Chapter 9: Temple of Fear

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis will loose his short bow at one of the dogs.

Short Bow (THAC0 15): To Hit: [1d20] = 18, Damage s/m/L: [1d6] = 2 -Short Bow (THAC0 15): To Hit: [1d20] = 3, Damage s/m/L: [1d6] = 6

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser shakes his head at failing to open the lock. Ever since coming to this cursed town he feels he has been off his game.

Seeing the guards arrive, he whips out his sling and fires a stone at a dog (H2).

Sling (THACO 20) [1d20+2] = 12+2 = 14, damage [1d4+1] = 1+1 = 2

[AleBelly]

Pelias is still not completely convinced the robed figures are evil. He draws sword and shield, proudly bearing the sigil of Heironeus. He will wait for Ingrid's spell to be enacted, then move towards the robed figures wordlessly. If he detects any evil, he will attack one of the bipeds.

Die roller is down. I can try again later.

[Starbeard]

Moogeye moves south to the other end of the party to get a clear shot, and releases a crossbow bolt at the nearest dog (h1).

Light crossbow (ThAC0 20/22/25): hit [1d20] = 14, damage [1d4] = 2

[Inferno]

Day Seven.
Briarsgate. The Church of Merikka (21)
Night. Saturday, October 22nd, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, misty







Suddenly, from out of the pitch shadows of the darkened cathedral, black shapes emerge with slavering hounds!



Pelias Blanchflower detects no great evil among them.

Long Bo and Ingrid Esthof petition their benevolent gods with orisons for holy blessings.

Before a cry is loosed or a dog can bark, a preternatural silence strangles all sound near the shrouded acolytes. Simultaneously and impossibly, thick, hungry tree roots burst from the earth of their own terrible volition and grasp, clutch and seize all the watchmen and dogs who snarl and writhe in impotence and eerie, surreal silence.

roots.jpg (331.8 KiB) Viewed 1260 times

The atonal music from within the church continues to beckon.


Actions?
Not sure if you still want to attack them. If yes, those rolls ARE banked and will happen this round.

Map of Church of Merikka 3.jpg (256.19 KiB) Viewed 1260 times

One square = 10 feet. Lighter area indicates visibility.[/ooc]


Rolls and Rulings (non-required reading):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 3, Monsters: [1d6] = 3 Tie. Spellcasting precedes Movement To Close.
Acolytes Save vs Entangle: [1d20] = 2, [1d20] = 7, [1d20] = 9, [1d20] = 3 All fail.
Guard dogs Save vs Entangle: [1d20] = 14, [1d20] = 2 Both fail.

Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/2: AC 7, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: AC 4, HP 25/28
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 15/16, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 3: AC 6, HP 20/22, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 1/1 3rd lvl
  Moogeye Comcra, Human Monk 2: AC 8, HP 11/11
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2(0), HP 17/19, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: AC 0, HP 23/28

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
  Entanglement (Bo): Duration: 9 minutes.
  Silence 15' Radius (Ingrid): Duration: 5 minutes.

Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[Mant72]

Ingrid Esthof:

"Leave one of the devils alive for questioning," she hisses to the others before loosening her mace and closing the gap to do battle.

[AleBelly]

Pelias places a gauntlet on Ingrid's shoulder and pulls himself towards her, whispering in her ear. "I'll not have you entangled too? What manner of rites did you observe?" he asks, referring to her look through the keyhole.

I'll assume the worst...if not he will not attack the hooded figures.

The paladin draws his bow and creeps to within 50' of the struggling acolytes (or will stay further away if entanglement is a possibility).

He fires at a biped.

Attack with long bow [1d20] = 10, damage [1d6] = 5

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser will follow through with his sling attack that round. Is there any bonus for the target being entangled?

For this next round:

Grey fires another sling stone at the same dog.

Sling (THACO 20) [1d20+2] = 17+2 = 19, damage [1d4+1] = 3+1 = 4

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo whispers as loudly as he can.

What in the hells are you fools doing!!! Stop this insanity now!

The enemy is detained and silenced, there is no need to continue the attack!

I will not allow the killing of defenseless souls just so you can satiate your own bloodlust. Especially animals!

We can tie them up and gag them. Stow them in the back sheds for the time being. That will give us more time to search this area outside a little better and to observe what is going on inside for a bit as well.

I guess I should have asked this first but....is the casting Druid immune to the effects of his own Entangle spell?

[Mant72]

Ingrid heeds the wisdom of the holy knight, Pelias, and stays her hand.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo jumps into action, pulling out his twine as he rushes forward into the roots, weeds, and his own parties flying missiles.

He begins quickly gagging and then binding the hands of the humans. He muzzles the dogs and ties their legs humanely. He tries to help the wounded as he glares at his bloodthirsty, supposedly goodly party members.

[Starbeard]

Moogeye will stay her attack, seeing that the spells already have done the work of incapacitating them. They can easily be dispatched in silence if it proves to be necessary.

Moogeye Comcra moves to the edge of the magically enthused weeds and holds her crossbow at the ready. In the silence she motions for Bo's attention; using hand signs, she points to the guards and then pats her own clothes up and down her body, hoping he understands her meaning.

[Grognardsw]

Grey puts his sling away and motions for everyone to be quiet, lest those inside hear.

He whispers to Bo. "Perhaps you should heal their wounded? I have rations, they look hungry. Good Pelias can massage their tired feet."

"Ingrid, did you put the silence upon one of them? Can we move the silence to the door after they are bound?

[AleBelly]

I had assumed that we couldn't approach entangled foes. If Bo can do so, Pelias wouldn't fire at them. He only did so to avoid having enemies at their back after they entered the church. Thanks.

[Mant72]

Ingrid Esthof

"Ingrid, did you put the silence upon one of them? Can we move the silence to the door after they are bound?

"Aye, I believe this could work," Ingrid answers.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis will put his bow down once the entangling growth takes effect. If the bound captives are to be moved once the vines are dispelled, he'll help with that.

[Zhym]

"There is no honor or valor in killing people who cannot fight," says Grothnak, holding his fire.

[Inferno]

Day Seven.
Briarsgate. The Church of Merikka (21)
Night. Saturday, October 22nd, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, misty





Silence and living roots swallow up the temple servants and their hounds.





Mouser the thief starts stoning one of the soundlessly barking watchdogs.

Long Bo scolds him as he walks unhindered among the spellbound, grasping green. Beneath the acolyte's black ceremonial hoods, Bo finds the faces of frightened men. The druid gags and binds the prisoners.

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The unearthly incantations fade.

At Moogeye's suggestion, Long Bo finds a ring of iron keys on one of the hound masters.



None of the acolytes are armed.

The distant, tempting call of the eerie psalm from within the unlit shrine does not abate.


Actions?

Map of Church of Merikka 4.jpg (271.66 KiB) Viewed 1193 times

One square = 10 feet. Lighter area indicates visibility.






Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/2: AC 7, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: AC 4, HP 25/28
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 15/16, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 3: AC 6, HP 20/22, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 1/1 3rd lvl
  Moogeye Comcra, Human Monk 2: AC 8, HP 11/11
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: AC 2(0), HP 17/19, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: AC 0, HP 23/28

Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.

Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[AleBelly]

"What did you SEE in there?" Pelias asks Ingrid.

[Mant72]

Ingrid Esthof:

"What did you SEE in there?" Pelias asks Ingrid.

"Nothing but shadows; however, I fear these blasphemous incantations may bewitch us if we do not take precautions. I can cast silence again if needed...?