It is around 11:30 p.m. Father Thelbain acts quickly and
has his acolytes clean up the remains of the dead, mute cultist, Brother
Malachi. Brother Karnoff is bound and gagged. Before more discussion of
Ravenstone and Bishop Nemesine can be had, the Morgansfort alarm bells begin to
ring. Fearing soldiers coming to the church to investigate and find a dead
cultist, the priest ushers them to the back of the sacristy where he tells them
they must leave the fort immediately. He explains that the cultists have
ingratiated themselves to the Bailiff Tomandy as diplomats from Ravenstone. If
Br. Malachi is discovered to be dead, the PCs will be arrested. Thelbain is
also eager to keep his connection to Nemesine via blackmail private as it will mean
his de-frocking. He encourages the group to take Karnoff with them which they
want to do anyway as a way in to Ravenstone. He gives each of them a healing
draught before leading them to the upper level of the Chapel of St. Queril
where it meets the northern fort wall.
Thelbain talks his way through a guard tower and follow
the inner keep wall around to the central tower. As they make their way above
the fort, they see troops below mobilizing and in the distance, strange lights
appearing over the Old Island Fortress. Thelbain unlocks the tower door with a
special key. Inside they descend a long spiral staircase to the ground floor
and beyond until they reach another door of a far older make. Thelbain tells
them that they will find a way out of the fort through the cliffs to the north
by the sea. It is a way only know to himself, the Bailiff, and the Baronet.
Thelbain tells the party the staircase to the passages below heads south. If
they turn themselves around and head towards the most northern and western path
they will find the way out. The group enter the passage and Thelbain closes the
door. The key clicks behind them. They are locked in.
Pater scout ahead down the stairs 20 ft. south, coming to
a landing with three stairways branching west, south, and east. The group heads
down the western branch. The ceiling did not slope with them. As they descended
the ceiling became cavernous above them. They found themselves in a north-south
“hallway” with cobblestone flooring and white-washed plaster walls. They
realize they are in fact in an underground city. The floor is a road and the
walls are buildings. Examining the walls more closely they found a door
directly from across the stairs. Pater checked for traps, found none, and
opened the door. A crossbow bolt shot out missing Pater and Nyphus at the
front, hitting the wall behind them. The “bowman” was a (in-animated) skeleton
sitting across from the door with a crossbow aimed at the door which apparently
discharged with the disturbance of the door. The room is covered in dust and
curtains hanging on the walls. There is no further way forward.
The group head north back in the hall and reach a
doorway/gate leading to a 30’ x 30’ octagonal room with a large well in the
middle. There are other doors to the west, north, and east. Pater checks out
the well and the group are surprised by a giant, fanged skull on a stalk body
of vertebrae. The snake-like bone creature begins to sway, hypnotizing part of
the party. The group engages in an extended battle. Pater is hit a couple of
times and comes close to death before jumping on the back of the spine behind
the head. Eventually the group manages to defeat the great thing cutting the
head from the spine which clatters to the bottom of the well.
Nyphus “lays hands” on Pater with a loud slap, rebuking
him for disturbing the well and reviving some hit points.
The group recognizes the room to be a small, town square
and head through the door north. They find another dead skeleton holding a
small chest. Inside the chest are two cruets of holy water and a small
scarab broach (of protection). Br. Karnoff comes to life and starts mumbling motioning
towards the well-room. The party see shambling figures silently approaching the
threshold to the well-room from the south. Renic springs into action and
charges. Pater fires an arrow. Mel and Nyphus attempt to turn the zombies.
Mel’s turning works and four of the foul beasts flee. Mel and Nyphus coat their
arms with the holy water and join Renic in bottle-necking the zombies at the
door. All contribute, but Renic’s new sword is the bloodiest ending the battle
with a pile of a dozen zombie corpses stinking up the room. During the combat
Pater tried both the room to the east (blocked/caved-in) and the door to the
west (locked/stuck).
Now the party find themselves in an underground city,
past midnight with low to mid-levels of hit points, and their spells depleted.
They must now decide whether to rest whether to push on to find their way out
or hole-up for the night to rest up. Once out, they need to plan a course of
action. Ravenstone is far north across the sea. Do they return to Slateholm to
find a ship? How do they transport their prisoner (Karnoff) without arousing
suspicion? What if he refuses to help them get into Ravenstone?
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