Chapter 15: The Slithering Chaos

[AleBelly]

For the first time since they left Hookhill, Pelias believes he is about to die. As a warrior of Heironeus, this has always been a possibility. But the current situation turned this abstract concept into a likely reality. And despite the lofty ideals of dying for the cause of good and removing evil from these lands, the paladin does not want to die. He wants to live.

Still duty compels him to take the fight to his foes - to allow the innocents to escape. Pelias turns to his left, and in a voice without bravado says "It has been an honor to fight with you. Let us win this battle so we may fight again, side by side, against the evil that pervades our land."

Pelias will attack whomever comes near with his sword, but he will not wait a round. He will charge R10 if it's clear this is the only way he will engage in melee this round.

Attack with mystery sword (THAC0 18) [1d20] = 14, damage [1d8] = 8

Again, this doesn't include bonuses from the sword...which Pelias is unaware of at this point.

[Inferno]

Within the Hell Mouth, the Rushmoors, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Ten. Nightfall. Tuesday, October 25th, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, foggy






Under the earth, in a place beyond all hope, a nightmarish horde of rushing devils descends upon the heroes with ferocity and malevolence.

Heinous serpentine fiends lunge forward, each warped and twisted in a different abhorrent shape. (R10+)




Among their terrible number writhe indescribable, amorphous horrors of tentacles, mouths, and eyes within eyes. (H1+) With dismay, Grothnak and Telkis remember them from beneath the Temple of Fear. Horrifically, they speak in the voice of a thousand screams.





Beyond that unimaginable multitude, the heroes glimpse with skin-crawling dread the gigantic, blasphemous abomination whose horrendous likeness was found in every obscene chapel the heroes raided. (A)




Impossibly, It is real.
It is alive.
It is here.
And It is coming for them!

One cold-blooded, man-shaped malefactor lurking to the east (R10) hisses and snarls in a bloodcurdling, alien tongue, alerting its foul brethren of the heroes' disguise.

And then, in an instant, the swarming horrors are upon them! The heroes' front line withstands an onslaught of sinister, jagged spears by way of shields and steel and the sheltering grace of Pelias' beneficent god.

In the darkness high above that life and death struggle, their strength waning, Hoom and Urdur continue their frantic flight up the central chasm of the sinkhole, shepherding the freed prisoners higher and higher through shadow and mist. In the lead, Urdur's group finds a dangling knotted rope where there wasn't one before ('New Rope,' near A). Could the cultists at the surface have lowered it when they heard the alarm gong? (I assume Urdur takes this faster path. Let me know if I'm wrong!)

Far below, in the torchlit cavern of lost souls, Ingrid and Mouser weakly begin their climb, up and out of this subterranean hell.

Choosing his life over his possessions, Brevos drops his backpack, shouting: "Everyone up the rope! Pelias, Grothnak and I will hold them back!" But as the grim ranger withdraws to protect their retreat, a cruel, hooked blade pierces his defenses and his flesh! (-6hp)

Long Bo moves closer to the fray and begins what could be his final prayer to the Shalm.

Then the three warriors make their desperate last stand! If they must die, they will do it together.

Telkis bludgeons a heinous reptilian (R10) with his morningstar, Cranach. The wound is dire but not fatal.

Grothnak swings a fell-handed blow with Vadok's successor, caving in the chest cavity of Telkis' enemy! (R10) The hateful creature dies writhing on the cavern floor, drowning in its own ebon blood.

At Grothnak's side, Pelias brutally disembowels another lurid, scaled abhorrence (R11) killing it instantly!



Meanwhile, Pip of Hochoch climbs up an empty iron cage, uncouples its chain and jumps down (...last round, I will rule). Then the young monk uses his quarterstaff as leverage against the rocky floor, toppling the heavy cage. He shoves it eastward in the mud, but cannot get it past the crowded front line of warriors!

More horrid things from the macabre swarm advance to replace the fallen. And the colossal, unnatural, monstrous abomination looms closer... closer! (A)

They can see It now! ...devoid of benign, obscuring shadow!
And, even more frightening than seeing It, they can sense It.
In their minds!
In their souls!



And then, mercifully, it is suddenly gone from their beleaguered eyes and psyches!

A rock wall appears from nowhere, a sudden barrier between It and them! Impossibly, Bo the druid has seemingly summoned, created or moved a cavern wall with his wondrous sorcery! Whether cave-in, illusion or something else, the lower tunnel is somehow shut! For now.

The deadly battle halted, Pip's cage could be moved to reinforce the enchanted wall, if the heroes so choose.

Either way, the grey druid says softly, "That won't hold them for long." Then he echoes Brevos' call in a grave whisper: "Everyone up the rope."


Actions?!


Map:

Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.
The towering waterfall is a 5' diameter column in the center of the pool. Grey squares are hanging cages. Black squares are lowered cages.
Not depicted here are those on the rope: Urdur, Sarah, Jeremiah, the Merchant, Hoom, Felicity Gade, Mouser and Ingrid. See below...

Cutaway View:

A = Urdur, Sarah, Jeremiah, and the Merchant
B = Hoom and Felicity Gade
C = Mouser
D = Ingrid
X = the rest of the heroes
West is left. East is right. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.


Non-required Reading (Rolls and Rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 5, Monsters: [1d6] = 6 Monsters win.
R10 attacks Brevos (1) or Telkis (2)?: [1d2] = 2 Telkis.
Charging, R10, R11, R12 attack Telkis, Grothnak and Pelias: [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13, [1d20+2] = 8+2 = 10, [1d20+2] = 8+2 = 10 All miss!
R10 opportunity attack on Brevos' retreat: [1d20] = 14, damage [2d4] = 6 Hit for -6hp.
Because the monsters won initiative, the front moved and Bo's wall had to cover a wider area than originally planned. So it is thinner than planned.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 13/27
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 5, HP 5/15, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 9/28
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 13/22, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl and 1/4 2nd lvl
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 3, HP 11/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 23/30, Spells: 0/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 0/2 3rd lvl
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 3: Move: 6", AC: 2(0), HP: 15/30, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Pip, Human Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 9, HP: 5/12
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 9/26
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC 6, HP 9/9, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
  Entangle (Bo): Duration: 1 round
  Potion of Speed (Telkis): Doubles movement rate and number of attacks. Duration: 11 rounds
  Spiritual Hammer (Ingrid): Duration: 2 rounds

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far, in words)
  Graven Images (the story so far, in pictures)
  The Innocent and the Condemned (npc's)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[wolfpack]

Brevos will start helping others up the rope

Drop what you don't need, move quickly.

He will give everyone an initial boost until it is just He, pelias, and Grothnak then he will head up.

[OGRE MAGE]

Knowing the group has only seconds to escape, Bo wastes no time following his own advice. He jumps for the rope and climbs as though his life depends on it. He never looks down as he climbs, knowing that he doesn't need to be the first one to the surface. As long as Ingrid makes it, the impromptu plan can still be put into play.

"That stone is so thin, it's barely more than an illusion! It's time to fly, fools!"

[AleBelly]

Pelias will work with Pip to push the cage against Bo's wall. "Well done, Bo. I will be the last up" says the paladin to the others. "Where shall I meet you? Surely we can't take the prisoners back to Briarsgate?"

If he has time for it, Pelias will ready his bow to fire through the cage at the horde if they manage to break the wall.

Attack with long bow (THAC0 18) [1d20] = 6, damage [1d6] = 3

[drpete]

With the front rank clearing out, Pip joins Pelias in pushing the cage carefully up against the thin wall to brace it without breaking it. He is careful, in no great hurry, despite the threat of the horrors.

Pip is a fast mover, so he'll go next round, probably, but in the meantime, Pip looks for some last ditch plan to further delay the monsters, possibly by flooding their tunnel. Is the ground the cage slides on mud, that we might force a trench into, or solid stone? How massive is the waterfall, and does it come down in the middle of the pool, or on one side? (in other words, does it fall "close" to this downward sloping tunnel?)

[Zhym]

While the others head for the rope, Grothnak waits by the wall, ready to chop anything that breaks through it. He and Pelias can argue in a moment over who will be last up the rope. He will, at the least, be second-to-last to go.

If needed:
Halberd +2 (+3 v. Evil) (THAC0 18): [1d20+3] = 11+3 = 14, Dmg [1d10+5] = 8+5 = 13 (S/M) [2d6+4] = 3+4 = 7 (L)

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

Hoom continues to climb.

[ravenn4544]

Mouser continues to struggle upward.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

The cleric continues her slow climb to the surface. Looking back to those still on the ground, she calls, Last one to the next level should cut the rope below. It might keep them from climbing up, or at least slow them down.

Were there light sources on the different levels we had been on previously?

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur continues up, hoping that the group can make it to the surface before whoever made the new rope returns.

[ChubbyPixie]

Telkis doesn’t have anything o prove by dying down here. He runs for the rope and scrambles up it.

[Inferno]

Within the Hell Mouth, the Rushmoors, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Ten. Nightfall. Tuesday, October 25th, 576 CY
Cloudy, damp, cold, foggy







IT had come. And all Its hideous, irrefutable ramifications about the fragile veil Men call reality.

Its alien malevolent intelligence began a psychic onslaught upon their minds. They felt Its monstrous hate-filled presence asserting Its heinous will on them. There was no doubt. They would join the enslaved thralls of Briarsgate. It was over. All their efforts had been in vain.

And then suddenly, It was gone. Impossibly, a wall appears between them.



Unseen behind the frail facade of the cavern wall lurks unspeakable legions boiling up from the darkest depths of Hell: fiendish serpentine men, tentacled screaming horrors, and the unimaginable god of abominations.

In moments they would burst through.

With no time to spare, the heroes join the desperate flight out of the Hell Mouth! Scrambling up the thick rope into the darkness, they flee for their lives. The only sound is their labored breathing and the unceasing waterfall moaning like the souls of the condemned. Higher and higher they climb in their frantic escape from perdition!

Then from below comes a sound that fills them with lethal dread. They hear the legion of nightmare and horror shatter the stone wall! There is a sickening groan of iron as the fortifying cage is pushed away. The torches below are extinguished, plunging the lower caverns into absolute darkness. And the central shaft is filled with horrifying sounds not of this world. Ghastly curses, bloodcurdling snarls, and maddening shrieks of an alien fiendish tongue echo all around the heroes. Panic seizes the children and they struggle to stifle their terrified screams.

Then things get worse.

At the top of the flight from shadow (near A and B), Hoom and Felicity reach the first group of Urdur, Jeremiah, Sarah and the Merchant. Felicity calms the children as Hoom carefully climbs past them to join Urdur as they prepare to summit the ledge of the uppermost tunnel.




In the eerie phosphorescent glow of the weird fungal infestation stands three hooded men waiting at the rope. Swords and mail are visible beneath their robes.




They were among those cultists that were sent above ground to hunt the heroes. Right now they can only see Hoom's and Urdur's hooded head, chest and arms. The freed, trembling prisoners are below the ledge, out of sight.

Each hooded man speaks in turn.

"Why are you here?"

"The alarm has been sounded."

"We must descend!"


Actions, Hoom and Urdur?!


Further below in the frightful chasm, Mouser summits a ledge alone (at C). It's the tunnel mouth into the shrine of unspeakable atrocities, and the secret treasure room of the damned. A chill of dread memory crawls up Mouser's spine. A heinous phantom presence weighs upon his queasy soul. Then he sees with fear something 20 feet away, lumbering toward him!



Two of the mutilated undead victims survived the heroes' siege! Grievously wounded, the ghastly unliving horrors slowly stagger with single-minded determination toward Mouser!


Actions, Mouser?!


Further below, Ingrid, Telkis and Pip climb on in complete darkness! (at D) Telkis and Pip consider passing Ingrid on the rope, or helping her, as the weakened priestess struggles to ascend.
Suddenly, Telkis' keen eyes detect a thick tendril of eerily fluid, slithering motion in the pitch darkness.



Only Telkis sees that out of a large hole in the chasm wall, an immense, monstrous snake emerges, attracted by the noise, their motion, their body heat and the smell of their sweat. It glides across the rocky surface of the cavern wall, closer, closer...


Actions, Ingrid, Telkis and Pip?!


Lower still, Bo, Brevos and Grothnak summit the first ledge (at E), that of the unholy sacristy of the goat masked priest and the unliving fiend that drank of Telkis' soul. Beneath them, Pelias labors on the rope (at F).

Pelias feels no weight on the rope beneath him, but the inhuman sounds grow louder, howling out of that black pit below!



It's clear they are gaining on them. With a chill, their ears can discern the clawing of inhuman talons on rock (at '?'). The macabre legion will soon reach them!


Actions, Bo, Brevos, Grothnak and Pelais?!


Cutaway View:

Lighter areas are illuminated. All else is pitch darkness.
A and B = Urdur, Hoom, Sarah, Jeremiah, the Merchant and Felicity Gade
C = Mouser
D = Ingrid, Telkis and Pip
E = Bo, Brevos and Grothnak
F = Pelias
West is left. East is right.


Non-required Reading (Rolls and Rulings):

Initiative: Party: [1d6] = 4, Monsters: [1d6] = 5 Monsters win initiative for the second round since the shaping of the wall facade. Now comes the PCs' turn for that round.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 2: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 13/27
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 5, HP 5/15, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl
  Grothnak Uthglukh, Half-Orc Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 9/28
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 13/22, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl and 1/4 2nd lvl
  Hoom Feethos, Elven Magic-User/Thief 2/3: Move: 9", AC 3, HP 11/12, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 6, HP: 23/30, Spells: 0/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 0/2 3rd lvl
  Pelias Blanchflower, Human Paladin 3: Move: 6", AC: 2(0), HP: 15/30, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Pip, Human Monk 2: Move: 16", AC: 9, HP: 5/12
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 2: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 9/26
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 12", AC 6, HP 9/9, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl and 0/1 2nd lvl

PC Magic:

• Protection from Evil (Pelias): -2 to AC and +2 to saving throws against evil, in a 10 foot radius around Pelias.
  Potion of Speed (Telkis): Doubles movement rate and number of attacks. Duration: 9 rounds

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far, in words)
  Graven Images (the story so far, in pictures)
  The Innocent and the Condemned (npc's)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[DadsAngry]

Hoom Feethos:

"Infidels have infiltrated our sacred domain. They have freed the prisoners and are ascending. Did they not pass here?"

[ChubbyPixie]

”Pip!HelpIngrid - there’ssomethingonthewall - don’tthinkyoucanseeit!” says Telkis in a double-time hoarse whisper, ”I’llbashitsbrainsin, youhelpher, she’sgotthespell!” Hanging on with one arm he unsheaths his hand axe, Cranach regrettably being too large to wield here, and attacks, aiming for the thing’s head:

Hand axe (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20] = 16, Damage: vs s/m [1d6] = 4, vs L [1d4] = 1
Hand axe (THAC0 19): To Hit:[1d20] = 16, Damage: vs s/m [1d6] = 1, vs L [1d4] = 1

or... if the snake is too far away for melee, he’ll throw two daggers at it instead, hanging from rope trick shot :

Dagger, thrown (THAC0 16): To Hit:[1d20] = 1, Damage: vs s/m [1d4] = 2, vs L [1d3] = 3 ...uh... jeeminy crickets...
Dagger, thrown (THAC0 16): To Hit:[1d20] = 20, Damage: vs s/m [1d4] = 1, vs L [1d3] = 3 ...the dice, they are crazy...

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur does his best to continue Hoom's ruse.

"They must have come through here. Check the eastern cavern. We will ensure that they do not reach the surface."

[drpete]

Pip makes a soft grunt in reply, then pours on the speed. Bringing his training to mind, he starts running up the rope, half pushing, half dragging Ingrid so she can move as quickly as possible.

Climb Walls (86%) [1d100] = 32

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Knowing she is now causing others to be delayed in their escape, the cleric has no choice but to keep climbing- at least until she reaches the next ledge. At that point, she will stop climbing and go to an illuminated area, where the Treasure of the Damned lay hidden, and wait for an appropriate amount of time before reading the scroll. Thank you, Pip. Climb fast, I don't know how long I can wait before casting the spell with those things climbing after us. When you get to the top, make sure Felicity and the children get clear. Don't wait for the others still climbing, just run. I may not be able to give the brave warriors time to get clear and may be forced to sacrifice them along with myself. Now go. Save the villagers and live a long life for those of us who will not.

[AleBelly]

Pelias will climb determinedly trying his best to get to a ledge - any ledge - to face off against his nearest pursuer. If he is overtaken during the climb, he will fight without shield, holding on with one arm to the rope and slicing downwards at his attacker.

Attack with magical sword +2, +3 vs chaos (THAC0 18) [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13, damage [1d8+2] = 1+2 = 3

If the paladin feels certain he is to be overwhelmed by his pursuers, he will instead use his sword to sever the rope above him, hoping the fall will kill him and take the others down with him.

For clarity, if he loses initiative and is injured to the point of near death, he will cut the rope.

[wolfpack]

Brevos climbs as quickly as he can hoping to make it to the ledge where the secret room is. if he is caught before then he will fight one handed.

[1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16
[1d8+1] = 4+1 = 5