Chp. 8 - Please Save the Children!

[Pulpatoon]

Sleestak turned to the necrophiliac devil-goat: "Can you speak to the dead? ...ask your skeleton what are his commands?"

The satyr replies: "Anyone can speak to the dead. The trouble is getting them to speak back. These fine specimens..." He gestures to his pet skeletons, "...are lacking the equipment necessary: lungs, throat, tongue, lips. I could probably graft some one, but, honestly, I don't think it would be worth the investment of time. My darlings here are due to expire before the day is through.

"Perhaps they could dip their fingers in Asherrion and scrawl us a message? Assuming they know their letters.

"As for returning the fruits of my investigation, perish the thought! You think a doughty band such as we cannot hold back this skeleton crew?" Covering the ears-holes of the skeleton nearest him, Porphyry stage-whispers, "Have you ever seen anything so rickety? They crumble in a stiff breeze! Delicate little butterfly wings that they are."

[AleBelly]

Wulfhart snaps too. "Retreat? What about the children?" He doesn't mention the reward the wenches have promised him. "Cowards! Stand behind me, and relieve me when I am no longer able to fight!"

As quickly as possible, he works his way to the front. Evil creatures! Taste the wrath of Cuthbert!"

With shield raised, he attacks.

Attack w/Fang of Cuthbert(THAC0 17) [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16 damage [1d8+2] = 4+2 = 6

[saalaria]

Swilbosh retreats with the others. Seeing the northman go back into the fray.

"Come my friend there are too many of them, retreat with usss."

[thesniperknight1]

"Proper heroes you are eh? Well, one of them slashed me good and I can't tell which one, so why don't we finish them all off?"

[Inferno]

Sleestak, lizardman shaman:

As 'Wolf Hearted' and 'Burns With A Jape' prepared a direct attack on an army of undead in their place of power, Sleestak was reminded that there were some things you can't teach children... There are some things that they must learn for themselves.

He fell back further, to avoid interfering with the lesson.

In the room with the murals of profane depravity, the serpentine shaman blocked out the screams and other sounds of battle and stared at the unspeakable depictions. And he wondered if he had been reduced to a lesser state of existence at all. What if he had been brought to an expanded state? What if his otherworldly condition allowed him to travel to other two-dimensional places? Other strange planes or dimensions of consciousness? Or even memories which, like the reptilian vision-questor, had no solid form at all?

Grog: What other works of 2-D art did Sleestak see in this hellish place since arriving here, please? Thanks.

[Grognardsw]

Among the Dead - Round Three

Skeleton battles skeleton in a clash of bones. Groyn and Swilbosh face down the line of skeletons. Seeing the numbers, and hearing the cries of their comrades behind them to leave, the two decide to retreat. As they back away Swilbosh is gored by a skeleton spear! (6 HP damage.)

As they leave they are quickly replaced by Wulfhart the brave. He hacks with his magic axe The Fang of Cuthbert and cleaves apart a skeleton at the shoulder. He sees several dozen waiting in line behind. The next one steps up and swings a short sword at the barbarian, who blocks it with his shield.

A flask of oil is thrown by Wrenly. It whacks a wall then lands on the floor, spilling out unlit oil in a pool behind Wulfhart. No one responds to the paper wizard's request to light the oil.

Porphyry gives the order to his skeletons to retreat. They are battling their way out as the adventurers exit the door. They wait for Wulfhart and Porphyry's skeletons to come before slamming shut the door.

Actions for Round Four!

- Initiative: Monsters [1d6] = 6, Party [1d6] = 6 Simultaneous
- Groyn retreat? 1-70 [1d100] = 11 Yes
- Skeletons vs. Groyn and Swilbosh [1d20] = 4, [1d20] = 16, dam [1d6] = 5, [1d6] = 6 Swilbosh hit for 6.
- 3 Porphry skeletons [1d20] = 14, [1d20] = 15, [1d20] = 3 Two hit.
- skeletons vs. Porphyry skel [1d20] = 1, [1d20] = 5, [1d20] = 7, [1d20] = 15 One hit.
- Skeleton vs. Wulfhart [1d20] = 4, dam. [1d6] = 2 Miss

[greyarea]

Asherrion continues his argument with Niles. No, no, no, we must attack. I feel it in my spine. The group is bound to fail without our help and we must dewey all we can to assist!

[Grognardsw]

Sleestak, lizardman shaman:

As 'Wolf Hearted' and 'Burns With A Jape' prepared a direct attack on an army of undead in their place of power, Sleestak was reminded that there were some things you can't teach children... There are some things that they must learn for themselves.

He fell back further, to avoid interfering with the lesson.

In the room with the murals of profane depravity, the serpentine shaman blocked out the screams and other sounds of battle and stared at the unspeakable depictions. And he wondered if he had been reduced to a lesser state of existence at all. What if he had been brought to an expanded state? What if his otherworldly condition allowed him to travel to other two-dimensional places? Other strange planes or dimensions of consciousness? Or even memories which, like the reptilian vision-questor, had no solid form at all?

Grog: What other works of 2-D art did Sleestak see in this hellish place since arriving here, please? Thanks.

Sleestak ponders his present existence in two dimensions. Have the others in changed states of existence considered their own? Asherrion and Niles have become a symbiotic pair, potentially ready to test their new form. Wrenly the Brown is similarly challenged.

Sleestak recalls the only other two dimensional forms in this infernal place to be the satanic worship and orgy etchings, carvings and murals in the great hall. There is off course the paper forms of other adventurers, and certain items such as Wrenly's spell book.

[Pulpatoon]

- skeletons vs. Porphyry skel [1d20] = 1, [1d20] = 5, [1d20] = 7, [1d20] = 15 One hit.

Looks like I should take damage from one hit.

[doughx99]

Niles

Wulfy come on get out of there

niles waits until wulfhart is beyond the oil then attempts to light it

[Inferno]

Sleestak, lizardman shaman:

Still ignoring the chaotic cries of combat, the semi-dimensional shaman concentrated on the heinous mural art that profaned the walls; atrocious abominations lovingly rendered in iniquitous and horrifying detail.

Sleestak had been a seeker in his first life. And since shedding his skin and undertaking his second vision quest, he still sought answers. Answers about this unholy place. Answers that may be buried within these repugnant graven images, as repulsive a prospect as that was. As dangerous to his soul as that was.

The otherworldly imaginaut steeled his will and attempted to merge into the two-dimensional mural, an under-dimensional traveler through altered states of being embarking on a journey between the spaces he knew; a pilgrim of the mind in territories out of mind.

He had no idea if this would work. Or what would happen next.

[AleBelly]

Wulfhart bristles at the thought of retreat, but doesn't fancy being burned in a pool of oil. He retreats, keeping his shield raised to fend off any attacks from the skeleton.

[Hotgoblin]

Groyn

Light the oil...Bene's ready for some bbq'd bones!!

[saalaria]

Swilbosh tends to his wound.
"Ah..it got me in the back - thessse thingsss don't fight fair. Come on light the oil!"

[OGRE MAGE]

Fingal sees his large friend being stubborn and shakes his head.

Light the oil but wait till Wulfies clear.

We don't need another guy gettin all burnt up.

He still likes the idea of going through the hallway without the undead and proceeds north towards the doors to avoid the bottleneck in the hall.

[thesniperknight1]

Gagel cheers, "FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!"

[Grognardsw]

Among the Dead - Finale

Wulfhart backs away as a skeleton attacks, its scimitar slicing under the barbarian's shield to bloody his shin (2 HP damage.) Porphyry's skeletons manage to hold off the long line of undead. Only one of the satyr's four skeleton make it out. Wulfhart makes it beyond the pool of oil, which is then lit, and the party slams the door behind the northern warrior.

The adventurers follow Fingal the thief up the north corridor, which turns east after 30' and continues east 40' where a door can be seen in the north wall. The hallway continues east as well.

Meanwhile, in the great hall, Sleestak the two-dimensional lizardman shaman wills himself into the wall murals. The merging is unsettling as he combines himself with the two-dimensional images of satanic worship and debauchery. Sleestak finds himself part of the scene. The images around him do not move, but the lizardman can.

- Initiative: Monsters [1d6] = 2, Party [1d6] = 2 Simultaneous
- Skeleton on Wulfhart [1d20] = 16, dam [1d6] = 2 Hit for 2.
- In the previous round, it was Porphyry's skeleton, not Porphyry himself, who took damage.
- I didn't bother rolling out all the skeleton attacks against each other.

[Inferno]

Sleestak, lizardman shaman:

The otherworldly voyager allowed these alien sensations to wash over him as he unflinchingly explored this strange uncharted realm in search of answers left behind by its blasphemous creator whether inadvertently or intentionally.

He searched at the closest range possible, walking inside the obscene landscape, hunting for hidden secret meaning that might explain who was behind this vulgar cult, where they kept the child captives, how he might vanquish the evil here, and more.

He knew of their obsession with fearful symmetry; perhaps that was the key? Sleestak opened his lizard eyes wide and let everything enter his mind's eye.

...He's trying to DaVinci Code the hell out of this painting.
He'll attempt to look behind objects, and also move objects, in his search.
Thanks.

[Pulpatoon]

The satyr sighs and reluctantly turns away from the catacombs to follow the rest of the party, lone skeleton in tow. He catches up with Wrenly and collects his eyeballs, making careful mental note of which is which.

Not having anywhere else to put his treasures, Porphyry cinches his belt tight and tucks the items inside his tunic. "What with one thing and another, it's been years since I've seen the inside of a supply store. Remind me to get a backpack, if we are to continue galavanting about like this.

"What do you say to back-tracking to that statue? We could try the preserved brains in the cranial basin."

[OGRE MAGE]

Fingal suddenly remembers the brain.

Yes! Good idea!
I think the lizard king went in that direction already! Let's check on him and let the goat try the brain in the hole.

He stops short and stands still for a silent moment.

Did that sound weird to anyone else?