Chapter 20: Hungry Are The Dead

[Inferno]

Chapter 20: Hungry Are The Dead

Vicar's Head, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Four. Midday. Tuesday, November 15th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy





In the silent desolation of Vicar's Head's desecrated church, Urdur whispers to his fellow gnome: "Let's get out of here!"
"Yes, let’s go," agrees Telkis.

They slowly creep backward when suddenly, from out of a doorway behind the violated altar, lunges a wild-eyed figure!



His jaw and the front of his filthy, tattered rags are soaked with soapy water. He holds a straight razor in a non-threatening manner.

"Nay!" he cries urgently. "T'is midday! They'll kill thee! Come back! Thou needn't fear me! I'm not a wolf! I am a Man!"


Actions?!







Hothhil closes the secret door, sealing himself, Ingrid and Mondegreen into the disheveled occult library in the stone tower. They begin to carefully search its contents. Books and papers are strewn everywhere. Hothhil finds no secret compartments nor doors, but notes the shelves have open drawers, and the table has a closed one.

Ingrid and Mondegreen peruse arcane volumes and letters that speak of deviltry, witchcraft and werewolves.



They read:

• • "Werewolves and witches art the pawns of the Devil...
    
    The wolf is the archetype of ravin, the beast of waste and desolation...
    
    A wolf is no less a wolf because he’s dressed in sheepskin and the devil is no less the devil because he’s dressed as an angel...
    
    Witches art the brides of the Devil. Trading virtue for power, they art fluent in the black arts of necromancy...
    
    They must be dealt with severely as an example to other presumptuous harlots..."

It soon comes clear that the owner of this hidden library was studying Evil in an attempt to understand it... and destroy it.


Actions?! (And each of you, please roll 1d20)





Far below the secret library, bloodcurdling necromantic atrocities from beyond the grave enter the dungeon and descend upon Pyotr and Rudolf!



Stunned by this unspeakable turn of events, neither half-orc nor hobbit can land a blow upon the loathsome walking dead!

The groaning lurid carcasses brutally strangle them both nearly unto unconsciousness! (-7hp to Pyotr, -3hp to Rudolf!)


Actions?!


Map:

Scale: one square = 5 feet. Light source: wall mounted torches.





Outside, in the empty, fog-choked streets of abandoned Vicar's Head, Bo, Brevos and Mouser watch in horror as the cadavers of hanged women wrest themselves free from their nooses, and walk the Oerth again!



Bo laments, “We should have stayed together. This town is a living nightmare!”
Mouser concurs, "...we need to get back to the group - and get the hell out of this town!"

The trio flee and the two living corpses follow, shrieking in hate and agony. Outrunning the staggering gait of the hanged witches, the heroes race through the mist, trying to reach their friends, pursued by the relentless, tireless dead.

They reach the edge of the square beneath the stone tower alive. But what they behold there stops them dead in their tracks.



With dread realization and horror, they see the countless massacred fallen of the tower siege yet live! And that ghastly unholy legion of undying corpses stands between them and their friends in the tower!


Actions?!


Map:

1 = Pyotr and Rudolf in the dungeon ; 2 = Hothhil, Ingrid and Mondegreen in the tower; 3 = Telkis and Urdur at the desecrated church; 4 = Bo, Brevos and Mouser near the square


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Z1, Z2 attack Pyotr and Rudolf: [1d20] = 15, [1d20] = 12, damage: [1d8] = 7, [1d8] = 3 Both are hit, for -7hp and -3hp respectively.

Group 4: Encounter wandering monsters? [1d6] = 5 No, they reach the square without another encounter.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 13/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 8/15, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Hothhil Thornbush, Elven Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 14/20
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 12", AC: 9(7), HP: 17/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 19/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 2/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Mondegreen Cindereye, Human Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 3/8, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Pyotr Whitetip, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 8, HP: 4/30
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 3/12
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 0, HP: 12/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 5/9, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl and 1/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Locate Plants (Bo): Mistletoe. Duration: 13 minutes.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Hmm. Doesn't look like the books are going to be of much help, at least not without a lot of in-depth study. Anything we haven't checked yet?

[1d20] = 2
We'll, that's either really good or, far more likely, really bad.

[Rusty Tincanne]

[1d20] = 1
Here's hoping that was a skill check.


Hothhil agrees.The person who used this library had their life to digest these books and found no help. What hope do we have? He quickly checks the table drawer for anything looking like a trap mechanism - springs, clasps, chains... He has no idea, really. Then, hooking the tip of his longsword under the drawer face, he slides it open. He takes whatever is found and before following the others elsewhere in the keep. He reseals the door behind them as they leave.Shall we check on the others or look for more clues?

[Urson]

Pyotr

Pyotr is at the end of his rope, full of fear and fury. With a roar, he attacks (Z1).

[1d20] = 9

Somehow, he fails to land a damaging blow.

[Inferno]

DM:

Before they can further investigate the occult library, Hothhil and Ingrid suddenly hear a faint sound from the other side of the secret door: low voices... moaning, snarling, growling.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur hopes that the gnomes can get some information from this man. Doing his best impression of a powerful wizard about to unleash a Fireball, he says, "Show us your hands! Drop the weapon! Don't make me blast you into next Tuesday! Who are you? What is this place? Start talking!"

[rredmond]

Wishing for some oil and flint Rudolph inwardly curses the 1/2 orc's fighting skill as a liability, and turns to run down the steps next to him. "Pyotr the cells are our only hope," he yells, his voice shaking more than he'd like. "There. Are. Too. Many. Of. Them!" His words punctuated by his leaps down the steps and hall.

Rudolph is heading to the last working cell. Since he's been down here so long he should have a good sense of the strongest cell with a working lock, that's farthest from the entrance. One that he and the sailor can safely lock themselves in, and hopefully have at least one concrete wall for safety. If he has time he'll lock the cell right next to it as well, so they only have one front to protect. "Pyotr, please," this time he feels the shake in his voice slide to whine, "we can fight from inside the cell!" Rudolph then says a quick prayer aloud to Arvoreen, not quite sure how to pray (never being much of the religious type), but figuring it's the hobbit god Pyotr would most appreciate, and the most likely to bless the warrior. He won't lock the door until Pyotr is in... or lost.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Hearing noises outside the library, the cleric quickly raises a hand before putting a finger to her lips. Looking at the others, eyes wide with alarm, she whispers very softly, Rudolph and Pyotr...

[ravenn4544]

Mouser shakes his head in disbelief. "No way we get through that. We need to escape to the woods - we are dead here..."

[Urson]

Pyotr

Something in the halfling's voice penetrates Pyotr's berserk panic. As soon as possible, he'll join Rudolph.Probably next round...

[Rusty Tincanne]

Hothhil nods to Ingrid, indicating that he heard the menacing growls, too. He readies his sword and shield and taking the lead at the door. He points to the table, hoping one of the others will search the drawer before they leave. He listens more closely at the door, trying to determine how many of what are in the main office.

shall we retrieve whateveris in the drawer while Hothhil listens. Maybe it's a holy symbol.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Seeing Hothhil gesture to the table, the cleric tries to slowly and quietly open the drawer to see if there may be anything important within.

[ChubbyPixie]

Urdur hopes that the gnomes can get some information from this man. Doing his best impression of a powerful wizard about to unleash a Fireball, he says, "Show us your hands! Drop the weapon! Don't make me blast you into next Tuesday! Who are you? What is this place? Start talking!"

Telkis is slightly startled by Urdur’s outburst, but keeps his eyes fixed firmly on the hysteric shaver while readying his new weapon and trying to look intimidating.

[wolfpack]

Brevos looks at Mouser.

Agreed we can't fight our way pout of this.

brevos looks for the quickest open route to the trees

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo lets the ranger lead the way to safety, following as close behind as he can.

"Those cells were the only thing saving us from........."

"We wont get back to the others now before we........."

Knowing they wont get through this army of undead with just the 3 of them, he keeps his fears to himself and keeps his eyes peeled for any more danger as they try to get to the safety of the wilderness.

[Inferno]

Vicar's Head, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Four. Midday. Tuesday, November 15th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy







In the desecrated church, Urdur barks questions at the fearful villager.

The desperate, wild-eyed man helplessly rants in reply.

"Harken unto me! Thy very lives depend upon it!... As a foulness shall ye know them! Their hand is at thy throats, yet ye see them not! And their habitation is one within thy guarded threshold! Man rules now where they ruled once! They shall soon rule where man rules now! After summer is winter, and after winter summer! They wait patient and potent, for upon this Oerth shall they reign again!"

He advances on them, filled with urgency and terror, trying to make them see the dark truth, his razor still held non-threateningly.


Actions?!







In the hidden library of occultic books, Mondegreen the warlock leafs through secret tomes as Ingrid carefully tries the table drawer. She finds it locked and sees it has a keyhole.

Hothhil breathlessly creeps to the unlocked door. He listens at it and the growls are clearer. Among them and very faint, his sharp elvish ears can discern distant cries for help. It's Rudolf!

But of Pyotr, he can hear nothing.


Actions?!







Deep in the tower dungeon, Pyotr is at the end of his rope, full of fear and fury. His iron crowbar crashes into a stone wall as his terror ruins his aim again!

"Pyotr, the cells are our only hope!" Rudolf yells, his voice trembling with dread. Then he backs up and scurries away for his life, narrowly escaping the cold dead clutches of the ghastly atrocities that claw at him! (-2 to hp!)

Then Pyotr is overtaken. (-5 to hp!)

Hearing his brave friend suddenly fall silent, the little hobbit races to the most secure prison cell. CLANG! He slams the barred door shut behind him and retreats to the far corner, unable to stop trembling!


Actions?!


Map:

Scale: one square = 5 feet. Light source: wall mounted torches.







At the sight of the heinous horde of undead in the town square, Bo, Brevos and Mouser feel their blood run cold. The little thief shakes his head in disbelief. "No way we get through that. We need to escape to the woods - we are dead here..."

The trio flee the harrowing legion of walking dead! But some of the unspeakable horrors pursue them, stalking the heroes through the fog-choked lanes of doomed Vicar's Head!

A few blocks later in the disorienting fog, and suddenly, 60 feet ahead of them, lurching out from the mist, come the hanged witch corpses that were following them!




Actions?!



Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Z2 attacks fleeing Rudolph: [1d20] = 17, damage: [1d8] = 2 Free opportunity attack hits for 2hp damage.
Z1, Z2 attack Pyotr; [1d20] = 16, [1d20] = 13, damage: [1d8] = 1, [1d8] = 4 Both hit for 5hp damage.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 13/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 8/15, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Hothhil Thornbush, Elven Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 1, HP: 14/20
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 12", AC: 9(7), HP: 17/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 19/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 2/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Mondegreen Cindereye, Human Magic-User 2: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 3/8, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Pyotr Whitetip, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 8, HP: -1/30
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 1/12
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 0, HP: 12/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 5/9, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl and 1/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Locate Plants (Bo): Mistletoe. Duration: 12 minutes.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)

[Urson]

Pyotr

Pyotr bleeds heroically.

[OGRE MAGE]

Intent on getting the trio into the woods, Bo will use his magic to slow down any unwanted pursuers. "Watch my back and I will try to put an end to this chase."

He casts a spell that will call forth the very vegetation to grab and hold their enemy. He plans his area of effect carefully so the witches are caught right in the middle as they continue their chase.

Casts: Entangle

"We should have followed rule #1 and stayed together as a group. I sense that we aren't the only ones in trouble here in this hell."

[ChubbyPixie]

“Wait, wait! We believe you. Put down the blade, sir, and let’s have a civilized conversation.” says Telkis, lowering his sword but keeping the shield ready. “What’s happened here, exactly? We believe we know, yet perhaps you can provide us with details and insight.”

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur nods, taking a step or two back, without taking his eyes from the stranger. He keeps his hands up, hoping that the crazy man believes Urdur could actually cast a Fireball.