Barrowmaze III: Grave Returns.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven tries his best to get Truro to understand that some things will seem a little different than he is used to out in the wild, trying very hard not to start a science vs. religion argument.

He stays Amos’ hand before he wastes his oil on the dead. “I will ask each of you again to STOP lighting fires every ten minutes! I hope you all remember how Steban and Brother Fabian were ripped apart and eaten because they started fires when they shouldn’t have! I could also point out that the only reason we discovered the lizardmen ahead of time is because we smelled their fire. Think about that.”

Once they are back at the mounds, Sven listens to the rhythmic hammering for a moment, trying to determine how far away it really is. “Let’s walk east from here and check this little area in between here and the bear mound along the way. Maybe we can find that moat Sylvester mentioned. I wonder where that pounding noise is coming from.”

[redwarrior]

Isvand lovingly pats his boomerangs, his new most favorite possessions - after the harmonica, of course. Following a moment of thought, and knowing that they are close to going underground again, he readies his bow and moves forward in the direction Sven indicates. It's not as fun, but he can use it faster, and it has a flatter trajectory, which will be better suited to the close ranges and walls underground.

Just got home last night! My posting should pick up a bit now.

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth leads the way east, cautiously.

[sastaz]

Gerdal tags along, panting. She keeps lookout towards the sky until we reach the mound itself.

[Spearmint]

May 10th 1066

Barrowmoor, south of Helix. Duchy of Aerik.

12.40pm Light rain.
Light: Visibility poor. Lantern (Truro) Lantern (Treyvor).
Effects none.

The group trek east from the Mound of Rufus, walking two abreast in the mist. You carefully step over loose stones and puddles filling up with the downpour of rain. Sound echoes, the hammering of stone getting louder as you trek. A few minutes walk, maybe 200'ft and you come to an area where to the north is another mound. This one has much shrubbery growing on its sides, thick thorn bushes and briars. They are lush and verdant green though a blackened tree trunk near the knoll crown provides a stark contrast. Barrow Mound 6

To the south east a large mound rises. Among the tall grasses are several broken tombstones, half upright and half lying flat in a semi circle around the mound base, giving the impression of higgledy-piggledy teeth. The hammering is loud here on the south. It seems a group of adventurers have pitched up determined to breakthrough the stone seals that ward the tomb interior. Barrow Mound 7

"Hey boss, we got visitors." one man alerts as your lantern light is seen in the mist.

"Don't need no interruptions here, better keep moving if you know what's good for you." a second guard calls. You can make out him pointing a crossbow to your group as he stands up from behind a tombstone. For a few moments the hammering continues.

The two voices are not ones recognised by your hirelings.

actions please

[sastaz]

Gerdal pauses, standing completely still only watching, blending into the background together with Harkazz. In the misty conditions, she should be all but invisible.

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth stops, moves his shield between him and the crossbow and drops to 1 knee. His javelin at the ready.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven is surprised to find another mound so close to an area they’ve searched before. He is astonished to find the second, and this one so close to their own secret maze entrance. He wonders how many more mounds are out here, hiding in the mist. His heart drops when he realizes a crew is working so close to their destination, only a bow shot away.

He calls out to the voices, attempting a name drop. “No need for violence gentlemen! I assure you we are no threat to you, or your excavation! We are looking for a friend of ours. Do either of you know of a man named Sylvester? A fellow liberator, if you will.”

If his friendly parlay isn’t reciprocated, Sven has no problem ushering his group away from the neighboring tomb raiders towards the bear mound. Otherwise, he approaches the activity slowly with his hands out, looking for anyone in charge.

[Rex]

Orgoth

If Sven starts towards the excavation Orgoth will stay even with him, moving slowly, attempting to be non-threatening.

[Spearmint]

May 10th 1066

Barrowmoor, south of Helix. Duchy of Aerik.

12.45pm Light rain.
Light: Visibility poor. Lantern (Truro) Lantern (Treyvor).
Effects none.

The group are challenged as they wander the barrow field in the mist. Two armed guards calling to them from behind the tombstones. Sven tries to parlay, speaking of his other contact. The name doesn't ring any bells. The guard is about to move you on again but then another calls through the mist.

"Gaffer says to bring them round. Please follow me." a young man holding a flaming torch steps out the mist from further around the mound and gestures you to follow.

"So who do we have here? I'm Garrett I am steward on this excavation. Pardon the gruff welcome, but these parts have many dangers and it pays to be watchful." He counts the heads that follow him, noting your hireling quartet and the trio of Isvand, Orgoth and Sven. (I am presuming by your actions that Gerdal wishes to stay on the edge of the light radius and camouflage in the mist). Smokie must be in the mist also, perhaps wary of strange men pointing crossbows in his direction.

"Come along, mind the stones, don't want you to twist an ankle. Explorers too. Well maybe you can put your skills to this?"

About 60'ft further past the tombstones which are on the north and northwest of the mound, you come to an area of excavation. A small wedge of the mound has been dug out and exposed a stone path made of a mosaic of black and red flagstones which lead to a stone arched entrance. A bronze door carved with an evil looking visage and embossed with verdigris pentagrams seals the entrance. By one side a slab rests on a plinth circled by a small drainage ditch.

Half a dozen hired hands are gathered in the excavated area. Some work to clear the area or pathway. An eye patch wearing dwarf sits on the mound above the doors smoking from a pipe. Beneath him, striped to the waist a pair hold sledgehammers and are busy bashing the door. This is the sound you have heard. Each solid whack resonates with a dull thuds but makes little impact in breaking through the door. Hardly any chips flake off.

Under a gazebo to one side, a tall man reads from a notebook. "Ah, some new blood to reinforce my flagging forces.

Two days, digging, digging. Uncovered the 'Path of the Unrighteous. Have tried various methods to open the way but much not much success." The man, unnamed, wears strange hooded robes, studded with metal rivets and bone. His face is ashen grey and the sclera of his eyes (the white) is a jaundiced yellow.

His men seen unfazed by his unnatural appearance though it provokes your senses obviously.

introductions and actions please.

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth remains silent for now, leaving the talking to Sven. Studying everyone present, getting a count and trying to figure out if they are over matched.

[OGRE MAGE]

Oh crap!

Sven studies the new area visually as much as he can as the group is shown around. Seeing the size and appearance of this crew, he is glad that some of their members have decided to stay out of sight, just in case. He starts to wonder if they should have simply heeded the warning and moved on.

"I am called Sven, and these are my friends." He points to the others but holds off on naming everyone for now. "You don't need to remind us of the dangers out here, as we lost two good men to ravenous ghouls on our last trip here." Sven reluctantly ushers the others along with him to check out the entrance.

He too tries to count and to keep track of the growing group of grave robbers, wondering how dangerous this situation might turn out. He tries to determine if any of them dont fit in visually with the others and might be here against their will. Studying the colored stones and the frightening entrance, the young mage shakes his head. "Wow! I have never seen anything like that around here before, not that I am any expert on these mounds."

After hearing the words from the ashy mage, Sven's heart drops. What could he really do to stop his group from being enslaved by some demented wizard with more power than he and little concern for his fellow man. He decides to gamble. "No sir, I think you must be mistaken. For we are not here to help you. We came here to aid another group. A wizard named Sylvester. We are to meet him and his dozen man crew here, at the northern edge of the mounds, where we were hoping to find some easy pickings on this end of the meadow. In fact, we thought your pounding noises was them, and that's why we came to investigate."

"You have quite a project going here. I have never heard of the Path of the Unrighteous before, and as you can see, we are not really set up for excavations, but I must say that I really dig your attire. Those metal studs and spikes really make your leather look sweet."

[sastaz]

Gerdal remains still and keeps quiet.

[redwarrior]

Isvand keeps his bow in hand as he casually drifts away from the new group as we keep walking, trying to ensure that he has a clear field of fire if it comes to it. He does not like the talk of "new blood." He'll casually sweep his arm to justle his belt pouch so that he can reassure himself that the potion is still there. He'll defer to Sven's lead, but has no interest in talking with these people.

[Spearmint]

May 10th 1066

Barrowmoor, south of Helix. Duchy of Aerik.

12.55pm Light rain.
Light: Visibility poor. Lantern (Truro) Lantern (Treyvor).
Effects none.

There were two armed guards stationed on the northwest face of the mound hex, the excavation is facing the south of the hex. Unless the guards were on a perimeter patrol, you may conclude other guards are stationed on the northeast side of the mound. The man introducing himself as Garrett 'the steward', looks around at the group. He looks into the mist as if he may be aware of unseen party members but then the ever present mist is concealing everything beyond 60'ft anyway. He shrugs, not giving any sign he has detected the camouflaged Gerdal who shelters on the edge of the mound, observing the interaction from behind a thicket of gorse. The steward enters the gazebo takes a few bleached white items from a box. "What do you make of these?" he asks to Amos who by his shaven head, scars and tattoos looks most like he might fit in with this crew. He looks at some skull fragments, bones and some strange stone tablets. They are worn and cracked but etched with a runic design."I was hoping one might be deciphered and point to a way to open the door but alas, they are just old proverbs." he says, placing them on a table for the cleric (and anyone else) interested to view.

Casual area observations from the group take in the one eyed dwarf sitting above the arch of the door, smoking a pipe but watching over the assembled group. He has a large crossbow by his side. The labourers look typical farmhand types. Ruffians used to physical work. They are not armoured, stripped to the waist mostly from the sweating exertion of trying to bash down the door or digging around the excavation points. They are tooled up with mallets and spades and take a break as Knievel invites you to peruse the door and offer your thoughts. "Our locksmithing and battering have gotten us nowhere. Well, at least no further. Frustrating and soul destroying to see our labour wasted so.

There must be a key to open the door though for the life of me I cannot apprehend it."

He gestures Sven and his companions to view their findings. Certainly Gnimish and Treyvor approach with interest, keen to study the uncovered artefacts.

Truro sees an opportunity while the men take a break. He joins their huddle. "Brothers. Are you saved? Do you know Ygg's grace and mercy. Wide is the path to destruction. How appropriate that we meet upon these unrighteous stones and yet there is a Narrow Way that leads to life ..."

Isvand holds back from the 'camaraderie', mimicking the dwarf at the opposite end of the excavation as a watchmen. You can nock an arrow without it causing any suspicion. You consider the new blood and any irony in that as there is a slab by the door which may to all intents and purposes act as an altar.

Orgoth shadows Sven as he talks with the ashen fellow.

"Sylvester. A name I am not familiar with. A dozen men you say? No we have not seen him. Anyone seen Sylvester?" he asks but the tone of his voice implies he doesn't expect a positive response.

"The paths. Yes my studies show it was a promenade if you like. The priests of Nergal carrying some of His essence into the tomb to be buried. They interred themselves, living sacrifices. They traversed these very stones that we uncovered.

I have checked each step, is one a trigger stone. Garrett has danced and pranced on numerous configurations in case there is a protocol to complete, step here, step there. Black, red, black, black, red. All to no avail though Providence may have brought you here at such a key time. Maybe you are the ones who can open the door?"

He brushes the grime of excavation off his studded shoulder pads, folding his notebook into the pocket of his robe.

actions please.

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth continues to play the silent type. Figuring if it comes to violence he will target the leader.

[sastaz]

Gerdal remains hidden and silent, but sweating and tries to control her shaking hand.

[redwarrior]

Isvand quietly nocks an arrow as he looks toward a “sound” in the mist. As he looks back, he leaves it nocked. He makes a mental note of where all the members of the other party are, with special attention to the scarred Dwarf.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven tries to remain calm and sound stronger than he is, but inside he is awfully worried for the safety of his group. He looks everything shown to them over carefully, offering his opinion where he can. He almost laughs at Truro's attempt to convert these folks, but just smiles and shakes his head at them instead, muttering the word, "rookies."

Addressing Knievel and Gerrett again, the young mage speaks plainly. "Nergal? The death cult god worshiped by the second settlement? Can't say I know much about any of that, but it explains a few things I am seeing around here."

"Can I ask what the old proverbs on the bones and tablet fragments you've uncovered say? Is there an actual physical keyhole in the door?" He doesn't ask Amos or the gnomes to look the door over, but doesnt stop them if they are curious. He does take a sudden interest in the altar and the ditch around it, looking around at the trench to see if there is any evidence of a sacrifice made recently. "I am almost afraid to ask this, but perhaps a fitting sacrifice must be made for the door to open." He gulps audibly. "Have you tried that yet?" He looks for any blood grooves that might lead from the top of the altar into the ground or the mound.

"Red and Black stones? Interesting. I could offer one more suggestion. Have you checked over all these tombstones yet? Perhaps there is a hidden message written on the stones that would offer a clue to the key?"

The entire time he speaks or searches, his guard stays up. Way up.

[Spearmint]

May 10th 1066

Barrowmoor, south of Helix. Duchy of Aerik.

1.15pm Light rain.
Light: Visibility poor. Lantern (Truro) Lantern (Treyvor).
Effects none.

Gerdal waits in hope and expectation. Watching the unfolding drama, readying any spell effects. Her chameleon blends into the gray ashen background and from her shoulder watches out for any predators that might prey upon them.

Talking of praying, Truro goes into 'my testimony' mode, evangelizing the unrepentant crew. Some drift away, a couple offer reasoned debates. He doesn't win any converts but effectively ties up the workers as the characters explore. Gnimish & Treyvor, check on the bronze door. It has a physical aspect of evil representations with a horned devil face and interlocking pentagrams. The artificers determine there must be a physical lock, the stone door is hinged to the frame, but there is not a typical keyhole. Despite an intricate search, they cannot locate an opening. Perhaps a specialised key fits into part of the door. Out side of that, divine wards may prohibit physical entry.

Next to the door the slab and plinth stand. There is no recent sign of sacrificial offerings and the blood gutter only runs with the brackish seepage of the rain from the Moor.

Amos checks out the runic stones. They are written in a 'black tongue', an abyssal script. The two stones quote 'Nergal' proverbs which exclaim, "Life after and and death undying", the second shows a two headed snake, an Amphisbaena. The snake is associated with death and rebirth.

Orgoth and Isvand maintain their watch, as does the dwarf who stubs out his smoking pipe to cradle his crossbow.

Smokie, as Sven senses, is lurking on the edge of the excavated area, ready to pounce on any threats.

Sven chats, gulping as he talks. The suggestion to check on the tombstones ringing the mound for clues strikes a chord with Garrett. He is sent to investigate the plausibility of that and sets off, torch and sheets in hand to take rubbings from the headstones.

It is however Sven's former suggestion that piques Knievel's interest. Indeed his eyes narrow in the miscoloured orbs and dilate as if he is surprised that you are reading his mind.

"I am almost afraid to ask this, but perhaps a fitting sacrifice must be made for the door to open." He gulps audibly. "Have you tried that yet?"

"Let men of science and faith never be afraid to ask. No I haven't tried that yet ...

Yes. A fitting sacrifice must be made."

It seems you vocalize what he his thinking.

"There must be a key to open the door though for the life of me I cannot apprehend it." he repeats his earlier words. "I see it now. The key comes. Praise Nergal. He is the key. A virgin offering of a false god. Seize him."

Knievel, shows his true nature, though hardly disguised. He points to the cleric Truro and commands his men seize the priest so he can offer him as a sacrifice.

and so ... initiative and next actions please.

I will try to post Sastaz a visual so a little encounter map could be made.

Nergal altar

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