Printable Format

Chapter 1: A Darkness Gathering

Turn 36: Nulb

Danton sighed loudly. “I like not the look of Nulb at all, I must say, and I think, before the end, we shall all find our powers taxed in this foul place. These ruins hath probably not been called a ‘ghost’ town for nothing. Nor do I think the Temple of Elemental Evil will prove much better.”

“Still,” he added, looking at Nanoc, “before we go on any further, or even choose our destination among the twain, I would speak my mind. Yes, yes, I know that I blather on at length regardless, but, prithee, give me a moment. I hath two main points to make.

First, a word about the Hommletians and their offer. For my part, I find it satisfactory, if marginally. P'raps Telemachos wilt still beg to differ, which is his right. But for mineself, if the Viscount wilt make a goodly effort to re-ingratiate Danton Verbrugge with the Velunese nobles -- and, indeed, he hath supposedly already initiated this process -- it goeth directly toward mine ultimate end: restoring mine situation in Veluna and having a chance to renew mine romance with the beauteous Vanessa Van Dijk. Might the Viscount's fair words come to naught? Yes, they might. But if he is to make a good faith effort to aid me, honor, such that I still have, demands that I make a good faith effort to aid his people.
All of which is to say that I am committed to the current endeavor, not only for mine own profit, which I still seek, and without shame, but also to fulfill mine half of the bargain: aiding the Hommletians.

Now, Nanoc, I say that last sentence for two reasons. First, I say it because 'tis true. Second, I say it for the purpose of mending our fractured friendship, at least in part. You and I hath differing opinions on human nature, and I won't revisit that here since I hath done so at length on multiple occasions, as you well know. But I want you to know that I regard the amended Hommletian offer as reasonable and that I wilt do mine part to aid this folk. Further, since I know that it vexes you when I speak ill of the Hommletians, I shall refrain, as best I can, from doing so henceforth. I hope you wilt take this as a sign of good faith on mine part, not only to aid the Hommletians but to renew our own comradeship, which I hath treasured these last several months.”

Danton looked at Aseneth and continued, “Before I make mine second point, I would ask, lady, that you give us menfolk some space for a discussion. I know that I am not your favorite, and fair enough. But, for the sake of party unity -- to say nothing of mine friendship with your beau -- I ask that you giveth us some time together alone. We shan't be long, I think.”

Aseneth frowned and cast a questioning glance at Nanoc, but in response to his nod, she walked several dozen yards away and stood gazing into Nulb.

”Nanoc,” said Danton when the sorceress was safely out of earshot, “I mean to come clean with you -- totally clean -- on mine fears and suspicions regarding Aseneth. And I do so because I perceive -- surely correctly -- that the primary stumbling block betwixt us is not differing views of the nature of the Hommletians but, rather, Aseneth herself. A woman usually lieth at the heart of conflicts between friends, alas.

I hath had a fear for sometime now -- and still, in truth, have it -- that Aseneth hath exerted an unnatural control over you, possibly by magical means of some sort. Yet, I ought quickly add, I hath seen no evidence of it. Rather, 'tis just a suspicion, fueled in part by your ready willingness to aid her. Now, you are a generous soul, 'tis true enough, and I knoweth well the effect that love and desire can have on a man's judgment and decisional process, so I fault you not.

I merely state my fear so that you can make sense of mine actions. If you act merely out of love for Aseneth, and she for you, then know that I hath only hope for your happiness. I might add a general warning about the ways of women, and the trouble they invariably bring, but that is another matter. No doubt, you will say that 'tis so, and I will take you at your word.

But I'm afraid I can't simply take Aseneth at hers. Instead, I am frankly hoping for some magical means simply to ensure that no charm or spell hath been cast upon you, simply to ease my mind. What kind of comrade would I be, after all, if I had genuine fear for your well-being yet set it aside and forgot it? If you feared another had ill designs upon me, would you not wish to see them definitively resolved?”

”Good Nanoc,” said Telemachos, jumping into the conversation, “if I have seemed not to care about the Hommletians, I think I am misunderstood. You know the love I have for my father. But that is neither here nor there, good friend and proud warrior. We are a group of friends fighting and some of us dying together. We've buried or lost a couple of very good men thus far, and I don't want to lose any more. We must be united as we fight our enemies. With you leaping over the corpses of the creatures you've slain with your mighty axe, I am your right-hand man trying to keep up - which I have done by the way.

So let us put our philosophical differences aside - I think everyone's head is starting to hurt a little, and maybe our hearts too. But, as you say, I'm just talking like a bunch a' cacklin' womenfolk. Let's hunt some hobgoblins! By the way, that is one pretty necklace you gave your love. Must a' cost a pretty piece of gold. I say, go for it. She chose the best man I guess. Shoot, old Danton didn't have anything on you. I suppose I never had a chance either. You won fair and square by being honest and caring and brave with her. Friends?”

Nanoc ignored Telemachos and addressed Danton. “I don't knows what to say. I am, well I cannot believe your words. Why is it that you accept Luger, who has been with this party far less time than Asya? We did not know Mauser well and, as you have said, Mauser was a little strange. Yet you accept Luger into the group and wish to push Asya away. Even though she fixed that there journal of yours. I was there in town; I know how much that guy was gonna charge you for that. I ain't never seen her turn her back on us in a fight. I for sure have not heard her speak ill of the people in Hommlet like you an' Tel. What has she done to make you not trust her?”

Nanoc reached under his leather armor and withdrew the House Torquann ring Aseneth had given him and held it up on its metal chain for the others to see.

”Asya and I are together now, and if all cannot be happy about that, and accept her, then I think after we complete this job an are back in Hommlet, it will be time for us to go our own ways. So Danton, I guess what I am sayin' is you have some time to think about Asya and decide if you is gonna be happy for me or not. Cause if I keep hearin' this same crap after we are done in Hommlet, then we is gone our own ways after this. I better never find out you all is tryin' to cast spells on her either. I don't see her doin' that to you. She is not just a purty woman, but she is a good woman too.”

”You asked me so I'll tell you,” said Nanoc firmly, now looking at both Danton and Telemachos. “She ain't cast no spell on me, least ways not a magic one. She treats me kind, believes in me, thinks I am smart enough to read, and we laugh and have fun together. If that's a spell then it is one I is happy to be under.

I don't wanna talk 'bout this no more. We will see where everyone stands at the end of our time here. Then we'll decide whether to go forward together or go out own ways.”

Shaking his head as he went, Nanoc turned and walked over to join Aseneth.

“I begin to think that Xaod and the others were right about this ‘ghost town’ and the old Temple,” said Luger, consciously trying to change the subject. “Perhaps the cult is not interested in these old ruins and only had designs on the moat house and its hidden artifact. I guess we'll find out. In any case, the large ship seems like a likely hiding place, but I would not relish staying the night within the city ruins. It is best to be in the sunlight when expecting the dead... I suggest we quickly ascertain if there has been any recent activity in this forsaken place and be on our way to the temple. If there are no signs of the cult or any other recent activity at either of these places, I think we should make all haste to Rastor and track down the leads there.

“My blood runs cold,” said Telemachos, staring at Nanoc and Aseneth. “He has given her a gift and thus provided her the opportunity to give him some gift of magic to control him in return. I fear her intentions more and more with every passing moment - that she has engineered it so that we go to this Temple. I don't know if she is part of the cult or not, but mark my words. She will try to catch us in her trap at any moment. Let your guard down for not a moment. Think not of wealth, nor of Vanessa, Danton. Think only of protecting your very life! Nothing is what it seems with her - not once since we have met her. Cut her tongue out before one spell is loosed!”

“Enough of that,” said Danton firmly. “Be not too worried about Aseneth. Let not your fears carry the day. I hath not instantaneously changed mine own fears, tis true. But I hath accomplished what I set out to accomplish: I hath plainly told Nanoc what I feared, so he is now on notice and at least a kernel hath been planted in his brain that some of his comrades at one time carried suspicions. He rejecteth those suspicions, and that is fine. He may even be right ... and indeed probably is right.

But, should at some future point Aseneth order him to commit evil against us, Nanoc may remember these conversations and question such orders. Yet, in order for him to question orders of that sort, he must needs regain his confidence and comradely affection for us. And that requires setting things back on an even keel.”

“As for Nulb,” continued Danton, “Methinks there's not much here to find. 'Tis only out of a sense of thoroughness that I recommend examining Nulb at all -- we are here, so why not give a quick look? Whither this can truly be done in a matter of hours before dark, I know not, but I certainly agree that 'tis worth only a cursory examination, at least at this point.”

***

“Hey Asya, sorry 'bout that,” said Nanoc as he approached the woman. “I don't know what has gotten into Danton, but I think it’s a case of Tel. Anyhow, they thinks that its weird that you like me and they is not all together sure bout it. Can you believe they talked 'bout usin' some spells to figure out if you done spelled me? Heck the only thing that's spelled me is your wonderful smile.”

Nanoc smiled himself when making this comment, but the look quickly turned to a scowl when his thoughts drifted back to Danton and Telemachos. “Well I set 'em straight anyway, and I told 'em they better not be castin' no spells on ya. I won't stand for that. If they cannot accept you, they can't accept me. So I told 'em we'd go through this here Hommlet adventure together, but if they ain't changed the way the treat you and us, well then I is through wit 'em.

But I want ya ta give Danton a chance—he really ain't like Tel. I jus think Tel has brought out the worst in 'im, but Danton and I have traveled together almost a year and he has always been there for me. Anyway, I ain't keepin' no secrets from you so I wanted to know what they said. Poor Luger he seems caught in the middle here...Har, Har, Har...bet he's a thinkin' no wonder my brother done took off on his own way from this group.”

Aseneth put her arm around Nanoc and rested her head against his massive chest. “I will trusting you with Danton,” she said, “but I am not liking looks this Tel-Makos is giving. Mother's boy is maybe wanting make trouble. If you think everything is all right, I will say nothing, but he could be doing no good.”

Nanoc brushed Aseneth’s long dark hair out of her eyes and pulled her hood forward to keep more of the rain off her head. “Well, Asya I don't know what is going on with Tel,” he said. “Tel seems to be a pretty 'motional sort. Maybe it's just the death of his uncle and what gone on wit his familly got 'im actin' all weird. No, I spoke my piece an’ I think we oughta grant they is all ok and see how it goes on this town and temple hunt. I think there is some good in 'im, so lets give 'im a chance here. I do think his bad att-tee-tude is a rubbin' off on Danton, though. Aw, I dunno. Maybe I was a little harsh speakin o' Tel—he has lost a bit o' his family. I am sure he don't wanna lose his mom too. I never knew'd my mom, but I would o' liked to. Well we better head over there and see if we is gone into this town an’ out again before dark.”

“C'mon fellahs,” said Nanoc when he and Asneth had rejoined the others. “I know it don't look like it, but it’s only early afternoon and ya know it stays light late this time o' year. We oughta spend a couple o' hours checkin' out Nulb, heck we can probably get it all looked at 'fore dinner. Then that gives us plenty o' time to head off and camp next to that there forest somewhere on the other side o’ the river. If we comes cross anything interesting or we think may takes some time, then we'll jus come back in the mornin' for that. The more we stands 'round here and talks 'bout it later it gets. Let's have a look at that there two story buildin' first. Likely that's where stuff to be had is, it there is any stuff here to be havin'.”

With their decisions made, the group crossed the last hundred yards to the Imeryds Run and reached the bridge over the river that led into Nulb. The river was wide and deep here, but its dark waters moved slowly and a foul stench rose from the inlet to the east where most of the old boats lay rotting away. Although it was only early afternoon, the clouds seemed to grow darker as the party crossed the bridge and the rain pounded down.

The large two level building the party had spotted was immediately south of the river and the bridge. It sat on the west side of the road that ran through the abandoned town, and was clearly one of the most substantial buildings in Nulb, with a foundation of fieldstone and walls of sawn timber. Unlike most of the other sod and mud structures, it appeared to have weathered years of abandonment relatively well.

“When we go in,” said Telemachos, “I'll bring up the rear since we should have some power back here.  Nanoc, why don't you go up and protect Luger while he's got his holy symbol out? Danton and Aseneth can space themselves out accordingly.  Watch for danger at every step, all of you. I don’t like this place one bit."

“I will be in middle,” said Aseneth with determination, keeping Luger between herself and the Furyondian.

The wooden door at the front of the building was closed, but Danton found nothing untoward about it (search: 8+10=18, listen: 10+7=17) and it opened easily when Nanoc pulled on the handle.

Inside was a large room that had obviously once been a tavern or taproom. Dust-covered tables, some overturned, occupied most of the area, along with a number of wooden chairs, most of which were intact, and a bar. Shattered glass and splintered wood covered the ancient sawdust and straw on the floor.

Although the party was out of the rain now, the temperature inside the building was somehow colder than it had been outside, and the cold grew stronger the closer the party drew to the bar and the hall beyond it. With weapons at the ready, Nanoc and Danton advanced towards the hall, followed by Aseneth and Luger, with Telemachos bringing up the rear.

As the group moved forward, Telemachos caught faint movement once or twice out of the corners of his eyes, but he could never quite catch a good look at whatever it was and he found it hard to tear his eyes away from Aseneth’s back, since he was sure she was the true source of whatever threat the party might face.

And so it was that when the attack came, Telemachos was caught looking in completely the wrong direction. At the last moment, the soldier, still watching Aseneth for some subterfuge, suddenly felt a cold gust of air behind him and instinctively flinched away from it. This reflex may have saved his life, for as he moved, a shimmering, insubstantial blade passed through his platemail and came within a hair’s breadth of slicing into his back.

The freezing cold that accompanied the attack, combined with it suddenness, caused Telemachos to scream as he spun about and raised his shield and Shatterspike to face whatever it was that had attacked him.

When the others spun about in response to the sudden cold and Telemachos’ scream, they all saw a grayish-black shimmering form floating in the air. It had the general shape and features of a man and it held an insubstantial gray longsword, but the form disappeared before anyone could get a good look at it.

“It’s a ghost!” screamed Luger. “Everyone form up in a defensive position—backs together! Fast!”

[Initiative: Ghost: 22, Nanoc: 17, Danton: 3, Aseneth: 25, Luger: 8, Telemachos: 22]

While the group rushed into a circle, with Nanoc pushing Aseneth into the middle of it, everyone could feel, but not see, a fell presence in the air around them. They could all see their breath in the air now, as the temperature continued to drop. Luger held up his lightning bolt symbol of Heironeous, waiting for the ghost to reappear so that he might drive it off, but when the thing manifested again, it was facing Telemachos, on the other side of the circle.

This time the ghost appeared in front of the Furyondian and its smoke-like blade passed right through his shield and armor, slicing into his skin with a touch so cold that it threatened to freeze the fighter from head to toe, even though the wound was little more than a scratch (hit for 3 damage).

As Telemachos raised Shatterspike to strike back at the thing floating in the air in front of him, its appearance shifted and grew more substantial. Now it was the horrific form of a long dead man, rotted, dessicated, and worm-eaten, that floated in front of him, accompanied by a terrible stench. So awful were the appearance and the smell that they amounted to an assault on the senses of everyone present [fortitude saves: Nanoc 12+6=18; success, Danton: 3+0=3; failure, Aseneth:10+1=11; failure, Luger: 17+6=23; success, Telemachos: 20+6=26; success].

The physically stronger, more hale members of the party were able to shrug off the ghost’s assault on their senses, but Aseneth and Danton were not so fortunate and the horrific sights and smells of the ghost caused both to scream in agony, tearing their eyes away from the thing even as it drained some of the very life force away from them (Danton –2 points from strength, dexterity and constitution, Aseneth –3 points from strength, dexterity, and constitution).

Despite her agony, Aseneth managed to fire off a spell at the ghost, and three beams of magical energy shot at the thing. Two of the projectiles blasted into its semi-substantial form, while the third passed harmlessly through it and impacted on the wall behind it, blasting a hole in the wooden timbers.

Telemachos and Nanoc were next to react, with each stalking towards the ghost and attacking it with sword and axe. Telemachos slashed his blade at the ghost (attack: 9+10=19; hit; no effect), but the thing’s form shifted and turned insubstantial just before the strike, causing Shatterspike to pass through its body without effect. Nanoc also ‘struck’ the ghost with ease (attack: 14+11=25; hit; no effect), but his axe had no effect either, and, unlike what it had done to avoid Shatterspike, the ghost’s form did not even twist or shift when he tried to strike it with the axe.

As the group charged into a screaming, chaotic melee, Luger was finally able to bring his holy symbol to bear in an effort to drive off the ghost (turn undead attempt: 5-1=4; failure). Unfortunately, Luger’s raising of his symbol and his screams for Heirouneous to drive off the ghost seemed to have no effect whatsoever.

Although in terrible pain that somehow affected every part of his body at once, Danton still had the presence of mind to observe the attacks of the other party members and he registered clearly that only Aseneth’s magical assault appeared to have any effect on the ghost. Realizing that his rapier would be useless against the thing, he withdrew the wand that Spugnoir had identified for him and shouted out the command words the potion maker had told Nanoc he should use (use magic device: 6+8=14; failure). Unfortunately, he must have gotten the words wrong, for nothing happened. Cursing wizards everywhere for their penchant for melodrama and unwillingness to use simple command phrases, the scout racked his brain to remember the right sequence of syllables.

Before the ghost could attack again, Aseneth fired off a second round of magic missiles. This time only one of the three projectiles struck the thing, while the other two passed through it and slammed into the ceiling, causing wood splinters and dust to rain down on the party. The sorceress then screamed out:

“Nanoc, taking this!” As soon as the barbarian looked her way, she tossed her staff to him. The half-orc dropped his axe to catch the staff, its end glowing a bright blue, and then waited for the ghost to descend to attack again.

Having chosen Telemachos as its target, the ghost dove at him once more with its insubstantial blade leading the way. The weapon again passed through all his defenses and this time it struck him in the chest (hit for 8 damage). Once again, a deep chill passed through the soldier’s body, but the ghostly blade must not have hit anything vital, for he was able to remain standing and fighting.

Once more, both Nanoc (attack: 20+9=29; critical hit; no effect) and Telemachos (attack: 11+10=21; hit; no effect) ‘struck’ the ghost squarely, but in each case, its form shifted at the last moment, allowing the weapons to pass harmlessly through it. Danton again tried to fire the wand of magic missiles (use magic device: 6+8=14; failure), but in the heat of battle, he still could not get the words right.

Luger, judging that he would not likely be able to turn such a powerful undead, switched tactics and called on Heironeous to summon a glowing magical blade that floated in the air and shone with the power of the sun (cast spiritual weapon). The magical longsword swung at the ghost (attack: 15+2=17; hit, no effect), but like all of the others’ attacks, the ghost turned insubstantial at the last moment in order to avoid it.

“I’ve had about enough of this!” yelled Telemachos as he watched the ghost avoid Luger’s magic blade and then dive towards him again.

“So hath we all!” agreed Danton, “but ‘tis blocking the way out!”

Aseneth fired off another volley of missiles, but this time the ghost managed to avoid all three and the thing struck Telemachos yet again (hit for 5 points).

But then, just when it appeared that the ghost might be so invulnerable to the party’s attacks as to be able to wear them down one at a time, the tide turned.

Screaming incoherently at the top of his lungs, Telemachos raked Shatterspike through the ghost’s form yet again, but this time the effect was different (attack: 11+10=21; hit; 11 damage) and the enchanted blade clearly damaged the undead, tearing and ripping at its very form as it passed through it.

Nanoc followed a second later, bludgeoning the ghost’s insubstantial form with Aseneth’s staff (attack: 18+9=27; hit; 11 damage), hammering at the ghost in the same way that he might have tried to swing the staff about to disperse a cloud of smoke.

Luger tried to follow up and finish the ghost, but his efforts to direct his floating magical blade were too slow, and the undead dodged his strike (attack: 5+2=7; miss).

The successful attacks from Telemachos and Nanoc started to cause the ghost’s form to dissipate, but it was Danton who delivered the coup de grace. Screaming out the words Spugnoir had passed on for a third time, the Velunese finally got them right (use magic device: 18+8=26; success) and he fired the wand at its maximum power level, causing five magic missiles to rocket off at the ghost. Three of the projectiles passed through the thing and hammered into one of the few intact windows on the front of the tavern, shattering it with an explosion of glass, but the last two struck the ghost’s insubstantial form solidly (hits for 3 and 5 damage).

When the last missile struck the ghost, its cloud-like body exploded in a burst of smoke and light. The only thing that did not disappear was the ghost’s sword, which fell to the ground with a surprisingly solid-sounding clatter when its wielder disappeared. The longsword lay on the wooden floor, looking much more solid now, but still faintly indistinct and cloudy around the edges. The temperature slowly began to rise in the room.

“Whoa-hooo!” exulted Nanoc. “Nice shootin, there Danton!”

Although excited by the apparent destruction of the ghost, Nanoc turned serious when he saw the drained, weakened condition of both Danton and Aseneth. With the fight over, each sat down heavily against the wall in an effort to recover his and her strength.

Nanoc ran to the woman, put his hand on her face and felt the chill that had entered her body, and then yelled for help: “Luger! Get over here an’ do something! She’s hurt!”

“Yeah, don’t mind me,” muttered Telemachos. “I just took the brunt of the thing’s attacks, but who cares about that?”

“I do have a spell that might reverse the effects of what that thing did,” said Luger, “but I only have one prepared—I cannot help both Aseneth and Danton, at least not today.”

“Help her first then,” groaned Danton. “I can survive until the morrow in this weakened condition if I must—and someone get that blade. The sword of a ghost must be of some value—or some use.”

Luger called on Heironeous to drive the cold and weakness from Aseneth’s body (cast lesser restoration), but without effect. The sorceress remained chilled and weak, even when Nanoc carefully covered her in her fur coat.

“The ghost was too powerful,” said the cleric ruefully. “The effects are reversible, but it will take a more powerful cleric than I to heal her—or Danton for that matter. We must seek the assistance of the clergy in Hommlet when we return there. I am certain the Priest of Pelor or the Cuthbertian Canoness can undo the damage.”

“I dunno if I wanna touch that sword,” said Nanoc when he was assured that the effects of the ghost’s horrific appearance on Aseneth need not be permament. “It kinda looks like it ain’t really there or it’s only sorta there.”

“I will do it,” said Luger, crouching down to take up the blade. The sensation of holding the sword was like nothing he had ever experienced before. It felt somehow both solid and insubstantial at the same time, heavy and light, real and illusionary, all at once.

“Is it real?” asked Nanoc, not wanting to look at the sword’s insubstantial form, yet somehow fascinated by it at the same time.

“I think so,” replied Luger. “Somehow it allowed the ghost to strike us…”

“Yeah, passing right through my armor and shield,” spat Telemachos.

“…so perhaps it would have the same effect in the opposite direction if one of us were to wield it against a ghost,” finished the cleric.

“Huh?” asked Nanoc. “I didn’t quite get all that.”

“Is ghost sword,” said Aseneth, getting to her feet with Nanoc’s help and leaning heavily against the barbarian. “I have seeing before—in Rinloru. Sword is real here and in—not knowing how to say—in other place where ghosts are. This sword is very value for men in Rinloru fighting dead—we are lucky to finding it.”

“Yeah, luck just follows us wherever we go,” said Telemachos acidly. “I told you there was nothing here. Ghosts and some stupid fake sword don’t count. Let us depart this place before we actually find something really dangerous.”

“We’ve come this far,” said Nanoc, “we might as well finish searchin’ the place, ain’t that right, Asya?”

“Yes,” she replied. “We knew would be danger and we are still strong—should finishing job.”

Telemachos continued to grumble, but Luger quieted him somewhat by applying two healing spells (gain 16 hit points).

With time being of the essence, the group searched the remainder of the lower level of the tavern, finding nothing of note, and then proceeded up a set of wooden stairs to the upper level.

The second level was considerably smaller than the first and consisted of a single hallway with three rooms on either side. The doors of five of the six rooms were open and all five chambers beyond had been thoroughly ransacked and stripped at some point in the distant past, but the door of the last room was shut and it was this room that immediately drew the party’s attention.

From the top of the stairs, an awful gibbering sound, accompanied by horrific, mind-wrenching howls, could be heard coming from beyond the single closed door. It also sounded as if all manner of objects were moving about in the room beyond the door and crashing against the floor, walls, and ceiling.

“Another ghost,” said Luger, “I am certain of it.”

“Do we really want to go through all that again?” asked Telemachos. “C’mon, Danton, I told you no scrounging about for loose coppers in this place. Let us depart.”

“I don’t know,” said the Velunese, his blood going cold at the thought of facing another horror like the one downstairs, “there may yet be some clue regarding the cult in this place—after all, Nulb was a base for the Temple of Elemental Evil long ago.”

“This is right,” said Aseneth firmly, “we must be sure finding all before going.”

“Then let’s do it,” said Nanoc. “Luger, you be ready ta do yer thing an’ make it stay back—mebee we can search the place without a fight.”

Luger took a deep breath, nodded, and held out his holy symbol once again. Nanoc then kicked the door open and the party looked upon a scene of nightmare beyond.

In the twenty foot square room behind the door, there were a small bed, a chair, nightstand, pillows, and other objects—all of which spun wildly around the room of their own volition, crashing into one another and the walls, floor and ceiling.

Floating on the ceiling at the far side of the room was the insubstantial shape of a young woman. She ‘lay’ on the ceiling, thrashing about and screaming as if in the grip of utter madness. She gibbered and shrieked at the party when Nanoc opened the door, and she seemed to try to fling the various contents of the room at them, but nothing seemed able to move beyond the doorway.

[Initiative: Ghost: 18, Nanoc: 14, Danton: 11, Aseneth; 22, Luger: 22 Telemachos:7]

Holding forth his holy symbol and pointing it at the shrieking ghost, Luger called on Heironeous to hold the thing back (turn undead attempt: 20-1=19; able to turn up to 6HD undead; 10 HD of turning damage). This time, the power of Heironeous was undeniable. When Luger pointed his holy symbol at the ghost, some invisible power pinned it in place on the ceiling and its awful gibbering ceased. The objects floating about the room even fell to the floor with a loud crash.

“Search the place if you will,” said Luger, still holding his holy symbol out towards the ghost, “but be quick about it.”

With the others watching over him, Danton conducted one of the quickest, most uncomfortable searches of his life, trying to keep one eye on the pinned ghost all the while and staying as far from it as he could (search: 7+10=17).

Concentrating on looking in the places he would have searched in any normal bedroom, Danton found a few items worth taking. Hidden under a loose floorboard was what looked like a potion vial and a pair of jeweled earrings, while several dozen gold coins (87 gold) were stashed in the mattress. Having found these things and nothing else, Danton cautiously withdrew from the room. As soon as he was out, Nanoc pulled the door shut and the party withdrew back down the hall and stairs, with the gibbering, shrieking, and crashing of furniture resuming behind them immediately.

When the group was gathered outside the inn, the sky seemed darker than it had before, even though less than an hour had passed inside the tavern. The rain fell harder and colder than before and the shadows that moved between the buildings seemed deeper and darker. Somewhere in the distance a wolf howled.

“That place should be burned to the ground,” said Luger, nodding towards the tavern. “As long as it stands, those spirits will find no rest.”

“This whole town should be burned to the ground!” said Telemachos. “But we don’t really have the time for that, now do we? And it might be a bit difficult to arrange, what with the rain and all, hmm?”

“Aw, c’mon,” grunted Nanoc. “Buck up, would ya? Let’s go find that big boat an’ check it out.”

Following the only road through the center of the small, abandoned town, everyone could feel and sense the presence of something watching them, but whenever anyone spun about, looking for the source of the hostile gaze, it was never quite visible. Seventy yards south of the tavern, the party came to a four-way intersection, with branches of the road heading northeast, southwest, and southeast. Ruined dwellings squatted along the roads in each direction. Most had collapsed entirely, but one, situated at the intersection between the northeastern and southeastern roads, was mostly intact. It had a dilapidated frame with a barely legible sign reading ‘Herbs’ still clinging to the wall.

Moving quickly, the party took the northeastern road and walked a hundred yards, past more ruined and empty sod, wood, and mud houses until it reached the inlet of the Imeryds Run that amounted to Nulb’s harbor. Here the stench arising from the water was almost unbearable, and both Aseneth and Danton covered their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs.

At least three larger boats, and dozens of smaller ones, had sunk in the inlet, while bits of others rotted away at what remained of four small wooden piers. The largest boat, the old riverboat the party had spotted from the far side of the river, rested by the riverside. Although it was mostly intact, the wooden planks that made up its hull were rotten—particularly the stern, which remained partially in the water. In fact, it appeared that some damage had been done to that part of the hull, perhaps in the winter when the river froze.

The boat was nearly forty feet long and over ten feet wide. Because it was beached, the whole craft sat at an angle, pitching to the stern and starboard. When the party climbed aboard, the upper deck appeared unremarkable, with numerous storage lockers for supplies along the sides. All of these were open, and were either empty or filled with long since rotted and ruined food and equipment.

The stern of the riverboat had a single cabin, about 12 feet long and 10 feet wide. The cabin door was open and the party could see that the last four feet or so of the area were filled with water. Broken crates and bits of wrecked wooden furniture floated in the dark water. At the front of the party as usual, Nanoc (spot: 14+1=15) and Danton (spot: 7+4=11), gazed inside the cabin, looking for anything of interest, value, or danger.

Seeing nothing from the doorway, Danton took a step forward, but Nanoc quickly pulled him back when he once again saw a faint movement of shadow in the little daylight that pierced the back of the cabin.

“Got trouble!” called out the barbarian. “Fall back!”

[Initiative: Foes: 19, 7, Nanoc: 9, Danton: 10, Aseneth: 14, Luger: 20, Telemachos: 24]

While Nanoc and Danton backed away and Luger and Telemachos moved up to join them, effectively forming a wall across the midsection of the boat, with Aseneth behind them all, three forms surged out of the darkness of the cabin, two moving very quickly and the other more slowly.

First, two dark, vaguely humanoid-shaped, shadows flew out of the chamber, followed by a huge gelatinous ooze of some sort, vaguely reminiscent of the creature the party had encountered in the moathouse, only pure black in color and much larger—being almost ten feet in diameter.

“Here we go again!” complained Telemachos, “another pointless battle with spirits!”

The Furyondian swung Shatterspike with abandon, slicing into one of the shadowy forms that floated towards him (attack: 15+10=25; hit; 8 damage). “Hah!” he shouted when he felt the blade connect with something and watched the ghost or whatever it was recoil, at least momentarily. “How’d ya like that?”

Luger, preferring to avoid a fight with the undead, again held aloft his holy symbol and tried to force them back into the cabin or off the boat (turn undead attempt: 20-1=19; able to affect undead up to 6 HD; turning damage: up to 7 HD of creatures).

Already wounded by Shatterspike, the spirit that had moved to attack Telemachos recoiled once more when Luger brandished his holy symbol. It then fled, floating over the water of the inlet before disappearing behind one of the buildings on the shore.

The second shadowy form, unaffected by Luger’s turning, dove at Nanoc, whipping an ethereal claw through him (hit for 1 damage: fortitude save: 6+6=12; failure; loss of 2 con points). Although the claw did not even draw blood, somehow it chilled every inch of Nanoc’s being and took some part of his life force with it when it passed out of him.

Fighting the urge to scream in pain, Nanoc, still carrying Aseneth’s staff, swung it at the shadowy form (attack: 13+9=22; hit; no effect), but it passed through the darkness without evident impact on anything. Aseneth and Danton (use magic device: 13+8=21) each fired off a volley of magic missiles, but none of Aseneth’s had any effect while only two of five fired by Danton struck the shadow (8 damage).

Even as the remaining shadow circled around Nanoc in preparation for another attack, it pointed at Luger with one of its ethereal claws and the great pool of black sludge behind it surged forward and tried to flow over the cleric. In order to avoid being enveloped by the ooze, Luger had to lower his holy symbol, raise his shield, and back away from the thing.

As Luger backed away, the ooze ignored all of the other party members and flowed past them, continuing towards him. Luger withdrew the longsword he had taken from the ghost and slashed at the ooze with it (attack: 4+6=10; hit; no damage). The thing was so big and moved so awkwardly that it was almost impossible to miss, even with a wild swing caused by Luger’s unfamiliarity with the weight and balance of the weapon he wielded. When the blade struck the ooze, it clove clean through the thing, but rather than kill the horror, it simply split it in two and now a pair of the foul slimes, each half the size of the original, bore down on the cleric.

Closer to the stern of the boat, the rest of the party continued to deal with the remaining shadow. Telemachos missed the smoke-like form with a wild swing (attack: 4+10=14; miss) and it struck Nanoc with its insubstantial claw for a second time (hit for 3 damage; fortitude save: 13+5=18; success). This time the attack did not chill the barbarian to the bone as it had previously, but he knew that he could not take many more such strikes in any case.

“Asya! Danton! C’mon! Blast this thing already! Where’s Luger with that ghost sword? Gimme that! I’m sick o’ not bein’ able ta hit these things!”

Nanoc swung Aseneth’s staff again, this time connecting with something (attack: 10+9=19; hit; 7 damage). As he did so, Aseneth fired off some spell, while Danton used five more charges from his rapidly depleting wand (use magic device: 16+8=24). But this time only one of five missiles struck the undead (3 damage).

Unsure how he might fight the two oozes without simply compounding his problem further, Luger took advantage of his greater speed, turned around, and simply ran to the front of the boat, leapt over the rail, and landed in the mud below. The two things lunged at him as he went, but missed.

Telemachos screamed as Shatterspike passed harmlessly through the shadow (attack: 16+10=26; hit; no effect). Nanoc leapt aside in the narrow confines of the deck to avoid the thing’s counterattack, and then tried to shake it apart with Aseneth’s staff (attack: 8+9=17; hit; 10 damage). Aseneth fired some sort of magical arrow that missed the shadow by a wide mark, and Danton mispronounced the arcane words that powered his wand (use magic device: 7+8=15; fail), causing nothing to happen.

The shadow was lunging for Nanoc once again when Shatterspike clove the smoky form in two (attack: 20+10=30; hit; 13 damage), causing the thing to disintegrate into wisps of smoke.

“That one’s mine, big guy,” said Telemachos, “and you owe me one.”

“Where’d Luger go?” asked Nanoc. “I wanted him to come help wit’ that ghost sword, but he jus’ ran off!”

“I’m down here!” came the cleric’s shout. “And I could use some help, if you don’t mind!”

The two sludge creatures had single-mindedly followed Luger off the boat and were now chasing him up and down the muddy beach. Fortunately they lacked the intelligence to coordinate their attacks or try to surround him, but they did follow him obsessively wherever he went. Although his speed was greater, the oozes showed no signs of fatigue and would eventually wear him down.

“Keeping ahead, Luger!” shouted Aseneth, walking to the railing of the riverboat. “I will be trying new spell—hoping will work!”

“Hey, wait a minute!” shouted the cleric, pausing momentarily in his flight. “I don’t want to be your test subject. What are you doing? No, wait!”

When it was obvious the woman had no intention of waiting, Luger spun about and ran as hard as he could to put distance between himself and the oozes. Moments later a great ball of fire materialized in the air in front of Aseneth and then shot down to the muddy waterfront, striking the two sludges directly. There was a terrific explosion that sent mud, water, and bits of the oozes high into the air, with the shockwave knocking Luger off his feet.

When the mud and dirt settled back to the ground and Luger picked himself up, all that remained of the two oozes where two stinking, burning scorch marks in the mud.

“Wow!” exulted Nanoc at the display of pyrotechnics. “I ain’t never seen nuthin’ like that! Boom and they’re gone!”

Telemachos raised one eyebrow at Danton, but said nothing.

The Velunese scowled. “Let’s go see if there’s anything in that cabin worth all this trouble—and then we’d best be on our way. That explosion must have been heard by every spook and specter for miles around.”

Although the rain still poured down, the magical fire that had scoured the oozes still burned, sending an acrid cloud of black smoke high into the afternoon sky over Nulb.

With Nanoc’s assistance, Danton combed through the contents of the partially submerged cabin (search: 14+10=24). The Velunese was unwilling to step into the water, but Nanoc did so, finding little of note, save for an iron lockbox submerged at the very back of the cabin. The lockbox was heavy, and rusted completely shut. Rather than try to open it here, with the afternoon passing by, the sky slowly growing darker, and facing the possibility of undead drawn by Aseneth’s fireball, Nanoc simply hauled the lockbox off the boat, dropped it over the side into the mud, and then recovered it once everyone was off the boat.

“I think, my good Nanoc,” said Danton, with one eye on the buildings along the shoreline, where shadows flitted about with increasing frequency, “that the time hath come to depart Nulb and make camp somewhere ‘tween here and the temple.”

“I agree,” said Luger. “There is much evil here, but we have seen no sign of the cult, and I fear there are far too many undead for us to handle, particularly with evening approaching.”

“About bloody time somebody talked sanity,” said Telemachos vehemently. “This place is a deathtrap.” The Furyondian muttered something else unintelligible under his breath.

“Asya?” asked Nanoc, looking at the woman.

“We can always coming back later,” she said with a nod.

“Yeah, that’s a great idea,” grunted Telemachos.

Nanoc ignored the jibe, but shot the Furyondian a foul look. “Okay. Let’s get goin. Danton, which way?”

Danton withdrew his map momentarily and consulted it before answering. “We must take the southwest road—that is our path to the temple.”

Moving as quickly as their burdens allowed, the party members half walked and half jogged back down the road to the intersection at the center of town. All felt increasingly unwelcome in Nulb and the sense of being surrounded by hostile observers grew ever stronger.

The first shadows emerged from behind ramshackle cabins when the party was only halfway back to the intersection, but they were some distance away and Luger had time to raise his holy symbol in an attempt to drive them off (turn undead attempt: 17-1=16; able to turn up to 5HD undead: turning damage: up to 9 HD worth of undead). All three of the creatures that had appeared fled back into the narrow spaces between the buildings, but others could be seen now, flitting about in the corner’s of ones eyes—no matter where one looked.

With shadows now appearing both overhead, as well as between the buildings and floating across the street both ahead of and behind the party, the group finally reached the intersection at the center of Nulb. There Nanoc and Danton, who were in the lead, stopped in their tracks, for someone stood in the center of the road that led out of town and south to the Temple of Elemental Evil.

The armored man who blocked the party, with a staff in one hand and a shield emblazoned with a burning eye in the other was horribly disfigured, with one eye missing and a long, old scar running at an angle across most of his face. All manner of ghostly forms now flew about in and over Nulb, but the armored man ignored them, just as he ignored the rain falling on his head. He gripped his staff and shield tightly and stared at Nanoc and Danton as they and the others stood facing him in the street.

________________________________________________________________

Notes for turn 37:

All of your characters have received enough XP to go up a level (Nanoc, Danton, and Telemachos to 5^th level and Luger to 4^th). Please make the adjustments and let me know what they are with, or in advance of, your next postings. I’d like to have all postings by the end of Wednesday, December 20.

Current date/time: 22 Lipanj 592; approximately 1600.

Items gained this turn: ghost-touch longsword, 1 potion, 1 set of earrings, gold (already divided among party), 1 unopened strongbox from the riverboat

Undivided Loot previously gained: none

Items used/lost/destroyed/sold this turn: 15 charges from Danton’s wand

FOES DEFEATED:

Active party members listed in Green.

This Chapter:

Entire Campaign:

Current Status of the Party:

Note: known magic items listed in bold.

Nanoc

-2 con

AC: 17

Hit points: 38/43 (previously 47 total)

New XP: 2240

XP total: 11318

XP needed: 10,000

Equipment: masterwork great axe, silver-plated short sword, masterwork studded leather armor, 69 arrows, 2 quivers, backpack, waterskin, 16 days trail rations, bedroll, 2 sacks, 2 flint & steel, bearskin, tent, 50’ rope, 1 sap, masterwork mighty composite shortbow, masterwork shortsword, 6 iron triangles with inverted ‘Y’, three black cones made of some unknown substance, a black scepter decorated with a half dozen violet gems, a bead of force, metal scroll tube, a set of ochre robes and a set of black ones, a black cloak, two inverted ziggurat pendants; ochre robes, a spare suit of full plate mail, 2 potions of bull’s strength, potion of cure light wounds(X2), potion of cure moderate wounds (X3), potion of water breathing, Aseneth’s House Torquann dragon ring, unopened strongbox from riverboat in Nulb.

Gold: 785

Silver: 220

Danton

-2 str, -2, con, -2 dex

AC: 15 (16 vs. one opponent) (currently base 14 due to dex loss)

Hit points: 15/15 (previously 19 total)

New XP: 2240

XP total: 11318

XP needed: 10,000

Equipment: rapier, 6 daggers, light crossbow, studded leather armor, quiver with 33 bolts, bedroll, backpack, flint & steel, thieves picks, waterskin, 9 days trail rations, hooded lantern, gold ring engraved with the name Karakas, 1 sap, 1 metal key from Yusdrayl, Everburning Torch,scrolls with pyrotechnics and melf’s acid arrow, old journal, 6 iron triangles with upside down ‘Y’ inside, 1 protection from fire scroll, 5 scrolls of cure light wounds, 2 scrolls of cure moderate wounds, new journal, notebook, pen, ink, parchment in sealed waterproof box, pipe, tobacco, metal box, whetstone, six packets of tinder for lighting fires, gold inlaid dagger, Journal of Geynor Ton, a folded piece of parchment with a note addressed to someone named Festrath, spider pendant, a wand, tattered black cloak with burning eye emblazoned on it, disguise kit, letter to Master Dunrat, ochre-colored robe, bead of force, potion of cure light wounds (X2), cure moderate wounds (X2), scrolls of animal messenger and stone shape, wand of magic missiles (5 charges), unknown potion from tavern in Nulb, set of jeweled earrings from tavern in Nulb.

Gold: 997

Silver: 0

Telemachos

AC: 20

Hit points: 41/41

New XP: 2240

XP total: 11318

XP needed: 10,000

Equipment: full plate mail, short sword, 2 daggers, longbow, quiver and 33 arrows, large steel shield, backpack, large sack, flint and steel, 19 days rations, waterskin, bedroll, tent, 1 sap, Shatterspike (Longsword +1 with special properties), 2 iron triangles with upside down ‘Y’ inside, 2 quall’s feather tokens, 1 potion cure moderate wounds, 1 potion cure light wounds.

Gold: 748

Silver: 210

Luger

AC: 19

Hit Points: 25/25

New XP: 2240

XP total: 6768

XP needed: 6000

Equipment: longsword, heavy mace, light x-bow, dagger, 20 bolts, chainmail, large steel shield, 3 belt pouches, large bag, 50’ rope, 5 torches, hooded lantern, 3 oil flasks, flint & steel, 8 days rations, silver holy symbol of Heironeus, 3 flasks holy water, 2 healer’s kits, backpack, cleric’s vestment, traveler’s clothing, waterskin, bedroll, iron triangle with upside down ‘Y’ inside, eight cockatrice feathers, scrolls of cure light wounds (2), cure disease, neutralize poison, potion cure light wounds, ghost touch longsword +1.

Spell Selection:

Level 0(4): Detect Magic X2, Light X2
Level 1(3+1): Summon Monster, Invisibility to Undead, Domain: Protection from Evil

Level 2 (2+1): Silence, Domain: none

Turn Undead attempts left on current day: 2 of 6

Gold: 753