Chapter 4: Inn of the Damned

[ChubbyPixie]

If someone with the proper skills checks it over first, Telkis will open the door. He will first check all around the door to determine the soundness of the structure...

Gnome skills! I'm using my Gnome skills!!

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

"The doors in this room are safe... Unless someone came down here and trapped them in that short time I was gone from here," she tells Telkis.

Ingrid checked all doors and chests with Find Traps and found nothing.

[Zhym]

Grothnak stands ready, Vadok in hand, for anything that might jump out from the barred door.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo will stand back with his spear ready in case the fighters need backup.

Maybe we should listen for noises first?

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis

Bo will stand back with his spear ready in case the fighters need backup.

Maybe we should listen for noises first?

"Good idea."

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom removes his hand from his ears now that the screaming has been silenced. He walks over to the barred door and lifts off the locking mechanism. While he does this he says to the group "If there was something on the other side of this door it already knows we are here. Stop debating and lets get on with it so we can get out of this place." With that he pushed the door open and looks into the darkness.

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof

...Ingrid gets a weird feeling while looking at the non-cooperative villager. If only she had a way to read their minds, their intentions, to see if there is an evil puppeteer somewhere, pulling the strings!.. She decides to look up something along these lines the moment she gets back to the monastery. Maybe in the famed psychologica section of the library.

...

She readies her mace and shield, and stands behind Grothak, Telkis and Hoom.

[Inferno]

Day Four
Village of Briarsgate
Late Evening. Wednesday, October 19th, 576 CY
Cold, Thunderstorms





Mouser's interrogation subject points accusingly at the strangers, the others, the outsiders, those not of Briarsgate that are within his baleful sight, his face transformed into a perfect mask of hatred as he roars:

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!"

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The demented, deafening, ear-splitting cry begins to rouse a few of the unconscious, caged villagers.

Hoom quickly covers his sensitive, elf ears. "Mouser, do something!"

Mouser slams Cat's Claw's hilt into the roaring villager's skull, knocking him back into unconsciousness. "Touched in the head, likely the lot of them," he comments. "Probably under enchantment given the numbers. We should look for a sorcerer behind all this."

Ingrid hears the scream and hurries downstairs. "Indeed. A sorcerer, or an alchemist with a good array of will-bending potions... The poor fools..." The priestess gets a weird feeling. If only she had a way to read their minds, their intentions, to see if there is an evil puppeteer somewhere, pulling the strings!

Mouser trades the mad villager for another one from the iron cage; one who is already rousing. He tries again, this time stuffing his mouth with cloth. He gets the same result.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

he glares at you all with burning, hateful eyes.jpg (59.3 KiB) Viewed 5168 times

The new interrogation subject tries to yell with all his might as he glares at you all with burning, hateful eyes. He squirms and lurches intensely as if suffering from a fit. Beating the villagers into unconsciousness had done nothing to change their murderous fever. Just as before, they evince no fear of death, or of torture. Of them all, only Derek Desleigh ever betrayed fear in his eye. He, and perhaps whoever escaped down the rope that Long Bo found.

Telkis suggests, "I take that as a sign we'll get no coherent information out of this lot. Perhaps we'd best go now? While we still freely can."

Long Bo says, "Let's investigate this last door and get the blazes out of here. These insane people aren't going to give us any valid information." He and Grothnak stand ready with weapons drawn, facing the door.



Telkis confirms the soundness of the door's structure. He tries to listen at it, but the screaming of the second villager, even through the makeshift gag, proves too much noise.

Ingrid tells Telkis of her spell, cast earlier, "The doors in this room are safe... from traps."

Telkis and Hoom lift up the locking bar of the final door as Hoom says, "If there was something on the other side of this door, it already knows we are here. Stop debating and let's get on with it so we can get out of this place." With that, they pull the door open and look into the darkness.

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The barred door opens onto a black, 6' tall tunnel excavated into the dark earth beneath the inn. A plague of filthy rats scurry for cover. The frigid air from the tunnel carries the sickening stench of mold, decay and death. The rough hewn shaft is haphazardly shored up every 10 feet with rotten timbers on the walls and ceiling.
Telkis sees that the tunnel slopes downward into mud and standing water from the storm's deluge. The gnome can't vouch for its integrity, especially with all the water in the ground right now.

As the party considers the dark, cold, wet, foul-smelling, rat-infested hole, a few prisoners move in their cages, slowly awakening.

Actions?

If you're going in there, I'll need:

• -a single-file marching order, please
  -light sources (what they are and who's carrying them)
  -for you to kindly note your Status, below.

Thanks.

Golden Grain Inn Map .jpg (554.55 KiB) Viewed 5168 times

Status:
The Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4, HP 1/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl. Groggy (-2 to hit)
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 1/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 6/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 14/16, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl. Very groggy (-4 to hit)
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 5/15, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 15/19 Groggy (-2 to hit)


Map of Briarsgate
NPC List for Briarsgate

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis, Gnome

"This certainly bears investigating, however, it seems like quite an undertaking for a party in the shape we're in. I propose we seal this up, retrieve Pelias from the couple's home, heal up a bit, then return. The structure, to my Gnomish eye, appears less than safe - we'll have to be very careful when we do go in." says Telkis. He waits to see what the concensus of the party is.

If they do decide to go in, he'll take the lead using his infravision to scout the tunnel ahead, though he is believes going in now would be rash.

[Zhym]

"Telkis speaks wisely," agrees Grothnak. "We should investigate this tunnel, but not in our current condition. Bar the door and we will return when stronger. But let us hope that we do not have to fight an inn full of crazed villagers again to return to this place."

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom picks up the heavy wooden brace and speaks "Someone close it so I can put this back. Quick now, this thing is heavy."
When the door is shut Hoom will drop the bar back into place.

[Fulci]

Ingrid Esthof, cleric

"We can also move one of those chests before it as well," Ingrid says. She isn't eager to explore the tunnel in their current state -- it reeks of death.

"Where are we going? After Pelias, to that house you spoke of? If we are lucky, we can still get there while the rain is hiding our movements... But I wouldn't count that so much."

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis will help with the door, then make his way upstairs (with the others, presumably) to the backslid in the kitchen.

[OGRE MAGE]

I say we leave the damned door open. If anything nasty lives in there, maybe it will crawl out and attack the bastard with the eyepatch when he comes to release his fodder from these cages, as I am certain that he will do.

Might make it easier for us if we ever need to return to this vile place.

Bo doesn't press the issue and if the others dont agree, he follows the group upstairs and out to the farmers home.

[Grognardsw]

Grey Mouser watches the door be shut up again.

"To the farmers house then."

[Inferno]

Village of Briarsgate
Late Evening. Wednesday, October 19th, 576 CY
Cold, rainy, misty





The party closes the door in the dungeon beneath the the Golden Grain Inn (6)



They bar it and flee the house of horrors with their two horses, Sephus the crow, and the remains of Vodarte. They move with haste through the sinister shadows of Briarsgate toward the Gade family farmhouse (19).



The storm's ferocity has abated, but the cold rain still teems down without mercy. With the sudden absence of wind, thunder and lightning, the party makes good speed on the dark, muddy roads of the eerie village. They see no one on their journey. Visibility remains low from the rain and the mist. Most buildings in this small farming town are dark at this hour. Those few that are still lit from within have vague forms moving behind drawn curtains.

The map of your path and what you see on it:

(Most of you have seen this and can safely skip this section, but...)

Ingrid and Mouser see for the first time:

Briarsgate Map.jpg (682.74 KiB) Viewed 5124 times

Moving east from the Golden Grain Inn, you see:

• The Moneychanger and Jeweler (7) is a small stone building shut tight by shutters and doors of heavy wood, reinforced with iron bands.
  
  The Livery Stable (8) is a broken down wooden structure with a sagging front porch. The last traces of a paint job cling to small areas of the walls but in many areas the exposed, bare wood has started to rot. A fenced walkway leads from the road to the back of the darkened house. The rich smell of horses and manure is strong here.
  
  The General Mercantile (12) is a well-kept establishment locked up for the night. A well-painted sign of a pot, plow, sack and lantern hangs above the porch.

At the next crossroads (near 8, 9 and 12) you can see the serene, black pond at the center of the village, and on the other shore, you can make out a Farmhouse (22) and the Church (21). You proceed southeast down the main road, passing:

• A small cottage (9) that has been freshly whitewashed. Heavy curtains hang over the unlit windows.
  
  The Mayor’s Residence (10), a house set well back from the road, overlooking the water. This wellcrafted, well cared for home is by far the most imposing house in the village. You can see a carriage house in the back.
  
  
  
  A Rundown Farmhouse (13) in desperate need of repair. The front door, porch steps and porch supports are missing. The barn is nearing collapse, but a wan light within suggests this place is indeed inhabited. A small, sickly, unharvested crop of corn and oats are in the fields.
  
  
  
  The Tailor Shop (11), a small, dark, ramshackle building in need of repair. A shutter has come off, shingles are missing and the walls show wood rot in several places.

You cross a small covered bridge.

bridge.jpg (393.89 KiB) Viewed 5124 times

You continue past:

• The Blacksmith (15). The shop is unwalled and closed for the night. There is a light within.
  
  An Abandoned Building (16). The doors and windows of this large, battered and weatherbeaten building are boarded up. A sign lies face down in the weeds before the broken porch. The roof has several holes.
  
  
  
  The Carpenter’s Shop (14). A saw-shaped sign hangs before this well-constructed building. The front part of the house is unwalled and the shop is closed for the night. Candlelight burns within.
  
  A Decrepit Farmhouse and Barn (17). Doors and shutters swing freely here. Abandoned desolation, choked by weeds.
  
  

You turn north on the muddy lane, passing:

• A Farmhouse and Barn (18) that looks moderately prosperous and well-kept. There is light inside the house.

Before you, atop a hill, you see:

• The Village Church (21). A stone temple to Merikka, benevolent goddess of agriculture, fertility and the harvest (Chaotic Good). The gates are closed for the night.
  

  

  Church of Merikka.jpg (462.7 KiB) Viewed 5124 times

You finally stop at:

• The Gade Family Farmhouse and Hog Farm (19).

When the party reaches the Gade's farm (19) they are shocked and saddened by what they find.

To be continued in... Chapter 5: The Doom That Came to Briarsgate






Status:
The Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 4, HP 1/10, Spells: 1/1 1st lvl. Groggy (-2 to hit)
Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 2: AC 4, HP 1/17
Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 6/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: AC 3(1), HP 14/16, Spells: 1/4 1st lvl and 2/3 2nd lvl. Very groggy (-4 to hit)
Long Bo, Human Druid 2: AC 6, HP 5/15, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: AC 0, HP 15/19 Groggy (-2 to hit)


Map of Briarsgate
NPC List for Briarsgate