Chapter 15: The Slithering Chaos

[ravenn4544]

Mouser sees the tortured zombie-like forms approach. Will this hell ever end?. He hears shouts from below him and as he pulls himself onto the ledge he'll call out in a strained voice "Be careful here - two more apparitions approach!" He can't continue past this ledge with comrades behind - and it sounds like they have their own evil to face one more before escaping this pit. He commits his fragile self to battle.

Scalpel (THACO 20) To Hit [1d20] = 13, S/M/L Dam. [1d8] = 2

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo continues his climb, unaware of the trouble above. He will help out with any necessary dangling combat, but finds that fighting one handed on the rope is nearly impossible for someone of his extended stature.

Spear Attack [1d20] = 3 Damage [1d6] = 6

[Zhym]

Grothnak already regrets climbing. He should be below, holding off the massed forces of evil while the others escape. That is his destiny. And yet, here he is, running away from the things that unlive in the deep of the earth instead of destroying them. The thought fills him with shame.

There will be penance to do, if he lives.

He scrambles for the ledge. Assuming nothing is there to attack him, he pulls the rope up after him to help the paladin. If the paladin reaches the top, Grothnak uses his iron halberd to chop the rope below him. If he severs demon limbs in the process, so much the better.

I'm assuming that Grothnak is already on the ledge. I know there's still a lot in that action: help Pelias up, chop the rope after him, attack if attacked. I don't expect to get all that in and an attack too, but here is a roll if needed:

Halberd +2 (+3 v. Evil) (THAC0 18): [1d20+3] = 10+3 = 13, Dmg [1d10+5] = 7+5 = 12 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 8+4 = 12 (L)
Does not include extra bonus vs. evil. If the rope is evil, it's done for!

[Inferno]

Within the Hell Mouth, the Rushmoors, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Ten. Nightfall. Tuesday, October 25th, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, foggy







Deep in the dark bowels of the earth, a hell-born babel of inhuman howling and shrieking swirls around the heroes as they clutch the rope, clawing slowly and inexorably higher and higher up the Hell Mouth shaft, trying to escape the black abyss with their lives!

Nameless, prehuman horrors gather unholy speed behind them, threatening to overtake the last climber in their desperate flight from hell.

His mind filled with forlorn thoughts of sacrificing himself so that others may live, Pelias pulls himself out of the cavern of iron cages with the help of Grothnak the half-orc warrior (at F). On the lowest ledge, at the tunnel mouth to the unholy sacristy of the goat-headed priest, Grothnak chops the rope beneath Pelias and it falls away as if it bore no weight, disappearing into the hungry darkness below.



Then the two warriors hear the unmistakable sound of talons clawing rock. The reptilian demons are climbing the cavern walls! They will be here soon! Pelias readies sword and shield to face them. Will this be the place where the two friends make their last stand? Or will they fly up the rope?! (If the former, please roll to hit!)


Actions, Grothnak and Pelias?!


Above them, Bo and Brevos climb higher and higher through the unending night of the infernal pit!

Long Bo is blinded by the impenetrable pitch but Brevos' elvish eyes can see Telkis on the rope high overhead (at E) assailed by a vast monstrous serpent!



While hanging onto the tenuous lifeline, the gnome warrior repeatedly crashes his hand axe into its immense skull with preternatural speed, keeping the leviathan snake at bay as the others climb past!


Actions, Telkis?!


Bo and Brevos climb out of the shadows and summit the next ledge with Ingrid and Pip (at D), the young monk all but carrying the weakened priestess. On that ledge to the heinous shrine of horrors and the treasure of lost souls, Mouser shouts dire warnings and bares steel against two unliving mutilated victims that lunge forward! (at C) The little thief drives his flashing sword into one maimed, tortured revenant, killing it. But the other ghastly undead thing endures!




Actions, Bo, Brevos, Ingrid, Mouser and Pip?!


Above them, at the highest regions of the hell chasm (at A), Hoom and Urdur encounter three hooded watchmen who mistake them for other enslaved thralls of the unspeakable abomination.

"The alarm! It calls us. We must descend!" they implore.

"Infidels have infiltrated our sacred domain. They have freed the prisoners and are ascending. Did they not pass here?" Hoom lies coolly as the true prisoners quaver just out of sight, clinging to the rope beneath his heels (at B).

Urdur urges, "They must have come through here. Check the eastern cavern. We will ensure that they do not reach the surface."

One hooded acolyte tells the other two, "Yes. Go," and the two robed figures move east with haste. Then the remaining thrall turns to Hoom and Urdur.



"If the prisoners are ascending, we shall meet them as we descend. We must go. We must answer the call. Now."


Actions, Hoom and Urdur?!


Cutaway View:

Lighter areas are illuminated. All else is pitch darkness.
A = Hoom, Urdur and Hooded Cultist
B = Sarah, Jeremiah, the Merchant and Felicity Gade
C = Mouser and Undead Horror
D = Bo, Brevos, Ingrid and Pip
E = Telkis and Snake Monster
F = Grothnak and Pelias
? = The Unimaginable


Non-required Reading (Rolls and Rulings):

Fyi, for those keeping track: Two rounds have passed since Bo created the wall facade.
Round one had no combat opportunities.
Round two did and the Monsters won initiative. My last post covered all of round one and the monsters' actions for round two.
This post covers only the PCs' actions for round two.
My next DM post will cover all of round three.

Snake: Morale check for first wound: [1d100] = 48 Succeeds.
Snake: Morale check for loss of 25% of hit points: [1d100] = 37 Succeeds.
Cultist Ability Check vs Intelligence: (10): [1d20] = 7 Succeeds.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 13/27
  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 0/2 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

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
  Potion of Speed (Telkis): Doubles movement rate and number of attacks. Duration: 9 rounds

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far, in words)
  Graven Images (the story so far, in pictures)
  The Innocent and the Condemned (npc's)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"Yes, we must descend! But brother our arms have gone weak from rushing to the top to stop the infidels. Let us ascend and follow behind you. I don't want to slow your movement down and cause you unnecessary discipline for our tardiness."

Goal here is to get on the ledge and use the rope above and swing like I did before and knock the cultist over the ledge as he goes for the rope going down.

[Zhym]

Grothnak remembers that he is carrying a potion. There is no point in saving it now. After he cuts the rope, he downs the elixir in one gulp. He feels strong. Focused. And slightly more hardy.

Potion of Heorism - temporary HP: [3d10+1] = 6+1 = 7
Grah. Feel free to rule that the DM has to roll the temporary HP gained by the potion.

Very slightly.

He holds the iron halberd in both hands, ready to chop anything that tries to climb up from below.

Halberd +2 (+3 v. Evil) (THAC0 16/15): [1d20+3] = 17+3 = 20, Dmg [1d10+5] = 4+5 = 9 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 3+4 = 7 (L) Does not include extra +1 v. evil.

Potion use back-called to last round with DM permission.

Inferno, I couldn't remember whether you followed the optional fighter's to-hit progression (see DMG p. 74), so I listed both the standard and optional THAC0 in the roll.

[AleBelly]

While Pelias waits, unnerving thoughts penetrate his mind. The thoughts are not of his death - he does not wish to die, but he does not fear it either. He does fear his corpse becoming another of the countless abominations found in this pit. The thoughts steel his resolve. The paladin grips his sword, ready to strike at the first enemy that slithers up along the wall.

Attack with magical sword +2, +3 vs chaos (THAC0 18) [1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12, damage [1d8+2] = 3+2 = 5
No chaos bonus included.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Seeing yet another in a nonstop parade of the undead, Ingrid's spirit sags still more. Weary of this place, she attempts to summon the power of Tritherion to banish the evil. Be gone, foul creatures of darkness! she cries out weakly. Unfortunately, her weakened faith does not curry favor with her god.

Turn undead [1d20] = 1

[ravenn4544]

Mouser is briefly invigorated by the death of another fell horror. A small chip into the overwhelming nightmare of this place he will probably carry with him forever. Voices behind him encourages him to attack again.

Scalpel (THACO 20) To Hit [1d20] = 20, S/M/L Dam. [1d8] = 5

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis, believing that Pelias and Grothnak are ascending the rope behind him and being unwilling to risk them being surprised and ambushed by the giant serpent, attacks again in a blur with his axe:

Hand axe (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20] = 18, Damage: vs s/m [1d6] = 5, vs L [1d4] = 3
Hand axe (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20] = 18, Damage: vs s/m [1d6] = 6, vs L [1d4] = 3 YEAH! (Insert heavy metal guitar riff here... )

[wolfpack]

Brevos yells at Bo, Ingrid, and mouser

GET UP THE FUCKING ROPE SO WE CAN END THIS!

He will climb up past them to try and cut off anyone coming down to them.

[drpete]

Pip tries continue to pull Ingrid up the rope as fast as possible. If she will not budge, he'll stay with her to protect her.

(not sure which of these would be useful... can she move/be moved on the rope while turning, or not?)
Climb Walls [1d100] = 89 (that's a fail... dunno what that means, here...)

(and if she can't/won't move he'd attack whatever gets near her)
Pip Quarterstaff +1 (ThAC0 20) [1d20+1] = 17+1 = 18 Damage [1d6+2] = 2+2 = 4

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo gets the message loud and clear, so he climbs.

[Inferno]

Within the Hell Mouth, the Rushmoors, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Ten. Nightfall. Tuesday, October 25th, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, foggy







Far beneath the sunlit world of Men, a frightful shocking cacophony not born of any earthly throat assails the heroes from all sides as they desperately flee up the rope from the accursed hell pit.

The last to escape, Grothnak and Pelias, stop climbing and grimly prepare themselves on the torchlit ledge of the unholy sacristy (at F). Grothnak wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, having drained a sorcerous elixir from the Treasure of the Damned. (+18hp, +3 levels)

The fiendish clawing of talons on stone draws nearer, nearer, and the two warriors peer down into the abysmal darkness in readiness. They don't wait long.



Inhuman serpentine eyes, burning with malice, suddenly emerge from the black gulfs below.

And then they are upon them!



Reptilian demons leap out of the shadows, stabbing with sinister hooked blades! Pelias' shield, emblazoned with the symbol of his enduring faith, defends the paladin but Grothnak is pierced by two insidious spears! (-8hp)

Unfazed, the half-orc warrior splits the skull of a reptilian devil (R13) in a grisly rain of the black ichor that serves as its blood. Pelias wounds another demon gravely, (R14) but not enough to kill it.

The dreadful clamor of a hoard roils up behind these scaled nightmares. Survivors of an older, more fiendish primordial age; their very existence whispers of horrors that still remain, lurking in the dark corners of the world. This realization, or perhaps their execrable stench, threatens to weaken the heroes' resolve.

(Please Save on 1d20. You want high. Please post your actions, regardless of the outcome. Pelias' Protection from Evil will help this saving throw. And Grothnak, don't forget to use 6th level saving throws. Good luck.)


Actions, Grothnak and Pelias?!


Sacristy Ledge Map:



Above that desperate fray, an enormous horrific serpent eerily slithers closer to Telkis who hangs from the rope by one hand! (at E) The monstrous beast's darting forked tongue tastes the gnome's scent on the air in anticipation of the meal to come.



Suddenly, with unexpected speed, Telkis savagely hacks his axe again and again into the looming snake monster, nearly decapitating it, driving it back into its lair in the chasm wall!


Actions, Telkis?!


On the ledge high above Telkis, despite Brevos' urgings, Ingrid does not climb. She tries to force back the lone, diabolically tortured, undead atrocity closing in on Mouser (at D).



But her weakened plea in this place of unspeakable horror goes unheard by her god. However, the loathsome ruin of humanity hears it and turns its baleful empty eyes toward the priestess.

Fortunately, Pip had stayed behind to defend Ingrid. He and Mouser bring staff and steel to bear with ferocious brutality. Pip shatters its ribcage and Mouser impales its exposed heart! Amid its bloodcurdling shrieks, the ghastly, tormented thing is put out of its misery forever.


Actions, Ingrid, Mouser and Pip?!


Brevos urges everyone to keep climbing (at D). He and Long Bo continue their determined ascent out of the heinous pit (to C). In the dim gloom, they come up behind the escaped prisoners. They are stopped on the rope. The terrified merchant sees Bo's and Brevos' hooded robes and despairs, believing they are caught! The merchant readies himself to act...


Actions, Bo and Brevos?!


High above, near the maw of the hellish abyss (at A), the disguised Hoom climbs up onto the ledge with the hooded disciple of abominations.



Hoom invites him to descend as Urdur lowers himself below the ledge to hide his size, and to give the cultist access the rope, joining the huddled, frightened prisoners just out of sight (at B).

The cultist bends to grasp the line and lower himself down...


Actions, Hoom and Urdur?!


Cutaway View:

Lighter areas are illuminated. All else is pitch darkness.
A = Hoom and the Hooded Cultist
B = Urdur, Sarah, Jeremiah, Felicity Gade and the Merchant
C = Bo and Brevos
D = Mouser, Ingrid and Pip
E = Telkis
F = Grothnak and Pelias and Serpent Man Horde
? = The Unimaginable
West is left. East is right.


Non-required Reading (Rolls and Rulings):

Rerolling 1s from Potion of Heroism HP: [1d10] = 3, [1d10] = 10 Adds 11hp to total.
Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 1, Monsters: [1d6] = 2 Monsters win except those that always strike last in a round: the undead thing and the snake monster (due to the cold).
Potion duration: [1d4] = 1
R12, R13 charge Grothnak: [1d20+2] = 16+2 = 18, [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15, damage: [2d4] = 5, [2d4] = 3 Both hit.
R14, R15 charge Pelias: [1d20+2] = 6+2 = 8, [1d20+2] = 3+2 = 5, damage: [2d4] = 5, [2d4] = 7 Both miss.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 13/27
  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: 19/28
  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 0/2 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

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
  Potion of Speed (Telkis): Doubles movement rate and number of attacks. Duration: 8 rounds
  Potion of Heroism (Grothnak): +18hp, +3 levels. Duration: 48 rounds

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far, in words)
  Graven Images (the story so far, in pictures)
  The Innocent and the Condemned (npc's)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[Zhym]

Grothnak's resolve is firm. He will give the others time to reach the surface. He continues hacking at the army of darkness.

Save v. something: [1d20+2] = 17+2 = 19
Halberd +2 (+3 v. Evil) (THAC0 18): [1d20+3] = 5+3 = 8, Dmg [1d10+5] = 3+5 = 8 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 5+4 = 9 (L)
Does not include additional +1 vs. evil or any bonus for (literally) superior position vs. climbing opponents (hint, hint ).

[ChubbyPixie]

Figuring the snake is done for, Telkis will hi-tail it up the rope after the others. He tries to ignore the freakish cacophony coming from below and focus on getting out alive with his friends. He hopes Grothnak and Pelias have the sense to keep climbing, but he's not at all sure they will...

[wolfpack]

Why are you stopped lets get the hell out of here.

Brevos tells the merchant, he keeps climbing.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Now that the undead creature has been dispatched, Ingrid will once again begin climbing the rope.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo sees the logjam above him on the rope. He stops long enough to pull back his hood for a second so the frightened merchant above him doesn't try anything foolish on he or Brevos.

"What is happening above? Why have you stopped climbing?"

Feeling mostly helpless again, he waits, hoping to see whatever has halted their progress soon hurtling past them so they can continue. He says a silent prayer to the Shalm while he waits. If his friends that stayed below don't make it out, he knows he must do everything in his power to get the commoners back to safety.

He can only hope that Ingrid yet lives, or all of this will be for nothing.

[SocraticLawyer]

I really hope this works....

"Take my hand," says Urdur to the cultist. "I will help you down." When the cultist takes his hand, Urdur pulls as hard as he can, hoping to drop the foul thing into the pit below.

Come on dice roller, this is the one time I need a super low roll.....
Strength check (5) [1d20] = 14
Oh come on!