[Game Thread] Chapter 2: The Haunting Horror

[darthcharon]

Pushing the trap door open, you find yourself in what appears to be a storage room. It is fifteen feet by twenty feet, and filled with old lumber, rolled up carpets, and other miscellaneous junk. The room is covered in dust, and appears to have not been entered in some time. A single door leads out of the room to the north.

OOC Because of the nature of this... event, I'm going to be posting an updated map in the combat thread as you move. Otherwise, things may get very confusing very quickly.

[dbaque]

Lunigen gratefully clambers out of the tunnel. He

Dice Perception:

d20+2

(9)+2

Total = 11

peers around the storage room. He whispers, most puzzled: "Where have we found ourselves this time?" It certainly didn't seem like a trap; perhaps a tunnel to infiltrate somewhere? Replacing his javelin & drawing his fine sword, Lunigen creeps over to the door as

Dice Stealth:

d20-5

(10)-5

Total = 5

quietly as he can in his armor. He

Dice Perception:

d20+2

(10)+2

Total = 12

listens at the door & concentrates on Detect Evil (sp, 60' cone)sensing anything fell beyond.

[darthcharon]

[Insacrum]

Ollona is next though the trapdoor, and she is relieved to find herself in what appears to be a storage closet. Although the carpets around her looked intriguing. She took her time looking through them all, admiring the look of them, but she made sure not to get a feel of them. It wouldn't do well to awaken some hidden being.

Lunigen's actions to move quietly to the door were comical at best. Since they were in here 'uninvited' she wasn't sure she wanted to know who was the owner of all of these rugs, by way of being found among them. She silently prayed to Titania that this party wouldn't end up like that group in lower Brittonia.

'That was such a waste of bodies.'

[dbaque]

The knight's concentration ends & his discomfort at the fell presence with it. With a shudder, he whispers to his companions: "We close upon whatever it was I sensed. The foul taint from the tunnels is much worse here, but I can still find no particular creature. I wish not to imagine what sort of fell creature can leave a trail of such power." Shaking off the feeling once more: "Regardless, from what I can hear, we are still in the storm, but there seems to be no one else in this place. Shall we continue our explorations?"

[DukeofTuring]

Climbing out of the tunnel and switching back to his two-handed hammer, Marcus looks serious and somewhat unsure of himself. If we were to turn around and post guards at both the mouth of the cave and deep in the tunnel, I think we might be safe near the fire until the storm ended, or perhaps for the whole night if necessary. I hate to advocate leaving such an evil to threaten others and perhaps grow worse over time, but if the source of the Bretonian's unease is really as powerful as he thinks it is assaulting it would be tantamount to suicide. Even if we do decide to advance, we should do so with every caution."

[Quadra Wield]

Holly finds it odd that the elf would suggest that their party would be attacked from behind in a one way tunnel, but she ignores it, as elves usually thought in strange ways. As the party travels through the tunnel and up through the trapdoor, Holly becomes increasingly less confident in her assumption that the magic and divine users "detectors" seem to be broken. "Look, we just went up through some escape route and into someones storage, nothing else." Holly

Dice Perception:

d20+4

(7)+4

Total = 11

glances around the room before noting, "Hmm, though the place doesn't seem to have been used in quite a while, maybe whoever started that fire had some other escape route?"

Some things just weren't adding up in Holly's head. The place obviously looked abandoned, but why was there a fire still burning down in the cave and just who builds escape routes out of their storage rooms? "Regardless, I say we continue exploring, though cautiously, with our recent luck maybe we stumbled upon another heretic's house and he wouldn't be too happy about us breaking in."

[dbaque]

"Caution would indeed behoove our investigations here," replies Lunigen. "Though I cannot see the wisdom in trying to sleep the night with ...whatever this is so close by. 'Twould more properly be suicide to leave this creature to strike at its leisure & choosing rather than at ours. The heavens have led us to prevail thus far; let us trust in them still." The knight puts his hand to the door, saying: "Be all in readiness," before he opens the door.

[darthcharon]

The door initially seems stuck, but a firm push causes it to pop open with an audible creak. The room beyond appears to be a sitting room, filled with armchairs, tables, and dusty rugs. The armchairs and tables have been covered with dust covers, suggesting the house is abandoned. On the west wall is a large window, from which faint moonlight and periodic lighting casts dancing shadows into the room. The window is framed by a crimson curtain, paper thin and nearly translucent.

From the east hall hangs a painting, which, though the details are difficult to make out from where you stand, appears to depict some sort of creature, standing over the bloodied bodies of two warriors atop a blackened hilltop. The creature has a goat's head, as well as the legs of an ox, and wields a massive axe, while the slain are adorned in full plate, one of them still desperately trying to cling to a broken and sullied banner.

[dbaque]

The wary knight

Dice Perception:

d20+2

(12)+2

Total = 14

peers about this next room, seeking aught to shed light on the mystery of this place. Noting the painting, Lunigen walks up to it, examining it more closely for anything

Dice Knowledge: Religion:

d20+5

(16)+5

Total = 21

Dice Knowledge: Nobility:

d20+5

(17)+5

Total = 22

familiar, particularly the monstrous creature & the warrior's banner.

[DukeofTuring]

Following the knight's lead, Marcus

Dice Perception:

1d20+5

(1)+5

Total = 6

scans the room and similarly finds his attention drawn to the violent artwork. "That doesn't look to be the sort of artwork a decent person would keep," he somberly notes as he Lets see if any of these skill checks reveal anythingexamines the paining to the

Dice Knowledge (History):

1d20+5

(15)+5

Total = 20

best

Dice Knowledge (Nobility):

1d20+5

(5)+5

Total = 10

of

Dice Knowledge (The Planes):

1d20+5

(9)+5

Total = 14

his As a long shot:

Dice Knowledge (Religion):

1d20+5

(6)+5

Total = 11

abilities. "And it would take a rather bold deviant to put this sort of artwork up so prominently." Perhaps they would be fighting more chaos worshipers before the day was out...

[darthcharon]

As Lunigen steps into the room to investigate the painting, a stiff wind blows through the room, moving the curtains ominously. You don't have time to ponder where the wind came from, however, as a horrid gurgling sound emits from the painting. Before Lunigen has a chance to move, Blood gouts from the bodies in the picture, covering Lunigen with jets of rich, warm blood. The knights in the painting seem to have come to life, writhing in terrible agony, fresh blood pulsing from them and oozing onto the floor. Looking up, you realize with horror that the bodies are not the only thing that has gained life, as the terrible creature steps out of the painting, grunting slightly as it does so, then hefts its massive weapon above it's head, looking for more blood to spill!

OOC Initiative time!

[dbaque]

The Bretonnian knight is wondering why the noble's banner was depicted on this painting & what it had to do with this place when blood suddenly oozed upon him. It was like a scene from one of the dhampir's worst nightmares, having endured for over a century the siren call of the thirst. His teeth clench as his breath grows ragged, unsure how he ought even to breathe, lest he inhale the intoxicating scent or sip some stray drops. Only with a feat of "Surely 'twas the Lady's grace!"otherworldly strength does the knight master his manic senses enough to focus on the approaching beastman. The call of battle & a century of discipline manage to quiet the crimson fluid's whispers to him, for now. Desperate for a noncrimson focus, he Detect Evil (sp, single target version)concentrates on the axe-wielder while he wipes at the blood marring his vision. His grip is taught on his fine blade as he steps up to meet the foe with a cold glare.

 

Initiative: 17
AC: 19/12/18
CMD: 16
Hp: 18/18
Speed: 20'

Actions:
Move: Detect Evil (single target version) on beastman
Standard: wipe blood from eyes
Free: 5' step up to beastman

OOC A dhampir drenched in blood, this will go over about as well as an alcoholic dumped into a beer vat.

[Quadra Wield]

When Holly first sees the painting she thinks nothing of it. The owner of the painting was probably quite an odd individual, but it was just a painting after all, nothing to waste time over. However her thoughts are quickly proven wrong as blood shoots out of the painting onto the paladin and a beast creature steps out. Bewildered, Holly does the first thing that comes to mind, and draws her pistol before taking aim at the creature.

 

Move: Move withing 20 feet if not already
Standard: Shoot gun at beastman
-Attack:

Dice Roll:

d20+8

(8)+8

Total = 16

(16)
-Damage:

Dice Roll:

d8+1

(4)+1

Total = 5

(5) + UCaD

Dice Roll:

d6

3

(3) /2 if attack misses

[Insacrum]

Ollona follows the others as they enter the room, wondering what they will find in this place. After exiting the carpet room, she finds herself, with the others, in some type of living room. It was well furnished, if not oddly appointed. The

Dice know arcana:

1d20+7

(12)+7

Total = 19

painting stood out as being an odd item. Clearly it was something out of place here.

Once the blood started flowing, she couldn't help but think that everyone was right about this place, 'Nothing but chaos and evil!'

She couldn't help but quip to holly as she drew her bow, "Holly. How about next time, when the group says that something we're looking at is evil, you at least play along and pretend to believe what we're saying?" Before drawing her bow, she focuses her mind on the beastman in front of the group, willing the creature to slumber... 'Sleep!'

 

Actions and Info Initiative: 7 I'm going last, but I'm also probably the farthest away from the beast... at least I hope I am. Standard Action: Use Slumber Hex on Beastman (Please be under 4 HD). Will Save DC 14, or sleep for 2 rounds. Move Action: None Free Action: Quip at Holly