Chapter I: So, you all meet up in a tavern

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

It is half a day travelling, four hours plus, back to Helix. I would rather not tempt fate more by chancing it at night. So rest up in the entrance barrow and leave at first light.

Go to the church with the bodies first.

"It is sad we lost three good fellows. We have seen first hand the dangers of the Barrow crypts but have found some wealth and the unexplored rooms offer a tantalising promise of both. If we can strengthen our courage and bolster numbers I will will return."

so Jacor what do you wish to do next?
Harker, what do you want to do?

[Bree-yark]

Jacor

Filbert and Toug (and Tyson) got attacked here. I don't think skeletons climb ropes, so they probably came from the marsh. Who knows what else could come from there tonight. We could consider the secret room. I doubt that mindless undead would be able to activate a secret door. If anything does get in though we are stuck. Doesn't sound too pleasant either as we don't want torches burning up all of our air, so we will be in complete darkness. I think the secret room might be the best of our bad options right now. We will have to make sure there is a way out before sealing ourselves in for the night.

As for back in town, I don't think we made a good impression so far. One trip out and we lost half our party, including one recruit. This could make future recruiting more difficult. Perhaps we could do something in town to improve our standing. Maybe a donation to the church? The last thing we want is to make it difficult to recruit more members.

I am definitely in favor of coming back here. There is certainly more treasure to be found. I think we made a big mistake in the last battle. All of us were so busy searching that a bunch of zombies were able to walk down a long corridor and attack us. I suggest that we have one dedicated lookout for cases like this. If we saw them earlier we could have weakened them at least with missile weapons or lit a fire in the hallway to block their path.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

"We have the mule as well though, so leaving it unattended is not wise. Let's make the room defensible. Pile the skeleton bones up as a barricade by the steps. I don't think they will reanimate. There are still six of us and the dog so we should be better equipped should anything try to enter.

Not to worried by impressions. Most townsfolk expect adventurers to come and go and not come back. Remember the north men group."

The elf will take a turn on night watch and assist Filbert in tracking the way back to town.

[Bree-yark]

Jacor

I forgot about the mules. We will do our best to defend this area and then head back in the morning.

[sirravd]

To confirm, you're staying the night in the secret room?

[Bluetongue]

Harker

No we are staying in the entrance room. The original one pictured with the pulley system because we have the mule of Mal with us and don't want to leave it alone.

So we set a night watch in pairs, two hours each.

Harker & Mal
Jacor & Filbert
Hector & Quall.

Tyson also on guard.

Maybe Quall could rig up a similar crossbow trap to the one we found as a first warning if something breaks a trip wire perhaps? We are 35'ft above the room below so haul up the ropes so nothing tries to climb up from below.

At first light we trek back to town.

[sirravd]

I'll give Quall a Find and Remove Traps to try to rig something.
[1d100] = 48
No luck, alas.

On the third watch, Hector and Quall suddenly hear thudding footsteps. Three humanoid figures are visible in the mist beyond, at the foot of the mound. They are heading for the mound's entrance.

Actions?

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

Figuring the smell of three freshly dead bodies and the braying mule will draw the figures up the path, he alerts the others.

When the figures come within a few feet of the broken entrance stones he will throw his tomahawk axe at the closest figure.

Vann Hector throws axe [1d20+2] = 12+2 = 14 damage [1d6] = 2

"Bring that first one down," he calls to the others.

[Bree-yark]

Jacor readies his sling and whispers:

Perhaps we should make sure they are hostile before attacking?

[Bluetongue]

Harker

Ties an oiled rag around the shaft of his arrow which he lights and looses at the figures as they wander up the path.

It whizzes limply like a damp firework.Harker longbow attack short range [1d20+2] = 7+2 = 9 [1d8] = 4

"Better to act first and question later." he responds to Jacor.

[Bree-yark]

Jacor looses a sling bullet at the closest figure.

[1d20] = 13

With +1 for dexterity that is a 14. Damage:

[1d4] = 3

[sirravd]

The axe and sling bullet embed themselves in the things' rotted flesh, but they keep moving anyway. It is almost as though they can't be hurt by normal means...

They are now standing near the threshold. Getting out will require making a run for it immediately; otherwise you will have to overrun them as they stand in the entrance.

[Bluetongue]

Harker



"Oil. A flaming barricade to immolate them. We must not let them down the steps otherwise we will be trapped." He points to Quall and Filbert who stand either side of the entrance with flasks of oil in their hands, ready to smash them in the broken entrance stone as the undead shuffle over. We took extra flasks for such a time as this. Mal should use her magic missile spell.

Harker draws his blade and runs to the steps to ward the doorway attacking any who manage to enter.
Harker longsword melee [1d20+1] = 19+1 = 20 [1d8+1] = 3+1 = 4

Tyson is called to attack. He savages and snaps several of the skeletal bones piled by the doorway in a crushing snap.

Tyson bull mastiff: bite attack [1d20] = 3 [2d4] = 8

my feeling is we are not prepared to run and have prepared to defend the room. To flee means leaving the three bodies and the mule chest of supplies and the earthen jars. They all take time to load up which we don't have during an encounter.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

"I am not running either. Jacor toss a flaming torch or some embers into the oil pool.""

He draws his sword to stand in the doorway beside Harker.Vann Hector longsword melee (THAC0 19) to hit: [1d20] = 6 damage: [1d8] = 5

[Bree-yark]

Jacor will toss his torch into the pools of oil and then ready his sword for any of the undead that make it through.

[sirravd]

The undead blindly continue into the fires and are promptly immolated. Unfortunately, they had no valuable material on them.

[Stirling]

Vann Hector

"We should move at dawn. These three bodies will draw more undead to feast if we stick around too long."

He rises early to help load the dog sled with equipment and I guess the bodies are thrown over the mule or we use a dungeon door on a rigged travois and drag them back. The weight might slow the animal down so strip the unfortunate of their equipment, weapons and armour. We carry those between us.

Can I suggest we sell their personal equipment to use to pay for the church service and any memorial and add their usable stuff into the party supplies.

if I can access their sheets I will make a note.

Edited: 8gp and 5sp.

Taken for party supplies. Lantern and 5 flasks of oil. 1 x thieves toolkit. Rope. 2 x flasks of Holy Water. Inks and parchments. Hand axe, heavy crossbow and bolts.

[Bluetongue]

Harker

"Good job with the oil."

He agrees to trek back at first light.

[sirravd]

You return presently, guided by Filbert. Every noise makes you start. Your haggard, maddened appearances draw stares from those around you.

New thread. Tally your XP––everyone gets 724, less Prime Requisite bonuses.

EDIT: Not so. See the rewards thread.

[Bluetongue]

Harker

First thing is to go to the church with the three bodies. The priest would have met Blaive and Endor prior to leaving. We take Toug there also.

My suggestion is we ask the clerics to prepare them for burial and we attend a memorial that same afternoon or whenever appropriate. After that have a couple of days to restore ourselves, flog or investigate items, divide what treasure we have and look at potential new recruits for another expedition.

Filbert and Mal at least can leave us at that point.

Any thoughts Jacor & Hector?