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

[Zhym]

Also: we are officially off the edge of my (virtual) graph paper.

Did we notice any exits in the throne room?

[Rusty Tincanne]

While the Lazy-Eyes are still struggling, Able ushers the party into the previous room, using the doorway as a choke point. Once everyone is ready, he will touch a flame to the oil and then hurry back to the other room.

If the thieves have ranged weapons, he'll let them take a shot before lighting the oil.

[Marullus]

The two thieves have studded leather and longswords. The Templars all have sword, shield, and chainmail except for Dolph who has chainmail, two-handed sword, and a spear. He'll throw it as the things charge.

You our two flasks of oil out to make the fires burn even hotter within the webbing, then retreat to the opposite side of the room. Albesforth drops a torch and the struggling creatures -scream- horrid sounds as the flame of both oil and webbing burns them. When the flames of the webbing burn through, one creature hangs limp but two of them roll forward with anger and rage to attack you.

As they cross the room, Dolph heaves a spear, catching one of the tentacled balls in the eye and dropping it, dead, in the middle of the room. The other rolls forward, heavily wounded by the flames but even more determined to have revenge.

Though still injured and weakened from the previous battles and thus far unhealed, Dolph is foremost in the doorway after throwing his spear. The creature is upon him before he can bring his sword to bear - the serrated edges of its tentacles lash out and shred his neck (critical hit, -16) as the other tentacles tear open his abdomen and its teeth bite his flesh (-6, -2). His head rolls back towards the party, severed, with wide eyes staring.

Horrified by their companions gristly death, Jaques, Molay, and Sigmund all fail to land blows on the flailing creature which still holds his limp body. It is Rhe who composes herself and plunges her longsword through the monstrosities central ball (-8). It collapses, the threat ended. The flames from the oil still have several more minutes to burn before you can pass through the door on your way.

Date: 02 September 2021, 3:35pm
Light: Rhe's Torch (until 3:50pm); Oil Fire (until 3:42)
Effects: Protection from Evil (Able, Pendleton, Idriss, Dolph, Jacques, Molay); Invisibility (Pendleton); magic incense (until 10:00pm) Idriss' mirror image (until 4:30pm), Prayer (until 3:36pm)
Injuries: Dolph (Dead); Ablesforth (moderately injured); Jacques (moderately injured)

Burning web [1d6] = 3[1d6] = 4 oil [2d6] = 11[2d6] = 7
Burning web [1d6] = 1[1d6] = 3 oil [2d6] = 10[2d6] = 10
Burning web [1d6] = 3[1d6] = 4 oil [2d6] = 11[2d6] = 7

Initiative: Us [1d6] = 3Them: [1d6] = 4
Dolph Spear (Thac0 16) [1d20] = 16[1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3
[1d20] = 20[1d20] = 17[1d20] = 17[1d8] = 8[1d8] = 6[1d4+1] = 1+1 = 2
(24 points to Dolph, he was already injured, only has 13. That's -11, he's decapitated by the crit)
Jacques [1d20] = 5[1d8] = 2 Molay [1d20] = 2[1d8] = 1
Sigmund [1d20] = 10[1d8] = 7
Rhe[1d20] = 15[1d8] = 8 Kerr [1d20] = 12[1d8] = 7

[Zhym]

I don't suppose we could get a chance for a retroactive initiative roll, since we kind of had at least two rounds happen in one update there (webs burning while we wait, then the monsters breaking free and attacking)? Shame on us for not doing it in advance, I guess, and it's good to advance the action as much as possible, but I didn't even think of our statement of a plan as one that would need an initiative roll. :/

[Rusty Tincanne]

I'm okay playing on. It's a sorry excuse, but The slowed game pace has me less apt to be checking on injury statuses of this party - Able has a good starting HP and I keep thinking of him (and the rest of us) as having HP to spare. (EDIT: He also has a hammer he would have thrown, had I been more on the ball.)
I don't notice anything about Eruanna allowing/disallowing the resurrection of folks. If it is allowed, Able will carry Dolph through the dungeon and bring him back to the Infirmary.

Also, I don't know if this was taken into account. Maybe it might help Dolph. Those 17’s should have been 15’s.

Able ... wastes no time in starting a Prayer of protection.

Prayer (60’ radius; +2 attacks, damage, and saving throws. AND -2 penalty to all rolls from enemy. It is unnecessary for the cleric to remain chanting.)

Able stands slack jawed for a moment, the smell of smoke, burning seafood, and blood, and the sight of his Brother lying in a pile of tentacles stuns him. Finally he kneels at Jaques' side. Brother Dolph was a stoic man an' never said hide ner hair 'bout his injuries. But it's my responsibility t'keep an eye on all of you, and it cost Dolph his life. Eruanna's grace flows through him, and wounds knit together.

Jacque CLW [1d6+1] = 5+1 = 6, Able CLW [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7

[Marullus]

It was two rounds of burning, then one round crossing the room (where Dolph threw the spear), then there is an initiative roll for when they hit melee range, but you lost and it hit Dolph first.

Raise Dead requires 9th level, Restoration requires 15th level. They are in the hands of PCs who reach that level, or the dead can be raised by Gwanwen's Temple with an exchange of life. It isn't a prohibition by Eruanna - it is that the NPC clerics are less than 9th level (or they'd have their own keeps and troops).

A critical hit with max damage is rough on anyone. Dolph was a tank - if he was at full health, he would have ended the round with -1 hp. Beginning injured, though, he ended at -11 which is beyond Cure Light Wounds.

The prayer spell was taken into account - these monsters had a Thac0 of 12, so a 15 still handily hits. I was unsure when you intended to cast the sleep spell so I conveniently left it out (it only affects creatures with 4+1HD or less...)

Jacques thanks Able for the healing, offering his own truth. "Though I strive for strength of arms, I have always felt tiny before Dolph. I fear I do not have the strength to carry on where so mighty a servant has fallen," he confides, his voice husky. Molay stands silently beside him, his face a mirror of the contained grief which is seen on Jacques and Sigmund. Rhe and Kerr join them, reciting the standard prayer to Eruanna to bring mercy to the fallen as Ablesforth heals and dresses their wounds.

The potent feeling of Eruanna's Grace leaves the room as the communal prayer comes to an end, leaving everyone a bit sadder than before. The last of the oil flames die out, leaving the doorway open before you.

Pendleton peeks through the doorway into the room with the throne to observe the exits more closely. Nothing else waits within the attack you, as near as you can tell. You see an open archway directly opposite you on the far wall and another on the left wall at its near-corner. In the far corner of the right wall, you see a simple wooden door, closed, and the trail of the smoke from Ablesforth's incense curling down and sliding beneath it.

Date: 02 September 2021, 3:45pm
Light: Rhe's Torch (until 3:50pm); Oil Fire (until 3:42)
Effects: Protection from Evil (Able, Pendleton, Idriss, Dolph, Jacques, Molay); Invisibility (Pendleton); magic incense (until 10:00pm) Idriss' mirror image (until 4:30pm), Prayer (until 3:36pm)
Injuries: Dolph (Dead); Ablesforth (minorly injured); Jacques (superficially injured)

[Zhym]

Pendleton doesn't know what to say. He fears for saying the wrong thing, and then worries that saying nothing is wrong. All he knows for sure is that their task just got harder.

He waits Ablesforth to be the one to say that they need to move on.

I guess in retrospect a magic missile would have been a good idea. I wasn't sure whether Sleep would work, anyway.

Did Dolph have any gear we need?

Updated maps:

Demon Hole.png (285.19 KiB) Viewed 421 times

Demon Hole 2.png (33.59 KiB) Viewed 421 times

The app I'm using to map won't let me go off the side of a page, so I need two maps now.

[Marullus]

Did Dolph have any gear we need?

Nobody needs his chainmail or two-handed sword, but you could upgrade an NPC with the sword. Someone could take his spear. I assume he has a share of the group's food and torches - I was being lenient for the moment on the torches as long as you were moving forward rapidly. If you start to dawdle/camp, at some point I would say the NPCs run out and make you account.

[Spearmint]

Idriss

Is grief stricken by his fallen aide Dolph, originally seconded to him for the first goblin hole expedition.

I don't think using any resurrection would be right. Decapitated is dead enough. His spirit journeys another path now. As a last act Idriss will sack up his severed head.

Where too now? Follow the wispy smoke trail.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Able tells the others of his first time he met Dolph. First thing he said was that he'd lost his wife and kids to the infernal. That was when he pledged hisself to Eruanna and the Templars. He took to it with a grim determination, and his loss is hard, sure. But he's with his loved ones again, so we can't be too sad for him. Cause he's getting a lifetime worth of lovin' right now. Be just need to finish this for him, so he ain't there with any regrets over us. Able allows the others to look through Dolph's kit for useful stuff. He looks to Idriss. Brother, do you got that spell for carrying loads memorized today? I could carry Dolph, but it'll slow us down a bunch.

With or without Dolph pulled on a blanket, Able asks the thieves to show the way forward after lighting a torch from Dolph's pack.

Dolph's gear:
5 days preserved rations
1 flask oil
2 vials holy water
5 torches
2 large sacks

I've spread it across the other Templars and marked off the torch.

[Spearmint]

Would rather not be dragging Dolph around. Finish mission then recover his body.

[Zhym]

"If we succeed, Dolph's body will still be here—probably," Pendleton says gently. "And if we do not succeed, his remains won't be any better off with us. Let's add this to the increasing list of unfinished business to take care of when our task is complete, and, well, get on about that task."

[Rusty Tincanne]

Able vacillates before finally agreeing to sit Dolph in a corner. He places the squidling-things around him as makeshift guards. He makes a vows to return for his brother-in-arms before leaving the dungeons.

[Marullus]

(subtract a torch)

Prayers are said over Dolph and Ablesforth arranges his body in the corner, dead monsters around him a little diorama.

Stepping through the now-singed doorway, the party finds the room with the throne as previously described, grateful that it has nobody on the chair to greet them.

Rhe, Kerr, and the several Idrissi cross the room warily, checking for traps, proceeding to the doorway where the incense drifts. It is a simple wooden door and unlocked. They check it thoroughly and then open it.

On the other side of the door is a room 30' across and extending 50' to your right. A wooden door stands closed at the far end of both the right and left walls. A tile labyrinth covers the floor, A shattered sword lies in the far corner of the room on the left side. In the middle of the room, in a circle at the center of the tile labyrinth, is a tall free-standing door, the glow of flame visible through it. The incense enters the doorway and disappears.

Date: 02 September 2021, 4:05pm
Light: Rhe's Torch (until 4:50pm)
Effects: Protection from Evil (Able, Pendleton, Idriss, Dolph, Jacques, Molay); Invisibility (Pendleton); magic incense (until 10:00pm) Idriss' mirror image (until 4:30pm)
Injuries: Dolph (Dead); Ablesforth (minorly injured); Jacques (superficially injured)

[Zhym]

I had interpreted Rusty's post as asking the thieves to lead on to/through the door the smoke points to. Do you need something more specific from us?

[Marullus]

It had posted half-written. You're just too quick for me.

[Zhym]

Sorry.

"We appear at last to have found the portal," observes Pendleton, whose long years of training have prepared him to make statements that are both completely correct and utterly unhelpful. Fitting, for a part-time attorney. "How do we close it, do you suppose? I imagine it is not so simple as shutting a door. That would be too easy."

[Spearmint]

Idriss

Bring forth the scroll. If it takes time as a ritual we should also secure the room. I am guessing the flames are 'hellfire'. Is there any kind if pattern on the tiles? Pentagons? Devil circles?

Idriss scouts the room with his pole.

[Marullus]

The floor is a labrynth design - it is a maze, with an opening on the outer edge and another on the inner circle where the door stands.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Able nods at Pendleton's observation. You sure got yoor own way with the truth, Brother P. He holds up a hand to Idriss. Now before you go usin' the scroll, I can use Eruanna's graces to try an' Dispel Magic today, to. So we got two shots at this. I might-could try that first so we don't need to try an' cross this floor. Might save us the paper.

If Spearmint and Zhym are okay with that, Able will try casting Dispel Magic from the doorway. (THough going straight into Hell to fight the Infernal directly could be fun too! Any takers!?