NIGHTWICK ABBEY: The Purple Eater of People, Session 7

 

Due to the holidays, I was not able to write the prior session up, so 7 and 8 will be back to back.

Previously...

The Party

Blossom (Rogue 1)
Bertol (Rogue 1)
Mayfly (Magic-User 1)
Gurkle (Frogling 1)
Gelb (Fighter 1) 
Hirelings: Red, Curly, Pavel, Sibet, Assmus, Kunrat

At the Medusa's Head...

In the two weeks sense the last outing the party spends some time patching themselves up. Mayfly takes this opportunity to transcribe a Protection from Evil scroll given it was this spell that saved him from the iron statues in the mausoleum. In addition, Mayfly converted some of his silver into an adornment for his person-- a necklace in the constellation of the Basilisk. 

(Player Note: Adornment allows conversion of coin into XP for a 2:1 basis)

Session 7 Map;
new exploration (purple)

RIGHT TOWER: The party chose once again the right tower as it is the best-known tower and descended once more into Nightwick Abbey.

NORTHWESTERN DOOR: The party creeps through familiar territory and arrives at the southern door to the Reading Room. As a precaution, two previous doors were spiked to allow quick exit.

SOUTHERN HALLWAY: Gelb gets covered in purple viscous fluid after cracking the door trying to get it open. The second attempt was a success and the party could see a long hallway with a door east and west.

BATTLE IN THE SOUTHERN HALLWAY: As the party moves south, a rushling of robe from the north fills the group with dread. The battleline is drawn at the door. The party quickly forms up. Fighter Gelb and man-at-arms Kunrat are in the front rank with Red and Currly forming the second rank with spears. Bertol looks for opportunity while Mayfly and Blossum throw harsh language.

The party sezies the iniative and Kunrat plants his axe deep into the torso of the first cultist-- one down! Red and Gelb send another back to the Pit to join his friend! The scrum shift as more cultist unfazed by death seek to bleed the party and push forth.  Next round, Gleb scores a hit and Kunrat follows with a killing blow. Blood lusted the cultist fight on but zeal does not make up for their lack of skill-- the party takes only a few scapes. Kunrat lands a blow which is followed quickly by spear stabs from Currly and Red yeild anothing cultist corpse! But vengence draws near as Gelb is severly injured in a follow-up attack. At the thought of losing a fellow human to this satantic nest, Red returns Gelb's injury with a killing blow! Howling the cultist continue their assault, but more are laid to rest as the party number has them at a 4 to 1 ratio now.

NOT A MOMENTS REST: The party checks the eastern door, hears nothing, and pops it open-- disturbing to cadavarites who rush the party! Wary from the battle, Gurkle takes a nasty blow from fetid fingernails. Enraged the party responds with force to avenge the favored frog. A few silvers are found in reward (7 SP)

DINING HALL DEPECTIONS OF GOD: The frogling showing no fear encourages the party to press on. Following the loud THWACK! THWACK! the party moves throught the western door. The dining hall is old and crumbling. Tables break and chair desentigrate at the slighest pressure. The only thing not touched by age is a stone base relief to the north.

Like earlier depections of The Lady, this art too is heterical showing the perfect sphere of God as flattened top and bottom like a slightly squished ball. The stone the depiction is made out of almost seems like dull metal and very smooth to the touch. Also odd is that this sphere does not sit on the top of the world as it normally should, but instead sits over The Pit. And enthroned in The Pit is the devil-lord Asmodeus and the crown of many-eyes (picture left).

THE HEAD BUTCHER: As Mayfly concludes the investigations of the art, a vile stench preceeds a thunderous knock at one of the southern doors. Before one can say "sorry we don't want any", the door explodes as a large mass of devilman squeezes its odius bulk through the door. The monsterous clever in hand is more than enough to send the party rushing to the door. Poor Gurkle is targeted due to owning a pair of tasty frog legs-- highly valued to the denizens of Nightwick (RIP Burp Frogling). The attack is vicious but Gurkle is able to make it out alive as the party bolts toward the exit! It was only the poor hireling Sibit who might have been hangstrung by Bertol in order to distract the giant devilman. But who knows?! It was all so confusing with the runing, the screaming, and the eye-watering stench no one could see or think straight.

While knowlege is its own reward, silver is a lot shinier and pays for drink, but alas there was no cutlery to steal this time. But the party did sharpen its swords on 8 cultists and 2 cadaverites (~200 XP)

...back to The Medusa's Head.