Chapter 21: Pact With The Devil

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur adjusts the location of his spell, centering the hobbit ditty sound 10 feet south of the altar.

So, roughly equidistant from everyone in the party. Hopefully the song will drown out the chanting for the audience (i.e., the party).

[Scott308]

Ingrid

Save vs. Spells (14): [1d20] = 14
She will continue her planned action.

[wolfpack]

changing action

Brevos will target v1 and w1 with arrows 1 each

[1d20] = 10

[1d20] = 5

[ChubbyPixie]

Whipping his head around at the unexpected appearance of the singers to his left, Telkis will charge V1:
Morningstar +1 (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 6+1 = 7, vs L [1d6+2] = 6+2 = 8
...and swing wild.

Oof!

[rredmond]

"Crap her again!" Rudolph hisses in fear, "in multiples!" Since he was already moving back he targets the Veil-freak #2 with his sling. He looks up right before slinging, and yells "by Emmantiensien now would be a good time for mighty action trees. Help us!"

Sling (THAC0 14) [1d20] = 11; DAM [2d4] = 8
A little better, but still ugly. Here's hoping for an AC of 3 or worse!

Fixing the damage I screwed up: [1d4+1] = 4+1 = 5

[ravenn4544]

Mouser remains motionless and bound - and hopefully unseen...

[Inferno]

The Strange Black Altar of the Haunted Wood, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Five. After midnight. Wednesday, November 16th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy






As if from some dark fairy tale, or perhaps a surreal unearthly dream, three fair maidens emerge from the spectral midnight forest and, as one, speak words that cannot be comprehended.

Long Bo the druid begins to weave powerful nature magic when one of the women (W3) says, "Prithee, sir... Hush."



She lays a finger across her lips that is crimson with blood. But she seems unwounded.

The beautiful maiden continues in a voice melodic and beguiling. "Pray kind sir, wouldst thou not protect this innocent mistress from treachery most foul? Thou knoweth in thy heart that thy "friends" cannot be trusted."

For only an instant, Ingrid believes she sees the women for what they truly are.



Then the unsettling flash of awareness is over and the witches are fair once more in Ingrid's eyes.

The grey druid betrays no such insight into the women's true nature. Long Bo nods gravely at her words and charges Mouser as Ingrid unties him!

Unbound, the wiry little thief narrowly evades the druid's spear, but not his ire. Bo snarls, “I still don’t trust him, and don’t know why you would either. Look at him! He's still covered in the halfling's blood. If that little wretch starts chanting again or tries to kill anyone else in the party, the initial target for my lightning will be his head!"

Meanwhile, Rudolf pleads to the wailing trees as he slings a stone and sends it hurtling at a handmaiden adorned in a funereal shroud! (V2) The rock strikes with enough force to crack her skull, but she seems unharmed.

Brevos looses two arrows northward! One misses the beautiful young gentlewoman (W1). The other impales the veiled maiden (V1), sinking deep into her stomach. She doesn't flinch.

Urdur the invisible conjurer weaves an illusion of sound in case the witches of Vicar's Head resume their will-destroying chants. Suddenly, the disembodied voices of four hobbits sing a legendary ballad, regaled in hobbit taverns across Greyhawk. The heroes find it hard to hear one other.

The serene, veiled women (V1-3)...



...suddenly rampage forward with unexpected ferocity and frightful, preternatural speed!

Their black veils fall away, revealing unspeakable horrors beneath.





The funeral shrouds must have been their own.

The pale, ghastly things lunge forward with a feral hunger that shall never be sated. They bite and rip the flesh of the heroes with dead mouths filled with ruined, cracked teeth. Brevos' throat is almost torn out (by V2, for 4hp damage) and Ingrid nearly loses a finger! (2hp damage from V3)

Telkis charges the unshrouded terror impaled by Brevos' arrow (V1). In the wild tangle of the fray, the dwarfish gnome cannot land a blow, but he turns his raging foe around and the disoriented slayer lacerates the fair maiden behind her (W1), drawing blood and anger!


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Continuing the round that was begun last DM post...
Bo attacks Mouser with spear: [1d20] = 4, damage: [1d6] = 3 Misses.
Brevos' arrow hits V1. Damage: [1d6] = 4
V1, V2, V3 charge Telkis, Brevos, Ingrid: [1d20+2] = 1+2 = 3, [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20, [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20 A fumble and two hits.
V1 fumble result: [1d6] = 6 "Wild Swing: Attack a random target, friend or self, for ½ damage."
V1: 'attacks' W1 (1) or self (2)? [1d2] = 1, to hit: [1d20] = 12, damage: [1d4] = 4 Harms W1 for 4hp damage!
Damage to Brevos and Ingrid: [1d8] = 4, [1d8] = 2

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 11/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 13/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl, Tied
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 16/22, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 4(3), HP: 20/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 0/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 4/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 17/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 5/9, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self
  Turned Undead (Ingrid): Duration: 6 rounds
  Audible Glamour (Urdur): 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)

[ChubbyPixie]

“Haaa! Expect more of the same!” yells Telkis, almost crazed with a desire to smash these abominations to a bloody pulp. He aims for the rabid undead once again (V1) and baseball swings Cranach into her midsection:
Morningstar +1 (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 20+1 = 21, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 2+1 = 3, vs L [1d6+2] = 2+2 = 4

[rredmond]

Momentarily nonplussed by the noneffect of their missile weapons, and the speed of their foes, Rudolph hears the ditty sung by hobbit pirates and barely hears the defiant battle cry of Telkis to the North of him so he springs into action. "Yes," he yells, "blade work it is! Though this is likely to be the end of me."

Drawing short sword and dagger, and choking down the fear, he attacks the Veiled monstrosity (V2) that is currently chewing a chunk of half-elf.
Short sword +1 TH: [1d20+1] = 21, Sword dam: [1d6+1] = 5+1 = 6; Dagger TH: [1d20] = 17, Dagger DAM [1d4] = 4
Feeling the blows are true, the little hobbit screams an incoherent cry of victory, almost drowned out by "♫Let's go hunt, doo doo doo doo doo doo, let's go hunt...♫"

[wolfpack]

Brevos spits blood in the things face as he draws Brood and angrily attacks.

[1d20+1] = 7+1 = 8

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Raising her holy symbol, the cleric once again summons the holy power of good to stem the tide of evil. Be gone! Your kind have no place here!

Turn undead [1d20] = 17

[ravenn4544]

Mouser draws and swings his sword in a terrified defense. But he attacks before the ropes are all free and his thrust is useless.

Scalpel (THACO 20) To Hit [1d20] = 2, S/M/L Dam. [1d8] = 8

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur fumbles through his pack, looking for the jar with the fiery orange solvent if he can, since it is currently invisible.
But I think it's the only jar-shaped object in his pack.

He doesn't through the jar at the witches, yet. But he gets ready to do so.

[Inferno]

The Strange Black Altar of the Haunted Wood, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Five. After midnight. Wednesday, November 16th, 576 CY
Cold, foggy, cloudy




Dead things...




...that had once been young women...




...continue their feverish attack to slake their unrelenting hunger upon the heroes' flesh.

Behind them, the fair maidens produce small dolls from the pockets of their cloaks. They remind the heroes of another doll that they had once seen.



These child's toys look like brave heroes; a knight, a woman and a smaller knight. The lovely women stab the dolls with steel needles and Brevos, Ingrid and Telkis suddenly feel indescribable pain deep within their bodies! (9, 9 and 7 damage to Brevos, Ingrid and Telkis respectively)

Then one of the maidens (W3) calls to Bo. The grey druid goes to her side and nods grimly at her words that are hard for the others to hear over the chorus of the disembodied hobbit quartet. When the woman stops speaking, Long Bo begins casting a magic spell!

Nearby, Ingrid holds forth the holy symbol of her god once more! "Be gone! Your kind have no place here!" The unveiled horrors (V1-3) shriek and recoil in terror at the devout priestess' faith!



Before the ghastly things can flee, Brevos spits blood the face of one that tore open his throat (V2). He draws Brood and angrily attacks, slicing wide.

Beside him, Rudolf, roused by the hereditary ballad of his people, bares steel and drives his short sword deep into the chest of the heinous, macabre thing (V2), killing it instantly!

Telkis bludgeons another living cadaver (V1) with Cranach, but does not kill it, nor even seem to harm it!

Still tangled in rope and queasy panic, Mouser draws and slashes his blade wildly! Beside him unseen, Urdur feels in his invisible sack and finds the jar of orange solvent he recovered from the Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother.

Then Long Bo completes his fearsome spell. Thick roots and vines erupt from the earth as the screaming of the trees reaches a new bloodcurdling crescendo!



The heroes are held fast by the grasping, clutching plantlife!

The dead, damned woman near Telkis (V1) flees from Ingrid's power, plunging into the endless darkness of the haunted wood. But the accursed thing nearest the priestess (V3) is held fast by Bo's enchantment and is unable to escape, despite shrieking and struggling with all its unnatural might!


Actions?! (Please Save vs Spells. Failure means you are held fast. Success means your movement is halved. Mouser and Urdur, who are at the edge of the area of effect, save at +4)


Map:

One square = 10 feet.


Non-required Reading (rolls and rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 2, Monsters: [1d6] = 3 Monsters win, except for veiled women (V1-3) that always act last in a round.
Damage to Brevos, Ingrid, Telkis: [2d4+2] = 7+2 = 9, [2d4+2] = 7+2 = 9, [2d4+2] = 5+2 = 7
Ingrid: Number of undead turned: [1d12] = 5. Rounds turned for: [3d4] = 7
V3 Save vs Spells: [1d20] = 5 Fails.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 2/31
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 13/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 7/22, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 4(3), HP: 20/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 0/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 4/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 7/32
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 5/9, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self
  Turned Undead (Ingrid): Duration: Z1, Z2: 5 rounds; V1, V3: 6 rounds.
  Audible Glamour (Urdur): Duration: 7 rounds
  Entangle (Bo): Duration: 9 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)

[ChubbyPixie]

Summoning up all his strength, Telkis snaps entwining branches and vines and charges the witch nearest him, Cranach raised high, shouting a dwarvish battle cry in a gnomish accent:
Morningstar +1 (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 9+1 = 10, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 4+1 = 5, vs L [1d6+2] = 5+2 = 7 + something for charging?

EDIT: Whoops - rolled this before and forgot to post it: Save vs. Spells (13): [1d20] = 17

[wolfpack]

save [1d20] = 15

good roll but pretty sure that failed vs spells

[ravenn4544]

Mouser continue to fail at every turn...

Save vs Spells (12) [1d20+4] = 1+4 = 5

OOC: now that he is held, can he attack the creature if he can't move or can he attack only after he is attacked? I'm wondering if I can cast a shocking grasp spell and use it effectively here.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur manages not to get stuck in the vegetation.

Save vs spell (12) [1d20+8] = 10+8 = 18

The little gnome sighs, knowing he is about to become visible again. With all his might, Urdur hurls the jar of solvent at the witch to the west.

Throw jar of orange stuff [1d20+2] = 3+2 = 5

borðmœrar skæ fœra, nú's þats rekr á Rakna
rymleið flota breiðan, he whispers.

"Oh, crap!"

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric frees Mouser from his bonds.

Save vs. Spells (14): [1d20] = 16

[rredmond]

Skipping over the grasping plant life (Save v Spells (11): [1d20] = 14) Rudolph goes swiftly towards W1 with Telkis. "Thank you trees," he calls as he runs, "for not trying so hard to get me! If we can free you without dying first, we will!" Then he sings a round of ♫Baby Shark♫ before attacking, "I killed your veiled buddy, and I'm betting you are actual flesh and blood..." he says grimly as he launches himself at her to attack with both blades.

Hopefully Telkis turns her around somewhat and Rudolph can get a flanking attack or something, ok die roller, don't fail me now!
Short sword +1 TH: [1d20+1] = 13+1 = 14, Sword dam: [1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4; Dagger TH: [1d20] = 10, Dagger DAM [1d4] = 2
Maybe they have crap for AC, or the charging bonus is better than I remember that hits an AC 7 I believe. Ugh.