Chapter 24: Human Sacrifices

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric will again check for traps to give the others peace of mind. I will check again to be sure, if you wish.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis will unconsciously assume a batter's ready stance in anticipation of some new abomination escaping the door once it's opened.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur takes a position behind the others, waiting tensely. He wonders idly if he should turn invisible again.

[Inferno]

The Hall of Tortured Faces, The Lost Shrine of Ancient Evil
The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. Long after midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY








The last fearsome portal fills the heroes with apprehension and dread. The grey druid holds its key yet none will open the door.

Instead, Long Bo regards the heinous faces that cover ever surface of this unholy chamber.





Whilst all cursed with the same demonic cast, he notes that each horrific face has different features. Different ages are represented, as are both genders. In a growing wave, the ghastly macabre visages become aware of Bo's rapt attention and return it with glaring baleful eyes.




Again, Ingrid quietly reassures the uneasy heroes that her holy sight reveals no lurking threats emanating from the final frightful door.


Actions?



Map Detail:

One square = 5 feet. Asterisk by the door, and dot by the '4', don'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: 3/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/20, 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: 11 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)

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric will open the door.

[wolfpack]

Brevos stands ready sword drawn

[rredmond]

Rudolph flinches almost as if being stung at the door opening and moves to the wall he is nearest so that he can see in, but present the smallest target for anything that might come out. As he does so he ensures his magic short sword is out, with a dagger in his off hand. While they wait for the door to fully open, he scratches an "X" over the eye of one of the faces in the wall next to him... just to see what happens.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser stands back, ready.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur waits, dagger and torch ready.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome shifts around, turning his attention to the doorway.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo hands off the key so the door can be opened. He stomps his foot on one of the faces in the floor to see if there is any reaction.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis remains tensed and ready.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” he says.

[Urson]

Jerome

Brother Telkis, I've had a bad feeling since I joined this group. But as Paladin Ambrose says, 'If you're facing enemies, you're going the right way.'

[Inferno]

The Hall of Tortured Faces, The Lost Shrine of Ancient Evil
The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. Long after midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY







“I have a bad feeling about this,” confesses Telkis before the last demon door.

Rudolf and Bo scratch and stomp at the heinous faces that adorn the floor, ceiling and every wall. Dagger and boot find the ghastly visages as hard as stone. At the sacrificial victims' impotence, they all erupt with malicious laughter.



Then Ingrid opens the door and, as one, the horrific atrocities shriek:

"You are a gift to The Nothing! The Nothing!"

From the door flies a blast of frigid cold. The eerie unsettling tone, first detected in the vast graveyard on the mountainside, grows louder.

Beyond the demon portal is a towering chapel to an unspeakable god.




Behind an unholy candlelit altar is an impossibly immense statue of the Dark Mother, exactly as the heroes have dreamt of it since entering these accursed mountains!




Jerome feels a strange kinship with this entity of madness and death from beyond the Outer Planes.

In the center of the shrine, dangling from 50' ceilings, hang a dozen human skulls from hooks on 20' chains.




There is a pipe organ against the southeast wall, and a low stone bridge that crosses a stream of water. The bridge railings are fashioned from the remains of men.




The church of depravities extends beyond the bridge into absolute darkness.



Actions?!



Map Detail:

One square = 5 feet. Asterisks and black dots by the room numbers don'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: 3/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/20, 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: 10 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 grits his teeth, fighting off any slightest sense of kinship to any of the things he sees. He paces through the room, scowling in frustration and fury I am no monster he whispers.
He seems to be considering some grave act, but does nothing for now.

[wolfpack]

we need an earthquake to destroy this vile place just like the last

[rredmond]

Rudolf looks over at the paladin's whispers. "In this place it would be better if you could detect which bits are good," he says shaking his head at the predicament they are in. "What say you all," he says quietly, but trying to add a bit of jauntiness to his voice, "straight to the bridge, eh? Leave the altar and organ be?"
The skulls hang over the middle of the room, or over the altar?

[wolfpack]

Brevos will lead the way towards the bridge

[ravenn4544]

Mouser will investigate the altar. He'll check for any evil machinations before touching anything.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome joins Mouser near the altar. He keeps his holy symbol clenched in one hand, and is muttering prayers again.