"No problem," Herjolf said. "That will be one copper each."

Anders glanced at his companion who was being awfully quiet for a Skald. But then he gave a nod, "Of course. No problem."

He fished two copper pieces out of a pouch and handed them over, paying for them both.

"Excellent, excellent," Herjolf said and he took them across the Iron River. "Remember to be back her before nightfall if you want to be ferried across." He looked up at the sky. "That will be in about two hours or so. A little more maybe."


[OOC: Please remember to deduct the 2 cp from your purse.]

Sunken, apparently, deep into his own thoughts, Varin followed Anders’ lead wordlessly onto the ferry. It wasn’t until Herjolf’s warning that he shook his head sharply, focus returning.

“Well, that’s fair enough. Just a quick trip over to take a look, then. I, for one, certainly don’t want to miss the drinking, partying or, you’ll forgive my bluntness, the coin.”

Varin’s  eyes narrowed briefly as he grinned at Anders. “And don’t be forgetting I owe you a tankard back in town, since you paid for this jaunt.”

Anders heard what Herjolf said and gave a nod, though it wasn't the first time he'd heard it, or used the ferry. He knew the rules. But it was good to have them reiterated - and spoke for Varin's sake. "Indeed. We'll be back before then."

He gave a shrug to Varin about the drink. There would be plenty of drink to go around anyway.

Once they had crossed, he gave a final nod to Herjolf and stepped off, heading towards the barrows.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:37, Fri 01 Mar.

The duo headed northwest to go around the frozen lake as they wouldn't have any traction if they tried to cross it. They then curved around it to the northeast as Anders led them toward Sigurd's barrow. It took them about half an hour to get there. This small and well-constructed tomb was located under a bare, round hill exposed in all directions to the sunlight, wind, rain, and snow. The entrance was to the south with alcoves to the north and west made it look like an igloo with three entrances.

If anything was buried with him, it would still be there because every local knew of the guardian within protecting his final resting place.

The entrance was secured by a stone door down a short angled slope that made it hard to see inside even if the door had been open.


[OOC: Sigurd's barrow is about 0.5 miles east of the Standing Stone, which is on the Map in Group 1.]

Varin looked over the entrance to the tomb thoughtfully, then glanced at Anders.

“Just to be clear, we’re doing this to good purpose and, at least, theoretically, on behalf of Krysuvik’s descendant so… we’re not going to be dodging the Stormlord’s Hammer later, right?”

His tone was off-hand, if not quite irreverent as he cautiously approached the stone door, examining it closely.

“Be a beast, moving that to get in. Or might call for one, at least.”

Anders paused in his movement as Varin spoke up, turning to look at the other man. "No one's called me the Hammer in years." He held it for a moment and then a smile quirked his lips a bit before he became more serious again. "If you want a guarantee in life, you'll find none here nor with me. I plan on dying in battle, though, and not being executed for breaking the law."

Then he continued on down to the stone door. He began looking at it and around it to see how it could be opened, or if it would be just brute strength to move something that heavy.

07:47, Today: Anders Magnison rolled 18 using 1d20.  Perception is +3, Investigation is +0.

Anders investigated the front door and quickly discovered that all it would take to open it was the brute strength to move it aside.

“Well, of course not. But I’ve always been fascinated by little societal details like the way sufficient years turns it from ‘grave robbing’ into ‘treasure hunting’.  Still, I take your meaning.”

 Varin examined the stone door with a certain amount of disgust. He ran his hand over the stone thoughtfully but didn’t quite touch it.

“Unfortunately, I’m not going to be much use with that. Unless you see any tricks to get it open without force. Not exactly my skill set. Do you think that dead bear back in town might have a cousin that’s looking for work? Hiring a team of oxen to move it hardly seems inconspicuous.”

OOC: Figured I might as well throw in as well. Any interesting writing or the like? 14:32, Today: Varin Karsson rolled 13 using 1d20.  Examining the tomb. Total of 14 for Perception.

Anders gave Varin a quick look, one eyebrow up. "Mmm." He drew in a breath, "Like the difference between invasion and raiding?" The tone was filled with a little bit of humor.

He gave the other man a bit of space, as well as time, to investigate the door as well.

After a few minutes, he then moved to the door once more. He gave the door a few test attempts at moving it to see how hard it would be to open.

OOC: Boo.
21:16, Today: Anders Magnison rolled 4 using 1d20.  Testing the door (+2 if just str, +5 if athletics).

Anders started trying to pry the door open, but even with his greatest effort nothing happened. It took so long that even Varin joined in! And together they slowly were able to get the door open. Inside, they saw a 10-foot corridor that ended in another door like the one they had just opened. But fortunately, this one was smaller.

Anders took a moment to calm himself after the exertion. He glanced over at Varin with a snort, "And you said you'd be of no use with the door. Pfah!"

Once sufficiently settled, he peered inside and saw the corridor...and another door. He frowned. "Hmm. Another door already. Disappointing."

He glanced at Varin, "Well we might as well take a little peek before we head back since we got the door open, right?" He lit up a torch just in case and then slowly entered, looking around as he did so.

Anders lit up a torch and entered the short corridor. Looking around as he walked inside.

“Suppose I don’t know my own strength.”

Varin snorted at his own statement in contradictory bemusement but followed Anders into the corridor without hesitation.

“Would be a shame to have come all this way for nothing, certainly. Not that, if we’re being honest, I’m much of a fan of enclosed places like this. Fell down a well as a child. Took them days to find me.”

He didn’t sound frightened by the memory exactly but rather detached, as if he were viewing it from outside himself. After a moment he shook his head vigorously.

“That’s neither here nor there, though. Shall we see if the other gives as unhappily as the first?”

Anders gave a nod to Varin. "Yes. We can't stay here too long, but while we are here we should see what can be seen, agreed." One eyebrow rose up about the past situation with the well.

He moved slowly to the new door. He wasn't afraid, but he was being a little cautious. Traps could have been left behind for just such an occasion, after all. He inspected the door up close and then tested to see if it could be opened, easily or not.

This time Anders had no problem opening a door. The room beyond was domed and circular with a diameter of about 30 feet. There was a closed door on the other side of the chamber and an open one to the left. A bare tomb was located in the center of the room and the lid to the sarcophagus was broken on the floor next to it.

There were seven dirty goblins in there, bedrolls, broken bottles and pots, animal bones, large rocks, and so on. Seemingly dragged in here over some weeks or so and strewn all over the floor. They are armed with seaxs (scimitars) and shortbows and wearing leather armor.


[What do you do?]

[OOC: A natural 20 makes opening doors quite easy.]

Anders was surprised when the door opened. His eyes swept around and his face fell. They weren't alone. And worse, there were faeries.

He drew his battleaxe, but slowly, as he eyed the creatures. He took a step back and got ready but didn't act aggressively to start with.

Out of the side of his mouth and very quietly he said to Varin, "if you've got a hidden talent or the ability to talk us out of this situation, do so quickly. i don't know that we can win if it's a fight."

“Hidden talents aplenty but I don’t speak the goblin tongue so unless they’re abnormally erudite…”

Varin cleared his throat and projected his voice, speaking in the common tongue as he nonchalantly reached for the metal rod strapped across his shoulder.

“Good evening, my short, green friends. How is the holiday treating you?”

OOC: 19:38, Today: Varin Karsson rolled 20 using 1d20+5 ((15)). Persuasion check, if warranted. If not… 19:41, Today: Varin Karsson rolled 12 using 1d20+2 ((10)) for initiative.

"This is ours," the nordalf in the back said. "You're not welcome here."

[OOC: I've added a map. It's the group 3 map. There's no grid, but there's an indicator to show how large a 5x5 feet square is and there is a scale so that you can measure distance. The main chamber is 30 feet in diameter so from the doorway, you can reach anywhere in the room. At least with normal footing.

The nordalf speaking, is number 1.]

“Well, that’s understandable. Nobody likes a pair of strangers wandering into their camp unannounced. But I wonder if you’d perhaps hear me out? My friend and I aren’t interested in staying. We didn’t think anyone resided here. We’re looking for clues to the location of a particular object. If we could find them - or even if we searched and failed to do so, there’d be little reason for us to bother you further.”

Varin maintained an impassive expression to the extent he was able, mentally counting the creatures and hoping they would listen.

The nordalf just repeated what he had said. Reiterating that Varin and Anders weren't welcome. And the group seemed ready to fight over the matter. With hands on swords, axes, and bows.

For a second, there was a fierce light in the eyes of Anders. Yet it was tempered moments later. The fight, as it stood, offered very little of worth. Whether they prevailed or fell, no one would witness it and they were supposed to be keeping the mission discreet. While he had no love for the fey, he had no idea of Varin's capability and combat effectiveness. He was unwilling to risk all on so little. At the moment. But he would return, hopefully with at a pair more of allies as well.

He held up a hand and tapped Varin's chest. "Fine. We leave you to your camp for now. But you would be wise not to stay here overlong. We are not the only ones who might happen here."

He backed away from the chamber and then moved to shut the door once more.

Reluctantly, Varin followed Anders’ lead, frowning at the nordalfar as he backed away.  As the bigger man shut the door, he muttered under his breath.

“Dunno why I thought words would convince them. Well. Shall we head back? Least we know to expect trouble now.”

He watched Anders from the corner of his eye and grinned.

“For that matter, it’s probably worth discussing what we’d each be bringing to bear in the event of trouble - though maybe see if we can find some reinforcements first so we don’t have to repeat ourselves. I understand not everyone likes the sound of their own voice as much as I myself.”

Anders and Varin retreated from the barrow and hiked all the way back to town. Getting ready to meet the women they had invited out for a drink.

[Let me know what lifestyle you want to maintain for the next 24 hours. It will determine your living quarters, what you'll eat, and whatever else the Player's Handbook says is covered by your chosen lifestyle. And you need to deduct the cost of that lifestyle from your cash.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:56, Mon 25 Mar.