Barrowmaze: Crusaders and the Hand of Nergal

[qtkat]

Veronica

continues to stand guard unless directed otherwise.

[Spearmint]

Barba stands by Orgoth, the two bulky half-orcs lift the portcullis high enough for Sven to bend under and Cadeweed certainly can clear his head from scraping the pointy bars.

The mercenary flexes her bicep, squeezing a finger on Orgoth's as if comparing muscle tone, "Work out do you?"

Sven, back up by the halfling and one of Crippens or Beric, pulls aside the curtain to announce his presence.

"We mean you no harm and are only seeking information. We don't want to hurt anyone. Are you able to parlay with us? What keeps you tied to this place? Is there any way we can free you from your dark prison?"

The figure is a warrior or ancient knight of some kind. He wears partially rusted mail and brandishes a large falchion blade. His open visored helm clearly shows a gnarled and wizened visage, a face of rotten teeth and wild crazed eyes. Having been so close to zombies and necrotically spawned Undead, the resemblance is very obvious and already forewarned of intruders into his domain, he answers Sven's probing by initially stabbing out and posturing for eventual melee.

Portcullis Knight: reactions [1d100]=36

actions I need those in the chamber to decide if they want to engage in melee, Orgoth & Barba doing so drops the portcullis (which shouldn't be too much issue as you outnumber the Knight ...)

In the corridor, BarkingToadLegs & Veronica keep vigilant in the new and strange surrounds. Smokie & Gargyx wait nearby.

Actions Cadeweed, Orgoth & Sven please.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven is saddened that the monster doesn't want to talk, but not sad enough to make him charge into battle.

Instead he releases magical energy at the undead in the form of 3 sizzling darts that (should) hit the oncoming threat unerringly.

Magic Missile [_3d4+3]=(1+4+1)=6+3=9

Barrowmaze 1st Level Spell Retention (INT 15) [4d6+2]=19+2=21

He mumbles to himself. "We better find something worth while in here."

[Rex]

Orgoth

In reply to Barba, "No, just naturally powerful.", Does he think she is as strong as he is?

When it appears combat is going to happen, "Going in." He then slides under the portcullis and lets it down once inside. Then moves to attack.

If he gets an attack this round.

Thrown Javelin [1d20+1]=4+1=5 to hit [1d6+3]=6+3=9 damage

[Spearmint]

Does he think she is as strong as he is?

Close too, certainly 18+

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

Hoping that the knight is not the most agile of foes, he will try and throw is silk net over the knight.

Initiative [1d6]=2
Throw Net: [1d20+2]=12+2=14

[Spearmint]

Beyond the Portcullis

Once the undead Knight resorts to violence, the characters respond in kind. Sven's Magic Missiles ping in succession upon its torso, -9hp. Orgoth's javelin somehow gets caught up in the thick curtain fabric, Cadeweed casts his specialized entangling net. Training in it as a rogue skill has enabled him to equip it as a weapon of proficiency and targets a base AC. His throw blankets the Crypt Knight and the weighted hooks help restrict the zombie's manoeuvrability and prowess. penalising -4 to hit

Barba draws her newly acquired Obsidian blade, deciding to put her 52gp expenditure to test, being assured by Cadeweed that the Quillan blade will cut through people as hot knives do butter.

Portcullis Knight: [1d20-2]=7-2=5 [2d4+2]=7+2=9

Barba: Obsidian broadsword melee: [1d20+1]=19+1=20 [2d4+3]=5+3=8

The keen edged blade is curiously brittle but super sharpened. Swinging it with her might, she slices through the Crypt Knight's shoulder, amputating his arm clean off and tearing several bone apart in a huge hack. -19hp

"Tis but a flesh wound." it mumbles, blood spurting gray and fetid from severed arteries. For all the bravado, the money seems well spent and the cumulative wounds critical to bring the dread creature to its knees as its life drains away.

With both half-orcs moving to attack modes, the portcullis is down. Orgoth and Sven attacking from before the curtain, Cadeweed to get a clear casting and Barba with melee needing to advance into the chamber beyond.

The heavy portcullis needs a combined strength score of 25%+ using the bend bars, lift gates to raise it up. Easy for two bulky warriors, a strain for others.

Cadeweed can reach out to haul off the blood soaked net, need a few mends in the torn meshing. Barba stands behind the creature to summarily despatch it. The room is yours to search

... but can each add a spell/magic effect Saving Throw which I can narrate if applicable in the next update.

Actions everyone please

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth moves in and attacks with his spear.

Blessed Silver Spear +1 Melee [1d20+3]=10+3=13 to hit [1d8+4]=7+4=11 damage

Shield Bash [1d20+2]=18+2=20 to hit

[Spearmint]

The Portcullis Knight is on his knees, its sword arm amputated, his chest clove open and innards spilling out. Breathing heavily in last throes of another death.

Orgoth doesn't wait upon niceties, while Barba shines her blade for another surgical strike, he barges in, slamming the Knight in the head with his shield and runs it through at the point of his spear. -11hp.

The room is yours to search ... but can each add a spell/magic effect Saving Throw which I can narrate if applicable in the next update.

Pictures hanging on walls, a mirror like in the tavern, a shield on floor, a broken bench, some pottery, a scattering of coins.

The Crypt Knight can be searched specifically and his broadsword added to group armoury. So can the shield, a typical Kite shield with a faded but common design. Other noted items investigated.

give a search action and a Saving Throw vs Spells please (no Save needed for Veronica and others not in the crypt room).

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth will search the knight after saying a quick prayer for his soul to rest in peace.

Search [1d6]=2

Save vs Spell (15) [1d20]=14

He gets +1 vs mind effecting spells.

[qtkat]

Veronica

Not seeing anything in the passage and hearing the commotion behind her, Veronica back up toward the porcillous.

Yall ok in there?

[gurusql]

Cadeweed

Cadeweed will recover his net and help search the room.

Save vs spells 15 (16 if force of will)
Random d20 [1d20]=7

[OGRE MAGE]

After the bloody carnage, Sven begins a search of his own, trepidatiously.

Save vs. Spells (11) [1d20]=4

"That is yet to be determined, I suppose!" He says back out to the hallway.

[Spearmint]

Barba: 17+ save vs spells [1d20]=15 fails

Portcullis Portraits affect random: Cadeweed, Barba, Sven [1d3]=1

Pictures hanging on walls, a mirror like in the tavern,

Benefitting from the extra protection of his helm good reminder as I will give you a private thread note regarding it too, Orgoth treats the deceased with honour to respect the zombie Knight's former humanity.

Described as a 'Knight', it is obvious to the discerning eye that the guardian beyond the portcullis and curtains was hardly of such a noble station. He armour, quite rusted and split in half following the cleave attack is quite common. His shield bearing a generic double-headed eagle over a plain background, his falchion blade heavy and cutthroat but lacking finesse and crafted hilt or pommel. While Orgoth frisks a belt of minor coins +185sp, others set to search the room.

Cadeweed rolls back up entangling net and pokes aming the pottery shards, broken amphora whose contents of grain has long since been nibbled up by rodents, coins though in abundance but these are dull faced coppers, perhaps two hundred of them.

Sven and Barba check a side wall each. These are covered in portrait pictures, old oil paintings of non-descript adventurers of various races that look more like a rogues gallery than a noble depiction of a heroic warrior or lofty mage.

Veronica arrives on the other side of the portcullis to check on proceedings. It is then the 'spell effect' takes place.

The portraits animate into life like visuals, each one chattering in banal fashion, loosely imploring the quartet to "Come and join us." or warning, "Ah, you'll die just like us.", "Fool tomb-robbers, come to your wasteland grave."

One portrait flickers, its portrait spinning round and round, first as the image of Cadeweed, then Barba, then Sven. imagine in the fashion of a one-armed bandit machine.

It slows and the image ticks over, bouncing and settling in random fashion upon the luckless halfling. Then Cadeweed disappears!

Actions Sven, Orgoth & Veronica please.

[Rex]

Orgoth

"What just happened?"

Orgoth starts looking for the halfling, including in the pictures.

Sheet updated for the sp. Nothing posted in my private thread yet.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven

"SHIT!!!" Where did Cadeweed go? Lets try to take these things down or cover them in some way before this happens again!"

The young mage will close his eyes and attempt to pull one of the paintings from the wall and turn it around, tearing the curtain down to cover them if they cant be removed.

"Cadeweed! Are you still here somewhere? Did you see or hear anything out there, Veronica?"

[Rex]

Orgoth

Orgoth will help Sven cover the paintings/mirrors.

"It could be like when we were in the hunting painting."

[OGRE MAGE]

Sven

"Oh shit.......is Cadeweed in the mirror now?"

[Spearmint]

"Oh shit.......is Cadeweed in the mirror now?"

+50xp

Veronica won't be able to see but those in the crypt can. The wall length mirror, as described, much like a long horizontal one often placed behind tavern bars, does not reflect your image but instead you view into a dusty, barren wilderness shrouded in dust clouds and the odd Tumbleweed blowing by.

Cadeweed is in the middle of the scene, orientating himself to these new surrounds. Off to one side a shadowy figure steps out the gloom. Another halfling who also bears an uncanny but zombiefied, rotten resemblance to him. This one unfurls a net from over his shoulder, draws a short sword from his sheath and stealthily crouches, lurking as a predator to stalk and ambush his living clone.

The Portraits Visages halt their gibbering to gawp and watch the mirror scene. Barba shouts at Cadeweed, "He's behind you!" but in his wasteland far, far away; the cries of alarm are not heard.

Meanwhile, Cadeweed comes to himself, figuratively not literally though that will surely come. His danger sense provokes his sense of self-preservation. Not sure where he is or how he got here, he notes the stalking figure and readies himself for conflict. As a dust cloud smothers Zom-Cade from view, Cadeweed tenses for conflict.

Actions

Cadeweed in the Mirror,

Orgoth & Sven in the crypt,

Veronica in the passage by the portcullis.

[OGRE MAGE]

Awesome!!! Thanks!

Sven looks around for something hard and heavy, picking the shield up from the dead guardian.

"What do we do now? Smash the mirror or something?"

He is about to do so but then contemplates the fact that they could lose their friend for good if it doesn't work.

He looks closer at the other portraits to see if any clues lie in those paintings.

"Do any of you portraits know how to get him out of there?"