Hi Everybody,
Exploring Kal-Arath - Episode 6 - New Passageways
Mal-Shui (PC) - Str = 1, Tou = 2, Agi = 1, Int = -1, Pre = 1. Fate Point =1.
Male Human. Age = 24. Brown eyes and hair, 6'1" tall.
Personality: Friendly, Moody, Hp = 7 out of 7. Xp=1.
Equipment
Longsword, (Att +1, Dam +1), Staff, Dagger.
5 1/2 days' rations in a sack.Tarnak Berries R=1 (Sc=3), Waterskin. Tinder and flint.
Rough blue tunic, an animal fur cloak. Terradon Tooth necklace with Tribal Totem carving.
Eggshell cooking bowl. 2 Torches unlit, 1 just lit.
In pouch - Gold Coins = 1. Silver Coins = 10.
Threads
1) Scaleel or Goritan Village Member, 2) Wizard - Jis-Kel, 3) Khainar Yak Folk,
4) Ref Sodrav, Tan Muen and Cazen Goorte.
Yamil-Torl - Str = 1, Tou = 1, Agi = -1, Int = 2, Presence = 1.Fate Point =1.
Male Human. Age =34. Green eyes, Black hair. 5'11" tall.
Rations = 0.Personality: Independent, Opinionated.
Goal: Wants to visit the jungle. Hp. = 4 out of 6. Xp=0.
Equipment
Sling, Staff, Club, (Att+0, Damage d6/disadvantage).Rough clothes. Bronze helmet.
Silver Coins in pouch = 15.
Burvin Charank - Str = 1, Tou = 1, Agi = -1, Int = 2, Presence = 1. Fate Point =1.
Male Human. Age =31. Blue eyes, Black hair. 5'6" tall. Deep sleeper. Necklace from the Deity Wars.
Personality: Cheerful, Pretentious.
Hp. = 6 out of 6. Xp=0. Dagger. Notebook, Padded ink, quills. Hiking gear - Hand axe.
Rations =2, Tarnak Berries, R=4. Silver Coins =6.
Ref Sodrav, Tan Muen and Cazen Goorte
Day Three - Weather - A storm is blowing in.
(D6: 1-3 Stay, 4-6 Go)= 4 Go.)
So Rev, Tan and Calzen decide to make an early start on descending the mountain. "What are your plans now?" asks Mal.
"We may find an old battle barge and restore it, or join up with a crew that has already found one," replies Cazen.
"May Dorgan the Mighty. watch over you on your travels. I hope that we may see you along the path again."
"May it be so and your fire always be welcoming as last night," seconded Ref, as they turned to go downhill.
"What of your plans, Burvin? Are you risking the storm too?" asks Yamil.
(D6: 1-3 Stay, 4-6 Go)= 2 Stay.
Burvin speaks up, "Normally, I would have gone with the warriors there, since I, too, would like to see a battle barge and learn of its adventures. But I am interested in seeing what is in the mine, if you will allow it? I noticed you did not mention it to them."
"Well, to be fair", admits Mal, "You did find it first, and you might understand things we might miss. As to them, an old proverb states, 'What once has been said cannot be unsaid later, much as you might wish it.'
"We do not know their character; although I am a fair judge, they seem of good stock, but the chance of wealth can tempt anyone, especially the young. It tempted me to leave home, and here I am."
They have breakfast, fill the waterskins from a nearby stream and then Mal and Yamil forage for torch materials and extra food.
(d12: = 9 torches, 30 stumps, Mal 5 rations, Yamil 3 rations.)
Burvin chops some logs up for tonight's fire and stashes them inside the entrance to keep the expected rain off them, as well as their camp things slightly further inside. The storm finally arrives, at first with a few spots and splashes off the leaves, then with increasing force. The threesome moves into the mine entrance, assembles the torches and then has their lunch. Yamil sniffs the air, "It seems much healthier in here today than yesterday."
Mal nods, "True, but the torches will burn quicker in the good air, at least we will not have to search along the passages for loose rocks and stuff until we get to a new section. These birchbark stumps will work better when we are in a static situation."
Burvin suggests, "If we take all nine torches in with us, then drop four of them at the furthest crossroads, we have less to carry afterwards, one lit and two spares unlit each and can easily come back for more, keeping one there for emergencies."
He swings on his empty pack, checks that the dagger at his belt is handy.
Once they entered the first chamber, they moved the wood from the right wall to the left wall so they could get from one tunnel to the other without tripping on anything, relying on following the right wall if all the torches were extinguished.
(Marching order - Yamil with torch and staff, Mal with sword and two unlit torches, Burvin with two unlit torches).
Still being wary of creatures possibly living in there, they advanced to the second junction, with the air shaft corridor on the left. They propped a couple of torches against the side wall and started in the tunnel opposite their entrance. This bent to the right and went for about 40 feet.
When Yamel entered the next opening, he heard a scraping noise coming from the left wall. Getting to its feet was a skeleton warrior with a small shield and a sword.
Yamil alerts the others, "Skeleton", and moves towards the undead horror, allowing the others to move behind him to the right and attack afterwards.
(?D: foe table.)
Skeleton Warrior S=0, Agi=0. Hp=11, Leather Armour 1, Slash and pierce done at disadvantage.
It speaks, "Who is the master?" and points to a symbol on the wall. A bird is being shot with an arrow within a circle.
(?d: Does Yamil know? 1= No) "Kelbos?" Burvin announces too late, "Melek-Kesh!"
"Unbeliever." It advances towards him with its sword ready.
Round 1
Yamil rolls 1+-1 Agi =0 for Initiative.
Skeleton attacks Yamil with its sword.
(? > 1+1=2 Critical Miss = Drops it's sword.)
Yamil attacks one- handed with his staff to the head.
(?> 3+2+1 str =6 Miss).
"I'll attack the left side, you attack its right side, we should not get in each other's way."
Mal attacks with his sword on the leg bone.
( ?> 5+3+1str =8 Hit > 5 damage-1 armour - Hp now 7.)
Burvin drops the unlit torches at the entrances and moves to Yamil's left, "Give me the torch."
Yamil does so, repositioning his grip on the staff to give himself a better blow next time.
Round 2
The Skeleton has to pick up its sword. Weak attack against Burvin.
(?4+1 > Miss).
Yamil swings his staff and hits its ribcage as it is coming back up.
(1+5+1 Str +1 Attack of opportunity, no defence = 8 Hit > Roll 2 damage -1 Armour=1damage. HP=6.)
Mal aims for its neck, but hits its armour.
(3+3+1 Str +1 Attack of opportunity, no defence = 8 Hit > Roll 2 as well, damage -1 Armour=1damage. HP=5.)
Burvin wonders whether to try to set fire to its leather armour with the torch, but decides not to risk their only source of light. He did get his dagger out so he could block sword blows, though.
Round 3
The Skeleton tries a different tactic and lunges at Mal (2, 2 = Miss)
Mal has to parry the blow, so no attack.
Yamil hits again on its unprotected side.
(2+5+1 str, +1 AO=9 Hit. > Roll 3 Damage - 1 armour=-2 Hp=3.)
Burvin shouts encouragement, "It's getting slower. You're winning."
Round 4
The skeleton switches its attack to Burvin,
(5+5, possible hit. Burvin dodge roll 6+3-1 Agi =8, so Hit > Damage Exploding 6 + 6=12.
Hp = -6. (Burvin got a 7 on the wounds table, but 12 damage all in one go with no armour sounds pretty nasty to me.)
Burvin gets stabbed in the side, drops the torch and collapses backwards with a scream, "Ahh.."
Yavin yells a war cry and hits its skull.
(6+3+1str +1 AO=11 Hit > Exploding 6+1 -1 leather = 6 damage Hp-3 Dead). With its Skull decapitated, it crumbles to dust, leaving its armour and sword.
Mal rushes to Burvin, asking, "How bad is it?"
But he gets no reply or response of any kind. He picks up the torch to get a better view, and that is when they see the bloody rock where his head hit it.
He bends over him and realises he is not breathing.
Mal said, "He is with the Goddess now. All of his questions will be answered."
"Yes, 'tis true."
"The first one would be who put that skeleton guardian there, and who is Melek-Kesh?"
"We may find out, but not today."
"No, not today. You take the torch and one spare; we can leave the rest here. I will have the honour of carrying him."
"No, I shall carry him; it is my fault that he is dead."
"That is not for you to say"
"Tis' what I believe."
"As you wish, then."
They carefully make their way through the passages to the fresh air.
"We will set him to rest in the meadow where he first camped; he must have liked the place to stop there."
"Yes, a good choice."
They dig the grave facing the morning sun and lay him to rest with his Deity necklace in one hand, his quill in his other hand, and his ink bottle at his side.
"I will take his journal to Thraz, so they can add his final journey to it, then it can be placed in the archives, to be read by scholars from all over the Heartlands," said Mal.
"I will take his dagger, so I can carve his name wherever I go in this world."
Just as they are placing the last few stones on his grave, they are interrupted by a shrill voice from behind them.
"You there, what are you doing in my meadow!"
They turn around to see a scruffy vagabond waving a staff in their direction.
(?d: 5 on encounter roll = Hermit.)
Mal asked, "Yes, my meadow. I live here, my mountain, so it's MY meadow."
"We are just putting a fellow traveller to rest."
"Oh, I see. "
He stopped, suddenly.
"Twas nothing dangerous to others, was it? Not one of them evil curses from those mad folks, was it now?."
"Who are those mad folks?"
" with a big boulder on the left side wall. Well, let me just think back, yes, the tale goes that they were refugees from some palace that got attacked by a battle barge and looted. Ever since that time, they had been trying to bring their royals back to life, with something they know about, or once knew about. They camped up here for a few years, then moved on, where I could not say. Afterwards, there were ghouls and all sorts of things here. They attracted them or made them, I dunno, but they are here now. I stick to my side of the mountain where it's safe, and you'd better do the same, unless you want to be juicy monster food for something nasty!"
"We have seen one of the monsters roaming about yesterday, an Eukarrya. A very tall one, red, with a yellow striped back."
"Oh, yes, that would be my Jazz. I had a hatchling once as company, but it got too big as they do around here, so I freed it. I would not say it is exactly tame, but so long as you leave it alone, you might survive. But get too close or bother it in any way, and you two are its next lunch. You have been warned!"
End Of Part 6.
Map to be added.
Regards all,
Ivor Cogdell
Kal-Arath (C) Copyright 2023 Castle Grief. Permission to copy for personal use.
Exploring Kal-Arath (C) Copyright 2026 Ivor Cogdell.
Map 1a and Mine Maps 1 and 2 Artwork (C) Copyright 2026 Ivor Cogdell.
I am using "Wilderness Encounters" from drivethruRPG.com. No copyright visible.
100 Items Found In An Abandoned Mine From (C) Copyright: the GM Mastery list.
P.S. If you have problems with my choice of colours, email me at ivorcogdell52 "at" gmail.com, and I will send you a plain text version.
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