Oh those Coffer Corpses II
This session (Northern Reaches 28/Barrowmaze 12) was played on Sunday, March 5, 2012.
Locke
Sol
Balifar
Shaft
Keliroon
Men-at-arms Murdoc, Caldwell, Drom, Ool, and the torch-bearer Baltag.
Similar to the last session, the group decided on a number of short forays.
At first they considered entering the Barrowmaze, but were shocked to see a battered, bruised, and bug-eyed cleric of St. Ygg pull himself up the stairs with a torch. He was completely freaked out, and through his incoherence the party did determine that his adventuring comrades were all slain by skeletons! He immediately tucked himself in the fetal position and began rocking back and forth. Thus Balifar joined the party!
Given that they are slow learners The party tried to rest within the same barrow. They were disturbed by a group of skeletons that were subsequently slain. Still determined to die, they crept down the stairs and saw the pale blue glow of Sapphire Skeletons. Shaft, the thief, tried to move silently and immediately grabbed their attention. he fled up the stairs closeby and the party sealed the entrance by removing iron spikes from the shifting sarcophagus.
Knowing that Sapphire Skeletons could be found in both known entrances to Barrowmaze, they decided (wisely) to go after the low hanging fruit - covered barrow mounds. In the last session they bought numerous sledge hammers and shovels for the purpose of excavating covered mounds.
Searching The Barrow Mounds in the Mist:
Unearthing the barrowmounds was no picnic. The party unearthed a portion of the first mound before they retired to town. there were no attacks from undead yet. While in town, Keliroon decided that it would be wise to hire laborers to increase the speed of their work. When they returned to the mound, they excavated it fully. However, all hell broke loose when the party was beset by two Coffer Corpses before they could enter. Those who were standing guard (Keliroon, Shaft and Kelg) engaged the shambling figures, thinking them to be mere zombies. They three cut them down with ranged weapons, or so they thought. Then, they rose again! Several party members fled in all directions! The remaining party climbed out of their excavation, having not witnessed the first attack. They cut them down again. Then, they rose again. Finally, they determined their weapons had no effect and they bravely retreated lifted tail.
The party (except for Baltag who, alone, ran into two zombies in the mist and was slain) managed to find their way through the mists of the Barrowmoor and fled in small groups to town. Where they drank themselves silly for several days. When the party returned to the mound they saw no signs of the undead that had attacked them. Thus, they cracked the tomb open. Inside they found a corpse burried with some magical scrolls and a jeweled dagger. The party wasn't very satisfied (except for Keliroon who made use of the new scrolls) as the dagger was non-magical and worth a pittance compared to some of the treasures they had unearthed in the last session.
Excavation Reveals a Sealed Barrow!:
Arcane Lore Discovered!:
Next, the party visited a mound that was flooded with swampy water. The party approached cautiously, probing the deep water for sudden sinkholes or other hazards. While doing this, the party was beset by a pair of Giant Toads! The party fought viciously, but so did the toads. The toads almost killed Caldwell but he pulled through. Ultimately the party won. Inside the watery tomb, the party found two copper candelabras (yay!) and moved on.
Finally, the party searched for a new tomb in the mists, and found one. This tomb was different from the others, as the giant stone slab blocking the entrance was decorated with engravings of shields and blades. The party, after examining the decorations (and finding them to be just that, decorations) bashed open the tomb. They descended the stairs and found a large round room with a jeweled blade embedded in a pedestal at the center. The room was also surrounded by burial alcoves. The party was cautious now. Sol spoke up for once and barked out orders to everyone. He got everyone up the stairs with oil and torches while Locke and Shaft stayed at the bottom of the stairs. Now, Shaft, ever the inattentive one, was told to lasso the sword from its resting place, while staying at the base of the stairs. What he did, was craft a fine lasso from the rope, and walked right up to the sword and wrapped the lasso around it. The following picture explains what happened next.
Skeletons Attack!:
Now, Shaft was surrounded by four skeletons. Locke, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, was attacked by two. Shaft, in his fear and panic thought of a valiant idea. Shaft decided to draw the sword from its altar, which he did. The part that happened next was discussed over many a mug of ale at The Brazen Strumpet. Some who were there submit the sword was cursed, others say it was possessed by the spirit of its angry former owner, others believe that Shaft was just a horrible, horrible swordsman but whatever the case, this is what happened. Shaft drew the sword and immediatealy slew himself (a critical miss followed by a hit yourself on the random critical miss table, followed by an unlikely fail your dexterity check for half damage, followed by a full damage roll against himself) [DM: Gotta love D&D!]. Now, as Locke fended off the rest of the skeletons, nearly being slain himself, Balifar the drunken cleric stepped in and turned all but one of the skeletons in the name of St. Ygg. The party slew the unturned skeleton, and set the rest of them ablaze with flaming oil. After all was said and done, The party decided to bestow the magical Broad sword +1 and Shaft's Ring of Defense to Locke (not for his courage or valor, but because he's the only one hardy and supid enough to consistently take the front line). The party then headed back to town, sold their non magical treasure, and put Shaft's body on a funeral pyre (for xp).
This ballad was sung at Shaft's XP Bake funeral:
Shaft, the inattentive one,
Ye savvy thief of old,
Could see the sword before him,
And thought to be so bold.
His battle cry hung in the air,
his new blade shining bright,
The skeletons were in their lair,
he should have taken flight.
He struck at last, and much too fast,
he joins the ranks of Kreel,
goodbye fair Shaft, find at peace at last,
We (who are about to die) salute you, for your zeal.
Report by Alex and Greg
