Chapter 2: Freya's Tear

[Marullus]

Vakar can scout, i.e. take lead, but if we're talking a single file, that's no good, because then he can't fall back if something is coming at us. Or can he?

You can move through a square occupied by an ally as difficultterrain (i.e. half speed) but can'tend your turn there. So, you need to be able to get all the way clear.

[Unsungknot]

Doshea Ulfgar

Doshea nods down the corridor. “So long as we haven’t alerted any enemies to our presence when we bypassed them, we can head straight back and begin conducting clearing first the west corridors and then the east. Though going straight back may provide an opportunity for ambush. I think we should begin following the path back and then the first corridor to open on the right (west side) we go down, clear it, come back to this central glowing corridor and continue on, clearing all halls on the right and then circling around to com back this way, continuing to clear on the right which now be the east side. That would bring us back to these doors.”

She looks at Vakar. “I don’t think it wise for you to try and scout ahead, if there are hel-touched they did not seem to have any issues with seeing in the dark, you would be at a disadvantage since you need light and they could see you coming.”

She shrugs her shoulders and settles her axe in her hand, glaring at the dark corridor behind them in an attempt to pierce the dark beyond her own light.

“I am okay with the leading the way, this evil must be cleansed.” She grins at Skirfir, “Of course you could always lead the way and Vakar could be right behind you so he could easily shoot over your head.”

Our marching order should depend on the path we choose to take.

Strong fighters at front and rear, in case our passage brings fiends from the side corridors to follow us, with casters and ranged in the center, if we decide to go straight back to the beginning.
Or
Melee fighters at the front with casters and archers bringing up the rear should we take the side corridors on the west path. The ideas here being that one melee fighter would stay “stacked” with a ranged to cover the open glowing corridor until the rest of the part passes and then they could take a similar formation to the first one suggested.

I question, is it possible to have a character on a “hyper alert” sort of status? Like combat ready awareness so that they are sort of doing perception checks every so often?

[Marullus]

I question, is it possible to have a character on a “hyper alert” sort of status? Like combat ready awareness so that they are sort of doing perception checks every so often?

The game assumes you are always 'hyper alert' and that your Passive Perception is working at all times. I can accept a standing action to "roll perception at every door" and take it into account. Just keep posting your Mystery Rolls.

Passive Perceptions are: Valdis 16, Vakar 15, Ralfwin 14, Skirfir 13, Stigandr 13, Doshea 10

Marching order will impact who has the opportunity to notice things.

[sastaz]

Okay, I agree we should turn around and take the first western passage. But. If we go west there and then let's say immediately south (to the supposed room there, blue arrow) we'd be open to a rear attack anyway (coming from the other opening in that corridor, red arrow). So I think we should go for the "fighters in front - fighters in the rear" option anyway.

I seem to recall Unsungknot would be somehow busy the upcoming weeks, so she might not reply anytime soon.

IMG_0059.jpeg (786.63 KiB) Viewed 1214 times

Please also note that as Marullus said, you can move through friendly units. And Vakar has some "disengage" action options in his arsenal, so I think he could safely be in the front -ish to use his high perception.

My suggested marching order:

Stig
Vakar (will fall back at first sign of trouble)
Valdis
Ralfwin
Skirfir
Doshea

I'm ready to move into that corridor



Mystery roll: [1d20]=15, [1d20]=19

[Rex]

I don't think you make rolls for passive perception, only active perception.

[Stirling]

Ralfwin Edwinsen

Ralfwin: Perception check [1d20+4]=16+4=20 Mystery roll [1d20]=19

Grips his lantern, lit by imbued embers to glow fiery red. Mace readied in his other hand.

He studies to carvings snd inscriptions as they present, otherwise carefully walks the halls expecting some evil to manifest upon them.

[Spearmint]

Stigandr Yngvarsen

"Ok Doshea, let's go monster hunting."

He will back up the Alle as we trawl these first halls and passages, checking among the bones for anything unnatural or draugr related.

Stigandr Yngvarsen: mystery roll [1d20]=20 Nature proficiency check [1d20+4]=4+4=8

[Unsungknot]

Doshea Ulfgar

Doshea gives a wide grin to Stig. "Indeed let's."

I am good with whatever marching order we decide on, though I think Sastaz's recommended order is good.

Mystery roll: [1d20]=18; [1d20]=14

[Marullus]

Music and Ambiance: Tyrfing

---

Marching Order:
Stig
Vakar (will fall back at first sign of trouble)
Valdis
Ralfwin
Ygre
Skirfir
Doshea


Deciding on an order, the group backtracks to the closest branching hallway and steps down into it. The fetid, stinking water is only about a foot deep, but so polluted as to not see the floor below. You are well-lit by the lanterns carried by Vakar and Ralfwin, and the arcing electricity glowing from Doshea's axe at the rear. You can see four closed doors ahead of you, two on the left and two on the right, the hallway itself extending further on than your light will reach. Per Vakar's plan, you turn left down the first hallway. The hallway angles up just slightly, so you walk out of the flooding and onto dry floor. Once all of you are within it, you reach a Y-shaped intersection. A curved hallway angles off to the right and you see the door to a room at its end just at the edge of Vakar's lantern. Straight ahead, there is a closed door only 10 feet further, a room beyond.

Skirfir's hammer does not glow.


Enoch, Rex, Stirling, and Spearmint still need to update their character sheets to Level 3 in the Rogue's Gallery thread.

Actions?

Golden Halls 03.PNG (233.93 KiB) Viewed 1157 times

Environment	Initiative Order	Effects in Play
Time: 5:05pm Date: The 8th Day of Winter (Nov. 9th)	None.	None.

---

> Enoch as Valdís | Female | Kuning | Seiꝺr (Chanter 0f Kin) (2)| HD (1d8): 2 | HP: 22/22 | AC: 15 | Current Speed: 30' | Initiative: +2 | Darkvision: No | Spells - 1st: 3/3 | Hel: 0 |
> Unsungknot as Doshea Ulfgar | Female | Mithal | Alle [Paladin] (Thor) (3) | HD (1d10): 3 | HP: 26/26 | AC: 18 | Current Speed: 30' | Initiative: +3 | Darkvision: No | Spells - 1st: 3/3 | Hands: 15/15 | Hel: 0 |[Inspiration]
> sastaz as Vakar the Disowned | Male | Vestri | Rogue (Scout) (3) | HD (1d8): 3 | HP: 28/28 | AC: 13 | Current Speed: 30' | Initiative: +2 | Darkvision: No | [Inspiration]
> Spearmint as 'Stig' Stigandr | Male | Mithal | Barbarian (Berzerkr) (3) | HD (1d12): 3 | HP: 35/35 | AC: 19 | Current Speed: 30' | Initiative: +3 | Darkvision: No | Rages 3 / 3 | [Inspiration]
> Rex as Skirfir Uvaldi | Female | Dvergr (Stoneborn)| Gothi (Smidr) (3) | HD (1d8): 3 | HP: 22/22 | AC: 18 | Current Speed: 25' | Initiative: +1 | Darkvision: Yes | Spells - 1st: 4/4, 2nd: 2/ 2| Channel: 1/1 | Hel: 0 |
> Stirling as Ralfwin Edwinsen | Male | Mithal | Gothi (Sacrifice) (2) | HD (1d8): 2 | HP: 21/21 | AC: 16 | Current Speed: 20 | Initiative: +2 | Darkvision: No | Spells - (C) 1st: 3/3 (B) 1st: 1/1 | Channel: 1/1 | Gjof: 0 | Hel: 1 | [Inspiration]

[Spearmint]

Stigandr Yngvarsen

Stares into the darkness ahead, trying to perceive movement, sounds, anything that might alert his barbarian 'Danger Sense', commenting if he has 'a bad feeling' or not in considering the two choices.

He will signal the two behind to follow him into the room ahead.

Stigandr: Perception check: [1d20+3]=20+3=23 Survival [1d20+3]=10+3=13 Constitution [1d20+5]=11+5=16

sorry didn't adjust macro, just pressed roll dice but use rolls however they might fit.

[Marullus]

Stig hears noise muffled by the door directly in front of him, some kind of scuffing on the floor and a voice moaning though you cannot make out words.

[Spearmint]

Stigandr Yngvarsen

Can I kick the door and we surprise whoever, whatever is behind?

[Marullus]

Sure, lets roll with it! You're at the front.

Stig kicks the door hard, the latch easily giving way and swinging inward. As soon as you open the door, you feel a cold breeze with an indescribably awful smell. Despite your distraction due to the smell, your dim light shining in, it is obvious that this room used to be a barn. There are chains, buckets, and essential animal care items that are haphazardly hung on the wall and pushed up against the east and west walls. In front of the trough in the west lies two corpses; one of a horse, and one of a humanoid. In front of the east wall lies two more corpses; one (again) of a humanoid, and one of a goat. All the corpses are severely rotten, to the point that it is impossible to discern the age and gender of the humanoids. Between the goat and the humanoid, a red-bearded Mithal young man is chained by his wrists to the troughs; this appears to be the source of the moaning and scuffling as he struggles weakly on the floor.

The stench of rot is overpowering - I need a DC 13 Constitution Save from anyone entering the room.

[Rex]

Skirfir

Skirfir covers her mouth and nose with a cloth and ties it off (bandit style).

[sastaz]

Vakar stays just an arms length behind Stig, bowstring ready to be released. At the sight of the chained man, he relaxes his grip a bit, surveys the room quickly and whispers to Stig:

"If this man is already cursed we need to put him out of his misery. If not, he is in dire need of medical attention. Beware though, I can feel there's something wrong."

Vakar will take one step inside and one to the side, then put an arrow in each of the humanoid corpses from a safe distance.

I will assume he hits at just a few yards away, immobile target and (yet) no thread present. If not, see Mystery Rolls below.

Mystery roll: [1d20]=14, [1d20]=16

[Marullus]

Vakar puts an arrow easily into each of the humanoid corpses, sinking them deeply with a wet splorching sound. They do not move. The man continues to moan.

[sastaz]

Vakar to Stig and whoever is within hearing range.

"Okay, they're harmless. Let's focus on the chained man."

To the chained man:

"Who are you? We're friends and we will help you if you state your name and what you are doing here."

[Marullus]

Stig and Vakar both passed their CON Saves.

Vakar calls aloud to the man. He continues moaning, apparently not coherent enough to articulate a response.

[Stirling]

Ralfwin Edwinsen

Ralfwin: Constitution Check [1d20+3]=12+3=15

I will go into the room and look to free the man from his restraints.

Humanoid (is that a common thing, I am not expecting goblins and orcs?) can I tell what type of person or creature it was. I am surprised this is a stable for horses. Underground? Where do horses gallop too?

Questions aside, I try to help the Mithal man, giving him some drink from my canteen and checking over his wounds.

Ralfwin: mystery [1d20]=17 another mystery / perception roll [1d20]=13

What can I discern about him specifically?

[Spearmint]

Stigandr Yngvarsen

It seems quite ritualistic. Why not kill him too? Just butchery of the others but he is left? It is strange indeed.

I will leave those with better brains for such investigations to understand the nature of the place.

"If he is not draugr or warg, he can live." he says. I will look down the other fork passage.

Stigandr Yngvarsen: mystery roll [1d20]=14 Nature proficiency check [1d20+4]=19+4=23