"And Also After"

[Wraith]

Gilgal Refaim Continued:

Storyline 2: ( The German Fortress)  Getting an early start, our heroes head to the (GILGAL REFAIM RUIN) atop Mount Harmon before sunrise.  Having learned that Gilgal Refaim means Circle of the Giants, out heroes are dubious on what they may find there. The ruin seems to be of little interest though, other than matching the diagrams among the  paperwork. A fortress style compound sits approx  600 feet (616 to be exact) to the West,  abutting the base of the small plateau upon which sits the ruin. The compound consists of  a 15’ tall walled  rectangle with higher  guard towers at each corner. The walls follow the contours of the land on the outside, remaining the same height at all elevations. The side of the compound farthest up the hill, has a guard house the entire length between the two flanking towers. They try to bluff their way in the front gates by posing as messengers of Liam, and get nowhere, till a disturbance interrupts their dialogue. Seeing this as their moment, our heroes burst past the guards in a hail of gunfire. The guards in the  towers open fire and it becomes a free for all until the fortress is taken. Eventually, the commander is put to the question… He speaks about the huge gates opening today and supplies arriving to be taken inside. That is all he seems to know.  Rifling the paperwork on the officers desk reveals (CALENDAR OF SOLSTICES)  All the German soldiers  in the compound have interesting patches on their coats. (GUARDS COAT PATCH). After binding the survivors, the compound is searched. Other than the normal personal effects in the barracks, the mechanics shed reveals  2 large battery operated spotlights, rope, haversacks and other implements that they decide to equip themselves with. Some magazines are noticed on the workbench.  (AMAZING STORIES MAGAZINE)

The sun breaks the horizon as they are poking about the compound Just  then, the set of huge doors set into the up hill  side of the complex begins to open, and  a bloody brown coated man is seen stumbling from farther within and falls in the chamber just inside the doors. Following close behind is a white-clad BloodGuard, Hell bent on dragging the fellow back in. Our heroes drop the Bloodguard in a hail of gunfire and rush to the fallen fellow. The man clenches Lars coat and burbles: (“Speak…’Ael…names”) , then he dies. A name tag reveals the corpse to be  DR. GRUEBER. On his brown colored lab coat is a  (SCIENTIST COAT PATCH) The body is searched to reveal: a  gore covered, (BROWN CRYSTAL CHIT)  found clenched in his hand and (EQUINOX AND SOLSTICE PAPER) in the Doctors pocket. A blood trail leads down the tunnel where DR. Grueber seems to have dragged himself along before succumbing to his wounds. O’Leary notices the gore on the fellow’s hand seems to have come from another source than his own wounds,  and a strange idea springs to his mind. Rushing over to the fallen BloodGuard, O’Grady begins to run his hands over the corpse, then he exclaims “FOUND IT!”. Pulling out his knife, he slits open the BloodGuards chest and pries something loose that is embedded into the breastbone… a rainbow hued crystal chit. Virginia cries out at the violent gusto at which O’Leary had sliced away.  Grinning strangely, O’Darby heads past a slot in the floor, exiting the chamber to follow a tunnel that leads into the hillside, under the Gilgal Refaim ruins. As he disappears into the gloom, switching on the lamp he is holding, a slab of steel starts to rise from the slot in the floor. Frost, Lars and Virginia look at each other, then leap over the rising steel slab and follow O’Leary into the tunnel.

The sides are smooth and the tunnel seems to be a new excavation hewn into the living rock. The end of the 600 or so foot long tunnel (which runs along the  33.33 degree north parallel, obviously) opens into a huge 6 pointed star shaped room approximately 600 feet from star-point to star-point. The floors, walls and ceiling are of a highly polished black material. , and each point of the star has a large, colored mosaic triangle in the center of it. Upon close inspection of the central area , it is noticed that the floor there actually seems to be clear, perhaps glass or crystal, though all the heroes see through it is the darkness below. Lars shines a spot-light from the military compound downward, and they see the sides of a shaft below,  with  platforms spiraling downward that resemble the mosaics that make up the points of the star in the room they are now in. Each platform is colored the same as the mosaic  directly above it.  The ceiling  extends some 100 feet overhead into the darkness, ending in a dome. When the spotlight is shown upward, (THE MURAL) is seen above, painted on the domed ceiling. Our heroes notice that when one of the triangle “mosaics” located upon the star points is stood upon by O’Leary, they illuminate, each one in its color, and a Nephilim Symbol appears in the center of the triangle, with 3 different, smaller ones on its corners. A little experimentation reveals that whoever is in possession of the rainbow hued crystal, will illuminate all the mosaics when standing on them. But the Brown crystal only illuminates the Brown triangle mosaic. Frost investigates the brown crystal chit, finally shining a light through it to see the (BROWN CRYSTAL CHIT HIDDEN MARKINGS) A little further investigations show that 4 of the central markings  match up with the symbols representing the 4 watchers from the 4 previous sites , and the markings within the brown crystal match up with Azak’Ael, from the first site on Kelpart island. At this point, our heroes are tired beyond belief, and after determining that they cannot re-open the outer rising steel door, they decide to camp just within it, in case it re-opens on it’s own. “Hmmm, the size of this complex is suitable for giants exclaims Virginia”, after they are set for the night. When questioned about it, she tells the other 3 that Gilgal Refaim actually means “ Circle of the Giants”

Storyline 3: (Secret of the Star Chamber) In the morning, they make their way back to the star chamber, as the doors haven’t re-opened. Virginia determines from the papers that they pillaged from the Nazi commanders desk that the doors open only on the solstices, which could bode ill for our band of adventurers. After 6 hours of fruitlessly searching the chamber, our heroes sit down to eat and converse. After a while, they hear a loud pop and turn to investigate. Bullets erupt from the far end of the room and a Red clad Bloodguard is advancing on them, spraying bullets as he comes. Diving behind their gear, the heroes return fire, finally felling the evil thing. O’Grisly sets about his grotesque task of recovering yet another crystal chit from the fallen foes breastbone, this time,  a red one. After bandaging a few minor wounds they received in the engagement, the 4 look about, trying to discover where the Bloodguard came from. They can find no hidden door in the rooms outer walls,  and are scratching their heads in frustration when Lars, now in possession of the brown hued crystal, suddenly remembers what Dr. Grueber had said to him the day before. Ergo; “Speak…’Ael Names”. He blurts out “Aels are Watchers!” Pulling out some of his notes whereon he has written down the names of the 7 Watchers,  he selects a  mosaic at random, which just happens to be the red one. He stands upon it and begins speaking the names of the Watchers. Nothing seems to happen though, and he moves to the brown colored star point. Again he goes through his list of Watcher names with nothing happening. He moves from the center of the star point to one of the smaller symbols in the corner of the large mosaic. When he says the name Azk’Ael, the room flashes and a loud POP is heard. Virginia screams as Lars seems to have vaporized right before her eyes.  Lars experiences something different.  The room changes before his eyes, unfortunately his friends have disappeared. Lars quickly scans the room and decides that it isn’t vaporization, it is teleportation;  he has been teleported to another  room. The room is a 6 pointed star the same size as the previous , but it is situated inside a hexagon. In the center of the star, a dark shaft extending downwards. A smallish hexagon shaped (MONOLITH)  floats in the center of the shaft, hanging unsupported in the air. Not wanting to go it alone, Lars goes after his 3 companions. A little experimentation with the symbols in the corners of the brown teleportation triangle, using the Nephilim name he previously used, returns him back to the chamber where his friends are greatly relieved to see him. After not a little explanation, followed by discussion, they all agree that their way forward is in Lars capable hands. Together with all their gear, they step on the red mosaics corner that Lars indicates, and speaking the name of the watcher Azk’Ael they await what happens, dubiously. Their ears pop and dizziness overcomes them. When their heads clear, they find that the room has changed dramatically, and they have all appeared in the chamber that Lars discovered earlier.

After the four heroes recover their composure and get their bearings, the place comes into focus. Lars seems to have been unaffected by the teleportation for some reason unknown to the other 3. A star similar to the 1 in the previous chamber covers the floor, the room is shaped a little differently, though and they set about exploring the room. The floating monolith has  a 6 pointed star graven into it’s top and is too far to reach easily. After O’Henry shines his light upward, they discover that the dark shaft extends upwards, and a device that seems to be a large version of the amulet that Frost destroyed, is situated high above within the shaft.  (EYE OF SEMIHAZ’AEL)  Frost notices that one of the sigils on the 3 corners of each star point is different from the ones in the previous room. Lars postulates that from his experimentation, he thinks that the different symbols lead to different rooms, and the names of the watchers match up with each teleporter. Also The colored crystals only work the color matching teleporter. “What about this one?” Interjects  O’Smiley. Holding up the rainbow colored crystal. “I don’t know.” Replies Lars, “But lets find out!”

[Wraith]

I am going to finish up the writeups before I get back to organizing the Modules. I hope you folks are patient!

I already have the 3 chapters following this one written up, so once I finish with Gilgal Refaim, the other ones will come in short order.

[Wraith]

(Brown Sector) HANDOUTS AND CLUES ARE IN CAPS AND BRACKETS:, AS USUAL

Holding the Brown Crystal, Lars leads the heroes to stand on a different symbol on the corner of the brown mosaic. He repeats the name Azk’Ael, and the earth shifts yet again to deposit the 4 on another platform. The place where they stand seems to be a twin of the brown star point, though there are no other star points, only the central shaft. Frost consults his trusty compass for bearings before pointing out that far down the shaft is the great “Eye”, and spiraling upward and downward are more platforms, representing the 6 different colors from the original star shaped room. There are  2 arched doorways leading to the north and west. O’Darby covers the westward arch while the other 3 move to the northward opening and peer through to see a room filled with electrical equipment of dubious origin.  O’Darby signals the all clear from where he is looking through the Western arch.  Frost, Virginia and Lars proceed through the northern arch and start looking about. “What the!” they are surprised by none other than Sergeant Erde, wearing the same brown duds that he had on at the Earth site back on Kelpart Island. Erde goes for his Broomhandle mauser, but it hangs up in the holster. Our heroes, already having their guns out, blaze away. Erde is hit, and dives behind a console. Lars dives beside the console and fires, then signals the other 2, for Erde was already dead, prior to Lar’s shot. O’Funky comes running,  his pistol at the ready, calling for a SITREP. Searching through Erde’s lab coat pockets, they find a large, brown, metal triangle (BROWN TESSERA) with an eye emblazoned upon it.  They continue through the room, finding more equipment of a biological nature, along with a large statue (EARTH STATUE) resembling a lion headed angel. In the room are huge vats, filed with simi-liquid matter that is being pumped through 6 large pipes into the floor.  Moving in a counter-clockwise fashion they exit an arch to end at the brown teleporter platform where they started.

Lars directs his 3 compatriots back onto the same symbol on the teleporter before he speaks the name Azk’Ae. The teleporter energizes, taking them to yet another platform that resembles the 1 they just left. Determining the level to be laid out as the one they just explored, they advance guns at the ready, again counterclockwise, ready for anything. The find a  (Hiding Scientist 2*).  The scientist is a lunatic, but his ravings seem to contain something of use. It seems that if a man enters into the open eye, he will go insane. Frost postulates that the  “EYE” obviously refers to the strange “Gates” that appear at each site wherein the ‘Aels can manifest to their minions… and if madness ensues upon entering…perhaps mortals cannot travel by them. Further exploration reveals a lab area with strange experiments and embryonic creatures in jars and  a furnace wherein biological matter can be disposed of.  (FLAMETHROWER  for bio disposal) Having found nothing more of use, and deciding that the raving scientist would only give them away, the 4 dispose of the atrocities, leave the man behind and return to the teleporter to travel to their next destination. Another area similar to the last 1 greets them as they res back into existence. Moving more quickly through this level, which also seems to be a  laboratory  of sorts, they discover test tube and petri dish experiments, more basic than the experiments in the last area. On a desk, Lars discovers a (SCIENTIFIC TABLE) that shows the basic elements. Our heroes determine that  experiments at the molecular level are taking place here. As they complete the circuit, they discover (Hiding Scientist 1*), underneath a lab table. The man is going into convulsions and frothing at the mouth. He tries to communicate, but dies before he can make himself understood. More searching reveals another corpse, as they return to the teleporter. As they stand on the teleporter, a cry sounds from up the shaft. “No, NO!...AAAHHHHhhhhhhhh!” Another scientist, clad in a brown coat, arches outward from overhead into the well, arms flailing, to fall downward, his screams echoing off the walls of the shaft. A wet crunch follows as he hits the floating platform , far below, then, slipping over the edge, he disappears into the darkness beyond.

 Reloading their firearms and  preparing to fire, the 4 heroes teleport to the next level, ready for anything. The teleporter room is empty, so Lars, Virginia and Frost head for the right archway, O’Leary heads for the left.  Lars leaps back and puts a finger to his lips, silencing the other 2. A brown clad Bloodguard is pacing the area, which seems to be a security room.. Some desks and cabinets are arranged around the place, as is a large cabinet that is sheathed in steel. O’Leary sees a squatting Bloodguard gnawing on the  arm that has been torn from a still living Lab assistant, who is trying to crawl away in a trail of his own blood.  A signal from O’Leary informs the others that another guard is in the westward room that he is covering. The 4 decide to charge them simultaneously. Lars pairs up with Virginia, and O’Darby with Frost. Frost gives the signal and the 4 charge through the 2 archways, firing as they run. Surprised, both Bloodguard try to return fire, the feeding one throws the arm he is eating first,  but they both go  down before they can inflict any casualties. “These Brown  Bloodguard seem to have run amok” States O’Sammy. “I don’t remember them being so barbaric before. “A quick circuit of the level reveals another brown clad  (BLOODGUARD ON A LAB TABLE), with his chest cut open. He has been dead a day or two, and they surmise that Dr.Grueber had removed the brown Crystal chit from this guard before trying to escape the complex.  The rooms where they killed the 2 BloodGuard hold 2 security lockers that O’Gradey picks. Inside 1 are some syringes labeled with symbols that nobody recognizes, the other holds 9mm ammunition. By this time, everyone has scavenged machineguns from the bloodguard, so they load up on the 9mm ammo. The next teleportation takes them back to the star chamber where they first entered the complex.

[Wraith]

(Grey Sector) HANDOUTS AND CLUES ARE IN CAPS AND BRACKETS:, AS USUAL

Our heroes take stock of their provisions before continuing onward. Having determined that some of the colors are matched to the colors of the 4 previous sites, Lars selects grey mosaic and they step aboard. No symbols light up though. Virginia has an idea, that they need a grey crystal to activate the grey teleporter. They don’t have a grey 1, but after some discussion, O’Leary pulls out the iridescent crystal. “Try this 1 .” He says. Lars takes the crystal and the glyphs light up. Lars than says the name of the Air Watcher, Barak’Ael, and they dematerialize, to be reconstituted on a lower grey level. The layout seems to be the same as the previous, though it is aligned differently to the compass points. They decide to make a quick run of the Grey Levels, of which there are probably 4, so they situate themselves appropriately, guns at the ready. Teleporting to sub level 1 in the Grey sector and finding nothing in the security areas to either side of the teleporter, our heroes continue counterclockwise into the large area they know to be there. There they find a Grey clad bloodguard among a room of slaughtered scientists in what looks to be living quarters. The heroes trade hot lead for a time with the Bloodguard until he succumbs to their superior firepower. After the gun battle, they find a scientist hiding under a bed.  Frost speaks to him for some time and learn that mortals will go insane if they travel through one of the EYES, as they will be exposed to “Ether” which makes up the void. Before he can tell them more, another Bloodguard bursts into their midst, and begins sweeping the company  with his machine gun. After dispatching the Bloodguard, they discover the scientist has died from a gunshot wound to the chest. They sweep the level for any more Bloodguard and finding none, they bind their wounds and search the place to find nothing of note but 2 security lockers in the security areas. O’Leary picks them and inside they find more vials of liquid and magazines for the Bloodguard’s machine guns.

Continuing to Grey sub level 2, they find it to be a lab area with work benches filled with ongoing experiments  which seem to be of an  anti-gravitational nature.  There is no one on this level.  Among the workbenches, Virginia discovers a (PAPYRUS FRAGMENT) in Greek that she translates. It says;  (“unto the ends of the earth thereof”). As they discuss the possible meaning of this fragment, Lars notices something in the shaft area. They make their way to the teleporter mosaic and notice a strange shimmering in the shaft that they know to be present when an EYE is energized. Peering over the edge of the niche to the great eye below, they notice that the eye is opened, and the grey fog is issuing from it. Floating above the open “eye” a figure in white converses with someone standing out of sight levels below to their left in what appears to be the white sector, due to the color of the teleporter mosaic that can just be made out. Amidst the guttural syllables of the lost tongue of the Watchers, the name Semihaz’Ael can be heard spoken by the unseen supplicant. The heroes look at each other knowingly, for that name is the name of the leader of the Watchers of old, the architect of Man’s downfall. The audience comes to an end and the vaporous figure dissolves as the eye closes. O’Stacey had been trying to get a bead on the man who had been talking to the watcher, but the fellow never came into view to offer a clear shot. Determining their search of this level to be complete, they proceed to Grey  sub levels 3 , weapons again held at the ready, with safeties off.  No Bloodguard or living persons are found on this level, but they do find another (GREY TESSERAE) metal triangle with an eye in the middle of it, that matches the Brown one found earlier. They tuck it into a rucksack along with the brown one and continue their search. The only other thing they find is a  strange (ARCHIVAL CARVING) before proceeding to the next level.

Grey sub level 4  has more interesting apparatus with 6 grey pipes running into the floor in the same manner as the brown pipes on the lower level of the Brown sector. Attached to the apparatus, control panels and graphing devices seem to display and record heart beats, breathing and similar life signs for 6 patients that have yet to be seen. Noticing that Sgt Luft is not present anywhere in the grey sector, Frost postulates that he didn’t survive the disastrous destruction of the floating city that he was named for….Or perhaps he is somewhere in the complex, adds Virginia.  She also notes it is strange that all of the gunshots and ruckus haven’t brought intervention or even seemed to get attention from many of the Bloodguard in the complex. Obviously, since the Bloodguard have been busy slaughtering any scientists, the carnage of the heroes just blended in with the background chaos. Lars brings to their attention that the screams of  victims being tossed into the well has subsided, and Now that the general slaughter has subsided, they need to watch the gunfire as it might draw unwanted attention. “The Bloodguard cant seem to leave their designated sector”, Frost speculates, “but can all go to the top most level…the star chamber as it were.” The heroes decide not to go to the top level unless completely necessary, as they are pretty beat up by now and determine that they may not be able to withstand the results of another gunfight.

[Wraith]

Moving along;

I have the chapter 2 module reorganization complete, and as soon as I can figure out how to convert it to a PDF, I will send it out to the previously interested parties who received chapter 1, which I can resend after converting to PDF also, if desired.

Anyone else interested just chime in and I will get you on the distribution list.

[Wraith]

Sent it out, let me know if you asked to be on the list and didnt get it.

Johnny C

[matakishi]

I got it, thanks very much, I appreciate all the effort you go to with this 

[Wraith]

I am finished with the chapter 3 module and most of the chapter 4 module.

I will get them to the folks on my list when I get back from vacation in a few weeks.

I have a group playtesting these for me in Indianapolis, and they are having a blast. The GM has dropped the ball a few times, but thats to be expected as he is also playtesting my ASAP rules for this campaign.

later all,

Wraith

[Wraith]

Hey all,

I am actually working on chapter 5 (FEUER) now, but I havent sent out chapter 4 (WASSER) since the file size exceeds what my e-mail will do.

Since each chapter is really divided into sub chapters of a sort, I may just break them up that way.

On a related topic, I am no professional mind you, but IMHO the quality of my handouts has been getting better, (or perhaps just more elaborate) and so that is the reason for the increase in file size.

More later, including perhaps more of the storyline 

Wraith

[Wraith]

Chapter 4 just went out to previously interested parties...in 4 e-mails, mind you,  due to max file size I can send.

Tell me what you think.

Wraith

[Wraith]

Ok, back to the storyline...finally. This is a quick recap as  I seem to have lost the real writeup of the rest of this chapter. full writeups of the following chapters are forthcoming.


They teleport to the lowest level, the 1 holding the floating monolith,  since they think they can access all the different colored sectors from there and they may avoid being surprised by Bloodguard in the star-chamber as they had previously been.  Choosing the red sector next, they jump aboard the red teleporter and  pronouncing the name Armak’Ael , they rez out of existence.

 (Red Sector)  Re-materializing in the red sector, sub level 4, our heroes immediately fall into a defensive position before making the rounds of the  level. The layout is the same as the previous sectors, with 4 sublevels of the standard floor plan. In addition to the usual slaughtered scientists and workers, Sub level 4 holds a generator of some sort, with its 6 pipes leading into the floor along with  associated control equipment. The hum of electrical current can be heard passing through those pipes. Frost notices a (WARNING SIGN) on the generator that O’Malley determines to be some kind of reactor. Rounding the corner, they surprise and engage a BloodGuard who had been flaying a poor scientist. Superior firepower prevails, but the scientist is beyond help. Unfortunately, some stray rounds have damaged the reactor and larger equipment in the area and the power flickers for a few moments. Moving on to sub level 3, which holds offices and labs,  O’Henry discovers a (POPULAR ELECTRICS MAGAZINE) but nothing else of note. They finish their search and teleport to sub-level 2. here are more abandoned labs where they discover an (ATOM DRAWING) and a (HANDHELD METER) The meter ticks and registers when held up to some rock samples near it. Moving on to Sub-level 1, they discover the corpse of Sgt. Feuer from the Volcano site in an office converted to a medical facility. He seems to have succumbed to gunshot wounds that had never properly healed. On his person, they find the (RED TESSERAE)  After a fruitless search, they  load up on ammunition from the security cabinets before teleporting to the monolith room and proceeding to the next color coded sector.

 (Blue Sector) Materializing in sub level  4 of  the Blue sector, they again take defensive positions. Finding nobody around, our heroes make their way around the rooms. Large machineries fill the place, along with the ubiquitous 6 pipes running into the floor, these are carrying strange fluids to who knows where. Finding nothing else of note, they teleport to sub level 3 where they find labs containing various chemical experiments. Fooling around with some chemicals and searching the alembics and beakers, Lars discovers a type of (MOLECULAR ACID) that seems to eat through anything, except the strange beaker that holds it. Finding a stopper of similar material, he plugs the beaker and places it in his pack,  deciding it may be of use later.  After teleporting to  sub-level 2, Frost notices that the occasional scream of victims has diminished, boding ill for the remaining scientist population of the complex. A search of the labs reveals nothing of import other than a (MOLECULE MODEL), so they decide to move on. The labs of level  1 are empty except for the  (BLUE TESSERA) that they find locked in the security locker after O’Malley deftly picks the lock.

(Black sector) Teleporting to and quickly moving through sub level 4 of the Black sector, our heroes discover it to be abandoned of the living, but peopled by 7 foot tall copies of the sergeants in glass capsules. Each capsule has 5 colored pipes running into them that match the pipes that the saw running into the floor in the previous levels. On the tables, they find A (SPIRAL MODEL) That Lars proclaims to be DNA. On the wall is a large (STONE CARVING) . Virginia, who has remained quiet for some time, begins unhooking the pipes and equipment from the artificial “wombs”. As she does, the others join in until all the clones are flopping in their glass capsules. Alarms sound from the electronic monitoring equipment and not being able to turn them off, O’Malley sprays the console with gunfire until the alarms cease. Moving to sub level 3, they discover pretty much the same setup, but in the capsules are smaller sized clones of Bloodguard visage. A quick reconnoiter  turns up a  (BLACK TESSERA). Another disconnecting of equipment begins and Virginia turns off the alarms with a smirk at O’Malley. a turning off of the alarms follows.. Further searching reveals nothing of note, though a foreboding begins to overtake the group of heroes..  Moving to Sub level 3, they discover a  control room that overlooks a bay of cages. In the control room they find (CHROMOSOME NOTES)  and a (BATCH LIST) that describes different “batches” of clones and their associated physical and mental features. Moving to the cage area they find all manner of twisted men, ranging in size from 4 feet to an amazing 20 foot behemoth. A closer look reveals that the monstrosities have similar features as the Bloodguards and the Sergeants. Frost postulates that these are failed experiments in genetic manipulation. The power flickers again and Lars suggests they continue on before the power goes out for good. As O’Malley teases one of the creatures, the power shuts down, a few emergency lights come on, followed by the ominous sound of the electric locks on the cages disengaging. Twisted forms leap upon the heroes as they try to get back to the control room. Firing left and right, the heroes form a defensive circle and empty their weapons. Frost’s Thompson SMG jams and he tosses it aside, drawing his Webbly revolver to continue the fight. O’Malley successfully makes it to the control room and climbs on top of the control panel to begin laying down a spray of covering fire. Virginia is down, with a Clone gnawing on her outstretched arm. Lars kicks the monster off and helps the woman to her feet as the 3 wade through clawing and flailing man flesh to where O’Malley is holed up.  They make it to safety and jamb the door shut, piling equipment in front of it.  Determining the makeshift barrier to be secure, the group checks for wounds and bandages up the bite and claw marks. Luckily, they have escaped pretty much unscathed. After a rest and quick meal, they move on the level 1 where they find row upon row of preserved, twisted bodies in formaldehyde. The power finally comes back on as the auxiliary generator kicks in.

[Wraith]

(White sector)) Moving on to the White sector, sub level 4, The heroes discover a chair with headgear that is attached to a large device with lights and a turntable. In a nearby cabinet is an organized file of vinyl records. Erected in front of the device is a large (MARBLE STATUE). After fiddling around with the equipment and trying out the chair, it is discovered that the device records the memories and thoughts of the wearer of the headgear. Frost deduces that it could also possibly be used to implant thoughts and memories. Virginia points out the colored pipes running into the floor and thinks that since the artificial wombs had pipes going into them, that they were supplied with “building blocks” from the different levels. In this case, the clones may have been programmed with the thoughts of whoever uses the chair. Afraid of the ramifications of implanting thoughts, they decide not to try it, as they don’t know what the person receiving the implant would do afterwards. Removing the needle from the turntable and destroying the rest of the needles in the parts cabinet, the group moves on to sub level 3. Various brains float in jars here, some of them hooked up to devices of dubious nature. One brain, has eyes still attached that look at the heroes as they pass by. A large (DNA MODEL) sits on the table among the brains. Obviously, experiments on the nature of brain matter and intelligence goes on in this lab. They teleport to sub level 2 which turns out to be artifact storage and archives. Strange items fill the place including the  undecipherable (SECRETS OF LIFE TABLETS). Afterwards, they explore sub level 1, and discover it to be a well appointed office and library. On the wall next to the ornate desk is a (MAXIMUS THRAX PAINTING). In the desk, they discover a tome that is a (GENEOLOGICAL STUDY). In the tome is a (THRAX BOOKMARK), marking a section that traces the lineage from King Og of Bashan to Ivan Draganov X.  Putting 2 and 2 together, Lars and Frost realize that the genealogical studies they have found, along with the name change in Neph’s flat in Jerusalem, along with the biblical records, trace Liam Neph’s ancestry right back to King Og of the Old testament…Liam Neph is descended from Nephilim!, and this is Neph’s office! Meanwhile Virginia has found a safe behind the painting and O’Malley has opened it to find a (WHITE TESSERA)  Just then, they hear the buzz of the teleporter and are surprised by 2 Bloodguard and another Sergeant wearing white. A firefight ensues with everyone taking wounds before the first Bloodguard is taken down. Neph is hit in the shoulder, and retreats to a room that the heroes have yet to explore. It takes 15 minutes to down the last Bloodguard and  Frost, who is the least injured and most mobile, advances on the room where Neph has disappeared into. A loud clanking  machinery resounds through the place as a mechanical man rounds the corner. Frost fills the air with hot lead as he screams for backup. Pinned against the wall, he is swatted aside as a fly by the mechanical thing. He slides across the floor into the next room where Lars, Virginia and O’Leary gape. As the thing rounds the corner, they open fire, but their bullets ricochet off. As the robot looms closer, a face can be seen behind the glass faceplate. The mechanical man is actually an (ARMORED SUIT), and the occupant is Liam Neph! Shooting and dodging ensues until Lars is cut off with his back is to the central well. He cannot use the teleporter because Frost has the iridescent crystal chit at the moment.  Thinking fast, he unstoppers the molecular acid and splashes it across the face of the approaching armored Neph. The metal hisses and the occupant screams, but still grabs Lars and raises him to toss him over the edge. Upside down with his arms pinned, all Lars can do is spill the remaining acid onto the leg of the metal monstrosity and try to hang on. Liam Neph tosses Lars over the edge where he falls screaming to land on the huge (EYE OF SEMIHAZ’Ael) that is floating a few levels below; The fall has knocked him unconscious. Meanwhile the others have begun poring round after round into the armored thing, targeting the leg that seems to be melting away. Eventually, the leg can no longer sustain the weight and gives way. Liam Neph falls over the edge and hits the eye, bouncing and sliding toward the edge. As the faceplate and remainder of the leg of Liam’s Armored suits hisses and pops, he totters on the brink, trying to right himself. Lars, having come around, gets to his feet and rushes forward, crashing into the suit with all the force he can muster. Liam topples over the edge, into the blackness of the central well. Lars listens for a crash, but hears nothing. With Liam Neph lost in the depths and the Bloodguard seemingly wiped out. They continue to explore the place at their leisure. Checking the main door down the long tunnel outside the star chamber, they find it closed with no means of egress; it looks like they are trapped until the next equinox…or solstice.

[matakishi]

This really is excellent stuff.

[Wraith]

Thanks.
Its hard for readers to grasp the full scope of the thing, as the readers dont see the (CLUES), just know that the players found them.
Of course, those that have asked for and received the modules... .

I think as I rework this chapter though, I will try to   streamline it, it is really monotonous  going through all the sub levels just to make a point that the players probally won't notice anyways

Wraith

[Wraith]

(Habitation) Further searching through the library turns up a (LARGE CRYSTAL KEY), and their  continued explorations eventually takes them back to the level with the floating monolith. Frost notices that there seems to be lights on top of the monolith that they did not notice previously, so getting a running start, he leaps from the side of the central well onto the top of the monolith. The monolith has the ubiquitous 6 pointed star inlet into the top of it that is glowing. A light goes on in the head of Grayson Frost and he thinks this may be a way to open the main door or find a way of escape. He pulls out the colored triangle tessera that he has and lays it into one of the  triangles that make up the star on the altar. It fits, but nothing happens. He moves it to another spot, and with a snap, it clicks into place. Gathering up the different colored triangle tessera from the other 3 heroes, he sets them into the spots facing their prospective compass points matching the colors of the rooms in the complex...until they all click into place. When he finally inserts the large crystal key into the center, the EYE floating the next level up energizes, shooting a beam of light up the length of the central well. “What is in that level, Lars?”, Asks Frost, pointing up to the level where floats the huge Eye device. “You were the only one of us that was there.” “Nothing but some steel tracks of the sort used for mining carts, and the large eye…or whatever it is called.” Answers Lars. “Well something is going on up there.” Interjects O’Malley, “We better check it out!”

They teleport to the next level and everyone except Lars hears these cryptic words inside their heads: ( “Tremble all creation , for I am Semihaz-Ael, thy lord and master.”) After they recover, they see that the eye is opened and the beam of light is somehow… foggy. Examining the tracks reveals that there are 6 tracks leading from the central well toward the six cardinal points of the room, abruptly ending at the walls. A close look shows there to be doors of a sort that the tracks go under, but they can not find a way to open the doors. The humming increases to a fevered pitch and Virginia screams. As the 3 men turn to see what Virginia is pointing at, they see the 6 robed watchers manifest in the beam of fog/light that emanates upward from the Eye of Semihaz’Ael. As the Watchers begin chanting a eerie hymn the walls of the room begin to move, pivoting upward to reveal the tracks disappearing into the darkness beyond. As the heroes look on, movement can be seen in the depths of the dark rooms as something begins moving along each track toward the central well. Leaving Lars and Virginia to watch the Watchers, Frost and O’Leary sprint into the darkness to investigate the railcars. Using the battery operated lamp that he had stashed in his pack, Frost illuminates the railcar. In horror, he sees that the railcar is a artificial womb of gigantic proportions, and inside is a perfectly formed, 25 foot long body! “We have to stop these!” Frost yells to O’Leary, “If they get to the eye beam, the Watchers will possess these bodies!” They begin in earnest to try and jam the car or destroy its motor mechanisms but cannot bring it to a halt. Sprinting back into the main chamber, they see that wombs are entering the main room along all 6 tracks. A quick idea from Lars has the 4 heroes unslinging their rifles, they aim under the eye to the floating monolith below it, unloading their firearms into the crystals Frost had inserted into the star shaped depressions. The crystal tesserae shatter in an explosion of colorful light and the progress of the wombs grind to a halt. The watchers curse and rail at the 4 adventurers, vowing revenge, but they can not reach beyond the beam of light coming from the eye. The next hour is tense, as Virginia, Frost, Lars wait for something to happen, O’Leary explores the darkness beyond the tracks to find seemingly endless caverns filled with thousands upon thousands of the artificial wombs and bodies, though they are of the 12 foot variety only. Meanwhile, Virginia has worked out the mathematics of the  prophecies and discovers that 1937 is the year that the <new habitations> for the spirits of the Nephilim and the Watchers will be found. Having returned and told the others about what he has found, O’Leary shivers, remembering that there were thousands upon thousands of Nephilim before the flood. “These bodies are the habitations mentioned in the ancient documents!” He Stutters. Fortunately, the destruction of the machineries in the fourth sub levels of the different sectors has disrupted the flow of mental, biological and electrical forces to the artificial wombs. Due to that fact, the remaining Nephilim bodies were already curling and stiffening in the rictor of death.

After the destruction of the  Nephilim bodies and the machineries that birthed them, our heroes do a full out cleansing of the place, slaying any monstrosity that survives, as they gather up supplies and foodstuffs for what seems to be a protracted stay. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a scientist remaining alive to reveal the mysteries of this place. 3 months pass before the  steel door that leads out of the complex opens. The rag-tag four that exit the complex  are haggard and emotionally exhausted  form their stay, and what they have learned from it. They each decide to retire to private life and meditate on their lives and future.