Chapter 25: Hell Vomits Forth The Damned

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur does not want to leave the others behind, but he knows that he must get Amity out alive. With his magical lights to illuminate the way, the unseen gnome continues to flee with Amity.

He hopes that the undead will stop pursuing them when he gets outside.

[Urson]

Jerome
Heartened by the blessing of St Cuthbert, Jerome raises his voice to command the undead hordes again.
Begone, Thou unliving! The Power of The Light turns you back!
turn undead [1d20] = 1

Well, crud!

[OGRE MAGE]

Watching behind them as they slowly advance through the mass of walking dead, Bo uses the time afforded him by Ingrid and Jerome to attempt to heal his own wounds and weakness next.

CLW [1d8] = 6

"If you can continue pushing us forward, I will attempt to use my magic against our horrible pursuit."

[ravenn4544]

Mouser's panic reaches a crescendo. His eyes are glazed as they dart in every direction - seeing the same thing every where they land - death. Unholy death.

Something snaps. His head jerks slightly. His eyes pop open with clarity. Or is it hopelessness?

He quickly unfurls his pack and digs deep into it. He pulls forth a ...something that is sickly to behold.



He holds it before him like a shield!

"Ai! Ai! Shub-Niggurath!" He vomits forth in a shout.

He slowly steps backward. His pack forgotten in the bones and left to rot. Further back he steps - closer to a way..... out?

[rredmond]

Rudolf's fear intensifies as he realizes that the ranger and gnome fighter ran past him, leaving him and Mouser holding the front lines. Then Mouser surprises him with some further insanity. "Brevos! Telkis! Do something, quick!" He yells behind him, "whatever it is it needs to be done now!" He resists the urge to flee, for now, to give Urdur more time to get the girl out. Rudolf grits his teeth and attacks again to, hopefully, keep the undead from getting out of the passage.
S. Sword [1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16, DAM sm [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7 /l [1d8+1] = 7+1 = 8
Dagger [1d20] = 14, DAM sm [1d4] = 2 /l [1d3] = 3

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

A lone beacon of light in the darkness of this hell, the the young cleric is still blessed with Holy Tritherion's favor. As she holds the triskelion high, the undead nearest her shrink back, fearful of the radiant divinity she exudes! She knows not when Tritherion will tire of this game and cast his attention elsewhere, but she knows young Amity has been spirited away by some of their party. If nothing else, she prays they can escape and return the girl to her family.

Turn undead [1d20] = 17

[ChubbyPixie]

Hardly able to believe he yet lives, Telkis turns just in time to see Mouser back away from the front line, leaving an open avenue for the skeletons to pursue Urdur as he retreats with the girl. With a grunt he surges to fill the gap and beat back the clattering undead for as long as he can:

Morningstar +1 (THAC0 17): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 5+1 = 6, vs L [1d6+2] = 6+2 = 8 I guess that would be a charge?

[Inferno]

The Lichway, The Lost Shrine of Ancient Evil
The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. Long after midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY







The heroes struggle to hold back the endless tide of living death!

Urdur flees with their human sacrifice, Amity Mantle; trying to save her life at least. Unseen, he flies through the demon doors...




...and into the ghastly hall of tortured faces!




"You are a gift to The Nothing! The Nothing!" they jeer and shriek with gleeful malice!






In the darkening chapel of abominations, Brevos races to the immense pipe organ and examines it in mounting desperation.



By the cold light of Brood, the keen-eyed tracker sees every key is covered in dust except for two on the far end of the board.

Suddenly, on the corpse bridge, the Grey Mouser produces the heinous tome of forbidden secrets, taken from the unholy sacristy in the Hell Mouth of the Dark Mother!



Brevos and Telkis thought it had been left behind long ago!

Queasy and nauseous, Mouser cries out, "Ai! Ai! Shub-Niggurath!" as he staggers back! The abhorrent living skeletons stop! In their hesitation, Mouser escapes the fray. Then Telkis fills the sudden gap in the line, shattering a skull with his fearsome morningstar! Through the spine of another, Rudolf slashes his shortsword, ending its unnatural life.

Unrelenting and unstopping, more dead advance to take their place! The hungry corpses bite and tear Telkis' flesh without pity! (5hp damage)

Time is running out. In anguish, Rudolf yells over his bleeding shoulder, "Do something, quick! Whatever it is, it needs to be done now!"










On the far end of the towering swarming lichway, the grey druid heals himself by the power of the Shalm and feels his strength return! (+6hp and +6 to Strength)

But that is all the divine aid they are granted! Jerome cannot drive off the accursed undead! And Ingrid forces back only one!

And then they are upon them! The living dead devour them with a hunger insatiable and unyielding! (2hp damage to Jerome. 10hp damage to Ingrid!)




The heroes cannot hope to last much longer.





Actions?!


Full Map:

One square = 5 feet. Asterisks and black dots by the room numbers don't represent anything.


Behind the DM Screen:

Undead move last in the round.
Mouser's actions make the undead decline free opportunity attacks against him as he retreats from a melee.
Ingrid Turning: Number: [1d12] = 1, Duration: [3d4] = 7

Third skeleton attacks Telkis? (1) or Rudolf (?): [1d2] = 1 Telkis.
Undead attack Telkis: [1d20] = 5, [1d20] = 19, and Rudolf: [1d20] = 5 Telkis is hit.
Damage to Telkis: [1d6] = 5

Third skeleton attacks Jerome? (1) or Ingrid? (2): [1d2] = 1 Jerome.
Undead attack Jerome: [1d20] = 18, [1d20] = 17 and Ingrid: [1d20] = 20 Each are hit once, Ingrid critically.
Damage to Jerome: [1d6] = 2. Damage to Ingrid: [1d6] = 5 Ingrid's damage is doubled due to critical hit.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 18/31, Light from magic sword
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 8/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 12/22, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 8/20, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 29/30, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 2/2 3rd lvl, Torch, -1 to Strength
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 14/16, Light from magic sword
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 4/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 2/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl, Dancing Lights

PC Magic:

• Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self
  Dancing Lights (Urdur): Duration: 6 rounds
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 12 turned for 5 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 3 turned for 4 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Jerome): 8 turned for 3 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 1 turned for 6 rounds.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Blasphemous Iconography (the story so far in images)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[wolfpack]

With no time to deliberate and no musical knowledge Brevos presses the 2 keys.

[Scott308]

Ingrid Esthof

Seeing that the dead were not cowering from Holy Tritherion's presence as much as she felt they should, Ingrid redoubles her efforts with anger and pain. I. SAID. GET. BACK! YOU OFFEND THE HOLY! she yells, shaking her holy symbol at the teeming dead, pushing them back through the sheer force of Tritherion's will.

Turn undead: [1d20] = 13, [1d12] = 9

[Urson]

Jerome EDIT
Realizing that he has over extended his Grace, Jerome hefts his cudgel. His priority has shifted to protecting Ingrid, since she can best keep the horde away. He wades into combat, swinging at a grinning skull.... and misses.
[1d20] = 4

He sings, in a strong, but off-tempo tenor:
Onward, Cuthbert's Soldiers,
Marching as to war!
With the Tam and Cudgel,
Going on Be-fore!

[SocraticLawyer]

Urdur continues running for the exit as fast as he can. He speculates that Amity's unconsciousness is likely unnatural, or she would have woken by now. He hopes he has the means to revive her, should they make it outside. He also hopes the undead will cease their pursuit.

[ChubbyPixie]

Beginning to feel woozy, Telkis swings wildly and misses, though this doesn't trouble him. He knows that no matter how many of these creatures he takes out, more will come to replace them. He has only to keep them back for as long as he can.

Morningstar +1 (THAC0 17): To Hit:[1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3, Damage: vs s/m [2d4+1] = 6+1 = 7, vs L [1d6+2] = 5+2 = 7

[ravenn4544]

Mouser will continue to back up with his nauseating shield before him. He will move through the doors and re-examine them to see if they can be closed and barred from the outside

[rredmond]

Feelling emboldened by Telkis stepping up to fill the gap, Rudolf continues to attempt to match his more martial comrades in battle:
S. Sword [1d20+1] = 8+1 = 9, DAM sm [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3 /l [1d8+1] = 7+1 = 8
Dagger [1d20] = 4, DAM sm [1d4] = 1 /l [1d3] = 3
Alas, he knew it couldn't last forever...

[OGRE MAGE]

Amid the stinking mass of dead bodies and abandoned graves, Long Bo begins another spell, silently praying that the team in front of him can continue their advance unhindered.

Calling forth any and all scavenging insects in this area, the driud tries to summon a swarm of bugs he hopes to eventually use to thwart the horrid creatures trailing them. He crushes the dried flower petal of a skunk cabbage plant in between his fingers as he chants softly.

Casts: Summon Insects (1 full round casting time)

[Inferno]

The Lichway, The Lost Shrine of Ancient Evil
The Dark Mountains, Gran March, Greyhawk
Day Twenty. Long after midnight. Thursday, December 1st, 576 CY





His mind filled with dread and fear, Urdur runs for his life. He maneuvers under the masterfully etched stonegate...




...escaping with the innocent child in his arms, out onto the freezing wharf by the underground lake!




And then suddenly, Urdur hears something he recognizes but does not understand!

(Continued below!)







In the lichway, the ravenous dead feast upon the heroes' living flesh.

With the blasphemous, flesh-bound tome held as a shield before him, Mouser staggers back into the shadows of the hall of tortured faces.



"You are a gift to The Nothing! The Nothing!" the heinous visages shriek with hate and joy.

Blind in the dark, Mouser recalls the demon doors can be locked with a key that fits in their mouths. And he remembers the stonegate.

Far away, Jerome, Rudolf and Telkis cannot land a blow in the unrelenting crush of the swarming undead!

But the grey druid summons forth a plague of insects from the open crypts of the accursed shrine! By the power of the Shalm, a crawling black doom of swarming insects gathers!



Ingrid drives back the damned yet again by the unwavering will of her god!

And elsewhere, with time running out, Brevos desperately presses the two dustless keys of the great pipe organ without knowing what will happen!



The towering instrument blasts out a deafening sound! To their surprise, it is identical to the eerie, unrelenting tone that had haunted the heroes ever since entering this nightmarish place!

All the adventurers can hear it, even Urdur. So too can the dead. For suddenly, the ghastly legion of horrors that throngs the lichway cease their macabre shrieks and laughter.



As one, the heinous undead fall silent and motionless! And then they all slowly lie down where they stand, returning once more to the cold embrace of Death!

Astonishment and realization hit the heroes like a mace to the teeth:

• • The three skeleton priests in the chamber of skulls were first found prostrate and lifeless, as the vine web creature groaned its unrelenting song!
    
    
    
    
    When the heroes wounded the vine web, it screamed and suddenly the three withered robed corpses were no longer still. They trembled violently.
    
    
    
    
    
    Finally, when the vine web was silenced, the three unholy priests sat bolt upright, alert and active!
    
    
    
    
    
    In the continued silence of the vines, the pounding on the crypt slabs commenced...
    
    
    
    
    
    ...and the Tombs of the Greater Repugnances opened!
    
    
    

Somehow, the strange song of the alien vine web kept the dead from rising from their graves!

But then, the organ exhausts the air from its great towering pipes! Brevos quickly presses the two keys again, continuing the chilling lullaby of the damned!

And the dead do not rise.


Actions?!


Full Map:

One square = 5 feet. Asterisks and black dots by the room numbers don't represent anything.


Behind the DM Screen:

Ingrid Turning: Duration: [3d4] = 6
Bo: Summon Insects: Flying insects? (70%): [1d100] = 76 No.
Undead move last in the round, but don't get the chance to act before they return to death.

PC Status:

• Brevos, Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 18/31, Light from magic sword
  Grey Mouser, Half-Elf Magic-User/Thief 3/4: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 8/19, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Ingrid Esthof, Human Cleric 4: Move: 6", AC: 3(1), HP: 12/22, Spells: 2/5 1st lvl and 2/4 2nd lvl
  Jerome, Human Paladin 3: Move: 9", AC: 3(1), HP: 8/20, Laying Hands: 0/1
  Long Bo, Human Druid 4: Move: 9", AC: 2(1), HP: 29/30, Spells: 3/6 1st lvl, 1/3 2nd lvl and 1/2 3rd lvl, Torch, -1 to Strength
  Rudolf Rassendyll, Halfling Thief 4: Move: 9", AC: 3, HP: 14/16, Light from magic sword
  Telkis Brassfang, Gnome Fighter 4: Move: 9", AC: 0, HP: 4/34
  Urdur Shimmerstone, Gnome Illusionist 4: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 2/11, Spells: 1/3 1st lvl and 0/2 2nd lvl, Dancing Lights

PC Magic:

• Invisibility (Urdur): Target: self.
  Dancing Lights (Urdur): Duration: 5 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 12 turned for 4 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 3 turned for 3 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Jerome): 8 turned for 2 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 1 turned for 5 rounds.
  Turn Undead (Ingrid): 9 turned for 5 rounds.
  Summon Insects (Bo): Duration: 4 rounds.

Player Resources:

• Tale of Terror (the story so far)
  A Dark and Terrible World (maps)
  Blasphemous Iconography (the story so far in images)
  Desperate Struggles (clues and player notes)

[Urson]

Jerome

Jerome doesn't hesitate. Let's GO! he shouts, running toward the exit. He glances around to ensure his companions are with him, but only slows enough to let them catch up.

He mutters a very un-paladin-like word under his breath as the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

[rredmond]

"Thank you Telkis," Rudolf says with a glance at Telkis, panting and leaning against the wall a bit, "and thank you Brevos, this up-front kind of fighting isn't my cup of tea. Though I may have a dagger for the Grey Mouser that I'll be comfortable using." Then louder, as he (hopefully) sees the others come running up to them, "shall we oil the end of this passageway, and let it burn? Unless Bo's creepy-crawlies can finish the job? I don't trust that these hordes of undead will stay quiet forever, I'd like to give them something to slow them down!"

[wolfpack]

Brevos continues to press the keys as the others flee

Quickly get out of here I will hold them off with the music until you are clear, get t the girl and help her