Part 7: Back to the Brazen Strumpet

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn is always ready, and will find some indiscriminate bloodshed particularly therapeutic.

[Stirling]

Perhaps a couple of hours later, Grigg returns to the bar nodding in acknowledgment to any of the party still drinking. He will retrieve his pack from the foot of the bar, whispering to Bollo and tapping a crumpled satchel slung over his shoulder. Taking an ale, Grigg will find a quiet corner to spend the rest of the evening picking over entries from an old scrap journal and scribbling a few extra notes down.

[RiotInferno]

When morning breaks, Pyrrhic will round up the old crew for a quick breakfast before heading back to the barrows.
Before leaving, he looks around the main room.
"Once again we travel to the depths of the barrows. Any brave or foolhardy enough to come with us are welcome. No safety is guaranteed. All I can promise is gold while you live, and a proper burial and drink in your memory when you die."

[Zhym]

"Yah had me at 'gold,'" says Milo, "which is just as well considering the words that came after it. Let's go rob some tombs! Whoops, sorry. I mean, 'Let us venture forth and liberate captive coins from their subterranean prisons!' Yeah, that's it!"

[Stirling]

Grigg rose early, the scent from the still flickering candle filling the room with a sweet aroma. Wax had melted onto a few loose pages of scribble and drawings left on the desk. Not sure what to make of his findings he stuffed them into his satchel for further study. Retrieving a dagger hidden under his pillow, Grigg left the room, attempting unsuccessfully rather to lock the door behind using some functional skeleton keys he kept in a waist pouch. (d100 roll = 50). He muttered shamefully under his breath. Perhaps his hands shook because he was nervous of the day ahead. The Barrows had that affect on people, look at the beggar on the porch.

Grigg composed himself and entered the bar. He paid Bollo for the room and reminded him of his commitment to source a few 'bricks' to trade for when, not if, he returned. Breakfasting on cheese and breads in the same quiet corner, Grigg watched as patrons filed in.

"My smith friend," Grigg hales Pyrrhic from across the room. "I would take advantage of your Barrow knowledge if I may. Do you plan to enter the catacombs the same way as before or will you dig up a new entrance? Do you know if there is anything more to liberate down there than just coins?"

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn looks up from where he's been idling near the bar, his face taciturn.

"Death. Death is to be found there, in any quantity you desire. Feel free to join us in seeking it out."

He returns to staring numbly at his hands for a while. Eventually he lets out a long sigh and stands, stretching a little as he does so.

"Apologies, my friends. Since losing Ubrecht I find myself unable to muster the old enthusiasm I once had for this venture. Perhaps I shall warm to the task once we are back inside."

[SocraticLawyer]

Peaches wanders into the bar, looking as though she had slept in her clothes. There is a stain that may or may not be vomit on the front of her self-described "wizard robe." Her eyes are puffy and half-closed. Claude leads her to the bar.

"Mead, please," she says. She pays the barman and lifts the glass. "Hair of the dog," she says to no one in particular. She drains the mug in one pull and stands up, obviously feeling better. "Let's get back to that barrowmaze. We've got scores to settle and coins to find."

[Zhym]

"You lot of adventurers do actually, you know, adventure...right?" asks the halfling. "All that pretty pretty gold isn't just going to walk out of the barrows and come to us!"

[kalstone]

Simoni wanders in from outside. He sees Grigg and waves. He says, way too loudly, "Hey Grigg, I saw you at the church last night. Was Brother Othar a help?"

[Stirling]

Grigg looks at brother Simoni for a moment, a pause for thought shadowing his face. He studies Simoni and the group before putting down the last morsels of the bread and cheese.

"well I took Bollo's advice here"Grigg nods in the direction of the tavern keeper, "and crossed to yonder chapel last night. Brother Othar....hmm...which one was he again? Anyway, well not wishing to disturb him at his work too much. I think he may have been digging around somewhere, perhaps. I paid my respects of course, lit a nice memorial candle to pray at the altar for a little protection. Can't be too careful can we, every little helps even for an unbeliever like me. I'm sorry the body of your dwarven friend I did not see but we did locate that cupboard you told me about and I was able to get my hands on a couple of old journals and Barrowmaze scraps. They could prove useful no doubt. I was too embarrassed to ask the priest about lotions and potions but I do have the makings of a fine 1st aid kit, should any of us bleed out."

Grigg reaches down to the satchel by his stool and brings out a small leafed notebook with a few scribblings on the front. He pushes the satchel with his foot back underneath the stool and waves the book in the direction of Pyrrhic and Simoni for them to take."here take a look inside. I spent last night reading through bits and bobs, not sure all that stuff is anything more than myth and rumour, but these scraps (Grigg indicates for them to turn a page), they seem much more genuine. I cobbled together a few fragments like a jigsaw to make a better map, one without the blood stains. Maybe you might recognise your own incursions?

Grigg will allow the others to study the pages of maps."I'm not sure I can translate all the runes and stuff or piece it any better. I need to go through the diaries and stuff a bit more, maybe I can decipher more. Are those two useful at all?"

[ybn1197]

Grigg shows you the information. From the diaries he has gleaned that the second map was made by a group of adventurers who entered the maze through a different location. Apparently the main barrow is not the only way in. The diary describes the group's possession of a key which they inserted into a pentagram which was inscribed in the entrance to another barrow mound. Inside they found a round chamber with an oily black pool. By diving into the pool, they found a light which they passed through and found themselves standing dry in a similar chamber. Where the oily pool had been was a staircase leading down further. They found themselves in a larger rectangular chamber with another pool of oily water. Not wishing to push their luck, they left the pool alone and checked the corridors leading away from the chamber. The first struck south which lead them to a number of crypts. Next, the struck west from the chamber and ran into more undead. They were able to locate a secret door but to their chagrin they encountered more crypts occupied with the undead. The diary tells of the group entering more burial chambers from there which were not only housed by the living dead but also of statues they took the semblance of life and attacked the group. Unfortunately the author has begun to ramble and it is very difficult to follow their journey on the map. He talks about many of the chambers in the area containing all sorts of undead. Even some of his party members who were killed by the undead return to existence under the control of the mazes inhabitants.

Map with a diary

Barrowmaze Grigg Map 3.png (108.28 KiB) Viewed 833 times

Map partially burned

Barrowmaze Grigg Map 1.png (91.03 KiB) Viewed 833 times

[Stirling]

[Grigg speaks excitedly whilst everyone surveys the maps, orienteering the pages to get it the correct way up. "There are lots of crypts, lots of nasty living dead. You would expect it to be so. But pentagrams, guardian statues, dead buddies turning on you. Sounds like some evil devilish cult. I don't know much about this key either. Maybe back in the Ygg stores or left in the Barrows. Aa for the author of the diary, his whereabouts are unknown. He obviously went mad and didn't return. Could even be that beggar who rattles his can outside. "

[kalstone]

Simoni stares at the maps. "Wait. You guys are talking about actually going down in there? I thought you were only speaking figuratively." For the first time, his smile falters a little.

[Zhym]

"Undead, huh?" says Milo. "Well, their money's as good as anyone's. Let's go!"

[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic grins and Milo's unabashed adventuring spirit.

"Come friends, our tankards are empty and our purses light. The barrow owes us all some coin, and this time, I feel it will pay dividends."

[Stirling]

"There isn't anything for you to fear down below in Barrow chambers is there brother Simoni? I am sure that Padre Othar allows you to go and explore in the crypts. Yggy light shining in the darkness and all that." Grigg slaps Simoni on the shoulder."Unless there is something that you priests prefer us not go discover? "

Grigg looks at the group. "The diary wrote about maze inhabitants who raise the dead to control them. Maybe if we find proof of an evil cult, maybe the Helix town council might be approachable to fund a proper expedition to clear them out. Do you want to get paid for prospecting?Grigg smiles seeing an opportunity to cash in on some Barrowmaze rumours.

While the group look at the maps and discuss strategy, Grigg will clear his tankard and plate away, taking them to the serving hatch or bar. Putting on his best casual smile Grigg will engage Bollo or one of the serving girls in conversation, fishing for info on the village mayor, local militia, sheriff.

[Zorroroaster]

Bronn peers over Pyrrhic's shoulder to get a better look at the maps.

"So. We either go back in the way as before, but with this helping us find our way." He points at the first map. "Or we attempt to locate this other entrance. If the journals don't give a compelling enough reason to look for the alternate entrance apart from legions of undead, then I'm of the mind to continue on as we have been, albeit with this new map guiding us."

[SocraticLawyer]

Bronn peers over Pyrrhic's shoulder to get a better look at the maps.

"So. We either go back in the way as before, but with this helping us find our way." He points at the first map. "Or we attempt to locate this other entrance. If the journals don't give a compelling enough reason to look for the alternate entrance apart from legions of undead, then I'm of the mind to continue on as we have been, albeit with this new map guiding us."

"I dunno, Handsome," says Peaches. She burps in a decidedly unladylike fashion. "We didn't exactly fill our coffers last time. Maybe there's more loot if we go in the side entrance.

"Besides, killing undeads is one of Claude's specialties." She gives Claude a quick wink.

[RiotInferno]

Pyrrhic smiles at Claude.
"With such a hunter of undead and at least one holy man, these horrors won't stand much of a chance. The new entrance is as good as any."

[Zhym]

"Wouldn't be the first tie I went in through the back door," admits Milo with a wink. "But I can't say I see the point when we don't even know where it is."