The Secret of Bone Hill - L1 DCC conversion Play By Post

[Sveden]

It sounds like Fritz is running, and he's bringing up the rear. /2¢

/ooc What he said, running. Just pointing out that he's still last in the formation.

[beermotor]

Okay, that's what I was looking for... if he was going to run, then "guard," or stand and take a swing, then run... b/c those are two different things entirely.

The party high-tails it back down the corridor to the room with the stairs. The darkness seems to invade the "library" / study / den room as you flee, and you hear the echoing sounds of the dark thing's unholy, otherworldly laughter following you as you hustle.

You're now all in the room with the stairs. What next?

[GnomeBoy]

"It FOLLOWING us!" Hector dryly bellows.

"I'm not sure going and trapping ourselves upstairs with this thing in pursuit is the wise course..." says Chendriss...

"Perhaps we should retreat to the outside?" Darrow wonders, hands on knees.

Flavia turns her attention to something unseen, listening acutely, as if something is just out of sight at the edge of her perception.

[If there is a clue we've previously hit upon that would help us deal with this thing, I'm at a loss. It's only been a fairly short time for the characters, but weeks and weeks for those of us in the real world (not saying if I am or amn't in the real world, personally). Maybe the notion is just wishful thinking on my part...]

[beermotor]

Portly Trim sees the symbols on the stairs and feels somehow comforted... he intuits that these may be a ward against such dark things, preventing them from climbing the stairs.

[Raven_Crowking]

Portly Trim sees the symbols on the stairs and feels somehow comforted... he intuits that these may be a ward against such dark things, preventing them from climbing the stairs.

I was actually wondering if they would be. If the wraith could leave its area, something had to be keeping it from slaughtering the bugs.

[beermotor]

Portly Trim sees the symbols on the stairs and feels somehow comforted... he intuits that these may be a ward against such dark things, preventing them from climbing the stairs.

I was actually wondering if they would be. If the wraith could leave its area, something had to be keeping it from slaughtering the bugs.

Yup, yay for logic.
So now the question is only how long will you wait to see if the wraith can leave the area where you encountered it... ?

[Raven_Crowking]

Portly Trim sees the symbols on the stairs and feels somehow comforted... he intuits that these may be a ward against such dark things, preventing them from climbing the stairs.

I was actually wondering if they would be. If the wraith could leave its area, something had to be keeping it from slaughtering the bugs.

Yup, yay for logic.
So now the question is only how long will you wait to see if the wraith can leave the area where you encountered it... ?

We seem to be able to outrun it, so I say we wait before going outside at night. Perhaps the dead were from here, and are now gone, but perhaps the dead also roam the region at night.

[Sveden]

"I knew you had not forgotten me Great Spirit!"

Trim points out the wards to the group. He silently makes a pact to return some gold to the earth in honor of the power of the great spirit.

[beermotor]

"I knew you had not forgotten me Great Spirit!"

Trim points out the wards to the group. He silently makes a pact to return some gold to the earth in honor of the power of the great spirit.

Portly Trim's hand throbs painfully for a moment (even though it was "healed" earlier, at least the poison was stopped) and he hears a voice in his mind that says "As you are my new born son, you must atone through the aqiq, the blood sacrifice. With your gold, find an unblemished lamb and perform the proper ritual. Then, you may receive the blessing of the Most High, the Great Spirit of the Desert Mountain."

[beermotor]

So, will the party wait until the suns rise before leaving the ruins? Will they spend another night upstairs in the laboratory area? Or will they brave the cold desert night and leave the accursed ruins?

While they're discussing, shadows seem to darken in the hallway outside this lower basement room with the sigil-inscribed stairs. Evil laughter is heard out in the hallway...

[Raven_Crowking]

If the darkness passes the sigils, book! If it does not, stay.

At least, that's Cathbad's vote.

[Sveden]

Bypeld trusts Portly Trim's interpretation of the sigils.

"Lets go barricade ourselves in the alchemist's room and wait for daybreak."

[GnomeBoy]

"Yes," says Chendriss, "we should return to the top of these stairs, and if the thing does not pursue, we should return to the upper floor and rest til dawn, then to town..."

Hector, Darrow and Flavia agree.

[beermotor]

The party wisely retreats up the stairs, and he darkness gathers below. You can hear a deep, hollow chuckling sound, and you can see the red eyes floating in the palpable darkness below, it swirls around in the air like murky water. "Ohhhhhhh.... commmmmmee baaaaaaaaaaackkkk... <chuckle>"

But it doesn't follow up the stairs.

Now what? Upstairs again to the alchemist's rooms?

[Sveden]

/ooc My pod will lead the way to the Alchemist's room.

Bypeld suggests a course of action once in the room, "After we decide how to barricade this room, lets check the rooms surrounding to make sure nothing has re-laired in our absence."

[GnomeBoy]

"Absolutely," says Flavia, "take nothing for granted -- we explore above just as if we'd never been up there." She looks up at the ceiling, thinking of big bugs...

[Raven_Crowking]

"Wisely said, Bypeld," says Cathbad.

[beermotor]

The surviving party members gain 2XP for encountering and surviving the wraith.

[Sveden]

/ooc Finally! Bypeld, Tonunt and Orastes have leveled up!

[GnomeBoy]

Congrats!

Trying to treat everything as if they've never seen it before, we move back up the stairs, slowly, listening for any sound, looking for hints of movement in the dark, shifting shadows, dripping ichor or slime, and generally regarding every tread before we take it.

We've got the time to go slow, so we do.

[Sveden]

Orastes the Chaotic Wizard
Bypeld the Neutral Wizard
and
Tonunt the Lawful Thief

Orastes HP = 1d4+0= 3
Bypeld HP = 1d4+0= 4
Tonunt HP = 1d6+0= 4

[beermotor]

Nothing moves in the dusty ruins as you make your way back upstairs. All is eerily quiet.

You're back in the bedroom. I don't recall that anyone ever did anything with the body of Timor the evil magician, so if not, it's just lying there on the floor, stinking, with flies buzzing around...

[Sveden]

Portly Trim looks at the blackened and withered wounds of Fritz.

Silently he asks forgiveness of the Great Spirit as he calls on his healing powers.

"Oh great one, this man stood his ground against the black wraith and protected others. May your healing power wash over him and turn his once fractured ways towards the path of order."

Lay on Hands Check - Lawful to Chaotic

1d20+1+0= 5

Trim steps back. His hands still in silent reflection.

/ooc Disapproval +1 now at 4

[beermotor]

There is an audible clap of thunder outside. Everyone jumps. (In such a dry location as this, thunder is beyond rare...)

Portly Trim feels that he has sinned deeply, indeed.

[GnomeBoy]

I'm not sure how much of the night is left... Flavia will be on first watch, and Darrow on second.

Chendriss takes a moment to peruse the alchemical items and such, perhaps even jotting down a little inventory of the more choice items there for future reference.