

Ser Valerius and the Dragon

Sablius the Bronze Dragon

While the party rested overnight in a side chamber, each member took a turn standing guard with the young dragon Sablius. Sablius had been artificially aged from a hatchling by the evil Oni named Krugli. The dragon had the body of a nearly adult dragon but the mind of a six-year-old. The party had originally planned to clear the lost citadel in order to make it a safe home for the naive and impressionable dragon. However, Valerius was having second thoughts. He did not feel the remote location made a safe home. As soon as they left, he was certain that other forces like the oni would come and take advantage of the dragon. 

He offered to give Sablius a home in the manor he was going to build in Wince. There he could be protected, could have a safe place for his hoard, and could consume the occasional livestock. He made his case to Sablius. Valerius was very persuasive and was obviously becoming a strong father figure for the dragon. The dragon agreed to accompany him back to Wince.

He told the rest of the party of his plan the next day. Princess Murti exclaimed, "Seriously? We're THIS close to the Western Gate! Now you're going all the way back to WINCE?! That's farther back than when I met you people! I just need your help to get through the Defile. Once on the other side, it's only one or two days south to Horek! There we can free my imprisoned royal guard and I can re-take my throne in Kalmath!"

Valerius explained, "I'd like to help you, but I have bigger priorities than the internal politics of Kalmath. Once we get out of this citadel, you can re-join Knott, Jilani, and Babu, along with those guards we freed, Willie and Drew. They'll take you the rest of the way."

Princess Murti sighed exasperatedly and rolled her eyes in defeat.

Princess Murti of Kalmath

From the burial shrine of the dwarfish hero Oron, they explored more of the lost citadel. They found the upper floors of the tower and their commanding views over the Defile of Castragon far below. They asked Sablius if he could fly. Sablius, excitedly taking everything in, replied, "I've never been into this room before! What's 'fry'?"

In another tower, they located a trap door and a chute leading to the lower floor. Valerius and Absolom climbed down the chute. On the lower floor of the tower they could see three ballista pointing towards the entrance door, set to fire at anyone that opened it. They cut the string and climbed back up the chute, only to have the rotten ladder rungs disintegrate under Valerius' weight. Valerius fell with a thud. At that, Gravy lowered a rope and the pair climbed back to the top. 

They then carefully re-entered the shrine with the statues of the dwarfish gods with glowing eyes and three ogre carcasses and descended the stairs. 

Amilia the Scullery Maid

Using Thaddius' map of the citadel, they found their way to the great hall where they hoped to study the battle plans drawn on the wall map. They were surprised to find a young human woman setting the table. The woman was as startled as they and made to run. They quickly calmed her and showed her that they meant her no harm and wished to talk. She hesitated and the party began to speak with her. While doing so, they inspected the adjacent kitchen, noting that a door in the south wall was barricaded shut with boards.

Amilia the Scullery Maid

The woman's name was Amilia. She was a scullery maid from Flinch. She was accompanying a merchant caravan through the pass when the caravan was stopped by ogres led by a vampire, her master. She told them that she cooks for five other servants: Ashlor, Hugo, Nevra, Willie, and Drew. She also prepared meals for the masters: a vampire, a cyclops, a minotaur, and two dwarfs. She knew nothing about the battle plans, but she could summon her master if they had more questions. In fact, if the party wished, she would take them to her master's quarters upstairs. He would be most interested in meeting the new guests. The party agreed to accompany her, noting that vampires do not need to eat.

The Vampire

Amilia led them upstairs via a wide spiraling ramp. Once in the corridor leading to her quarters, Valerius stopped her. He instructed his lion and Sablius to stay back in the antechamber with Balatan, Princess Murti, and Amilia. The rest of the party advanced cautiously.

They entered Amilia's quarters to find a dormitory with six beds. A tall gaunt ashen figure with blood-red eyes stood in the center of the room. He was carrying a spear with a long curved blade. In a strange halting voice he spoke to them, "Ah, unesspected guests. Plead, come in. Come cloter toe I may pick with du."

the "Vampire"

Valerius rushed in, attacking with his flaming sword. Absolom and Gravy followed suit, surrounding the "vampire". Valerius first attack caused the vampire to glow brightly. Unable to turn invisible, the vampire gave up on his ruse and turned back into a horned blue giant oni.

The vampire-oni tried repeatedly to charm Valerius, eventually succeeding. Unfortunately for the vampire-oni, Gravy had prepared a blessing to restore Valerius to his senses. The oni then used his icy cone of cold on the party and tried to escape, but was cut down before he could make it to the door. Upon the vampire-oni's death, Amilia started as if coming out of some kind trance or charm. She promptly thanked her rescuers. 

Entering the room into which the oni tried to escape, they triggered a automatic reloading arbalest rigged to a rotating turret. Whichever door opened, the arbalest would rotate and fire. The trap was ineffective and missed and was quickly destroyed. Within the room the party found 17 trunks and chests. 14 of the trunks were filled with trade goods seized from caravans. Three of them were locked. Valerius threw two of the chests against the floor and walls until they smashed open. In the first chest they found a pile of gold coins. In the second was 100 gemstones. Thaddius, annoyed at the commotion and noise, opened the third with his thieves' tools, revealing 30 wooden carvings and scrimshaw. While counting the gold, two of the coins revealed themselves to be cleverly disguised golden beetles that crawled over Gravy, trying to bite him. Gravy eventually crushed each bug.

The Secret Exit

The party then took another corridor, filling in the blank areas on their map. They crossed the entrance hallway and found secret stairs down to the defensive octagon below. They took another door and another corridor, turning left, and through a door at the end of a hall. Opening the door triggered a heavy blade to swing down and hit Valerius square in the shoulder. 

Inside the room was a four-poster bed and piles of paper but was otherwise abandoned. The party searched the room and found a hidden footlocker. Absolom, using Thaddius' tools untrained, was able to open the footlocker. The locker began shouting "Help! Help! Help!" which it repeated a total of 25 times. The party readied itself for battle but no one came. 

Within the footlocker they found several spell books, a dirk with a black blade, and a satches of gems and coins. 

The papers on the floor included merchant log books and a manuscript written in an exotic alien language.

Gravy also found a secret door leading down a long corridor to a dead end. Thaddius approached the dead end, only to collapse a false floor and pitch forward into a thirty-foot pit lined with spikes. The injured Thaddius was helped out of the pit by Gravy. Absolom, meanwhile, located a lever that reset or deactivated the false floor. Once made save, the party crossed and located the hidden door at the dead end of the corridor. Behind the hidden door was a small room and a ladder leading up. At the top of the ladder was a hatch. Thaddius opened the hatch and the party was outside on the side of the mountain. There was no obvious path down to the stairs but the two towers could be seen about two hundred yards down-slope.

The party back-tracked and exited the sleeping chamber. They took another corridor. A side door on the right was locked. Thaddius tried a key found on one of the dead oni and the door opened. Inside was another sleeping chamber, a matress on the floor, some blankets, and a trunk. Within the trunk was some lamp oil, ten gold bars stamped with an exotic seal of some type, some loose coins, and two sealed wax scroll cases. Gravy found a secret niche in one of the walls of the room. Within the niche was a fine hammer of dwarfish craftsmanship, a phial of liquid, and a bag of gold coins. 

The Fochlucan Bandore

The next door down at the end of the corridor was closed. Thaddius listened closely and heard the sound of some twangy stringed instrument and strange haunting mournful singing. They cautiously opened the door and found an old man sitting on a tatami mat and playing some type of long lute. The man stopped playing and looked up. He was blind but he smiled at the newcomers.

Just an old blind man.

Valerius instructed his mount to protect Sablius, Princess Murti, Amilia, and Balatan in the hall, several dozen feet back. Valerius, Absolom, Thaddius, and Gravy then entered the room, spreading out to occupy each of the corners.

"Please, please, come in. I so rarely have guests! I normally play for my masters. Would you like to hear me play for you?"

The party hesitated. Was it really just an old man, another slave? Was it an oni in disguise?

Valerius was the first to respond, "Later, old man! First, answer my questions!" With that, he called upon the goddess Justica to compel the old man to speak only the truth! The old man was unperturbed and inscrutable.

Valerius asked his questions, "Are you one of the oni?"

The old man replied, "I am but a simple old man, playing his fochlucan bandore."

"Are you some other type of shape shifter?"

"That's a very strange question."

"Is this your true form?"

"This is what I am. I am but a blind old man."

"Answer my question with either a yes or a no! Are you an oni?"

"How very rude!"

"Yes or no!"

"I don't know how to answer your question. It's very confusing."

"YES OR NO!!"

"I.. I..", the old man rolled his blind eyes and cursed, "畜生! Ohhhhhhwoooooo!Waaaaaaooooooo!"

The old man gave up his disguise and turned into an oni. He instantly turned invisible. The party split up, each taking a different corner. Absolom called upon the goddess Justica for aid. Miraculously, a corner of the room was illuminated with sprinkling gold faerie dust, revealing no hidden oni.

Suddenly, from another corner came an icy blast! The oni was once more visible. Valerius and Thaddius engaged the blue creature in melee. The oni waved his hand and darkness fell upon the room, making it difficult to hit the creature. The oni turned into gas and tried to escape into the hall. Valerius caught up with him and, with a holy strike blessed by Justica herself, the Oni was forced back into his solid form. No longer able to take gaseous form, the oni found his way blocked by the dragon and leonine mount that filled the corridor. He was trapped!

The Rod of Wonder
The oni then turned and pulled a strange rod out of his robe. The rod was clockwork, composed of many rotating metallic gears, rings, and puzzle pieces. The oni rotated a gear and slid a fitted piece into place. The round metallic orb at the head of the rod began to glow.

The Rod of Wonder

He turned the gears and rings and pointed it at Valerius and to everyone's surprise, Valerius sprouted leaves all over his body like a bush!

Valerius and Thaddius pressed the attack. The oni used his wand again, this time pointing it at Thaddius. The oni shouted, "Zzzzap!" and mimed firing some kind of discharge at Thaddius. The oni then bellowed laughter in some kind of believed triumph! Thaddius was otherwise unaffected. Absolom, back in the room, realized what had just happened and shook with laughter of his own.

The oni once more spun and rearranged the various bits of the wand and suddenly the room filled with monarch butterflies, blinding everyone save Absolom!

No one seemed to be able to hit the trapped Oni. The oni again reconfigured the mechanical rod contraption, once more filling the room with darkness. The darkness could not save him, however, as he was eventually defeated by the party, with Gravy delivering the killing blow!

The party then sat down and rested while they waited for the butterflies and darkness to dissipate.

Inside the room, they found that the old man was sitting on a locked chest. Gravy looked under the tatami mat and found the key that opened the chest. Within the chest they found some gold, gems, a quiver of silver-tipped arrows, a pouch containing a few pinches of some kind of silvery powder or dust, and some pieces of clothing.

The Silent Guard
The party returned to the burial chamber of Oron the Dwarf and inspected a door they passed earlier. Valerius opened the door and a cloaked figure behind a table fired a crossbow at them, missing. Valerius and Absolom called out to the shadowy figure, insisting that they meant no harm and that they were here to help. No one responded so they cautiously and slowly entered. They found the robed figure to be nothing more than a dummy, a mannequin connected to a crossbow rigged to fire at whomever opened the door.

The room was filled with junk. Forty minutes of sifting through the junk yielded two sacks with gold and silver, seven bejewelled swords, a tarnished silver place setting for six, and a purse filled with coins.

The A-Team is Formed
The party returned to the lower level via a different staircase. At the bottom of the staircase was a hidden door that opened into the defensive octagon. The bodies of the two guards caught in the fireball the day before were gone. Off to one side they found a small niche, a guard post. Within they found one of the guards resting, recuperating from being blasted the previous day. He reached for his weapon but the party took no offensive action and explained their purpose, apologizing for the day before.

Ashlor of Horek

Calmed, he introduced himself as Ashlor, a half-elf warrior from Horek, banished for his support of the royal family and his defiance against the Vizier. He was an adventurer who came to the citadel to rid the Defile of the ogres that menaced it. He failed, was captured, and ultimately charmed and put to work guarding the entrance. He explained that the fireball the day before broke the charm and that he and his colleague Homer, also a warrior, faked their deaths hoping to escape the oni. They rested in this niche overnight. When he woke up this morning, Homer was gone.

Suddenly, Ashlor recognized Princess Murti. He immediately fell to one knee, bowing, and pledged his blade to her cause! He was instructed to stay with her and the rest behind the party.

The party then explored some empty rooms including an well filled with water and phosphorescent slime, two unused barracks, and a garbage heap which they judiciously avoided. Inside one room they surprised a young woman wearing wizard robes. The woman was watching out a spy hole into a corridor outside the room. Valerius and Absolom becalmed the woman, showing her Amelia.

Nevra of Thither

The woman revealed that her name was Nevra. She was a wizard of some repute from Thither who was captured by the ogres when she tried to cross the Defile alone. She has been here several weeks, where she has been placed on guard duty. She came to her senses a few hours ago when the charm suddenly ended. Valerius asked her to join Princess Murti, Ashlor, Amilia, Balatan, and Sablius at the rear of the party, and help protect the princess and the dragon.

The group of rescued slaves of the oni were quickly becoming a party of their own. A young bronze dragon, an exiled princess, a half-elf adventurer and warrior, a female wizard, and a dragon-born priest, banded together! The party started referring to the new party as "the A-Team" and to themselves as "the B-Team", suggested that they were merely henchmen for the other, more interesting group of adventurers.

Nevra told the party what to expect and filled in their map. She told them to avoid one corridor and its pit traps.

The "B-Team" then proceeded down an unexplored corridor which led to the entrance tower. Valerius opened a door to the right and was immediately attacked by a jittery goblin, one of the guards at the entrance. Valerius moved into the room and engaged the goblin in combat, the other goblins, trapped in the room, fought viciously for their lives, but were ultimately defeated by Valerius, Absolom, and Thaddius.

The Last Report of Gramble
The "B-Team" then explored some more empty rooms before returning to the storage room outside the dungeon. They moved some furniture and found a door, likely leading to the room behind the barricaded door in the kitchen. They nervously proceeded with caution.

In a small room at the end of the corridor they found the long dead remains of a dwarf warrior. Suddenly, before anyone could act, Valerius seized as if gripped by a giant fist. He then hunched over into a crouch and shouted, "The citadel is under attack! I must report immediately to my commander!" and ran off down the corridor.

The party gave chase. Valerius reached the barricaded door and found it locked. He slammed into it with all his strength and burst it from its hinges. He then ran up the ramp and into the chamber of old man-oni with the lute, his blue bulk lying in a corner.

Valerius called out for his commander, "Sir, it is Gramble! I must report that we are under attack by the wizard Taskern! To arms!" but no answer came. Thaddius, Gravy, and Absolom caught up with him. Valerius, mad with fear, saw the humans as threats, "Intruders! Invaders! What have you done with my commander? I will kill you!"

With that, the possessed Valerius rushed at the party. Absolom called upon the power of his goddess and cast out the spirit within Valerius. The spirit left Valerius and fled to the back of the room.

Gravy then stepped forward, and as confidently and as dwarf-like as he could manage, said, "Gramble. I am your commander. Report!"

Gramble, confused but convinced, gave his report. With his final task fulfilled, the ghost faded from existence.

Ogres in the Cellar
Confident that they had cleared the upper two levels of all inhabitants, the party decided to descend the ramp. They had earlier detected the strong musky smell of ogres in that direction and saved it for last. Thaddius roved ahead stealthily. There he saw ten ogres, some sitting, some sleeping, some fighting. They were in a large mining chamber that seemed to have no other exits. He returned to give his report.

Valerius noted that the ramp leading down was weak and shored up by hastily placed support timbers. He reasoned that the removal of the timbers would cause a cave in that would trap the ogres. Weary from their day of exploration and fighting and low on energy, the party opted to collapse the tunnel.

Afterwards, both parties left the citadel and descended the long flights of stairs that hugged the side of the cliff. Sablius was like a cat let out of the house for the first time. He was frightened of the sky, cold and white with occasional flakes of snow, and the vast spaces around him. Eventually, the reached the road at the bottom of the defile. It was mid-afternoon. They rejoined Knott, Babu, Jilani, Willie, Drew, and even Homer, who had camped here while they waited. There was no sign of the gnome they released from the dungeon the day before. In fact, no one had seen the gnome since they were released.

The entourage now consisted of 11 people and a dragon. The group decided to escort Princess Murti the final few miles to the Western Gate, where they camped for the night. The A-Team would continue the journey with the princess while the B-Team would head back to Wince with Sablius. As they settled in for the night, the red sun setting across the forbidding wasteland to the west, Valerius talked of leading a force of men to re-settle the Secret Citadel, and once more establish law and order within the Defile of Castragon, but that would have to be an adventure for a different day!

TO BE CONTINUED...

"Stop it!"