[Game #1] Hempel's and Stanilus' Thread

[Landifarne]

Fighting over the lamp, the associates are eager to proceed. Having taken the lamp from Stanilus, Hempel moves ahead in anticipation...

After moving cautiously forward about fifty feet, the two catch sight of some kind of white, shrouded object lying on the tunnel's floor. Just at the edge of the lamp's light, part of the object lies in the tunnel, and the rest is obstructed by the corner of the left wall. The tunnel apparently jigs to the left at that point.

Sixty feet away, the companions cannot make out what the thing is, but it looks like it has been shrouded in white linen that has had years of dust settle over it.

[Pulpatoon]

And me without my ten foot pole.

Hempel looks back at Stanilus, then edges towards the right side of the tunnel, preparing to skirt the object with as much clearance as possible, and proceeds cautiously towards it.

[PyroArrow]

Stanilus, grabs then tells Hempel:
Hold up a moment.

Stanilus, Looks for any bits of mortar or stone & if he finds one, will throw it at the thing in white linen first before we proceed!

[Landifarne]

Finding a few small chunks of mortar, the burglars throw them at the object- to no real effect. Several hit the object and behave much as would something shrouded in linen- making no noise, but releasing a bot of dust into the air.

Proceeding forward...

One of you roll a single d6 for surprise.

[PyroArrow]

Stanilus rolls the die:

Suprise: [1d6] = 6

[Landifarne]

As the two burglars move towards the enshrouded object they notce a couple dark shapes detach themselves form the shadows near the pasageway's turn. Blinking their eyes, the men are initially caught off guard, as the shapes seem indeterminant and are flowing along the ceiling and left hand wall. Creeping along, the spindly creatures rush forward...

Spiders! Monstrous, ugly things with abdomens the size of a filled sack and heads the size of a human's, the things' malevolent, multifaceted eyes catch the gleam of the lamp light. They are twenty feet away and moving quickly.

State your actions, then roll initiative...

Map Spoiler-

[Pulpatoon]

Hempel screams and runs away, back towards the stairs.

[1d10] = 8

[PyroArrow]

Stanilus screams a "Dag Nabbit!" & runs away following Hempel & closes the door behind them!

Initiative die roll is:
[1d10] = 4

[Landifarne]

Normally I would take the first initiative roll to come up (and I'll do so in future encounters), but being such chickens I'll allow you the better one...

Nasty, Evil-Looking Spiders' Initiaive: [1d10] = 6

Running like chickens being chased by a couple of foxes, Hempel and Stanilus hightail it back and slam the door shut. Hearing a latch fall, the two breathe a sigh of relief and give each other a look of "P'raps we should head on back to the Hoof, have a beer and pretend we didn't see those lovelies..."

Being careful in exiting the garden house and getting over the wall, Stanilus and Hempel take their time getting back to the Hoof. Having picked up a ring and a couple garnet insets the two call it a night sometime around two bells after midnight. Thumping each other on the back, the stalwarts decide to speak on the morrow and see what the future holds.

This was the same night that Arkthren's master was poisoned, so the others are ahead of you by about 18 hours. I'll create some kind of plot device to get you to chase after them, and meet them at the Shrieking Hollow.

You two figure out if you need to do anything in town (buy equipment, sell the ring, etc). Post once or twice as I come up with a contrivance to merge the two...

[Pulpatoon]

As they make there way back in town, Hempel says, "I don't think much of Sanblic's housekeeping. What kind of a man has things like that in his cellar?"

"He must go through scullery maids at an alarming clip."

A little while later, he adds"We weren't the first ones to try to sneak in the back, were we? It had been awhile, but, as you said, someone had already jimmied the lock on that door. I wonder how far they got and what ate them?"

"That's what I was thinking about when I... uhr, retreated."

"That the job had proven impractical, that is," he trails off, lamely.

Hempel suggests that he fence the ring and gems, since he has (presumably) dealt with such folk in the past. He'll set aside a bit of coin for Loryn, the stableboy.

His first concern will be getting his leg cleaned and bandaged, and then procuring rations for the road. If there is enough money in his half, he'd like to get a tent and an oil lamp as well. If not, he'll try to pick up a second blanket and get some more oil for the lamp from the inn.

Hempel wants to leave town immediately, before anyone gets wise. He is not above stealing a mount should the opportunity present itself. He's willing to head out on his own, but if Stanilus seems inclined to leave town as well, Hempel will wait for him, so that they can travel together.

The sign of a rushed tailor: he doesn't even bother to repair the rat-tear in his pants, figuring he'll have plenty of time for that on the road.

[PyroArrow]

Yes, i guess those 2 big spiders got into the passage through the Rat hole.

I am actually curious enough to go back & try again, & see who or what their large victim was, perhaps with a couple more blokes to help with the pest control.

Besides, if we don't finish the job, i'm sure we will be framed & or killed! Don't forget we have one more night to try.

We'll need to somehow clean up the mess we leave behind. Or at least, make it look that it was some battle between Rats & Spiders.

Yes, go see what you can get for the ring & gems.

I do think i have enough supplies. I could get another flask of oil for the lamp, now that we have one. So, yea, i will get 2 new flasks of oil.

[Pulpatoon]

"They can't frame or kill what they can't find. I'd much rather take my chances on the road then in that pestilential basement."

Hempel looks wistful for a moment and adds, "This won't be the first time I've shown a town my backside, and there's always another town along the way."

"Well, I'll just go see what I can get for the treasure horde of the rat king."

[PyroArrow]

Well no wonder! Your pants keep getting ripped & you go running!

[Landifarne]

By mid-morning Hempel headed over ot one of the village's silver smiths and had the man assay their finds. The first smith offered 4 silver pieces for the ring, and 3 silver pieces for each of the garnet chips. Thanking the man for his offer, the burglar proceeded to the shop of the man's rival and received estimates of 4 sp for the ring and and 4 sp for each of the small gemstones. Selling the items on the spot, Hempel walked out with 12 clipped silvers in his purse.

Stopping by the provisioner's shop, Hempel purchased a couple flasks of oil for Stanilus and then went over to the herbalist's shop, expecting the master herbalist to give him a draught for his injured knee. Finding in the shop Pursic, the young druid that had been introduced to Hempel and Stanilus previously, the burglar learned what had occurred to Master Holcomb the night before. Saddened, but intrigued, the Felderman saw opportunity at hand.

Making further inquiries, Hempel found that Pursic's elder cousin had left earlier in the day with a few stalwart companions, and that Pursic would willingly take Stanilus and Hempel to the place known as the Shrieking Hollow. If they didn't dawdle, then the two men would catch Arkthren's group before they entered the cave (Pursic agreed that he would have to come along to introduce the men to his cousin-but that he would have to get back as soon as possible to care for his master).

Agreeing to the plan, Stanilus was eager to set out, despite the indigestion that was playing havoc with his bowels. Grabbing their gear, Pursic left Rifford with Hempel and Stanilus in tow, roughly two bells after noon.

Let me know if you two want to change your equipment lists. As soon as you hook up with the other group we'll switch to the other thread.

Each of your characters has acquired 11 EXP total (5 from the rats and 6 from the silver). Whoo hoo!...lol...

Mumbo Jumbo Rolls: [1d10] = 5 [1d100] = 18

Mumbo Jumbo Roll: [1d6] = 1

[Pulpatoon]

With the punctilious honor of a thief in denial of his own immorality, Hempel makes sure Loryn gets a silver piece.

Now that he's thinking about an adventure instead of just fleeing, Hempel prepares himself differently. In addition to the lantern, oil, rope, and hook from this adventure, he'd would like to procure the following:

Iron rations (1 week)
Waterskin (filled with good dark beer to settle his gut)
Flint & steel
12 Pitons
Signal whistle

Leaving the Tailor with 8 copper and 6 iron rattling around in his purse! This town has not been good to the poor guy.

[PyroArrow]

My equipment list looks ok, so i guess i'll leave it as is.

[Landifarne]

Mumbo Jumbo Roll: [1d6] = 6

Stanilus and Hempel accompany Pursic to the cave called the "Shrieking Hollow". Having an evil reputation amongst the people of Osterlic, no one would willingly visit the place...let alone delve it.

Having left so late, the trio makes progress until darkness descends. Over the previous four hours they had travelled more than ten miles, but the last five miles were going to be difficult- as they went uphill and meandered through the Immrick's foothills. At six bells after noon it was dark and the three had four miles to go.

What are you going to do? Continue on? Camp? The characters figure that Arkthren and the others likely just reached the Hollow.

[PyroArrow]

4 miles, so that's about 2 more hours, let's continue on!

[Pulpatoon]

Hempel is inclined to camp, in order to be well-rested when they get the point of potential trouble, but will follow Stanilus' lead, if he wishes to push on.

[Landifarne]

The three continue on, making the best time that they can by the light of the quarter moon. Figuring that that can meet up with the others before Arkthren's goup descends into the cave, they press on.

The first of you to respond: please roll a d6 and a d10.