Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

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OGRE MAGE
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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#101 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Sven and Orgoth traded green goblin head for skull bank. Mostly due to the encumbrance and language issue. Perhaps Rex forgot to record that on his sheet.

When you say side passage, are you referencing the lone door we left behind in the hallway? Or the doors in this room?


Sven does his best to keep everyone calm during this interaction, especially Truro. He collects any gem shards and the magic ring, slipping it on in front of the creature to gauge for any reactions.

“What are you called, I three? Do you use a proper name? I would like to hear more about this Pit you mentioned.”

He points at the bone pile. “Is this your handy work, or did someone else leave this behind?”

“Oh, you mean our friend Mal? Yes, he is very nice, isn’t he. Would you be interested in trading for him? A nice new place for you to hang out?”

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#102 Post by Spearmint »

yes, the side passage room is the one with the please Knock note.

Exploring the Corridors.

June 7th 1066
Temple room (62).


The creature introduces himself but uses the name of the person in who's skull he is inhabiting. If it changes skull, it might change name, accent. You never really catch a glimpse of its own actual 'head'. The best way I can describe it would be a neck with tentacles and feelers on like a snail or slug. Presently it calls itself Gabby.

"The Pit is Chaos. A spatial rift between realms. Sacrifices thrown in, demons spewed forth in return. Unsavoury's like me, birthed in its shaft as one crawls from a mother's womb.

Those avowed to Law came to intercede but in betrayal they haunt these corridors, angry and bitter their duty was unfulfilled.

I hurt your head? Better only my voice lives rent free in your brains than myself.

Here take Moo-moo. At least you won't get lost wearing him though he is obstinate as a bull."


The creature springs to a ledge corner and grabs a humanoid head with wide bovine features and two short but thick horns that protrude from each temple. A minotaur skull. With his long elastic arm he reaches out, gesturing for a gift in return.

The creature sees Sven put on a ring but you cannot tell his facial features, whether he smiles or frowns as it is a placid skull visage. The ring shrinks to fit, indicating some enchantment which had previously pinged on the DM casting. With the creature dwelling in this room, it probably neatly stacked the bones.

With clerical whisperings reminding you not to trust the creature but the encounter not presently turning combative, you can continue the conversations from a safe distance. Gabby, apart from verbally chastising your exploration and requisition of items discovered does not stop your exploration. You can take icons from the shelf unit. Perhaps it has a clear divide that the items on the ledges are perceived as its personal trove and those below the ledges are open to take.

It rattles a key ring, bringing you back to his first question.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#103 Post by Rex »

Orgoth

Orgoth just watches the thing.

Orgoth's sheet has the skull bank recorded but not the goblin head.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#104 Post by Spearmint »

Orgoth: see post #2 of your private thread, Companions for Goblin head info.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#105 Post by Rex »

I knew I had info on it, but I thought we traded it. Could easily be wrong, wouldn't be the first time.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#106 Post by OGRE MAGE »

“Is the Pit square in shape, by any chance?”

Sven will tear the page containing his Spider Climb spell directly from his spell book, offering it up as a scroll.

“I will trade you this magic spell for the skull aaaanndd the keys. If we are going to be friends, I can’t have you taking advantage of us.”

If agreed, he makes the swap, looking at both items to see if either are magic.

“So Gabby, do you know what the keys open? Are they for these doors in here?”

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#107 Post by Rex »

Orgoth

Orgoth watches carefully as Sven tries to make the exchange.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#108 Post by Spearmint »

Exploring the Corridors

Gabby greedily snatches the leafs of spell book, rolling up the papers. He tosses you a minotaur skull and a set of keys. The keys can be used to unlock the two fancy doors. You notice that one of the keys is made out of a hardened rubbery substance. You can query it but logically conclude that inserting a metal key into an electrical trap could prove more of a shocking discovery for a would be thief. It opens the right hand door, the other more normal key opens the left.

Asking about the Pit of Chaos, Gabby responds by saying it erases folk and memory but as it churns out many things, the pit has a dark chasm and abyssal feel. (It is not a set square pit such as Arnaud's pit-trap or the one at the top of the diagonal corridor).

"Nepeta cataria. Next time you pass by. If you can find some I will trade trinkets again." the creature says before springing upwards into a dark corner and scrambling through a crevice in the roof which must serve as a particular lair.

"I still don't trust it. Evil spews forth evil. It is an abomination and should be sent back to the hellish domain it crawled from." Truro is not the 'live and let live' type when it comes to unnatural things as you have come to know.

The shelf unit with various icons was studied before. Would anyone like to carry one? An NPC?

Using your Detect Magic skills, you cannot note any magic in the keys, the Minotaur skull has a faint enchantment. But how do you wear a skull? Try and stick your head in it or carry it, concentrating upon its aura.

if you remember, the goblin head only triggered via communicating with a speaker of goblin language. Maybe the Minotaur skull has similar boundaries to function.

Opening the doors:

Left hand: a 10'ft entrance then opens into a 20 x 30'ft chamber with a closed door at the bottom of the Western wall.

The room has a small table in the centre and a few stools. Pewter tankards and tin crockery, an unlit candlestick and emptied bottle stand on the table.

Against the east and south walls are bunks, straw mattresses ripped open and bed linens tossed aside. A large mangy pelt doubles as a rug. A much dented kite shield pokes out from behind a bunk. Small bedside lockers have the ransacked look about them. In the northwest corner stands a small statue. It is of a gargoyle. One arm is placed behind its back and in its hand, the gargoyle holds a small palm sized box, shaped like a traditional treasure chest. The gargoyle only has one full arm as the second has been broken off from the elbow down.

The room does not seem to have been used in a while judging by the dusty cobwebs on the ceiling and mouldy food left to rot on plates. A chill, icy air seems to come as a draught from under the western door.

Right Hand: using the rubber key to evade the electric trap, you open the door which leads to a new set of corridors and passages. After 10'ft going south, an adjoining passage goes east. Continuing south at around 40'ft away, several large masonry blocks, coming from excavation in the east wall are scattered on the ground. From the doorway, it looks like perhaps explorers hacked through to a crypt or niche.

Enriched by information, keys and a minotaur skull; actions please.

I will post a new map portion to Sven so you can scribble a new map as you extend your knowledge.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#109 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Sven exclaims. "Catswort? Is that it? Heck, I can bring you some of that the next time we visit. Thanks Gabby."

Then looking at Truro. "I understand your concern, but we have to be smart about this stuff. Not many creatures we've discovered so far are willing to give out information. I think we need to choose our battles wisely until we get a better foothold inside this place."

The mage scribbles their findings in his notes and updates his hand drawn map while the thieves check the doors. He hands the minotaur skull over to Orgoth or one of the gnomes. "This is magical, but ah, I don't suppose anyone speaks the language, eh?"

He looks to all the others, "if anyone fancies a trinket from the shelf, go ahead and carry one around for a while and see if it does anything for you."

The young explorer shrugs at the sights behind each door. "It looks like we could use this room as a place to bunk down at some point, if we clean it up in here a bit first. Maybe Gabby could do some cleaning and even keep watch over the door while we rest next time."

"It seems like there was action both ways, but I think we should stick to one direction first and keep the other door locked for now."

"What do you guys think?"


If there are no concerns offered, Sven will step inside the bunk room to investigate the statue and the box closer, keeping a trained eye on the mangy pelt, in case it is something more.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#110 Post by Rex »

Orgoth

"I think cleaning up the room for a fall back point is an excellent idea. Even better if Gabby will clean it up for us. I also thinking locking the other door and sticking to 1 area at a time is a good idea."


Orgoth things about the trinkets for a few minutes. "I will fold off on trying any of the trinkets for now."

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#111 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Kills
10 Black Hand Skeletons
1 Troll

Loot
A scratched ruby ring from a dead man's finger
A carved owl about the size of a hand made from a blue-green flurospar
Two wine bottles
Scroll- Chant
Minotaur Skull
6 Sapphire (shards 1/2 value)
Wooden ring made from dark ebony and inset with a large orange fiery tiger eye gemstone (Sven's Finger)
Go back for Candelabra?
(Bring Catnip for Gabby)

Troll in the Box?


Amos 10/13 CLW x3, Shield, Read Magic. (Arcantryl domain spells).
Truro 4/5. Light (Ygg domain spell) CLW x3
Last edited by OGRE MAGE on Thu Jul 28, 2022 7:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#112 Post by Spearmint »

Exploring the Corridors.

June 7th 1066.


Opening the right hand door and observing the passage, the group decide to prioritise the bunk room. You lock the door using the rubber key and all enter through the left hand door. As described, both of these doors look well built and serviced. Indeed above each are those spring fixtures which slowly close the door behind you. It shuts seamlessly and with an ominous click as if the lock is self-setting.

You can try the key you have but the door is extra thick and in those surplus inches you find that the lock this side of the door is different to the temple room side. You need another key or to pick the lock to open the door again. or Knock perhaps?.

While the mercenaries go to search the mattresses and Amos scouts the western door, others mill about investigating the room. Treyvor can take the Minotaur skull. He alone of the group took an icon from the shelf unit, (randomly rolled), the one catching his eye being the mummified cat figure.

You don't have any of those arms with rude signs with you? One might have fit such a vandalised statue as this gargoyle. A thought. The gargoyle does not move or animate as the last gargoyle from the Nergal cupboard did. However investigating the chest does trigger a surprise effect.
and in remembrance of Brad the Brave, a dwarf character of mine who died adventuring in the Slavers series, to a troll that sprang from a chapel poor box ...
Opening the chest, a warty green creature leaps forth into the room. It looks initially like a hideous swamp frog but the leap is prodigious and as it sails through the air, it multiples many times in size until at more than 9'ft tall, towering over half-orc and gnome, it reaches out with grasping claws and fang-toothed maw to rake nearby characters.

actions please.
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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#113 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Sven is startled when the chest he was checking suddenly morphs into a troll. He urges everyone to get back from it while he starts a spell he hopes will confuse the dumb beast.

Casting: Mirror Image

"Okay folks, big danger here! No point in trying to escape it now. Let's hit this thing with everything we have! PREFERABLY FIRE!"

The mage will toss lamp oil on it next round in hopes we can set it aflame to prevent it from regenerating.

2nd Level Spell Retention (INT 15) [4d6+2]=13+2=15

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#114 Post by Rex »

Orgoth

Orgoth tries to pin the troll back against the wall. "Hit with fire."

Magic Silver Spear +1 [1d20+2]=19+2=21 to hit [1d8+4]=6+4=10 damage
Superior Shield Bash [1d20+2]=18+2=20 to hit

Maybe the magic silver spear gets additional pluses against regenerating creatures?

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#115 Post by Spearmint »

Exploring the Corridors.

Box-troll bunk room.
7th June 1066.


A flash of Light, summoned under a divine unction. Truro tries to temporarily blind the troll that has sprung forth from the opened box. It illuminates the room but unfortunately is resisted by the warty beast.

Treyvor works under pressure, not blade and spell in hand but pliers and wire hooks. Sweating he tries to create an escape route, working on the locked western door. A satisfying click.

Smokie, disappears, vanishing into thin air to escape the troll clutches and make sure he doesn't end up like the skinned goat pelt that carpets the floor. He jumps on a bunk as a trio of mage Sven's manifest their presence.

Orgoth, Bucko & Yardie prove their mettle, getting stuck in to melee and sticking in iron blades into the troll. With the troll's leap and creature size, I am dealing this as a charge effect. So the planted spear impales the troll for double damage.

Amos invokes an invisible Shield to augment his armour, Gnimish, uncorks a ceramic vial. It is not fire or diatomaceous 'sticky-sock' earth but liquid gray ooze, a container of acid. A headshot dribbles burning fluid upon the troll's brow. The troll lands among the melee, stabbed and burned but not blinded. -30hp
Severely wounded, it rasps loud groans and claws.
The silvered spear head goes through the creature's stomach. The mercenerary duo dodge away but Orgoth literally comes face to face with it as the troll walks through the impaling shaft and bites him in the neck with its huge teeth.
-10hp
next actions please.

Status:

Sven 13/13
Orgoth 5/23
Amos 10/13 CLW x3, Shield, Read Magic. (Arcantryl domain spells).
Truro 4/5. Light (Ygg domain spell) CLW x3
Gnimish 8/9
Treyvor 6/6
Bucko 5/8
Yardie 8/8
Smokie full health.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#116 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Watching the onslaught take place, the three Svens shout over the din of battle as they charge into the melee, desperately trying to get the monsters attention away from Orgoth and the others. "Hey you ugly green bottom wart! How about a piece of ol' carrot top instead?"

He tries to stab the troll with his extra sharp boot knife to little avail. Dagger Attack [1d20]=8 Damage [1d4]=4

"Get behind us Orgoth, and use your spear from the back rank so it cant bite you again! You look almost dead already!"

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#117 Post by Rex »

Orgoth

Orgoth tries to switch to the back rank and attack with his spear.

Magic Silver Spear +1 [1d20+2]=14+2=16 to hit [1d8+4]=8+4=12 damage

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#118 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Wow! Nice one!

I clearly should have waited on the Mirror Image spell.
:lol:

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#119 Post by Rex »

Yeah, now we need to hope he doesn't hit me.

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Re: Barrowmaze V: Expanding Dark Horizons

#120 Post by Spearmint »

Exploring the Corridors.

Box troll bunk room.
June 7th 1066.


Skewered on the end of a bloodied and silvered spear, the troll tries to grasp and claw at the real and illusory does that surround it.

Despite many swipes, some with rear advantage, only Amos is able to lay a touch upon the warty creature. -2hp Impaled and bashed by the hefty shield, it cedes advantage to Orgoth who withdraws his favoured weapon and once more powerfully thrusts it through the torso. -12hp.

It goes limp. Blood and gore splattered upon tipped over table and tin platters. But you know that such god forsaken creatures are cursed not to enjoy an afterlife but regenerate as foul abominations once more. Within a couple of rounds it may live and breathe again.
actions please

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