Chapter 17: The Thing in the Woods

[Urson]

Pyotr

ooops!

Vs. spell: 16
[1d20] = 4

[rredmond]

Rudolph quickly scans the trees and the area they are in. He'll check to ensure that no one goes too far, and see if anything looks out of the ordinary in the white-blindness, such as trees or rocks being scratched up or having any sort of marks, or any signs of life that may be in the area. While not enjoying the blizzard, he's spent many a snowy night in a cold alleyway, and nature priest felt the snow will be done by the morning - hoping by the gods that is soon.

Save vs Spells (11): [1d20] = 15

After doing his best to make sure the area and wandering party members is "safe" or as safe as is possible, he sees if there is a nearby shallow depression, or brae or something to shelter a fire, then he'll use some of his oil to hopefully get a fire started. The ranger, for all his talk of warming bodies, might have something with the idea of heating up stones. I doubt I can dig a small fire pit or something, so hopefully this is the next best thing.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Shivering violently, the cleric desperately tries to get warm, huddling as close to her companions as possible in an attempt to drive the cold from the very core of her being.

Save vs. Spells (14): [1d20] = 17

[AleBelly]

Mondegreen blows warm air into his hands, and gets to work helping build the other two shelters. "I concur - we need not set sentries until this blizzard abates."

Spell save (12) [1d20] = 6

[ChubbyPixie]

Save vs. Spells (13): [1d20] = 11

Though it's not in his wheelhouse, exactly, Telkis does his best to help create additional shelters, after having seen it done once already.

[Inferno]

The Shadow of the Wooded Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day One. Night. Saturday, November 12th, 576 CY
Blizzard, windy, frigid







On the precipice of disaster, frantic axes desperately hew and chop trunks and limbs. The heroes race to erect shelters before the merciless elements kill them first.

Rudolf wanders off in the blinding blizzard and is almost lost forever. Somehow, he finds his way back.

None can keep a fire going. Once the oil burns off, the wet wood smolders, sending plumes of grey smoke on the wind. (subtract flasks of oil)

After what seems like hours of grueling labor in the heart of a howling blizzard, they all crawl into the snow covered shelters and collapse with utter exhaustion. Hearts pounding, lungs gasping for air, they pray the primitive lean-tos will keep them warm enough to survive the night. And then they succumb at last to enervating cold and fatigue and fall insensate into the waiting arms of sleep, wondering if they will ever awaken again.

Darkness overtakes them, drawing them beyond the blasting wind, the bonechilling cold and the driving snow of the deadly blizzard.

In the shadow of the dark mountains, Mondegreen, Pyotr and Telkis sleep fitfully, tortured by horrific nightmares.

• • They dream that an unspeakable abomination lives. Here, beneath these mountains. It could never die.
    
    
    
    With a sickening, dawning realization, they understand the horror of Briarsgate that was swallowed up by the Hell Mouth was merely an aspect of the heinous God itself; an avatar, a manifestation, a shadow given flesh and blood.
    
    Perhaps that abominable spawn had died.
    
    But the true horror, the Dark Mother, yet lives.
    
    
    
    They dream that the unimaginable colossal thing, coated in eyes within eyes and speaking in the voice of a thousand screams, sleeps now beneath these very mountains, blighting the land with an infestation of unnatural evil just by Its insidious presence.
    
    They dream of a mad priest, his fragile mind broken by the terrible truth, etching Its impossible shape in blood and bile and feces, repeating Its name over and over again.
    
    
    
    They dream that the Dark Mother, or 'Shub-Niggurath' as Mouser once called it in a voice that was not his own, is older than Time imaginable, a daemon drawn down from the stars themselves. A creature beyond the bounds of infinity. A terrible shadow that strides the incalculable gulfs of the universe, serene, primal and unending, to sow death and madness in Its wake.
    
    
    
    They dream that when the stars are right, It could plunge from world to world through the sky, casting entire spheres into the fathomless chaos of eternal night. But when the stars were wrong, It could not live. Yet although It no longer lived, It could never really die. And so it slept, potent and patient, waiting on the turnings of the cosmos.
    
    Were the stars aligning? Was the Dark Mother slowly awakening? The Horror at Briarsgate... The Thing in the Woods.. were these dread omens heralding the coming of a horror much more unimaginable and final?

The heroes sleep now too, beneath the ever-gathering snow. In time, the snowfall abates and a grey dawn slowly writhes into the dark sky above the mountains.



And then the heroes suddenly awaken to pain and shouting; disoriented and thrust instantly into unexpected violence and bloodshed!

A pack of ferocious wolves have invaded the camp, lunging into the shelters through blanket covered doorways!



After the horrific otherworldly dream of the Dark Mother, this earthly threat was almost a relief to Mondegreen, Pyotr and Telkis.

Then they saw blood soaked fangs feasting on the naked flesh of the sleeping! (Everyone except Bo, Ingrid, Mouser and Urdur lose 8hp! )




Actions?! (The shelters worked. Bo, Ingrid and Mouser have stopped trembling and all three may roll for overnight Healing Rates.
Anyone without armor may grab a shield and a weapon and still attack this round.
Melee attackers may move up to 10 feet and attack, as usual.
None may charge from a prone position, and prone casters cannot cast any spell with a somatic component.)


Map detail:

PCs are marked by their initials. W1-9 are wolves.

Map:



Non-required reading (rolls and rulings):

Animals attacking sleeping, helpless targets don't kill them at a rate of one per round, I will mercifully rule.
Instead, they automatically hit and do full damage for their "surprise round," and awaken their victims.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 23/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 12/15, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Hothhil Thornbush, Elven Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 12/20
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 19/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 4(3), HP: 27/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Mondegreen Cindereye, Human Magic-User 2: Move: 9", AC: 9, HP: 4/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Pyotr Whitetip, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 22/30
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 4/12
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 24/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 9/9, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl and 1/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• None currently.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)

[wolfpack]

Brevos Grabs Brood and Shroud (his magic shield) and attacks W6

[1d20+1] = 12+1 = 13
[1d8+1] = 2+1 = 3

[ravenn4544]

Mouser, panicked, lunges out at the unholy slavering avatar closest to him.

Scalpel (THACO 20) To Hit [1d20] = 10, S/M/L Dam. [1d8] = 7

[SocraticLawyer]

If he can this round, Urdur tries to scare the beasts off, by creating an auditory illusion of several bears approaching.

Casts Audible Glamer.

[ChubbyPixie]

“Garl save us!” Telkis snatches up Cranach and levers himself up. Continuing the motion, he brings the morning star up and over, attempting to crush the spine of the wolf that bit him. (W5)

Morningstar +1 (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 1+1 = 2, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 4+1 = 5, vs L [1d6+2] = 5+2 = 7 Whoopsies...

“Cowardly non-burrowers!” he yells in frustration and pain, still shaken from the awful, otherworldly night terrors.

[rredmond]

Seeing the wolf upon him Rudolph draws and attacks with his short sword and dagger to get it off of him! "I knew we shoulda set a watch!"

Short sword+1 [1d20+1] = 6+1 = 7 Ew...

Dagger [1d20] = 18 Wee bit better.
Dagger damage: [1d4] = 4

[AleBelly]

Mondegreen feels the wolf's jaws tear into his flesh. His first instinct is to feel his pocket. Umbra was untouched.

The mage quickly struggles to his feet and looks for a safe place to withdraw. He has his staff ready, but will only fight if attacked.

Mondegreen staff attack [1d20] = 19 damage [1d6] = 4

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Grabbing her mace and shield, the cleric follows Brevos out of the shelter, swinging her mace at the wolf (W6).

Mace (THAC0: 18): To Hit: [1d20+2] = 5+2 = 7, damage: small [1d6+3] = 6+3 = 9 / large [1d6+2] = 2+2 = 4

Ingrid has a 10 CON so she doesn't need to roll.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Hothhil scrambles to locate his shield and sword in the darkness while kicking at a fanged face. He staggers out of the shelter thrusting his sword at the wolf known as W2.

Sword: [1d20+1] = 12+1 = 13; sm [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5/lg [1d8+1] = 5+1 = 6
I'm so used to basic D&D... Should a third level fighter get 2 attacks/round?

[Urson]

Pyotr

Pyotr thrashes and screams in his sleep, the ominous shapes of The Mother blending with images of ropy tentacles rising from the sea. The pain of his dreams and memories becomes real pain as the wolf attacks.

Pyotr grabs his harpoon and stabs at the beast, even as his eyes focus on reality.

[1d20] = 1

well, shit!
[1d8] = 8
"8: Loose: Your weapon flies from your hand landing 1d6 squares/hexes away in a random direction."
[1d6] = 3

[OGRE MAGE]

Long Bo exits the super solid shelter behind the Half-orc towards the north.

[Inferno]

The Shadow of the Wooded Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Two. Dawn. Sunday, November 13th, 576 CY
Cold, cloudy





Mondegreen, Pyotr and Telkis dreamt that a mad god sleeps beneath these mountains, poisoning the land itself with evil, death and madness.
Then they awaken into a nightmare of fangs and blood and howling.



The merciless jaws of the ravenous, snarling wolf pack continue their gruesome work, rending flesh and blood! Pyotr is grievously wounded (-12hp!) and Rudolf is savagely mauled into unconsciousness!(-7hp!)

Not wanting to see his companion eaten alive, Urdur crawls through the snow bunker, over Rudolf's bloody torn body, and out into the open air, steam emanating from his warm body, legs sinking deep into the snow. The other heroes emerge from their shelters as well.

Telkis leaps into the fray and, still haunted by the specter of his dream and its ghastly implications, slips in the snow and almost bludgeons himself to death with his morningstar! (-10hp!)

As Umbra hides in the center of a primitive shelter, her human Mondegreen cracks the lupine skull of one bloodthirsty wolf! (W3) Hothhil drives his longsword through the front paw of another murderous black cur! (W2) Sweat soaked and panicky, Mouser slashes his sword wide, slicing only the frigid morning air!

Unarmored Pyotr is also still rattled by his dreams in darkness. His sweaty grip accidentally looses his harpoon early and it sails off thirty feet, impaling the snow shelter that Mouser, Hothhil and Urdur had just vacated! THUNK!

Ingrid's iron mace is tangled in the branches of her lean-to and her aim is ruined, as unarmored Brevos raises sword and shield and gashes a fiercely snapping snout! (W6)

Their jaws dripping with blood, the ravening wolves sense their advantage and swarm their prey!


Actions?!



Map detail:

PCs are marked by their initials. W1-9 are wolves.


Map:



Non-required reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 1, Monsters: [1d6] = 2 Wolves win.
W1, W2 attack Rudolf and Hothhil: [1d20] = 15, [1d20] = 12, damage: [2d4] = 7, [2d4] = 5 Rudolf is hit for -7hp!
W3, W4 attack Mondegreen and Pyotr: [1d20] = 3, [1d20] = 20, damage: [2d4] = 7, [2d4] = 6 Pyotr is critically hit for -12hp!
W5, W6 attack Telkis and Brevos: [1d20] = 3, [1d20] = 1, damage: [2d4] = 8, [2d4] = 6 Both miss. W6 fumbles:
W6 fumble: [1d6] = 1 "Stumbles. Moves one square in a random direction...
W6: Random direction: N is 1, then clockwise: [1d8] = 6 Southwest.
Telkis: Fumble: Hits self (1) or Ingrid (2)? [1d2] = 1. To hit: [1d20] = 20, half damage: [1d4+1] = 4+1 = 5 Dang. Critical hit for 10 damage.
Pyotr Fumble: Random direction: 1 is N, then clockwise: [1d8] = 6 Southwest again.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 23/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 13/15, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Hothhil Thornbush, Elven Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 12/20
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 4(3), HP: 28/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Mondegreen Cindereye, Human Magic-User 2: Move: 9", AC: 9, HP: 4/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Pyotr Whitetip, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 10/30
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: -3/12
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 14/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 9/9, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl and 1/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• None currently.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)

[rredmond]

Rudolph
[bleeds]

[wolfpack]

Brevos continues his attack

[1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Now that her mace is untangled from the shelter, Ingrid continues to attack the wolf in front of her. Perhaps she still is affected by the cold?

Mace (THAC0: 18): To Hit: [1d20+2] = 1+2 = 3, damage: small [1d6+3] = 4+3 = 7 / large [1d6+2] = 6+2 = 8