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

[GnomeBoy]

Flavia the beekeeper picks up 50' of rope. Chendris and Hector both retrieve large sacks from their dwellings [purchased with cp, but narratively already possessed].

"We shall endeavor to do good on the investment your master has made in us," says Chendris, referring to the value of the loaned items. "I assume these do not count as our pay, should we complete our task...?"

Flavia goes over the way to Bone Hill with Darrow, while Hector tries to follow their conversation as best he can...

[beermotor]

My characters gahter up (each) the floowing items:

three oil flask
three torches
flint/steel
tinder
chalk
rope (50')
blankets

How are they paying for that stuff? Starting coins are pretty miniscule. That's why Roberto issued a pack w/ rations and waterskins to everybody.

This better? These are items they would normally have at the house anyway.

They can have 3 torches, some flint, and a piece of chalk each. The rest of the stuff is out of the ordinary and will need to be purchased with coins per the book prices... the characters are all poor, serfs, vagabonds, runaways from farm life, etc.

[beermotor]

Flavia the beekeeper picks up 50' of rope. Chendris and Hector both retrieve large sacks from their dwellings [purchased with cp, but narratively already possessed].

"We shall endeavor to do good on the investment your master has made in us," says Chendris, referring to the value of the loaned items. "I assume these do not count as our pay, should we complete our task...?"

Flavia goes over the way to Bone Hill with Darrow, while Hector tries to follow their conversation as best he can...

"No," Roberto says, "you get the coins on top of this stuff." He smirks again. "Assuming you survive, that is."

[Crimsontree]

Portly Trim buys 2 torches, he's not too fond of dark places, but these are desperate times. He also buys a large sack for all the jewels he's sure to find.

Fritz Duiveltongue purchases some flint & steel & an empty flask. He hopes to fill it if he finds a water source such as a river or spring.

Clump the Jester buys 2 torches & he also buys some animal feed. He likes to nibble on it once and awhile. Regular food is so samey & variety is the spice of life.

Fantano Allegro buys a couple of days worth of animal feed but this is intended for the sole use of his pony, Steed. Fantano also invests in a sturdy 10 foot pole.

[beermotor]

You set out. It' a good three-day hike over rough terrain. By day, the twin suns look like a giant rotating fried egg in the sky; by night, the Great Eye seems to watch you from afar, glowing with an unholy purplish light. The white moon makes long shadows in the night, except when the darker, smaller moon passes in front of it, obscuring it for a short amount of time as it speeds across the sky twice. The region is silent, for the most part, empty of wildlife save the occasional desert bird, venomous serpent, and spiders and scorpions, ants, and other nuisance bugs. Water is scarce, but a few small muddy pools are found here and there (to water the pony/donkey/whatever other farm animals y'all may have come with).

On the first day, around late afternoon, you saw to the west-northwest the hill upon which stands the ancient Abbey of the Father. By nightfall, as you passed by and just before making camp, you thought you could see dim lights in the windows of the ruined-looking structure. Probably the monks who live there.

On the third day, around midday, Bone Hill rises above the horizon, or, perhaps more accurately, the area around the hill seems to fall down into the earth, jumbled and broken. Atop the central plateau area of Bone Hill is what appears to be the ruins of some large structure of indeterminate age, origin, or function. Clouds of red dust blow off the structure when the wind picks up, as some parts appear to have been iron or steel and are now rusting into oblivion. The place has an evil look to it, and the farm animals all become very uneasy. If you approach now, you could be there by mid-afternoon.

[Relaxo]

ok, is it too late for me to play?
no sweat if it is.

[beermotor]

not too late...

[GnomeBoy]

Darrow has been developing the feeling that the group has been followed, and now he's certain of it. [Welcome new player!]

He suggests waiting where the group is -- a couple hours out from the Hill -- and that the group find out who's try to catch up to them, and prepare themselves for an early start and a full day on the Hill tomorrow...

"Sleeping nearer to the Hill might be more trouble than it's worth..."


[beer, it has occurred to be me that while a hunter comes with a shortbow, the occupation does not come with arrows, apparently. And for that matter, they are spendy for zero-level characters, and I completely overlooked trying to make the purchase. Should I plan on using my bow as a club, if need be -- or can I roll under my Luck to have an arrow or two...?]

[beermotor]

Darrow has 3d4 arrows. He'll need to be careful with them or he'll run out...

[MrHemlocks]

My four characters all agree that it is better to rest away from the base of the hill than risk gathering attention form whatever lurks within the ruins that rest upon the plateau. One by one they prepare themselves for the long night and the approaching stranger that is headed their way.

[GnomeBoy]

[7 arrows it is then! Thanks.]

Darrow and Hector walk out about 2 or 3 hundred yards from 'camp', toward the approaching strangers, to size them up and determine their intentions, before they reach the camp...

They will speak to them, of course, before engaging in any hostile acts. "Hail, travelers,! What could bring you out into these wastes...?"

[beermotor]

If Relaxo doesnt post in a couple hours then we can move on, don't want to wait for nothing.

[beermotor]

Whether newcomers arrive or not, night eventually falls, like clockwork. It is cold here, and an icy wind flows up from the broken ground below, in the direction of the ruin atop Bone Hill. The cold wind carries with it an awful, terrible stench: worse than any abbatoir in Portsmouth.

Will you set watches, build a fire, anything?

[Crimsontree]

Portly Trim & Clump try to get some sleep despite the stench & cold. Fantano & Fritz go off together in search of firewood.

[MrHemlocks]

Fosco, readies his flint/steel while waiting fo the other two to come back with the firewood.
Jed, tries to liken up the situation by doing a fine act of telling a few jokes.
Gandolf, reads from his ancient tome of arcane knowledge and Thorin, using his dark vision, scans the area for any sign of life or other 'things' that seem out of place.

[beermotor]

There is little to no wood in this place; indeed, wood is a precious commodity in this world, hard to come by in general. Unless there is a woodcutter in your group who came with a bundle of wood to use, the gatherers aren't able to get much at all, save a few large dried dung piles from camels or oxen... the dung is ancient, nearly ossified, bleached white by the sun and riddled with holes from boring dung beetles.

The cold of night presses in around you. Thorin, the dwarf, can't see anything in the darkness, but occasionally, there is a whispered sound, almost like drums or a heartbeat, coming from the direction of the ruins atop Bone Hill. Jed's jokes fall flat in the cold wind, and soon everyone is quiet, nervous, tense. Sleep may be impossible...

You've got enough fuel for a small fire for a few hours, assuming there's no woodcutter with wood (if there is, it'll last all night).

[GnomeBoy]

We huddle together for warmth. Even Chendris, normally aloof and wild-eyed and strange, concedes the moment and joins the huddle -- much better than getting completely chilled through to the bone before what may be a monumental task the next day...

[I'm not assuming it's only my characters in the huddle, but won't assume everyone joins in...]

A somber mood develops among the group, an awareness that by the next night, some may be gone, indeed they all may be gone... For some this thought is stronger than the wind and the cold, blotting out mere weather from their minds...

[Crimsontree]

The 2 dung gatherers return from their search & try their very best to get some sort of warmth from the bits of poo they have managed to find. (It's a dirty job... & all that).

[beermotor]

The 2 dung gatherers return from their search & try their very best to get some sort of warmth from the bits of poo they have managed to find. (It's a dirty job... & all that).

Just to be clear... does this mean you're lighting it?

[Crimsontree]

The 2 dung gatherers return from their search & try their very best to get some sort of warmth from the bits of poo they have managed to find. (It's a dirty job... & all that).

Just to be clear... does this mean you're lighting it?

Indeed it does. Fantano doubts he'll get many sparks, rubbing two bits of dungs together.

[beermotor]

Others have flint and steel, so getting the dung and bits of debris (there is some small scraps of dessicated woody-material here and there, from the stunted scrub brush that is the main vegetation in this area) lit isn't too difficult.

The whole group huddles around the stinking fumes of the small orange fire, entranced by the flames, which provide just a tiny amount of extra warmth.

Will you set watches?

[MrHemlocks]

Others have flint and steel, so getting the dung and bits of debris (there is some small scraps of dessicated woody-material here and there, from the stunted scrub brush that is the main vegetation in this area) lit isn't too difficult.

The whole group huddles around the stinking fumes of the small orange fire, entranced by the flames, which provide just a tiny amount of extra warmth.

Will you set watches?

Gandolf, gets up and puts his arcane tome away. "Well, I and my Dwarf friend, looking at Thorin, will stay up for first watch. For I feel our little fire my have sparked the attention of unwanted eyes from off in the distance."

[beermotor]

Most of the party is able to drift off into sleep after an hour or so, shivering in the cold wind, huddled in blankets and whatever they can for warmth. The wizard's apprentice and his friend the dwarf stare into the darkness, but see nothing. The wind whistles in your ears and obscures and noise, although you occasionally hear what sounds like blowing sand and dust.

Towards the end of the watch there is a strange sound, like a plop from above, then another plop-plop. Turning, the two watchmen see what look like bloody and rotten entrails lying near to the small, dim fire.

[MrHemlocks]

Gandolf and Thorin stop what their doing, wipe the sleep from their eyes, draw their weapons and go around the small fire waking each sleeping company with a push and a shout.

Thorin, with his dark vision, scans the night sky for whatever it was that might of dropped these presents from above.

"By all my Dwarven ancestors, what have I gotten myself into now", Thorin mutters.

[beermotor]

As they're doing that, some strange snarling noises are heard and four half-decayed human corpses lurch towards the light from out of the darkness beyond. Two of them fall upon Clump, and one each upon Jed and Fantano, tearing at the poor men with fingers that are as much bone as they are flesh, and biting with ravenous, hungry mouths, snarling and moaning and roaring incomprehensibly as they do so. The first scores a critical hit against Clump (5 total damage), and his throat is torn open, blood spraying and gushing out as his scream of panic and fear is cut short when his vocal chords are ripped free; the second stumbles and joins his fellow, feasting on the poor jester's warm flesh. The third falls upon Jed, tearing at his face with his sharp bony hands, ripping the (other) jester's eyes from his sockets (6 total damage), Jed's screams of pain are quickly silenced by the thing gnawing on his face. The fourth falls over Fantano, pinning him to the ground as it snarls and bites at him (2 total damage), and the animal trainer is quickly killed as well.

Surprise round's over, roll d20 for initiative for your groups.

And since these are now prone, feasting on your (dead) comrades, roll d24s to hit them with melee or ranged weapons (from short range only, and be careful about firing into melee, unless you don't care in which case fire away! ).