WFRP 2.0 The Haunting IC

[LarsWester]

Wanted to get something up for you. Setting the scene a bit and pausing for your input. Dojango mentioned Jasmine wanting to go up to knock so I will let you post about that. If you all could do a little post about what your characters thoughts are. Out of Character Thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?620807-WFRP-2-0-The-Haunting-OOC)

The air was cold and damp as the evening fell around the sleepy village of Swartzhafen. The sun had set long ago with Mannslieb shining full and bright now risen about 45 degrees through the sky. *SLAM* the last shutter on a nearby house was closed and barred against the night. The streets were near barren save for a few brave souls out on their own dire personal matters for tonight is Hexensnacht and Morrslieb was rising. Morrslieb shown cold and full against the dark horizon rising slowly above the tree line. Unnatural wisps of mist settled over the village and obscured vision. The homes of Swartzhafen lined both sides of the street. All with their doors and windows shuttered. A small dirt path led from the street past two homes up to a hill. Atop the hill shrouded in mist was a large stone structure. Miss Jasmine Featherblossom, Journeyman Composting Technician, checked her list and shrugged this place was definitely not partaking in the Featherblossom services. Also on the street was a man well acquainted with the strange and bizarre Helmut Kreisler had heard legends concerning the local area and mysterious going on occurring on Hexensnacht. He walked the street this mysterious night to fulfill his destiny as one chosen by Sigmar to fight the forces of Chaos in whatever form they might appear. He wondered if that form might be the two dwarves who he noticed also out on the street at this time. https://i.imgur.com/2OvA2AG.jpg

[dojango]

Jasmine whistled a merry tune as she led her mule and cart out of town. The good people of Schwartzhaven had been about their business all day, and the fruits of their labor was now heaped high on her cart. She'd let the maggots loose on the pile, and they were busy starting the process of turning that into the high-quality compost that made the Featherblossom clan so famous. It was a good night. Sure, the tall folk were hiding out of their weird superstitions, but they were always a little screwy sometimes. Came from being so tall. Not enough blood going to the head, or something. Jasmine stopped for a moment and peered through the mists. That house on the hill... she hadn't visited them. And if they weren't customers, well, the Featherblossom clan could be very convincing. Jasmine turned the mule onto the path and headed up the hill. Pickles, her dog, looked puzzled for a moment, and then followed her. Once at the house, she picked her club up from the cart and gave the door a few sharp raps with it. Time to make her pitch.

[Haval]

Varnya is tired. She had come a long way today and the lack of accommodation from the manlings here was frustrating. Of course she could have stayed in the Inn in the previous town another night, but the unpleasantness there had made that difficult. Still, the man shouldn't ought to have said what he said.

She's not exactly scared at being out on Hexensnacht. The humans generally weren't a problem and she had her hammer for anything more dangerous that she might meet out in the wilds. But then again only a fool would be blase about travelling alone this close to Sylvania. And according to her Master, Hexensnacht itself was supposed to be one of those times when even a Dwarf had to be careful. Something about convergences wasn't it?

[farothel]

Magnar was cursing the humans who put their cities, villages and inns on a day's travel, but a human day's travel. The longshanks didn't seem to know or care that some people had slightly shorter legs and needed a bit more time to cover a certain distance. He could do so, as dwarves generally had the stamina to keep going when humans had to stop, but he disliked arriving after dark. In cities it was less of an issue, but convincing innkeepers to open up after dark was not always easy. He had lived with humans for all his life and he knew about Hexensnacht. While dwarves didn't share that particular superstition, nights when Morrslieb was full were not nights to be out too long after dark. The advantage was that it was easier to see with both moons up. Further up he noticed another dwarf, so he picked up his pace. Hopefully she knew something about this town.

[Morovir]

"And you... you will all regret impeding the purshuit of Shigmar'sh holy jushtish!"

Helmut Kreisler roared at the slammed door of the tavern he had recently been preaching in. Didn't they know that there were witches in their midst? He had been concerned enough to offer his services as one of Sigmar's ordained witch hunters, and they hadn't even been grateful enough to cover the cost of one measly drink.

...Maybe five.

Staggering back to his feet, he brushed himself down, adjusted his prized hat and continued down the road. In this misbegotten part of Sigmar's Empire, there was bound to be something horrific lurking for him to vanquish. Something that would make them take him seriously. Something that would make his mentor proud. Hiccupping, he began to belt out his latest sermon.

"Repent! For the Lord Shigmar sheesh all!"

[LarsWester]

Jasmine hears no response to her banging on the front door. The house is eerily silent in response before there is creaking of some ancient timber settling further in place. Pickles sat on her hind haunches looking back between Jasmine and the door before turning her head quickly to the side and with a snarl she takes off running to the left and around the corner of the house.

Varnya notices a fellow dwarf approaching quickly from behind. The male was clothed in leather armor and had an axe at his hip and crossbow peaking out from behind his back.

Both dwarves heard the slam of a tavern door and a slurring of Reikspiel. Repent for the Lord Sigmar sheesh all! they see a man with a tattered cloak preaching back at the tavern door closed and barred against him.

Unfortunately The Notched Hatchet Tavern was the only Inn in this small place and it seemed to have had barred its doors for the night after pushing out the riff-raff.

[farothel]

"Good evening," Magnar said in Dwarven to Varnya, "I think the inn just closed up. Do you perchance know another?"

[Haval]

"Repent! For the Lord Shigmar sheesh all!"

'Aye, I'm sure he does.' Varnya calls out cheerfully to the human who clearly couldn't hold his beer.

Another Dwarf was a welcome sight. The umgi weren't always trustworthy but you could usually rely on a Dwarf as an ally if they had any honour at all. <'Was just about to ask you that.'> she'll reply in kind. <'I'm just passing through myself. I don't expect there's another town worthy of the name before the mountains.'> She'll introduce herself, <'With any luck someone's had the good sense to build another Inn further up the road. I don't think asking nicely to be let in here will be enough somehow.'>

[farothel]

"I doubt it," Magnar said, before also introducing himself. He felt himself lucky to have met a runesmith.
"I think our options are either stay out, or if we're lucky find a house that's unoccupied and sleep there. Let's see if there is still someone out except our drunk friend over there."

[Haval]

<'Can't walk all the way to Zhufbar.'> Varnya agrees. She'll look for the most obviously unoccupied looking house.<'Under the circumstances, I think I'm ok with not asking permission first, but I don't want some aggrieved Umgi family coming down in the middle of the night to wake me up either.'>

[farothel]

"All houses that are inhabited are locked," Magnar said, "you know humans and their supersticions. So if there is one that's unlocked, it will be uninhabited. Or there lives a vampire or something like that who doesn't care, in which case we're screwed."

[dojango]

"Hey! Hey! They ain't paid us yet! Don't go killin' any rats yet!" shouts Jasmine. She quickly sets the brake on the cart and makes sure the mule is hobbled. Then she chases after the dog around the corner. Never provide service until the contract is signed. The dog hadn't learned that yet, but that was the first lesson every Featherblossom learned.

[LarsWester]

As the two dwarves hold their brief conversation over the silence of the town they can hear a small voice cry out. "Hey! Hey! They ain't paid us yet! Don't go killin' any rats yet!" It sounded like it came from a house up a small clearing from the main street. The manor house resting on top of a small hill was visible through wispy curls of fog. No light shown from any of its windows and no smoke blew from its chimney at the top.

As Jasmine rounded the building she could see Pickles digging at the corner of wooden cellar door. The dog was making considerable progress in widening the gap between cellar lid and ground. Clearly excited to be on the hunt again Pickles ignores her calls and continues digging. The small dog squirms itself hindlegs wriggling to and fro' underneath the cellar door with a sharp snarl just as Jasmine arrives within arms reach.

[Haval]

" Or there lives a vampire or something like that who doesn't care, in which case we're screwed."

Varnya pats the pommel of her hammer,'<Lets deal with that when we have to.>' She'll set out towards the manor house. '<Might as well try the big one first. Maybe they've got nicer beds.>'

[farothel]

Magnar heard a woman's voice shout.
"Sounds like a local ratcatcher," he said to Varnya, "they will know what's going on in the town and where we might stay. Let's go ask her."
Unless there was serious opposition, he would head towards the voice.

"Excuse me, miss," he asked in Reikspiel this time, "we just arrived in town and the local inn is already closed. Do you know perchance a location where we might stay for the night?"

[Morovir]

Bleary eyes falling upon the two stout figures, Helmut turns in their direction, and begins making his way over to them.

"Dwarfsh! Loyal friendsh of Shigmar and the Empire! The Order of the Shilver Hammer callsh upon you!Will you lend me your bladesh in vanquishing the evil that shurrounds this town?"

[dojango]

"Come back! Heel!" But it was too late. Jasmine looked at the cellar door. It wouldn't be too hard to pry it open, just put her shovel in the gap and get the dog... she looked around and saw several shapes looming out of the mist. She put the shovel down and pretended that she hadn't been about to break in. "Oh hey! This uh, ain't your house, then? Uh, a place to sleep? Gee, I reckon you could ask this lot. If'n they're home. If not, uh, maybe once I'm done my rounds you can crash in my nan's house."

[Haval]

"Dwarfsh! Loyal friendsh of Shigmar and the Empire! The Order of the Shilver Hammer callsh upon you!Will you lend me your bladesh in vanquishing the evil that shurrounds this town?"

It was hard to take the human seriously when he sounded like that but Varnya plays along. 'You need me to hit something?'

The Halfling's offer was at least something, 'Only if your Grandmother is willing. If she's anything like mine she'll be grouchy if she's bothered at this hour.' Varnya will point to the cellar, 'You lose anything?'

[dojango]

"Oh, we don't haveta wake her. She's always happy to see new faces, ya know? New gossip, new people to listen to her gossip... but I gotta get my dog first. He musta smelt a rat and crawled inside the basement here. Can't have him goin' around a stranger's house killin' rats yah?"

[farothel]

Magnar shook his head at the zealot. He had seen these guys before. The best way was to avoid them but here that seemed quite impossible at the moment.
"We'll see about that tomorrow," he said, "now I would prefer some peace and quiet and some sleep. And well, maybe a meal and a good tankard of ale."

Then he looked at the house they were standing next to.
"I doubt there is someone home," he said, "between all the racket outside and the barking of the dog inside, someone should have at least turned on some light to have a look. But it looks still dark inside."

[LarsWester]

The two dwarves and halfling look down at the cellar door between them and Pickles. The dog's snarls can be heard from within. The seem to be getting fainter. The wooden door is angled about fifteen degrees from the horizontal and it rests upon neatly piled stone. There is a small crack between the corner of the door and stone where the door rotted away a bit. There is no light from this crack or any of the three story house windows. There is a large iron ring mounted on the right hand side of the door about halfway up. Underneath the ring is iron lock mechanism.

As these three travelers are inspecting the cellar. A more than half in his cups man approaches pontificating about the wonders of Sigmar and the evils of this very town that need to be punished.

[dojango]

"Right, it's settled, then. Just help me fetch the dog and we'll go over to me nan's. She usually has some food set out for the late-shift. Reckon you can have some." Jasmine takes the shovel and inserts it into the crack in the cellar doors. Pulling on it with all her strength, she cracks the door open.

[roll0] v. 55

[Haval]

'Probably some rich human who has more houses then they know what to do with. I expect they'll never know we were in here.' Varnya will go into the cellar and whistle to attract the dog's attention.

[dojango]

"Haha yeah, those tall boys like their houses. And stuff. They ain't listenen to the old halfling saying, 'from each accordin' to their ability, to each accordin' to their needs. Seems like good advice, I reckon." Jasmine grabs her pack and heads down the stairs after the dog and the dwarf. "Here, boy! C'mon back! You ready for some meat pie!"

[farothel]

"Sounds like a plan," Mangar grumbles as he too enters the cellar. Then he sticks his head back out.
"Hey, you, manling," he shouts to the Sigmarite who was wandering around, "you going to stay out all night? There might be a bed in this house if you behave."

[Morovir]

"Bed?! There'sh no time to shleep when the enemiesh of Shigmar are afoot!"

Nevertheless, Helmut follows them in, sword drawn.

[farothel]

"Isn't that a bit overkill to retrieve a dog who went after a rat," Magnar asked, seeing the sword, before turning to Jasmine, "Ah miss, what does the dog looks like? We can help searching, but a description would be useful."

[dojango]

"Bout yay high," says Jasmine, hand below her knee. "Black and brown. Answers to Pickles if he feels like it."

[LarsWester]

The cellar's musty smell tickled the nostrils as the group of four descends into the dark cellarway. Sounds of Pickles snarling and her nails clattering against the stone floor came from ahead. The group continued forward losing what light the double full moon night sky provided. Looking back toward the cellar door several leaves are seen billowing past the wind outside seemed to be picking up. An eerily low pitched moan-like sound is faintly audible within the cellar. The four found themselves staring into the darkness unable to discern where Pickles might be at.

[Haval]

Varnya shrugs, 'I like dogs. Besides, it'll be quicker to go in and get him then wait for him to finish chasing rats.' Having been born in the Empire Varnya has never been underground let alone in one of the great Dwarf holds, but she has firm ideas about what a Dwarf ought to be able to handle. Ignoring the sound of the moaning wind, she'll move ahead of the others and try to judge from the differences in the darkness if there was anything in the way. It wouldn't look good to be tripping over some old manling furniture in front of the others.


Perception vs. Int 42 (-30 Very Hard)
[roll0]

[dojango]

Penny waits in the square of moonlight by the cellar door and fumbles with flint and steel. A spark... a blazing star is born. She holds up the torch and looks around the basement. She whistles loudly. "Here, boy!" and she looks around.

[roll0]

[farothel]

Mangar was about to do the same thing, but Penny was ahead of him. With the extra light, he could have a better look around, as well as trying to hear where the moaning comes from. That certainly wasn't a dog.


[roll0]
perception 31.

[LarsWester]

Light from Penny's torch fills the tight tunnel. The passage descends with about three feet across from stone wall to stone wall continuing for what looked to be over 10 yards. Looking ahead Penny notices a large bloody rat with its neck snapped and laying in an unnatural angle. Further down the passage Pickles could be seen shaking his head violently back and forth with something in his mouth. Just beyond the dog the iron rungs of a ladder could be seen. Eyes following the ladder lead up to a small wooden trapdoor about 12 feet up.

[Haval]

Varnya will approach Pickles to see what the dog had in his mouth. 'Two rats. I suppose you can always come back and bill them later.'

[dojango]

"Yeah. If they don't pay I'll just give them their rats back. Here boy!" Jasmine also walks over to the dog, ready to grab him by the collar.

[LarsWester]

As Varnya neared Pickles she got a better view of what was in the dog's mouth. It looked like a human hand severed 3 inches above the wrist. Was it due to the dog violently shaking its head? Was it the light playing tricks on her eyes? Was her imagination running wild on her? She could swear the hand's long nailed fingers were writhing about trying to reach back and scratch at the dog's face.
At that moment Jasmine came up alongside the dwarf calling out to Pickles to come back to her. As she reaches for the dog's collar she too notices the object in the dog's mouth.

Magnar and Helmut hung back halfway through the short passage. The house above them groaned as ancient wood was shifted due to the heavy winds outside. Several yards behind them the ramshackle wooden door slammed shut as the winds howled. It felt as if the temperature in the cellar tunnel dropped suddenly.

[farothel]

"What the...," Mangar said with a grunt as the door slammed shut. He moved to the door and tried to open it again.


I guess it's a strength check: [roll0] vs 41

[LarsWester]

Magnar struggled against the wooden door but despite no matter how much weight he put behind his shoulder the wooden door would not budge. Behind the door Magnar could hear the winds outside at a gale force. It almost seemed like the howling turned to laughing for a moment but that would be impossible purely a trick of the ears. At this end of the tunnel the light from Jasmine's torch was fairly dim but the relatively darkness didn't hamper Magnar's dwarven eyes.

[farothel]

Magnar trudges back to the rest of the group.
"Doesn't budge," he said, "at least not for me. I guess we will have to get to the front door then."

[dojango]

"Drop it! Drop!" Jasmine shouts at the dog. She picks up the dead rat and tucks it into her belt.

[Haval]

Seeing what might be a moving hand in the dog's mouth was probably just a trick of the light. Varnya will ignore any implications for the moment. To Jasmine, 'Is that what I think it is?' Was there a body buried around here somewhere? She'll will look around for signs of blood or other body parts.

The sound of Magnar trying to break open the door will interrupt her search. 'That can't be right. It's only wood isn't it?'

[LarsWester]

Hearing his master's commands so nearby Pickles finally responds dropping the object in his mouth. The severed hand falls to the passageway's floor and lays still. Varnya scans the surrounding area for any other loose body parts or signs of blood, finding none. As she looks around the fingers on the hand begin to shift slowly in such a way to prop the hand up on two fingers and the severed wrist. The hand begins scuttling across the stone floor. Pickles looks at Jasmine plaintively letting out a little whine.

[farothel]

Seeing the hand move, Magnar doesn't hesitate and chops at it with his axe.


attack: [roll0] vs WS 48
damage: [roll1]

[Haval]

'Huh.' Varnya is not especially worried about the hand but will take her hammer from her belt anyway. 'Does that happen a lot out here?'

[LarsWester]

Magnar's eyes the unnatural hand moving by its own power and springs into action. Blows from his axe ran down until the hand is completely destroyed and nothing more than a stain and tiny bits of flesh on the floor. Pickles looks up at Jasmine and then cocked his head looking at the dead rat hanging from her belt before looking back to Jasmine tail wagging. The group of four strangers were all gathered at the far end of the passageway near an iron ladder that led up to a small wooden trap door.

[dojango]

"Reckon we should charge them extra for that," Jasmine says, coldly. "Let's go up the ladder and go out the front door. Uh, might need a hand gettin' the dog up." Once the dwarves have gone up, Jasmine picks up Pickles and tries to awkwardly climb the ladder while holding the dog. Once she's high enough, she'll hand the dog up to one of the dwarves if they are willing and then will climb up the rest of the way.

[Haval]

Varnya will go up first. She's not sure if the hand was a one off, but between the drunk umgi and the halfling it would be better if one of the Dwarves took the lead, just in case. She'll take Pickles if the dog was willing. 'You bite me and I might drop you.'
Assuming there was any light up here at all she'll try and see what they were dealing with.


Perception vs. Int 42 just in case with Dwarf Night Vision
[roll0]

[Morovir]

Eyes darting in the gloom, Helmut follows the others. Although he tenses at the sight of the undead hand, hissing "Witchcraft!" under his voice, he is too late to react to it - by the time he gets close, one of the dwarfs has already wiped it from the face of the Old World.

Realising the foolhardiness of trying to carry a sword whilst climbing a ladder whilst drunk, he sheathes it temporarily, before reaching for the first rung.

[farothel]

Magnar wasn't sure it was a good thing to let the runesmith go first, but she had already gone before he could say something. At least the human could protect her if needed.
"I'll take the rear," he said to Jasmine, "but we best stay close together."

[LarsWester]

Taking the summation of all those posts as a climbing order of Varnya, Helmut, Jasmine, Magnar.
Varnya reaches the top rung of the ladder throwing up the hatch at the top. The room above is dimly lit by Jasmine's torch below. Varnya climbs into the room taking stock of her surroundings as Helmut climbs up through the small hatchway. The human has a hard time seeing but Varnya can sense that they seem to be a small storage area. The room is about 12 feet by 18 feet with a doorway about 6 feet directly ahead of the hatchway. In this chamber there are a few storage crates, piles of lumber, and rolled up carpets. After checking the room for threats Varnya lays on her stomach reaching down to take Pickles from Jasmine. The halfling than climbed up the ladder slowly with one hand holding on to a torch. Magnar was the last to join them all in the small storage room. As he set his last foot on the floor of the chamber the old wood let out a low creak and groan under the weight of the dwarf.

[farothel]

"We'll have to move slowly and carefully," Magnar said as he looked around for anything useful, like a crowbar or something like that or failing that, some money, "I think if we jump together we end up back in the cellar."

[Haval]

Magnar may have a point. 'Stupid rickety umgi floors.' Varnya mutters. 'Looks like the cellar we just left. There's probably a kitchen around here somewhere.'

[dojango]

Jasmine looks down at the floor. The tall boys like their wood floors instead of good, honest tile on packed dirt. "Let me go first! That way if you fall I can, uh, go get help!" she says as she moves to the doorway. She waves her torch around to see if there are any more rats or... other troubling signs...

[roll0] for perception/Search v. 35

[LarsWester]

The party inspects the storage area that they find themselves in. Magnar notices light from Jasmine's torch reflecting off a small steel prybar. Several of the crates in the room are sealed but a few have covers that are easily removable. One such crate appears to have been used for storing seasonal clothes, including a set of good clothing, a monogramed robe with the letters L H arranged in such a way as the lower part of the L becomes the crossbar of the H, an overcoat, and two cloaks. Several of the sealed crates contain a copious amount of glass jars full of different colored materials of varying viscosities. In each crate the cans have numbers scrawled across the lids starting at 2310 and going to 2315. In Magnar's search he comes across a small collection of parchment with writing on it. The parchment is held together by a small ring in the upper left corner. Also in the room are several carpets, some damaged by moths, and piles of cut wood and stacks of lumber.

[farothel]

"Weird stuff to stock here," Magnar said as he looked at the papers, "anybody knows how to read?"

[Haval]

Varnya sighed, 'Give us it here.' She wasn't interested in rifling through someone's possessions, but since they were. '2310 to 2315. Maybe manling dates?' She only had a hazy idea of the Imperial calender. 'Might be a few centuries back.'


Int to identify what's in the jars. Common Lore (dwarves) or Trade (Smith) +10 if anything seems relevant.
vs. Int 42
[roll0]

Will read the papers if its in Reikspiel or Khazalid

[LarsWester]

Varnya looks over the stack of papers. It is typical human drivel written in an older poetic style of Riekspiel. One page describes a forested scene and the creatures within it. Another is a lustful description of a young lady named Hanna. At the bottom of each page is an overly artistic autograph of Bernhardt Siebert. It is upon reading this poem that Varnya considers the worth of reading further. She turns her attention back to the jars. Opening a jar she sees a wax seal at the top. Varnya assumes that the glass jars were for preserving food and smiles at her previous statement about there probably being a kitchen nearby. As the four strangers look over the room by torchlight Varnya's dwarven eyes pick up that there appears like a light was just struck on the other side of the wooden door.

[Haval]

Varnya chuckles as she reads. It sounded like the writer was exaggerating. 'Looks like poetry. A man named Siebert was in love, I wonder if the woman mentioned here ever knew about this?' She'll become more serious as she sees the light and will point to the door to alert the others. 'Someone made a light. I think we managed to wake someone up.' If there was someone living here hopefully they wouldn't be offended that the four of them were in here.

[dojango]

"Hallo there!" shouts Jasmine. "Ratcatchers here! Official business! Got a class 3 infestation down below, local ordinance says I gotta check it out! Try answering your door sometime, by the way!" Then after a moment, she gestures to the others to open the door up.

[farothel]

Magnar grinned as Jasmine's idea. That would work, at least for long enough to get out of here. He was also a rat catcher, at least if you considered what 'people' he mostly chased.

[LarsWester]

Silence hung in the storage room as the four waited for a response. There was no answer from the next room.

[Haval]

Varnya will shrug at the lack of response and open the door anyway.

[LarsWester]

Beyond the door opens into a large room lit by several oil lamps hanging on the four walls. A large bear skin rug covers a large portion of the floor. A small wooden table rests on the rug between two armchairs covered with white blankets. Further into the room are two more covered armchairs and a smaller round table on top of a boar skin rug. Hanging on the Eastern wall is a large oil painting with a heavy gilt frame. The painting shows a distressing scene of a foully mutated Chaos Beastman standing over the bloodied bodies of two slain warriors atop a blackened hilltop. The Beastman has a goat's head and the legs of an ox and wields a bloody huge two handed sword.

[farothel]

"That's disturbing," Magnar said, gripping his weapon harder and looking around for anything that might be out of the ordinary.
"I think we have to invite the witch hunters or the priests of Sigmar into this house one time," he added.


search: [roll0] vs 31

[Haval]

Varnya is watching the painting and half expecting it to move by itself. To Magnar, 'If you know any of them I agree.' She'll glance at the only human who was with them. 'If not I vote we burn the place down as soon as we get out of here. We'd be doing the town a favour.'

'Someone lit these lamps recently. They may be someone in here with us.'


Perception vs. Int 42
[roll0]

[dojango]

"Must be up to no good. Any honest home-owner would speak up when invited to by several armed unexpected guests."

[LarsWester]

As Helmut follows the others into the room, there is a horrendous gurgling sound emanating from the direction of the painting. Blood gouts from the opened necks of the two slain warriors. One stream directed straight towards Varyna who was looking directly at the painting. Then the unimaginable happened as the Chaos Beastman stepped out of the painting into the room with the shocked four. The slain humans in the painting thrashed spilling blood down the wall to pool on the floor below.

[LarsWester]

The goat headed monstrosity stalked what it considered to be the biggest threat in the room and ferociously attacked Magnar swinging his two-handed sword. The swipes with the sword missing the dwarf but carving into the draped furniture.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[farothel]

Magnar didn't hesitate and with a cry of "Foul Creature" he tried to chop it into 2 half-beastmen, but keeping his axe ready to parry should there be a need.


attack (half-action): [roll0] vs 48 for [roll1] damage
parry stance (half-action)

[Haval]

Varnya is stunned for a few moments as she's covered in...blood? She had half expected the Beastman to move because it was creepy to look at. She had never seen a Beastman after all. To see it actually step out of the painting... Grimnir's beard what in the hell is going on? But there would be time enough to worry about that later.

Varnya will do what she can to shake the blood out of her eyes before counter charging the thing as it went after Magnar. She's a little to out of sorts to manage an actual battle cry, instead it is more a scream of anger at getting covered in whatever that was.


Away from book, and everything's slightly different to 40krpg from what I remember. Someone tell me if I forget anything.

For the sake of the initiative order, which would affect outnumbering
Ag 17 (-20) + [roll0]

Full Action to Charge
Vs. WS 43 (+charge bonus) (+outnumbering if Magnars in combat)
[roll1]

Any damage with the hammer
[roll2]

[LarsWester]

Varyna shaking blood from her eyes and screaming in rage charges forward swinging her hammer violently. She catches the strange creature in its left arm an audible crack is heard as the arm quickly turns deep purple in color. The goat-thing releases a howl of pain and anger and shifts its focus to the second dwarf.

For initiative for play by post I am doing a semi-group initiative thing. Generally if player A and player B would both go before the next NPC I won't care which posts first. Whoever does will be considered to have done so in correct initiative order.
Varnya's blow does a fair amount of damage to the Beastman's left arm. Nice attack and damage rolls there Haval.

[Morovir]

"By Sigmar! Die, mutant!"

Helmut bellows as he charges in, sword swinging. The slur had left his voice, replaced with a purpose he had not felt since... well, better times.

Charge (Full Action): [roll0] TN 51
Damage: [roll1]

[dojango]

"What the what what?" says Jasmine. She pulls out her sling, whirls it, aiming, and tries to fling a stone at one of the beastmen. The ugliest one.

[roll0] v. 34, [roll1]

[LarsWester]

With the creature of chaos focus turned toward Varyna, Helmut bellows a war cry and charges the other side slashing away with his sword causing a deep cut to the beastman's right arm. A stone flies over the goat horns on the head of the beast. Blood spilling forth in glorious gore the beastman swipes at the dwarf female twice with his greatsword. Missing wildly the beastman looks back at the painting mournfully remembering past days of glory.


[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

[farothel]

Surprised at the way the runesmith and especially the human hit hard, Mangar tries again.


same as last round: one attack and 1 parrying stance (both half actions)
attack [roll0] vs 48 for [roll1] damage

[dojango]

Jasmine drops another stone in her sling, whirls it around, getting ready to aim carefully at the beastman...'


Reload + aim

[Morovir]

Sensing victory is at hand, Helmut pushes the attack, throwing all regard for his own safety to the wind.

All-Out Attack (Full Action): [roll0] TN 61
Damage; [roll1]

[Haval]

Varnya was going to concentrate on staying out of the Beastman's way. It was a big lad, but with three of them here to fight it plus the Halfling she couldn't see it lasting long. After the manling managed to knock it over she'll she if she can finish it off by breaking it's skull.


Hmm, presumably I can all out attack?

vs. WS 43 (+20 All Out Attack) (+20 Stunned) (+outnumbering) (-20 Called Shot on the head)
[roll0]

Any damage
[roll1]

If Grimnir's Fury
[roll2]
[roll3]

[Morovir]

Smiling grimly as his blow knocked the mutant to its knees, Helmut stands over it, sword raised to deliver the killing blow.

All-Out Attack: [roll0] TN 91 (WS 41 +20 AoA +20 Stunned +10 Outnumbered)
Damage: [roll1]

[LarsWester]

The goat eyes of the beastman seemed blurred over as Helmut smacked it with his sword. The stunned creature quickly fell to blows from Varyna's hammer, Magnar's axe, and Helmut stabbing his sword through its chest. The goat mouth opens an lets out a mournful howl accompanied by a thin wispy cloud of grey smoke. As the smoke billows out into the room it slowly dissolves leaving the room about thirty degrees colder than before. From the supply room they just left there is a sound as the trap door slams shut. The whole house shudders in the howling wind outside. There is a door leaving this room to the left of the large painting.

[Haval]

Varnya will steady herself and wipe the rest of the blood from her face. Assuming there were no other threats in the room she'll go to try and knock the painting from where ever it was hanging on the wall. Smashing the painting or burning the canvas would have to wait.

[Morovir]

"And that, is how you deal with a mutant."

Helmut walks over to one of the armchairs, wipes the blood off his sword using the blanket and then sheathes it.

"This house must be purged in Sigmar's name. Let us not tarry further."

[dojango]

"Esmeralda preserve us!" Jasmine wiped her brow. "Let's get out of here and burn the place down before we go."

[Haval]

"And that, is how you deal with a mutant."

Helmut walks over to one of the armchairs, wipes the blood off his sword using the blanket and then sheathes it.

"This house must be purged in Sigmar's name. Let us not tarry further."

'I don't think that was a mutant. Not really. They aren't supposed to step out of a bloody painting. All for solving this with fire.'

[LarsWester]

Varnya knocks the painting off the wall and the falls to the floor leaning against the back of one of the covered sofas in the room. The sheet covering a second chair is stained bright with blood from Helmut sword. The room is lit by several sconces with oil burning lamps on the four walls of the room. The room has two doors one in the Southwest corner on the Southern wall and one on the Eastern wall on the Northern side. The door on the South wall leads back into the darkened storage room.

[dojango]

"Think the exit is thataway," says Jasmine, pointing to the eastern door. "After you, longshanks," she says to the fearless zealot.

[farothel]

"This is some weird stuff," Magnar said as he gave a last axe hit on the painting, "I'll cover the rear, ok?"
He would follow the rest of them to the next room.

[Morovir]

"For Sigmar! Stay behind me, my loyal retainers."

Drawing his sword and morningstar, Helmut heads through the eastern door.

[LarsWester]

The door leads to a long hallway. On the groups left side then can see a doorway about 15 feet ahead. Just beyond the door the wall on the opposite side has an opening for several feet before continuing several yards to end at a large set of wooden double doors at the opposite end of the hall. At the far the of the hall there are sets of double doors on either wall. The hallway is lit by oil lamps two on each side. The lamps make no smell or sound. The hallway is empty except for the four strangers and quiet but for the faint regular squeak sound of of unoiled metal scrapping against metal.

It appears as if the sound is coming from behind the nearest door on the wall on the left side.

[Haval]

"For Sigmar! Stay behind me, my loyal retainers."

Drawing his sword and morningstar, Helmut heads through the eastern door.

Varnya side eyes the human, 'Alright your 'lordship'. Just don't go running off.' Maybe it would be better to have had a drink before she came in here.


Perception vs. Int 42 (Easy +20)
[roll0]

[farothel]

Magnar followed the group, looking around while his mind raced about what the hell was going on here.

[Haval]

Was that some kind of machinery? Varnya had heard of the creations of the Dwarven Engineer's Guild but had had no direct experience with them. If it was a threat it would be better to deal with it now She will attract the others attention, put her finger to her lips and gesture towards the door where the sound was coming from. If no one prevents her she'll ease the door open.

[Morovir]

Hearing the sound, Helmut inclines his head as the female dwarf gestures towards the door, readying his weapons.

[LarsWester]

As Varnya nears the door the smell of roasting meat wafts under the door. She opens the door revealing what is an impressive kitchen. There are multiple worktables strewn with a variety of utensils. The far end of the room is dominated by a huge wood-burning stove and a large fire grate beside it where a metal spit is being turned slowly by a humanoid figure. It is this device and the large mass of meat that turns slowly that is producing the smell and sound observed outside the door. The humanoid figure by the spit turns to face the dwarf who disturbed its cooking. Parts of the creatures face have deteriorated and peeled away revealing cheek bones beneath rotten flesh. The spit turner is not alone as there is a second such creature rising from a stool near one of the cutting tables it turns towards the door brandishing a rusted and pitted meat cleaver. The two moving corpses move slowly but with deadly intent towards the door and the four living souls standing there.

[farothel]

Magnar had just entered the room when he spotted the zombies. Not fazed, he immediately charged one of them with a mighty roar, cleaving away with his axe.


full action to charge. I need 4 yards at least, so I'll charge the nearest if that one is more than 4 yards away from me, otherwise the other one.

[roll0] vs 58 (48 WS +10% charge)
[roll1] damage

Ulric's Fury confirmed in OOC topic, 7 extra damage for a total of 22 damage.

[Haval]

Normally Varnya would have gladly followed Magnar into battle, but the sight of the room and what it implied was off-putting. <Why were they just standing here> she mutters in Khazalid. Had some umgi wizard raised them to cook him his dinner? Did the village have no idea what was happening inside the house? Would something that was powerful enough to do this try to stop them from leaving? <That was no krutin mutant either.> Varnya is more focused on the walls in the room to see if anything else showed up to have any thought for defending herself.

[LarsWester]

Magnar rushes into the room past Varyna his axe comes slashing down on the closest abomination to nature cleaving it clean in half with a cut spreading from shoulder to opposite hip. The torso of the zombie fell back crashing into one of the preparation tables bashing the back of the head of the zombie against all three levels as it fell to floor. The bottom half of the zombie continue forward one step before falling forward to splatter against the floor in an awesome spray of gore.

[dojango]

"Hey, good-looking, what's cookin!" Jasmine shouts at the zombies. Watching the dwarf effortlessly cleave one of them in twain, she aims for the other one and lets a stone fly.

[roll0] v. 54, [roll1], [roll2] [roll3] in case of fury.

[Morovir]

Poised to rush in, Helmut merely stares nonplussed as the male dwarf runs in past him. Let the dwarf deal with such chattel. He needed to conserve himself for bigger fights. Raising his icon of Sigmar from around his neck, he began screaming obscenities at the undead.

[LarsWester]

One of the two foul undead was cut in half by a single blow of the male dwarf's axe. The other took a sling stone to its chest from the halfling but seemed unfazed, the stone striking bits of rotten leather it still wore. The female dwarf and zealot seemed frozen as they encountered the unexpected undead. The meat spit continued to turn slowly on its own accord as the remaining zombie stumbled towards the male dwarf. The ferocity of the dwarf's axe strike left him open to counter attack as the walking corpse slashed away catching the dwarf on the right arm opening a tremendous gash of a wound.

half action standard move
half action standard attack
[roll0]
[roll1]5 damage total.
[roll2]
[roll3]
Zombie1 - Dead
Zombie2 - Full Health
Party up any order. Helmut and Varyna need to pass Fear Tests to take actions. Jasmine and Magnar are free to act as normal. The remaining Zombie is engaged with Magnar so firing into melee penalty (-20%) will apply. Although outnumbering 2 to 1 is also in effect and provides a +10%.

[farothel]

Magnar gritted his teeth as the zombie hit him. How dared the thing. A few axe blows should take care of it.
"C'Mon you idiots," he shouted, "swarm it."


half action: attack
[roll0] vs 58 (48 WS +10% outnumber)
[roll1] damage

Ulrics fury: [roll2] vs 58 (48 WS +10% outnumber)
[roll3] damage

half action: parry.

[Haval]

The spit continuing to turn by itself did not make Varnya feel any better. What dark magic was in this place? She'll take her icon out and mutter a blessing, <Valaya bless our clan and hold and hearth.'>

[dojango]

"Just kill it! Cut the head off or sumthin'" She puts away her sling and draws her club, although she doesn't approach the monster.

[LarsWester]

Press tightly against the table it is awkward for Magnar to bring his axe to bear on the remaining Zombie. He fails to score any hits but brings his weapon up into a parrying stance to deflect the undead's counterattacks. Jasmine stows her sling and breaks out a melee weapon but is cautious to join the fray. At her feet Pickle snarls at the walking corpse as it shuffles forward cutting off Magnar from the rest of the living. The jaw of the zombie pops loose as it clumsily swings with its meat cleaver at dwarven bounty hunter never coming close to landing a hit. Pickles runs forward snapping at the Zombies heels but failing to connect.

Helmut seems frozen in terror at the unexpected undead. Varyna looks in horror at the spit turning on its own accord. It is the slowly rotating chunk of meat on the spit that holds her gaze. As it spins slowly Varyna can see things press against the casing of the meat. First a hand appeared stretched out showing each finger pushing against the thin lining of the meat. But it was when she saw the face with mouth open in a noiseless scream that Varyna found her mind reeling.

Zombie 1/2 Action Standard Attack
Zombie 1/2 Action Parrying Stance
[roll0] miss
[roll1]
[roll2] miss
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
Varyna needs to make a Will Power Test or Gain 1 Insanity Point for witnessing the horror within the meat.

Only check the parry after a successful attack roll. Including now to speed up posting.

[roll6] Successful Parry

[Haval]

The sight of the face finally snapped Varnya out of her funk. Was this another prisoner? Were they cooking someone? After the Beastman in the painting she's not sure how much of this was as it appeared, but she wouldn't leave anyone to suffer like that if there was any chance it was real. She will run to the spit and knock it over so that the meat was at least out of the fire. The walking corpse would have to wait.


Letting someone get cooked is too horrible so she'll try and deal with that first. Magnar will be helped after, although hopefully Helmut can snap out of it first.

[farothel]

"Just... Stand... Still... You... Freak," Magnar grunted while he tried to take the zombie down.


half action: attack: [roll0] vs 58 (48WS + 10% outnumber)
damage: [roll1]

Ulric's fury: attack: [roll2] vs 58 (48WS + 10% outnumber)
damage: [roll3]

half-action: parry
[roll4] vs 58 (48WS + 10% outnumber)

[dojango]

"Get im', Pickles! It's just a big rat! But don't eat it!" Jasmine shouts at the dog and points again with her club at the zombie. Pickles, of course, is already trying to grab it by the leg and worry it, but Jasmine wants to have some control over him.

[Morovir]

Coming to the conclusion that simply brandishing his icon of Sigmar at the undead was having precisely no effect whatsoever, Helmut finally decides to enter the fray, laying about left and right with his morningstar.

Half-Action: Move towards closest zombie
Half-Action (Standard Attack): [roll0] TN 41
Damage: [roll1] [roll2]

[LarsWester]

Magnar would have scored a solid hit on the zombie if it didn't raise its cleaver in a clumsy parry at the last second. Helmut finally springs into action swinging his morningstar but failing to connect for any real damage. Jasmine shouts encouragement at Pickle. Varyna runs clear past the zombie and melee to fling the rotating spit onto the ground there is a thud and sizzle as the chunk of meat meets the floor. Varyna can see a screaming face pressed up against the thin casing of the meat. The face shifts to make eye contact with the dwarf before receding further into the meat. The zombie continues its assault on Magnar failing to make any contact with the dwarf. Pickle egged on by Jasmine's voice jumps up onto the cutting table and leaps off the table snapping viscously at the zombie's right arm. The dog lands with a considerable chunk of rotten flesh and begins retching and gagging. Pickle looks back at Jasmine with sad little puppy dog eyes before wheeling back around and growling at the Zombie.

[roll0]
[roll1]
parried by Magnar if successful
[roll2]
[roll3] OOC roll 10+2 damage = 12 damage before soak to right arm. Zombie 2 is severely wounded.
[roll4]
[roll5]


[roll6]

[farothel]

Magnar was surprised that the zombie parried. But he didn't let that stop him and with some extra assistance, he kept chopping at the zombie while ignoring the pain in his arm for now.


half action attack: [roll0] vs 58 (48 +10% outnumber)
damage: [roll1]

Ulric's fury: attack: [roll2] vs 58 (48 +10% outnumber)
damage: [roll3]



Half action: parry: [roll4] vs 58

[Morovir]

Enraged that his first attack failed to hit, Helmut lashed out again with his morningstar.

All-Out Attack: [roll0] TN 61
Damage: [roll1]

[LarsWester]

The zombie preoccupied with the dwarf failed to notice the human zealot's morningstar as it descended into the back of the corpse's skull sending splinters of skull and rotting brain matter across the room. Varyna struggles to free something from the meat package when she cuts open the outer casing the meat along the outer edges parts revealing an inner core of human being long dead and decaying judging by the shape of the body. The whole thing is rather unsettling. Where did the hands and face come from? How long was this body rotating on a spit? Why was it rotating on a spit? Do Zombies need to eat warm meat? So many questions and so little answers. With the room to themselves the group of adventures notice that there are several cleavers of different sizes but all in rather poor shape. On the far wall opposite the door they entered are two doors towards the middle of the wall.

[farothel]

"What the hell is going on here," Magnar asked the group and then groins as the adrenaline leaves his body and he started to feel his wounds, "Anybody knows how to heal wounds?"

[Haval]

Varnya recoils at the sight of whoever was in the meat looking back at her. She was about to guiltily turn away to go help Magnar when the umgi finally woke up and did the job for her. She'll gingerly cut the meat open with her runic knife in a bid to avoid hurting anyone who might be inside, but the decaying body ultimately was not wholly surprising to see. The sight of it made her sick, but it mostly made her angry. 'Doesn't mean it didn't happen, even if it's not happening now. May your God take you to whatever rest you can get. Whoever you were.' She could absolutely believe that someone had stumbled in here at some point to end up as dinner. That the body was still being cooked after who knows how long seemed like someone's sick idea of a joke, even if the person responsible wasn't necessarily still around.

She'll shrug off Magnar's request for help as it was not something she could do anything about. The rest though, 'It's a place of dark magic. The only question is whether there's someone responsible for creating all this. Someone raised these uzkular. Someone shoved that Beastman in a painting.' She points at the body in the meat, 'Someone did that. If we find the person responsible they need to die. Otherwise I'd say we find the quickest way out of here. it'll be easier to burn it down from outside.'

[Morovir]

"Let us find the canker at the heart of this unholy place and burn it out. Sigmar shall provide."

[farothel]

"Good idea," Magnar said, "which of the two doors shall we take?"

[Haval]

Varnya is going to approach both of the doors to see if she can hear anything. 'Why not both? I would hate to miss out on a door or a window just because we chose badly.'


Perception vs. Int 42
[roll0]

[LarsWester]

No perceptible noises from either door on the opposite side you entered the kitchen.

[Haval]

'If we start breaking things in here I wonder if someone would come looking.' Even if it didn't work she might feel better. Varnya will open the left hand door.

[dojango]

"If nobody's come yet they ain't gonna come. This place is deader than... well, one o' those things." Jasmine says, pointing towards one of the twitching bodies. "Jes' remember. Escape first. Then burn." she adds as she gets ready to follow Varnya.

[Haval]

'I'd take more uzkalar. If something in here is trying to kill us I'd rather it came to us.'

[LarsWester]

Varnya opens the door on the left and it appears to be a storage room for all manner of pots, pans, and other cooking utensils and equipment. All the metal utensils and cookery are rusted, potted and utterly worthless. There are some large bags on the top shelf marked as flour and sugar. These exceptionally large bags probably weigh 50lb each and look to be made of thick paper that has a very aged appearance.

[farothel]

"Looks old," Magnar said, "close the door before those sacks come to life somehow."

[Haval]

'A sack I can deal with.' Varnya mutters. She'll close the door and try the other one.

[LarsWester]

There is a bit a squeak and squeal from the rusty hinges on the door on the right as Varyna opens it up to reveal the small room beyond. If the room on the left was for storing kitchen utensils and large sacks the room on the right was for storing food stocks. The shelves were lined with glass and ceramic jars and canisters of manners of sizes and shapes. Everything unsealed seemed long decayed into putrescence at the bottom of their container. One shelf held wax sealed glass container with labels of Strawberry-2315, Apple-2314, and Raspberry-2315. The jars contained different color gel like substances.

[Haval]

Varnya will glare at the jars and wonder what it looked like when it was edible. Umgi were often weird. 'I think there were more doors before...the meat room.' She'll look at the walls to try to judge whether she could try breaking a hole somewhere. If it was only wood then two dwarfs ought to be more then enough.

[dojango]

Jasmine pokes at the jars and says, "Kin anyone read these runes?" before shrugging and leaving the room. A pantry full of rotten food was interesting on a professional level, but wasn't going to lead to the exit.

[LarsWester]

The shelves were made of wood but secured by metal bolts driven into holes in masonry walls. This storage room feels oddly colder than either of the two previous rooms.

[farothel]

"Not me," Magnar said, "I never had the opportunity. Anyway, given what this house is, I wouldn't try eating it, whatever it is."

[Haval]

Varnya ignores the temperature, 'It says there was fruit in there. If that's the year it was made it's been abandoned a long time. Apparently the uzkalar didn't want it' She's going to spend a few moments tapping the walls with the flat of her hammer and listening to see if she could find any weak points in the wall. 'Magnar, any chance you've ever done any mining? If not we may have to retrace our steps.'


No one has Trade (Miner) but it was worth a try. If there's no obvious way to break a hole in the wall Varnya is going to retrace their steps to before the zombies to look for more doors.

[LarsWester]

Finding no apparent weak points in the stone masonry, Varyna retracing her steps and emerges in what seems to be the main hallway of the house. At the far end of the hallway there are a set of large heavy double doors lit by lanterns on either side of the doorway. The lantern light also exposes sets of smaller double doors on each wall closer to the larger ones at the end of the hallway. Also directly across the hall is an alcove with a set of double doors and three other doors (one on the right wall and two on the left wall).

To clarify at this point the party has the following options of doors.
A - Large Heavy Double Doors End of Hall
B - Double doors on left wall towards End of Hall
C - Double doors on right wall towards End of Hall
D - Double doors in alcove
E - Door on right wall of alcove
F - 1st door on left wall of alcove
G - 2nd door on left wall of alcove
Ordering by closeness to current position F, E, G, D, B, C, A.

[dojango]

Jasmine heads to the large double doors. "C'mon! Here boy! Pickles, come here too! This looks like the door out!" She tries to open the large doors.

[Haval]

Varnya is disappointed but not exactly surprised. She'll keep trying though. In the hallway the Halfling had a point, 'Big doors first then.'

[LarsWester]

The large double doors at the end of the hallway didn't budge when Jasmine threw her halfling weight into shoving them open. Pickles looked up at his master head cocked to one side. Varnya following behind the halfling also approached the large doors. Both halfling and dwarf got a very unsettling vibe from the set of doors as chill ran down their spine. They both can hear howling from the other side of the doors. The wind outside must be absolutely torrential.

[Haval]

Varnya will grimace at the door and will check the state of it's hinges. 'We all push at the same time or we break the bloody thing down.'

[farothel]

"Quite a lot of wind outside," Magnar said, "this is a pretty safe location at this moment. Maybe we should just stay here until the wind dies down."

[LarsWester]

Varnya begins battering at the door but beyond the oaken frame has two metal bands running vertically and two horizontally across that reinforce the wooden structure. The bands and hinges seem to be of fine quality and not touched by rust.

[Morovir]

"We should not seek to flee. This place is clearly cursed - it is our sacred task to purge it! We must push inwards, not outwards!"

The fervour had returned to Helmut's voice, and he made no move to aid the dwarf in trying to break down the door.

[Haval]

Varnya will take a deep breath as she collects herself, 'No one's fleeing umgi. But it would be nice to know that we're free to leave when we need to.' To Magnar, 'Best check for more uzkalar if we try that. If we're still stuck here and we're tired enough that we need sleep there are worse places to rest. But I think in that case we'd have bigger problems.' She'll look at the nearest set of doors on the right, 'Anyone want to toss a coin? Maybe there's a window in one of these rooms. I ought to be able to break glass at least.'

[dojango]

"Not disagreeable in the purgin, but thought we was supposed to purge it with fire. Which is best done from outside."

[Haval]

"Not disagreeable in the purgin, but thought we was supposed to purge it with fire. Which is best done from outside."

Varnya glances towards the main doors before turning to Helmut. 'She has a point manling. You mind lending a hand? If we can't get the bloody thing open between us at least we tried.'

[farothel]

"Maybe we can find another door," Magnar suggested, "they often have fortified front doors and half-rotten backdoors."

[Haval]

"Maybe we can find another door," Magnar suggested, "they often have fortified front doors and half-rotten backdoors."

Assuming the door won't open, 'Somehow I feel like that won't be enough. A normal house might have stuck or locked doors that are well made enough that we'd have trouble opening them. A house where a Beastman emerges from a painting or where the dead are doing domestic work? The normal rules might not apply here. We might have to hunt down whatever is running things here and put it down before getting out is even an option.'

Varnya is going to pick the rightmost door from where they are at the moment. They probably should try the larger doors first.

[farothel]

Magnar just follows, weapons ready. If a runesmith is taking a door, then any good dwarf just follows.

[LarsWester]

The main front door seems closed stubbornly tight. The runesmith decided to try the set of double doors on the right side of the hall. Opening these doors reveals a large chamber furnished with several leather armchairs, a walnut drinks cabinet, and an oak writing desk. The floor is covered with thick but tattered carpets. Along one wall there is a shelf with a series of jars of tobacco leaf and a tray of various pipes. The room still smells faintly of tobacco smoke and sulfur. The party of four seem to have the room to themselves.

[farothel]

"I could do with a drink," Magnar said, looking at the drinks cabinet, but a bit unsure in this weird house. He slowly moved forward, weapons ready and looking around.

[Haval]

Varnya follows Magnar into the room, 'Not the worse idea. The Umgi was drinking before we got here and he seems to manage. Just make sure it's actually alcohol.' She wasn't worried. Human alcohol probably wasn't strong enough to make a difference to a Dwarf. 'You think someone was actually smoking in here recently?' Varnya will see if any of the pipes looked like they had been in use. Otherwise, as the only one here who could read, she investigate the writing desk for books or paperwork.

[dojango]

Jasmine picked up the tobacco pouch and examined it. She pulls out a pinch of the weed and took a sniff of it. Might be nice to take a break and put up her feet while the others ran around...

[roll0] v. 35, common knowledge - halfling or trade - farmer to figure out what type of baccy it is.

[LarsWester]

Magnar inspects the cabinet holding the liquor. The large cabinet has two doors meeting in the middle and several shelves visible behind glass on the upper half of the doors. Beyond the glass Magnar sees a number of bottles of varying colors and shapes. There are also six silver goblets that look finely made.

Jasmine climbs onto one of the leather chairs to reach the shelf holding the jars of tobacco. Grabbing one such jar she unscrews the top and pinching the leaf finds it still relatively moist. Sniffing it she faintly recognizes parts of the scent to be similar to her favorite brand named "Halflynge Weede". Jasmine also noticed on the shelf between two of the glass jars a silver cigarette case and a finely carved sandalwood tobacco box with inlaid mother-of-pearl in the shape of turban over an Araby man.

Varyna being the only literate member of the four inspects the writing desk. She find a few old sheets of vellum, a quill pen, an inkwell with dried up ink at the bottom. The oak desk has three closed drawers on the right hand side.

I will accept an Evaluate test or an applicable Trade test to determine the value of any of the items found in this room.

[Haval]

Varnya will go through the desk draws. If they're locked she leaver them open with her dagger.


Str if needed
vs. Str 35
[roll0]

Evaluate
vs. Int 42
[roll1]

Trade (Smith) +10 if it helps
vs. Int 42 (+10 Dwarfcraft) - TN 62
[roll2]

[farothel]

"Ooh, these look expensive," Magnar said, pointing at the silver goblets, "anything else here, like any critters that we have to dispose of?"

[Morovir]

Shaking his head at the greed of the dwarfs, Helmut follows them into the room. Leaning in, he peers at the liquor bottles hopefully, but refrains from reaching out and taking them.

[dojango]

Jasmine grabs one of the jars of tobacco and tucks into her backpack. After a moment, she also grabs the silver case and the sandalwood box and climbs down from the chair. Granny Featherblossom handles the fencing for the family, she'd handle these things. She wanders over to where the dwarf is looking at the papers and asks, "See anything?"

[Haval]

"See anything?"

Varnya shrugs, 'Only if you need writing equipment. That stuff isn't cheap.' She's not taking anything from this house without a really good reason. 'Maybe the owner keeps their diary somewhere else.'


If there's nothing interesting in the desk drawers Varnya's going to go to the next unopened room.

[farothel]

Magnar followed Varnya, weapon at the ready. This house was crazy and he wanted to be ready, just in case.

[LarsWester]

Varnya shrugs, 'Only if you need writing equipment. That stuff isn't cheap.' She's not taking anything from this house without a really good reason. 'Maybe the owner keeps their diary somewhere else.'


If there's nothing interesting in the desk drawers Varnya's going to go to the next unopened room.


Varnya's search through the desk drawers is fruitful when she reaches into the middle drawer and finds a key crafted from bone.

Anyone taking anything else before leaving the room. Jasmine grabbed one of the jars of tobacco, the silver case, and the sandalwood box. Varnya I assume is taking the key made of bone.

[Haval]

'This is a cursed place.' Varnya will hold the key up to the others, 'Looks like bone to me. What's the chance it was taken from someone. I'll take it in case we actually need it to open something. Afterwards it's going in the fire with the rest of the house.'

[dojango]

"All bones belonged to something sometimes. Grind them up, makes a good addition to compost. The good stuff that is. Not the cheapo stuff the humies like to buy."

[farothel]

"Right you are," Magnar said to Varnya, grabbing the silver goblets before following the others, weapons ready.

[Haval]

"All bones belonged to something sometimes. Grind them up, makes a good addition to compost. The good stuff that is. Not the cheapo stuff the humies like to buy."

'I'm not taking any chances.' Varnya mutters. Before they leave she will look for a bottle of alcohol to take with her. 'It's made by umgi but it should burn all the same.'

[LarsWester]

As the dwarves reach into the wooden cabinet to grab the silver goblets and the bottle of booze a wooden manikin slides out on a wooden tray. The manikin is an automaton in the form of an Araby boy with a hookah pipe. It is attached to an opaque bell jar that swirls with smoke and sparks of blue flame. The boy-automaton puffs a smoke ring into the room which hovers in the air between Varnya and Magnar for a second before flaring brightly and transforming into a body of an Araby man composed entirely of fire and smoke. The image floats through the air as if weightless. It puts a flaming finger at Magnar and utters Who disturbs my rest?


Everyone roll initiative.
[roll0]
if you beat the initiative above feel free to post your actions. To set the scene Varyna and Magnar are on either sides of this flaming figure. Helmut and Jasmine are a few yards further away but could easily get into melee range, however spacing would eliminate charge as an action in doing so.

[farothel]

"We didn't disturb anything," Magnar didn't hesitate and swung his axe as soon as he figure came near him, then readied himself to parry anything that came his way.



half-action: attack [roll0] vs 48 (+10 for outnumbering it's vs 58)
damage: [roll1]
half-action: parry stance

if Ulric's fury:
attack [roll2] vs 48 (+10 for outnumbering it's vs 58)
damage: [roll3]

[dojango]

Jasmine backs away from the apparition as fast as possible to the far edge of the room. "Cheeky Bottoms at yer service", she says. "Who the heck are you?"

[Haval]

Jasmine backs away from the apparition as fast as possible to the far edge of the room. "Cheeky Bottoms at yer service", she says. "Who the heck are you?"

Well I wanted fire 'It's a Daemon.' Varnya replies without any certainty. For all she knew such things were common in Araby.


Varnya's at the bottom of the initiative so I'll wait and see how it responds to being hit.

[LarsWester]

I am the spirit of Ud'zi al-Qaar imprisoned in servitude for a 1000 years and YOU share taste my wrath because of it.
The fire spirit thrusts a fist of flame towards each dwarf as it hovered in the air. The dwarves duck down as the burning hands pass over where their heads were a moment before.

Swift Attack = Full Action
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
I just realized I skipped Helmut.

[Haval]

That sounded like a yes. 'You should have stayed asleep Daemon.' Varnya is not sure if they can actually kill a Daemon but will be damned if she's going to be intimidated by it. She'll attempt to force it back towards something flammable.


Full Action - All Out Attack

vs. WS 43 (+20)
[roll0]

Any Damage
[roll1]

Any Grimnir's Fury
[roll2]
[roll3]

[LarsWester]

Varnya's hammer passes through the body of the flaming spirit. The flames appeared to waver for a second in the area where her hammer passed. She wasn't sure but the dwarf believed her blows made some sort of impact on the foul spirit however the spirit remained in its previous location.

Still waiting for Helmut to make a post. But solid hit from Varnya. This spirit is not wearing armor of any type. If you want to force the hovering fire spirit to move it would probably take the half action Maneuver to move it one square back but this action also mentions you can't use it to force people into other characters or terrain features. So if you wanted to do that it would probably take a successful grapple followed by a move. The grappler of a fire spirit would be taking some fire damage each round it grappled the living flames.

[Morovir]

Helmut roars at the spirit, holding up his icon of Sigmar in his left hand as he charges in, morningstar swinging:

Initiative: [roll0]
Charge (Full Action): [roll1] TN 51
Damage: [roll2] [roll3]

[LarsWester]

The Zealot's flail sweeps through the fiery man's right leg the whole apparition shudders as the flail passes through the flames trailing wisps of smoke.

[dojango]

Jasmine reaches down and grabs Pickle's collar so he can't lunge into the fire. Then she reaches in her pocket and pulls out the sandalwood box with the carved man on it. She waves it at the demon and shouts, "Hey, I've got yer box! That means ya gotta do what I say! Stop it!"

[Morovir]

Shaking his head at the halfling's attempts to negotiate with the spirit, Helmut brings his morningstar back around for another swing, icon in hand and prayers to Sigmar on his lips.

All-Out Attack: [roll0] TN 71 (WS 41 +20 AoA +10 Outnumbered)
Damage: [roll1]

[LarsWester]

That box is not mine any more than my will is yours to control. The flaming spirit laughs at the halfling's attempt to control it. The laughing stops as the figure looks to grimace as the Zealot's morningstar(?) passes through its incorporeal right leg again at very nearly the exact location it previously struck. The flames in the limb appeared subdued and were reduced to wisps of smoke.

[farothel]

"Then we'll do it the old fashioned way," Mangar grumbled as he swung his axe again.


half-action: attack [roll0] vs 58 for damage: [roll1]
half-action: parry [roll2] vs 58

Ulrics's fury (if needed): attack [roll3] vs 58 for damage: [roll4]

[LarsWester]

With the apparition's right leg a wispy cloud Magnar swings his axe passing through the flaming creature's left leg. His axe glowing red hot as it trails wisps of smoke from the creature. The spirit of Ud'zi al-Qaar glanced down at his legs as they turned into clouds of smoke that roiled up over his chest. The spirit let out a cry of Sweet release. as it vanished from the room leaving behind the scent of sulfur mingled with hints of burnt tobacco.

[roll0] Sudden Death Crit!

[farothel]

Anybody has any idea what the hell that was," Magnar asked when the thing vanished.

[Haval]

'It was a Demon, or something close enough as to make no difference. I think someone bound it to this place and I think we let it out.' Varnya is matter of fact about this. She didn't know it was in there. 'Maybe it was weakened by it's imprisonment.'

[dojango]

Jasmine tucks the box back in her pockets and gives Pickle a head rub. "Said he was a spirit imprisoned here for 1000 years. Hope that don't mean we're stuck here for that long."

[Haval]

Jasmine tucks the box back in her pockets and gives Pickle a head rub. "Said he was a spirit imprisoned here for 1000 years. Hope that don't mean we're stuck here for that long."

'Lot of time to try breaking out of here in 1000 years.' Varnya mutters 'Although what if someone else manages to wander in here before that?'

In the corridor, 'Do you think this place has a staircase? It looked big enough from the outside if we can trust that.'

[Morovir]

Spitting on the ground where the spirit had vanished, Helmut snorts at the faded apparition.

"Pathetic."

Turning back to the rest of them, he straightens his coat and adjusts his hat:

"We must find the master of this house and bring them Sigmar's justice. Only then will we be free."

[farothel]

"Agreed," Magnar said, "Let's do the nearest door first."

[LarsWester]

Stowing away their findings from the smoking room the group of four decided to try the double doors across the hallway. Beyond the doorway leads into a large chamber containing a teak dining table with 10 chairs around it. A pair of side tables held silver serving dishes, a silver soup tureen and silver ladle. There are silver, crystal, and china place settings in front of each chair and 2 large brass candlesticks located along the middle of the table. A thick layer of dust and cobwebs hang over everything in the room. As the last member of the party crosses into the room the doors slam shut behind them.

Players make a Perception check adding any Talent's bonuses you may possess. Players also go ahead and make an initiative roll as well.

[farothel]

"Oh what fresh hell is this," Magnar said as the doors slammed shut. He readied his weapon just in case some new horror would creep out from somewhere, looking around to make sure he saw when it did.


Perception: [roll0] vs 31 (I only have night vision in case it's important)
initiative: [roll1]

[Haval]

Varnya will assess the strength of the door, 'This one I think we could open if we had to.' She'll move closer to the table to see if there was any sign of abandoned food.



Perception vs. Int 42
[roll0]

Initiative
[roll1]

[dojango]

"Gods damn it," groaned Jasmine. She pokes at the door with her club. "Watch out for the shiny stuff, seems like the house don't like it when we try and nick the silver."

[roll0] v. 35 perception, [roll1] initiative

[Morovir]

"Stand ready." Helmut orders as the doors slam behind them, giving his morningstar an idle swing.

"We must be prepared for whatever comes out way."

[roll0] TN 32
[roll1]

[LarsWester]

Watch out for the shiny stuff, seems like the house don't like it when we try and nick the silver."

With her head turned towards the door the halfling didn't realize how apt her words were. Varnya was advancing towards the table when she heard Jasmine's words. To her shock the two silver candlesticks from the center of the table rose into the air and rapidly moved towards her swinging mightily towards her head.
At the same time two large carving knives flew across the room one aimed at Magnar and one at Helmut.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]
[roll9]
next up Varyna then end of surprise round and starting back in initiative order with

[Haval]

Varnya is paying enough attention to see the candlesticks coming at her. She'll duck under them and yank a serving platter from the table knocking whatever was on it onto the floor in the process. In theory there was a whole table full of such objects. Or was there something unseen throwing them at her?


Half Action - Ready platter
Half Action - Delay
Free Action - Parry

Parry vs. WS 43 (-10)
[roll0]

Perception in case she can see anything throwing things
vs. Int 42
[roll1]

[LarsWester]

Varnya ducks underneath both candlesticks. As she does she looks up at the candlesticks catching her reflection in the polished silver. The candlestick rotates slowly and the dwarf swears that right above her own eyes there is a second pair of eyes that blink.

[dojango]

Jasmine sees the floating candlesticks and flying knives and swears. "Manglepie's kitchen!" she says, and then grows embarrassed. Granny would wash her mouth out with soap for saying something so foul. She pulls her club out and makes a wild swing at one of the floating knives to hide her embarrassment.

[roll0] v. 26, [roll1] at one of the knives.

[LarsWester]

Jasmine's club blow knocks the knife to the floor but a few seconds later it starts rising again.

Solid hit! It is now lightly wounded if animated silverware could be such a thing.

[Morovir]

Roaring in frustration, Helmut takes a wild swing with his morningstar at the carving knife that had so recently missed him by a hair's breadth.

All-Out Attack: [roll0] TN 61
Damage: [roll1] [roll2]

[LarsWester]

With the floating knife so close Helmut fails to connect with a awkward swing of his morningstar.

The floating candlesticks aim low at the dwarf catching her on her right leg. With the combined strike it felt like her leg was caught within a vice. While the battered kitchen knife rose from the floor and caught the halfling on her right leg catching a major artery and ripping upwards. The zealot didn't fare much better when the floating knife dodged his clumsy attack and delivered a nasty gash on the man's right arm. The dinning room suddenly was getting very dangerous.


All animated objects will use all out attacks.
[roll0] Varnya
[roll1]
[roll2] Varnya
[roll3]
[roll4] Jasmine
[roll5]
[roll6] Helmut
[roll7]
[roll8] Jasmine UF Confirmed.
[roll9]

[farothel]

Magnar was surprised that the items didn't attack him and angered when they struck down his fellow dwarf. What was going on here. He attacked the nearest object, trying to keep them from his comrades.


half-action: attack: [roll0] vs 48
damage: [roll1]

half-action: parry: [roll2] vs 48

If Ulric's fury:
attack: [roll3] vs 48
damage: [roll4]

[Haval]

Varnya grunts in pain as the candlesticks connect with her leg. She resolves that she won't die here to some cutlery. Her ancestors would be embarrassed. She mutter a quick prayer to Grungni and say the words that will activate the rune on her hammer.


Free Action to get +10 WS for a minute
Half Action - Parry Stance
Half Action - Attack the closest candlestick

Parry's rolled in the ooc and already failed for the turn

vs. WS 43 (+10)
[roll0]

Any damage
[roll1]

Grungni's Fury if any
[roll2]
[roll3]

[dojango]

Jasmine falls to the floor, bleeding. She groans and lets go of Pickle's collar. She tries to crawl away from the flying cutlery and hide under the dining room table where it's safer.

[Morovir]

Snarling as the carving knife came back around to take a chunk out of his arm, Helmut brings his morningstar back up to take another swing at it.

All-Out Attack: [roll0] TN 61
Damage: [roll1]

[LarsWester]

As Jasmine bleeds profusely from her leg, Magnar jumps forward slamming his axe down on the knife dripping the halfling's blood. The force of the axe blow slams the knife to the floor breaking it at the hilt. The female dwarf and zealot were not as lucky with their attacks as their targets narrowly evading their blows. One of the two candlesticks flew forward to confront the bounty hunter and his axe but the dwarf seemed ready for the attack and it failed to connect. The other candlestick scored a viscous hit on the female dwarf this time battering her on the head. The remaining knife sliced a large gash along Helmut's left leg.

[roll0] Helmut
[roll1]
[roll2] Varnya
[roll3]
[roll4] Magnar
[roll5]

[farothel]

Seeing his companions being hit, Magnar redoubled his efforts to get to the cutlery, starting with the one that attacked him.


half-action: attack: [roll0] vs 48
damage: [roll1]

half-action: parry: [roll2] vs 48

If Ulric's fury:
attack: [roll3] vs 48
damage: [roll4]

[Haval]

Varya will put her hammer up unsuccessfully try and protect her head before swiping at the candlestick as it floats away from her. I'll snap all of you in half as soon as I get the chance.


Full Action to All Out Attack

On the candlestick
vs. WS 43 (+10 Rune of Striking) (+20 All Out)
[roll0]

Any damage
[roll1]

Any Ulric's
[roll2]
[roll3]

[dojango]

Jasmine cowers under the table, trying to hide behind the chairs and jabs out with her club defensively, trying to fend off any of the cutlery that tries to attack her again.

Going defensive stance while hiding under the table

[LarsWester]

Magnar's axe struck true heavily denting the candlestick that attempted to pummel him. The blow drove the candlestick to the floor and it ceased moving. Whatever enchantment empowered it into a deadly object dispelled by dwarven might and wrath.

[Morovir]

Finding himself increasingly weakened by the knife's incessant attacks, Helmut swings desperately at it.

All-Out Attack: [roll0] TN 61
Damage: [roll1]

[LarsWester]

The remaining animated item flew towards Magnar both attacking the dwarf who is littering the floor with dented metal.

[roll0] on Magnar (Charge)
[roll1]
[roll2] on Magnar (Charge)
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

[farothel]

Magnar wasn't surprised he was the target of the next attacks, as he was doing to most damage to the item's 'friends'. The first one missed just but the second came straight at him. In a reflex he swung his hammer and by chance he hit the object dead on as it came flying towards his arm. The impact of the object on his hammer was not good for the object, as it shattered by the force of the impact.


I've added the parry and my hit in the same swing.
half-action: attack (roll, see OOC topic)
half-action: parry (roll, see OOC topic)

[LarsWester]

The deflected candlestick fell to the full a lump of twisted metal. There remained but a single floating knife.

All characters attacking would get the outnumbering bonus to attacks against this knife.
Just so I am clear on current wound status for the party please correct if I am wrong.
Jasmine 0
Varnya 0
Helmut 2
Magnar 9

[dojango]

Jasmine cowered under the table, watching the dwarf deal with the vengeful cutlery. She took her club and went around thumping the fallen cutlery as hard as possible to make sure it didn't get up again. She grabbed the tablecloth off the table and started throwing all the cutlery she could find in it and began tying it up to trap it.

[Haval]

While the remaining cutlery is distracted with Magnar, if a knife could be said to be distracted, Varnya will try to bring it down from behind.


Full Action to Charge

On the candlestick
vs. WS 43 (+10 Rune of Striking) (+10 All Out) (+10 Outnumber)
[roll0]

Any damage
[roll1]

Any Ulric's
[roll2]
[roll3]

Any Parry with the tray
vs. WS 43 (+10 Rune of Striking) (+10 All Out) (+10 Outnumber) (-10 tray)
[roll4]

[Morovir]

"Blessed Sigmar, will this infernal - thing - die!" Helmut gasped.

All-Out Attack: [roll0] TN 61
Damage: [roll1]

[LarsWester]

"Blessed Sigmar, will this infernal - thing - die!"
The last floating piece of crafted metal collapsed to the ground under the Zealot's blow. The threat in the dining room neutralized the unfortunate group of explorers have a minute of respite.

[farothel]

Magnar looks around to see if there is anymore flying stuff around, before lowering his hammer.
"Anybody needs some first aid and anybody qualified to give it," he asked as he looked around the room for any clue what was happening and who was responsible.

[dojango]

Jasmine finishes throwing the fallen cutlery in the sack before pushing it over towards Magnar and says, "Stick somethin' heavy on this so it don't get up, OK?" Then she sits on the floor clutching her wound for a few minutes while Pickles whines worriedly at her. She doesn't know the first thing about stitching up wounds.

[Haval]

'We can always rest here for a while and see what happens.' Varnya is going to lean for the table for a few minutes until she felt better. 'Is anyone not hurt? They can go first. No more opening doors at random.'

[farothel]

"I have a few cuts and bruises," Magnar said, "but nothing like you guys. We have to get out and get you to a doctor or a priest of Shalya."

[Haval]

'Alright then.' Varnya sighs 'I can't see this town to be large enough to have either.' Assuming we get out of here. 'What do the rest of you reckon. Do we open all the remaining doors and wedge them open with something heavy? Some of these rooms must be more important then others.'

[Morovir]

Wheezing heavily, Helmut shakes his head.

"I'm... inclined to disagree. Seems like... that would just... bring down more abominations on us."

[farothel]

"I'll have a look around this room and check our inventory for something we might have overlooked," Magnar suggested, "while you can rest a bit more."
He looked around the room, checking things out and taking anything of value. He wasn't going to leave a worshipper of Chaos anything if he could help it. Then he looked at what they had found for any clue as to how to get out of the house.

[LarsWester]

Roll an Evaluate Test.

Magnar beckoned the rest of the party to empty their bags and pockets of anything found in the house. He then went around the room gathering up anything he thought was of value. Various silver platters and utensils were gathered into a pile. To this were added crystal goblets, two large decorative crystal water jugs, and china place settings with three plates apiece. On top of all of it Magnar placed a silver soup tureen.


Assuming everyone cooperates the following would be added to what Magnar gathered from the current room.
Magnar- Silver Goblets,
Varyna- Book of Poetry, Key carved of bone, bottle of alcohol
Jasmine-Jar of Tobacco, silver cigarettes case, sandalwood box,
Helmut- I don't believe the Zealot has taken anything from this place of evil.
please correct any omissions.

[dojango]

Jasmine cheers up at the thought of escaping with their loot and shows Magnar what she's taken. "Granny'll help take care of these for us, if'n you wants ta get some cold coin for it."

[Haval]

'Something to pay the surgeon with.' Varnya is reluctant to take anything from a place like this, but perhaps it was better then the alternative. She will uncork the bottle and if it seemed to smell like alcohol she will give it a swig to try and numb some of the pain. 'Whatever we're doing we can't stay here. Maybe we listen at the other doors until we hear any noise.'

[farothel]

"For sure," Magnar said, "although it doesn't always work. Well, let's go and have a look at the other doors to see if we can find a way out."

He put all the stuff back in his backpack and headed back to the hall to see if there was a way out.

[LarsWester]

Varyna with a very quick glance points out how the "silver" is simply silver-plated with a duller black metal appearing through several nicks in the plating. She does note that the large Crystal water jugs should fetch around 15gc apiece with a fair trader. Unfortunately the china settings are also cheap imitations not worth the bother of keeping. The group decides that they should go and listen outside another door to see if they hear anything before opening it.

There are four different sets of doors to try in an alcove opening on the Southern wall of the hallway that runs East to West. Doors A: a set of double doors located on the Southern wall. Door B: A single door on the West wall. Door C: The Northern door on the Eastern wall. Door D: The Southern door on the Eastern wall. Which door do people listen at and roll a perception check for your listening?

[farothel]

Magnar listens at all doors in turn, trying to hear any creatures, or even better, a door that clearly goes outside. While clearing out the minions of chaos is important, with a lot of people wounded, they could do it better by getting outside and then simply burning the place.


perception door A: [roll0] vs 31
perception door B: [roll1] vs 31
perception door C: [roll2] vs 31
perception door D: [roll3] vs 31

[Haval]

'At this point I'd take a window or a staircase.'



Can I identify the black metal. Or can I tell if it's warpstone when I see it.
Trade Smith +10
vs. Int 42
[roll0]

Per rolls vs. Int 42
A
[roll1]
B
[roll2]
C
[roll3]
D
[roll4]

[LarsWester]

Magnar listens intently at each door however nothing is heard behind any of them. And Varyna determines the black metal underneath the silver plating to be some form of oxidized metal alloy nothing as unusual as warpstone or the like.

[dojango]

Hopes somewhat dashed by the revelation that these were cheap, shoddy goods, Jasmine tries to put her ear to the bottom of the door, hoping to hear movement, or wind, or.. anything other than the pounding of her heart...

[LarsWester]

The halfling hears only her soft heartbeat and silence from beyond the doors.

[Haval]

Hopes somewhat dashed by the revelation that these were cheap, shoddy goods, Jasmine tries to put her ear to the bottom of the door, hoping to hear movement, or wind, or.. anything other than the pounding of her heart...

'It's better this way. If you found gold in here there's no reason to think there's not something seriously wrong with it.' Varnya is going to pick the larger double doors and slowly ease them open.

[LarsWester]

This set of double doors are made of iron shod black wood with leering gargoyle faces carved on the panels. When Varyna tries to push open the doors they appear locked in place. At the center of the doors is keyhole. It appears about the correct size for the skeleton key the party has found.

[farothel]

"I think that key will work," Magnar said, "if one of you opens the doors, I'll stand ready with my hammer just in case. Just unlock and open slightly, and I'll kick it the rest of the way."

[Haval]

"I think that key will work," Magnar said, "if one of you opens the doors, I'll stand ready with my hammer just in case. Just unlock and open slightly, and I'll kick it the rest of the way."

'Done. We can always backtrack.' Varnya will unlock the doors and get out of the way.

[farothel]

As soon as the doors were open, Magnar kicked one in and looked inside, using the other door as partial cover, just in case.

[LarsWester]

Behind the double doors was wooden spiral staircase leading up both to the right and to the left. A low stream of unnatural mist from a landing halfway up the stairs cascades down the steps fading away before reaching the bottom of the steps by the adventurers. A faint ticking is heard from above like that of a clock.

[farothel]

Magnar moved forward cautiously, weapon ready, looking around (and also above). He was sure there was something, but he didn't immediately see it.

[Haval]

Varnya will check to see if the staircase looked stable before following Magnar. 'Any problems we come back here. It ought to be easier to defend assuming everything's normal.


Perception vs. Int 42
[roll0]

[dojango]

"Do you want to go into the creepy evil mist or away from it?" Jasmine asks. "I vote away. Unless you wanna go first."

[LarsWester]

As Magnar climbed the steps the billowing smoke wrapped around him in wisps obscuring him from view for those still at the bottom landing. Varnya tentatively follows up after him before he vanishes in the smoke completely. Jasmine turns to Helmut asking

"Do you want to go into the creepy evil mist or away from it?" Jasmine asks. "I vote away. Unless you wanna go first."

The two dwarfs reach a wide landing halfway up the stairs. Smoke roiling around them they catch a glimpse of a giant hour glass with fine golden sand trickling through to the bottom. Above the hourglass hangs a clock that shows the time as being 11 o'clock. The clock lets out a slow but steady clicking.

[Haval]

"Do you want to go into the creepy evil mist or away from it?" Jasmine asks. "I vote away. Unless you wanna go first."

Varnya is not entirely worried, or at least isn't sure they have a choice. She'll sniff the smoke to see if she can tell what it is. 'Might just be from a fire somewhere. If anyone starts to have trouble breathing say something.' She will go ahead of Jasmine. 'If it's the house doing that I'd say the worst has already happened just by us being in here.'

[LarsWester]

The dwarves pause at the platform halfway up and wait to see what the others do. The strange mist wisps around the two stout figures. It brings an icy chill where it brushes up against their exposed skin. A thin layer of condensation starts forming on any metal armor or weapons.

[dojango]

"You still alive up there?" shouts Jasmine. After a few moments, pending a response, she shivers at the thought of being left alone and heads up after them.

[Haval]

"You still alive up there?" shouts Jasmine. After a few moments, pending a response, she shivers at the thought of being left alone and heads up after them.

'So far. It's just bloody cold up here.' Varnya will look around to see if the mist is coming from anywhere in particular. Otherwise she'll check to see if there's any heat coming off the light sources up here. If it felt like it was getting noticeably colder she'll head for the stairs.

[farothel]

"We best stay together as much as possible," Magnar said as he looks around, "none of us are in the best condition."

[LarsWester]

'So far. It's just bloody cold up here.' Varnya will look around to see if the mist is coming from anywhere in particular. Otherwise she'll check to see if there's any heat coming off the light sources up here. If it felt like it was getting noticeably colder she'll head for the stairs.

Varnya detects a slight warmth on her hand as she brings it near a lit lantern on the wall below the clock. From this landing the stairs split and continue up on either side. There is a choice to make as to which side to ascend. It appears as if the mist is spilling down from above from both sides but if Varnya had to pick a side with a stronger flow she would say it was the side on her left.

[Haval]

'If it's magic doing that I'd like to think we'd have noticed by now.' Varnya is not altogether confident with her reasoning here but will take the right hand staircase anyway just in case.

[farothel]

Magnar will leave the choise to Varnya, but he will go first, weapons ready.

[LarsWester]

Varnya starts up the staircase to the right before Magnar puts a hand up to stop her and take the lead. At the bottom of the steps remains the halfling and zealot.

The staircase on the right ascends and as you near the top the mysterious fog cloud only appears around your knees and below. The floor is impossible to discern and it makes your steps very disconcerting. About 6 yards in front of the dwarves is a door. A hallway opens to the right. Turning around they can see that the left stairwell raised up to a similar hallway and about 20 yards away is another door and hallway reachable by the stairway on the left. The mist seems a bit higher about up to their waist across the stairwell.

[farothel]

"It looks fine up here," Magnar called down, "there's some weird mist, but it's not dangerous."
Yet, he didn't add.

[dojango]

Jasmine cautiously ascends the stairs to stand behind Magnar and Varnya. She shivers as the mist wraps around her.

[LarsWester]

Jasmine wades her way through the mist that is up to her thighs to see the door before them and the hallway stretching out to the right.

[Haval]

Varnya is going to walk slowly using the butt of her hammer to tap the floor. 'Fine bloody luck if there's a hole in the floor somewhere.' At least nothing was trying to kill them up here. She'll carefully look around to see if anything stood out about the doors over on this side of the building.

[LarsWester]

Tap. Tap. Tap. The sound of Varnya's hammer shaft striking the floor rang out as she slowly approached the door. The mist spilled through cracks along the side of the door and roiling forth from the bottom of the door billowing up to the higher level in the hallway before spilling down the staircase to the level below. The source for this mist was definitely behind the door in front of Varnya. As she turned to her right she could see the mist clearing away and the hallway that lay in that direction. The hall ended in a door with two wooden doors visible on the right wall with a fourth door on the left wall further down the hall.

There are five doors in all.
1. Door by Varnya.
2. Door on the right wall 8 yards further down the hall.
3. Door at the end of the hall 14 yards away.
4. Door on the left wall 8 yards further down the hall.
5. Door on the left wall 14 yards away.