Chapter 4: Dungeon of the Daleks

[Inferno]

Chapter 4: Dungeon of the Daleks

The Dead Wizard's Skyscraper
Forbidden Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Three. Morning? March 27th, 912 CY







The shipwrecked adventurers delve deeper, discovering a second symmetrical pair of alcoves. 30 feet ahead are more alcoves, two doors, and an area of pitch darkness devoid of the daemonic witch lights.

Tullia observes, "One would expect the inside of a wizard's tower to be more interesting, more arcane, more colorful..."

"Chaka agree! This place boring.....and drab," nods the young ape-boy.

"Aye," grumbles Switch the dwarf.

It's the last word he will ever utter.

Suddenly, strange creatures appear ahead, the likes of which the explorers have never before seen! Three bizarre, living, man-sized citadels of steel, each with glowing inhuman eyes and magic wands mounted to their ramparts! The alien things glide into the corridor, from out of the intersecting halls ahead, and scream in voices distorted by machinery and hate.

"In-tru-ders! Ex-ter-mi-nate! EX-TER-MI-NATE!"



Then, horrifically, a ghastly chorus of identical voices comes from behind! "EX-TER-MI-NATE!"

More of the sorcerous siege engines are in the corridor to the south! The explorers are surrounded!

Before the adventurers can react, astonishing magic wands explode in beams of fire and lightning that consume Switch the dwarf! His skeleton is momentarily illuminated from within as his bloodcurdling death screams fill the tunnel and then abruptly stop. Switch is dead before he hits the floor.


Actions?!


Map detail:

One square = 10 feet. X = dead.

Map:



Non-required Reading (rolls and rules):

Party surprised? [1d6] = 6, [1d6] = 1 Front of party is not surprised. Rear of party is. D4 and D5 get surprise attacks.
D4 attacks Jeojand: [1d20] = 4 Misses.
D5 attacks Switch: [1d20] = 13 Hits.

PC Status:

• Chaka: Ape-Boy Thief 3: Move: 12"(6"), AC: 6, HP: 16/17
  Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 19/20
  Jeojand: Cat-Man Magic-User 2: Move: 6", AC: 7, HP: 8/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 27/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 2, HP: 6/6, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 2: Move: 9", AC: 8, HP: 9/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, Lantern
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 24/24

PC Magic:

• None currently

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan crouches down ready for battle. He bellows "Cowards! Show yourselves and fight like men!"

[OGRE MAGE]

Chaka is equally amazed and terrified at the creatures they have just encountered. Ashamed that he wasn't able to locate the doors behind them before someone was killed, the monkey boy jumps at the sight of them, literally.

He leaps into the side room to his right and immediately starts climbing the north wall in there. In complete desperation, he narrow mindedly hopes that these strange creatures simply cannot look up.

Maybe we should all look for secret doors from now on?

[Starbeard]

Jeojand

"What horrid metallic beasts," exclaims Jeojand "Will our magics even work against them?". Quick as a cat he leaps at the one nearest him (4) and attempts to dash out its eye with his dagger.

Jeojand Dagger (ThAC0 20): [1d20] = 14 / Damage (S-M/L): [1d4] = 3 / [1d3] = 3

[Urson]

Maskelyn

Seeing the things on all sides, Maskelyn freezes for a split second, then shouts virtutem decipiat eadem!! phantasmal force and throws a very realistic spread of lightning at the three creatures.

[SpinwardMarch]

Tullia

She realizes that whatever weapons she has will be nearly useless against these metal monsters. She drops to the ground and scuttles into the left alcove, hoping to find something that would be useful. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Chaka climbing up the wall in other alcove and does the same thing. With all these metal ropes and wizard lights on the walls, maybe she can do something.

[ChubbyPixie]

With a hoarse squeak, Fiefo crouches and scampers for the right alcove. He'll try to take pot shots with his bow at whichever of the cannisters of death presents itself first, also aiming for the "eyes":

Attack with Short Bow (THAC0 17): To Hit: [1d20] = 19 Damage, s/M/L: [1d6] = 3
Attack with Short Bow (THAC0 17): To Hit: [1d20] = 10 Damage, s/M/L: [1d6] = 1

[wolfpack]

LL jumps into the side passage with Tulia and calls for konan to follow him.


The signs we saw earlier warned us these metal pipes hold lightning. If you rip one from the wall perhaps we can use it.

[Inferno]

The Dead Wizard's Skyscraper
Forbidden Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Three. Morning? March 27th, 912 CY







"EX-TER-MI-NATE!" The bizarre, impossible things mouthlessly shriek in amplified voices wracked by torment and malice.

At the rear flank, Jeojand tries to put out one of their eyes with a dagger, but its armor cannot be pierced! The cat-man growls, "Will our magics even work against them?!"

"Noth-ing Will Work A-gainst Us! We Are The Sup-er-i-or Life Form!" one creature barks in reply.

The adventurers' front line parts like the Red Sea before the maniacal machine monsters! Chaka and Fiefo lunge into the right alcove as Tullia and Adrock leap into the left! Chaka and Tullia start scaling the ten foot walls, and Chaka quickly reaches the iron cords that link the witch lights in the ceiling, following wise Adrock's advice.

Fiefo leans out of his alcove and fires two arrows at the eyes of the lead creature (D3). One missile hits the mark but doesn't seem to blind the thing!

"Your Pu-ny Weap-ons Have No Ef-fect Up-on Us!" it cries with malevolent joy.

Ko-Nan and Maskelyn are left standing in the corridor, exposed! Ko-Nan the barbarian crouches like a panther ready to spring as he roars "Cowards! Show yourselves and fight like men!"

One of the alien engines screams, "We Are Not Men! We Are The Dal-eks!"

Maskelyn places his lantern on the floor to free his hands to weave a cunning illusion! "Virtutem decipiat eadem!!" he shouts and silent arcs of white hot electricity writhe from his finger tips! The rodent-like gnome points his hands at the iron marauders (D1-3) and bathes them in the illusory lightning!

The trio of inexplicable things emit bone-chilling shrieks of rage and agony, even though their armor is unharmed! The one that Fiefo had struck falls silent and its three magic wands lower (D3).

The other two wail: "A-lert! A-lert! We Are Un-der At-tack!" Sensing the danger, they both target Maskelyn in fear and their magic wands erupt with terrible rays of light and flame! One beam consumes the gnome conjurer, almost killing him! (-16hp!) Maskelyn collapses to the floor!

Jeojand, the other frontline combatant-caster suffers a similar fate! The Dalek he is trying to stab (D4) fires its strange magic wand at point blank range and Jeojand is inundated in lightning and fire and slumps to the ground insensate! (-13hp!)

Arto Hobbs is the next to fall in the terrible onslaught of shrieking and energy and flame (-14hp!). The hobbit sailor is killed instantly, murdered in cold blood.


Actions?!


Map detail:

One square = 10 feet. X = dead or dying.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rules):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 5, Monsters: [1d6] = 1 Party wins.
D1, D2, D3 Save vs Spells: [1d20] = 9, [1d20] = 6, [1d20] = 6 All fail!
D1 attacks Maskelyn: [1d20] = 4 Misses.
D2 attacks Maskelyn: [1d20] = 13 Hits.
D4 attacks Jeojand: [1d20] = 12 Hits.
D5 attacks Arto: [1d20] = 9 Hits.

PC Status:

• Chaka: Ape-Boy Thief 3: Move: 12"(6"), AC: 6, HP: 16/17
  Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 19/20
  Jeojand: Cat-Man Magic-User 2: Move: 6", AC: 7, HP: -5/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 27/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 2, HP: 6/6, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 2: Move: 9", AC: 8, HP: -7/10, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Lantern
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 24/24

PC Magic:

• None currently

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[SpinwardMarch]

Tullia

She observes that the monster struck in its "eye" stopped shooting at them. She considers using her bow as a last resort, but continues looking in the upper part of the alcove for a more effective weapon. She thinks, Maybe pulling down one of the witch-light ropes and hitting them with it might work. Maybe the ropes produce lightning like outside...? Let's see what is up here.

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan bellows at the cowardly magic unleashed upon them. Seeing his comrades fall to this unholy skill he launches into the air shouting "CROM!!!" and with his mighty cleaver attempts to land a decisive blow upon the armor of one of the attacking fiends (D1 or D2 if possible)

Attack: THACO (20): [1d20+1] = 16+1 = 17 / Damage: (S/M: [2d4+1] = 2+1 = 3 / L: [3d4+1] = 7+1 = 8)

[Urson]

Maskelyn

The gnome sizzles, smelling faintly of burnt bacon.

[OGRE MAGE]

About to show off his abnormal strength, Chaka climbs across the top of wall towards the corner. He moves over the top of Fiefo, actually trying to get nearer to the metal monsters. If one should move under his elevated position without killing him first, the monkey-boy yanks on one of the coated metal ropes attached to the witch lights, attempting to drop it on top of one or more of them as they pass underneath him.

Bend Bars (16%) [1d100] = 12
Holy crap! Please tell me that this actually works!!!

To hit: Random D20: [1d20] = 11

[wolfpack]

LL stays in the side tunnel

DAMNIT KONAN GET OVER HERE.

EVERYONE THE LITTLE WINDOWS ON THEIR HEADS I THINK IT IS HOW THEY SEE.

[ChubbyPixie]

Fiefo, seeing his arrows have no appreciable effect, and not wanting at all to close with these creatures in melee, searches the right alcove as carefully as he can in his near panicked state for signs of a secret exit.

[Starbeard]

Jeojand lies on the ground sizzling, his fur puffed out to make him look like an ancient Chee-Tose ambrosia biscuit.

[Inferno]

The Dead Wizard's Skyscraper
Forbidden Island of Xygax the Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Three. Morning? March 27th, 912 CY







"A-lert! A-lert!"
"Ex-ter-mi-nate The In-tru-ders!"
"EX-TER-MI-NATE!" the deranged creatures shriek as they fire on the only two visible targets: Fiefo and Ko-Nan!

The corridor is filled with a terrible maelstrom of light and flame! Fiefo takes cover but Ko-Nan is hit twice by the powerful blasts of energy!(-21hp!) Somehow, the barbarian yet stands!

Heedless of the onslaught of the bizarre monsters, Ko-Nan charges into the fray! With the primal ferocity of a wolf, he lunges forward to the intersection and his peripheral vision sees this is no matched pair of alcoves, but twin halls, each extending thirty feet before doubling back! As his mind registers this, his great axe moves seemingly with a will of its own! The large cleaver's deadly arc shears open one monster (D1), revealing clockwork mechanisms within, crowned by a screeching, writhing atrocity of tentacles, eyes and a large, pulsing brain!



Behind the barbarian, Fiefo the rat-man darts back into his alcove and searches in vain for another secret passage. Tullia the ranger keeps scaling the wall and reaches the ceiling where she sees Chaka heed Adrock's sage counsel. The young ape boy recklessly pries lose one metal cord from a witch light! Sparks explode from the rope's end and the witch light dies! Then Chaka quietly turns the corner at the ceiling and throws the rope down onto one of the unsuspecting, sorcerous siege engines! (D2)



It detonates in a deafening explosion of sparks and fire! The mad thing topples apart and its demented screaming is silenced.

The front flank of the battle has been blown wide open! Only two Daleks remain.


Actions?!


Map detail:



Map:

One square = 10 feet. X = dead or dying.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rules):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 1, Monsters: [1d6] = 2 Monsters win.
D1, D4 attack Fiefo who has some cover: [1d20] = 10, [1d20] = 8 Both miss Fiefo!
D2, D5 attack Ko-Nan: [1d20] = 17, [1d20] = 14 Both hit Ko-Nan!
Fyi, the Dalek's damage is based, in part, on their target's AC, like the laser guns of Expedition to the Barrier Peaks. That's why the PC spellcasters got massacred like all those unarmored humans in Doctor Who.

Fyi, for Chaka's attack, the Dalek's AC is modified, because Chaka just needs to touch them, not pierce their plating.
Also, dropping the cable from above gets him more bonuses for attacking an unaware target.

PC Status:

• Chaka: Ape-Boy Thief 3: Move: 12"(6"), AC: 6, HP: 16/17
  Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 19/20
  Jeojand: Cat-Man Magic-User 2: Move: 6", AC: 7, HP: -6/10, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 6/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 1/1: Move: 9", AC: 2, HP: 6/6, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 2: Move: 9", AC: 8, HP: -8/10, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl, Lantern
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 24/24

PC Magic:

• None currently

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

[ChubbyPixie]

With a piercing shriek, Fiefo will dash for the hall diagonally across from the alcove in which he hides and take cover around the corner. If he still can, he’ll fire two arrows at any dalek not engaged in melee with a party member:
Attack with Short Bow (THAC0 17): To Hit: [1d20] = 2 Damage, s/M/L: [1d6] = 1
Attack with Short Bow (THAC0 17): To Hit: [1d20] = 3 Damage, s/M/L: [1d6] = 4 Sheesh!

[ravenn4544]

Ko-Nan glowing from both victory in battle and Dalek radiation, he ducks around the closest corner (left side) to catch his breath. He keeps an eye out down the newly found hall and listens for any more mechanical monstrosities approaching before deciding what next to do.

[OGRE MAGE]

Chaka sees the Barbarian disappear around the corner, which gives him an idea.

Hoping he hasn’t been seen yet in his elevated position, he moves across the wall towards the north and darts around the corner as fast as he can. When he sees that the alcove is actually a hallway, he moves east to the corner and peers around it.

Knowing the metal golems had to come from somewhere, he wonders if this hall will come back around behind their position.