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

[Sveden]

Sitting chained against the wall you see four humanoid figures squinting against the torchlight. As you get closer you see three men and a woman.

The oldest man in the group speaks, "Thank the gods! You aren't one of those horrible bug-men. Please in the the name of Portsmouth unchain us before it is too late."

His voice dry from apparent dehydration the man pulls feebly at a leather collar around his neck.

[beermotor]

There's a pile of their personal effects nearby, FYI.

This audience chamber is large, and on the western end, where a throne may have once stood upon a raised dais, you can see the twinkling stars of the early morning sky outside (like, 3 a.m., roughly) through the crumbled ceiling and exterior wall. It might be possible to crawl out that opening and escape the ruins, you're not sure. There's another door on the south wall, and like the one on the north wall that Thorin/Fosco just came through, it's open.

[MrHemlocks]

There's a pile of their personal effects nearby, FYI.

This audience chamber is large, and on the western end, where a throne may have once stood upon a raised dais, you can see the twinkling stars of the early morning sky outside (like, 3 a.m., roughly) through the crumbled ceiling and exterior wall. It might be possible to crawl out that opening and escape the ruins, you're not sure. There's another door on the south wall, and like the one on the north wall that Thorin/Fosco just came through, it's open.

ooc...Any way you could dropbox a picture of the map so far? Even 'old school' would have the DM help with the map if things got all messed up. And beside, we are not actually playing old school are we...on computer. It would be easier to understand the layout of the dungeon if we were all seated at the same table, but over the internet things can get a bit confussing as to how things look and where other characters are. Least to me...

[romprecentor]

OOC: Sure, I will tackle that when I get back this afternoon, labels and rooms. My pc has the file and is home currently.

Updated! Please check for accuracy.

[romprecentor]

Fritz hustles back to the Trim and they use the dining room table to secure the door to the kitchen. If opportunity presents itself Trim will still try and turn the horde chasing us.

[beermotor]

Ok, the door to the kitchen room is now barred/blocked by the remains of the large table. There's a few more loud thuds/bangs on the south door in the kitchen, and then it stops completely, and all becomes quiet... except for the plaintive moans of the four miserable wretches chained up in this room, waiting for someone to free them.

(Fritz, you may want to ask your fellow adventurers if anyone started with a set of tools that might be useful for a Thief... as you'll need something to pick locks. Improvising something MIGHT be possible, if you scavenge a bit, but there'll be some sort of negative circumstantial modifier for that.)

[MrHemlocks]

Fosco and Thorin lite up their torches. They than look around the kitchen. Thorin looking for something he can make a shield with and Fosco looks for a second weapon that he could use in his off hand. If nothing is to be found they will stand guard near the south door, that is opened, peering into the Audience Chamber.

[beermotor]

OK, the door to the kitchen has been barred by the remains of the table. Thorin scrounges around to see if he can find something suitable to use as a shield but comes up empty. (Don't give up. You might get lucky later.)

Fosco finds something that he could potentially use as a small club (d3 damage) if he wants.

In the audience chamber are the four miserable wretches chained up by their necks to a rock on the floor, and a pile of their gear lies nearby but out of their reach.

[Raven_Crowking]

Jack will see if Stormbringer's Little Brother can cut through the chains and release these poor victims.

[MrHemlocks]

Fosco, grabbing the club in his left hand smiles..."now we are ready for action!"

Thorin steps into the audience chamber a bit and exaimines the four chained figures."How did you get here and who or what tied you up?"

[beermotor]

Jack will see if Stormbringer's Little Brother can cut through the chains and release these poor victims.

Interesting... (You know I actually have to go read up on Stormbringer now, haha... OK read up on it... main difference is the unadorned nature of this blade, and the smaller size.)

In fact, the black blade slices through the rusty chains like butter. Depending on where Jack's cutting the chains, there's still some bits of them dangling from the collars around these poor souls' necks. If Jack wants to try to use the blade to remove the collars, or crop the chains close to the collars, well... we'll need some rolls.

[romprecentor]

Fritz looks to the other party members, "any of you have something I could use to pick these locks?". Fritz examines the collars to see if this is possible.

Portly flexes his hand again trying to keep it legible. He lingers I the doorway of the audience hall watching the way we came.

[beermotor]

Fritz looks to the other party members, "any of you have something I could use to pick these locks?". Fritz examines the collars to see if this is possible.

Portly flexes his hand again trying to keep it legible. He lingers I the doorway of the audience hall watching the way we came.

Hmm, keeping a hand legible? Is he writing something? If you mean "loose," okay that's fine.

Fritz sees the chains are locked with crude rusty padlocks to the leather collars. With some time, it could be possible to cut the collars off, or with the right tools, he could probably pick the locks. He'd need something stiff to make the picks with, though... some metal wire of some kind. He doesn't see anything immediately around, though, but one of his compatriots might have the necessary implements of the trade.

[GnomeBoy]

I bet there was something in the kitchen that could've made improvised tools.

Hector admires Portly's skill at sign language, but can't understand a word of it...

Darrow steps up to the rescuees and asks if they are injured, ready to apply some of his people's field first aid skills (which may get 'enhanced' by Rudra to his surprise...).

[Sveden]

The four in collars give varying answers of their health. Most say they are simply worn out and thirsty.

"We came to this outpost to investigate and were captured. We've been chained to this wall ever since."

[romprecentor]

OOC: spell check gave me the power to sign! I was shooting for "limber.".

Fritz heads back to the kitchen in search of improvised lock picks. He will rummage through everything looking for anything of value.

[MrHemlocks]

Thorin and Fosco offer the recently chained adventures some water/ale to drink. Afterward Thorin will search the audience chamber for anything to use as a shield while Fosco searches for for anything 'strangely' out of place.

[beermotor]

This was once a throne room or audience chamber of some kind, but it's been partially destroyed. The western wall, some 50 or 60 feet away, has started to crumble, and there's now a fairly large 5 or 6 foot hole in the upper part of it, through which you could crawl out into the cold night air, if you wished. Again, there's an open door on the south wall, leading south, out of this room, in addition to the door on the north wall that you just came through.

Looking around, Fosco sees debris reminiscent of paintings or artwork, frescoes, tapestries, things like that, which may have once adorned the walls here. They've long since been destroyed, perhaps purposeful, perhaps simply by the passage of untold centuries.

Thorin is unable to find anything suitable, unfortunately. If he wants to dual-wield a club, though, there's a serviceable stick (d3 damage).

Fritz, the door to the kitchen is barred by the large table in the meeting/dining room. Do you want to un-bar it and go back into the kitchen?

[MrHemlocks]

This was once a throne room or audience chamber of some kind, but it's been partially destroyed. The western wall, some 50 or 60 feet away, has started to crumble, and there's now a fairly large 5 or 6 foot hole in the upper part of it, through which you could crawl out into the cold night air, if you wished. Again, there's an open door on the south wall, leading south, out of this room, in addition to the door on the north wall that you just came through.

Looking around, Fosco sees debris reminiscent of paintings or artwork, frescoes, tapestries, things like that, which may have once adorned the walls here. They've long since been destroyed, perhaps purposeful, perhaps simply by the passage of untold centuries.

Thorin is unable to find anything suitable, unfortunately. If he wants to dual-wield a club, though, there's a serviceable stick (d3 damage).

Fritz, the door to the kitchen is barred by the large table in the meeting/dining room. Do you want to un-bar it and go back into the kitchen?

ooc...Dwarves can smell good!

[beermotor]

Dwarves can smell gold and gems... and Thorin doesn't detect any nearby.

[Raven_Crowking]

"Hmmm," says Cathbad, "I misklike this hole. If we can climb out, certainly those bugs - or something else - can climb in."

At her bidding, Sexton Abraham climbs to the top of the hole in order to stand guard. (He might as well be wearing a red Original Series Starfleet uniform, but at least we'll get some warning!)

"I can try to get those chains off better," says Jack. "I'm pretty darn quick with my hands, but I gotta tell you all, it's easy to slice a mite too much with this thing." He stops, puzzled for a second. "Wonder why they left you all alive, though. Or left us alive, for that matter."

"I've been thinking about the same thing," says Cathbad. "Three expeditions, not a coin upfront, and prisoners taken. Have we been sent here as a sacrifice? Or as willing flies to walk into a spider's web? And, if they want us alive, there must be some reason for it.....slavery, perhaps? Or something worse. Either way, should we survive this, I would like words with our employer."

[beermotor]

Sexton Abraham pokes his head out the top of the hole and sees the setting White Moon on the mountainous horizon. It's dark, and thousands upon thousands of stars twinkle overhead in a dizzying array. Aside from the dark and the cold wind, which seems constant, he doesn't see anything moving. From this hole, it'd be possible to escape to the badlands around and from thence back to Portsmouth.

By the way, Cathbad et al., you recognize these four folks from your original group. So it's 2 groups (so far as you know), not 3.

[Raven_Crowking]

Sexton Abraham waves down and gives the "thumbs up", then goes back to quiet lookout duty.

[Sveden]

The oldest of the four prisoners, who has been doing most of the talking, thanks you kindly and introduces himself as Bypeld. His rotund frame is helped to its feet by a younger man with dark hair and eyes.

"Gwyn, I think I see our staves in that pile there. Fetch them so I can prop myself up." Bypeld favors his left leg which appears to be very stiff.

The third man, tall but with a sunken chest has already retrieved his pack and leans heavily on his shovel. After a long drink from a waterskin he introduces himself as Orastes.

A woman with a horribly burned face quiet paws through the pile of discarded items. A dagger is tucked into her belt as she inspects what appears to be a few pieces of very fine cloth in her backpack. Satisfied all is in order she stands and waits.

[Sveden]

Orastes looks around recognizing some of the faces, "So what happened to you after we were captured? We were here for several days chained to this damn wall!"