The Haunted Farm (Dungeon, 2)

[Azuloth]

A dilapidated farm lies several miles outside of Innorsford among the fields near the Innorsford Proving Grounds in the Southeast. This farm has come up in talk about local legends in the Tipsy Darkling. It is believed to be the site of a horrible mass murder. Locals do not dare to tread too close to it though there are many artifacts that can be seen from the road alone within the buildings.

---

The Haunted Farm Dungeon

-This is an easy dungeon meant for beginners. There are several small locations to explore. There is a dedicated puzzle for each class and an associated reward. Players can complete this dungeon alone.
-This is a permanent dungeon. As such when a player begins it a new thread will be made so that another may attempt it. A maximum of 3 instances will be open at once.

Dungeon Conditions:

A Wild Land:-- The area between the farm buildings is occupied by wild salamanders hungry and looking for food. A number of them will attack players as they move between buildings.

A Haze of Haunt:-- The old farm buildings are falling apart, and have been occupied chiefly by small spiders for as long as they've been vacant. The webbing in the halls and corridors is an obstacle that will slow those that pass through it by 50%.

[Azuloth]

The Haunted Farm -- Start

The Abandoned Tool Shed
-Building contents: Rusted Old Farm Tools.

The shed was the first building that would be happened upon. It was small, maybe only ten feet wide and was more of a tall lean-to than anything else. Inside it were many farming implements that had suffered from terrible weather and prolonged exposure. Some were obviously useless, others could be used as improvised weapons by the unprepared. From the shed all three of the farm's other buildings were visible.

To the northeast was the farm house, where the family had lived. Between it and the shed was a single salamander.

To the southeast was the granary silo. Between the structures were two salamanders.

Due east, past both the farm house and the granary was the barn. Between the shed and the barn were five salamanders.

[Deleted]

Although she was new to this whole 'adventuring' thing, Rith had plenty of experience with the wilderness and training with the Empire's forces, so she wasn't entirely unprepared for facing monsters. Exploring old ruins was definitely new, though, she poked and prodded the junk in the shed for a while until she was sure there wasn't anything valuable hidden within the detritus.

Once she'd confirmed it was all nearly worthless, she nevertheless stooped to pick up either some sort of brush-clearing tool with a long pole, or a grain flail, if she could be sure that its chain wasn't about to snap. With all these salamanders about, she wanted to keep them at a distance. To her companion(s), she said, "Alright, let's go check out that farm house, there doesn't seem too much trouble, that way."

She leaned her weapon against the shed, strung her bow, and setting three arrows in the dirt in front of her, drew the first, and took careful aim at the lone salamander. This was a dangerous season for hunting them, but if it wasn't the brightest of them, perhaps she could get in more than one shot before it knew where the attacks were coming from... She'd follow the first shot with a second, and then start backing away to take cover, or even pass up her bow and arrow for her improvised weapon to block with its haft, if the salamander was already on to her.

(Actions are: Attack with bow, attack with bow, dodge, and block with farm tool.)

[Fyrra Na'Limndra]

Fyrra and Merrake were not far behind. Fyrra was dressed almost as she normally was for these sorts of outings. Wearing her silk sarong with her Hard leather armor over her chest. She had a basic dagger strapped to her thigh. That was about it.

The farmhouse depressed her. Its ruin was some kind of metaphor for the state of the country. A shadow of its former beauty. It was sad in every sense it stood. The field that surrounded it was dead. The only occupants were scavenger Salamanders looking for the still breathing corpse of a foolish adventurer or one that was already just a pile of flesh and bone. The other structures were equally depressing.

"I don't like this place. Let's take caution."

"This is what happens when you let hate rule your actions. Nothing but ruin and death."

"Salamanders lurking about..."

"I see them. Their skulls aren't tough. A well placed arrow will bring it down."

Merrake stepped up with Rithaleya, and drew her own bow. Hers was a shortbow, but the salamander wasn't too far off. She didn't think she'd have that much trouble hitting the creature. She'd fire three shots from their position as well.

---

Fyrra Na'Limndra
20, 20, 20, 28, 10, 10, 18, 23, 20, 20
HP: 400/400
Stm: 80/80
MP: 276/276

No Actions Taken

Merrake Av'Manait
15, 20, 15, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 14
HP: 400/400
Stm: 55/60
MP: 110/110
-Ammo: 40/50 (Across all threads)

Actions
-Firing Shortbow @ Salamander Head (27 dmg)
-Firing Shortbow @ Salamander Head (27 dmg) N
-Firing Shortbow @ Salamander Head (27 dmg) N

[Azuloth]

Battle Data:

SPOILER: Click to show

Initiative
-Fyrra
-Rithaleya & Merrake
-Salamander

Fyrra
-Took no actions

Merrake (Hit threshold -vs- Salamander: 55
-Shoot @ Salamander Head: 1D100 => 10 HIT!! (Critical, Head: 27-15 = 12 +250 = 262 +Bleeding, -30 Knowledge)
-All other actions Negated

Rithaleya (Hit threshold -vs- Salamander: 55
-Shoot @ Salamander: 1D100 => 20 HIT!! 1D15 => 13 (Critical, Thigh: 30+2 = 32-15 = 17 +50 = 67 +Bleeding -15% Agility)
-All other actions Negated

Salamander
-Destroyed

Results
-Salamander Destroyed.

---

The salamander didn't even know what hit it. It had spotted the women. Smelled them really. And started to move towards them when a pair of wooden arrows hit it. Both of them struck the beast at the same time, one in the head, right between the eyes, and the second in its thigh slashing open its main artery. Needless to say the combined damage killed the beast instantly, though the mortal wound was likely the one in its head. The creature hit the dirt without harming either woman. Neither Merrake nor Rithaleya needed to fire any additional shots.

---

Rithaleya Receives +1 stat points
Fyrra Receives +1 Stat points.

Loot
3 Salamander Flesh
2 Salamander Tooth
4 Lizard Scales
2 Bones
Hard Leather Greaves (DR: 15)

[Deleted]

"Uh... Nice shot," Rithaleya said to Merrake, awkwardly. It wasn't like her to compliment anyone--least of all someone who'd just shown her up--but she didn't want to be on this woman's bad side, and there were no rules to follow when it came to half-Drokagr, or at least none that she knew of. She picked up her remaining two arrows and blew the dust off, then stowed her gear and ran forward to collect what she could off the corpse.

The choiciest bits from the corpse were squared away. While working, she picked up some old greaves, and tried them on.

"Yeah, creatures like this are not what I'm used to. But they are delicious. Hmm. What will we find in here..." Rith approached the farm house, and tried to peer inside through a window or gap in the walls before taking a chance with the door, holding her bow ready all the while.

[Fyrra Na'Limndra]

"Thank you."

"Well done, both of you."

Fyrra and Merrake would proceed along, behind Rithaleya, as she looted the Salamander. Fyrra wanted nothing to do with the grisly bits of the corpse, and passed up the opportunity to getting boots on. She much preferred the feel of the earth beneath her feet. Though she wasn't entirely against shoes of any kind. Those were just unfashionable and would not look good on her. She loathed the armor she wore as well. Merrake insisted however. In this heat, she would prefer to be naked if at all possible. When they approached the farmhouse, Fyrra stood back and allowed Rithaleya to proceed forward. The Kalimbra kept her eye on the salamanders, while Merrake kept her eye on Rithaleya. Without turning, the Kalimbra responded to Rithaleya's comment about what was inside the house.

"No doubt something horrible awaits inside to devour us."

"Just looks like cobwebs to me. Nothing to be afraid of."

"Says you, the one with a sword."

"Says me."

Merrake approached the door, putting away her bow in the process, then drew her sword before trying the knob.

[Azuloth]

The Farmhouse

Rithaleya would find that she could not see much other than how dark it was inside the farmhouse, and how there were so many spiderwebs everywhere. Merrake would find that the knob worked fine, but as she'd turn it and enter the place the lock inside would crumble to rust, and the door would remain open despite any efforts to close it again. The interior was as they'd expect: dark, musty, with cobwebs hindering their movement everywhere.

A Haze of Haunt:-- The old farm buildings are falling apart, and have been occupied chiefly by small spiders for as long as they've been vacant. The webbing in the halls and corridors is an obstacle that will slow those that pass through it by 50%.

[Deleted]

Rithaleya stowed her bow and experimented with using the farm tool she'd picked up to clear the cobwebs, but found them too sticky for them to be of much use. She finally settled on pulling her dagger out to continue through carefully. Without gloves, she didn't have much defense against spider bites, but that didn't seem to be the main thing to worry about while exploring this place.

"Can we light the way through here? I didn't bring any candles, or anything."

[Fyrra Na'Limndra]

"Ah, of course. I forget not everyone can see as we do."

Fyrra was of course pointing towards the fact that people like her could see in the dark as well as they can in the day. She concentrated on her wellspring energy, bringing about flame to coil around her left hand in a controlled manner as to just give off some light and heat. Though she could probably do without the heat. As far as Fyrra could see there was nothing out of the ordinary in the farm house.

Merrake proceeded forward, cutting cobwebs with her shortsword as she moved along. It was slow work.

Fyrra managed to conjure a flame in this time, and it gave off enough light for Rithaleya to see the interior of the farmhouse. The half-drokagr were unaffected by this.

---

Fire III, Thaumaturgy III, Knowledge 20, Simple 30: 80
WjkQdyMf
65
-Success·

[Azuloth]

The Farmhouse

The inside of the farmhouse was typical of a meek dwelling from what seemed to be ages ago if the cobwebs were any indication. Little spiders were not much of a nuisance, and these webs were made by many little spiders. Yet they were not interested in the blood of the half-breeds that had entered the hovel. The one room building held a kitchen area with a chest of drawers that they would find locked, and the remains of a cauldron for cooking, a living area that contained a table and chairs, and a small sleeping space consisting of a single double bed. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary save for the locked furniture.

[Deleted]

"Thanks." Rithaleya didn't understand magic. As far as she knew it was all tricks with the fingers she could never get the hang of. It was another thing she envied. No one ever started a fight with a high elf unless they asked for it, and even when they were beaten, their opponents (or at least the spectators) were almost always left shaken by their displays of sorcery.

On the other hand, they were worse than useless in the field... unless the army brought along a tent with fluffy pillows and servants for each and every one of them. At least she knew how to sleep anywhere, and get her hands dirty. Fyrra the Kalimbra reminded her of those folk in many ways, though it was only a distant echo. "Eh... there's nothing much here. Maybe the barn will be more interesting, though it looks like there's a big fight waiting on the way there."

She checked under the mattress, then the chest of drawers to see if the joinery was coming apart. She only had her dagger and her bare hands to work at it, so if the construction was still solid, and the locks wouldn't easily snap, she'd just move on after only having searched in the most obvious places.

[Fyrra Na'Limndra]

"You're welcome."

Fyrra said with a smile, she was happy to help.

"There seems to be nothing of interest to us here. Perhaps the silo or barn will be more interesting. This is just a nest for spiderlings."

Fyrra had looked around as well, after all, it was only a single room farmhouse. There was nothing out of the ordinary as far as she could tell. The chest of drawers appeared to be locked, but other than that, nothing to write home about. She did not want to try to sit on the bed or really any of the furniture, as she was afraid it would collapse suddenly. She was also afraid that the whole building would collapse under the three women's combined weight and the burst of activity in a house that clearly hasn't seen any in at least a decade.

"Any ideas on how old you think the building is?"

"No clue, do you, Rithaleya?"

Merrake was ready to leave, as was Fyrra. Both would wait for their third companion by the door. Fyrra would wait until the half-elf returned to them to dispel her hand flame that provided light. The day was plenty bright outside.

[Azuloth]

The locks on the chest of drawers do not give to force, and the piece of furniture is solid in its construction. Upon closer examination it would appear to have lettering carved into the wood, with perhaps a needlepoint.

[Deleted]

"Uh... years. Decades. I looks like it was lived in longer than it's been abandoned, but I can't say for sure." Rithaleya examined the lettering, and mentioned it to Fyrra. "There's something written here."

Literacy check:
ODzikKUE
Three failures and one success.···