Chapter 6: Beneath the Inn of the Damned

[Zhym]

Grothnak tries to move the stone lid. He keeps his footing, but his strength fails him.

Dex (13): [1d20] = 5; Str (18): [1d20] = 20

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo is not strong, but he is tall.

He helps in any way that he can, using his height to his advantage. He will push up on the cover with the butt of his spear or let someone stand on his shoulders to offer two people the ability to push at the same time.

I think that it is safe to assume that this was once opened and only recently covered up. We felt the breeze coming through at first and then it stopped. I hope the evil ones aren't simply standing up there on the surface waiting for us to pop our heads up like common field mice.

Oh, sorry Telkis.

[Inferno]

Bo
He will push up on the cover with the butt of his spear or let someone stand on his shoulders to offer two people the ability to push at the same time.

Both these options are legal. If anyone wants to attempt the latter option, to have two people push at the same time, please say so, and with whom, before rolling your Saves.
Fyi, a Dex critical fumble could possibly hurt Bo, as he's acting as the ladder rung.

Grothnak's critical fumble on his Strength Save means he's temporarily hurt himself and can't attempt any more Strength Saves for now. This is bad. He's the strongest in the party.

[dmw71]

While her suggestion was logical, given his physical prowess, Avril feels an unfamiliar sense of guilt when Grothnak comes up lame after attempting to remove the cover. "Here, I'll try next," she says confidently once the wounded warrior returns safely to the ground. With an intense determination, she efforts to pry loose the great capstone lid.

Dex (13): [1d20] = 6; Str (13): [1d20] = 5

[Zhym]

"Ugh," grunts Grothnak. "Think I pulled something."

[Starbeard]

Here are Moogeye's retroactive rolls for her action:
Dex (15) save [1d20] = 15, Strength (15) save [1d20] = 13

If no one's attempt succeeds, Moogeye will suggest, "If someone will try again, I shall help Bo push from below with my own pole arm as well. This way three will work together."

[ChubbyPixie]

Bo is not strong, but he is tall.

He helps in any way that he can, using his height to his advantage. He will push up on the cover with the butt of his spear or let someone stand on his shoulders to offer two people the ability to push at the same time.

I think that it is safe to assume that this was once opened and only recently covered up. We felt the breeze coming through at first and then it stopped. I hope the evil ones aren't simply standing up there on the surface waiting for us to pop our heads up like common field mice.

Oh, sorry Telkis.

Too soon.

FINSTEEEEEEER!!!!

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

"The smoke follows us still" laments Pelias. "Our most dangerous foe. Quickly, gather all unnecessary clothing! We must make the tunnel airtight while we figure a way out of this!"

Ingrid removes her cape and helps the resourceful Pelias in blocking the smoke.

Her lips are moving, and it looks like she's praying to Trithereon - but in reality, she is cursing, but she doesn't want to demoralize her companions with shouting the dirtiest obscenities picked up in the small hamlets and wayside inns of the Northern provinces.

After that, she tries her strength at the stone...
Dex. save (13) [1d20] = 20 ; Strength check (8) [1d20] = 11

And now curses spill out at full volume...

!!!!!!!!!!!
OH COME ON!

[Inferno]

Day Six.
Village of Briarsgate, Beneath the Golden Grain Inn (6).
Friday, October 21st, 576 CY.
Full moon, partly cloudy, damp, cold, misty.





The adventurers have worked their way into a grave that might soon be their own. Entombed alive at the bottom of a dark crypt of violated coffins, they desperately search for a way out of the underworld, as black smoke starts to seep in. A decrepit ladder in a rectangular shaft leads up to a dead end.

the shaft.jpg (218.3 KiB) Viewed 4907 times

Pelias gathers his cloaks and the tattered garments of the desecrated dead and tries to block the deadly smoke from suffocating them to death. Then he mumbles a desperate prayer.
Ingrid and Telkis lend cloaks and bedrolls to Pelias' effort, and the deadly ebon mists slow. The gnome examines the excavated area of the dank sepulcher and finds no other means of escape.

Moogeye climbs the rungs 25 feet up to the roof of the vault but cannot budge its stone ceiling. She climbs down.
Grothnak scales the rickety ladder in his heavy armor and exerts himself mightily, trying to move the massive tombstone that seals them in. He injures his back and slowly descends, grumbling.

Avril sees no light betraying the existence of cracks or weaknesses in the roof of the tomb. Full of determination and the blessings of Corellon, she ascends and strains with all her diminutive strength against the massive slab. Somehow, miraculously, she manages to move the capstone of the crypt! There is the deep sound of stone on stone and a cold blast of clean, fresh air rushes in through the crack that is wide enough for escape. The few remaining tendrils of black smoke still emanating from the blocked tunnel mouth recede.

Avril peers out into the silent darkness and her inhuman vision detects nothing alive. The adventurers cautiously emerge from the grave, ready for a battle that does not come. They pull themselves up into a grim, stone mausoleum with glass-less, barred windows and an unlocked iron gate. They stagger out, mud soaked and thick with the stench of death, not unlike undead horrors emerging from the crypt.



It is still night but, beneath the full harvest moon, they recognize the misty forlorn graveyard of Briarsgate (west of 4). Cemetery angels seemingly mourn their return, at last, to the land of the living.

The Tomb.jpg (156.12 KiB) Viewed 4907 times

The eastern sky writhes with a pale orange pulse, heralding the dawn.



Had they really crawled through the grisly catacomb channel for six hours?
No. Wait. That isn't sunlight in the sky. It's firelight. Coming from the direction of the Golden Grain Inn (6).


Actions?





Map:

Western Briarsgate Map.jpg (240.03 KiB) Viewed 4907 times

• • The 'X' marks the characters' position. One square = 20 feet.
    The lighter areas mark visibility (100 feet, due to the full moon). All else is from memory.

DM Notes:

Re: Ingrid's cursed die roll: Because Avril opened the crypt, Ingrid didn't get a turn. Phew!

Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/1: AC 7, HP 4/9, Spells: 0/3 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 5/17
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 6/16, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl and 0/3 2nd lvl, Lantern
  Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 2/15, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl, Lantern
  Moogeye Comcra, Human Monk 2: AC 8, HP 2/11, Lantern
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2(0), HP 8/19, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 3/19

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.

Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

As the stone block gives way, Ingrid feels great relief. When they emerge from the crypt, she gives Avril a quick hug. "I'm grateful that you joined us..." she says.

"We need a place to rest. We can go back to the abandoned farmhouse we hid at after the fire in the barn... that place hasn't been discovered yet. Or maybe we must be more cautious, and use another hiding place?"

[Zhym]

"Fire seems to follow us wherever we go," groans Grothnak, pressing a fist against his aching back. "Maybe our next hideout should be made of stone."

He looks back at the mausoleum the party just left. It's made of stone. If the capstone were replaced...

[AleBelly]

Pelias grabs his cloaks and throws the other items clogging the tunnel to their owners. He guards the party's rear and ascends the ladder last.

He emerges from the crypt with a smile.

"I never thought I'd see an elf best a half-orc in feats of strength" laughs Pelias, unable to hide his amusement.

"Avril, I thank Heironeus you joined us. Your strength was truly...inspiring. I owe you my life."

He looks around, and listens to the suggestions of others. "Let's try the farmhouse" suggests Pelias. "He have not yet seen signs of Felicity and her family. And we thoroughly explored the caverns below the inn. There is at least one other den of evil in this town, and we have not the strength to explore new places - we may well find more than we can handle."

He watches the flames in the distance. "Now, where do you suppose Hoom and Mouser are? Those sneaks..."

[Zhym]

Grothnak scowls...more than usual.

"I loosened it up for her," he says.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo chuckles softly at the half-orcs last comment.

We can not stay here. The enemy know that we were in the tunnels. They are sure to look here when they don't find our remains down there.

I agree that a walk back to the farmhouse might be as good a place as any. We can only hope that we weren't tracked when we left the place.

[dmw71]

DM Notes:
Re: Ingrid's cursed die roll: Because Avril opened the crypt, Ingrid didn't get a turn. Phew!

You're welcome.

[dmw71]

Avril, not accustomed to accolades, accepts the hug from Ingrid and half returns it. "Thanks," she nods at the half-orc. "For loosening it." After wiping some grime from her face, she quickly assesses the situation. "We can't stay here," she says matter-of-factly. "Even, or especially, down below again," she adds, not-so-subtlety suggesting she has no intentions of returning to the crypt they just escaped from.

"I agree," she continues. "Let's head west, skirt around town, and return to the farmhouse."

[Starbeard]

Moogeye ascends from the pit of the mausoleum. When it is clear that they are safe, she absent-mindedly beats the dirt out of her clothes and attempts to replace the slab over their exit, and smears away any footprints they may have left behind in the dusty tomb.

STR save (15): [1d20] = 10

Outside, she crouches down behind a nearby gravestone and observes the village. "That blaze is quite strong now. Wherever your friends are, they would be foolish to stay here, or else you misjudged their loyalties. We need to find a place to rest, away from this commotion. Where is this farmhouse you mention? Is it safe?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo helps with the covering of the party's tracks in the dirt outside.

Good idea Moogeye! The house is where we slept the day away yesterday, regaining our strength and magicks.

It was safe. We can only hope that it still is and that we aren't being followed everywhere we go in this less than hospitable town.

The lanky human cups his hands tightly over his mouth and sends out a long low vibrato whistle from his lips in the direction of the burning tavern. He knows that he is a long ways from his friend Sephus but hopes his eerie notes reach the birds sensitive senses on the winds.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis catches his bedroll thrown back to him by Pelias. "Smells like smoke," he says. Wearily he adds, "Yes, I suppose the farmhouse is as good a place as any. The question remains, though - who sealed the tomb? And are we being watched right now? It wouldn't do to be followed there..." He peers into the darkness.

[Inferno]

Day Six.
Village of Briarsgate, The Graveyard (west of 4).
Sometime between midnight and dawn. Friday, October 21st, 576 CY.
Full moon, partly cloudy, damp, cold, misty.





In the mausoleum, Moogeye struggles and pushes the tombstone back in place over the crypt. She and Long Bo try to cover their muddy tracks.
The grey druid then calls for Sephus and moments later, the black crow alights nearby in a flurry of black feathers.



"Caw! Caw!" Only four birds remain now from the original murder of crows.

Telkis asks, "Who sealed the tomb? And are we being watched right now?" As he peers out into the small city of the dead, he sees many figures among the shadows and the mist...







...none of them alive.


Actions?





Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/1: AC 7, HP 4/9, Spells: 0/3 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 5/17
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 6/16, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl and 0/3 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 2/15, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl
  Moogeye Comcra, Human Monk 2: AC 8, HP 2/11
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2(0), HP 8/19, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 3/19

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.

Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)