Beyond the Pale Part 3
Log Info
- Title: Beyond the Pale part 3
- GM: Thurid
- Place: Catacombs of the graveyard in Sendor
- Summary: The stalwart adventurers, after defeating the undead centaur-buiild, descend into the bowels of the graveyard, trying to race to the undead centaur's master before they wake up...
The party find themselves in the graveyard in the aftermath of their bout with the the undead amalgamation of knight and rider that was Ser Fiore. Among the artificial, skeletal centaur's bones Crik spotted an unusual gem carved into the shape of an eye. And to confound matters further, while they were dealing with her, the "guard" that let them into the graveyard closed and locked the gate behind them.
The party have had a few minutes to collect themselves and catch their breath after the brief but violent struggle, and are now faced with the decision of what to do next.
The mausoleum stands in the southwest corner, its doors still closed tight so the party haven't yet had opportunity to see what might be found inside- although they did find tracks leading from the unearthed graves towards it. The locked gate rattles with the chill breeze in the northeast. And the graveyard is still, for the time being.
Bryn looks from the knight/horse they rode in on, to the locked gate, to the mausoleum, to the others. "So... we goin ta see what creepy shite's probably in there... " a metal finger points at the mausoleum " .. or we chasin down the guard ta figger out why he locked us in?" a mechanical thumb jabs towards the gate. "I figger we might as well take care o' the stuff 'ere, first. Since we's already 'ere."
Ulthan looks at the mausoleum, his shape shrinking as his magic runs out. "I suspect we would be better off trying to ctach whoever that master was, when we are not supposed to disturb them yet... I seriously doubt we would have much chance if they are undisturbed and ready for us..."
Burai is still in the form of a Dire Tiger. He pads towards the masoleuk and lowers his nose to sniff at some of the tracks. Then he eyes the gate balefully. "There may be less room to move inside," he muses aloud. As before his voice is still recognizeable although this time its deeper and growly. "I dont think I shoukd go first..."
Still holding his side where ribs were broken by the knight-centaur-whateverthefuckthatwasomg, Skyler shrugs one shoulder at Bryn, "I mean, I wouldn't mind shaking that damned cleric until they heal all my owies and then come back, but I also think we have the element of surprise... for now." He points out, grimacing Ulthan gets a nod in agreement. "Seconded. Besides, we *might* walk into an ambush there, but we *know* we are here."
GAME: Crik rolls appraise: (9)+7: 16 GAME: Ulthan rolls kdun: aliased to knowledge/dungeoneering: (9)+4: 13 GAME: Haggerty rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (19)+9: 28 GAME: Haggerty rolls knowledge/nature: (13)+9: 22
Crik continues to stare at the gem, and then pecks at the gem few times. He tilts his head this way and that. Eventually he pries a piece of glass from his cloaks and places it against the surface of the gem. "It is from a statue." He finally concludes - and then it disappears into his palm. "We don't _have_ to walk into the ambush. Maybe there is another way into that place." He points at the mausoleum. "Always a secret entrance to a good ghoulish rest place."
Haggerty was markedly distracted, partially by the vile lancer's presence which seemed a disturbing mockery of his primary faith. Moreover, the fact of drawing up a map of the lay of the land to pinpoint ways to the structure the shapechanging Burai felt out. The Aesir blinks and agitatedly points at his sketch while the tiny canine sounds a sad noise. He takes a studious look at the hurt tiger and the others to see who might need a potion the most, or a bandage, "Who needs a bandage, please?" The redheaded guy sighs, "Good points everyone! Look how the area by the mausoleum is like a fort? Looks like some little watchtower! There is a sizable depression between it and much of the center. The thing under us is buried a good few fathoms. Lots of earthwork! Come see the drawing, please! I wish I'd find another direct entrance, but our avian friend might?" To Ulthan, "Thank you for your mighty swings!"
Haggerty nods to Crik, "We have to find that statue. Anything stick out? It has to be an older statue or something which appeals to users of dark necromancy. Maybe."
"Crik, you don't know where that's been! Stop tasting it." Skyler protests weakly, as he finds a headstone to lean against. Despite the moaning and groaning, several of the group have adventured with the brash ex-pirate often enough to know that it's mostly theatrics... He's hurt, but not nearly as badly or else he wouldn't have the energy for the bitching and moaning.
Pale grey-green eyes squint around, before he shrugs one shoulder, "I got nothing. I expect if we sit around talking too long, though, more of the graves are gunna pop open. And given the horse bitch thought she was defending her people still, don't assume it'll be some obvious spooky statue."
Bryn looks to Skyler with a tusky grin. "Ye'll be fine. Rub some dirt on it. Can get 'em kissed all better after, ey?" Then to Crik with a nod. "If'n there's one, le's go find it." Another nod. "Statue, right." So she starts looking around for one.
Burai turns to watch Crik and then Haggerty. He emits a huff of agreement? Possibly. And then begins tracing Sir Fiore's path back to where she emerged and charged the party.
GAME: Bryn used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Bryn used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Bryn rolls 1d8+1: (8)+1: 9 GAME: Bryn rolls 1d8+1: (1)+1: 2
Haggerty scratches his neck, ohs, looks down to the pug, smiles, and scritches his neck. The all-dark fellow relaxes and sigh-snorts. The dog carrier shrugs meekly at the flourishing swordman's commentary, then chuckles with mirth to his eyes at the oruch's words. The wizard nods with a slight wobble of his moisture accumulating hat, "We should not tarry. Ambush up here or down there is the same." High time to get a-searching.
The party dedicate the next hour or so to scouring the graveyard looking for any clues- not wanting to try the Mausoleum before making sure they haven't left any stone unturned first.
What they discover is that several more of the graves have been disturbed in the less recent past, though whoever did it had the sense to fill them back in to cover their tracks. Which seems to indicate that whatever is behind these grave robberies has been going on for a long time, and perhaps more concerning, growing bolder. A pattern emerges, too. Most of the stolen bodies had some martial prowess in life, or some ancestral tie to the town's founding noble family.
The fence around the graveyard has ivy growing in several places that will make scaling it easier should they chose to do so. The large oak in the centre of the graveyard seems to be growing sickly, although no natural cause can be discerned- in places where its bark has been wounded in the past, faint red stains linger. The other, younger trees also show some signs of similar mysterious malady though less advanced.
No further ingress to the structure beneath the graveyard becomes obvious during the search, but it seems all but certain that the squat mausoleum on its low earthen dais is connected to the structure beneath somehow.
"Bet you a gold piece that it's a local and that's why the guard and temple seem to be in on it." Skyler says gloomily to Bryn as they finish their investigation, standing beneath the dying branches of the tree in the center, "And they asked for adventurers to get fresher stock for whatever bullshit is happening downstairs."
He glances around at the others, saying, "So we're going down, right? And not in the fun way."
Ulthan shrugs and heads for the doors to the mausoleum, thne waiting for Crik and the rest to catch up. "How does the door look? Any surprises visible?"
Bryn helps the search, nostly by following behind the morphed Burai. Since she's doing that anyways, she pulls out a wand to give some healing snoot boops.
The search answers some questions.. and maybe sparks some they hadn't thought to ask yet. "Ye," she looks to Sky, "we're goin..." Then there's the big grin again. "'N who says it ain' gonna be fun?! Be skulls ta smash 'n bones ta break! C'mon!"
Burai returns to the mausoleum. His demeanor seems determined now. Almost eager. "Yes," he agrees. "Therre's something unaturral going on down therre." He sizes up the door. "It's time to put an end to it."
GAME: Crik rolls perception+2: (20)+11+2: 33
Crik heads on after the others, having dug around some odd spots and spent _inordinate_ amount of time hopping like a bird in few spots, cawing restlessly. The door presents a new challenge and he walks towards it, fingers already digging into his cloa-
"No, the door is not trapped and it was recently opened." The corvid thief then says, holding up his hands. "This grave is poor design." The corvid moves to find himself a proper cloak, trying to disguise himself. "... what should I disguise as?" He suddenly asks, staring around.
"They took the dead veterans. Something sticks out about the names of the dead, but I do not see those cross references clearly." The pooch lets his tongue lol a while. The learned spellcaster takes more notes and crosses out where the search is complete to deny wasted time in that regard. No snuff not to sneeze on what should be holy ground. "Maybe the reddened old tree or some relief in the mausoleum, but I do defer to the experts." The wizard shuts up and smiles to Crik. He upnods to Bryn after, points to his purse. "I have no idea, really. Maybe a guardsman?"
"Guess they don' build 'em ta keep stuff out," Bryn shrugs. "Or in, neither." She gives Crick an eye-ing over before suggesting, "Howsa bout a walkin dead thing? Maybe that'll fool 'em?"
Since (he said) the door wasn't trapped, and she's not the best at standing still, she steps up to open the door and opens it to head on inside.
"You could disguise yourself as a corpse!" Skyler offers helpfully to Crik, holding his arms up and shambling forward and towards the mausoleum zombie-like, "Just smear some mud on yourself, maybe let your tongue loll out the side of your beak?"
He straightens up, and squares his shoulders, "So we're in agreement? I suggest sending Corpse-Crik in first.... Orrr Bryn." He pops his lapels, shakes his head, and follows after the Bard.
The heavy mahoggany and brass doors of the mausoleum aren't the easiest thing to push open, it takes a good amount of force to get them moving, but once they do start moving they move smoothly on well maintained hingest. Inside are the expected accoutrements of a mausoleum- richly carved pillars of stone depicting the names and deeds of family long passed, an offering plate, a brazier for incense- currently empty- and in the center, a large sarcophagus, the marble lid expertly carved with the likeness of an elderly man in noble attire, clutching a sceptre in clasped hands over his chest. The carving's eyes are open- unusual for a sarcophagus- and one of them is set with a red gemstone. The other socket is empty.
Ulthan follows close to the start of the column of investigators, to better reach the front when combat occurs.
GAME: Bryn rolls perception: (11)+11: 22 GAME: Skyler rolls perception: (11)+10: 21 GAME: Burai rolls perception: (10)+13: 23 GAME: Ulthan rolls perception: (7)+9: 16 GAME: Haggerty rolls Perception+2: (12)+6+2: 20 GAME: Crik rolls perception: (19)+11: 30
Burai pads slowly about in the interior, paying careful attention of course to the sarcophagus. "This is the way down," he points with his nose
"Crik stares at Skyler. "That is what I was thinking." He looks down at his clothes, then back up. "But my cloaks are expensive." They look they were found from the nearest alley with the lice and rats smoothed out. Still, the corvid starts arranging all the layers into a vague facsimile of a walking corpse; pile of mud smeared into his beak.
The corvid hops over and then looks at one of the others. Then looks at Skyler. "Bloody up the cloak?" He suggests, since the man was the most injured one. His attention is then turned towards the sarcophagus, and he holds up the red gem. "With my years in archeology - I have concluded this gem opens the path below."
Bryn is not an archaeologist. Nor a gemologist. Nor any kind of -ologist. Still, she knows a little about missing eyes and does, it seems, know how to count gems.
She points and snorts a bit impatiently. "So, put't'in already 'n let's get on with it! Ain no fun just standin round waiting!"
"I read about something similar in the latest book in the Tusk Love series!" Skyler exclaims, joining the crowd around the statue. "It was the chapter where Captain Tusktooth took Genevieve into the catacombs to make love to her on his wife's grav..." He pauses, squinting over at Crik, "Are you asking me to spit on you? That's kinda gross." He purses his lip, before leaning in and gently hawking up and spitting a bit of bloody phlegm on the corvid, flushing slightly and pointedly not looking at anyone as he follows up by wiping blood off the mithril shirt under his coat and smearing it on Crik's hood. "Gods this is *weird*."
Haggerty stretches a little and follows into the postvitality dedicated edifice. He takes the scene in while his blue gloved hand busies the familiar. "Indeed, do not let the lady wait more than is necessary." The blue eyed man has to smile at Skyler's antics despite the grossness. Warpaint is warpaint. "Thank you for your sacrifice, Good Crik."
Burai watches the proceeds without expression. Then he turns back towards the sarcophagus. Finally he glances at Crik again. "Perhaps it would be good for all of us to prepare." He casts a glance at the others. "After this we may not have another chance."
GAME: Burai rolls perception: (14)+13: 27 GAME: Burai casts Longstrider. Caster Level: 7 DC: 14
Crik doesn't flinch from that spit, looking at Skyler. "Oh, I thought you were bleeding." He says with a blank stare. "This is not the weird. We fought a half centaur, half man, a lost spirit in search for lost honor." He reminds, then continues to search for things to finish up his disguise. "... who shall carry me as the corpse?" He asks, before he starts to mutter, "... I should have purchased a buckler..." He mutters by himself, as he starts to stick colored fabric strips to give facsimile of the town guard's uniform.
When everyone is ready, he reaches out to put the gem in its place.
Once the gemstone is inserted into its waiting socket, there is a click, followed by a thunk, and then a grinding vibration as unseen mechanisms drag the sarcophagus and its plate back away from the entrance. They grind along the stone floor, the plate striking first. The sarcophagus continues to move for several more moments until the head of it rests against the far wall, and a false panel falls away to reveal a lever.
The space below the false floor has another dais of stone, which rises up to meet the level of the floor, settling into place before a central pressure plate rises up, waiting for feet. Anyone with even a smattering of knowledge of engineering will at once recognize it as an elevator, presumably to convey them below.
It will be a bit of a squeeze to fit them all on at once, but they should just be able to manage it.
"The tiger healed me; usually healing energy stops any bleeding first." Skyler points out to Crik as he scratches at a scab on his neck, before adding, "We could throw you across Burai's back? I'm sure the locals use dire tigers in their funeral rites all the time, nothing suspicious at all." Beat. "Should we put a collar on him so he looks like he's domesticated?"
But then they're faced with an elevator, and Skyler squares his shoulders, "If I plummet to my death, burn my packs before the authorities get to them." He tells the group, before hopping onto the elevator fearlessly.
Ulthan doesn't hop, but moves onto the platform of the elevator carefully. "Let's hope we don't fall, we'd make for ugly undead, all mushed up... Heck, they'd have another of those chmeras then..."
Bryn is quick to hop up onto the elevator. She even does two things to help the team: 1) sheaths her large blade and 2)offers to grab other folks and pull them in a big oruch hug closer to get everyone to fit, if needed. "Ha! Don'tcha worry, none. I's pretty 'nuff fer all of us, if'n we get all mashed up together." Hmm. Would they end up with whiskers and a tail, too? That would be ... different. Then again, so would being turned into some kind of undead.
Burai crowds onto the platform when it's his turn. This can go wrong in so many ways, he thinks...and yet, isn't that always the case.
Haggerty watches the others manage their preparations and opens the belted bag with the scrolls. He puts the drawing away and gets his staff readied. The learning parched man cranes his neck to see better. The nature of this particular mechanism is interesting. The man in blue whistles, "That is one elaborate contraption, if you ask me. A full blown lifting device!" He carefully pats Ulthan, "Let us see first, please. And if we die, we will bring honor to us all. May the Maiden and her Chosen lady shield us from the gloomiest curse!" To Burai, "I have left the horse blanket with Leif, I am afraid."
Once the party are piled onto the lift, it's near impossible not to activate it as they are crowded- stepping on the pressure plate in the centre kicks it into motion and it begins to descend slowly through the earth. The light filtering from above doesn't travel far in the narrow confines, and they are soon descending into the cool earth accompanied by the rumbling of stone against stone and ancient mechanisms.
Eventually, the lift reaches an antechamber at the base of the shaft, barely bigger than the lift itself and settles into place with a dull thud. Ahead of the party, a pair of solid stone doors swing open of their own volution revealing a long chamber ahead.
Massive pendulum blades hanging from the ceiling swing back and forth over a narrow walkway spanning a thirty foot deep pit. Squatting at the far side of the pit on a landing are a pair of short, ugly, imp-like statues.
GAME: Skyler rolls perception: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Bryn rolls perception: (12)+11: 23 GAME: Haggerty rolls Perception+2: (8)+6+2: 16 GAME: Ulthan rolls perception: (20)+9: 29 GAME: Burai rolls perception: (3)+13: 16 GAME: Crik rolls perception: (13)+11: 24
To be fair, Skyler wouldn't usually complain about being crushed among the bodies of other adventurers. Some people would probably pay top money for it! But because he was the first on the plate, and everyone surrounded him, he's unfortunately unable to see *anything*. No sign of imps, no view of the swinging blades, nothing.
"Are we there yet?" He asks brightly, "I think it settled."
Ulthan cranes his head to look at the chamber, and then he narrows his eyes. "Uh-oh, I think we have company, those little statues don't want to stay still..."
Ulthan then extricates himself out of the pile of adventurers on the platform, then stops and squints again. "There's something weird in the wall over there, it doesn't look like it fits... And there's something prodding out by it... Ah, a secret door and its mechanism!"
"Looks like't!" Brynn assures Skyler before taking a step off to unsurround/be unsurrounded a little and help with seeing what's to see.
For her, this doesn't amount to much, so she listens to fill in. "So we gots statues 'n some kinda door. Guessin we worry bout the movin things, first, ey?"
Ulthan says, “Moving things includes the statues, you know...”
Burai waits for the others to step off of the platform. Then he sizes up the space and emits a low growl. As crowded as the platform was, the walkway is even smaller. He edges forward enough to lower his head and peer at the pit. Then forward at the pendulums. "Perrhaps there is a way to stop the blades," he offers. "Surely they can't expect everyone who comes this way to dodge those." Then he hesitates as another thought comes to him. "It's like a trrap."
Once he's free from the cuddle puddle, Skyler straightens up his coat, drawing his blade again and making sure his buckler is strapped on right. He then turns, and *stares* at the situation he's confronted with. "Wha... how? *Why*? Why the hell would anyone make something like this in a crypt?" He asks, incredulous, "Like... Who comes down here to oil those?" He points at the swinging blades, "How do they keep them from rusting? Gods above, I can't wait to leave this damn village. They're all *insane*. We're insane for trying to cross that!"
Crik was expecting more of an explosive journey down - not being squeezed into a bunch of adventurers and then be greeted to a sight straight out of adventurer books. "... this looks like something out of those Tusk Love books of yours." The corvid says and then starts to flip over his endless books of notes and sketches, slowly walking forward with one foot. "In my experience, a careful elaborate mechanism to protect the treasures within usually requires long study or adventureous spirit." He slaps his notes shut and looks back up. "Or a perverse quantity of explosives."
"And I am all out of explosives." He flutters his tail. "Let us look for clues and throw rocks at those statues, yes?"
Oh. Hug. Nice! Haggerty mumbles something utterly incomprehensible to the oruch ministrel's metal arm. And is slow to let go, hugging back which sees the man with the doge take a half step when the singer lady ends the gesture. The pointy hat is pulled into his face when the thin Aesir gives room. Cough. Oh looksee! It is a deadly pit and pendulum arrangement. The scientific spellslinger tries to make sense of the trap pattern and says lowly, "I could try to lower the chance of the blades chopping us to minced elk. Else I could hold the statues, if they are planar guardians?" Hagg pulls a few braids back over his shoulder, "We could rope up and around the ledge, then crawl along the underside. Good Crik, to wit, can you tell the space the blades grant to the walkway, please?" Wait what!? He looks over to the hidden opening.. thing.. "Maugrim's rusty dirks! Those arches foil my backup plan!" The pug yowlysnorts under his contained breath. "Right. Uhhmm. Can you grow roots around the base of the mechanism, Good Shapechanger?"
Bryn now gets her eye on the walkway, the pit under it, the swinging pendulum blads over it. "Huh. Looks like somebody wants ta keep peoples out.. or summin in..." She heads up to the walkway, though plans to stop short of the first pendulum to get a better look at it. And, you know, not get chopped up by it.
GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (17)+4: 21 GAME: Thurid rolls 1d4: (4): 4
As Bryn passes the archway seperating the antechamber from the death trap ahead of the group, the statues lurch into life. The two at the far side reach for darts, but the party are ready for them and they fail; to get a drop on Bryn. One does, however, literally get the drop on Bryn- it had been clinging to the ceiling, and drops down behind her, raking her back with stone claws on the way.
GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (11)+4: 15 GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (12)+4: 16 GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (15)+4: 19 GAME: Thurid rolls 4: (10)+4: 14 GAME: Thurid rolls 1d4+1d3+1d3: (1)+(1)+(1): 3
The creature doesn't stop there, though, it lunges into a rapid, furious series of swipes, bites and even tries to gore Bryn with its diminuative horns- it lands several hits, but none of them are especially telling. What the creature has in ferocity, it lacks in raw power it seems.
Bryn's new vantage further into the room does afford her a glimpse of something though- it seems that there is an alternative path onto the far platform- there seems to be a passage leading off from its eastern side.
GAME: Ulthan rolls weapon1: (20)+9: 29 (THREAT) GAME: Ulthan rolls weapon1: (18)+9: 27
Haggerty takes a step to the left, out of cover. He bites his lower lip, a gray roll of cobwebs in one hand, his staff in the other. He swings the hand with the gunk back and waits.
GAME: Ulthan rolls damage1+damage1: aliased to 1d10+5+1d10+5: (2)+5+(5)+5: 17
Ulthan growls as he sees the Gargoyle drop on Bryn, and takes few hasty steps closer to intervene, swinging his huge flail overhead on top of the stony imp, hitting straight, but unfortunately not putting the creature out.
GAME: Bryn rolls weapon1-2: (6)+10+-2: 14
Bryn didn't see the thing around the corner (it was on her blind side, afterall), but she feels it when it claws her. A little. "Ah! Ey!" She whirls quickly, pulling out her big curveblade and taking a swing at it in the same motion. It's just a hurried motion, and she doesn't realize how small it is until after her swing swipes right over its head.
GAME: Skyler rolls weapon1: (17)+12: 29 (THREAT) GAME: Skyler rolls weapon1: (8)+12: 20 GAME: Skyler rolls damage1: aliased to 1d6+5: (5)+5: 10
"Oiy!"
GAME: Thurid rolls 7: (19)+7: 26 GAME: Thurid rolls 7: (6)+7: 13 GAME: Thurid rolls 1d3: (2): 2
"Oiy!" Skyler moves forward, only to find himself blocked in by the Wall That Is Ulthan and Crik on the other side of him. Skyler grimaces, leaning around the corner to swing his blade in an attempt to defend the Bard currently getting clawed at. He frowns, and while the strike does bounce off the creature, seemingly avoiding any damage, it's delivered with such precision that it does end up shattering the gargoyle. "Watch out, there's gargoyles." He says lamely.
GAME: Skyler gains ONE point of PANACHE. GAME: Bryn rolls fort: (11)+6: 17
THe two Gargoyles on the other side of the chamber throw their darts Bryn's way- one of them sails wide, but the other lands true, piercing her flesh. The wound sears, the weapon obviously coated in something unpleasant- but it doesn't seem to be causing any immediate harmful effects beyond those of being stuck with a pointy object.
GAME: Burai casts Air Walk. Caster Level: 7 DC: 17
Burai growls in a low ryhtmic series of sounds, and adds a gesture with one savage clawed foot lifted in the air. Then he begins trotting off of the edge of the platform. Only he continues to walk, even with nothing but air under his paws. He adds a few growls in the direction of the gargoyles as he approaches.
GAME: Crik rolls weapon2: (3)+8: 11
Crik looks around as _things_ happen, his beak open. "I forgot to poke the ceiling with a stick." He pulls out his hand crossbow, mud dripping off his beak. "Always poke the ceiling with a stick." He then moves forward and attempts to line up a shot at the other imps, but misses miserably.