Day Thirty-seven. Night. Saturday, December 17th, 576 CY
Cold, overcast
In the catacombs beneath Saint Pentival's church, all the doomed heroes except Long Bo remain within the newly formed dead end of the tunnel collapse.
Shrouded in a preternatural silence, they will not be forewarned of the coming of the unspeakable horror until it is upon them.
There, for the first time, they review the contents of the mysterious ancient chest with enough light to see by.
They cautiously raise the lid and the clockwork deathtrap that is set on hinges, and on the underside of the diabolical mechanism they discover a plate inscribed with the symbol of the Order of the Knights of the March and this dire warning:
DISTURB YE NOT THESE ACCURSED THINGS
The heroes know that legends tell: after the fall of Vecna's evil reign, the Knights of the March became stewards of many strange and powerful artifacts of the Dark Lord, secreting them away for safe keeping, none know where.
The manner in which they found this trapped coffer, locked in a prison cell in a labyrinth beneath an ageless chapel dedicated to the founder of the Knights, leaves no doubt as to the nature of this treasure.
Yet, they continue.
Ingrid's holy vision finds no more earthly traps as they pull back the large grey cloth. By her blazing torch they discover many fearful things:
A black longsword in a scabbard whose design devices are that of death and horror.
A thin, shallow black wooden box, almost three feet long, with a dread image upon its lid:
A quiver of ebon arrows whose shafts appear to be fashioned of human bone.
A thick black book whose cover bears a frightful motif:
Three inhuman long bones that have been artfully carved into vials or tubes. Each has a stopper.
And a glass-sided reliquary box holding severed, petrified hands in a rigor mortis of irreverence, grasping prayer beads of Vecna:
A thin, shallow black wooden box, almost three feet long, with a dread image upon its lid:
A quiver of ebon arrows whose shafts appear to be fashioned of human bone.
A thick black book whose cover bears a frightful motif:
Three inhuman long bones that have been artfully carved into vials or tubes. Each has a stopper.
And a glass-sided reliquary box holding severed, petrified hands in a rigor mortis of irreverence, grasping prayer beads of Vecna:
In chilling recognition, these unholy artifacts evoke distressing memories of the Lost Shrine of Ancient Evil! Was Vecna once an acolyte of the Dark Mother?!
With dread, the heroes realize more heinous treasures lie beneath these.
Actions?!
Meanwhile, on the catacomb layer below, a terrible realization blossoms within Long Bo's frantic mind.
He stops, barefoot in the cold slime, and listens.
Hearing nothing, he cautiously treads back toward the ladder.
All of a sudden, the nightmare sounds of the tentacled slug-like monstrosity echo all around him, instantly loud! The frightful thing must have dropped down the ladder shaft! Suddenly, it is on the same level as Bo!
With the horrendous screaming of humans and animals chasing him, the grey druid flies back the way he came! On a hunch, he leaves the slime trail and darts north, immediately coming to a "T" in the maze. His torch illuminates 60 feet in each direction as the ghastly sounds behind him swell!
Actions?!
Maps:
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 the sound of the horror is coming from.
Behind the DM Screen:
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, Deaf and Mute
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 25/25, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 2/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch, Deaf and Mute
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 0/1, Deaf and Mute
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: 29/34, Deaf and Mute
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, Deaf and Mute
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 25/25, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 2/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch, Deaf and Mute
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 0/1, Deaf and Mute
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: 29/34, Deaf and Mute
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, Deaf and Mute
PC Magic:
Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Find Traps (Ingrid): Duration: 44 rounds.
Silence, 15' Radius (Ingrid): Duration: 6 rounds, Target: Pebble in Telkis' possession.
Find Traps (Ingrid): Duration: 44 rounds.
Silence, 15' Radius (Ingrid): Duration: 6 rounds, Target: Pebble in Telkis' possession.
Player Resources:
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