Chapter 29: Sacrament of Blasphemy

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric will take a quick peek into the cells.

[Inferno]

Beneath the Church of Saint Pentival, The Ashblood Colony, The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Thirty-seven. Night. Saturday, December 17th, 576 CY
Cold, overcast






Their footfalls echoing in the endless shadow of the catacombs, some of the doomed heroes stop running for their lives.

Mouser listens at the first locked, iron door.



He detects no sound within. Ingrid opens its peephole, holds her torch nearby and peers inside. She sees the long thin sliver of a stone chamber illuminated by her small window. Against the back wall of the forlorn dungeon cell sits a wooden chest.

Telkis and Bo discuss their next move as they drift toward the stairwell. Urdur wants to follow someone up the stone steps but no one leads the way. Jerome makes a stand at the rubble-strewn pinch point of the partial tunnel collapse.

Mouser hears nothing at the second bolted door and Ingrid spies an identical chest within the second prison cell.

The dread slithering grows nearer and suddenly, from out of the shadows at the northern corner, a frightful thing emerges!



A great amorphic, slug-like mass writhes forward! Its unstable outline sprawls with malformed tentacles and its surface is riddled with obscene eyes and mouths that murmur in unmistakably human voices! The loathsome gibbering of men, women and children combine with the screams of goats and pigs and horses in a hellish nightmare of sound!

The heroes struggle to comprehend what their eyes behold and their ears perceive as their minds are filled with a nameless madness!


Actions?! (Please Save vs Spells in order to act freely!)


Map:

Green H = the Horror. One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible, all else is from memory. Darker grey shapes on the floor are slime trails.





PC Status:

Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 25/25, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 38/38, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 34/34, Torch
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)

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)

[ravenn4544]

Mouser stands transfixed at the terror before him as, yet again, something unholy reaches out to devour his soul.

Save vs Spell (12) [1d20]=3

[Urson]

Jerome
Save vs Spell:14 [1d20]=12

Jerome tries to charge the beast, but finds himself paralyzed with fear.

[OGRE MAGE]

Save vs. Spells (14) [1d20]=15

Bo borrows his torch back from Telkis, picking the gnome up if he must, before rushing up the steps.

“Yep! Up seems good to me!”

[ChubbyPixie]

Save vs. Spells (13): [1d20]=14

Telkis freezes, visions of another dungeon flashing through his mind. He shakes his head to clear it, then seeing Mouser frozen, lunges forward to grab his belt and drag him back as quickly as he can down the hall towards the steps leading up.

[OGRE MAGE]

Once Bo sees that Telkis is fine, and Jerome is not, he leaves the torch and tries to get the confused Paladin up the steps instead.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Seeing the...whatever this Tritherion-forsaken monstrosity is...come shambling toward the party, Ingrid's self preservation instincts kick in, but so, too, does her instinct to help others. Seeing that The Grey Mouser stands frozen in the face of the oncoming terror, she grabs him by the arm and tries pulling him toward the stairs as quickly as they are able.

Save vs. Spells (14): [1d20]=20

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur stands transfixed, unable to comprehend this most recent horror before him.

Save vs spell (12) [1d20+3]=1+3=4

[Inferno]

Beneath the Church of Saint Pentival, The Ashblood Colony, The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Thirty-seven. Night. Saturday, December 17th, 576 CY
Cold, overcast







Out of the shadows crawls an unspeakable slug-like thing of tentacles and eyes and mouths from which come the heinous sounds of hysterical children wailing, women shrieking, men crying, pigs squealing, goats bleating and horses screaming for their lives!

Half the heroes are stricken by a nameless madness! Urdur stands frozen in fear, bewildered by what his senses fail to understand.
Jerome and Mouser turn and flee in abject terror up the stairs into the pitch black labyrinth!

Bo, Ingrid and Telkis drag the insensate gnome with them and plunge through the partial collapse and up the steep stone steps!



They burst into an empty chamber and, removed from that loathsome inconceivable sight, Jerome, Mouser and Urdur regain their senses! Ahead echo the Dissenters of Pelor's hymns to Saint Pentival! Behind, slithering up the stair, comes the bloodcurdling sounds of the tentacled horror!


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Green exclamation point = the direction of the sound of the horror.
Lighter areas are visible, all else is from memory. Darker grey shapes on the floor are slime trails.

Behind the DM Screen:

Jerome, Mouser, Urdur: [1d2]=2, [1d2]=2, [1d2]=1
Initiative: Party: [1d6]=3, Monster: [1d6-2]=1-2=-1 Party wins.

PC Status:

Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 25/25, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 38/38, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 34/34
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)

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 will hastily examine the stair opening for a loose supporting stone or some other means of fully collapsing the partially collapsed passage behind them, to block pursuit, or better yet, squash the nightmarish thing.

Couldn't remember if you roll this or me, but in case it's me:
Detect Unsafe Walls or Ceilings (70%): [1d10]=6

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome is functional, but still terrified. A door! We need a door! A strong door we can bolt behind us! He licks his dry lips. Damn thirsty... he mutters.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo pants heavily as they continue to flee the horrific noises behind them.

“Great idea Telkis! I could create a barricade of stone myself, if I only had my mistletoe.”

Continuing to run towards the sound of the singing, he whispers to the others.

“We already know one safe path through this damn sewer. Do we continue on in a circle, keeping the monster behind us? That would give us a bit more time to investigate those 3 doors down there. Or do we try another direction?”

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur helps Telkis with the stonework. Let's circle back, he says in response to Bo.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser still shaking at the horror, "what do the those door offer? Only more trapped I think? We should keep going..."

Still not thinking clearly he will follow the group.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Now that we know what that thing is, we can try to stay ahead of it and check those doors. I vote we circle around. There was a chest in both cells I was able to peek inside of- perhaps there is something of use in them?

[Inferno]

Beneath the Church of Saint Pentival, The Ashblood Colony, The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Thirty-seven. Night. Saturday, December 17th, 576 CY
Cold, overcast






As the dreadful sounds of the ghastly thing ascending the steps grow louder and louder, Urdur and Telkis stop running! They frantically examine the stonework as their companions continue to flee for their lives from the eldritch abomination!

The gnomes' hasty examination finds the masonry solid here, unlike below where a partial tunnel collapse had occurred. From the unlit stairwell, the horrific chorus of loathsome shrieking reverberates all around as if with a writhing form of its own!



Unable to bear the harrowing sound any longer, the pair scamper off before the heinous monster comes into their sight!

The doomed heroes burst into the chamber at the bottom of the pit! (1:01)

From above, voices sing in praise of Saint Pentival.



Below, Long Bo breathlessly asks whether they should circle around again or try a new path in the hell maze. Ingrid and Urdur vote for the devil they know. Mouser disagrees, smelling a trap. The others have yet to reply and the abhorrent slithering grows louder!


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Green exclamation point = the direction of the sound of the horror. Lighter areas are visible, all else is from memory. Darker grey shapes on the floor are slime trails.





PC Status:

Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 25/25, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 38/38, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 34/34
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)

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
We should look through the other corridors- there may be something of more immediate value. But I agree that those cells have some potential.

Jerome stands near the corridor that led them back to this central pit, keeping watch against the crawling horror. His voice raises in prayer.
Saint Cuthbert, I beg you hear my prayers. Look on us- see the blasphemy committed by these people in the name of your servant, Pentival! Such cannot be allowed to continue- bless us, that we can end this mockery of devotion!

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

With her recent track-record of decisions turning out poorly for the group, Ingrid is hesitant to make a call on their direction. She will follow whoever first goes into a tunnel.

[OGRE MAGE]

Not sure what else to do, Bo decides to take the lead, sprinting past the others into the same passage they took last time.

"Lets put some distance in between us and this horror! Remember to avert your gaze in the room with the sparkling ceiling!"

Torch in hand, the lanky druid rushes at full speed back around the same route they just took, hoping the others will follow.