Chapter 9: Temple of Fear

[Inferno]

The Church of Merikka (21)
Village of Briarsgate, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Seven. Midnight. Saturday, October 22nd, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, misty





Death. Madness. Grief. Terror.



In the unholy church, Moogeye Comcra is murdered and returned from the dead by ghastly, horrific forces wielded by Briarsgate's beloved priest! The selfless young nun is now a heinous thrall, doomed to serve the evil powers she opposed; the evil powers that took her life.

It is as Bertram Beswill said: All the heroes would soon join with 'them.' One way or another. It was inevitable. Or so it seemed.

Ingrid stares in abject horror. She and Avril wield their holy symbols fruitlessly, trying to turn back the gruesome unliving mockeries of life, but their desperate pleas seemingly hold no sway in this fell house of depravity!

Mouser steals into the chapel of charnel horrors (11). The little thief sheathes steel and draws his sling. Hoom stops following him at the portal, and stands guard there.

Telkis the gnome squeezes between two skeletal horrors and swings Cranach wide at the sacrilegious cleric.
Urdur tries to splash oil on a haunted cadaver (S3) and accidentally pours it on himself!

The evil priest (FA) seems somehow electrified, lambent with blasphemous radiance.



"There is no way to withstand Her dark power! Surrender and become one with us! Let the horror end!" he commands.
Then he begins to weave another hellborne incantation! "'Ai! 'Ai! Ftaghn! Tharanak! Ftag-"

Urdur's dog (M) can't get past Telkis. He leaps atop the altar and lunges at the evil priest (FA), biting his forearm, through armor, to the bone, and disrupting his evil spell!

Telkis uses his morningstar to fend off attacks from the unliving Moogeye Comcra and a pallid, skinless cadaver.
But brave Urdur falls beneath the onslaught of an abhorrent undead terror (S3).




Actions?!


Map:

White initials indicate the PCs. Green are undead or monsters. Orange are burned skeletons. Red initials are hooded cultists, priests and priestesses.





A loathsome legion of sickening undead Goblin Men lurch onto the final curve of the spiral stair, closing in on mighty Grothnak.



Pelias looses another pair of arrows down the well and one sinks to the feathers into the disemboweled carrion that already bore one of Grothnak's arrows upon his haggard face (ZG4). Pelias' missile finishes it, and it collapses to the steps.

Long Bo joins the paladin's barrage, and slings a stone that ranges off.

As the macabre Goblin Men zombies slowly close in, the skeletal horror (S10) grabs Vadok! Grothnak and the undead abomination wrestle for control of the halberd, their faces inches apart. Grothnak snarls and glares into the living skull's empty eye sockets as he wrests his weapon free of its chill grasp. The skeleton's jaw clenches without tendon or ligament. Then it opens its maw of cracked, yellow teeth and writhing maggots vomit forth.




Actions?!


Map:

This map is a 30' tall, spiral stairwell connecting the church's second floor to its bell tower.
PC positions are depicted by their initials. ZG = Zombie Goblin Men. S = Skeleton.
Movement is halved for climbing stairs. It's 100 feet of travel, three revolutions, to ascend the 30 feet to the top.
Missile Weapons: Firing up: effective range is doubled. Firing down: effective range is halved.


Rolls and Rulings (non-required reading):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 6, Monsters: [1d6] = 3 Party wins.
Urdur: Oil miss direction: [1d8] = 4 "Short (before)." All that is before this skeleton is Urdur.
ZG4 falls down stair shaft? (50%): [1d100] = 92 No.
S10 attacks Grothnak: [1d20] = 7, damage: [1d6] = 1 Misses.
Avril: Turn Undead: [1d20] = 5, number: [1d12] = 1 Fails. (Sorry, ToniXX)
Mittens attacks FA: [1d20] = 20, damage: [1d4+1] = 1+1 = 2 Critical hit for 4 hp.
S8, MC attack Telkis: [1d20] = 7, [1d20] = 2, damage: [1d6] = 2, [1d8] = 7 Both miss.
S3 attacks Urdur: [1d20] = 14, damage: [1d6] = 6 Hits for 6hp! Urdur is knocked out. Socratic, please play Mittens and roll for him.

PC Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/2: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 5/10, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 24/28
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 8/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 4/16, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl and 0/3 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 3: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 3/22, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl, 0/3 2nd lvl and 0/1 3rd lvl
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: Move: 9", AC: 2(0), HP: 4/19, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 5/28
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 2: AC 6, HP 0/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
  Polymorph Self (Long Bo): Potion. Duration unknown.

PC Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[AleBelly]

Pelias, unhappy that his friend must bear the brunt of hand-to-hand combat, moves to a position near Grothnak to protect the half-orc with his aura (if he isn't there already). He fires an arrow at the zombie in the rear.

Attack with long bow [1d20] = 5, damage [1d6] = 6

If he's OK where he is, he fires another arrow (or if I still get two attacks, here's the second roll):

Attack with long bow [1d20] = 6, damage [1d6] = 3

"Heironeus, I beseech you to protect the righteous!" calls the paladin.

[Zhym]

Grothnak smiles at the line of dead waiting for fight him. He will return them to the afterlife one by one! He smashes Vadok into the skeleton and crooks a finger at the zombie goblin behind it.

Vadok (Halberd +1) (THAC0 18): [1d20+2] = 9+2 = 11, Dmg [1d10+4] = 6+4 = 10 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 7+4 = 11 (L)

[ChubbyPixie]

"Good dog!" thinks Telkis, absently, as Mittens tears into the evil cleric, only peripherally aware that his potential Gnome friend has fallen behind him. Even less sure now than when he began that he will survive this, he blocks out his doubts and resorts to instinct. Right now his instinct is screaming take out the spell caster first. Anyway, he can't yet bring himself to strike... that thing that was Moogeye. He swings Cranach in a tight upwards arc, attempting to catch the priest under the chin and knock him unconscious.

Morningstar +1 (THAC0 18): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 18+1 = 19, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 4+1 = 5, vs L [1d6+2] = 4+2 = 6

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo does not want the brave Grothnak to have to fight all of these little monsters alone.

He changes his body back into the flitting Sparrow and heads towards the middle of the goblin pack.

He hopes to then transform into the large rhino again, knocking the undead monsters into the shaft.

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom will rush forward and pulls the freshly fallen Urdur out of melee. Moving the gnomes body behind and in between the two clerics. He shouts at the the two holy women. "Call upon your gods and banish these devils!"

[SocraticLawyer]

Mittens, war dog
Mittens is confused. He tries to think his way through, the way Master taught him.

Master told him to attack the Bad Man, but then one of the Bad Things hurt Master! And there is another Man who is also attacking the Bad Man, so he must be a Good Man. Mittens desperately wants to attack the Bad Thing that hurt Master, but Master told him to attack the Bad Man. Once he's done with the Bad Man, he'll attack the Bad Thing (and hide one of its bones for later!) and then wake Master up.

Mittens attack on unholy priest (Thaco ?) [1d20] = 18
Mittens damage [1d4+1] = 2+1 = 3
Good boy!

[rredmond]

Grey Mouser, 1/2 elf, Thief/MU
Seeing Telkis move deftly in the way of any sling shot Mouser had, he just smiles and shakes his head.
Mouser then drops his sling and charges into combat with S8, drawing sabre and dagger in his offhand, screaming "Diiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeee! .... um ... again!"

Scalpel (THACO 20) To Hit [1d20] = 1, S/M/L Dam. [1d8] = 5

kinda glad I didn't fire into melee!

Cat's Claw (THACO 20) To Hit [1d20] = 14, S/M Dam. [1d4] = 1, L Dam. [1d3] = 2

[Mant72]

Seeing her attempts to turn the undead have gone unheeded, Ingrid attempts to smash the nearest skeleton (S3) with her mace.

Mace (THAC0: 20): To Hit: [1d20] = 16, damage: small [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5 / large [1d6] = 3

[Inferno]

The Church of Merikka (21)
Village of Briarsgate, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Seven. Midnight. Saturday, October 22nd, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, misty





In the corrupted church of hidden atrocities, the valiant heroes of Briarsgate continue their desperate struggle against sinister powers of unspeakable evil.

On the second floor, undead Moogeye and other dread cadavers lurch forward at the command of the vile priest of darkness. He throws back his hood to reveal a ghastly ceremonial mask of serpentine tentacles as he chants more heretical words of otherworldly power, "'Ai! 'Ai! Ftaghn! Tharanak! Ftaghu!"



A gruesome skeletal horror (S3) grazes Mittens' snout (-1hp) as Telkis deflects attacks from another dead man (S8) and from Moogeye Comcra!

"...Tharanak! Ftaghu!" The cleric of chaos completes his bloodcurdling incantation and suddenly, Telkis and Ingrid feel invisible, etheric tentacles from beyond this fragile world lock them in an icy embrace! They are frozen, paralyzed, by this malevolent, alien intelligence!



Mouser charges into the fray, Cat's Claw and Scalpel drawn. He carves a faint line across a fleshless skull (S8), and slips in the growing pool of Moogeye's blood. Please Save vs Dex on 1d20 or fall.

Swordless and spellless, Avril waits for an opening to let an arrow fly. Hoom pulls the fallen form of Urdur back from the battle as Mittens, Urdur's dog, fearlessly attacks; his white fangs draw crimson blood from the high priest of unholy atrocities!


Actions?!


Map:

White initials indicate the PCs. Green are undead or monsters. Orange are burned skeletons. Red initials are hooded cultists, priests and priestesses. Pale green are Held PCs.





In the church's bell tower stair, Pelias shouts, "Heironeus, I beseech you to protect the righteous!" as he moves closer to Grothnak to offer what holy protection he can. The paladin fires one arrow into the flank of the horrific Goblin undead, and it whistles past a heinous horror's ear.

Bo the druid assumes the shape of a humble sparrow once more and soars across the deep well and between the unliving Goblin corpses and the wall.

Grothnak’s merciless halberd shatters a grisly corpse (S10), scattering maggots and bones across the stone steps.

Dead, blood soaked Goblin Men advance to take its place. The necrotic terror leading the horde (ZG2) wears an arrow impaled in its face as it lunges at Grothnak!



But the half-orc warrior evades the attack.

At the fleeting edges of perception, the noise of a large crowd can be faintly heard from above, through the open trap door. The villagers who answered the steeple bell have reached the temple.




Actions?!


Map:

This map is a 30' tall, spiral stairwell connecting the church's second floor to its bell tower.
PC positions are depicted by their initials. ZG = Zombie Goblin Men.


Rolls and Rulings (non-required reading):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 1, Monsters: [1d6] = 6 Monsters win, except Zombies which always go last in a turn.
S3 attacks Mittens: [1d20] = 15, damage: [1d6] = 1 Hits for 1hp.
S8 and Moogeye attack Telkis: [1d20] = 17, [1d20] = 9, damage: [1d6] = 5, [1d8] = 5 Both miss.
The 5 segment difference in initiative is just enough for the evil cleric to successfully cast his spell, Hold Person, upon Telkis, Avril and Ingrid.
Because the spell is going off before the PCs' actions, I'll roll saves for them this time, so we can complete the round:
Avril, Ingrid and Telkis Save vs. Spells: [1d20] = 20, [1d20] = 6, [1d20] = 4 Avril saves.
Mouser: Fumble result: [1d8] = 4 'Slip.' This effect comes at the end of the turn, so Mouser can roll a Save for it.
S10 falls down stairwell shaft? (50%): [1d100] = 59 No.
Pelias must move more than 1" toward Grothnak, so Pelias can only fire one arrow this round.
ZG2 attacks Grothnak: [1d20] = 9, damage: [1d8] = 3 Misses.

PC Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/2: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 5/10, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 24/28
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: AC 3, HP 8/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 4/16, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl and 0/3 2nd lvl, Held
  Long Bo, Human Druid 3: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 3/22, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl, 0/3 2nd lvl and 0/1 3rd lvl
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: Move: 9", AC: 2(0), HP: 4/19, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 5/28, Held
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 2: AC 6, HP 0/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
  Polymorph Self (Long Bo): Potion. Duration unknown.

PC Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[Zhym]

Grothnak sinks Vadok's blade into a zombie.

Vadok (Halberd +1) (THAC0 18): [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15, Dmg [1d10+4] = 4+4 = 8 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 4+4 = 8 (L)

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

Having pulled Urdur to safety Hoom views the ensuing conflict. Telkis is held fast, looks to be building up to some kind of monstrous attack that require deep concentration. His form does not move while in his trance. What possible attack is he planning. Urdur's mutt is quite vicious ripping at the robed figure. Much smaller than a human and more the size of it's master, it's lesser mass is just enough to allow the opportunity of attack through missile projection, though more difficult a task than an open target. Stand at the base of Urdur, Hoom send forth three large size dart projectiles towards the robed figure. With Telkis holding steady and mostly blocked by the skeleton, Hoom only fear is missing the robed figure and hitting Urdur's mutt, thus unleashing it's wrath upon himself or Urdur when he wakes to find his beast wounded from his projectile.

HEAD UP FIRING INTO MELEE!!
Darts (THAC0 20) to hit [1d20+3] = 12+3 = 15 / Damage: S/M [1d3] = 3 - L [1d2] = 1
Darts (THAC0 20) to hit [1d20+3] = 1+3 = 4 / Damage: S/M [1d3] = 3 - L [1d2] = 1 Uh oh.
Darts (THAC0 20) to hit [1d20+3] = 3+3 = 6 / Damage: S/M [1d3] = 2 - L [1d2] = 1

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo watches as Grothnak slashes at another zombie. The druid does the only thing he can think of and transforms back into his bear form. Once enlarged again, he shoves the last re-dead goblin down the shaft of the stairwell.

Let me know if you need a roll for that.

[AleBelly]

Pelias takes aim at ZG3, then ZG6 with a couple of arrows.

Attack with long bow [1d20] = 4, damage [1d6] = 5

Attack with long bow [1d20] = 17, damage [1d6] = 1

[SocraticLawyer]

Mittens, war dog
Mittens growls at the Bad Thing (S3) that swiped his snout. I'll deal with you in a minute, he thinks. But first I have to get the Bad Man.

Mittens bites the Bad Man again, aiming for his neck.

Mittens attack on unholy priest (Thaco ?) [1d20] = 20
Mittens damage [1d4+1] = 2+1 = 3
Good doggie!!

[rredmond]

Save vs DEX [1d20] = 18

Missed it by one. Well that sucks
Was going to ask about if I can act after the save, but I'm guessing that decision was made by the dice - Old School!

[ToniXX]

Avril will fire two arrows over the head of Telkis, hoping to find their home in the sternum of the priest of darkness:

To hit, arrow [1d20] = 16, damage [1d6] = 5
To hit, arrow [1d20] = 20, damage [1d6] = 2

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis

"Hnnnnnnnnnnngh!" says Telkis very, very quietly. His body is utterly still, but his mind reels, utterly repulsed by the feel of the spectral tentacles from which he can not escape. He puts every ounce of willpower into trying to move.

[Inferno]

The Church of Merikka (21)
Village of Briarsgate, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Seven. Midnight. Saturday, October 22nd, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, misty





On the second story of the evil shrine, Mouser slips and falls in the growing pool of Moogeye Comcra's blood! A skinless, haunted horror (S8) cannot grasp him, but Mittens is seized by the cold, dead clutches of a second living skeleton (S3).



The fearless hound yelps once before he is strangled to death!

The dark vicar of Briarsgate utters more forbidden, eldritch words of sanity destroying terror. "'Ai! 'Ai! Fhtagn! Ftaghu'Nagha! Shogg-Shuggli ...!"



Suddenly, two arrows blossom on his chest! They were nocked on Avril's bow a second ago. Lungs pierced, his throat fills with blood, choking him before he can finish his vile incantation!

Hoom Feethos flicks a spray of war darts at the wounded priest of depravity. One impales the eyehole of his hideous mask and he screams a jet of crimson... and still lives. Hoom loses his balance and stumbles into the prone form of Urdur Shimmerstone. (Hoom, please save vs Dex on d20 or fall.)

Mouser, soaked in the cold blood of his dead friend, Moogeye (MC), gets back on his feet and then suddenly, she is upon him!




Actions?!


Map:

White initials indicate the PCs. Green are undead or monsters. Orange are burned skeletons. Red initials are hooded cultists, priests and priestesses. Pale green are Held PCs.





In the belltower, Pelias lets two more arrows fly into the undead horde across the spiral stair from his perch. One missile grazes the distorted visage of a graveyard goblin.




Bo the nature priest transforms his shape again, from sparrow to cave bear.




The sudden mass and size of the immense ursine push the macabre, living Goblin corpses (ZG3, 6 and 8) over the edge of the stair rail, sending them plummeting down the thirty foot shaft, to their bone-shattering deaths, again.

Near the giant bear, Grothnak splits the rotting skull of the last cadaverous Goblin Man (ZG2), straight down to its adam's apple. CHOK!

The battle in the belltower stairwell is ended. From below come the cries of desperate combat. From outside, the sounds of an angry mob, growing nearer.


Actions?!


Map:

This map is a 30' tall, spiral stairwell connecting the church's second floor to its bell tower.
PC positions are depicted by their initials. ZG = Zombie Goblin Men.


Rolls and Rulings (non-required reading):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 1, Monsters: [1d6] = 4 Monsters win again, except zombies who always go last in a round.
S3, S8 attack Mittens and Mouser: [1d20] = 20, [1d20] = 2, damage: [1d6] = 5, [1d6] = 6 Mittens takes a critical hit for 10hp! Sorry, Socratic. That was a great crit hit roll that Mittens had, too.
With Mitttens dead, Mouser on the floor, and Telkis held, Avril and Hoom are no longer 'firing into a melee.'
The initiative win isn't large enough for cleric to cast his next spell, but he has no way of knowing.
Hoom's critical fumble effect: [1d8] = 1 "Stumble:" move 1 hex in random direction, but remains standing.
Hoom: Random direction. North is 1, then clockwise. [1d8] = 3 East. Into the fallen form of Urdur. This will trigger a Dex save.
Zombie Moogeye attacks Mouser: [1d20] = 8, damage: [1d8] = 1 Misses.
Zombie Goblin dex saves: (7): [1d20] = 17, [1d20] = 16, [1d20] = 9 All fail, and fall.
Falling damage to the three goblin zombies: [3d6] = 16 16hp each. All are killed.
ZG2 falls down the stairwell shaft? (50%): [1d100] = 11 Yes.
Weight of Bear triggers saving throw from stone steps: [1d20] = 12 Makes save. Stairs hold.

PC Status:

• Avril Hollysword, Half-Elf Fighter/Cleric 1/2: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 5/10, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 1/2: Move: 9", AC 5, HP 10/10, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 24/28
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 1/2: Move: 9", AC 3, HP 8/8, Spells: 0/1 1st lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 3: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 4/16, Spells: 0/4 1st lvl and 0/3 2nd lvl, Held
  Long Bo, Human Druid 3: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 3/22, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl, 0/3 2nd lvl and 0/1 3rd lvl
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 2: Move: 9", AC: 2(0), HP: 4/19, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 5/28, Held
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 2: Move: 12", AC 6, HP 0/6, Spells: 1/2 1st lvl

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
  Polymorph Self (Long Bo): Potion. Duration unknown.

PC Resources:

• Map of Briarsgate
  NPC List for Briarsgate
  The Story So Far (in words)
  The Story So Far (in pictures)

[Zhym]

Grothnak rushes down the stairs. "Bo! Pelias! With me! The priest must be destroyed!"