Barrowmaze Part One: The Barrowmoor

[Raistlinmc]

Zaivie is used to people - men, sure, but women too now and again - noticing her when she walks into a room. She was not, however, used to anyone showing her any kind of respect or deference, as some few seemed to be doing lately from their barstools. The attention Zaivie was known for getting didn't usually involve much deference (and respect was pretty far down the list too, if we're all being honest).

So it was then that Zaivie began to greet the hello-ers and well-wishers at the bar with a hearty good mornin' and a flashed grin. If they asked her about her group's exploits, she answered honestly, albeit a bit vaguely regarding directions and details. She didn't brag exactly, but she didn't shy away from flexing her muscles to show off how good she was with swinging a hammer either.

Once she'd rejoined her companions to break her fast, she piped up somewhat gleefully, "Damn, I think we're gettin' a little bit popular 'round these parts, boys! Now what's on th' menu fer this mornin', eh?"

[Sellsword]

"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."

 

[cailano]

Black Dougal

Gern visibly relaxes at your greeting.

"You were the one they caught sneaking up on us by the Door. Those bastards press-ganged me. I never wanted to work for them. If I weren't Karg's cousin, they would have left my body in the swamp, I'm sure of it. I guess it doesn't pay to piss off the only armorer in town, though."

"That bronze door is unbreakable. I broke three hammers on it and never made a dent. There's a keyhole, but they don't have a good thief. Isenwyn - she's their best wizard - tried to cast a spell on it, but it didn't do anything. I don't know if they plan on going back to the Door. They tried to get in for a few days, but it stumped them."

"If you're against Bertrand, I'll help you however I can, but I'm just an apprentice smith. Other than swinging a hammer or pickaxe, I can't do much to help a bunch of adventurers. Bertrand thought I knew something about finding treasure or the Labyrinth out in the Moor, but I don't. I can tell you that the walking dead are more than just a rumor, though. We ran into a group of zombies, just walking the Moor in the middle of the damned day. The Brigands dealt with them, but they seemed pretty tough. I hope I never see anything like those again."

[Sellsword]

"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?"

 

[Excior]

2 hours ago, cailano said:

Allen and the Money Lender

Allen walks to The Rosy Quartz in the morning and meets H.H.R Huffnpuff, the proprietor.

Huffnpuff is an amiable human man with a head of curly brown hair. He greets you with a smile that extends nearly from ear to ear and introduces himself in grand fashion.

"H.H.R Huffnpuff, jeweler, money mender, and purveyor of ancient antiquities. How may I be of service?"

You inquire about lending rates with the idea of purchasing a suit of plate mail, but Huffnpuff quickly dismisses the idea.

"With all due respect, I wouldn't extend that loan. Don't get me wrong. I recognize you from the Strumpet, and I know your group has been selling treasures from the Barrowmoor to Turgen, but you're asking to borrow a lot of money, and I don't like to take big risks. But if you keep having success, we can do business in the future. For now, bring some of those treasures here! I have quite a few contacts in Ironguard Motte who pay good money for rare items."

Visibly disappointed by the refusal of a loan, Allen leaned on the counter, his expression reflecting his frustration. "Does your contact pay better than Turgen?" he inquired, his tone tinged with a hint of skepticism. Despite the setback, he remained determined to find a solution that would enable him to continue his pursuit of wealth and adventure.

[Ephkabey]

Serpe uses Zaivie's performance before the crowd as cover to avoid notice and disappears from the Strumpet to the Shrine of St. Ygg across the town square for morning prayer, tithe and to greet Othar and his disciples, patiently. Post-prayer, he returns to the Strumpet for breakfast with his companions, feeling optimistic for the coming day.

 

2 hours ago, Sellsword said:

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?"

"If a wizard wasn't able to the open the lock then we'll likely need the key. It can't hurt to try to pick it I suppose, as long as the door doesn't have an enchantment on it..." Serpe says, peering over his mug at Dougal. "If a key does exist, perhaps it rests in one of the other mounds...or who knows, someone may have discovered it a long time ago, didn't know what to do with it and has just been holding onto it. It might be here in Helix, or Ironguard Motte...or elsewhere. Let's add it to the list of things to ask Mr. Mags about."

 

2 hours ago, Raistlinmc said:

Now what's on th' menu fer this mornin', eh?"

Serpe wags a glob of the Strumpet's "fine" food on the end of a fork in front of Zaivie. "Is it 'darkness'? Is it 'fun'? Who knows. Let's find out." He pops it in his mouth and chews reluctantly. "Definitely more the former than the latter." he says with a wink. "Tastes a lot like it did yesterday...and the day before that."

 

*OOC* - 5gp more to the church.

[cailano]

Serpe

Othar gratefully accepts your donation and tells you he will pray for your continued safety and success and that of your companions.

"Be careful, brother. The Gods have been kind to you so far, but I sense the brave fools who have come to Helix have only scratched the surface of what the Barrowmoor is hiding. They think too much of petty gain and not enough about the darkness that has roused the dead. May St. Ygg continue to bless your journey."

[Malkavian Grin]

---

HP 6/6 | AC 13 | To Hit +1 | StatsStr 14
Dex 17
Con 14
Int  9
Wis 13
Cha 12 | SavesDeath/Poison.....12
Wands................13
Paralyze/Stone...14
Dragon Breath....15
Spells.................17 | Arrows x25

---

At first Cyrus was impressed by the craftsmanship on display. His eyes looked over the bows and buckets of arrows before turning to meet Valeron's eyes. The Elf was mysterious and held an otherworldly edge to his handsomeness. Cyrus didn't realize he was staring. What was it with Elves?

Shaking himself out of his reverie, Cyrus moved closer and looked the cloaks. He cleared his throat. "So, uh, Valeron is it? These bows are well made. And these cloaks--did you make them? They are... I don't have a word for them... What material is this?"

[cailano]

Cyrus

Valeron nods when you address him by name. "Thank you. I've been making them for over a century, though not always here in the Duchy. Yes, I made the cloaks as well. It's something of a hobby of mine, I suppose. They are made from spider silk, taken from the Blackened Forest. I'm afraid I have to charge a premium for them because my supply of silk has dried up. You're new in town, I take it? The rumors of treasure in the Moor are drawing many to this place of late."

Your conversation with Valeron goes on for some minutes, and eventually, you steer the conversation towards making a custom bow. He does do custom work, but he tells you that making an "exceptional bow" can take him up to a month. Such a bow will cost you 300 gold.

Valeron watches you carefully when he names his price and you can't help but feel like he judges you based on your reaction.

 

[Malkavian Grin]

---

HP 6/6 | AC 13 | To Hit +1 | StatsStr 14
Dex 17
Con 14
Int  9
Wis 13
Cha 12 | SavesDeath/Poison.....12
Wands................13
Paralyze/Stone...14
Dragon Breath....15
Spells.................17 | Arrows x25

---

Nodding along to the information, Cyrus wracked his brain trying to figure out if he'd heard of the Blackened Forest or how spider silk might fare as a worn item.

"Three hundred coins? That seems fair. I'm no bowyer--I just use the things. Just won't have that for a bit. But I'm sure whatever you put a month's effort into will be excellent. But I'm curious about this spider silk... Does it have a special quality about it? I fancy myself a cloak eh... conn...conney... Uh I like cloaks."

[cailano]

Business in Town

Cyrus and Allen have fruitful interactions with the merchants they speak to.

Allen discovers that there is a bit of a rivalry between H.H.R Huffnpuff at the Rosy Quartz and Turgen at the Trade Goods shop. With some shrewd negotiating, you might be able to get a better price for any treasure you recover from the Barrow Mounds.

Cyrus learns a little about the spider silk trade in the Duchy. The Blackened Forest is located to the west of the Barrowmoor and is inhabited by all sorts of monstrous creatures, but also a particular breed of giant spider. The silk from these spiders can be used to make high-quality cloaks suitable for enchantment. In fact, they're so suitable that even just weaving them sometimes spontaneously produces enchantments. Valeron himself has had some luck with that.

The problem is that the Blackened Forest is very dangerous and farther away than the Barrow Mounds. This has resulted in a complete lack of giant spider silk in the Duchy. If someone were to go and fetch some, there are merchants who would pay handsomely for it.

 

** OOC: With a successful Charisma check, you can now increase the sale price of any treasure you recover from a single expedition by 10%. This also increases the treasure's XP value. Only one check is allowed per expedition, so choose your "face" wisely.

 

[cailano]

June 30th, 1183 King's Reckoning: 10:00 am

The Barrow Mounds

This morning, the mist is thick on the Barrowmoor, but Tamson has little trouble navigating it. Soon, you are enveloped in the silence of the Barrow Mounds.

On your instructions, Tamson guides you to the plundered mound you spotted previously. The mound is situated on a low hill, past the standing stone dedicated to Nergal, the dead god of death.

As you climb the hill, you notice smaller standing stones, most only a few feet high. They dot the hill every few dozen feet, but some are obscured by marsh grass. It's almost like a trail. Perhaps these stones marked a significant site at some point in the past.

As you draw closer to the plundered mound, it continues to get more interesting. You see details that were hidden in the mist when you viewed the mound from a distance, like the fingers of jutting rock that reach up from the moor. It's as if the burial site sat in the palm of a gigantic skeletal hand.**

A large, broken stone door lies half-buried in the soft ground, cracked in two. It is overgrown with grass and lichen. The area is littered with skulls and bones.

A short stairway leads down into the mound, but the darkness beyond is as black as night.

What do you do?

** See illustration. You're at mound 12 on the map

 

[cailano]

Serpe

Once you pass Nergal's stone, that oppressive feeling you've noticed here before grows stronger. By the time you reach the barrow mound on the hill, it is nearly overpowering.

You must be getting closer to its source. Looking into the darkness beyond the mound's entrance turns your blood to ice.

[matt_s]

Tharnakalian stops and beholds the situation.

The ancients certainly have a taste for the ostentatalious. And their works linger on even now, grasping at the fevering sinews of the present.

Could this be the antechamber to the great maze below the Earth? Like those corn mazes the farmers used to make? I got stuck in one of those for days. Didn't come close to starving though, for reasons apparent.

He pauses to examine the bones. Do these look human or elf or dwarf or orc to you lot? How old do you think they are. I reckon pretty old.

He scrapes one of the small stones with a knife. Perhaps there is writing on it and therefore the others. Perhaps not. Perhaps there was and perhaps there was not.

Let's get a light on that path into the chamber. I can strike up a torch no problem and toss 'er in.

[Malkavian Grin]

---

HP 6/6 | AC 13 | To Hit +1 | StatsStr 14
Dex 17
Con 14
Int  9
Wis 13
Cha 12 | SavesDeath/Poison.....12
Wands................13
Paralyze/Stone...14
Dragon Breath....15
Spells.................17 | Arrows x25

---

"Uh, yeah, what he said," Cyrus added with a thumb toward Tharnakalian. "It's like a picture you'd see on a wall."

The scattered bones and general atmosphere put the archer on edge. He kept tugging at the collar of his armor whilst looking around the perimeter.

"Heard there's a bunch of money to be made in spider silk from the Blackened Forest to the west. Dangerous though. And probably out of our skill range right now," Cyrus said in idle chatter.