Chapter 35: What the Night Brings

[Inferno]

Flan Village in the Hinterlands beyond the March of Bissel, Greyhawk
Day One. Night. Saturday, January 14th, 577 CY







At Ingrid's dread summoning, gigantic, unseen tentacles from between the dimensions we know seize Faron and Telkis and hold them frozen in unspeakable fear!

The priestess extricates herself from Telkis' rigor mortis embrace.

Then, Mouser, N'Rogara and Urdur realize with horror that more unearthly, ghostlike feelers are enfolding around them at Ingrid's continued evocation! The doomed heroes can feel their cold, slimy touch sliding invisibly along their skin!

(Mouser, N'Rogara and Urdur, please Save vs Spells on 1d20 to execute the actions you posted above!)

Map:

Door to the outside is set into the southern wall. Room is 20' x 30'. PC markers are each approximately 5' x 5'.

Behind the DM Screen:

Telkis: Save vs Spells: [1d20-1]=2-1=1 Fails.
Initiative: Party: [1d6]=5, Ingrid: [1d6]=6 Ingrid wins.
This post covers the first half of a combat round; Ingrid's actions.

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 6: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 27/27
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 4/5: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 21/21, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 6: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 28/28, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 2/5 2nd lvl, 3/3 3rd lvl
N'Rogara: Human Ranger 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 53/53
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 37/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 15/15, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, 1/1 3rd lvl

PC Magic:

Hold Person (Ingrid): Targets: Faron, Telkis. Duration: 9 rounds.

Player Resources:

Tale of Terror (the story so far)
A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[rredmond]

Save [1d20]=1
Okay, I'm trashing this d20!

[ravenn4544]

Save vs Spells (12) [1d20]=17

[SocraticLawyer]

Save vs Spells (12) [1d20+4]=6+4=10

[Inferno]

Flan Village in the Hinterlands beyond the March of Bissel, Greyhawk
Day One. Night. Saturday, January 14th, 577 CY







Unearthly limbs entwine around N'Rogara and Urdur, trapping them in an intangible prison of terror!

The Grey Mouser leaps from his bed and draws Cat's Claw and Scalpel!

The doomed heroes are paralyzed all around him, their faces locked in dire expressions of anguish and helplessness. Mouser stands alone against his dear friend, Ingrid Esthof!


Actions, Ingrid and Mouser?!


Map:

Door to the outside is set into the southern wall. Room is 20' x 30'. PC markers are each approximately 5' x 5'.

Behind the DM Screen:

This post covers the second half of a combat round; everyone's actions except Ingrid's.

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 6: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 27/27
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 4/5: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 21/21, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 6: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 28/28, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 2/5 2nd lvl, 3/3 3rd lvl
N'Rogara: Human Ranger 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 53/53
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 37/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 15/15, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, 1/1 3rd lvl

PC Magic:

Hold Person (Ingrid): Targets: Faron, Telkis. Duration: 9 rounds.
Hold Person (Ingrid): Targets: N'Rogara, Urdur. Duration: 10 rounds.

Player Resources:

Tale of Terror (the story so far)
A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[ravenn4544]

Mouser realizes suddenly what is happening! “Damn it, Ingrid, STOP!’ And throws himself on her to tackle her to the ground and break the spell!


[1d20]=12

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis strains against his invisible bonds, to no avail. He wonders if this is finally "it."

[jemmus]

Faron has the horrible sensation of being fully conscious and urgently need to act right now. But his arms and legs wouldn't obey and move. Much like in a childhood nightmare, when one needs to run but one's legs are like heavy lead.

[rredmond]

N'Rogara tries testing for any weaknesses in the tentacles, but is quickly losing his patience and temper as he struggles ever more futiley.

[Inferno]

Flan Village in the Hinterlands beyond the March of Bissel, Greyhawk
Day One. Night. Saturday, January 14th, 577 CY







Surrounded by her friends, each trapped in the grip of an otherworldly paralysis of her making, Ingrid turns to face Mouser, the last doomed hero standing!

“Damn it, Ingrid, STOP!" he cries as he hurls himself at her in the desperate hope of breaking the insidious spell!

Ingrid sidesteps the lunge and Mouser crashes onto the bed behind her!

Then the priestess throws open the shutters and leaps through the northern window!



SKRAAAASSH!

Their dear friend, Ingrid Esthof disappears into the darkness of the night! Through the broken window can be heard the distant howling of wolves.

Suddenly, behind Mouser, their hosts enter the room to see what is the matter! (P1, P2)


Actions, Ingrid and Mouser?!


Map:

Door to the outside is set into the southern wall. Room is 20' x 30'. PC markers are each approximately 5' x 5'.

Behind the DM Screen:

Initiative: Party: [1d6]=4, Ingrid: [1d6]=4 Tied!

PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 6: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 27/27, Held
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 4/5: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 21/21, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 6: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 28/28, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl, 2/5 2nd lvl, 3/3 3rd lvl
N'Rogara: Human Ranger 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 53/53, Held
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 37/37, Held
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 15/15, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, 1/1 3rd lvl, Held

PC Magic:

Hold Person (Ingrid): Targets: Faron, Telkis. Duration: 8 rounds.
Hold Person (Ingrid): Targets: N'Rogara, Urdur. Duration: 9 rounds.

Player Resources:

Tale of Terror (the story so far)
A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[ravenn4544]

Mouser tumbles off the bed spitting curses at his dismal handling of the situation. He quickly moves to shake the others free of their spell-induced inaction while barking out the highlights to the poor villagers they have come to disturb. "Ingrid! She's flown! She has ensorcelled my comrades and has fled!"

[Inferno]

Flan Village in the Hinterlands beyond the March of Bissel, Greyhawk
Day One. Night. Saturday, January 14th, 577 CY







Through the shattered window blows an icy wind bearing the bloodcurdling howls of wolves!

Some half dozen peasants burst into the room and stand stunned at the tableau of madness before them!



Their guests are motionless in stances and expressions of horror and anguish! Jaws are locked, swearing oaths in mid-utterance! Hands are frozen as they reach for weapons to defend themselves! Every eye, wide with disbelief, is locked upon the empty spot where Ingrid had once been and is no longer!

Only Mouser can move or speak. "Ingrid! She's flown! She has ensorcelled my comrades and fled!"

In less than ten minutes, the invisible noose of otherworldly flesh withdraws to the spaces between our dimension, and the doomed heroes are free!

Maleva, the old woman, gazes out the broken window into the darkness of the night. "Alas! It is as I feared. Your friend is under the thrall of Nosferatu! You have little time left to save her eternal soul!"


Actions?!





PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 6: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 27/27
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 4/5: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 21/21, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
N'Rogara: Human Ranger 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 53/53
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 37/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 15/15, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, 1/1 3rd lvl

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

Tale of Terror (the story so far)
A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[jemmus]

Faron's limbs are at last free and able to move almost at the speed of his thoughts. New friend N'Rogara! Are you able to follow tracks in the dark? I'll light them as best I can with this glowing steel blade. We have to move quickly to intercept Ingrid. It's been minutes, and she's probably moving quickly. As is his habit, he tries to lighten yet another grim situation with an attempt at humor. "Love knows no reason. Or state of life, or... state of not really being quite, you know, alive." Anyway, it's our Ingrid to be saved, or... well, saved.

[rredmond]

Every second obliterates tracks, the Ranger stretches. If we attempt this… in the dark… then we bind and gag her when we find her. He goes outside to check for tracks while the others discuss.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser starts to gather his gear and double check he has enough to keep him warm. Otherwise he may try to sneak an extra blanket into his pack just in case....

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis begins gathering his things before the discussion of what to do even begins. In no time he is by the door, ready to strike out into the woods at night.

Once outside, he gives a soft call, beckoning to any burrowing woodland creature who might be able to help follow Ingrid or tell where she went…

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur shakes off the sleep and joins his comrades. He lights a torch and helps the others look for Ingrid's tracks.

[Inferno]

Flan Village in the Hinterlands beyond the March of Bissel, Greyhawk
Day One. Night. Saturday, January 14th, 577 CY







Maleva gazes out the broken window into the darkness of the night. "Alas! It is as I feared. Your friend is under the thrall of Nosferatu! You have little time left to save her eternal soul!"

Her guests waste no time. N'Rogara steps outside into the cold, searching for Ingrid's footprints.



A distant howling of wolves fills the air. Hours remain before sunrise and their quarry has a ten minute head start. To aid the ranger's sight, Faron draws his enchanted sword and its cold blade glows with the light of the moon! Urdur gets a torch alight and the flame leaps and crackles in the icy wind.

Inside, Mouser collects his gear and steals a blanket. One of his hosts sees this and offers him a second blanket.

None of the peasants will cross the threshold before dawn. Thus has the village survived for centuries in the shadow of evil.

But wait! A figure emerges from one of the other peasant houses and comes this way in haste! His tunic bearing the all-seeing eye of Pholtus the sun god...



...this stranger is no Flan peasant. He must be a traveler, a guest of another family. Having heard the commotion in the middle of the night and fearing the worst, he rushes forth to offer what aid he can!

As he makes his way over, peasants urgently press devotional beads into the hands of the doomed heroes, and all the food they can carry, murmuring prayers as if they will never see them again. (you may add standard rations to your character sheets)

Maleva says, "Hope remains. Your friend's terrible transformation is not yet complete. She did not kill you when she had the chance."

Outside, Telkis spies a hare watching from its hole, fearful of the swelling cries of wolves. In the language of rabbits, it tells the gnome, "The girl ran that way, sir, and no mistake!"

N'Rogara reaches the same dread conclusion. Ingrid's tracks lead toward the ominous mountain that looms over them all!




Actions?!





PC Status:

Faron, Human Thief 6: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 27/27, Glowing blade
Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 4/5: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 21/21, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl, 2/2 2nd lvl
N'Rogara: Human Ranger 5: Move: 9", AC: 4, HP: 53/53
Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 5: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 37/37
Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 5: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 15/15, Spells: 4/4 1st lvl, 1/2 2nd lvl, 1/1 3rd lvl, Torch

PC Magic:

None currently.

Player Resources:

Tale of Terror (the story so far)
A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[rredmond]

Maleva, says N'Rogara, thank you for your hospitality, your wisdom, and your hope. We shall need the last most of all as we head out into the darkness in this endeavor.

Not sure if it's the picture of the actress, the scene, or the whole shebang, but Maleva is my new favorite NPC.

[jemmus]

Faron packs the food and thanks the people of the village. He eyes the newcomer appraisingly. A priest of Phelios? They could use some divine aid, both to heal the inevitable coming wounds and as a scourge of the undead. Faron, he says. At your service. I hope you don't mind fighting wolves. It seems they might be the first order of business tonight. And then the harder part will begin.


Faron. Before his leather and clothing were full of gashes and bloodstains and he was still looking kind of hip.