Chapter 21: Pact With The Devil

[Inferno]

Chapter 21: Pact With The Devil

Vicar's Head, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Five. Dawn. Wednesday, November 16th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy






Dawn comes with no relief for the doomed heroes.

Forsaken and damned, they lament their dark fate, deprived of even the release of death.

Long Bo scans his environs. The dying moss clinging to leafless trees, and the smudge of light in the cloudy sky, tell him which direction is North. In the fog-smothered wood of the mountainside, he hears neither birdsong nor water.

Hothhil notes his enchanted ring is still on his hand, as are Ingrid's and Urdur's. The ensorcelled bands apparently alter their size to fit their bearer.

Telkis is the last to awaken. None have the heart to rouse him.

Brevos longs to find the black unholy altar of the haunted wood, but without knowing where he is, he has no way of knowing in which direction it lies.

Pyotr Whitetip discovers wolf-like tracks that the heroes made when they were no longer creatures of this world.

The wretched damned try to clean the blood from their hands and faces and then they realize they are not alone.



A pack of wolves watches them from the edge of the mist, some forty feet away. The heroes recognize them. The druid and the ranger can tell the pack is watchful but not readying to attack. Yet.

Then its leader, a great black wolf, speaks in the tongue of Men, without the aid of Ingrid's magic.

"Poor, lost children, dry thy tears. Thy suffering is at an end, if only thou wilt allow it.
Cease thy pointless resistance. Lower thy useless burdens. Hast thou not suffered enough at the hands of your cruel gods who hast forsaken thee?

"Struggling against thy destiny causes only misery unto thyself. I wast once a Man like thee. Now I have no regrets.
Join with us. The pack accepts thee. Embrace thy fate. Come and live a wondrous life, hunting forever as my packmate beneath the moon, the stars, and the endless night."


Actions?!





PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 12/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 9/15, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Hothhil Thornbush, Elven Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 20/20
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 18/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 20/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Pyotr Whitetip, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 24/30
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 7/12
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 16/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 6/9, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl and 1/1 2nd lvl

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]

Coming to and finding himself alive once again, Telkis rolls to a sitting position. He stares dumbly at the speaking wolf, almost certain that he is dreaming. “Where are we?” he says.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur sighs, wondering why his life was spared, only to be slaughtered again by a wolf. Yet again.

Urdur knows that the inevitable fight with this pack will (again) be his last. He begins to focus his mystical energies.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo speaks to the wolf in his calming, deep voice, not sure what else they could do at the moment.

"Your words ring true oh great wolf, and to me especially! I have often longed to run with the pack under the stars, even before our affliction started."

"Tell me, since all of this land is yours to roam, where are we right now, as opposed to the damned town filled with undead and the other human settlements? Do you know of a trail leading deep into the evil mountains? Do you remember the locations of any human structures? An altar, maybe?"

[Urson]

Pyotr

The half-orc stands transfixed, his mouth half-open, his mind racing.


He remembers flashes of the night- howling, springing from cover after some prey, the female musk of Ingrid's wolf form. Most of all, he remembers the feeling of rightness, the fact that in the long months since his parents were taken, his time as The Wolf was the only time he hasn't been afraid. The freedom calls to him...

Pyotr says nothing, but he nods, already half-decided to accept the invitation of the Pack.

[rredmond]

Rudolph laughs out loud, he hopes bravely, but can hear the tinge of the maniacal. He tries not to yell, but makes sure his companions can all hear him, "lost we may be, very lost, but children we aren't!" He then starts gesturing towards the wolves, "first you practically killed me, then" he gestures toward where he thinks the town is, wavering in his uncertainly "then some dead creature kills me for sure, I think I'm still missing some rotundity around the middle, but here I am! Elysium or The Green Fields don't want me apparently, though there are worse places." He steps back from the wolf pack trying to surreptitiously scan the ground for rocks or anything to use as a weapon, "I think I'll pass on the running with wolves thing, I'd rather die for real as the hero I wasn't really meant to be. Thank you for your offer, you may kill me, yet again, or maybe I get lucky and kill you. Maybe I stay dead this time, maybe not, I'm not sure I'm bothered either way," he finishes with a shrug.

He won't move forward or make any aggressive moves. But he'll slowly pick up any rocks he sees, especially while others are talking. And with or without weapons Rudolph is, uncharacteristically, ready for a fight... mainly because he realizes there's no chance of escape.

[Urson]

Pyotr
As the others speak, Pyotr stands still, emotions chasing each other across his face. He opens his mouth to accept the Wolf's offer. .. And he suddenly remembers his father's voice.
Nothink wort haffing is ever free.

What will dis cost us? To run wit de Pack?

[wolfpack]

Brevos narrows his eyes and spits at the wolfs feet

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

I admit, we are pretty much lost right now. We have lost our way. We have lost our will. We have lost our hope. But maybe, just maybe, we only think we have, but in actuality we have not lost those things quite yet. I have been assuming we are damned, cursed to walk the earth, unable to slip into the sweet embrace of the afterlife. Now, however, I am not so sure. Perhaps we have work that needs to be completed. Perhaps we are being tested. I know my faith in Holy Tritherion has wavered these last few weeks. But perhaps he is placing me in situations of incredible difficulty to see how I, how we, are able to come through it. Perhaps we need to figure out what we are doing wrong, what we need to correct, to put us back on our path. I admit, I do not know what our path is right now. Maybe, it is to run with the pack. Maybe it is to cleanse the village of the damned. Or it could be something we have yet to encounter. Tritherion works in mysterious ways, and I cannot hope to comprehend his plan for me, for us, for you...

[Rusty Tincanne]

Hothhil does not join the conversation, though he does wonder what the point of this fight would be if neither side can be killed without silver or magical weapons. Instead, he expands his search to include not only a club, but also likely trees he can climb or help the others into.

Hypothetical (and somewhat rhetorical) question: Would a magical ring of protection count as a magical weapon if Hothhil pummeled an opponent.

[Inferno]

The Haunted Wood, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Five. Dawn. Wednesday, November 16th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy






In the haunted wood, the wolves have come to give the wretched heroes succor... if only they will join them.

Brevos narrows his eyes and spits at the great wolf's feet.

Bo the grey druid calls, "Tell me, since all of this land is yours to roam... Do you know of a trail leading deep into the evil mountains? Do you remember the locations of any human structures? An altar, maybe?"

The wolf answers, "Yes, sweet childe. We know all those things and more. And so shalt thee, when thou hast joined with us."

Telkis awakens disoriented, wondering whether he is alive or dead or somewhere at the twilight hinterlands between.

Sensing an imminent onslaught, Hothhil gathers a branch to serve as a club. He looks up for trees into which they might escape the coming carnage. Demoralized, Urdur prepares himself for death. Again.

The Grey Mouser is silent, contemplating the bargain that has been extended. Pyotr the half-orc warrior nods at the wolf's proposal. "What will dis cost us? To run wit de Pack?"

The wolf replies, "The price is identical to what thou stands to gain. Everything."

Ingrid talks at length, feeling her way with her words. "Tritherion works in mysterious ways, and I cannot hope to comprehend his plan for me, for us, for you..."

The wolf says, "Poor, sweet childe. Thy gods hath forsaken thee. How else couldst thou have come to this? Lost, penniless, filthy, ragged. We offer thee the only hope of salvation thou hast left."

Defiant to the end, Rudolf fills both hands with rocks and launches into a blustery tirade, ending with: "Thank you for your offer, you may kill me, yet again, or maybe I get lucky and kill you..."

The wolf laughs blackly. "Ha! Little one, I admire thy spirit if not thy wit. How little thou comprehends, even at this late hour. Nay. Thou shalt never die now. For that, thou art welcome.
"We aren't here to kill thee! Thou art one of us. Thy other selves hath already embraced the pack... and The Pact. Together we hath frolicked and dined beneath the light of the full moon.
"With the next moon, all of thee shall be with us in thy entirety. Out of courtesy I am merely offering thee the quicker path. For in truth, there is no need for thee to suffer any longer. Take the long road if thou must. Fight against thy fate if thou wilt. But thou shalt arrive at the same destination regardless.
"I see thou art not ready yet. Very well. Some learn faster than others. Fare thee well, brothers and sister, until we meet again."

"Thou," it calls to Pyotr and Mouser. "I see thou art ready now. Join with us. Resist thy true selves no longer. Follow me."

And then the pack slowly leaves, disappearing back into the fog.


Actions?!





PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 12/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 9/15, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Hothhil Thornbush, Elven Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 20/20
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 18/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 20/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Pyotr Whitetip, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 24/30
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 7/12
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 16/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 6/9, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl and 1/1 2nd lvl

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 gets to his feet wearily, not acknowledging by action that the infernal pack ( ) was ever there, tempting them. It simply was not in him to give up while there was still a fight left to fight.

He looks to see which direction they came from by their tracks in the snow, then in all directions for some sort of landmark. “What now?” he says neutrally, without inflection. “If we seek help, we put ourselves in proximity to people we may harm, and who will certainly judge us. If we do not, we are doomed. It’s crazy, but, we might have been better off had we been buried under a thousand tons of mud with our former party members. At least they died heroes. ...Where is Mondegreen?”

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo shouts out to the wolves as they depart, walking towards the pack.

"My friends here are not creatures of nature like you and I are! I might join with you, if you can tell me what will happen if some of us do so. Can you tell me more about this Pact?"

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur casts his spell of Hypnosis, targeting the alpha wolf.

"We are your dear friends and packmates. You should answer our queries directly, for the good of the pack.

Where is the altar? Where is the human village? Do any members of the pack reside there, hidden as humans?"

[Rusty Tincanne]

Club in hand, Hothhil moves between the retreating wolves and his companions. He addresses Bo, Gray and Pyotr, specifically. Hope is not lost yet, and we have work yet to do. Remember your promise to help the girl. Then he turns toward the wolves, and if Urdur's spell does not work, Hothhil will challenge the alpha male for dominance of his pack, demanding to know the way to the altar.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser watches and listens but does nothing...yet.

[wolfpack]

Brevos looks for the tallest tree around to climb and try to determine location.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric waits to see the results of her companions actions.

[Urson]

Pyotr

The big half-orc stands for a moment, his eyes darting from his companions to The Pack and back again. He trembles- anyone watching could clearly see the battle going on in his head. A stray tear runs down his acne-scarred cheek.

I- I am sorry. I know I promised to help the girl- and the people of that village. But I can't.... I can't even help myself. Good luck, friends.....

He turns away from the party, still shaking, and runs off into the mists, following his new Pack. Wait! I am coming! his voice fades as he runs into the forest.

[rredmond]

Rudolph scrabbles on the ground for any stones to throw. When he hears the big half-orc make his proclamation, he says what the... he prepares whatever he's found (if anything) to throw, and then stands. Pyotr, what are you doing?! Come back!!!