Against the Shadows VII - A Faded Glory Story Hour (Re-Updated - 5/17)
- Thread starter Old One
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Thorntangle
First Post
I just got caught back up with the SH and it's as good as ever. And I do believe it's time for a promised Update. Work can always wait until later, Old One 
Hooty Hoot?
Old One, you RBDM! You've attacked them with a multiracial frat-house band from South Carolina!
Players: on a more serious note, at least you haven't yet heard "tekeli-li."
I anxiously await the next update (when I'm not busy with my own work). It's not like you'll have time to write in eight months.
Old One, you RBDM! You've attacked them with a multiracial frat-house band from South Carolina!
Players: on a more serious note, at least you haven't yet heard "tekeli-li."
I anxiously await the next update (when I'm not busy with my own work). It's not like you'll have time to write in eight months.
Session 17 (Part Four)
The Tower
Halfway to the tower, the thunderous pealing of bells washed over the party. The sounds seemed to emanate from the structure and repeated thrice before falling silent. The noise was almost deafening…a far cry from the muffled rumblings inside the dwarven shrine.
The charcoal tower was fairly imposing close up. It soared 50 paces into the dull gray sky and looked to be made of the same stone as the colossal statue. Despite diligent searching, they could not locate an entrance at ground level. Frustrated, Quintus muttered a few words, shimmered and transformed into the Squawk. The ungainly bird labored for altitude, circling the tower several times during its ascent.
The rest of the party waited below, bows ready while keeping one eye on the Quintus-bird and the other on the tower. The Squawk disappeared from sight atop the tower. Quintus noted that the top of the tower was smooth and unblemished, save for a five-pace diameter hole in the center. The Squawk glided to a stop and Quintus dismissed the spell. “Looks like an entrance on top!”
The sorcerer cast a light spell on his spear on moved to examine the opening more closely. He noted a slight rippling as stuck the butt of his spear into the hole. He was surprised to meet resistance. ‘Like stirring Nan’s molasses,’ he thought to himself.
A moment later, his surprise was doubled as the hole drew him and his spear in with a slight sucking sound. Upended, he floated down through some manner of heavy liquid at a walking pace. He held his breath, afraid of inhaling the viscous material. He was dimly aware of passing several levels in his descent.
After thirty grains, he came to a stop on a stone floor. Unable to hold his breath any longer, the sorcerer drew in a ragged gasp. To his amazement, he was able to breathe normally.
Outside the tower, Sextus paced back and forth in increasing concern and agitation. “He has been gone to long, we should go after him.”
“Do you propose to grow wings and flap up after him?” Lew inquired wryly.
The bard flashed a worried grin at his friend and continued to pace.
Inside the tower, Quintus stood and looked around. The light from his temporarily enchanted spear revealed an unadorned circular chamber. He chose a direction and pushed through the liquid. ‘It’s like swimming through Nan’s oatmeal,’ he thought to himself. He exited the liquid to the same moist sound he’d entered by and found himself alone, but dry.
As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he caught sight of several shadowy figures to his left. Whirling and gathering his power to cast a spell, he stopped when he realized the figures where outside the tower. From the inside, the walls of the structure were translucent and Quintus made out the forms of Sextus, Rowan, Rosë and Lew. He waved at his friends and began shouting.
Rowan’s sharp ears caught a faint whiff of sound. “Wait, I think I hear something!”
The rest of the party stopped fidgeting and listened.
“There it is again…I can’t be sure, but it sounds like Quintus.”
“My brother is in danger! We must find a way in.”
After a quick consultation, a Bull’s Strength spell provided by Lew and a Spider Climb scroll provided by Sextus, Rowan scrambled up the sheer side of the tower. He belayed the others up using his rope harness. Within ten turns of the minute glass, the party, sans Quintus, stood atop the tower.
Brief experimentation with the hole in the center of the roof sent Sextus sliding downward. After shared shrugs, the rest followed suit. The party was soon reunited on the bottom level of the tower. Rowan whistled in amazement at the one-way, see-through walls, “That’s a neat trick.”
“Did you note the other levels on your way down?” Quintus asked.
The others nodded their assent.
“It stands to reason that if we can travel down via the pillar of liquid, we should be able to travel up as well.”
The others nodded again. Lew pointed to Rowan’s rope, “Perhaps we should all hold onto a length of rope to that we don’t become separated.”
“Good idea, Lew. Alright everyone, loosen your blades and your minds and grab onto Rowan’s rope.”
The group, bunched together awkwardly, shuffled back to the swirling column of liquid, took a collective breath and stepped into it. After a grain or two, they started upward with a slight jerk. They quickly passed one level before managing to struggle out of the liquid at the next. Several of them stumbled and fell as they broke contact with the pillar. They arose moments later, unharmed, but wearing sheepish grins.
They found themselves in a small sitting chamber with several low divans and a low table with three crystalline bowls. From the angle of the walls, Quintus and Rowan surmised the room occupied one-half of the level. A door was centered in each wall and the dividing walls bore an odd, roughly textured finish. The furniture in the room was simply made, but seemed slightly off-sized for human use.
Rosë felt a slight shiver run down his spine. The young Brigante hefted his axe and looked around, eyes narrowed to slits. “I don’t like this place. It…it doesn’t feel right.”
Rowan laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder reassuringly and glanced at Quintus. “Left or right?”
“Left,” came the reply, “always left.”
The ranger nodded and moved to the door, unsheathing his gladius enroute. He reached out his hand to grasp the door latch and his eyes widened as the wall to his right rippled. Four grayish tentacles with tiny barbs shot out from the wall, heading straight for Rowan’s face. He shouted the alarm and swung his blade to intercept, but the defensive action was too late...
To Be Continued…
Next – House of Pain
~ Old One
The Tower
Halfway to the tower, the thunderous pealing of bells washed over the party. The sounds seemed to emanate from the structure and repeated thrice before falling silent. The noise was almost deafening…a far cry from the muffled rumblings inside the dwarven shrine.
The charcoal tower was fairly imposing close up. It soared 50 paces into the dull gray sky and looked to be made of the same stone as the colossal statue. Despite diligent searching, they could not locate an entrance at ground level. Frustrated, Quintus muttered a few words, shimmered and transformed into the Squawk. The ungainly bird labored for altitude, circling the tower several times during its ascent.
The rest of the party waited below, bows ready while keeping one eye on the Quintus-bird and the other on the tower. The Squawk disappeared from sight atop the tower. Quintus noted that the top of the tower was smooth and unblemished, save for a five-pace diameter hole in the center. The Squawk glided to a stop and Quintus dismissed the spell. “Looks like an entrance on top!”
The sorcerer cast a light spell on his spear on moved to examine the opening more closely. He noted a slight rippling as stuck the butt of his spear into the hole. He was surprised to meet resistance. ‘Like stirring Nan’s molasses,’ he thought to himself.
A moment later, his surprise was doubled as the hole drew him and his spear in with a slight sucking sound. Upended, he floated down through some manner of heavy liquid at a walking pace. He held his breath, afraid of inhaling the viscous material. He was dimly aware of passing several levels in his descent.
After thirty grains, he came to a stop on a stone floor. Unable to hold his breath any longer, the sorcerer drew in a ragged gasp. To his amazement, he was able to breathe normally.
Outside the tower, Sextus paced back and forth in increasing concern and agitation. “He has been gone to long, we should go after him.”
“Do you propose to grow wings and flap up after him?” Lew inquired wryly.
The bard flashed a worried grin at his friend and continued to pace.
Inside the tower, Quintus stood and looked around. The light from his temporarily enchanted spear revealed an unadorned circular chamber. He chose a direction and pushed through the liquid. ‘It’s like swimming through Nan’s oatmeal,’ he thought to himself. He exited the liquid to the same moist sound he’d entered by and found himself alone, but dry.
As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he caught sight of several shadowy figures to his left. Whirling and gathering his power to cast a spell, he stopped when he realized the figures where outside the tower. From the inside, the walls of the structure were translucent and Quintus made out the forms of Sextus, Rowan, Rosë and Lew. He waved at his friends and began shouting.
Rowan’s sharp ears caught a faint whiff of sound. “Wait, I think I hear something!”
The rest of the party stopped fidgeting and listened.
“There it is again…I can’t be sure, but it sounds like Quintus.”
“My brother is in danger! We must find a way in.”
After a quick consultation, a Bull’s Strength spell provided by Lew and a Spider Climb scroll provided by Sextus, Rowan scrambled up the sheer side of the tower. He belayed the others up using his rope harness. Within ten turns of the minute glass, the party, sans Quintus, stood atop the tower.
Brief experimentation with the hole in the center of the roof sent Sextus sliding downward. After shared shrugs, the rest followed suit. The party was soon reunited on the bottom level of the tower. Rowan whistled in amazement at the one-way, see-through walls, “That’s a neat trick.”
“Did you note the other levels on your way down?” Quintus asked.
The others nodded their assent.
“It stands to reason that if we can travel down via the pillar of liquid, we should be able to travel up as well.”
The others nodded again. Lew pointed to Rowan’s rope, “Perhaps we should all hold onto a length of rope to that we don’t become separated.”
“Good idea, Lew. Alright everyone, loosen your blades and your minds and grab onto Rowan’s rope.”
The group, bunched together awkwardly, shuffled back to the swirling column of liquid, took a collective breath and stepped into it. After a grain or two, they started upward with a slight jerk. They quickly passed one level before managing to struggle out of the liquid at the next. Several of them stumbled and fell as they broke contact with the pillar. They arose moments later, unharmed, but wearing sheepish grins.
They found themselves in a small sitting chamber with several low divans and a low table with three crystalline bowls. From the angle of the walls, Quintus and Rowan surmised the room occupied one-half of the level. A door was centered in each wall and the dividing walls bore an odd, roughly textured finish. The furniture in the room was simply made, but seemed slightly off-sized for human use.
Rosë felt a slight shiver run down his spine. The young Brigante hefted his axe and looked around, eyes narrowed to slits. “I don’t like this place. It…it doesn’t feel right.”
Rowan laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder reassuringly and glanced at Quintus. “Left or right?”
“Left,” came the reply, “always left.”
The ranger nodded and moved to the door, unsheathing his gladius enroute. He reached out his hand to grasp the door latch and his eyes widened as the wall to his right rippled. Four grayish tentacles with tiny barbs shot out from the wall, heading straight for Rowan’s face. He shouted the alarm and swung his blade to intercept, but the defensive action was too late...
To Be Continued…
Next – House of Pain
~ Old One
Last edited:
Dougal DeKree
First Post
Finally 
)
Haaaa, this just saved my day
thanx for the update
Dougal DeKree, retired gnomish Illusionist
)Haaaa, this just saved my day
thanx for the update
Dougal DeKree, retired gnomish Illusionist
Good to see you again...
Thorntangle,
Glad to see you back, I thought you had abandoned us for greener (or, at least, more frequently updated) pastures. Thanks for the good words and take a look above!
~ Old One
Thorntangle said:I just got caught back up with the SH and it's as good as ever. And I do believe it's time for a promised Update. Work can always wait until later, Old One
Thorntangle,
Glad to see you back, I thought you had abandoned us for greener (or, at least, more frequently updated) pastures. Thanks for the good words and take a look above
!~ Old One
Session 17 (Part Five)
Dougal and Darklone (and Everyone Else),
Since you have been s-s-s-o-o-o-o good, you get another update this morning (or afternoon or night, depending on geographical location).
House of Pain
His armor and agility protected him from most of the strikes, but one slapped across his arm, leaving an angry red mark and chilling him to the bone. He gasped as he felt some of his strength fade away. Rowan made out the faint outline of a strange face above the tentacles and stabbed at it. His blade sunk into flesh and a high-pitched trilling sound echoed in his mind.
Rosë moved up to support Rowan and was surprised when the wall to the left of the door moved and another quartet of tentacles attacked. Two pierced the barbarian’s defenses, but he was able to fight off the chilling effect of their strikes. His return axe blow opened a huge gash in the wall. The trilling sound redoubled and charcoal ichor poured from the opening.
Lew added his mace to the fray and Quintus fired a Magic Missile into the face above Rowan’s head. Meanwhile, Sextus moved toward the other door to examine it. Rowan and Rosë attacked again while suffering additional strikes.
Just as axe, blade, spell and mace finished off the two wall creatures on one side, Sextus’s cries for help rose from the other. The bard’s curiosity was rewarded by a renewed assault. The other four leapt to his assistance.
They made quick work of the strange creatures attached to the wall, but not before most of the party succumbed to at least one strength-stealing attack. Winded and drained, they halted for a moment to catch their breath. “I told you this place didn’t feel right,” mumbled Rosë.
He received no argument from his fellows. “Let’s push on,” said Quintus wearily.
They returned to the left-hand door and passed through. They found what looked to be some manner of dining chamber, with a table, several stools and assorted other furniture. No foodstuffs were evident, but a crystalline decanter and several glasses adorned the table. Sextus picked up the decanter to examine it.
His eyes widened in terror as it writhed in his hand, elongating into a wriggling snake of liquid crystal which promptly sank its teeth into his hand. A wave of nausea and weakness hammered the bard, but he retained enough presence of mind to hurl the animated serpent away. Rosë’s axe shattered it into a thousand fragments a grain later.
Puffy purplish marks surrounded the wound. Lew quickly tended to it, but he could do little to stop the poison already coursing through Sextus’s veins. The plucky bard gritted his teeth and struggled to his feet. “Don’t…touch…anything!”
A quick visual search of the room revealed nothing extraordinary, so they resolved to reenter the liquid transport column. Instead of rising, they began to descend. Rosë began flailing wildly and broke contact with the group. As he flung one arm above his head, his descent stopped and he began to rise.
Inspiration struck the Brigante as he moved upward and he held his arms straight out. Again, his progress halted, but this time, he hung motionless, suspended in the liquid. A wide grin split his face as he dropped his arms…his body followed the motion and floated down.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party stumbled out of the pillar into a small room, occupying one-quarter of the level. Two strange creatures moved to intercept them. Thin, bipedal and well over three paces tall, they towered over the party. Smooth stone gray skin, elongated limbs and nearly featureless faces. Two almond-shaped eyes surmounted a thin nasal slit; no mouth was visible. Four tentacles writhed from a spot just below the location of a human breastbone. They moved with an uncanny fluid grace.
Their first onrush pushed Quintus’s back into the liquid column, which promptly engulfed the sorcerer and send him down to the bottom level. Sextus, Rowan and Lew met the attack and battled back. The creatures were preternaturally quick, but seemed unused to physical combat. Still, their tentacles struck with unnerving accuracy, leaving angry welts and leaching vitality. Despite the pain and serious strength loss by Rowan, they finished the creatures off.
After moving up and down in the pillar for a bit, Rosë popped out of the liquid into the waiting tentacles of two more creatures. He smashed them back with his axe, but their attacks slid past his defense several times. Quintus emerged from the transport column just in time to duck the backswing of the barbarian’s weapon and send a Magic Missile into one of his friend’s opponents. It fell, followed several grains later by the second, dropped by Rosë’s axe.
The Brigante, still marveling at his discovery, animatedly described to Quintus how the liquid pillar worked. Quintus shook his head, amazed that his simple barbarian mind had grasped the concept. ‘Wonders never cease.’
The separated groups used good teamwork to clear their respective levels, although continued attacks by the tentacle creatures took their toll on the party’s collective strength. Finally, after much trial and error, the party reunited on the third level.
(DM’s Note: Watching them figure out the workings of the liquid transport pillar was pretty funny. Essentially, stepping in at either the top or the bottom began travel in the opposite direction. A DC 10 WIS check is needed to get off at a desired level while moving. Arm position dictates movement – up, down or hovering – and swinging an arm while stationary rotates a person within the column.
John (Rosë’s player) figured it out first, but there were still many errors, with various characters zooming past the level they wanted to exit, getting off in the wrong chamber, etc. Made for a fun (at least from the DM’s perspective) time!)
Quintus looked at his battered companions and frowned, “This is doing nothing but wearing us down. We need to find the source of the sounds soon or we won’t even be able to lift our blades!”
The others nodded their agreement.
The sorcerer continued. “There was nothing on the roof or the first level. We have cleared the second and third. I believe I counted five levels when I descended initially…I say we skip the fourth and go straight to the fifth level. Any argument?”
They busied themselves checking gear and salving wounds. Both Rowan and Rosë had taken numerous hits, but Lew could do nothing to restore their strength. When all was ready, they once again grasped Rowan’s rope and entered the column, careful to keep their arms level. Once inside, Rosë raised his arm above his head and the whole group slowly ascended. He leveled out adjacent to the fifth level, just below the roof.
They could vaguely make out a circular chamber that occupied the entire level. Numerous shadowy shapes were visible. With a mere grain’s hesitation, the group burst from the pillar, weapons ready.
They found four of the tentacle creatures, larger than the others they had encountered, facing the transport column from five paces away, spaced equally. Around the perimeter of the room were four squat, broad-shouldered figures facing away from the party. Each of them stood before an enormous bell wrought from charcoal colored metal and a pulsating gem of the same color was imbedded at the base of each creature’s skull. Each also held a huge, padded mallet.
“Don’t attack the bell ringers,” Quintus called, “I think we need to hit them all at once…take the tentacle things.”
The party moved forward to oblige, but stopped when an alien voice echoed through the party’s heads.
To Be Continued…
Next: Session 18 (Part One) – All Good Deeds Must Be Punished
~ Old One
Dougal and Darklone (and Everyone Else),
Since you have been s-s-s-o-o-o-o good, you get another update this morning (or afternoon or night, depending on geographical location).
House of Pain
His armor and agility protected him from most of the strikes, but one slapped across his arm, leaving an angry red mark and chilling him to the bone. He gasped as he felt some of his strength fade away. Rowan made out the faint outline of a strange face above the tentacles and stabbed at it. His blade sunk into flesh and a high-pitched trilling sound echoed in his mind.
Rosë moved up to support Rowan and was surprised when the wall to the left of the door moved and another quartet of tentacles attacked. Two pierced the barbarian’s defenses, but he was able to fight off the chilling effect of their strikes. His return axe blow opened a huge gash in the wall. The trilling sound redoubled and charcoal ichor poured from the opening.
Lew added his mace to the fray and Quintus fired a Magic Missile into the face above Rowan’s head. Meanwhile, Sextus moved toward the other door to examine it. Rowan and Rosë attacked again while suffering additional strikes.
Just as axe, blade, spell and mace finished off the two wall creatures on one side, Sextus’s cries for help rose from the other. The bard’s curiosity was rewarded by a renewed assault. The other four leapt to his assistance.
They made quick work of the strange creatures attached to the wall, but not before most of the party succumbed to at least one strength-stealing attack. Winded and drained, they halted for a moment to catch their breath. “I told you this place didn’t feel right,” mumbled Rosë.
He received no argument from his fellows. “Let’s push on,” said Quintus wearily.
They returned to the left-hand door and passed through. They found what looked to be some manner of dining chamber, with a table, several stools and assorted other furniture. No foodstuffs were evident, but a crystalline decanter and several glasses adorned the table. Sextus picked up the decanter to examine it.
His eyes widened in terror as it writhed in his hand, elongating into a wriggling snake of liquid crystal which promptly sank its teeth into his hand. A wave of nausea and weakness hammered the bard, but he retained enough presence of mind to hurl the animated serpent away. Rosë’s axe shattered it into a thousand fragments a grain later.
Puffy purplish marks surrounded the wound. Lew quickly tended to it, but he could do little to stop the poison already coursing through Sextus’s veins. The plucky bard gritted his teeth and struggled to his feet. “Don’t…touch…anything!”
A quick visual search of the room revealed nothing extraordinary, so they resolved to reenter the liquid transport column. Instead of rising, they began to descend. Rosë began flailing wildly and broke contact with the group. As he flung one arm above his head, his descent stopped and he began to rise.
Inspiration struck the Brigante as he moved upward and he held his arms straight out. Again, his progress halted, but this time, he hung motionless, suspended in the liquid. A wide grin split his face as he dropped his arms…his body followed the motion and floated down.
Meanwhile, the rest of the party stumbled out of the pillar into a small room, occupying one-quarter of the level. Two strange creatures moved to intercept them. Thin, bipedal and well over three paces tall, they towered over the party. Smooth stone gray skin, elongated limbs and nearly featureless faces. Two almond-shaped eyes surmounted a thin nasal slit; no mouth was visible. Four tentacles writhed from a spot just below the location of a human breastbone. They moved with an uncanny fluid grace.
Their first onrush pushed Quintus’s back into the liquid column, which promptly engulfed the sorcerer and send him down to the bottom level. Sextus, Rowan and Lew met the attack and battled back. The creatures were preternaturally quick, but seemed unused to physical combat. Still, their tentacles struck with unnerving accuracy, leaving angry welts and leaching vitality. Despite the pain and serious strength loss by Rowan, they finished the creatures off.
After moving up and down in the pillar for a bit, Rosë popped out of the liquid into the waiting tentacles of two more creatures. He smashed them back with his axe, but their attacks slid past his defense several times. Quintus emerged from the transport column just in time to duck the backswing of the barbarian’s weapon and send a Magic Missile into one of his friend’s opponents. It fell, followed several grains later by the second, dropped by Rosë’s axe.
The Brigante, still marveling at his discovery, animatedly described to Quintus how the liquid pillar worked. Quintus shook his head, amazed that his simple barbarian mind had grasped the concept. ‘Wonders never cease.’
The separated groups used good teamwork to clear their respective levels, although continued attacks by the tentacle creatures took their toll on the party’s collective strength. Finally, after much trial and error, the party reunited on the third level.
(DM’s Note: Watching them figure out the workings of the liquid transport pillar was pretty funny. Essentially, stepping in at either the top or the bottom began travel in the opposite direction. A DC 10 WIS check is needed to get off at a desired level while moving. Arm position dictates movement – up, down or hovering – and swinging an arm while stationary rotates a person within the column.
John (Rosë’s player) figured it out first, but there were still many errors, with various characters zooming past the level they wanted to exit, getting off in the wrong chamber, etc. Made for a fun (at least from the DM’s perspective) time!)
Quintus looked at his battered companions and frowned, “This is doing nothing but wearing us down. We need to find the source of the sounds soon or we won’t even be able to lift our blades!”
The others nodded their agreement.
The sorcerer continued. “There was nothing on the roof or the first level. We have cleared the second and third. I believe I counted five levels when I descended initially…I say we skip the fourth and go straight to the fifth level. Any argument?”
They busied themselves checking gear and salving wounds. Both Rowan and Rosë had taken numerous hits, but Lew could do nothing to restore their strength. When all was ready, they once again grasped Rowan’s rope and entered the column, careful to keep their arms level. Once inside, Rosë raised his arm above his head and the whole group slowly ascended. He leveled out adjacent to the fifth level, just below the roof.
They could vaguely make out a circular chamber that occupied the entire level. Numerous shadowy shapes were visible. With a mere grain’s hesitation, the group burst from the pillar, weapons ready.
They found four of the tentacle creatures, larger than the others they had encountered, facing the transport column from five paces away, spaced equally. Around the perimeter of the room were four squat, broad-shouldered figures facing away from the party. Each of them stood before an enormous bell wrought from charcoal colored metal and a pulsating gem of the same color was imbedded at the base of each creature’s skull. Each also held a huge, padded mallet.
“Don’t attack the bell ringers,” Quintus called, “I think we need to hit them all at once…take the tentacle things.”
The party moved forward to oblige, but stopped when an alien voice echoed through the party’s heads.
To Be Continued…
Next: Session 18 (Part One) – All Good Deeds Must Be Punished
~ Old One
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