IC. Broken Valley Chapter 1: It's all there for the taking

[ybn1197]

Nymandus assists.

[tibbius]

Reluctantly, Egbald lends his strength to the task.

[The_Wanderer]

The three adventurers gather on one side of the structure and, with a nod, begin to push the 2" thick stone covering. It moves surprisingly easily and noiselessly, pivoting around a hidden axle. It only rotates about 3 feet before stopping. Luthwick brings the torch over. Looking inside you see it is not actually a well. It only extends down a couple of feet to ground level (basically the same level as your feet). The bottom is covered with objects, partially deteriorated by time, of many shapes and sizes including what was probably clothing, sacks, small jewelry boxes and small coffers. The bottom is also covered in a sprinkling of coins, mostly gold. You do not see arms or armor contained inside.

It smells strongly of stale air and decay.

[ybn1197]

Nymandus nods. "What say ye to trying the other cap?"

[tibbius]

Egbald looks - without reaching into the well - for bones in the detritus.

[The_Wanderer]

Egbald looks - without reaching into the well - for bones in the detritus.

There are no bones, skeletons or other signs of dead bodies in the "well".

I really can't think of a better word than "well" for this stone structure. I wish I could be more descriptive here.

[tibbius]

"Sure," says Egbald. He puts his hands to the lid (with Nymandus' assistance?).

[ybn1197]

"Sure," says Egbald. He puts his hands to the lid (with Nymandus' assistance?).

Yes

[The_Wanderer]

Egbald and Nymandus move to the other cover and begin to push. Again, it pivots slightly around a hidden axle on one end, exposing about 3 feet of the inside. This opening is clearly different however. The two men look down into the opening and see iron handholds descending much deeper than ground level. You can't actually tell how far though because perhaps 30' below the opening the entire 10' diameter opening is completely clogged with bones. As torchlight bathes the charnel house six humanoid forms slowly look upward. Their skin is gray, their hair is thin and raggedy. Their eyes burn with the anger of the undead. As one they say, "Araskocos Sees."

One of them, slightly larger and already near the iron handholds says, "Welcome supplicants. Please join us." It begins climbing.

We'll enter rounds now
Initiative: [1d6] = 6 = Good Guys
You guys are all surrounding what is in effect a 10' wide round well with some kind of intelligent undead beckoning you at the bottom, 30' below. There is an obvious way for the things to climb up.

[tibbius]

"Let's see if they can figure out how to open this from underneath," says Egbald. He starts heaving the cover back in place.

[ybn1197]

"Let's see if they can figure out how to open this from underneath," says Egbald. He starts heaving the cover back in place.

Nymandus, having thought the same thing, gives Egbald a hand.

[The_Wanderer]

Egbald and Nymandus move quickly and cover the opening, hoping that will be enough to slow or stop the undead below. It pivots back into place again with surprisingly little effort.

I'll give the rest of the party some time to respond with an action. Otherwise I'll move to the bad guys' turn and we'll see what they can do.

[tibbius]

As the cover slides back in place, Egbald says "If one of the creeps does manage to open the lid, it will be busy with that and I can bash its skull in with Smasher. Besides they can only come up one at a time. Because ladder." He pats the mace that is holstered at his hip.

[MonsterMash]

Magrin, Cleric

"Let us not worry unduly about these words, but let us make our own future." Magrin says.

[The_Wanderer]

Top of Round 1

Egbald and Nymandus work quickly to again close off the charnel pit. As they do so, Magrin chimes in with bracing words of wisdom.

I will move forward to the bottom of Round 1 now since it feels like you guys are in wait and see mode. If Mirwydd or Brignum Mai want to act in Round 1, we can retcon.

Bottom of Round 1
The party waits surrounding and staring at the re-covered pit. There is a banging sound and the slab covering the pit jumps an inch but does not really move. As it happens, the torch jerks in Luthwick's hands as the porter gasps. Then the cover for the pit begins to slowly rotate open. It seems that the undead below has just enough leverage to swing open the cover.

[tibbius]

Egbald heaves all his weight against the motion of the cover. With his free hand he yanks out his short sword and tries to wedge it into the gap between the cover and the lip of the well. "Maybe we can wedge this," he says.

[thirdkingdom]

Brignum Mai

Mai tosses a flask of oil into the gap. "Light it, Luthwick!" She exclaims.

[sirravd]

Mirwydd hurls two enchanted darts into the gap.
[1d20+2] = 4+2 = 6[1d3+1] = 1+1 = 2
[1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12[1d3+1] = 3+1 = 4

[The_Wanderer]

Mirwydd hurls two enchanted darts into the gap.
[1d20+2] = 4+2 = 6[1d3+1] = 1+1 = 2
[1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12[1d3+1] = 3+1 = 4

Are they actually magical in some way? I don't see that anywhere on your sheet unless you are thinking your fighting style. That does not infer a magic weapon, just that you are really good at throwing darts.
Also, would you like Dying Rabbit to do anything?

[The_Wanderer]

Egbald heaves all his weight against the motion of the cover. With his free hand he yanks out his short sword and tries to wedge it into the gap between the cover and the lip of the well. "Maybe we can wedge this," he says.

I'll adjudicate the round in a bit but I thought I'd point out that if you want to try to pin the cover shut, then it probably needs to be done on two sides. It seems like it can pivot both ways around the axle.