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.
15 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.
Burvin's Journal. Eggshell cooking bowl. 2 Torches unlit, 1 just lit.
In pouch - Gold Coins = 1. Silver Coins = 13.
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.
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.
Dagger. Silver Coins in pouch = 15.
Burvin Charank - Str = 1, Tou = 1, Agi = -1, Int = 2, Presence = 1.
Male Human. Age =31. Blue eyes, Black hair. 5'6" tall. Necklace from the Deity Wars.
Hp. = 6 out of 6. Xp=0. Dagger. Hiking gear. Rations =3, 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.)
After a cold meal of beef jerky, Rev, Tan and Calzen decide to make an early start on their descent of the mountain. "What are your plans now?" asks Mal.
Calzen explains their hopes, "We may find an old battle barge and restore it, or if there are none to be had, 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 it was last night," seconded Ref, as they turned to go downhill with a cheery wave.
"And what of your plans, Burvin? Are you going to be risking the storm today, too?" asks Yamil.
(D6: 1-3 Stay, 4-6 Go)= 2 Stay.
Burvin speaks up, "Normally, I would have gone with the three 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 in there that 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."
Yamil added, "We do not know their character; although I am a fair judge in those matters, mostly anyway, they seem of good stock, but the chance of wealth can tempt anyone, especially the young."
Mal confirmed, "It tempted me to leave home, and here I am, on a mountainside, with two stout companions, with the unknown in front of us."
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 putting their camp things slightly further inside. The storm finally arrives, at first with a few spots and splashes bouncing off the leaves, then with increasing force.
The threesome moves into the mine entrance, assembles the torches and then have 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, but, 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 mostly 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. They find a couple of sacks, wedged high up in a crack where rodents could not get at them.
Yamil mused, "They are not in very good condition, but they can be washed and be used for something."
(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 slowly 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 that had been carved into the mine wall. It depicts a circle, within it, a bird being shot with an arrow.
(?d: Does Yamil know? 1= No)
"Kelbos?", he guesses.
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.Failed.
Skeleton tries to attack Yamil with its sword, but due to its long inactivity, it fails miserably and it slips out of its hand.
(? > 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 skeleton's 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. It makes a 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 he cannot 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 again.
(5+5=10, possible hit. Burvin opposed dodge roll 6+3-1 Agi = 8, so it scores a Hit > Damage > Exploding 6 + 6 = 12.
Burvins' 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 tries to deflect the strike with the dagger, but is not used to two-handed fighting and gets stabbed in the side, drops the torch and collapses backwards with a scream, "Ahh.."
Yavin yells a war cry and aims at its skull with a vicious swing of his staff.
The skeleton tries to raise its shield to block the blow.
(6+3+1str +1 AO=11, skeleton block 3+3=6= failed. A Hit > Damage > Exploding 6+1 -1 leather = 6 damage Hp=-3 Dead). With its skull decapitated, it crumbles to dust, leaving its armour, shield and sword behind.
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. I blurted out the wrong answer instead of giving him the chance to get it right."
"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, that is 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 and studied by scholars from all over the Heartlands," said Mal.
Yamil affirmed,"I will take his dagger, so I can carve his name wherever I go in this world, so that his name will be remembered forever."
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, " Your meadow?"
"Yes, my meadow. I live here, it's my mountain, so it's MY meadow."
"We are just putting a fellow traveller to rest."
"Oh, I see. "
He suddenly stopped approaching.
"Twas nothing dangerous to others they died of, was it? Not one of them evil curses from those mad folks, was it now?"
"Who are those mad folk you mentioned?"
"Well, let me just think back, yes, the tale goes that they were refugees from some big opulent palace somewhere that got attacked by a battle barge, and the place was looted. The royal family there was killed defending it, so they say. 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, to where I could not say. But after they had abandoned the place, there were ghouls and all sorts of things here on the mountain. They either 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!"
"Yes, some travellers had come upon one of those Ghoul things; it killed three of their number, the others barely escaped."
"We have seen one of the monsters roaming about yesterday ourselves, an Eukarrya. A very tall one, red, with a yellow striped back."
"Oh, yes, that would be my Jazz. I found a Eukarrya hatchling once and kept it 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!"
With that parting message, he turned about and vanished back into the forest.
Yamil stated, "Well, they say Many a mountain has a hermit. Now we have met this one''s.", he laughed,"We could track him in the snow easily enough."
"No, we will respect his privacy. We are just visitors after all and who knows what other strange pets he might have with him. At least we have a starting point as to what went on here in the past and led to Burvin's passing."
(Yamil +1 Xp. Leg no better.. Mal =-2 Rations.)
"Lets eat and drink to our fallen comrade in arms. We have only water, but that will do! To Burvin Charank,"
"To Burvin Charank, a delver into secrets."
(D: Night encounter = 0 Nothing.)
End Of Part 6.
c 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. Leather Armour, after being cleaned and adjusted.
15 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.
Burvin's Journal. Eggshell cooking bowl. 2 Torches unlit, 1 just lit.
In pouch - Gold Coins = 1. Silver Coins = 13.
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.
Personality: Independent, Opinionated.
Goal: Wants to visit the jungle. Hp. = 4 out of 6. Xp = 1
.
Equipment
Sling, Staff, Club, (Att+0, Damage d6/disadvantage).Rough clothes. Bronze helmet.
Hand Axe. Dagger. Silver Coins in pouch = 17. ! sack.
Rations = 7 in a sack, including Burvins supplies. Tarnak Berries/ 1 Ration.
Sword and Shield (After being cleaned in the stream.
Map to be added.
30.03.2026 - I have done a page of episode 7 so far.
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.
