(047) The Lonely Abbey

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
So it is.

Desmond/Mondes completes his gruesome task perhaps too eagerly, while Wen illuminates the passage in either direction.

All is eerily quiet... so the company retreat to the burned out library and draw the heavy wooden door shut behind them.

Josiane and Wen stand vigil by the door while Dieter, Dorgan and Desmond/Mondes move a little way inside to dump their fighting gear and attend to one another's numerous hurts. They are a sorry bunch; cut and scratched and turn and bruised in a multitude of ways.

They begin to sluice the worst of the sweat and blood away with clean water, then take deep refreshing drafts. A few of their choicest victuals are consumed to renew their energy while cuts and grazes are staunched, armour is straightened, and straps and buckles are set right.

Meanwhile...


{1d6}

[mgtremaine]

mgtremaine wrote:
Meanwhile.....Wen is hoping to make it out alive.

[waysoftheearth]

doctorx wrote:
Josiane watches fore and aft, (and even throws in up and down on occasion), watching carefully for threat from any direction...

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
{Wandering monster check is in the affirmative, so what remains is a surprise check. Those resting will be surprised on a 3+, those watching surprised on a 5+. 1d6=3}


It is well that Josiane keeps her watch so vigilantly... for while the others are busy with their packs, water skins, wounds and bandages she catches a glimpse of a shadow that flicks between the bookshelves beyond those that are laid up.

Instinctively, she realises her fellows are about to be caught unawares!


{Josiane and Wen are by the outer door. Dieter, Dorgan and Desmond/Mondes are sitting/kneeling inside the room. The enemy come from the shelved area beyond them.}

Wen hasn't seen the enemy, but he has seen Josiane startle.

There is but a moment to act... What to do?

[mgtremaine]

mgtremaine wrote:
Wen's instinct would be defensive, knowing full well that he is vulnerable. At Josiane start he would step behind the knight, raise his torch as if it was a barrier, draw the floating candles in the direction that Josiane is looking and cast his leer filled gaze towards the shadow.

occ: (whew, that's his instinct you get to decide how that plays out ;p)

[waysoftheearth]

sulldawga wrote:
As soon as Dorgan notices Josiane and Wen reacting to a threat, he'll snatch up Mads Cold Iron Axe and his shield and rush to their defense.

[waysoftheearth]

doctorx wrote:
"To arms! To arms!" cries the Vagabond Knight; "The enemy is upon us!"

She races to put herself between the foe and her wounded friends.

Does this shadow appear to be attached to anything, or is it of the pesky kind that wanders around on its own?

[waysoftheearth]

ehiker133 wrote:
"What?" Desmond asks, as he and Mondes don helms and grab sword and shield.

"Carn't git a momn'ts rest here," grumbles Mondes.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Josiane's eyes widen in horror as an unspeakable apparition floats silently from the blackest shadows purposed to descend upon her unwary fellows.

Wen's red eyes follow hers and he chokes back a gasp as the Knight maiden cries out her warning.

Deiter, Dorgon and Desmond/Mondes scramble for their arms, but all too late!

A wretchedly bleeding brain-thing spanning 5ft of air and possessing a giant beak and a ghastly medley of reaching, purple tentacles lurches soundlessly from the dark...

{Target acquisition, 1-2=Dieter, 3-4=Dorgan, 5-6=Desmond/Mondes. 1d6=1, Dieter. 1d20=7,3 vs rear AC with surprise still misses! A stroke of luck for Dieter.}

...to lash and grab at Dieter with a swarm of foul tentacles as Dorgan and Desmond/Mondes screech and throw themselves aside. By amazing luck Dieter twists, and kicks frantically as the tentacles rip shield and helm and pack away in desperation to get to him. But he somehow manages to roll and cringe and staying just out of its terrible grasp.

The mere stench of the abominable levitating brain-thing is sickening -- the thought of its touch causes stout knees to knock.


{Your rest has been interrupted, so hit points have not yet been regained.

"It" is looming right over Dieter. Dieter is still prone on the ground. Dorgan and Desmond/Mondes are disarmed but able to get up without impediment. Josiane and Wen are ready.}


What to do?

[mgtremaine]

mgtremaine wrote:
ooc: I got a bad feeling about this.... [img]images/smiley/sad.png[/img]

Wen would leap forward in a act of desperate bravery. He would bore his red burning gaze directly into the things strange flesh and thrust his torch into it hoping to draw it off of the prone Dieter. Once the burning torch has been applied, hopefully to positive affect, he would try to leap back to avoid prolonged attack from the deadly waving tentacles.