Chapter 29: Sacrament of Blasphemy

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Do we want to bash open the third door? I can recast the silence spell on the rock. If anyone is interested in breaking down the lock on the last door, she will cast Silence 15' Radius on the rock again. Either way, she will then retreat back to her post at the southern end to listen for the creature.

[OGRE MAGE]

Still not hearing anything from the rear, Bo agrees with checking all of the doors while here, encouraging the priestess to cast a second spell.

"This is an interesting find to be sure. Perhaps the key will be found in one of the other 2 rooms?"

"I still hear nothing from this direction. I am wondering if the horrid beast has ceased its pursuit."

[SocraticLawyer]

We need to open that box, says Urdur. We should also try to get into the third door. If the lurking beast has ceased its pursuit, we won't need another Silence spell, right?

Urdur helps however he can to either open the door, or the box. He keeps the rocks ready to throw in case they are pursued.

[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







While hammering off the bolts of the southern door, a thunderous crash escapes!

Jerome retreats, leaving the door still locked, questioning aloud the wisdom of tampering with artifacts deemed so perilous that the Knights of the March kept them entombed for a millennia. The paladin's hands shake with fear, or thirst, as he joins Long Bo's vigil.

Ignoring the paladin's counsel, Mouser scans the dim area around the ancient chest for lurking dangers.



Urdur creeps up behind him in the shadowed chamber.

Mouser deems the large trunk too heavy and unwieldly for a man to use as a weapon. Seeing an outline, the thief risks the slightest touch! With expert, knowing fingers, he delicately grazes the arcane symbol of the Order of the Knights of the March!



Suddenly, he feels it depress with an audible click and the chest lid swings open! Within lies a cunning and complex mechanical trap!



Designed to slash a blade in a scything motion if improperly opened, the clockwork deathtrap could blind a man, open his throat or disembowel him, depending how he stood.

Beneath the diabolical, intricate mechanism, the contents of the trunk are bound in rope and a large grey cloth. The entire death machine is set on hinges. Mouser believes it might swing up, like the chest's lid, to allow access to the contents below. But the spring-blade trap is still primed, tensed like a wolf ready to pounce and rend.

All of a sudden, Ingrid and Telkis hear an abhorrent peal of screams echoing from atop the southern stairwell!



In urgent whispers, they warn their companions that the unspeakable abomination has doubled back upon them!


Actions?!


Map:

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





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, 4/5 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 ask for the wall sconce to try to lever one of the supporting stones in the partially collapsed hallway, kibitzing with Urdur for the correct placement. He'll warn the others to move north in the hallway for a moment in case he succeeds and more of the hallway collapses than he expected.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome joins the folks at the southern end of the hall, and will readily lend his improvised weapon.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo cringes when he hears the whispers that the monster is back. He cringes even harder when he sees his friends moving towards the noise.

The druid does not get any closer to the oncoming creature, trying to usher anyone who will listen to take off again in the opposite direction for another lap through the sewer.

With torch in hand, Bo moves around the first two bends of the hallway, listening intently in front of him as he moves to make sure nothing is coming at them from that direction as well.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Time to go- what are you guys doing? We can outrun this thing and come back to investigate the rooms some more. She will join Bo heading north, bringing her torch with her, hoping her companions will choose the safe option and take another lap before they are left in the dark.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser studies the trap and hatches a plan. "Listen - this could be a weapon we could use to kill that thing out there. If we can move this chest closer to the door or have it set around just around a corner - and then trigger the blade to slice out - we can damage that thing enough to slow it down... If we could trigger it from behind, it might even give us more of a chance."

[Inferno]

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







Suddenly, revolting sounds emanate from the top of the southern stair! The loathsome horror has doubled back upon the doomed heroes!

At Telkis' request, Jerome moves south, toward the madness-inducing terror! The paladin quickly brings the gnome the only tool that the prisoners of the labyrinth possess!

Meanwhile, Mouser hatches a devious plan to turn the clockwork deathtrap into a weapon!

The torchbearers, Bo and Ingrid urge flight as they flee north for their lives, plunging Jerome, Mouser, Telkis and Urdur into a blackness absolute!



Within that blinding gloom shriek forlorn women, grieving men, mad horses, pitiful lambs, terrified children... and a dreadful slithering!

His very sanity under siege, Telkis frantically feels for a load bearing pillar, levers the iron sconce beneath a supporting stone and urges Jerome to fly as he thrusts with all his might and completes the partial tunnel collapse!

The cataclysmic thunder of the cave-in chases their heels as the pair race through the darkness, the floor trembling beneath their feet! The rumbling roar drowns out the wretched voices of the frightful horror!

When the deafening ruination is finished, all falls quiet. Jerome, Mouser, Telkis and Urdur cough on the dust, still engulfed in complete darkness!


Actions?!


Map:

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





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, 4/5 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
Jerome hawks and spits, trying to clear the grit from his mouth. We should join the others quickly- that thing is apparently smart enough to circle around in pursuit, and we've just made this a dead end. I refuse to die trapped, in the dark, and thirsty.

[OGRE MAGE]

Slightly shaken by the rumbling floor beneath his feet, Bo can’t believe the gnomes were able to collapse the...... his thoughts immediately turning to the damage this might have just caused them.

He rushes back towards the chaos with torch in hand, calling out names through the dust and debris to locate them. “Is anyone injured? What happened? Are you trapped?”

If the damages to the others was minimal, Bo grabs a rock from the debris pile and gets to work smashing at any remaining locks or bolts, suggesting the others do the same. “Hopefully that stopped the monster, but someone else is sure to have heard that ruckus. Too bad we don’t have a permanent aura of silence following us around down here.”

He winks at Telkis and keeps smashing.

[ChubbyPixie]

Covered in dust, Telkis coughs. "Can't believe that worked and no-one died? But no more awful sounds that I can hear. Maybe it got smooshed?" he says, hopefully.

He'll inspect his handiwork to see if he can get a sense of how much of the corridor actually collapsed.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Hearing the rock collapse behind them, the cleric briefly looks at the druid before hurrying back with him. After making sure everyone is ok, she moves south to check the blocked tunnel.

[Urson]

Jerome
I doubt it was smashed. The gods can be kind- but seldom that kind.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser waits a second for the darkness to settle and his infravision to illuminate the grays in the cell and corridor around him. He'll carefully lift the chest to take with him keeping the blade out of the way. He'll whisper to Urdur for him to follow and shuffle his feet to lead the way.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur follows Mouser, keeping a healthy distance from the trapped box.

[Inferno]

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







The dust settles in the wake of the violent catastrophe. But the eyesight of the imprisoned does not.

Mouser's vision detects no variation of heat within the dungeon cell. The boobytrapped chest is the same temperature as the air around it.

Fortunately, Bo and Ingrid return and illuminate the calamity that Telkis has wrought.



By the flickering torchlight, the trapped heroes see the tunnel collapse has consumed most of the corridor, all the southernmost cell door, and half of the middle door.

By the reflected light, Mouser gingerly closes the lid on the clockwork deathtrap and tries to lift the ancient chest, to no avail. Urdur gives him a wide berth as he strains to drag it to the door where the slope of the stone avalanche spills into the cell. The little thief will need help heaving it over the pile that all but fills the doorway.

After confirming the others yet live, the grey druid grips a hand sized rock and hammers away at the only bolts remaining on a door.

KANG! KTANG! KLANG!

The towering priest makes short work of them but the door is still locked.

Jerome says, "That thing is apparently smart enough to circle around in pursuit, and we've just made this a dead end. We should leave and quickly. I refuse to die trapped, in the dark and thirsty."


Actions?!


Map:

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

Behind the DM Screen:

Bo: break bolts: (1-2): [1d6]=1, [1d6]=3 Succeeds in one minute.

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, 4/5 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)

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Jerome is correct. Without seeing the corpse of that thing, we have to assume it is still alive and coming around to hunt us. We have to leave now or risk being trapped. Mouser, is there anyting in that chest we can use? If we can empty it quickly, we can bring the contents with us. Otherwise, we may have to leave it behind, possibly forever.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Worst case scenario, and I do mean worst, if we hear it approaching back around we descend to the next level - just a little way - let it pass us by, then come up again and continue looking for a way out," says Telkis.