Barrowmoor: Exploration and Ecdysis.

[Spearmint]

I will edit here with an update later. It is past 2.00am and I need sleep. But I have saved a draft and will add a few random rolls later ...

bear with me. Thanks.

[Spearmint]

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

May 29th 1066.

Riverbank scouting:

The group take bearings and as suggested by Kong, begin to trek towards the northern backs of the forming Merisc, the river taking its source, the brackish, silty waters drained into the moor by the Moorwash. Perhaps one day the two rivers will join up and one continual stream will sever the misty wilderness in half. Until then, you traverse wetlands, a harrowing land of deep changeable furrows of boggy peat, thickets of grass taller than an elephant (or even zombie mammoth), copses of crooked trees and strange cacti.

It is easy to get lost and turned about. In unfamiliar territory with no discernible landmark features, orienteering correctly is a skilled art.

Venwynn and Isvand lead the way, followed by Raust with wolves at each heel, Marcel walks with Gerdal, Dale and Traeliorn next with Ricardo & Pasquel bringing up the rear. As time wears on, conversations are muted, more 'stop and listen' sessions taken.

Raust contemplates using some druidic skill and casting a 'locate' spell, especially when you break through the grasslands to close by the riverbanks proper. However as she mulls over various arcane aids, it is the group which is located first.

But not by snake-men. Shuffling towards the group are a handful of human sized figures. On the edge of your vision, approximately about 60'ft away. One looks to carry a huge broadsword across his torso though it is sheathed rather than carried in his hands. Each of the figures though look draped in loose wrappings of burial cloths, a foul smelling sweat drips from their brows and as they see the group, they begin to moan to each other in an unintelligible lilt of growls and hoots.

actions please.

[redwarrior]

Isvand is pretty sure that these things are undead, though not what kind... Hoping to do something useful, he grabs his sling and his unidentified magical sling bullet this is one of the 2 found in the barrowmaze earlier, I think the other did web, or something like that. and lets fly at the center figure. Come on Fireball, Daddy needs a new pair of shoes!


Sling Attack [1d20+1]=14+1=15 Damage [1d6+1]=6+1=7
Oh, it's a stone, not a bullet, so....
Sling stone damage [1d4]=3

[sastaz]

Gerdal, having travelled with this innovative halfling before, is about to take action when she sees him focusing and rummaging through his pockets, and thinks to herself "wait, I know that face" as she takes a step back.

"Oh, my..."

[sastaz]

Also, if I read the OOC thread right, we've lost Tarlyn at least temporarily, som his/her PC would have to be NPC:d from now on.

[Spearmint]

yes, I will npc Venwynn.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Seeing Isvand hurl a stone, Dale assumes that the time for parlay has past. But smelling a missing creature 60' away isn't a good sign, anyhow. He's heard enough stories at the inn.

He fires his bow at the creature with the broad sword.


A warning shot, He says loud enough for the approaching figures to hear. Not sure if can't take two shots. Just in case:

When they don't stop moaning he fires a second arrow.

[Marullus]

Raust growls low in their throat, the pair of wolves hunkering down beside the druid with their hackles raised. Two arrows fly at the zombie abominations to nature.

Shortbow: [1d20]=20 [1d6]=3 [1d20]=10 [1d6]=3

[sastaz]

We're waiting for Traeliorn? It would be cool if we could have a tempo of let's say advance the action every other day or so, if that's okay woth everyone? I fear we're getting nowhere near our target and it'll be another 6 months IRL before we return to town again

[redwarrior]

I'm good with something like "action advances every 2 days"

[Marullus]

I'm good with whatever frequency Spearmint is comfortable with and still having fun running as GM. The stress of meeting a deadline ends games.

[sastaz]

Okay what I mean is: if GM is ready after two days since last advancement, it's okay to advance without waiting for the last player, not that the GM should be obliged to. A possibility, not an obligation

Just my 2 cents.

[Spearmint]

I am driving now but will update this thread later.

I do understand some frustrations especially if you see other expeditions having several updates. I do however try to give everyone a chance to post, especially after having time aside myself. But hopefully we can all get back into the swing of a couple of updates a week.

As far as expedition duration is concerned, I try to fill each with commensurate challenges so that XP share is balanced out and folk don't lose out for less travel.

[Spearmint]

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

May 29th 1066.

Riverbank scouting:

The first impression of the figures are of shuffling zombies or with their loose folds of wrapped linens, wandering Mummys.

Marcel steps forward to invoke a divine rebuke but his faith seems to waiver and the words stutter upon his lips.

A veritable wall of archers line up and loose a volley of arrows, momentarily darkening the sky with the number of arrowed shafts. Some strike home, impaling the first shuffling figure but to your dismay, the arrows seem to get stuck in the torso of the creature as though his raiment had extra absorbent padding. -11hp The attacks that hit seem to penetrate the creature and thus impact damage only to half the depth perhaps a normal human (or zombie) might suffer.

Dale, Raust, Venwynn, Traeliorn, Ricardo & Pasquel all loose arrows. Those that hit do half damage. These creatures, though not particularly dextrous do seem to have some resistance to physical damage. Certainly they are oblivious to the Turn Undead attempt.

Isvand looses his saved stone, taken from the lower half of the crushed halfling found in the labyrinth. (by coincidence the Barrowmaze exploring group are in that exact chamber as I script this)

The stone flies true but instead of whacking bone, fracturing a skull or rib, the stone impacts but stays glued to the torso of the nearest figure. Then the stone erupts and in a swirling cloud of insect murmuration, thousands of biting bugs, stink flies, and locusts swarm over the figures. They savage and bite but can inflict only minimal damage as they too, like the stone and arrows stick to the mucus and gluey sweat that seems to drip or exude from the each of the creatures skins.

Marcel: Turn Undead [1d20]=4Ricardo & Pasquel [1d20]=6[1d6]=5 [1d20]=14[1d6]=2Ricardo & Pasquel [1d20]=19[1d6]=5 [1d20]=2[1d6]=2Venwynn looses arrows at figures [1d20]=5 [1d6]=5[1d20]=5[1d6]=2Traeliorn looses arrows at figures [1d20+2]=15+2=17 [1d6]=4[1d20+2]=13+2=15[1d6]=5

All caught in the swarm area, all suffer the same effect. Momentarily, the creatures are blinded and
distracted from the group as each gets overwhelmed by the summoned swarm.

next actions please

[redwarrior]

Isvand takes advantage of the momentary blindness to send a boomerang into the nearest, handily plucking it out of the air as it returns.


Boomerang attack [1d20+2]=14+2=16 Damage [1d4+1]=2+1=3 Blunt weapon, if it matters.

Bommerang recovery target 16 [3d6]=7

[sastaz]

Gerdal, with some doubt in her voice.

action upcoming, just doing some dialogue

"Fellows...maybe we should avoid them while we can? There seems to be nothing gained from this battle. Turn away while we're able."

[Spearmint]

just as an amendment to the scene. Traeliorn via the Runic Menhir blessing, received an ability to loose fire arrows which have been described in previous updates.

Hitting a creature with a fire arrow actually causes the creature to burn, the sticky secretions seem to be inflammable like lantern oil might.

Sorry I missed that note.

[sastaz]

Gerdal is waiting for the others to respond to her fight or flee question before deciding on an action.

She won't close in on the enemies of we're about to run for it.

[Marullus]

Raust hangs back, the wolves hunkered down beside the druid, ready to flee with the others. They fire a pair of arrows, just in case.

Shortbow: [1d20]=14 [1d6]=2 [1d20]=14 [1d6]=1

[sastaz]

Gerdal, since the enemies are 60' away she will just pass this round, of course join in if the others retreat or flee.

"Set them on fire! Where are the flaming arrows?"