Chapter 29: Sacrament of Blasphemy

[OGRE MAGE]

Believing it unlikely to be trapped, Bo tries the door, pushing it open to see what lies beyond.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur follows the others to the door discovered by Bo. He is careful to stay out of reach of the undead guardian, book and rock in hand.

Sorry, I'm unclear on something. Did Ingrid discover an oil lamp? Is there a receptacle with extra oil? If so, Urdur grabs that and sets down his rock.

Also, did Urdur find anything that could be used for a spell component? If so, can he carry it with his hands full?

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis motions silently to the others that he's discovered a set of doors but does not open them yet, seeing Bo opening the door to the north.

[Inferno]

The Church of Saint Pentival, The Ashblood Colony, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Thirty-seven. Night. Saturday, December 17th, 576 CY
Freezing, clear







In the church of unspeakable secrets, Mouser adorns himself in the holy vestments of the Knights of the Order of the March.

Arms full, Urdur follows the grey druid. Long Bo pushes the unlocked, northern door and it opens onto a darkened room. As Ingrid draws near, her oil lamp illuminates it, revealing a storage chamber with no one inside and no other doors. (C:06) Amid dusty crates and furniture are vestiges of holy day decorations, including a withered sprig of mistletoe. ('borrowed mistletoe')

Behind the altar, Telkis pulls back the curtain and discovers two wooden doors. He waves his hand frantically to attract the attention of the others, and Jerome ascends the steps to the sanctuary, his mind plagued by the religious dichotomy of the enigmatic Gospel of Saint Pentival.

Suddenly the eerie, unsettling silence is broken! A familiar, hellish sound blossoms! Softly at first and then louder! Grown men crying, women wailing, children weeping, pigs squealing, goats bleating, dogs barking and horses screaming in unimaginable terror! All coming from behind the doors near the altar!




Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 5 feet.

Map:






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: 1/5 1st lvl, 0/5 2nd lvl, 1/2 3rd lvl, Light spell, Lantern
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 0/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 38/38, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 3/4 2nd lvl, 1/2 3rd lvl
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 34/34
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 9/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl (-2 to STR and CON)

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Light (Ingrid): Duration: 80 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)

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis goes rigid at the all too familiar sound and turns his head to the others. Glancing at Urdur's found flask of oil, his hand poised on the door handle, he says, quietly: "I wonder if it burns?"

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome's knuckles turn white where he grips his club. Anything burns, with enough heat. The question is whether the burning will be enough to drive it away or kill it.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser rubs his arms in his new clothes grateful for the little warmth it provides. With nothing but his experience to help, he examines the door anyway for any indication of a lock or trap.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric will help examine the storage room, looking for clothing or anything that could be used as weapons.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo takes the prized sprig of the blessed herb and after a quick search of the crates for any other garments or possible weapons, the druid joins the others in the knave, hearing the familiar disturbing noises again.

"Perhaps the monster could be lured out after us and Jerome's new.....um......aging friends out here can do our dirty work for us?"

The druid looks to the former knights with respect, keeping his distance from the confusing voices beyond the doors.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome looks dubious at Bo's suggestion. Possibly- but the abomination seems to pursue Life, and the Guardians might not decide it was a threat to the Sanctuary.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur nods at Telkis's suggestion. If we can draw it out, I'll douse it with this, he says, indicating the oil flask in his right hand. Perhaps the knights will view a burning beast as a threat to this sanctuary.

If one of the others opens the door, Urdur takes aim at whatever comes through.

Urdur tries to stay close to Jerome if he can.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

That, replies the cleric as she holds the lit lantern aloft, is precisely why I have this!

[Inferno]

The Church of Saint Pentival, The Ashblood Colony, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Thirty-seven. Night. Saturday, December 17th, 576 CY
Freezing, clear







A ghastly chorus of death and horror emanates from the hidden doors behind the altar, growing louder by the second!

Searching the storage room, Ingrid and Long Bo find a hammer and crowbar among the dusty crates.

Meanwhile, Mouser and Urdur move closer to the hell-sounds; the thief to examine a door, the conjurer to shelter behind the paladin.

Long Bo returns to the nave when suddenly a door at the altar flies open!

From its threshold bursts the gigantic, writhing tentacles of the shrieking, slithering chaos!




Actions?! (Everyone except Ingrid please Save vs Spells on 1d20 to act! Wisdom modifiers count.)


Map Detail:

H = The Tentacles of the Horror. One square = 5 feet.

Map:






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: 1/5 1st lvl, 0/5 2nd lvl, 1/2 3rd lvl, Light spell, Lantern
Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 12", AC: 10, HP: 20/20, Laying Hands: 0/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 12", AC: 9, HP: 38/38, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 3/4 2nd lvl, 1/2 3rd lvl
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 12", AC: 6, HP: 34/34
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 7, HP: 9/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl (-2 to STR and CON)

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Light (Ingrid): Duration: 79 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
Save vs Spell: 14 [1d20]=12

Despite his resolve, when the door burst open, Jerome hesitates. His club looks so pathetic against the creature.

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo wishes he would have tried harder.

Save vs. Spells (14) [1d20]=11

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur loses all sense of reality as he beholds the monstrous Thing.

Save vs spell (12) [1d20+2]=6+2=8

[ravenn4544]

Mouser stares in awe at the beauty of what comes through door!

Save vs Spells (12) [1d20]=10

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Hearing the din suddenly get louder, the cleric knows she has very little time to act. Grabbing the hammer and crowbar, she hurries back toward her friends, pausing only long enough to plead with the undead guardians, If ever there was a time to defend your church, this surely must be it! Unfathomable evil walks the land, and is now in your holy sanctum. Please, help us defeat this abomination! She moves quickly back to the others, looking to hand the crowbar to someone with no weapon.

[ChubbyPixie]

Though he knew it was coming, and had convinced himself he could handle it, Telkis' conviction drains away utterly in the moment. Save vs. Spells (13): [1d20]=1

Whoopsies...

[Inferno]