Chapter 25: Hell Vomits Forth The Damned

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

When the horrible sound starts once again and the dead fall to the ground, the cleric doesn't question why, accepting that Holy Tritherion is looking out for her. But she doesn't wish to push her luck. Run! she shouts, making sure Bo and Jerome start heading toward the entrance before she starts making her way as quickly as she can without tripping over the bodies.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis shoots a look of relief back towards Brevos, then runs up to meet those still making their way out, threading the skeleton landmines as he beckons for them to hurry. He'll then turn to run with them as they continue for the exit.

[OGRE MAGE]

Not sure what is actually happening with the undead, or where the mysterious new noise is coming from, Bo doesn’t waste a second thinking about it. Taking off when the others start to run, the lanky druid hikes his robes and sprints towards the other end of the hall, looking back a few times as he does so, to make certain the repugnant undead aren’t still chasing them.

“I’m not sure what that was, but let’s not waste this bit of good fortune, friends!”

[SocraticLawyer]

That can't be good, thinks Urdur to himself, unaware of what has transpired behind him. By the light of his magical globes, he continues at as quick a pace as he can, still carrying Amity in his arms.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser, one arm now wrapped around his precious book, investigates the door and stands by it to close it and seal off the undead. His eyes dart everywhere and the voices pelt his soul.,..

[Inferno]

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







To the chilling sound of Brevos' macabre symphony, Urdur continues his desperate flight, carrying Amity Mantle from the church of unspeakable atrocities!

Deep within it, Bo, Ingrid and Jerome race for their lives down the towering corridor of heinous magnificence...



...now eerily strewn with hundreds of lifeless dead and damned!

Bo risks a glance back and finds no horrible things following them. The Greater Repugnances too must be returned to Death's unholy embrace, he hopes.

They join Telkis and flee across the Corpse Bridge whose dead have also fallen silent.



With a deathgrip on his precious tome of vile blasphemies, Mouser locates the devil door's keyhole, but not its key.

Nearby, beneath the great statue of the Dark Mother...



...Ingrid gives Rudolf her last oil flask as Brevos urgently cries, "Quickly, get out of here! I will hold them off with the music until you are clear!"


Actions?!


Full Map:

One square = 5 feet. Asterisks and black dots by the room numbers don't represent anything.





PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 18/31, Light from magic sword
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 8/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 12/22, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 8/20, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 29/30, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 1/2 3rd lvl, Torch, -1 to Strength
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 14/16, Light from magic sword
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 4/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 2/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl, Dancing Lights

PC Magic:

• Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self.
  Dancing Lights (Urdur): Duration: 4 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 12 turned for 3 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 3 turned for 2 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Jerome): 8 turned for 1 round.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 1 turned for 4 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 9 turned for 4 rounds.
  Summon Insects (Bo): Duration: 3 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)

[rredmond]

"Who else has some oil,", Rudolf urgently asks the others, as he pours oil at the end of the bridge. "Another flask or two will give us, and Brevos some time to escape," he wipes the sweat from his forehead, and looks at the druid, "and if you wouldn't mind me borrowing your torch for a moment." As soon as he can get at least 2 flasks, maybe 3 of oil spread across the inanimate undead in front of him, Rudolf sets it alight and will yell to Brevos, "time to go!"
Understood that this may be two rounds of action, I'll take the time. Better safe than sorry!

[wolfpack]

brevos continues pressing he keys until everyone has run past and will then take up the rear.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Wait- who has the key so we can lock the door behind us? That will help slow the dead a bit longer.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser shakes his head at the request for a key. He does take an available second to dig out his last oil flask to hand to Rudolf.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome stumbles to a stop beside Brevos. He takes in what's going on quickly. Good thinking, brother Brevos!
He looks closely at the keyboard and the organ. Is there a way to wedge something (like one of Jerome's daggers) into the keyboard to keep the notes playing without Brevos holding them?

[OGRE MAGE]

At the end of their hopeful escape, Bo finally sees what is going on with the odd noise. "But.....how....why......", he mumbles to himself before stooping down to grab a hunk of rubble from the falling walls and ceiling.
He moves to Brevos and places the rock on the two keys the brave man is holding down, to see if they will remain depressed under the weight of the stones.

If that works, he continues moving after the others. If not, he hands over 2 oil flasks to help aid their escape.

"That did not look like it was going to end well from our end of the hall! Thank you to whoever thought of trying the organ. I wouldn't have dreamed of that in a million lifetimes."

"Ingrid! I believe you still hold the key you seek."

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur slows his pace, and eventually stops. He knows he can't get too far on his own, especially in his weakened condition. Certainly someone, or something, should have followed him out by now. If any of the others manage to escape, he can't risk being separated from them.

Urdur sets Amity down, carefully, behind some cover if he can. He stays within 2 feet of her, alternating glances at the human child and the dungeon entrance, unsure of what he is waiting for.

[wolfpack]

Brevos waves everyone on

Just go get out, I will catch up

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric searches herself and finds the key for the door. So I do! When everyone is out, Ingrid will slam shut the door and lock it, taking the key with her.

[rredmond]

While Bo looks for rocks, Rudolf borrows his torch and lights whatever meager oil he has poured out on the inanimate animated dead. He hears the insistence of the rangers call and thinks to himself, wait a minute, what the heck am I doing? My mother would kill me, time to go. He’ll be the second to last out of the room, so that Brevos can get out quickly, then he’ll wholeheartedly help the priestess slam the door shut. “Getting quite the kill count traveling with you jokers,” he says with a panting laugh, “wait does it count as a kill if your target wasn’t alive? he asks Telkis. “Oy, Mouser! What in the hells!!” He’ll give the half-elf a scornful look but thinking of Urdur he’ll, hopefully escape with the others.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis practically stumbles through the doors with the others, weak from his injuries. He immediately scans for Urdur. When he doesn't see him, he runs for the main door and rolls under it as before.

[Inferno]

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







Out of breath and out of hope, Urdur stops at the edge of the vast subterranean cavern and waits a few dread-filled, tense minutes!

His sorcerous lights extinguish. He looks back at the looming underground fortification, a vast menace of despair.



In the ghastly pall of its eerie green phosphorescence, Urdur lowers the sleeping child to the ground and waits to see if any of his friends will live.

Then the otherworldly tone stops again.





Within that brooding citadel of death...




...beneath the silent chained skulls, Rudolf sets a raging bonfire at the Corpse Bridge.




"Time to go!" he shouts urgently.

The grey druid places a shattered fragment of crypt slab upon the pipe organ's two keys and it gives the heroes a few extra moments to flee before the pipes are exhausted of air and fall deathly silent!

By then, the heroes have slammed the demon doors shut behind them! Ingrid locks them tight with the bronze key!



From beyond the horrific portal they hear the screaming, roaring, laughing cacophony of the swarming dead rising again!

They run for their lives across the Hall of Tortured Faces!




"You are a gift to The Nothing! The Nothing!" the horrendous visages shriek with malevolent joy as the heroes plunge through the two foot gap beneath the stonegate...




...and burst out onto the wharf along the underground lake! Ahead they see the child, Amity Mantle lying motionless on the ground, all alone!


Actions?!



Map Detail:

One square = 5 feet. Asterisks and black dots by the room numbers don't represent anything.

Map:






PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 18/31, Light from magic sword
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 8/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 12/22, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 8/20, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 29/30, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 1/2 3rd lvl, Torch, -1 to Strength
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 14/16, Light from magic sword
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 4/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 2/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self.

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

As they flee for their lives, Ingrid sees young Amity on the ground. No, no, NO! URDUR! the cleric calls out, hoping their invisible companion is there, waiting nearby.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome runs with the others, making sure no one is left behind. That place *pant* needs a Flame Strike. *pant* I saw *gasp* that done, once.

As the group reaches Amity, Jerome stops in the middle of the bridge, facing the Citadel. He knows he can't stop all of what's there, but he's standing guard- ready to give the alarm if anything follows them.