Chapter 32: From Beyond

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis will rush up to the corner (near A) as quietly as he can and peer into the kitchen.

[Inferno]

The Accursed Mansion, The Dreamlands
Day Two. Night. Sunday, December 25th, 576 CY







In the grand entry hall of the accursed mansion, the doomed heroes freeze in their tracks at the sound of a distant voice!

Bo retreats toward the secret stair and searches the magnificent architectural details of the alcove. He finds nothing except the adventurers' bloody footprints, and the severed limb he used as bait.

Urdur too examines the refined stonework and finds it sound, of a skill unsurpassed, and several hundred years old at least.

Ingrid thinks only of Faron alone in this accursed place. Suddenly he emerges from the secret stair, still alive!

Telkis rushes toward the immense fireplace (A) that opens into the kitchen of horrors (3). He peers around its edge and sees the last surviving Almost Man (?4) and the loathsome monstrosities made from human cadavers (?1, ?2, ?7) that they had just driven off!



With them are the countless undead that the heroes evaded in the sorcerous mists. (D1-D30?)

Telkis and Mouser hear the Almost Man snarl, "There's humans in the cellar! Follow me!"


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Map:






PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 5/22
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 8/19, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl, Sickened
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 14/25, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 3/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 10/23, Laying Hands: 0/1, Sickened
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 35/38, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 0/4 2nd lvl, 1/2 3rd lvl, Sickened, Torch
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 27/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, Torch, Sickened

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)

[jemmus]

Faron joins the group, mindful of the recent combat with the hideous things that almost ended his life. He doubts he'll try any more solo flanking moves any time soon.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome drops as flat as he can, hoping this mob hunt by sight, not scent. He stage- whispers hide!

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur points to the north wall, and urges everyone to stand against it. He weaves a mysterious incantation, causing an illusion of the wall behind them to appear in front of them.

Casts Improved Phantasmal Force, creating an image of the wall and projecting it in front of them. So hopefully the party will be between real wall and the illusion and the baddies will pass them by.

[jemmus]

Faron moves as quietly as he can to the north wall and hides.

Move silently 43% [1d100]=59
Hide in shadows 35% - [1d100]=37

[ravenn4544]

Mouser moves to the north wall quietly.

[ChubbyPixie]

Having seen this genius move by Urdur before, Telkis doesn't hesitate to follow orders and flatten himself against the north wall. He tries not to breathe.

[OGRE MAGE]

Long Bo tosses his lit torch onto the pile of dead bodies in the cellar before moving behind the illusion with the others.

"It's a shame we lack the ability to blow this whole bunch up at one time so we can finally be done with this mess."

[Inferno]

The Accursed Mansion, The Dreamlands
Day Two. Night. Sunday, December 25th, 576 CY







In the house of horrors, unspeakable things are coming this way!

The doomed heroes throw themselves against the northern wall as Urdur weaves an illusion to conceal them in the nick of time!

Breathless, the adventurers watch as nightmarish things without number emerge from the immense fireplace! (A)









The ghastly procession of depravity and horror stalk past them, just within arm's length! Rife with the revolting stench of death, the necromantic host descend into the cellar, hunting the heroes!

They would not remain there long.


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.





PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 5/22
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 8/19, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl, Sickened
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 14/25, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 3/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 10/23, Laying Hands: 0/1, Sickened
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 35/38, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 0/4 2nd lvl, 1/2 3rd lvl, Sickened
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 27/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, Sickened

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Improved Phantasmal Force (Urdur)

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 whispers hoarsely. Does anyone have magic to seal that door? Lock them in?

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

I have no magic that will do the trick. But if someone has iron spikes and a hammer we can spike the door closed.

[jemmus]

Faron
I do have spikes. He produces two from his pack. But no hammer. We can improvise something. He looks around for a pounding tool. Perhaps a chair or table leg, iron from the fireplace or something else that's suitable.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome nods and begins looking around for a "hammer".

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur contributes his 2 iron spikes to the door-sealing effort. If he has time, he helps look for a suitable hammer alternative.

[OGRE MAGE]

"I have no hammer and spikes, but I know a spell that should work to lock them in for a while."

If the proverbial coast is determined to be clear, Bo asks his friends to cover him while he uses the last of his most powerful magic to entrap the threat in the lovely cellar of death.

He moves to the door, touching the stone walls on both sides of the frame with the palms of his hand. The druid commands the stone to soften and meld together with the wooden door, covering as much of it as possible, essentially trying to seal off the doorway with stone.

Casting: Stone Shape

"My magic is nearly depleted again."

[ravenn4544]

Mouser shrugs at the asking of a spell. He whispers, "I have one - but I need to study it first..."

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis lets the hand axe he was pulling out of his belt to hammer the spikes with drop back into its thong.

He shakes his head and scratches his beard, amazed at this stone shaping trick of Long Bo's. Weird, but very practical.

"Saved by magic twice in the space of a minute. I appreciate the break, fellas," he says slapping Urdur on the back.

[Inferno]

The Accursed Mansion, The Dreamlands
Day Two. Night. Sunday, December 25th, 576 CY







Within the preternatural manor, Urdur urges that they escape with their lives now while they still can!

The doomed heroes emerge from out of the illusionary wall! They ready iron spikes and scan their magnificent surroundings for blunt instruments to hammer them.

Then Long Bo performs a miracle. With only his bare hands, the grey druid reshapes the stone wall itself to seal up the secret door to the cellar of horrors!

His sacred powers are all but spent.


Actions?!


Map:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.





PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 5/22
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 8/19, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl, Sickened
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 14/25, Spells: 1/5 1st lvl, 3/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 10/23, Laying Hands: 0/1, Sickened
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 35/38, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 0/4 2nd lvl, 0/2 3rd lvl, Sickened
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 27/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, Sickened

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Improved Phantasmal Force (Urdur)

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]

I would call that a very efficient use of a last spell...

"Faron, what did you see beyond the trapdoor?" says Telkis. "According to my mental map of this place, we should be able to access the space you were in through the room the zombies were in."