First Visit to the Barrowmaze

After hearing so many rumours of the place, the group decided to venture into the dreaded Barrowmaze. Wisteria and Joell, both feeling unwell, stayed at the Fort to recuperate, so it was just Gorlock, Greeba, Blurb, Eamon, Nathia and Arnor who made the trip. They arrived first at the small town of Helix. 

They split up once there to see what news they could learn, though Gorlock spent his time losing money at the gambling table (but making friends). Comparing notes, they had these bits of wisdom:

• Beware the altars of the Barrowmaze
• There are runic tablets, but be wary as they may be cursed
• There was a tale of an elven maiden, but many seemed to doubt it
• A powerful, evil man was using the area as a hideout
• Strange mongrel men were rumoured to guard treasures
• Look out for frogmen.
• Droggle was a famous (infamous?) tracker, but he wasn't available. 

The Guildmaster Ozen recommended a guide instead -- young Vili, who was only 15. His mother extracted a promise to bring him to no harm and Nathia swore to it. She talked Gorlock into loaning Vili his unused cloak of protection and bracers so he wouldn't be completely defenseless. The youngster was only asking for 5 gold for his services; Eamon gave him another 50...but made sure that they brought the money to his mother for safekeeping.

They did a bit of shopping, Nathia buying a diamond just in case Gorlock needed to cast revivify. Gorlock, for his part, bought 3 sets of caltrops and Eamon bought as many iron spikes as he could find. Nathia also traded one of her Goliath recipes (some rosemary-flavoured hardtack) for Bolo's Famous Stew. She had been learning the use of Cook's Utensils back at the fort and was trying to expand beyond grumpfl.

They set off with Vili as their guide, trying to keep him well protected as they went through the marshes, but they made it, with Blurb's guidance, to a burrow on the northwest side that was reputed to have an enchanted pool in it. Indeed, there was! There were two, actually, and Eamon went in first one, then the other. At first he was stupefied, but then he came out of the second one beaming. (+2 charisma). They all took turns splashing around, even Vili, except for Gorlock, who grumped that he didn't want to get his clothes wet.

Afterwards, Vili led them to a burrow to the south that he had heard about. There were footsteps about, but no people. Eamon used some of his iron spikes on the stone slab and then Greeba and Nathia pried it open. But the noise had attracted some gigantic, disgusting leeches. Gorlock noticed them first, but the ladies were able to squish them into puddles of goo without much trouble.

They finish opening the burrow. It seemed quite dry, which was promising. The chamber had doors on either side and tapestries hanging that were old, but possibly Nar. Greeba took a close look and declared them a bit creepy. They seemed to be from when the Nar had turned towards demon worship.

Eamon approaches an alcove and ghouls jump out at him. Behind one of them is a large tablet with runes upon it.

Arnor, with distaste on his face, kills one and Greeba another. Gorlock, strangely, declares he is taking their eyeballs and digs out the slightly gooey orbs with a dagger. While he was doing that, Greeba took a look at the tablet and tries to read it -- oh no! It was cursed, but she managed to stave off the effects. Eamon checks the alcoves now that the ghouls are gone and discovers piles of gold -- 288 pieces.

The next room is a large chamber. Two statues flank an altar which holds only a simple wooden cup. The smell of ale permeates the room. Gorlock has Tiffany act as tester but as she takes a sip (and declares it quite good), the statues come to life. One attacks her, but luckily misses, while the other goes after Arnor, though it does little damage to him. Gorlock hexes and blasts at them, while Eamon attacks with his sword. But they were strange creatures! As his sword hit, the statue seemed to absorb it and it was stuck. Still, the monk managed to stun it. 

Using that opportunity, Nathia shatters it with a great blow and luckily Eamon's sword is freed. The second statue proves harder, with all of them attacking it -- Blurb even lighting a fire under it. Eamon, in the end, manages to punch its head off. All that remains is rubble.

Eamon drinks from the cup and it seems to refill. Greeba grabs it from him and nearly drains it, but it does not refill this time. It definitely tastes of ale. They pour the last few dregs upon the altar, but nothing happens. Nathia tries to fill it with wine, but it tastes the same. They have no idea what it does, but they pocket it anyway.

They head to another barrow and find a round chamber with 4 columns carved with screaming faces. In the centre is a large brazier. The Narish writing on it seems to say light me and all shall be revealed.

Greeba does so with her flaming sword. An efreet appears above the brazier and intones, "I have appeared to illuminate you with knowledge!" It seemed they had three questions and three questions only. Pity it wasn't three wishes.

Eamons asks, "Where is the tablet of Chaos?"

The flames go red, orange, green, purple and then black. The answer, however, is fairly clear: "In the Eastern reaches of the Barrowmaze. Beware of the Dracolich." An image appeared to them of a sinister looking tablet hanging in the air. 

Greeba asks, "Where is the nearest treasure?" and the answer is "Beneath your feet, to the northeast and south."

They then try to think of a more momentous question and finally ask, "Why have the ice giants descended to attack?"

The efreet puzzled a moment and told them it was a two-fold issue. On, a so-called Empress had paid them and had drow persuade them to do so. And the Demon Queen Soneilon wanted to conquer or pay back for the death of someone dear to her.

Nathia tried to see if the efreet was trapped, but he merely disappeared. They headed northeast to another barrow and breached it. A stone staircase descended into another dry chamber. A hideous statue was in an alcove and rotting tapestries, covered in mould, hung about. The smell of damp and decay hung in the air. Eamon, not trusting a statue after the last ones encountered, punched it repeatedly until he was able to break off an arm as everyone else watched. But the statue remained still. And ugly.

Nathia, keeping an eye on the staircases that descended on either side of them, had the suspicion that something that heard the noise. The staircases down both ended in doors. Water seeped out from underneath them. Picking one randomly, she shoves it open to reveal ankle deep water. The walls were lined with shelves full of ivory scroll tubes and tomes. They took the scrolls, but the books were a lost cause; the words buried under years of damp. Some bodies were there as well; likely adventurers. They find 52 gp worth of jewellery on the bodies.

Going through another door, they find a crude tunnel. As they near a door at the end of it, Nathia hears a slobbering, gibbering sound. Something is definitely in there. She kicks open the door, but does not enter. It is a large chamber with a tunnel going up on the opposite side. There are burial alcoves and, in the middle, at least a half dozen half-eaten corpses, still oozing blood. Arnor whispers that he suspects it was more undead. They were definitely very recently munching on the bodies. 

Gorlock casts sickening radiance into the room. Hideous groans arise and ghasts appear, trying to escape out the door and past Nathia. But she is able to hold them back and pushes two of them back into the room and killing one with her pike. Blurb casts moonbeam in the room as well as Eamon shoots at the undead with his bow and Greeba tosses her javelins with extreme prejudice -- killing the last one.

Vili, bravely taking a look at the dead, half-eaten corpses, recognises some of them as elves that had recently been to Helix. They had been the talk of the town as they had spent a great deal of money buying a potion of greater healing. It was still upon them, so they took it, as well as a token one of them had that might identify them to their kin.

In the room, they find ornate funerary figures made of clay and wax and other items totalling 1,570 gp worth of treasure.

They tried to take a short rest, but were interrupted by a single ghast who took one look at the carnage and fled back the way he had come. They moved on to the remaining door and opened it. It was a grander chamber, with a raised platform area with statues flanking a sarcophagus. Mummified bodies floated in the water and one wall was nearly collapsed. 

Tiffany sniffed and said, "Boss, it smells bad. Reallllllly bad."

Eamon took out his bow and shot at one of the statues from across the room, but it wasn't the statue that responded. Three mummies rose up out of the water to attack.

Nathia, with two mighty hits, killed one (2 crits in one round!!!). Eamon attacked another, but then it glared at him and he felt the chill of fear touch him. They tried the same on Nathia, but she stared flatly back. She wasn't scared of them. 

A scraping sound drew their attention. The sarcophagus opened and an emaciated undead appeared. "You have disturbed my eternal rest!" it cried out in a voice raspy with disuse. He glared at Greeba, but she, already raging, was having none of it.

Blurb called forth a Shepherd's Spirit to protect them and Nathia killed two of the mummies. Eamon bounded up the stairs and managed to stun the undead, making an opening for Gorlock to attack. His blast causes the creature to explode. Now he was definitely eternally resting. The last mummy tried to get to Eamon, but they killed it before it could.

Inside the chamber, they found a platinum death mask (3400 gp), a platinum figure of Neshroc (2400 gp), a terracotta figure (which they decided to take home and put on the mantelpiece) and four canopic jars (later sold to HHR for 1250 gp each). 

They headed back to Helix, only slightly damp. They gave Vili some more gold (and took back Gorlock's cape and bracers) and he declared himself retired -- and on the way to the marriage alter. Greeba gave a meaningful look to Nathia.

Before going back home to train, Greeba pops into Mazzah's to ask if the curse tablet she brought out of the Barrow was worth anything.  "But don't read it, it's dangerous! Maybe it could be made safe by having every third word rubbed out by a stone worker who doesn't speak Narish?"

"Oh don't worry - the curse can only function once! I'll give you fifty gold for it though."

She gladly pocketed the gold. Nathia, also popped in and asked if Mazzah's could identify the wooden cup they had found. He charged her a 100 gp but it was worth it. 

"A most interesting cup! It fills with liquid once each day, some of them magical. However, I fear the contents will swiftly lose their properties if removed from the cup into another vessel. I advise swift drinking!"

She promised to guzzle anything quickly and also purchased 5 scrolls of identify for the bargain price of 60 gp each and promised to bring him some grumpfl the next time she came. 

Treasure/Gold

• 5 potions of healing (from Lyssa); one each to Blurb, Gorlock, Nathia, Greeba, Eamon
• 1 potion of greater healing (carried by Tiffany)
• Assorted scroll tubes, bought by Mazzahs for 750 gp
• Cursed tablet, bought by Mazzahs for 50 gp
• Wooden Cup of Liquids (the first time you touch it each day it refills with random content (d4): 1) Ale 2) Mead 3) Healing Potion 4) A Potion of Random sort. The healing potion is more of a salve and can be applied externally to wounds. (currently held by Nathia, as she just had it identified by Mazzahs)
• 2692 gp each (sold artefacts and gold)