Session 75 - More Ghouls

The adventurers fight a seemingly endless horde of ghouls.

This write-up is based on Kay’s notes from our February 4, 2026 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 JoJo for the screen shot.

Continued from: The Troll

Location: Rappan Athuk, Level 2, Ambro’s base.
Date: Thursday, July 6, 3517

10 AM
We were outside the secret door at the west end of the hallway. The old passage had a ten-foot ceiling and poor ventilation, it smelled like death.

We were fighting ghouls and ghasts; apparently the main difference between them is that a ghast smelled worse, a lot worse. The ghasts seemed to be tougher as well.

Breena climbed onto the dead ghoul in the passage in front of the door and cast dragons’ breath in a 15-ft cone, hitting one ghoul and one ghast. Parahelia stepped back away from the door. Sinis was guarding the hallway from any attacks from behind.

The ghouls and ghasts were moving forward in a steady stream, trying to overwhelm us, but were slowed by the growing pile of bodies in the passage. 

Blaze lined up her targets and cast lightning bolt, hitting one ghoul and two ghasts injuring them, but not killing any.

Elron was standing in front of the door, his first slingstone hit one ghast, killing it, but missed his target on the other.

Artie had been waiting for a target and one presented itself as one ghast moved in front of Elron. He cast fire bolt and missed. 

One ghoul made it up to Blaze, stopping in front of her. She could smell its foul breath as it prepared to strike.

Another ghoul came through the door, stopping next to Elron and Breena, and bit Breena.

Breena cast magic missiles on it and a couple of others that she could see, hurting them all.

Parahelia cast Spirit Guardians which filled the air nearby with flying spirits that attacked the ghouls and ghasts within its range.

Blaze moved and cast flaming sphere, placing it at the door so anyone going through would be damaged. She got one ghoul and one ghast right away.
Two stones bounced off the wall as Elron missed both times he tried to hit the ghast in front of him.

One ghoul moved to Artie, but as it was now inside the spirit guardians’ area, they ripped into it, to which Sinis added his acid splash; it died.

Another ghoul came through the door, got hit with spirit guardians damage and ignored Breena as it passed her, a fatal mistake.

A ghast standing in front of Elron, got spirit guardian and flaming sphere damage, disengaged from Elron, Breena’s dagger missed, and it ended up in front of Sinis, and Artie’s sneak attack with his short bow killed it.

Another ghast and six more ghouls approached, slowed by the growing pile of bodies. 

A ghoul moved through the spirit guardians’ zone, Breena’s opportunistic attack with her dagger sliced through its hide. Elron swung his longsword and delivered a nasty wound, and the spirit guardians shredded it, and it died.

A ghast was hit by spirit guardians as it approached; its move ended between Elron and Parahelia, it hit Elron with a claw but he wasn’t paralyzed.

The next two ghouls tried to attack Parahelia but were cut down by the spirit guardians before they could reach her

Another ghoul attacked Elron with its claws, but missed, distracted by the spirit guardians.

Breena cast witch bolt on a ghoul. A ghast advanced to Parahelia, who dodged its bite and claws. Breena hit it with her dagger, and Elron’s missed it with his sword.

Four of the ghouls swarmed Elron. Elron’s first sling stone killed one, his second stone injured a second.

Sinis cast acid splash and hit two ghasts.

Artie killed one of the ghasts with an arrow from his short bow.

A ghast was cut down by the spirit guardians as it moved to attack Parahelia.

Another wave of seven ghouls led by a ghast moved toward the door as one ghoul swiped at Breena with a claw and missed.

Breena cast spirit shroud, an area effect that covered the corner around the door. Parahelia dodged her ghoul again. Blaze cast blade ward, protecting herself against slashing and bludgeoning attacks. Elron hit a ghoul as it then moved next to Breena before the spirit guardians killed it.

The ghouls were getting slaughtered and the bodies were piling up around us. Why weren’t they retreating?  There seemed to be an infinite number of them, maybe they hoped to just overwhelm us with numbers.

A ghoul moved to Breena through the spirit guardians’ field, sustaining damage. The next ghast moved between Elron and Parahelia sustaining damage from the field. A ghast moved to Parahelia, taking damage from the spirit guardians and clawed at Parahelia but missed. Artie shot the ghast, killing it.

Another ghoul was torn apart by the spirit guardians.

Six more ghouls moved to the door, climbing over the growing pile of bodies.

Breena cast magic missiles on a nearby ghoul, killing it. Blaze moved the flaming sphere into a ghoul and Elron hit the smoldering ghoul with his sword, killing it.

The next ghoul moved through the door, clawed Breena before the spirit shroud and spirit guardians killed it.

A ghoul standing in the doorway was killed by the spirit guardians.

A wave of ghouls moved up to the door and were burned by the flaming sphere. The one in the lead clawed at Breena as the spirit guardians ripped at it.

Artie shot a ghoul with his short bow, killing it. Parahelia moved closer to the door, moving the center of the spirit guardians with her. Elron killed one ghoul and injured a second with sling stones.

The last two ghouls were killed in the doorway by the spirit guardians as they tried to advance.

Suddenly it got quiet, with only the sound of our ragged breathing. The fight was over.

Initial body count = 25 ghouls + 6 ghasts.

We discussed our next steps. We were going to put the pile of bodies next to the closed door but discovered the door opens to the south, so it won’t keep the door shut. We all needed a long rest, and several of us were injured. We can hole up in the lumber room nearby. 

 

Continued in Session 76 - Going Home