Part 6: Revenge is Best Served Cold ... As the Grave

[ybn1197]

Pyrrhic's musings cause everyone to pause momentarily. Just what was the purpose of this barrow? Aside from rats, you have not encountered any living creatures and the number of burial sites you have encountered strongly suggest this place was used to inter the deceased. But just how big was it? And where did the deceased come from? The village was not large enough to generate this amount of tombs. Besides, they have their own graveyard.

You enter the room and it is exactly as Ubrecht described. Just shy of 30' x 30', the room appears to be empty. The door to the left is ajar as if something recently passed through.No light emanates from the other side keeping its design a mystery for the moment.

[Zorroroaster]

"If a trio of shamblers just stumbled out of this space, it's unlikely to be trapped. Still, prudence and all that.". Bronn edges along the wall to the partially open door and stops just shy of the opening, listening carefully.

[ybn1197]

The hallway on the other side of the door is quiet.

[DMStue]

"A room back there, full of alcoves and bones there is, but Dren will scout ahead this way and search for traps" says Dren as he draws his blade and heads off cautiously "featureless and short is this corridor, a prime location for danger...."

Dren moves ahead, suspecting a possible pit trap or deadfall trap, but alert for any danger...

I'll let you make the rolls boss .... Then I don't know if I spotted or missed owt

[ybn1197]

Dren slips quietly forward, wary of traps and pitfalls. He is able to get to an intersection where the hall continues forward and branches east. The east branch proceeds 20 feet before ending at a closed door. The hall also continues north 20 feet before turning east as well.

[triplehappiness]

Nightsong is beginning to get the rythm of this group, in particular of Dren as he repeatedly puts himself in harms way. In an effort to help alleviate some of that threat, Nightsong moves quietly up to the intersection in order to cover Dren. Nightsong has a good view of both the door to the east and the corridor to the north that also turns east. Either way Dren goes, Nightsong will have good line of sight to cover him with his bow. And if something goes sideways where the bow us of no use, could quickly rush to his aid.

[DMStue]

Nodding to Nightsong, who moves stealthily up to his position to support him, Dren is glad to see the newer members of the party working together. The mercurial Mortiganto and solid, reliable Phyrric and himself will need the help of all their new allies if they are to safely uncover the mysteries of the Barrowmaze.

Edging forwards carefully, expecting a trap at any moment .... Dren heads for the new door ready to check it for dangers and listen for movement beyond.

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn tightens his grip on his sword and edges closer in behind Dren. He tries not to let the rhythm of their exploration lull him into a false sense of security. A few zombies may not be much of a threat to a party of this size, but something tells him there are much more dangerous forces lurking in the shadows here. The place reeks of death, and he knows his own mortality will be tested before long. The thought sobers him, and he focuses on Dren's back as he scouts ahead.

[SocraticLawyer]

Peaches follows along, strangely quiet for once. She keeps her sling ready in case something nasty pops out.

[RiotInferno]

"Don't get too far ahead Nightsong. If something jumps out behind us, I'll probably have need of your elven eyes." Pyrrhic cracks a smile in the torchlight and lets out a soft chuckle. "I'm all out of marbles, and can use them as replacements."

[ybn1197]

Once again Dren takes the lead and approaches the closed door, mindful of traps along the way. He discovers no traps and puts an ear to the door, hoping to hear something on the other side which would identify what they may be up against next but nothing comes to his ear.

[DMStue]

Signalling that there is no noise from beyond, Dren brandishes his blade in readiness, then when he sees that the others are prepared, he opens the door carefully, trying to be as quiet as possible and wary of traps.

[Zhym]

Ubrecht, silent as usual, stands ready with his holy symbol in hand.

[triplehappiness]

Nightsong hears Pyrrhics admonishment and quickly takes a step back, realizing it to be a good idea. Nightsong, in his intensity, had slowly begun to drift towards the front ranks. Then, as the rest of the comment settled in, he smiled quietly to himself and nodded toward Pyrrhic, silently appreciating Pyrrhics ability to use humor even while effectively managing the groups safety. It was a talent he hoped to one day have himself.

[ybn1197]

The door opens in the south-west corner of a rectangular room (20' from where you enter to the opposite wall and 30' from you to the wall north of you. Another open corridor moves north out of the room. There is some debris opposite you in the south-east corner. Looking up, you see it is where the ceiling has partially collapsed. The debris looks as though it has been there for some time based on the amount of dust and webbing that has accumulated. Dren notices the glimmer of light coming from the corridor to the north.

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn moves as quietly as possible towards the corridor in the north wall and peeks around the corner.

[ybn1197]

The light is generated by a single torch held aloft by a bizarre creature. It has a humanoid form however it looks like it was cobbled together from parts of various other creatures. And it is not alone, there are 4 others with it. Like the one holding the torch, the others look to be cobbled together from spare parts as well. The only similarity they have to one another is that they are all humanoid and their differences link them together.

The group is slowly making their way south through the passage to the room you currently inhabit. Like their appearance, they each wield different weapons.

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn twists his head around to relay what he sees to the others.

"Ladies and gentlemen. If you'll all take your places. I believe the show is about to begin."

Bronn continues to hide behind the corner, waiting for the strange creatures to move into the room before striking from the shadows. Once they've come close enough, he lets out a feral yell and swings mightily at the closest foe.

Two Handed Sword: To Hit [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15, To Damage [1d10+2] = 4+2 = 6

[Zhym]

Ubrecht is unsure whether the things are undead, but figures it's worth a try to turn them.

"Back!" he commands, holding forth his holy symbol.

Turn Undead: [2d6] = 6, HD: [2d6] = 2

[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic lets out a sigh, and begins reciting from memory. "A good unit is cohesive. The soldiers follow the commander, working in tandem, delivering death swiftly to their foes in an organized manner."

He steps out into the hallway, whirling his spear around, trying to plant it into one of his foes.
"But we are not soldiers, nor are we organized. These abominations deserve death, and we can give it to them swiftly."

To hit with Spear: [1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3, damage: [1d6+1] = 5+1 = 6