Copperheads: Betrayal and Strange Runes and Burning Dead, oh my (short update 02/12)

[arwink]

New Spoiler Warning: The Following Adventure is adapted from the 2e Module "Haggash's Secret" from the book "A Heroes Tale" by Monte Cook.

Thursday, September 21st

After a night where sleep is consistently interrupted by strange noises and half-alert dreams, the Copperheads pack up their belongings and continue the trek towards Hommlet. The days travel passes quietly, with few encounters, but by late evening a winter storm has broken. A quick discussion of the route suggests that Haggash will be nearby, and despite the relative gloom and unfriendliness of the locals, the Inn of the Welcome Arms on the edge of town will by drier to sleep in than a ditch by the side of the road. Marginally drier, anyway. The decision is made to press on through the darkness for another hour, when the light from the inn's windows comes into view.

The Inn of the Welcome Arms is a small, cramped place that somehow feels more claustrophobic and seedy than previous visits to the establishment. In two places along one of the tap-room walls, dribbles of rainwater leak in through cracks in the wooden walls. Still it' isn't the side of the road and as a flash of lightening splits a tree outside, everyone is pleased to be inside.

The Welcome Arm's innkeeper is a thin, almost wasted, man named Tal. HE offers the Copperheads the same grunt he's given them on their last few visits, but after a few minutes he slides along the bar to talk to the party.

"Afraid the kitchen's closed," he says. "Can offer you some bread and cold stew if you're interested though."
"Agreed," Geoffrey says, and everyone echoes the sentiment. As Tal heads to the kitchen, everyone glances at one another. This is as close to friendly as anyone in Haggash has been.

"Something is going wrong in town," Geoffrey predicts.
"How Geoffrey know?" Blarth says.
"There a small town, no-one likes talking to outsiders, and there's no sign of anything valuable. Those places are always in trouble for some reason. It's like they have a sign on the front door that invites evil to seek them out."

Sure enough, when Tal returns he tries to subtly sound the group out to gain a measure of their skills and expertise. That Geoffrey is a Cleric of St Cuthbert and a Justicar in training seems to make all the impression the inn-keep needs, and within seconds he is explaining Haggash's tale.

"The townsfolk are nervous," Tal says secretively, keeping his voice low so the toothless old man at the end of the bar doesn't overhear the conversation. "We have a single church in town, the Morningstar Abbey, and it traditionally welcomes all comers..."

Halgo suppresses a snort at this.

"But there's been travellers recently," Tal continues, oblivious to the irony of his statement. "Silent monk from some foreign order, and they've been making folk nervous. Went into the morning star a few days back, haven't left it since. Old Desol who takes care of the abbey say their meditating as is their right, but he seems tired and evasive when he says it. Townsfolk are right terrified there's something going wrong inside the abbey..."

There's a long and expectant pause as he says this. Everyone looks at each other for a few minutes before Geoffrey finally sighs.

"Alright, we'll look in on it tomorrow," he says. "If there's anything wrong, we'll destroy the evil."
"Are you sure?" Tal asks. "I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble."
"Copperheads kill dragon-stone," Blarth boasts proudly. "Puny Monks not prove problem."
"Copperheads...Copperheads," Tal mutters under his breath, then his eyes go wide. "You're not the lads who saved Bellhold a few months back, are you? I've been hearing tales of you from the travellers. Gentlemen, it's a pleasure to have you in my inn."

"And the pleasure is all yours, I assure," Halgo mutters quietly. As Tal bustles away to talk excitedly to the Inn's only other patron, the Copperheads sip quietly at the watered ale and discuss their plans.

"We'll go tomorrow morning," Geoffrey says. "Early."
"Geoffrey think anything there?" Yip asks, pulling a face as he sips another ale.
"Who knows," Geoffrey says. "But there's no harm in checking it out. Get a good nights sleep, if you can. We'll want an early start."

 

[Durhon]

Ah... here comes head number two.

 

[Lela]

Wow, that was creepy.

 

[arwink]

Friday, September 22nd

It is still raining as dawn creeps up on the Inn, and a glum Geoffrey wakes everyone in the Copperhead's small room. Tal has breakfast ready by the time they've reached the common room, a sparse meal that consists of little beyond porridge and a cup of warm tea. Yip almost orders an ale with his meal, but a quick glare from Geoffrey discourages from this notion.

Haggash is an hours walk from the inn, through the rain and over a boggy hilltop. The town itself is a less than inspiring sight through the deluge, a small collection of two dozen buildings that seem to be clinging to the title of disrepair as closely as they can. The abbey is easy to spot, even through the rain. It's the only building of any size in Haggash, and the short bell-tower easily makes it the tallest.

Geoffrey leads the group up to the Abbey's front door, knocking loudly as the drizzling rain soaks them to the skin. There is the soft sound of slippers on wood on the far side of the portal, and after a minute or so someone appears to open a lock. The door swings open the barest slither of a crack, and an elderly face looks through.

"Yes," the face asks.
"We have come seeking sanctuary," Geoffrey says. "May we enter and pray to our gods?"
"I am afraid not, child."
"Why not?"
"There are monks here, children of the light who have sworn themselves to silence as an act of devotion. They are praying in solitude, and the presence of others will disturb them."
"We will be quiet," Geoffrey says. "We have no with to disturb the prayers of others."
"No."
Geoffrey pauses to consider this for a few minutes. His knowledge of such Abbeys, shared by all gods, is sketchy to say the least. The correct protocol was taught to him once, but it dances beyond the limits of his memory to recall it quickly. Eventually, he falls back on righteous indignation as a back-up.

"You would refuse a fellow priest? I thought this abbey was open to all?"

The elderly face examines him closely, then flicks a meaningful glance at Yip.
"This is a place to worship the gods of light," he says, a dangerous edge to his voice. "A place for those who devote themselves to the sanctity and protection of all life and freedom. Your god is a welcome ally, but he has no place here. The dreams of your church are not the dreams of ours. I have little time for this, and this conversation is already gone on long enough. The brothers who meditate here have travelled far and if this conversation should continue I fear we shall disturb them. I bid you good day, and recommend you take your shelter elsewhere. The inn has rooms in which you can wait out the storm."

The door slams in the parties face.

"That could have gone better," Halgo comments.
"Shut-up," Geoffrey says. "What did you think? Is there something up?"
"Something, but I'm not sure what," Halgo says. "He's holding onto some old grudges against the church, that's for sure. It may be as simple as a lack of contact, or some misplaced dogma."
"You really think so?" Geoffrey asks. Halgo shrugs.

"Broken window," says Yip cryptically. Everyone turns to look at the small kobold, and he points at a small building opposite the church. The shutters are damaged, one of them broken in two with the remnants hanging at a skewed angle from the window frame.

Everyone crosses the road and peers inside - It appears to be a general store, filled with mining equipment. There is an aura of stillness about the shop, as though the contents were afraid of the very idea of movement.

"Go investigate," Geoffrey tells Yip. "Unlock the door."

The kobold nods once, scrambling up the wall and through the window. Once inside, he almost trips over an elderly man laying bound and gagged on the floor. Yip kneels down, reaching out a small paw to check the man's pulse. Within the space of a few breaths his terrified eyes snap open, staring up into the lizard-like face looking over him. The mans thin limbs struggle against his bonds, and Yip leaps back from his frenzied thrashing.

"Yip not hurt," he calls out. Outside, in the rain, the others ready weapons at the sound. Yip reaches forward, freeing the gag from the man's mouth, and instantly he starts screaming.

"HELP! MONSTERS! THEIVES! ALARM!"

Yip scowls, heading over to the door and pushing up a bar before returning to untie the old man's bonds.

"Yip not hurt," he snarls loudly as nimble paws worry at the knots. The old man calms slightly, but as soon as his legs are free he leaps up. Spotting Geoffrey entering his store, he runs to take cover behind the cleric. When he sees that Blarth is just behind, entering the doorway, he almost faints from sheer terror. Yip rolls his eyes.

"Yip not hurt," he yells at the quailing man, then turns his attention to searching the store for some clue about the thieves who assaulted the man.

"Calm yourself," Geoffrey orders. "Neither the kobold nor the half-orc will hurt you, they are servants of St Cuthbert and warriors of his church."

The old man looks up, doubt evident in his gaze.

"I am Geoffrey Cromwell," Geoffrey continues. "I am investigating the problems in your Abbey, and Yip noticed the damage to your premises. We are here to help. Who are you?"

"I'm Fror," the old man says. He seems to be calming, but his eyes dart to follow Yip as he examines the store. "I'm the storekeeper here, selling equipment to miners who come down from the hills."

"And what happened?" Geoffrey asks.

Fror shrugs.

"I don't rightly know," he says. "I heard sounds last night, while I was sleeping. When I came out there were people here, big men with cloaks. Couldn't see much, but they had big noses and they were raiding my store. I tried to fight them, get them out, but one of them clubbed me behind the head while I was trying to find a weapon."

"Are problems like this common?" Halgo asks, looking around the store.

"Not really," Fror says. "Some of the miners might try and steal some of my stock if they were really down on their luck, but mostly their crazy enough to steal from one another instead of me. If you ask me, it was them monks over in the abbey."

"Why would Monks be stealing from you?" Geoffrey asks. "What do you have that they'd want?"
Fror frowns, his beard and moustache quivering as he thinks.
"Don't rightly know," he admits. "But I still reckon it was them."
Geoffrey tries to restrain a sigh.
"Could you look at your stock," he says. "Tell us what is missing?"

Fror nods, moving slowly back and forth between barrels of mining equipment and shelves of food. Halgo and Blarth both start examining the store in detail, searching it for aura's of magic or psionic power that would indicate some kind of tampering or divination. When none is found, everyone joins Fror's examination of his stock.

"Yip find," Yip calls halfway through. As everyone gathers around, he shows them a handful of brown feathers he's gathered from beneath the window.

"Anything you'd stock?" Geoffrey asks.
Fror shakes his head.
"Not me," he says. "Don't deal in animals. Folks have to go to Bellhold for that. And they didn't take money, just some shovels and picks. The usual mining gear."

Geoffrey frowns, picks up one of the feathers and examines it closely.

"Something's going one here," he says quietly. "I think we need to talk to the mayor, get some jurisdiction to deal with this."
Fror bursts out laughing at the suggestion.
"Don't bother," he says. "The Mayors a frightened old coot like me, he isn't going to care what you do. As long as the problem gets solved and things go back to normal, no-ones going to care."

"Procedure is procedure," Geoffrey says, his voice even. "Yip, Blarth, you two stay here and keep an eye on the Abbey. I've got a feeling that whatever is going on, it's going to involve that building somehow."

With a nod, Geoffrey and Halgo step back out into the rain. They follow Frors directions to the mayors house, leaving their companions to the watch the Abbey that sits quietly in the rain.

 

[arwink]

Friday, September 22nd, continued

The meeting with Haggash's mayor is as eventful as Fror predicted. Mayor Larsh turns out to be an elderly man, missing a great deal of his teeth and intimidated by the fact that Geoffrey has enough money to buy such luxury goods as weapons, armour and a spinal column. Quivering with fear as the situation is explained to him, Larsh is quick to give Geoffrey all the jurisdiction he requires for however long he needs it.

Back at Fror's store, Yip and Blarth keep watch over the abbey. There is little sign of movement, although the signs of life within the church are ominously still.

Halgo and Geoffrey return and explain the absence of local authority leaves things up to them.

"Anything happen in there?" Geoffrey asks.
"Not see anything," Yip says.
"Scout it and see if you can find a way in."

Yip scouts, scampering through the mud that surrounds the abbey as he looks for alternatives to the front door. There are few, mostly windows that bare barred and locked on the inside.

"Front door easiest," he reports when he returns, shaking his scales free of water. "Windows hard to get through, roof too hard to climb on."
"So we're going in the front way," Geoffrey says. "Anyone got any problems with that?"

No-one does.

 

[arwink]

Friday, September 22nd, continued

It's a little after nightfall, Geoffrey theorising that even the seemingly isolated morals of the townsfolk could be affronted by an armed assault on their place of worship. Blarth leads the group up to the Abbey's doorway, knocking loudly with a mailed gauntlet on the wood. This time it takes the ageing cleric within longer to answer the door, the sound of his pacing whisper-soft as he moves through the room. When he peers through the sliver of an opening, his pronounced eye-brows dance with irritation. The beam of light that shines through the sliver illuminated Blarth's features in an orange light.

"What do you want?" the cleric demands.
"Blarth want in," Blarth says.
He punches one arm forward, hammering it into the doorway with as much strength as he can manage. The doorway is solid oak, very thick, but it seems to dance back at the force of the blow. With a sickening thump, it hits Desol in the forehead and knocks him to the ground.
"Blarth coming in," Blarth says simply, dusting his hands. He pushes the doorway open, then steps in over the body.

The entry alcove of the abbey is more ornate than it's rustic exterior would indicate. A pair of water fonts flank the small room, the trickling water almost glowing in the light of the lamp hanging from the ceiling. The icons of various religions of light line the wall, carved into the very wood. Beyond the abbey itself is dark, the shadowy shape of neatly arranged pews and the alter all that can be made out in the darkness.

"What's that one," Geoffrey asks suddenly, pointing at a symbol hidden in the corner of the alcove. "I recognise the others, but that symbol is unfamiliar."
"This place is old," Halgo reminds him. "Pre-imperial. Maybe it's from one of the silent gods."
"No," Geoffrey muses. "I've studied most of them during my training. Besides, Aphora and Amora are both here, and they're old Halark gods that weren't known in the empire for several hundred years. That one's older, completely unfamiliar."
"So it's something to look into later," Halgo shrugs. "It's not going anywhere just yet, is it?"

Geoffrey considers this for a few seconds, then shrugs.

"I guess not. Whose got empty waterskins or potion vials handy? Those fonts should be holy water, and it's worth filling up any vials we've got. Just in case."

There are only a few such vials handy, but all are filled and carefully stored with the oily liquid from the font. With the task complete, Yip slowly creeps forward into the darkness of the Abbey. His stealth is far greater than his companions, and he moves like a silent shadow into the small chapel. He keeps his centre of gravity low, slinking up to one of the pews before peering over the top. It's just far enough beyond the lamplight that his darkvision kicks in, letting him see the abbey in clearer detail.

It also lets him see the two cloaked figures lingering against the walls, cloaked figures who both start moving their arms in gestures of silent spellcasting the moment Yip has moved into the room. Bolts of energy shaped like bird talons fly across the room from both direction, striking Yip and burning his scales. The small monk yelps in pain, and the noise is all the alert his companions need.

Geoffrey has a light spell active, and the room flares into light the moment he steps out of the entry alcove. The group finds themselves flanked by the cloaked figures, being charged on both sides. The attackers now have scimitars drawn, and they remain disturbingly silent as they launch their attacks. The first cuts Yip badly, while the other draws a line of blood on Blarth's arm.

The copperheads retaliate. Yip flips over the pew, using it for cover as he moves around to flank the attacker and crush it between Geoffrey and himself. He lashes out with a tiny fist, snapping it into one of the pressure points for pain on the cloaked figure. It flails wildly, the pain evident in its actions even if it makes no sound. Geoffrey and Blarth hammer at their opponents with their weapons, both wounding their opponents. Halgo uses one of his minor magics, a daze cantrip extended beyond its normal length. When that doesn't work, he draws his crossbow and loads it.

The attackers are easily outclassed by the copperheads, and they come to this realisation quickly. The creature locked in battle with Blarth falls back, virtually sprinting along the edge of the Abbey in an effort to reach the alter. Blarth is in immediate pursuit, although the cloaked figure has greater pace. Halgo takes the opportunity to fire a crossbow bolt at the fleeing figure, but it flies wide.

The other attacker struggles to break free of the combined assault of Geoffrey and Yip, but the pair keep him tightly wedged between them and press the attack. As he struggles, the creatures cloak falls back to reveal his features - a hawklike face with glowing red eyes. Geoffrey's training lets him recognise the creature instantly, a misshapen servitor-race of the Gauntian demon-worshippers that have threatened the empire for centuries.

"Kenku," he hisses. "Gauntian spawned.

The creature glares at him, slashing out with its scimitar, but Geoffrey's shield is in place to block the blow. Geoffrey puts all his strength behind his retaliation, but the creatures defences are equal to the task. It is less fortunate against Yip, who becomes a flurry of fists, feet and tail-strikes that almost instinctively seem to target vulnerable areas.

In front of the alter, the second Kenku stops. It's eyes swing wildly, noting the half-orc charging across the room to attack it and the crossbow wielding dwarf loading another bolt into its weapon. The kenku kneels briefly, hammering the hilt of its scimitar against the floor, then retreats behind the alter in order to gain some cover against Halgo's missile fire. It works admirably, but is much less effective against a charging Blarth. He leaps over the edge of the last few pews, not even bothering to circle the alter to attack the kenku. He swings his blade over his head, circling twice before it leaps forward to slice through the kenku's skull. A fountain of blood spills across the alter.

"Puny bird-man," Blarth grunts.

Then the floor beneath his feet buckles, throwing him off his feet. As he shakes his head, getting his bearings, he sees an unnoticed trapdoor open. The creature that emerges is pale-skinned and rotting, obviously undead. Scraps of ancient armour still cling to its form, and it's hair is white and wildly arrayed around its head. More disturbing are the patches of flesh that have been replaced with the fur of some animal, and the mangled lump of flesh at the end of one arm that appears to be the paw of some giant ape.

It glares across the abbey with glowing red eyes, before turning it's attention to Blarth standing at its feat. The warped ape-hand reaches forward, jagged claws extending from its flesh, and the creature gurgles with pleasure as it tears a great rent in the half-orcs armour.

 

[Lela]

"What do you want?" the cleric demands.
"Blarth want in," Blarth says.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[arwink]

Friday, September 22nd, continued

Blarth keeps his sword between the creature and himself, struggling to his feet despite the awkward fit of his armour. Halgo is still firing, bolts striking the undead creatures body but doing little to hinder its movements. Worth, Blarth can feel a stiffness settling into his limbs, slowing him down and leaving his reflexes sluggish. With a snarl he attacks, leaving aside finesse and skill in favour of hacking at the corpse as though it were a tree. His blade cuts through the decaying flesh, but the creature stands firm in the face of the assault.

Fighting the Kenku on the far side of chapel, Yip and Geoffrey have greater success. Yip hammers precise shots into the creatures stomach, another into the chest hard enough to rupture its heart. The creature gasps, the first noise it's made since the combat started, and falls to the ground. Without pausing both Yip and Geoffrey move to aid Blarth.

Geoffrey runs along the side of the church, holding his holy-symbol aloft and channelling the will of his god. He can feel the warm energy of St Cuthbert's blessing running through, but the undead creature holds firm. Yip is more direct, the small monk dancing over the tops of the pews in order to aid Blarth. He clears the last three in a leap, hitting the creature with a flying kick. The blow would have killed a normal man, driving the jaw up into the brain, but on the undead abomination it merely causes the jaw to hang at a ghastly angle as its elongated claw reaches out and rips a bloody line up Yip's scaly arm. Yip tries to drop into a defensive posture, but already he can feel the cold chill that leaves his movements sluggish.

Blarth takes the opportunity presented by Yip's arrival to strike the distracted undead. His blade flashes, digging deep into the creatures chest, and for a moment it seems to stagger. Another of Halgo's bolts strike it as it stumbles. Geoffrey takes a position behind the alter, using the advantage of height and cover to hammer a blow down on the creature with his mace. Red eyes turn towards him, flaring with anger, but the alter blocks the corpses attacks.

With everyone clustered around it, the undead has little room to manoeuvre. Geoffrey and Blarth hammer away at it, heavy blows designed to snap bone and tear flesh. Yip's skills are less useful, designed to disable and target the weaknesses of a living body, but he makes up for a lack of brute force with a furious assault that lands two attack for every one of his companions. Halgo starts launching cantrips at the creature, using magic to disrupt the very essence of unlife that animates the corpse. The undead beast flails back at everyone, its claws opening grievous wounds and drawing shreds of life essence out of its opponents, but it has little chance of standing under the combined assault and falls in a mater of seconds.

"What was that?" Blarth asks, leaning against the alter as Geoffrey starts binding wounds.
"A ghoul," Geoffrey explains. "Created by guantian necromancers, and much more dangerous than normal. It's touch doesn't paralyse, but it steals the very quickness from your limbs."
"Blarth not like it," Blarth mutters. "But it fight good."

As soon as the wounds are bound, Blarth uses his blade to cut the ghouls head free of its body.

"Prize for Drakkar," he tells the other. "Blarth make offering. Prove Blarth skill."

When the wounds are healed as best they can manage, the Copperheads gather around the trapdoor the Gauntian Ghoul emerged from. It is a rough shaft leading down, recently tunnelled. Whatever creating the passage has left ropes dangling down, leading into the darkness.

"Gauntian undead, guantian mutates. I'm guessing this means there's Guantian magic-users nearby then?" Halgo says. Geoffrey nods.
"I don't suppose they'd be tunnelling under a church for recreation either?" Halgo says.
"No," Geoffrey sighs. "We have to go down."
"Can you make it in your armour?"
"I think so, but I'll have to take it slow," Geoffrey says. "Yip and Blarth, you go down first. Halgo will come down as backup, so start scouting the tunnel as soon as he's there. It may take me a few minutes to get down safely, so try and have some idea of what we're facing before I get there. Got it?"

Everyone nods.

"Then lets go."

 

[Lela]

I always thought it was a good thing when priests of a demonic entity tunneled under your churches.

Then again, I've been DMing for a while and my PCs never seem to agree with me. Hmmmm. . .

 

[Durhon]

Was that head number three???