Barrowmaze: Territorial Gains.

[OGRE MAGE]

Amos awaits the results of Cosmo’s detection before entering the room.

“I will help look for secret doors. There is something strange about most of the construction of these walls in this maze.”

[Spearmint]

"Anyone that can help me look for hidden doors or passages?"

Amos, Gerdal & Patra-patra scour the walls and floor looking for any push, pull, twist or tap knobs that might open to hidden niches and portals. An obvious section being the left portion of the north wall which has a void in the map visual. The albino aide, familiar perhaps with cold stone or ancient constructions finds a catch set into an 'O' of a scribble of graffiti. Depressing the letter it opens into the secret area, a 10x20'ft cubby hole.

A body, a halfling, lies crumpled upon the floor. He has been here a while, his body bloated and blue stained. Before him is a small wooden coffer, the lid partially moved. The cubby hole is otherwise bare of features.

Inside the first room, the piles of bones are examined. The conclusion is that they are plain bones. Sir Dewey assesses them with a shrug.

"Hold on. Everyone, I will scan.

Cosmo scans for any enchanted auras.

the topmost skull sports a leathered tricorn helm

A minor enchantment pings from the black headwear. Checking it out, a note is pinned on the inside which reads, "may this bless you more than it blessed him: Footpad Phil. He snook, he shook, his soul picked and pocketed."

When reading the BEHIND YOU, of course she can't help herself glancing over her own shoulder.

this is a natural reaction and an obvious nod to the eerie environment that induces a continual paranoia.

The inscription of that particular warning also flashes a necrotic aura; while not scripted in arcane fluency the eerie environment has played a mind trick with this warning so that the first viewers if it face a spell like effect.

Actions Cosmo & Gerdal both need a Save vs Spells, wisdom modified; to shrug off the paranoia effect. Fail and pick up a constant paranoia that will penalise future Wisdom saves and checks by -1 until the condition is lifted.

Isvand & Callan, check out the Long Corridor, making sure the Charnel room has no more abominations and the miners begin to size up the blocked wall. Gnimish & Treyvor patrol the upper corridor rooms, Copperpiece gophers messages and reports between those in the upper barrow and those in the Barrowmaze.

next actions please

[ateno]

spell save vs. 12 [1d20]=3

The aura reminds him of the darkness of the nergal void.

He will then look in the book and look for traps.

f/r traps vs. 45. [1d100]=61

Then as long as no one denies he will search the room after poking the corpse to make sure it's not undead.

Cosmo

[Darithe]

Sigrid

The northern seidr, moves to the dwarf Rum and leaning down before him places her slim arms lightly on each side of his shoulders looking him directly in the eyes she intones, "vǫxtr styrkr," letting the strength of her spell surge through his body. "May the All-Father's hands guide you," she smiles again rising.

Chance to retain Strength spell vs. 14 Intelligence: [4d6+1]=15+1=16

[sastaz]

Gerdal shakes off the uneasy feeling. Is she adapting to the maze?

Save vs. spell (11): [1d20]=16

She is about to enter the room as Sigrid dashes past, going for the slumped body. Gerdal watches with a raised eyebrow as Sigrid does...something... to the body, getting ready to cast a spell if needed.

I'm sorry, what book is Cosmo reading?

[Spearmint]

I'm sorry, what book is Cosmo reading?

I interpret rather, 'look in the coffer'.

Sigrid's actions take place in the Where-Rats thread.

Exploring the Long Corridor.

"Look out, Behind You!" is scrawled upon the wall. Under his Detect Magic, the gnome Cosmo is affected by the reflective paranoia suggested by the words, suffering an ongoing -1 to future Wisdom based checks and Saves until he can cleanse or remove the condition.

Gerdal, a veteran of the Barrowmaze foibles, shrugs off the innate fear.

Poking the body from a safe distance, it slumps more upon the floor unmoving. Approaching the coffer, no obvious visible traps but once you reach out to investigate it in finer detail ...

Scorpions attack: vs Cosmo: [1d20]=14 [1d3]=1

a creature, or rather a creature like construct scuttles forth on nimble and speedy legs. Raising a sharp sting in its tail above its plated back and striking with speed and accuracy to pierce Cosmo's hand with deadly venom. -1hp

Cosmo: make a Saving Throw vs Poison with a -1 penalty, offset by your +2 from enchanted ring and armour (so 1d20+1 vs 13+). If you fail thd saving throw, then make a base Constition check [3d6] vs Con attribute which may cover how the venom affects you in subsequent rounds. see House Rules: poison/paralysis note.

A second scorpion scuttles out the coffer, running across the deceased halfling's body and out into the main room. While not whirring with the same "Brrr .... whizz " sound of the clockwork cobra that struck Harkazz weeks ago, these crypt guardians are equally deadly and relentless.

Inside the room are Cosmo, Gerdal, Amos, Patra & Sir Dewey, so each can react to the two scorpions.

Meanwhile in the corridor, Isvand & Gideon notice that the very end door of the corridor towards the east opens. A slight gusty breeze blows by, challenging the firebrand and lantern lights to flicker low. The door bangs shut loudly, opening again and repeatedly closes, opens and closes before it is stilled.

The miners chunter, speculating about ghosts or poltergeists being active which in particular seems to affect Plantie with him showing some sign of fearful breakdown.

Gnimish & Treyvor, both armed with customized pick-bows (a light pick & light crossbow combo). They send a couple of shafts down the corridor that thud into the end door, silencing any protagonist door banger.

Actions everyone please

[ateno]

I'm sorry, what book is Cosmo reading?

I interpret rather, 'look in the coffer'.

I'm sorry, nook, where the dead hobbit is.

poison vs. 13. [1d20+1]=19+1=20 whew


"I am so tired of underground!"

Whacks at the small creature without success.

Pick [1d20+1]=4+1=5 dam [1d6+2]=3+2=5

Cosmo

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

The Knight moves to smash the scorpion. "What manner of devilish creation is that?"

Flail(17): [1d20+1]=2+1=3 sigh

He tries to sweep it aside with his shield. Shield Bash(17): [1d20]=19

[tanker405th]

Gideon

"Isvand maybe we should see that nothing is trying to encroach upon us, hopefully, just a foul breeze although I loathe to consider what source it may emanate from. Sir Dewey and Gerdal, I go to check and secure the doorway at the end of the hall."

[redwarrior]

Isvand nods his agreement and accompanies Gideon, with his hand near his boomerang as they move out.

[Craigers07]

Rum

Rum thanks Sigrid and stays beside her to continue exploring. He has his battleaxe ready.

[Spearmint]

Rum

Rum thanks Sigrid and stays beside her to continue exploring. He has his battleaxe ready.

This post has been cut & pasted into the Where-Rats thread, where Rum & Sigrid are continuing to adventure.

[sastaz]

Gerdal reels visibly when seeing the small poisonous creatures, something triggering her memory and poking at unhealed scars stuck in her lizard brain.

"Eeeek! Get back everyone."

Hoping Patra will obey, she holds out her hands and starts mumbling. No reason to take a chance here with these small critters, nuke them from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

Casts Burning Hands

Retain lv 1 spell vs 15 [4d6+1]=10+1=11

She fans the general area of at least one of the scorpions with sizzling flames.

[Spearmint]

Exploring the Long Corridor.

Amos melee quarterstaff [1d20]=6 Staff [1d6]=6
Patra-patra: Scimitar melee: [1d20]=5 [1d6]=4 Scorpions attack: vs Cosmo: [1d20]=5 [1d3]=1 vs PP, A, G or SD [1d4]=3[1d20]=11[1d3]=2

The two scorpion constructs scuttle quickly from the wooden coffer and under an instinctive drive try to grapple and sting those who intrude into the crypt. Cosmo fails to hack his favoured pick into the creature, dodging and rolling himself from further venomous stinger piercings. The scorpion stabs out at the gnome but misses.

The second creature dodges incoming blows from Amos and Patra-patra (I equipped her with one of the bone golem's rusty scimitars).

It leaps in prodigious fashion but gets battered aside by the held aloft Sunshield, knocked into the path of Gerdal who invokes some fiery prestidigitation with a Burning Hands spell that sears each scorpion for -3hp. However, even under the fan of flames and unbalanced from being hurled away from the paladin, the scorpion is able to strike out against the unarmoured sorceress, -2hp injecting painful and toxic venom into her.

Actions next attacks and saving throw vs poison for Gerdal please.

Meanwhile in the Long Corridor, Gideon & Isvand go to check out the eastern door. The gnomes Gnimish & Treyvor follow, loading new bolts into their pick-bows. The far door is shut but not locked, opening into a larger crypt. The door in the north of the chamber opens and closes twice to bang before opening ajar to the corridor of alcoves to the north.

Here is a previous description of the room:

The door opens away from you, into a small chamber. It is almost 30'ft across, your entrance door in the middle of the north wall and a second door stands closed in the middle of the Western wall. Rather than being a square room, the top NW and NE corners are cut across as a diagonal, making the room six sided not four. In the middle of the east wall, there is a portion of rubble. It looks as though the wall was deliberately excavated rather than it being an unstable portion as you can see some iron rings attached to the wall beyond the excavation, as if somebody was chained inside then bricked in by a false wall.

Though not in use now, the room looks to have had basic modifications done to it. A few iron sconces stuck into the walls at height could bear torches or hold lanterns. On one wall several coat pegs. A small mirror hangs in another corner, underneath it a large bowl and shaving utensils, old and rusted razors. There are a couple of long benches and a single wooden rocking chair with tattered upholstery.

The bricked up bodies are sniffed at by Smokie. They reek of death and rot but crucially not of undeath. The clerics suggest if ever the room was used to any degree in the longer term, it would be good to inter the bodies more suitably.

After one bout of possible poltergeist activity moving the rocking chair, there is no further interruption though it adds to the atmosphere of unease.

Perhaps an angry or malicious poltergeist still haunts the chamber, certainly three bodies remain chained and shackled behind the east wall. The four characters enter the room, wary of tricks and surprises. A sudden creak comes from the rocking chair, squeaking under involuntary movement though no visible person sits upon it.

Actions here for Isvand & Gideon.

[ateno]

Cosmo, determined to get done with this stuff, attacks while trying to stay away from the construct.

pick [1d20+1]=15+1=16 damage [1d6+2]=3+2=5

Cosmo

[sastaz]

I really thought the scorpions were tiny ie like 1 hp each

Save vs poison (14): [1d20]=9

[Spearmint]

I really thought the scorpions were tiny: ie like 1 hp each

They are constructs similar to the cobra that bit Harkazz.

a creature, or rather a creature like construct scuttles forth on nimble and speedy legs. Raising a sharp sting in its tail above its plated back and striking with speed and accuracy to pierce ... while not whirring with the same "Brrr .... whizz " sound of the clockwork cobra that struck Harkazz weeks ago, these crypt guardians are equally deadly and relentless.

sorry if my description was not clear. They are arm's length in size not palm sized.

[redwarrior]

Isvand moves into the room, and circles the perimeter counterclockwise looking for secret doors or traps. Assuming he finishes the circuit unmolested, he will examine the rocking chair, first looking for wires or other mechanical explanations for the movement, bing careful not to touch the chair itself. If he finds nothing, he will use his (nomagical) short sword to push/rock the chair.

[tanker405th]

Gideon will remain just inside the entrance, watching carefully to see if anything untowards shows itself in response to Isvand's presence. Mace ready, as well as a turn undead if needed.

[Monsieur Rose]

Sir Dewey

Sorry, I thought I posted already. Sigh.

The Knight winces as his deflection puts the scorpion in contact with Gerdal. "Smash it!"

Flail(17): [1d20+1]=4+1=5

He again tries to smash it with his shield. Shield Bash(17): [1d20]=12