Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

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Zhym
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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#121 Post by Zhym »

"Oh," says Fingers, disappointed. "I thought that was gonna tell us something, but I guess reading isn't the same as understanding."

"Hey, I don't suppose anyone brought iron spikes? Maybe we could spike shut the doors the skeletons come through."

ETA: I'd forgotten about all the stuff on the top of the hill. Did we see that as we approached?

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Marullus
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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#122 Post by Marullus »

Yes, on top of the hill, they saw the small stone henge with a few above-ground crypts surrounding it.

Inspecting up the hallway, Fingers finds the other two doors on the west wall to be closed. There are tattered remains of a fresh rope, shredded into lengths and scattered around them. He also finds some horribly mangled iron spikes lying among the blown-in leaves.

Date: 3:10pm, 19 July 2021
Light: dim light from archway (-2), chandelier up the hallway
Effects: None
Injuries: Markd (moderately injured), Bandy (minorly injured)

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#123 Post by Zhym »

"Daaang," says Fingers, shuddering. "Guess those doors ain't so easy to keep shut."

"Okay, so, here's what I remember of what I've heard about this place. There's the sun room through that door there. The other doors go to a room where skeletons magically re-make themselves. Past the sun room is a courtroom with a woman and a fountain, then the trial room, a room with the woman's tomb, and another huge room with a bunch more coffins and stairs going up. Maybe to the stuff on top of the hill. Right? And we've got, what, four hours until dark?"

"I dunno. If we kill the skeletons now, they just come back tomorrow. Maybe we should go check out the top of the hill—and not attack anything!—while we got some light, then camp outside overnight and come back in here in the morning. Whaddya think?"

Here's a map I put together based on what we've seen so far and the previous expedition:
Barrowdown.png
Barrowdown.png (157.88 KiB) Viewed 183 times
I'm sure it's off in spots, but Marullus was pretty detailed in describing most of the rooms, so I'm pretty confident in the general layout.

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#124 Post by Alethan »

Bandy nods in agreement, though he will remain wary of the gargoyles atop the structure.
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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#125 Post by onlyme »

Markd nods his agreement. He looks around for any writing that may be familiar based on the book he read from the previous month's rest in town.
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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#126 Post by Marullus »

After a cursory examination of the closed doors, Fingers leads Sprinkles and then the other humans back out into the sunlight. They traipse up the hillside to the low structures that sit atop it. From this high ground you can see in all directions - rolling plains with spots of trees here and there, then about seven miles to the north a walled city with a large keep within.

Atop the motte is a round henge of standing stones, the area between them paved with flagstones, few weeds growing between them. A massive stone block rests in the center. On the west side of the henge is a rectangular stone structure built as an alcove, several slots in the stone under the overhang. You see writing on the doors and the plinths and symbols of Baudh predominate throughout engraved artworks. The largest being a six-pointed sun on the massive block of stone in the center of the henge.

On the East, North, and South sides around the henge are simple stone-slab structures about 20'x30' on the outside. They all have a single stone door facing the center (the henge), and are ornamented with statuary. Weather-worn statues of human men and women flank the doorways, while winged demons perch above the doors with hunch shoulders, looking downward -- two sitting on each of the three mausoleums. Other stones appear to have fallen or been placed around the periphery of the henge, their purposes less clear, and one of the henge-sections appears recently shattered and collapsed.


Date: 3:30pm, 19 July 2021
Light: Sunlight
Effects: None
Injuries: Bandy (minorly injured)

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#127 Post by Zhym »

Fingers looks at the demon "sculptures" on top of each mausoleum, his eyes wide with dread. "I thought you said there was only one gargoyle on each?" he asks Markd and Bandy quietly.

"Um, don't mind us," he says, his voice quivering with nervousness. "Just...um, looking around. Honoring the dead. Like that."

Stepping toward the stone structure, he tries to read the writing.

Read languages (1-80=success): [1d100] = 59

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#128 Post by Marullus »

Fingers identifies that the central stone does indeed have general prayers to Baudhon and religious symbols familiar to the Baudhic faith. Avoiding getting too close to the three mausoleums he reads only their lintels from afar. Moving into the alcove on the fourth side of the henge, he finds that it is the most prolific place for writing. By each of the slot-holes in the alcove, he finds a large family name engraved, with a series of smaller individual names underneath. The names in the alcove under each name appear all etched at different times, the oldest worn away beyond recognition only a few of the newest clearly legible now.

Written text:
On the Main Tomb:
Epitaphs for the Clelland family:
Kelyr, Steward to King Farthegn
"sophisticated in his life, his love of politics and news a tribute to his family."
Asa, Nurse to Heimdalr, son of Farthegn
"a nurturing soul and much beloved of the King, may her social parlour forever be full."

Epitaphs for the Roethe family:
Arvus, Architect of the Blue Arches
"Charming in life, devoted to family."
Orlan, Engineer of the Aquaducts
"By his work all of Yoldessi prospered."
Lucella, Treasurer to King Farthegn
"That all my prosper."

Epitaphs for the Dalmore family:
Casslyn, Knight of the Realm
"Hero of the Eastern Reaches, forever riding in the Eternal Halls"
Laudius, Magistrate under King Heimdalr
"That justice and beauty may bless the noble realm"
Agheth, beloved daughter
"She that possesses the love of many may find the love of none"

Epitaphs for the Karstas family:
Holtz, Master of the Hunt
"Gracious Knight, that sport may make both hearts and larders full."
Talitha, Lady of the Realm
"Fierce in her aspect, all children remain forever protected."
Vond, Finest Artisan of Glass and Crystal
"There is no such nobility and beauty as that of true art."

On the Three Mausoleums:
Family Lamond, Enobled by the grace of King Heimdalr
Family Bowman, Enobled by the grace of King Danorr
Family Penderyn, Enobled by the grace of King Danorr
Date: 3:50pm, 19 July 2021
Light: Sunlight
Effects: None
Injuries: Bandy (minorly injured)

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#129 Post by Zhym »

Fingers read the inscriptions aloud and copies them onto one of his sheets of parchment—really small, so he has room for other notes.

"I was hoping for 'insert coin here' or something," he says, wiping his nose. "Any of those names mean anything to you? I wonder if those are the names of the ghosts. Like Maudius the Magistrate. Maybe he's the judge?"

"Don't see any names like the ogres and such that are watching the trial. Hey, maybe people killed by the skeletons have to join the audience! That'd be spooky."

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#130 Post by Marullus »

INT check [1d20] = 2

The whole group considers his reasoning and realizes the slots are indeed coin-sized.

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#131 Post by Zhym »

"What the hell. Let's see what happens." Fingers reaches into a pouch. "Um, anyone got change for a platinum? I don't wanna be cheap, but I ain't made of money, either. And Baudh's all about gold, anyway."

If he can find someone to trade him 10 gp for 1 pp, he'll take a deep breath and drop a gold coin into each of the slots.

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#132 Post by DavetheLost »

"I have gold, as is proper for a follower of holy Baudh.

Hengist will exchange his gold for Fingers' platinum.

-10gp, +1pp on sheet
Last edited by DavetheLost on Fri Dec 01, 2017 12:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#133 Post by Zhym »

Thanks. -1 pp, +6 gp on sheet.

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#134 Post by Marullus »

The four coins slide into the slots, falling down the interior and clinking against the stone shafts on their way down before falling into silence. Fingers waits pensively, but nothing appears to happen. When he turns, however, he sees the central stone within the henge glows with a warm yellow light barely discernable in the daylight.

Date: 3:40pm, 19 July 2021
Light: Sunlight
Effects: None
Injuries: Bandy (minorly injured)

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#135 Post by onlyme »

Markd looks on, waiting to see what happens once Fingers inevitably pushes on the glowing stone. They alway do, it seems.
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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#136 Post by Zhym »

Sure enough, Fingers can't resist. He goes over to the glowing stone and presses his palm against it.

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#137 Post by Alethan »

Bandy waits in anticipation to see what happens when Fingers touches the column.
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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#138 Post by Marullus »

Fingers presses his hands and.... sure enough, it is a rock slab. Though it glows warmly, it remains ambient temperature. He notes nothing else at the moment.

It is a slab, not a column, however, which is glowing. The slab looks to weigh several tons: it stands about four feet high off the ground and is about ten feet by ten feet square. It has large engravings of Baudhic symbols weathered by time on its surface.

The columns and lintels of Henge surrounding the slab in a ring and look to be older stonework than the slab itself. The three mausoleums that stand outside of the Henge are of the newest stone.

Date: 3:50pm, 19 July 2021
Light: Sunlight
Effects: None
Injuries: Bandy (minorly injured)

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#139 Post by Zhym »

Is the slab set up like an altar? What's under the slab if it's four feet off the ground?

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Re: Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

#140 Post by Marullus »

Zhym wrote:Is the slab set up like an altar? What's under the slab if it's four feet off the ground?
Sorry, the slab is four feet thick and rests on the ground. It would be a good shape and height for an altar.

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