barrows

[hengest]

A thread for various barrows and barrow-based places or even settings.

[hengest]

I see a couple basic barrow-types:

1) the lone barrow (possibly of a monarch or important local figure, but who knows).

2) the "town" of barrows (like in Tolkien), a large set of them, possibly from the same time and possibly from various times

Those are superficial characteristics: you can tell just by looking at the grass-covered barrow how many there are in your field of vision.

But there are hidden characteristics, too.

Planning some random tables.

[hengest]

Roll on as many tables as you like, I guess.  This may be a setting-generator.

1d6

Roll	Number of Barrows
1	Single (1d3 for size: small, large, gigantic)
2	Double barrow (1d2 for size: small or large)
3	1d6+2 barrows
4	2d6+4 barrows
5	So many barrows / mini-barrows that they are not easily counted
6	Special: barrows blend in with landscape features or may even have been built inside pre-existing hills. Also roll 1d2: On roll of 1, the "barrows" are of unusual type (burial inside living trees, burial inside active mines or dungeons, burial six feet over the earth...)

1d4

Roll	Age of Barrows
1	Quite recent
2	2d10 years
3	2d10*1d100 years
4	They were there even in the Deeps of Time Also roll 1d2: on roll of 2, the barrows are from the future

1d4

Roll	Races
1	Local races only
2	Mix, local races and those formerly present
3	Only races formerly present
4	Unknown race or races

1d3

Roll	Contents (besides mortal remains)
1	Money
2	Money and possibly magical treasure
3	Money, treasure, trap

1d10

Roll	Special
1	Welcome visitors
2	Starcrossed lovers (lone barrow only or reroll)
3	If robbed or looted, send occupant or other servants to retrieve items within 1d4 days
4	Some have no occupants and would like to
5	None
6	Some barrows contain only remains of apparently unintelligent animals outfitted as if they were warriors
7	Decoys
8	None, reroll
9	Central or lone barrow holds an item that communicates with another world
10	They only sleep

[hengest]

Rolled on all tables above.

4 - 2d6+4 barrows = 12 barrows

3 - 2d10*1d100 years = 11*28 = 308 years old

3 - Only races formerly present

3 - Money, treasure, trap

9 - Central or lone barrow holds an item that communicates with another world

Interpretation below.

These twelve fairly large burial mounds are somewhat eroded but are still clearly visible and distinct.  They are gathered more or less evenly around a polled oak (cut so as to become a pollard) which is roughly 250 years old. It seems to have been long neglected at this point. 

Inside most mounds there is one Hallan warrior.  One mound has no body inside and one has two.  The Hallan are remembered by the local human populace in stories but are not present in the area anymore.  Some elderly people now living claim to have played with some when they were children, but that the Hallan children vanished and never returned.  The folklore surrounding the Hallan is generally positive but not worshipful.  

Each mound contains money and treasure, largely warriors' items and weapons along with some strange personal effects.  The money and treasure may be taken without ill results, but messing with or trying to remove any of the bodies will activate the trap.  There is an inactive trap in the bodiless mound.

The mound to the magnetic north of the oak may be considered central, but is not visibly special. However, its construction is unique.  In the other barrows, the bodies were laid on the ground, trapped, and heaped over with earth. The other items were them added and similarly heaped over with earth until the mounds were considered complete. In the central barrow, however, the body and items were buried under a tight cairn of stone. A clay "shell" imitating the size of the other mounds was then constructed over it and covered with earth to allow grass and flowers to grow.  In other words, there is a chamber between the cairn and the "outside" of the mound.  An average human can move around inside the chamber but will feel ramped and perhaps hunched.  Floating above the cairn is a small glowing spot.  Touching the spot will open a line of communication between the toucher and the Hallan world.  The toucher may speak aloud.  Any answers given will be audible, reverberating through the mound.  This is not a form of divination or necromancy, but is communication with another living being at the other "end of the line."  The mechanism is beyond the imagining of anyone on this world.

The Hallan are about five feet tall.  The look generally human but are stockier, have very robust hand bones, and quite arched feet.  It seems that they had technology that was magical or beyond magical to the non-Hallan races of the area, but they are dressed as Bronze Age warriors (roughly) and there is nothing in the stories to suggest that they had any remarkable powers.  In fact, however, the Hallan had or have physical prowess as warriors, some high degree of magic-like technology which was gifted to them by another race at the dawn of their then-current culture, and a high degree of spiritual and moral development that was all their own.

[hengest]

Another set.

2, 2  = double barrow, large

1 = recent

1 = local race(s)

2 = money and magical treasure

8, 6 = remains of unintelligent animals outfitted as warriors

Interpretation below.



The interior of the large double barrow is roughly 40' by 12'. Although from the outside the "double" shape is obvious, it is not so on the inside and feels more like one large space.

There stand two platforms some 5' off the ground, parallel to each other.

On one lies a warrior of middle years, wearing nothing but a loincloth, his battle makeup, and beard ornaments.

On the other lies a black bear, dressed in a set of strange items that look somewhat like armor for a mount and somewhat like armor for a warrior.

The only obvious magic in here is the twelve torches that light the place and never go out.

On moonless nights, if one spends time near the barrow, its grassy surface becomes transparent and eventually can be pushed through like a fog. From the inside, the walls are solid, but you may be able to exit through the tall double doors at one end of the hall.

[hengest]

single barrow, large, 14 years old, money, starcrossed lovers


The turf on this large barrow has settled fully, but you can see easily that some patches have been removed recently and replaced with sections artificially packed with local wildflowers. These patches have been applied in a somewhat scattered manner, but they are clustered in two areas on the eastern side of the barrow. (Inside there is a pouch of coins around the neck of the male body.) The local tragedy is remembered vividly and should not be too hard to get details about.

(The idea of the wildflower patches was stolen from this real-world revived custom performed in honor of the poet John Clare.)

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Jan 20, 2022 20:22:03 GMT -5 hengest said:

(Inside there is a pouch of coins around the neck of the male body.)

Awesome thread hengest, have an Exalt!

What condition is the body in?

[hengest]

Jan 23, 2022 12:11:59 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Jan 20, 2022 20:22:03 GMT -5 hengest said:

(Inside there is a pouch of coins around the neck of the male body.)

Awesome thread hengest , have an Exalt!

What condition is the body in?

Perfectly preserved, save the wounds.

And thanks!

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Dec 31, 2021 11:49:57 GMT -5 hengest said:

Rolled on all tables above.

4 - 2d6+4 barrows = 12 barrows

3 - 2d10*1d100 years = 11*28 = 308 years old

3 - Only races formerly present

3 - Money, treasure, trap

9 - Central or lone barrow holds an item that communicates with another world

Interpretation below.

These twelve fairly large burial mounds are somewhat eroded but are still clearly visible and distinct.  They are gathered more or less evenly around a polled oak (cut so as to become a pollard) which is roughly 250 years old. It seems to have been long neglected at this point. 

Inside most mounds there is one Hallan warrior.  One mound has no body inside and one has two.  The Hallan are remembered by the local human populace in stories but are not present in the area anymore.  Some elderly people now living claim to have played with some when they were children, but that the Hallan children vanished and never returned.  The folklore surrounding the Hallan is generally positive but not worshipful.  

Each mound contains money and treasure, largely warriors' items and weapons along with some strange personal effects.  The money and treasure may be taken without ill results, but messing with or trying to remove any of the bodies will activate the trap.  There is an inactive trap in the bodiless mound.

The mound to the magnetic north of the oak may be considered central, but is not visibly special. However, its construction is unique.  In the other barrows, the bodies were laid on the ground, trapped, and heaped over with earth. The other items were them added and similarly heaped over with earth until the mounds were considered complete. In the central barrow, however, the body and items were buried under a tight cairn of stone. A clay "shell" imitating the size of the other mounds was then constructed over it and covered with earth to allow grass and flowers to grow.  In other words, there is a chamber between the cairn and the "outside" of the mound.  An average human can move around inside the chamber but will feel ramped and perhaps hunched.  Floating above the cairn is a small glowing spot.  Touching the spot will open a line of communication between the toucher and the Hallan world.  The toucher may speak aloud.  Any answers given will be audible, reverberating through the mound.  This is not a form of divination or necromancy, but is communication with another living being at the other "end of the line."  The mechanism is beyond the imagining of anyone on this world.

The Hallan are about five feet tall.  The look generally human but are stockier, have very robust hand bones, and quite arched feet.  It seems that they had technology that was magical or beyond magical to the non-Hallan races of the area, but they are dressed as Bronze Age warriors (roughly) and there is nothing in the stories to suggest that they had any remarkable powers.  In fact, however, the Hallan had or have physical prowess as warriors, some high degree of magic-like technology which was gifted to them by another race at the dawn of their then-current culture, and a high degree of spiritual and moral development that was all their own.

I am discovering this stuff that was posted that I missed during my hospital stay. I love this, it  is awesome!

[hengest]

Ha! Thanks, The Perilous Dreamer! Another one I managed to forget about already...