Barrow Mounds: Relic Raiders.

[Spearmint]

May 14th 1066.

The Barrowmoor, southwest of Helix, Duchy of Ironguard.

Conditions: Windy but clear skies.
Visibility: down to 60'ft in all directions once on the Moor.
Lantern (Sundance).

3.30pm.

The secret room has not been disturbed since being opened by Eldon previously. The alcoves have been casually searched and the trinkets sacked up. The sack was left in place in favour of carrying an urn if I remember correctly.

You have free rein. So between the searchers and those guarding you can have a more in-depth study of the amphora that you passed over before. Choosing those jars with more crafting (a snake handled vase over a plain one), those with better symmetry or more pleasing to the eye, smoother finishes over ones with lumps or scratches.

Contents are examined. Sundance, studies a few proffered wares under a detect magic spell. Nothing radiates any aura of enchantment though. But among the old grains, pulses and beans stored in some jars you find a string of pearls, a set of bamboo like reed sticks with phosphorus match-heads that burn some type incense and in one pot bellied pot, you find a glass orb which contains a sand diorama that can be shaken like a snow globe.

Eldon & Dalin load up the horse with chosen vessels. Savant measures the interior chambers with a view to some renovations and creating a future Mound stronghold. Sundance watches out for poltergeist activity. Outside Tamson guards the entrance and Fapp patrols on the back of warg Chewwy.

Watchmen and wanderers: [1d6]=1[1d6]=5

As you circle the mound, Fapp hears a chittering and rustling. Lots of furtive movement. Then you see a rather large scorpion, it must be about eight feet long from the tips of outstretched claws to rear. It has a curled tail and prominent stinger which drips with a glossy venom. The creature is turning in rapid circles, grasping some other smaller creatures in claws and mandibles but as it get overwhelmed by the swarm of biting critters, it eventually stings itself to death in an agony of being eaten and torn apart.

You see hundreds of giant ants, each as long as a short sword blade, swarming, nipping, biting. They relentlessly tear apart the chitinous body of the scorpion but still not satisfied, scuttle along the grassy trails leading to the nearby mounds. A line if creatures are advancing towards the barrow that you explore.

actions please.

[tarlyn]

Fapp

The little halfling observes from afar. Once the ants start eating the Giant Scorpion he deems that precise moment to

head back and warn the others.

The first time person he comes upon he will describe with great detail and flourish exactly what he saw, shivering as he

ponders himself being ant food!

[LordKane77]

As soon as Savant is alerted to the situation, he's inspired by his last time here......

"Everyone get in the barrow immediately. Bring the horse and sarge into the secret room, Sundance, hold that door open. Eldon, Dalin, Tamson, help me move this sarcophagus cover to the entry to the dome. We hold at this door with the three of you holding it up. Stand behind it with all your might. Just your body mass should make this work. We leave a crack in it for Eldon and I to shoot down it if they come down the hall. Don't cut it close. If they get halfway down the hallway, close it and Eldon will help. I will still shoot through a crack if there's enough, or help hold if there's not. If something goes awry, we retreat to the secret room, seal it, and make our last stand if we have to. Fapp, be right here, help if anything gets through, or help holding the door if needed. Go!"

I recall the sarcophagus cover working well at this door last time. If it's obvious that isn't true, then I need to rethink this, so let me know. We're not going to stand there holding the door up like assholes if it's obvious they're just going to come right around it, and their small size means it has to be reasonably snug. I have an alternative plan in that case. Also based on the sorting we've done of the urns, it feels like finding two with flammable stuff should be quick and easy. But again, if this plan has obvious flaws that Savant, standing there, would recognize, let me know.

Savant barks directions in order to get everything together in time. Two urns with flammable looking contents are smashed in the hallway directly in front of the door, Savant's vile of oil is poured on the refuse and it's lit with a torch.

So to put this together to make sure I painted this word picture correctly.......
Tamson and Dalin hold the sarcophagus cover up in the entryway to the main room, leaving a space to fire through. Behind that in the hallway is a lit pile of debris. I'm sure it very quickly fills the low ceiling of the hallway with smoke, billowing out the front of the barrow entrance on one side, and curling over our makeshift door and into the dome above and behind us. Anything entering the hallway gets peppered by Savant and Eldon. If they continue to approach, the way is sealed and Eldon helps the other two hold it. If there's a big enough crack for Savant to shoot through, he does if they advance. Fapp is there on Chewy for backup. So the ants have to enter a hallway filled with smoke, go down the entire hallway being shot at, get to a flaming refuse file with a stone barrier behind it, and then while standing on the flaming pile, try to keep going. Any ant who hits the walls or the ceiling probably is suffocated. If it all goes South we go to the secret room, lock it, hope they can't break it, and if they somehow do that, we make our stand.

If there's too many flaws in this plan, we seal ourselves in the secret room having lit a refuse pile around it in the dome proper.

If I'm being honest, I'm hoping a smoky corridor where they can't breath with fire at the end just outright deters them. Fingers crossed.

Savant is otherwise open to suggestions. Lol! It has been an honor to adventure with you all.

[GreyWolfVT]

Dalin nods his head and dashes back into the barrow and helps move the sarcophagus lid to block the entrance. "I was thinking what if those giant bugs live in here? Wouldn't us sealing ourselves in be a bad plan? Also I have a crossbow so I can assist with ranged fire."

[tarlyn]

Fapp

Fapp retrieves 2 flasks from his pack. "Oil here should help light up the ants before they get here. Maybe someone could light me a torch

and I'll use it as the catalyst to burn the approaching ants much as I can. I'll toss both flasks one after the other, then the torch."

Removing 2 flasks of oil from Fapp's inventory.

[LordKane77]

Savant

The raised eyebrow and slight quirk in the side of Savant's mouth "almost" looks like a smile as Fapp produces a full two more flasks of oil. Savant pulls a torch out of a sconce and hands it to him.........

"Fapp, excellent. Start a refuse fire in the front with one of those. I had chosen making our door more costly when I thought I only had one, but burning oil in the front door might stop them entirely. But just start the fire and come back, we stick together. Also, this hallway could become of firing range, and you won't want to be in the way. Save your last one for if we have to retreat.
Smash it in front of the secret door entrance and light it before we close it. On that note, Dalin, keep your crossbow loaded and ready. If we have to retreat, we'll need one ready. I want one person just on the door so there's no room for error before the rest of us join you holding it."

For Fapp, the way combat and initiative works, they're going to catch you in the hallway, so just light it and come back. If you get action on your way up, just come back. We won't be able to help you if you're in the line of fire. Speaking of which, man I hope that repels them.

If there's time, Savant puts his scarf back on and wets it, to make the smoke more tolerable.

[LordKane77]

Savant adds as an afterthought.....

"Dalin, this was sealed until we unsealed it. Even if they moved in over these last couple days, insects always leave guards in a hive. It's likely we're ok in that regard. Not sure we could outrun them if we tried anyway."

The way it was written I got the impression they were too close for us to run. We are lucky to be able to set up this defense at all, and that's because everything is right at hand.

[GreyWolfVT]

Dalin nods his head and once done with the sealing of the door makes sure his crossbow is loaded and ready. "You have a point, it was sealed so likely they don't live in here maybe we will luck out and they will just pass us by."

[LordKane77]

Savant nods back at Dalin's hopeful assessment. He watches through the space left in the makeshift "door" as Fapp throws down some debris in the front and lights it with the torch Savant handed him. Savant does a quick scan to see his other torches. One in the wall by the secret door. One in Sundance's hand. One in the sconce next to the entry they're standing by, and one in the secret room. He feels good about his odds of being able to light oil and debris in a pinch. His bow is in his hand with arrow knocked, the quiver with normal arrows in it adjusted for quick pulls. Longsword at his side and shield at his waist for quick retrieval. He feels as prepared as he can be. While Savant relishes the idea of putting on another "Elven Bow Class", he thinks just maybe this job can be done without combat. Just. Maybe. Otherwise those repugnant bugbears got a deal they didn't deserve! Also, dying from a hundred bites from ants as big as your arm seems more painful than the swift death from the blow of a bugbear swinging a massive club.

"So close to success. I had hoped this gold would be easier to earn. People tell stories of hauntings and spirits and the supernatural in the barrows. We have seen that exists, but truly the barrows are a lawless and dangerous place. Preparation is key. If this works, I'll buy you all drinks. But also, I'm buying everyone a couple of vials of oil."

There is no irony or mirth in Savant's last statement.

As an aside that I need to type now because I keep forgetting. If Savant survives this encounter and has a second before we leave, he grabs Eldon and has him help look for the gargoyle skull that the priest dropped and Vann kicked to the side. It can't be far, and we know what we're looking for. But I don't want to spend a lot of time on it. If it's not right there it's probably gone. However, if it is there, it is approached with much caution. Savant triple bags it, and doesn't touch it at all. If there's the tiniest suspicion of foul play on the part of the skull itself, he drops it and leaves it. Vann was holding it without issue, but Savant is suspicious. That being said, if something is awry, Savant tells the group and tries to move it by kicking it into the secret room in that stone chest to deal with later.
Shit, that could be my next adventure! But if Sundance isn't dead and can detect magic, we do that.

[tarlyn]

Savant

The raised eyebrow and slight quirk in the side of Savant's mouth "almost" looks like a smile as Fapp produces a full two more flasks of oil. Savant pulls a torch out of a sconce and hands it to him.........

"Fapp, excellent. Start a refuse fire in the front with one of those. I had chosen making our door more costly when I thought I only had one, but burning oil in the front door might stop them entirely. But just start the fire and come back, we stick together. Also, this hallway could become of firing range, and you won't want to be in the way. Save your last one for if we have to retreat.
Smash it in front of the secret door entrance and light it before we close it. On that note, Dalin, keep your crossbow loaded and ready. If we have to retreat, we'll need one ready. I want one person just on the door so there's no room for error before the rest of us join you holding it."

For Fapp, the way combat and initiative works, they're going to catch you in the hallway, so just light it and come back. If you get action on your way up, just come back. We won't be able to help you if you're in the line of fire. Speaking of which, man I hope that repels them.

If there's time, Savant puts his scarf back on and wets it, to make the smoke more tolerable.

I have nothing to add to this, quite frankly, If I need a die roll, please let me know!

[LordKane77]

We're so close!

[Spearmint]

May 14th 1066.

The Barrowmoor, southwest of Helix, Duchy of Ironguard.

Conditions: Windy but clear skies.
Visibility: down to 60'ft in all directions once on the Moor.
Lantern (Sundance).

3.40pm.

The scouting warg-rider Fapp notices the relentless march of innumerable giant ants which easily overwhelmed the scorpion. Ants carrying portions of chitin and carapace taking away remnant morsels of the torn apart creature in a long file meandering back to the Moor. But the mass of swarming drones and soldier ants continue to scuttle towards the Potter's Barrow' and other nearby locations in search of fresh nesting materials.

Barricades and defences are prepared, Savant barking orders while Sarge barks alerts. You have to quickly dump the panniers and saddle chests from the horse in order to bring it inside the narrow entrance passage and domed burial chamber. It is too big to enter through the secret door. With the horse hobbled to one side, the entrance is bathed in oil pools and rags, either spare cloaks and bedroll blankets or stuff hastily taken from the sarcophagus and figures inside. The sarcophagus lid was actually broken in two after a jar was thrown by the poltergeist and would not, in the way you describe be a flush barrier over the entrance which is just rough hewn stone. One feet long giant ants would have enough gaps to crawl through.

Time as well is not in your side. The foraging swarm are just a few minutes away and you only have a few rounds to make actions. The simple plan, a fire tunnel to scorch the critters into crispy oblivion is set. Anxious guards peer out to watch if indeed any ants do venture to explore the passage or pass you by. While a stream of ants do scuttle from view going east to west, a few pause around the entrance to feel and taste with insectoid antenna. Then slowly, drawn by the pungent mold spores or the sweat stains of fear, a group of drones and larger reddened soldier ants invade the passage. Nearly threescore break off from the column to investigate the barrow and contents inside.

The two pools of lantern oil though has partially soaked into the stone and earthern surrounds of the passage which means the pyre is not as flaming as it could be. Nevertheless the additional rags burn and for three rounds, the inferno rages.

Giant ants [5d20]=59

Fire tunnel 1st round [2d6]=4 2nd [2d6]=10 3rd [1d6]=3



actions ...

As soon as the fire is lit, the horse neighs in terror. It kicks and bucks, breaking jars on the wall behind it. This also causes the feral nature of the warg to animate, its howling and snarling both a reaction to being caged in while a fire rages and the panicked horse giving rise to its hunting instincts.

While Eldon can pacify Sarge in the secret room, everyone else has the issues to deal with.

I am using the ants in 3 waves. The first wave get a save vs the fire for half damage, the second wave are totally immolated by the 2nd round blaze, the third wave of ants also need to save vs the fire.

So in the first round, 8 half charred ants scuttle into the chamber. Second round, no ants. Third round 8 more half charred ants will arrive. In the meantime, Fapp needs to control the warg in some way otherwise it will attack your horse.

actions, Fapp, Dalin & Savant please. I will roll for Tamson & Sundance. Each give me two attack or action rolls as you deal with the first intruding ants.

[LordKane77]

Savant

Savant is dismayed by the amount of ants that stream towards them, but is somewhat heartened by them having taken some damage and the charred pile of corpses that didn't make it. Still, there are too many.....

He backs up as far as he can while still being able to have targets with his bow, presumably firing as they come through the door, or just before.........

Short Bow [1d20+1]=14+1=15 ---> [1d6]=6 Dmg
Short Bow [1d20+1]=4+1=5 ---> [1d6]=6 Dmg
Short Bow [1d20+1]=9+1=10 ---> [1d6]=2 Dmg
Short Bow [1d20+1]=20+1=21 ---> [1d6]=3 Dmg

Scurrying insects are hard to hit, and Savant is dismayed as his arrows struggle to find purchase in insect carapace.......

He looks to those still holding the door, then the others....
"Release the barricade and fight! Fapp, use your last oil if you can! Eldon, get Sarge up here! Sundance, close the secret door with the horse in it! And now it not the time to hold back on spells, unleash the fury!"


As a point of clarification, we had the horse all the way down at the end of the secret room, which I did to shield him from the fires, from harm, and frankly, from the warg (no offense, Fapp!). The way you drew the barrow and the secret room placement (last adventure, of course), and with fire in front of our makeshift barrier in the hallway, he shouldn't actually be able to see the fire. Sarge is down there, but Fapp and his worg is up here with us. With the angle and the steps down to the secret room, the warg and horse can probably still see each other, but I would think barely. I mention it also because you say the horse is kicking urns on the wall, which shouldn't exist down in the secret room. Also, the worg, despite being angry, is still not so stupid as to run through a bunch of biting ants, completely crossing two rooms, to get to a horse. (which to be clear, is why I set it up with as much separation as possible between the horse and the warg.) Buuuuuuut...... I realize I could be off on how I'm perceiving this set up and I'm sure if we all had to draw it out, there would literally be six different drawings, lol! So the idea, best case, is that Eldon calls up Sarge and Sundance closes the secret room door which only the horse should be in at this point. If the only choice is to lock Sarge and the horse down there together, that feels like the best of a lot of bad choices. As there's some questions marks here, note that Savant would alter his commands accordingly, best case is horse is locked in secret room alone, or horse and Sarge, but never the horse and the worg, and certainly not any of the party members.

If Fapp can reignite the fire in the door, that might take care of, or at least delay the next stream, also, with enemies available, you don't have to calm your warg down, it just needs to attack the ants.


As an aside... At one point I had considered just having everyone down in the secret room immediately and waiting the ants out, but that was starting to put a LOT of creatures in a cramped space, including a Warg, a large, albeit trained dog, and a horse. That situation was going to be bad enough, and if it had gone awry, it would see us being battered by a flailing horse and having to then open a door, probably allowing a stream of ants in! So right now I'll still go with what we did..... for now at least, lol!

This is beginning to feel like I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do for Vann Hector. Hopefully he'll appreciate a good story?

[Spearmint]

, he shouldn't actually be able to see the fire.

No, but he can smell it and the flash of flames. The horse can use the first entrance unencumbered but is too big to fit through the secret door, so is in the round chamber on the far side.

[tarlyn]

Fapp

Controlling Chewy [1d20]=6

Hopefully this roll is effective in having Fapp control his Warg. Horsemeat is kind of weird anyways lol... LOL!

[GreyWolfVT]

Dalin makes use of his crossbow.
Light Crossbow [1d20]=3 to hit, [2d4]=5 dmg
Light Crossbow [1d20]=20 to hit, [2d4]=5 dmg

[Spearmint]

May 14th 1066.

The Barrowmoor, southwest of Helix, Duchy of Ironguard.

Conditions: Windy but clear skies.
Visibility: down to 60'ft in all directions once on the Moor.
Lantern (Sundance).

3.45pm.

Pandemonium erupts in the octagonal burial chamber as the panicked horse kicks and bucks while Fapp struggles to rein in the still feral beast. It drags him off his feet and lunges snarling for the horse but misses with his fangs. While the flames in the passage burn, the first wave of crispy critters that survived the immolation scuttle into the room to swarm over everyone's feet, only adding to the mayhem.

While Sundance shows no martial skill at all, Tamson who stands on the sarcophagus is able to pick two giant ants off. Dalin nails a third and Savant strikes two more. Eldon and his dog both stamp on one each leaving a single blackened and smoking ant, running for his little life.

The next wave of ants all burn while the third wave is crisped in half. Relentless though, ignorant of the kind deaths, the surviving ones pour also into the chamber.

Tam longbow [1d20+3]=16+3=19 [1d6]=5 [1d20+3]=10+3=13 [1d6]=3
Sundance: short sword melee: [1d20]=1 [1d6]=6Warg vs horse [1d20]=4 [2d4]=4

actions there are nine ants that between you, should all be killed before they can nip anyone.

Of much more concern are the horse and warg. Unless restrained by Fapp it will attack the horse again. Fapp roll a [4d6] vs your Charisma please. Anyone trying to calm either animal, describe what you do and I will add a d6 str or dex roll to determine the actions success.

actions Fapp, Savant & Dalin please (Eldon, Tam & Sun will continue to take out the giant ants in my next update)

This was the description of the first chamber past the entrance passage:

The passage opens into a octagonal domed chamber, about 30'ft across. In the centre of the room is a raised dias with a stone coffin. Around the room, each facet wall has shelves of earthenware jars of many different shapes, designs and sizes.

Eldon falls through the opening secret door and scrambles over the threshold of the next chamber.

it was noted this secret chamber is about 8'ft wide with 1'ft deep alcoves lining each side and the chamber about 10'ft long, so one square of area.

[LordKane77]

Did we lose Eldon completely for sure, or is he just MIA?

Savant
As Savant's perfectly orchestrated plan unravels into chaos, he knows that the remaining ants need to be the first priority, and with that he continues to work with his bow. If they can just mop up the remaining ants before they start attacking. Sure would be nice to have a warg helping, he laments... maybe soon...

Elven Bow School Resumes......
Short Bow [1d20+1]=16+1=17 ---> [1d6]=1 Dmg
Short Bow [1d20+1]=15+1=16 ---> [1d6]=5 Dmg

If possible, after firing his shots, Savant drops his bow to draw his sword and shield, or at least his shield, but if nothing is closing on him and it doesn't look like anything will, he keeps the bow. But if the situation is uncertain, the sword and board come out.

Jesus I need to do something about my bow damage.

[GreyWolfVT]

Dalin attempts to repeat his prior success in shooting at the ants.
Light Crossbow [1d20]=8 to hit, [2d4]=5 dmg

[tarlyn]

Fapp

CHA check vs controlling Chewy (oi vey) [4d6]=18

CHA 9 .... YAY!!! O0oo0oo0 dis gonna be so baaaaddddddddddddd lol