Chapter 22: The Horror at Vicar's Head

[wolfpack]

Seeing ingrid possessed Brevos attempts to knock her out with his pummel

[1d20+1] = 12+1 = 13
[1d8+1] = 2+1 = 3

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Seeing the witch in the mirror of her childhood home, Ingrid let's out an involuntary, ear-piercing, scream. Something, however, seems off. Her scream is too high pitched! Not only is she in the home she lived in as a child, she is her seven year-old self! Looking around, she quickly spies a shoe on the floor. Picking it up, she hurls the shoe at the mirror, hoping to shatter it.

[1d20] = 14

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur is horrified at the sight of the evil nun, but manages to keep his bearings.

Save vs spell (12) [1d20+4] = 16+4 = 20

Urdur hopes that somehow, Ingrid can hear him. Ingrid, your friends need you! Return to us!

Casts Hypnotism

[ravenn4544]

Mouser freezes at the unholy apparition but his mind resists the compulsion of fear. Taking advantage of the chaos he slips into the shadows to move behind the devil.

Save vs spells (12) [1d20] = 17

[Urson]

Jerome

Stat check [1d20] = 1

Jerome shouts a phrase that will require a LOT of penance and jumps back. He stands frozen, his eyes wide.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis compartmentalizes his mind to shut out the rising terror:

Save vs. Spells (13): [1d20] = 16
He then attempts to help subdue the-thing-that-is-not-Ingrid:
Morningstar +1 (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 3+1 = 4, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 5+1 = 6, vs L [1d6+2] = 2+2 = 4

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo rises fitfully before finding himself unable to react to the chaos around him.

Save vs. Spells (14) [1d20] = 3

[Inferno]

The Mountain Pass, The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Seven. After Midnight. Friday, November 18th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy





In a dreadful nightmare all her own, Ingrid's reflection in the looking glass is that of the hanged witch-nun of Vicar's Head!

Ingrid is but a child and she screams as she shatters the terrifying mirror!




The haunted looking glass explodes into countless crystal shards, each holding a sliver of Ingrid's frightening reflection!




Ingrid awakens from one horrific nightmare and finds herself in the middle of another!

She has become the witch nun of Vicar's Head! She is a nun who has sold her eternal soul to an evil unspeakable and unimaginable! She has made a pact with the devil, joined with a coven of witches, and was tortured and murdered for her sins against Pelor.



Her soul is damned, her flesh is cold, and her mind is filled with vile wickedness. Her blood-soaked teeth bite into Jerome's neck and rip open an artery! (-9hp!) Ingrid's crimson mouth screams with joyful malice in a voice that is entirely her own.

Her friends Bo, Jerome and Rudolf recoil from her sight and flee in terror! Her other friends try to kill her.

Telkis swings his faithful morningstar, Cranach, and Ingrid bats it aside with a cold bare hand, almost blinding Telkis with her filthy jagged nails!

Mouser vanishes into the shadows, no doubt positioning himself to stab another friend in the back.

Without pleasure, Brevos grimly hammers the base of Ingrid's skull with the pommel of Brood! (-3 hp subdual damage)

Ingrid readies to rip open Brevos' throat when suddenly, Urdur appears out of thin air! He weaves another of his devious, cunning spells, trying to hypnotize her!



"Ingrid, your friends need you! Return to us!" Urdur intones steadily.

To no avail. The witch nun's will is too strong and she roars in Ingrid's voice, "I shall feast upon thy damned souls! All of thee!"

Suddenly, Ingrid is able to push through the madness and the terror. Her friends look on in horror and relief at the astonishing unnatural transformation!

Ingrid becomes herself once more; her lips still wet with Jerome's blood.



Bo, Jerome and Rudolf regain their sanity.

Ingrid believes that the horrific undead thing that possessed her soul, her mind and her body is gone.


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 5 feet.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 4, Monsters: [1d6] = 5 Monsters win.
Witch nun to hit Jerome: [1d20] = 12, damage: [1d10] = 9 Free opportunity attack hits for 9hp damage.
Witch nun to hit Telkis: [1d20] = 9, damage: [1d10] = 7 Misses.
Witch nun saves vs spell (10): [1d20] = 11 Saves.
But so does Ingrid: [1d20] = 14

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: (18)22/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 9/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 4/6 1st lvl, 2/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 16/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 34/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl and 2/2 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)

[wolfpack]

Brevos Brood still in hand circles to make sure he is in a good position in case the thing comes back.

Ingrid........

what has happened. earlier when I was on watch I felt unease because of your fitful sleep. I was worried something near us was affecting you, and now this.

[rredmond]

Rudolf rushes back, as much for the concern of his comrades, as for the concern of his own safety! "Always eat or be eaten with you crew," he says, throwing up a little bit in his mouth after seeing Ingrid dripping blood. "Do we know if we are safe now? I'd ask Jerome to check for anything evil in our area, but I'm not sure that paladin thing works in these parts... it's like the whole world is against us," he ends in a despairing whisper, quite uncharacteristic for the jovial hobbit. He attempts to shrug it off, and plasters a smile on his face, "evil just appears right in our very midst, ain't we lucky. What next? We still need sleep, or should we just move on?"

[Urson]

Jerome

Jerome's eyes blaze with fury as he scrambles for a spare sock to press against the wound. He quickly calms himself as he sees what has happened. Take this, sister, wash yourself. He passes over his waterskin to Ingrid.

This is an evil, evil place. We need some sort of warding or protection- clearly, more than I can provide.

Jerome glances around, sees that he is the only wounded member of the group, and presses his hand to his own forehead. He mumbles a prayer, and his wound begin to close.

Lay on hands (himself) 6hp.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Sobbing, the cleric falls to her knees. I...I'm so sorry! I woke up, but was a child again. I saw myself in the mirror of my bedroom, but it was the witch I saw reflected back at me. I screamed in fright, then shattered the mirror with a shoe. This brought me back here, but I felt the witch's presence inside me, as well. She...she was guilty of horrible things. Her soul was bartered to the devil in exchange for power. I couldn't control myself at first, Urdur's spell allowed me to cast out the witch. I cannot say if she is truly gone, however. With a shaky hand, she accepts the waterskin from Jerome and cleans her face.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser stays hidden in the shadows. Quiet. His hands on Cat's Claw and the newly acquired blade of silver. He watches and waits.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo is visibly shaken by the latest in-party atrocities.

"If they can target us while we sleep, then we may yet be doomed to our miserable fate here."

The old man re-fluffs his bedding, ready to sleep away the rest of the cold night so he can meditate and regain his lost magicks at first light.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis muses that Ingrid being possessed by an evil spirit is, ironically, one of the least horrific things to have happened to the party in the last several days. "A mirror, you say, Ingrid?" he says. He digs around in his pack and pulls out a small silver mirror. "Not sure why I been carrying this around, but maybe it can work as a sort of test. Take a look in this - if she's still around, maybe she'll show. If not, maybe you're you again." He holds it out to the priestess.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur is not quite sure what to make of Ingrid's transformation, nor whether the spirit that controlled her is truly gone, or merely dormant. Shrugging to himself, he knows there is little he could do to prevent it from returning.

Before returning to sleep, the little illusionist casts Invisibility] first on Rudolph, and then on himself. He resolves to work on the wolfsbane potion tomorrow.

[Urson]

Jerome

After he heals himself, Jerome watches the interactions with Ingrid, ready to tackle her if The Nun shows itself in the mirror.

Great idea, CP!

[Inferno]

The Mountain Pass, The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Seven. After Midnight. Friday, November 18th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy





With great gulping sobs, Ingrid falls to her knees and asks for forgiveness. Jerome absolves her sins and helps wash away his blood from her face.

From the deep cold shadows of the mountain pass, Mouser watches and waits, weapons in hand, as Jerome prays devout orisons to his merciful god and the wound on his neck is healed! (+6hp)

Telkis produces a mirror and finds Ingrid's refection within it, true and untainted by the wretched evil of the nun witch of Vicar's Head.

Rudolf laments their dark fate and Urdur renders himself and the hobbit unseen to mortal eyes.

Long Bo returns to sleep and Brevos stands guard, watching Ingrid closely. In time the heroes resume their night watch rotation.

They all survive to see the grey dawn break.


Actions?


Map:

The red X marks the supposed location of an ancient shrine; the source of the evil that plagued Briarsgate.
The PCs are just northeast of Vicar's Head.




PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: (18)22/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 15/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 16/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 34/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl and 2/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility x2 (Urdur): Targets: self and Rudolf.

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)

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur stretches out, somehow having gotten a good night's sleep despite the visit from The Nun. When everyone is awake, he says to the group: Guys, I forgot to mention this last night, with all the excitement and whatnot. One of the scrolls we picked up in Vicar's Head has a recipe for a potion to cure our, um, affliction. But we have to do it before the next full moon. I'm gonna go work on that now.

The little invisible gnome gets to work on the recipe.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Hearing Urdur's news, the cleric perks up a bit. Really? So it seems returning to the village may have been the right thing to do, despite the complications. I am relieved to hear we might have made the correct decision for the first time in what seems like forever. Is our fortune finally turning?