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Chapter 33: Nightmare House



The Accursed Mansion, The Dreamlands
Day Two. Night. Sunday, December 25th, 576 CY




In the house that shifts between the waking world and the Dreamlands, those who hunt the Hookhill Ripper edge deeper into a desolate, abandoned corridor.

Long Bo and Faron discover a wax seal across its third door. Imprinted in the wax is a symbol neither of them recognize.



Opening the door would break the seal. With trepidation, they both listen at the door and hear nothing of what might skulk beyond it.

Telkis approaches the second door and suddenly, it opens!



Dead grasping hands thrust out; reaching, clutching, grabbing!

A chill wind bears the stench of rotting corpses and the unholy cries of horror and death!


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One square = 10 feet.





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Ingrid Esthof

Not these guys again the cleric mutters. Stepping forward, Ingrid raises her holy symbol and commands them to back away.

Jerome
turn undead [1d20]=17

Jerome steps up beside Ingrid, commanding the unholy.
By the Power of St. Cuthbert and the Light, begone!

Faron sees the word tarot in the seal's letters. But that does little to explain what the has letters signify. Does the seal ward against entering the room, or something exiting it? Probably against entering it. Their is nothing so evil in this place that its evil denizens wouldn't want freely moving around. He hears the spells being chanted against the undead, and runs to battle them, if he must.

Bo stares at the seal as well, but all he sees are the words HOT RASTA. Knowing the group has seen something like this before, he wracks his brain trying to make a connection.

If the action at the next door turns to a fight, he will rush in to aid the others. Spear Attack [1d20]=11 Damage [1d6]=1

Mouser shakes his head. "It says 'To Ash Rat'. Maybe we should avoid this one - it's the room with all the rats!"

Urdur stays behind Jerome and Ingrid. He prepares to throw a dagger, just in case the undead are not repelled by his companions' holy rebuke.

Telkis throws himself against the door, jamming his boot against the bottom of it, in an attempt to hold it shut against the mass of undead.

"A little help..." he says. He feels relief as the chanting from Ingrid and Jerome begins, but based on past experience does not put full trust in its effectiveness.

The Accursed Mansion, The Dreamlands
Day Two. Night. Sunday, December 25th, 576 CY







Dead grasping hands suddenly burst out from the open doorway!

With a faith unswerving despite all that they have seen, Ingrid and Jerome hold forth their holy symbols and cry out unto their gods! The heinous undead at the threshold are driven back!

Telkis throws himself against the door and it slams shut!


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

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Unsure how to precede with the seal, Bo deduces that the waxy portion doesn't actually seem like any other magical glyph or sigil he has seen before. Though he is not advanced enough to dispel the ward, he wonders if the seal can be broken physically instead.

He suggests to Faron that they could stand back away from the door, along the wall, with his shield up, while he attempts to cut or pry at the physical seal from a distance with the tip of his spear.

If the badly injured thief agrees to check the area over for other traps, and that his idea is agreeable, the druid proceeds with the plan to pry the seal away.

Jerome
Jerome puts his body weight against the door to help hold it shut. Spike this door shut. They know we're here, so noise doesn't matter.

Urdur offers up a spike from his pack to jam the door.

Ingrid Esthof

Taking the spike from Urdur, the cleric asks the party for more. One won't be enough, and I'll need a hammer! If nothing else, Ingrid will begin using her non-magical mace to hammer the single spike, hoping more will quickly be forthcoming.

While still leaning on the door, Telkis will hand Ingrid his hand axe, so that she may use the blunt side to hammer spikes.

Mouser continues to keep an eye out. Now growing a bit anxious at the amount of hammering going on behind him.

Faron offers one of his two spikes from his pack, in case it's needed.

The Accursed Mansion, The Dreamlands
Day Two. Night. Sunday, December 25th, 576 CY





Jerome joins Telkis, throwing all his weight against the door! "Spike this door shut! They know we're here, so noise doesn't matter!" he urges through gritted teeth.

Urdur and Faron each rush forward with spikes. Ingrid lunges in and double-spikes the door with her mace. Sparks fly as the hammering of iron against iron is nigh to deafening!

When she is done, the door's knob turns slowly, experimentally.



Then, from the other side of the wooden door, comes the mocking, inhuman voice of the last remaining Almost Man.
"Do you think this will stop us, guv'nor? Once we break it down, where will you hide next?"

Then WHAM! A slamming sound against the door, and the sickening sound of cracking wood!

The door holds. But for how much longer?!


Actions?!


Map Detail:

One square = 10 feet. Lighter areas are visible. All else is from memory.

Behind the DM Screen:



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Faron
It looks like we need all hands here to deal with these stinkies! If we form a semi-circle around the door, maybe we can gang up on them as they come through one or two at a time.

Telkis nods at Faron’s suggestion and places himself to the left of the door, Cranach held over his head ready to strike.

Jerome
When the door is secured, Jerome places himself directly in front of it, blade ready. He begins singing a Cuthbertite battle song.