Barrowmoor: Exploration and Ecdysis.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Dale gives a cursory glance at the menhir but doesn't recognize anything in orc or giant.


He goes back to keeping watch.

[sastaz]

Gerdal stays a bit back, patting her pet chameleon.

"You find anything over there? Sure looks just like scribble to me."

She has a good look around so that nothing is approaching while the others focus on the scripts.

[redwarrior]

Isvandlikely very foolishly attempts to read some of the script on the lower tiers.


Int check target = 9 [4d6]=21 Mystery [1d20]=7

[Spearmint]

Barrow Moor, South-west of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

May 28th 1066.

Investigating the Runic Menhir:

Several of the team try to translate various etchings carved into the large standing stone. About three feet off the ground, some scratching, more scrawled as artistic graffiti than masonry calligraphy. Isvand can easily translate his own tongue as halfling words taunt"I woz ere', ere I woz. Woz I ere? Cause I woz" Written by Ernstom, adventurer and wraith, deceased a decade ago, cursed to wander." he says.

Other more ancient scripts offer wisdom and prose. Traeliorn runs his fingers around the first verse of an ancient elven poem. Verses quoted from an old saga lauding the stars of the sky. As he does, speaking aloud the translation, the etchings crumble under his fingers, as if speaking the very words were eroding them from the surface of the very rock itself. Around the other side, Raust simultaneously reads the second stanza and notes the same effects as the words get erased before her eyes just in the same way one might see scripts dissipate from a casting scroll.

What magic is this? What have you done? Both of your feel a shiver down your spine but not one of fear. (message in your private forums).

Gerdal camouflages herself, an involuntary trick caused by her familiar Harkazz, the chameleon blending into its surrounds and flicking out a long tongue to snatch midges and flies which buzz by. Marcel records notes in a scribble book and agrees that a suitable campsite might be worth considering soon. The wolves sniff around, marking some territory on nearby boulders.

The four guards patrolling the perimeter of the clearing around the stone get this uneasy feeling. While the mist is thinner around the stone, it thickens to the grey swirling patterns beyond which limits the depth of your vision. Dale and Ricardo to his right, see the looming shadow first. A dark slow lumbering mass that towers above the grass thickets. The creature seems to have legs as thick as tree trunks and a large elephantine body. Indeed as it swishes through the grass, two large curved tusks easily brush aside the undergrowth. A long tensile trunk tears up roots as it grazes though once this mammoth comes closer you can see the drooling jaws chomping on the remnant bones of a torn apart deer.

The creature reeks of rot, like the dung it may once have spread in rotting piles for the delight of beetles, its flesh sloughed off in places, ribs exposed and lungs breathing fetid and ragged breaths that echo hoarse in its huge torso cavity. A feral, unearthly gleam of hatred and animalistic hunger shines in its undead eyes.

Dale and Venwynn, you may both act now as the zombie mammoth senses the group and raises its trunk to call and deep, sonorous trump.

Then we will move to the next round and initiative please everyone.

[Marullus]

...initiative 1:

Immersed in the elvish script of the Menhir, Raust is slow to react to the lumbering threat. The druid falls back, their bow coming to their hands as the undead monstrosity lumbers into the clearing. Namma and Carca snarl, hunched low, hackles raised - they fall back together, interposing a warning between the mammoth and druid...

Initiative [1d8]=1
Shortbow: [1d20]=15 [1d6]=6 [1d20]=13 [1d6]=3

[redwarrior]

Isvand ponders the words of Ernstom, until overpowered my the stench and the noise of his comrades. Once his attention is properly focused, he attempts to put some arrows into the hopefully undead mammoth, while using the pillar for cover.


initiative [1d10]=5
Short Bow THAC019 [1d20]=13 Damage [1d6]=3
Short Bow THAC019 [1d20]=16 Damage [1d6]=1

[sastaz]

Gerdal, although having seen quite a lot in the Barrow maze, is momentarily stunned by the creature's unexpected appearance, as if it were not scary but simply out of place.

Initiative [1d6]=1

As she comes to, she starts muttering and gesturing towards the ground, spreading what might be some of the herbs she just now harvested.

"mumble mumble....watch out! Get away from it!"

Casts Entangle to trap the undead beast.
Retain lv 1 spell vs 15 [4d6+1]=12+1=13

[tarlyn]

Venwynn

The Ranger unsheathes her short sword, figuring that arrows will have absolutely no effect versus this undead monstrosity.

Nervous, yet appearing calm, she waits for the thing to attack, ready to slice at it with her Short Sword at the easiest convenience!

I will roll an attack roll but Ven is fighting defensively... So she will only attack if she is attacked by that undead beastie.

[1d20]=6 Defensive attack vs Undead Elephant

Not a hit for sure,,, oh well LOL

[Rusty Tincanne]

From atop his boulder, Dale calls out a warning to the others while releasing an arrow at the undead behemoth. It sinks deep, but is only a superficial wound. The smell is overwhelming though and his second arrow sails off into the mists.

I believe your post indicated that Dale and Venwyn get a free round of shots, and then it is round 1. If that is correct, then here are my rolls. If not, just read these results as you will.
Initiative: [1d20+1]=12+1=13
Initiative: [1d6+1]=3+1=4
Short Bow (THAC0 20): To Hit [1d20+2]=17+2=19, sm [1d6]=3, lg [1d6]=1
Short Bow (THAC0 20): To Hit [1d20+2]=3+2=5, sm [1d6]=3, lg [1d6]=6

[RiverGreenForest]

Traeliorn

Shocked to seeing the undead mammoth, the elf quickly readies his large shield and draws his long sword in a defensive manner while immediately jumping back. Traeliorn tries to slash across the undead beast's ankle to try to make it drop.

Long sword To hit: [1d20]=10, damage with long sword: S/M[1d8]=2 L[1d12]=12

OOC - I don't know if I have to do something with the shield stat-wise. So I'm just saying I'm wielding it for now.

[Spearmint]

Barrow Moor, South-west of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

May 28th 1066.

Investigating the Runic Menhir:

The great beast, for years buried under the boggy peat but risen; how, why? Who can know its presence confirms both death and undeath stalk in the Barrow Moor mist.

As it rears up, trumpeting a deep blast of angry sound, the zombiefied mammoth is assailed by a volley of arrows. Most of the shafts are ineffective, pricking the huge beast as a splinter though a few well aimed arrows find a mark, penetrating through exposed ribs to pierce the vital organs inside. -10hp combined from Raust, Dale, Ric & Pasq

Marcel the cleric holds forth his faith and holy symbol, brandishing the symbols of St Ygg and invoking godly wrath though the beast just swishes the words aside as one bats away a buzzing mosquito.

Gerdal casts a spell causing the thickets of grass to sprout as grasping roots which snare the beast. The roots reach around to bind the creature
by feet and tusks causing it to strain against the tightening cords, threshing with the huge tusks and uprooting the restraints in a shower of mud and writhing stalks.

Venwynn and Traeliorn are hampered in their attempts to stab at the creature, hedged away by the area of effect of the Entangle spell. The wolf companions snarl and growl. You have a limited grace as the zombie mammoth is temporarily slowed but will break free of the bonds next round. With it being held in place you can advantage your targeted attacks with a +2 to hit.

Looking at the beast, perhaps in awe as well as fear, (as in the picture supplied), Gerdal and Isvand have some recognition regarding the throbbing, pulsating baleful light that radiates from the mammoth's forehead.

Ricardo [1d20]=9[1d6]=1 [1d20]=11[1d6]=6 Pasquel [1d20]=4[1d6]=4[1d20]=2[1d6]=6Marcel tries to Turn Undead vs zombie mammoth [1d20]=5Mammoth save vs spell [1d20]=15

next actions please.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Dake nods at the druid. Clever. And more useful at every turn. But noting that the grasses won't hold for long he rummaged his iron spikes and rope from his pack. He tossed two spikes to Venwynn or Traeliorn as he ties one spikes to the center of his own rope. Then, while hammering the spikes into a nearby tree he calls out, Let's pin this thing down! Put a sound in a tree and tie the rope to it to hold it on the ground!

Not sure what you'd want me to roll for something like this. DEX for throwing the rope over the mammoth? In case that's right:
Throw rope and tie the mammoth down: [1d20+1]=10+1=11 +2 for adv = 13

[Rusty Tincanne]

If that isn't possible, then he is open to lassoing the head and wrapping the rope around a tree trunk a few times (to tether it with friction) and then tie it off.

[redwarrior]

Isvand targets the light on the creature's forehead and lets his boomerang fly as he shouts! The light! It's like the skeletons!! at least I hope that's the connection!

Boomerang attack [1d20+2]=20+2=22 Damage [1d4+1]=2+1=3
Bommerang recovery target 16 [3d6]=10

[Spearmint]

If that isn't possible, then he is open to lassoing the head

that's going to need a pretty big lasso. You can snare a tusk or leg though.

[Marullus]

Raust, Namma, and Carca fall back further, another pair of arrows flying at the thing's morbid flesh.

Shortbow: [1d20]=16 [1d6]=1 [1d20]=7 [1d6]=2

[Rusty Tincanne]

If that isn't possible, then he is open to lassoing the head

that's going to need a pretty big lasso. You can snare a tusk or leg though.

I'll take it. Go for the tusk, i guess. Maybe it will hamper the monster's attacks. /ooc]

[tarlyn]

Venwynn

Trying a different tactic, Ven sheathes her blade and retrieves several[3] oil flasks, and torch from her pack.

Backing away from it, she attempts a "Flask Attack"

Unstoppering one flask, she light the torch with her flint/steel and ignites the flask, throwing it at the Undead Elephant abomination!

Flaming flask attack on undead Elephant [1d20]=15

I would just need to know what the dmg is if I actually hit, please

[sastaz]

Gerdal tries to find her place in the ensuing chaos of lassos, flasks and screams, shouting to Isvand:

"Yes, it looks like the same, we might be in trouble! Hit it in the forehead!"

She takes a few steps back from the monster, but apart from that only tries to discern if the unholy creature seems to be regenerating it's wounds?

[Spearmint]

Barrow Moor, South-west of Helix, Duchy of Aerik.

May 28th 1066.

Runic Menhir: attack of the zombie mammoth.

There is another flurry of arrows and the mammoth zombie is impaled by more penetrating shafts. -8hp A winged crescent arcs from the halfling's hand as a boomerang curves with power and precision to clunk upon the forehead of the huge beast. A crack as bone fractures and a pulsating beat begins to diminish.-8hp.

Dale lassoes a tusk and attempts to tie down the thrashing ancient but he is simply not strong enough to counter the heavyweight and is tugged off his feet and dragged towards the beast as it begins to break through the restraining roots in order to trample and rage.

Venwynn closes to throw a firebomb, the ceramic failing to break upon impact but still splashes the creature with a coating of burning oil causing it to rear up -3hp but before it can stomp, another arrow nicks open a blackened, still beating heart. -1hp

Marcel and Traeliorn rush the beast to strike it with cutting blade and crushing blow.

Traeliorn: longsword melee [1d20]=8[1d12]=3Ricardo [1d20]=12[1d6]=5 [1d20]=18[1d6]=5 Pasquel [1d20]=16[1d6]=2[1d20]=17[1d6]=1Venwynn oil [1d20]=13[2d6]=7[1d6]=3Marcel attacks mammoth [1d20]=7[1d6+1]=1+1=2
Mammoth swings tusks & charge:Tr, Dl, Gr, Is, Ra, w1,w2, Vm, Mr, Rc, Ps, [1d11]=8 [1d20]=2 [1d20]=5

The beast, full of anger, rage, animated by a spirit of death to wander the Moor as it once did. It charges towards the pyrotechnician, but Venwynn is able to dodge the huge tusks and stomping feet. The creature staggers, mortally wounded, trumpeting a fearsome call that might once have caused lions and barbarians to flee. But his menace is waning as numerous cuts bleed profusely.

next round please.

a few good hits could seal its eternal doom.