Land Outcast

"Otto, he said ruined moathouse, an' its inhabited by bandits... Da only wine there might be from buried bottles" -Next, Ragnok stands, ready to take his leave-

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Shanderson

"Well ... " Jorb interrupts. "shall we head off then?". He says with a smirk.

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8 scared shiftless 8

Insight

Dejected, Otto kicks some dirt for a moment. "Hmph... "

Then, he perks up. "Ah, but yes, a discovery perhaps, of wines and vintages unknown to the common era! That shall be my inspiration!"

The halfling readies to leave for the ruined moathouse, waiting for the others.

Halivar

Lucius statnds by the doorway. He is impatient to get going.

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DM's that don't let me play ninja monkeys with laser guns are jerks.

Games I play:

Spoiler:

Lucius Octavian (Ftr1/Clr1) in Rhun's Temple of Elemental Evil (Alpha)

hafrogman

Kine rises from his chair and bows again to Master Burne. He gazes around at his suddenly outspoken and antsy colleagues.

"Apparently we are also an eager lot. I thank you for your assistance, and your offer. We shall endeavor not to dissapoint."

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"One of the students stands out from the others, because it looks like he doesn't care about hiding his rocket launcher." -- Zack2216 on the intricacies of social interaction at Detchitoyo High School

Thanee

“Towards this moathouse then. Many thanks for your offer to let us prove ourselves, Lord Burne.”

Dara performs a hint of a bow towards Burne, and then follows her companions outside.


“Well spoken, Kine. I hope the rest of our quest will go equally smooth.”

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“THIS IS A THINKING PERSON’S MODULE.
_AND IF YOUR GROUP IS A HACK AND SLAY GATHERING,
_THEY WILL BE UNHAPPY!” -- Gary Gygax, Tomb of Horrors.

Rhun

The overgrown track leading away from Hommlet is harder to locate than you would have thought, but Corraine's keen eyes eventually locate the trail among the weeds and other growth.

A scrub of thorns, thistles, weeds and shrubs grows thickly along the edge of the track which leads to the ruins. The track itself is mostly overgrown, and cluttered with fallen branches and trees. Here and there it is washed out, and in other places a mire.

Some game evidently still follows the pathway, however, for after a mile or so faint traces can be seen. But even considering this, the going is slow, and it takes you over three hours to trudge along to your destination. Considerable hacking and clearing is necessary to make the way passable in many places. After two miles, the track runs more northerly, and the land begins to sink and become boggy. Tall marsh plants grow thickly where cattails and tamaracks do not. Off to the left can be seen the jagged silhouette of the moathouse.

A side path, banked high to cross over the wetland to either side, breaks off north from the trail and leads to the battered and rotting drawbridge that provides access to the ruin. The track here is only about fifteen feet wide, with crumbling embankments making travel near the edge dangerous. The bogs stink. The vegetation appears dense and and prlific, but somehow sickly and unhealthy, with creepers and vines throwing their strangling loops over the skeletons of dead saplings and living bushes alike. The rushes and cattails rustle and bend even to a slight zephyr, and weird birdcalls, croakings, and other unwholesome sounds come faintly across the fen.


OOC: Pic of the moathouse:

Land Outcast

Ragnok is threading a careful path along the scarce dry patches of earth, so as not to en up waist-high in rotten swamp water... That could also be seen as an extreme reticence to touch even moist ground.

Before the trail leading to the ruins, he cleans his forehad from the condensed moisture, and suggests: "Otto, Kine, better ye proceed to scout alone... try to remain undercover" -While staring intently at the ruins searching for any sign of life among them-

"Swamp, why had et to be a damned moist, stinkin', water-filled swamp?" -And continues to complain as soundly as when they first entered the marsh- "What kind o' fool builds in here? I'm surprised it is still aboveground" "This place should be drained dry... thrice"

Insight

"Capital idea, friend Dwarf," Otto replies. He scampers into the muck, trying to be quiet, looking for any clues or bandits waiting among the threshes.

[OOC: Hide +13, Move Silently +12]

Rhun

Otto moves slowly and quietly along the causeway, easily staying hidden in the cattails and rushes that grow even higher than his head. Although the broken drawbridge lies battered and rotten, it easily bears the halfling's weight. One side of the moathouse's gate hangs open on one great hinge, while the other is splintered and holed, but still in position, wedged and shored closed from the other side.

Otto:

Boddynock

Coraine nods appreciatively as the halfling makes his way silently towards the moathouse. Then he slings his shield across his back and examines his longbow carefully, making sure that the moisture in the air hasn't unduly affected the tension of the bowstring. A minor adjustment is all that is required. He then nocks an arrow and waits patiently for Otto to return - or for anything else to make a less welcome appearance.

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Impress the locals? Uh - give me a moment!

Thanee

Dara has kneeled down, listening to the wind rustling through the high rushes, ready to spring if anything happens.

Land Outcast

Ragnok shrugs nochantly and takes his axe from its harness on the left, and one of his "small" hammers on the right.

Scotley

Verdis checks his crossbow and looks for a spot where he can support the scouts if trouble errupts.

Shanderson

"It is quite ..." Jorb says with a whisper. "too quiet."

Halivar

Lucius nods in time to the beat of a martial hymn of Hieroneous that's currently stuck in his head. He looks happy.

Insight

Otto scampers quietly back to the group.

When he has returned, Otto remarks, "There appear to be tracks of some kind near the entrance. I am no outdoorsman, but I suppose one of you could probably garner something of interest from said tracks. Why not come with me and have a look?"

Land Outcast

"Tracks?... well, at least da information was truthful..." -He looks annoyed at the general silence and the ridicule they might be posing before an unguarded keep-

"Shall we move on?"

Scotley

Bored with standing by and watching, Verdis nods, "Let's proceed. I see no reason to lurk out here in the swamp." Crossbow still in hand he forms up with the others.

hafrogman

Kine retreats from silent contemplation of the moathouse and joines the others, ready to move forward to further investigate the structure.

Thanee

“Good! Let's take a look into this moathouse,” Dara says while drawing her falchion from its sheath. Then she moves towards the ancient drawbridge together with the others.

Boddynock

Coraine nods and follows Otto, bow held loosely but at the ready. He doesn't mind looking like a fool - so long as he gets in the first blow if an enemy attacks.

Shanderson

Jorb looks a little uneasy, he keeps one of his hands on his blade just incase trouble comes looking for them.

Rhun

Your company moves slowly across the broken drawbridge and through the shattered gates, into the moathouse's courtyard. Weeds grow up between the cracked flagstones, and debris and rubble are strewn about. All is quiet and still within the moathouse.

To your left juts the remains of a broken tower, its upper levels collapsed. The tower's broken door lies cast on the ground, revealing nothing but darkness beyond.

Ahead of you, across the courtyard, wide, littered steps rise up to the entrance of the main building. The doors at the top of the stairs are broken, one flat on the floor and the other sundered beyond repair.

It is obvious to even the untrained eye that some traffic has come through the moathouse. Boot prints and hoof prints can be seen here and there about the courtyard.

Scotley

Motioning toward the tracks with his crossbow, Verdis asks, "Can any of you fellows read those tracks well enough to say how old they are or where everybody was going?"

Land Outcast

Gazes into the tower for some long seconds, in an intent to see what lies beyond the treshold... After the first seconds his emerald eyes turn almost pitch black because of the dilatation of his [black-part-of-the-eye-in-english].

Then he abruptly turns towards his companions, his face alien to them because of the change taken place in his eyes... but it slowly receeds.

"I'm no knower o' this, but bein' the ground damned damp as et is, I'd call these fairly recent tracks" -Ragnok shifts his support from a foot to the other, impatient- "Say, what are we waitin' for? this place did not sink ten years ago, it won't now... the tower o' the main buildin'?"

Rhun

Ragnok moves to the doorway of the crumbling tower and peers into its dark interior.

Boddynock

"Given that the main building is the likely site of any camp, I suggest we check the tower first - carefully, and quietly. After all, we don't want anything coming up behind us. Otto, do you think it would be good for you to remain here on lookout?"

Land Outcast

"Debris, bones, among with coins"

"Nae, I'm not cursin', that's what the floor of the tower has all over it... strange the "coins" part" -Ragnok crosses the treshold slowly, as if measuring every step-

"I'm going in, maybe I can pay yer inn-night with this coin... the upper levels are no more" -Leading Ragnok, Coraine second, he enters the tower... looks sideways, and starts penny pinching from the floor-

Boddynock

"Wait, Ragnok. Does anyone have a torch?"

As he enters the narrow confines of the tower, Coraine returns the arrow to his quiver, slings the bow over his shoulder, and draws his battleaxe. He'll stand guard while Ragnok retrieves the loot.

As he does so, he opens himself to the impressions of the place, recalling the technique old Heralad taught him of imagining himself seeing through the Invincible's eyes.

Rhun

No sooner has Ragnok turned his attention to the floor and Coraine catches a hint of movement above them. A monstrous spider, nearly the size of the dwarf, leaps from the tangled mess of ceiling above. Coraine doesn't even have a chance to call out warning, though, as another of the vermin springs downward at him. Coraine manages to sidestep at the last movement, but the dwarf isn't so lucky.

Ragnok feels a heavy weight land atop him, and feels a stinging pain in his back as the spider's bite penetrates his mail.


OOC: Combat Notes

Coraine detects no evil.

Spider 1 vrs. Ragnok - Attack: 21, Damage: 4. Ragnok Fort Save 16 vrs poison (success)
Spider 2 vrs. Corraine - Attack: 11, Miss.

Initiative Order:

20 - Verdis
20 - Lucius
19 - Dara
18 - Spider 2
15 - Spider 1
14 - Otto
11 - Jorb
7 - Coraine
5 - Kine
5 - Ragnok
4 - Rodigan

Ragnok and Coraine are in the tower. Coraine will have to move to allow the next person into the tower.

Actions?

Land Outcast

"Ye be damned eight-leggers!" -Ragnok drops his throwing hammer and in an unexpectedly fluid motion holds his axe with both hands, takes half a turn, and hacks at the spider's legs-

He then carefully steps back and retrieves the shield from his back, now holding both axe and shield, ready to face a rush from the arachnid.

Boddynock

"Here! Spiders!" Coraine calls out a warning to his companions even as he drops his torch and, two-handed, swings at the spider which has attacked him. Recognising that he is in the way, he'll then step to the side of the doorway, while swinging his shield around and taking up a standard battle stance.

Halivar

If Verdis attacks a spider, Lucius will attack the other. If Verdis does not attack a spider, Lucius will attack the spider on Ragnok.

Move action: Lucius draws his greatsword as he steps up to the spider.
Standard action: Lucius attacks the spider (Masterwork Greatsword +4 (2d6+6/19-20/x2) two-handed power-attack (1))

Scotley

Verdis raises his crossbow to take a shot at which ever spider he can get. Afterward, he drops the bow and raises his hand preparing to call upon his power.

OOC: Sorry, couldn't get on this morning for some reason. If Verdis can't get a shot he will activate a sunrod and toss it into the tower.

+4 Heavy Crossbow 1d10 19-20/x2 120'r p (+1 to hit and damage within 30')

hafrogman

Kine draws his blade from his back in a single, fluid motion and levels it at the spiders, ready for whatever comes his way.

Rhun

OOC: Only Ragnok and Coraine are currently in the tower with the spiders. The rest of you are still in the courtyard. I suppose I should have explained that better. Until Coraine moves out of the doorway, the rest of you can't get to the spiders.

hafrogman

ooc: since the spiders act long before I do, I was far more worried about them getting to me.

Halivar

OOC: Yeah, the action I posted is for next round, after the spideys go again, since Corraine just moved out of the doorway this round. I was being proactive. :P