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Author Topic: (IC) Barrowmaze Dungeon Exploring  (Read 28347 times)

pbj44

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(IC) Barrowmaze Dungeon Exploring
« on: March 05, 2014, 01:00:43 PM »
Here we go!

Somehow in this chaos that is Habrigminster, the two of you have joined forces. More than one head turns as both of you stride mean streets teeming with life and energy. Alliances are being formed all around you on those same streets as hard looking folk join their fortunes together and stream away to the South towards the riches of the Barrowmaze.

At the agreed time and place outside the Brazen Strumpet, Sister Beyla approaches you both with a nod. Her careworn face twitches into a forced smile.

“My greetings to both of you. I am grateful that you both have taken the time to meet and hear my proposal.”

“Simply, I need to get into the Barrowmaze and for that I need your protection. In return I can help with healing your wounds and driving away the lesser dead that prowl those halls. I can also offer you another advantage -  I know an entrance that is unguarded by the dead.”

She nods at a raucous group of mercenaries heading out. “Those fools are as good as dead”.
“What say you?”

Drohem

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« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2014, 01:56:28 PM »
"Good morning Sister Beyla," Jolly greets her cheerfully.

After listening to her proposal, he says with a smile, "I say that we get going!  The early bird gets the worm as they say.  My men and I are ready to leave now."

pbj44

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« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2014, 04:33:34 PM »
Once everyone has shouldered their gear, the sister leads the way out of the town's southern gate. Continuing down the road for several miles, the party passes an attractive monestary on a gently sloping hilltop bordering the road.

After a single long glance at it Sister Beyla continues marching. Several miles from the Barrowarrens, she moves from the road and continues the march through the forest, dim even under the noon day sun. She halts some 30 minutes later.

Pointing straight ahead, "Just 100 meters beyond is the start of the Barrowarrens. Let one who is crafty steal up and see if the coast is clear."

You hear some odd sounds in that direction, but nothing distinct.
« Last Edit: March 05, 2014, 04:37:04 PM by pbj44 »

Drohem

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« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2014, 06:36:53 PM »
Jolly nods his head in acknowledgment and says, "Peldic, my shield please.  Mergo, you'll cover me with my sling from about 10 feet behind me."

"Thank you," Jolly says as he takes his shield from Peldic.  

Looking to Mergo and seeing that he is ready to go with sling in hand, he says, "follow me."

With a final nods to his companions, he turns and starts walking cautiously in the direction that Sister Beyla indicated.

pbj44

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« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2014, 09:06:55 PM »
Mergo moves quietly with you forward - until your companions are far behind you.

You have come to a spot where a narrow grassy path strikes off from the road and winds away across the moor past your vantage point in the tree line. A steep, boulder-sprinkled hill lays upon the right which had in bygone days been cut into a granite quarry. The face which is turned towards you forms a dark cliff, with ferns and brambles growing in its niches. From over its distant rise there floats a gray plume of smoke.

Drohem

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« Reply #5 on: March 06, 2014, 01:16:01 PM »
Jolly will start making his way around the cliff face so that he can move into a position to see what is creating the smoke that is rising over the hill.  He moves cautiously and as quietly as possible.

pbj44

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« Reply #6 on: March 06, 2014, 02:15:04 PM »
Striking out across the open ground, both you and Mergo make as best use as you can of the available brush and scrub.
Moving to the left to the cliff face, cautious to avoid both the exposed Southern road and the steepness of the cliff itself, you make the slow climb to the top of the weathered hill to a vantage point.

From the crest of the hill you now see the smoke rising from several burning wagons on the roadway below. Some 20 warriors are using those same wagons for cover, desperately attempting to shield themselves from crowds of roaring rotting, shambling corpses.

Every now and then, one particularly quick corpse with glowing blue eyes darts in and snatches a warrior screaming from his mates.

After but a few more such raids, the living line breaks as warriors attempt to flee, each looking out only for himself. At the line's collapse, the blue eyed corpse quickly tapped several others who now also radiate forth an uncanny glow. As one, the glowing pack bursts forward and runs down the few living survivors, tearing them limb from limb, and squatting down to feast on their remains. As the last living warrior is dragged to the ground, the waves of the dead slip into an uneasy stillness.

Rising to his feet and wiping his chin, the blue eyed corpse pushes through the milling crowd of shambling corpses, and stares at the top of the hill, his lips curling into a sneer. You can feel his burning eyes sweeping over the rocks near you.
« Last Edit: March 06, 2014, 03:43:23 PM by pbj44 »

Drohem

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« Reply #7 on: March 06, 2014, 03:21:49 PM »
Oops!  Overstayed our welcome, Jolly thinks to himself when he sees the strange blue-eyed undead look in his direction.

Jolly crawls on his belly back down from the vantage point and when he gets to Mergo he stands up.

He says to Mergo, "we have to move now!"

Jolly then starts jogging back toward where he left his companions.

pbj44

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« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2014, 03:57:45 PM »
You and Mergo scramble and slide your way back down the hill.

As you jog across the open ground back to the sheltering line of woodland, you spy out of the corner of your eye Mergo darting a glance behind the two of you.

With a low moan, his eyes roll wildly and his running becomes frenzied as he pulls ahead of you!

Drohem

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« Reply #9 on: March 06, 2014, 04:35:01 PM »
Jolly doesn't need to look back to know what is going on and so he kicks it up into a full sprint with Mergo.  

When they get within 100 yards of what he believes is the position of his companions, Jolly yells out, "undead on our tail!  Prepare yourselves!"

pbj44

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« Reply #10 on: March 06, 2014, 04:50:33 PM »
Time slows down to a crawl as the sheltering trees ahead drift slowly closer and closer.

You now feel - more than hear - the feet pounding behind you, and as you fling yourselves into the woods roll an individual D20 for both yourself and Mergo!

Drohem

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« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2014, 06:27:15 PM »
OOC:  Rolled a 19 for Mergo and a 13 for Jolly.

pbj44

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« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2014, 10:26:28 PM »
You feel fingers as hard as steel grip at your clothes as you plunge into the trees. Roars of agony blast your ears as those hands falter and release you. Springing free and dodging through the trees, a few seconds of running tells you that you're now alone as you rejoin the party, all waiting at the ready.

Sister Beyla glances at you quizzically, "Is everything alright? We heard you running."

Before you can respond you hear a muffled shout from the moors, "undead on our tail! Prepare yourselves!"

You recognize the voice as your own.

Norda steps forward and points at you, "Hey...what're yer tryin' ta pull?"
« Last Edit: March 06, 2014, 10:43:56 PM by pbj44 »

Drohem

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« Reply #13 on: March 07, 2014, 10:27:48 AM »
With a confused tone and look on his face, Jolly says genuinely, "I... I don't know."

pbj44

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« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2014, 02:49:33 PM »
Beyla nods, “I believe you”.

Mergo then blurts out an almost incoherent account of what you both saw and later ran from.

Beyla listens quietly, nodding from time to time, while Norda merely rolls her eyes and snorts in disbelief.

Beyla touches Jolly’s hand, “Can you lead us back to the pathway?”

She turns to the others, “Please, as you value your lives, stay on the path - nowhere else is safe!”

As everyone once more shoulders their gear, she turns back to you, “We are ready now”.