Rations deducted.
The figure dismounts from his pony with stiff movements. He looks to Martin first, motioning to the opening. "After you."
[Compled] Expedition - Bromric/Demon - 30 April, 1 VC
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Seadu Erana has noticed his mule's increased tension over the past two days, and finds himself growing more bearish himself as the party circles the mountain. On the morning of the 3rd they spy the wide entrance now before them, and the mood of both man and mule are raised with startling alacrity. 'Well, this looks like a good turn of events. It seems we could even bring the animals in with us, and shelter them from the elements.' He gives Capilla a scruffy rub behind the ear.
OOC: two days' rations reduced.
OOC: two days' rations reduced.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
rations deducted
"Do you really think it will be that easy? Just waltz on up and go right in?" Martin looks at Seadu then up at the looming gate. "I'll go first as you say...but only if you're right behind me."
Without a look back, the young cleric gathers his courage and starts to head up the causeway, shield up and eyes searching everywhere.
"Do you really think it will be that easy? Just waltz on up and go right in?" Martin looks at Seadu then up at the looming gate. "I'll go first as you say...but only if you're right behind me."
Without a look back, the young cleric gathers his courage and starts to head up the causeway, shield up and eyes searching everywhere.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Clearly we need a third entrance.
The first was too hard.
This one's too easy.
But the third will be juuuust right!
The first was too hard.
This one's too easy.
But the third will be juuuust right!
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
May 5, 1 VC - 8:20am
The party, led by Martin, leads their mounts up the slope alongside the roadway and comes up roughly fifty feet from the huge entrance. It is over twenty feet wide and thirty feet tall, recessed and fortified in a way that is almost stereotypically dwarven--on either side and above the entryway, narrow windows open directly into the recesses of the mountain, signs of a gatehouse carved out of the interior of the edifice and likely linked to the complex of caves and tunnels within. There are no battlements, no crenelations, and no walls to scale--simply the rough and unadulterated face of the mountain, with narrow windows from which defenders could launch an offensive against anyone foolish enough to approach the gate unbidden.
As the entrance lies on the exact eastern face of the mountain, the morning sun penetrates deeply into the tunnel. Perhaps forty feet inside the entrance, the party can see the shattered and collapsed remains of the mighty stone doors that once closed off this entry, the right door broken into two massive curtains of stone leaning against one another at the bottom of the passage, the other opened outward with the bottom half hanging loosely so that its outside edge lies resting on the ground, the upper half of the door reduced to a series of angular four-foot high boulders that litter the entryway.
The adventurers see signs of a handful of humanoid forms half-buried under the rubble in the passage.
The party, led by Martin, leads their mounts up the slope alongside the roadway and comes up roughly fifty feet from the huge entrance. It is over twenty feet wide and thirty feet tall, recessed and fortified in a way that is almost stereotypically dwarven--on either side and above the entryway, narrow windows open directly into the recesses of the mountain, signs of a gatehouse carved out of the interior of the edifice and likely linked to the complex of caves and tunnels within. There are no battlements, no crenelations, and no walls to scale--simply the rough and unadulterated face of the mountain, with narrow windows from which defenders could launch an offensive against anyone foolish enough to approach the gate unbidden.
As the entrance lies on the exact eastern face of the mountain, the morning sun penetrates deeply into the tunnel. Perhaps forty feet inside the entrance, the party can see the shattered and collapsed remains of the mighty stone doors that once closed off this entry, the right door broken into two massive curtains of stone leaning against one another at the bottom of the passage, the other opened outward with the bottom half hanging loosely so that its outside edge lies resting on the ground, the upper half of the door reduced to a series of angular four-foot high boulders that litter the entryway.
The adventurers see signs of a handful of humanoid forms half-buried under the rubble in the passage.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Martin slows as the humanoid figures become visible. "Hopefully that is all that's left of any 'welcoming' party that may have been waiting for us."
He continues to move cautiously towrds the debris until he can determine what sort of humanoids mske up the remains.
He continues to move cautiously towrds the debris until he can determine what sort of humanoids mske up the remains.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
May 5, 1 VC - 8:30am
Martin urges his mount forward, approaching to within ten feet of the entrance to the mountain. The light remains strong, allowing him to see much of the detail of the scene within. Four forms are visible, the squat and stocky bodies and crudely-fashioned weapons those of fallen orcs. Everything within seems caked with rock dust, as though no one has come through since the collapse. There are no signs of fresh tracks or other disturbances nearby.
Martin urges his mount forward, approaching to within ten feet of the entrance to the mountain. The light remains strong, allowing him to see much of the detail of the scene within. Four forms are visible, the squat and stocky bodies and crudely-fashioned weapons those of fallen orcs. Everything within seems caked with rock dust, as though no one has come through since the collapse. There are no signs of fresh tracks or other disturbances nearby.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Is it passable by the mule and ponies as-is, or does it require clearing first?
Bromric looks on, his face impassive for a long moment, then he simply nods once.
"Bring the mounts in, for as far as they can go, as we'll have many stairs. Then you need to carry sufficient food. It took two days to walk around the mountain, and will take longer to travel back to the door while inside the tunnels."
Bromric looks on, his face impassive for a long moment, then he simply nods once.
"Bring the mounts in, for as far as they can go, as we'll have many stairs. Then you need to carry sufficient food. It took two days to walk around the mountain, and will take longer to travel back to the door while inside the tunnels."
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
It looks like the tunnel has enough clear space for the animals to make it at least past the ruins of the gate, though there may be more congested passages beyond.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
The prospect of a treacherous climb over molten rock well behind him, Melvin regains some of his demeanor of wry detachment.
"Nice of them to leave the door open for us," he says with a smirk. "How very inviting. They were just dying to have us over for tea and magical tomes! Well, then. It would be rude of us to reject such hospitality. Let us press forward!"
"Nice of them to leave the door open for us," he says with a smirk. "How very inviting. They were just dying to have us over for tea and magical tomes! Well, then. It would be rude of us to reject such hospitality. Let us press forward!"
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
May 5, 1 VC - 8:40am
The party approaches the broken gates, entering beneath the arched stone ceiling. They spy dozens of murder holes and arrowslits on the upper level of this entrance, and count themselves lucky that they are approaching at a point when all the defenders are dead or have abandoned their posts--this edifice seems designed to withstand assault by a dozen armies.
The ceiling in the hall beyond the gate, visible due to the door's dilapidated condition, is vaulted to a peak in the center, perhaps thirty five feet high, and the passage itself is between twenty and twenty five feet wide. The lintel above the gate has mostly collapsed, lying in large fragments amid the broken stone of the fallen gate, but what remains bears the marks of a deep engraving in dwarven adorning the entrance. If sufficient time was spent examining the fallen stone, its meaning could probably be reconstructed, but in its current state it is as mute as the mountain's inhabitants.
The interior wall is tightly-worked gray marble, seamless and strongly veined with white and silver streaks that shimmer as they catch the morning sun. High up, perhaps twelve feet above ground level, shelves of stone on either side of the hall bear the remains of statues of dwarven icons long past. Many have tumbled to the ground, broken, but many along the length of the hall's recesses remain in place, standing vigil over this defenseless gate.
---
Let me know if anyone plans to make a detailed map. I will provide more information about proportions and distances as you move along, and adjust your movement rate (and the passage of time) accordingly.
The party approaches the broken gates, entering beneath the arched stone ceiling. They spy dozens of murder holes and arrowslits on the upper level of this entrance, and count themselves lucky that they are approaching at a point when all the defenders are dead or have abandoned their posts--this edifice seems designed to withstand assault by a dozen armies.
The ceiling in the hall beyond the gate, visible due to the door's dilapidated condition, is vaulted to a peak in the center, perhaps thirty five feet high, and the passage itself is between twenty and twenty five feet wide. The lintel above the gate has mostly collapsed, lying in large fragments amid the broken stone of the fallen gate, but what remains bears the marks of a deep engraving in dwarven adorning the entrance. If sufficient time was spent examining the fallen stone, its meaning could probably be reconstructed, but in its current state it is as mute as the mountain's inhabitants.
The interior wall is tightly-worked gray marble, seamless and strongly veined with white and silver streaks that shimmer as they catch the morning sun. High up, perhaps twelve feet above ground level, shelves of stone on either side of the hall bear the remains of statues of dwarven icons long past. Many have tumbled to the ground, broken, but many along the length of the hall's recesses remain in place, standing vigil over this defenseless gate.
---
Let me know if anyone plans to make a detailed map. I will provide more information about proportions and distances as you move along, and adjust your movement rate (and the passage of time) accordingly.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Also, let me know what your marching order will be, and if anyone is bearing a light source (and who and what kind of source it is).
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Melvin lights his lantern. (1 flask of oil deducted)
Melvin will map if others think it's worth it—a map might come in handy trying to get out of here. OTOH, a less detailed Zork-type map (Room A's west exit goes to Room B, etc.) might be almost as good. Whatever people want to do.
Here are possible marching orders:
Two abreast:
Bromric Mokatoh
Seadu Martin
Constance Melvin
Abi
Single file:
Mokatoh
Bromric
Seadu
Constance
Melvin
Abi
Martin
The idea behind the single-file order is that Bromric might be able to fight from the second rank with his lance. OTOH, if 5'9" Mokatoh can fire his crossbow over 4'6" Bromric, I'd swap those two at the front. The single-file order also moves Martin to the back to guard the rear, leaving Seadu near the front for healing duties.
Melvin will map if others think it's worth it—a map might come in handy trying to get out of here. OTOH, a less detailed Zork-type map (Room A's west exit goes to Room B, etc.) might be almost as good. Whatever people want to do.
Here are possible marching orders:
Two abreast:
Bromric Mokatoh
Seadu Martin
Constance Melvin
Abi
Single file:
Mokatoh
Bromric
Seadu
Constance
Melvin
Abi
Martin
The idea behind the single-file order is that Bromric might be able to fight from the second rank with his lance. OTOH, if 5'9" Mokatoh can fire his crossbow over 4'6" Bromric, I'd swap those two at the front. The single-file order also moves Martin to the back to guard the rear, leaving Seadu near the front for healing duties.
Last edited by Zhym on Mon Oct 05, 2015 2:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Bromric will leave his lance with his pony. 
Switch to allow him to use his sword at the front with Mokhtah firing over him?
I suggest a map if you are willing to draw it - an accurate map of these halls might be the most valuable thing to come from the first delve, since I am sure it will inspire return trips.
Switch to allow him to use his sword at the front with Mokhtah firing over him? I suggest a map if you are willing to draw it - an accurate map of these halls might be the most valuable thing to come from the first delve, since I am sure it will inspire return trips.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Seconded about the map. It would be extremely useful to have if anyone ever plans on coming back.
Seadu nods his assent at the proposed order of march.
As they pass through the entrance into the hall beyond, he takes a moment to try uncovering and dusting off one or two of the dead orcs. He drily examines their wounds—looking for clean cuts, severed limbs, and so forth—curious as to whether they died in combat before their bodies were crushed under the rock.
Seadu nods his assent at the proposed order of march.
As they pass through the entrance into the hall beyond, he takes a moment to try uncovering and dusting off one or two of the dead orcs. He drily examines their wounds—looking for clean cuts, severed limbs, and so forth—curious as to whether they died in combat before their bodies were crushed under the rock.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
May 5, 1 VC - 8:50am
The party forms up and Melvin equips himself with the goods necessary to make a detailed map of the hold's interior. Leading their mounts, they slow as they approach the ruins of the gate, forty feet inside the exterior opening, in order to examine the bodies more closely.
It is immediately obvious that the bodies have been mutilated significantly. Every exposed limb has been subjected to some kind of trauma: most have been hacked off near the point of exposure, and the nearby stone shows signs of whatever implement was used for this grisly work striking and making shallow chips and gouges. One exposed leg and two arms, both clad in chai mail and pinned beneath fallen rocks, have been chopped or bludgeoned until they left spatters of blood showing through the mesh--they are twisted and bent, but still attached.
From the quantity of blood visible, it seems like the majority of this violence, at least, took place after the orcs had been killed by the falling stone.
The party forms up and Melvin equips himself with the goods necessary to make a detailed map of the hold's interior. Leading their mounts, they slow as they approach the ruins of the gate, forty feet inside the exterior opening, in order to examine the bodies more closely.
It is immediately obvious that the bodies have been mutilated significantly. Every exposed limb has been subjected to some kind of trauma: most have been hacked off near the point of exposure, and the nearby stone shows signs of whatever implement was used for this grisly work striking and making shallow chips and gouges. One exposed leg and two arms, both clad in chai mail and pinned beneath fallen rocks, have been chopped or bludgeoned until they left spatters of blood showing through the mesh--they are twisted and bent, but still attached.
From the quantity of blood visible, it seems like the majority of this violence, at least, took place after the orcs had been killed by the falling stone.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Martin's face blanches at the site of the mutilated orcs. "Orcs may be foul brutes but no creature deserves to be treated in such a manor. I hope we don;t run into who or wahtever would commit such an act."
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Bromric smiles. He leads the pony past the door's rubble, the column advancing behind him into the long hallway.
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
May 5, 1 VC - 9:00am
Random Wilderness Encounter [1d6] = 1
The party advances through the rubble, leading their mounts and keeping an alert eye for danger or signs of the unusual. Looking around them in the light of Melvin's lantern, the travelers find the cunningly-worked stone both cold and eerily beautiful. The lower portion of the walls, though seamless, features an endlessly-repeating motif of squared whorls engraved into the stonework, in a line around three feet from the floor, flanked on the top by a series of small etched flames every feet or so and below by a double set of horizontal grooves perhaps half an inch deep. These elements, probably merely decorative, add life to the hall and further prompt an awareness of the true scale of the passage with its thirty-foot arched ceiling.
Just beyond the rubble of the gates, the first fallen statue lies headless, face down, on the stone floor at the base of the right wall. Shards are scattered about the stump of its neck and the head itself lies against the opposite wall, staring blindly with milk-white marble eyes at the party as they approach. The small shelves upon which these dwarven statues stand occur in ten-foot intervals, alternating back and forth between left and right.
Thirty-five feet past the ruined gate, a massive steel portcullis blocks the upper half of the hall, raised with ten feet of clearance to spare beneath the spearpoint barbs that adorn the bottom. A row of circular openings in the floor show where it would rest when lowered into place. As the party approaches the portcullis, they are surprised as two large shapes drop from the shadows behind the marble statues above, landing behind the party!
One of the spiders lands directly atop Abi, knocking her to the ground as it grapples her with its massive forelegs and mandibles. Constance and Melvin, directly in front of the young sorceress, hear a small popping sound as something in Abi's body cracks under the pressure of the spider's assault, and the scent of blood immediately causes the animals further ahead in the line to begin to shy and stamp nervously.
Abi appears to be completely at the mercy of the spider, while it and its companion prepare to haul away their catch.
Surprise 1-4 [1d6] = 3, enemy surprise 1-2 [1d6] = 3
Spiders vs Abi [1d20] = 3, [1d20] = 10
Spiders damage [1d8] = 6
Enemy saving throw [1d20] = 18
Actions and Initiative!
Random Wilderness Encounter [1d6] = 1
The party advances through the rubble, leading their mounts and keeping an alert eye for danger or signs of the unusual. Looking around them in the light of Melvin's lantern, the travelers find the cunningly-worked stone both cold and eerily beautiful. The lower portion of the walls, though seamless, features an endlessly-repeating motif of squared whorls engraved into the stonework, in a line around three feet from the floor, flanked on the top by a series of small etched flames every feet or so and below by a double set of horizontal grooves perhaps half an inch deep. These elements, probably merely decorative, add life to the hall and further prompt an awareness of the true scale of the passage with its thirty-foot arched ceiling.
Just beyond the rubble of the gates, the first fallen statue lies headless, face down, on the stone floor at the base of the right wall. Shards are scattered about the stump of its neck and the head itself lies against the opposite wall, staring blindly with milk-white marble eyes at the party as they approach. The small shelves upon which these dwarven statues stand occur in ten-foot intervals, alternating back and forth between left and right.
Thirty-five feet past the ruined gate, a massive steel portcullis blocks the upper half of the hall, raised with ten feet of clearance to spare beneath the spearpoint barbs that adorn the bottom. A row of circular openings in the floor show where it would rest when lowered into place. As the party approaches the portcullis, they are surprised as two large shapes drop from the shadows behind the marble statues above, landing behind the party!
One of the spiders lands directly atop Abi, knocking her to the ground as it grapples her with its massive forelegs and mandibles. Constance and Melvin, directly in front of the young sorceress, hear a small popping sound as something in Abi's body cracks under the pressure of the spider's assault, and the scent of blood immediately causes the animals further ahead in the line to begin to shy and stamp nervously.
Abi appears to be completely at the mercy of the spider, while it and its companion prepare to haul away their catch.
Surprise 1-4 [1d6] = 3, enemy surprise 1-2 [1d6] = 3
Spiders vs Abi [1d20] = 3, [1d20] = 10
Spiders damage [1d8] = 6
Enemy saving throw [1d20] = 18
Actions and Initiative!
Re: Expedition - Unpronouncable/Release a Demon - 30 April,
Someone else roll initiative first, and I get the reroll, right?
At the front of the party and furthest from the action, the body of Bromric draws his bow, ready to fire if one of the spiders makes a break for it. He inhales deeply on the scent of blood and fear, seeming rejuvenated, the same grim smile on his lips.
At the front of the party and furthest from the action, the body of Bromric draws his bow, ready to fire if one of the spiders makes a break for it. He inhales deeply on the scent of blood and fear, seeming rejuvenated, the same grim smile on his lips.