Chapter 23: Genesis of Evil

[wolfpack]

[1d20] = 9

this can't be good

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Save vs. Spells (14): [1d20] = 9
Uh-oh!

[SocraticLawyer]

Save vs spell (12) [1d20+4] = 19+4 = 23

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo shakes his head vigorously to clear the black thoughts from his mind, his long grey hair flying in every direction.

He studies the expressions and the mannerisms of the others as he tries to maintain his own sanity.

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

"All hail the nothing.......I am going inside while my spell still lasts."

The druid waits to see the reactions from the others before ducking under the gate.

[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.





“All Who Enter here are a Gift to The Nothing! We Hail The Nothing and Freely Offer Everything There Is Unto It!” Mouser says in a voice that is not his own.

With those eldritch syllables, suddenly and unexpectedly, Jerome the paladin lies down before the stonegate. "I offer myself freely to The Nothing," he declares sincerely, opening his breastplate. "'Ai! 'Ai! Shub-Niggurath!"

"'Ai! 'Ai! Shub-Niggurath!" responds Brevos as he draws his cold glowing blade and raises his other hand in joyous exaltation of The Nothing!

Suddenly, Rudolf appears from Nowhere! Crouching over the sacrificial paladin, he grips his enchanted shortsword with both hands and thrusts it down into Jerome's heart (-14 hp damage)!



Jerome cries out in pain and ecstasy as Rudolf coos softly, reverently, “You are a Gift to The Nothing. The Nothing.”

Shock and horror returns Mouser to his senses. A foul taste lingers on his lips left by words that were not his own.

An eerie, disorienting sensation of deja vu, of the horrific acts perpetrated at the strange black altar in the witch-haunted woods, ravages the heroes' sanity and their souls.





Actions?! Bo, Ingrid, Mouser, Telkis and Urdur only. (Bo may use his already-posted action, if OM wishes.)



Map Detail:

One square = 5 feet. Greyer areas are water.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

PCs that made their save are Surprised. These actions are unexpected, all eyes are on Mouser while Jerome and Rudolf act, and Rudolf is invisible. The PCs that made their saves will act last this round.

The DMG rules on dispatching a helpless victim says it takes one round to kill them. In keeping with the merciful DM style for which I am famous , I won't do that. Instead, Rudolf's attack is an automatic critical hit doing maximum damage.

Ingrid makes her Save thanks to her Wisdom bonus, her Signet Ring of Khorst (Ring of Protection, +2 vs Evil only), and Jerome's Protection From Evil aura.

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: 2/20, 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
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 34/34, Torch
  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 (Urdur): Target: self
  Detect Magic (Bo): Duration: 3 rounds
  Read Magic (Mouser) Duration: 5 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 laughs with joy, blood spattering from his lips.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser clutches his pack straps tights and stands transfixed.."not again...."

[rredmond]

For half a moment of sanity Rudolf thinks, well this is an ironic switch... but then The Nothing quickly takes hold again and his grip on his sword tightens.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur tries to recover his senses quickly. With only a moment to act, he weaves an arcane sorcery, hopefully strong enough to overpower the evil force taking over his friends.

Casts Hypnotism targeting Rudolf, Jerome, Brevos, and Mouser, or as many of that group as possible.

You should drop your weapons! We are all dear friends!

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo stops his advance under the gate when his party starts killing each other again.

He doesn't shout or cry out in anger, instead spinning his spear around to bonk in the head anyone wishing to strike out at a fellow friend.

Striking to subdue, if still necessary after the spell. Spear Attack [1d20] = 18 Damage [1d6] = 1

[ChubbyPixie]

"Aw, fløøst! Knock it off, friends!" shouts Telkis. He will jump over Jerome and try to intervene between Rudolf and the hapless Paladin.

I seem to remember that grappling for Telkis, as he is small, was ruled impractical? But he'd like either to do that, or if not really possible, to strike to subdue:Morningstar +1 (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 17+1 = 18, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 3+1 = 4, vs L [1d6+2] = 3+2 = 5

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Seeing the horrific injury that Jerome willingly acccepts, the cleric attempts desperately to save his life! Nooooo! Rushing to his side, she places her hands upon him, beseeching Holy Tritherion to send his power through her.

Cure Light Wounds [1d8] = 6

[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.







Their minds are changed. Remade by understanding. Transformed by dark enlightenment.

At the threshold of the heinous shrine of atrocities, an innocent paladin is being sacrificed to The Nothing... by his friend. In joy and ecstasy, Jerome laughs up blood.



"Yes!" he weeps.

Then everything happens at once.

"The Nothing," whispers Rudolf.

"not again..." pleads Mouser softly in his own voice.

"Nooooooo!" cries Ingrid Esthof.

Suddenly Urdur appears out of nowhere, weaving a spell of ensorcellment!

And then the ranger is upon him. Swiftly moving to defend the sacrifice of the paladin to The Nothing, Brevos' cold glowing sword narrowly misses Urdur's head!

Dodging the deadly blade, Urdur manages to croak: "You should drop your weapons! We are all dear friends!"



Rudolf, Jerome, Brevos, and Mouser feel compelled to comply with the gnome's overpowering suggestion. Weapons fall from their open hands, clattering on the stones. Rudolf's crimson-stained sword drops into the ground three inches from paladin's right eye.

The halfling readies to strangle Jerome to death with his bare hands. And then Telkis throws down his torch, leaps over the willing sacrificial paladin, and crashes into Rudolf, taking the hobbit rogue to the ground.

With fervent orisons to holy Trithereon, Ingrid miraculously heals Jerome! (+6hp)

Believing the altercation is ended, the grey druid stays his attack.

Rudolf, Jerome, Brevos and Mouser suddenly return to their senses. Mercifully, they have no memory of the dark understanding that blossomed within their beleaguered minds at Mouser's forbidden syllables.


Actions?! (everyone may act freely)


Map:

One square = 5 feet. Greyer areas are water.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

This post is the second half of the same combat round from my previous post.
Urdur's Hypnosis: number affected: [1d6] = 6
Save vs Spells: Rudolf, Jerome, Brevos, and Mouser: [1d20] = 10, [1d20] = 7,[1d20] = 7, [1d20] = 2 All fail.
Brevos was not among the surprised PCs. He has not acted yet but will do so now.
Brevos attacks Urdur: [1d20+1] = 4+1 = 5, damage: [1d8+1] = 2+1 = 3 Misses.

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: 4/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 8/20, 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
  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:

• Detect Magic (Bo): Duration: 2 rounds
  Read Magic (Mouser) Duration: 4 rounds
  Hypnotism (Urdur): Duration: 4 rounds. Targets: Rudolf, Jerome, Brevos, Mouser

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 snatches a dagger from his belt and moves to slit his own throat...

...When the madness clears, and he stops, shuddering. He presses a hand to the closing wound in his chest.Thank you, Sister Ingrid. I believe you've saved my life.

He closes his eyes and whispers a prayer to St. Cuthbert, Laying on Hands for a bit more healing. 6 points

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis senses the change in Rudolph, but slaps him across the face anyway before letting him up.

Not to harm.

“Rudolph... please don’t do that again,” he says with a mix of irritation and sadness.

“Let’s go in. Standing around here will help nothing,” he says, resigned.

[wolfpack]

Brevos looks around confused as he sees Brood on the ground. he picks up his blade

what...what happened

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Mouser read the writing on the wall. Unfortunately, it was some evil curse or incantation that some of us were affected by, almost resulting in Jerome's death as a sacrifice to this so-called "Nothing." I would suggest, for safety, that none of us read anything we find written while in this foul place. Once again, something we read while facing this evil has almost been our undoing.

[SocraticLawyer]

The now visible Urdur addresses his comrades. I know not whether my spell has cleared your minds fully, or only temporarily. To be safe, you might want to dispose of your weapons for now. Just for a few minutes....

[ravenn4544]

Mouser apologizes a little weakly “the writing looked familiar. Thought it might be useful”.

[rredmond]

“Oi!” Rudolf yells at Telkis, he attempts to shrug the gnome off, realizing quickly that he’s overmatched by his height-peer. ”Wee bit unnecessary that,” he says when he’s allowed up. He cleans his blade with a scrap of rag and a look of disgust. He throws the rag under the gate, spitting aggressively in the same direction. He looks at his sword, slams it into its scabbard, looks at Mouser and unconsciously moves away, then looks around and asks, “what happened? Was it the same thing as the evil altar in the woods?”
Did it feel the same?