Chapter 17: The Island of Death

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Cursing his carelessness, his weakness, this island, and the pictoglyphs which had left his mind momentarily addled, the Cimmerian binds his fresh wounds.

[ravenn4544]

Amethu also strains against the gate until everyone is clear. He'll take up his ancient staff in defense at the approaching sounds...

[Scott308]

Loche

Allowing the gate to fall back down when their companions are clear, Loche looks around for something to wedge the gate open with if they lift it again. There has to be some way to open the gate from the inside.

[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






In the otherworldly nightmare realm, the serpent opens its jaws and withdraws its dripping fangs from above and below Xorzen's left eye. "Disssturb me no further!" it hisses at the prone monk as it slithers back into its home.

Atop the towering stone stair, the adventurers cannot hold the great portcullis any longer and it falls back into place with a thunderous boom!



The immense gate perilously divides their number! Cruloc, Garrin and Zahra stand on its north side, all else to the south! Suddenly, footsteps echo from the shadows!

Tjoruy the underdweller pushes past Kiri and reaches through the iron bars to miraculously heal Zahra of the grievous wounds suffered during her impalement! (+8hp) Cruloc binds his own terrible injury (+1hp) as Garrin and Zahra ready swords and shields for the fresh new horror that comes!

On the southern side of the gate, Mako and Loche find nothing to brace the portcullis, other than the ancient crumbling stonework at the bottom of the stair. "Thare haes tae be some wey tae open th' gate fae th' inside," the Pict insists.

Then from the stygian depths to the north, hideous figures emerge, as pale as Verulians but larger!



The explorers realize in horror that the ghastly, misshapen, twisted visages - each of them different - are not masks, but actual faces!

If the primordial beastmen were devolved by infrequent proximity to Zargoth, these then are the denizens of Hell... the children of Zargoth... warped, malformed and disfigured by the unnatural contagion of the demon god's heinous presence!

Armed with sword and ax, the faceless horrors lunge forward, hungry for the adventurers' deaths!


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet.


Map:



Behind the DM Screen:

Amethu, Kiri, Loche and Mako: Lift Gate: [1d100] = 80, [1d100] = 97, [1d100] = 77, [1d100] = 72 None succeed.

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: 28/45
Garrin: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 19/26, Laying Hands: 1/1, Torch
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 19/19, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, Blind
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: 2/5 1st lvl, 2/4 2nd lvl
Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 14/16
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 18/29

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: 167 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)

[ChubbyPixie]

"What's happening? I can see nothing," says Kiri, sensing now that it is he alone that is blind.

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra rushes up and to the left, trying to get onto the same level with the man-creatures, rather than being forced to fight up the stairs.
Over here, you misbegotten slugs! Face me!
She doesn't attack.

I'm pretty sure she's not in melee range. If I'm wrong, let me know, so she can attack.

[SocraticLawyer]

Garrin charges at the closest of the misshapen beastmen, attacking with his longsword.

To hit with +2 Longsword [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13; damage sm [1d8+2] = 8+2 = 10; damage l [1d12+2] = 7+2 = 9

+2 for charging not included.

[Scott308]

Loche

Desperate to help his companions, Loche futilely struggles with the gate, hoping by some miracle he may find the strength to lift it.

Bend bars/ lift gates (7%): [1d100] = 79

[AleBelly]

Not being particularly strong, and without any ranged weapons, Tjoruy decides to instead bless his companions' efforts with a song, repeating it over and over. The words are ancient, and the meaning of them is lost to the subterranean cleric. But the intent is clear...

casts Chant

Hey! Come merry dol! derry dol! My darling!
Light goes the weather-wind and the feathered starling.
Down along under Hill, shining in the sunlight,
Waiting on the doorstep for the cold starlight,
Old Osorus water-lilies bringing
Comes hopping home again. Can you hear him singing?
Hey! Come merry dol! derry dol! and merry-o,
Osis, Osis, merry yellow berry-o!

Down west sinks the Sun: soon you will be groping.
When the night-shadows fall, then the door will open,
Out of the window-panes light will twinkle yellow.
Fear no alder black! Heed no hoary willow!
Fear neither root nor bough! Tom goes on before you.
Hey now! merry dol! We'll be waiting for you!

Hey! Come derry dol! Hop along, my hearties!
Halflings! Ponies all! We are fond of parties.
Now let the fun begin! Let us sing together!

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Icy fear claws at Cruloc's soul as he first sets eyes upon the gruesome new horrors coughed up from the dark corners of Zargoth's empire.

"By the blood of Crom! What foul knowledge has birthed this loathsome devil-spawn – a hideous blending of human and bestial things with nameless shapes from outside?"

Garrin's valiant charge breaks this momentary spell of frozen loathing. The mighty-thewed Cimmerian needs little encouragement to add to the chaos, and he accompanies the paladin in a headlong rush.

Charging attack w/ longsword [1d20+4] = 14+4 = 18
Longsword vs. L opponent [1d12+3] = 9+3 = 12

"Quench my sword's thirst, you oozing corpse’s tit!"

OoC: Strike on F1, Cruloc stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Garrin

[ravenn4544]

Amethu sees little way to open the gate. The onrush of a new attack grips his attention. He reacts with magic. With no options remaining, he casts enlarge upon himself to try then to raise the gate with the aide of his comrades.

[Urson]

Zahra

att [1d20+4] = 9+4 = 13
sword vs lg [1d12+3] = 3+3 = 6

[ChubbyPixie]

If he hears the gate being raised again, Kiri will try to help.
Bend Bars/Lift Gates (40%): [1d100] = 91

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako attempts to lift the gate.
Bend Bars/Lift Gates (4%) [1d100] = 45

[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






Inhuman shrieking heralds the arrival of the faceless horrors of the Island of Death! Zargoth had taken their names, their faces, and their souls and replaced them with malice, savagery and hate.

Trapped on the north side of the gate, Cruloc, Garrin and Zahra plunge headlong up the steps bellowing oaths of murder, stampeding toward the first monstrosity (F1)! Before the Tainted can react, Zahra the amazon drives her blade hilt-deep beneath a grisly visage, spraying blood from a ghastly wound!

The fighting-madness of his race is upon Cruloc the barbarian and with a blur of steel, the abominable creature's weapon arm is suddenly a crimson stump!

Garrin the Atlantean finishes the assault, his scarab sword shearing clean through a pale neck, decapitating the grotesque, featureless head!



The first of the heinous things (F1) is sundered apart before the others take a step!

The two remaining descendants of lost Verulia, warped and demented by the blasphemous existence of Zargoth, gibber abysmally as they lunge forward with weapons raised! Zahra beats aside a slashing blade but Garrin feels an ax cut deep! (6hp damage)

"What's happening? I can see nothing," Kiri cries out, feeling the vast portcullis before him.



Despite their desperation to aid their companions, Kiri, Loche and Mako again fail to lift the gate!

Tjoruy begins chanting a mushroom-fueled ballad from beyond time and place. Amethu casts an arcane incantation forged before the fall of Verulia and suddenly, impossibly, his form explodes outward in size and mass until he towers over 8 feet tall!


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet.


Map:



Behind the DM Screen:

Monsters attack last in a round.
F2, F3 charge Zahra and Garrin: [1d20+2] = 1+2 = 3, [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20 No crit fumbles in this game. Garrin is hit.
Damage to Garrin: [1d10] = 6

PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 9/14, Spells: 6/7 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl, Lantern
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 28/45
Garrin: Argosian Atlantean Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 3(1), HP: 13/26, Laying Hands: 1/1, Torch left at gate
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/2: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 19/19, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, Blind
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: 2/5 1st lvl, 1/4 2nd lvl
Xorzen: Verulian Osoran Monk 3: Move: 17", AC: 6(4), HP: 14/16
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 3, HP: 18/29

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: 166 rounds.
Enlarge (Amethu): Target: self. Duration: 19 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)

[ravenn4544]

Amethu takes stock of his new form and perspective. He turns to the group at the gate - "Quickly! All together now - pull!"

[1d100] = 79

[DadsAngry]

Mako:

Mako attempts to lift the gate, again.
Bend Bars/Lift Gates (4%) [1d100] = 73

[Urson]

Zahra

Zahra forces herself not to gag at the appearance and smell of the creature facing her, and presses her attack. (F2)

att [1d20+4] = 8+4 = 12
sword vs lg [1d12+3] = 7+3 = 10

[Scott308]

Loche

Heartened by the suddenly gigantic Verulian, Loche is sure that this time they will be able to get the gate opened. His certainty is misplaced, however.

Bend bars/ lift gates (7%): [1d100] = 17

[OGRE MAGE]

Xorxen is glad to find both of his eyeballs still intact when he finally notices what is happening at the gate.

He sprints up the stairs to lend a hand, but the blood running into his eye foils his grip on the barricade.

Climb Walls [1d100] = 81