Chapter 23: Genesis of Evil

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome represses a shudder as he studies this horrific castle. He turns to face back down the causeway they just crossed, providing security while the thieves do their work.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo lets the thieves do their thing as he moves over to the area where the wooden wreckage can be seen under the surface of the lake. He peers around in that area with his enhanced sight, hoping he sees a glimmer of magic somewhere.

If there is nothing to see there, he continues looking all around the closest tower, dock, stairways,and rubble to see if he gets a hit on anything else.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur the unseen gnome waits for the all-clear before following the group inside. He keeps his spells at the ready, in case something horrible jumps out at the group.

[ChubbyPixie]

"This looks like a job for someone very small, and, uh... fearless. I guess that's me. Someone give me the torch," says Telkis holding out his hand. Once he's got it, he'll get a small running start and roll under to the other side...

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Before you try slipping under the gate, use the torch to see beyond.

[Inferno]

The Lost Shrine of Ancient Evil, the Dark Mountain, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. Long after midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY
Freezing cold, clear.







The heroes cautiously approach the stonegate of the lost shrine of ancient evil. But none dare decipher the occult welcomings etched upon its sickly green surface.

Mouser and Rudolf examine the ageless slab and the dark, two foot gap beneath it. The monolithic gate is three feet thick and beyond it lies only cold and darkness. Mouser too finds no danger lurking in wait. Rudolf's disembodied voice informs the others of his discoveries.

Meanwhile, Long Bo's mystic vision is turned in every direction but finds no sorceries within its arcane reach. Brevos discerns faint footprints in the rubble, leading from the cave, along the wharf and into the stonegate. They are little more than shadows now, having been disturbed by the heroes' advance. But the grim ranger believes there were one or two adults, women perhaps, and a small child.

Telkis borrows the grey druid's torch and, as Ingrid urges him to wait, he, Mouser and Urdur roll under the stonegate!

All is silent for a tense heartbeat and then suddenly, daemonic voices from beyond the stone gate shriek!

"You are a gift to The Nothing! The Nothing!"



Actions?!


Map:

One square = 5 feet. Grey areas are water.





PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/31
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 22/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 16/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 5/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 16/16

PC Magic:

• Invisibility x2 (Urdur): Targets: self and Rudolf.
  Detect Magic (Bo): Duration: 8 rounds

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)

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome, hearing this, dashes for the gate. He spits an obscenity he certainly didn't learn at the monastery as he kneels, ready to slide under and assist his new friends.

[rredmond]

"Wait!" Cautions Rudolf's disembodied voice. "Ingrid has the right of it, look for what Telkis' torch can tell us, and get some rope in case they've fallen into a trap," he pauses, I'm not sure they will be able to see my rope." Rudolf checks that he's out of the way of anyone else Dukes of Hazzarding past the gates, and peeks again into the room, hoping the light sheds, well, some light on what's in there.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome nods and pulls out his coil of rope. He ties a dagger to the end and flips it under the gate/slab.

[wolfpack]

Brevos runs over and peers under the gate

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo hikes up his robes and squats to peer under the gate, preparing to follow after the others.

”I wouldn’t have read it either after what happened to Jerome,” he mumbles to himself.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

When will we learn not to rush off ahead of the rest of us? Well, we better join them before trouble finds them.

Ingrid will peer under the gate. If it seems safe, she will join the others on the opposite side.

[Inferno]

The Lost Shrine of Ancient Evil, the Dark Mountain, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. Long after midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY
Freezing cold, clear.







Magnificent occult engravings adorn the stonegate of the temple of abominations.

As Jerome ties his rope around the hilt of his dagger, the heroes peer into the two foot gap beneath the monolithic portal. Torchlight illuminates the floor beyond the threshold. It seems to be... glistening!... moving!... writhing!

Suddenly, the Grey Mouser emerges in haste from beneath the rune-carved slab! If Urdur is with him, none can say. But the thief's face is haggard and pale, and his rapid breathing frosts the air with ghostly clouds.

Suddenly, the demon voices within the heinous shrine shriek again!

"Look Upon The Seven Faces of Immensity! Look Upon The Breaker of All Things! Look Upon the Bound and Conquered God!”


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 5 feet. Grey areas are water.





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: 22/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 16/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 5/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 16/16

PC Magic:

• Invisibility x2 (Urdur): Targets: self and Rudolf.
  Detect Magic (Bo): Duration: 7 rounds

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)

[rredmond]

"Chatty this evil shrine of yours," Rudolf says, directing his sarcasm to the gate, then he asks to the air "Urdur you make it out okay?". He quickly peeks under the gate again, as he figures the others will question Mouser. He also takes a look at the gate for anything out of the ordinary. Traps, hidden bits, etc, figure Rudolf can check about a foot of the gate, considering it's and his height, on each side, where it touches the wall. Do/did we see Telkis at all?

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome watches the floor moving with a sick fascination. He leaves the rope on the far side of the gate, in case Urdur is still over there and needs a helping hand getting back. He listens to the talk about what was seen and heard.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser emerges, lumbering as if under some unseen weight, and tries to shake his head free of unholy visions.

"Big room beyond - and something else - something alive and writhing on the floor! At least, I think it was alive..."

[OGRE MAGE]

Long Bo notices at the freezing breath escaping Mousers mouth, looking around to see if there is another cloud that might belong to Urdur.

"We arent saving any little girls from out here. The path we need to follow has been laid out before us."

He looks at their thief and asks, "was there any reaction from this floor writher? Where is that damn booming voice coming from?"

[ravenn4544]

OOC: sorry, i had a typo above and i edited it. it should be 'writhing'. There was no actual Author present

Mouser, shudders and seems to shoulder the load, "everywhere - the voice was every where"

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric hurries over to Mouser, putting her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to comfort him. Are you hurt? Urdur, are you with us? Are you injured?

[wolfpack]

Urdur are you here? Telkis?

Anyone have a spell to silence that voice.