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Post by mullmann on Oct 8, 2014 20:56:25 GMT
Donnerwetter and Gerin continue trapsing about the town, they come across a loud noise down an alleyway but it turns out to be a mangy coyote making a meal of a house cat. No Orcs can be seen. Eventually I assume they make it back towards the tavern. Malcazar flashes a thin smile at Noggin but pays the tab to keep everyone's drink full including Bolo Darkfeets who hÀs now developed a pronounced slur. 'Yess, yes the old wizard must have got his mixtures wrong.a queer mystery sort he was. The place went up in a fiery purple shebang from accounts. The ruins are a days walk notheast. Two days if you poke about like old Bolo. Tis' on the edge of the wilds and not much merriment to be had. I once went and checked it out poking about with a stick for baubles and shiny bits and such. Came across the square outline of what could be a trapdoor. Looked welded shut to me from the explosion I would say.' At that he gulps down the rest of his mug of ale and helps himself to some of Noggin's pie.'
It is now getting quite late, near midnight and the place seems like it will be closing soon Rooms are available up top for 2 sp a night and sleep 2 per room
What would you like to do next?
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Post by chris107 on Oct 8, 2014 21:33:46 GMT
Waking in a (free) and comfortable bed. Noggin will head downstairs to a full English. Bacon, sausage, eggs, fried slice, tomatoes and munchrooms. If he remembers anything about the night before he suggests his new friends take him out to see the wizzes tower.... Any sandwiches we could take? He asks hopefully
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Post by Lord Huthor on Oct 9, 2014 3:31:42 GMT
After an invigorating sleep in the stable (on an empty stomach), Gerin stalks into the tavern.
"I will spend the night in Muspelheim before trying that again!" he cries.
On hearing from Noggin that the ruins are two days march away, a nervous tic develops in one cheek.
"It seems I am a little light on funds at this moment - and two more days without eating will see me perish in this gods-forsaken land. Mayhap one of you could see your way into a small loan in order to obtain some rations? I would be happy to pay this back at a generous rate of interest - though I fear that to make profit from one of the clergy could pull the wrath of Thor upon you...."
Spreading his hands wide in a gesture of helplessness, he adds:
"I am a very reasonable man myself, but the Slayer of Giants takes a very dim view of fleecing his clerics."
If he can borrow the coin from someone, he quickly dashes off to find some standard rations and a wineskin - and the wine to fill it. Water is for bathing and occasionally turning into Holy Water.
If he can't, he mutters darkly about the lack of pious companions and demands to get things started, ere he faints of hunger.
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Post by chris107 on Oct 9, 2014 7:48:00 GMT
Noggin (knowing which side his metaphysical bread is buttered) will dig deep into his voluminous pockets and hand the hungry cleric what ever bacon sandwiches, odd sausages, small packets of foil wrapped munchrooms and plastic sachets of HP sauce he managed to steal from the breakfast buffet.
"And I don't have a lot but you can have one of my silver shillings too." Says Noggin kindly before wandering off to see if any of the local shops are offering free samples of iron rations....
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Post by mullmann on Oct 9, 2014 18:53:42 GMT
Malcazar the Magnificent returns from gaining some relief at the privvy to find Bolo Darkfeets very drunk and obscured by a cloud of pipe smoke. After noticing the pie which has purchased is gone and reluctantly agreeing to buying a last round for the Hobbit he gets Bolo to draw out a crude map of how to get to the ruins. He will then settle up and offer the Cleric a spot on the floor of his room if he sees him. He will memorize 'Magic Missle' for the next day.
Before retiring he says to Noggin crossly "We've not time for your 5 course hobbit breakfast in the morrow. I'm afraid we'll need to leave at dawn if any chance of making the ruins at a decent hour."
To any of the party present he asks, "is everyone up for leaving at the break of dawn?"
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Post by chris107 on Oct 10, 2014 6:13:23 GMT
A little put out by Malkazar's crossness Noggin will still cheerfully agree to the early and breakfast less start. Cramming extra pie down to last through the long day ahead. He will rise, don his equipment put on his fashionable short cape and wrapping a warm woolen scarf around his neck be ready to be off as dawn cracks.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2014 12:05:55 GMT
Donnerwetter emerges from the room with his clothes neat and his beard braided like is customary for the soldiers of the Zwergmacht. While he looked like a bit of a hobo last night, now he would not seem out of place in a formation of soldiers. He breaks fast with some vegetables and herbal tea and silently reads a few paragraphs from the dwarven book he always carries with him. Part of his rituals before combat.
"Are we ready to go, gentlemen?", he asks rather anxiously, "I hope we find some of these orcs that the locals spoke of and with Doner's blessing we can send the foul beasts into the depths of hell itself."
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Post by mullmann on Oct 10, 2014 17:47:49 GMT
As the party is assembling downstairs the next morning at dawn, Malcazar looks a bit worried. 'I hope my magic will come to me in time of need if we are under diress from these pig faces.'
As he shifts his backpack he adds, 'Last eve the dirty hobbit we met mentioned a trapdoor that he thought seemed welded shut. Do we have a means of opening such a door? Does anyone have a pry or crowbar? I'm afraid this is not an area of my expertise,'
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Post by mullmann on Oct 12, 2014 15:42:20 GMT
Thus you meet outside the inn at the break of dawn. The air is cold in the early morning light and you can see your breath. The ground has a light layer of frost in spots.
You hike east down an old road following the vague drunken directions of the black hobbit. The farmsteads you walk past get sparser and the country grows more wild as you click off miles. At mid day you stop for a quick meal near a clearing.
As evening comes your legs begin to tire but you want to cover as much ground as possible. You take a turn down a older trail/road which goes northeast. You feel you should be reaching the ruins of the Wizard's manse soon.
About a mile in you come across a body in the overgrown road. It appears to be the slightly decomposed corpse of an Orc. You cautiously approach it and can see that both it's eyes have been removed in a violent fashion. The Orc carries a shortbow made of black wood and a quiver with 6 arrows. A rectangular wooden shield is by his side with a crude red eye painted on it. He also carried a hand ax and 2 sp.
It is now getting dark and you have not quite yet reached your destination. You are on a overgrown road with medium forest about you, mostly coniferous trees.
What would you like to do next? Continue on or make camp? Or other?
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Post by Lord Huthor on Oct 13, 2014 4:13:46 GMT
"Since there are things about that like to mutilate orcish warriors, I think we should hasten to our objective. I would hate to chance upon them in the darkness. And I do dislike forests......something unwholesome about so many trees packed together - it's a perfect place for an ambush. From orcs, or whatever other things might roam through the night."
Staring out into the gloom, he shivers.
"When I see a dead orc, I usually like to have been the one that killed it." he mutters.
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Post by chris107 on Oct 13, 2014 6:21:52 GMT
Noggin nods his agreement. Pulling his warm woolen scarf up around the bottom of his face to keep out the worst of the weather he hurries on towards our trapdoor destination.
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Post by mullmann on Oct 14, 2014 5:54:23 GMT
Malcazar the Magnificent stands over the fallen Orc casting long shadows from his cloaked tall thin frame. He steeples his fingers and whistles. "Wow that's one dead Orc..I wonder what the hell happened?" He bends over and pockets the 2 sp. "Great I got the room fee you owe me back." he remarks as you walk on under the dim light of the full moon.
The forest seems to hang over you as night sets in. Towering old growth cedars and knotty pines. There are traces of moss here and sword ferns taller than a dwarf.
Eventually after stumbling around for awhile, Malcazar lights a pitch torch. You hike on for another hour or so and see a large chunk of stone in the road ahead. It has been lodged there long enough to grow some moss and look grimy. It is brown pitted stone and looks as though it was once part of a structure.
You travel on another 10 minutes and come to an overgrown clearing. It is challenging to make out it's total size, but you see overgrown grasses, hillocks, stone debris, piles of wood debris, a few sapling growing to 8'.
It is now 10pm and dark except for the spectral glow of the full moon and some starlight. A few large birds angrily cackle from 30 meters to your east in a large overhanging gnarled tree.
What would you like to do next?
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Post by Lord Huthor on Oct 14, 2014 11:39:37 GMT
"Has that loved and lived-in look." mutters Gerin. "I'm guessing this is the place. I suggest Malcazar and the hobbit start searching about for this trapdoor. The dwarf and I will stand guard."
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Post by Deleted on Oct 14, 2014 18:56:02 GMT
"I can see in the dark...", mentions Donnerwetter. "Guess I should help in the search.", he volunteers.
OOC: assuming infravision is of any use, probably the metal will be cooler than its surroundings at nighttime if the moonlight doesn't mess it up...
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Post by chris107 on Oct 14, 2014 22:07:32 GMT
Noggin blunders around in the dark. Enthusiastically searching for the secret door.
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Post by mullmann on Oct 15, 2014 5:51:00 GMT
Gerin Acolyte of Thor stands guard as the others stamp about the overgrown ruins. The birds in the nearby old tree continue to cackle and caw at you as if in protest of your presence. Malcazar notices the torch he had lit is sputtering and down to a nub so he lights another torch off it and tries to help look for any sign of a trap door outline.
* secret DM rolls *
After 20 minutes of searching Donnerwetter finds what appears to be part of a square outline in the ground.
As he does this though Malcazar waiving the torch now over his head says, "Ah, hey guys those birds are circling us now like Vultures."
Looking up in the night sky against the moon's glow you see a half dozen or so large crow sized birds circling about. They don't seem to be exactly crows as they have a narrower form and longer straight beak as a woodpecker. As a couple swoop down closer you get a closer look and they appear a jet black/purple in color.
What would you like to do next?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2014 7:00:13 GMT
"Crap, those look like stirges..."
Donnerwetter tries to quickly clean up the outline and see if it's really the entrance and if it can be opened fast.
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Post by Lord Huthor on Oct 15, 2014 7:40:08 GMT
Gerin draws his warhammer from its belt loop.
Muttering a hasty prayer to Thor, he covers the attempts of the dwarf to find a way down.
If any of the strange avians come within arm's reach, it won't remain airborne any further.
"I don't suppose anyone thought to bring a bow?" he asks in a low voice.
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Post by chris107 on Oct 15, 2014 18:44:26 GMT
Noggin decides that the crowey things look edible and as he's a bit peckish he'll bring one down with a little arrow. Leaving Donnewetter to break his fingernails lifting the heavy stone block.
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Post by mullmann on Oct 17, 2014 0:12:34 GMT
Malcazar the Maginificent waves the torch he is carrying over his head trying to scare them off. They don't exactly look like Stirges.
Donnerwetter can see the outline more clearly now of the supposed trap door. There are metal hinges on the back side and it is roughly square and made from rusty metal. It looks like it will take a few rounds to get it to where it might open and will likely take some scraping of debris and dirt/vegetation that has grown on it and prying.
Meanwhile a handful of the birds swoop down further in a aggressive pattern. Many continue cackling and cawing in a frenzy.
OOC: I will eliminate the chance for surprise in this instance and roll initiative next and then roll out a combat round (when I get a chance). For now they seem to be focused on the main group (Cleric, Hobbit, Magic User)
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Post by mullmann on Oct 17, 2014 0:54:07 GMT
The large purplish/jet black birds seem to fixate on your heads/faces as they dive bomb you and attack with their wicked beaks.
Init round 1: players roll 1, birds roll 1 - tie, simultaneous combat occurs.
Party rolls: Gerin 20, Noggin 13, Malcazar 7
Monster rolls: 1. 17 attacking Gerin 2.10 attacking Noggin 3. 13 attacking Malcazar
Gerin smacks one w/ his warhammer as it swoops down, dmg roll 5 killing it it lands on the hard ground dead, but not before it pecks at his face for 1 damage
Noggin hits one with an arrow, dmg roll 5 killing one
A bird misses Noggin pecking at his face in a flurry of dark feathers.
Malcazar is pecked for 1 dmg on top of his head
That's the end of round 1. Donnerwetter makes some progress with the door scraping at the outline. What would you like to do next?
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Post by chris107 on Oct 17, 2014 5:57:27 GMT
"Hurry Donnerwetter!" Cries Noggin. He continues to shoot his little arrows at the 'orrible Avians.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2014 6:34:19 GMT
"I don't think I can just yank this blasted thing open fast!", Donnerwetter yells. "Someone give me a hand!"
He decides to hate birds and continues his work like a good dwarf always should. (page. 117 of the Book - Working Under Aerial Attack)
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Post by Lord Huthor on Oct 17, 2014 11:16:01 GMT
Don't look like stirges?
Gerin casts half an eye around with dreams of roasted.....uh, flying thing. Probably not exactly the kind of fare you would find on the tables of Valhalla, but when one is broke, Thor provides.
"If the corpse doesn't provide coin, it often provides a good fire-spitted thigh!" as his mentor used to say.
Deciding he'd rather have a meal than be one, he continues to guard the dwarf while he works at the door.
Anything that gets low enough, he swipes his warhammer at.
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Post by mullmann on Oct 18, 2014 20:53:59 GMT
Under the dim glow of the full moon and a star filled night the flock of 'Eyepecker' birds continue their assault amidst the surface ruins
Initiative rolls, party 5, monsters 3
Gerin attacks one that swoops down with his warhammer, rolls 8 missing Malcazar attacks one with his torch, rolls 16 , hits for 3 dmg and sets it ablaze. It flies about awkwardly for a moment and crashes Noggin shoots another arrow, rolls 7 misses
*secret DM roll* Donnerwetter manages to crack open the trap door. A musty smell comes up at him as the heavy door creaks back a foot or so. He strains, gets his stout legs underneath him and pushes the door back to have it slam down onto the ground. A pitch dark opening leads straight down beneath the earth. He can see some rusted iron rungs
*Morale check* for the birds, rolls a 8 fail and the birds start flying up and away back towards the forest, angrily cawing insults as they go
What would you like to do next?
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