Expedition: Ablesforth: The Demon Hole - 14 July 2021

[Rusty Tincanne]

...Ablesforth prays for Eruanna's protection upon Dare,...
Date: 23 July 2021, 3:01pm

Looks like Able used all his healing for the day, so ignore that recent post about it. I'll adjust my list on the private forum.

[sirravd]

Grimble, awakening from the half-daze wherein he spent his last few hours, says: "Thou speakest sooth: our stamina and provaunt waxeth slim, and we had best return to the ground above."


ooc: sorry about the absence :/

[Marullus]

Grimble takes off running, five of the half-headed demonspawn chasing him fervently, slavering at the prospect of fleeing prey. Two of their claws rend his flesh as he breaks away to run (-3, -1) but then he's able to outpace them as long as his stubby legs keep at full speed. (Tell me your planned route of escape.)

Neegan, however, is not so lucky. In the sleeping chamber with so many demonspawn alone, he falls under their claws (-3, -3, -4), buried under a pile of demonflesh.

Ablesforth leads the others through the opposing door after Grimble. Pendleton slashes one with his dagger (-3) gratified that it doesn't heal before his eyes. Ablesforth and Dolph manage to keep the sniffers away from the wizard as they get everyone through the doorway... except for Grimble who is running ahead and Neegan who is left behind. Ablesforth goes to lock the door only to realize belatedly that it is the one door without a lock upon it...

The incense is in Dolph's hand, everyone has grabbed their own packs from where Pendleton placed them. The curling ribbon of smoke goes through the archway immediately on the left as you come through the doorway into the dark chamber beyond. Dolph's torchlight reaches barely into the next chamber through the northern archway, its dimensions both north and east exceed the light's reach (more than 30'). You take note that the floor is mounded more than a foot deep with bleached-white bone shards and detached teeth.

(Actions!)

Date: 23 July 2021, 3:30pm
Light: Dolph's Torch (until 4:00pm)
Effects: Invisibility (Pendleton) Protection from Evil (Ablesforth, Idriss, Dolph), smoldering incense (until 8:20pm)
Injuries: Neegan (moderate/severe wounds), Grimble (moderate wounds)

Attacks on Grimble [1d20] = 7 [1d20] = 4 [1d20] = 4 [1d20] = 19 [1d20] = 14
Attacks on Neegan [1d20] = 18 [1d20] = 15 [1d20] = 15 [1d20] = 10 [1d20] = 4
Neegan [1d4] = 3 [1d4] = 4 [1d4] = 4 Grimble [1d4] = 3 [1d4] = 1

[Zhym]

Pendleton clucks disapprovingly. "I think I prefer my archaeological sites to be rather less active," he says. "Let's get the blazes out of here."

He'll follow is protective cordon in whatever exit plan they choose.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Realizing Neegan was left behind in the shuffle, Able asks Dolph, Idriss and Dare to hold the door with their warding. He moves slowly but forcefully through the sniffers, back to the dwarf and attempts to help him back to the main group. He offers Neegan a healing potion is he is still awake. If he isn't, Able will just carry/drag him to the others. Once back through the wooden door, Able will assess if it is worth using Persuader to "knock" it shut.

[Dram]

Neegan will crawl his way to Able.


From my count Neegan has 4 hp left.

[Marullus]

I have Neegan at 18 / 19 when combat began. He then took:
-1
-4
-3, -4
-3, -3, -4
...which is -4 hp. If you want to check that against the posts above, let me know if there is an error.

Ablesforth begins making his way through the room to reach Neegan, careful not to force his ward against any of them offensively to make them move, as he knows it will be dispelled.

Rusty, how do you intend to get the five demons off his body without force?

[Zhym]

Rusty, how do you intend to get the five demons off his body without force?

Perhaps Pendleton can file an emergency motion for an injunction?

And suddenly I'm wondering how many MU spells could be phrased in legal terms. Sleep is easy; it's the natural reaction when many lawyers talk. Protection from Evil could be a temporary restraining order. Hm...

[Dram]

Marullus your count is correct. Hopefully Neegan can be rescues before he reaches -10.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Able slowly approaches Neegan's prone form with a holy water-soaked rag. In infernal, he offers a warning to the sniffers. Take caution, the lot of you. This'n's not to be yours, and I'm coatin' him with holy water. So don't go burnin' yerselves. Any area he can safely get at to rub with the holy water, he will, taking care to avoid touching the sniffers. If the opportunity presents itself as his work progresses, he will pour the contents over Neegan. He hopes the sniffers will not bother Neegan once he is soaked through.

I don't know if Able has a light source. If he doesn't, he will have cast Light on his holy symbol before getting to Neegan.

[Marullus]

(Well done!)

Ablesforth illuminates his holy symbol, shining brightly with the power of Eruana, and approaches the "sniffers" who seem startled to be spoken to in the Infernal tongue. As the holy water drips sizzle, they hiss and back off, routing and fleeing through the door on the left immediately outside of the sleeping area, escaping the party. Neegan has another moment before he passes from this world, but it seems Ablesforth may have been in time... the cleric stabilizes him and considers how to move him.

Grimble is fleeing full-speed ahead of the demons that chased him out - he is lost from the rest of the group. The other party members cluster around Pendleton and under Dolph's torchlight, gathered in the doorway to the room with the knotwork pattern on the floor.

(He is stabilized, but moving him in his current state has penalties, as normal.)

Date: 23 July 2021, 3:32pm
Light: Dolph's Torch (until 4:00pm); Ablesforth's light spell (start at 3:30)
Effects: Invisibility (Pendleton) Protection from Evil (Ablesforth, Idriss, Dolph), smoldering incense (until 8:20pm),
Injuries: Neegan (moderate/severe wounds), Grimble (moderate wounds)

Morale [2d6] = 9

[Rusty Tincanne]

(Well done!)

Thanks. Spell, holy water and potion deducted.

Grimble is fleeing full-speed ahead of the demons that chased him out - he is lost from the rest of the group

That is ridiculous. I don't think we can go after him in our current state.
Able sighs with relief as the demons leave. He feeds Neegan his healing potion, going it is enough to get the dwarf walking.

[1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3

If not, he will give Neegan sips from the second potion until it is used.

Phooey. i forgot about sipping until after i rolled. ..

[Zhym]

"I recommend we get out of here while we can," says Pendleton. "We're in no condition to fight another batch of those half-heads."

[Marullus]

Subtract the second potion. Neegan has 1hp.

With the second potion sip-by-sip, Neegan rouses and in a few minutes is able to walk with the party. The group continues on, the warded members surrounding Neegan and Pendleton. Ablesforth holds his lit holy symbol and the smoking incense, whose thin, fragrant ribbon stretches behind you like a tail. Ablesforth presses forward following the map, getting through the rooms, down the hall, and up the stairs to the caverns above.

You are almost to the exit, entering the room where the rats once nested, a heavy brown haze smelling of sulfur and rotten eggs remaining there. The cloud is more diffuse - now filling your pathway as well as the nests. Your torchlight reveals the dozen sniffers that went chasing Grimble ahead of you. Three lie on the floor clawing their own faces, the others seem disoriented and confused.

Date: 23 July 2021, 4:00pm
Light: Dolph's Torch (until 4:00pm); Ablesforth's light spell (start at 3:30)
Effects: Invisibility (Pendleton) Protection from Evil (Ablesforth, Idriss, Dolph), smoldering incense (until 8:20pm),
Injuries: Neegan (moderate/severe wounds), Grimble (moderate wounds)

[Rusty Tincanne]

Hmmm.. That's interesting. I had a feeling the incense had drawn them to us, but I hadn't considered using their noses against them.

I hadn't thought they'd come up this far. Does Idriss have any other useful spells handy? Like another stink bomb?

Able pulls up short upon seeing the sniffers. He offers three flasks of holy water to Pendleton. He whispers, I'll block for ya if you'll pour the waters on them three. I think the stench'll block yer smell, though.

He looks for signs of Grimble, hoping the dwarf was able to outpace the halfheaded demons all the way to the exit.

Edit: Able holds his amulet of ESP and focuses on the sniffers, trying to see if he can read their non-existent minds. He hopes so, since, he could then, theoretically know if they are coming ahead of time.

[Dram]

Neegan- Sips his last healing potion. Then pulls out a flask of holy water. Lets leave this place.


Healing Potion[1d6+2] = 2+2 = 4

[Zhym]

Able pulls up short upon seeing the sniffers. He offers three flasks of holy water to Pendleton. He whispers, I'll block for ya if you'll pour the waters on them three. I think the stench'll block yer smell, though.

"It's worth a try," agrees Pendleton.

[Marullus]

Dolph protects Pendleton as he pours holy water on the three writhing creatures. The water burns them, smoking and solving their flesh, until they are no more. The noxious fumes are still potent. (save vs poison with +2 bonus)

Ablesforth puts on his amulet and concentrates on the literally mindless half-headed creatures before him in the cavern. His breath catches as his attention is pulled elsewhere in a rush of mystical energy.
Real video!
Ablesforth collapses to his knees.

Date: 23 July 2021, 4:10pm
Light: Dolph's Torch (until 4:00pm); Ablesforth's light spell (start at 3:30)
Effects: Invisibility (Pendleton) Protection from Evil (Ablesforth, Idriss, Dolph), smoldering incense (until 8:20pm),
Injuries: Neegan (moderate/severe wounds), Grimble (moderate wounds)

[Zhym]

Where did the fumes come from? Is that from the incense, or something else? I obviously haven't been paying close enough attention, because Pendleton is extremely risk-averse and I don't think he'd have poured the holy water himself had he known of noxious fumes.

[Rusty Tincanne]

I was assuming they are left overs from Idriss's spell on our first attempt to enter the tunnels.