Chapter 33: Nightmare House

[ravenn4544]

Mouser keeps an eye out but unconsciously edges back closer to the group, he whispers urgently "What is taking so long back there!?!"

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur backs against the wall, torch and dagger ready if needs be. He looks left and right to ensure that nothing sneaks upon the group whilst they deal with the Almost Men.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Everyone, move back toward Mouser. I'm going to do something. Speaking words of divine power, the cleric begins tracing an outline on the floor, covering the area in front of the spiked door. My name will allow you to walk through the area unharmed. Otherwise...

Ingrid will cast Glyph of Warding on the floor immediately outside the door they spiked. She can do up to 50 square feet without costing any money for components, so she will do the entire 10 foot width of the square, moving 5 feet to the north, so she covers the southern half of the square. "Ingrid" is the password, and she will set it to explode with fire.

[OGRE MAGE]

Understanding the significance of Ingrid’s suggestion, Bo wastes no time following that order.

He rushes behind the group at the doorway towards Mouser, trying to squeeze past the mob before any fighting starts or fire explodes.

[jemmus]

Faron moves away from that section of the hallway, toward the third door with the seal.

[Inferno]

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





SMASH!



A dead grasping hand crashes through the wooden door!

Ingrid barely completes a glyph of warding before the door splinters asunder!



Beyond the threshold, in the pitch darkness, are countless undead horrors! Their howls of agony and malice, and the Almost Man's distant black laughter, is a harrowing thing to suffer.

The first living cadaver (D1) lunges through the doorway and before Jerome and Telkis can attack, it combusts in a sudden conflagration!




Their disbelieving eyes behold it shrieking and flailing, consumed alive in merciless flames!





Actions?!


Map Detail:

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

Behind the DM Screen:

Monster breaks down spiked door? (1): [1d6]=5 No.
Monster breaks down spiked door? (1): [1d6]=1 Yes.

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 8/22, Glowing Sword
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
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 14/25, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl, 3/5 2nd lvl, 1/2 3rd lvl, Torch
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 10/23, Laying Hands: 0/1
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
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, Torch

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Glyph of Warding (Ingrid)

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)

[ravenn4544]

Mouser utters a sound that chills your bones. It is the moan of his soul being ripped painfully out of his body. He drops to his knees and the chattering of his blades hitting the floor, seemingly lifeless, reverberate in the darkness...

[OGRE MAGE]

Long Bo might be hit by the same unseen threat as Mouser, though he remains on his feet for the moment. He is clearly affected by some kind of force when he lets out a shrill scream not in his usual baritone speech, his life force suddenly draining away.

“We must escape this place with our lives before we are all transformed into these walking cadavers!”

Unsure which way to run, Bo weakly pushes his way through the closest doorway, trying to flee this obvious hallway of death.

[ChubbyPixie]

Not at all sure what he's hearing and unable to see clearly through the sudden, undead-consuming flames, Telkis glances at Faron, a questioning look on his face, then turns back to guard against any further exodus from the room.

[jemmus]

Hearing his friends' grim howling and seeing Long Bo flee, Faron turns to Telkis and says, I think we should join the others. He says Ingrid and dashes through the flames.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome hears Mouser screaming and falters a moment, but then faces the door and whatever beasties may come through. Come, you foul bastards! Face the power of St Cuthbert and his faithful servant.

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur remains with his back to the wall. He only attacks if the Almost Men break through the glyph.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

You cannot withstand the Holy might of Tritherion! I say again, GET THEE BACK! the cleric commands once more, brandishing her triskelion.

Turn undead: [1d20]=9, [1d12]=3

[Inferno]

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





In the accursed mansion that looms beyond and between the spaces of Oerth...



...a holocaust of rotten flesh burns bright as more ruinous living carcasses cross the forbidden threshold! Beneath them, Ingrid's holy glyph glows red with flame! Above them, black smoke roils across the ceilings!

Jerome and Urdur stand ready to deliver death to any survivors but there are none!

Faron leaves Telkis' side, uttering Ingrid's name and passing through the horrific conflagration unharmed!

Ingrid cries out, "I say again, GET THEE BACK!" driving off other loathsome horrors in the dark chamber beyond the flames!

In the fire and the chaos it almost goes unnoticed that Long Bo and Mouser are suddenly besieged by entities unseen! The Grey Mouser crumples to the floor in dire agony.

Long Bo rasps, “We must escape this place with our lives before we are all transformed into these walking cadavers!” Desperate, he tries to flee, pounding on the nearest door, but is too weak to break it down!

In the blazing firelight, the shadows jump and leap. Then from among them emerge shapes unnatural!



Eerie shadow hands slide along the surface of the walls and plunge themselves into the hearts of Urdur, Faron, Jerome and Ingrid!

Somehow, Jerome's piety defends Faron and Ingrid, but Urdur and Jerome are overwhelmed by cold and weakness unimagined! They feel their very life force draining away! (Urdur loses 8 HP and STR! Jerome loses 9 HP and STR!)

Then the shadows seem to grow larger!


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Living shadows are on walls near Urdur, Faron, Jerome and Ingrid.

Behind the DM Screen:

Bo: Open door (1): [1d6]=2 Fails.
To hit: [1d20+2]=13+2=15, [1d20+2]=9+2=11, [1d20+2]=12+2=14, [1d20+2]=8+2=10 Clockwise on map, starting with Urdur at noon, Urdur and Jerome are hit.
Damage: [2d4+1]=7+1=8, [2d4+1]=8+1=9 Yikes.

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 8/22, Glowing Sword
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 1/19, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl, -7 to STR
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 14/25, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl, 3/5 2nd lvl, 1/2 3rd lvl, Torch
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 1/23, Laying Hands: 0/1, -9 to STR
Long Bo, Human Druid 5: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 27/38, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 0/4 2nd lvl, 0/2 3rd lvl, -8 to STR
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 27/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 3/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, Torch, -8 to STR

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Glyph of Warding (Ingrid)

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 can only lunge with his glowing longsword at a shadow, hoping the magical blade will have some effect on the fiends.

THAC0 19 +1 Longsword [1d20+1]=8+1=9 S/M [1d8+1]=7+1=8 L [1d12+1]=4+1=5

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Horrified by the latest blasphemous threat, Ingrid once again summons the power of Holy Tritherion to push back the unholy. Seeing the dire circumstances she and her companions now face, her courage wavers just a bit. Is the righteous force of her faith enough to drive away the shadows and turn the battle in their favor?

Nope.
Turn undead: [1d20]=3, [1d12]=9

[ChubbyPixie]

Taking a cue from Faron, Telkis utters the password and also jumps the glyph trap with the idea of helping his friends. When he arrives, however, there is not ample room to swing Cranach at the living shadows and his attack is ineffectual:

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

[ravenn4544]

Mouser remains trapped and unable to move or strike under the sheer weight of his gear. He struggles to rid himself of the added weight.

[Urson]

Jerome
Jerome pales and staggers as pain washes over him, taking his strength with it.
In Cuthbert's holy name, BEGONE! turn undead [1d20]=6

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo curses his weakness, unable to force open the door in his weakened state. He moves towards Mouser instead, trying to help him in any way he can.

“We are no match for such power draining forces! Run for your lives!”

Edit: Bo can cast a FF next round if the idea is to stay and fight, but I don’t believe he has much else he can do here.