OGRE MAGE wrote: ↑Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:15 pm
He gets his rope out and securely ties any remaining arms and legs, running it through their mouths like a gag as well, just in case. “They will likely come back as the undead eventually, and will need to be put down permanently before we can give them a proper burial.”
Regarding this, Gerdal told Sven just before :
sastaz wrote: ↑Sun Aug 22, 2021 9:32 am"Now we have to seal ourselves lin here right away or get moving towards Helix. Also, we need to give our fallen friends an honorable farewell. We cannot leave them here or in the ground, lest they be vandalized by the corpse eaters. I think we should burn them and bring their belongings back to their families. That would be most respectful, given the options."
Gerdal approaches Sven and puts her hand on his shoulder
"Don't be too hard on yourself young man. This was not your fault, they chose for themselves. You did not kill them, these horrible creatures did. Best we can do to avenge them is to keep banishing and slaying these undead monstrosities whenever we have the chance."
"So, do you think we should seal the tomb lid and the entrance with the stone wheel and rest here, or take our chances and travel back immediately?"
The climatic conclusion reached, the group set about tasks to alleviate the conditions and environment.
You note that the remains of the zombie bear and three of the deceased knights are not in the tomb. The remains of two knights and the skeletal remains of Silas are interred in his sarcophagus. The two interior chambers cleaned of detritus and body parts. In the entrance passage are three ghouls and the bodies of your comrades.
Amos, "I remember the warning in the other mound. Pat Doggrel noting staked the butcher-baker to the ground 'just in case'. I think it is a fair warning. I don't know how undeath resurrection works. Maybe taking off their heads might be sufficient to stem such evil happening. They are not trollish after all." the cleric suggests a more final option to binding the bodies.
You can part roll the huge millstone into place between the carved bears of the lintel frame.
You can feed Harkazz and Smokie more jerky rations rather than risk them nibbling entrails.
Camping in the chamber overnight goes without further mishap. In the morning Amos ministers a healing prayer to Orgoth which gets him back on his feet.
I will check notes for those still in the loam casts in case you are applicable for extra healing.
By early morning you can assess your situation and plan your next journey.
Sven nods at the peace loving, head lopping priest, happy for his assistance in such matters. “We don’t have the means to bury or burn them. We can inter what’s left of their bodies into the nearby bog at first light where they can eventually become one with the earth again.” He thanks Gerdal for her encouraging words, starting to look up to the older woman a bit more.
Happy to survive the night, the mage can see his group is ready to leave this place, so he agrees with Orgoth and takes stock in what they have to carry back with them, trying to even the loads out for each member. “It will be a rough slog home with all this stuff, so let’s get started as soon as everyone is ready. We can talk about who wants what on our way back.”
He takes the time to study his lost spells and have some breakfast, urging the others to eat and drink their fill to lighten their loads a bit more. He makes sure the newest member of the group gets enough too. “Well Smokie. What did you think of that scene for your first night outside your crypt? Pretty gruesome stuff huh?”
I have a couple suggestions for things we can do before we leave, pending the updated hit point status of the group.
Updated health status taking into account spell and Hurtloam casts which are now broken away.
Smokie, "Hooman. It looks grisly. I think this robed one died fighting but by the smell in his trousers, I think the young warrior saw his end coming. Mind you he didn't feel a thing. Or maybe he did but could do little about it.
Don't worry Hooman. They could feast on you a little but I am sure you could get back on your feet eventually.
Hmmm. Plenty of bones outside, I might take a femur to nibble on during the way back. Back to wherever back there is."
The telepathic ramblings of a lupine mind meld with Sven's.
Unfortunately Harkazz does not have the same connection though he can camouflage himself and Gerdal which has other advantages.
I forgot to add the magic sling stone to Amos' magic item list.
Sven nods at his larger friend before he takes one of the carved soldier figurines and writes STEBAN across the base with his charcoal pencil before displaying it prominently in one of the tombs alcoves. "I know it is hardly the monument you deserve, but this is where we are," he says quietly.
Then he turns to the others as they make ready to leave this place. "We should think about what we want to do on our return trip. I am going to leave the lantern, prybar, rope, extra rations, torches, and whatever else we don't need to carry back to town with us here in this crypt. I would suggest that you all do the same with any extra gear you carry. Hopefully it is still here when we return." The mage piles his items neatly inside the sarcophagus with the secret door.
He continues looking through the gear they got from Jerome's tomb, placing several things into smaller piles. "I know we didn't walk out of here with millions in gold, but that tapestry might be worth more than we think. If we can get it back without any further damage, we could have the weavers give us an idea of its real value. Those gold bracelets may be worth more than we think as well, but we just wont know what we have until an expert can look it over. And please try to remember that there are many hidden costs to finding out what some of this stuff is, and that new hirelings wont come cheap. I don't think we hit it rich yet by any means, but I don't want anyone to be discouraged either."
Gerdal stands silent for a while at Steban's grave, for what it is.
"I hope you found peace, wherever you are."
Then she inhales heavily and starts unpacking some things as well to place in the sarcophagus, same spot as Sven. will note on my inventory which stuff is left behind
As Sven divides the weight, she packs her share instead in her backpack, insisting on carrying as much as any other member (except the half orc giant of course).
Sven shows Orgoth the small book of psalms Brother Fabian was carrying on him. "If none of you mind, I would like to keep this as a memento of our helpful friend Brother Fabian. I will need to tell his guild master what happened to him."
He looks to Amos as the others prepare to leave the mounds area. "What do you say, Amos? Are you willing to come back with us and explore a little more? Those evil cultists down there will need to be dealt with sooner or later."
"I think we should set things up in here in a way that we can tell if anyone else came by. Maybe we can stack the bones in front of the entryway before we push the stone back in place after we exit?"
"Can anyone else think of stuff we need to do before we head out?"
Orgoth
"Thank you for showing me this Sven." Orgoth will look the book over.
"I will behead them with the silver spear." Orgoth uses his magic silver spear to behead the bodies.
"Sorry my friends but we can't have you rising as undead, that would be a far worse desecration, may Cromm bless your rest."
We don’t have the means to bury or burn them. We can inter what’s left of their bodies into the nearby bog at first light where they can eventually become one with the earth again.
Would you do this first? Take the bodies to the Moor and interred them in a cut peat bog trench then come back for you stuff and then leave for Helix?
If you delayed departure say for an hour or so while spellcasters restore there spells, that would give Orgoth and Isvand time to slip out and check the way is clear. If you climb to the top of your barrow (16) you will find the embers and remains of a funeral pyre built by Steban and Fabian for three of the knights and the bear portions.
Following a trail you can see they retrieved the broken crates and barrows left outside of (15) to use as wood and lit them with several flasks of oil. A loose head spade nearby from the trench they dug. You can repeat the process for them but need to gather more wood.
As far as encumbrance goes. Two of you will share the tapestry burden. It is rolled up around the hanging pole so one if you can carry a torch or lantern in the mist. The other three have a crate to carry which uses both hands.
“Another fire? It’s no wonder the ghouls found them.”
“Where are we going to find more wood? We don’t know of any just lying around out here, do we? Maybe if there were a few dead trees nearby? Man, someone else is sure to find that burnt pyre eventually. That’s not good if it leads them right in here!”
“I think we need to take the heads and bodies out to the Moor and inter them separately in a bog trench. Cover em up as best we can and get outta here. I’m glad we didn’t know about that pyre last night or I wouldn’t have slept a wink.”
I wonder how many times our plan to be inconspicuous and leave a minimal footprint has backfired since we’ve been here?
