Fifth Expedition

[Raven Crowking]

The room looks much as it did before - about 30 feet square with a single exit to the east, ruined frescoes on the wall, and part of the west wall collapsed. The flags are a muddle of muddy boot-prints, obviously headed toward the eastern passage.

[beermotor]

Gunnar waits for the rest of the party to get down.

Daryll uses some rope to tie a harness around Fang, then lowers him down into the room. He'll drop a piece of dried meat down there to keep the dog happy.

Once everyone is down, Gunnar will clear his throat. "My cousin smelled gold and gems in that passageway where we needed some sledges. I propose we head there first, take down those walls, and see what's inside." He then inclines his head towards Jed. "Unless you have a different idea, Priest."

"Speaking of that," Cisneros says, "your God is a Lord of the Dead, right? What is his position on these abominations that walk in these catacombs?"

"More to the point," Daryll says, "what's he say 'bout us lootin' 'em?"

[Dumnbunny]

Jed and Murq head on down. When they get to the bottom, Murq will take his spear and shield in hand. Jed takes his shield in his left hand, but assumes his holy symbol may be of more immediate use, and take it in his right.

While getting himself battle-ready, ensuring everything is strapped down and secure, Jed converses with other members of the expedition. To Gunnar he says "Well, we're not here to take in the sights; gold and gems it is." To Cisneros and Daryll, he says "I am new to Nergal's service, and I need to spend more time in prayer and contemplation, but I do not believe the proliferation of undead in these halls is the work of Nergal or his cult. No, this seems like the work of the cult of his sons, Orcus and Set, who betrayed Nergal. I believe Nergal would welcome the destruction of these undead. As for looting them, hmmm ... except for something perhaps holy to Nergal, I don't believe he'd care either way."

Jed scratches his chin. "While the others are joining us and making preparations, I'll think on this, try to recall some passage from the Book that contradicts what I've said, but I think I have the right of it."

[beermotor]

"'sall I needta hear," Daryll says.

"To the wall with the sledgehammers, then?" Gunnar says.

Assuming everybody is ready, Gunnar will suggest a marching order:

Gunnar / Murq
Cisneros (torch) / Jed
Willem? / Jonas?
HP / Daryll, w/dog

[Raven Crowking]

A bit of dried meat does not make the dog happy - indeed the animal is too keyed up to pay it any real attention. Its haunches quiver as it stares off into the dark passageway, and it starts from time to time as though it sees something you cannot.

Jed knows of nothing that would invalidate his interpretation of Nergal.

[beermotor]

"Easy, boy," Daryll whispers to the dog. He pockets the bit of meat for later, just in case. Can he try to soothe the animal with a personality check or something? He'll fashion a 5' leash out of rope, just to be sure the dog comes along.

[Raven Crowking]

The dog is well-trained, and will certainly go along with you. But he is not happy about this noisome hole...his nerves are keyed up. (This affects your chances of being surprised, obviously, in a way that is favourable to you.)

[beermotor]

Good deal.

Daryll will keep him leashed, just in case. "After you," he says to Gunnar and the party. "I'll watch our backsides." He lights a torch, too.

[Raven Crowking]

Beyond the archway, you can see the old crumbling stone passage extending toward the east. After 10 feet, there is a passage to the north. Directly after that, there is a door to the south.

Someone has arranged old bones on the floor, showing an arrow pointing to the north, with an "X" at its base.

[beermotor]

"Well, that's interesting," Gunnar says. "Does this mean anything to anyone?"

Cisneros nods. "During the first expedition, well, my first expedition, a member of the group was slain by a trap somewhere in that direction," he says, pointing along the north passageway. "Does this speak to you in any way, Jed?"

(Assuming not...)

"I propose we continue to the south, to that passageway that needs the sledgehammers," Gunnar says.

[Raven Crowking]

Are you going to open and pass through the south door?

[beermotor]

Well, I'd like to ... I guess we just assume Gunnar is the Caller, a la OD&D? If people want to chime in, speak up, whatever, please feel free...

[Dumnbunny]

I'm cool with that. It strikes me as quite practical in a PbP.

[Raven Crowking]

ANYONE can act as "caller". If there is not a response in a reasonable amount of time, I will assume agreement.

But, in order to "do" something, someone has to say that they do it - you cannot just talk about whether or not you are going to. Saying in character, "Let's X" does not make X occur. When the player then states, We do X, X occurs.

Now, in this case, I am taking beermotor's OOC comment to mean that you are doing it. Previously, you were only talking about doing it.

The door to the south opens into a 20 x 20 chamber, with another door in the wall opposite. Apart from some debris around the walls and corners, the room appears to be empty.

[Dogma]

Since we know we're heading back to the wall to knock it down I'm fine with Gunnar calling the way.

[beermotor]

We're heading back to that wall to finish breaking it down, so I think we go south, southwest, then west...

[noahms456]

Sedge will scrutinize the areas we pass for mosses, mushrooms, any herbally important items of worth or note. His staff could double as a pole for triggering or pushing buttons or levering if needed.

Edoard stands ready to flee at the rear of the advancing party, but ready to pick up any dropped items that catch his eye.

Hob will advance with those in front - as a dwarf stonemason he will be wary for traps or strange masonry seams that might indicate danger or interest

Silvertongue the Minstrel stays well in the middle of the pack, quaking.

We are all as quiet as mice. We offer (with gestures) to carry torchers for larger, stronger and better armed (nearby) members as appropriate

[beermotor]

We're heading back to that wall to finish breaking it down, so I think we go south, southwest, then west...

Actually it's through the south door, then south again, then southwest, then south, then shortly to the west should be the bricked-up crypt that's partially falling down.

all right STOP.

Hammer time.

/had to

[Raven Crowking]

You pass through the room quickly but quietly, and into another space that would be 30 x 30 were it not for the southwest corner being cut off. There is a door in that corner, and you head in that direction. (There is also a passage leading east from the northern part of the east wall.) Beyond that door, you quickly pass through another door, follow the corridor, and stop before the bricked up wall.

How many hammers are you using, and who is using them? Three characters with hammers, working together, could unseal this wall in 10 minutes. A single character could do it in a half an hour.

For those new to the Barrowmaze, and as a reminder to those returning, the passage turns to the south just past the bricked up section, just as it turns to the north back the way you came. While you are standing before the bricked-up doorway, you have a limited field of view....about 10 feet in either direction.

Dwarves (i.e., any lvl 1+ dwarf) can smell silver and gold beyond the bricked-up opening, through the narrow space that has already been chiselled out.

[beermotor]

Daryll and HP will take out their sledgehammers and go to work. Anyone else got one?