Gygax & Greyhawk Session # 52- The Black Chapel

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Skeef Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 6/ Thief 6) 
Goro (Half Orc Cleric 5 / Fighter 6) 
Chanee (Human Paladin 3)

[Svagola (Human Fighter 4)]

Date/Time
Needfest 577 Sunday - Needfest 577 Earthday

Fully recovered from the excursion to Avernus, Goro is surprised to find himself summoned once more to the Temple of Heironeous, and in the middle of the Needfest celebrations no less! Brought before the High Priest, the Glorious Sonnen Tarrikastier,  he is told the faith once more needs his service. The last few caravans carrying platinum from the mines above Calbut have reported attacks by strange blob-like humanoids. A priest of Heironeous travelling with the most recent group identified them as lemures.  The High Priest heavily hints that the timing with the party's recent return from Avernus is uncanny, and he 'suggests'  it would be in the party's best interest to follow up and deal with whatever is causing the incursions. 

The party agrees and make ready to trudge through the deep mountain snows to the site of the attacks. Arriving after several days of travel, they leave their horses at a nearby farm and climb the pine covered slopes in the direction from which the lemures have come. After a few hours they approach a clearing; at the centre stands a square black structure about 100' across. And halfway between them and the structure stands a figure, back turned to them. The party approaches cautiously and hails the figure. It is a woman of one of the northern barbarian tribes by her dress, holding a red-rune engraved sword in her hand. But she is friendly, and they learn she too is on the trail of devils. Or to be precise, her sword Hellrazer is leading her on this path. They are also a bit startled when the sword itself speaks to them, urging them in hollow tones into the solid black stone building. And so the two join the party on their quest. 

Inside the building they find that is it dedicated to Moloch, arch-duke and viceroy of the seventh level of hell (Malbolge), ruling in the name of Baalzebul Lord of Lies. There is also evidence that postulates must shave their bodies  before entering the viceroy's service. There is a stairway descending steep and deep below the surface, leading to a corridor of statues. These are of bald humans dressed in grey robes. On each base is a sigal that Skeef understands to be the names of the figures on the plinth. Two plinths are empty, tagged with the sigal for 'self'. Their exploitation is interrupted by a pair of robed figures armed with scourges, who attack but are successfully defeated. 

Further exploration leads to a massive ceremonial chamber hung with banners of black and red. At the centre is round black stone, split down the middle as if by great force. As they examine the stone, 4 lemures pour forth from the split and attack the party. When these are defeated by sword and holy water the party tears down some banner and stuffs them in the crack before moving on.  A side passage leads to a long narrow gallery painted with frescoes of diabolic torture ranging from banal flagellation  to truly horrific and unspeakable deeds. This causes the paladin to break, and Chanee runs in fear from the awful images. 

Collecting the now bashful paladin, the party pushes on, entering what appears to be a small office. An opened lock lies on the table, and the walls are covered in shelves of identical leather bound books. Skeef takes several down and find they are full of names and nothing more. The books range from brand new to old and brittle. Suddenly a robed figure rushes out of an adjacent shadowy room, but the attacking figure is soon slain. They recover a key from the body. Examination of two adjacent rooms uncover one filled with spare robes, both old and new. The other is filled with a variety of objects, neatly stacked, and giving the uncomfortable sense of having been taken from victims ... 

GAINS

none

KILLS/VICTORIES

3 cultists of Moloch

4 lemures

LOSSES

none