Episode 24 : Dicing With Shaam
 

We make our way into the chamber and heal those in need of healing. As we look about the chamber Aristotle says, "Well, I don't think that we should really touch a thing here. This is all Shaam's treasure rather than a Dragon's hoard. I believe that something very unpleasant would happen if we tried to take anything from here without Shaam's permission.". The eyes of the statues glowed brighter as if in acknowledgment. We do some window shopping anyhow while we are here. We find that there is every conceivable weapon up to +25% here. There are also a number of artefacts. The Statue of Lumina keeps crying out to Stefan, "Help me, help me, take me out of here.". In the weapon's room there is Dragon's Headed Warhammer which is a weapon that is dedicated to Axraam. There is a Statue of Axraam. There is the Dragon slaying spear and a sword of unknown power. We hold the Helm of Dragon Control. Gabriel Von Hendlebrodt holds a silver bow with Dragon slaying arrow.

Whatever we wish to take we can only do so with Shaam's permission. Below the other statue of Shaam is another room, the gaming room. All who enter, even as a group, enter alone. There is nothing in the room save a block of stone. We discover that by entering with some item from the hoard we can dice with Shaam for possession of the item.

Wilhelm Schults grabs the Warhammer with the Dragon shaped head. He enters the room. Dice appear on the stone and a voice states, "Do you risk your life for this weapon?". Wilhelm Schults replies, "Yes.". The voice says, "Then roll, if you win the weapon is yours, if you fail your life is mine.", with that Wilhelm Schults picks up the dice and rolls. The voice comes again, "The weapon is yours.". Wilhelm Schults leaves the room. Wilhelm Schults prays before the statue of Axraam and cuts his hand in the ceremonial way. "I bring this item back into the world.". Wilhelm Schults knows the weapon, it's name is "Dragon's Bane.", it is +30, and additionally does A impact criticals, is holy verses winged creatures, and will allow itself to be the only weapon used by the wielder. "A fair cop.", states Wilhelm Schults.

Werner Faßenberg notices that the Statue of Axraam to which Wilhelm Schults has been praying presents a slight glow which only Werner Faßenberg seems to notice. He lowers his head knowing full well that the statue wants out of here too.

Yiros Fetta Uzo sorts through the various articles he can use and discovers amongst the hoard a robe, which acts as armour, can bladeturn, and makes the wearer more difficult to hit. He takes this into the gaming room. Again the dice appear. The challenge is made, the dice are rolled, and the gambler walks away with his prize.

{He who goes unnamed} sorts through the treasure and recovers the magical braces he saw earlier on just before the fight. He also uncovers the Lord Mage's Staff. {He who goes unnamed} ponders then takes the braces and the cold white longsword of the sorceress into the gaming room. {He who goes unnamed} asks do you do swaps. The voice says, "Agreed, take the braces and leave.". {He who goes unnamed} leaves the room, puts on the braces and tosses the cold white longsword amongst the piles of gold.

Stefan takes the Statue of Lumina into the gaming room along with the Staff of the Sorceress. Stefan says, "Well, if you do swaps, are these a fair trade?". The voice says, "Agreed, take the Statue and leave.". He tosses the staff into the piles of gold.

Aristotle enters the gaming room and takes with him the Helm of Dragon Control. He rolls the dice and is successful. Gabriel Von Hendlebrodt enters the gaming room and takes with him the silver bow and the dragon slaying arrows, these are accepted as one item. Gabriel Von Hendlebrodt rolls the dice, he too is successful and exits the gaming room. No further swaps or rolls are made. We have already pressed our luck too far and to stay much longer will only draw the wraith of Shaam.

Aristotle says, "Well, if everyone has diced with death or done their swaps, I think it is time to leave before the patience of Shaam wears thin. I need this pentangle cleared of everything. I want to see nothing inside or on the lines, not even one gold coin.", we begin the long process of clearing the pentangle of the piles of gold and other objects. This process takes us several hours to fully complete. We carefully check there is not a single stray coin anywhere inside the pentagram. We also check all our clothing and items to make sure we have not inadvertently taken something from Shaam's treasure, lest we face the direst of consequences when we come to leave.

We all stand in the pentangle with our possessions and prepare to leave. Aristotle says that he will activate the pentangle and send us all back to the Maguskôl on our plane. Aristotle begins the spell, it takes a round to build up power, mists of magic begin to swirl. The eyes of the statues of Shaam glow brighter. Aristotle says the command word, there is a flash of brightness all around us. We see Aristotle bathed in light which streaks from the eyes of the statues of Shaam. He cries out in pain, then we are gone.

 

 
(c) 2000 Hammerstein Rolemaster Campaign Journal by Ross Stopford  
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