Credmoore Play by Post

[larryfinnjr]

Tracking Bouda's movement (utilizing her Perception check as an assist) and drawing upon ancient knowledge of what it means to crawl out of the earth, I also attempt to track the beast. With the rat still burning from my Infernal Wrath from moments ago and the stench it should leave behind with the creature certainly wounded and bleeding, I hope to use all of the above to assist the roll (you determine the bonus, if any). (Perception check)

With my own wound still fresh and with an obvious, sudden limp I rush to the opening the rat entered and thrust my arm in as far as I can in the hopes of surprising and grabbing it. Maybe Bouda's sword struck it, maybe it closed off its avenue of escape, we can only hope, for I will not abide by such dishonorable ambush tactics and I hope to teach this thing a lesson.

 

[whardell]

For the record you can't decide post roll that a roll was an assist, that being said cool plan and execution + decent rolls = win.

Bouda's Blade plunges into the loose soil, there is a muted "Squeak!" and Xaal's hand darts in after the rat. You feel the tail and start to pull as you do so the creature starts expanding, in death returning to it's true size. You are easily able to dig the creature out.

It is a humanoid rat, the size of a small man or a large dwarf. It carries little of note, a rusty dagger, a pouch of questionable food stuffs, a leather cord necklace bearing what looks like a large silver rat skull, and a scrap of parchment.

Assuming you do the standard adventure thing and study the items:

The dagger and pouch are unremarkable. The silver skull seems to have runes etched into it, the runes are amateurish, scratched in possibly with a nail or knifeblade. Nonetheless the item has a faint magical aura, necromancy.

The parchment shows a crude map of this area, in the margins is scrawled " Ssarik waylay any travelers on this road, kill them, use them if you need more warriors, or prepare them for master. Rendezvous at the cemetery."

 

[larryfinnjr]

For the record you can't decide post roll that a roll was an assist

GM: I misspoke/mistyped - meant more along the lines of "since she got a decent roll I follow along the same lines and attempt to find the hole." Sorry!

Making roll for OG...made.

"Bouda, it appears some whelp of a necromancer is using the sacred remains of the dead for nefarious purpose. While I do not wish to allow Moon Wolf to slip away from whatever ground we have made trying to catch up to him, I feel it imperative that we put a stop to this, else this 'master' may bring harm to others in the future. What say you? Shall we attempt to use this map to locate the cemetery?"

Before heading out, we will need to heal up (I still have one Majestic Word available for 11hp).

Also, doing the standard "adventuring thing," are the runes of any historical signifigance or am I able to read them? (History/Arcana checks) PLEH!

 

[whardell]

GM: Also, doing the standard "adventuring thing," are the runes of any historical signifigance or am I able to read them? (History/Arcana checks) PLEH!

GM: They seem to be of no language you are familiar with, they are certainly arcane in origin. You are pretty sure you have seen them before in your studies, but the reference escapes you at this time. It does however stick in the back of your head as a frustration, - 2 on all "mental" skill uses as you are distracted, you may however roll history with an extra +2 bonus every turn until you remember more.

 

[BoudasBrain]

As Xaal tries to remember, Bouda asks "May have a look?" and applies her knowledge of magic and ritual to try to decifer the runes.

 

[whardell]

Bouda your knowledge proves more extensive. The runes while crude, look like the runes pioneered by the Necromancers of the Grey Peak. A city ruled by an enclave of necromancers in the far northwest of the mainland.

Given what the two of you have learned so far, it seems this silver skull is probably the focus of a ritual that can create more of these zombies. The crudeness of it's construction likely accounts for the weakness of the zombies you faced.

As to the cemetery mentioned, you think given the area and the proximity to the swamp, the note might mean the legendary Dungeon of Graves. Somewhere in the swamps to the south the dungeon was constructed to imprison a piece of the essence of the demon lord Orcus. It was built by the Paladins of the West tower. With the fall of that tower the place went from extraordinary prison to terrifyingly deadly dungeon. There are more than thirty levels to the place getting tougher as one descends. IF indeed the dungeon is in this area, it would account for the undead...

 

[larryfinnjr]

...the legendary Dungeon of Graves. Somewhere in the swamps to the south the dungeon was constructed to imprison a piece of the essence of the demon lord Orcus...

			...Orcus. ORCUS? YEAH!! We're first level! 30 levels of dungeon, 30 levels of character, then ORCUS! Oh man, let's DO IT!!

"Bouda, what a shame you can't read the etching on that skull. Let's just bury it with the bodies and continue on our way, shall we?"

/Take2... "Bouda, if what you say is true, then we are all doomed anyway. I say let's head back to Credmore."

/Take3... "Bouda, see THIS is why I'm with the SOUTH tower...those bafoons in the WEST tower don't know how to hold a party let alone hold the line."

Ok Ok, /Take4... "Bouda, this is most troubling. I know little of the fall of the West Tower, but the stories of Orcus and his bid for control over the Dominion of Man is legendary. Be he demon or devil, I am fearful of heading into dangers we may not be able to face alone. I feel we only have two viable options at this point: 1) at the least warn any nearby settlements of the activities we just encountered so they may be keep on guard, and 2) continue on our errand. It could take us weeks, months to purge the depths of the Graves, and we are not outfitted, knowledgable, or skilled enough to embark on such a dangerous mission. However, if we can quickly conclude our business with Moon Wolf, perhaps you and/or I could attempt to recruit others to join us. What say you?"

 

[BoudasBrain]

"Agreed. As intrigued as I am about this research mission, we should resolve it as quickly as possible. The villagers of this region are in danger and it is our duty to protect them."

 

[whardell]

You decide to continue with the original mission as quickly as possible and then perhaps deal with the Dungeon of Graves.

[ooc note for clarity: the dungeon is indeed a massive complex, think of it more like the Chaos Scar and less like a standard dungeon. You can tackle just a level or multiple levels or attempt a full clear.]

You ride for a few days without meaningful conflict. The countryside continues to seem fairly uninhabited as the road you are on becomes more of a track through the wilds.

You come to a fork in the path, you know that either route will guide you eventually to the destination you seek, and each has its own dangers.

Xaal - tell us what you know from your studies about the dangers of the northeastern route.

Bouda - you remember a story from your early childhood about the region to the southeast what is the danger?

Once you two have shared, decide which route you want to take.

 

[larryfinnjr]

I know of these lands, Bouda. Rather, my ancestors do. Along this path lies The Crag, a blasted crater left behind from the Blackthorn War. Dwarves, Humans, and Tieflings held a massive battle here against the Dragonbrood and their Clockwork animate army. Conspiring with local Goblins, the 'Brood was lured to the area, which had been drilled and set with alchemical explosives. But they overestimated their own handiwork - when the blast was set afire, it took nearly every life with it in a conflaguration never before witnessed by Man. What few remaining creatures survivied the blast died shortly thereafter from illness and disease of the mind. Twisted souls are still said to roam the area, locked forever in a battle that has no end. It is said those who enter The Crag and survive to tell the tale are forever touched by madness. Legend also tells of the leaders of each faction meeting together on moonless nights, pointing fingers and blaming the other for all their deaths. A Tiefling leader named Izen Hou'er, ancestral founder of House Tan-aree, was the commander, and he is known as the first ever Tiefling to die on Oerth after the Infernal Injunction brought Tieflings from the Plane Below to this world.

What do you know of the other route?

Warren: we did say before we left the area w/ the zombies that we wanted to warn any nearby settlements of the dangers. Hopefully we at least did that before setting out and coming to this fork in the road.