Chapter 26: The Possession of Amity Mantle

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Come, little one. You may spend the rest of the night in my bed, no one will try to harm you there. Ingrid offers her bed to Amity, climbing in after her. She will hold the child, comforting her so she may fall asleep once again.

[SocraticLawyer]

We should probably set a watch, says a sleepy Urdur. I'll take first watch.

[wolfpack]

I do not remember any encounter that would have left a rope burn around his neck.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo jerks his head at the words of Brevos.

"Nay, neither do I. What happened here while we slept, Jerome?"

Still noticing that the paladins strong desire to bind the much smaller halfling remains, Bo continues with his questions.

"That does look like a rope burn to me, and I can only see one rope readily available. Would you care to explain this coincidence to us, good sir?"

The experienced druid tries to hide his suspicions, but keeps a wary eye on Jerome and on the child that Ingrid cant seem to keep her hands off of.

[Urson]

Jerome
I apologize for the disturbance, everyone. I hope you can sleep. Jerome finishes his watch shift, and sleeps restlessly afterward.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser remains quiet - wondering whats to come next....

[Inferno]

A Ramshackle Cabin, Banemourne, the Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty-one. Long Before Dawn. Friday, December 2nd, 576 CY
Freezing cold, overcast, windy.







It is the witching hour. An icy wind howls down from the looming peaks. And within the frigid old cabin in the lonely hamlet, mistrust takes root among the heroes.

They have slept but four hours in two days. In that time, they scaled the frozen desolate spike of the dark mountain, faced unspeakable evil not of this Oerth, and returned alive.

They are enervated, utterly exhausted and grievously wounded, either in mind, body or soul. It is possible they are seeing things. Now paranoia stretches out a vast hand to engulf what remains of their fraying senses.

Brevos and Long Bo glare with naked suspicion at the paladin, the priestess and the little girl. The grey druid asks after the rope, but it is Jerome's 50 foot line, as many of the adventurers carry. He had just pulled it from his gear. "I know not how that mark happened. I struck him with the flat of my blade to save the child."

Telkis helps Jerome bind the mad halfling. "Did Rudolf get some evil spirit in him, now?"

Jerome says again, "He tried to kill Amity. He was not himself!"

Mouser is filled with silent dread.

Ingrid carries to bed the little girl they rescued from horrors unimaginable.

Jerome apologizes again and wishes everyone a good night. Urdur will join the paladin in finishing out the penultimate watch.


Actions?


Map:

One square = 5 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.






PC Status:

Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 21/36
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 7/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 14/25, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl, 2/5 2nd lvl, 0/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 7/20, Laying Hands: 0/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 36/38, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 0/4 2nd lvl, 0/2 3rd lvl, -1 to Strength
Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 0/16
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 3/34
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 1/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl, 0/2 2nd lvl, Lantern

PC Magic:

None currently.

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]

Telkis collapses back into bed, exhausted. If terror and death is to come, let it come. He's too tired to care.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric attempts to go back to sleep.

[wolfpack]

Brevos sits on the bed back against the wall with Brood across his lap half sleeping half listening.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo lights a candle or lantern and keeps the light low as he returns to his bed like the others.

He tries hard not to fall asleep right away, but is glad to see that Brevos has the same idea, just in case he cant help himself.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser will keep watch for a while then wake up who ever is next him after a few hours.

[Inferno]

A Ramshackle Cabin, Banemourne, the Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty-one. Long Before Dawn. Friday, December 2nd, 576 CY
Freezing cold, overcast, windy.







In the cabin beneath the dread mountain, tensions build. Wounded, suspicious and disheartened, the heroes finally succumb to exhaustion.

Amity's pale eyes watch them from the shadows.



Then, as it oft does, evil comes to the heroes when they are at their lowest.

Hours before dawn, as Jerome, Mouser and Urdur almost finish their watch, the door unlatches by itself and flies open with a crash, awakening everyone in the derelict hovel!

Heralded by a gust of freezing wind, in strides a pack of great wolves!



One laughs blackly in the language of Men! "Little pigs, little pigs, let me in."

The heroes are taken unaware but the fearsome pack does not lunge forward and rip out their throats. Instead its leader, a large black beast, speaks to them.

"Well done. Thou hast done a wolf's job... enacting our wishes perfectly: freeing the Demon of the shrine and delivering it unto us. Thank thee. We shalt take it now," he says, looking directly at Amity Mantle.

"And unless I am mistaken, it appears thou too art ready to walk with us. Bloody, ragged, dirty, wretched; thou hast come at last to realize the folly of thy pointless resistance. Well be at peace, brothers and sister. The pack doth accepteth thee. End thy suffering and embrace thy fate. Join us and hunt with me forever as my packmate across a night without ending."

"Yes, it is for de best," says an immense wolf in the voice of Pyotr Whitetip!

"Quite right," says a slim black wolf in the voice of Mondegreen Cindereye. "At last, we are truly free. Join with us!"


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 5 feet.





PC Status:

Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 22/36
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 8/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 15/25, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl, 2/5 2nd lvl, 0/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 8/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 37/38, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 0/4 2nd lvl, 0/2 3rd lvl, Lantern
Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 10/16
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 4/34
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 2/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl, 0/2 2nd lvl, Lantern

PC Magic:

None currently.

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]

"I, for one, am tired of fighting our destiny. Lead the way. We will follow," says Telkis. As he does so he turns his head to take in the rest of the party and winks the eye on the side away from the wolves line of sight.

If he can get them to go out the door we can at least slam it shut and attempt to barricade ourselves in the room.

Extra Healing (20% chance): [1d10] = 3

[wolfpack]

Brevos attacks the lead wolf


[1d20+1] = 11+1 = 12
[1d8+1] = 8+1 = 9

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome moves to where Amity lies and takes her hand, leading her toward the wolves.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser, quickly seeing that he is in the front rank - a place he doesn't want to be - opts for diplomacy while they can... maybe buy a few minutes to think of a plan... "So... where do you want us to go?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Long Bo starts casting a spell towards the area 10 feet outside the door.

Entangle

He sighs heavily when he sees Jerome going for the girl.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur hopes he can convince these canines to leave them alone, again. Not for the last time, he misses his hound, Mittens.

Casts Hypnotism on as many of the wolves as he can.

You should leave this village immediately.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Seeing the wolves enter the room, Ingrid's first thought is to protect Amity. She casts Protection from Evil on her.