Chapter 17: The Island of Death

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra's thrashing grows weaker, her red eyes beginning to glaze over..

[Scott308]

Loche

Half-remembering something he stuffed in his pack, Loche frantically digs out the silver tube, pulling the parchment from inside, examining it. Unable to decipher the writing,he rushes over and hands it to Tjoruy.

[SocraticLawyer]

Thank you, Mitra, whispers Garrin to his god. He glances up at Tjuroy, hoping the odd cleric can cure Zahra before it is too late.

[AleBelly]

Tjoruy takes the parchment from Loche, holding it firmly with his fingertips at opposite corners. He quickly scans it, hoping to make sense of it...and desperately hoping to find something that will help his fellow Verulian.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

The efforts on behalf of the stricken bring the stupefied Cruloc back to reality, and his panic is quickly replaced by cool resolve. He begins binding the wounds of the party.

[AleBelly]

"OSURUS! WITH YOUR LIGHT NOTHING IS BEYOND REACH" exclaims Tjoruy, elated at something he sees on the parchment Loche handed him.

He extends a bony white arm in the air, addressing the party members. "I beg you all, use your persons to stop her writhing! I must read these holy words of Osurus. I become the vessel of his blessings, but must lay hand upon her to deliver her from this fate!"

After asking the others to hold her down, he casts Neutralize Poison from the scroll.

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Cruloc, with eyes closed and teeth clenched, helps to hold down the writhing Zahra. The urge to vomit rises in his throat.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:
Mako watches with bated breath and hope.

[Scott308]

Loche

The Pict dives for Zahra's feet, hoping it will help Tjoruy be able to cure the terrible infestation she is currently experiencing.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen continues his elevated lookout while the others attend to the afflicted, certain their ruckus will attract more of the beastmen, or worse.

[AleBelly]

Adding roll to touch Zahra for neutralizing poison

Touch Zahra to neutralize poison [1d20] = 16

[Inferno]

The Island of Death, The Underground City, Beneath the Great Pyramid of Xuthalhotep
Lost City of Khemsa, Forgotten Kingdom of Verulia, Great Eastern Desert, the World of Hyboria
Day Ten. Afternoon?, 23rd day of the month of Yuluk, 1279th year of the Age of Aquilonia






Poor Zahra continues her macabre becoming. (another 6hp damage!)

In the threshing maelstrom of vines and screaming, Amethu the priest cannot lay hands upon her to stop her heinous transformation!

In sudden realization, Loche roots through his pack and unfurls a papyrus scroll bearing hieroglyphics in Ancient High Verulian. Unable to decipher them, the Pict hands the scroll to Tjoruy who scans the holy cuneiforms with desperate urgency!



(next round...)

Hopeful, Tjoruy asks his companions to hold Zahra still. But Cruloc and Loche cannot grasp her in the bedlam of the flailing tendrils!

Tjoruy utters the sacred incantation of the scroll and clasps Zahra with his bare hand, healing her of the unspeakable blight!



The insidious vines wither and die! In the teeth of a miracle, Zahra and Kiri recover from their unspeakable ordeal. (all hp restored)

Amethu's merciful spell remains unspent. And Xorzen's prophecies comes true. From his vantage atop the strangely angled obelisk, the prescient monk sees more vine horrors stagger into view from behind a monolithic boulder to the northeast!



These shambling abominations are entirely devoid of flesh.

Xorzen sounds the alarm!


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet.


Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 3, Monsters: [1d6-2] = 6-2 = 4 Monsters win.
Zahra vines attack Amethu: [1d20] = 1, [1d20] = 5. Damage: [1d6] = 1, [1d6] = 5 Misses.
Damage to Zahra: [1d6] = 6 Man...

Next round:
Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 4, Monsters: [1d6-2] = 2-2 = 0 Party wins.
Cruloc and Loche to hit, to hold Zahra still: [1d20] = 4, [1d20] = 4 Both miss.

Cure Disease and Neutralize Poison undo all effects. So HP are restored.

PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 9/14, Spells: 7/7 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl, Lantern
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 31/45
Garrin: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 21/26, Laying Hands: 1/1
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 19/19, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl
Loche: Pict Savage Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 24/25
Mako: Khitan Easterner Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7(5), HP: 12/12, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Tjoruy: Verulian Osoran Cleric 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 26/31, Spells: 3/5 1st lvl, 2/4 2nd lvl
Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 16/16
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 17/29

PC Magic:

Protection from Evil (Garrin): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Garrin.
Healing Mists of Osorus (Garrin, Kiri, Loche, Mako and Xorzen have breathed of the mists): All lost HP recovered with 8 hours of sleep. Wakeful rest, or sleeping less than 8 hours, enables recovery of 1 HP per hour. Duration: "months."
Invisibility (Mako): Target: self.
Slow Poison (Amethu): Target: none yet. Duration: 177 rounds.

Player Resources:

The Struggle To Survive (the story so far)
Mysteries Strange and Deadly (player clues and notes)
Hieroglyphs (the story so far, in images)
An Age Undreamed Of (maps and realms of the World of Hyboria)

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

"Slay them from afar, lest we join their macabre dance of death!"

Arrow [1d20] = 3
Arrow [1d20] = 16

Arrow damage [1d6] = 5

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra coughs, spitting out a hunk of shriveled vine. Thank you. I believed I was doomed.

She quickly recovers when the vine horrors appear, throwing her mysterious black javelin at (X5).

att [1d20+4] = 11+4 = 15
javelin [1d6+3] = 2+3 = 5

[Scott308]

Loche

Pick a windae, yer leavin', awready!* The Pict, disheartened at seeing more of the shambling vine creatures, nevertheless drills one with his sling as he curses their existence.

Sling of Sutehk (20): [1d20+3] = 18+3 = 21 Bullet Damage S/M: [1d4+3] = 1+3 = 4; Dam L: [1d6+3] = 2+3 = 5
*= Sometimes the translations are fairly easy to understand. This, on the other hand, is a much more elegant way to say, Fuck off, already!

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin approaches the creatures, drawing his sword as he does so. He is pretty sure Mitra will prevent him from succumbing to the vine creatures' disease.

Besides, he has no missle weapon....

I'm assuming they are too far away to move and attack this round.

[ravenn4544]

Amehtu agrees - "slay them from afar. Fire also may be our ally here!" He stands defensively as the creatures are out of range for any spell he can throw.

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

"Run quckily, while we can... into the ruins." Mako runs up the stairs to the entrance.

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen follows suit with the others attacking from a distance with one of his normal javelins.

Unfortunatly, he doesn't set his footing before he lets loose.

Javalin Attack [1d20+1] = 1+1 = 2 Damage [1d6+2] = 4+2 = 6

[AleBelly]

Tjoruy readies his mace, hoping the abominations will be slain before he has to use it.