Chapter Five: The Lost Valley of Hutaaka

The party manages to bypass the cunningly crafted guardians of the gates of the Valley, and
for the first time in generations outsiders set foot on Hutaakan soil. An ancient road descends
gently into the valley floor. The solitude of the place is eerie. Ornate but neglected shrines
and broken fountains punctuate the barren landscape, while distant, ungodly howls
sporadically pierce the heavy wall of silence that envelops this place. After a time, a scene of
carnage greets the party: a skirmish between several Traldar and long-limbed, shrouded and
masked men reminiscent of the Nithians of antiquity. While the party picks through the
remains, a small company of Traldar arrives, and accusations of murder and treachery are
levelled at the party. The tense standoff is broken by Mirkos, who, hiding in the shadows,
hurls his deadly blade at one of the men. A battle ensues, and the outsiders emerge victorious.

In subsequent weeks...
The party spends an indeterminate amount of time wandering the valley, foraging for its
meagre offerings. Ancient irrigation channels, long-since fallen into disrepair, criss-cross the
valley floor. Despite the absence of crops, vermin abound, to the exclusion of all other animal
life except the ever-present carrion birds. Everywhere are reminders of a long-departed,
glorious age, as the ravages of time take hold of all of the Hutaakans handiwork. It soon
becomes clear that the valley is inhabited by two factions: the fiercely patriarchal warrior-
tribes of Traldar, and the Hutaakan artisan-priests; the latter apparently employ animated
shabti statues and wear dog-headed masks and voluminous black robes to stave off the
corruptive influences of the former. Yet both peoples seem troubled by otherthings... and
have retreated to their respective strongholds, Ronkan and Byxata, abandoning the run-down
villages dotting the barren landscape.
A few brief, relatively peaceful meetings with the Traldar paints the Hutaakans in an evil light:
they are cruel, domineering task-masters, the Traldar claim; they built their mighty empire on
the backs of the down-trodden Traldar, whose youth were sacrificed in the fetid Pool of the
Black One. In retribution for the Traldar uprising, the Dog-men have unleashed their witchings
upon the valley every night, forcing the retreat of the clans to the fortified city of Ronkan, at
the head of the pass to the Hutaakans temple, which was duly sacked by the rebellious thralls.

Mirkos manages to penetrate the Hutaakan

stronghold of Byxata, where he is witness to a
strange sight; a priestess leads her acolytes in an
elaborate ritual culminating in the sudden
appearance of succulent globes of fruit, plucked
seemingly from the air, and distributed to the
ravenous assemblage. Entering one of the rock-
cut dwellings Mirkos begins his well-practiced
pilfering, during the course of which he notices a
wall-niche, stacked neatly with shabti statues:
perfectly-formed sculptures of men, each
unique, approximately half a cubit long, and
carved of a strange, bone-like substance. Mirkos takes it upon himself to set up a trap for the
dwellings inhabitants, hoping to cause the destruction of these statues. He loosens the
shelving in the niche, but in the process, drops one of the shabti, which shatters on the hard
stone floor. Anxious that he will be discovered, he makes to hide, but senses a
malevolentpresencein the room, as the incorporeal, anguished and enraged form of a
man1 rises momentarily from the broken figurine. Mirkos beats a hasty retreat, and the party
turns away from Byxata for the moment.

Meanwhile, Rathbone struggles to contain the bestial side of his nature, and is driven to
increasingly frequent bouts of bloodlust and rage, much to Mirkos consternation and
Qamun-wadis fascination.

An Uncivil Meeting
Finally, it is decided to make overtures to the Traldar leadership. The party is escorted, under
armed guard, to the Traldar stronghold, Ronkan. A taciturn Guri-Ben-Kaal, Paramount Chief
of all Traldar nations (such as they are after generations of fighting) eyes the party
suspiciously, as Qamun-wadi (or rather, Kamenwati, in the Nithian rendering) offers
assistance against the hated dog-faced enemies of the Traldar. An untimely and ill-advised
boast by Rathbone moves the Paramount Chief to issue a challenge. He strips down to
brightly-coloured breeches, and prepares to take on the upstart. Rathbone disarms, but,
curiously, leaves his wolf-skin cloak on, and attempts to blindside the Chief.

Rathbones dirty tricks are countered by the seasoned warrior, who has him pinned and
defenceless, but Rathbones rage builds, and a change is effected, startling Guri-Ben-Kaal.
Cries of sorcery issue from the gathered throng, as spear and axe is taken up. Just then a

1Treat as Servile Ghost (Open Grave, p 150)

putrid plague of buboes, boils and haemorrhoids spreads among the Traldar, thanks to
Kamenwatis sorcery,2 and in the confusion Rathbone proves victorious.

Meanwhile, Mirkos has freed a number of beaten, dishevelled, and mute Traldar women,
whose panicked screams only add to the chaos.3 During the partys flight, Mirkos is sorely
wounded, and it is only through the sorcerers intervention that he yet lives. The party flees
the now-cursed Ronkan, driven towards the accursed Temple precincts of the Hutaakans,
having abandoned considerable treasures in its hasty retreat.4 The Paramount Chiefs severed
head, at least, hangs lifelessly at Kamenwatis side.

The party makes good progress down the mile and-a-half-long processional way to the
Temple precinct. In an act of malice, the lupine Rathbone infects the wounds of the
unconscious Mirkos,5 as the latter is carried in the unliving arms of a fallen Traldar warrior
animated for this purpose by Kamenwati. Mirkos, on waking, is horrified as he takes in the
full significance of the situation in which he finds himself Kamenwati notes Rathbones evil
act impassively, discharges the animated warrior-corpse of its duties, and turns his attention
to the faded murals depicting scenes of Hutaakas past which line the processional way. The
most intriguing scene is the calling forth of an entity, described as the (Black) One from
beyond an otherworldly realm, which ushers in a glorious age of wonder, peace, and
prosperity for the now jackal-headed Hutaakans and their Traldar charges.

As the light fails, the large rock-cut temple comes into view, some 500 yards ahead. Loping
ahead, Rathbone detects only the scent of fear and the sweet, lingering stench of decay.
Unearthly howls of malice and despair contrast sharply with stillness of the place. Mirkos
recoils at the sound of those horrible, yet familiar, screams, but steels himself, as the lure of
temple treasures proves too great. At the Temple gates, it has become apparent that
crumbling ruins bronze-bound doors have been defaced, crude Traldar warnings scratched
into the soft metal. Mirkos spots a broken section in the temples half-domed copper roof,
the green patina lending an eerie glow. He musters his remaining strength, and climbs the
ancient walls, to the temples roof, managing to just duck out of the way as four disembodied,
shadowy figures6 launch out of the domes hole and take flight.

One of the shadows veers off, having detected the presence of Rathbone and Kamenwati. The
sorcerer is the first one attacked. He reels from the chilling psychic assault, before the

2 Contagion daily spell, Warlock (Dark) Attack 1

3 women are considered little better than animals amongst the Traldar, their tongues cut out at an early age,
as an act of defiance towards the matriarchal Hutaakans
4 the Hutaakan and Traldar artefacts go unplundered, and Rathbone was forced to abandon his sword,

shield, bow, armour, and other items of value in his hasty flight
5 Treat as a virulent form of Moon Frenzy (Monster Manual p.181). Until the next Full Moon, Mirkoss

condition will remain unchanged. Thereafter there is no chance to improve; his condition can only
deteriorate. His only hope to avoid this horrible fate is to have the curse lifted before the next full moon

6 Treat as Spectres (Monster Manual p.244)

shadow-spirit turns on Rathbone, striking in rapid succession. Kamenwati takes the
opportunity to ascend the temples rough-hewn walls with the assistance of Mirkos, while
Rathbone, feeling helpless against the ghostly apparition, and already feeling his resolve
flagging, sprints towards Ronkan, driven by his avarice, hoping to recover his enchanted
blade.

Kamenwati and Mirkos, perched on the domes narrow ledge, take the opportunity to
examine the temples interior. They see a large pit, some 10 or so feet in diameter,
surrounded by a low, broken marble wall, and a bier of wrought iron nearby, clearly used for
the lowering of sacrificial victims into the pit, all arrayed before a black altar and a bejewelled,
jade jackal-headed statue. The walls of the chamber are lined with terraced shelves, all empty,
and broken masonry (as far as can be determined from this height) litters the chambers floor.
Mirkos decides to descend into the chamber, his greedy curiosity overriding his reason
And Then There Were Two
Wolf-Rathbone lopes into the town square of Ronkan, only to find three of the shades howling
in despair, unable to enter the Traldar residences thanks to strange, blood smeared wardings
adorning the lintels of the windows and doors.7 Meanwhile, the fourth shade gives chase, still
some several hundred yards behind. Wasting no time, Rathbone picks up his own mannish
scent, and determines the location of his magickal weapons, but the ever-present threat
overrides his desire to assume Mannish form. Frustrated, he leaps through the curtained
window openings, before his presence is detected by the shadow-spirits.

Within, he surprises the groggy occupants, three Traldar warriors, whose sleep has been
disturbed by the shadows wailings. Tearing the throat out of the first, the bestial Rathbone
turns his bloodlust upon the remaining two warriors, abandoning all thought of tactical
withdrawal, despite his weakened state and his enemies superior numbers.

A mournful howl echoes across the valley floor, funnelled up the processional way to the keen
ears of Mirkos, who shudders imperceptibly. The faintest hint of a smile crosses Kamenwatis
face

The blood-soaked, naked mannish corpse of Rathbone lies sprawled on the huts flagstone
floor, surrounded by two slain Traldar. A third Traldar warrior, bloodied and bruised,
continues to drive his short spear feebly into the lifeless form, before slumping to the ground,
exhausted, but noting, with fascination, the curious wolf pelt which had fallen off Rathbones
shoulders

Meanwhile, Kamenwati and Mirkos explore the temple at their leisure. Mirkos finds time to
plunder what temple treasures remain (although his companion strongly suggests certain
items be left behind, against Mirkos natural inclination), while Kamenwati deciphers the
faded, vandalised murals depicting the glories of ancient Hutaaka. It appears at some point
early in the histories of this people, that human sacrifice was established. The honoured
victims were brought willingly to a pool of sacrifice, to live as undying servitors of the People
of Skill, transformed into life-like shabti for later animation by their masters. In time, it
appears the victims became less willing, and the Hutaakans rule over their Traldar thralls

7Made using a long-lost protective ritual, this paint affects creatures with the shadow humanoid (undead)
keywords, protecting the cottage upon which it is daubed from their passage (blast 5 area)
increasingly harsher. One particularly curious frieze depicts a polygonal chamber, quite unlike
anything thus far seen in the temple, housing a large, leather-bound book within a cage of
iron, wrapped in chains and suspended from the ceiling. Kamenwati cannot discern its
significance at this time, but its presence seems to call out to him...

Further exploration reveals the slain corpse of the High Priestess, still decked in the tattered
raiment of her high office, surrounded by the faintest hint of corruption Nearby is the
preserved corpse of a Traldar assailant. In time, the corpses of junior priests and priestesses
are discovered, along with those of the attacking warriors. Clearly this place was overrun; its
clergy cut down, its treasures plundered.

Mirkos bemoans the apparent loss of Rathbone, and fears for the affliction that will surely
overcome him. Kamenwati prognosticates the rising of the full moon in approximately 10 days
hence, adding an element of urgency to Mirkos endeavours: he wants to loot and leave this
place as soon as possible. Catacombs, robing rooms, monks cells are all given a cursory
looking over (the pool at this time is, wisely, avoided), before the wailing of spirits heralds
the impending return of the temples shadow-guardians, and the approaching dawn.

Only by bedecking himself in the mantle of the High Priestess8 can Kamenwati and Mirkos,
sticking close by, safely leave the place, relatively unmolested. Unfortunately, Mirkos is forced
to abandon the bulk of his booty.

Meanwhile, Rathbones lifeless, mutilated corpse, twitches to life, fuelled by rage and
avarice9

8 Donning the vestments gives a one-time bonus of +10 to Intimidate checks (vs the hostile spectres Will;
target 27) to keep the returning spectres at bay
9 Rathbone is reanimated as a Revenant (Heroes of Shadow p 116)

Rathbone: Revenant, ex-Human level 8 Fighter (Slayer), Mercenary Theme