Sugar Plum Yuletide (Fiendish Maggots)
Note: This adventure is based on the "Banquet of Death" module for 5e. It has been adapted for edition and level.
21 Frostkolt 348 AC
"Will Nala take me to her master," Raven asks.
Nala wags her tail. "Yes."
And with that, the two are off.
The white-furred hound leads the elf into the woods, miles passing beneath their feet. Finally, the dog slows. The stench of rotting flesh hangs heavy in the air. Raven's hand drifts slowly to Nightwatcher's hilt. "Nala, stay," is all he says before approaching the body.
The half-eaten corpse of a man lies on the side of the trail. Judging from his advanced state of decomposition, he’s been there for nearly a tenday. Dozens of maggots are drilling through his body. When Raven approaches, two of them grow to the size of a small bear.
Raven's sword is out in a flash. The maggots rear up, tiny forelimbs raking the air and serrated mouth parts click-clacking as they spread out in an attempt to catch Raven between them. He rushes left, moving to keep from being flanked and launches a powerful overhand blow. Black blood sprays as the adamantite blade chops into the bloated, pale flesh of the giant flesh-eating grub.
The beast lunges, pincers missing by inches, it lashing claws too slow to catch the speedy elf as its companion closes in. Raven begins his true assault. Nightwatcher flashes back and forth, almost faster than the eye can follow. Swaths are maggot meat are hewn away, deep gouges carved into demonic flesh. In moments, the first beast lies dead, sulfuric-scented blood pooling on the forest floor as the second maggot tries its luck. Both forearms are severed with a quick riposte as the swordsman continues his deadly work. Up. Down. Across. Back.
And then, it is over.
Raven circles slowly, listening for any signs of movement, his eyes scanning the shadows. He cleans his blade and slips Nightwatcher back into its sheath before moving to the dead man. "Nala? Is this master?"
The dog barks an affirmative as Raven begins inspecting the body. The shape and location of the wounds indicate that the man was stabbed to death and dumped here. The maggots seem to have been taking advantage of a free meal but, given their size, the idea of one bursting out of Mortimer's stomach sends a shiver up Raven's spine. "A hard way to go."
He looks to Nala, "I will arrange for someone to come collect your master's body. How much farther to Carla?"
"Not far, not far," the dog replies. "Carla in master's house but sharp-ears won't let Nala go home."
"Sharp-ears? What do you mean?" Raven's brow furrows with concern.
The dog's tongue lolls out of her mouth. "Like you, sharp ears. They throw fast stab-sticks when Nala gets close."
"Like me? Elves? Elves won't let you go to your master's cabin and throw... spears...arrows at you when you get too close?"
The dog wags her tail. "Yes!"
Raven frowns. "Why?"
"Carla gave them tree fruits. Then they do what she tells them."
"I see. She gave them cursed food and now she controls them through the maggots. We should head back. Maybe Grotto or that priestess can free these elves from Carla's control. I'd rather not kill innocent victims if I don't have to. Come on, back to town!"
Elf and dog take off at a trot. Raven notices that he has little trouble keeping up with the canine, at least not at first but soon Nala pulls ahead, joyfully running ahead and circling back as she leads the way.
Back at the temple, Dakara leads Grotto through the prayers to drive out the demon infesting Mortimer. The farmer howls in agony, straining against his bonds, sweat pouring off of him in streams. Dakara pours holy water onto the man's forehead and stomach. She passes a flask to Grotto, "Get him to drink this. He's going to need his strength if he is to survive!"
Nala wags her tail. "Yes."
And with that, the two are off.
The white-furred hound leads the elf into the woods, miles passing beneath their feet. Finally, the dog slows. The stench of rotting flesh hangs heavy in the air. Raven's hand drifts slowly to Nightwatcher's hilt. "Nala, stay," is all he says before approaching the body.
The half-eaten corpse of a man lies on the side of the trail. Judging from his advanced state of decomposition, he’s been there for nearly a tenday. Dozens of maggots are drilling through his body. When Raven approaches, two of them grow to the size of a small bear.
Raven's sword is out in a flash. The maggots rear up, tiny forelimbs raking the air and serrated mouth parts click-clacking as they spread out in an attempt to catch Raven between them. He rushes left, moving to keep from being flanked and launches a powerful overhand blow. Black blood sprays as the adamantite blade chops into the bloated, pale flesh of the giant flesh-eating grub.
The beast lunges, pincers missing by inches, it lashing claws too slow to catch the speedy elf as its companion closes in. Raven begins his true assault. Nightwatcher flashes back and forth, almost faster than the eye can follow. Swaths are maggot meat are hewn away, deep gouges carved into demonic flesh. In moments, the first beast lies dead, sulfuric-scented blood pooling on the forest floor as the second maggot tries its luck. Both forearms are severed with a quick riposte as the swordsman continues his deadly work. Up. Down. Across. Back.
And then, it is over.
Raven circles slowly, listening for any signs of movement, his eyes scanning the shadows. He cleans his blade and slips Nightwatcher back into its sheath before moving to the dead man. "Nala? Is this master?"
The dog barks an affirmative as Raven begins inspecting the body. The shape and location of the wounds indicate that the man was stabbed to death and dumped here. The maggots seem to have been taking advantage of a free meal but, given their size, the idea of one bursting out of Mortimer's stomach sends a shiver up Raven's spine. "A hard way to go."
He looks to Nala, "I will arrange for someone to come collect your master's body. How much farther to Carla?"
"Not far, not far," the dog replies. "Carla in master's house but sharp-ears won't let Nala go home."
"Sharp-ears? What do you mean?" Raven's brow furrows with concern.
The dog's tongue lolls out of her mouth. "Like you, sharp ears. They throw fast stab-sticks when Nala gets close."
"Like me? Elves? Elves won't let you go to your master's cabin and throw... spears...arrows at you when you get too close?"
The dog wags her tail. "Yes!"
Raven frowns. "Why?"
"Carla gave them tree fruits. Then they do what she tells them."
"I see. She gave them cursed food and now she controls them through the maggots. We should head back. Maybe Grotto or that priestess can free these elves from Carla's control. I'd rather not kill innocent victims if I don't have to. Come on, back to town!"
Elf and dog take off at a trot. Raven notices that he has little trouble keeping up with the canine, at least not at first but soon Nala pulls ahead, joyfully running ahead and circling back as she leads the way.
Grotto takes the holy water and begins to chant..."The power of Hanseath compels you! The power of Hanseath compels you! The power of Hanseath compels you!"
He then grabs Mortimer firmly by the forehead, pressing his head forcefully against the altar to combat his writhing and violent twitching. He shoves the vial into Mortimer's mouth and pours holy water down his gullet.
After the flask is empty Grotto continues his prayers and continues chanting,"Be gone vile demon! Go back to the abyss from whence you came. The void calls to you!
The power of Hanseath compels you! The power of Hanseath compels you! The power of Hanseath compels you!"
The exorcism is exactly as the dwarf imagined it. Mortimer is tied to a bed, screaming, drooling, convulsing, and cursing in some strange language while Dakara tosses holy water at him. After two hours of an exhausting struggle, the priestess finally breaks the curse. With a deafening scream, Mortimer sits up, snapping the ropes that hold his wrists and rolls over, vomitting up a few maggots before passing out. Dakara rises from her spot at his side and crushes two of them but before Grotto can smash the last of them, two of the grubs grow to enormous proportions and rear up, towering over the two priests. Dakara slumps to the floor, her strength spent during the ritual.
Grotto enters a defensive posture and readies "Inflict Serious Wounds" spell and holds steady waiting for one of the cursed grubs to be within touching distance. In his other hand he holds his great axe ready to strike.
The carnivorous grubs surge forward, mandibles clacking together as they close in on the dwarf. Gnashing jaws snap shut, scraping against the scarred dwarf's left vambrace while the claws drag uselessly against his breastplate.
The second maggot closes in on Dakara and lunged at her. The priestess is barely able to roll out of the way of the bite but its claws open a deep slash down her back, causing her to cry out in pain.
Grotto lays a hand upon the maggot he faces and calls out to his god. Boils and blisters erupt all over the demon larvae and burst, sending a shower of fluid spraying all over everything within reach. Grotto backs away, opening up some space between him snd his foe.
The maggot slithers forward and the dwarf swings with his axe. Ichor sprays as the axe strikes and the grub hisses in pain. A second blow crushes one of the maggot's forearms, leaving it to dangle uselessly as the dwarf closes in. Dakara, still on the far side of the altar, attempts to drag herself away from the maggot pursuing her but the creature keeps pace easily, raking her with its claws once again.
He then grabs Mortimer firmly by the forehead, pressing his head forcefully against the altar to combat his writhing and violent twitching. He shoves the vial into Mortimer's mouth and pours holy water down his gullet.
After the flask is empty Grotto continues his prayers and continues chanting,"Be gone vile demon! Go back to the abyss from whence you came. The void calls to you!
The power of Hanseath compels you! The power of Hanseath compels you! The power of Hanseath compels you!"
The exorcism is exactly as the dwarf imagined it. Mortimer is tied to a bed, screaming, drooling, convulsing, and cursing in some strange language while Dakara tosses holy water at him. After two hours of an exhausting struggle, the priestess finally breaks the curse. With a deafening scream, Mortimer sits up, snapping the ropes that hold his wrists and rolls over, vomitting up a few maggots before passing out. Dakara rises from her spot at his side and crushes two of them but before Grotto can smash the last of them, two of the grubs grow to enormous proportions and rear up, towering over the two priests. Dakara slumps to the floor, her strength spent during the ritual.
Grotto enters a defensive posture and readies "Inflict Serious Wounds" spell and holds steady waiting for one of the cursed grubs to be within touching distance. In his other hand he holds his great axe ready to strike.
The carnivorous grubs surge forward, mandibles clacking together as they close in on the dwarf. Gnashing jaws snap shut, scraping against the scarred dwarf's left vambrace while the claws drag uselessly against his breastplate.
The second maggot closes in on Dakara and lunged at her. The priestess is barely able to roll out of the way of the bite but its claws open a deep slash down her back, causing her to cry out in pain.
Grotto lays a hand upon the maggot he faces and calls out to his god. Boils and blisters erupt all over the demon larvae and burst, sending a shower of fluid spraying all over everything within reach. Grotto backs away, opening up some space between him snd his foe.
The maggot slithers forward and the dwarf swings with his axe. Ichor sprays as the axe strikes and the grub hisses in pain. A second blow crushes one of the maggot's forearms, leaving it to dangle uselessly as the dwarf closes in. Dakara, still on the far side of the altar, attempts to drag herself away from the maggot pursuing her but the creature keeps pace easily, raking her with its claws once again.
Seeing Dakara in peril, he pulls his spell storing great axe and hurls it at the maggot, shouting the command that will release its readied magic. The massive weapon tumbles end over end and sinks deeply into its boneless target. As the blade strikes, it unleashes the magic contained within. The impact bowls the maggot over, knocking it onto its side. Yellow ichor pours from the gash, pooling on the floor of the harvest temple.
Grotto's enemy takes advantage of his momentary distraction to attack once more. Jaws snaps shut on the back of Grotto's leg but the armor holds, turning aside the bite while the grub's remaining claw scratches harmlessly against his back.
Grotto pulls his great axe to deal with his foe. He takes the axe in both hands.
"Hanseath let my blow be true!"
Grotto says, before letting out a mighty roar bringing his axe down upon the vermim. His axe splits the beast in two and it falls, slain by the blow. Dakara's maggot manages to right itself, Grotto's thrown axe falling loose from the injury he inflicted. It mindlessly oozes forward in pursuit of the injured, exhausted priestess.
Grotto draws his returning throwing axe. He grips it with two hands and throws it with all his might at the wounded filth. The axe strikes a solid blow, opening another deep gash before returning to the dwarf's outstretched hand. The maggot continues to slog forward, trailing fluids and dragging its innards behind it as it pursues Dakara.
Grotto's enemy takes advantage of his momentary distraction to attack once more. Jaws snaps shut on the back of Grotto's leg but the armor holds, turning aside the bite while the grub's remaining claw scratches harmlessly against his back.
Grotto pulls his great axe to deal with his foe. He takes the axe in both hands.
"Hanseath let my blow be true!"
Grotto says, before letting out a mighty roar bringing his axe down upon the vermim. His axe splits the beast in two and it falls, slain by the blow. Dakara's maggot manages to right itself, Grotto's thrown axe falling loose from the injury he inflicted. It mindlessly oozes forward in pursuit of the injured, exhausted priestess.
Grotto draws his returning throwing axe. He grips it with two hands and throws it with all his might at the wounded filth. The axe strikes a solid blow, opening another deep gash before returning to the dwarf's outstretched hand. The maggot continues to slog forward, trailing fluids and dragging its innards behind it as it pursues Dakara.
As he approaches, he slips in the puddle of fluids and his first blow goes wild, missing the creature entirely. He catches himself, plants his feet and delivers a second swing, splitting the monster's head with a punishing attack.
Dakara moans softly as she drags herself into a seated position. She mumbles a prayer and her wounds stop bleeding before she looks up at the dwarf, "That does. I'm retiring."
Raven arrives a few minutes later with a white dog in tow. He stops and surveys the carnage. "Nala here knows where Carla is hiding out but there are some elves who may be possessed that are guarding the place. If Mortimer's exorcism worked, I was thinking we could try it on them instead of killing innocent victims."
Dakara moans softly as she drags herself into a seated position. She mumbles a prayer and her wounds stop bleeding before she looks up at the dwarf, "That does. I'm retiring."
Raven arrives a few minutes later with a white dog in tow. He stops and surveys the carnage. "Nala here knows where Carla is hiding out but there are some elves who may be possessed that are guarding the place. If Mortimer's exorcism worked, I was thinking we could try it on them instead of killing innocent victims."
.jpeg)
Comments
Post a Comment