Barrowmaze: beyond the Ritual Baptistry

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven risks a single word of verbal magic to get the portal open quickly after the noise is made.

“Knock”

Barrowmaze 2nd Level Spell Retention (INT 15) [4d6+3]=8+3=11

If it opens, he hurries them all inside and closes the portal again, defying his own suggestion to keep the group together.

[Spearmint]

Escaping the Barrowmaze.

Sven knocks, not upon Heaven's door, though he has nearly stepped through that on numerous occasions. The trio push the crypt door open inwards with a creak of rusted hinges just as the Flagstone golem stomps up the passage behind them. They close the door in relief, shutting it against the guardians outstretched hand. There is a stony gruff but no huffing or puffing and no blowing of the door down.

Orgoth tries to attract the golem towards the team that shelter in the hallway, but the golem does not take the bite even though the thrown pebble rolls at his feet. Instead on reaching the T-junction it stops its patrol and wilts strangely, like it was suddenly melting. Firstly the granite tiled ankles then stony legs and then body; collapsing like a puppet with strings cut only it doesn't rest as a pile of tiles, rather it is absorbed into the floor, submerging itself into the flagstones.

Observation of golem: vs 15% [1d100]=74 [1d100]=56 [1d100]=6

Orgoth & Crippens who stare through the door gap cannot really make out anything but Berric, eyes adjusted to the darker passage and familiarity with stone points to a rippling in the floor.

"A fin?" he says, and you notice a triangular dorsal shape that swims away from you up the passage then turn and swim at speed towards the hallway door.

Actions Orgoth.

Inside the room, Sven and Smokie retain their invisibility, Penelope is visible. The crypt is just short of twenty foot deep and extends forty to the west. A door of typical crypt fashion is at the far end of the north wall. Slightly ajar with some lantern light filtering through the gap. But you cannot make out more than that as suddenly figures step out of the dark and grab Penelope as she hurries through the door.

Brigands: [1d20]=17 [1d20]=5

A rough couple of folk grab the resurrected woman by her collar, restraining her from any struggle and hauling her into the centre of the room where a few lanterns are suddenly brightened and voices heard. It appears the botched open locks attempt alerted the brigand Tomb Raiders and they hid only to ambush whoever came through.

There are five men, two holding Penelope; one takes and inspects the Canopic jar she shoulders.

"What have we here? A live one among the dead.

Reactions to Penelope [1d100]=53

There are two empty coffers in this room, the skeletal bones of the inmates on the floor. Recently combatted by the look of things. The burial alcoves searched and a small sack of trinkets placed on a coffer lid, the brigands adding to it with any finds. They seem as surprised to see Penelope as she is of them. They let her go, at least dropping the manhandling but "for safety's sake," disarm her of the blade she wields.

They call into the next room, a voice responds and a halfling answers, coming in, echoing the first statement, "What do we have here?" He takes her dagger, gives it a casual inspection then shrugs, offering it back to her.

Sven & Smokie, sidestepping the group and watching on.

any actions Sven?,

[Rex]

Orgoth

Once the fin is gone out of sight he will sneak/lead the way up to check on the forward group (he should be able to see Penelope and can't).

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven tries not to panic, as these situations seem to keep popping up. He mentally suggests Smokie move around the room quietly and growl periodically while he addresses the new group, moving around himself, hoping to keep them off guard and thinking about their safety for a bit longer.

"Oh, hello there. That's my wife, Penelope. And since you didn't kill her outright, or worse, I will assume you are not evil cultists and are probably less worrisome fellow explorers simply out looking for valuables."

He moves to one side or the other before he continues.

"I would like to offer a proposition, if you are willing to hear me out. There is enough danger in here that we don't need to target each other. Will you allow us a chance to parlay? Possibly sharing valuable information with each other in the process?"

If they try anything foolish, he will immediately use his Sleep spell on them. If not...... "How did you get past those damn flagstone golems, if I may ask?"

[Spearmint]

Bertrand's: reactions to encounter: [1d100]=7

The general reaction to an invisible person speaking to them and a wolf growling is not good, it provokes a fearful reaction, two lunging at the wolf but stabbing thin air with their spears.

"I would like to offer a proposition, if you are willing to hear me out."

You might need to become visible, as the first reaction is drawing blades and the lesser ruffians using Penelope as a human shield against the unseen threat.

Tomb raider: [1d20-4]=4-4=0[1d20-4]=5-4=1

Sleep spell effectiveness [2d4]=6

You can invoke the Sleep spell which drops the two Tomb Raiders holding her and the other men in the room. The halfling is unaffected. The noise of men collapsing brings a number of others, three more ruffians into the room but Bertrand waves them to sheath any weapons.

"Nicely done." he comments as his men wilt. He doesn't move to rouse them, instead gesturing you to step closer, introducing himself and remarking his group are mostly 'low-lives trying to make a living'.

"How did you get past those damn flagstone golems, if I may ask?"

"Smoke and mirrors." he says, alluding to misdirection and distraction. He says they only patrol the corridors outside, pointing to the south door and says one 'circles about in that hallway beyond' while the other 'goes up and down, past a few crypts where other 'stone abominations' quarter themselves.

Once the fin is gone out of sight he will sneak/lead the way up to check on the forward group

The 'fin' is never out of sight. It swims along the tiles like a submerged shark, right up to the hallway door and turning to go the 100'ft to the east before turning back. It seems the Flagstone golem has switched its patrol from walking up the N-S corridor to take on patrolling the top corridor. Of course you cannot see where or what the second Flagstone Golem is doing.

These guardians do not go into the room with Sven and the tomb raiders. So as this 'fin' is seen and you expect it to launch an attack if you are 'in the same square', Orgoth and co' wait out the action for now.

next actions please

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven doesn’t act aggressively, but does pull Penelope closer to his side.

“Wake them if you like. I assure you they are not harmed.”

Keeping himself unseen for now, he continues.

“I am going to be blatantly honest with you. We know something of this place, though not of this particular area. We were teleported here accidentally with the rest of our group in the next room over. I think I know where we need to go to find our exit, but I can’t be certain. And some areas are more dangerous to traverse than others.”

“I could tell you what I know, maybe help you out with any magic I can offer. If you would tell us how you get in here. You must know of an entrance nearby.”

[OGRE MAGE]

I also suggest we search right here!

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[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth will wait, keeping a lookout on the golem fin at all times.

To those not on lookout, whispering, "Search around and see what you can find, this place is full of secret passages and rooms."

[Spearmint]

Orgoth continues to watch through a slim gap in the door with Berric, trying to discern the patrolling Flagstone Golem that seems to have some ability to morph into the very flagstone tiles of the floor and submerged under them except for its shark like dorsal, 'swimming' in the following passage. You can see it come up to your door, uncomfortably close, you might think it would even go under the door and into the wider hallway but it doesn't. Either it hasn't perceived your presence or it is restricted to a guarding a certain area.

You haven't heard anything from Sven or Penelope and know nothing of their encounter in the side crypts. While you wait, others search about, checking those bodies under the rubble and testing the floors and walls for other surprises, but none are found. You wait patiently ...

Meanwhile Sven, visible since casting the Sleep spell, talks with Bertrand.

The sleepers are left asleep, Smokie, who can turn invisible at will, can guard over them, the brigand leader seemingly unconcerned though about his docile crew. His other three men are in the second crypt, checking over some scribbled maps and leathery scrolls; one looks through a lens, similar to those used by Gir Hurwen at the Rosy Quartz, appraising a gem they have found.

“I could tell you what I know, maybe help you out with any magic I can offer. If you would tell us how you got in here. You must know of an entrance nearby.”

"Let me keep some knowledge as 'professional secrets'." Bertrand says, reluctant to disclose too much. He does share though that the Set aligned cultists lurk over to the east, "they come and go from the sunken barrow to the north." He figures that you, he and they all know of different entrances, assuming you are not either Set, Orcus or Nergal cult aligned. He wonders at your Impurax beak facemask and the Minotaur skull that is slung over your shoulder as these are obvious items of interest or design. But he doesn't make any specific remark about your adventures.

Confessing you are teleported here and merely seeking a way out as a group he wishes you well in that endeavour, but doesn't offer up his entrance as a way out, wishing to keep that secret still.

The Set barrow and maze entrance is to the north but access to that area is through secret doors that he hasn't found yet and he assumes you have not either. It seems the cultists do not linger in that northern area, rather they base themselves in old crypts and sanctuaries to the east.

"The northern corridors are haunted, they explore for some relic. Occasionally we cross paths."

He knows of the wider hallway where Orgoth is but has not gone further into that area, "it gave his men the creeps, some wandered off, never to be seen again."

He has come to explore this area, convinced that certain treasures lie within, using pieced together ancient scripts to guide them. His mention of 'crossing paths' with cultists can allude to either conflict or trade.

Observing, you can see his group are not geared towards consolidating any portion of maze, they look to be more an outfit suited to raiding a few crypts, retreating with any treasures, rinse & repeat. He has heard of but never met other 'outfits', if you named Fenrice and the Barghests or Sylvester and group from Bogtown. He has heard tavern songs about 'Squires', knows the dwarves delve in a secret excavation and has had trouble crossing the Barrow Moor from lizardmen groups.

He gestures towards a fisted gauntlet that animates, floating over to slap and poke each sleeper awake. "Helping Hands, ever useful. That one was once a Sgt-Major in the Corps. Sadly all that remains."

Actions any more questions or comments?

As to the current situation, he confesses that the 'Flaggies' present a problem to both groups, suggesting that working together might enable you both to overcome and continue in separate ways.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sorry, forgot about the Sleep spell.

Sven takes off his mask to speak, trying to maintain a professional tone.

"Trade secrets. I get that."

He agrees that to help outwit the Flaggies, telling the unnamed halfling about his friends in the next room.

"I think we could try to lure one away while others slip past. They seem to patrol a certain area. If we could figure out the limit of their range, it might be even easier to avoid them."

Sven will go along with any suggestions to get the party back together and moving towards the south again.

"I wonder if your floating hands might trigger the monsters movement. If not, I have an Unseen Servant spell that might just do the trick."

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth will continue to wait, straining to hear anything coming from Sven and company.

[Spearmint]

telling the unnamed halfling about his friends in the next room.

Bertrand.

Nods. "We seem safe in these crypts and have in the past prolonged our stay here until they fall back into routines, going N-S in the corridor and E-W in the lower hallway outside the south door. Then with some silence and stealth, creep past when they turn backs."

One of his men, on guard at the exit door to the smaller crypt can notice the patroling dorsal of the Flagstone Golem in the north corridor. "A heightened state, preparing an ambush. Sometimes they just meld into the walls and remain stationary, ambushing whoever goes by that is not permitted."

Considering tactics, using 'Sgt-Major' to bang a hammer upon a shield and attract the golem into ambushing prematurely seems a straightforward ploy. "We can get a couple of guys to sneak behind then all pile in on top of it" he suggests.

"Miss Penelope, perhaps your skills might suffice with Narc's." Bertrand says, using Miss not Mrs despite Sven's initial introduction of her as wifey. Perhaps this halfling has certain perceptions, certainly to assume her rogue traits to move silently.

So a simple plan, open the door that was Knocked earlier, using the animated gauntlet to attract the golem with noise and then from the doorway, several men attack while others sneak through the other door to gain some rear advantage. Defeat this one and try the same strategy or similar on the other.

Penelope: Move Silently: [1d100]=96 fails to sneak, no surprise advantage.Tomb raider: [1d20]=9[1d20]=3[1d20]=14[1d20]=7

The shark is lured, leaping suddenly up from the floor, erupting in a shower of pebbles and stones to strike at the unseen, hammer holding gauntleted figure. The Golem bashes the shield and hammers the hammer against the wall. As it does, the door is opened and four Tomb Raiders try to leap upon the Golem but with little success.

Orgoth, you hear some sudden drumming, hammering of thuds in quick succession from the area that Sven and Penelope went. The dorsal fin wriggles in a u-turn to zoom towards the sudden thumping which might cause you concern that colleagues are under duress. Figuring action is needed now and questions later, the group in the hallway can run, chancing blowing their cover in order to assist any need of Sven's.

The group charge, getting to the first junction of passages and are beset by the second Flagstone Golem.

Flagstone Golem: [1d20+1]=5+1=6 [1d6+2]=3+2=5 [1d20+1]=4+1=5 [1d6+2]=1+2=3

which completely fluffs any attack and gets pounded by Bugbear, dwarf and mercenary in return. -28hp

Grumashk: sledging [1d20+1]=18+1=19[2d4+1]=6+1=7Yardie: [1d20+1]=20+1=21 [1d8+1]=6+1=7 Berric [1d20]=19 [1d6]=5 Crippens [1d20]=5 [1d6]=6

Actions Orgoth vs the golem in the passage. Sven any range or spell attack vs golem by the door.

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth attacks the golem.

Long Sword +1 [1d20+2]=20+2=22 to hit [1d8+4]=5+4=9 s/m damage [1d12+4]=11+4=15 l damage [1d100]=95 stun
Natural 20.

Shield Bash [1d20+2]=16+2=18 to hit

[OGRE MAGE]

I’m sorry. I really should be better at this. I swear I read the updates at least once before I post.

Sven will aid the fight from the safety of the room, wondering how the others are faring. He sends 3 darts of energy into the beast, watching to see if Bertrand noticed that number as well.

Magic Missile [_3d4+3]=(3+1+4)=8+3=11

Barrowmaze 1st Level Spell Retention (INT 15) [4d6+2]=16+2=18

[Spearmint]

Smiting the Flagstone Golems.

Crunching blows and another critical strike from Orgoth, smites the Flagstone Golem -21hp blitzing the hallway with shards of tiles. It is summarily bashed into a wall and bludgeoned into many fractured and cracking tiles, the Construct crumbles under the barrage.

Grumashk: sledging [1d20+1]=4+1=5 [2d4+1]=6+1=7
Yardie: [1d20+1]=18+1=19 [1d8+1]=3+1=4 Berric [1d20]=5 [1d6]=6 Crippens [1d20]=10 [1d6]=1Flagstone Golem: [1d20]=3 [1d6+2]=3+2=5 [1d20]=8 [1d6+2]=4+2=6

Flagstone Golem: [1d20+1]=17+1=18 [1d6+2]=3+2=5 [1d20+1]=16+1=17 [1d6+2]=2+2=4Tomb raiders: [1d20]=6[1d20]=12[1d20]=18[1d20]=15

The second Flagstone Golem gets shocked by a trio of conjured shafts that pierce into its torso, -11hp splattering splinters of stone with each unerring implosion. A fancy display of power by Sven but Bertrand looks quizzically. He seems to be studying the young mage and his arcane arts with deliberate thought.

This Construct gets overwhelmed by the charging Grumashk, Berric & Crippen adding their weight of arms and numbers to assist Penelope & Narc. -4hp + -4hp

Flagstone Golem: [1d20+1]=8+1=9 [1d6+2]=5+2=7 [1d20+1]=6+1=7 [1d6+2]=2+2=4Flagstone Golem: [1d20+1]=3+1=4 [1d6+2]=2+2=4 [1d20+1]=4+1=5 [1d6+2]=1+2=3

Despite its stony bulk and enhanced strength, the Golem fails to wreak havoc among the group and surrounded by numerous opponents, presents an easy target. Stabs, whacks, hammer blows. It too disintegrates. Berric with a critical and Bertrand's own group brute Narc land powerful strikes.

And with that, the hallway is secured.

Bertrand's group: [1d100]=97 [1d100]=17

The two groups of explorers face off, one half of Bertrand's team enthusiastic for the support, others suddenly face to face with a leprous Bugbear are less favourable.

"Admirably done." says Bertrand , gesturing his crew to lower weapons and secure the immediate area.

"We should all be about our concerns, staying about only draws trouble, especially in confines such as these." he advises.

His crew have come to search the rooms in the immediate vicinity and then retreat to their safer haven (a camp, barrow or settlement?). Your initial concern was just an escape route out.

Moo-Moo repeats his "Two doors." comments, suggesting having come through one at the end of the corridor, freedom may be just one more door away! At the junction of the passages which the Flaggies patrolled, looking west is a door about sixty feet away. A strong impulse from the Minotaur's skull.lwads the wearer that way. With much trepidation, it is opened and beyond, a quiet but reeking hallway with a pit filled with charnel and bones and a wide diagonal corridor leading into the darkness to the southwest.

Actions any with Bertrand and your next steps.

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth moves to check on Sven and company and make sure they are all right.

To Sven, "I see you met some more explorers."

OOC: Are we getting our xp you just awarded in the Territorial Gains thread here? Will Orgoth's all go to Fighter since he wasn't yet a Cleric?

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven watches Bertrand as much as he watches him, trying to learn anything about his group that might have went unmentioned. "Well done everyone! And don't mind our Bugbear. If Berric can tolerate it, so can the rest of us."

"We have no reason to hold up your efforts Bertrand, so I like the idea of simply parting ways amicably. However, if you'd like to discuss professional affairs at some point, I would be happy to meet up with you back in town at some point. Do you hail from Bogtown as well? Or from the Helix area perhaps? Maybe we could share trade secrets at some point?"

If the other group goes about their business, Sven does the same, trying to keep everyone together, still unsure of the trustworthiness of this band of robbers. The young mage scribbles down notes and locations on his map before the next door is opened. He also gathers a few fragments from the Flagstone golems, studying the area in the floor where they came from for any information. "At some point I would like to check out a few of these doors. These grave robbers got in here somehow."

Once the door suggested by Moo-Moo is opened, Sven gets a sly smirk on his masked mug. "Now this area looks familiar, eh Orgoth? Friends.......I told you we would lead you out of here, and now we are almost out of this mess." Checking the wide hallway for any sound or movement first, Sven steps inside to listen at the other door.

[Spearmint]

OOC: Are we getting our xp you just awarded in the Territorial Gains thread here? Will Orgoth's all go to Fighter since he wasn't yet a Cleric?

I will dish yours out once you arrive back in civilization or the held stronghold (if you survive that far ...). Probably stick it all in Fighter class and from the new day you can dual-class the xp between the two.

Barrowmaze random: vs 1: diagonal corridor [1d6]=6 Arnaud's pit area [1d6]=6 Gabby's Temple [1d6]=6 Any other random [1d10]=10

Well, those rolls look impressive. Maxing out 'clear as daylight' from the pit hallway at the end of the diagonal corridor, sneaking over Arnaud's pit outside of Jerome's, going down the long passage into Gabby's temple area (he is absent), then into the burned out bunk room, Poltergeist's 'rocking chair room' and finally into the relative safety of the Long Corridor. ... or you can access Silas's barrow mound.

So, with that 'reaching safety' (relatively) ... I would be happy drawing this to a conclusion and let you guys rejoin the Guild Delvers in the Territorial Gains expedition.



Actions: mine: I will tot up both a share of the Territorial Gains xp you participated in plus what you have earned from surviving against the odds here.

Actions you can post any last actions or comments here. (I will give a last response from Bertrand later, but amicably separating with his regards would be his default action).

It will be late in the evening of July 11th 1066, when you rejoin the group as they settle down for the night. You can post an epic return in that thread or leave that to me.

[Rex]

Orgoth

"Nice to see something I have seen before."

He proceeds with extreme caution to rejoin the others.

[OGRE MAGE]

I appreciate the clear path and all, but Sven was hoping to get a look at the stairway/hole into the Silas mound before heading back to the others.

Did we notice anything different or off about the path we took?

I am also still very tempted to Knock at the door with the note on it just before Gabby's temple.