Vapourware [Play-by-post] Lamentations in Averoigne

[Grimgravy]

Spoiler

Well, we know where some corpse preparing apparatus is and we found some canopic jars there too. Seems reasonable that there might be more and maybe a mummy head too. We can always try to recover them when we think we're hard enough. Or desperate enough. I don't see the need to give her magic items. Ganelon is willing to start stabbing our enemies with the dagger to suss out what it might do.

 

[nikolokolus]

Taking note of Mere Antoinette's interest the party decamps and heads out into the swamp at first light six days after returning from their previous expedition. They arrive at the main barrow late in the morning without incident or delay.

Inside they find Marcus standing at the bottom of the stairs with his sword held in front of him, point down, resting his hands on its pommel. One strongly suspects that he's scarcely moved since you've left him. He looks up and speaks in his haunting, echo-filled voice that always sends a chill down your spines, "Hello friends. You look ready. I have been meditating long on the sensation that I have of Mithras' orb . . . I do not know how far away it is, but when I wandered through the areas of our last foray, I noted a subtle difference; a stronger presence somewhere to the south . . . perhaps. Do as you wish and go where you will, but that is my suggestion."

 

[AdamReith]

"Let us do as he suggests and venture South, friends", Grima says.

 

[Grimgravy]

"That is more direction than we have had before. South sound good to me. Back to the lever and door in the secret room, or door in the larger empty room on the way there?"

 

[nikolokolus]

One by one you file down into the secret chute, under the hidden trap door and slowly walk back to where you last were: the tomb of the ancient druid. Things are much as you left them. Marcus says that he's been checking on things making sure that the way remains clear in your absence. The only thing he's seen are some rodents of unusual size . . .

 

[AdamReith]

Grima prods the party's map. "How about proceeding this way?"

Though, he scratches his head. "That secret door to the South East also could lead somewhere interesting."

 

[Grimgravy]

"I might suggest checking the small hallway and doors off of it. I dislike the unknown in our 'secure' area."

 

[nikolokolus]

Finn pulls the lever on the wall in the tomb of the druid, and the floor retracts into the floor and reveals a dusty, cobweb-choked passage to the south.

Following Ganelon's suggestion the troupe doubles back to the hallway. Marcus peers down the long eastern passage and says that it seems to open up into a wider chamber about 30 paces or so. For now Finn and Grima pay attention to the sealed wooden door just to the east of the door they had passed through.

Before Finn or Grima can open the door Marcus stays their hand and says that he saw a pack of very large rats scurry through a small hole in the wall into this room earlier today when he was patrolling down here. Sure enough Grima and Finn look down and see some broken masonry at the foot of the wall near the door and a small hole, no more than a foot wide. Not wishing to expose themselves to some disease ridden rat of monstrous proportions they go to the door to the west and spend about ten minutes battering it off its hinges and busting it up into kindling. They stuff some oil soaked rags and wood into the hole and set it alight and fan the smoke that coils off of it into the hole with their cloaks. There are some scrabbling noises against the door and Finn has the wherewithal to to stabl at the hole as critters try to push their way through the enflamed wood. After about 3 or 4 minutes the scrabbling noises fade and the fire is stamped out. When they are sure that the coast is clear, Requin is called upon to bust the door open which proves no great feat and the push through to see a sign of smoke-filled carnage. Almost a full dozen rats, the size of a hunting dog, are dead in the middle of the floor. The room is unfurnished, but there are bits of straw and rushes scattered around, obviously a nest for the rodents. In the middle of the floor is a badly gnawed leather sack. It's contents catch the light of your lantern and dumping it out yields a full 123 silver deniers. The coins look to be a more recent mintage and bear the face of Charlemagne --- the bag's owner is nowhere to be seen however.

XP!

8 XP per character for defeating the rats

 

[SoupNazi]

Finn points out the door down the hall, leading to a room adjacent to the rat nest they just eradicated.

"Might as well?"

 

[Grimgravy]

Spoiler

There were 2 groups on diggers encroaching on our plateau, correct? The Albanians and another. What has the other group been up to? Apologies if I'm horribly misremembering.

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

There were 2 groups on diggers encroaching on our plateau, correct? The Albanians and another. What has the other group been up to? Apologies if I'm horribly misremembering.

Rivals

Just the Albanians, who are still recovering in the village . . . although the Inquisition appears to be sending a cadre to Les Hiboux at the request of the Bishop of Vyones. If they are on schedule then they should be arriving from Avignon in a week or so.

 

[L'ennui]

Guillemin approaches the door singled out by Finn to check its handle, its hinges and the adjacent flagstones.

 

[nikolokolus]

Guillemin listens awhile outside of the door and seems satisfied that there is nothing moving beyond. The door is made of warped oak and sits badly in its frame and opens with a gentle nudge, but it does squeak horribly on ancient rusted hinges. Peering through the doorway reveals an unfurnished room about 30 feet wide and 20 feet deep, with small empty rectangular nooks about a cubit wide and a handspan tall all along the walls; at least 50 per wall. Poking and prodding at half a dozen or so, reveals that all of them appear to be empty (although you'd have to spend a solid 10 minutes or more to make sure, if everyone searched) The only notable thing in the room, is a set of boot prints that appear to enter through this door and stop in the center of the room. At the place they stop, there is a some faint writing on the floor covered in cobwebs and dust. You push aside the dust to get a better look and find some graffiti scrawled in charcoal. The text appears to be French (although perhaps a bit archaic), "Pierre. If you read this in time, go back! I cannot remain. They are coming."

 

[Grimgravy]

Ganelon begins the laborious process of checking the nooks.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Pierre. If you read this in time, go back! I cannot remain. They are coming

"Too much work to put an arrow to show where they coming from, I suppose." Mutters Requin under his breath.

 

[nikolokolus]

Ganelon spends at least ten minutes rummaging through the alcoves with his gloved hands. The recesses are all about an arm's-length deep and after rummaging through about 30 or so he finds nothing. (Is anyone else searching the other alcoves to accelerate the process?)

 

[SoupNazi]

Finn helps!

 

[ERYFKRAD]

So does the Shark

 

[AdamReith]

Grima rummages also if there is room remaining.

 

[L'ennui]

Same for Guillemin, though he is doing so with his pole, rather than his hands.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Ok, if enough people are helping, Requin will stand guard instead.

 

[nikolokolus]

Ho disappointing. After ten minutes, every cubbyhole has been searched and its apparent that this chamber was cleaned out long ago (or perhaps was never filled to begin with).

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Ho disappointing. After ten minutes, every cubbyhole has been searched and its apparent that this chamber was cleaned out long ago (or perhaps was never filled to begin with).

Better ten minutes than an hour.

 

[AdamReith]

Grima is not impressed.

"Though to work never shy, work without gain *mumble* *mumble* magpie. As the old fable goes."

"Next room anyone?"

 

[L'ennui]

"Better empty than deadly. After you, friend."