A-to-Z Challenge Day 24 Omega (Ω): Omega Maiden/Man & Ovoids

Entry 24 for The Lost Catacombs of Kadmos

For information on the "dual track" encounters below, see Upsilon (Υ): The Paths of Vice & Virtue. Please note, the choice of paths was phrased in such a way as to make it ambiguous which path is the path of virtue and which path is the path of vice (from the POV of the PCs).

Omega (Ω) Encounter on PATH OF VICE Omega Maiden & Ovoids At the far end of the room, a woman in a long, shadowy gray toga sits perched on the front edge of a large stone chair, her eyes trained on the entrance to the room. As soon as she sees you at the door, she rises to her feet and raises her shoulders to speak... "I am the Omega Maiden, a caretaker of the catacombs. Kadmos has granted you each an egg of treasure. Choose the one you desire, oh hero." You survey the perimeter of the room and see two dozen doric pedestals, each topped with a simple nest of branches and twigs that cradles an egg of various proportion and color. If questioned about the eggs, she will say only the following (repeating when necessary)... "The treasures are your rewards from Kadmos for choosing this path." If questioned about the path (vice or virtue) on which the PCs find themselves, the maiden will say nothing more than suggest the PCs look to their experiences thus far and decide for themselves. If questioned about Kadmos, the maiden will simply make one of the 12 statements as the face outside the tomb (per result of 1d12; e.g., "Kadmos is the father of the alphabet.") The eggs may be touched, lifted, examined closely, etc., but will each feel light as a feather and seem "empty" (hollow). Each time a character picks up an egg, that character must roll their dexterity or lower on 3d6 or the egg will crack and thus be considered "opened" per below. The eggs may be moved from nest to nest without any repercussions (except as noted above). When a character opens or otherwise cracks an egg (on purpose or accidentally, even if not in their hands at the time), that character (and the eggshell) will immediately be teleported to a random location somewhere in a 100-mile radius of the catacombs. Once transported, that character will find the magic item (cursed) which has been granted them (per the egg they choose on the Eggs of Vice chart) laying on the ground in front of them next to the shell fragments. None of the party members will be transported to the same location as another. If anyone takes more than one egg, attempts to open more than one egg at a time (e.g., by slicing them open with a sword), or attacks the female caretaker, each member of the party will be transported to disparate locations throughout the 100-mile radius of the catacombs (as above). Omega (Ω) Encounter on PATH OF VIRTUE Omega Man & Ovoids At the far end of the room, a man in a gleamingly clean toga sits deep into the back of a large stone chair, his eyes staring blankly into space. It takes a moment for him to see you at the door. After a moment, he pulls himself up to this feet, purses his lips, blinks slowly, and then begins to speak... "I am the Omega Man, a caretaker of the catacombs. Kadmos has granted you an egg of knowledge. Choose wisely, my friend." You survey the perimeter of the room and see two dozen doric pedestals, each topped with a simple nest of branches and twigs that cradles an egg of various proportion and color. If questioned about the eggs, he will say only the following (repeating when necessary)... "The treasures are your rewards from Kadmos for choosing this path." If questioned about the path (vice or virtue) on which the PCs find themselves, the maiden will say nothing more than suggest the PCs look to their experiences thus far and decide for themselves. If questioned about Kadmos, the maiden will simply make one of the 12 statements as the face outside the tomb (per result of 1d12; e.g., "Kadmos is the father of the alphabet.") The eggs may be touched, lifted, examined closely, etc., but will each feel light as a feather and seem "empty" (hollow). Each time a character picks up an egg, that character must roll their dexterity or lower on 3d6 or the egg will crack and thus be considered "opened" per below. The eggs may be moved from nest to nest without any repercussions (except as noted above). When a character opens or otherwise cracks an egg (on purpose or accidentally, even if not in their hands at the time), that character (and the eggshell) will immediately be teleported outside the entrance to the catacombs. Once transported, that character will possess the magical boon granted them (per the egg they choose on the Eggs of Virtue chart), with the shell fragments on the ground at their feet. If the boon is a physical one (e.g., a ring) it will be on the ground with the shell fragments. If anyone takes more than one egg, attempts to open more than one egg at a time (e.g., by slicing them open with a sword), or attacks the male caretaker, every member of the party will be transported to disparate locations throughout the 100-mile radius of the catacombs (as Omega Maiden & Ovoids on the Path of Vice).

Look for the Eggs of Vice and Eggs of Virtue charts on Monday,
and the complete map of the catacombs on Tuesday.