Unless I'm wrong, this is where everyone is:
BROTHER AQUILA, with the Rebukers and the Knights, has just crushed one of Lolth's manifestations near the Death Tower.
DECINQUE has climbed the Death Tower and ascended, if that's really the word, to the Death Dimension.
JUNIUS, badly wounded in the torso, has summoned the Legion of the Dawn, which is fighting it out with Lolth. She has already used invisibly fine spiderwebs to choke one of the Legion to death, and is using spells to poison others, but they're shooting her to pieces. Junius' Romans are lying around in various stages of severe injury. They are near the Fire Tower.
GNORFANK and BJERN are fighting Lolth hand to hand, to hand to hand to hand to hand. Plus she has two more. Gnorfank is wounded unto death, almost, and Bjern is somewhat cut up. They are under the thread connecting the Fire tower to the Earth tower.
ROSA, PETER and ELROND are near Stranthor the pegasus, facing a version of Lolth across a lake of fire neither can cross. Also near Lolth is a rock monster, which has no legs and cannot move, but clearly wants them to come within arm's reach to receive a hug, or something. Rocks are your friends.
They are closest to the Earth tower, which Lolth and rock guy are defending.
SYLVIA is cutting the webbing restricting Gnorfank and Bjern. She's sort of in the middle of the battlefield.
RETARIUS and RINGORIX have slain their spiders, plus some other spiders, and now might be planning to resume their charge toward the Water tower, but have not actually done so. They're also not fighting a version of Lolth, which is nice.
SIR ADELPHIS is near the Air Tower, no longer defended by the Living Hurricane. Actually, if I remember right, he's out of enemies for the moment. He's also Lolthless.
COUNT BRASS has ascended the Air tower and is in the Air Dimension. Oh, and he has the Runestaff.
I confess I do not remember who has the Mad God's Amulet, or the Sanity Grenade, as we've taken to calling it around here.
Any corrections before we kick off?
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Decinque in the Death World
Decinque arrives from the mouth of a giant skull into a world so dim it's almost black. But he can still make out heaps of skulls, ridges of black sand, towers of bizarre glossy black stone carved into the shape of snakelike tentacles wrapped around each other ...
... and Molasar. He's over by the base of a tomb, half sunken into the soil like a sinking ship. From the tomb, another black thread pierces skyward, connected to a tiny object in the sky which looks like the Demonweb seen from above.
"You," Molasar declares, "I do not know. But you are among those who sent me to this place, further from the living than I should like. I have been here for some time, grave robber. Everyone here is dead. And there is no warm, living blood to drink ..."
Molasar throws back his cloak, which forms into huge batlike wings on his back.
"... except YOURS."
Molasar hunches over strangely, flexing his back muscles so that he can hurl himself into the air and come down on Decinque from above.
(Sylvia can actually see this, as though far away, through the Jewel in the Skull. So everyone could at least have a chance to be told what's going on with Decinque.)
... and Molasar. He's over by the base of a tomb, half sunken into the soil like a sinking ship. From the tomb, another black thread pierces skyward, connected to a tiny object in the sky which looks like the Demonweb seen from above.
"You," Molasar declares, "I do not know. But you are among those who sent me to this place, further from the living than I should like. I have been here for some time, grave robber. Everyone here is dead. And there is no warm, living blood to drink ..."
Molasar throws back his cloak, which forms into huge batlike wings on his back.
"... except YOURS."
Molasar hunches over strangely, flexing his back muscles so that he can hurl himself into the air and come down on Decinque from above.
(Sylvia can actually see this, as though far away, through the Jewel in the Skull. So everyone could at least have a chance to be told what's going on with Decinque.)
A Fact
Everyone except Brother Aquila (well, and Decinque and Count Brass, I guess) notices that the Lolth they are fighting now only has five glowing red eyes, not six. When Brother Aquila hammer-smashed the Lolth he was fighting, one of her eyes went out everywhere.
Just a note.
Just a note.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Chaos in the Demonweb!
Well.
Surrounded by spider demons, JUNIUS looks at Lolth through the Coin of Truth. He sees odd shimmerings he can't identify, but also perceives that the five odd towers of fire near the base of the five dimensional strands stretching into the sky are each manifestations of Lolth herself. Kill them, or even one of them, and she might die!
So the formation of Romans explodes outwards like a pool break, with:
JUNIUS and his staff attacking the FIRE tower. Aristocles the Magus gathers the fire into his hands, allowing Junius to cut the ring of runes containing the flames. Whoosh! Junius and his staff get singed. Also, Lolth emerges from the flames and attacks. Junius gets cut by Lolth's foremost spider-claws; the Sword of the Dawn just clangs off Lolth's exoskeleton. When he throws the Eagle of the Twentieth at Lolth, she catches it and hurls it back, stabbing Junius quite badly. He, however, does not lose consciousness, and summons the Legion of the Dawn, which engages her in battle.
Lolth: Do you really think your Sword of the Dawn can save you, here, in my own private Hell?
(Legion of the Dawn arrives)
Oh.
RETARIUS and his Belgae, heading for the WATER tower, are sidetracked by a pair of giant spiders, but they manage to kill them. Only Retarius and Ringorix, last king of the Belgae, are still on their feet when the spider runs away. Ringorix chases and kills it just a few feet from the outstretched fingertips of a massive stone monster which cannot move out of its pit.
COUNT BRASS and SIR ADELPHIS attack the AIR tower. Sir Adelphis climbs up a giant spider's back and stabs it in the head, while Count Brass is sacked and webbed up by another spider. Sir Adelphis manages to free Count Brass, who cooks the spider with his flame-lance. Then a Living Hurricane attacks, becoming disoriented by Sir Adelphis' prayers and winding up on the other side of the Demonweb, knocking aside a few spiders on the way. ROSA dispels it, as it is unnatural.
Beset by other spidery fiends, Count Brass seizes the white thread and whoosh! He is bodily transported away from the Demonweb and up to a world of Air.
ROSA and her friends, including Elrond, attack the EARTH tower. While Rosa fires arrows at a transparent Phase Spider which exists only partially in this dimension, Peter and Elrond destroy the tower of flame, revealing yet another Lolth.
BROTHER AQUILA, the Three Rebukers, the Knights of St. Michael, and DECINQUE attack the DEATH tower. The giant skull guarding it locks its gaze on two knights, who rot away to liquid in an instant, their souls being trapped in the skulls' ruby eyes. Decinque pries one eye out and smashes it, then runs around the skull, evading its lethal gaze. He then climbs up the Death Tower, follows the Black Thread, and is whisked away to a world of Death.
Voluntarily.
Brother Aquila rebukes a zombie dragon so firmly that it flees, and hides as he comes closer. The Three Rebukers are attacked by the Phase Spider, which bites Petrus and carries him off to another dimension.
Putting out the flame pillar reveals, yes, another Lolth, who prepares to attack. Brother Aquila uses the Hammer of Witches to smash Lolth, breaking her back and destroying her body. Her disembodied eyes float away, but hey, we got one of her!
GNORFANK and BJERN attacking Lolth herself, get webbed up by a spider. Rosa shoots it dead, while Sylvia cuts its thread and releases Gnorfank and Bjern. They attack Lolth, who stabs Gnorfank very badly and cuts Bjern semi-fatally. But Rosa's arrows distract Lolth from administering the killing blow.
Many heroes are down, some may be dead, and three are in completely different dimensions? Will they be referred to in the chronicles as the Three Lucky Ones? Stay tuned ...
Surrounded by spider demons, JUNIUS looks at Lolth through the Coin of Truth. He sees odd shimmerings he can't identify, but also perceives that the five odd towers of fire near the base of the five dimensional strands stretching into the sky are each manifestations of Lolth herself. Kill them, or even one of them, and she might die!
So the formation of Romans explodes outwards like a pool break, with:
JUNIUS and his staff attacking the FIRE tower. Aristocles the Magus gathers the fire into his hands, allowing Junius to cut the ring of runes containing the flames. Whoosh! Junius and his staff get singed. Also, Lolth emerges from the flames and attacks. Junius gets cut by Lolth's foremost spider-claws; the Sword of the Dawn just clangs off Lolth's exoskeleton. When he throws the Eagle of the Twentieth at Lolth, she catches it and hurls it back, stabbing Junius quite badly. He, however, does not lose consciousness, and summons the Legion of the Dawn, which engages her in battle.
Lolth: Do you really think your Sword of the Dawn can save you, here, in my own private Hell?
(Legion of the Dawn arrives)
Oh.
RETARIUS and his Belgae, heading for the WATER tower, are sidetracked by a pair of giant spiders, but they manage to kill them. Only Retarius and Ringorix, last king of the Belgae, are still on their feet when the spider runs away. Ringorix chases and kills it just a few feet from the outstretched fingertips of a massive stone monster which cannot move out of its pit.
COUNT BRASS and SIR ADELPHIS attack the AIR tower. Sir Adelphis climbs up a giant spider's back and stabs it in the head, while Count Brass is sacked and webbed up by another spider. Sir Adelphis manages to free Count Brass, who cooks the spider with his flame-lance. Then a Living Hurricane attacks, becoming disoriented by Sir Adelphis' prayers and winding up on the other side of the Demonweb, knocking aside a few spiders on the way. ROSA dispels it, as it is unnatural.
Beset by other spidery fiends, Count Brass seizes the white thread and whoosh! He is bodily transported away from the Demonweb and up to a world of Air.
ROSA and her friends, including Elrond, attack the EARTH tower. While Rosa fires arrows at a transparent Phase Spider which exists only partially in this dimension, Peter and Elrond destroy the tower of flame, revealing yet another Lolth.
BROTHER AQUILA, the Three Rebukers, the Knights of St. Michael, and DECINQUE attack the DEATH tower. The giant skull guarding it locks its gaze on two knights, who rot away to liquid in an instant, their souls being trapped in the skulls' ruby eyes. Decinque pries one eye out and smashes it, then runs around the skull, evading its lethal gaze. He then climbs up the Death Tower, follows the Black Thread, and is whisked away to a world of Death.
Voluntarily.
Brother Aquila rebukes a zombie dragon so firmly that it flees, and hides as he comes closer. The Three Rebukers are attacked by the Phase Spider, which bites Petrus and carries him off to another dimension.
Putting out the flame pillar reveals, yes, another Lolth, who prepares to attack. Brother Aquila uses the Hammer of Witches to smash Lolth, breaking her back and destroying her body. Her disembodied eyes float away, but hey, we got one of her!
GNORFANK and BJERN attacking Lolth herself, get webbed up by a spider. Rosa shoots it dead, while Sylvia cuts its thread and releases Gnorfank and Bjern. They attack Lolth, who stabs Gnorfank very badly and cuts Bjern semi-fatally. But Rosa's arrows distract Lolth from administering the killing blow.
Many heroes are down, some may be dead, and three are in completely different dimensions? Will they be referred to in the chronicles as the Three Lucky Ones? Stay tuned ...
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Count Brass Advises
Count Brass says:
"She can't be everywhere at once. The monsters surrounding us are of no concern to such heroes as we, but Lolth herself is the greatest obstacle.
"So I could attack her, holding her attention whIle the rest of you escape up on of these five threads extending overhead. I can surely hold her attention for long enough, I am sure of it."
"What an imperishable addition to my legend, to grapple with the Demon Queen in the very pit of Hell!
"But it wouldn't do to have her get her hands on the runestaff. I shall have to hand it to someone for safe keeping.
"Ah, but which thread to follow? The black one is anchored in a tower of skulls.
The orange thread emerges from a volcano''s throat.
The green thread grows out of a tower of vines and leaves.
The white thead comes from a box full of whirling winds.
And the blue thread leaps up from a crystalline geyser, as clear as it is cold.
"She can't be everywhere at once. The monsters surrounding us are of no concern to such heroes as we, but Lolth herself is the greatest obstacle.
"So I could attack her, holding her attention whIle the rest of you escape up on of these five threads extending overhead. I can surely hold her attention for long enough, I am sure of it."
"What an imperishable addition to my legend, to grapple with the Demon Queen in the very pit of Hell!
"But it wouldn't do to have her get her hands on the runestaff. I shall have to hand it to someone for safe keeping.
"Ah, but which thread to follow? The black one is anchored in a tower of skulls.
The orange thread emerges from a volcano''s throat.
The green thread grows out of a tower of vines and leaves.
The white thead comes from a box full of whirling winds.
And the blue thread leaps up from a crystalline geyser, as clear as it is cold.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Elrond on hell
Elrond says,
"This is NOT hell. It may be important that you know that."
"No matter what the queen of spiders may say, she is not God and therefore cannot damn any soul to perdition. Hell is where there is no hope of the mercy of god. That condition is never entirely true. But if you believe there is no hope, then there is in fact no hope."
"Also, this is not the farthest place from god. Observe the Web lines rising from this place, anchored in the distant sky ... they are holding this place of spiders aloft. There is farther yet that lolth may fall."
"This is NOT hell. It may be important that you know that."
"No matter what the queen of spiders may say, she is not God and therefore cannot damn any soul to perdition. Hell is where there is no hope of the mercy of god. That condition is never entirely true. But if you believe there is no hope, then there is in fact no hope."
"Also, this is not the farthest place from god. Observe the Web lines rising from this place, anchored in the distant sky ... they are holding this place of spiders aloft. There is farther yet that lolth may fall."
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
Trap of the Spider Queen
The Valerians stop at Rome to pick up the Three Rebukers, the Knights of St. Michael, the wizard Aristocles, Peter the engineer, and anyone else they think they might need. Then they head for Spoletum, the Emperor's summer palace, menaced by orc armies.
They arrive just as some goblins are attacking the Emperor at the beach. But they only brought two goblin shamans, and they're really not a match for experienced dungeoneers. Except for one of the Emperor's bodyguards, whose spider amulet makes him try and kill his master. Fortunately, Bjern makes a super-long hammer throw and smacks the assassin, and then the Emperor shoots him dead with his hunting bow.
"Demons. They're made to be shot. Like poets."
His Majesty invites everyone to lunch, taking special note of Pouncequick's bravery and Decinque's fine clothes.
Meanwhile, Junius has prepared a master plan. Briefly, the Emperor will step into a stasis box and appear to be dead. All will bewail his death, apparently at Lolth's hands. Then Sylvia will be shown a statue of Our Lady trampling Lolth underfoot. Lolth will be so wroth that she will come out, and we'll trap her in the other stasis box.
Phases One and Two go fine! Then a flood of black spiders pours into the tent. Pouncequick uses a spell to drive Lolth out of the jewel in Sylvia's skull, where she had been watching. A violet vapor with glaring red eyes emerges.
Brother Aquila condemns her to the foul hells from which she sprang. Lolth agrees.
The rebukers light some incense, but for some reason it all burns up at once, filling the tent with choking smoke. Ringorix, Last King of the Belgae, opens the tent flap to get fresh air.
Eerie blue light floods in from outside.
"I have returned to the hells from which I came," mocks Lolth's voice. "I hope you like it ..."
Because the tent, the knights, the rebukers, and the Emperor of Rome himself (in a box), have been dropped into Lolth's Demonweb!
They arrive just as some goblins are attacking the Emperor at the beach. But they only brought two goblin shamans, and they're really not a match for experienced dungeoneers. Except for one of the Emperor's bodyguards, whose spider amulet makes him try and kill his master. Fortunately, Bjern makes a super-long hammer throw and smacks the assassin, and then the Emperor shoots him dead with his hunting bow.
"Demons. They're made to be shot. Like poets."
His Majesty invites everyone to lunch, taking special note of Pouncequick's bravery and Decinque's fine clothes.
Meanwhile, Junius has prepared a master plan. Briefly, the Emperor will step into a stasis box and appear to be dead. All will bewail his death, apparently at Lolth's hands. Then Sylvia will be shown a statue of Our Lady trampling Lolth underfoot. Lolth will be so wroth that she will come out, and we'll trap her in the other stasis box.
Phases One and Two go fine! Then a flood of black spiders pours into the tent. Pouncequick uses a spell to drive Lolth out of the jewel in Sylvia's skull, where she had been watching. A violet vapor with glaring red eyes emerges.
Brother Aquila condemns her to the foul hells from which she sprang. Lolth agrees.
The rebukers light some incense, but for some reason it all burns up at once, filling the tent with choking smoke. Ringorix, Last King of the Belgae, opens the tent flap to get fresh air.
Eerie blue light floods in from outside.
"I have returned to the hells from which I came," mocks Lolth's voice. "I hope you like it ..."
Because the tent, the knights, the rebukers, and the Emperor of Rome himself (in a box), have been dropped into Lolth's Demonweb!
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