Chapter 32: From Beyond

[Inferno]

The Accursed Mansion, Blackchapel, Hookhill, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Two. Nightfall. Sunday, December 25th, 576 CY








In a house that exists beyond time and dimension, the doomed heroes edge deeper into a blood red dining room hung with decorations for Winter Solstice End, some of which is alive.




"We have to help them!" Ingrid whispers.

As they search for a means of ascension, they note an open archway to their left and a door ajar on their right.

Long Bo gets a torch alight and the pitch shadows retreat from the ceiling that looms some 35 feet overhead.

In the wake of the fleeing blackness, a gigantic crawling horror is revealed among the cocooned wretches! It descends upon a web!



The spider's hideous body is over ten feet long and its writhing legs are twice that! Its markings resemble a single glaring eye.

Suddenly, the eye blinks! It gazes upon them with alien malevolence, beguiling and hypnotic to them all! (Everyone please Save vs Spells to act!)


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet.





PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 19/22, Invisible
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: 18/25, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/23, Laying Hands: 1/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 35/38, Spells: 5/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 33/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, Invisible

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Invisibility (Urdur): Targets: Urdur and Faron

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 pauses, transfixed for a moment by the All-Seeing Eye.
Save vs Spells: 14 Stat check [1d20]=11
He shivers, his mind turning back to his experience rescuing Amity.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser remains completely hypnotized by the horror....

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

charm resistance if applicable - but he fails that too
charm resistance (30%) [1d100]=48

[jemmus]

Faron draws his magic sword, further illuminating the room. He says, So Mouser, I guess this means we won't be climb..., but then falls silent, his sentence uncompleted.

Spell ST 13 [1d20]=8

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo raises his torch and accidentally looks directly into the eye of the monster on the ceiling.

Save vs. Spells (14) [1d20]=2

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Seeing the giant spider descending toward them causes the cleric to pause briefly before drawing her mace and stepping forward to meet the oversized arachnid. But then, the eye on the creature's abdomen blinks...and Ingrid stops dead in her tracks, unable to tear her gaze away from such a curious sight.

Save vs. Spells (14): [1d20]=7
She gets +4 for mental attacks...which means she still falls three short of succeeding.

[ChubbyPixie]

So far everyone has failed their saves? Er... no pressure...

Save vs. Spells (11): [1d20]=16 Whew! Finally, being a gnome has paid off...

Telkis notes with alarm his companions falling under the influence of the obscene eye. His instinct is to shake them vigorously until they come to their senses, but there is no time for that....

"Fine! I'll do it myself!" he shouts and deftly draws back on his short bow as he takes cover behind Jerome. He looses two arrows, aiming for the beguiling eye:

Short Bow (THAC0 14): To Hit: [1d20]=15, Damage s/m/L: [1d6]=2

Short Bow (THAC0 14): To Hit: [1d20]=7, Damage s/m/L: [1d6]=5

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur recognizes the sorcerous compulsion of the giant spider, and averts his gaze before it enthralls him.

Save vs Spell (12) [1d20+4]=17+4=21

Urdur picks up Long Bo's (presumably dropped?) torch. He shakes the druid, hoping to draw him out of the spider's spell. If he has time this round, Urdur also attempts to awaken his other companions.

Sorry for the delay!

[Inferno]

The Accursed Mansion, Blackchapel, Hookhill, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Two. Nightfall. Sunday, December 25th, 576 CY







In the beautiful, festive dining room, the hateful eye in the demon spider's back glares down upon the doomed heroes and they stand mesmerized, all but two!

Those beguiled hear a dark name in their enthralled minds. Ariadnax the Devourer. Ariadnax, Queen of the Brood Swarm.

And then the immense crawling horror of legs and eyes and pincers descends upon Telkis!



The valiant gnome narrowly evades its venomous bite and looses two arrows at the great hideous eye! The first arrow whistles wide, the other bites into one of the spider's many gigantic writhing legs! It takes no notice.

Near Faron's glowing sword, Urdur grasps the torch from Bo's enervated hands and shakes the druid, desperately trying to rouse him from his trance! (Bo, please Save vs Spells to recover)


Actions, Telkis, Urdur and perhaps Bo?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet.

Map:


Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6]=5, Monsters: [1d6]=6 Monsters win.
Spider charges Telkis: [1d20+2]=7+2=9, damage: [2d4]=3 Misses.

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 19/22, Invisible, Glowing Sword
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: 18/25, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/23, Laying Hands: 1/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 35/38, Spells: 5/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 33/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, Invisible, Torch

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Invisibility (Urdur): Targets: Urdur and Faron

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]

With the spider upon him, Telkis drops his bow and whips out Cranach:

Morningstar +2 (THAC0 17): To Hit:[1d20+2]=2+2=4, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+2]=3+2=5, vs L [1d6+3]=4+3=7 Woof.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur attempts to rouse Jerome from the spider's enthrallment.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome is lost, trapped in dark memories.

[jemmus]

The name Ariadnax burns into Faron's enslaved mind.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser continues transfixed. Drool is starting to form...

[OGRE MAGE]

Save vs. Spells (14) [1d20]=13 (+1 Wisdom bonus apply?)

Bo tries to snap out of his daze, searching his tortured memory for the name Ariadnax.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Ingrid knows she wanted to do...something. But right now, she wants nothing more than to stare at the wonderful design on the beautiful spider.

[Inferno]

The Accursed Mansion, Blackchapel, Hookhill, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Two. Nightfall. Sunday, December 25th, 576 CY







The gigantic, spine-tingling horror bites Telkis, filling his blood with a heinous venom! (7hp damage. Please Save vs Poison to act)

Long Bo is shaken out of his beguilement by Urdur's invisible hands. The grey druid searches his memory and the name Ariadnax tingles bright with deja vu. Had he once dreamt it?

Urdur desperately tries to waken Jerome from his ensorcellment! (Jerome, please Save vs Spells to recover)

Poisoned, Telkis' morningstar strike is ruined by a harrowing shudder that wracks his very bones!


Actions, Bo, Telkis, Urdur and perhaps Jerome?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet.

Map:


Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6]=1, Monsters: [1d6]=2 Monsters win.
Ariadnax attacks Telkis: [1d20]=12, damage: [2d4]=7 Hits.

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 19/22, Invisible, Glowing Sword
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: 18/25, Spells: 4/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 20/23, Laying Hands: 1/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 35/38, Spells: 5/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 26/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, Invisible, Torch

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Invisibility (Urdur): Targets: Urdur and Faron

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]

Urdur does his best to awaken Ingrid from the spider's influence.

[OGRE MAGE]

Long Bo steps away from the dangerous melee, using the torch he lit earlier as a fire source for his next spell.

As the flame flickers, he calls upon it to explode in a fiery burst of flashing and sparkling lights that erupt over the many eyed creature. He hopes this will both blind the monster, preventing it from attacking again. He also hopes this effect might snap the others out of their daze.

Casting Pyrotechnics

[Urson]

Jerome
Save vs Spell: 14 Stat check [1d20]=8

Jerome shudders in fear, his fascination with The Eye becoming muscle-freezing terror.