Chapter 33: Nightmare House

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis whispers down to the others what he's found, then pushes upwards on the trapdoor intending to raise it up a few inches to peep through. If he reveals only darkness, he'll quietly push it the rest of the way.

[jemmus]

Faron holds his sword up to provide light for beyond the hatch.

[Inferno]

Second Story, The Accursed Mansion, The Dreamlands
Day Three. Morning? Monday, December 26th, 576 CY







Ever desirous of more sorcerous power, Urdur eagerly takes possession of another blasphemous tome of forbidden knowledge.

Some fifteen feet above him, perched atop the ladder in the priesthole, Telkis pushes open the creaking trapdoor set into the ceiling. By the cold aura of Faron's outstretched sword, the gnome finds a dark and forlorn sitting room. Some of the furniture is overturned and damaged. Dusty and devoid of life, the disused chamber has but one other door.

Beneath the dwarfish gnome, Faron, Ingrid and Urdur stand on wooden rungs, ready to ascend.

Behind them, the other investigators of the dream-like manor await their turn. Jerome stands guard, watching southward.



There, the haunted mirror, having held their reflections for some minutes now, awakens.

A mist rises in the looking glass and then flows outward from it.

And something comes with it.



In astonishment, Jerome watches a dark reflection of himself emerge from the mirror, its armor as black as the grave.


Actions?!


Map Detail:

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





PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 18/22, Glowing Sword
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 4/5: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/21, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 15/25, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 19/23, Laying Hands: 0/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 6: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/41, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, 1/1 4th lvl, Light stone
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 28/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 14/15, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, 1/1 3rd lvl, Torch

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)

[Urson]

Jerome

Trouble! Something's coming from the mirror! Beware! Jerome steps forward as he shouts, raising his sword defensively.

[SocraticLawyer]

Né höfuð kembði! says Urdur. He jumps down the ladder, grabbing an iron spike from his pack as he does so. He hurls it with all his might at the mirror.

If needed:Throw iron spike at mirror [1d20+2]=9+2=11

Oh crap!

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo shakes his head slowly, almost expecting things like this to happen now inside their dreamland mansion. He holds his light stone out towards the dark figure, wondering if the paladin will need to fight this apparition alone.

He stays near the mans side, with his spear at the ready, awaiting the actions of this living reflection.

If the thing is obviously about to attack, Bo will attempt to outline it with a Faerie Fire spell as it advances. (3 segments/Verbal only)

[ravenn4544]

Mouser raises his weapons in readiness. "That thing looks like - Jerome! Don't look at the mirror!"

[jemmus]

Faron raises his glowing longsword and steps to the side, at and angle to the mirror so that his reflection won't reflect.

[Inferno]

Second Story, The Accursed Mansion, The Dreamlands
Day Three. Morning? Monday, December 26th, 576 CY







In a house that bridges the waking world and the Dreamlands, a dark reflection of Jerome emerges from a haunted mirror!

On the ladder in the priesthole, Telkis, Faron, Ingrid and Urdur hear shouting behind and beneath them! Faron knows none can descend the ladder without casting a reflection in the looking glass!

Urdur steps off the ladder and joins Long Bo and Mouser, as dark reflections of all three emanate from the magic mirror!

Mouser cries, "Don't look at the mirror!"
Reverse Mouser smirks, "That's right! Close your eyes. In fact, you should turn your backs to us just to be safe." Then the reflection of the sorcerous rogue bares Cat's Claw and Scalpel and says a magic word that sends jagged bolts of white hot electricity coursing along their blades!

Long Bo and his mirror image, as if possessed of one mind, simultaneously each summon an eerie spectral light to limn both Jerome and his dark reflection!

Urdur hurls an iron spike at the haunted mirror and misses it by mere inches!
At that very moment, Urdur's sinister doppelganger casts a spell to strike the sight from Urdur's eyes! (Urdur, Save vs Spells or be blinded!)

Jerome shouts a warning and raises his sword defensively as the chilling, beautiful anti-paladin sneers, "Naïve, childish simpleton, your pathetic efforts are in vain." Filled with hate, the mirror Jerome charges his noble counterpart; enchanted black blade crashing against Jerome's shield in a spray of sparks! Too eager to deal death to avoid it, the bloodthirsty reflection's murderous lunge leaves himself open to Jerome's counterstrike! (Jerome, you may attack twice next round!)


Actions?!


Map Detail:

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

Behind the DM Screen:

No initiative needed. These things move simultaneous to the PCs. Initiative is tied.
Mirror Jerome charges Jerome: [1d20+6]=1+6=7, damage: [1d8+2]=3+2=5 Fumble!
Fumble result: [1d8]=5 "Opening: The target of your attack gets an additional free attack"

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 18/22, Glowing Sword
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 4/5: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/21, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 15/25, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 19/23, Laying Hands: 0/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 6: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/41, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, 1/1 4th lvl, Light stone
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 28/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 14/15, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, 1/1 3rd lvl, Torch

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Faerie Fire (Long Bo): Target: Mirror Jerome. Duration: 23 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]

"What's going on out there?" Telkis says down the ladder, unable to retreat with the others behind him. "What's this about a mirror?" he asks, fearing the worst.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser answers, 'not sure - but it isn't good!" With a second to react to what he is seeing, he utters a quick bit or sorcery to turn the tide in their favor.

Cast Friends

[SocraticLawyer]

Save vs Spell (12) [1d20+4]=11+4=15

Urdur invokes strange sorceries that he hopes will keep him alive while dealing with these evil reflections.

Casts Hypnotism.
Post edited.

[OGRE MAGE]

Seeing these reflections act and speak of their own accord, Bo follows suit with the mirror smashing idea. He pulls a stone from his pouch and starts twirling his ranged weapon, suddenly wishing he would have tried magic instead.

Sling Attack [1d20]=1 Damage [1d4+1]=3+1=4 (sorry to whoever that hits)

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Sighing as she remembers another mirror- along with several boon companions- currently buried under thousands of tons of dirt, the cleric realizes they should not have trusted a mirror in yet another creepy location. Keeping one hand on the ladder, she holds her Triskelion of Tritherion towards the mirror images of her friends, and attempts to drive them away. Get back. Get back. Get back to where you once belonged!

Turn undead: [1d20]=12, [1d12]=1

[jemmus]

There is no choice. Faron hastens down the ladder to join Jerome... knowing full well that a fiendish counterpart Faron may appear.

[Inferno]

Second Story, The Accursed Mansion, The Dreamlands
Day Three. Morning? Monday, December 26th, 576 CY







In the house beyond the world, dark reflections of the doomed heroes emerge from a haunted mirror!

Overcome with a sense of deja vu, Ingrid half-remembers another cursed mirror. Had she dreamt of it in her somnambulistic journeys in that ethereal dreamworld called Greyhawk? She descends the ladder and tries to drive off the sinister simulacra as if they were the living dead. For all her fierce piety, she has no effect.

Then another Ingrid appears from out of the eerie mirror!



Seemingly fallen to the temptation of Evil long ago, was this what the doomed heroes were fated to become?! This Ingrid the Damned voices satanic orisons to dark elder gods and Jerome, Long Bo and Urdur feel an insidious spell begin to ensorcel them! (see below!*)

In tandem, Faron and his dark twin enter the symmetrical chessboard. One Faron's face holds an expression of dire astonishment. The other, wry amusement.

In growing alarm, Long Bo hurls a sling-stone at the sorcerous looking glass and it sails wide.

His identical opposite weaves a powerful spell, bringing Nature to his will.




Suddenly, roiling from the floorboards beneath the grey druid, the creeping horde of the demon spiderlings of Ariadnax emerge from below! (red area on the map)





As one, Urdur and his reflection simultaneously attempt to mesmerize their alternate selves! (Urdur, please roll 1d6 to see how many targets you will each affect)




Mouser too casts a cunning beguilement, and his mirror image cannot bring himself to attack his other self!

The Mouser from the mirror instead charges Jerome, blades alive with writhing electricity! The besieged paladin beats down both sparking blades and the black sword of his reflection, and then delivers a devastating counterstrike against his depraved duplicate, staggering the vile anti-paladin!


Actions?! (*Jerome, Long Bo and Urdur, please Save vs 'Mirror Ingrid's' Spell to act next round!)


Map Detail:

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

Behind the DM Screen:

No initiative roll needed. These things move simultaneous to the PCs. Initiative is tied.

Bo fumble result: [1d8]=5 "Opening: The target of your attack gets an additional free attack on you this round." The target was an inanimate object, so not applicable.
Mirror Mouser Save vs "Friends":[1d20]=3 Fails.
Mirror Mouser charges Jerome with Scalpel and Cat's Claw: [1d20+2]=8+2=10, [1d20+2]=3+2=5 Both miss.
Mirror Jerome attacks Jerome: [1d20+4]=6+4=10, damage: [1d8+2]=7+2=9 Misses.
Jerome attacks Mirror Jerome twice: [1d20+4]=15+4=19, [1d20+4]=19+4=23, damage: [1d8+2]=6+2=8, [1d8+2]=1+2=3 Both hit!

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 18/22, Glowing Sword
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 4/5: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 19/21, Spells: 2/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 5: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 15/25, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl, 5/5 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl
Jerome, Human Paladin 4: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 19/23, Laying Hands: 0/1
Long Bo, Human Druid 6: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/41, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 4/4 2nd lvl, 2/2 3rd lvl, 1/1 4th lvl, Light stone
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 28/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 14/15, Spells: 3/4 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl, 1/1 3rd lvl, Torch at feet

PC Magic:

Protection From Evil, 10' Radius (Jerome)
Faerie Fire (Long Bo): Target: Mirror Jerome. Duration: 22 rounds
Hypnotism (Urdur): Duration: 6 rounds
Friends (Mouser): Duration: 3 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]

I can't not conjure my evil mirror gnome twin. If I don't, what are we playing for?

The way finally clear, Telkis slides down the ladder hurriedly, not sure what to expect when he reaches the bottom, other than being certain it will be bad. He unsheathes and raises Cranach as he turns to face the room below.

[SocraticLawyer]

Number affected by Hypnotism [1d6]=4
Save vs Spell (12) [1d20+4]=2+4=6

Assuming he can make a suggestion after casting Hypnotism and before dark Ingrid's spell takes effect, Urdur targets the dark reflections of Faron, Mouser, Ingrid, and himself with his Hypnotism spell, telling them: He is your true foe! Help us defeat him! pointing at the dark reflection of Long Bo.

Since he failed his save, I won't post an action this round.

[jemmus]

Faron dashes past his wicked double, knowing that he may take a sword blow to the side or back. Better to stop the mirror from producing doubles than to fight the ones it already has. He swings his longsword at the mirror's pane, hoping to shatter it.

THAC0 19 +1 Longsword [1d20+1]=6+1=7 S/M [1d8+1]=1+1=2 L [1d12+1]=8+1=9

[OGRE MAGE]

Bo

Save vs. Spells (14) [1d20]=4