Chapter 2: The Haunted Wood

[Inferno]

Thanks, Mr. Kent. Unfortunately, the bonus attack misses.
Ingrid and Mouser may act with that knowledge. Thanks.

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

Vodarte's attack might miss, but it opens up an opportunity for Ingrid to swoop in and strike the undead with her blazing mace:

Mace (THAC0: 20): To Hit: [1d20] = 20, damage: small [1d6+1] = 1+1 = 2 / large [1d6] = 5

[AleBelly]

Pelias continues towards the two zombies near Telkis. He plans to end one with his sword.

Attack with long sword (THAC0 20) [1d20] = 10, damage [1d8] = 5

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser pivots, trying to stay behind the zombie (Z42) to gain rear advantage, and thrusts with his sabre Scalpel.

Scalpel (THACO 20) To Hit [1d20] = 20, S/M/L Dam. [1d8] = 8

[Inferno]

Shadows and Fog: Round 6

Vodarte's adrenaline surges at the near miss, and with fair Ingrid near his side he is motivated to take an attack of opportunity! He strikes back furiously with the Axe of Obad-Hai. "Back, fell creature!" he shouts, but hacks wide, perhaps distracted by the fair Ingrid Esthof's proximity.

Vodarte's attack might miss, but it opens up an opportunity for Ingrid to swoop in and strike the undead with her blazing mace! Shadows jump as the priestess crashes her bright, glowing weapon into the gaping jaws of the haunted cadaver (Z42), shattering fangs and bone!

Simultaneously, the Grey Mouser pivots and thrusts with his sabre, Scalpel, into the living corpse's back, running it through!

At that same moment, Vodarte sunk his battle axe into the thing’s neck!

The trio’s combined onslaught left the macabre abomination (Z42) dismembered and twitching upon the bloodsoaked ground, the horrific shrieks of its ghastly maw silenced at last.


To the west of that gruesome slaughter, Hoom Feethos sees ominous shadows move through the spectral fog. Unable to determine what they are, Hoom slowly and quietly steps forward, with his short sword firmly grasped in his hand and discovers that those shadows are Pelias and Grothnak, racing to find Telkis with Long Bo!

Long Bo, seeing that this fight is not yet over, and knowing the slow speed of these creatures, waves Pelias and Grothnak by him into battle as he digs into his pouch for some herbs. He casts a magical spell of healing upon himself in case he has to get in close again (+5 hp), and then rushes in towards Telkis with his spear drawn.

Telkis, still recovering from his stumble, suddenly feels frigid, clawing hands around his throat, strangling the life from him!

Telkis grapples with an undead horror.jpg (233.96 KiB) Viewed 4842 times

Gasping and straining, the gnome warrior brings Cranach up sharply, as he was taught to do in dwarven close-quarter fighting, and savagely caves in the side of the faceless abomination’s head! Icy hands loosen from the gnome’s neck as the rot-faced terror (Z43) drops to the forest floor beside the violated carcass of Tobits the donkey.

Grothnak and Pelias charge into the fray, meeting the once-beautiful girl’s murderous advances (Z46). Both warriors strike true with their blades, putting her dead, young body back to rest in a funeral pyre of blood and gore.

The unholy tide of horror from beyond the grave finally abates.

Haunted Wood 7.jpg (510.35 KiB) Viewed 4842 times

The mist-veiled, haunted woods of the Dim Forest are quiet once more, save the feral growls of the two entangled creatures snared by Long Bo’s magic (Z34 and Z36):

Z36.jpg (167.11 KiB) Viewed 4842 times

It is just after sunset on the third day of your journey. The rain has stopped and the night remains fog-shrouded beneath a harvest moonlit sky.

You might reach Briarsgate tomorrow, should you survive the coming night in the Dim Forest first.

Actions? Plans for the night?

DM Notes:

Two PC critical hits! Good ol’ oft-maligned dice roller. We never doubted you for a moment.

Pelias and Grothnak each gained +2 to hit from charging.

Combat is ended. I started the numbering sequence of the zombies at Z31 to conceal their true numbers.

What now? Thanks.

Status:
Elden Vodarte, Human Ranger 2: AC 3, HP 20/20
The Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4(5), HP 10/10, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 7/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 5/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 2: AC 3(1), HP 9/12, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 10/15, Spells: 2/4 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl
Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 1: AC 2, HP 4/11
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 14/19

Magic:
Entangle (Bo): Any creature that is dark green is entangled for 5 more rounds (Z36, Z34).
Light (Ingrid): 2” radius globe of light on Ingrid’s mace, for 6 more rounds.
Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser, thief

"My sling got lost," says Mouser. "Bowman should take out the entangled zombies before they break free."

The thief searches among the trees and bushes where he last flung his sling.

[Zhym]

Grothnak nods in agreement, then walks to the edge of the entanglement to take target practice at the zombies.

Long bow (THAC0 19): [1d20] = 7, Dmg [1d6] = 1
Long bow (THAC0 19): [1d20] = 13, Dmg [1d6] = 1

Much-needed target practice.

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

If needed, Ingrid provides some light with her luminescent mace. ( )

"I propose we camp one more night. We all need rest - we are tired, both physically and mentally," she says. "Let's hope there are no more corpses lingering around in the woods... But if there are, we're on our guard."

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo joins the others in the macabre firing squad for a couple of tosses.

Seems a bit like shooting fish in a barrel.

Sling Attack [1d20] = 13 Damage [1d4+1] = 4+1 = 5

Sling Attack [1d20] = 2 Damage [1d4+1] = 4+1 = 5

[Mister-Kent]

Vodarte, Ranger

Vodarte raises his bow and fires at the entangled creatures, then addresses the group. "We should rest the wounded first--I'll take first watch," he declares.

Longbow 1: [1d20] = 11 Damage: [1d6] = 3
Longbow 2: [1d20] = 12 Damage: [1d6] = 3

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Warrior

Telkis stands looking at the lifeless body of his mule, Tobits, for a moment, looking upset. "Sorry, Tobits." he says finally, then does his best to cover him as best he can with stones if there are any available, or leaves and bramble if there are not. He declines to take part in the dispatching of the remaining zombies - his heart's just not in it. He gathers firewood, then puts his axe in his pack.

Tooooooobiiiiiiiits!!!

[AleBelly]

Not wanting to waste his spear on the entangled zombies, Pelias looks over the wounded and escorts stragglers back to the rest of the group.

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom will continue moving forward and meet up with Gray Mouser, Ingrid Esthof, and Vodarte.

[Inferno]

DM:

Grothnak, Long Bo and Vodarte manage to kill the entangled undead before Long Bo’s incantation expires. Telkis covers Tobits’ bloody corpse with stones, and finishes collecting firewood. The Mouser finds his sling. Pelias guides the wounded and stragglers back. Hoom rejoins the group with Ingrid’s and Mouser’s horses still alive.

The party camps for the night, away from the killing field, and sets a watch, ready and waiting for a new onslaught that never comes.

The night passes as quiet as a lamb unknowingly marked for slaughter.

(Everyone gains 1hp, and all casters’ spells are restored)

A faint dawn comes weakly and without birdsong.




The etheric, otherworldly mist remains. The heroes break camp and continue their journey through the eerie twilight realm.



The trees become less dense until, before midday, the party escapes with their lives from out the other side of the forbidding wildwood of the Dim Forest.

The story continues in Chapter 3: The Forsaken Village.


Also, Experience Point Awards are here: viewtopic.php?p=208992#p208992
House rules on Experience Points are there: viewtopic.php?p=207976#p207976
Thanks.