Barrowmaze: Of Where-Rats and Mongrelmen.

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn

Do these four mongrelmen are the one that took Vann Hector belongings back then when we were on the ground?

[Spearmint]

Do these four mongrelmen are the one that took Vann Hector belongings back then when we were on the ground?

you can't tell since you didn't get a close look at them.

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn

At ease lads. We came here with no harm means to you. We have a gift suitable for your lunch.
Without stepping into the crypt door, Veryn takes out a good wine from his backpack.

You lot must be thirsty, should a good wine help quench your thirst?

I'm thinking of bribing them with the wine for several possibilities. Information, safe passage to the crypt, maybe get them drunk so they can talk freely?

[Spearmint]

Just House Keeping here:

Health Status:

Vann Hector: MIA/presumed dead
Callan: 8/8hp
Veryn: 6/6hp
Rum Lightbender: 6/11hp
Sigrid: 9/14hp
Sundance: 7/8hp

July 11th 1066

Midday, approximate time.

[Darithe]

Sigrid

At the sight of the mongrelmen, Sigrid steps forward offering a warm smile and greeting in common. She lets Veryn take the lead in conversing with them.

[Spearmint]

I am updating here next over coffee, just a moment

[Spearmint]

The offer of wine, complimenting the soothsaid augury that Mongrelmen were breaking bread and wine seems to tip the initial reactions in your favour.

Rather than a hostility or fear, the Mongrelmen gesture for the group to enter and take a place beside them. They are praying, breaking bread and pour the newly gifted wine into the goblet and pass it around.

Each has a lit candle placed on the ground in front of them and in the centre is a broken figurine, that looks like some kind of chipped saintly icon.

Actions please

[Craigers07]

Rum

Rum enters the room with no weapons drawn and waves at the mongrel men as a friendly gesture. With some skepticism, he takes a seat and joins them in breaking bread.
He'll remain silent and will leave the negotiations with Veryn.

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn

Veryn sits besides the mongrelmen processsion, taking a glance of their appearance one by one. He then fix his eye on the chipped saintly icon, wondering if he knows what deity is that.

Intelligence check vs 12 [4d6]=15

[Darithe]

Sigrid

Sigrid joins the friendly group and takes a seat amongst them. She will chat amiably though guardedly assuming they fully understand while glancing at the idol trying to see if she recognizes it.

Intelligence Check vs. 14 Int. [4d6]=14

[Spearmint]

Mongrelmen and adventurers sit together. Bread and wine passed around in ritual fashion. They expect you to partake though Callan might have reasonable reservations.

actions could each player say if they do or don't partake.

As far as the icon is concerned, Veryn hasn't seen such before but Sigrid has some 'barbarian' background and recognises the icon statue as a 'man in Vargr form', a Wolfman.

The icon is broken in two pieces and they are trying to glue it together with blobs of melted wax.

In conversations, held in a mixture of goblinoid patois and fractured Common, you learn the Mongrelmen are praying for strength and deliverance. They confess that most of the rats in the Barrowmaze carry diseases and some even worse, have a bite that carries a lycanthropic virus that turns bitten victims into Wererats. The rats they feast upon might even contaminate them into such creatures themselves and they are praying to 'the spirit of Fenrir' in order that they might instead overcome. Though you might also conclude they are prating rather to become Werewolf rather than Rat.

Actions: mine! it is late, past stupid o"clock at night so I will edit here with a continuation in the morning!

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn

Veryn will partake but before that, he will inquire the whereabout of the majority of these rats as he hasn't seen a pack of them in the maze. He will look towards his more experienced companions if what they said regarding the rats in the maze is true. Also, he will look at the bread and the wine if its looks or smell suspicious or funny, while not showing that suspiciousness.

[Hadarai]

Callen

The Cleric will accept the food and wine to avoid offending theor new found acquaintances. He silently offers his prayers to St. Ygg in thanks for the blessing of peace that they've been afforded in this place.

"I've never seen these creatures during my excursions, and I hope not too...

Callen asks the Mongrelmen if there is anyway to tell if a rat carries the lycanthrope in it's bite, besides being bitten of course.

[Spearmint]

Actions: mine! it is late, past stupid o"clock at night so I will edit here with a continuation in the morning!

suffering from long drives hauling my HGV in the freezing cold.

The wine they were using was old vinegary and much watered down, so to have an imported vintage is a rare treat. Similarly, the bread is crusty, mouldy and any maggots wriggling inside are seen as an extra blessing of meat rather than spat out.

Mongrelmen, actually a slur term to describe this mish-mash of humanoid figure. They have a patchwork of skin or race types, one body might have a human right arm and a goblin left, faces are often blends of creatures and unless one perceptibly wore eye lashes, lipstick and skirts, telling genders apart would be difficult, assuming the larger more broad shouldered and muscular being males.

There speech is a mix of all, but within the group you have a number of polyglot languages so can translate what is being said.

You realise too that the Mongrelmen perceive themselves to be integrally bonded with the Barrowmaze. They are kept in various groups as 'indentured labourers' by cult factions who dwell in the labyrinth. Some, like this little band have absconded from their servitude but fear leaving since acceptance in the wider world is hard and they believe that they are cursed to stay.

As far as Rats and Wererats go, they assume that many of the rats who nibble upon the dead bodies pick up various necrotic diseases, something which Sigrid and Sundance can confirm as their entrance into the tomb was contested by 'rats of unusual size', rodent abominations warped by feeding upon the flesh of the dead.

Because the MM eat rats, they are kept almost as pets to clean up areas and keep the swarms down.

The taller of the MM notes something. Rum Lightbender actually carries the battleaxe used by Martell, which he took from the Undead MM champion. Rum is also still under the Strength spell I think?

The MM see this as good fortune or an answer to their prayers, suggesting you must have been sent by the Spirit of the Wolfman to help liberate them.

Actions, comments and questions please.

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn
Two questions, is Goblinoid language a common knowledge for the villagers of Helix or is it reserved only for the knowledgable and born a certain race? Second, this probably might not be possible but are there any sewer below Helix?

Veryn nods at their concern and talks. He asks since they have been in the maze for so long of what happened to a man that falls into the bottomless pit trap and have any of victim that they knew survived or rescued. He would also ask to the taller MM how in the world we can "liberate" them.

[Darithe]

Sigrid

Sigrid downs the watery wine with vigor and thanks the men as she partakes of the maggoty bread, she had drank and eaten far worse when nourishment was sparse in the northern lands, and is truly grateful, "You are kind to share of your larder with us. I have seen the Vargr before in my homeland far to the icy north," she points in what direction she guesses is north as she bow her head before the effigy. She listens attentively as Veryn asks his questions.

[Craigers07]

Rum

Rum puts on a smile and accepts the bread and wine. He tears off a little bread at a time and keeps the portions to less than bite-sized.

"I see some admiration for my axe. Perhaps it is a sign!"

He places the axe in front of him on the floor and looks at the reaction of the mongrelmen.

[Spearmint]

Two questions, is Goblinoid language a common knowledge for the villagers of Helix or is it reserved only for the knowledgeable and born a certain race? The Mongrelman speak a mixture of goblin, hobgoblin, kobold, bullywug, dwarf, elf, common. Whatever their racial makeup and their vocabulary is a constant mixture of words. So 'goblinoid' is not a set language but a mixture that the polyglots can piece together. They understand your basic Common well enough.

Second, this probably might not be possible but are there any sewer below Helix? There is no 'dungeon level' in Helix and the village sewers are just that, improved latrines and drainage. There is a larger Cistern where the fresh spring water is
taken or piped away. This is currently undergoing a rebuild as part of Golgarth's Cromm Cruach refurbishment project.

for so long of what happened to a man that falls into the bottomless pit trap and have any of victim that they knew survived or rescued.

They look at each other and offer you condolences, saying "your friend is lost". They use lost rather than dead, but suggest a 'bottomless pit' may be just that. They are familiar with that triangular pit (if you tell them about Mousetrap, they might laugh as such a trap is very Mongrel-craft in its deviance.

He would also ask to the taller MM how in the world we can "liberate" them.

Mongrelman: reactions to encounter: [1d100]=67

You can still sense some distrust. Adventurers have in the past slain Mongrelmen (just ask Sundance & Sigrid ...). But they have a favourable view, helped by your own initial gift and non-violent approach.

To liberate them, you could defeat 'the evil one' and his minions who dwell in the crypts to the south. He has a power over them (Mongrelmen) via some ancestral magic they need deliverance or exorcism from.

He places the axe in front of him on the floor and looks at the reaction of the mongrelmen.

they admire the axe but confess none are proficient as brave warriors though they bear spears and rusted daggers. They insist you keep it and use it to take the Evil One's head.

You guys can choose to help them and explore further south or (and this is ooc, but characters may consider it in any strategy) decide to try and get these MM to meet the larger Guild team in the passages north and tackle any assault as part of a larger team objective.

considerations and actions please.

[Darithe]

Sigrid

Between bites of the maggoty bread, Sigrid suggests to both her companions and the mongrelmen, "There are other friends exploring down here. Perhaps if we rejoin them and you accompany us, our numbers might easily defeat this oppressor." At this point Sigrid believes Vann truly must be dead and decides recovery of the body is all they can hope for.

[Kenjosephus]

Veryn

Veryn agrees to the Sigrid suggestion and the mongrelman bleak affirmation.

Say, what about the gargoyle statue outside? You folks cut its arm or what?