Part 6: Revenge is Best Served Cold ... As the Grave

[ybn1197]

The trip to the Barrowmaze takes half a day given the swampy ground which must be covered between Helix and the barrows themselves. As Pyrrhic suggested, the lot of you drink the night away getting to know one another, the better to plan your excursion on the following day. With the crow of the rooster, you are all up and make your ways downstairs to a hearty fare of eggs, meats, and breads, the better to travel on a full belly. The trip takes a half day as Pyrrhic, Dren, and Mortiganto are already aware. As you get closer to the barrows, the swamp gives way to dry ground and the walking becomes less labored and more sure-of-foot. Finally the swamp gives way to a clearing of solid ground, the barrow fields. The veteran explorers are familiar with the sight but it is breath taking to the new explorers. The clearing is covered in barrow mounds and plinths. The ground is covered in a perpetual fog making it difficult to know exactly what you are walking over; was it a tree branch or a bone that just cracked under your feet?

Are you going to investigate any of the barrows or will you press on to the maze itself?

[Zhym]

Ubrect looks to the more experienced members of the party to choose the path.

[triplehappiness]

Nightsong steps out onto the raised ground, finally, a dry step to set his foot upon. Growing up and spending the vast majority of his years within the great wood, where the ground was firm and the soil rich, this is a new and alien landscape both to travel through and to experience.

He looks down, at the mist swirling nearly knee high, obscuring the heath. Shifting his weight, he tests the surface trying to determine what kind of people must have decided this was a good location to inter their dead. As the thought begins to consume him, he realizes the same thing is happening in the world. The barrows seek to consume him. Almost as if they still hunger for more remains.

Not knowing which way to proceed, he looks at his comrades and sees a similar look from Ubrect. Feeling a kinship with another person in a similar situation, Nightsong approaches him and endeavors to lighten the mood. He claps Ubrecht on the back, thrusts his head in the direction of the barrow field and asks, "So, is it just me or does it feel like we're late for lunch?".

This is a loose translation of an old Elven saying, "Eliah-ha ethenar et Eliara-na dren-ethenara", meaning "Are we to eat or be eaten?" Nightsong, still being relatively new to the world of men and dwarves doesn't realize the meaning may well be lost on anyone not familiar with Elven speech and sayings.

[DMStue]

Dren steps forwards as the Elf and Dwarf stare over the barrows, breaking a gnarled switch from an old rotten tree. Clearing a patch of soft damp earth he sketches out the Barrows they have visited so far, pointing out the most recent one where Marcus lost his life.

Jabbing at that particular one with a snarl, somewhat awkward looking through his oversized wooden teeth, Dren signals his preference...

"Dren would like to go back and finish what we started. So far we have found nothing but death in these ruins and Dren would prefer to retire rich and fat rather than scrabbling through empty pockets to find a copper clank for his next meal"

[Zhym]

At the elf's comment about lunch, Ubrecht removes his backpack and starts fishing around for rations. "Odd place for a lunch, but ye eat where ye eat, eh?"

When Dren draws his map and announces his intention to go back to where others were killed, Ubrecht stops what he's doing and looks up. "Ye found naught but death, so you want...t' go back?" The dwarf's forehead wrinkles as he tries to understand halfling logic.

[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic Nods in agreement.
"That barrow owes me a few gold, and I'm not above beating it out of it. On a more serious note, we know what the immediate area near the entrance is like. It beats going somewhere completely unknown."

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn looks out at the swirling mists and the barrow mounds that await. He turns to his comrades with a rueful glint in his eye. His voice rings out steely and cold in the unnatural hush.

"Do you feel that? The chill in the air? These barrows are constructed on fear, erected upon the icy dread of death that exists in the heart of all men. But this place fears another. It cowers before the coming of one who would know it's darkest secrets, brave enough to plumb it's unknown depths and return triumphant! It fears the warmly beating heart of a mighty half-orc warrior...named...Arnulfsen!"

He looks around and winks at anyone who's paying attention.

"Seriously though, I'm fine with commencing our descent wherever the veterans of this foul place suggest."

[SocraticLawyer]

Peaches McGee nods in agreement. "Sounds good to me, boys. Let's go kick some ass." To Claude, who had been trailing behind Peaches, she says, "Claude get up here. You know the drill. I need to you cover my six, but you are also responsible for my twelve. Six and twelve, Claude."

They follow the others to the indicated barrow.

OOC: Peaches has a bit of a potty mouth. If anyone prefers, I can tone down Peaches' language and/or use *s instead.

[ybn1197]

The veteran explorers lead the others between two barrow mounds, the one off to the left has the remains of a slate littering the ground. It looks as though the entrance was covered at one time and the slab door was broken to allow entrance. The one to the right does not have a visible entrance. Another mound to the left is passed as the group continues. The door to this mound still intact. A large pillar-like stone to the right is also ignored as the group travels ever purposefully towards a mound encircled by small cairns.

Entrance to the Barrowmaze

Barrowmaze.png (127.55 KiB) Viewed 1040 times

A large stone door rests face down, broken in two, in the long grass of the entrance-way. The area is littered with skulls and bones while a foul smell emits from the interior of the mound and the darkness beyond is black as night. Lighting a torch, you step into the mound. A short stairway descends into the mound, the inside of which is 60' x 60'. There are footprints throughout the chamber, many obscured by the tracks of a couple of adventurers leaving the mound in a hurry with a heavy burden. Four large stone columns support the structure. Between the pillars there is an old, rusty 6' high tripod with block and tackle suspended over a hole in the floor. A rope descends down into the darkness below.

Descent into the maze

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[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic draws his spear, moving to the side to allow one of the other party to take the lead.

[DMStue]

Dren moves forward and peers into the darkness ... before turning to the others .....

"Dren will scout ahead as he is familiar with the first few rooms. The rooms were cleared but may have been re-occupied since we were last here. The dead do not rest and are hungry for our flesh and souls"

With that cheery thought, Dren graps the rope and slides down into the room below, trying to put a safe distance between himself and the others to make the most of his stealthy footsteps ...

Move Silently: [1d100] = 26
Hide in Shadows: [1d100] = 82

+/- any modifiers

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn reaches up and behind his shoulders and releases the clasp holding his two handed sword in place. He looks down into the hole and then back up at the others.

"Does anyone wish to suggest a formation? Can we move two abreast down below, or is it too narrow? I'm happy up front or rear guard, if you wish."

[RiotInferno]

"We can move 2-wide down there. I'll be on rear guard where I can use my spear to support the front rank if necessary.
How about Bronn and Ubrecht at the front with Nightsong back with me?"

[Zhym]

"I be as keen to bash as t' next dwarf, but would Mortiganto nae be more suited to the front line?" asks Ubrecht.

Also, I need to update Ubrecht's AC on his sheet.

[Zorroroaster]

"Accepted."

Bronn begins clearing his throat and making low growling noises interspersed with the odd grunt and snort.

"My apologies. Just getting into character."

[triplehappiness]

Nightsong watches the group intently. He sees Dren make short work of a drop into darkness, bravery evident in his every move. He turns as Pyrrhic suggests a formation, sees him grip his spear and moves toward him to take up the back rank. Nightsong removes the bow from it's holster on his back, quietly knocks an arrow and nods agreement to Pyrrhic (thinking to keep the talk to a minimum). He'll cover those descending the rope until it is his turn to do so.

[RiotInferno]

"Thanks for the correction Ubrecht. I think Mortiganto should be fine there. If not, I can fill in on the front and someone can take my spot in the back. What say you, Mortiganto?"

[SocraticLawyer]

Peaches McGee says, "Me and Claude here will take the most important part, the middle."

[RiotInferno]

"Well then. It seems we're sorted. Dren, shall you lead us to glory?"

[ybn1197]

Following Dren, you all climb down the rope to the chamber beneath. The ceiling of this chamber is vaulted and 35 feet high from the floor. The room has partially collapsed along the western wall. Worn frescos of a burial procession leading to a barrow mound line the walls. Bones litter the floor. Booted footprints can be seen heading east. Rubble and debris throughout. Smells of dampness and death. Along the south east section of wall there is an arch which appears to be the only way in or out of the room except for the climb up into the barrow mound above. Peering out through the arch you see a long dark hallway traveling east past the limits of your torches. There are two doors on the south side of the hall. Along the north side are two openings where additional hallways branch off and one door.