Expedition to the Barrier Peaks - Chapter One

[Hotgoblin]

Groyn Shortbeard fighter

Well, I ain't never seen no metals like this before...Mithral back home is beautiful and jagged this ain't! What do yous suppose it is?. He whispers to Ashy..I never seen nothing like that there Cande neither!!

[Grognardsw]

The adventurers talk amongst themselves during the journey to the Barrier Peak. There is gossip about Candy the domimagrix and her thrall over the northern warrior Wulfhart. Some grumble about the never-ending rats that get underfoot. The retinue of the Grand Duchy soldiers, led by the ranger Andover, keep a vigilant eye out for the rumored strange monsters that have been wandering the area recently.

Brother Puddington is relieved that the ranger has a map, which the portly priest studies to make himself more comfortable with the region. Wrenly the Brown stays on his horse when he can, studying his scrolls fervently. His mind rises to the occassion in learning most of the spells. Wind Wall is a challenge, and the mystic equations elude understanding. He seems incapable of comprehending the nuances of the occult grammar, like a dense poem whose meaning refuses to admit itself and stays concealed behind groping guesses of the reader. Alas, as the words are transfered from scroll to spell book, the magick energies contained in the spell unbind and fade. Wrenly feels like he is trying to capture smoke with his hands as the words of power dissipate from the scroll and are gone.

"Ho! What is that!" a soldier cries, pointing...

The rock of the mountain appears parted, revealing a metal wall that stretches up 400' feet before disappearing again behind rock. It is an awe-inspiring and mystifying sight. Was a strange castle buried under the mountain? An armored titan imprisoned in stone for transgressions against his god? A giant metal monster struggling to emerge?

There is a large 30' door at the bottom, and 200' up is a smaller door that is actually open about one-foot. That door is not open on traditional hinges, but rather open in a sliding-from-the-side fashion. Some adventurers approach the large door on the bottom.The trained eye of Groyn the dwarf is unable to place the type of metal the foreign alloy is. It seems impervious to scratches. The invisible Wulfhart watches his dwarf friend examine the metal work. The northern fighter himself isn't even sure it is a door.

Meanwhile, Fingal the thief investigates this large metal door at the bottom. It is huge, 30' tall and 30' wide. It reminds him more of a closed drawbridge than a door. There is no handle, apparent lock mechanism, or indication of how the thing opens from outside. Out from the door about 20' is a large impression in the earth; not a footprint, but something quite large about 40' oval-shaped seems to have pressed the earth in.

Gryev the barbarian invites the druid Getafix to join him in scouting the area for other entrances. The druid declines, instead chirping and whistling in apparent communication with a bird. Gryev sets off with cat-like grace around the bend and disappears from sight. (Roll 1d6 and 1d12.)



"Good day tall walker," tweets the bird, a Gray Pine Blacktail, to Getafix. "May the winds lift you and worms rise to beak. The shiny mountain sparkles like water in the high-sun time. It has opened to release animals we have not seen before."

[saalaria]

Swilbosh, Fighter

Swil returns from his morning dip, still munching on a couple of fish. He offers the still wet fish to the newer members of the party out of politeness but not really expecting them to accept. He has spent enough time with humans now to know they ruin everything by cooking it.

He chews thoughfully on the brightly coloured fish whilst the others start examining the metal door.

[greyarea]

Getafix responds, Can you describe these animals? How many moons ago dd it open?

[tkrexx]

Guido, Cleric

Ohh! The portly Priest gasps in admiration of the Barbarian's grace, How does a man so big move like that? He eyes the slightly open door above. I don't think I can get up there... I'm not exactly suited for climbing. But if anything can find a closer entrance, these rats are quite adept, irritatingly so, in fact. They can always find a way in.

[Pulpatoon]

The Ravenous Gryev:

Poking through the underbrush: [1d6] = 5; [1d12] = 10

...these rats are quite adept, irritatingly so, in fact. They can always find a way in.

Porphyry, gesturing in the direction Gryev went off in, says, "Why send rats to do a lummox's job?"

Calling over to Andover, Porphyry says, "Commander Thindel, I recall that patrols and scouts have been lost in the area. Do you think any were lost in the immediate surroundings? I could gain some valuable intelligence for us by examining their remains."

[greyarea]

Asherrion will approach the lower metal door and inspect it, careful on both approach and inspection. He was in a metal castle once...

[Zhym]

"That's a long way up," says Andover of the open door high in the cliff face. "How much rope do we have between us? Perhaps we could send someone nimble of foot up with one end of the rope, and those who are not adept at climbing could use the rope to get up?"

"Please, just call me Andover," the waifish ranger tells Porphyry. "Only my men have to call me 'commander.'" He crouches near the ground by the huge door and starts looking for tracks. "The attacks have ranged over several miles, but patrols in this area have been especially hard hit. It's worth a look, though I doubt I will find any tracks unless something has recently come forth from this fortress."

[Pulpatoon]

Porphyry: "As you would have it, Andover. Give me an hour, and horse, and a guard to lead the horse. I will range about, seeking the dead. Should I find any, we may learn a thing or two worth knowing."

If provided with a horse, Porphyry will climb up it and describe to the guard a path that begins at the mountainside and spirals outward. He addresses the guard: "Don't speak, or whistle, or hum, or engage in whatever rustic entertainments you amuse yourself with. And don't trip over anything. Or sneeze. Keep the horse calm, and see that I am in no way disturbed." He will then begin an incantation.

Level: 1
Duration: 1 turn, +1 turn per 2 levels Range: 60'
This spell allows the caster to detect the location of the remains of any dead creatures in range. This includes corporeal undead such as skeletons, zombies and ghouls, although the caster is not aware of their undead status.
Alternatively, if the caster possesses a personal item or small body part (such as a bone or lock of hair) of a specific individual, then that individual's remains can be sought with this spell. In this case the remains of other creatures are not detected.

[OGRE MAGE]

Fingal, Climbing Thief

No way is the antsy thief sitting around watching a goatman ride a horse around in a circle for an hour. He looks again at the huge depression in the ground below the massive lower gate.

I sure hope whatever left that footprint down there is long gone by now.

He looks up at the other door that was just spotted and begins to climb the rocks for a closer look. He offers to carry some rope up with him so the others can make the climb a little easier.

Climb Walls (91) [1d100] = 88 (not sure if I need to make multiple rolls)

He secures the rope and tosses it below. Then he takes a closer look-see at the smaller shiny door.

[Hotgoblin]

Groyn Shortbeard fighter

Groyn further investigates the natural stone to see if there is anything unnatural about it. He puts his ear up to it and listens for any strange noises.

[AleBelly]

"Careful now" Wulfhart calls weakly to Fingal as he climbs. Grunts of frustration are heard from the northern warrior. Those who know him recognize those as "I want to stab something" grunts.

[AleBelly]

Candy walks towards the lower door. She presses her filthy silk robe up against the metal and rubs it, as if cleaning it. Her eyes roll back into her head as she focuses on...something unseen.

[saalaria]

Swilbosh, Fighter

Swilbosh approaches the lower door and hefts his trident, preparing for something to emerge and surprise them.
He doesn't disturb the human woman's concentration by speaking.

[Grognardsw]

Porphyry the satyr intones necromantic syllables of power to detect the dead. Riding a cantering horse led by a nervous retinue soldier, the pychopomp concentrates on corpses and guides the horse to a variety of deceased animals. These have died from natural causes, accidents and death by predator. Porphyry passes these lesser dead by, hoping to come upon cadavers more human. He explores the circumference of the peak for 30 minutes with no results before the spell's power dissipates.

Gryev the barbarian circles the lower peak to find another entrance. Beyond that one spot where the mountain splits and exposes the metal wall, there seems to be only the natural stone of the peak.


Diesel got his perspective wrong here; the door is huge.


Meanwhile, back at the site, Fingal gathers enough rope from fellow adventurers and retinue soldiers to tie together a 400' length. The thief slowly climbs the rock to the metal door, which is open a foot-wide. It is dark inside, but the light shines in a bit to reveal the metal floor of an empty room. Fingal would need to enter to make our any more features. The rogue considers how to secure the rope for others to climb.

Getafix the druid continues to twitter and chirp with the bird. "The animals we never saw before. Not of these woods. The last time was five moons ago."

Groyn the dwarf feels, smells, taps and listens to the surrounding rock and find nothing unusual about it. However he can tell that the rock collapsed and eroded from above to reveal that which lies beneath it. Asherrion, Wulfhart, Candy, Guido, Wrenly, Brother Puddington and Swilbosh gather in front of the huge metal door at the base. Andover oversees the soldiers setting up camp.

[Pulpatoon]

Porphyry returns, looking bored and frustrated. Looking up at the exposed-metal mountain, he says, "I have nothing of interest to report. No sign of marauding monsters or ambushed patrols. If I weren't staring at that," he says, indicating the mountain, "I'd say we were chasing tall tales and local hogwash."

The Ravenous Gryev returns, chewing on something he found somewhere. "No bolt hole. No vent. Y'know whut that means? Sour air. Can't nothing breef in there. Nuffing living, anyway."

[greyarea]

Getafix thanks his feathered friend and reports to the others. Nothing has happened here for a few days, if the birds are to be believed.

edited timeframe

[greyarea]

Asherrion at the door says, So what now? Do we speak friend and enter?

He looks for a hidden panel or switch.

[tkrexx]

Guido, Cleric

This really isn't my area of expertise, Guido notes aloud to Brother Puddington, smiling slightly in an attempt to ward off the feeling of uselessness in the situation. I'll keep watch for the moment.

[OGRE MAGE]

If Fingal cant find a suitable place to tie off the rope for the others to climb up, he will reluctantly slide through the partially open door and look inside for a secure anchor point.