No ifs or buts, the Ogre and the reinforcement Orcs are advancing up the passage after Elwita, Brick and the others.
So some conflict will happen regardless if you hang about or you can trigger more crossbows / javelins / slingstones / cleric spells at them as they come.
"There is some magical dweomer in the room you sent us too, which magically paralyzes anyone who enters" - Edel returned to the intersection to inform Blodgett, loud enough for everyone of his companions to hear - "How can we get past it? We cannot simply stay here and fight - we will be overwhelmed eventually"
Then focusing on Brick, Elwita, and the situation at hand, Edel reasoned that if the stench was drifting south from the northern passage, some unseen air current favored their position. Murmuring a harsh incantation, he thrust out his hand, and a reeking green cloud churned forth, rolling hungrily down the tunnel’s dark throat, toward the southwest.
So that is the plan, a stinking cloud as far behind Brick and Elwita, down the southwestern tunnel. between them and the pursuers.
Last edited by Edeldhur on Mon Apr 28, 2025 10:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Mortar will attempt to pull the closest unmoving member inside the room back towards him to see if separating them from the immediate area will have any effect on their paralysis.
Will go to the enrance to the crypt (but not in it) and search for a way the enchantment might be avoided or removed. "It must come from somewhere or someone"
The action once more splits in two as parry members prioritise different strategies.
Edel, forewarned of the advancing Orc reinforcements, dashes back down the crypt steps to the fork in the passage and casts his Stinking Cloud spell behind the retreating rearguard pair, Brick & Elwita. At once a cloud of extra nauseous sewage filled fumes and revolting stenches fill the passage.
Several of the Orc guard are overcome but just on the fringes of the advancing group are the Ogre and lead Orc. They succeed to shake of the distressing, vomit inducing poison and still charge towards those readying actions.
The Ogre, a hulking misformed grotesque with bulbous features and spade like hands merely grunts at the minor irritant of the crossbow from Brick that strikes him. -2hp. He pulls one of the support struts out of its fixture, using it as an improvised nailed club.
"I'll cut him down to size." cries Elwita, glad at last to wreak her wrath upon some Temple inhabitants. -4hp, the dwarven warrior-Icon dodging under the Ogre's strike.
The Orc guard behind him triggers a bolt at the cleric Vennar, the shaft thudding into his Aspis shield.
The Stinking Cloud should hold back those who failed Saving Throws for another couple of rounds, enough time perhaps to slay the opponents who made it through.
Next ActionsVennar, Brick, Elwita are committed to this melee. Edel to decide actions.
Meanwhile, Olleg, Jacupo & Rogger remain frozen in an enchanted paralysis. Mortar does not have arms long enough to grab the nearest victim of the stasis to drag them free. He has little time to loop a lasso. Galadria cannot locate any device that might be powering the Hold, certainly nothing visible on the steps.
Durrant, holding forth his arcane divining rods, through which he conducts his Detect Magic investigation, bravely climbs one step forward, then another and finally ascends properly into the Crypt chamber.
The mage shrugs of the enchantment that tries to snare his mind as much as his body, resisting the temptation to give in to the all consuming desire to become statuesque as a dread paralysis threatens him.
Once he stands fully in the room, an unseen pressure seems to blow out, like a candle snuffed. The effect is to suddenly quicken the held back kinetic energy pent up in those afflicted with the Paralyzation. As the spell is dissipated, they each fall to the floor or collapse over the nearby stone coffer.
GM's resolutions:
the actual effect in place is the Illusionist spell 'Paralyzation'. The spell description is as follows:
The Paralyzation spell enables the spell caster to create illusionary muscle slowdown in creatures whose combined hit dice do not exceed twice the total level of experience of the illusionist. If the recipient creatures fail their saving throws, they become paralyzed, and a dispel illusion or dispel magic spell must be used to remove the effect, or the illusionist may dispel it at any time he or she desires.
While I cannot divulge too much more, suffice to say that the spell limits are 10HD or levels of experience combined of the victims. Which we have here with those held, including two Orc guards. My reading of this description seems to sway me to the opinion that the spell duration is in perpetuity, ie until dispelled, though I am of the mind to say that such is not the intention and that a duration should be made or other ways of dispelling the effects. I came to the conclusion that once 11+HD of experience were present within the area of effect, then the spell as a whole becomes nullified until physically cast again.
Hope that makes sense ... I might not get it perfectly right but this seems to make sense to me in gameplay terms.
With no threat of being Held in magical subjugation, Mortar & Galadria can also pile into the Crypt.
The interior of the small crypt is unremarkable, with faded murals on the plastered walls, a stained glass window high on each face depicting the sun, moon and stars in various settings; sunrise, sunset, midday and midnight. The old oak beams of the vaulted ceiling are in need of repair with loose and missing tiles in the rafters. A solitary stone coffer is in the centre of the room. It is large enough to entomb a human but the interior is empty save for cigarette butts, broken glass and tossed away oddments. There are large scuff marks on the floor to the left of the coffer, indicating it may well move if pushed in that direction, to cover the descending stairs. A closed door provides the alternative entrance and exit.
Next Actions for Olleg, Durrant, Galadria & Mortar (in the Crypt with Jacupo, Rogger & two Orcs).
His magic mostly depleted, and unable to provide any further assistance, Edel retreats into the side tunnel leading into the crypt, and urges his companions to do the same - "Retreat toward the stairs..." - he beckons them - "Has anyone seen Blodgett? I don't see him anywhere?"
Retreating trough the side tunnel to join the others in the crypt.
"As soon as the remaining are back, we slide the stone heavyweight back in place" - he informs.
The trio, Brick, Vennar & Elwita try to hold back the raging Ogre, stabbing, hacking, flailing against him as he relentlessly batters his way up the passage and away from the noxious stinking cloud gases. Behind him a lone Orc keeps to his manful duty and sends shaft after shaft into the fray though without success.
next actionsBrick & Vennarplease give me two melee attacks to cover those remains rounds the gases are in place.
Edel retreats into the crypt, confident the trio will soon follow. Blodgett does not respond to any calls, the Halfling Icon deciding to retreat himself, for better or worse, up the passage that leads towards the sewer vault of stores. The last sight of him on the periphery of Edel's vision, pulling hood up and soft-step foot padding into the tunnel shadows. Strange then he slinks away despite advising the group to all flee via the Crypt route.
Inside the Crypt a degree of pent up energy from those released from the illusion of paralysis. The two Orc guards try to make a break for it as the group intrude, but the door to the exterior is securely locked and they do not have the key. In fact bereft of all their belongings; weapons, purses, pouches. Olleg, Rogger, Durrant, Mortar, Jacupo & Galadria can all take swings at them, beating them to unconsciousness and beyond.
Pallas the owl Familiar can fly to the rafters of the vaulted ceiling and squeeze through a loosened roof tile or even hop to perch on a pane of one the broken stained glass windows. Momentarily allowing Edel to warg into seeing through the owl's eyes and peek at the outside.
It is mid morning, the sun rising hotly over the city skyline, pushing back the pre-dawn rain clouds. The immediate grounds that surround the Crypt appear to be a small open area that was once the cemetery for the temple compound. Now it is overgrown with weeds, gnarled bushes and dying trees. Headstone markers and small cairns can be seen at many points through the overgrowth. A twisting path navigates a route through the tangled roots, thorny bushes and broken branches. Everything seems gray in color here - the grass is gray-green, the soil dusty gray, the stone markers brown and gray. A feeling of oppression hangs over the entire cemetery. An ashen and derelict place, forgotten and unkempt rather than a place of solace and reflective memory of those who have long since passed.
next actions. Any actions in the crypt while you await the outcome of the conflict in the tunnels below?
The Magic-User surveys the scene outside the crypt carefully - he wills his companion to look around the whole area, for signs of movement or threats. Then he focuses his attention on where the path winds to, trying to see where it leads - a door? Another area perhaps?
Blows are traded. The Ogre flailing the length of solid 'two by four', to batter away at the trio defending the passage. His huge frame and bulk squashed in the tunnel confines should make him a target too big to miss but his brute strength and ad-hoc patchwork armour plating is enough to soak up a lot of the damage meted out his way, knocking aside Brick's powerful strikes with ease. He smashes Elwita, finally catching the dwarven warrior Icon, -12hp. Her wound is grievous but she responds in the only way she knows how, stabbing out with a slash as she falls prone. It cuts underneath the Ogre's guard and rips open his belly, -6hp, causing the hideous giant kin to fall to his knees and grasp at his leaking bowels. It provides enough opportunity for Vennar to crown his head and open a fatal leak on his brain, -6hp spilling grey matter and blood.
The Orc guard behind the fallen Ogre triggers a bolt that catches Brick, -2hp.
The stinking cloud is fading from the tunnel and the noxious green sickly gas dissipates into more breathable sewage tainted air. The Orc reinforcements that were driven back to the north-south passage behind to rally again.
Brick & Vennar pick Elwita up, grabbing a shoulder each and drag their injured comrade into the shelter of the forked passage, just as another bolt wings its way down the tunnel.
Next ActionsBrick & Vennar, you can choose to retreat into the Crypt or carry on the fight vs the Orc reinforcements that come your way. Elwita of course argues to fight to the end, "Retreat is not a dwarven word we know!" she claims valiantly.
Inside the small mausoleum are Mortar, Galadria, Olleg, Durrant, Edel, Jacupo & Rogger plus two deceased Orcs.
The room is bare except for the stone coffer which can slide over the top of the entrance to the lower tunnels. The coffer is empty and the door to the Crypt is locked, though breaking through could be achieved easily enough.
Durrant actually has a Knock spell gifted him from the Saint Statue that warded the Temple secret door. So he can use that once you declare you want to exit the building. He also has a Wizard Lock spell that he can cast on the stone coffer to secure it in place once the team decide to close it, securing it from most normal attempts to move it again.
You can put the two dead Orcs in the open coffer and shut the lid, Jacupo & Rogger could benefit each from the minor improvement in armour class if they strip the dead and take their uniform.
The party here wait on the conclusion of the rearguard combat. I will detail next what Edel can see as Pallas does a little flit around the Memorial Gardens while you decide next actions.
Pallas the familiar Owl hops through the broken stained glass window to take a perch high in the branches of a crooked tree next to the Crypt.
It wants to keep out of sight, normally only seen during nocturnal hours. Luckily its small size, (Pallas is a Screech Owl) and feathered ghostly-grey colouring allow it to blend easily into the surrounds.
The Memorial Garden cemetery is a described previously, and unkempt place of trailing vines, thistles, strangling weeds and thorny briars that overgrown the many tottering headstones and grave markers that line the cobbled path. The Crypt is the largest feature. The surrounding walls are about 30'ft+ in height and several feet thick, enough for guards to walk across the top of them. The one to the left is just an exterior wall whereas the others there are rooms and corridors underneath.
A large set of ancient carved doors lie closed in the top of the gardens, which is the only natural exit. The path starts from here to meander in a loop around the crypt and another curve into the bottom end of the cemetery among some crooked Yew trees. An Orc guard lies dead on the path here, his body slowly being covered by vines that trap his ankles and wrists.
Black squirrels play across the branches looking for morsels to eat, undisturbed by the Owl perched unseen nearby. It is quiet but disturbingly so, even the Owl feels that the cemetery gives off an eerie and haunted aura.
The decision is made to withdraw rather than standfast in the lower tunnel. Vennar carries the wounded Elwita up the narrow steps into the crypt as Brick shields the pair. The Orc reinforcements cautiously approach the fork in the tunnel, sending fiery tipped crossbow bolts ahead of them, but the last characters can make it safely out the tunnels.
Once that is done, the stone coffer is quickly pushed across the entrance and Wizard Locked by Durrant. Though the Orcs try to push and bash upon the coffer rolled above them, they cannot physically move it no matter how hard they try.
The group have time for a quick breather, assessing wounds, Jacupo & Rogger using their very last daily allotment of spells to aid the party warriors,
whilst Edel gets a view of the garden via his ability to see through his Familiar's eyes. The screech owl exiting the crypt via a broken pane in a stained glass window and flitting to nearby trees for shelter and spying duties.
The single crypt door is locked but Knocked open by Durrant but as soon as the door is opened, a barrage of crossbow bolts thud into the panels or crash into the iron gate of the security porch gate that shields the crypt door.
It is a warning that your presence in the Crypt is known and guards patrolling upon the boundary walls of the garden are taking no chances to let you simply escape.
You shut the Crypt door to reconsider your situation. Crucially Pallas gives you eyes on the area and through that link gain the knowledge that though guards are stationed upon the wall, none actually intrude into the gardens.
With that information, you can plan any strategy and consider any options, plans, suggestions.
Next Actions please use this thread to do the above, making in-character actions and discussions.
Once an actual action is decided, I will update that in a new action thread as the adventure moves into a new phase with the characters seemingly besieged in the tiny crypt.
