By the time you reach the top of the stairs the witchfinder is stopped over, gasping for breath. He waves away your attempts to help him.
'I'm fine,' he snaps hoarsely. 'I'll be even better when I find that cure...'
Reminded of the urgency of the mission, you hurry towards the double-doors of the church. As you grab hold of the handles to push them apart, the building suddenly trembles with a loud peal of organ music. The doors fly open of their own accord, revealing a narrow nave lined with stone pews and flickering candles.
'What were you saying about theatrics?' You smirk, stepping through the arched doorway. Eldias follows behind, his sallow features twisted with pain.
'Beware the reverend,' he hisses through fanged teeth. 'I may not be able to help you.'
At the far end of the church you see an immense reed organ, its wooden pipes rising up to a mountainous peak. Sat at the organ, with his back to you, is a man with wild white hair. He throws back his head, cackling with delight, as his pale fingers play skillfully across the keys.
'Come! Come!' he spins round in the chair, the music ending abruptly. 'And Judah said unto his flock, let the sinners come to me: those have forsaken the light. For here they will find peace everlasting.'
He rises up off the chair, sending dust motes dancing from his tattered robes. The man is clearly one of the undead, his green-tinged skin stretched tight over ridges of bone. His appearance draws you up short, halting your advance. Eldias slumps into one of the pews, head lowered, breath rasping in his lungs.
'Do you see them?' he gasps. 'Books, scrolls...anything?'
You quickly scan behind the reverend, to where a set of stairs lead up to an altar. Piled on top of it are a number of leather-bound books, coated in dirt and cobwebs. 'I see them,' you whisper.
Eldias pushes himself to his feet. 'Then let's do this.'
A crack of thunder shakes the shattered glass in the windows.
'Ah, a witchfinder!' grins the reverend. 'The fist, the blade, the retribution of the One God.' He frowns, eyes twinkling in the lantern light. 'But you have lost your way, haven't you? Fallen from the path of the righteous.' He raises his hands, leaning back to address the heavens. 'Come to me, my children of the night. Let us test this one's faith.'
You hear a gibbering, chattering sound coming from outside. It grows in volume, joined by the scrape of claws on stone. Fearful of what you will discover, you run over to one of the broken windows. At first you are met by an impenetrable dark, then a flicker of lightning illuminates the sea of bodies hurtling up the stairs to the church. They look like animals, running on all fours, but their faces are almost human—twisted into bestial shapes.
'Ghouls!' you cry out in horror.
Eldias draws his pistols, springing onto the back of the pew. 'Take out the reverend,' he orders, fixing his gaze on the doors of the church. 'I'll hold back this filth.'
You charge towards the undead priest, as the first of the ghoulish horde pour into the church:
| Speed | Magic | Armor | Health
|
| Reverend | 2 | 3 | 2 | 50 |
Special Abilities
Pest control: Eldias is shooting at the oncoming tide of ghouls. At the
end of each combat round, roll 1 die. If the result is 1 or 2, then a ghoul has managed to get past Eldias and is now attacking you with its claws, inflicting 2 damage at the
start of every combat round. (Note: you take 2 damage from each ghoul that gets past Eldias.) If the result is 3 or more, then Eldias has fended off the ghouls and destroyed any that are attacking you.
Undead: You may use your
ashes,
holy water and
holy protector abilities against the reverend.
Round 1: Patio 7+3 (charm'd, 11+3), Reverend 9+2. Damage 5+4+2 (savagery'd)-2=9, Reverend is at 41. *DoTs* Reverend is at 39. Die roll: 3, no ghouls.
Round 2: Patio 10+3, Reverend 5+2. Damage 1+4-2=3, Reverend is at 36. *DoTs* Reverend is at 34. Die roll: 2, 1 ghoul breaks through.
Round 3: *DoTs* Patio is at 28. Patio 7+3. Reverend 6+2. Damage 3+4-2=5, Reverend is at 29. *DoTs* Reverend is at 27. Die roll: 5, Eldias destroys the ghoul.
Round 4: Patio 7+3, Reverend 4+2. Damage 6+4-2=8, Reverend is at 19. *DoTs* Reverend is at 17. Die roll: 2, 1 ghoul breaks through.
Round 5: *DoTs* Patio is at 26. Patio 8+3, Reverend 7+2. Damage 3+4-2=5, Reverend is at 12. *DoTs* Reverend is at 10. Die roll: 1, 2 ghouls total.
Round 6: *DoTs* Patio is at 22. Patio 8+3, Reverend 5+2. Damage 5+4-2=7, Reverend is at 3. *DoTs* Reverend is at 1. Die roll: 6, Eldias destroys all ghouls.
Round 7: Patio 2+3 (charm'd, 4+3), Reverend 3+2. Damage 3+4-2=5, Reverend is defeated!
If you manage to defeat the reverend, then any remaining ghouls are automatically destroyed.
The reverend falls to his knees, his life force ebbing away. 'No! No! You will never have my secrets!' He turns, and with the last of his strength, hurls a ball of green fire at the books on the altar. The fireball smashes into the stone, the books bursting into flame. He then slumps to the ground, his flesh withering away before your eyes. Within seconds, all that is left of the priest is a pile of bones.
Searching his remains, you find 20 gold crowns. You may also choose one of the following rewards:
Repentance (left hand: staff) +1 speed ability: channel (1/combat, reduce your
magic by 2 to increase damage by 4 for one round.
Magic lost this way restores at the end of the combat. Extra instances of the ability allow for 1 more use/combat each.)
Signet of sorrow (ring) +1 brawn +1 magic ability: suppress (1/combat, reduce an opponent's attack speed by 2 for a round)
Spectral shawl (cloak) +1 brawn ability: vanish (1/combat avoid all damage for 1 round)
Pick a loot to proceed.
Name: Mr. Patio
Speed: +3, Brawn: +4, Magic: +2, Armor: +2
Health: 30
| Slot | Item | Speed | Brawn | Magic | Armor | Ability
|
| Head | White Mane | | +1 | +1 | | Charm
|
| Necklace | Blood Iron Knot | | | | +1 | Charm
|
| Cloak | Saddle Blanket | | | | +1 |
|
| Main Hand | Rusted Knife | +1 | | | | Bleed
|
| Left Hand | Manticore's Tooth | | +1 | | | Savagery
|
| Gloves | | | | | |
|
| Chest | Rider's Jerkin | +1 | | | |
|
| Feet | Ghost Rider's Spurs | +1 | | | |
|
| Talisman | Wishing Well Coin | | | | | Charm
|
| Ring 1 | All Hallow's Ring | | +1 | | |
|
| Ring 2 | Warded Wood | | +1 | +1 | | |
| Backpack | Item
|
| 1 | Pot of Healing
|
| 2 | Pumpkin Squash (2 uses)
|
| 3 | Holy Water (2 uses)
|
| 4 | Angelica Wreath (ability: holy protector)
|
| 5 | Giant Bones |
| Safe House | Item
|
| 1 | Cutthroat's Carver
|
| 2 | Crow Feather
|
| 3 | Troll's Bones
|
| 4 | Goblin Bones |
Prophecy
bones
sure blade
calling
prevail
Map of Carvel
Money Pouch: 81 Crowns
