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Chapter 2: A Blighted Land

Turn 46: Storming The Rat-Tower

“Well,” said Danton as he watched the last of the Reality Wrinkle burn and collapse in on itself, “after that house of horrors, methinks the rat tower wilt seem like a walk through the park. A wererat-infested park, to be sure, but what else be new?”

Not only Danton, but all of the others, felt much better with the Reality Wrinkle destroyed. The strange disorientation and nausea that spending time in the place had produced faded as the party breathed in the fresh night air and watched the place burn to the ground.

”I guess,” Danton continued, “there is no time like the present, particularly since only the gods know what might be Karzak's fate. Thus, unless I am forgetting something, methinks we ought to collect Alein and Torea -- and anyone else in Luger's temple who can and will wield a weapon -- and make for the bell tower immediately. If we can obtain healing at the temple, 'twould be a good thing. If not, I can attempt to use some of mine healing scrolls to patch up Nanoc and Luger. Doth you too, lady Aseneth, also require healing? We should all enter the bell tower at maximum health ... for something telleth me that we won't all be leaving it so hale.”

“I am fine,” replied Aseneth, “but am having few spells left. If we are fighting, I must using staff.”

“I agree with Danton,” said Luger. “Let’s see what healing can be provided at the temple. Hopefully, Torea and Alein will be in the mood for a little retribution and will wish to accompany us to the tower. If not, I have additional healing in the form of potions and a few spells I can convert to healing if need be. I only hope we find Karzak still alive. The next full moon is a week away so if he still lives, we have time to remove the curse if we find him bitten.”

“Alright, alright...enough talk!” complained Nanoc. “Let's just get to it. This has been such a fun night, I can'ts wait to get to that there Rat Tower. Maybe Luger being a priest and all would have better luck readin' them there scrolls you got Danton? I don't know ‘cause that there magic stuff never has made sense to me.”

Danton paused and gave a long, appraising look to the barbarian. Then he turned to the cleric, “Luger, Nanoc hath a good point. Though I am fast becoming proficient casting spells from these ensorcelled parchments, in sooth, I am still a better picker of locks, disarmer of traps and bedder of wenches than I am a magician. P'raps you can make a more reliable go of these scrolls for our present purposes? Regardless, I do think we ought to hold off on the potions until we hath exhausted reasonable use of the scrolls -- potions can be used in a pinch, whereas scrolls generally require more time and calmer environs. We may need potions aplenty in the bell tower.”

“There is one other matter to consider,” added the Velunese. “Doth any of you know of any proof or periapt against wererats that we might easily grab en route to the tower? For instance, I hath heard that a righteous holy symbol might deter vampires or undead, and I hath seen once in a play that wolfsbane may chase off a wolfman. I doubt there is a similar weapon against rat-men, but 'tis worth considering.”

Nanoc smirked. “Yeah, Danton I sure do know somethin' that’d hold off these here rat-men. It's called great axe...Har, Har, Har...I'd let you try it sometime but it might be a little heavy for your use.” The barbarian slapped Danton so hard on the back that he nearly knocked him over. “Har, Har, Har!!!”

“Hardy-har-har indeed,” groused Danton when he caught his breath. “If I hath a doubloon for each weak attempt at humor I hath heard over the last month, I could bribe every official in Veluna to hasten mine return ... and still have a goodly sum in reserve. And that is only counting our ill-fated dwarf's crude jests and ribaldry. ‘Great axe’ indeed. Use it then, good barbarian friend, to keep these verminous bastards from puncturing mine fair, city-dwelling skin.”

“Yes,” said Luger, “I'm sure I can make good use of these scrolls. As for the wererats, there is little besides strong armor and quick feet that can protect us from them. A powerful priest can remove the curse within a short time of being afflicted, but if we wait too long, only a wish can remove it. Wolfsbane is actually an herb called belladonna and it has proven effective in curing the curse, but it is also very dangerous. I do not know the particulars, but there is a risk involved with taking it.”

“Still,” continued the cleric, “there are measures we can take to maximize our chances of emerging from the tower alive. Nanoc, I have a potion of haste which Spugnoir was kind enough to make for me in Hommlet. Take it when we face the rats and you'll move and swing your axe twice as fast as normal. With it and your increased strength, I have no doubt you will find this night more fun than halflings, wrestling and drinking ale combined. Now, let us regroup at the shrine of the Invincible and then storm the tower. I cannot imagine a more unpalatable meal than our friend, Karzak but I fear these rats may not be picky eaters. Of course, we may rush into the tower only to find that Karzak the Dragonslayer has talked our enemies to death!”

***

Ten minutes later, the party was gathered inside the Shrine of Heironeous, where they found Alein busy tending to Torea, who lay in her bed and thrashed about as if in the grip of a waking nightmare, still seemingly tormented by whatever horrors she had experienced at the hands of the bizarre sorcerers and their strange gibbering pets.

“Will you come with us to raid the rat-tower, Alein?” asked Luger. “It is plain that Torea is in no shape to join us, but we, and the town, could use your help. You would be aiding us in recovering our lost dwarven companion and ridding the entire town of a great evil.”

“Yeah,” added Nanoc, “we’d love ta have ya along!”

Alein shook her head and looked down at her tormented mentor. “I wish I could go with you, but there’s no one else to watch over Torea, and we don’t know that there are none of those sorcerers left. If there are any survivors, they could come here seeking revenge—I can’t leave Torea alone tonight. If you want to wait until tomorrow, maybe her situation will improve, but for now…I’m sorry, but I just can’t go.”

“Shucks that’s alright,” said Nanoc, having anticipated such a response. “Torea there done been through a lot tonight. I think we still needs to go, with what all we done this night if we wait too long, they is gonna be able to get extra defenses for us set up. But say, this being a church an all, you don’t have any types a scolls or potions you could lend us, or maybe somethin’ to make our armor a little tuffer? Grundar used to have this ring that did just that. If you can lend us somethin’ like that, well I’ll make sure we bring back any unused stuff or returns the rings and whatnot after we is done wit the tower.”

Alein shook her head again. “Since we lack a proper cleric here, I’m afraid we have no scrolls or potions. All I can really do is this.”

The paladin put her hands on Nanoc’s arms, whispered a few words, and the barbarian felt some of the injuries he had suffered at the Reality Wrinkle fade (lay on hands: Nanoc gains 12 HP). With no other healing readily available, Luger used two of the curing scrolls Danton had obtained in Hommlet, one on himself and the other on Nanoc (Luger +10 HP, Nanoc +8 HP).

“Lock up well as soon as we leave,” Luger told Alein when the party was ready to leave. “If all goes well, we’ll see you in the morning.”

Then the cleric turned to the other party members and added, “My friends... Heironeus has seen fit to bless me with more of his infinite power. If we find Karzak alive, I should be able to cure him of the rat curse during the next full moon. Beyond that, we will need to seek the help of a much more powerful priest than myself to do more immediately. Let us hope our young dwarf has not simply been today's main course at the rat den.”

“Oh, enough talk! C’mon lets keep havin’ fun,” said Nanoc excitedly. “This night is gone great. Why I feel like I could take that there tower myself!”

***

Given his serious wounds, semi-delirious state, and the strangeness he felt flowing through his own veins, the passage of time was difficult for Karzak to track. He could not say whether it was minutes, hours, or days later when he yelled out for his captors once again:

“O, guard! Hey, rat-face, come 'ere. I be ready ta talk ta ya! Rat-face!”

In a lower voice, the dwarf muttered to himself, “I dun believe me friends be leavin' me hide fer dead! I guess I'm a' ginna have ta try an' git outta this meself.”

It took several minutes of yelling, but eventually the two men who had visited Karzak previously emerged from the stairwell once again.

As before, one of the men crouched down in front of Karzak while the other one paced the perimeter of the tower, weaving between the gargoyles and looking down on the city below.

“I dun thought ‘bout it,” said Karzak, “an’ if I gotta be a rat-dwarf, I might as well get outta these chains and start makin’ a placer fer meself. So, yeah, the feller yer interested in be called Danton. I only met him and his laddies recently. I dun believe they be members of some ‘Thurizadan Cult’ or somethin' like that. I be hearin' them whisper 'bout the end a' the world or somethin' like that. Gibberish, I be supposin'. But they be havin' some holy symbols, like a ‘y’ or som' letter.  I

dinna know what they be talkin' 'bout an' I was ready ta ditch 'em as travelin' companions in this here city. The only reason I be travelin' with them, is they have that big orc who be a scrappy fighter an' protect me hide.”

As he spoke, Karzak watched the man in front of him for any reaction that might suggest some familiarity with the term ‘Tharizdun’ (sense motive: 12+2=14), but he saw no such thing. The man seemed unreadable.

“Why would some doomsday cultist and his lackeys bother to interfere with our affairs here in Woodstock?” asked the dark-haired man. “He moved against us first—not vice versa.”

“Look, I dunno what the man’s about,” said Karzak, trying unsuccessfully to manage a shrug in his chains, “but I do know I’d much rather be a cap'tain in yer

rat-man pack than some kinda underling that ye be beating with a whip every second. What do me need ta be doin'? Besides that, me throat is quite

parched. Ye be havin' any ale fer yer captains?”

“Where can we find them?” asked the man, ignoring Karzak’s questions. “And what are their strengths and weaknesses? If you wish to join us, then you must go with us to eliminate every last one of them. Further interference with the plan will not be tolerated.”

“Hey now,” groused Karzak, “if I be decidin' to do what ye says, I need more information about ye laddies an' me responsibilities.  What will I be doin' and how many men shall me be leadin' an' all? Jus’ what is this ‘plan’ anyway?"

“You will be leading no one until you have proven your loyalty by helping us to kill this Danton and every last one of his underlings—is that clear?”

“Sure, sure,” said Karzak placatingly. “The half-orc’s a bruiser, that much’s obvious. ‘Sides him, they gots a priest o’ some kind, that purty sorceress, an’ Danton hisself—I think’s he’s some kind o’ priest of this ‘Tharizadoon’ too, but I ain’t never seen him doin’ no magic. Come ta think of it, mebbee the lady’s a priestess too. I ain’t no expert on magic ya know…” (bluff: 17-3=14)

The man scowled, stood up straight, and kicked Karzak in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him and nearly propelling him back into unconsciousness.

“Lies! You will have to do better than that if you are to live long enough to experience your first transformation…”

It looked as if the man was about to kick Karzak again when suddenly the second man, who had been standing still on one side of the tower for some time now called out:

“We got trouble! Uninvited guests at the foot of the tower! Better get below and rouse the boys!”

***

The bell tower in the very center of Woodstock was the town’s architectural pride and joy, a 125-foot tall construction of fine workmanship and elegant beauty. The great bells atop the tower rang out every three hours throughout the day and the stone structure provided a reference point wherever one might be in the town. It was roughly thirty feet to a side, and a five foot wide stone staircase wound around the outside of the structure, climbing thirty feet for every circuit of the tower.

It was well after midnight when Danton led the others up to the base of the tower, and the streets of Woodstock were now largely abandoned. Because the tower stood in the middle of a major intersection of streets, it was virtually impossible to approach it unobserved, and the Velunese thus focused on speed rather than stealth. With the others at his heels, he charged up to the door at the base of the tower and the stairs and set to work while the rest of the party scanned the area for any sign of trouble (Danton search: 5+12=17, listen: 1+7-8).

Finding nothing untoward and hearing nothing beyond the door, Danton set to work picking the lock (open lock: 15+10=25). It took some doing, for the mechanism was far more sophisticated than the Velunese would have expected to find in such a public location, but after a minute’s effort his efforts produced a satisfying ‘click’, and the door swung inward.

The door opened into an antechamber, with steep, narrow stairs leading up to the right and another heavy door straight ahead. Though the ceiling rose high above and another window pierced the wall above the door, what little light penetrated from the sleeping city outside was swallowed up in the dark granite walls and floor, so Danton removed and activated his magic torch.

“So, internal as well as external stairs—interesting,” said Luger as he gazed at the tower’s internal construction.

“We shall brave the internal ones for as long as possible,” said Danton, “for they doth make us less visible to prying eyes, but first we must search this lowest level, for we know not where Karzak may be and we dare not leave enemies at our backs as we proceed higher.”

“Agreed,” said Luger, passing his potion of haste to Nanoc. “This won’t last long, so use it wisely.”

Nanoc nodded, slipping the potion into a pouch at his belt where it would be easily accessible.

Luger then proceeded to drink another potion to enhance his strength (potion of bull’s strength: +5 str) and cast a spell on himself to ward off evil creatures (protection from evil).

When all was ready, Nanoc whispered, “’An don’t nobody forget Luger done caught site o’ that mage earlier…so if’n you spell casters hear or see anything like that, well we best be taken them out right away. Someone makin’ them two worms is probably pretty tough. Hopefully that was all those type o’ spells they done had this night.”

“One thing more I would add,” hissed Danton. “As Asya hath well and truly demonstrated, there are few things like fire to scourge our enemies in their lairs. Though this tower be of stone and not wood like the erstwhile Reality Wrinkle, once we hath rescued Karzak, I mean to use mine torch to full effect and you all must needs stand aside and let me do mine work, for I am none other than Danton Verbrugge, Arsonist of Veluna.”

When no one disagreed, Danton went back to work and put his ear against the internal door (search: 19+12=31, listen: 17+7=24). Seeing and hearing nothing, he motioned for Nanoc to open the door, which was unlocked.

The door opened onto a single room roughly fifteen feet to a side. An oil lamp flickering in the far right corner offered the room’s only illumination. It rested on a low bookcase, beside a comfortable looking, if weathered armchair. In the far left corner was a bed, carefully made, and a small nightstand. From a five-foot-square hole in the center of the ceiling, four heavy ropes dangled, coiling on the floor. There were no other doors and it appeared that this room took up the entire space of the tower on this level. Danton quickly rifled the room (search: 7+12=19), but found nothing more than the ordinary clothes and belongings of what appeared to be a single person.

With the search complete, the group moved back out of the room and proceeded up the internal stairwell, with Nanoc and Danton taking the lead, followed by Aseneth and Luger. After winding all the way around the tower, the stairs came to a second internal door. Although the stairs continued on up, the party paused, while Danton conducted another search on the door (search 1+12=13, listen: 11+7=18). Although he detected no traps on the door, the Velunese thought he could hear faint movement beyond it.

Signaling the possibility of danger to Nanoc, Danton motioned for him to open the door. Beyond the door was a very small room, no more than five by ten feet. It was lit by a lantern on the wall, and there were two more closed wooden doors at either end of the small chamber. The entire area was littered with debris and smelled strongly of rodent waste and animal fur. As Nanoc and Danton moved inside, there was sudden movement from above as three were-rats, in their hybrid form, leaped down from a ledge on the wall above the doorway.

Although some uncanny sixth sense warned Danton of danger and he leaped and rolled out of the way as one of the wererats sought to jump down atop him, dodging both its blade and its bite as he went, Nanoc was not so fortunate, with two of the creatures landing on him. Aside from nearly knocking him off his feet, the were-rats hit the barbarian three times with rapier and teeth before he knew what happened (hit for a total of 7 points; three fortitude saves required: 19+7=26, 3+7=10, 7+7=14; first succeeds, second two fail). Although the wounds were minor, Nanoc felt a burning deep inside his body as some sort of fever began to course through his veins.

[Initiative: Nanoc: 19, Danton: 4, Aseneth: 9, Luger: 13, Were-rats: 9]

“Didn’t nobody ever tell ya it ain’t nice ta bite?” screamed Nanoc as he took one more step into the room and swung his axe in a devastating arc that beheaded the first were-rat that had attacked him and then slammed into the body of the second, killing both instantly (attack: 8+14=22; hit; 17 damage; kills first were-rat and activates cleave feat providing second free attack on second foe: 3+14=17; hit; 19 damage).

Although the third wererat was stalking towards Danton, Luger charged into the room so quickly that he was able to interpose himself between it and the scout, striking it down with Geistblatt with a single strength-enhanced blow (attack: 20+9=29; potential critical hit; 2^nd roll: 16+9=25—hit is critical: 19 damage).

Thus, in a matter of moments, the were-rat’s ambush had failed and all three lay dead on the dirty floor.

“Whoo!” exulted Nanoc. “So that’s how Tel always did it! Ya jus’ do a crazy swing like that with all yer strength—making sure none of yer friends are close by, o’ course—an watch em fall! Wahoo!”

“An impressive display indeed,” agreed Luger, “but they managed to bite you several times. There should be no immediate untoward effects, but we must have you and Karzak cured of any potential disease as soon as possible once this night is over.”

“Yes,” said Aseneth, examining Nanoc’s wounds carefully. “You are many great things, Nanoc—and yucky rodent is not being one of them.”

“Aw, don’t ya worry, Asya,” replied the barbarian. “It ain’t nothing. I’ll be fine. I had worse.”

With the were-rats dispatched, Luger stood guard at the door leading back to the stairwell while the rest of the party searched the remainder of this second level of the tower. It turned out that the level consisted of four small rooms, each five by ten feet, connected one to the other such that if one moved from room to room, one would eventually come back to the first chamber where Luger stood. Save for the straw and other debris on the floor, the rooms were empty. With the assistance of Nanoc and Aseneth, Danton rooted through the garbage (search: 14+12+2+2=28), finding a variety of coins and gems scattered about in the four rooms (group finds a total of 6,000 silver as well as one topaz and one amber gem).

With the rooms thoroughly looted, the party returned to the stairs and began making its way upward again. Danton once again probed and examined the stairs as the party moved higher (search: 11+12=23). Because he was checking each stair carefully, the scout was shocked when Nanoc set foot on a corner landing he had pronounced safe and the floor flashed a brilliant purple as some magic was activated.

However, whatever fell effect the creator of the trap had intended was foiled when Nanoc leaped off the landing so quickly that he was beyond it before the magic fully took effect (reflex save: 18+6=24).

“Yeesh, Danton!” groused the barbarian when he looked back at the Velunese from beyond the landing. “I thought ya was getting better at that sort o’ thing! I don’t knows what that was gonna do, but I’m sure bettin’ it was bad!”

Examining the landing carefully, Danton tried to find some way to determine whether the magic that Nanoc had narrowly avoided remained in effect and, if so, how it might be bypassed or disabled (disable device: 11+10=21). Unfortunately, this trap was like none he had ever seen before, and the Velunese realized it would take more time than he cared to spend if he were to try to figure it out.

Such an effort was not actually necessary, for if one went to the corner and stepped carefully from the last step below the landing to the first one above it, it was possible to avoid the dangerous area entirely, which Danton, Aseneth, and Luger did in turn. Taking no chances that the party might forget which landing was the dangerous one if it had to depart in a hurry, Danton spilled some of his ink onto the surface, noting with dismay that the magic flared again even at the light splashing of the liquid.

Once past this trap, the party came quickly to a door on what must be the tower’s third level. Here again Danton, ignoring muttered criticisms from Nanoc, checked the portal (search: 20+12=32, listen: 20+7=27).

“There are no traps,” he whispered moments later, “but I hath heard the twittering of rodents inside—either mundane rats or pr’haps more of these vile lycanthropes in rodent form.”

“You sure there ain’t no traps?” challenged Nanoc, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.

“Yes!” hissed Danton. “No one is right all the time, not even I, but this time I am certain! Now, open that door!”

Gingerly touching the knob as if he expected it to explode in his hand, Nanoc opened the door slowly. Beyond it was a straw-filled room that appeared identical to those on the previous level, only without any light source. Once the door was open, everyone in the party could hear the twittering of rats and see movement in the straw on the floor in the light from Danton’s torch.

“Luger, get up here!” said Nanoc. “It’s hackin’ an’ slashin’ time!”

[Initiative: Nanoc: 16, Danton: 20, Luger: 18, Aseneth: 12, Rats: 13]

While Nanoc and Luger waded into the room, Danton stood in the doorway to block any of the rodents from moving against Aseneth. Nanoc eviscerated two large rats that moved on him with a single swing (attack: 16+14=30; hit; 12 damage, activates cleave feat—second attack: 6+14=20; hit; 19 damage). At the same time, Luger, still enjoying the effects of his magic-enhanced strength, sliced up a third with little effort (attack: 18+9=27; hit; 13 damage).

As these rats were cut to pieces, more appeared in the room, crawling under both of the other doors as they rushed to defend their lair. This time one rushed past Luger while he was engaged with another rat, forcing Danton to deal with one of the creatures. Each of the three men hacked apart one of the rats in quick succession (Nanoc attack: 7+14=21; hit; 16 damage; Luger attack: 19+9=28; potential critical hit—2^nd roll: 16+9=25—hit—thus critical hit; 21 damage; Danton attack: 19+9=28; potential critical hit—2^nd roll: 7+7=14—miss—thus no critical; 7 damage).

“Ha, ha!” gloated Danton. “Hath you recognized this blade, rat bastard? Where once it was servant of rats, ‘tis now a hewer of them—and you art the first to test its edge.”

Rats continued to trickle into the room, but they were clearly no match for the party and their persistence demonstrated their stupidity more than anything else. Luger killed one more of the rodents (attack: 13+9=22; hit; 12 damage), while Nanoc eliminated three others in quick succession as they crawled under the door nearest him one at a time (attacks: 14+14=28, 3+14=17, 20+14=34—2^nd roll: 13+14=27; two hits and one critical hit; 10, 17, 26 damage).

The barbarian was enjoying himself so much that he was almost disappointed when the stream of rats finally came to an end.

“Jus’ like shootin’ fish in a barrel, as Grundar used ta say!” he exulted.

Danton proceeded to search what once again turned out to be four linked rooms on the level (search: 7+12+2+2=23), but this time he and the others found nothing but rat droppings and bits of rancid food amidst the straw.

Moving carefully towards the fourth level, Danton found no signs of additional traps and before long the party stood before yet another closed wooden door. He proceeded to give it a once-over (search: 19+12=31, listen: 4+7=11), seeing and hearing nothing that would give him pause.

Nanoc then pushed the door open and the party gazed inside. The room beyond the door was relatively large. Like the one on the ground floor, this single room took up its entire level. It was crisscrossed with ropes and enormous pulleys, the machinery that allowed a single person to ring the enormous bells above with a mere pull on a rope. The agitated squeaking of a rat echoed from somewhere high above, drawing all eyes upward. There, amidst the ropes, pulleys, and wooden supports were crouched no less than five were-rats. One of the five was quite gaunt and had gray fur, but the other four appeared strong and healthy.

[Initiative: Nanoc: 13 , Danton: 20, Aseneth; 12, Luger: 15, Were-rats: 14]

The were-rats were fast, very fast, as they leaped down amidst the party, but Danton was faster, whipping out the wand of magic missiles he had long carried and invoking it to blast all five of the lycanthropes (use magic device: 12+12=24). Where once the magical stick had given Danton fits when he tried to activate it, now he launched five beams of energy with ease, one at each of the were-rats as they moved to attack (damage done: 3, 3, 2, 5, 2). All five of the creatures were hit and wounded, but none were felled by the magic and Danton somehow felt the last of the magic drain from the wand as the last beam of energy left it.

As two were-rats jumped down around him, Luger was fast enough to bring Geistblatt to bear and slash at one of them as it came at him (attack: 20+9=29; potential critical hit—2^nd roll: 4+9=13; miss—thus no critical: 6 damage). Then the two creatures were upon him, and the cleric was forced to use his sword and shield for all they were worth to try to ward off the flurry of bites and sword strokes that came at him. Unfortunately, as Nanoc had discovered earlier, this was easier said than done, and Luger was hit three times (14 damage total; three fortitude saves required: 15+7=22, 15+7=22, 9+7=16; all succeed).

A single rodent dove at Danton, but he easily dodged its attacks and then countered (attack: 5+9=14; miss). Unfortunately, the rat-man was as quick as he, and leaped straight up into the ropes overhead to avoid Rat’s Tail. The creature hung there momentarily and then dropped on Danton again, this time with greater success (hit twice for 6 points; two fortitude saves required: 3+1=4, 4+1=5, both fail). Danton felt strange as the bite and the blade of the were-rat pierced his flesh, but he had little choice but to continue fighting.

The last two rats dove at Nanoc, but having seen such tactics before, the barbarian used his speed to move away before they landed on him, with the result that he was struck only a single glancing blow from one rat’s rapier (hit for 3 points). The barbarian then raised Luger’s potion of haste to his lips and drank deep. The two were-rats took advantage of Nanoc’s momentary preoccupation to throw themselves at him again. One of them did manage to strike the barbarian again with his rapier (hit for 3 points), but then the magic of the potion Nanoc had consumed took effect.

***

It seemed to Karzak as though a great deal of time had passed since the two were-rats disappeared below and left him alone once again. After screaming at them incoherently for some time, the dwarf sank back into a torpor until the sudden sounds of fighting somewhere nearby tore him from his reverie. Hoping against hope that Danton and company had come to his rescue at last, the dwarf screamed once more:

“I’m up here, friends! Somebody get up here, gimme a weapon, some healin’ an’ I’ll be ready to attack! C’mon! It’s clobberin’ time, rat-faces! Bring yer nasty, filthy, flea-ridden hides o'er here and git some!  I be ginna skin yer gutter-hides!"

***

Karzak’s voice carried down to the level below, and everyone in the party could hear him, but no one was in a position to go to his aid just yet.

Luger finished the were-rat he had previously injured (attack: 20+9=29; potential critical hit—2^nd roll: 14+9=23; critical hit; 13 damage), but his other foe, the gaunt, gray-furred one, hit him twice (9 damage; two fortitude saves required: 20+7=27, 5+7=12, first succeeds, but second fails).

Aseneth, apparently having exhausted the last of her magic, came into the room to assist Danton, but she proved no more successful than he at striking the leaping were-rat that harried him, as it continued to use the ropes overhead, as well as its incredible speed and dexterity, to avoid attacks.

However, the speed of the rats was as nothing compared to that of Nanoc, who, now enhanced with both supernatural strength and speed, proceeded to cut a swath through the lycanthropes. In what seemed the blink of an eye, the barbarian hammered one of the creatures down with a series of devastating blows (attack: 11+14=25, 6+9=15, 13+14=27; two hits, 19, 19 damage—dropping foe activates cleave feat—free attack on second were-rat), before cutting down the second one almost as an afterthought (attack: 5+14=19; hit; 21 damage).

A fraction of a second later, Luger struck down the gray-furred were-rat (attack: 15+9=24; hit; 7 damage), leaving only the one hanging in the ropes above Danton and Aseneth left alive. That last lycanthrope, apparently more intelligent than the others, scrambled up the ropes and through the hole in the ceiling before anyone could stop it. As the were-rat disappeared from view, Karzak’s hoarse screaming took on a new pitch.

***

Karzak was stunned when he saw the lone were-rat emerge from the hole below the four huge bells. He screamed as the thing snarled at him in rage and stalked towards him with its rapier extended, but the pounding of many feet on stone from somewhere nearby apparently gave the thing pause and, rather than kill the helpless dwarf, it scurried over the edge of the tower and disappeared from view. Moments later, Nanoc charged up the stairs from below and strode out onto the tower’s top level, his axe held in both hands and his eyes searching for any sign of foes.

“Nanoc! Yer finally here!” shouted Karzak. “The rat done gone over the edge! Get me outta these chains, gimme a blade, an’ we kin go after ‘im!”

Nanoc’s enhanced speed had propelled him ahead of the others and up the last stairs, and he had finally emerged into the open-air, final level of the tower. The stairs ended abruptly, and strong gusts of wind blasted through the spaces between the stone archways that held up the tower’s pointed roof. As Nanoc looked about, he saw that the archways afforded a splendid view of the dark town below. He also saw the carved grotesques perched around the top of the tower and the four enormous bells hanging in the peaked spire, each suspended in its own archway. Seconds later, Danton, Luger, and Aseneth were at his back once more.

"Danton!” shouted Karzak when he saw the Velunese. “Why dinna ya wait fer me, me friend? Mebbe ya dinna know how slow dwarves are with me stubby-legs

and bountiful stomach. Not ta mention, me senses weren't 'xactly perfectly in order after the trip to them wee-bit halfling lassies.”

“My apologies,” said Danton, following Nanoc onto the stone floor of the tower’s observatory and gazing about for any sign of the last were-rat. “It hath not occurred to me that your legs were so much shorter than mine that flight on my part would effectively abandon you to the tender mercies of the rats. Most pleased I am to see that you hath survived the ordeal. And you hath mine assurances that I’ll not make the same mistake again.”

Karzak flashed a toothy grin. “Do ya think it be much fer a return trip after me

be gettin' healed? Actually, I kin use a big plate a' food an' a large casket a' ale!  After me lack a' food, I be thinkin' that me belt be gettin' awfully loose!  An' that would be the biggest tragedy a' all!"

While Danton began fiddling with the lock on the heavy chains that held Karzak in place, Aseneth crouched to assist him. Nanoc and Luger remained at the ready, with weapons still drawn, searching for any sign of the missing were-rat or other foes. However, when the attack came, it did so in a manner that neither expected.

In the blink of an eye, two of the many stone gargoyles that adorned the top of the tower sprang to life and launched themselves at Nanoc and Luger. It happened so quickly that neither had much time to move, but Nanoc’s enhanced speed enabled him to avoid the flashing claws of the flying stone monster, even though he was still bitten by it and gored by its horns (hit for 7 damage).

Luger was less fortunate, and the gargoyle that attacked him raked his armored body, then bit and gored him with such ferocity that he was nearly knocked over the side of the tower (hit for 10 damage).

[Initiative: Nanoc: 18, Danton: 10, Luger: 17, Aseneth: 6, Gargoyles: 10]

“Aaaaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhhh!” screamed Danton. “Will this vile night never end? Now the very stones of this tower do spring to life and attack us? What next? Shall the Oerth itself open up to swallow us alive? Too much it is, I say! Too much! I doth need a vacation, I say!”

With little or nothing left in the way of ranged magic, Danton and Aseneth took up their weapons once more and both went to assist Luger, judging that Nanoc could take care of himself. The two gargoyles flew out of the tower and swung about before diving into the structure—and at the party—once more.

As the creatures blasted through the tower in unison, Nanoc was hit twice more, both glancing cuts by the gargoyle’s claws (2 points damage). While his incredible speed had now faded, he still retained his enhanced strength and used it to great effect, smashing his axe into the body of the gargoyle as it passed by him (attack: 16+14=30, 1+9=10; one hit; 12 damage). The attack chipped away large chunks of stone, but when Nanoc’s second attack missed, the thing flew on past him, out of the tower, and swung around to come at him again.

The second gargoyle smashed into Luger again (hit three times for a total of 11 damage). As it passed by, both Aseneth and the cleric struck the thing (Luger attack: 17+9=26; hit; 8 damage), knocking free bits of stone, but Danton’s rapier slashed harmlessly through the air in its wake (attack: 1+9=10; miss).

Badly injured, Luger withdrew one of his greater healing potions and asked Danton and Aseneth to cover him while he hastily consumed it (cure moderate wounds: +18 HP). When the gargoyle came in again, both the sorceress and the scout managed to strike the thing (Danton attack: 8+9=17; hit; 7 damage), but it still clawed and bit the Velunese (4 damage).

On the other side of the tower-top, Nanoc stood his ground and held his axe high, ready to smash it down on the gargoyle when it made another pass. When it did so, he smashed the axe down onto its winged back (attack: 17+14=31; hit; 10 damage), shrugged off one last bite and claw attack (hit for 6 points) combination, and then spun about to smash the gargoyle into two pieces as it sought to withdraw once more (attack: 15+9=24; hit; 13 damage).

When the second gargoyle came at Luger, Aseneth, and Danton once more, Nanoc was there, stepping in front of it and smashing it to bits just before it would have slashed into Luger yet again (attack: 8+14=22; hit; 12 damage). Bits of stone rained down on the cleric, Danton, and Aseneth, but they were only scratched and bruised.

“Now, if that is quite enough,” said the scout, “let us collect Karzak and be gone from here. I hath had enough excitement this night to last a year. Throw him over your shoulder, Nanoc—I shall deal with the lock and chains in some safer locale.”

“I know what ya mean ‘bout tonight!” agreed Nanoc. “We ain’t had this much fun in ages!”

***

Although Danton would have liked to burn down or otherwise demolish the bell tower, the party lacked the magic or any other means to accomplish such a feat, and they left the place intact when they fled down the stairs and out the front door with Karzak slung over Nanoc’s shoulder. On the way out, the party stopped only long enough for Danton to loot the fine cloak, single set of bracers, and three potions that the were-rats on the penultimate level of the tower had carried.

Once outside, the group traipsed across town to the Stony Gaze, arriving utterly exhausted, save for Nanoc, of course. With only a few hours remaining before dawn, the entire party slept very late the next morning. When the group finally awoke and went for breakfast in the inn’s common room, their entrance caused an uproar, as word of at least some of their previous night’s exploits back and forth across town was on the lips of everyone present.

“You all are truly heroes!” called out Gell the bartender. “Monsters, worms, and were-rats all in one night! Woodstock has never seen anything like it! I think the guard is still mopping up all the monsters and villains you dispatched!”

Amidst the tumult, Gell handed Luger a sheet of parchment, saying a messenger had delivered it earlier in the morning. While Danton exulted in the adulation of the crowd and Nanoc, Aseneth, and Karzak looked on in confusion, the cleric read the paper:

“In gratitude for the services you have rendered to our community, the citizens of Woodstock invite you to a feast in your honor, to be held at the Stony Gaze Tavern on the evening of the morrow. To you we owe a debt that cannot be repaid, but we wish to express our gratitude with splendid food and entertainment.

With heartfelt thanks, Shoomma the Smith, for the merchants of Chatterstreet Market and the citizens of Woodstock.”

After breakfast, the party retired to its rooms to escape the tumult in the common room, and Luger used most of his day’s complement of spells to heal himself, Nanoc, and Karzak. Aseneth had somehow emerged unscathed from the previous night’s events, while Danton felt much better from his minor scrapes after a good sleep (Danton +4 HP, Karzak +31 HP, Nanoc +29 HP, Luger +18 HP).

By the time all of this was accomplished, noon had come and gone, and the party was anxious to leave the inn to accomplish as much as possible before the day was done.

“The time hath come,” pronounced Danton, “to meet Syll the elf once more and see if he may be brought to terms. With Karzak recovered, naught remains to bind us to Woodstock, save recruiting our guide.”

“I would like to check in on Torea and Alein,” said Luger, “and be sure that both are well. There is also the matter of all of us, save Aseneth, having been bitten or cut by the were-rats. I believe we all may have been infected with their lycanthropy, and unless steps are taken, we could all have an unpleasant surprise less than a week from now when Luna rises full in the night sky.”

“I jus’ want some new gear,” spat Karzak. “Those bloody rats dinna leave me with naught but me bloomers. After that, I be thinkin’ I had ‘nuff o’ this town, unless ya wanna visit the little ladies again, eh laddie?”

“I dunno, Danton,” said Nanoc. “This party they’re plannin’ fer us fer tomorrow night sure sounds fun. And that one rat-guy got away. And do we know we got all of those weird hooded spell-guys? Are we sure Woodstock is really okay now?”

“We are also finding much magic things,” said Aseneth. “If all are wanting, I could try to study what it is that we are having.”

________________________________________________________________

Notes for turn 47:

Please send postings for Turn 47 by the end of Friday, March 2nd.

Current date/time/location: 12 Srpanj; approximately 1230; Woodstock

Items gained this turn: 6,000 silver (already divided) as well as one topaz and one amber gem, one cloak, one set of bracers, and three potions (nothing but the silver has been identified or divided).

Undivided Loot previously gained: 6 unknown potions, 2 unknown scrolls, 2 unknown wands (one of which appears to shoot shimmering colors somehow), unknown bracers, unknown ring (all of this currently carried by Nanoc).

Items used/lost/destroyed/sold this turn: Luger’s potions of bull’s strength, cure moderate wounds, and haste, 2 of Danton’s scrolls of cure light wounds, Danton’s wand of magic missiles was used up. All of Karzak’s money and equipment is also gone. There was no sign of any of it in the tower.

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

AC: 17

Hit points: 66/66

New XP: 1425

XP total: 19,231

XP needed: 21,000

Equipment: masterwork great axe, great axe +1, silver-plated short sword, masterwork studded leather armor, 69 arrows, 2 quivers, backpack, waterskin, 24 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 black cloak, two inverted ziggurat pendants; potion of bull’s strength, potion of cure light wounds(X2), potion of cure moderate wounds, potion of water breathing, potion of spider climbing, Aseneth’s House Torquann dragon ring, heavy riding horse and riding equipment, spare light riding horse and equipment, pack mule (mule carries: 3 tents, most of party’s rations and water, ‘peace offerings’ for gnomes), 6 unknown potions, 2 unknown scrolls, 2 unknown wands (one of which appears to shoot shimmering colors somehow), unknown bracers, unknown ring.

Gold: 1960

Silver: 1420

Danton

AC: 15 (16 vs. one opponent)

Hit points: 26/26

New XP: 1425

XP total: 18,481

XP needed: 21,000

Equipment: rapier, 6 daggers, light crossbow, studded leather armor, quiver with 33 bolts, bedroll, backpack, flint & steel, thieves picks, waterskin, 24 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, 8 iron triangles with upside down ‘Y’ inside, 1 protection from fire scroll, 3 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, potion of cure light wounds (X2), cure moderate wounds (X2), scrolls of animal messenger and stone shape, unknown potion from tavern in Nulb, light riding horse and equipment, potion of spider climb, a dozen vials of lantern oil, masterwork thieves’ tools, unknown scroll, unknown potion, rapier taken from were-rat leader (Rat’s Tail), items taken from the bell tower: one topaz and one amber gem, one cloak, one set of bracers, and three potions.

Gold: 1667

Silver: 1200

Luger

AC: 20

Hit Points: 45/45

New XP: 1425

XP total: 13,931

XP needed: 15,000

Equipment: longsword, heavy mace, light x-bow, dagger, 20 bolts, chainmail +1, large steel shield, 3 belt pouches, large bag, 50’ rope, 5 torches, hooded lantern, 3 oil flasks, flint & steel, 24 days rations, silver holy symbol of Heironeus, 3 flasks holy water, 3 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 of cure moderate wounds; Geistblatt (ghost touch longsword +1), light riding horse and equipment, 5 vials of Furyondian Fire.

Spell Selection:

Level 0(5):
Level 1(4+1): Domain: Protection from Evil
Level 2 (3+1): Hold Person, Domain: Aid
Level 3 (2+1): Dispel Magic, Searing Light, Domain: Magic Circle Against Evil

Turn Undead attempts left on current day: 7 of 7

Gold: 297

Silver: 1200

Karzak

AC: 11

Hit Points: 32/38

New XP: 0

XP total: 3,600

XP needed: 6,000

Equipment: none

Gold: 0

Silver: 1200