Expedition: Ablesforth: The Demon Hole: Part 2 - 30 Aug 2021

[Zhym]

Pendleton collapses against a wall. "There seems to be no end of those things," he sighs.

"How long will that spell keep them away?"

[Rusty Tincanne]

Able ilforces himself to look each of his visible companions in the eye, and addresses Pendleton as well. Fellers, I let my anger and frustration get the best of me and it might've cost us our lives. I'm a dangerous fool and there's no good excuse. And yet you stayed with me, saving me from death, and likely servitude to them things.

I owe each of you an unpayable debt. I'll not act so rashly again.

Humbled by the group's charity toward him, he starts silent for a few moments, then offers some thoughts.If we live 'til morn'n, I'll use my prayers t'heal folks. But we gotta get there. We could try for th'exit again. We could stay here, but there're ways in. Actually, that might work well. But I also got the ability t'Knock a door stuck if we wanted t'find a room with only one door in an out. What're you thinking?

He also wonders how the last group of infernal got to the other side of the portcullis, and how they will get around it.

Now might be a good time to slip out. Or try East through that curtain in search of a better place to hide.

Can Idriss or Dolph cast Prayer of Sanctuary too?

[Zhym]

"Be careful with that 'unpayable debt' talk," says Pendleton with a smile that's incongruous with their current predicament. "A lesser gentleman than myself might just hold you to it."

"Not being surrounded by demonspawn is better than being surrounded by demonspawn, all else being equal. Of course, the trick is to get from the latter situation to the former without getting attacked again."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Oh. Torch deducted from henchman.

[Marullus]

Can Idriss or Dolph cast Prayer of Sanctuary too?

No one else is 5th level. This is your one use.

Actions?

[Zhym]

How long does the sanctuary last? Long enough that we could camp for the night here?

[Marullus]

... Until you move. So, yes, camping is it's intended use. (For precident purposes, using it to escape combat was a BIG stretch.) There is a a save for each encounter, though, so it isn't foolproof.

[Zhym]

It's one check per hour in the dungeon if we're resting and one check every four hours outside the dungeon. And one check per 20 minutes if we're on the move in the dungeon. Assume 8 hours of rest. That's two checks outside, eight checks inside. Probably one or two overnight encounters inside. So I guess whether we stick it out here or go outside depends on whether we think any encounter will make their saving throw and if our protections vs. the infernal will be back in effect.

Rusty, what do you think?

FWIW, Pendleton does have one Sleep spell available if any goblins drop by.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Do we have any hint if our PFE is restored?

It seems safer to be above ground to camp. Maybe we can try and recruit some of those patrolling guards, even. It's just the matter of getting there. How many checks do we take getting out of here, do you think?

[Zhym]

How many checks do we take getting out of here, do you think?

Good question. At least a couple, I'd guess. Maybe three. If the PfE "reset" we should be able to avoid any sniffers, as long as some damn fool doesn't attack them. And if we run into goblins, Pendleton could put some of them to sleep.

I'm thinking it probably makes more sense to camp up top than down here.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Able confers with Pendleton after the group has taken a few moments to generate their wits. They agree that they should try to get out of the Demon Hole for the night. I have no way to silence the statue, aside from trying to dialed its magic, which is unlikely to work on such a powerful artifact. So let's just go by it as quickly as we can.

Unless it's worth trying to Dispel the statue. Thoughts?.

[Marullus]

Taking only a few moments in the blessed chamber to catch their breath, the party decides their odds are better if they can instead escape the dungeon and rest in the fields without the cursed dungeon. Lit by Dolph's torch, the party of Templars clusters together and winds their way back towards the caves above. As the round a corner in the first hallway, they are spotted by ten half-headed demonspawn who hiss with hatred at them. Grateful to Eruanna's blessings (or continuing eldritch symbology, in Pendleton's case), they find that the creatures can once again not physically contact them. Moving with care, they pass by the spawn and head upwards.

The creatures do not give up, however, hounding them and trying repeatedly to harm them the entire way up the stair, through the cavern, and even outside into the sunlight. It makes the party's movements more difficult as they're constantly side-stepping the creatures, even if they can't be harmed at the moment.

They now stand upon the rolling pasturelands outside the goblin hole, the city's walls looming only a few miles distant, but with ten demonic creatures harassing their every movement there is no ability to set camp or rest.

(Actions?)

Date: 31 August 2021, 3:00pm
Light: Dolph's torch (until 2:53pm) Sunlight
Effects: Protection from Evil (Pendleton/Idriss); Invisibility (Pendleton)
Injuries: Ablesforth (severely injured); Dolph (severely injured); Jacques (moderately injured); Pendleton (mildly injured), Molay (mildly injured)

[Zhym]

"Well," sighs Pendleton, nonplussed. "There's a possibility I left out of my estimations. Should we lead a parade of these things back to town? We won't be much welcome if we do, but at least we might find help fighting them."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Able tries telling the Sniffers that is no use, hoping they will head back into the caves. Look here, you half-headed idjits. You can't touch us and the patrols'll be by here soon enough and they'll be happy t'put you down. Why not get on home t'yer masers, or whatnot?

If that doesn't work work, he pauses, reluctant to lead them back to Gaul.

Where there any doors Able could have "Knocked" closed, to keep them in the lower levels? If so, he will suggest heading back down and trying that.

[Zhym]

Where there any doors Able could have "Knocked" closed, to keep them in the lower levels? If so, he will suggest heading back down and trying that.

We had to leave through the barracks (which has a broken door towards the room with the asshole statue, IIRC) and then through the trash room, passing through two doors on the way.

Map:

Demon Hole Map.png (212.03 KiB) Viewed 258 times

[Marullus]

The hate in the demonspawn is too profound for Ablesforth's logic to avail them.

You can't use an 'opening' spell to lock a door...

Date: 31 August 2021, 3:10pm
Light: Sunlight
Effects: Protection from Evil (Pendleton/Idriss); Invisibility (Pendleton)
Injuries: Ablesforth (severely injured); Dolph (severely injured); Jacques (moderately injured); Pendleton (mildly injured), Molay (mildly injured)

Ablesforth convincing [5d6] = 14

[Rusty Tincanne]

Oh. I aloud have read that description closer. I thought Knock worked to lock or unlock doors. whoops.
And really, sometimes I think it's amazing my PCs are alive at all...

Able decides the Sniffers are not to be reasoned with. So far they've gone after the small folk outta Gaul, which is bad, but if'n they find the town-proper, that'd be bad fer more folks. An' the Duke won't take kindly to it, either, if guess. How'bout this instead? Able lays out a plan to have everyone go back into the caves, leading the Sniffers with them. Then pour out a couple flasks of oil at a good choke point, have most of the group go back through and light it, barring the Sniffers in. I'll come through last, coverin' m'self with a wet blanket t'keep the flames at bay.

Unless anyones got a better thought.

He'd prefer to do this at the bottom of the stairs.

[Zhym]

"I don't have a better idea," admits Pendleton, "although I would prefer a plan that doesn't have us going back into the...well, whatever that is down there. I suppose "dungeon" is as good a description as any. But I rather like how your scheme uses the demonspawn's tendency to follow us mindlessly against them. Now, if only we had some spikes to buy us some more time."

"Next time we're in town, I really should do a better job of shopping."

[Marullus]

"Why not just use that spring-loaded pit trap in the cave?" offers Dolph. "It is right near the entrance."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Able reminds Pendleton that he has his old chisels , which count as spikes.

Can Dolph elaborate a bit? We weren't successful in corralling the Sniffers into the trap last time. What is his I?