Vapourware [Play-by-post] Lamentations in Averoigne

[L'ennui]

"In a way, he is also a crusader like you... Marcus, can you tell us what happened?"

 

[Grimgravy]

"Despite appearances, what stands before you is not a servant of the Enemy." Ganelon checks the dead man for anything useful and requests Requin's help is dragging the corpse outside. In a firm clear voice, he prays in Latin while moving the corpse outside.

 

[nikolokolus]

Armand's shoulders relax (a little), but he keeps casting a wary eye toward the eerie Marcus. Ganelon stoops over the dead man and pats him down. A dirt-poor ragpicker from the looks of him. He has a small chisel tucked into a burlap bag on his rope belt, a splintered cudgel lays on the ground several feet away from him and he doesn't appear to have anything else on him that would be of any interest, not even rudest keepsake.

From above you hear a voice call down, "Allo down there! Has the demon fled?"

Marcus' single blue-glowing eye looks up and he emits a raspy sigh that makes you think of wind chimes, "Idiots. I had propped myself up in the corner where I could command the whole chamber. These men came down the stairs and when I stepped out of the shadow to introduce myself, two of them shrieked and threw daggers, while most beat a hasty retreat up the stairs. The two that remained didn't seem interested in parley, and charged me with cudgels raised. I fought for a time, purely on the defensive, but they didn't seem interested in hearing what I had to say, so I made an example out of this one and told the rest to begone. I think the others have been skulking outside of stairwell for the better part of two hours."

 

[L'ennui]

Guillemin whispers: "Fools! An appropriately exaggerated show of force might drive them away for now. Maybe if you scream and make for them they will scurry off? If not, you can always retreat back into this chamber and we'll do what needs to be done if they give chase."

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Spoiler

Maybe we should yell that there's too many of them and they should run while they still can?

 

[L'ennui]

Spoiler

Or just good old fashioned screams of terror.

 

[nikolokolus]

So do you want to address the brigand's call?

 

[SoupNazi]

Finn paces the room at first, then swings the crossbow over his shoulder on its strap and draws the sword and shield instead. The young buck starts banging them against each other while encouraging the rest of the troupe to do the same.

"There's --" swordclash intermezzo "-- more, we ha--" a lot more clashing "-- retreat, it's gonna --" he bashes the shield against the tomb's wall "-- RUN!!"

 

[Grimgravy]

Spoiler

I wanted to calmly carry their fallen out while praying per my last post, but that could work too.

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

I swear, my brain is disintegrating. I'm missing all kinds of stuff. My apologies.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Requin bangs rocks together to make it sound like some larger creature is also approaching.

Spoiler

I could roll bushcraft to mimic some 'orrible beastie?

 

[L'ennui]

"I DIDN'T COME ALL THIS WAY JUST TO DIE LIKE THIIIIIII-UGH!" Guillemin makes a ruckus with his shield and his shortsword.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Spoiler

I swear, my brain is disintegrating. I'm missing all kinds of stuff. My apologies.

Spoiler

You sound like you're in dire need of rest and sleep man.

 

[Grimgravy]

Ganelon looks on his compatriots theatrics with some bemusement.

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

I swear, my brain is disintegrating. I'm missing all kinds of stuff. My apologies.

Spoiler

You sound like you're in dire need of rest and sleep man.

Spoiler

80 hours the week before then 68 hours this last week . . . sprinkle in some 1 year old dogs that wake us up at 3 am every night to go outside and stir. Fortunately this coming week is the last "crunchy" one for some time -- just 50 hours. I know some people work that hard all the time, but I'm knackered. Anyhoo . . .

Guillemin's theatrics and Requin's horrific yowls and growls echo through the barrow and there is a barely audible gasp from up above, followed by the muffled sounds of shouting, that fade away and are finally silent.

 

[Grimgravy]

Ganelon creeps out of the crypt to verify they have all fled.

 

[nikolokolus]

Ganelon pokes his head through the opening at the top of the stairs, just in time to see several shapes disappear into the thick mist to the northwest of the barrow. Apparently, Guillemin's Finn's and Requin's theatrics were just enough to push the already cagey brigands over the edge and back to whatever redoubt they crept out of.

The way cleared, and no other obstacles immediately perceived, the group descends into the blackness once again; this time back to the last place they had explored . . . things don't appear to be much disturbed in the weeks long absence. Marcus' constant vigil has apparently paid dividends. The passages still drip with water, there's still the unmistakable charnel smell mixed with mold and mildew, and it's still just as clammy and cold as it ever was.

The gently downward sloping passage passes under a low triangular arch and just to the left (east) is a stone door, and the passage flattens out and turns to the right (west).

 

[SoupNazi]

Apparently, Guillemin's and Requin's theatrics

Spoiler

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Apparently, Guillemin's and Requin's theatrics

Spoiler

Spoiler

He meant Finn. People confuse the two often enough.

 

[L'ennui]

Guillemin approaches the door to the left to give it a proper examination. He pokes the adjacent flagstones with the butt of his spear, then probes the edges with his tool, inspects the handle/mechanism and puts his ear to the door to listen for noise beyond.

 

[nikolokolus]

Passing under the arch reveals a short passage to the west that proceeds for several paces, then turns at a right angle southward (left). There is a bricked up doorway set into the north wall of the tunnel about 3 paces ahead of you on the right.

Guillemin notes the continuance of the passage and turns his attention to the door at the bottom if the ramp. The stone door has a simple pull handle and no apparent latch. Probing around the door and inspecting the floor reveals nothing unexpected or unusual, and several minutes of straining to hear with your ear pressed against the door yields nothing but the oppressive silence that pervades here - punctuated by the odd drip of water that faintly echoes through the passage.

 

[L'ennui]

Grabbing the handle, Guillemin pulls.

 

[SoupNazi]

Finn stands by Guillemin's side with his shield raised, ready to receive anything from beyond the door...

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Finn stands by Guillemin's side with his shield raised, ready to receive anything from beyond the door...

Requin watches as Finn receives a whole heap of dust.

 

[nikolokolus]

The door swings outward and the party is greeted by . . . nothing. There is an unoccupied, irregularly shaped room about 20 feet square; its far walls are slanted at 45 degree angles, so that they come together in the eastern corner at a point. Set into each angled wall is a wooden door, the one set into the northeast wall is slightly ajar. Moments after opening the door into this room Guillemin sees his torch flicker and gutter in a draft and a second later there is the sound of grinding stone and a *slam* of a door that echoes through the labyrinth from the east. The torch stops guttering and the crypt falls utterly silent.