The Butcher's Keep

[Malkavian Grin]

Info about Shadowclink goes here.

Exploration
For each room, roll Dungeon DR vs 2d20 plus number of Special Rooms discovered:
Strong hit: special room
weak hit: generic room (pg 13 oracles)
fail: Encounter some enemy, trap, or calamity as your leave your current location, then generic room roll

Running away
DR11+Number of Enemies vs Agility with 2d20:
Strong Hit: Successful evasion.
Weak Hit: You evade, but the enemy gets an opportunity attack (roll to defend against it, and then escape regardless of whether you were harmed or not).
Fail: You can’t escape this time. The enemy gets an opportunity attack: roll to defend and continue combat.

GENERAL ADVENTURING MOVE (GAM)
Assess the DR of the action
(6 - simple, 12 - normal, 18 - almost impossible).
Roll DR vs chosen stat with 2d20:

Strong Hit: Things go to plan! A great success!
Weak Hit: You succeed, but with a complication!
Fail: Things couldn’t have gone worse. Uh oh.

CAMPING, RESTING, CATCHING BREATH
Catch a breath=DR9 Presence with 2d20
Camp=DR12 Presence with 2d20

Strong Hit: Gain d4/d6 HP depending on whether catching a breath or sleeping. If sleeping, re-roll your Omens, restore Powers, and use 1 ration.
Weak Hit: Gain d2/d4 HP. If sleeping, restore 1 Omen and 1 Power, and use 1 ration. Introduce a reason for a restless night or interruption.
Fail: No sleep for you. Something terrible is about to happen. The next attempt at resting after resolving whatever encounter ensues will be a 50/50 chance of either a Strong or Weak Hit.

Reaction
2–3 KILL!
4–6 ANGERED
7–8 INDIFFERENT
9–10 ALMOST FRIENDLY
11–12 HELPFUL

[Malkavian Grin]

Barg, prefers degrading names

Sleeping with dogs in the corner of an inn, waiting for someone to return. They never came back, so you left. Violence forced you back out into the wilderness, into the haunted trees of Sarkash near Graven-Tosk. There, you learned to fear, and talk to trees. You also scream at them.

Vindictive and lazy.
Staring, manic gaze.
Inveterate bug eater.

MAIN PROFILE	FOLLOWERS
Barg the Asshole - Fanged Deserter Agility 0 Presence 0 Strength +1 Toughness -1 Gotten Better: 1 HP 7/7 Omens 2/2 d2	Taevion - Psychopomp Agility -1 Presence +1 Strength 0 Toughness 0 HP 8/8 Omens 2/2 Powers x Gotten Better: 0 Leather -d2 filthy shortsword d4+1

 

MAIN PROFILE	FOLLOWERS
SPOILS OF WAR   WIZARD TEETH Four weird teeth rattle within a blackened pouch. Before battle roll a d6 for each one. For every 6 one of your attacks deals maximum damage (your choice).   POWERS   You are illiterate. Yet, by magic, you know things. Enochian Syntax One creature blindly obeys a single command.	xxx     POWERS   PSYCHOPOMP Can control any corpse near the crow, if without a body. If the crow takes 1 damage, you die. EXPERT CLIMBER Can climb impossible heights alone.

 

Current Gear
Bite DR 10 d3
Shortsword (d4)
heavy (splint mail, plate mail, etc.)
(-d6 damage, tier 3)
(DR 14 on Agility tests, defence is DR+2)

Current Loot
110s
smoked fish, 4 days rations
beast stomach waterskin, 4 days water
saddle bags, for 4 normal-size items (2 on each side), d4 dried meat
metal file and lockpicks

Follower
small but vicious dog // d6+2 HP, bite d4, only obeys you
 

 

Shadowclink Inventory:

Manacles muted in cloth d4
Poisoned knife x2 d4 + DR10 Toughness or infection

Volt Thrower d6An ancient javelin made of an unidentifiable charred and pitted metal (d6 damage).
On a critical hit a lightning bolt strikes the javelin for an additional 2d10 damage, not reduced by armor.
On a fumble the lighting strikes the wielder before releasing the javelin.
Use indoors is cautioned.
128 silver

[Malkavian Grin]

THE BUTCHER'S KEEP

Barg awoke within a headache; he must've been knocked out by those asshole guards. Figures. He looked around this so-called Hall of Sorrows. They'd ripped him away from his companion. It didn't really matter, but he wished to see them again alive.

He stood up and realized he was naked and had nothing. "Great," he grunted out. At least he was armed to the teeth. But, wait, what was that in the corner? Was that... his bag of wizard teeth? "How you get there? No matter. Mine again." He snatched his bag up and... held it in his left hand. Then he thought better of it and checked the teeth, and rolled them. He didn't know when the next fight would be, but he figured "soon" was good enough.
 

wizard teeth (1)

and the other 3 (3,6,3)

On of them seemed potent. It would have to be enough, he thought. He looked about the room and saw some weird graffiti on the wall. It was glowing blue and had a low hum to it. He stared at it, wondering what was wrong, before touching it. Suddenly the power was absorbed into his mind.

Barg gains Enochian Syntax. 

uses (1) Just then he was hit over the head again and dazed. As his senses returned, he ordered the guard to stop and free him. He may have used up his only power for the day, but he at least wasn't bound. As the first hand came free, and the man was close, Barg bit deep into the guard's throat. Blood sprayed everywhere, soaking Barg as he fell over. Barg grabbed the key and unlocked his other wrist. He set them aside and pulled the man's clothing off. It would be a weird fit, but it was better than nothing.
 

corpse plunder d66 (6,6) 66 silver.. okay

corpse plunder d66 (6,2) 62 silver... wtf!

The man had stupidly come down here without a weapon, and carrying 168 silver pieces! "Idiot!" Barg barked. That reminded him. Where was his dog! Just then, in the distance he could hear it barking. Barg narrowed his eyes and darted toward it, pockets jingling as he went. At least he didn't have to carry his teeth now. He yanked one of the torches out of their holders, both for the light and to mark that he'd been here.

- Leaving Hall of Sorrows through West tunnel. Entering Butcher's Keep -
 

Butcher's Keep

What brings you here?
Children are stolen and brought to the dungeon. Among them, the Queen's heir.

Status
Inactive, because of the curse.

Imminent danger
Underworld emissions of poisonous spores.

Who or what dwells here now?
Four-legged pale gremlins stinking of dirt.

Distinctive feature
Giant pools of boiling tar.

Room 1
Shelves with obscure literature. Pot with rotblack sludge.

Room 2
Full of corpses. Well-dressed corpse, booby-trapped.

Room 3
Mirrors everywhere. Dying man tied to a throne of charred wood. A broken shield on the ground.

Room 4
Goedendag stuck in a door. Destroyed armory. There is treasure here.

Common Encounters
1 Scvm
2 Mongrel
3 Pale One (roll reaction)
4 4-legged goblin
5 Dusk Gnoum
6 Useful item

Rare Encounters
1 Berserker
2 Wickhead
3 Undead Doll
4 Nesting Death
5 Wraith
6 Tenebrous Relic

what room is it? DR 10 // 0 special rooms (11,6) - generic room - 3 exits

- Entryway -

Barg walked into the next room, torch high in hand while adjusting his clothing with the other. Maybe it was all the blood making things not fit right? Before the deserter stood a ruined archway in a room with a very tall ceiling. Only one door remained on the hinges, but bent over and impossible to move now. The other lay on the ground. Better for him to enter. But just inside the gateway was a gathering of people. He wasn't sure of their intentions, so he thought it best to enter quietly and sneak around the edges of the room. He would go left.
 

GAM agility DR 10 (13,17)

It was easy enough to avoid whatever was happening. It seemed like a group of hunters or something, gearing up before a big fight. He may come back to them for trade; perhaps they wanted silver more than their lives?
 

what room is it? DR 10 // 0 special rooms (8,14) - generic room - 2 exits - rare encounter

The next room was nothing but a blackened crater on the floor and part of the wall. Like someone's experiment had gone sideways. But at he looked closer the hole was full of black, boiling tar. He wasn't sure how the smell hadn't hit him yet. Maybe those blows to the head did more damage than he thought...
 

rare encounter plz don't kill me (4) - Nesting Death...

Nesting Death
Hound-sized spider that built a nest of bones in the ceiling.
Wins initiative on 1–4.
hP 12 Morale – Thick carapace −d2
Bite d4: test toughness dr12 to avoid freezing (tests are dr+2 for one hour).

Barg began to cross the room, hoping to make it across without trouble, but he was mistaken. Coming down from the ceiling came a massive spider the size of his dog. The one he was consequently hunting down. He decided to break the silence and call aloud for the dog, knowing he was about to be in a battle with these manacles.
 

Init (1)

From the other room came his dog, Dog, scurrying down the hallway, barking up a storm as it attacked the spider from behind. Unfortunately, the spider leapt at Barg first, meaning he'd have to deal with it.

Luckily he dodged to the side before it could pounce on him, taking a swing at it with the manacles. He just missed, but Dog 

bit down (2) into the insect hard, leaving punctures and a partly mangled leg.

The spider spun around and jumped for Barg again, landing right on his face! It sank knife-like fangs into his neck and pumped poison into his blood. He knocks the arachnid to the floor and slaps it with the chains. Dog ineffectually chomped down on air as he jumped to intercept.

Barg is frozen? DR+2 on tests for one hour. 6 damage! Barg is almost dead... 

Spider armor (2) 10/12 hp

Barg gets bit again, and 

falls to the ground (4). Dog continued the fight, going mad as his master fell. He snapped but the spider darted out of the way.

A back and forth played out where no moves were given away, until the spider opened itself up and Dog managed to snatch one of the legs in his 

mouth (1,1)!

Spider 8/12 hp

[Malkavian Grin]

Dog turned and ran to save itself, rather than suffer the same fate as its master. It stayed in the area to check and see if he'd ever get back up, which astoundingly he did!

Barg woke up in a misty realm of darkness. It was wet here, sort of, and he could hear a lapping of waves. All was beset in darkness, save a single blue pathway ahead of him. Here, black waves of sorrow hit the shore, over and over. He was drawn forward, into Unlight. Here he found his shadowself standing, waiting. They nodded in unison as organs played from high overhead and curtains draped the scene in blue tones.

Barg woke up in that room, where he'd died and scratched at his head. What had happened? Was he so cursed that he couldn't even die right? The shimmering fields were not his to claim, yet. Suddenly, his shadow jumped away from him and gave a warning. "That spider is still here. Its wounded but it already killed us. Let's move. before it comes back."

Returning to the room where people were gathered, now they were just sitting around doing nothing. "Go. Find out their intentions," Barg said to his shadow, who dashed away to listen in and relay.
 

reaction (5)

reaction (8)

He intuited they were angry about not starting their hunt, but that otherwise they'd be neutral to his presence. He walked through the area minding his own business, and they left him be as he walked into another doorway.
 

what room is it? DR 10 // 0 special rooms (19,14) - Special 1 - 2 exits

The room here was something of a library or witch's den. Inside were bookshelves full of tomes of strange and wondrous tales and recipes. Unfortunately, Barg was illiterate. Instead, he'd take off one of his layers of clothing and stuff the books into a makeshift bag. Inside a pot was some kind of black tar Barg wanted nothing to do with. Barg again went left out of the room that smelled of terrible incense.
 

what room is it? DR 10 // 1 special room (16,5) - generic room - abandoned store

Barg stumbled into an abandoned storefront and quickly pushed everything over and opened everything to find what he could. But it was here that he learned why they called it the Halls of Sorrow. There was a poisonous spore cloud filling the rooms behind him! He grabbed what he could and ran for an exit. He found found vials of a red liquid conveniently labeled poison.

Barg gains 4 doses Red Poison: DR 12 toughness or -1d10 HP
 

what room is it? DR 10 // 1 special room (19,14) - Special 2

Here Barg stumbled into a room absolutely full of corpses. They were piled in two areas, one filling half the room and the other in the opposite corner. The heat and stink here was incredible. Barg had to hold his breath and plug his nose to not puke. There was a well-dressed one, but the spores were coming and he was lazy this was gross. He'll pass. opting for the nearest entryway out of there!
 

what room is it? DR 10 // 2 special rooms (7,7)

Barg had been too busy looking behind him, stumbling on a corpse and face-planting into the floor. He slammed down with such force that he slide his face and chest across the ground, painfully so, as there was sharp gravel in between all the rotting corpses.

Barg takes 3 MF damage from that. Thank you dice. So generous. I ruled that dying and coming back touched by the grave restored life to full. It wouldn't do to turn up and death's door an instant later again. 4/7 HP

Generic room - deceptive chamber with an object. two scvm guard the chest, but they opened it and sprung the trap already, breathing toxic fumes. 4/7 HP

Feeling the power within him, Barg pointed at one of them and emitted his Enochian Syntax. Unknown warbles wafted through the air and one of the men heard "Slash your throat," which he did instantly and without question. His ally took a few steps forward in charge but stopped and looked back at the man and stared in horrific wonder. The other man could only claw at his own throat as he gasped and gurgled and choked for air.

Barg used the opportunity to attack, charging forward and completely whiffing with his manacles. He was beginning to think they were cursed. He swung again, missing again. However, the scvm didn't miss, stabbing into Barg. The wound would feel hot for a bit, but his body would fight the infection.

Barg is down to 1/7 HP. I have to use another power or probably die to the dice. Its cheap, but soon I'll be out.

Barg's eyes rolled back into his head and the noise came from him again, the same as before. "Slash your throat." The man did as he was told and suffered the same fate as his ally. "What a waste," Barg said, rifling through their belongings and the chest.

Barg gets 2 poisoned knives. He will dual wield those bitches. But then in the chest is a Volt Thrower! Barg tears up the scvm's clothing and fashions a wrist-sheath for the dirty daggers. He doesn't want to accidentally stab himself with them, but wants them quickly accessible. The spear he'd just have to carry.

Looting bodies. Something crumbles to dust and the other is a mad manifesto. Sucker, I can't read! Barg eats the paper. He heads for the only exit.
 

what room is it? DR 10 // 2 special rooms (11,19) Special 3

A long, dark hallway took Barg to a giant chamber with an impossibly tall ceiling. His mind reeled from the sights presented by an array of mirrored walls all reflecting back at him and of themselves. It was intensely disorienting. The floor alone held respite. He stumbled forward until he practically ran over a dying man. He was tied to a burnt wooden throne. Barg couldn't piece it together. The man clung to him as he tried to pass.

"How dare you walk up and try to leave! I'm bleeding out here you fecker!" he shouted with a cough. Barg stopped and turned around, forcing himself to face the mirrors. He smiled. "What, you some kinda sick feck, come to stare at me? Screw you dickhead!" He spat at the deserter.

"Me like you. Wish had bandage. You die. Me sad."

The man laughed and howled and coughed. "You stupid or something? I'm dying, but at least I can speak! Shitstain buttmunching pustule made of scabs!"

Barg soaked it all in. Where was this man his whole life? He reached down and pet the man's hair once, who spit again. "Love you" he said, stabbing the man in the chin with the poisoned knife. He needed practice with his left hand if he was really going to fight with it. Hot blood poured over his hand and he smiled. He looked in all the mirrors and saw he was cackling. Who knows how long it lasted. Hours? Days? Seconds? Time didn't matter for awhile.

Barg's shadowself watched over him as he slept in a pool of blood, trapped in some kind of maniacal stupor. It would let him rest for now, and wake him if the need arose.

Barg heals 6 HP to full. Barg is close to Getting Better. He can feel it.
Barg gets 3 Powers today.
Barg needs food badly. One more sleep and he takes damage I think.
 

what room is it? DR 10 // 3 special rooms (8,13) - generic room, extravagant crypt with a human (?) npc

Standing outside an exquisitely carved and deeply detailed crypt was a man waiting for something. He wore leathers and carried a sharp knife. Barg watched from afar while shadowself approached. "I see you, shadow." He turned around while the shadow darted back to Barg. "And you, toothface." Barg grunted; it was a half-assed.

Barg waited with his spear at the ready. "If I wanted to kill you you'd be dead. Come here and explain yourself."

Barg narrowed his eyes in suspicion but eventually he walked closer. "Me Barg. You see Dark?" he pointed at the shadow. "Of course, why wouldn't I? I'm a revenant, the same as you. I've seen Death, and turned away." Barg was confused, but then understood; the dream he'd had was real. That's why his shadow is alive now. It all made sense now!

"Me... dead?" Barg asked. "Not quite, friend. I've been waiting here for one such as yourself. I don't think we can make it out alone. The others... all died before making it here. This is a sanctuary; no violence can be done here." He wore a fake smile. "I both long for violence... And am hesitant to leave. Here... I could ponder eternity while waiting for the end. Or, I could strike out and die again, but it could be a glorious path of murder. We'll send them all to the Shimmering Fields. Only those killed by a Revenant can be free. And maybe when the world ends, we'll get to join them..."

Barg wasn't quite so sure about all that world saving shit, but the murder... that he would down to clown with.

"Okay. Me, you, go. Kill. For Peace." He nodded. The other man let loose a laugh that seemed genuinely heartfelt and well-needed, like it rejuvenated him. "Yes, friend. Kill for peace. You've summed me up completely in three words. Perhaps we were fated to meet. Come, rifle through my goods and take what you think is useful. You made it this far, I'll let you lead."

"No. Dark lead. Me follow. Safe." He used hand gestures along with his words.
 

Omens DR 12 search for loot (13,14) d100 trinkets... small wooden horse why not.

Barg loots the place, finding a small wooden horse. He points at it. "Huh?" he grunted. "The name is Taevion, not that you asked. And that is one of Taevion's finest masterpieces. Why, I crafted that, dear friend, whilst whittling away the time here. I honed my skills to that of a master!" Barg stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "Tis true, friend! Look upon the bottom. Whose name do you find scribed there?" Barg stared the the horse then back at the man. "No read." Taevion was devastated.

Continuing through the halls, the two moved with the shadow ahead at all times. Now, a force to be reckoned with.

what room is it? DR 10 // 3 special rooms (14,15) - special 4!

Going down another tunnel there was a broken door with a goedendag stuck in it. Taevion snatched it up from the door; it would give them both a thrown option. Here, for anyone to take, was an armory; treasure was here. What the two didn't realize was; only revenants could enter the room without suffering the curse. It was why the guards were fine leaving people alone down here.

Barg and Taevion both find light armor and shields. Barg finds a voodoo fire lamp and thinks its cool looking, so he keeps it. Taevion finds a Foehammer and snatches it up with a glint in his eyes. "This hammer is cursed! Probably why it was left down here to rot. It drives you to kill someone random each dawn, but you can ignore it. Its bad, but only for this body."

Barg stared at him in the green light as it bathed the room in a spooky aura. "Huh?" he grunted. "Only bad for ... this... do you not know what kind of revenant I am?" The bird crowed and fly around the room. "Let's say I'm just playing pretend with this body. I can jump to another if this dies. And another. And another. A cursed infection means nothing to me." He laughed and held the hammer high dramatically. Barg rolled his eyes. "Me not want curse hammer. Green fire good."

Barg and Taevion complete The Butcher's Keep, while NOT completing Shadowclink! Uh.. okay.... I uh... hmmm. I did the dungeon thing wrong. Shadowclink had a second page. Encounters and rooms. Oof. Big oof. Well, now I guess the two are forced into the real thing with weapons. I bet this is an unfair advantage. I know it is. But its fun. I bet the real thing is much more brutal and punishing and short....

Barg and Taevion Get Better (or worse)

Heal up, and... Honestly go elsewhere. Check out another thing? Second module? Try shadow with another person?