Barrow Mounds: Hallowed Ground expedition

[Spearmint]

May 8th 1066:

Helix Village, Duchy of Aerik.

8.00am. Windy conditions, light rain.

Effects: none.

Gathering in the market square outside of the Brazen Strumpet Tavern, a few intrepid adventurers decide to brave the Moors and dangers, intent on establishing a sanctuary of divine protection in the midst of the dreaded Barrow Mounds.

They trek more in hope than expectation, knowing of dangers seen and unseen ahead but the lure of gold and abandoned treasure energises their steps against the wind.

Reuben the black haired, 'mutton chop' priest leads the group. He wears a brown smock, traditional garb for a Friar, a cord tied belt around his waist, from which dangles a mean looking mace. He carries a pack of supplies including a lantern which he holds aloft.

Alongside him a fresh faced teenage boy. Barely growing the first tuffs of facial hair, the boy carries a yew longbow and quiver of finely fletched arrows. Tamson the miller's eldest accompanies the group as a tracker and guide.

Vann Hector, sports a long trenchcoat, collar turned up against the wind and black tricorn helm. By each hip dangles a new fangled hand-held crossbow, a longsword sheathed at his waist. Studded black leather gloves complete the vogue outfit.

Dalin arrives, wearing his featherweight chainmail shirt taken from the Moathouse cellar. Trusty crossbow and axe strapped to him.

Two newcomers to the Duchy complete the expedition team. Savant an elf of rare heritage, silvery blonde haired, carrying a horn bow and thin bladed longsword.

Eldon Shadowfinger a halfling walks next to a huge slobbering mastiff. The brown shaggy beast shoulder high to his diminutive master could almost double as a mount. Instead he is held through the village on a tight leash, too many interesting smells for the hound to sniff.

A few supplies are shared out, (two days rations each, rope and grapnel, a dozen wedging spikes, a score of firebrand torches, large swag-bags, extra lantern oil). The group head south-west following the trail through the scattered farmhouses that exist at the edge of the civilized area. These frontier homes are the limit of any militia patrols, the 'this far but no further' boundary signposted by the thick veil of swirling mist that ebbs and flows from the wilderness of peat bogs that stretch out southwards covering a huge 600 square miles of treacherous Moor.

The Barrow Mounds are about six hours trek across the Moor. The time doubled due to the ecological conditions of the landscape and the eerie mist which limits good visibility to around 60'ft in all directions. Beyond that strange shadows leer, feigning movement, the twisted trunks of withered trees looking like spindly giants teaching out through the gloom. The grassy clumps of vines and blooming flora could easily hide any kind of predator behind. Indeed as you take the first intrepid steps into the strange environment, the croaking calls of large toads announce your arrival. A bark or two from Sarge causes the amphibians to leap away across muddy pools. If only every threat could be dispersed so easily.

ok. Everyone make a post and any comments, questions or actions please.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

The elf walks along, making notes of the terrain. He makes a point to chat with every team member. He has a particular responsibility towards the young ranger Tamson. His own practical experience of the fabled Moors is zero, so it really is all new territory to him. Hence he tries to get as much information regarding the Moor, the trails, the nearby Shrine of Herne, any remarkable features to look out for.

so by my reckoning we walk leisurely an hour from Helix then around five more hours across difficult terrain. That takes us to early afternoon if we are not halted on the way. Then a few hours for the priest to 'do his stuff' and trek back before midnight?

[torkill]

Eldon

The halfling struggled to keep Sarge on the leash while in town. The large mastiff dragging the small halfling from side to side as it picked up new scents to investigate along the road. Once out of town, he took the leash off and let Sarge to his own. Seeing the concerned looks of the rest of the party, he offered some reassurance. "Sarge's good about staying with me. He's just excited to be out walking again." Being his first time out to the Barrows, Eldon asks a lot of questions about the rest of the groups past experiences there.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

Uses the journey to chat with his comrades.

I would like to ask Tamson about his experience trekking and where he went. Wether it was with his great-Uncle Basil, his dad or I have heard, the elf Valeron is a famed ranger in this region?

To Reuben he asks what clerical stuff he has brought along and how does he expect to turn a tomb into a sanctuary? How long will it last, will the church of St Ygg reinforced any bridgehead into the Barrow Mounds?

Savant, who is very quiet. He speaks with him in Elvish and asks if he knows much about the two elven communities in the Thornswild and the Wyldwoods? He appears dressed as a warrior type but does he have any ranger tracking skills. I will ask him to map make for the team and mark our trails so we can find our way back.

To Eldon he asks regarding his trade and if he has any specific ambitions above just exploring the Barrow Mounds. He tries to pair him up with Dalin so that if we find any crypts they could use their race and class skills, particularly in regard to discovering traps and unsafe masonry.

[Spearmint]

May 8th 1066:

Barrow Moor, south of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

11.30am. Windy conditions, light rain.

Effects: none.

The group trudge onwards, meandering south towards the Barrow Mounds meadows, the boggy paths overgrown very quickly. A few trail markers have been set up. Large stones with an arrow carved in them, pointing towards a particular narrow trail across boggy ground or indicating to go around a corpse of lichen covered rotting trunks. It takes an element of trust, who knows the signposting does not lead you into a trap or distracts you from the proper course.

The young ranger Tamson realises his error, avoiding the surprise of walking into a setup. He drops and rolls off the trail, indicating everyone to do likewise as a volley of arrows pepper the ground around your feet.

Several figures emerge from the undergrowth ahead of you, calling out in a strange harsh rasping tongue and echoing shrill calls answer to your immediate left.

Reptilian men, armed with patchwork breastplates and clutching rustic looking weapons aggressively approach you.

initiative and actions please

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

in my bonus languages I took Lizardman, so maybe some parley might be better than fighting?

Team initiative [1d6]=4

"Friends". the elf raises his hands in a non-threatening way, stepping back onto the trail. "Please, we are not your foes. We are just pilgrims to the Mounds and mean not to trespass on your territorial grounds."

Hoping to get to speak before they attack and here are any checks needed:

Vann Hector charisma check vs 9 [4d6]=15 or [3d6]=14

It seems his plea to parley might be ineffectual.

"Defend yourselves.", he says to the others if it is not too late.

[torkill]

Eldon dashses to the side of the road and calls Sarge to his side. He offers the large dog a bite of one of the sausages he pockets from breakfast. "Stay!" he commands softly, then looks for some place to hide.

[Spearmint]

May 8th 1066:

Barrow Moor, south of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

11.30am. Windy conditions, light rain.

Effects: none.

I will move this on while players are absent.

Though the elf Vann Hector makes a plea to parlay, the rasping vocabulary of the Sauron tongue is ignored. The archers release another volley of arrows into the front duo of Vann Hector -5hp and Reuben -3hp. The lizardmen warriors advance to melee the group on the trail. In a flurry of blows, the dwarf Dalin has his beard trimmed by a razor sharp blade, lucky it doesn't slice open a jugular. -1hp. Tamson and Savant fend off the tribesmen, the trio giving as good if not better than they received, each drawing blood on their respective opponents.

Sarge barks, growling and showing his teeth. Eldon, successful in sneaking may attack while his advantage remains.

next actions please

Critters initiative [1d6]=6
Sauron archers [1d20]=15[1d20]=20[1d20]=3[1d20]=17
Arrow damage VH [1d6]=5 Reuben [1d6]=2 [1d6]=1
Sauron warriors vs Tam [1d20]=3[1d6]=1 vs Savant [1d20]=2[1d6]=6 vs Dalin [1d20]=20 [1d6]=1
Tam [1d20]=15[1d4]=1 Savant [1d20]=19[1d8]=8 Dalin [1d20]=18 [1d6]=5 vs saurons

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

Will help protect the young boy by attacking, but missing the lizardman fighting him.

Vann Hector longsword melee [1d20+1]=2+1=3 damage [1d8]=7 initiative [1d6]=4

[LordKane77]

Savant attacks the lizard man in front of him, trying to maneuver the melee to consolidate the party.





If Savant can move towards the other three without taking extra attacks he does. If he becomes disengaged he will switch to the shortbow.

[torkill]

Eldon leaps from his hidden location and drives his shortsword in to the back of the nearest lizardman.

Initiative: 1
Hit AC 1 for 8 damage

[GreyWolfVT]

sorry did not see the new expedition topic posted...

Dalin would have used his crossbow but since the enemy is trimming his beard .... he uses his hand axe.
Hand Axe (Melee) [1d20]=16 to hit, [1d6]=4 dmg

[Spearmint]

May 8th 1066:

Barrow Moor, south of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

11.35am. Windy conditions, light rain.

Effects: none.

The bloody encounter continues. The lizard men react quicker, their terrain familiarity and natural reflexes gaining the advantage which they use to press the attack. The stone axes and flint spears are just as deadly as forged iron and one barbed pointed slices into the thigh of the young ranger Tamson -3hp. In the close quarters, the archers join the fray, matching the party man for man (or lizard to elf, dwarf, halfling, human and dig as it were).

Springing from his sheltered thicket, Eldon stabs one in the spine, bringing it down to spasm in death throes in the mud. Dalin hits twice in a row, hacking another slice of Sauron. The other combats are fended away.

actions again please. Just the first poster
needs to roll for group initiative.

Sarge, as a guard dog may attack also.

Critters initiative [1d6]=6
LM vs Tam, Dal, Sav [1d20]=17 [1d20]=9 [1d20]=9
Tam speared [1d6]=3

[GreyWolfVT]

Dalin will attack the nearest lizardman with axe if they are within melee range if not he switches to his crossbow.
Team initiative [1d6]=6
Hand Axe (Melee) [1d20]=17 to hit, [1d6]=2 dmg
Hand Axe (Melee off hand) [1d20-2]=12-2=10 to hit, [1d6]=2 dmg
Light Crossbow [1d20]=16 to hit, [2d4]=4 dmg

proving rolls use what is needed I assume if switching weapons i lose my attack this round per normal rules. How did I attack twice? I only posted 1 attack roll hand axe only gets 1 attack per round typically I thought as that is how i noted it on my sheet?

[Spearmint]

you got twice in a row because I rolled your first round of combat.

fighters and thieves may use two weapon fighting subject to normal dual wielding restrictions. See Weapons and Armour of House Rules.

So you may use two hand axes as per DMG but at a -2 & -4 to hit, modified by any Dex bonus.

So just checking for Dalin, you would attack as:
Right hand axe, no penalty
Left hand axe, -2 to hit.

[Stirling]

dual wielding could be useful to remember!

Vann Hector

After some flapping and flailing, the elf finally remembers his martial training and executes a savage riposte through a lizardman's torso.

Vann Hector longsword melee [1d20+1]=20+1=21 damage [1d8]=8 Group initiative [1d6]=4

[GreyWolfVT]

you got twice in a row because I rolled your first round of combat.

fighters and thieves may use two weapon fighting subject to normal dual wielding restrictions. See Weapons and Armour of House Rules.

So you may use two hand axes as per DMG but at a -2 & -4 to hit, modified by any Dex bonus.

So just checking for Dalin, you would attack as:
Right hand axe, no penalty
Left hand axe, -2 to hit.

alright I failed to remember that. I can add a 2nd roll for the "off hand"

[torkill]

Eldon withdrew his sword as the lizardman collapsed to the ground. He moved to attack the next closest lizardman, but stumbled as he stepped over the the twitching corpse. His sword sliced through the air missing its target completely. "Sarge, attack!" he called. The large mastiff charged at the now distracted enemy and the dog's maw clench down on to his leg.

Eldon misses



Sarge bite attack hits AC 2 for 7 damage.

[Spearmint]

May 8th 1066:

Barrow Moor, south of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

11.40am. Windy conditions, light rain.

Effects: none.

The fierce hand to hand combat goes in favour of the party. Dalin stabs again to finish off his opponent, Vann Hector cleaves another. Savant, Tamson and Reuben all miss, as does Eldon. The huge mastiff, 100kg of slobbering fury pounces upon a lizardman's back, knocking it prone and savaging it in the neck.

With two more saurons' dead and a third gnawed on like a butcher's bone, the renegade reptiles make a fighting retreat. Eldon takes a minor wound from a thrown axe as they begin to turn tail and run into the Moor long grass.

you can each make a further attack at +2 to slay the fleeing lizardmen.

Next actions please.

[GreyWolfVT]

Dalin a bit of a look of amazement as he somehow stabbed with a hand axe hurls the axes at the fleeing lizardman.

Hand Axe (Thrown) [1d20]=8+2=10 to hit, [1d6]=4 dmg
Hand Axe (Thrown) [1d20]=2-2+2=2 to hit, [1d6]=6 dmg