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The two gods left for the Underworld and passed through many dangers. First were the Guardians of the Underworld, great creatures of the Earth who blocked all who would raid their kingdom. Humakt had faced demigods like these before and cut them in two, leaving them bleeding on the ground. Next was the Winding Way that confused all those who travelled there, but Eurmal had been here before and knew the way through. Then was the Sword Bridge that spanned a chasm without a bottom. Humakt was the Master of Swords and he could walk the Sword Bridge with ease, but Eurmal cut his feet badly and left a trail of blood behind him that was followed by the creatures of the Underworld. The Falling Caves almost crushed them, but Humakt used his shield to protect them as Eurmal helped them slip through a crack in the wall. At the banks of the Styx, Humakt paid his dues and Jeset ferried them across. Now they were in Hell itself and they knew that there were dangers here. They were beset by Hell Hounds, by Shadows and by the trolls that lived there, but they overcame all their enemies with the help of Humakt's Sword.
Finally, they reached a dark part of Hell, shrouded by impenetrable shadows. Hidden behind these dark curtains was a cleft that was even darker. In front of this cleft was a deity whose shadow towered over him like a cloak. This was Vivamort and he was the Guardian of Death. Humakt and Eurmal spoke to Vivamort and asked him to show them Death, but he refused. As Humakt tried to reason with him, Eurmal slipped inside and stole Death away. Vivamort sensed that Death had gone and challenged them, but Humakt cut him with his sword and sliced his shadow away, which Eurmal picked up and ran of with.
The two ran through Hell, evading their enemies with Vivamort's Shadow Cloak. Humakt told Eurmal to stop while he looked at Death. He was pleased with its power, but he knew that he had to forge it into a Sword if he wanted to use it. They settled beside a dark pool and Humakt went to work. He shaped and pulled Death until it took the correct form. He breathed on it and hit it until it became hot and soft, then he hit it again until it became hard. Finally he quenched the sword in a flagon of water and forged Death into a sword. Humakt was well pleased with this and gave Jeset his old sword to allow them to cross. As they left, the Pool Nymph reminded him that he owed her a favour and that the next time he entered Hell, he would not be allowed to leave.
They passed through the Underworld easily, for the others had seen what Humakt's Sword could do and some were still trying to put themselves back together after their last meeting. They reached the surface and met Grandfather, who was Father of Many but had no powers. Eurmal asked him if he would like to try Humakt's new toy and he agreed readily. Humakt swung Death and cut Grandfather's Spirit away from him, so that he fell and became Grandfather Mortal. Humakt realized the power of Death and performed his first Death Rites, covering Grandfather Mortal with Vivamort's Shadow to hide it from the rest of the world, for Death should be hidden.
As he had seen the power of Death, Humakt knew that it would be misused
by others who were not as morally strong as he was, so Humakt vowed that
he would not give Death up, that only he could be trusted to use its powers
honourably.
Humakt must use some skill to force Eurmal to reveal his Secret. He can use an Intimidate or Bully skill or something similar. Sometimes threatening Eurmal with physical force works, because Eurmal is a coward at heart.
This Station may be Invoked to force someone to reveal a Secret.
Typical Guardians may include Gargoyles, Demons, Stone Men or even Babeester Gori.
Humakt normally attacks these and defeats them. However, sometimes it is necessary for Eurmal to trick them into letting the Questors pass. This can be simple trickery, seduction or whatever means are at Eurmal's disposal.
This Station may be Invoked to defeat or pass by a Guardian.
Eurmal must use a skill or ability to navigate through the tunnels. Sample skills are Scout (Underworld), Remember Way, Track or Get There in the End. During this journey, the Questors may encounter various denizens who may be friendly, neutral or hostile. Failure in navigating will mean being lost in the Underworld.
This Station may be Invoked to find the way through a complex underground
maze.
The Questors must make rolls against Humakt's favoured Personality Traits. Failure of each trait means that the Questor has taken damage, perhaps 1D6 to each foot. Damage cannot be healed until the bridge is crossed and ignores armour and protection spells. If a Personality Trait is fumbled, the Questor will fall - roll a Luck Roll to grab hold of the bridge, taking 2D6 damage to the hands as above.
This Station may be Invoked to cross a narrow bridge without falling.
Humakt normally protects the Questors with his Shield and Eurmal uses his Slip Through Crack ability to escape. This Station provides the Slip Through Crack spell Heroically to the Eurmal Questor and Parry to the Humakti.
This Station may be Invoked to survive a cave-in.
Each Questor must give Jeset a sacred coin or a magical item to be ferried across. Any attempt to cheat Jeset will result in him not ferrying the Questors across.
This Station may be Invoked to force a ferryman to ferry a party across
a river in return for proper payment.
Humakt must use his sword to fight these monsters. Eurmal can help and usually does, for it is better to fight and live than to become a slave to the beings of Hell.
Typical creatures encountered here include trolls, Dehori, shades, insects, demons and other Questors.
This Station may be Invoked to travel through hostile terrain relatively safely.
Humakt must try and persuade Vivamort to show him Death, he usually uses Orate, Fast Talk or some similar skill. Vivamort has a save here, even if Humakt succeeds Vivamort may attempt to roll his Loyal/Steadfast or similar trait to be unmoved.
Assuming that Humakt fails here, Eurmal must sneak through the shadows (Sneak, Move Silently, Hide, Slip Through Crack, Hide in Shadows) and steal away Death. He must make a Brave roll to enter the Cleft and another Brave roll to steal Death.
Vivamort senses that Death has gone and challenges Humakt. If Humakt defeats Vivamort here, he may take some Darkness spell from the Vivamort Questor.
This Station may be Invoked to allow a guarded item to be stolen, the
guard will know the item has been stolen.
Humakt and Eurmal must flee through Hell, evading Vivamort and other enemies. They can use the Darkness powers stolen from Vivamort. This Station also provides the spell of Cloak of Darkness (1 point, reusable, temporal, passive, adds POWx5% to Hide in Shadows skill) heroically.
Humakt must attempt to forge Death into a sword. He can use his Craft
(Weapon Making) or similar skill to make the sword. He can also attempt
to build special powers into the sword at this stage, with success depending
on the level of success achieved in the Craft skill.
| Fumble | Sword is useless and all POW/spells cast into it are lost |
| Failure | Sword is poor and has no special abilities |
| Success | Sword is a normal one but with one special power |
| Special | Sword is superior (extra APs, lower ENC) and can take two special powers |
| Critical | Sword is excellent (extra APs, lower ENC, extra damage) and can take three special powers |
| Special Critical | Sword is superb (extra APs, lower ENC, extra damage) and can take four special powers |
Humakt may sacrifice POW and spells in order to give the sword special
powers. Enchanting the sword costs 1 POW. Each power takes a different
amount of POW, but each one costs 1 POW to enchant plus POW depending on
the strength of the power. Any spells given to the sword are lost as if
cast one-use. Some examples can be seen below.
| Spirit Spell Matrix | 1 POW + 1 POW per point of spell | Can only enchant known spells |
| Divine Spell Matrix | 1 POW per spell + 1 POW per point of spell + loss of Divine Spell | Can only enchant known spells |
| Heroic Casting Matrix | 1 POW per spell + 1 POW per point of spell + loss of Divine Spell + loss of Heroic Casting | Can only enchant known Heroic Castings |
| Bound Spirit | 1 POW + 1 POW per 10 POW of spirit | Spirit must be controlled by the Questor and must be willing |
| Crystals | 1 POW + 1 POW per crystal | |
| Skill | 1 POW + 1 POW per skill + Loss of skill | Can only use known skills |
| Permanent Ability | Double POW cost of normal ability |
So, a Humakti making a sword makes a critical Craft (Weapon Making) and can add three abilities. He chooses Permanent Truesword (4 POW), Permanent Bladesharp 4 (10 POW) and the Sense Undead skill (2 POW). In doing so, he loses his Truesword spell and his Sense Undead skill and 17 POW. His sword is an excellent one and has +25% AP and 75% ENC of a normal Bastard Sword. It has a permanent Truesword and permanent Bladesharp 4 (Doing 2D10 + 2 + 4 on a normal hit) and allows the owner a Sense Undead skill of 25%. In this case, he loses his Sense Undead skill but gains it at a lower chance.
The Questors must cross the Styx and pay Jeset. Humakt must give up the sword that he brought into Hell. This is the only payment that Jeset will accept.
This Station may be Invoked to make an enchanted sword using the Craft
(Weapon Making) skill rather than the Enchant skill.
If Humakt has Death with him, they will be avoided on a POWx5% roll. If not, then they may be attacked, but a show of bravado will see the opponents off.
This Station may be Invoked to allow an escape without fear of attack.
Eurmal must persuade Grandfather Mortal to accept Death. If he fails, then Humakt can always try and attack him anyway. Otherwise, Grandfather Mortal will simply accept the blow with good grace.
Afterwards, Humakt lays the Shadow Cloak over Grandfather Mortal to hide the body and performs the Death Rites to send his soul to Hell. He may sacrifice POW to learn the Free Ghost spell here.
This Station may be Invoked to kill an enemy and perform the Death Rites
so that the enemy's soul will go to Hell. Depending on the circumstances,
this can mean that the target cannot self-heal or regenerate back alive.
This Station may be Invoked to allow the Invoker to keep a magic
item that would normally have to be surrendered to another.
[End]
