"Evil. That is what does not rest! Beyond this door is something darksome," he said as they passed by the door with the ominous marking Never at Rest.

Sir Dryvyk gestured to his squire and they began to carefully arrange the bodies and replace the lids as Barnabus had suggested. It surprised the knight that the treasures would remain intact with the entombed. He was about to raise the question when the murmuring of frantic voices could be heard!

He glanced around quickly to see if they were being trapped in some fashion as they had been on the previous foray!

"Agreed." As he starts to help move the heavy sarcophagus lids, he adds quietly to Ynes, "There's hope for him yet!"

The chuckle dies on his lips when the disembodied voices begin. Dax's eyes dart around the room, sword held at the ready. "What's going on? Mal? Barnabus?"

When the voices fade away, and no undead creature has appeared to attack, the ranger lets his sword drop. "Four people, it sounded to me, killed by demon bats. Something new for us to look forward to meeting!"

As he continues to look around the room, his eyes widen, "By the Briar Queen! Look! The dead on the floor, four of them, including a dwarf and an elf. Same as the voices! Are their spirits trapped in this room? Perhaps they were ransacking the tombs of Demetra's priests and the bats were her revenge?"

”I’m not so certain,” Ynes replies to Dax as she takes hold of the shoulders of the fallen dwarf, ”It is possible that he took a serious blow to the head when that barrow exploded. We should have Othar look him over when we return to Helix.”

She dutifully moves the dwarf’s body into the adjoining room, then returns for the human warrior.

Safherd, who has posted herself at the crypt’s door, looks over at Malivoire in confusion. Keeping her voice low, she says, ”Gib told us that Barnabus always takes everything he finds in the catacombs, even things that are entirely worthless. Is he well?”

With Ishmael lending a hand, Andryr, Dax, and Sir Dryvyk replace the lids of the opened sarcophagi without difficulty.

Recalling an honorific prayer to the harvest goddess that he learned in his early studies, Barnabus is able to fluently recite a blessing as he lights the offering at the statue’s feet.

As Barnabus speaks the goddess’s name again, the statue begins to glow once more.

Suddenly, another disembodied voice fills the room. It is somewhat raspy, a hint of condescension in its tone, but for all who can hear it, it is immediately familiar.

”So, another shrine to a goddess of the north, this one for Demetra, She of the Harvest and the Sickle.”

”Let us put this place to rights, shall we? Restore some peace and make an offering. It's the least we can do. Sir? Dax? There will be no mistaking your intentions. Please replace the lids on the boxes. And neither touch nor covet the jewels as if your way -- Ynes would be most disappointed.”

”As for the stern axe maiden, she will help me drag these four infidels out of this crypt. We'll bring them back to Helix for a proper burial when we leave.”

As the voice finishes speaking, quiet overtakes the tomb once more.

Malivoire nodded as Dax put the pieces together, regarding the four voices they heard in the room.  He had but one correction.  "Those voices were these unfortunates here," he gestured to the four dead figures on the floor, "but I don't think they were punished for entering here.  Rather, I think they sought this place as a refuge from the 'demon bats' they must have encountered elsewhere in the catacombs.  The goddess is not associated with such creatures, but rather the entities of nature and agriculture."

"It would seem they were cornered in the end, regardless," he said, sadly regarding the fallen once more. "We should be alert for these bats ourselves though, you re right in that."

As the bodies were being collected from the floor and Safherd leaned toward him, all Malivoire could do was sigh softly. "He is very, very eccentric," the elf replied charitably, with a knowing look.

Then once Barnabus conducted his rite to (hopefully) re-sanctify the crypt, the disembodied voices sounded again.  With a small smirk Malivoire glanced at Dax, his expression conveying the message "as we just discussed".  He then realized his own explanation would probably be the next recording heard, by whomever uttered the goddess' name next.

Lastly, he looked to the engraved door that restrained something restless, something Sir Dryvyk proclaimed darksome.  "Perhaps that is where the bats retreated to?  Though how they would become shut in is unclear.  Maybe it is something the goddess' faithful locked away here, to remain pent up under her watchful eyes."

Barnabus listens to the goddess's words with a certain contentment. He drags his fingers through his thicket of hair in a leisurely fashion.

Without a hint of irony, he announces,"The divine will of the goddess has been made known and her will expressed upon this earth."

Outside in the star chamber, he asks Ishmael if he might be able to repair the lock and, if not, what he would need from Helix to install a new one.

With all assembled before him, living and dead, he reminds them that Varghoulis had left the Barrow Maze to have tea with his mother-in-law, and he might well return the next day should he find her hospitality to be lacking ("Do you think she can bake cranberry scones? I don't!").

"It behooves us to have a little bit of a look around his tomb before we decamp. If there are guardians, we've plenty of life in us yet."

OOC
Shake down the four corpses and transport them to #13. Party moves to first intersection south of there and then Dax scouts to the east (wearing the Boots of Elvenkind we just found on the female elf).

"I've been thinking, he must have gotten through here to show up in the hallway to the south where we passed through the secret door. If we find that, it should make a big loop eventually back here." It was the most the knight had said since the loss of their companions.

"I'd suggest we find that loop if it exists so we have a getaway plan. Also, the remains of the demon chicken are down that way if I'm not mistaken."

The equipment belonging to the four fallen adventurers is of excellent quality, but as best any of the company members can discern, none of it is enchanted. The human warrior has four platinum coins in a pouch on his belt and the elven female wears a finely crafted emerald necklace that both Dax and Malivoire can identify as the work of an elven artisan. The cloaked human female has a book in her pack which Malivoire immediately recognizes as a spellbook.

The company are able to carry the bodies to the room with the statue of the gargoyle without incident. The brazier at the grotesque figure’s feet continues to burn, filling the chamber with an unsteady amber light. The corpses of the fallen mongrelmen are no longer present in the spacious chamber and the door to the adjoining room that they had previously used for shelter is now closed.

Venturing through the southern doorway, Dax Moonblade quietly travels to the first junction of corridors. Watchful for any peril, he proceeds eastward.

A short set of steps leads him into a silent passageway which holds a series of evenly spaced openings, three on the northern wall and three on the southern, each one concealed behind a thick yellow curtain. The hall stretches east for sixty feet before terminating at branches that lead north and south into darkness. The ranger sees no signs of movement anywhere within the corridor.

Dax feels the sweat beading on his forehead, as he moves as quietly as possible down the corridor. He pauses for a moment at the bottom of the stairs, and then decides to move directly to the second curtain on the north wall.

He gently moves the curtain with the tip of his sword, expecting to see the stairs leading into Varghoulis' crypt.

At least in part, Dax in unsurprised by what he sees beyond the curtain.

A short set of stairs lead up to a section of hallway. On the eastern and western sides of this area, the ranger can see alcoves cut into the stone, each one roughly as tall as a human man, three to each side. All are vacant. In the center of the area is a freestanding weapons rack. Whatever weapons once occupied it are gone.

Above the center alcove on both the eastern and western side are hung tattered black banners which depict a skull superimposed over a rose.

---

As the remaining adventurers await Dax’s return within the corridor north of the four way junction, each of them become aware of an odd metallic clicking sound. The noise comes from the adjoining chamber with the statue of the gargoyle and is growing steadily louder.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:41, Fri 04 Aug 2023.

It sounded like a giant metal spider, and Malivoire hated spiders!

"Dax!  Dax!" he hissed down the east corridor after his friend, as quietly as he could while still being heard.  Maybe not all that quiet after all.  "Something's coming behind us.  Get back here!"

The wide-eyed elf turned to look back toward the door to the gargoyle's room, slowly backing up so that more able warriors were interposed between himself and the oncoming horror.

The sweat on his brow starts to run down his face as Dax ascends the stairs and looks over the alcoves. "This must be where is followers waited for his call," the ranger mused under his breath, "Mal or Barnabus might kow for sure."

With that thought in mind, Dax wipes his face and slowly returns the way he came, feeling very alone.

As he descends the stairs, he hears his name being called. "Gods! Now what?" Then he recalls Dryvyk's words about a path for circling around...

"Oh no!" the ranger exclaims, as he breaks into a run to return to the party.

In his mind, Barnabus has been comparing images of two necklaces, both of which had been gracing the withered necks of the dead. The ownership of one had been transferred while the other had remained in its place, as cold as the heart of its owner. After appraising their value, one of finely crafted emeralds and the other of a plain yet pleasing gold, he smiles in satisfaction. They were not cheated out of their treasure after all.

His reverie is disturbed by "an odd metallic clicking sound" which triggers a series of immediate responses.

First, he requests his last blessing of the day from Impurax. Then he empties a flask of oil (in the appointed intersection) and hastily sets up his pieces on the board.


Cast Bless (#2)
Ranged further south (Ishmael, Safherd, and Mal)
Dax, presumably just to the east, joined by Sir.
Barnabus, squire, and Ynes to the west.
Empty flash if time permits.

The metal noises, presumably the steps of whatever is approaching, slow. Then, a lone creature appears in the doorway to the north.


At first, the silhouette of the creature leads the adventurers to presume that what has approached is a jackal. But as it emerges from the doorway, all can see that the canine is constructed entirely from finely crafted bronze and black iron. The bronze plates which form much of its body are etched with a number of different symbols, serpents prominent among them. Its eyes glow with an unnatural red light.

It sights the gathered party immediately, briefly halting.

20:19, Today: Labyrinth Lord rolled 3 using 1d6+1.  Initiative - Party.

20:19, Today: Labyrinth Lord rolled 6 using 1d6.  Initiative - Jackal.

The jackal’s eyes flash with a bright strobe of crimson light as it turns and dashes through the northern doorway, moving with incredible speed.

OOC: If anyone wishes to pursue the creature, they may attempt to do so. Those entering the room with the gargoyle statue can target the jackal with missile attacks. It has an armor class of 3.

Barnabus decides to take a philosophic point of view: "It's not like our mucking about here's a surprise to the Set squad or any other gangs."

Moving east with the others, careful to skirt the pool of oil, he then descends the stairs, reaching the first pair of curtains. Should Sir declare them to be free of menace, he will have Dax open the northern and then the southern one.

After hearing Dax's report about the northern passage, he asks Ishmael and Safherd to look for secret things and such.

Move east to first curtains.
Open north then south if Sir doesn't detect any evil (beyond evil implements, I should say).
Ishmael and Safherd secure the approach to V's tomb (one map has a secret door there? the other doesn't?)

Dax races up the stairs in time to see the metallic canine's eyes flash before it turns and runs to the north.

Without breaking stride, the ranger unslings his longbow and draws an arrow, planning on sending it toward the metal creature before it disappears.

---

Dax Moonblade rolled 22, hitting better than AC -6 for 7 damage.
I'll leave any roll for by-passing Barnabus' oil pool to the DM!

Edit: added +1 to hit and damage for Bless. Will I ever remember to include it on the initial post?
This message was last edited by the player at 07:41, Mon 07 Aug 2023.

Sir Dryvyk tried to cast a javelin at the retreating creature but the angle was off with everyone trying to react.

"It's a patrol... dog?! Andryr see if you can hit it, quickly before it's gone!"

Sir Dryvyk of Drakeholme rolled 4,4 using d20+1,d6+1 ((3,3)).

Malivoire added a glowing missile to the projectiles the party sent after the mechanical dog.  If they were able to cripple it at least, their current location would remain only speculation for the followers of Set.

OOC:
Cast Magic Missile at the fleeing scout.
21:00, Today: Malivoire rolled 4 using 1d6+2.  Damage (includes extra +1 for Bless)

Safherd keeps pace with Dax as he moves into the room with the statue. Raising her bow, she takes a single breath and looses her arrow, the missile finding its target.

20:24, Today: Safherd rolled 16 using 1d20+3.  Attack - Long Bow.

20:27, Today: Safherd rolled 4 using 1d8+1.  Damage.

Following the others, Ishmael moves to pursue the jackal. He hurls his magical dagger at the strange creature, but his throw is poorly aimed.

20:29, Today: Ishmael rolled 6 using 1d20+4.  Attack - Thrown Dagger.

The bolt of arcane energy which Malivoire calls forth strikes the bronze jackal’s flank, staggering it briefly. Dax and Safherd’s arrows are both aimed true, but appear to bounce off of the creature’s metal form, causing it no apparent harm.

The jackal continues its fleet footed retreat, racing into the shadows of the north traveling corridor.

OOC: The party may continue their pursuit if desired.

OOC

I don't think pursuit is to our advantage in this case. Going to advise going forward with the execution of the B's last post.

Seeing his arrow bounce off the creature leaving it unscathed, Dax comes to a stop. "Hold up Safherd, Dryvyk. Our arrows cannot pierce it, and it moves too fast for us to catch. Will it bring its handlers to us, or was it trying to lead us to them?"

"Let's not give it the satisfaction of leading us into an ambush," Malivoire said after the tail of the mechanical hound had disappeared into the darkness.  "But let's not wait here for whoever it alerts, either."

"My magics are running low, so if we are to continue let's be about it and then get aboveground again.  I'll not tolerate any more losses on this trip."