Core Dungeon Crawl: The Deadpeaks

[Devilfish]

Ivellis girds the loins of his robes, hoisting himself up spryly with ease. Ascending the terraces proves easy to you, and Revindil enjoys the smooth ride up. You are nearly at the top, so close to Aerowyn… when your foot catches the hood of a monk just below you. (DC 15)

Its head is tugged back and it lolls rearward toward you, mouth ajar and eyes deep and sunken-- unnervingly locked with your own. You hesitate for a moment, but its gaze does not move, and it does not react to your movements. You quickly free your foot of the dead, entombed thing, and move onwards.

* * *

Saeth attunes himself with the Arcanum, and surveys the room for what magics might linger in these ruins. The monks, to your relief, hold no auras about them, and if spells were cast upon them they had stopped long ago. At best, you suspect their flesh had been preserved by some old-world necromancy…
[spellcraft] (1d20+6)[14]
But it may just as well be the well-designed architecture. It is hard to say.

The sarcophagus, however, is another story. Runes glimmer faintly on the rim of its stone lid, powerful spells of conjuration, abjuration, and abjuration again, some repeated several times around the sides and its base. Whatever is inside, someone took extensive effort to make sure that no one got in… or nothing got out.

* * *

Burroughs takes the downtime as a luxury to study the old monks. It is uncommon to witness monasteries like these beyond the stories, and each place bears within it a thousand tales, waiting to be told. The monks are truly ancient, decrepit things, but what’s interesting is that their corpses vary in age and deterioration. People must have come for at least a hundred years to pay penance at the Temple of Sham bel Sharma, some maybe more; you are only on the first floor, and the other monks may tell stories still.

One such has tattoos on his face, which you have heard once marked the crimes of an especially despised person. You surmise that these monks may have been the very same depicted in the room below.

You take note of your allies and begin to climb yourself. Alas! At the top of the second terrace, your foot slips, and it sends you tumbling backwards! (DC 10) Just as you fall towards the laps of three monks below you, you brace out with one hand onto a blank patch on the floor, and handspring yourself through the air onto the safety of the ground floor. The entire auditorium of monks are speechless after the feat.

Spoiler: OOC

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25 on tumble, I’ve recruited a party of chimpanzees!

You try the climb again. (1d20+3)[9] HNNNG ok you know what. It goes much better for you this time.

[Devilfish]

Spoiler: Ivellis.

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S o m e t h i n g

.

w h i s p e r s .

o v e r .

y o u r
.

s h o u l d e r

.

Spoiler

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You spin around, but see nothing. Revindil turns to you, expectantly.
He heard it too.

[Auranghzeb]

Before climbing up Burroughs takes the information and thinks to himself Well I start to see a pattern, criminals and siners who come here to repent...to find a final rest, chaining themselves to the light.


Then after the clumsy climb Burroughs takes a look at Malthena and Saeth... he hopes they don't take the disrespect for the death too seriously.

Once upstairs What do we see rogue? I think this place has been visited many times in the past, and these monks are penitents that come to chain themselves, they are the ones painted in the other chamber, in a procesion to reach Bel Sharma perhaps.

[dextercorvia]

Saeth responds to Malthena, loud enough for the others nearby to hear. "I don't see any magic except on the sarcophagus. That glows like the face of a soldier on furlough. I count three spells more powerful than I can cast. Specifically, I don't see any hidden magics hiding among the corpses."

He shivers at being surrounded by all of this orchestrated death. "I have the sinking suspicion that all of these people were chained here alive and left to starve." Death was no stranger to Iach, but on the battlefield, a person's life or death made a difference, at least to their comrades. This was a toothless and pathetic existence.

[Luccan]

Ivellis shudders and nods to Revindil I can't be certain, but I think there may be a presence we can't see hear.

[Goaty14]

Mr. Skolly, you didn't tell me you had friends! Umral unwittingly shouts. Moving up to the inscription on the sarcophagus, he presses Mr. Skolly's head into the stone, yelling
Mr Skolly, can you read it!?

[Eladrinblade]

Helping Ivellis and Burroughs up the last bit of the climb, Aerowyn loud-whispers, "The climb is fairly difficult, but I know how to fall, so do not be alarmed if I do. One of you can throw me a rope if I make it." He turns around to inspect the wreckage and look for the best route, bites the sunrod in his mouth, then carefully attempts to climb.

Spoiler

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I figure one section of wall may be easier than the rest.

Climb: (1d20+9)[27]
if I fall:
Tumble: (1d20+11)[29]

[Devilfish]

Although Sir Skolly had his skull smashed to splinters not long ago, Umral approximates where to shove his neck if only for ventriloquism's sake. You are fortunate that Aerowyn had his back turned when you trounce up not one, not two, but three flights of stairs on your way to the sarcophagus, but you seem none the worse for it (just as your sagacious wisdom and forethought anticipated). The inscription on the sarcophagus is quite legible, carved sharply and boldly into the great stone slab.

Gathered herein is Tyrterrath's history - of blood and greed and hatred

Siphoned from the worst of beasts - never to corrupt the light again.

Buried herein is Sham Bel Sharma - the illustrious one who stayed armageddon

Absolver of sin and pardoner of evil - who assembled all injustices to bear upon himself.

N e v e r . o p e n . t h i s . b o x

* * *

Aerowyn stares at the ruined stairway, mentally marking his every step. The path upwards is crumbling and precarious, and there is no way of telling which grip might give way. Worse than the gap are the steps below, hard and jutting, a painful place to land. You take a deep breath and steel yourself, preparing for the climb.

Precisely five feet off the ground, your first grip breaks and gives way. So does the second, and the third, and the next after that, and before you realize it you are scurrying all 135 pounds of you up a crumbling stairway that would crush you under its rubble. Burroughs and Ivellis scatter from the falling pieces, while Saeth, Malthena, and Umral wait on bated breath as you climb faster than gravity's draw. Your legs give out beneath you, and with a desperate reach...! You unscrunch your face and open your eyes slowly, finding yourself hanging by your fingertips from the balcony above.

(The DM will note that you aced the climb, and the dramatics were purely for the fun of it)

You pull yourself safely to the next floor

Spoiler

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Full Image

* * *

Malthena... you swear you could feel something graze your shoulder. Your arm suddenly feels numb.

[Eladrinblade]

Aerowyn gets up and dusts himself off, breathing a sigh of relief. He then holds his hands out, ready to catch a thrown rope.

[Luccan]

Ivellis tosses his rope, but he keeps glancing around. He seems nervous and each monent seems to increase that nervousness. He sends a feeling of caution to his familiar, hoping the bat will keep it's own senses at the ready.

Spoiler: rolls

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Throw (Str I assume) (1d20+1)[5]
Spot (1d20+4)[10]
Listen (1d20+7)[27]

[Auranghzeb]

Burroughs does not understand why Aerowyn didn't tie a rope around his waist, and then he sees Ivelis pathetically throwing the rope a few centimeters...

Besides, there's what ivleis said... something invisible... Burroughs is quite sure there's a ghost.

Aerowyn, it is better if you check on that light by yourself, Ivelis thinks we might have company, and ghosts wouldn't surprise me in this collective tomb...

He takes his bow again, notching a magic arrow...

Is there a way you can detect undead or invisible foes Ivelis?

While he does this Burroughs does as saeth and his eyes light up.

[Devilfish]

A ghost would be an optimistic thought.

Over malthena's shoulder rests a spectral hand, elongated and thin like a shadow stretched by flames. The glow of Saeth's holy symbol casts back the darkness, and what remains indeed is the shade of a man, a lightless void
forming a silhouette against the light.

Spoiler

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Malthena: [Knowledge, Religion: (1d20+6)[20]]
Ivellis: [Knowledge, Religion: (1d20+6)[19]]
Saeth: [Knowledge, Religion: (1d20-1)[19]]
Burroughs: [Knowledge, Bardic: (1d20+6)[20]]]

Positions in the room

You recognize this thing as the hungering darkness, a creature born of emptiness which saps away at life. By every account they are predatory and vile... and yet despite getting the drop on you, this fiend does not attack.

It clutches its temple in one hand, and wanders about without any apparent aim.

It is your decision of what to do.

* * *

[Eladrinblade]

Aerowyn deftly catches the hurled rope, and looks around for a place to tie it to, like a balcony rail. Regardless, he will hold the rope just in case for anyone climbing up, or pull them up while they hang on, as they prefer and his strength allows.

Spoiler

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Assuming hurling a rope is easy enough to not need a check, and also that he had no way to know about the shadow thing.

[dextercorvia]

Saeth turns to face the creature holding his holy symbol out in front of him. "So, uh, we are definitely not alone in here. There is a shadowy undead creature that should be eating Malthena right now, but it is largely ignoring us. 'Thena? Are you alright?"

[Luccan]

If it isn't bothering anyone, might I recommend we stay away from it? Aerowyn is waiting to help us up. He notices Umral playing with the sarcophagus and lets out a pained sigh Umral! That is quite likely to be very dangerous. Please leave it alone.

[dextercorvia]

Saeth retorts, "Easy enough for you to say -- from way over there." Still, the priest takes no offensive action, but he doesn't take his eyes off of the shadowy creature, even to look at what trouble Umral has found for himself.

[Meijin]

To the group: "Doing fine, Saeth, thanks for asking. I'm going to see if this being can be communicated with peacefully. Usually it would attack, but this one seems safe for now. What's more, this was a temple to purify sinners and redeem them, so this remnant may wish us no harm."

Malthena warily approaches the shade, and attempts to communicate with it. In Common and in Dwarven, she says with composure:

"Greetings, cold one. We mean you no harm. Please, grant us safe passage through your crypt. If you can communicate with us, I will listen respectfully."

She can also try towrite her message in her notebook and attempt to show it to the specter.

If the spirit does not seem to respond, Malthena just tries to communicate peace through large pantomime gestures: laying her palms open in front of her and bowing low in greeting.

[Devilfish]

Aerowyn: You can catch the rope quite easily from any point, and the balcony is lined with banisters that make for easy anchors to tie to. You can shuffle past the monks and tie it along the western rail, or along the southern end where the balcony makes a bend. The matter is entirely up to you.


Malthena:
Despite your best efforts to gesture and communicate with the shade, its responses are erratic and impossible to comprehend. It whispers to itself unintelligibly (whether in common, you cannot say,), looking about the room in sudden motions as though distracted by a dozen things unseen.
Spot:(1d20+4)[8]
You try tracing its gaze to no avail. Its attention finally snaps to you, reaching out with a hand that chills your breath.

" h

e

r

?

"

It withdraws its touch abruptly, focusing sharply on Umral. It looms a foot taller in size, eyeing him at the sarcophagus.

" h i m . "

The creature lets out a low, gaping howl, and disappears into the floor.

[Eladrinblade]

Aerowyn ties the rope to the nearest undamaged banister, then drops the rest down by Ivellis. He waits to see if they want to follow him up; if they do, he will hold on to the rope or haul them up.

[Meijin]

"Umral," Malthena calls out with some urgency, "I would advise you to step away from that sarcophagus and proceed with a bit more caution. Our cold acquaintance may defend it with some vigor, and I am disinclined to aid you in desecrating a well-protected tomb with a clear warning before further consideration. Saeth, did you see where it was looking?"

[Goaty14]

Step away? Ok, but Mr. Skolly has got to keep watch

Umral says, setting Mr. Skolly down onto the sarcophagus, sits down, and drinks a gallon of ale, indiscriminately sloshing is over himself and the floor

[Luccan]

Ivellis watches the undead sink into the floor and simply studies where it disappeared for a moment. He lets out an awkward cough in the following silence and turns to the rope Aerowyn offered Well, no time like the present. He begins attempting to climb it, wanting to be as far away from the undead as possible.

Spoiler: Climb!

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(1d20+1)[7]

[Devilfish]

The shade returns with an arcane scroll. At its incantation, a Hero's Feast appears before you- a long mahogany table with courtier's chairs, lined with delicacies and spirits of all manners from the Western lands. At the center of it all is a golden-brown bird, cooked perfectly and seasoned so well that its aroma puts all the ghosts of the ctype to rest. Only Sir Skolly remains to stick around, who joins you at the table and shares stories among your loving company.

Everyone roll a willsave: DC 25, or fall asleep when the meal is done.

Happy thanksgiving, everyone
[CENTER[/Non-Canon][/CENTER]

* * *


Reading the dead is an enigma, Saeth. Just as the untrained eye cannot percieve the arcanum, what can mortal men see of the great between? The undead's spirit is in a place betwixt places, incomprehensable to those... uninitiated.

You cannot view the world through an undead's eye, or know what it might be seeing. From a living man's perspective is there anything which you can see or think of, which there are dozens of in the room...?

* * *

Aerowyn makes his way past the monks and ties the rope firmly to a banister. He directs Ivellis to hold on tight, while he pulls the wizard up from above and Burroughs pushes him up by the backside below. It is a silly and clumsy effort, but through teamwork you get him to the balcony above.

(The rest of you can take 10 on the rope climb, or keep an eye on the ground floor below)

* * *

I'm going to check out the sunlight. It's on the first balcony, which can be reached via the ruined stairwell in the upperleft corner.

At the end of the hallway is small tower room, with a tall thin window giving light from the outside. It is poorly maintained, cold, and dusty. There was a short hall leading to the opposite balcony which has since caved in, and the steps leading to the next floor have all but collapsed. None of this is as important to you though, as what lays before you outside.

Ten men stand outside Sham Bel Sharma; tall, thick-armed, draped in rough wraps and armors. Though their faces are hidden behind cloaks and helms, their body language speaks out multitudes, cross-armed and serious, and driven with purpose.

At their center is a man in a boar-shaped helm, dressed in all black crouching low to the ground. He pinches the soil where you all stood outside, and smells it between his fingers. A lone man on horseback, the apparent leader of this group, speaks to him ((Listen (1d20+9)[17])), gruffly, and guttural, and in orcish.

But of course, you do not know orcs enough to tell who they are, or understand the language enough to tell what they say.

[Eladrinblade]

Aerowyn turns from the window and beckons Ivellis over to it, putting a finger to his lips to request silence while doing so. While Ivellis is coming, Aerowyn peers out the window in every direction he can without moving fast enough to draw any eyes, trying to locate Q and the animals.

Spoiler

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If appropriate:
Spot: (1d20+9)[19]

[Luccan]

Ivellis walks as quietly as he can to the window and peers out, listening for the words of the riders and searching for Q

Spoiler: Rolls

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Move Silently (1d20+3)[6]

Listen (1d20+7)[27]

Spot (1d20+4)[16]

[dextercorvia]

Saeth shivers as the shade fades from view. "I feel it would be better if we stuck closer together. If some threat came upon us now we'd be in poor shape to defend ourselves, spread out as we are over two fronts."

He picks his way across to the rope and in turn climbs it to the balcony.

[Meijin]

With one last glance around, Malthena follows Saeth up the rope.

[Devilfish]

Hope you all don’t mind me smoking. I won’t do it indoors so I might as well take my last pipe here.

"Tobacco ash," the orc in the Boar Helm declares, letting the pieces fall before him. "Dwarven brightleaf."

Spoiler: Umral

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You see the silver animal helm on black armor, and your heart sinks.

Dats a manhunter. Mean bois, powerful, with hearts as dark as pitch. You've seen one break a mark's wrists, and drag em by a horse away in the middle of the night. Dis boy's a professional; and you're being hunted by him like deer.

Dis is bad. Whoever's after Q really, really wants to get his hands on him.

The orc (?) on horseback trots up to him, watching him survey the ground. He snarls with a voice like gravel, and turns to the temple of Sham Bel Sharma.

" I must say, manhunter. I'm surprised you were able to track him after all."

"It was harder when he stopped using campfires."

"And now, look at him. How he brings sellswords and hides in this place. How he leads a pack of cowards, to run from us like kittens. This is weakness in their hearts. Hrrrrn, I hate it."

He tightens his grip upon his weapon- a heavy glaive resting broad across his back.

"How many."

"Six escorts--"

"Six insects."

"And a seventh on horseback," the tracker ignores the comment and continues to pat at the grass. "Or a pack mule. I cannot say by the weight."

"Hrm. We can handle seven, and now our man has nowhere to go. Entry points?"

"Sealed from the front. It looks like..." he levels himself with the ground, shuffling to follow the tracks, "one of them led the horse and a dog around the side? There might be another way in."

"Good," the commander turns the horse about, and shouts to his men. "ALRIGHT, you heard him! The enemy is weak, and softened with cowardice; the time to move in is now! Five men around the side, four with me to choke off his escape. Flush out this vermin from his hole... and bring him back, that I may axe his neck."

The orc in the Boar Helm nods, and gestures four others to follow him. "And his bodyguards?" he asks before he goes.

The commander waves the comment off, never taking his eyes off the temple.

"Tell them to piss off... or kill them very badly."



(Q, the donkey, and the dog are nowhere to be seen.)

* * *


It is possible to try to climb to the next balcony, via another difficult climb.

[Luccan]

Ivellis's expression darkens as he listens to the conversation and relays the informationIt seems we specifically are being hunted. Whoever this is wants Q dead badly and is willing to kill us all to achieve that end. From the sounds of the conversation he holds low opinion of our mercenary employment. He smirks slightly as he hears of Q and the animals However, both our employer and the animals are alive. Apparently they went around the side. He indicates the relative direction based on where the tracker pointed They out number us slightly, but if we are clever I think we'll be fine.

[Auranghzeb]

Burroughs listens to the information and takes a green feathered arrow...


We could make up the numbers by shooting them right away... we have cover after all that will distract them from following Q