The heroes have descended the stairs and are facing the colossi
Chapter Twelve
(This is another Ricky scenario. I am very happy with it, no matter how it turned out; and this was the most desperate fight so far in this small saga.)
Prince Richard grew increasingly reluctant to come to blows with his father, king Merlin. Yet the prince remained angry over the uneven distribution of the tiny realm's revenues. Boredom, angst and a restless desire to prove himself better in some way, drove him to seek a chivalrous adventure or quest. This search caused the prince to pay attention to local lore; which was replete with tales of ancient hidden, guarded and never acquired treasure: in this unspecified vale or that hidden cave, equally mysterious by a lack of certain location: but all such tales involving adventurers ended with a similar doom: "And they were never seen or heard of again!"
Well, this repetition of local tales involving unrecovered riches cemented prince Richard's resolve: he would choose the most likely prospect and go investigate of its truthfulness. In a tavern in one of the villages under tribute to his father, the king, the prince engaged a garrulous drinker in conversation on the subject of a rumored vale, high in the mountains to the north, which were very underpopulated and dangerous with wild beasts and atrocious weather extremes, etc.
"So, tell me, my good man," said the prince, "do you know of anyone who could direct me to this vale of which you speak?"
"Not I," said the drinker. "You could try the hamlet three days easy ride from here. Those people are closer to the ground, so to speak."
The prince equipped himself for a short journey, took Sir Alexander for traveling companion, and the two made the brief trip to the indicated habitation of hill men; shepherds for the main part. They put up with the headman and over shared meals plied him with better drink than his far-removed people typically enjoyed: then asked him about the vale.
"Oh! You wouldn't be wantin' to go anywhere near that cursed place," the headman avowed. "'Tis certain death, that spot."
"So we've heard," said Richard. "But I'd like to see it for myself nonetheless."
"You be soundin' as daft as Mad Giles!" said the headman, scoffingly.
"And who is this person?" asked Sir Alexander.
"'E's got a 'ide shack up in them 'ills, way up there somewheres," said the headman, jerking a thumb over one shoulder. "I've never been up there m'self. "Don't know anyone who 'as. But once in a while, Giles, 'e come down 'ere to get some necessaries. And 'e is a runnin' off at the mouth the entire time. Mostly just nonsense. But I know the spot where 'e lives with 'is goats and dogs all by 'imself. 'E's talked about it enough times, 'e has."
"And why would we be interested in this person, exactly?" asked the prince's champion. "You connected our interest with the 'cursed vale' with him."
"A while back, Mad Giles was on about 'is brother who used to live with 'im, goin' off to search out that tale (eh! rhymes with 'vale', now, don' it?), and 'im never comin' back, just like all the others down the ages who've been stupid enough to go lookin' for themselves, every one."
"Well! I want to see this neighbor of yours," said Richard with finality. And soon he and his companion were on the track indicated, that wound steeply in switchbacks up the slopes into mist-shrouded, rock-strewn peaks. A stiff day's ride saw them in deep evening crossing a shallow upland valley of no great size, but grassy, with goats scattered about. A short search revealed the hide domicile spoken off. And they could see, standing outside the flap door, taking the last of the daylight, a middle-aged rustic whose face was weathered above copious graying whiskers, eyeing them curiously as they approached. A pair of enormous hounds flanked him. The adventurers halted their horses a polite distance away and hailed the denizen of this valley. After customary exchanges of greeting, the goatherd offered the hospitality of his narrow shelter, and soon three men were crowded into the warm, odoriferous dwelling. Till bedtime, Giles was plied with fine wine and offered in exchange all the tales and details that the pair of knights could wish for.
Especially of interest, of course, was how Giles' older brother had disappeared some years ago, after expressing, for a long time, an interest in a vale of ancient legend: where, it was said, a pagan king who was reputed to also be a sorcerer, had used his powers to guard his treasures. All that anyone had ever seen from above the vale were several "colossi" standing facing a treacherous, weathered steep stairway, that descended to their level from the surrounding cliffs; and behind them were ruins, mostly pillars no longer supporting any roof, and with a hole in the ground, either some cave opening or an entrance to unknown cellars or dungeons below.
"Nobody but ne're-do-wells have interest in that place," Mad Giles said. "It's an evil place. And such as 'ave been rumored to 'ave gone down in there -"
"Have never been seen or heard of again," both knights said together, grinning. The hermit nodded without humor.
"It is my belief that Rahm went there. Curiosity was always his chiefest weakness. I was always warnin' 'im 'bout that," said Mad Giles sadly, and then his story telling was done and he simply gazed somberly into the flames of his small fire and only grunted in response to any of their other questions.
After gaining Mad Giles' assurance, the following morning, that yes, indeed, the vale was "up that there track, less than a day's ride from 'ere", the two travelers mounted up and took the trail as far as their horses could keep their footing, then dismounted and led them. Later, in the afternoon, they came to a ridge, rather like a slowly curving tumbled wall, that presented almost precipitous access to the top, about as high as a man might be able to throw a stone with his full effort.
But rather than exert themselves, just yet, they hobbled their horses and made their slow way along the base of this curving ridge. And as they hoped, they found a way "in", to somewhere; directly in and up, to be exact. It was like a titanic blade had cleaved a gash in the rock face. They went single-file, hands touching stone to either side, not far, to where the narrow path between the rocks came out near the top. And then, they were gazing down on quite a sight:
Lying immediately below their feet – and enclosed by the ridge, which continued on, curving into the horizon, for, up here, they were quite to the summit of these mountains - they saw an abrupt depression which dropped as cliffs on the inside, some hundred and fifty feet in depth, more or less, and floored with worked, brown stone. The opposite end of the "vale" was formed where the ridge rejoined a couple hundred yards or more distant, making the vale oblong; for it was nowhere down its length more than half a bow shot across.
Broken columns and pillars and fallen stone, no doubt from some ancient roof, littered the floor of the vale.
But none of that caught their first attention: for where they stood, at the head of this narrow path, very steep, irregular and weather-worn steps would take them right to the base of the cliffs. And facing the stairs, as spoken of, were three enormous statues of warriors. They appeared to be cast in metal of varying, dull hues. These "colossi" were extremely cunningly wrought and lifelike: and no two of the three resembled the other. And to gaze on them was subtly dreadful; but neither man admitted this feeling to the other. The Colossus in the center was directly before the last step and it was considerably larger: easily three times the height of a man, from sabatons to the tips of the up-swept, crowned, full-face helmet. The flanking warriors were roughly two-thirds the size of the Colossus.
The next detail that both of them pointed out to the other, almost simultaneously, was a broad, squarish hole in the ground, about a bow shot down the length of the vale.
"Well, now," said Prince Richard. "That's more than good enough for me! How about you?"
Sir Alexander nodded silently. Then, "But we should get prepared, in case there actually is a treasure down there, somewhere. It would be regrettable if we found ought and had no bearers to take it away."
Or lacked the means to defend ourselves or defeat any foes happened upon, both men thought silently.
"Good, then!," said the prince. "Let's return when we're well outfitted."
The two travelers retraced their way and came upon the hermit's abode well into the night. Giles the goatherd seemed mildly annoyed at their waking of himself, but put them up again. In the morning, they bade him farewell and continued their journey; arriving at Richard's castle less than a week later.
Saying nothing to anyone else, Richard and Alexander planned the quest together, and then brought in only four others whom they deemed most suitable to assure enough armed presence to withstand any expected encounters. Then these six very competent and well-armed persons rode away to hazard the truth of the tales.
The party had been created from different sources. A Brother Knight of the Teutonic Order, named Hansgard, was a close companion of the prince; they had enjoyed meeting in local tourneys and formed a friendship out of mutual respect. For "difficult" situations (typically involving questionable activities), the prince had found the services of "the mercenary" very successful (he is so-listed in the financial accounting of the principality; and, of course, he remains nameless here). From his own retinue, Richard selected one of the two men-at-arms who had tried the ambush of Sir Guy, the tax collector (Richard did not hold that failure against him, and found him to be steady). Finally, prince Richard's sister-in-law's sister, the "Valkyrie", had overheard him and Sir Alexander planning on the battlements; and she revealed this to them and threatened to expose the entire foray if they did not include her.
The heroes have descended the stairs and are facing the colossi
On the left is "the mercenary", then Hansgard the Teutonic Knight, Prince Richard, Sir Alexander, "Val" and Richard's man-at-arms.
The Colossus flanked by the colossi
The heroes select the "left side"
(Recalling the instructions from a certain priest, "walk on the left side", this seems like a recommended choice.)
The fell silence works on each of them and they bunch together
The colossus on the far end stirs!
... it turns!
... it takes a first step toward the intruders
Everyone hears a metallic screeching sound
They can't believe the implications! And at first, the moving statue is hidden by the intervening ruins. But in an instant, everyone can see the gigantic figure approaching, shield and guisarme deployed!
The nearer colossus awakens!
... turns with a creaking of metal "sinews"
... and advances toward them
The first colossus to awaken ponderously draws nearer
Sir Alexander, Hansgard and the mercenary are the first to come within reach of this unnatural foe. In a trice, they discover that their weapons are trying to pierce a surface as tough as the highest quality cap-a-pie plate armor! Hansgard's axe bounces away and then his body is flying backwards after it, to land grievously injured at the base of a ruined column. He does not stir!
(Role-playing/adventuring method: we roll for condition at once each time a DE is taken; instead of at the end of the battle. So, to recap: 1-25, mortally wounded - a second roll of 1-25 would mean instant death: the lower the roll, the more graphically gruesome!: with a higher roll allowing for minutes, hours or a few days of failing life before death; 26-50, critically wounded, unconscious for the rest of the battle; incapable of moving oneself upon regaining consciousness; first aid must be administered; 51-75, lightly wounded and unconscious for one to three turns; upon awaking, combat results rolls are -1; this can be cumulative; 76-100, knocked unconscious; upon awaking, after one to three turns, full combat capability is regained in one turn.)
Richard is aghast and for long seconds he cannot move. His man-at-arms is equally appalled.
(Morale: in this permutation, "the troops" are their morale class, but the best there is possible; this includes everyone but Val and Richard. She is "fanatic A", which means that as long as she isn't wounded, she will test all decisions as if "A" class, needing 5-12 for success; but if, after being wounded, she fails a test, she reverts to "D" class. Richard is out of his element; he's managed to abash himself, but would never admit it: he is "C" for everything; Hansgard is just solid "A" class, as a Military Order Knight always is; the man-at-arms would normally be "C"; and the mercenary could even be "D", being self-serving, as a mercenary usually is: but both were chosen for a good reason: they are solid, and so both are "B" class. B succeeds on 6-12; C on 7-12; and D on 9-12.)
The man-at-arms roars in terror and fills the gap
Richard is finally galvanized into action.
The colossal shield moves deceptively fast!
Suddenly, the man-at-arms is sailing through the air over the prince's head; his body strikes the column about halfway up and wraps itself backwards around it with an audible SNAP! of vertebrae, then falls in a broken heap half onto the supine form of the Teutonic Knight. Richard's man is dead.
The four remaining heroes try to surround the first colossus
It is backed up, defending itself with suddenly enhanced swiftness: apparently its sorcerous "innards" are warmed up! (After entering combat, the colossi take three turns to come to full power; now it has a defensive points value equal to a cataphract, i.e. 14 points of defense.) Notwithstanding, Sir Alexander manages to drive his longsword into a momentarily exposed flank. His blade emerges coated with a viscous black liquid (pretty much like old engine oil that should have been changed out five years ago). There is no apparent loss of combat efficiency for all of his efforts!
The colossus turns on Sir Alexander!
The second colossus arrives and attacks Val!
Prince Richard is attacked!
The Colossus awakens!
It turns and utters a cryptic message from a long-dead sorcerer king
The prince's champion scores another mighty blow and the colossus turns on him!
Val is reeling! But the first colossus is noticeably slowing down!
(once a DE is scored on a colossus, any subsequent DBm indicates a loss of "oil pressure"; *grin*; its enhanced capability is lost as it loses movement speed: this results also in the heroes getting plus one higher defensive value, to reflect their easier ability to dodge the attacks of the colossus: the three enhancements are: shield-bearing colossus had one defensive value higher, as already said; the spear/sword colossus gets two attacks; the Colossus Major (aka "Big Blocks") "Schwarzeneggers" each attack)
The mercenary scores a hit!
With a grinding-screeching of collapsing "sinews", the first colossus crashes to the ground!
"Big Blocks" is coming!
Val is knocked to the ground but shakes off her daze with that sudden fury that is typical of her personality. (missing a picture here; she was out for one turn; Richard covered for her as she got up the next turn)
Richard orders everyone to run for the underground entrance!
The heroes are able to keep their distance or even gain on the colossus
(colossi only have one speed; 5" per turn for the smaller; 6" per turn for the larger)
They reach the entrance
The two remaining colossi return to their original positions
There is a long "staring contest". Now, what to do? It is decided to go below and see "what, if anything, we've come here for?"
Hapless others have gotten this far before us!
The passageway down from the doorless entrance is broad and of smooth, shiny dark brown rock; this appears to be an air hole in what was eons ago cooling lava. The floor is riven with fissures that form narrow chasms ahead. The apparition of a long-dead heroically sized warrior causes the heroes to pause motionless for a long moment. But there is no sorcery here, evidently; just the melancholy remains of a failed quest. For what?
All four heroes, even lightly wounded Val, manage to jump across a fissure
They pause momently in consternation. What is that in the passage chamber ahead, on the other side of another fissure? It looks like a dragon's wing?! They move closer, now trying for silence, though it's probably too late for that!
Treasure!
What they see is a vast amount of loot of all kinds strewn and piled against the walls. The "dragon's wing" is nothing more than an exotic pavilion folded and leaning all dusty and cobwebby upon chests, rotted and broken open bags, urns, pots (hale and broken), even a chariot with sagging wheels and rotted spokes: all containing countless coins, chunks of precious ore, gems, cut and natural; jeweled weaponry and armor, much of it rusted or otherwise corroded; but some pieces looking as new as if they came from the forge last week. But over everything, dust on layers of dust. The covering is incomplete, though: and enough of the gleam of riches and quality craftsmanship peeks out in the torchlight to promise what lies dull and asleep beneath the sifted cloak of eons. The sight takes everyone's breath away. But soon all four are across the fissure, heedless of the waft of warm air from the chasm beneath that brushes their bare skin as they make the short leap. For a long moment they indulge their natural avarice. Then they lay things down and step away and look at each other. Silently, the prince turns and heads back.
From the entrance, they see the colossi standing motionless, backs to the stairs
The heroes split into two teams
The fight resumes!
It looks very uneven!
But quickly, perhaps out of sheer desperation, both the prince and his champion score heavily on their respective foes. Black ichor flows down their sword blades! But, now, as before, these colossi do not exhibit any immediate deterioration in prowess.
Big Blocks knocks!
After rapidly sheathing his longsword in the Colossus's metal "flesh" a second time, Alex fails to get out of the way of a sweeping blow and is sent violently to the ground. But it is only a glancing blow; he's out for two turns!
Richard breaks his sword!
He calls to Val! "Lass! Throw me your sword!" She instantly obeys and unsheathes the backup weapon and tosses it across the intervening air. Even as the prince snatches it the woman is stunned by the flat of the colossal sword blade!
Richard draws the attention and both attacks of the colossus!
For a desperate moment, the fight is one on one!
Prince Richard is down!
He is sorely hurt and unconscious, helpless! The colossus bends his ponderous spear point downward, draws it back to strike ...
... and Sir Alexander throws himself between the blow and his prince!
The champion regained consciousness and his feet literally in the final second before it would have been too late to save his lord!
... and is bashed senseless again!
But Val is on her feet and smashes her ax into the unaware flank of their enemy! It turns on her. But she has damaged it! Its attacks are slowing. Nevertheless, her strength is ebbing too and she is backed up.
Alex is on his feet again and has to make a decision: which way to attack?
The prince's champion turns to aid the Valkyrie!
The mercenary's one-sided battle finally ends
... with his body laid on the ground in his gore!
Back and back Val is driven, while Alexander desperately pounds away on the unheeding, undefended rear of the clossus. And finally ...
... the slowing automaton topples to the stony ground!
The Colossus turns on the two remaining fighters!
They advance to meet it, placing themselves between Richard's body and the monster
But its momentum drives them back
... and back!
The massive sabatons spurn the prince's body but miraculously do not step on and crush him! (10,11,12, 2D6, and he would have been wounded again)
Val gets in behind the Colossus!
Screaming like a banshee, the Valkyrie strikes where the calves and hamstrings of their monstrous foe should be! Alex backs before its slowing attack!
Big Blocks collapses to its knees!
Alexander delivers a final blow and the monstrosity ceases to move!
... and, with a scream of tortured, failing iron and steel
... topples full length upon the unyielding stone!
(After facing such terribly dangerous odds, and regaining consciousness not once, but twice, and returning to the contest, "Val" is now a +1 fighter; and Sir Alexander has reached the pinnacle as a +3 fighter; the only one "we" know about, so far.)
After ministering to the serious wounds of the three fallen men, Val and Alex ascend the stairs and mount up and ride as swiftly as they can back to Mad Giles' home. They tell the hermit goatherd somewhat of their adventures, but ascribe their wounds and losses to bandits; who they overcame and tossed their bodies into the chasms. They offer to pay Giles well if he will return to the "cursed vale" (now no longer occupied and certainly never "cursed", that part of the tales, no doubt, having been spun to make strangers keep away): he is convinced that there is no danger and returns the next day to help bear the wounded up the terribly steep and treacherous stairs.
Prince Richard, Hansgard and the mercenary are in a bad way and suffer greatly making the arduous ride to the hermit goatherd's shack. He is solicitous and does all that he can to make the wounded men comfortable. He is paid a generous amount (but the merest insignificant fraction of the total treasure) and told that this is a fair share of the bandit hoard.
Clearly, the seriously wounded cannot travel further until they recoup some strength. Richard is the most hurt, but he cannot abide the thought of remaining any longer than absolutely endurable. And after a couple of days, he girds up his loins and orders everyone to make the full day's ride down to the hamlet. There he is put up once again in the headman's house, where he remains until almost fully recovered. Similarly, the others are given accommodations in which to recover from weariness and wounds.
A story has been concocted to explain their dead and wounded people: "We fell among thieves," they say: "But we defeated them and took their hoard." From this they pay their hosts generously as well. Nevertheless, Sir Alexander keeps a wary eye on the denizens of the half a dozen or so houses, to make sure that no one is showing an undue curiosity of the road by which they have returned.
Some two weeks following their narrow victory and escape, the party is ready to go home. But to safeguard their treasure, Sir Alexander agrees to return to the vale and stand watch with the mercenary over it until the rest of them can return with pack animals and carry it off. So, plans having been made, that is exactly what happens. It turns out that nobody in the hamlet possesses the courage to follow up any curiosity they may have; and the champion and the mercenary did not in fact have to confront anyone while they waited for the prince, Val and Hansgard to return; which they did within a fortnights time.
Prince Richard divides the loot equally five ways, which makes each one of them wealthy for life (barring any "acts of God", of course, or simply bad fate).
The embellished tale of their exploit spreads throughout the realm and surrounding region like wildfire. Richard, being the natural braggart, uses his newly won heroic status to lord over his father. And king Merlin, though so proud of his youngest son that he could burst the links of the chainmail across his chest, is, also, vexed beyond endurance at the constant adoration that the prince receives. They are wholly healed in their relations to each other; and Richard even confessed to the truth of the rumors of his attempted ambush of Sir Guy, the royal tax collector. He pays his father a compensation for repentance, a handsome sum indeed; and also makes sure that it is publicized as much as possible.
King Merlin's own angst increases as the weeks of basking in his son's glory turn into months. When he learns of yet another rumor, nay legend, of a fiery serpent (aka a dragon) infesting the hills of a neighboring lordship, he decides that an exploit of his own is in order. His son offers to accompany him, and bring the unmatched prowess of his champion, Sir Alexander. But Merlin says that he will, instead, leave the prince and the main strength of the realm to guard it in the absence of their king. Prince Richard cannot publicly flout his father's authority, nor does he wish to do so in order to enjoy another adventure.
So, as king Merlin's retinue rides forth, his sons dutifully remain behind to fulfill his commands to guard their now incredibly wealthy (though very small) kingdom ...