Session 2: Escape Death House
General Summary
Introduction
The party had previously explored the main house and dungeon of the death house. They begin this session seeking respite from the constant dangers they've faced thus far(No) Rest For The Weary
The party return to the bedroom of Rose & Thorn to patch their wounds. Yenavor and Damakos keep watch in the barred room while the others tend to their wounds. During the rest an ominous scratching eminates from the door, wanting to avoid confrontation both Yenavor and Damakos ready their attacks for whatever may appear allowing the others to continue patching up their wounds. The scratching instead continues inside the room, drawing an invisible line, bisecting the party. The group stands ready to confront whatever may be causing this noise. The sound continues, once it reaches the window a sudden gust of wind extinguishes the lantern, plunging the room into darkness. As Damakos re-lights the lantern a shadow once again appears directly above it, Chi approaches the shadow as Yenavor lets loose his arrow which passes harmlessly through the apparition. Seeing this Damakos aims a blast of Eldritch energy at Chi who is thrown across the room, again passing through the shadow unaffected. The group watch the shadow cautiously, weighing up options as the paladins and Heiman finish resting their bodies. With that, the group decide to leave the shadow and descend back into the dungeon below.Relics Of The Cult
The group descends to the lowest part of the dungeon and find a room containing may relics amassed by the cult. The findings included- A small, mummified, yellow hand with sharp claws
- A knife carved from a human bone
- A dagger with a rat's skull set into the pommel
- A folded cloak made from stitched skin
- A desiccated frog lashed to a stick
- A severed finger
The chanting rises once more as thirteen dark apparitions appear on the ledges overlooking the room. Each one resembles a black-robed figure holding a torch, but the torch's fire is black and seems to draw light into it. Where you'd expect to see faces are voids. "One must die!" they chant, over and over. "One must die! One must die!"The chants of "One must die!" filled the room as they became aware that a creature must be sacrificed on the alter.
Sacrifice?
Damakos attempted to deceive the spirits by placing the skeleton from the prison on the alter, to no effect. He then suggested sacrificing Chi, causing her to break down and flee from her former friend. Fortunately for her Heiman, Sloot and Maveith abhorred the idea; Sloot especially preferred suicide to taking an innocents life. Hearing this Damakos offered to do the deed, and plunged his dagger into the willing Sloot's chest, but before he could deliver a fatal blow a strange mound lunged into action. The chants changed, "Lorgoth the Destroyer, we summon thee!" and with that the strange mound attacked the group. Fearing for their lives Chi, Heiman and Sloot fled the chamber laying down suppressing fire at Lorgoth as they ran. Damakos fled last, attempting to slow the beast with his Eldritch magics, unfortunately his attacks had little effect. Chi, fleeing first, informed Yenavor of the developments in the chamber. Confused by the apparent betrayal of Damakos he readies his bow for any foe that may appear. In the confusion Maevith remains to fight the foe, the only one to stare down the beast at close range, and is felled in short order. The slowest of the group struggle to escape the mound and see what seems to be Maevith's unconscious body inside the mound. One-by-one the party takes the hidden trap-door to the hunting room, only to find the house having undergone a drastic change. The room is filled with acrid poisonous smoke, badly injuring any who enter and completely stealing their vision. Carefully Heiman, Chi and Yenavor make their way through the room and traps they discover, assisting each other and carrying Heiman after he falls unconscious. Sloot meanwhile takes the more direct approach, bursting through the interior walls to avoid several traps. As he does, a swarm of rats emerge and attack the group. With his short-cut, the group of Yenavor, Chi, Heiman and Sloot assist each other and escape to the cold night air, Chi however suffering a near fatal wound in the process. Damakos and Maevith however, were nowhere to be seen.Last Stand
Damakos remained behind in the dungeon, motives unknown. He lost sight of the mound, and Maevith, and escaped to the attic. Fearing the worst, he attempts to flee the house via the most direct means, and jumps out of an attic window. He rejoined the party with the aid of gravity, smashing into the cobblestones below and falling unconscious, in critical condition, from the impact. Seeing this, Sloot ran to his aid, praying to the Gods for divine healing to be passed through his hands; simultaneously Yenavor tends to Chi's wounds in an attempt to stem the blood loss. At this point a vaguely familiar, gaunt, man appears. With his hand on Sloot's shoulder he stands, laughing at the battered and broken group...Missions/Quests Completed
Escaped the Death House!
Notes
Upon exiting the death house the party ascend to level 3
