Chapter 1: The Whispering Cairn

MysteriousMiller · February 13

Riffraff

Ratfolk, Scoundrel - Rogue 1

AC: 15 | HP: 9/9 | Init: +3 | PP: 15

Sneak Attack: 1d6 | DM Inspiration: 0

Arriving at the cairn, Riffraff's cheeky, happy-go-lucky attitude suddenly became much more serious. 'Okay, eyes open, look sharp" he commented as he took in their new surroundings. He knew to be cautious when looking to "acquire" new stuff...people could get very protective about their belongings! Looking at the carvings, he wondered if there were any warnings or clues etched into the rock, but they made no sense at all to him.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action: Look at symbols
Bonus Action: none
Move: East
Manipulate: none

Edited February 13 by MysteriousMiller (see edit history)

Dixi · February 14

PC

Allera Lorabelis Half-elf Wizard 1

Indeed, the hiking was the first obstacle to overcome. Fortunately, the challenge was not very long and once Allera stepped inside, curiosity washed away tiredness.

"So, this is the cairn. How quaint." Allera checked the tubes that squinted Thodin was pointing out and nodded. "Whoever created this place probably wanted to keep intruders away."

She squinted skeptically into the darkness. "Do you think they succeded?"

Allera could see far enough in this place but at least for now preferred to keep behind. "If you give me some time, I can check the walls for the presence of magic. Though... Not sure we need it right here."

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action: Your action goes here.
Bonus Action: Your bonus action goes here.
Move: Your movement goes here.
Manipulate: Your one free object interaction goes here.

Edited February 14 by Dixi (see edit history)

Cointhief · February 14

Sunny Suel Barbarian 1

16.14.16.8.10.10 | init +2 | AC 15 | HP 15/15 | HD 1

Animal Handling +2, Athletics +5, Intimidation +2, Perception +2, Performance +2

Rage: OO

Sunny struck up a bit of dry brambles outside, getting her torch bright. She carried a nearly empty bottle of expensive wine in the other hand, her lips stained a bruised purple. "Na Allera, not likely the way I heard it! Way I heard it, raiding these things was a drinking game back in the day. Went by the name of Ukaad Ekrazak! (Cairn Conquest!) The exclamation point was actually part the title...the Dog still keeps a game kit behind the counter."

Sunny rubbed a finger along the patterns on the wall, pausing a moment to listen for the 'Whispers'. "Anyways they'd play with cards, usually sitting just outside the cairn in bivouac. Players would first designate a 'Master Raider' to draw the cards and sort of lead the challenges. So, it went like...MR would pull a card and the circle would take turns being the current player."

"Vizier card? MR gave the player a challenge inside the cairn, something like 'snatch the ruby from the statue's eye' or 'chisel a crude nude in an unexpected place'...you know. If completed successfully, the player got to choose who drank. If failed, the player drank."

"Sun card? Everyone drinks."

"Moon card? Master Raider drinks!"

"Star card? Then it was like a truth or dare kind of thing. If you refused, you drank."

"Number card? Well then everyone drinks that many drinks."

"Hrm...don't remember the other rules, but I'm guessing it involved drinking for no reason." she concluded. "And of course, like all dwarven drinking games, everyone was a winner."

ooc: Lit torch and wine bottle equipped.

Edited February 14 by Cointhief (see edit history)

February 14

PC

Alatia Carnwheat Human Cleric 1

Squinting hard into the darkness ahead Alatia tries to make out any details. "Oh my, it's dark isn't it." She briefly touches an intricate metal pendant that hangs around her neck, and then again to her mace, muttering a short prayer as she does so. The end of her mace immediately shines with a bright light, illuminating the hall and beyond. "Wooh. That's better. Nooh?"

Replying to Thodin, but still looking ahead Alatia sasy, "I read that Dwarves made palaces down in the depths? Could this be one of those?" After a beat she adds, "Or maybe a temple," and then spends a moment looking around.

Alatia will look at the patterns on the walls as well as the structure and design of the entrance to see if she can make out any possible religious significance. (Religion Check) Religion

Mechanics

Main Hand: Mace
Off Hand: Shield

Action: Casts cantrip Light
Bonus Action: -
Move: -
Manipulate: -

Edited February 14 by FireHound (see edit history)

JubalBreakbottle · February 14

PC

Thodin Eversharp Dwarven Paladin 1

Thodin's smile screws up at Alatia's comment, "Dwarven? Bah. We might have constructed it, but I doubt we designed here."

"First, there's no doors. Even if this was a porch, it would be as defensible as a gatehouse." But he looks around anyway for the handy work of his brethren.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Shield

Action: Stonecunning. And/or Perception with the Tasha's advantage with his stonemason's tools?
Bonus Action: -.
Move: Lead.
Manipulate: .

Edited February 14 by JubalBreakbottle (see edit history)

bwatford · February 14

Chapter 1: The Whispering Cairn

Part One: A Face in Darkness

The hall lit up with the flicker of light as Sunny sparked up a torch and Alatia called on the divine to light the way. Holding her mace high she inspected the intricate geometric patterns for anything of religious note but did not find any, at least not here. But whoever had carved them spent a lot of time to get such precise patterns.

Thodin further studied the walls for their craftsmanship, and while he did not think it to be of dwarven make for it bore no signs as such, it was still of high-quality construction, and from the weather on the stone he would say over five hundred years old, if not twice that.

Nodding back to the others Thodin took the lead to move them forward, moving them up to the grand intersection ahead...

Coward's Rest

Just inside the darkened tomb, the hallway branches into shallow alcoves to the east and west. Here the walls bear the most significant damage. Dozens of clumsy etchings mar the beautiful ancient masonry like graffiti on a city wall. A clump of soiled cloth about the size of a halfling rests in the rounded terminus of the western alcove. The eastern alcove looked to be empty of anything of note. Thodin's dwarven eyes told him that ahead in the darkness, the wide passage went for a short way before opening up again.

Outside, the wind picks up, and a chorus of almost human sounds rises from the darkened hall ahead.

The Whispering Cairn
Cairn Hills (About two hours outside of Diamond Lake)
6:03 pm, MoondayMonday the 9th of ReapingJuly, 595 CY

Scene Information: The clump of soiled cloth is marked on the map (see map spoiler).

We are on a map (see Active Map spoiler) please use directions (N,S,E,W,NE,SE, etc) when moving. (i.e. I move 2 squares N and 4 E).

Show Active Maps

WHISPERING CAIRN

Show Bookkeeping

PASSIVE PERCEPTION SCORES

INITIATIVE

Not in Use!!

MECHANICS

Not in Use!!

CONDITIONS

Alatia
Light Spell (60 minutes remaining)

Sunny
Torch (60 minutes remaining)

DESCRIPTIONS

Not in Use!!

ALATIA CARNWHEAT

Hit Points: 10/10
Hit Dice: 1/1
Warding Flare: 3/3 *L
Spell Slots: (+5, DC 13) *L

1st Level: 2/2

DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

ALLERA LORABELIS

Hit Points: 8/8
Hit Dice: 1/1
Arcane Recovery: 1/1 *L
Spell Slots: (+6, DC 14) *L

1st Level: 2/2

DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

ARMANDO RAILWALKER

Hit Points: 9/9 (gnome cunning)
Hit Dice: 1/1
Pact Magic: (+4, DC 12) *L

1st Level: 1/1

DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

RIFFRAFF

Hit Points: 9/9
Hit Dice: 1/1
DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

SUNNY

Hit Points: 15/15
Hit Dice: 1/1
Rage: 2/2 *L
DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

THODIN EVERSHARP

Hit Points: 13/13 (RESIST: poison SAVADV: poisoned)
Hit Dice: 1/1
Divine Sense: 3/3 *L
Lay on Hands: 5/5 *L
DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

Basil_Bottletop · February 14

Armando Railwalker Gnomish Warlock

When his suggestion to remain behind went unanswered, the gnome sighed heavily and climbed to his feet. The people here seemed to be of the same mind as those Monastery folks and he wasn't going to get an easy coin. He scrambled to grab his things -which were pale in comparison to some of the others in the room- and prepared for the next leg of their trip.

Nothing prepared him for the long hike ahead of him. His legs ached, his back was stiff, and more than once he thought he was going to exhale dust from his lungs they were so dry and tired. If not for the woman behind him, he would have long ago steered into the wilderness and forgotten the whole job. Even so, it occurred to him more than once that he could be hunting down the man with his wages back in Diamond Lake for a lot less hassle.

Once they stopped, the gnome fell to his rump hard. His legs felt like damp seaweed and he couldn't stop the pins from prickling his fingers after holding his sack on his shoulder for so long. But respite was short and soon there was work to be done, which Armando begrudgingly joined. First it was tearing away weeds with his hands, but eventually he drew out a blade and used it like a spade to clear away some of the details of the cave entrance. The metal wasn't the best and more than once he had to check to make sure he hadn't bent it completely out of function.

Inside, things changed. His legs hurt less. His back didn't wail at him. The darkness seemed to swallow up all his pains and turn them into monochromatic fear. This place didn't feel like a mine. Armando nodded silently in agreement as his former master Thodin said the words out loud. The gnome tried to follow what Sunny said but had a hard time and eventually gave up, but not before it occurred to him that he recognized her from before and that she may not be one of the three strangers he had originally thought her to be. She looked different in the daylight, he supposed.

As some of the others broke away to do as they pleased, Armando relished in the vastness of the hallway, for that was what he assumed it was: a hallway. It was big, it was nice and even, and there was a purposefully built roof on it. He felt like he was at the entrance to a castle he'd heard about in a story-teller's tale or a braggard's lie.

To the east alcove, he saw what remained of someone's long lost camp. Or so he imagined. His curiosity propelled him over to it to see what goodies might have been left behind.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action: Your action goes here.
Bonus Action: Your bonus action goes here.
Move: Over to the soiled cloth
Manipulate: Your one free object interaction goes here.

February 14

PC

Alatia Carnwheat Human Cleric 1

Stepping further inwards Alatia holds her mace forwards illuminating the path ahead. For a moment the shape of the hall that they're now standing reminds her of a church's nave, but then something about it doesn't quite add up and she puts the thought aside. To herself, and in a quiet voice she whispers, "Light is with me".

After that thought the priestess steps forward two paces and then suddenly stops, before glancing back to the group. "Does this feel..", and then lowering her voice as if suddenly having the idea that speaking too loud risked waking some evil in the shadows, she continues, "Erm.. like we're walking into something we're not invited to?"

Before moving any further Alatia kneels down and looks in all directions to see if anything has disturbed the layer of dust that seems to have covered everything.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Mace
Off Hand: Shield

Action: Checks to see if she can see any footprints (or similar) in the dusty floor with a perception roll.
Bonus Action: -
Move: Alatia moves 2 spaces north
Manipulate: -

Edited February 14 by FireHound (see edit history)

JubalBreakbottle · February 14

PC

Thodin Eversharp Dwarven Paladin 1

Thodin leads the crew deeper into the cairn past the transverse. He replies to Alatia's potentially rhetorical question, "It's a tomb, lass. Built by others, we do not know. Don't think anyone alive has actually been invited in here for hundreds of years."

He continues to edge of the transverse to watch further down the hallway and keep Armando in his peripheral vision investigating the pile of cloth.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Shield

Action: Perception
Bonus Action: -.
Move: 2 more squares N
Manipulate: .

MysteriousMiller · February 14

Riffraff

Ratfolk, Scoundrel - Rogue 1

AC: 15 | HP: 9/9 | Init: +3 | PP: 15

Sneak Attack: 1d6 | DM Inspiration: 0

At Thodin's comment about the place being a tomb, a shiver ran down Riffraff's furry spine all the way to the tip of his tail. Of course he knew that they were "Cairn Raiders", but he'd never really thought about cairns as tombs, and his beady black eyes darted left and right nervously.

"Not being invited is one thing, but I've heard tales that tell how the builders of such places would try to actively discourage visitors, protecting the sleep of the dead with all manner of traps and magic."

Riffraff crept forwards slowly, actively searching for any such traps, convinced in his own mind that the craftsmen of old were still present, their mocking laughter all around.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action: Looking for traps
Bonus Action: none
Move: N, N, N
Manipulate: none

Dixi · February 15

PC

Allera Lorabelis Half-elf Wizard 1

Allera listened to Sunny's vivid description with growing amazement. "Interesting games," she finally commented, turning to follow others into the debts of the cairn.

So far the adventure proved to be mildly inconvenient and a bit curious but did not feel dangerous. So much so, that Allera risked joining Armando in the eastern alcove pondering - without touching - over the clump of cloth, vinsing at winds houlings.

"This tumb could as well be named "screeching cairn" rather than "whispering". Strange arrangement for a burial place. But you might be right about the "unwelcome part" - that cloth could not have been left behind by those who created the place. We might have far more active company."

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action: Studying (Investigation) the cloth, without touching it and looking around at the walls (Arcana).
Bonus Action: Your bonus action goes here.
Move: Your movement goes here.
Manipulate: Your one free object interaction goes here.

Edited February 15 by Dixi (see edit history)

bwatford · February 15

Chapter 1: The Whispering Cairn

Part One: A Face in Darkness

Armando moved toward the west alcove where the large clump of cloth lay, upon inspection it turned out to be a moldy old bedroll and as Armando tried to lift it he found that the bedroll had hardened and become brittle with age as it began to crack in his small hands. The old bedroll contained nothing of value and was discarded by the gnome shortly. Scanning the wall of the alcove Armando could see four small anchoring holes along the periphery of a circular depression an inch deep and 2 feet wide in the floor. Something had once been here, but likely looted long ago. Armando had come up empty handed.

As Riffraff moved forward scanning for anything out of the ordinary her remembered stories that were going around several years ago after he came to Diamond Lake. Stories about a teenage girl who went missing. Could that have been her bedroll? Had she come here? and never returned?

Allera joined Armando a moment later, seeing that he had discarded the old bedroll she pointed to the ground around it as she bent down to examine her findings. Thin shavings of wood lay on the ground around the bedroll. Someone had been whittling here from the looks of it. Armando had missed the shavings as they were as old as the bedroll, and of no value. Examining the walls, she found the same geometric patterns continued here, as well as the tiny holes that Thodin had pointed out.

Thodin motioned everyone forward as it looked like another set of the alcoves were coming up as he took a few more steps forward...

Transport Alcolve

The western hall extends perhaps forty feet, ending at a small marble platform raised about six inches off the floor. A strange, shattered arcane apparatus rests upon this platform, its curved ovular frame giving the appearance of a noble’s dressing mirror. Only a third of this frame remains. An unusual arcane glyph about the size of a man’s head has been delicately carved into the baseplate of the support platform.

Collapsed Passage

Fifteen feet down the east passage, a huge pile of collapsed rubble blocks the alcove from top to bottom. It looks like it would take weeks to tunnel through the densely packed debris.

The wide hall seemed to continue north as well.

The Whispering Cairn
Cairn Hills (About two hours outside of Diamond Lake)
6:08 pm, MoondayMonday the 9th of ReapingJuly, 595 CY

Scene Information: The strange apparatus is marked on the map (see map spoiler).

We are on a map (see Active Map spoiler) please use directions (N,S,E,W,NE,SE, etc) when moving. (i.e. I move 2 squares N and 4 E).

Show Active Maps

WHISPERING CAIRN

Show Bookkeeping

PASSIVE PERCEPTION SCORES

INITIATIVE

Not in Use!!

MECHANICS

Not in Use!!

CONDITIONS

Alatia
Light Spell (55 minutes remaining)

Sunny
Torch (55 minutes remaining)

DESCRIPTIONS

Not in Use!!

ALATIA CARNWHEAT

Hit Points: 10/10
Hit Dice: 1/1
Warding Flare: 3/3 *L
Spell Slots: (+5, DC 13) *L

1st Level: 2/2

DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

ALLERA LORABELIS

Hit Points: 8/8
Hit Dice: 1/1
Arcane Recovery: 1/1 *L
Spell Slots: (+6, DC 14) *L

1st Level: 2/2

DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

ARMANDO RAILWALKER

Hit Points: 9/9 (gnome cunning)
Hit Dice: 1/1
Pact Magic: (+4, DC 12) *L

1st Level: 1/1

DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

RIFFRAFF

Hit Points: 9/9
Hit Dice: 1/1
DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

SUNNY

Hit Points: 15/15
Hit Dice: 1/1
Rage: 2/2 *L
DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

THODIN EVERSHARP

Hit Points: 13/13 (RESIST: poison SAVADV: poisoned)
Hit Dice: 1/1
Divine Sense: 3/3 *L
Lay on Hands: 5/5 *L
DM Inspiration: 1/1
Experience Points: 0/300

JubalBreakbottle · February 15

PC

Thodin Eversharp Dwarven Paladin 1

Thodin continues to lead the companions deeper into the cairn. Knowing that some of his companions may explore the the strange apparatus or maybe the collapsed tunnel. He stops in the archway and surveys the hallway protecting his new crew, because he would have nothing to add investigating that weird sculpture.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Shield

Action: Perception
Bonus Action: -.
Move: Lead. 5x N
Manipulate: .

Dixi · February 15

PC

Allera Lorabelis Half-elf Wizard 1

Thodin was right, of course. Since the first investigation proved to be harmless, Allera marched straight to the strange apparatus without hesitation. She still did not touch the thing but did study it intently.

"Now, that could be part of the thumb! Unlike those wood shavings back there. Let's see... Strange, looks like a mirror frame." She looked around expecting to see shards of glass lying around. "Or maybe... Oh, that would be very interesting if the mirror was magical."

She looked closer at the rune arcane glyph.

Mechanics

Main Hand: Empty
Off Hand: Empty

Action: Studying the arcane glyph (Arcana).
Bonus Action:
Move:
Manipulate: Your one free object interaction goes here.

Edited February 15 by Dixi (see edit history)

MysteriousMiller · February 15

Riffraff

Ratfolk, Scoundrel - Rogue 1

AC: 15 | HP: 9/9 | Init: +3 | PP: 15

Sneak Attack: 1d6 | DM Inspiration: 0

Riffraff crept forwards, following Thodin's lead. He still had the jitters and kept his wits about him and one hand on his dagger. The pile of rubble made him wonder if the tomb was structurally sound, but he figured the dwarf wouldn't intentionally lead them into a collapsing tunnel...would he?

Mechanics

Main Hand: Dagger
Off Hand: Empty

Action: LKeeping eyes open for danger
Bonus Action: none
Move: N, N, N, N. N
Manipulate: none

Text_1	Text_2	Text_3	Bold_1	Accent_1	Mood_1
Warm_1	Warm_2	Warm_3	Bold_2	Accent_2	Mood_2
Cool_1	Cool_2	Cool_3	Bold_3	Accent_3	Mood_3
Bright_1	Bright_2	Bright_3	Bold_4	Accent_4	Mood_4

Chapter 1: The Whispering Cairn

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites