Chapter 27: Mark of the Beast

[Urson]

Jerome
Interesting, Sister Ingrid. Shall we send a small diversion to the other opening to draw part of them away from the HellChild?

[Urson]

Jerome
If we do, they should be our fastest, so they can use the wolf's strategy against them: hit and run, make them chase shadows.

[OGRE MAGE]

Can we spot any tracks around the rear entrance?

Bo nods emphatically at Ingrid's plan.

"I have no dark vision, so I volunteer to go back to the front entrance, if someone else will join me. If we hear commotion coming from inside, we can charge in to help. I have my spells to aid us against the wolves, but the girl must be our top priority. I will attempt to get Nicodemus here to fly inside for a quick look around first, if he doesn't object. That might make a good distraction to keep them focused towards the front, and a wild animal looking for a dry place to roost might seem normal enough to not rouse their suspicions."

"Perhaps we can use a signal of some kind as a call to arms if things go south."

[wolfpack]

Bo if your vines could wrap the wolves perhaps we could take the child without a fight

[OGRE MAGE]

Long Bo

"Aye, I thought of that too. But let us not forget that this is no ordinary little child. It is likely that the witch possessing her has worse magic to use on us than we have seen so far."

"I have not ruled out using every possible advantage that we can, so if the situation calls for my entangling vines, it shall be done."

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur ponders the suggestions.

I can make two of us unseen. I will enter the cave with the Silenced stone. But someone larger than I will need to grab the child.

If the party agrees, Urdur will cast the necessary spells.

Urdur also gives a wolfsbane potion to anyone who wants one.

[wolfpack]

It is likely the wolves would easily smell our pressence. Before the invisible enter we would need to somehow cover our smell.


perhaps fill the cave with smoke from oil or find a skunk and throw it in

[OGRE MAGE]

Just spitballing here, in the interest of time, so feel free to correct any of this if you see problems.

The lanky priest of nature looks upon Brevos as if he had just insulted his mother.

"For the love of the Shalm, man.........we wont be throwing any animals inside, or anywhere else for that matter. Toss yourself in first, if you think it will help."

Bo quickly uses another of his precious spells to speak with his friend Nicodemus again. SWA

"My friend, you have been more helpful to us than I could have possibly imagined, so I don't ask this of you in folly. Are you willing to fly inside the cave, from this opening on through to the front entrance, to do some quick spying for us? Once you exit again, I will be there for you to convey what you witnessed inside."

To the group, he continues.

"After conferring about the caves layout with my friend here, I will use my magic to cause a disturbance inside. I can create a swarm of insects which should cause enough of a commotion that anyone attempting to use stealth to enter the cave from the rear and locate the child shouldn't be immediately discovered by the wolfs keen sense of smell. If a few of us enter from the front, once we know the layout, that should also help to draw their attention away from our backdoor kidnappers."

"If the owl finds anything inside that we didn't account for, causing us to abort the plan, I will have him fly back here to you as a sign to halt the plan until we can rejoin and discuss."

"Who's with me on this?"

[Urson]

Jerome
Far better than anything I have thought of .

[Inferno]

The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Thirty-three. Night. Wednesday, December 14th, 576 CY
Freezing cold, overcast.







The doomed heroes creep through the dark, haunted wood for the better part of an hour, cautiously circling the lair of their enemy.

Now they crouch some hundred yards away from a second cave mouth set into the north side of the same bleak, jagged hill.



They speak in hushed voices. In a few hours' time, the full moon will rise. The grey druid sends his owl friend into the den of the wolfpack that damned them.

As they wait in tense anticipation, hoping that it returns alive, Brevos moves away and drinks of the wolfsbane elixir!

His body is violently remade. He is become unto a vile, unspeakable horror...




...a depraved inhuman fiend consumed by wanton, bloodthirsty evil. He howls in agony...




...and in joy.

Suddenly, when he can stand no more, he succumbs to his mortal form and is Brevos once more. Absolved of the Curse of the Beast, the ranger returns to the others.

Then the great horned owl returns alive from its deadly task and lands upon Bo's forearm.



Bo sees it is bleeding from its breast. In the waning moments of the grey druid's enchantment, Nicodemus speaks to him.

"'Tis a dark cave, and large. Much of it is empty. There are bats but I saw no wolves.
Deeper, there are Men. And a flock of their young. They hath fire and food. The Men hooted and flapped their wings at me and suddenly I was wounded. I know not how. The caves continue further on, past them."

Bo relays the intelligence to his companions. It reminds them of something they learned in their frightful visit to the doomed village of Vicar's Head:

Long Bo moves toward the crows that peck at the hanging corpse of a woman.



...he croaks and caws in the unsettling language of crows: "Why are there no humans left in this place?... Have you seen where all the townsfolk have gone?... Tell me everything you know and you will be rewarded."

One crow wrests the dead woman's eyeball from its socket and swallows the horrific prize in one gulp.



It says, "The Humans hath warred with themselves and then abandoned this place. Gone into the mountains."

Actions?! (and please make clear the final details of your plan. Thanks.)


Map:

The white X is the heroes' position, north and west of the mountain pass.





PC Status:

Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 36/36
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 25/25, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 38/38, Spells: 4/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 34/34
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

Speak With Animals (Bo): Duration: 1 round. Target: Nicodemus.

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)

[SocraticLawyer]

This is strange news, indeed, says Urdur. He offers the owl some dried meat from his rations, nodding in thanks for the information. Why are there no wolves? Do we proceed with the plan?

If the group still wants to do so, Urdur uses his magic to make himself and another Invisible. He goes along with the group consensus regardless.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo sighs heavily at the foreboding news.

"Well, with no wolves to worry about, I think Urdur has the right of it. Let us sneak in using stealth and secrecy and see what else we may learn."

"I think the men the owl saw are either werewolves in human form, or the wolves with the child are harbored beyond the men, deeper inside. In either case, we will need more information before devising our overall plan."

Looking back to the owl again, Bo continues. "About how many of these men did you see in there, my friend?"

[Urson]

Jerome
I doubt that we have no wolves to worry about. Where do you want me?

[ravenn4544]

Mouser offers up going in invisible. "With these boots and some indivisibility - i could pass unseen. I don't think I can hide my scent though from those things. And that....girl... may sense us no matter what we do."

He considers further, "If the village did indeed succumb to the evil and made it's way to these caves, they must be vast, right? Maybe we stick together but someone hidden and quiet up front to eliminate the chance of surprise?"

[wolfpack]

My years of hard time in the wilderness have trained my senses to an acute level, it is very difficult to surprise me. I'll go with Urdur


rangers are only surprised on a 1 in 6

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

If we are going to go inside, I shall remain near the back.

[Inferno]

The Wolfpack's Lair, The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Thirty-three. Night. Wednesday, December 14th, 576 CY
Freezing cold, clear.








Beneath the cold, distant stars of the howling void, the doomed heroes hide within the haunted forest.




Softly, the grey druid whispers to Nicodemus, "About how many of these men did you see in there, my friend?"

The injured owl replies, "More than I could count."

The ominous report gives them pause. Urdur the conjurer miraculously renders himself unseen to mortal eyes! Then they creep toward the black maw of the cave mouth. Brevos discovers traces of old tracks in the snow, of men and wolves. Telkis gets a torch alight and they enter the cavern in the bleak, jagged hill.

Tense moments of cautious exploration brings them past formations strange and unnatural, far below the Oerth.



The learned among them are reminded of ancient myths of The Underworld, a primal supernatural realm of death and doom.

They carefully enter an immense cavern whose floor is wet and whose towering vaults crawl with writhing movement! Their torch reveals the source...



...a vast colony of bats without number! The flickering light disturbs them, sending them airborne!

The immense, swirling swarm of wings and fangs and squeaking engulfs the heroes! In dread, Mouser holds still!




Actions?!






PC Status:

Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 36/36
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 25/25, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 38/38, Spells: 4/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 34/34, Torch
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

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)

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo immediately begins to intone the mystic phrases needed to communicate with the swarm before they are out of control.

Casts Speak With Animals

I will write up what he will say once I know if this is possible or not.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome flinches as the bats swarm, but manages to keep control. He takes a knee and bows his head, hoping to stay below the flock.

[wolfpack]

Brevos pulls his hood tight over his head and backs against a wall