Session 9: Return to the Catacombs

Session Date: 16 August 2011

Game Date: Monday 12 Sept 4711

The Sandpoint Heroes woke up early on Monday morning, and had a quick breakfast at the Rusty Dragon before gearing up for another foray into the catacombs under the town. Everyone felt refreshed and ready for another adventure.

They re-entered the smuggling tunnel through the Glassworks cellar, and followed the tunnel to the first intersection, turning to the west. They followed that passage back to the natural cave where they had killed the strange creatures the day before. However, as they approached the cavern, they noted that blood from their fight yesterday was still on the floor, but the bodies of the creatures weren't there. As they passed the entrance to the dead-end natural cavern, two more of the same creatures lurched toward them, striking with their claws!

However, as they fought, they noticed that there was something different about these creatures. They moved with a jerky clumsiness, there was no spark of rage or emotion that they had seen yesterday, and most disturbing, these creatures bore horrible bloody wounds that did not seem to still be bleeding. Declan shouted,"They're undead! I think they're zombies!" as two more shambled from the northern passage.

While the fact that they were fighting the animated corpses of the monsters they'd fought yesterday was very disturbing, the zombies were far less-effective combatants. The party destroyed the abominations before too long, while taking only minimal damage themselves. Halfred suggested chopping up the zombie corpses to prevent whoever animated them from doing it again. The party agreed, and commenced chopping.

The Heroes entered the complex again, and finding nothing in the entry room, proceeded to the first junction in the hallway. They decided to turn right this time, and followed the passage a short way to an irregularly-shaped room with a dais and altar on the back wall. The walls were carved with images of many foul-looking monsters, and the altar itself bore the carved image of the head of a three-eyed jackal. Declan identified it as the symbol of Lamashtu: The Demon Mother of Monsters. On the top of the altar was a basin-shaped depression, which was filled with water that seemed perfectly clear but smelled foul. MacGreggor took a flask of the water for future study. Charrone suggested that it was probably unholy water of some kind, and perhaps even a rumored unholy substance called "Waters of Lamashtu" which bestowed a dark gift to those foolish or devout enough to drink it. MacGreggor declined to sample the water. Ted and Larissa examined a suspicious-looking alcove, but were not able to figure out its purpose. Charrone sensed a palpable aura of evil in this place, and suggested that they get going-- which they did.

They walked past the statue room, and came to the door to the prison, where they had fought their second battle with the strange creatures. Larissa heard a shuffling and moaning on the other side of the door, so she opened it very carefully-- which was a good thing, because on the platform on the other side of the door were six humanoid zombies!

Declan summoned the power of the Dawnflower against the undead, and many of the zombies seemed to sizzle in concentrated sunlight. Charrone and Halfred waded into combat, and Larissa fired arrows into the frey. MacGreggor fired some magic rays at the zombies, and Ted used his telekinetic attack against them. The zombies put up a hard fight, slamming Halfred and Charrone a couple of times each, but the party was able to destroy them. and enter the room.

[To Be Conitnued...]