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Ingrid Esthof

The cleric sighs. You are correct. I was momentarily thrown by the successful cure of our compatriots, and forgot that there is a small child who is missing. That is our very reason for having the series of events which have plagued us recently. We should not tarry any longer if we wish to have any hope of finding young Amity alive. Rescuing her and putting an end to this should be our priority, and if the success of these missions require my death, or worse yet, eternal damnation of my soul, it is a price I'm willing to pay.

Jerome

Jerome nods, checking his gear. Forward, then- and quickly!
He then does his Detect Evil across the graveyard, suspecting he already knows the answer.

Bo nods his head solemnly in agreement. He doesn’t mention that he is glad to be in the minority of those who were cured.

“To the cave then! Shalm help us!”

Brevos gets ready and leads the way.

prepare yourselves then, we may not sleep for many days.

Urdur enters the dungeon with the others. He wishes, not for the first time, that Mittens was here.

Mouser tightens his pack and follows - eyes on the mounds as he passes.

Burial Ground of the Ancient Shrine of Evil, the Dark Mountain, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. After midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY
Freezing cold, clear.







Beneath the endless night sky, the heroes momentarily falter within sight of their dread goal. And then they accept their fate.

The midnight air is crystal clear, but the moon itself seems to waver and the trees and rocks take on an illusion of trembled movement.

They advance past the vast burial ground of snow-shrouded graves, toward the strange gate in the dark mountain. With every step, the dire warnings of the villagers of Banemourne ring in their ears.

• "Ah fear ye seek that which ye shuid not."
  
  "Dae not go, lassie. Ah beg ye. Forego ye pride. Dae na waken that which sleeps."

Young, white-haired Jerome holds forth his sacred holy symbol, opening his mind to emanations of evil in this accursed place, suspecting he already knows what he will find.

But the noble paladin is wholly unprepared.

A heinous torrent of unspeakable evil floods his surprised mind and threatens his very soul!





Incomprehensible nightmare glimpses of horror and depravity.





Unimaginable torture and madness.





Inconceivable atrocities and murder.




By the evil that was done here, and by the evil that yet remains, Jerome is wracked, stricken and overwhelmed! (4hp damage and permanently loses 1 point of CON!)

The nefarious acts perpetrated here upon the innocent has denied untold victims their eternal rest. Jerome realizes that only sacred rites can hope to finally release these countless wretched souls to the afterlife that awaits them.

Outside Jerome's beleaguered mind, his companions only see him hold aloft his holy symbol. Then suddenly he plunges to the ground as if struck by an unseen bolt of lightning!

Prostrate in the snow, crystalline flakes upon the lashes of his wide, staring eyes, the afflicted paladin whispers of the evil he has detected.


Actions?!






PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/31
  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 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 22/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 16/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 16/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 34/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl and 2/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility x2 (Urdur): Targets: self and Rudolf.

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)

Ingrid Esthof

Jerome! Ingrid rushes to the fallen Paladin. Are you ok? What happened?

Brevos draws Brood and stands ready

Mouser is chilled to the bone - not from the cold - but in remembrance of what visions and reality he too experienced. Those will remain close to him. Always.

Bo sees the reaction of the holy warrior and cringes at what he must have uncovered in his mind.

"This place must be cleansed of its evil. I pray that we have enough power among us to do so."

The druid looks around closely at the groups new, closer surroundings, hoping for any sign that might show itself.

"At least it should be warmer inside the mountain, hopefully."

“Well, what were you expecting?” says Telkis as he helps the paladin to his feet.

Jerome
Jerome gets back to his feet, visibly staggered, pausing to pray silently before he speaks. I thought such things were... just tales told over mugs of cider... Blackest evil, thick and heavy like... lead.

How intense is the EVIL here? Would the clerics actually be able do anything against it, or would we be pissing on a wildfire?

Unable to help the paladin, little Urdurwaits for the group to regain its bearings, before heading into the dungeon.

Jerome
Jerome looks at the others, his face pale even by the starlight. It's far beyond our strength. It would take a very powerful Priest weeks- or months- to make any difference in this hellhole. If we cannot find a way around, we should hurry through as fast as we can manage.

Rudolf pauses to watch and listen. He won't wait long before trudging again, if he's already close enough, he starts his inspection of the gate. Initially checking the entrance way for traps or any hidden things, around it. He'll wait as long as possible before actually touching it, and will let whoever is in the lead of the marching order verbally know what he is doing.

Burial Ground of the Ancient Shrine of Evil, the Dark Mountain, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. After midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY
Freezing cold, clear.







Atop the ominous peak, beneath the howling gulfs of infinity, psychic aftershocks echo within Jerome's beleaguered mind.

The stricken paladan rasps, "...Blackest evil... It's far beyond our strength. It would take a very powerful priest weeks- or months- to make any difference in this hellhole. If we cannot find a way around, we should hurry through as fast as we can manage..."

The overwhelmed pilgrim slowly regains his footing and his strength. And then the heroes bravely press on.

They tread a roadway of bones, human and inhuman, and pass beneath a strange gate.



Now all of them can sense the otherworldly, barely audible, oddly-penetrating tone at the edge of their consciousness; like an unrelenting human nail scraping the chalkboard of their souls.

The skeletal path of death and horror leads them to an open entrance into the dark mountain.



Unseen by mortal eyes, Rudolf assures the others this way is safe... at least from mechanical deathtraps.

The black maw of the doorway waits for them like an open grave.



Actions?! (and light sources, please)






PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 31/31
  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 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 22/22, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl and 4/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 16/20, Laying Hands: 1/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 30/30, Spells: 6/6 1st lvl, 3/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 16/16
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 34/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 11/11, Spells: 3/3 1st lvl and 2/2 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Invisibility x2 (Urdur): Targets: self and Rudolf.

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)

Jerome
Jerome moves forward, forcing himself to return to his place at the lead of the group. He kneels momentarily and lights a torch, carrying it in his shield hand.
He cringes as he walks, seeing that the bones underfoot include human bones. He begins his constant, whispered prayers again.

Brevos keeps Brood drawn and shield high moving to the front and heading into the passge

Rudolf whispers to Brevos and Telkis (and whoever might be at the front of the marching order) that he'll maintain his 20' in front distance, but will slow down at bends, and stop for party consensus at doors and crossroads. Then he moves slowly into the darkness of the mountain.