Chapter 24: Human Sacrifices

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo stays an arm length away from the vines directly in front of him, holding his torch out upon them to see if they will ignite.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric continues attacking the spider with her hammer.

Spiritual Hammer (18): [1d20] = 11; Damage S/M: [1d6] = 4; Damage L: [1d4] = 4

[Inferno]

The Lichway, The Lost Shrine of Ancient Evil
The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. Long after midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY







Within the sinister shrine, the ghastly undead acolytes draw nigh and begin to weave calamity and death with sorceries profane! The desperate heroes feel their doom falling into place all around them.

Suddenly it is as if the gods smile upon their noble efforts. Ingrid's blessed silence smothers the living cadavers' heinous witchcraft!

The amorphic shape of the writhing barricade flails at Jerome and Long Bo with tentacles of thorns, but the fearsome assault is repelled by sword and by shield!

And Rudolf deftly evades the horrific tarantula's deadly bite again!



Then Urdur the conjurer strikes the crawling arachnid horror blind!

Sightless, the looming terror is quickly bludgeoned and hacked asunder by Ingrid, Telkis, Rudolf, Mouser and Brevos! The immense tarantula collapses to the floor in a spray of hot crimson!



Jerome still struggles to wound the vine web creature!

Then the wise druid thrusts his blazing torch into the thrashing fibrous mesh and it is instantly engulfed in flames!



Mercifully, its piteous wails cannot be heard as the raging conflagration devours it alive! Flush to the alien wall, Jerome is seared (6hp damage) as the flashfire burns a path through the vine web!

At this dramatic turn of events, the heroes take heart. But only for a moment.

Suddenly, inexplicably, comes a nigh-deafening peal of thunder all around them!

DOOOOOM!



Actions?!



Map Detail:

One square = 5 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory. Asterisks and black dots by the room numbers don't represent anything.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 2, Monsters: [1d6] = 4 Monsters win.
Vine Web creature attacks Jerome and Long Bo: [1d20] = 8, [1d20] = 5 Misses both.
Gigantic Tarantula attacks Mouser? (1), Telkis? (2), Brevos? (3) or Rudolf? (4): [1d4] = 4. To hit: [1d20] = 9 Misses.
Blindness: Giant Tarantula saves vs Spell: [1d20] = 14 Fails!
Morningstar +1 (THAC0 17): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 9+1 = 10, Damage: vs L [1d6+2] = 6+2 = 8 Telkis hits, due to bonuses to hit a blind opponent. (Which also enables Ingrid, Rudolf and Brevos to hit!)
Fire damage to Jerome: [2d4] = 6

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 18/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 22/22, Spells: 3/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 9/20, Laying Hands: 0/1, Deafened
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 14/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 22/34, Torch at feet
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 2/11, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl and 1/2 2nd lvl, Torch at feet

PC Magic:

• Detect Magic: (Bo): Duration: 7 rounds.
  Entangle (Bo): Target: Center of skull chamber. Duration: 6 rounds. Vine-web creature is unaffected.
  Silence, 15' Radius (Ingrid): Duration: 5 rounds.
  Spiritual Hammer (Ingrid): Duration: 2 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)

[wolfpack]

Brevos charges into the silence assaulting the undead acolyte

[1d20+1] = 13+1 = 14
[1d8+1] = 8+1 = 9

[rredmond]

"That can't be good," Rudolf yells as the DOOOM dies away. "We need to get the girl and get out of here quickly!"
Rudolf jumps up on the spider's abdomen and looks down the hall, and up at the ceiling, to see if they have any more unexpected visitors following behind the spider. He also checks around for webbing from the spider, "a flaming spider barrier might be good in case we need to make a hasty retreat, dang I don't have any oil!"

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Ingrid moves her hammer to attack X2.

Spiritual Hammer (18): [1d20] = 16; Damage S/M: [1d6] = 1; Damage L: [1d4] = 1
Well, on the one hand, I most likely hit. On the other hand, it's almost the same as a miss.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome lets out a very un-paladin-like squawk as he gets burnt.
Even as he's trying to pat out the flames on himself, he charges (X1). He tries to ignore the threatening DOOM .

[1d20+1] = 1+1 = 2 melee

should have left well enough alone!
[1d8] = 7 Drop Weapon.
Dex 9. [1d20] = 3
His weapon clatters away, leaving him both embarrassed and furious.

[SocraticLawyer]

When Urdur sees that the undead creatures have been Silenced by Ingrid, he gets an idea. He weaves magical incantations, disappearing from sight. Casts Invisibility on self.

If there is still time this round, he runs through the opening in the vine web assuming the flames are out, unseen and (hopefully) unheard, towards the sleeping (?) Amity.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser moves forward to help where he can. He keeps an eye on their rear should something new try and surprise them.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo waits for a moment, allowing the fighters to charge past him into the room.

He then moves to the threshold where the vine was just burned and looks at the girl on the altar with his magically enhanced vision. From there, he looks upon the frightening acolytes next.

[Inferno]

The Lichway, The Lost Shrine of Ancient Evil
The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. Long after midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY





DOOOOOM! comes the roaring sound from everywhere and nowhere at once.



The silent flames hungrily devour the last of the otherworldly vine web and the skeletal horrors charge forth, descending upon the closest heroes!

Ingrid and Long Bo defend the ruinous assault but Jerome is slashed by the cold bony claws of the living dead!



Horrifically, the beleaguered paladin feels his life force being drained away! (2hp damage and lose 2 points of Strength!)

Mouser and Rudolf confirm the rear flank is clear. They find no webbing around the giant tarantula's bloody corpse. "We need to get the girl and get out of here quickly!" Rudolf shouts to those that can still hear him.

Long Bo looks upon his cadaverous assailants with mystic sight and finds none of them emanate active magicks. He stares past the gaunt abominations, at the innocent child upon the sacrificial altar and sees that she is bathed in it!



DOOOOOM! comes a crash like a thousand horses thundering across cobblestones!

Urdur weaves deception and falsehoods out of thin air! The gnomish conjurer renders himself unseen to mortal eyes and steps toward young Amity Mantle!

Ingrid's blessed hammer of righteousness strikes the leering carcass that grasps for her throat (X2), wounding it! Then Brevos charges in and decapitates the ghastly horror with one fell-handed stroke of Brood! The shrieking skull shatters upon the stone floor.

Despite his bravery, Telkis cannot land a telling blow against the undead terrors of the evil shrine! And, weakened with bone-chilling cold, Jerome nearly loses his sword grip in the life and death struggle!

DOOOOOM! comes the booming blast, like the toll of a bell for those whose time has come.


Actions?!



Map Detail:

One square = 5 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory. Asterisks and black dots by the room numbers don't represent anything.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 1, Monsters: [1d6] = 2 Monsters win.
X1, X2, X3 charge Jerome, Ingrid and Bo: [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15, [1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12, [1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12 Hits Jerome.
Damage to Jerome: [1d8] = 2
Telkis charges X1? (1) or X3? (2): [1d2] = 2. To hit: [1d20+3] = 5+3 = 8, damage: [1d6+2] = 5+2 = 7 Misses X3.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 18/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 22/22, Spells: 3/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 7/20, Laying Hands: 0/1, Deafened
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 14/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 22/34, Torch at feet, Deafened
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 2/11, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl, Torch at feet

PC Magic:

• Detect Magic: (Bo): Duration: 6 rounds.
  Entangle (Bo): Target: Center of skull chamber. Duration: 5 rounds. Vine-web creature is unaffected.
  Silence, 15' Radius (Ingrid): Duration: 4 rounds.
  Spiritual Hammer (Ingrid): Duration: 1 round.
  Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self

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)

[wolfpack]

get the girl and get back I will hold them

brevos shouts at ingrid as he strikes the nearest undead

[1d20+1] = 19+1 = 20
[1d8+1] = 3+1 = 4

[rredmond]

Rudolf continues to watch the rear as well as he can. Not really wanting anything to be sneaking up on them again. He will also plunge his magical short into it's abdomen. Just to see what happens, and to see if it's eaten anything useful lately.

[OGRE MAGE]

Still attempting to get out of the way of the real fighters, Bo instead gives the monster attacking him a huge man hug.

Spear Attack [1d20] = 1 Damage [1d6] = 6

Fumble [1d8] = 5

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Ingrid uses her Spiritual Hammer to smack X3. It disappears after it hits the undead fiend.

Spiritual Hammer (18): [1d20] = 19; Damage S/M: [1d6] = 4; Damage L: [1d4] = 4

[ravenn4544]

Mouser stays back - not sure where he can add any help to the group up front...

[SocraticLawyer]

Behind you! says unseen Urdur to Jerome. The fast little gnome runs behind the paladin, towards little Amity. If he can safely do so, he scoops the little one into his arms, running back the way he came as fast as he can.

If all goes well, he says to the group, without stopping, I've got her, let's get outta here!!

[ChubbyPixie]

Hesitatingly, trying to keep his distance for fear of being drained of life again, Telkis dances around one of the skeletal undead before leaping in to swing Cranach at a femur:

Morningstar +1 (THAC0 17): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 7+1 = 8, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 8+1 = 9, vs L [1d6+2] = 3+2 = 5

His trepidation spoils his aim.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome pales, his eyes going wide as he feels his life being sucked away. He holds onto his blade, more by good luck than good sense. He moves forward, ready to attack, but can't see an opening between his teammates.

[Inferno]

Jerome
He moves forward, ready to attack, but can't see an opening between his teammates.

Hi Urson,
Jerome of the Mighty oak is "JM" on the map below. No one stand between him and the undead horror, X1.
I see you rolled to hit. I'll go with that.