Chapter 29: Sacrament of Blasphemy

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome scowls and shakes his head- unseen in the darkness. Absolutely not. If we are down that ladder and it follows us, we're trapped. We should gather whatever we can from the chest and move on to a different arm of the tunnels. Jerome picks up a couple of fist-sized rocks and heads for the open end of the corridor.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser gets frustrated at the weight of the thing. He will take an appropriate rock from the cave-in to see if he can trigger the trap in safe way. Maybe the group can then break off the scythe as a weapon and maybe they can gain access to the chest...

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo looks pleased with himself that he was able to quickly smash through the bolts of the door with his rock. But when he sees that none of his friends are showing the least bit of interest in entering the last treasure room, his sense of accomplishment immediately fades.

"That.....thing wasn't moving fast enough to circle back around on us so quickly. I am far more worried about whoever else heard that cave-in."

He looks upon the others, pointing a thumb in the direction of the locked door.

"I agree that we should leave this area post haste, preferably moving back up to the next level to investigate the damage done up there, but what about this last door?"

The druid visually appeals to the fighters again, and if they still don't show any interest, he puts a shoulder into the door himself, but only for as long as it takes Mouser to mess with the chest mechanism.

Open Doors (1-2) [1d6]=2

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur helps Mouser with the box, careful not to spring the trap. If that takes more than a minute or two, he helps Long Bo with the door.

[Urson]

Jerome
When he sees the thief working on the chest: Stand behind it and lift the lid.

[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







In the dreadful catacomb, the doomed heroes anxiously confer on their next desperate move. They agree they should flee or else be trapped in the newly formed blind alley. But only Jerome moves north after gathering stones from the dire collapse.

Urdur helps Mouser lift the ancient chest just as Mouser gives up. The devious thief warns the dark gnome back, stands behind the chest and opens it without triggering the safety release!



The clockwork deathtrap is sprung and its three foot blade slices the air in a devastating arc before the chest!

Meanwhile, with a loud crash, Long Bo smashes open the northernmost door! Within, his torch reveals another large trunk imprisoned in a dungeon cell, against its farthest wall.



Which will win out? Curiosity or the urgent need to escape?!


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)

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

In the interest of saving time, Ingrid will cast Find Traps, examining this new chest.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser will try to break the blade off to use as a weapon. Bending or standing on it to break it free from the mechanism.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis will enter the northernmost room where Ingrid is intoning her prayer of trap-finding. He wants to run, but is also suddenly hopeful and curious about what the chests might contain. Something useful, he hopes, be it magic or weapons. Please let it be weapons, he thinks.

If the cleric indicates that there is a blade trap on the chest similar to that on the other one, he'll try to open it from behind. If no such information is available, he'll wait for mouser's expertise before acting.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome will help Mouser try to slavage the blade from the trap. He listens intently for trouble as he does.

[OGRE MAGE]

Noticing that the interest in obtaining the chest he was hoping to acquire has suddenly risen considerably now that it is easily accessible, Bo exits the door, letting the others have at it.

"Sure! You're welcome! No problem at all," he says sarcastically. "Perhaps I will go check on our only option for escape then. If you hear me shouting, you might want to get yourselves to that ladder we found. That's where I'll be headed if anyone comes to investigate our noise. Meet up with me in that long hallway once you're done in here."

With that, Bo picks up a second rock and rushes around the passages to the ladder leading down, taking a quick listen to hear if anything is coming up from below.

If he hears nothing, he runs again to the corner of the 120' hallway, peeking around it and listening carefully for any advancing noises.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur checks the disarmed chest, hoping it contains something useful.

[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







Tempted by what secret treasures the imprisoned trunks might hold, the trapped heroes do not flee the dead end, against their every instinct of self-preservation.

Except Long Bo. The grey druid carries two rocks in one hand and a torch in the other and flies north!

Jerome passes him, returning to the nigh-consumed middle cell in time to see Mouser work loose the straight blade from the clockwork deathtrap of the chest. (treat as sabre or broadsword)

Urdur examines the disarmed chest and finds the diabolical mechanism is set on hinges, like a second lid. He carefully swings it up and finds beneath it the massive contents of the trunk are bound in rope and a large grey cloth. Then the cell is engulfed by darkness. Ingrid has moved her torch away.

Telkis enters the northernmost dungeon cell as Ingrid prays aloud at its doorway. Suddenly, the stone floor drops out beneath the gnome's feet!




Telkis plummets down into a deep, dark pit filled with cruel iron spikes that pierce and impale him without mercy! (11hp damage!)




With an effort of iron will, Ingrid completes her sacred orisons despite this shocking development! The stone trapdoor swings back into place and all is as if nothing had happened! Below, Telkis is plunged into darkness but his gnomish eyes see the floor and spikes coated in the warmth of his blood!

Meanwhile to the north, Bo reaches the ladder and hears no sound emanating from its black depths.



Suddenly, the hue and cry from Telkis' deadly plummet echoes through the labyrinth!


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:

This post covered one round of actions.

Re: the pit trap: Ingrid did not state she was entering the northern dungeon cell. And she can only move 1" and cast, so she can only reach its doorway.
Telkis wrote that he is entering the cell where Ingrid is praying. Her spell's casting time is 5 segments, so not fast enough to warn Telkis in time. Sorry Pixie!
Damage to Telkis: [3d6]=11

Ingrid Ability Check vs Wisdom to complete spell (18): [1d20]=5 Succeeds.

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, 3/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch at feet
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: 23/34
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)
Find Traps (Ingrid): Duration: 49 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

Help! calls out the cleric, after seeing one of their party drop through the floor. Telkis has fallen, and he can't get up! Ingrid kneels and tries to open the trap door safely.

[ChubbyPixie]

"I have regrets..." says Telkis into the impenetrable darkness. Luckily his wounds do not seem to be fatal. At least he's not dead yet, he thinks as he prys himself from the spikes.

[SocraticLawyer]

Help me with this, Urdur says to Mouser. He tries to carry the heavy box to the next room, where there is some torchlight. If he is able to do so, he examines the contents carefully.

[OGRE MAGE]

Hearing the screams of pain from the hallway, Bo can only assume the chest was somehow trapped.

The druid moves west, leaving the torch in the center of the hallway. At the corner, he peers down the long hallway to see if he can see or hear anything coming.

If he doesn't, he retrieves the torch and moves back to listen at the hole leading down again.

If he does, he grabs the torch and sprints half way back to the others. "We got company coming! You need to get to that ladder and out of this dead end!"

[ravenn4544]

Mouser helps with the chest to get a better look at what's in it - hopefully something useful. He'll carry along the sword blade, as well, to give to Jerome to use.

[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






At the bottom of a deep, dark pit, Telkis painfully pulls his bloody form off the iron spikes that impale him!

All of a sudden, the weight-balanced trapdoor high above him opens, flooding the killing shaft with Ingrid's torchlight. The merciful priestess peers in at the crimson horror and immediately calls for aid.

But all eyes are on the ancient treasure chest of the mysterious Knights of the March.



Mouser and Urdur try to drag the massive coffer over the rocky slope of the cave-in that consumes the doorway of the middle cell. After long and strenuous labor, the little pair finally succeed.

Mouser gives Jerome the blade wrested from the clockwork deathtrap, and the paladin rushes to answer Ingrid's plea.

Mouser and Urdur start to untie the large, rope-bound bundle inside the chest when suddenly, they hear Long Bo's voice echoing with alarm from the northern corridor! "We got company coming! You need to get to that ladder and out of this dead end!"

Just moments ago, the grey druid heard the horrific sounds of the hair-raising abomination shrieking out of the long, dark corridor to the west!




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:

This post covered one round of actions.

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, 3/5 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: 23/34
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)
Find Traps (Ingrid): Duration: 48 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 looks at the blade for a moment. Thank you.
He looks down the pit, with the faint hope that there is some way to descend safely. We need rope! Maybe the horror can be lured into the pit?