DCC 87.5 Grimtooth's Museum of Death (SUSPENDED)

[Rick]

GRIMTOOTH'S MUSEUM OF DEATH
By Jobe Bittman, Steve Crompton, & Doug Kovacs

PLAYERS
Fenris Ulfhamr (Dirty Jeoe, Malthus, Algaroth, Vashni)
GnomeBoy (Freebo Arakes, Skaath Stumblefeet, Yadin Sagastrion, Yan Ambrady)
StarShifter (Jan Jansen, Gromluck "Bobby" Tremorfist, Vijo Morgenstine, Tug Spano)
quozl (Chuck Korsin, Barnum Bailey, Gene Yusmore, Tellessa Storie)

JUDGE
Rick

Word has spread of a sadistic troll with a vast treasure horde living in a castle to the east. The troll, obviously mad, has invited all comers to collect a share of his wealth. Our adventure starts as you arrive within a bowshot of his grim castle...

Emerging from the dense forest tree line, you reach a clearing with a wide vista. A gloomy castle stands upon a verdant butte, its forlorn parapets and spires silhouetted against the sky. The chimneys are all cold, and no light or movement can be seen on the walls. While the castle appears to have fallen into disuse, freshly painted wooden signs have been sparsely planted throughout the glade with messages of greeting: “Delvers Welcome”, “Vacancy – Apply Within”, and “Help Wanted”.

OOC: Very Important - with each post you make, try to clarify the positions & actions of each of your characters. Also, work together to provide (a) a standard marching order, and (b) standard operating procedures when approaching a new door or corridor. This hopefully will avoid any misconceptions about who intended to stand where.

[GnomeBoy]

Freebo strides forth from the treeline, nudging Shaun the sheep in front of him with his ten-foot pole.

Skaath strides out about 15-20 feet from the line, and takes up observing Freebo's progress.

Yan and Yadin keep to the edge of the woods, observing.


Freebo guides Shaun, but Shaun is willful in his own sheepy way, and zigs and zags across the clearing, Freebo keeping him in check as best he can with the pole. His aim is to make an arc to the left on an approach to a door or gate. If no such thing is visible, he'll simply circle the silent keep at about 25' of distance, looking for such.

If he circles, my crowd will circle with him, keeping to their proximity to the trees.

[quozl]

Barnum and Tellessa walk up the castle, side by side, holding hands and whistling a merry travelling tune. Chuck walks along behind them, scanning the trees and holding his ax. Gene lags behind at a small distance, studying the castle.

[Rick]

A wide gradual path slopes lazily around the butte leading up to the castle.

Aalternatively, ascending the steep pitch of the butte is slower and takes more effort, but appears to be achievable.

The grounds are quite lovely, spoiled only by the somber gray castle looming above, & more signs littered about with additional cheery greetings ("Welcome!", "Entrance This Way ->", "Come On In!").

[Fenris Ulfhamr]

Vashni and Dirty Joe push bravely, and rather directly, on with the others toward the entrance. ,
Algaroth tries to keep up, his eyes darting about for danger like a nervous tic. Malthus walks casually behind them a little ways with a haughty look on his face, wondering which of the filthy humans will be the first to die...

[Rick]

Reaching the top of the butte, you stand before a foreboding castle surrounded by buttressed stone walls. Up close, the stronghold appears even more uninviting and shabby. Missing shingles pockmark the conical roofs capping the fortification’s weather-beaten towers. All the windows are either shuttered or blocked by drawn curtains. An arched sign emblazed with the word “Grimtooth’s” stands over the gatehouse’s raised portcullis, ostensibly the moniker of the keep’s absentee lord. In the courtyard beyond, the massive ironbound castle doors are slightly ajar. No light escapes from the darkened hall beyond.

OOC: Definitely need a marching order from this point on. SOP for new doors/hallways would be handy, too.

[GnomeBoy]

Freebo doesn't mind taking point, nudging Shaun ahead of him as a rather large canary in a coal mine...

Rick, should we have a "front rank', 'rear rank' and then maybe have whoever is not in those ranks, sorted by player?

Then each 'block' can be moved on it's own...

Freebo is in the front rank.

If we go with this idea, Skaath is in the rear rank.

My other two are their own rank, in the middle somewhere...

Thoughts, folks?

[Fenris Ulfhamr]

Vashni will be among the front rank with his sword at the ready. He expects a troll to be around every corner, and means to be ready.
Dirty Joe will follow close behind Vashni trying to appear as brave as he. Joe pokes at suspicious objects with his shovel rather than risk a limb
Algaroth falls behind the two more determined men looking all about nervously. Every shadow could hold a troll or trap, and his mind is playing tricks on him
Malthus follows at about 5 feet distant from the humans, unable to converse with them and unwilling to be too close to them. He lets the "pawns" be taken before he risks himself, but he maintains a close watch about and behind him.

[quozl]

How many can we fit side by side?

[Rick]

GnomeBoy/Jon - works for me, sure

Fenris - thumbs up

quozl - I'd say 4, for the time being

Okay, folks, we'll have to pause there until Gary Con VIII is over - leaving for Wisconsin around lunchtime. I'll be back Monday 3/7. Then we'll have more fun storming the castle.

[StarShifter]

Okay, Bob, tired of waiting on all these tall-folks, takes point, marching stubbornly past the entrance and cursing under his breath.
Vijo follows cautiously behind approx 15ft. Ready at a moment's notice to use the dwarf in front of him as a "human" shield.
Tug waits by the portcullis, having one last smoke before he goes to meet his maker.
Jan inspects the "cheery" courtyard. Does he see any fountains/small rocks/remains?

So, my marching order would be:

(B):Bob;(V):Vijo;(T):Tug;(J):Jan


--B-
----
J---
--V-
--T-


Rick - have fun bro. Get yourself some cheese while you're there.

[Rick]

Skipping ahead to get to the true start of the adventure. Suffice to say that the castle so far has been devoid of anything but furniture-less rooms, empty cupboards, and dust - lots of dust. There's enough light outside that you don't need torches or lanterns (yet - but I need to know who will be carrying what as far as light sources soon).

You stand before a high-ceilinged chamber at least 100’ long surrounded by balconies. Light filters into the dusty room through tall, narrow windows in the south wall illuminating a strange fixture at the room’s center, a metal disc 20’ in diameter pocketed within a metal ring. The metal disk is embossed with a grinning, pointy-eared creature with large eyes. Beside, a waist- height pole juts from the floor topped by a small box.

There's an even smaller door (big enough to insert your hand in, you'd guess) on the small box. Kinda like a mailbox, but not as deep.

[quozl]

Chuck, Gene, and Barnum will walk around the disc, examining it.

Tellessa will open the "mailbox" and look inside.

[GnomeBoy]

Skaath and Yan both have weapons in one hand, and are ready to have a lit torch in the other when needs be.

The disc thing is like a giant coin? standing upright, or laid flat, like a table? -- In either case, Yadin checks to see if he can see the other side of the disc.

Freebo keeps Shaun in check and keeps his 10' pole handy.

[Fenris Ulfhamr]

Vashni looks about him and draws his weapon. Dirty Joe takes a similar stance with his meager shovel.
Vashni: "This place looks like a stadium-an arena. Be on guard..."
Are there any other visible wats in or out veside the hall we came down?

[Rick]

Chuck, Gene, and Barnum will walk around the disc, examining it.

Tellessa will open the "mailbox" and look inside.

The disc is constructed from a thick alloy none of you recognize. It is bisected by a hairline seam.

There's a red button in the box.

[Rick]

Skaath and Yan both have weapons in one hand, and are ready to have a lit torch in the other when needs be.

The disc thing is like a giant coin? standing upright, or laid flat, like a table? -- In either case, Yadin checks to see if he can see the other side of the disc.

The disc lies flat, set in the stone of the floor.

[Rick]

Are there any other visible wats in or out veside the hall we came down?

Yes, nine in all, but you've seen that they lead to empty rooms.

[quozl]

Famous last words:

"What does this button do?"

Tellessa presses the button.

[GnomeBoy]

dun-Dun-DUNNNNN!!!

[Rick]

Tellessa presses the button.

A bell toll echoes through the hall. Bing Bong!

A staticky, disembodied voice resounds through the chamber.

"Ah, fresh meat— ahem, I mean—new visitors. Greetings, mortals, and welcome to my humble abode. If it is gold you seek, you shall have that and more, but first you must prove your worth. Overcome my challenges and you shall be rewarded handsomely. Failure means your doom. Before you die, please shout out a number between 1 and 10 rating how agonizing your death is, 10 being the most painful. Thank you.”

The metal disc slowly slides open with a grating sound revealing a dazzling sight below: a 20’ round vertical shaft descending into the earth, choked with whirling sword blades, spinning drill bits, and articulated buzzsaws. The deathly apparatuses suddenly shrink back as an elevator platform protected by an ethereal blue orb ascends to ground level. Within the sphere, a riveted metal box is covered with rows of holes.

An entrance slides open in the glowing orb, allowing access.

[Fenris Ulfhamr]

Vashni takes a moment to light a torch, offering one of his extra torches to any who need one. Joe and Algaroth follow suit. Malthus cautiously steps onto the platform and examines the apparent control mechanism, hands folded behind his back the whole time...

[GnomeBoy]

...nine in all, but you've seen that they lead to empty rooms.

Is this assuming we've searched them and found nothing, for the sake of moving things along? (Which I'm fine with, if that's the case.)

Because maybe we should search them, before we trust glowy orb-avator to take us down the pit of whirling blades. Just sayin'.

[Rick]

Is this assuming we've searched them and found nothing, for the sake of moving things along? (Which I'm fine with, if that's the case.)

Yes, they were all empty, and we did skip forward under the assumption that you checked them.

[Rick]

Vashni takes a moment to light a torch, offering one of his extra torches to any who need one. Joe and Algaroth follow suit. Malthus cautiously steps onto the platform and examines the apparent control mechanism, hands folded behind his back the whole time...

Malthus passes through the blue orb harmlessly, but senses powerful magic at work.

On the elevator platform, a rectangular metal control panel is covered with keyholes numbered 1-100 and has a single unilluminated button labeled “EXIT”. The angled panel is roughly 2’ tall by 4’ wide and 4” thick, mounted on a sturdy metal post.

A single key, labeled #4, has already been inserted in keyhole #4