WM/Treks/Log 4-1

Narrator: Wolfgang has returned to military service, taking a training position with the Polisberg militia. He has been replaced by Osgar, a leprechaun wizard.
GM: Anything else Osgar wants to add?
Ystävä: I'd like to get holy water
Ystävä: Does Beltanre know if holy water is likely to be useful?
Osgar: Just a suggestion that others might want to get some too
GM: Yes, buy stuff.
GM: Beltarne is suspicious of elementally infused zombies, but holy water grenades will definitely affect them.
Artegal: "You know what else will likely affect them? Cold steel."
Osgar: should it work if they are demonish too?
Ystävä: I'm sure they'll be miserably annoying, but at least it's not pointless.
GM: It's basically cheap, ally safe alchemical fire when used against them. And holy water is also good against demons, devils, and other things below. Well, theologically speaking, it's sound, anyway. He doesn't actually know much about demons.
Bedlam: I'll buy a potion of those resists, and swap them on my belt with the anti-toxin
Osgar: I do!
Bedlam: if i can afford them
Osgar: $100 per type
GM: They cost as much as fire resistance.
GM: Though you only get 1 resist per potion: fire or lightning or cold.
Bedlam: okay, two potions, $200
Bedlam: lightning and cold
Ystävä: I will pick up one of each, and a brace of 5 holy water grenades.
Osgar: Holy water is $15
Ystävä: And a bandoleer.
Artegal: Holy Water is cheaper if we get Beltarne to buy it.
Artegal: Or does his discount only apply to gear he plans to use personally?
GM: After a week in Polisberg, the delvers and Artegal's new retainers (guardsmen Lee and Richard, and Mina the maid) set out from Polisberg. Light clouds keep the sun from blazing down, and mild winds take any heat away. It is the high holy day of the Earth gods, for those keeping track at home.
Ystävä: I have ONE point in throwing.
Ystävä: Just FYI.
Artegal: Target hexes.
Ystävä: Totally.
Ystävä: Just, ya know, can't be far from them.
GM: Beltarne can distribute stuff that he buys. But he's charging you a 10% markup (so you guys have to pay 60% of list).
Ystävä: Because h'es a dwarf
Artegal: So it's a fairly beautiful day all around, actually, and a fine day to spend adventuring.
GM: Greedy and miserly for the win!
Artegal: Of course, when you're Artegal, EVERY day is a fine day.
Ystävä: As long as it doesn't lead you into a hole in the ground where you can't appreciate the weather.
Artegal: He's creepily optimistic that way.
GM: So, it's 7 am. You stand at the Polisberg Inn, packs on your shoulders, horses loaded. What are you guys doing?
Osgar: casting flying carpet
GM: Oh, right. Normal mana.
Artegal: Chatting up the maid while waiting for the navigators to tell us where to go.
Osgar: heh
Osgar: 2FP for 100 lbs. since it costs the same to maintain as 50!
Ystävä: Orienteering!
GM: Sneaky!
Osgar: hmm
GM: Orienteering what, Ystava?
Osgar: Mark: did you load the spell things I sent?
Ystävä: Knowing ystava, the bar, because he hasn't been given any directions. Pro
GM: Uhm. No? Should I have?
Ystävä: er, ignore the last 3 cahracters
Osgar: yes, gotta be on your end
Ystävä: Library token update
GM: Oh, hang on.
Osgar: you'll want to delete the old on-load one
Osgar: I can navigate for us
Ystävä: Ah, but do you have a compas?
Osgar: built in!
Ystävä sniffles.
Osgar: I asked an noone else wanted to navigate!
GM: Also, I'm out of chat.
Ystävä: We have two navigators
Ystävä: Admitedly Ystava is semi illiterate
Ystävä: Not sure about Beltaren
GM: Beltarne has Naturalism, not Navigate. You want Torvall.
Ystävä: Ah!
Bedlam: i have navigation
Osgar: I have cartography too
Osgar: so I can make tiny maps noone else can read!
Ystävä: Piss, I just closed the chat
GM: Helpful.
Torvall: Cartography 11 and navigation 12 here btw
Ystävä: Navigation 13, don't ask about cartography
Osgar: nav 18, cartography 15
GM: Who's navigating and what direction are you going?
Ystävä: Osgars navigating, and he has a comitee system backing him up. I believe we're trying to find White thingy
Ystävä: pines
Ystävä: But where we're going to look for it I have no idea.
Artegal: I believe the plan is 'south through the Storm Pass, then in whichever direction we heard White Pines was in, so we can go find it'.
GM: Okay, that's a set of direction I can parse at least. Ystava knows where the Storm Pass is (he thinks, anyway) 'cause he went that way a week or two ago.
Ystävä: Helping navigate! result: succeeded by 4
Osgar: I will use the excellent maps Marik made and left us!
Osgar: Navigation/TL3 (Land) result: succeeded by 7
GM: Following Ystava's more or less inerrant memory, the delvers set out to the south gate of Polisberg and south on the road to Firhill in the Durgan hills.
GM: Artegal - make a Hiking roll at -2 as you organize the group.
GM: Are you guys scouting? If so, who is doing it?
Artegal: Hiking: result: succeeded by 0
Ystävä: Bedlam and co seem like good choices for scouting if he'll put down his rope
Osgar: heh
Osgar: how much rope?
Ystävä: I dunno. I'm packing 15 pounds of it, but I put it on a horse
GM: Bedlam is the slowest member of the group, so letting him walk ahead has some real problems. ie, it slows you down.
Ystävä: The rope is for rescuing me from holes in the ground. Carrying it would be stupid.
GM: And Bedlam is carrying 25 lbs of ship cable attached to his harpoon.
Bedlam: the rope is tied to my harpoon, to be ready for use
Osgar: spell roll for flying carpet: result: succeeded by 10
Osgar: ok, he REALLY needs to get lighter rope
Osgar: (( he didn't have it loaded, I saw the load message but it still doesn't work for me ))
Artegal: ((Seriously, I carry 25 lbs of shield.))
Artegal: ((Well, 20 lbs.))
Osgar: well, we need him to offload some weight and stop slowing us down, but can anyone else scout?
Osgar: I can but I notice small flying things away from a group are vunerable to nastys
Artegal: Artegal's lightly encumbered.
Artegal: And never gets tired.
Bedlam: if people would have paid for it, i'd have gotten that spidersilk
Artegal: He's not all that perceptive.
Ystävä: Medium encumbered and gigantic here.
Artegal: But he can scout.
Narrator: The delvers set off at a rapid pace. They quickly reach the Durgan Hills and push up to Firhill, then turn southwest following the road along the mountains.
Bedlam: but $800 is far less than $2500
Osgar: how much rope are you buying?
Artegal: Why not just pay for your effective range rather than your max range? Are you likely to need more than 10 yards of rope for the harpoon?
Bedlam: it was just 50 yards
Artegal: Or pay for lighter rope.
Artegal: 'Just' 150 feet.
Bedlam: the idea is that it has more utility than just for throwing
Ystävä: You might want two grades
Bedlam: i have climbing gear, a 6' pole... bedlam is kind of a boy scout that way
Ystävä: Use a lighter grade for the throwing and a heavier cheeper grade for bulk.
Ystävä: Combine with Ystava? I've already got 30 yards
Osgar: buy and carry enough expensive stuff for your effective range, put some cheap utility stuff in your pack
Artegal: Yes, but any fall we need fifty yards of rope to recover from is not a fall we are worried about recovering from.
Bedlam: that would reduce my combat load, sure
Artegal: And the utility stuff *goes on the horses*.
Bedlam: more about climbing than falling, art
Ystävä: Yeah, and pulling treasure back up again too.
Ystävä: Or lowering it down.
Bedlam: my effective range is 30 yards, so...
Ystävä: Any cable that can hold me, can hold a LOT of treasure.
Narrator: As they approach the militia boundary, they crest a small hill and suddenly see a huge mass of mounted knights flying the banners of the Polisberg militia.
Bedlam: bedlam will listen to his friends and will put the rope on the horses to make things easier...
Militia Commander: "Hail, travellers! Who are you and where do you go?"
Bedlam: grins at the officer.
Ystävä waves a big meat-hand. "Hello!"
Bedlam: "We are intrepid explorers, out to find adventure and see new things."
Artegal: ;smiles broadly. "Greetings! I am Artegal, of the court of the mist! These are my companions. We travel into the wilds in search of riches. We're seeking the village of White Pines."
Osgar: (( get it to your first range number, which should be your ST, thats how far it does full damage and you still get the acc ))
Militia Commander: "Artegal! I did not see you with those large fellows in the way! Well met!"
Artegal: gestures to his helm. "I suppose perhaps I should get a bigger plume. Any dangers ahead we should be wary of?"
Osgar manuvers so as not to get trampled
Bedlam: ((okay, with the rope loaded on the horse, my enc is only medium and light))
Militia Commander: He pauses, thinks. "There is little to recommend White Pines. The Outriders used to tussle with the undead from there, but since the orcs closed the pass it has been quiet, I hear. The Blue Devil orc tribes are in that area - be wary of ambush on the pass." He thinks some more. "You have antidotes for the lichen, I assume?"
Bedlam: "Poisonous lichen?"
Osgar: "First I've heard of that, where have you encountered it?"
Militia Commander: He sneers at Bedlam. "Of course, it's quite common in the mountains."
Osgar gets out his journal to take notes
GM: Some of this Osgar heard but couldn't confirm.
Bedlam: "My people roam the mountains and we've never encountered such a thing."
Ystävä scratches his head. "Sooo. Don't eat it?"
Ystävä: "I am not with the eating the rock scum."
Artegal: shrugs. "I can't say as we brought any antidote. Have you any yourselves? We'll pay you a fair price for it."
Ystävä: "The rock scum is only food for the deers and things. I am with the eating of the deers and things. Are they poison?"
Bedlam: "I agree, my friend. Rock slime must taste as bad as it looks."
Militia Commander: He looks confused as Bedlam and Ystava talk to him, and then turns back to Artegal, trying to catch up on what's been happening in town.
GM whispers to Bedlam: You've heard of poison lichen, and you've never been in the Gray Mountains.
Ystävä: "I have been the drinking."
Ystävä: "I made lots of friends!"
Bedlam: "Oh, I just remembered.... my people call that rokakah."
Artegal: happily shares the latest gossip.
Bedlam: mutters something about different mountains.
Militia Commander: "We have no antidote, I'm afraid. Our tasks do not take us into the mountains. We are riding a patrol on the roads. Sorry, my friend, I would give you some if I had any."
Artegal: "We'll just have to keep our eyes out and avoid it. Thanks for the warning, friend. If you're in town when I return, we'll share an ale."
Militia Commander: "Indeed. Good luck to you." He leads his men down the road.
Narrator: After meeting the milita, the delvers continue on, pushing hard and resting infrequently. Ystava leads them southwest, turning southeast into the pass between the mountains shortly after lunch.
Narrator: As they pass the hidden stairs, they can see large wolf shapes on the ridgeline above.
GM: Anyone doing anything about that?
Ystävä: Watching them?
Ystävä: Do they have goblins on top?
GM: It doesn't look like they do.
Bedlam: "Keep on eye on those wolves, Mouser. They don't look friendly."
Osgar: I'll get closer to Art in case I need to cast Beast Speech on him
Artegal: ((You know Beast Speech? Cool.))
Mouser: growls quietly as if affirming.
Osgar: (( it's a charm! ))
GM: Slick.
Osgar: I'll try and keep track of them and see if they come closer, plus maybe see how many there are
GM: They're pretty much unreachable unless you climb the stairs, and don't seem to be inclined to follow you.
Ystävä: Cuz, ya know, party of armed adventurers
Osgar: nah, just don't want them attacking us by mistake
Osgar: I don't think White pines is up the stair
Osgar: or do I?
Narrator: Sometime after that, the delvers pass the alchemist's cave and soon the mountains fall away to either side. The delvers can sometimes see the lake to the south, past the demon-infested village. The ruined path seems to diverge, with one path heading southwest toward the lake and the other west into the mountains.
Osgar thinks it's on the east road past the alchemist's cave
GM: Uhm... I dunno what Osgar thinks.
Osgar: (( west? looks east on the map ))
GM: Grrr. Goes EAST into the mountains.
Ystävä: It's in the mountains, so we probably want to go west
Osgar: Well, that road looks to head into the gray mtns, and I think it was the one we kept not going down that Beltarn had gotten directions for
Osgar: EAST!
Ystävä: "Into the mountains that way."
Ystävä: Ystava's got an accent
Osgar: "Ach, how yea managed to find your way before is a mystery to me!"
Ystävä: "I do not with the telling adn the scribbling and the pictures. I just with the going."
Osgar has some evil Scottish and Irish mismash accent
Torvall: "Being lost is half the fun my friend."
GM: I should note that the woods you can see right now are the Falling Frog Forest (per Marik's map), not the Wasp Woods or points south.
Bedlam: "If he's like all the other minotaurs I've met, he gets around better when he doesn't try to think about it."
Ystävä: "Yes! With the going."
Osgar: "Well, according to the notes your friend left, I think it is east"
Artegal: Wait, that far?
Artegal: Should we have pushed east by now?
Osgar: "I assume he's like a sailor that don't know port nor starboard, but can still sail right as rain"
GM: You go fast if you don't scout. You also overrun 80 cavalrymen.
Ystävä: wait what?
Osgar: (( this does match the directions Beltarne go and I can't find, right? ))
Osgar: got*
Ystävä: 80 cavalrymen?
Ystävä: Is that like "You fall on five death checks?"
Osgar hopes that was the militia
GM: "Rumor says it can be found in the village of White Pines, supposedly in a valley east of the south end of Storm Pass"
GM: And yes, that was the militia, but still...
Osgar: is Art fast?
GM: No.
Osgar doesn't want to scout, but probably should
GM: Also, "http://westmarchsaga.wikia.com/wiki/WM/Quests#White_Pines"
Artegal: So we do, in fact, want to turn eastish here.
Osgar: anyhow, we go east on the road
Osgar: I will act as a fast scout
GM: So Ystava doesn't know the east road. But he can keep leading you down the south road and onto the boat across the river!
Osgar: so we don't all die
Artegal: No, we just go east and let Ystava learn a new route.
Osgar: it'll just be me!
GM: Okay.
Ystävä: Poor ystava. All this learning.
Osgar: I will stay somewhat hidden when I can
GM: Sure, you're staying low. Who's Navigating now?
Osgar: I can't do both?
Ystävä: You're up ahead.
Ystävä: Makes it difficult to keep the group on track.
Ystävä: I'll do it.
Osgar thought Marik did it
Artegal: ((Marik did do it.))
GM: You can do both. Don't have to.
Osgar: hmm, maybe I assist Ystava?
Osgar: or I just do it? 
Osgar: up to Ystava
Artegal: You do it.
Osgar: Navigation/TL3 (Land) result: succeeded by 5
Narrator: The delvers turn east. The road turns north and begins making switchbacks up into the hills and continuing through a narrow chasm into the mountains.
GM whispers to Bedlam: There's a crop of ugly red plants on the hill above the road. They're a nasty variant of venus fly traps, and spit poisonous needles at those who get close. Their petals have medicinal qualities; the poison on the darts is valuable.
Ystävä is probably too stupid to look for ambushes. So he complains about sore feet instead.
Bedlam: "Don't get too close to those red plants. Really nasty."
Bedlam: points.
GM whispers to Ystävä: The red plants on the hill above the road are bloody puffwads, a nasty semi-mobile plant that spits poisonous darts.
Ystävä looks around, looks up, and does a double take.
Narrator: Bedlam points to a line of red plants, like massive roses, about 200 yds away up on the hill.
Osgar takes note of what to avoid
Ystävä: "The stabby balls! Yes, with the stabbing and the thorns and the ptu."
Ystävä spits.
Bedlam: "Well put."
Artegal: "Really? They look rather pretty. I wonder if seeds would be worth anything."
Ystävä: "Worth the sick tummy."
Bedlam: "Not the seeds, but the pedals and thorns are."
Bedlam: "Get close enough and you'll have plenty of the latter."
Ystävä: "I ate with the seeds and yes with the sick tummy. Not good."
Osgar: "Dangerous thorns?"
Artegal: "Well."
Bedlam: "Only when the plants shoot them at you."
Artegal: "I've got a nice large shield."
Ystävä: "Little scratchy stabby and burning."
Osgar: "Sounds dangerous to me"
Ystävä: "And the ptu."
Ystävä spits.
Artegal: "Do we need to harvest the thorns, or can we just pry them out of my shield?"
Bedlam: "I've never gotten close enough to find out."
Osgar: "I'll not be going near them, thanksyouverymuchkindsirs"
Osgar: "Well, how valuable are we talking about here?"
Bedlam: "If you do get the thorns, grab the pedals too. You'll probably need them."
Osgar: "They cure the poison from the thorns?"
Artegal: "Well. Onward, or try to harvest some valuable plant?"
GM whispers to Bedlam: You're not sure. The medicine men liked them.
Bedlam: "I don't know. The medicine men liked the pedals."
Artegal: "I'll brave the thorns."
Artegal: sets his shield, using it for as much cover as possible, and heads towards the roses.
Osgar: "How do the thorns know to shoot out?"
Osgar: "Hold up friend, I can help I think"
Artegal: waits.
Osgar: (( anyone know if it's vibration or something? ))
GM: No one knows.
Bedlam: ((do i look like a botanist to anyone?))
Ystävä: (( Ystava tried to EAT them. ))
Osgar: (( let me guess, there is a hidden lore (west march plantlife) that we need ))
GM: No, just better rolls on Naturalist.
Osgar: "Well, I can shield you from the thorns, but do we have to harvest them before they are shot?" result: succeeded by 0
Osgar: "plus it won't last long"
Osgar: "Perhaps we should get them on the way back?"
Ystävä: "Fresher?"
Bedlam: "That sounds like a good idea."
Artegal: "That sounds like a good idea, yes. Onward!"
Osgar: "Onward, and lets keep and eye out for ones we can't avoid!"
GM: Okay. Just as a note, the slope up the plants is moderately steep - 30 degrees or so - and there are patches of lose rocks here and there.
Bedlam: "Hmmm... I think we better use the climbing gear. Or at least the rope."
Ystävä: So all the rope might be useful
Osgar: (( I thought we were getting them on the way back? ))
Ystävä: So! If we're doing it when we come back, we continue east?
GM: The remains of the road go through plenty of switchbacks. You don't need rope, but it is slow going.
Ystävä: We climb!
Narrator: The delvers avoid the plants and continue east, ascending up the hills and into the mountains. The mountains are made of layers of gray stone, hard and unyielding. Two peaks raise to either side of the pass, climbing several thousand feet to their tops.
Ystävä: We don't climb that much.
Narrator: Behind them, the sun is heading toward the west horizon and will soon dip beneath the western mountains.
Narrator: Osgar comes back from a scouting run somewhat worried.
GM whispers to Osgar: The path ahead is blocked by a collapsed wall, about 40-50 ft tall.
Osgar: "Ok, folks, we gotta huge freaking wall up ahead, 40-50 feet tall"
Bedlam: "Right."
Osgar: "It's seen better days but I think it'll be the end of the road for the horses at least."
Artegal: "A wall?"
Artegal: "As in, a fortification?"
Bedlam: opens his backpack.
Bedlam: "Climbing gear... grapnel... where's that rope?"
Osgar: "Fortification, roadblock, sure"
Ystävä frowns. "Who is with the putting with the road in the wall?"
Narrator: The delvers find themselves in a narrow defile, with towring rock walls to either side of them. Ahead of them, a towering wall of worn but well-fitted stone blocks the pass. Mounds of rock full obstruct the arched gateway through the wall, and more rocks litter the path ahead of the wall and the battlements above. Past the wall, a few wisps of fog rise into the air.
Ystävä: "This is the bad road. You bad at this tiny man."
Osgar: "The orcs may have made it, not real clear on that part."
GM: Everyone clear with the map?
Artegal: "Well, we just need to clear that gate."
Osgar looks for signs there may be defenders on the wall
Artegal: "But we should be on the lookout for an ambush."
Bedlam: "Don't worry my friend. When there's a wall on the road you can't go through, you go over."
Ystävä: "I am with the crowbar, but those is the big rocks."
Artegal: "The horses are not going over that wall, Bedlam."
Beltarne: "Nae, tha' be Dwarvish work, not Orcish crap!"
Ystävä frowns.
Ystävä frowns.
Osgar: "I think the orc part may be all the rocks blocking it
Ystävä: "I am with the needing a shovel."
Ystävä goes and gets his shovel off of the horses.
Beltarne: Considers a second. "Though tha' rockslide may have been them scalliwags."
Bedlam: "I have one of those too."
Osgar: is there are real gate or is it just a ton of rocks
Osgar floats up until he can see the top of the wall
GM: There is an archway. Someone has collapsed rocks from the mountain pass above into the archway, then went back and shoved more boulders to make it completely impassible.
Artegal: "Alternatively, we take provisions, leave the horses and guards here, and go onward alone."
GM: How close are you going, Osgar? And how high over it?
Osgar: staying above the group, just to the level of the wall or slightly above
Lee"I would be appreciating that, sir. This looks like delver business. If you would, we'll take Miss Mina and move back a bit."
Ystävä looks at his shovel, disappointed. "Not with the shoveling?"
Artegal: ((This was part of why I hired a groom.))
GM whispers to Osgar: There's a lot of boulders and such on the wall, and wisps of fog beyond it. What else do you want to know?
Osgar: (( good call ))
Artegal: nods. "Take the horses back to a sheltered spot. We'll return after we've explored the area."
Lee"Yes, sir." Richard, Lee, and Miss Mina take the horses back about 50 yards and start setting up camp.
Osgar whispers: just looking for signs anyone/thing has been on top of it recently
Artegal: ((Local? Too much RP in MMO...))
GM: They can't really do long term horse care, but the guards can take off saddles and such.
Artegal: "If we're not back in five days, return to town."
Lee"Yes sir."
Osgar: (( should find a someone trained in both guard and groom, or maid and groom ))
GM whispers to Osgar: It's hard to see footprints on rock and stone, but there aren't any obvious signs of usage.
Osgar comes back down
Osgar: "No signs of anyone on top ready to make the climb miserable at least
Osgar: does the top of the wall touch the pass walls?
Osgar: or is there a gap?
GM: The wall is built into the pass walls.
Osgar: "I can put a grapnel up there for ya if you've one handy"
Bedlam: takes the grapnel out of his pack.
Bedlam: gets the rope off the horse and ties it on.
Artegal: "Up we go, then."
Osgar: "Ok, tell me where you want it"
Osgar goes and places the grapnel where directed, approaching slowly and keeping below the wall
Bedlam: "Secure it at the top, I would think."
Osgar: I don't see any enchantments on the wall do I?
Osgar: "Right, left, middle?"
Osgar: "All the rocks look huge and hard to climb to me"
GM: We've established that you guys have 80+ yards of 1100 lb test cable, so that's all good. Do you guys have a grapnel that can hold that much?
GM: Osgar doesn't see any enchantment here.
Bedlam: er... how much can the standard grapnel hold?
Torvall: Torvall has a grapnel as well if two are needed.
Osgar: (( 300 lbs. ))
GM: "Grapnel. Throw to ST*2 yards. Supports 300 lbs. $80, 2 lbs."
Ystävä: Not me. I can't spell it.
Artegal: The real question is how Mouser's getting across.
Osgar: heh, Quirk: can't buy things they cannot spell the name of
Artegal: Once Artegal and Torvall are up on the wall, we can hold the rope for the others.
GM: Will 600 lbs of support get Ystava up?
GM: Hmm. I guess that works.
Osgar: how much does mouser weigh?
Ystävä: Yes, although it may involve swapping equipment around.
Bedlam: 600 lbs
Osgar: we can haul packs up after
Ystävä: 590 lbs naked
Osgar: ...
Ystävä: And I have clothes that aren't armor!
Bedlam: we'll need to make a harness for him with the rope and haul him up
Ystävä: Lucky for you!
Osgar: you're not big, you're FREAKING 'UGE!
Ystävä: NINE FEET TALL
Ystävä: PLUS HORNS
Bedlam: i'll go last, after getting mouser up
Ystävä: So yes, freaking uge.
Osgar: you really should be SM+2 or +3
Ystävä: The horns are SM +4
Ystävä: Effectively.
GM: Hmmm. Can I get some hearing checks at -4 from everyone?
Ystävä: Yep!
Osgar thinks he goes through doors sideways and hunched over
GM: ... and discrimantory smell tests from those that have it, at no bonus or penalty.
Ystävä: Hearing check result: succeeded by 1»
Torvall: Hearing result: failed by 2
Ystävä: Scent check result: succeeded by 3»
Artegal: Per: result: failed by 3
Osgar: Hearing check result: succeeded by 4
Mouser: 	Perception check result: succeeded by 2
Bedlam: Hearing check result: succeeded by 0
GM whispers to Ystävä: You head voices on the far side of the wall... you can't make out much, but you sometimes here "Grootz" or something similar. Also, there's a scent of decay and a hint of ice on the wind, coming from the northeast.
GM whispers to Osgar: You head voices on the far side of the wall, maybe a dozen or so, speaking something that sounds vaguely Dwarfish.
GM whispers to Bedlam: You head voices on the far side of the wall
Ystävä: "So, wat is the groots?"
Narrator: Mouser tenses, facing the wall.
Bedlam: "Shhh... I hear voices." he whispers.
Osgar whispers "I think there be dead dwarves on the other side"
Ystävä continues, in a stage whisper "Stinky frozen dwarves."
Bedlam: "The dead don't usually speak, dwarves or otherwise." he says quietly.
Ystävä: "Stinky. Frozen. Groots."
Beltarne: "Some zombies and such can mimic human speach, and ghasts are quite talkative - unpleasantly so."
Ystävä shrugs.
Osgar whispers "Oh, some types are real talky, just not zombies usually. More likely ghosts or something I bet."
Ystävä frowns. "Can't with the smashing of the ghosties."
Bedlam: "Not really the sort I want to have a chat with."
Osgar casts apportation on his mirror and floats it up to see over to the other side
Osgar: silent, lots of gestures
GM: Roll it, Osgar.
Osgar: Apportation result: ?succeeded by 6 -1 FP
Osgar: free!
GM: And make a Vision roll at -2.
Osgar: Vision check result: succeeded by 7
GM: Also, Apportion is a spell that you don't cast on yourself, so mimimum 1 FP maintenance =)
Osgar: lol, ok, casts for free then?
Osgar: anyhow, I see stuff, worth 1 energy for sure
GM whispers to Ted: It's hard to make out, but it looks like there are a dozen or more shambling forms on the far side of the wall. They look short and stout, like dwarves or leprechauns, and a few of them are missing limbs.
Artegal: Suddenly I'm reminded.
Artegal: Oh hey.
Artegal: Has Osgar got Tactics or Soldier?
Osgar: yes!
Osgar: I have tactics 14
Artegal: Tactics: (s(13,-1)]
Artegal: Tactics: result: succeeded by 0
Artegal: One! One reroll.
Osgar whispers "I see at least a dozen roughly dwarf sized corpses on the other side"
Osgar: are they right next to the wall or spread out?
Artegal: whispers, "Why are we whispering?"
Artegal: "It's not like we were quiet coming to the wall."
Osgar whispers "They still got ears man"
GM: Mostly clustered, with a few stragglers.
Osgar whispers "Well, should we toss some holy water over to say hi?"
Ystävä: Clustered right opposite to us, because we are making noise, of course.
Artegal: shrugs. "Get the grapnel up there. I'll be first down the rope, with support from Osgar; I'll keep them occupied whlie the rest of you climb down."
Osgar: are we up on top the wall yet or where?
GM: Still on the ground, grapnels not placed.
GM: Okay. I think Osgar can place the grapnel pretty easily. So then Climbing rolls at -1, Artegal first.
Osgar whispers "Yah, so I'm guessing you make a lot more noise as you climb and stuff"
Osgar: I keep watch to see what they do as people climb up, making all sorts of noise
Bedlam: ((what rolls and who does the rolling for mouser?))
Artegal: Climbing: result: failed by 1
Artegal: Luck.
Artegal: Climbing: result: succeeded by 5
Artegal: Climbing: result: succeeded by 5
Narrator: As Osgar peeks over the wall, two of the zombies reach into the bodies and pull out masses of intestines. They aim carefully at the leprechaun and then let fly!
Osgar drops!
Osgar: using the mirror!
Osgar: for the looking!
Corruption ZombiesThrow! result: CRITICALLY FAILED by 11 and result: failed by 7
GM: Between the crenelations, the distance, and his size, Osgar is in no real danger.
Osgar: (( well, or they can kill themselves, whatever ))
Osgar: "They've seen us lads, and they are revolting!"
Narrator: He does notice that the ground below, the east side of the wall, and the pass walls are covered with a thin mask of ice. As it melts near the top of the wall, fog rises.
Bedlam: "You mean you've seen them and they are revolting?"
Narrator: Behind him, Artegal carefully ascends the rope and slides over the top.
Artegal: peeks out over the wall. "Hmph. Zombies."
GM: ... I should remind everyone that Climbing rolls are penalized by encumbrance. (DF2 p 7)
Corruption ZombiesThrow at Artegal! result: failed by 5 and result: failed by 7
Artegal: "Their aim is about as good as I'd expect from someone whose eyes are rotted out."
Bedlam: speaking of which... have you gone over the encumbrance for me again? it really should be only light if i'm not carrying the rope and the grapnel
Osgar: "You know, they're throwing their own freezing guts at us"
Narrator: The zombies continue to launch projectiles at the wall, splattering the surface with unpleasant ichor that smokes and hisses.
Artegal: settles with his back to one of the crenelations for cover. "Makes me wish I'd brought alchemist's fire."
GM: 87 lbs of armor, 20 lbs of weapons, 7 lbs of miscellaneous gear... okay, you're just under.
Artegal: ((Just under?))
Bedlam: groovy
Artegal: ((Oh, Bedlam.))
Bedlam: i'll work on a "stuff on horse" loadout later
Artegal: "Beltarne! Send up some of that alchemist's fire!"
Beltarne: "I'll bring it up when I get there! I dinnae want it to break and burn the rope!"
Ystävä starts stripping down to his fur tunic.
GM: Who's up next?
Ystävä: I suspect Y is up last simply because nobody wants to get an accidental upskirt.
Bedlam: no, i'm last, to help mouser into the harness
Ystävä: Be it pon your head then. So to speak.
Torvall: I guess that leaves me.
Torvall: Climb result: succeeded by 2
Narrator: Torvall easily climbs the rope.
Beltarne: "I'm next, I s'pose." result: failed by 6
Osgar lets the apportation drop on the mirror and recovers energy while the rest climb
Osgar: after getting hold of it :)
Beltarne: Luck! result: failed by 1
Beltarne: Luck! result: failed by 2
Artegal: ((Seriously?))
Bedlam: facepalms.
Ystävä: Can I catch him?
Osgar: no bonues for rope?
Beltarne: "Not with the horns!"
Ystävä: -1 for climb up rope, -0 for climb down rope.
GM: Vertical wall is normally -3. Ystava can try to catch with a DX-2 roll.
Ystävä: DX result: failed by 2
Ystävä: luck
Ystävä: DX result: succeeded by 3
Ystävä: DX result: failed by 3
Ystävä: Dayum, the dice just want to kill him today.
Narrator: For a moment, it looks like Beltarne is about to land on Ystava's mighty horns, but the minotaur dodges and catches the dwarf instead.
Beltarne: "Ooff. Can you hoist me up instea'?"
Torvall: OK...I will try to help haul Beltarne up instead.
Ystävä looks up, looks at Beltarne, and lifts him as high as possible.
Ystävä: Which is not 40-50 feet but.
Ystävä: "I'm helping!"
Osgar: heh
Osgar: how heavy is he?
Torvall: ST check (if the GM wants it) result: succeeded by 7
GM: Make a ST roll at -2, Torvall. He weighs about 300 lbs with gear.
GM: Okay, that's fine.
Narrator: 
Narrator: Clinging to the rope while praying madly, Beltarne is hoisted up.
Torvall: "OK...I don't think we will be hauling Y up...but we can all try and stop him from plummeting if he slips."
Beltarne: "Well nae." He considers the zombies. "I dunnae aboot this. Ice zombies sometime have no fear of fire, and they make the others resistant, too."
Bedlam: "Minotaurs are natural mountaineers. He'll be fine."
Osgar: "Resistant to fire?"
Beltarne: "Aye, the ice shields them."
Artegal: "Well, you've Holy Water, too, I assume?"
Ystävä is eventually stripped down to his barbarian underwear. Which is apparently rather modest.
Mouser: covers his eyes.
Ystävä: Bundle the gear up and send it up first. Then Ystava.
Artegal: "I can't climb down that wall if they're going to be flinging guts."
Beltarne: "I have a vial. Ystava has more, I recall."
Osgar: I've undead lore, eidetic memory, do I think it's true?
Osgar: "Hold on, I might have something for a good opener"
GM whispers to Osgar: Sorry. Still getting used to someone with knowledges! Yah, the ice zombies are totally immune to cold and fairly immune to fire, and the ice they put on the other zombies gives them some protection, too.
Ystävä: Ystava's gear is particularly clinky.
Osgar whispers: so, how effective do I think lightning will be?
Torvall: ST check (for hauling up the minotaur's gear) result: succeeded by 7
Osgar whispers: and holy water
Artegal: ((How high is the wall?))
GM whispers to Osgar: Also, the guts of the corruption zombies are similar to Oozing Doom - it can creep through the cracks in armor and do poison damage. Lightning should generally be okay, though if you're in their zone of ice you may get some feedback.
GM whispers to Osgar: Holy water should just work.
GM: About 16 yards to the roof, 17 yards to the top of the parapet
Osgar mark how big are the ice zones? I assume they eminate from the ice zombies
Osgar: doh
Artegal: ((Not jumping that.))
GM: Torvall grunts and sweats, lifting up Ystava's gear.
GM: About 10 yards.
Osgar: are only the corrupted ones throwing stuff?
GM: Yes.
Osgar: "Watch out for the guts, they'll go right through your armor lads."
Osgar: "And poison you after they do"
GM: Is Ystava climbing up or waiting or what?
Osgar: am I recovered from the apportation? (or didn't have it up long enough to cost anything?)
GM: Also, the zombies seem to be prepared for when people peek their heads over the wall, if anyone else goes for a look. Not that they're good shots or anything...
GM: Osgar, yes.
Osgar: cool
Osgar whispers "I can protect myself from their missiles, then throw a big one of my own, you all should throw holy water down right after as it may stun them"
Ystävä: I'm climbing, sorry. result: failed by 2
Ystävä: Or not.
Ystävä: Thunk.
Ystävä: And i used my luck on Beltarne. Glare.
GM: Uhm. Is Bedlam going to attempt a catch?
Osgar: (( time for an agility potion? ))
Ystävä: Too late for that.
Artegal: ((I have visions of a Bedlam-shaped hole underneath an Ystava-shaped hole. >.>))
Bedlam: catching who?
Ystävä: Lardass here
Bedlam: nice meeting you, Y
Ystävä: Fear my falling damage!
GM: Ystava. And Ystava can roll IQ-1 to remember to use his Agility potion before climbing.
Ystävä: bwahaha
Ystävä: IQ result: failed by 7
Ystävä: Hell no.
Bedlam: and Mouser move out of the way to avoid the minotaur shaped hole that is about to appear on the ground.
GM: Harsh.
GM: Ystava falls 7 yards! He takes 16 crushing because he's big!
GM: Armor protects more or less normally!
Ystävä: Cry.
Ystävä: To the random hit location?
GM: Sure! Roll it!
Table HitLocation (Ystävä): Hand
Ystävä: Crunch.
GM: Uhm, 8 damage is more than 1/3rd Ystava's HT, right?
Ystävä: DR 8 on the hand, hurray, so 8 crushing to the hand! Yes!
Ystävä: 0.4
Ystävä: It is indeed.
Torvall: "Alrighty. Ystava won't be climbing with only one hand. Suggestions friends?"
Narrator: Ystava slips off the rope and tumbles down, throwing out his right hand to protect himself or something. It crunches with a sickening thud as he lands on it.
Ystävä snarls, gets up (snarling again as he accidentally leans on the broken hand), and then kicks the wall. Barefooted.
Ystävä: Which results in some hopping and cursing.
Bedlam: is a minor healing potion enough to heal his hand?
Ystävä: A healing gem is exactly enough to heal my hand
Ystävä: Actually no
Ystävä: It's overkill 2x healing
Ystävä: derp
GM: ... uhm, Ystava isn't wearing armor. But, fortunately for him...
Ystävä: oh shite!
Bedlam: i have minor and major
Ystävä: That's right, but maximum damage!
GM: Tough skin protects and he doesn't lose his hand.
Ystävä: Hurray
Ystävä: 6.666666666666666666666666666666667
Ystävä: Is max damage to an extremity the crippling threshold? That's technically 7 HP damage then if I've got that right.
Ystävä: er, max injury.
Ystävä: no max damage of course.
Artegal: Max injury is the crippling threshold.
Artegal: However, if it was 2x the crippling threshold he loses the hand.
Artegal: To falling damage, which is clever.
Ystävä: You can loose the hand without it falling off.
Artegal: Well, over 2x.
GM: Yeah, he takes 7 damage, 14+ and crippled, but he only took 13 and is barely okay.
Ystävä kicks the wall again.
Ystävä: In fact. Ystava head butts the wall a few times.
Ystävä: Not charging it or anything.
Ystävä: Just showing it who's boss.
GM: "Torvall, lower me down again."
Bedlam: "That wall isn't at fault, friend."
Beltarne: "Torvall, lower me down again."
Torvall: ST check result: succeeded by 3
Beltarne: "Carefully!"
Beltarne: Casts Minor Healing on Ystava result: succeeded by 8
Beltarne: "There, now be more careful next time. Mayhap Artegal and Torvall should haul him up?"
Ystävä sulkily says "With the thanking. But Ystava with the climbing."
Torvall: "I dont think we can actually haul him up but we can try to make sure he doesn't fall if he slip. He is a very big boy."