There are only a couple of questions that pop into Barnabus's mind.

"See if it knows where that pit is. See if it knows about that Nergal Club House North Mazzahs wanted us to check out. And have it surrender its sword."

He scratches his sweaty shock of grey hair and says, "But I think we're supposed to deliver the goods to Mazzahs. Run it out of the BM, truss it up, and toss it in the wagon. That doesn't leave time for chit chat."

"We'd best hurry. Ol' Gib can direct us in lashing it to the wagon."

His contempt for the servant of Impurax would have to be set aside the moment.

Nineve nodded, and requested the undead to place its sword upon the ground.  Before anyone picked it up, herself included, she would give it an eye for any sigils or runes that suggested unholy magics.   She also glanced to Sir Dryvyk, wondering if he might check it for any such emanations.

Then, she told it, "We are leaving. Once we move, you shall walk with us, taking a position several feet in front of our group."  She absolutely did not want it at any of their backs, just in case. "When there comes a choice of direction, I will tell you which way to go," she added.

Nineve was then ready to head out once the others were, and would pose Barnabus' questions, about the location of the pit and Nergal's hidden den, to the crypt knight while en route.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:42, Sat 02 Dec 2023.

If he needs help carrying out the lid, Barnabus will entreat Jesper, Safherd, and Ynes, in that order, for assistance.

Malivoire watched in awe as Nineve was able to control Varghoulis' henchman, until it dawned on him what Barnabus was suggesting.  "Wait!  Are you suggesting we bring this thing," he gestured sharply at the crypt knight, "back to Helix?  Are you daft?  Have we not already caused enough harm to the village with our incautious explorations?  Have you even paused a heartbeat to imagine what could go wrong with this idea?"

The mage spun to Nineve.  "Please, Lady Nineve, do not do this.  Ask it whatever questions we have, gain what knowledge we can, and then send this monster to its final rest.  Helix is no place for such a creature.  Everything we are doing is to prevent such things from reaching the homes of normal folk."

He looked around at the rest with a slight wildness in his eyes, unable to understand why they had accepted Barnabus' suggestion so readily.

Barnabus gives his head another shake and then admits that Mazzahs might not welcome a crypt knight with open arms.

"Let's tie it up as we question it and then dispatch it."

"I can think of some more questions..."

"What are Varghoulis plans?"

"Do you know of any items of power hidden away within the catacombs? Where are they?"

"Do you know if any traps within your neck of the tombs?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:57, Sat 02 Dec 2023.

"I remembered no such instruction, but I've only recently joined you, and didn't feel it a good idea to gainsay if Mazzahs had asked it.  But if he has not...then I utterly concur. Let the dead stay below ground." 

Nineve will proceed to ask any questions the party wants to ask.   I think it's easier to mostly assume she does this, rather than my reposting it all...

Sir Dryvyk approached and called upon Divinity to discern if the weapon itself was tainted with accursed evil. Not that the entire chamber wasn't already causing him to want to crawl out of his own hide to escape such wicked auras.

"We have no way to know how many others of these things Barnabus managed to alert to our presence. There could be dozens of them, or worse, encircling us even now! Let's get moving!"

The skeletal warrior remains perfectly still, not moving at all as Nineve poses her questions. When it responds, it is with a sourceless voice like a dry wind which seems to drift through the antechamber, the direction constantly changing as the dead warrior speaks. Its jaw remains closed.

”The pit lies in the northernmost reaches of the Barrowmaze,” it says. As it does, a route, fraught with shadowy horrors takes shape in Nineve’s mind. Unlike the Briar Queen’s gentle inspiration, this is a painful process, as though the pathway is being carved into the recesses of the priestess’ brain with a rusty blade.

”Nergal’s faithful have reclaimed the temple north of the village,” it confirms, ”Death lays the foundation for the Lord of the Underworld’s return. The settlement will provide what is needed for the working.”

“Although the priests of Nergal seek the same end as Lord Varghoulis, he knows that they are foolish. Naïve. They believe that doors they force open will assure them victory. They underestimate the enemy. The Duke in his stronghold. The followers of the crimson cross. The elves of the dark woodlands. Lord Varghoulis knows those who oppose Nergal’s return. He has begun to raise an army. An army of the dead. Many of his soldiers wait in the shallow earth in the battlefield surrounding his keep. He awakens them, that they may serve him and see his enemies scattered.”

The undead creature seems largely devoid of emotion, but Nineve senses what she perceives as a brief confusion from the knight. ”The catacombs are ancient. Items imbued with sorcerous power are hidden throughout its halls.”

“In the northern portion of the tombs, pits have been dug and concealed within the long corridors to snare those foolish enough to intrude there.”

Another emotion brushes Nineve’s awareness. Not confusion this time, but fear.

Through the entrance door of the antechamber comes a sudden surge of wintry cold.

The wintry blast causes Barnabus to shiver, his sweat not yet dry from his mad sprint across the catacombs and his fit of possession.

He leans towards the mistress of the knight, "A last demand: have it make known to you any secret portals or doors in the northern portion. Quickly."

After this last exchange, he draws his finger across his throat, trusting that Sir and Dax will not misinterpret the gesture.

Out of the tombs in three rounds flat!
This message was last edited by the player at 16:42, Sun 03 Dec 2023.

Gritting her teeth against the link that abraded her even more than the drop in temperature, Nineve nodded and asked of the death-scion:

"As he says:  Tell me the location of any concealed or hidden doors or portals, whether by physical or magical means or both, within this place's northern portions!"

The terrible sensation of a blade working within her skull returns to Nineve, accompanied by the image of a wide, rubble strewn corridor, which slants to the northeast, reaching a seeming dead end, with closed doors on the western and eastern walls. The priestess suddenly knows that there is a third door, carefully concealed on the northern wall, which leads into a complex of tombs.

OOC: This isn’t information that anyone will need to memorize. When the passageway in question is encountered, I will cue the party with a reminder of the vision.

The bitter cold grows stronger and Nineve senses the undead knight’s fear deepen. From somewhere westward, interrupting the silence of the catacombs, comes the distant sound of heavy, measured footfalls.

"Nineve, order it to run ahead of us towards the Barrowmaze entrance and then attack that which it fears, that which approaches from the west, on sight -- and return its sword to it," asserts Barnabus.

If our group run speed is 90'  --Move to just outside #15.
If our group run speed is 120' --Move to #15
After this movement, the knight will still be charmed for 9 more rounds.
BTW, according to an earlier map, #11 has a southern door.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:21, Sun 03 Dec 2023.

"Wait, Nineve. First, ask what is it that approaches that it fears? We need to know it is our enemy as well."

---

Roughly how heavy is the chest that contains the mace and the sphere?

”Lord Varghoulis,” is the simple reply to the inquiry.

OOC: The chest is on the heavy side, but it could be carried by a single character. That person’s movement rate would be reduced to 90’ per round.

To verify: the party is moving west, toward location #15.

Yes, any other direction would take us to a dead end, presumption being that if V. knows where the crypt knight is that he also knows our location.
#235 Arrival of V. at 47
#248 V. moves at walking speed towards us.

This message was last edited by the player at 16:23, Mon 04 Dec 2023.

Nineve drew a breath, offering silent prayer to the Briar Queen that no surprise would come of it, that the chiefest of their enemies wouldn't have some means to subvert or twist the effects of the potion.

But couldn't argue that it was a more than worthwhile risk, and this their best immediate strategy:

"Crypt knight!  Take your blade and battle Lord Varghoulis until one of you is destroyed!"

The knight accepts its sword from Nineve.

Her mind is still entwined with the undead warrior’s when it is destroyed.

She feels, rather than hears, an anguished howl of pure, unhindered despair. It echoes through her consciousness, momentarily seizing all of her faculties, silencing the rest of her senses. The other adventurers see the knight remain perfectly still, as if it is resigned to its fate, as cracks begin to spiderweb across its ancient bones, each fissure burning with a terrible light. It shatters an instant later, showering the members of the company with fragments of bone and chainmail.

As one, the party rushes from the chamber into the corridor beyond, Safherd helping to steady Nineve for a few moments until the priestess regains her senses.

Navigating the north turning corridor, maneuvering around the pit, the company crosses the adjoining hallway, entering the dusty chamber which is dominated by a rectangular table, upon which once were placed several polished skulls.

To the north, the heavy tread draws nearer. It is joined by a second set of footfalls, then a third, then a fourth. Some of those approaching sound as if they come from the northwest, others from the northeast, though all seem to be converging. From a nearby location directly to the north, there is the scraping noise of a stone door being pushed open.

OOC: Nineve, you have full command of your senses once more.

I am presuming that someone carried the iron chest. Jesper is stout enough to do so, if another is willing to bear the lantern.

Sir Dryvyk moved to the fore, his lips constantly murmuring a silent prayer, sweat beading on his forehead as he sought the guidance of Divinity.

PRAYDAR set to 11. Which way is the stronger signal coming from?

Hearing that it was indeed Varghoulis that was stalking toward them, sent a shiver through Dax. He moves to front of the group, next to Dryvyk. "Let's move as quickly as we can. Jesper, if things turn bad, drop that chest so you can run faster."

Hearing the chorus of approaching footfalls and the scraping of a door to the north (possibly #6 or #8), Barnabus hisses, "No exit that way. Blocked. Must use talisman of Arcantryl."

Hoof it to #47 and activate the talisman.
V. does not know we have it and may conclude that we have fled south into the catacombs, having realized that he has the exits blocked.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:15, Tue 05 Dec 2023.

Nineve strove to reorient herself in the wake of the crypt knight's destruction.   She would need meditation to ameliorate those memories and soothe her mind after the experience, but in the meanwhile was glad Safherd hadn't let her collapse to the floor.

"Thank you," she said, pulling an arrow from her quiver in preparation--a silver-headed one--though not that she expected it to avail much against Varghoulis himself.

Queen of Blooms and Brambles, grant us any aid you can!

OOC: The strongest presence of evil which Sir Dryvyk can perceive is approximately forty to fifty feet away, directly to the north.

Malivoire reached out to Jesper, accepting the lantern from the young man while he hefted the chest of extra dangerous items.  A fair trade indeed! thought the mage with a mental laugh.

Temporarily setting the lantern on the floor, Malivoire enlisted Ynes' help to securely slot his staff down behind his pack and through one of the straps, to free his other hand for the elven wand he so commonly favoured.  And so, with wand in one hand and lantern in the other, he took up his position and made ready to hustle away from the undead lord and his still-loyal minions.

The company rush through the room’s northern door, sprinting eastward down the short corridor into the room where they first encountered the mongrelmen. Just as they move through the portal, those at the rear, Barnabus, Malivoire, and Ynes, glimpse the secret door at the eastern end of the passage begin to swing open, and beyond it, the the dark armored figure of the undead warlord, his hateful gaze burning like points of blue flame.

The adventurers cut through the room with the fragmented skeleton eerily embedded in the ceiling into the long hall with the murals of knights and the dry basin that was likely once a place of scrying. Behind them, the steady footfalls of pursuit continue, growing louder.

Piles of broken stone still lie before the archway into the obsidian walled chamber that is Nergal’s shrine, the massive bas reliefs on each black wall depicting the terrible lord of the underworld interacting with his faithful. The medallion of Arcantryl already in hand, Malivoire casts it in the center of the shrine’s floor, the heavy tread of Varghoulis drawing nearer..

There is a pause, space enough to draw a single breath, and a blinding white radiance fills the chamber, its black walls and hideous markings quickly fading from view.