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Chapter 26: The Possession of Amity Mantle

Banemourne, the Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty-one. Long Before Dawn. Friday, December 2nd, 576 CY
Freezing cold, overcast, windy.







In the derelict cabin in the frozen hamlet, Jerome and Rudolf are suddenly aware Amity Mantle is awake, standing at the edge of the shadows, staring at them.

Both feel an intense cold. Perhaps a window was left open?

Still a little drunk, Jerome says softly to Amity, his voice a cloud of frost, "Hi, little one! Are you feeling better? I'm Jerome. My friends and I are taking you home, okay?"

Startled and fearful, Rudolf readies a rope, eyes fixed on the child. He silently pads a wide arc around Amity into the darkness behind her.

In the pitch blackness, the moment the hobbit finishes the slipknot, the rope suddenly flies up around his neck, pulls tight as a noose and lifts him up off the ground! Rudolf is unsure what's happening. His dangling feet kick the air! His hands flail around for purchase in the dark and find none! He can neither speak nor breath! (4hp damage so far)

Meanwhile, unaware of what dread events are transpiring unseen and unheard in the darkness, Jerome strokes Amity's hair.
Her tiny hand rests on his. Her angelic face looks up into the paladin's haggard visage, deep into Jerome's weary eyes.
And Amity coos softly in her sweet little voice, "You are a gift to The Nothing."


Actions, Jerome and Rudolf?!



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Jerome
Jerome gives a strangled cry and backpedals, nearly falling over the cot. No! By Cuthbert, NO! Recovering, he steps forward to strike her in the side of the head with his open hand.
[1d20] = 8

Rudolf recovers from his initial surprise and takes out one of his daggers, he quickly stabilizes the rope with his off hand, and then cuts the rope as close to his neck as he can get it. As he does so, he kicks the wall with his big hairy feet in attempts to wake and warn the others.

Banemourne, the Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty-one. Long Before Dawn. Friday, December 2nd, 576 CY
Freezing cold, overcast, windy.







In the shadows, Rudolf is hanged by his own rope.

No words. No sight. No breath. Dangling in mid air, he thrashes wildly in darkness, desperately trying to kick walls beyond his reach.

In the candlelight, Amity sweetly informs Jerome, "You are a gift to The Nothing..."
Jerome staggers back in horror with a strangled cry. He tries to slap the little girl but dread and terror ruin his aim.

Strangling in the dark, Rudolf madly claws at the living noose. His other frantic hand feels blindly at his waist for a dagger that might save his life. Rudolf struggles to wedge the blade's sharp edge between the rope and his jugular vein and suddenly, he is weightless. Rudolf crashes hard to the floor, gulping hungrily for air!

The crash awakens the others from a dead sleep into darkness. Hazily remembering where they are, they see Jerome's back silhouetted by the candlelight. There is no sign of what made the sound that woke them. Mouser and Telkis see Amity Mantle awake and standing, her back against a bed. The innocent child looks serenely at Jerome, whispering words only the paladin can hear.

"...The Nothing."


Actions?!


Map:

Lighter area is visible, all else is from memory. One square = 5 feet.


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Suddenly awoken Brevos jups form bed and draws Brood looking around for danger

Ingrid Esthof

Waking slowly, the cleric sees the Paladin standing in the other room. What's going on, Jerome? What was that noise?

Telkis awakens. He instantly knows there's something going on with Amity, subconsciously he'd been expecting it, even dreading it.

Not sure what to do, he moves to the edge of the light and stands ready.

"Is everything all right?" he says quietly, afraid he already knows the answer.

Bo begrudgingly awakens, trying to figure out what is going on in the darkness.

“What is this now? Are we under some kind of attack? What is happening, friends?”

As he often does in these cases, the druid instinctively reaches for his herb pouch in case magic is called for.

Urdur awakens, sleepily. Rubbing his eyes, he looks around. What's going on?

Mouser sits up quietly, did he hear something.... familiar?

A Ramshackle Cabin, Banemourne, the Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty-one. Long Before Dawn. Friday, December 2nd, 576 CY
Freezing cold, overcast, windy.







In the shadow of the dread mountain, a mysterious crash awakens the heroes from a deep sleep.

At the sound, Brevos immediately leaps to his feet and draws his sword, casting a cold blue pall across the decrepit shack. Telkis stands up and inches toward the candlelight. Both see Amity awake and standing!

The rest of the heroes call out into the darkness from the warmth of their beds. "What's going on?" "What was that noise?" "What is happening?" "Is everything all right?" they all ask at once.

Suddenly, Rudolf bursts from the shadows, crawls across a bed and swings his dagger wildly at the innocent child's back! Terrified, the little girl screams and runs away into the darkness at the eastern edge of the cabin!

Jerome calls, incredulous and fearful, "To arms, my friends! Some strange madness has seized Rudolf! He seeks to harm little Amity!"

The virtuous paladin mercifully strikes Rudolf with the flat of his blade! Off-balance on the bed, the rogue cannot dodge the attack and is battered into unconsciousness! (9hp damage!)

Jerome's voice is tinged with sympathy and regret. "He should be all right. I don't know what came over him. Please tie him up... I'll see to the child."


Actions?!


Map:

Lighter area is visible, all else is from memory. One square = 5 feet.





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tense and on edge brevos keeps sword in hand and eyes Rudolf, Jerome, and Amity with suspicion.

Someone light a lantern

Urdur lights a lantern or a torch if he can't access a lantern, wishing he had remained invisible.

Unsure what is really going on in the darkness and confusion, Bo snaps awake after hearing the smack to the side of Rudolph's head. The druid jumps from his bed and readies himself for trouble.

"TIE HIM UP??? I don't think he is going to cause you any more trouble in his current condition, Jerome. Was such a use of force against one of your friends really that necessary? You are twice his size, you know."

Keeping one eye on the frightened child, Bo moves to the bed to check on the halfling, staying out of the sword reach of the chival-less paladin.

Ingrid Esthof

Approaching Amity, Ingrid moves slowly. Speaking quietly, she attempts to calm the child. Are you ok, dear? Nobody is going to hurt you, you're safe now. I'm happy to see you awake. We rescued you from that horrible place. Do you remember what happened to you?

Troubled, Telkis moves to arrange Rudolf more comfortably on the bed so he can be looked after.

"Come now, Bo. He tried to stab the girl. Jerome behaved reasonably," he says, checking to see that Rudolf still breathes. He glances back at Amity and wonders what, exactly, is going on...

Bo takes a deep breath, still trying to figure out what just happened.

"I suppose you are right, Telkis. I didn't see what actually happened, but that blow sounded like a farmer thumping a ripe melon."

"My apologies, Jerome. This whole experience is making me often wonder who I can actually trust anymore."

"Is the child okay?"

Mouser wonders aloud, "Have we rescued anything? Or just brought the evil closer to home....." He backs up a little in the small room - trying to somehow escape the inevitable?

A Ramshackle Cabin, Banemourne, the Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty-one. Long Before Dawn. Friday, December 2nd, 576 CY
Freezing cold, overcast, windy.







Urdur's lantern melts away the black shadows of the derelict shack, revealing little Amity hiding in the corner, her big pale eyes filled with absolute terror.

Ingrid and Jerome slowly approach her, the priestess speaking softly, "Are you okay, dear? Nobody is going to hurt you, you're safe now. I'm happy to see you awake. We rescued you from that horrible place. Do you remember what happened to you?"

The little girl shakes her head 'no' and suddenly lunges at Ingrid, hugging her tight like she'll never let go.

Long Bo and Telkis confirm that Rudolf still draws breath. Like the rest of the heroes, he suffers many injuries from their hellish ordeal atop the dark mountain. One wound looks like that of a hanged man; a slashing red welt across his throat.

Jerome kindly accepts the druid's apology and replies, "Amity seems unharmed, thank St. Cuthbert." Without pleasure, he collects Rudolf's dagger from the floor and readies a rope to bind the halfling's wrists behind his back to protect little Amity. "For her safety and ours, until we know he is in his right mind. He tried to kill an innocent child."

Brevos remains motionless, alert. Mouser moves away from Rudolf and asks in a voice filled with dread, "Have we rescued anything? Or just brought the evil closer to home...?"


Actions?


Map:

One square = 5 feet.





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"I'm afraid I don't yet understand what's going on. Did Rudolf get some evil spirit in him, now?" says Telkis, confused and visibly exhausted.

He'll help tie up the halfling if that's what they're going to do, but is careful to make his knots tight enough, yet not painfully so.