Barrow Mounds: Mapping the Nergal Obelisk

[Spearmint]

This is the expedition thread for Callen, Cleric of St Ygg and Cosmo Snag, gnome 'entrepeneur' and their hired NPC's.

After discussions with Brother Gamdar at the Chapel, an expedition to scout out an Obelisk located among the field of Barrow Mounds. The carved menhir used by Nergal cultists in their profane worship and Necromantic practices.

The duo have seconded the services of Traeliorn, an apprentice ranger and two veteran torchbearers for the hopefully covert reconnaissance and study of the standing stone.

Helix village, Duchy of Aerik

June 27th 1066.

Midday:

After gathering supplies and the mercenerary hires, the group raise a flagon of ale in the tavern to cheer their endeavour. Downing ales in one and not a drop spilled between them. It is taken as a good omen and that proves to be the case.

Barrow Moor: Obelisk trek to mounds: random and even more random vs 1 [1d6]=4 [1d6]=2 [1d6]=5 [1d6]=2 [1d6]=4 [1d6]=5 option [1d10]=5

The trek follows a familiar path. Due to the shifting boggy ground and ever encroaching thickets, no trail to and from the Barrow Mounds is ever so well trodden as to become permanent. But a general direction is known as are the whereabouts of particularly nasty 'quicksand' like bogs of treacherous sodden peat.

Visibility once in the Moor is notoriously poor. An ever pervading mist, swirling thick grey patterns that dampens everything in dew drops of moisture and shields much from view. Certainly beyond the radiance of torchlight, little is seen clearly and trekking along, sounds amplified to make the smallest marsh cricket or wetland frog sound an ominous threat.

The ranger sets a decent pace and with encumbrances largely at a minimum, without encounters harassing your steps, the group arrive in a large swathe of tall grasses that cover hundreds of exposed Mammoth skeletons. The carcasses have been plucked dry of flesh over the centuries and remain as bleached bones; ribcages arching over the tundra and hollowed eyed skulls, huge enough for burrowing creatures to nest in. Many of the bones are decorated with ribbons and trinkets, memorials to expeditions and adventurers gone missing. Little bells or wind chimes softly peel tinkles of sound in the breeze. Vultures squawk over a fresh carcass. Other feathered bald headed against merely watch you with feigned disinterest, gauging the likelihood of feasting upon you later or not.

The Mammoth field is located at the entrance to the wide meadow of numerous burial mounds, perhaps four score or more reputedly though many plundered and excavated to the point of collapse.

You have made good timing and favoured in not encountering any lurking predators, brigands or other exploration teams.

next actions please.

[ateno]

Alright, lets the five of us stay together for now, let's try to be quiet,
Callen, do you know where the obelisk is?

Cosmo

[Hadarai]

Callen

"Only that it's located in a meadow on the mounds. I believe the mounds themselves are just to our north if I remember what Traeliorn had said." He looks to Traeliorn for confirmation before continuing. "If that's the case I suppose we continue on ahead northward until we reach the mounds proper and see what we can find."

[Spearmint]

Barrow Mounds. Mammoth Field.

June 27th 1066.

Veterans of several barrow mounds trips, the mercenary hires speak up.

"I haven't seen this Obelisk myself but have heard such. We met a necromancer on a previous trip, he had been excavating around one Nergal mound by all accounts and chased away. We took him in while we explored the Mummy Mound where he betrayed us by trying to raise the coffer corpse as an undead Mummy.

That mound is over the crest of the first tumuli
and around the edge of the meadow going North. To the east, the field goes hundreds of yards. A barrow raised in honour of a potter, followed by another grassy hillock with a copse of Yew trees."

Their knowledge is limited by (reading the public Barrow Mounds & Maps thread) you can gain some insight into previously talked about explorations.

A trail, this one well trodden, meanders through the Mammoth field towards the Barrow Mounds meadow. With visibility limited to 60'ft, you cannot see the Barrows until you practically wander into them though the trail if followed takes you to the top of Barrow 9:

Barrow 9: Large grassy knoll, bare of stone or tree. Nothing is seen to either side. A few attempts at scratching the surface remain as evidence of previous tomb robbers checking but nothing indicates any success in burrowing into it. After a few walks around and several listening checks, you are convinced the mound is raised in clear ground, 180'ft in all directions.

From May 8th Hallowed Ground expedition:

'The mound is a circular shape, bare of any crowning features except the weeds and grasses that cover it. To one side a large patch of the ground has been uncovered and then filled back in. Protruding from the ground is a single skeletal arm, reaching upwards'. The middle finger of the hand bent into a rude sign.

Traeliorn suggests locating the familiar 'Mummy Mound' (at least familiar to the merceneraries) then head east to locate the excavation the necromancer was undertaking. A path led from that mound in the direction of the Nergal Obelisk.

Before exiting the Mammoth field, the guys each tie a trinket on one of the exposed rib bones; a yellow cravat for Duval, one worn on other trips to mask his face. Rickford hangs several 'gingerbread men', cookie biscuits as an offering. Traeliorn inscribes his name upon an arrow and dangles it from an overarching bone. It spins in the breeze until finally settling with the barb pointed towards the direct North compass point.

you can each leave something if you wish.

Having trekked and taken a mini break, you don't want to delay too much or hang about in the open. A sudden vulturine squawking and several birds taking to flight indicate they are least are as uneasy to perch too long upon the bones if predators sneak about.

Climbing up the first encountered barrow, the trail takes you by the dug up patch of ground and a single outstretched bony arm. Raised as if grasping for the light. Instead of a rude finger salute bent into shape from jesting expeditioners, the hand clutches a rolled up parchment, a leathery vellum tied with a cheese-wire garrotte.

actions please

[ateno]

Cosmo sprinkles some of his seed and honey cake he brought along as a snack for the trip.

That's interesting, it appears to be a trap, anyone have a idea?

Cosmo looks closely


Ah Well

[Hadarai]

Callen sticks one of his waxed candles to the exposed bone and lights it before setting out with the others.

***

Staring at the mysterious arm sprouting through the dirt he ponders over the sight of it. "Yes I agree...must be a ruse of some kind, it'd be best if we checked." The Cleric grabs the sling from his belt and looks for a suitable stone to use as a bullet. "How about a friendly contest? We each take a shot and see who can knock the Partchment free, what do you say?"

[ateno]

Cosmo looks around, making sure there is plenty of space around in case of problems.

"We need to spend time at the oblisk, not losing dagger and rocks in the brush. I will throw a loop of rope around it and pull, hey?

Cosmo

[Hadarai]

Callen steps aside to give Cosmo some space, "May your aim be true."

[ateno]

Cosmo takes he rope and ties a bowling in it, but enough to fit around the vellum.

He goes back 20' and pulls slowly to hook on the bone and then pulls harder.

[Spearmint]

With Cosmo and Callen fearing the skeletal hand might be a trap to lure the unwary, the duo rig a line to loop over the outstretched bony fist. Pulling, they can draw the shrinking loop to catch and knock the parchment free, eventually bringing the scroll closer to be picked up.

Indeed the tie around it is a cheese-wire fitted around two tusk like clasps. Or perhaps they are large canine teeth taken from some fang toothed critter. The wire has blood stains, testament to a meat based rather than dairy-cutting past.

Unrolling the parchment, a silvered crossbow bolt drops to the floor. Written on the inside of the sheet is the following.

"I scrawl this while still sound of heart and mind though the Moon rises and I corrupt once more. Cursed am I among men to wander, my home among the tombs I once robbed.

A mercy to me I leave in your hands, may God strengthen your heart and aim should we meet, lest you become as I and join the feral choir that haunts the Barrow fringe."

It appears a warning and one might reason the silvered bolt given so as to administer a death killing blow should you happen upon a lycanthropic victim stalking the mounds in some Were-creature form.

It puts you on edge but thankfully no such predator is waiting in the thickets nearby.

The outside of the vellum has a stained drawing which in basic form shows a hill with a skeleton on top. Suggesting this barrow that you stand atop of. A few 'x''s to the right is another hill sign and then an arrow pointing towards the north east. A sign like two crossed sledgehammers are depicted within.

Grey swirls edge the map, the Barrow Mist? Dots lead from the 'skeleton hand' mound to various points that are drawn as a scorpion, a $$ sign and a 'hangman'. (One each to the north, west and north-east).

actions please.

[ateno]

"Hey, it's a treasure map, that requires some looking into, qadda you say Callom?

Cosmo puts it In his bag.

" For another time. We need to get to the obelisk, dark cones fast,
. You ok with that sir?."

Cosmo

[Hadarai]

Callen

"Yes for another time but a most fortunate find nonetheless, this is a great boon for us! Back to the task at hand then, how far was this mummy mound again?" The Cleric asks the Mercenaries before continuing on with their directions once more.

[Spearmint]

Exploring the Barrow Mounds.

June 27th 1066.

Rickford and Duvall take the lead. Just three weeks earlier escorting the Harpy lair raiders. They follow a route that has become familiar from journeying with the Mage's group, firstly leaving the Mammoth field and climbing the grassy knoll to the closest unexcavated barrow (this is Barrow 9, usually described as 'the skeleton hand Mound') then trekking north. This time swerving to the right of the 'Barrow of the Green Man', (Barrow 1), a mound that has been excavated but whose entrance is warded by long roots and creeper vines that entangle and poison those who try to pass beyond the stone entrance seal. There are Obelisks on top of this mound, but decades of adventurers have carved caricature faces into the standing stones. The 'Mummy Mound' (Barrow 2). Partially excavated when they first encountered it, they fought off a horde of undead zombies before breaking through the stone slabs to gain access to the interior. The excavated entrance collapsed internally and a huge pit of fallen earth now covers the upper side of the mound.

The group gather at the foot of the mound to take bearings and discuss options. As you do so, you hear a number of growls. Animalistic and feral, a high pitched squawking and flapping sound then a screeching. A terrible sound, one of a creature being rendered apart. The noise comes closer and the men dim lantern lights so as not to give away your location. You scramble up the incline and into the hollow of the pit to get out of view, just peeking heads over the edge to watch as several ghoulish figures spring upon a large vulture. One ghoul pulls a wing, another has grasped it by its long scrawny neck, a third holds a leg in both hands while the fourth pulls out entrails and innards in a shower of blood and feathers.

There is not much to satisfy four ghouls from one large bird, but each tears a morsel and for a hour as you cower under cover, they sit yards away, gorging themselves on a carrion critter. Prudence calls for patience, silence, waiting. Prepared in case they are alerted to you, praying they are not.

Eventually the ghoulish gang move on, roaming elsewhere among the Barrow Mounds. You wait a few extra turns until all sound if them has long since past.



Barrow Moor: Obelisk trek to mounds: random and even more random vs 1 [1d6]=4 [1d6]=6 [1d6]=3 [1d6]=5 [1d6]=4 [1d6]=3 option [1d10]=10

"All I know is that Garrett the necromancer was excavating a mound dedicated to Nergal which was close by this mound here. But where I do not know though." says one of the merceneraries. It gives Cosmo and Callen some thought. To head north, west, east? Back south? How to explore in an area where the mist is so thick and obscuring that visibility is reduced to mere yards (60'ft).

here is a basic map of the Barrow Mounds meadow that R & D might know. The 'start' point is the entrance from the Mammoth field, the barrows noted are ones known by the group.

For Cosmo, the Barrow of Magyar Varghoulis and the Undead Legionnaires would be perhaps a hundred or more hexes to the east and the other edge of the area.

actions and questions please

[Hadarai]

I'm currently considering heading east and seeing what we can find.

What size are the hexes?

[ateno]

I
agree, lets head east a hundred paces, then north a hundred paces, west and south the same, should bering us back here.

Cosmo.

[Spearmint]

so the scale from the pdf notes each hex as 50'ft across but then that contradicts interior chambers when describing rooms of a certain size. So I use a 120'ft each hex but even that is probably too small if you consider the mounds are supposed to look like this one, Silbury Hill. So that is the sort of burial mound image I want to convey, a steep sided grassy hill, often topped with a defining feature such as an Obelisk, a ring of stones, a copse of trees.

A 'covered' mound would describe one that has not had any excavation which has located an entrance yet. A 'sealed' one will note a mound whose entrance is open or exposed, a 'collapsed' mound would be one where the dome of the barrow has fallen into the interior.

The general idea is that each barrow contains some form of stone built chamber and has been covered with a mound of earth. Some have been plundered, others still retain secrets. Cosmo knows for example the Sauron Mound, (tomb of Magyar Varghoulis) had an ornate entrance, steps leading to a hall and side rooms whilst the neighbouring mound was rumoured just to be a mass graves of Nergal devotees who routinely crawled out of the earth if intruders climbed the mound over them.

There are rumours that 'fourscore plus' such mounds are scattered over the 'barrow mounds meadow'.

The general lay of the land is stony ground covered in patches of overgrowth and weeds and then these looming, high grassy knolls.




The Barrow Mist which swirls in from the wilderness Moor covers the area so that even though on a Summer's day, everything should be verdant and green and pleasant to look at, your actual visibility is limited as in the foggy picture. Everything looks grey and bland, shadows are lengthened weirdly, noises from far off echo as if close by, whispers carry, sometimes a breeze carries away all sound.

The whole place smells of rot in varying degrees. Damp, fetid air, perhaps carrying the ashen smell of embers from an old fire, carrying the rot of bloated carcasses (humanoids and creatures).

So only the brave or foolhardy venture here.



Hope that helps descriptive wise.

[Spearmint]

Exploring the Barrow Mounds

After checking the ghoul pack have moved on, the group decide to do a sweep of the area, a slow but methodical approach to understanding the lay of the land and finding out what lies within the vicinity of the Mummy Mound (Barrow 2).

You can comb the area, taking in each hex that surrounds the hex with the Barrow noted within. Each is stony ground with patches of weeds and briars breaking through. Occasionally you come across a pile of debris such as the wooden remains of broken wheelbarrows and cargo sledges, a few times you stumble into a basic grave headed by a wooden marker or a pile of stones with some momento or trinket attached. Other times the momento is not so honouring, perhaps a spiked head upon a stake glares at you silently as you sneak by. Confident then that within a short bow shot of the mound, there is no other defining feature, just a wasteland. Arriving back to the original point at the foot of the barrow, you broaden your exploration, extending the sweep an across few hundred yards, again following a similar pattern. Each man a few yards from his neighbour, each man observant to where he steps and any shadows that loom suddenly within his confined vision.

It is during this second phase that you come across something of interest.

A long trench has been excavated. It is about waist deep in places and narrow, just a few feet wide. It runs in a straight line about sixty feet long, disappearing just out of sight. At the bottom of the trench are a mosaic of black and red marble like tiles. At the top end of the trench are two broken wheelbarrows along with oddments of expedition equipment. Piled inside the wheelbarrows are some of the tiles.

Checking the area, several broken arrows litter the ground, a rusty dagger with dried blood, ripped bandages snag upon a nearby thorn bush. Some tragedy occurred here, that much is obvious. Before you can explore more, scraping of boots upon stony ground' comes from the other end of the trench, a shadowy figure rises from the ground.

this exposed bit of trench is located two Hexes South-east of the Mummy Mound.

actions please

[Hadarai]

Callen

Seeing the discovered trench he kneels down to inspect it, "An excavation, this could be the work of the Necromancer, perhaps we should follow it?""

Just as he finished speaking the shadowy figure starts to come into view. Retrieving his morningstar and shield he rises to his feet and whispers to the others, "Something lurks beyond the trench in the mist, look. Keep that bow ready Traeliorn."

Not wanting to risk drawing attention from anything else lurking nearby the Half-Elf will wait until the figure comes into clearer view. He will try to listen for the characteristic moaning of the undead and the sound of others possibly approaching from the figure's direction.

[ateno]

In a low voice, Stand easy lads, let's figure out what this is,

Cosmo loosens his throwing daggers in their sheaths, and reviews the spell color spray.

[Spearmint]

Exploring the Barrow Mounds.

June 27th 1066.

Upon the Nergal Path.

The black and red mosaic of stones which form 'the Path of the Unrighteous' are certainly at odds to the limestone and granite rocks which make up the local geology.

The trench has exposed a pathway which from the stories told by the merceneraries, link two Nergal burial sites together. One is a sealed tomb, the huge stone portal blocking access and seemingly resistant to all forms of excavation to smash through it. The other end of the path led to the Obelisk but as yet, that has never been explored. So here at least you stand in the right path though it is walked upon by the 'unrighteous'. And at least one of those 'unrighteous' yet walks still for advancing through the thick mist from the other end of the trench is a zombiefied figure. It moves though with unaccustomed speed, very unlike the normally shuffling undead which amble in gaunt limps. This one is fast and undeterred by a flaming arrow which pierces it's torso from the bow of Traeliorn . -5hp

The two veteran merceneraries give out a second warning, loosing arrows into the fray and once leapt upon, tackling a second ravenous beast that launches itself among those in the trench.

Traeliorn looses arrows: [1d20+2]=17+2=19 [1d6]=5[1d20]=13[1d6]=3
Duval shortbow [1d20]=2 [1d6]=1 [1d20]=7 [1d6]=1Rickford's dual wield [1d20-1]=1-1=0[1d6+1]=3+1=4[1d20-3]=8-3=5[1d6+1]=3+1=4

"Defend yourselves!" is the cry as ravenous zombies, armed with pitchfork and spade look to carve themselves a meal out of you.