Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

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SocraticLawyer
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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#281 Post by SocraticLawyer »

Urdur recovers his daggers from the body of the zombie before following the others further in.
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OGRE MAGE
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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#282 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Bo

If at all possible, Bo will drag the bodies into the northern alcove and conceal them as best he can before following along with the others.

"No point in leaving behind a blood trail for them to follow."

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DadsAngry
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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#283 Post by DadsAngry »

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom lingers over the body of Praetorius the jeweler. "Pity, the question continues to go unanswered." he says before continuing with the group forward.

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Inferno
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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#284 Post by Inferno »

Within the Hell Mouth, the Rushmoors, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Ten. Afternoon. Tuesday, October 25th, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, foggy






In the cold, dank cave under the marsh, the heroes advance with trepidation to the enticing melody of distant, eldritch flutes.



As Urdur recovers daggers from the rotten chest of an unspeakably disfigured thrall, Telkis examines the muddy rock walls and finds them completely unsafe. Swamp water continues to rain down from the severe stalactites, weakening the subterranean chasm's integrity.

Pleading to the Shalm, Long Bo tries to heal Telkis with his rapidly waning magic (+2hp). Then the grey druid joins the others as they quietly peer around the cave's northern corner. Bo searches for a suitable place to move the heinously mangled corpses of the undead victims. He finds one...

The tight channel opens into a large, dimly torchlit cave that seems to serve as chapel, torture chamber, alchemy laboratory and operating theater. While devoid of life, the horrific sights here inflict upon the cautious intruders a sense of unease and nausea.

Near the southern wall, a profane altar covered with blood looms before another lifelike statue of the blasphemous monstrosity.



This loathsome depiction of the ghastly abomination is much larger than the other graven images previously encountered.

All the altar's surfaces are engraved with more of the frenetic writings witnessed within Briarsgate's church of horrors.



Except here, the medium of those profane inscriptions isn't bile, vomit, urine, blood and excrement. It's gold.

Atop the scarlet altar rest many insidious implements of torment, each coated with fresh bright blood.



Flanking the abhorrent sculpture and the sacrilegious altar are a gigantic diptych of free-standing murals that obscure the southern wall. Beautifully rendered in colors lurid and obscene, they depict many startlingly lifelike demons. One of the demons is a bloated humanoid with goat legs and head, another is a great hideous spider with a woman’s screaming head, another is a two-headed baboon with writhing tentacle arms, and another is a nude beautiful woman with the claws and head of a lobster. All are shown bowing before the loathsome statue of the nameless horror.

Against the eastern wall is a dilapidated wooden shelf holding one large book and many moldy bottles and jars.

Beside it is a stand of dead candles.



From the tunnel to the west comes the constant dull roar of the putrid swamp waterfall pouring down the central maw of the rank sinkhole.

An ornate, full length mirror stands near the tunnel, before the cavern's western wall.




Actions?


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Z = the undead. C5 = Pelias' unconscious, bound captive.

Cutaway View:

West is left. East is right.
PCs' front rank is near the red "X." The oozing horror is at "O." A dead cultist is at "C."






PC Status:
  • Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 19/27
    Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 5, HP 9/15, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
    Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 20/28
    Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 17/22, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
    Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 3, HP 11/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
    Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 23/30, Spells: 1/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
    Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 3: Move: 6", AC: 2(0), HP: 19/30, Laying Hands: 0/1
    Pip, Human Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 9, HP: 11/12
    Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 17/28
    Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC 6, HP 9/9, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl, Torch
PC Magic:
  • Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
Player Resources:
Last edited by Inferno on Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
DM:
The Horror at Briarsgate (1e): Lovecraftian Gothic Horror (N1, homebrew)
Lost City of Eternity (1e): Hyborian Age Sword and Sorcery (B4, JG102, homebrew)
Once and Future Earth (1e): Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Dungeon Crawl (X1, B1, ASE1, homebrew)
Sauron Victorious (1e): Dire Saga for the Fate of Middle Earth (homebrew)

Player:
Agax Gryyg: Gamer of Urth, Ravenloft
Azoth Al-Aziz: Lovecraftian Cultist, Tamoachan
Blodget: Foolish Young 9th Level Hobbit, Dark Clouds
Dredd Doomsmith: Dwarven Deathtrap Engineer, Tomb of Horrors
Elijah Crowthorne: Marooned Prophet, Pirates
Jack in the Green: Ancient Child, Giants
P.T. Codswallop: Larcenous Impresario, Dimwater
Sir Ugghra: Bestial Half-Orc Aristocrat, Brotherton
Swilbosh: Savage Lizard-Warrior, Keep
Tantos Vek: Failed Paladin, Under Streets
Ulfang Chainbreaker: Barbarian Liberator of Slaves, Tharizdun

DM bio is here.

ravenn4544
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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#285 Post by ravenn4544 »

Mouser shakes his head at the demonic images before him. He opens and closes his eyes to try an un-see them. The blood, the filth, the horror. Something, in reality, he'll never be ever able to truly forget. Not one to shirk away form opportunity however, he steers clear of the mirror in uncertainty, and makes for the shelf with the book and looks that over as best he can before taking it from the shelf to examine further.

Whispering "Candles, a book, an altar? With that demonic portrait and that mirror - some type of summoning may be at work here. Something to keep in mind as we delve deeper into this lair..."

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#286 Post by ChubbyPixie »

”Be careful, guys,” says Telkis, ”I guess you don’t need a gnome to tell you this place isn’t structurally sound.” He’ll move over against the northern wall nearer the tunnel leading to the main sinkhole to stand guard while th others investigate, taking care not to look into the mirror.

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#287 Post by DadsAngry »

Hoom Feethos:

Right behind Mouser, Hoom Feethos is close at hand. He is also interested in the tome upon the shelf. Hoping to replace his own that was careless left behind when he was abducted. "Light these candles Grey so we can see what is written upon these pages better."

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#288 Post by Zhym »

Grothank stands on watch, waiting for the next fight. It cannot be far away, in this place.

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#289 Post by AleBelly »

Pelias gives Brevos a hearty pat on the back. "Thank you, friend. Both for slaying my foe, and for putting these tortured abominations to rest."

The sight of the blasphemous altar troubles the paladin. He looks for a tapestry or cloth to cover the mirror. Failing that, he will smash the mirror with the pommel of his sword and look behind the mirror. If there is nothing interesting, he will follow the others wherever they choose to go next.

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#290 Post by OGRE MAGE »

After saying a silent prayer to the Shalm over the deformed dead, Bo shakes his head in disgust at all the horrific sights in the next room, certain something deranged is at work in these muddy halls.

He prods at the ground and wall in front of him as he walks west into the room, following close to the north wall all the way to the sink hole. If he sees the paladin about to smash anything, he speaks up.

"We should limit the loud noises we make to emergencies only, good Pelias. They may not yet know we are in here and, even if they do, we don't need to give up our location if it isn't necessary."

He will help the man cover or turn the mirror, avoiding looking directly at it, placing it face down in the mud, if that satisfies the holy warrior.

He then has a good look around the sinkhole, searching for any other passages or rope ladders.

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#291 Post by wolfpack »

Brevos nods to the paladin.

He recoils in horror at first sight of the demonic walls and altar.

This is a cursed abomination on nature itself.

He will nock an arrow nd cover the hallway in case something tries to enter.

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#292 Post by AleBelly »

OGRE MAGE wrote:After saying a silent prayer to the Shalm over the deformed dead, Bo shakes his head in disgust at all the horrific sights in the next room, certain something deranged is at work in these muddy halls.

He prods at the ground and wall in front of him as he walks west into the room, following close to the north wall all the way to the sink hole. If he sees the paladin about to smash anything, he speaks up.

"We should limit the loud noises we make to emergencies only, good Pelias. They may not yet know we are in here and, even if they do, we don't need to give up our location if it isn't necessary."

He will help the man cover or turn the mirror, avoiding looking directly at it, placing it face down in the mud, if that satisfies the holy warrior.

He then has a good look around the sinkhole, searching for any other passages or rope ladders.
Pelias turns to Bo just as he is about to smash the mirror. "Bo, I appreciate your level head." Face down in the mud is just fine with the paladin.

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#293 Post by SocraticLawyer »

Urdur examines the book with Mouser. He checks the jars for spell components or anything useful. He also examines the golden writings, trying to determine whether any part of them contains phantasmal inscriptions.
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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#294 Post by Scott308 »

Ingrid Esthof

Seeing the images in this room greatly disturbs the cleric. This...is an abomination that cannot be allowed. Taking her waterskin in one hand, her holy symbol in the other, Ingrid begins praying quietly. After a few minutes, she splashes water from the skin on the altar, statue, and mural. This is not proper holy water; I have neither the necessary implements nor the ability currently to consecrate this, but I hope that it will do some good. I cannot allow these obscenities to remain undisturbed. They are affronts to all right-thinking people, and abhorrent to those who serve a holy power of good. Ideally, we would destroy them, but obviously the noise would alert our enemies to our presence.
Sometimes this summer I will most likely be participating in another 24 hour game of Dungeons & Dragons as part of Extra Life. This organization uses gaming to help raise money to donate to children's hospitals. I'm raising money for Marshfield Children's Hospital in Marshfield, WI, and all money I raise will go to that hospital. All donations are tax-deductible. Please take a moment to check out my donation page below. Thank you.

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#295 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Bo whispers his approval to the holy members of the group.

"My friends, you are as wise as you are brave! There will be plenty of time to torch and smash every vile thing in this place, once we have killed whoever is behind these atrocities."

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#296 Post by drpete »

Pip goes over to the group forming with the book. "Very quickly, gentlemen. Take it with. We can read it once we're clear. Or burn it, maybe."

Pip will then go over to the mirror. Once it is face down on the ground, Pip will smash it in with his (somewhat holy?) quarterstaff, trying to break the glass.

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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#297 Post by Inferno »

Within the Hell Mouth, the Rushmoors, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Ten. Afternoon. Tuesday, October 25th, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, foggy








In the vile subterranean cavern of nameless dread, the heroes look with fear and loathing upon a sickening tableau of unimaginable depravity and evil.

Brevos, Grothnak and Telkis stand stoically against the northern wall, on guard against whatever blasphemous horror was next to emerge from the shadows of this unspeakable nightmare realm.

Hoom, Mouser, Pip and Urdur tread softly into the chapel of abominations toward the old shelf. Mouser takes up the lone book and examines its exterior.

Image

The great thick tome is bound in human flesh with fittings of tarnished brass. Upon its spine are golden letters that read, in the familiar alphabet of the Common Tongue, “That Which Shall Be.” Mouser feels a slight queasiness.

Urdur checks the moldy bottles and jars on the ramshackle shelf. They hold incense, filthy water, dung, bones, dried blood, powders, liquids, and other unidentifiable things. One prominent bottle contains a thick solvent that is fiery orange in color instead of the muddy yellows, greens and browns of the other liquids.

The dark gnome glances to the altar, scanning the blood-stained inscriptions of gold. They are of a language he does not comprehend.

Long Bo stops Pelias from shattering the ornate mirror for fear of alerting the denizens of this wicked underworld. Instead the pair slowly lower the looking glass face down onto the muddy ground, careful not to gaze upon its reflective surface.
Then Long Bo creeps down the dark western tunnel to the main shaft of the sinkhole.



The grey druid finds a thick, knotted rope spiked to the rock floor, trailing down the Hell Mouth into pitch darkness. The rush of the fetid waterfall in the shaft almost drowns out the fiendish piping. But the revolting stench seems stronger here.

Ingrid voices reverent orisons to Trithereon as she sprays common water upon the ghastly altar, statue, and mural. The spray forms rivulets of mud and blood that trickle down the perverse obscenities to Man and God.

Pip joins Pelias at the downward-facing mirror. The young monk raises his quarterstaff over his head to shatter the mirror when the strange murmur of a voice emanates from beneath it! The vocalization is distant, smeared, blurred.
“Nnnooo… pleeeeaassssse…” moans the echoing voice of a pleading young woman from under the mirror. “Iiiiii.... wooouuuuulld... heelllllllpp... yooooooouu…”


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Z = the undead. C5 = Pelias' unconscious, bound captive.

Cutaway View:

West is left. East is right.
PCs are near the red "X." Bo is at "B." The oozing horror is at "O." A dead cultist is at "C."






PC Status:
  • Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 19/27
    Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 5, HP 9/15, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
    Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 20/28
    Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 17/22, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
    Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 3, HP 11/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
    Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 23/30, Spells: 1/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
    Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 3: Move: 6", AC: 2(0), HP: 19/30, Laying Hands: 0/1
    Pip, Human Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 9, HP: 11/12
    Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 17/28
    Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC 6, HP 9/9, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl, Torch
PC Magic:
  • Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
Player Resources:
Last edited by Inferno on Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
DM:
The Horror at Briarsgate (1e): Lovecraftian Gothic Horror (N1, homebrew)
Lost City of Eternity (1e): Hyborian Age Sword and Sorcery (B4, JG102, homebrew)
Once and Future Earth (1e): Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Dungeon Crawl (X1, B1, ASE1, homebrew)
Sauron Victorious (1e): Dire Saga for the Fate of Middle Earth (homebrew)

Player:
Agax Gryyg: Gamer of Urth, Ravenloft
Azoth Al-Aziz: Lovecraftian Cultist, Tamoachan
Blodget: Foolish Young 9th Level Hobbit, Dark Clouds
Dredd Doomsmith: Dwarven Deathtrap Engineer, Tomb of Horrors
Elijah Crowthorne: Marooned Prophet, Pirates
Jack in the Green: Ancient Child, Giants
P.T. Codswallop: Larcenous Impresario, Dimwater
Sir Ugghra: Bestial Half-Orc Aristocrat, Brotherton
Swilbosh: Savage Lizard-Warrior, Keep
Tantos Vek: Failed Paladin, Under Streets
Ulfang Chainbreaker: Barbarian Liberator of Slaves, Tharizdun

DM bio is here.

ravenn4544
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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#298 Post by ravenn4544 »

Mouser puts the book in his pack for later examination - this isn't the time or the place as eager as he is to look through it. Hearing the low moaning voice from the muddy mirror, "What the hell was that?..."

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Zhym
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Re: Chapter 13: Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother

#299 Post by Zhym »

Grothnak continues to stand guard.


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