Session 61 - Ghouls & Wererats

The adventurers fight giant rats led by were-rats, and ghouls as they continued to explore Rappan Athuk.

This write up is based on Kay’s notes from our July 9, 2025 session. Since our group is scattered around the country, we use Discord for our voice communication and Roll20 for our virtual tabletop. Thanks to Kay for the write-up and screen shots.

Continued from: More Ogres & Skeletons 

Location: Ambro’s Base, Rappan Athuk

Date: Thursday, June 16, 3517 

9 AM
We were outside the coffin-making room. After searching the area, we heard a grinding stone-on-stone sound far to the west like a door opening. We hid in the woodworker’s room and Elron looked through the keyhole. Blaze put on the red robes, mask, and hat. Both Elron and Blaze heard creatures with quiet voices speaking an unknown language, walking quietly past our door. Artie noticed there was no light under the door, so whoever it was had night vision. We could hear three creatures cautiously whispering, passing the door. They went down to the corner; one hissed to others and all ran back to the west.

Minutes later about a dozen of them moved back toward us, not as cautiously. Elron quietly locked the door. 

They were out there for about 10 minutes; it sounded like they’re moving to the west, with a lot of activity for a while. We laired up here, and Elron put on the other set of robes. 

Later, after about an hour, Elron cracked the door open; there’s an empty hallway. The black skeleton’s bones were scattered and trampled up and down the hallway. 

Elron went out and around the corner to the north, and saw that the dead ogre was gone and the hall was empty. Elron explored down the west hallway to the end; there’s a niche in the wall with holes from where a plaque had been attached; it’s empty now. There was a hallway going north just short of the alcove, with a door at the end which is closed. The north hallway continued for 100 ft and then turned east again.

Elron came back to the room to report and we all went down the hallway to the east, around the corner, and up the north hallway, searching for secret doors on the west wall. After 30 minutes of searching different places, we heard a door open to the north.

About 20 giant rats and 2 were-rats came down the hallway toward us. 

Blaze cast flaming sphere and hit the 2^nd rat in the front; it squealed in pain. Four rats came forward, and the first were-rat shot at Blaze with a crossbow, hitting for some damage. Blaze yelled at our group to retreat back to the woodworking room, while she fought a holding action.

Sinis, Elron and Artie retreated. The other were-rat shot at Breena, nicking her with the bolt.

Parahelia backed up and began firing radiant bolt at giant rat #7 (the first rat in line) killing it. Breena followed Parahelia. 

The giant rat next in line behind the flaming sphere stopped, intimidated by the heat. Rocky ran back toward Breena. 

Blaze moved over to the right side of the hallway and lined up a shot for her lightning bolt; 4 killed, 2 injured (one was a were-rat).

Giant rat #12 ran toward us. Were-rat #2 shot its crossbow at Blaze twice, but missed both times. Sinis got to the door of the woodworking room. Elron backed up and shot Giant Rat #12 dead with his sling, and then shot Giant Rats #6 and 11. Giant Rat #11 advanced toward us.

Artie ran back to the room. The two were-rats retreated to the north door. Parahelia and Breena retreated. Rocky got into the room.

Blaze pushed the flaming sphere into Giant Rat #11, killing it, and then moved south, hearing a door slam in the darkness to the north.

Elron moved forward toward the rats and seeing no line of fire, turned and ran. Blaze ran back to the coffin-making room door. Elron and Artie moved toward the room. Parahelia went into the broom room while the rest yelled at her that it’s the wrong room. Finally, everyone was back at the wood-room and closed the door.

Blaze got out her healing kits and used one on Elron, Breena, and herself. 

10:40 AM
We locked the door. Elron cast goodberries and everyone got one except Sinis. He’s out of ration packs so Blaze and Breena each gave him one of theirs. We can’t take a long rest until about 8pm but we’re out of spells and it’s pretty crowded down here, so we holed up here and waited for a long rest.

One hour in, we heard sounds of a skeleton walking by; six hours in, we heard yelling in Giant from across the hall in the room to the south (I guess they found out that their 300 copper pieces were missing). 

July 17
4 AM
After our long rest, Elron looked out the door and saw the door across the hall was closed. We headed down the west hallway to the alcove. Breena searched for 10 minutes looking for a secret door. She noticed that one stone was smoother than the rest. She pushed on it and a door popped open on the south wall. Rocky was sent in, saw ghouls and ran back.

Elron being stealthy, went south, and looked around a corner going west. He heard a low mumbling in the distance down the hallway, and peeked around the corner. There was a 25 ft. hallway going west that opened into a room, with ghouls, a lot of ghouls. Elron came back to report and quietly closed the door.

We went up the north hallway to a door at the end. Elron listened at the door and checked for traps. Artie checked, it was not locked, no traps; it had been opened recently and the hinges had no rust. He heard the sound of four two-legged creatures walking toward the door from the other side, sounded about 20 ft. away. 

Elron and Blaze in their red robes stood at the door; the others ran around the south corner. The door opened and there were four very surprised ghouls. Elron took advantage of their surprise and drew his sword. Elron hit the first ghoul twice with his sword killing it. He then sidestepped, swinging at the second ghoul and injured it. Blaze cast flaming sphere behind the ghouls and hit one in the back. Sinis stepped out and cast acid splash on Ghouls #4 and 2, one hit and one miss.

Parahelia moved up. Breena cast mage armor and moved up.

Ghoul #2 stepped onto the dead ghoul in front, bit Elron and swiped a claw at him. Ghoul #6 bit Blaze, but caused no damage.

Elron swung his sword again at Ghoul #2; the first swing missed, the second hit. Blaze followed up with moving the flaming sphere on it, killing it. Ghoul #6 attacked Blaze, hurting her. 

Sinis cast acid splash on Ghouls #6 and 4. Number 6 dodged, #4 didn’t and took full damage.

Parahelia moved up. Breena moved up and cast magic missile on Ghoul #4, killing him. 

Ghoul #6 disengaged and ran back up the passage to the north.

Artie moved up to watch our rear. Elron chased Ghoul #6, hit it twice, killing it, and then started to search its body. 

We moved through the door where they came from and found a wider hallway. There were two doors in the west wall, along with an empty alcove. There was a door in the north wall with an axe stuck in it; and a stairway going up on the east wall. The air was foul; eight giant rat corpses were torn apart here. The rats were killed a few days ago and were in a state of decay.

After searching the ghoul bodies we found,

Loot: 11 gp, 12 sp, 20 cp and a brass key.

Breena noticed a few flagstones with a lighter color; one was loose, and she used her dagger to pry it out. Underneath was a secret compartment. Opening it, she found some stagnant water and the bones of a small animal. She put the stone back. 

The north door, the one with an axe stuck in it, was not locked. The other two doors on the west wall were locked. Elron checked the second door, it was locked and quiet, no traps found.

Breena searched the alcove, looking for secret doors, but found none. The stairs to the east go up, and a strong smell of giant rat wafted down the stairs. 

Elron removed the hand axe from the north door and stowed it. He could find no traps on the door, and it was unlocked.

After checking for traps, Artie worked on the northwest door with his lockpicks. After ten minutes, he was still working on it.

4:50 AM
Continued in Session 62 - Black Skeleton Surprise!