Chapter 21: Pact With The Devil

[SocraticLawyer]

Blind, deaf, and invisible, Urdur tries to process what he just observed. Rudolf is almost certainly dead, and Mouser is now (?) one of the cultists. The cultists want him dead, so this altar is not a good place to be, even invisibly.

Also, the spooky feeling he got upon entering this area strongly suggests that the little gnome move.

Urdur creeps as well as he is able back in the direction he came. He stops to reassess his situation if he gains his hearing or sight back. If he bumps into anything that feels humanoid, Urdur stops creeping and starts sprinting.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo waits until his blinding flash fades, looking back to see how many of his friends were able to heed his warning to avert their gaze. He is horrified to find that he was the only one who looked away from the exploding flames, as instructed.

Knowing that his spell will surely have extinguished the wicked witches fire, he intones his next spell, one that should shed some light in the area for he and his fellow humans to see by.

Casts: Produce Flame.

As he casts, he looks around to see if there was any reaction from the trees around him. Specifically the ?'s on the map.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric crouches, eyes closed, waiting for the sunburst to disappear and her sight to return.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis stands still and waits for the blindness to pass, unable to process completely what he saw before the flash. He tenses ready to spring forward the moment he can make out his enemies.

[Inferno]

The Strange Black Altar of the Haunted Wood, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Five. Midnight. Wednesday, November 16th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy






Blinded and deafened, Urdur the gnome conjurer staggers away from the black altar and the heinous transgressions being committed atop it in the name of all that is unholy!

Suddenly he can hear the moaning of the tortured trees above!



So do Brevos, Ingrid and Telkis. They each remain still in the absolute darkness of their blindness, waiting for it to be cured.

The blinding light fades, plunging the area into pitch blackness, except near Brevos' enchanted sword, Brood. The heroes' infravision is fouled by the lingering heat of the extinguished fire.

Unable to see or hear the trees or his companions, Bo utters prayers to the Shalm for the better part of a minute and then a flame springs forth from his outstretched palm!

Its merciless flickering light reveals to all a shocking horror! Rudolf remains motionless atop the black altar and Mouser raises his red dagger high again and thrusts it down into Rudolf's chest!




Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet.





PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 15/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 13/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl, Deafened
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 18/22, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 4(3), HP: 20/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 0/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl, Deafened
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 17/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 5/9, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self
  Silence, 15' Radius (Ingrid): Target: the black altar. Duration: 6 rounds
  Produce Flame (Bo): Duration: 7 rounds.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Blasphemous Iconography (the story so far in images)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[ChubbyPixie]

Assuming he is bewitched, he must be bewitched, Telkis rushes the altar and attempts to grapple Mouser.

1. This is heavy and intense!
2. Grappling rules! ...um... what are they?

[wolfpack]

lBrevos draws Brood and rushes to the altar.


while others deal with mouser he will watch and keep an eye out for the dark clerics.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric casts Hold Person on Mouser.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis attempts to knock Mouser away from the altar with the butt of Cranach, but is too upset to time his swing properly: (Non-fatal Attack) Morningstar +1 (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 6+1 = 7, vs L [1d6+2] = 4+2 = 6

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo peels off his leafy headgear and throws it to the ground so he can hear again. He isn't surprised about Mouser, assuming he was one of them all along, but he becomes very worried for the others who are rushing forward trying to save him.

"Pray friends, be cautious if you enter the alter area! It must hold some evil mind altering power still."

The druid uses his light source to search around the area in case anything is trying to sneak up on the group in the confusion. He keeps a sharp eye out for any tree movement like they encountered out here once before.

He pulls out a torch and lights it from the ball of flame still flickering in the palm of his hand. Then he walks forward 10 feet and sticks the butt of the torch in the muddy ground at his feet.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur continues to creep away from the evil altar. He tries to make his way to Long Bo.

[Inferno]

The Strange Black Altar of the Haunted Wood, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Five. Midnight. Wednesday, November 16th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy






At the black altar, before the heroes can stop him, Mouser thrusts his dagger down again into Rudolf's bleeding form!

The crimson blade sinks to the hilt!



Unseen, Urdur retreats to Long Bo's position! The grey druid pulls the leaves from around his ears as Brevos and Telkis rush the altar, weapons drawn! As the pair willingly enter the unholy territories of the heinous shrine, they are both struck deaf! A tingle crawls up their spines and they sense the presence of something inexplicable beyond the range of their normal perception! Their heartbeats quicken.

Beyond the threshold of the shrine, Ingrid Esthof utters pious invocations to her lord god, Trithereon and, as Mouser raises his dripping dagger over his head to strike again, his body is suddenly seized in the grip of paralysis, and he becomes motionless as a statue!

In the unnatural silence, Telkis sees Rudolf's eyes are shut and his body is still. Three deep grievous wounds, in his neck, chest and gut, bleed gravely. Looming over him, frozen, Mouser's smile and eyes are wide.

Long Bo pulls a torch from his pack with one hand and ignites it with the other. Advancing, he plants it in the ground and joins Brevos in keeping watch. The witches of Vicar's Head are not within their flickering circle of light. Neither are Hothhil and Urdur!

In the darkness above, Bo, Ingrid and Urdur hear the tormented moaning of the trees. They sound like the souls of the damned in Hell.




Actions?!


Map:

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


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 5, Monsters: [1d6] = 6 Monsters win.
Save vs Spell (12): [1d20] = 1 Mouser fails his save vs Ingrid's spell.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 15/31, Deafened and Silenced
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 13/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl, Deafened and Held
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 18/22, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl and 3/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 4(3), HP: 20/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 0/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 17/32, Deafened and Silenced
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 5/9, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self
  Silence, 15' Radius (Ingrid): Target: the black altar. Duration: 5 rounds
  Produce Flame (Bo): Duration: 6 rounds.
  Hold Person (Ingrid): Target: Mouser. Duration: 7 rounds.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Blasphemous Iconography (the story so far in images)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

In desperation, the cleric attempts pantomime to Brevos and Telkis, pointing at them, then Rudolf. She then holds her arms out in front of her, pulling them towards herself before holding her holy symbol with one hand and placing her hand on the ground with the other. To Bo (and anyone else that can hear her), she says,

I hope they get this. It may already be too late- and now it seems we've lost Hothhil and Urdur, as well.

[ChubbyPixie]

Averting his eyes from Rudolf's obscenely desecrated remains, Telkis takes out his rope and grabs the frozen form of the Grey Mouser by the collar and drags him back in the direction of Ingrid until he escapes the oppressive zone of silence. Once out, he will knock the dagger out of Mouser's hand with Cranach and bind the thief. He betrays no emotion, but goes about his business with a practical efficiency.

[wolfpack]

Brevos will throw the halflings body over his shoulder with Brood still in his other hand he will bring the body to Ingrid while keeping an eye over his shoulder to their rear.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur walks over to Ingrid, waiting for the others to join them. Remembering that Ingrid speaks gnomish, he whispers to her, "Ek em drengr, ykkr ok landsnam purt odrr ulfsins."

I'm still here! My magic is hiding me.

[OGRE MAGE]

Long Bo continues to search the entire clearing with his eyes and ears, still unsure where the witches and the groaning trees disappeared to.

Once the others are assembled again, he takes a few steps away from the altar and makes a suggestion.

"I have the power to destroy this entire place, and I am very tempted to do so. Once we have found our missing elf, I think I will obliterate this foul area, essentially wiping it from the face of mother oerth. It wont be fast, but it will be complete."

The druid waits for any suggestions on the idea from the others before starting his lengthy spell, all the while staying alert for any more trouble in the area.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Bo, I think that is an excellent idea. This profane patch has hurt too many people- and I'm sure there were many, many more before we first stumbled across it. Do what you can to ensure no evil can harm anyone here again.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur nods at Bo's suggestion, before remembering that no one can see him. "Do it, Bo!"

[Inferno]

The Strange Black Altar of the Haunted Wood, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Five. Midnight. Wednesday, November 16th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy






Deep in the haunted wood, Brevos lifts Rudolf's body from the blasphemous altar. The engraved lines of its surface, that form designs occult and arcane, are filled with the hobbit's blood. The bleak ranger moves toward Ingrid and upon leaving the eerie territories of unnatural silence, Brevos hears Rudolf's labored breathing. The little rogue yet lives!

Telkis drags the paralyzed Mouser from the dread altar and grimly binds his hands with rope, as Urdur the unseen gnome conjurer reveals his presence to Ingrid.

Long Bo warns the other heroes of his intent to summon lightning down from the heavens to purify this evil altar. He squints at the perimeter of the flickering torchlight but finds no trace of Hothhil, the witches, nor the vague dancing shapes. However, the tortured moaning of the trees continue. The grey druid believes they might be Ents, or Ent-kin. The sound of their anguished cries is harrowing to the priest of nature.


Actions?





PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 15/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 13/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl, Held
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 18/22, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl and 3/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 4(3), HP: 20/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 0/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: -2/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 17/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 5/9, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self
  Silence, 15' Radius (Ingrid): Target: the black altar. Duration: 5 rounds
  Produce Flame (Bo): Duration: 6 rounds.
  Hold Person (Ingrid): Target: Mouser. Duration: 7 rounds.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Blasphemous Iconography (the story so far in images)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)