Chapter 24: Domain of the Dead

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

"Arrgh!" cries the rogue of Zamora, her blood dripping on the cold stone floor...and yet, she turns, trying to put her back away from the undead horrors which assail her. With gritted teeth, she drives her steel in deep!
Short Sword: [1d20+2]=15+2=17 Damage [1d6+2]=6+2=8

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

In Cimmeria, Cruloc had once seen a wolf caught in a leg-hold trap. Eyes wild and sunken, it had chewed nearly halfway through a foreleg in a desperate bid to escape. The beast trembled and snarled, alternating between fear and rage as it saw its end in the stark forms of the approaching hunters.

Attack w/ +1 longsword [1d20+3]=2+3=5

He understands.

[jemmus]

Torix stabs at the skeletal warrior, but again his spear is turned aside.

THAC0 20 [1d20+1]=2+1=3 s-m [1d6+1]=4+1=5 l [1d8+1]=8+1=9

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Late Afternoon? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







The explorers have dared enter a fearsome realm of unnatural darkness that will not suffer the living to exist.

Warriors of Thanatos that have rested undisturbed for thousands of years burst forth from their crypts (S21-24 join this round) to make the foolhardy intruders pay for their folly with their lives! (8hp, 7hp, 6hp, and 5hp damage to Amethu, Dahinna, Zahra and Torix respectively)



Wounded gravely, Amethu's incipient spell is broken!

Sword hilt and spear-shaft slippery with their own blood, neither Zahra nor Torix can land a blow!

With no room to maneuver, Cruloc's great sword crashes against an obsidian wall!

Then, with a sickening crack and splintering of bone, a fleshless cadaver falls beneath Kiri's ancient trident! (S5)

And, blood pouring from her ghastly wounds, Dahinna sheathes her short sword into a bony chest, murdering a grisly Thracian corpse! (S20)


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet.

Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6]=2, Monsters: [1d6]=4 Monsters win.
More dead: [1d4]=4 4 more dead emerge, S21-24.
More dead emerge from which doors? [1d6]=4, [1d6]=1, [1d6]=3, [1d6]=5
S21-24 Charge Zahra, Kiri, Amethu and Dahinna: [1d20+2]=8+2=10, [1d20+2]=9+2=11, [1d20+2]=6+2=8, [1d20+2]=14+2=16 Dahinna is hit.
S24 damage to Dahinna: [1d6]=1
S5 attacks Kiri: [1d20]=7, damage: [1d6]=1 Misses.
S1, S6 attack Torix: [1d20]=18, [1d20]=4, damage: [1d6]=5, [1d6]=6 S1 hits for 5 damage.
S2 attacks Torix: [1d20]=2, damage: [1d6]=1 Misses.
S3, S8, S9 attack Zahra: [1d20]=7, [1d20]=19, [1d20]=14, damage: [1d6]=2, [1d6]=6, [1d6]=2 S8 hits for 6 damage.
S19, S20 attack Dahinna: [1d20]=15, [1d20]=5, damage: [1d6]=6, [1d6]=3 S19 hits for 6 damage.
S15, X2 attack Amethu: [1d20]=16, [1d20]=15, damage: [1d6]=5, [1d6]=3 Both hit.
S16, S17 attack Cruloc: [1d20]=2, [1d20]=13, damage: [1d6]=3, [1d6]=6 Both miss.

Kiri: Attack with Trident +1, Claw of Chobek (THAC0:18): To Hit: [1d20+4]=19+4=23, Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+8]=2+8=10 Hits.

PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 4/17, Spells: 2/8 1st lvl, 4/5 2nd lvl
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 31/45
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 1: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 4/25, Torch
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: -1/29, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 20/21, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Torix: Pict Savage Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 20/28, Unsettled
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 18/29, Unsettled
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 6/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

Enlarge (Amethu): Target: Grigor. Duration: 15 rounds.
Turn Undead (Amethu): Targets: S10-14, Duration: 9 rounds.

Player Resources:

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

[ravenn4544]

Amethu curses at his spell's disruption! He unleashes a divine scourge upon the new diabolical visitors!

Turn Undead [1d20]=12 / Affected [1d12]=6

Thanks for the reminder about this new group!

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra lashes out at (S3).
att [1d20+4]=18+4=22 Sword vs sm, med [1d8+5]=3+5=8

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

"Crom's brimming chamberpot!" A savage snarl is punctuated by a devastating arc of Thracian steel!

Attack w/ +1 longsword [1d20+3]=20+3=23
+1 Longsword vs. S/M opponent [1d8+4]=5+4=9, vs. L [1d12+4]=6+4=10

"Let’s see if we can hack our way out of here! Or, failing that, let’s see how many of these bony dogs we can drag with us to the gates of Hell!"

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

Barely able to stand, the rogue lashes out weakly...
Short Sword: [1d20+2]=4+2=6 Damage [1d6+2]=6+2=8
"Here we die," she whispers to herself.

[jemmus]

Desperate, Torix howls a loud and eerie Pictish battle cry and lunges with his spear.

THAC0 20 [1d20+1]=13+1=14 s-m [1d6+1]=2+1=3 l [1d8+1]=8+1=9

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Late Afternoon? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia





Amethu and Zahra remember the calm, chilling words of their Thracian captive before they murdered him in cold blood.



"My brothers are the dead, and they are without number. Thanatos will avenge me, and here in His Underworld, you shall suffer torments beyond imagining. A curse is now upon you. None can escape the vengeance of the God of Death. Remember me in your agony. "

As if in answer to this prophetic curse, the next brutal onslaught of their swarming, deathless foes hammers them out of their fatalistic reveries. (9hp, 7hp, 7hp, 6hp and 2hp damage to Kiri, Amethu, Dahinna, Cruloc and Zahra respectively)



Amethu and Dahinna fall bloody and broken beneath the blades of the dead. Caught in the open, Dahinna groans, "Here we die," as she collapses. Her torch goes out and the unnatural darkness creeps closer still!

Alone now and surrounded, Cruloc is plunged into pitch blackness. But it matters not. The Cimmerian splinters a skull with one blow of his terrible iron sword. (S16) And he wheels on another ghastly attacker at his back! (Class ability: Cruloc gets two attacks next round, one against X2 which will precede all other actions)

The soft halo of Zahra's mythic blade is all the light left them now in this unholy place of death. The bone-white amazon brings the fabled, ancient Sword of Xuthalhotep to bear and a fleshless horror falls with shattered limbs and broken skull! (S3)

Desperate and perilous, Torix wounds another sentinel of eternity with his Pict-spear, but the unliving thing fights on!

And the giant, Kiri of the distant East, thrusts his enchanted trident with all his formidable strength, and a living cadaver falls headless to the stones! (S6)


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter area is visible. All else is from memory.

Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6]=2, Monsters: [1d6]=4 Monsters win.
More dead: [1d4]=3 3 more dead emerge, S25-27.
More dead emerge from which doors? [1d6]=2, [1d6]=4, [1d6]=4
S25, 26, 27 Charge Dahinna, Kiri and Torix: [1d20+2]=16+2=18, [1d20+2]=11+2=13, [1d20+2]=20+2=22 Dahinna and Torix are hit. No critical hits in this game.
Damage to Dahinna and Kiri: [1d6]=2, [1d6]=5
S22, S6 attack Kiri: [1d20]=17, [1d20]=5, damage: [1d6]=4, [1d6]=6 Kiri is hit for 4 damage.
S1, S2 attack Torix: [1d20]=12, [1d20]=12, damage: [1d6]=3, [1d6]=4 Both miss.
S3, S8, S9, S21 attack Zahra: [1d20]=13, [1d20]=3, [1d20]=20, [1d20]=1 S9 hits. No critical hits or fumbles in this game.
Damage to Zahra: [1d6]=2
S19, S24 attack Dahinna: [1d20]=18, [1d20]=7, damage: [1d6]=5, [1d6]=2 S19 hits for 5 damage.
S15, S23 attack Amethu: [1d20]=16, [1d20]=15, damage: [1d6]=3, [1d6]=4 Both hit. 7 damage.
X2, S16, S17 attack Cruloc: [1d20]=14, [1d20]=9, [1d20]=20, damage: [1d6]=4, [1d6]=5, [1d6]=6 X2 and S17 hit. 10 damage. No critical hits in this game.
Cruloc: Back defense ability vs X2? (15%): [1d100]=14 Yes! Cruloc avoids 4hp damage, and gets a free attack on X2.

Kiri: Attack with Trident +1, Claw of Chobek (THAC0:18): To Hit: [1d20+4]=17+4=21, Damage vs. s/m: [1d6+8]=5+8=13 Hits.

PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: -3/17, Spells: 2/8 1st lvl, 4/5 2nd lvl
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 25/45
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 1: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: -3/25
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: -2/29, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 11/21, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Torix: Pict Savage Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 20/28, Unsettled
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 16/29, Unsettled, Glowing Sword
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 6/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

Enlarge (Amethu): Target: Grigor. Duration: 14 rounds.
Turn Undead (Amethu): Targets: S10-14, Duration: 8 rounds.

Player Resources:

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

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra's war cry is a constant stream of snarls, growls, and shrieks. She sees no choice but to fight on. She turns her fury on (S21)
att [1d20+4]=13+4=17 Sword vs sm, med [1d8+5]=4+5=9

[Bluetongue]

Gnasher

Master has fallen prone, a bloody and glazed look in his eyes, a bone wand held out. Perhaps a last treat being offered as Master bleeds out.

Gnasher takes the bone wand to gnaw upon and in the mayhem amid cries of battle and pain, runs around, chewing upon the boney treat.

who knows, maybe the gods get entertained by the undead being turned via the faithful hound.

Or maybe he joins Master in the 'ever roaming expanse' lands of the Gypsy afterlife.

[hedgeknight]

Dahinna

Warm. She feels warm for the first time since she and her companions descended into the frigid realm of the dead. Her mother's face flashes before her eyes, bringing a slight smile to her face, a mere tug at the corners of her mouth.
Iago slips an arm around her as they huddle in the darkness. Warm, his body, his breath on the back of her neck. He murmurs something and she tries to smile again.
Sitting around the fire as a little girl, barely awake, warm and curled up on her grandmother's lap, half listening to her tell stories of days long past. "One cannot slip its grasp when death comes calling."
Her grandmother always had some witty saying or story to tell; and it always made her smile.

[jemmus]

Torix hears the sound of his comrades' groans their bodies falling to the floors. He desperately thrusts his spear at the undead soldier again. He calls out, Cimmerian, you still alive?

THAC0 20 [1d20+1]=4+1=5 s-m [1d6+1]=6+1=7 l [1d8+1]=7+1=8

[ChubbyPixie]

Staggered by his wound, Kiri plunges his hand into his pack and brings forth his nearly forgotten vial of Mitrian holy water. He uncaps it and flings it in an arc, hoping to douse as many of the undead surrounding he and Tori as possible, to what effect he knows not, but desperate times...

[Yrkoon]

Cruloc

Attacked from behind and all sides, Cruloc spins, swinging wildly.
Attack w/ +1 longsword [1d20+3]=10+3=13
+1 Longsword vs. S/M opponent [1d8+4]=2+4=6, vs. L [1d12+4]=1+4=5

He bolts northward towards the dual lights of his companions' magical weapons, his fleet barbarian feet carrying him past skeletal murderers in the dark. (To the left of S25)
"Zahra, move to Kiri and Torix! We must tighten our ranks!"

His Thracian longsword, pillaged from the companions of these new attackers, crashes down on one facing the mighty Kiri! (S26)
Attack w/ +1 longsword [1d20+7]=15+7=22 (+2 for charge, +2 for rear attack; edit this at your pleasure)
+1 Longsword vs. S/M opponent [1d8+4]=1+4=5, vs. L [1d12+4]=6+4=10

[Urson]

Zahra
Zahra can see the value of Cruloc's order, but can't see any way to join the others without being cut down from behind. Can't! she shouts. She presses her attack on (S21)
att [1d20+4]=10+4=14 Sword vs sm, med [1d8+5]=5+5=10

[Inferno]

The Caverns of Thracia, Pictland, the World of Hyboria
Day Twelve. Late Afternoon? 22nd day of the month of Qrot, 1280th year of the Age of Aquilonia







Deep within the brooding, crypt-like territories of Thanatos, a doom certain closes in upon the bold raiders of Thracia.

The statue of the God of Death looms over the slaughter as ominous and mysterious as when it was first unveiled by Grigor and the gale inexplicably died and the dead suddenly rose.

The battle is becoming a massacre. Three have fallen. Four yet live, beset on all sides by an ever-growing swarm of warriors from beyond the grave! (S28-S31 emerge this round) In what might become the adventurers' tomb, Torix's spear is beaten down by an ancient blade!

His sword a glimmer of silver in the darkness, Cruloc the barbarian narrowly misses one grasping corpse (X2) and plunges headlong toward the light and smites another (S26)! The grisly servant of Death does not fall.

During the Cimmerian's desperate charge, the swords of dead men sink deep into his mortal flesh! (10hp damage)



Unyielding, Zahra cleaves a living cadaver in twain, splitting it from skull to breastbone in one killing stroke! (S21)

Kiri's holy water burns one of his deathless attackers (S1).



But the unliving horror endures.

Gnasher grips the frightful necromantic artifact in his jaws and is hacked without mercy! (3hp damage)

Cruloc is lacerated again (4hp damage) but miraculously, his companions survive another minute unscathed!

Then all hope is lost. To the south, the dam bursts and all the shrouded dead that Grigor did not defile overrun the chamber! (X2-X14)

From the corners of their eyes, rising from behind the fearsome statue...



...the outmatched heroes perceive the spinetingling avatar of Death that has haunted them ever since they first desecrated this unhallowed ground. (Th)

They belong to Thanatos now, the Oracle had said. They know He has come for their souls.



The adventurers also know they cannot prevail by force of arms, nor appeals to mercy. Facing eternal servitude to the God of Death, they act to save their lives with what might be their final moments!


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter area is visible. All else is from memory.

Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6]=6, Monsters: [1d6]=6 Initiative is tied! I'll say PCs have higher DEXs than Skeletons.
More dead: [1d4]=4 More dead emerge, S28-S31.
More dead emerge from which doors? [1d6]=2, [1d6]=5, [1d6]=1, [1d6]=5
Cruloc charges. X2, S17, S15, S25: free attacks on Cruloc: [1d20]=11, [1d20]=8, [1d20]=17, [1d20]=20 Two hit.
Damage to Cruloc: [1d6]=5, [1d6]=5
Kiri targets S1 with holy water. To hit: [1d20]=10 Misses.
Holy water: S22, S1, S2 must Save vs Poison or take splash damage: [1d20]=20, [1d20]=1, [1d20]=19 S1 takes splash damage.
S28 charges Cruloc: [1d20+2]=12+2=14, damage: [1d6]=4 Hits Cruloc's back.
S22, S26 attack Kiri: [1d20]=5, [1d20]=5, damage: [1d6]=5, [1d6]=3 Both miss.
S1, S2, S27 attack Torix: [1d20]=8, [1d20]=4, [1d20]=15, damage: [1d6]=2, [1d6]=2, [1d6]=1 All miss.
S18, S8, S9 attack Zahra: [1d20]=13, [1d20]=1, [1d20]=5, damage: [1d6]=2, [1d6]=3, [1d6]=3 All miss. No fumbles in this game.
S29, S31 charge Gnasher: [1d20+2]=6+2=8, [1d20+2]=19+2=21, damage: [1d6]=2, [1d6]=3 S31 hits for 3 damage.
S19 attacks Cruloc: [1d20]=10, damage: [1d6]=5 Misses.

PC Status:

Amethu: Verulian Grand Magus Cleric/Magic-User 4/3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: -4/17, Spells: 2/8 1st lvl, 4/5 2nd lvl
Cruloc: Cimmerian Northman Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/45
Dahinna: Zamoran Southwoman Thief 1: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: -4/25
Grigor: Zamoran Nomad Cleric/Fighter 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: -3/29, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Kiri Khutan: Kambujan Easterner Fighter/Magic-User 3/3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 11/21, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Torix: Pict Savage Barbarian 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 20/28, Unsettled
Zahra: Verulian Amazon Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 16/29, Unsettled, Glowing Sword
Gnasher: Grigor's Hound: Move: 12", AC: 5, HD: 2+2, HP: 3/11, AT: 1, D: 1-4

PC Magic:

Enlarge (Amethu): Target: Grigor. Duration: 13 rounds.
Turn Undead (Amethu): Targets: S10-14, Duration: 7 rounds.

Player Resources:

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

[Urson]

Zahra EDIT: See repost below

[jemmus]

Torix faces death by the blades of the undead, and tries to get a mental grip on the idea of attacking Death itself, in the guise of Thanatos. He guesses he has little chance of even harming the god. Will ordinary flint would a god? And what of the great wind, which stopped when the undead entered? Did they miss something there? But there's no time, he knows he will be cut down before he can ever know. He makes a mental picture of the plan for the next few seconds. Rushing between two of the skeletal soldiers, twisting and dodging, expecting to feel ancient steel cutting into his back. Then, with regrets and a mental salute to fallen comrade, over Grigor's gigantic fallen form. And then propelling his spearhead and himself headlong... at Death itself.

If he makes it that far.... THAC0 20 [1d20+1]=17+1=18 s-m [1d6+1]=5+1=6 l [1d8+1]=3+1=4