Forest of Wyrd Session #7 - Rivals and Rewards

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Gnarl (Wood Gnome 1)
Jonesomon (Specialist 1)
Vergarious (Changeling 1)
Ranza (Changeling 1)
Hobbs (Hedgefey 1)
Thrax (Fighter 1)

A glance down the tunnel showed that things were not quite right. There were faint signs of torch light flickering further down the passage, from an opening on the right Gnarl had not seen when he looked a week ago. While everyone else covered him, Jonesomon cautiously moved down to investigate.  He didn't get far before a figure emerged from the opening, raised a bow with arrow nocked and said "Stay friend; don't make me shoot" The specialist listened and retreated, going back to discuss with the rest of the party. The new fighter Thrax decided to take his chances, and walked down the corridor towards the man. The two exchanged friendly but cautious banter, even breaking bread and sharing tea. But the man (Ofra) was adamant that Thrax not approach too close; as it turned out, he and his companions had stumbled into the now open tomb and were doing a little looting. When Thrax decided to push his luck, the man shot and narrowly missed with an arrow, after which the fighter took a likewise close swing at him with his axe and shoved past him into the far end the corridor (which ended a chamber with a hole in the ceiling and a mysterious mist on the floor.) 

With party members now to both sides, Ofra was ready to keep talking. They reached an agreement that the tomb robbers (of which there were five) would split their spoils with the party and the two groups would depart without bloodshed. From this deal the party gained a curious bone harp, a small bronze amphorae and a gilt bronze bangle. Ofra then his men to the end of the hallway, tossed a rope and grappling hook up to the hole in the ceiling, and they climbed hand over hand up the rope and out the hole. Questioned, Ofra was coy about the dangers of the mist and why they were avoiding it, but the party guessed it wasn't safe based on their behavior. Jonesomon meanwhile had gone out on top of the barrow, only to see the men leave through the main entrance. Apparently they'd missed some other way down to the tomb level in their previous exploration. 

With that done, the party turned to the now looted tomb, On the walls were images of domesticity; women cooking, caring the children, serving food and drink to the warriors, and so on.  The tomb itself was simply four stone slabs topped by two others, one of which had been pushed onto the floor. Inside were three skeletons dressed in tattered and rotten remnants of clothing; a fourth had already been pulled onto the floor. 

Leaving this now looted tomb behind, the party pried away the stone slab they'd passed in the corridor. This revealed another tomb of similar design, but with paintings depicting Guri Bin Gur riding off to war, boar hunting and other mounted pursuits. When they lifted off this tomb lid, they found inside the remains of a horse. On it's head was a rotted gilt bronze chamfron, and lying at it's side a saddle in still excellent condition. Removing these, the party then shifted the horse's skeleton aside. This uncovered a small hole, about 2 feet across, in the bottom. Jonesomon volunteered to  crawl in and see where it ended up, finding that the tunnel went down for a bit before angling up again. But he never made it to the end, as he nearly bumped right into a transparent mass. He backpedaled as quick as he could, followed by the thing. It exploded out into the horse tomb close on the specialist's heals, and lashed out at Vegarious who was standing nearby. The blob felled the changeling, who dropped unconscious to the floor. Everyone else lashed out at it, largely with torches and oil until it had become engulfed in flames, and sizzled and popped to a burned goo. Hobbs scrapped away the remains, and then he and Gnarl crawled through the tunnel. 

At the end, the diminutive duo found a third tomb. It was like the other two, but had no paintings on the wall. The two guided the rest of the party to where they suspected a door was hidden in the hallway, which Ranza found easily and with everyone elses help was able to pull down the stone slab and open up an easier way in and out. They then lifted off one of the tomb lids, expecting the worst. But instead simply found the remains of a man dressed and equip with a glittering array of gold and silver grave-goods; helmet with silver boar crest, sliver inlaid spear, ornate bronze shield, and many others. After admiring for a moment, they carefully and respectfully stripped the body of Guri Bin Gur of all it's glittering accouterments. When done that, Gnarl glanced out into the hallway and saw that the mystery mist was now drifting down the hallway towards them. Knowing that couldn't be good, they gathered their loot and fled the barrow. 

The loaded up Feedbag's cart with treasure and the unconscious Vergarious, then headed for the satyrs fountain to heal their fallen comrade. That done, they turned back towards Brakenrae to celebrate their success.   And this time they could afford to stay in the inn rather than the stable! They also started looking for a more permanent and private base of operations, thinking about buying or renting a place out of which they could stage their adventures. Thrax also took the bronze amphorae to Jaskin the alchemist, bargaining with the prickly man and getting a good price on identifying the contents; a potion of clairvoyance.  Hobbs meanwhile played with the saddle, and figured out that this Saddle of Domestication could be used to tame and ride almost any suitable wild mount. Jonesomon marched off to talk to the local antiquarian, a man named Timpanious to learn more about the legend of Guri Bin Gur and his companions. Timpanious explained the blue figure in the paintings was the Woad Chief, leader of the D'war people in Guri Bin Gur's time. The yellow figure was the Yellow Cloud Prophet,  likewise a noted figure from that time. The three had lived in the years just before the first invasion of the forest by the dark fey, which was only defeated by an alliance between the D'war people and the seelie faerie who arrived alongside their dark cousins.  

TOTAL XP
7038

GAINS

Gilt bronze bangle (10sp)
Bone harp, gold and silver inlay (200sp)
Gold Torc (250sp)
Decorated helmet with a silver boar crest (250sp)
Silver inlaid spear (50sp)
Sword belt with gold fittings [rotted] (25sp)
Sword with silver inlay (50sp)
Ornate bronze faced shield with a grinning sun (150sp)
Tattered remains of fine cloak with gold thread (25sp)
Moonstone cloak pin (150sp)
Two gold finger rings (25 & 75sp)
Gold arm ring (150sp)
Silver drinking cup, stag hunt (75sp)
Scattering of coins from Guri Bin Gur's Tomb (9gp, 234sp)
Platinum coins from gelatinous cube (8pp)
Potion of Clairvoyance 
Saddle of Domestication

KILLS/VICTORIES

1 Gelatinous Cube

LOSSES
none