Chapter 31: On the Trail of The Ripper

[ChubbyPixie]

After a glance at his pathetically sickened companions, Telkis says, "Oh."

He smacks one of the leeches:

Morningstar +2 (THAC0 17): To Hit:[1d20+2]=13+2=15, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+2]=3+2=5, vs L [1d6+3]=3+3=6

[ravenn4544]

Mouser whispers to Faron as he gets closer, "What the hell is going on back there?"

[jemmus]

Faron has no salt, and he doesn't think the dried mutton in his pack is salty enough to help. He runs back to the group, takes a small towel out of this pack, and rips it into strips. Maybe try pulling them off and cutting them in half? I'll be ready to mark the spots of the invisible wounds and bandage them.

[Urson]

Jerome
If we pull them off, their heads will stay in the wound- and keep him bleeding. Try burning them.

[SocraticLawyer]

As Urdur straddles the boundary between life and death, his mind once again perceives his beloved dog, Mittens. The hound addresses Urdur, using perfect Common.

So, are you staying this time?

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo would normally simply command fire to appear in the palm of his hand to burn away the leaches, but it is difficult to cast spells while choking on ones own vomit.

So instead, he grabs ahold of one of the leeches and turns it slowly as he pulls it away from the skin, hoping the creature will release itself from the gnome.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

NO! No flame! It'll set the air down here on fire! Ingrid will keep watching for whatever may be coming their way.

[Inferno]

Beneath Blackchapel, Hookhill, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day One. Near midnight. Saturday, December 24th, 576 CY
Cold, overcast







In the circular brick tunnel, Faron wades back to the others through the horrendous river of sewage. In horror, he beholds two immense leeches, swollen with blood, attached to Urdur's invisible legs!

Jerome bears the unseen gnome as Telkis' morningstar smashes one vampiric parasite to oblivion in a gruesome spray of Urdur's blood!



The grey druid holds the company's only light source in this teeth as he uses both hands and the edge of his spearhead to pry the other 3 foot long horror from its meal! Bo succeeds and holds the leech aloft as it writhes and squirms, trying to reattach itself!

Ingrid and Mouser remain on guard for the Almost Men they hunt. Nothing lurches out of the shadows yet.

Suddenly, Faron, Jerome and Mouser feel a debilitating weakness, as if from blood loss. Jerome visibly struggles to keep Urdur above the heinous tide, and Telkis and Bo note the paladin's deathly pallor.


Actions?!


Map:






PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 22/22, Nauseous
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 21/25, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Nauseous
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 15/23, Laying Hands: 1/1, Nauseous
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 38/38, Spells: 4/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Light stone, Nauseous
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 36/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: -5/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, Invisible, Nauseous

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self

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)

[SocraticLawyer]

As Urdur straddles the boundary between life and death, his mind once again perceives his beloved dog, Mittens. The hound addresses Urdur, using perfect Common.

So, are you staying this time?

Urdur contemplates his dog's question, in the borderlands between this life and the next. After careful analysis, he answers.

Probably.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser instinctively holds on to the wall as the dizziness passes. He does a quick check of himself to see if something is causing this feeling that is coming from below the level of he filth.

[jemmus]

Faron leans against the wall, limply holds his glowing longsword, and one at a time lifts his legs out of the foul muck to check for leeches.

Oops, never mind, I forgot that Faron is nauseated and can't attack. But posting the rolls since I made them.[1d20+1]=15+1=16 [1d8+1]=3+1=4

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome grits his teeth, fighting to hold onto conciousness while he Lays Hands on himself. Gotta getdout thewater..

[ChubbyPixie]

Pulling a dagger from his bandolier, Telkis will feel around Jerome's legs under the water for another of the creatures. If he finds one, he'll smack it with Cranach:

Morningstar +2 (THAC0 17): To Hit:[1d20+2]=1+2=3, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+2]=3+2=5, vs L [1d6+3]=3+3=6

"Grøøst!"* he yells.

He finds this to be more difficult than he imagined...

*Untranslatable.

[OGRE MAGE]

Unable to fight the monster in his hands, and far too nauseous to cast any spells, Bo also lifts his legs from the water one at a time to see if he is being attacked from below the filth as well.

Seeing that almost none of them are able to defend themselves against this unseen threat, the druid agrees with Jerome and suggests they try to get themselves out of the water somehow.

If the walls are narrow enough, he tries to put his back to one and walk his feet up the sides of the other.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric checks her legs to make sure no leeches have attached themselves to her. If they have, she will try to remove them. If not, she will help someone else.

[Inferno]

Beneath Blackchapel, Hookhill, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day One. Near midnight. Saturday, December 24th, 576 CY
Cold, overcast







Dreading what they might find, the doomed heroes lift their legs from the heinous effluent.

Unspeakable discoveries are made and the deadly horror of their situation is suddenly revealed:

(Behind the DM Screen:

Beneath the waterline...

Round one:

From the Monster Manual: Giant Leeches: "There is only a 1 % chance that the victim will be aware of the attack... for the leech has anesthetizing saliva, and its bite and blood drain are not usually felt until weakness (loss of 50% of hit points) makes the victim aware that something is amiss."

Two Giant Leeches attack Faron: [1d20]=17, [1d20]=16 Two hit. 4hp damage.
Two Giant Leeches attack Telkis: [1d20]=12, [1d20]=7 One hits. 2hp damage.
Two Giant Leeches attack Urdur: [1d20]=11, [1d20]=20 Both hit. 4hp damage.
Two Giant Leeches attack Mouser: [1d20]=9, [1d20]=6 One hits. 2hp damage.
Two Giant Leeches attack Bo: [1d20]=1, [1d20]=18 One hits. One fumbles. 2hp damage.
Fumble result: [1d6]=6 "Attack friend or self for half damage."
Fumble "to hit": [1d20]=3 Misses.
Two Giant Leeches attack Ingrid: [1d20]=2, [1d20]=4 Both miss.
Two Giant Leeches attack Jerome: [1d20]=11, [1d20]=13 Both hit. 4hp damage.

Do PCs notice? (1% chance): [1d100]=14, [1d100]=45, [1d100]=44, [1d100]=27, [1d100]=29, [1d100]=27, [1d100]=89 No.

Everyone is hit except Ingrid. (Each hit causes a loss of 2hp blood drain per round.)

Due to previous injury, Urdur passes out from HP loss before losing half his total HP to the leeches.

Round two:

Faron loses another 4hp.
One Giant Leech attacks Telkis: [1d20]=19 Hits. Telkis loses 4hp this round.
Urdur loses another 4hp.
One Giant Leech attacks Mouser: [1d20]=11 Hits. Mouser loses 4hp this round.
One Giant Leech attacks Bo: [1d20]=3 Misses. Bo loses 2hp this round.
Two Giant Leeches attack Ingrid: [1d20]=8, [1d20]=4 One hits for 2hp damage.
Jerome loses another 4hp.

Do Telkis, Mouser or Ingrid notice? (1% chance): [1d100]=22, [1d100]=93, [1d100]=25 No.

This round, the heroes discover the giant leeches on Urdur.

Round three:

The heroes attack/remove the giant leeches on Urdur. He suffers no further bloodloss damage this round. These wounds do not "bleed out."

Giant Leeches attacks Bo and Ingrid: [1d20]=19, [1d20]=20 Both are hit.

Every PC except Urdur loses another 4hp this round.

Do Bo or Ingrid notice? (1% chance): [1d100]=81, [1d100]=18 No.

At this point, Faron, Jerome, Mouser have lost half their total HPs to blood loss. They become aware something is amiss.

Round four:

Now... )

Every adventurer except Urdur has two gigantic, hideous leeches attached to them!

In revulsion and loathing, Telkis attacks one immense bloodsucker but his morningstar misses in a splash of foulness.

Jerome hefts the invisible burden of Urdur over his shoulder and lays hands upon himself, narrowly averting collapsing from blood loss! (+8hp)

Long Bo sees the round, six foot diameter tunnel is too wide to brace his legs across.

Ingrid adeptly separates one swollen black parasite from her leg. She and the grey druid each hold a writhing gigantic leech, trying to reattach itself even though it is out of the river.

(Bo, Faron and Mouser did not act yet, so please post two actions for next round. The first action preempts all others. Thanks.)


Actions?!


Map:



Behind the DM Screen, continued:

Round four:
Everyone except Urdur and Ingrid lose 4hp this round.
Ingrid, who removes a leech, loses 2hp.
I'll rule that laying hands is not a spell for purposes of Nausea.

Telkis fumble: [1d8]=5 An enemy gets a free attack against you. So Telkis loses another 2hp.

The leeches anesthetizing saliva concealed the bloodloss, so true hitpoints were hidden until now...

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 6/22, Nauseous
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 5/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 13/25, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Nauseous
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 7/23, Laying Hands: 0/1, Nauseous
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 26/38, Spells: 4/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Light stone, Nauseous
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 20/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: -5/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, Invisible, Nauseous

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self

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)

[jemmus]

Though he's nauseous and weak from blood loss, Faron's dexterous thief's hands are still able to grasp and try to detach and kill the giant leeches.

Dex 18, actions for two turns [1d20]=13 [1d20]=17

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis, suddenly realizing he has leeches attached to his own legs, tries to pummel them before helping the others, since they are too nauseous to attack themselves:

Morningstar +2 (THAC0 17): To Hit:[1d20+2]=14+2=16, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+2]=6+2=8, vs L [1d6+3]=4+3=7

[ravenn4544]

Mouser shudders at the things clinging to him and sucking the life out of him. For a brief second he feels grateful amidst the filth - at least it's something he can come to grips with and resolve. So very unlike how his mind and soul were being drained and twisted in the dark mountains of terror.

He will crush and tear the foul things off of his legs. As soon as he able to free himself he will move forward to find a ledge or side tunnel or anything to get out of the filth.

Dex (17) [1d20]=14
Dex (17) [1d20]=18

[Urson]

Jerome EDIT
Struggling to keep his balance and his conciousness, Jerome scrabbles at one of the leeches.

DEX 9 [1d20]=2