Chapter 24: Human Sacrifices

[ravenn4544]

Mouser shakes away the dire memories the painting resurfaces. He takes his mind off of it by searching the walls for any secret niches or passageways.

[wolfpack]

Brevos stops Ingrid

Wait, obviously it is not a real painting it is just some magical apparition. The times we have crossed something that controlled our minds we should be weary of this.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis, distracted and unaware of the drama with the painting, looks around on the floor for the hand, Cranach pulled back and ready to strike. “It’s not skittering around here somewhere, is it? Nothing would surprise me in this place,” he says.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome steps between Ingrid and the door. Do not do that. Many have died for taking 'just one more look'.
Jerome is deadly serious about keeping Ingrid away from the door. He'll go as far as striking her with the flat of his blade to stop her, if she insists.

[rredmond]

Rudolf uncomfortable with the party congregating and arguing at the door, moves across to the double doors to make sure nothing sneaks up to them from the screaming faces room.
Did the opening and closing of the eastern door cause any discernible change in the kooky graveyard sound? It’s louder in the faces room, correct? Was there any sound at all coming from the room when that eastern door was open?

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo closes his eyes to see if that will clear the memories of his dead friend from his vision.

He joins Mouser in his search, going around the floors and walls tapping on them with the butt of his spear.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Brevos stops Ingrid

Wait, obviously it is not a real painting it is just some magical apparition. The times we have crossed something that controlled our minds we should be weary of this.

The cleric puts her cloak back on. Yes, that makes sense. You are correct- there are too many times we have encountered dark magic that has messed with our minds. Ingrid turns away from the door.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur keeps his back to the wall, dagger and torch at the ready. If he sees the cursed hand, he attempts to burn it with his torch.

[Inferno]

Within 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.







Brevos slams the ebon sigiled door shut!

The unsettling painting and its dread implications are gone from sight, but not from memory. Unbidden, it echoes in the darkness of their beleaguered minds.

Ingrid wants to reopen the black door, to let her eyes drink deep of the disturbing image of the fallen heroes and the damned ghosts that haunt them still.

But Brevos and Jerome lead her from temptation, reminding Ingrid how in the past, their will has faltered in the dire face of such heinous black magicks.



Ingrid acquiesces.

Urdur backs against a wall, dagger and torch at the ready, as Rudolf pads to the southern doors.

Mouser and Long Bo search the walls for secret passageways, to no avail.

Telkis finds the severed hand on the floor.



It is lifeless and unmoving. Has it always been? Had he imagined it? (Telkis, please see PM)


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 5 feet. Asterisk by door doesn't represent anything. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.


Map:






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: 14/20, Laying Hands: 0/1
  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, Torch
  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: 2/3 1st lvl and 2/2 2nd lvl, Torch

PC Magic:

• Find Traps (Ingrid): Duration: 23 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]

Telkis prods the seemingly lifeless hand with the end of Cranach. “Yes. It’s the mind stuff that gets you. That and having your life sucked out of you...” he says, painfully remembering his encounter in the hell mouth from which he has never fully recovered.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Let us put this room and the vile temptations within behind us. I do not pretend to expect we shall find anything different as we press on, but press on we must. This room will likely bring harm to us if we stay too long- if it hasn't already.

[wolfpack]

Agreed let us move

[ravenn4544]

Mouser is ready to move on and thinks, "Do you think that picture serves some other purpose? What if we threw something sharp at it?"

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome shakes his head. I had thought of such myself. But I am wary of the innate evil of this place- and I have heard tales of tribal shamans using images to harm the person represented. I suspect the experiment would end badly.

[rredmond]

Rudolf peeks out of the southern double doors to ensure there are only the multitude of tortured faces in there, and nothing more sinister. "I think destroying anything creepy in this creepy place is a good idea. If we do it, we should have someone prepared with a nocked arrow, another person or two can open the door. Shoot the cursed thing, with only the bowman looking at it, and then shut the door," he says quietly, "if we aren't going to destroy it, then let's get moving south."

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo doesnt go anywhere near the room in question, instead agreeing with those who wish to depart this futile attempt at waylaying their objectives of finding the girl and destroying this place.

"I dont see any reason for us to be in here any longer. I see no evidence that the girl was ever even in here."

[Urson]

Jerome

Then let us go, brothers and sister.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur joins the others, leaving behind the room with the creepy painting. He keeps his torch and dagger ready.

[Inferno]

Within 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.




The heroes retreat from the mysterious horror of the doom-haunted painting and its dire ramifications.

Rudolf peers out the southern doors into the hall of hideous screaming faces.



All is quiet within the thin sliver of light projected from the gap in the devil doorway.

Despite Telkis' prodding, the severed hand remains devoid of life.


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 5 feet. Asterisk by door doesn't represent anything. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.


Map:






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: 14/20, Laying Hands: 0/1
  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, Torch
  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: 2/3 1st lvl and 2/2 2nd lvl, Torch

PC Magic:

• Find Traps (Ingrid): Duration: 22 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 collects his torch, squares his shoulders, and reteruns to the room of Screaming Faces. He has his sword in hand.
We gain nothing by waiting.