Within the Hell Mouth, the Rushmoors, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Ten. Nightfall. Tuesday, October 25th, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, foggy
In the cavern of lost souls, nearly all hope is gone.
Alarm gongs echo throughout the terrifying underworld as a grotesque, mangled horror (X1) lurches into the light, led on chains by its cruel necromantic surgeons. (R8-10)
Former captives Hoom and Urdur flee for their lives, shepherding the frightened children up the knotted rope to escape this hellish realm. Followed by the freed merchant, they reach the ledge near the unholy sacristy and another rope that leads higher. Hoom urgently calls down for Mouser to follow.
But Mouser does not answer. Weakened in body and soul, he ineffectually slings a stone at a reptilian horror.
Long Bo, Pip and Telkis cry out in an effort to sow confusion among the latest wave of inhuman fiends. Telkis drains a sorcerous elixir and feels one year of his life slip away forever. Bo the druid races west and begins lowering the last inhabited cage.
From within her own iron cage, Ingrid Esthof tries to drive off the excruciated nightmare of death and horror. (X1) She fails. Her spirit is all but broken.
Brevos looses arrows at the grotesque monstrosity (X1) but they only crash into the stalactites of the cavern roof.
Grothnak's spirit is filled with righteous fury. He lunges at the loathsome, unimaginable atrocity (X1) and buries his halberd into the thing's bloated head, hacking asunder its misshapen skull and putting the wretched thing out of its misery! The gigantic horror of flailing clutching limbs falls to the cavern floor, dead.
Pelias charges the serpentine malefactor near Grothnak (R8) and slips in the mud, cutting his friend instead! (-3hp)
To the west, Long Bo lowers the last cage and uses the evil priest's keys to release Felicity Gade. Her voice and body tremble with fear. "Please! Who are you? Why are you helping us?"
Bo removes his hood and she weeps, "It's you! I never thought I would see you again! I... Quickly! We must get out of here! It will come!!!" she insists with rising hysteria.
Bo and Pip's plan to lure their enemies (R8, R9) into the grasping flora of the pool isn't tested. Instead, Grothnak and Pelias charged to meet them, beating back sinister jagged spears with shield and steel!
Suddenly, Grothnak, Ingrid and Pelias hear inhuman shrieking fill the lower tunnel. They glance down the southern shaft and behold a sight that will haunt their dreams for the rest of their lives, however short that may be.
A malignant procession of man-shaped serpents out of hellish nightmare...
And among them, things more horrific still. Shapeless, unimaginable blasphemies writhing and rippling in the fathomless shadows. Lurid, macabre abominations covered in tentacles and eyes and mouths that will not stop screaming.
It was coming. It would soon be here.
Actions?!
Map:
The towering waterfall is a 5' diameter column in the center of the pool.
Grey squares are hanging cages. Black squares are lowered cages.
Not depicted are those on the rope: Hoom, Jeremiah, Urdur, Sarah, and the Merchant.
Cutaway View:
West is left. East is right. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.
Non-required Reading (Rolls and Rulings):
PC Status:
- Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 19/27
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 5, HP 5/15, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 9/28
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 13/22, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl and 1/4 2nd lvl
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 3, HP 11/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 23/30, Spells: 0/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 1/2 3rd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 3: Move: 6", AC: 2(0), HP: 15/30, Laying Hands: 0/1
Pip, Human Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 9, HP: 5/12
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 9/26
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC 6, HP 9/9, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl
- Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
Entangle (Bo): Duration: 3 rounds
Potion of Speed (Telkis): Doubles movement rate and number of attacks. Duration: 13 rounds