Sellsword

OOC: 7 versus the opponent's 8, but just enough to seize the initiative! The Sword of the Dales sings in Valandil's hands, blue light flashing as the elf hacks downward, crushing through the creature's clavicle and severing the unfortunate soul's arm and shoulder. Standing nearby, Amarandé finishes his incantation and the familiar affect of his magic takes place, dim light limning the nearest foes, providing contrast that makes them easier to track in the poor lighting. Both Theoath and Mandons throw themselves at their respective foes, Theoath cutting deep into one of the skeletal giants while Mandons hacks apart another zombie, leaving only one stumbling, animated Freedom Rider foe. Bone shards fly as Theoath pulls his blade free of the thick bone it cut into--the weapon is not ideal for the task of hacking apart skeletons, but not entirely ineffective. Before it can counter, a slung bullet races across the chamber from Jack, knocking the creature's skull, dislodging yet more bone chips as it turns to surveil the room. Though damaged, the skeletal giants are resilient foes. They shake off Amarandé's packs' attempts to pull them down, the hounds being largely ineffective this round. The zombie ambles towards you aimlessly, unable to track a single foe effectively. Both skeletal giants, however, turn on Theoath. The paladin of Chauntea dodges the blow of the first, but is unable to completely avoid the second skeleton's attack. Fortunately it is but a glancing blow, and Theoath recovers quickly.The skeletons turned by Amarandé's divine presence continue to shuffle in the far corners of the chamber. Just as you start to gain confidence that you might overcome these foes, however, a pair of creatures descend from the shadows overhead. Each is perhaps the size of a small dog, but has a wingspan that stretches nearly five feet. Though their wings have no membrane they are possessed of flight, and the air is chill as they pass overhead. Though he has little chance to pause during the melee, Theoath extends his senses, trying to locate the fell spirit that has been watching over you throughout your search of the tomb. Whoever--or whatever--this presence may be, it does not actually seem to actually be present. Theo is not given long to think over the implications of that, however, as the skeletons ready for another attack. OOC: One zombie and the two skeletal giants remain, and two of the flying skeletal creatures have joined the fray. If it's not evident from the text, bladed weapons are less effective against the skeletons. Actions please!

"Looks like the way ahead is clear, at least for now. I say we backtrack a bit and take a look at those two doors," Dougal says, pointing at the doors next to one another on the south wall. "We could open them, one at a time, see what might lie behind them. Either that, or take a look at the corridor heading north just past the room we dropped into. Any thoughts?" OOC: When it comes to doors, Dougal will give them the standard runover looking for any sign of traps. He'll avoid actually touching door handles and such as much as possible, using a boot or his staff where it allows. As a last resort, he'll open doors like a normal human being, but only after doing his best to make sure a poisoned needle or something isn't going to end his life prematurely. "Safety first!" he says to himself, a look of surprise that he spoke out loud on his face. He was clearly interrupted from whatever he may have been thinking about. OOC: I'll defer to anyone else that has strong opinions, but I think clearing rooms closest to our exit first makes the most sense. And the thought of something bursting through a wall like the Kool-Aid Man is pretty terrifying.

I'll get the next post up today, was allowing a chance for a few of the others to chime in. I'll move the game forward today.

"Don't forget death from above," Dougal points out, sticking a finger towards the ceiling. "I get the heeby jeebies every time I think about those centipedes."

The systems are different--Labyrinth Lord (the system for which Barrowmaze was designed) is 2d6 to turn undead, BFRPG is a d20. The Barrowmaze table is actually +1 to the Labyrinth Lord values on 2d6. Hate to point out something that technically works in our favor, especially against undead, but I don't think intends for us to have an effective bonus to turn undead.

"We should make sure there's nothing roaming these halls before we start kicking down doors. I'll scout ahead, check the corridors if someone wouldn't mind following me with torch. The rest of you mind keeping watch on those doors?" OOC: Do the doors open inward or outward towards the corridor? I'd like to peek down the visible corridors, make sure there are no baddies lurking (at least as far as the torchlight or maybe a lantern will reach. To the group--take anything I suggest with a grain of salt, just throwing out options. If it's clear, then I think we listen at each of the doors before choosing one to open. I'll keep checking the corridor for traps, then will check whatever door we choose (hopefully along with Thomas--two sets of eyes are better than one!).

very good questions! I've let you all suffer enough through the riddles & misleading parts of the module, I won't draw it out here. This is indeed the Sword, and the end of the tomb complex. The chamber you are in is large, but terminates in a wall with no other exits. Both walls had secret compartments (I'll talk about plot holes later, if anyone cares to) hiding the undead, but they're basically just small alcoves.

Warned of the oncoming attack, you are prepared and react quickly. Before anyone moves, Amarandé is already part of the way through a spell, divine radiance of his goddess Mystra enveloping each of you, steeling you against the melee to come. Mandons and Amaril rush towards the zombies. The half-orc parries several reaching arms, clearing a space for Mandons to race through the group with his sword. Two quick cross-cuts and one of the zombies is severed below the ribs, parts tumbling to the ground. Amarandé's hounds attack the closest giant skeleton, growling loudly as they surround it and snap at bony legs. Only one manages to connect and is shaken loose as the skeletal warrior turns its attention to the hounds. Meanwhile, Kord races towards the other giant skeleton, sliding between its legs while attempting a cut. It misses, glancing off the huge femur, but the gnome manages to disengage again without harm. Valandil steps forward towards the casket, reaching in to withdraw the blade. The blade is well-balanced, lighter than he'd expect it to be, and its highly polished steel gives it a mirrorlike appearance. The hilt is inlaid with gold and precious gems, and the whole weapon glows with a soft blue radiance. Though there is no emotion, no intelligence within the steel, the power of the enchantment on the blade is palpable. The undead make no reaction when Valandil turns to face them with blade in hand, continuing to lumber forward as warriors and hounds from your party dart between them. Valandil slashes at the nearest zombie, a glancing blow by any measure, but the Sword of the Dales pulses with power, cutting deeply into the creature's leathery flesh, nearly severing the arm. OOC: The Sword of the Dales functions as a +3 long sword when utilized in combat. It is possessed of other abilities as well, but that's the only one pertinent to this combat. I'll pause here to take actions for the first round, and give others a chance to catch up. Jack, Theo & Lirion can include surprise round actions if they like. I gave Amarandé the benefit of the doubt with the bless spell, you'll likely need all the help you can get! So far during the surprise round one of the zombies has fallen to Mandons' blade, another was wounded by Valandil, and one of the hounds gnawed on one of the giant skeletons. The bless spell is in effect, adding +1 to attack rolls going forward. Please post your actions, I'll move forward tomorrow!

"Best case scenario," Dougal says with a smile, shedding just a bit of his former gravitas, "another adventuring band made them, and either we either never meet or pass them by amicably. Worst case..." he continues, trailing off, "it's another band, maybe Bertrand, that sees us as rivals and cuts our throats. Or maybe hobgoblins, and they try to cut our throats. Could also be zombies or ghouls, potentially orcs, maybe evil cultists worshipping some dead god?" Dougal investigates the tracks, then shakes his head. "Odds are it's something that's going to try and kill us. Best be on our toes."

Having finally found an entrance to Barrowmaze, Dougal is uncharacteristically serious. "The barrows were dangerous to be sure, but now we must truly be on our guard. You said it well, Serpe. Let's watch out for one another, and make sure we all stay alive!" Once everyone has safely descended, Dougal will take up his position at the front once again. As before, he'll use his staff to rap on the stone floor in front of him, making every step slow, careful, and deliberate in an attempt to avoid traps. He'll also keep an eye out for anything on the walls that might look suspicious. OOC: If someone else has a bit of rope they'll lend, Dougal will tie a secure knot so that the backup rope reaches all the way to the floor. If not, he will go ahead and secure the rope, but it'll be dangling about 10 feet from the floor. Better than nothing, I suppose...

Heeding the warning of Amarandé, you brace yourselves against a potential attack. Silence is the only thing that greets you, aside from the gentle fluttering of the phantasmal cloak. Kord continues to examine the ghostly figure closely--it does not look like Randal Morn, at least not according to what you know of him. The garb is antiquated in contrast to the helm that the phantom wears, a helm seemingly possessed of a great level of artifice. If you had to wager a guess, you would wager that this is an image of Shraevyn himself, though to what purpose you cannot discern. Reaching into the casket cautiously to examine the note, Valandil unrolls the small scrap of parchment to reveal the following: You are not given long to wonder over the sequence of events that would lead to such a note being left here before Theoath cries a warning. Extending his divine senses, the entire chamber resonates with the feeling of malice--both present and not present at the same time. There is an air of expectancy to the evil, though also of chaos. The aura is powerful, though muffled somewhat--for lack of a better word. It is a strange sensation, but one that points to obvious danger. Triggered by no obvious action, you hear the sickening screech of stone grating against stone, and skeletons burst through the wall into this vast chamber. Warned by Amarandé and Theoath, you are ready for the attack. Eight skeletons, two of which stand above the others, rush toward you, weapons raised. Four other humanoid creatures lumber slowly forward, their human faces twisted in agony. Judging by their tattered appearance, you quickly deduce that these were probably once a Dales patrol--presumably the same men that accompanied Randal Morn before they were slain. Empowered by his connection to the goddess Mystra, Amarandé stands before the group, a sense of divine authority gathering as he stares down the oncoming undead. Six of the skeletons reel from Amarandé's power, retreating to the far corners of the chamber, interfering with the advance of the slower, lumbering zombies. The rest continue towards your group. OOC: Two skeletons remain--the largest--which each tower nearly three feet above the others. They appear to be the animated remains of some type of giant or giant-kin. Four zombies accompany them, presumably reanimated Freedom Riders from Randal Morn's expedition. The six skeletons that were turned by Amarandé have retreated as far as they can into the corners of the chamber--they will not return to the melee unless someone approaches them within 10 feet, at which point the turning will be broken. As you were made aware of the attack--if not the exact timing--I will give each of you a free surprise round of actions ahead of the first initiative roll (so you get one free round of actions now, then we will roll initiative for the first full round). Surprising groups receive one round of attacks with melee, missile, or magical items. The surprise round cannot be used to cast spells. Please list your surprise round action as well as your intended actions for the first round of combat!

"Just call up when you need me, Thomas, and I'll be right behind you!" In the meantime, Dougal withdraws his own coil of rope, looking to the columns to see if he can't loop it around. "Can't hurt to have a backup!" he says, dropping the loose end into the hole behind Thomas. OOC: How far down does the hole go?

100%! I don't mind going in first, but Dougal would definitely get antsy if he thought the rest of the group wasn't going to follow. Safety in numbers! Lower probability of being targeted...

Dougal definitely has reluctance, but big risk = big payout. Let's get it done!

"This is why we're here, after all," Dougal says with feigned confidence. He tries his best to ignore the skulls littering the area. "I've got the routine at this point. Someone toss in a torch, I'll head in first, hopefully someone follows me up in case I run into trouble. Could be that these skulls belong to whoever opened the door, maybe there's still something of value inside." While others make preparations, Dougal will scout about the area to see if there are any trinkets among the littered bones. And once he is ready to descend into the mound, he'll tap the stones ahead as usual with his staff, staying as low as possible. Though they've yet to encounter any, he's developing an unreasonable anxiety over the possibility of arrow traps.

Having turned up little of value and having found nothing other than the portal that hints at any more secret chambers in the tomb, you follow as Amarandé leads down the southern corridor to confront the apparition, hounds at his side. Whether it is indeed the specter of Shraevyn or perhaps some other ghostly manifestation, with no other paths to explore you head into the chamber. The apparition does not stir as you approach, the hounds each issue a deep growl, clearly disturbed by something in the chamber. They spread out as you draw close to the casket, sniffing at the floor and walls. There is a faint stench of decay in the air. The apparition hovers quietly above the casket, staring blankly at the entrance--cautiously, Amarandé reaches out a hand, and it passes harmlessly through the phantom. The interior of the casket is filled with tattered rags. Lying upon them, hilt toward the door, you see a beautiful long sword. A piece of paper is tied around the hilt with what appears to be string. You all recognize this from the golden vessel aligned with enchantment magic in the previous room. The sensation of another presence, cold, feminine and malevolent, is more pronounced here--and it does not come from the ghost, the sword, or the coffin. You can't shake the feeling that you are being watched, though the bare walls of the room seem to hide little threat. You have every reason to believe that the artifact before you is indeed the Sword of the Dales, waiting to be taken.

"Isenwyn...she isn't...uh...with...Bertrand, is she?" Dougal blushes slightly when saying her name. "Thank you for the information, friend Gern. Perhaps I shall check it out and see if I can't fare any better at opening the door. I wish you the best, and if there is ever anything I can do for you, I am at your service. Send my regards to Karg!" Once his business is concluded, he'll reconvene with the others and share his findings. "Perhaps it might be worth a trip out of our way to see if me or Thomas can't pop the lock?"

"I come in peace!" Dougal says with a smile on his face, joking with the young dwarf to hopefully lighten the mood. "Might a trouble you for a moment of your time?" "Sorry to hear about your experiences with Bertrand. I was in the process of arranging for your liberation, but it seems that in the end, my efforts were unnecessary. You have once again been granted your freedom and I am glad to see it!" Dougal strokes his beard, continuing, "We are headed back to the Barrowmounds this morning, and I was wondering if you might let be willing to share some information? I saw you with Bertrand, hammering away at a door. Did you ever breach that mound? I was thinking that we might head that way, but if Bertrand already gained entrance by virtue of your...uh...efforts, then we won't waste our time. Any information you can share would be appreciated, and I'd gladly compensate you for your time and inconvenience."

In case I didn't make it 100% clear, the portal is not presently functioning. It's just a stone archway against the wall, at the moment.

Quick post up for the subject matter I'd want to discuss with Gern. If he's not there or doesn't know anything, we can move by it pretty quickly, I'd think. Then onward to #12!

"First order of business--I'd like to swing by Karg's on the way, see if young Gern is still there. Bertrand intimated that he felt the dwarf was holding back information on account of his...uh...involuntary servitude...perhaps he does know something? At the very least, it would be good to ascertain the status of the burial mound they were at. It had some kind of metal door...if they didn't breach it, maybe Gern saw something he was withholding from Bertrand that he'd be willing to share with us?" Wiping his brow, Dougal continues. "Though we didn't precisely arrange for Gern's liberation, it was in progress so that should count for something. Karg seems an honorable enough sort, in his way. Worst case scenario, Gern doesn't know anything and no time wasted!"

Obviously. On a more serious note, my vote would be due north. Mounds #2 and #4 are both unexplored, plus there's always a chance we could scout #7 where we saw the Bastard and see if they managed a way in. Actually, I may run over to Karg's real quick and see if Gern is still there... Worst case, we could pick up the two amphorae on the way back if the day is a complete bust. That's just my vote, open to suggestions.

"Leave no stone unturned, that's my philosophy! Perhaps we'll uncover something soon more worthy of Mr. Magnificent's attention. Before long, we'll have him calling on us!" With his business concluded (except drinking, of course, and perhaps a hot bath), Dougal is ready to settle in for the night and make preparations for the next day.

Huddled in the northern corridor, you consider your options. The apparition in the southern hall did not appear lucid--while the image itself wasn't static, the robes did flow as if stirred by a breeze, the apparition itself made no movement whatsoever. It was either unaware of Kord's presence, uncaring of Kord's presence, or not able to react at all. As for the apparent Freedom Rider, the general state of decomposition of the body, upon inspection by Amarandé, matches up with the timeline of Randal Morn's foray into the tomb. Turning the body over, you can see that the darts were indeed likely the result of triggering a trap--this makes you hesitant to enter the chamber, but Amarandé is confident that no immediate threat lurks within and waves Theoath through. Two darts pierced the unfortunate soul's armor, and another two lie just within the chamber on the floor, likely deflected from their target. A pouch heavy with coin is tied to his belt. The stone of the archway within the chamber is very old, much older than the surrounding rock. Though no one is experienced in masonry or architecture, Kord points out the varying color of the stones. The architecture of the arch is ancient--that the archway was or is in some way magical is apparent from the many runes inscribed upon the stone. Hazarding a guess, both Lirion and Amarandé agree that this is likely some kind of portal, though it seems inactive at the moment. Bending over to examine the shiny object, Theoath finds it to be a silver plaque, bent and tarnished but still readable. A verse is etched into the once-beautiful metal. An adventurer's story never ends, it goes on and on, over and again. But past death's door and beyond each bend, are those who will take your every win. To those I cry, begone and flee! Plunder another's resting place. Better yet, turn to yourself and see that evil smile upon your face. My treasures are gone, there's none to take, I've cast them out into Sigil, Into Karten's hands for my own sake, allowing others to stand vigil. Good luck my friends, turn tail and run, be warmed beneath the bright sun, For knowing me is no guarantee of peace or even security. Who Karten is and how is related to Shraevyn is unknown. The wreckage in the room appears to have been the work of Randal Morn's men--it looks recent. Peering at the floor in front of the portal, Valandil is able to determine that there are at least two distinct sets of footprints leading to the portal--as if someone may have gone through--but no footprints showing that they returned. There does not seem to be any readily-apparent way to activate the portal, and there is little else of interest in the chamber. OOC: Despite careful inspection, no other traps are evident in this room.

Agreed. They had already cut Gern loose when I was negotiating his freedom. is the shield just a shield?