The Journal of
Sairewan Eveningstar
Humble Beginnings
It began in simply enough in the small village of Aravale. I
had been escorting a halfling wagon train from the Lucard Forest.
On the trip, I had bumped into a few times a halfling named Obba
Bobatunde, who had been traveling with the wagon train. He was
an impetuous fellow, but hadn't given me much if any troubles.
Upon reaching Aravale, Obba and I were met by a dwarf in
front of a poster advertising for brave adventures. My duty to
get the train to Aravale complete, I went to inquire with the
Shire Reeve to inquire about it. The dwarf, and Obba accompanied
me there, well to be honest I followed the dwarf as he knew where
the Reeve was.
We found the Reeve talking to a tallish human (I assumed
from his initial appearance), who was also interested in the job
it seemed. The reeve related that a farmer reported a cave
appearing in the hills to the east with several 'dogmen' being
seen. A couple of militia sent never returned back. We were
hired to explore this cave and report back what we found.
Thus began my association with the rest of the group. The
tallish human with silverish hair and golden eyes, is named
Alkovar Illustrial. Drovik Ozuldorn, is a dwarven fighter and
apparently the son of the blacksmith. The remaining member of the
group was Obba, who weilded a sword larger than he was tall.
With a few minutes to gather gear we meet and set out with
Drovic leading the way. We make camp at the base of the hills,
and the following day we reach the region near the cave entrance
just as a hobgoblins is posting some kobold (dogmen) guards.
Our efforts to approach by stealth fails, so we were
required to battle our way in.
The entrance from the cave leads to well polished halls with
glowing balls near the ceiling lighting the way. We begin
exploring the odd cavarn the and first room is a rifled
storeroom, without anything thing of real value.
Further in we find a fancy bedroom we found a potion and a
pile of copper coins, with the symbol of Moradin on the coins, at
the bottom of a trapped chest.
Drovic needing some healing after discovering the last trap,
returned to town with our pile of copper coins. The other three
of us continued on, discovering a kitchen. A pair of spiders
ambushed us, which we managed to dispatch.
The next room contained an odd mosaic that after a moment
swirled revealed pictures of treasure and crossed spears. In a
moment of non-brilliance I push the tile in the middle of both of
them, revealing both a treasure (behind the treasure) and
springing a trap, which I am unable to avoid. The treasure turns
out to be a small pile of silver of coins, which are stamped with
the symbol of Corellon.
The next room we encounter contained an odd assortment of
things including a mirror that reflected your image of your own
mummified face. Not finding any anything else of interest we
leave.
Continuing on the next room contained a zombie which looks
as if it may have been an ogre before, but it falls before our
combined might. Hidden in the an old kiln is larger bag of silver
coins, but these have the image of Janis, the goddes of Music and
Creaativity.
Time must be a bit different in this cavern because shortly
thereafter Drovic returned after a trip to town and back, while
we were resting. I didn't think we had spent that much time in
here. Now back to full strength, we continue on our trek, after
beating back and attack by large rats. The next room looks like
it was torture chamber with little treasure.
A concealed room nearby, resulted in the event that was the
start of a series of events that would forever change our lives.
The room itself was empty with the exception of a small leather
pouch lying on the floor. When someone went to pick up the
pouch, a voice from the air questioned the person, and repeated
to each of the others with the following questions; Who are you?
Why are you here? and, What do you want?
All of us answered the questions and the voice left. Inside
the pouch were 4 golden pins, based on our best guess of our last
answers. Alkovar took the pin of the flexed forearm (stregth to
overcome his enemies), Drovic a pin of clasped hands in prayer
(faith for his people) Obba, a pin of a bowing man (respect), my
pin was a woman holding a small child (my family safe). We
put on our pins, and leave the bag where we found it.
Outside the next door down the hall, Obba hears voices
talking in the room. When we burst in, there are three hobgoblins
and one trussed up and gagged dwarf hanging from the ceiling. A
minor skirmish that silences the hobgoblins, starts with a
beautiful shot from me and Obba and Drovic finishing them off.
Thus we found our next member of our illustrious group.
Lorias Sheildslam, trussed and gagged and hanging upside down.
After freeing him and our introductions, we find out he is a
worshiper of the former goddess Elise claiming to be a minor
priest. A brief description later of what we are doing, and he
offers his aid in our endevour.
It is fairly evident quickly, that our two dwarves do not
like each other. Hopefully I will not come to blows in the
future. Our strength blostered we press onward deeper into the
caverns.
The next room is an empty room with three doors on the far
side and a pedistal with nothing on it in the center of the room.
Once again our voice begins asking questions and tells us enter a
door based on our answers. We end back entering the same room we
just left. After 4 more questions, we are back where we started
even though some of us went through different doors. After the
last question the pedistal has some golden rings upon it. When we
approach, a ring vanishes from there and appears on our hand.
Each of tried at least once to remove it from our hands and
failed.
A comment that these may be linked to our pins, sets Lorias
off to search for this room. We show him, the voice speaks to
him, he answers the questions, and receives his pin of an open
book (studying the arcane).
The next room we explore, we encounter a bathing hobgoblin
and his 3 goblin attendents. The hobgoblins stands up ordering an
attack on us. The image of that haunts me to this day. To clear
that image I drop the hobgoblin with a single headshot. The rest
of the goblins are quickly
dispatched by Lorias the others, and then the room is looted.
The next passage behind a secret door is odd as the walls
the glowing and no overhead lights, their is faint sound of
bells. The hall ends in a large bronze door. When the door opens,
we can see a large stain and a pile of rooms in the middle of a
room along with 3 skeletons along the walls.
When the skeletons move to attack, Lorias holds them at bay
while we check the stain. A spirited battle destroys the
skeletons, leaving them a pile of bones. A quick search of the
room reveals 3 doors.
Behind the first door while examining it, Lorias trips a
trap that shoots a jet of fire. Unfortunately I am the only one
not to dodge it and I get a couple of burns. The second room
contained a large statue of Gorlantor, the God of Ogres and
Pride, with a pile of bones. Good ole Lorias, triggers another
trap causing some bones to rise into a skeleton which we manage
to beat down.
The last room has a collection of bookshelves and an old
man. He bids us to sit and offers all of us refreshments. He
explains about our destinies already leading us down the path to
becoming the new possible gods. He is rather patient in answering
our questions and then gives us each a special gift. Obba
received a sword which he named 'Razor'. Drovic got a war hammer.
Lorias a long sword which he named 'Books Truth'. Alkovar got a
shield, and I a longbow which I named 'Peaceful Hearth'. In
addition we got a brief touch of the godhead.
Destinies Revealed
The portal that opens after the godhead power surges through
our bodies, leads us to a mountain trail which is my best guess
puts us on the other side of the mountains from the Despora
valley. Down the trail leads to a village Karsh, that seems to
be teaming with barbaric peoples.
The following morning we protect a farmer from a barbarian
who was pushing him around. He thanks us and asks if we save his
villiage from a large number of brigands. We reluctantly accept
knowing we will be out numbered.
We purchase some supplies and head out to the village. We
scout the village and decide upon potential defensive plans.
Obba and I decide to try and scout out the area and our
opponents. I track them along back towards their camp. We
encounter an outrider camp and remove those guards. Continuing
on we find the main camp. We dispose of the guards at the gate,
rather handily and Obba sneaks and checks out the camp. Spotting
about 30 bandits leaves. Deciding that we can't take out that
many (I was low on arrows) we return with the information, and
the items we managed to recover.
Alkovar meanwhile was talking to some of the villagers and
located a possible artifact that used to protect village before
the gods left. It was suppose to be dicovered when the gods
returned. Shortly thereafter a pair of kids come running up,
telling of a ladder leading down in an old tree. We set off to
explore the odd hole, at the bottom a door protected by a riddle.
Inside is a long hall leading to a chamber. Inside we are
attacked by 4 candlebra's.
Beyond is an old man, the man who hid the idol over a 100
years ago. He tells us that he idol is near, and when we get it
we are to return it to the villiage. The steel corridor beyond
has lightning arcing across it. Alkovar says he can go get it as
it will not harm him. This confuses me as I thought he was normal
and was stunned as he walked down the hall and back unharmed,
bringging back the idol.
We return the idol to the village and a sense of calm
decends upon the village. The man from the cavern tells us of our
destinine, but that Alkovar's do not for the time being run the
same. Our path lies to the east.We are to purge a great evil and
bring the light to the mountains heart. Alkovar stays behind and
we decide to press on following an unseen tug to wanting to go
east.
Path of Godling's is Often Less Traveled
So we press on to the mountain for meeting our destiny. On
the way near and edge of a forest we are surprised by a huge
skelatal creature bursting from the ground. While the others
hold it off, I race to warn the nearby village of the trouble.
Finding the village oddly empty, I race back to the others.
Hearing an explosion just am returning, I am worried, but I find
that they have defeated the creature, although they have some
serious injuries the Lorias is taking care of.
We make the acquaintance of halfling named Althalaus, who
appearently watched them battle the creature. With his help we
begin to explore the hole which the creature came out of. Inside
Lorias feels and overwhelming sense of evil. We manage to find
out way into a finished hallway of sorts. We encounter a large
room with a number of decomposing bodies with Altalaus
said came from the village. While examinine the room, 3 zombies
attack us. A brief skirmish drops the undead. Continuing on down
some hallways we come to a room with staircase leading up.
Standing next to it is a creature bound in a number of bandages.
Deciding to vanquish this foul creature we attack. I plug
an arrow into solidly but it does not react. The battle rages
on. In the middle of it, Drovic waking from a fit of sleeping
sickness he was in joins the fray, causing some damage. I do my
best to try and distract it with my arrows. We set it ablaze with
a torch, and while later in the combat I switch to my swords as I
continue to try and keep its' attention from the the other
fighters, who actually seem to be hurting it, as my blows just
seem to bounce off. Obba during the combat catches a glancing
blow from the creature before it is killed, calling out Vosloo!
Where Obba was struck, he starts forming an orange colored rash.
Obba tries one of the potions we recently found, causing the rash
to begin to fade.
We take the stairs up into the woods to rest and so Lorias
can recover his powers. Meanwhile, Drovic lapses back into his
sickness. Perhaps some day we will find a cure. We decide to head
back down as Lorias said the evil is not gone.
In another room filled with body parts, Althalaus finds a
metal box in the chest cavity of a body. Lorias examines it for
a moment, and then Althalaus removes the traps and the box. It
must be magically sealed on us as it resists attempt to open the
box.
We put the box away and continue on down the hallway. Behind
a door is a creature with leathery desiccated flesh drawn tight
across its bones with teeth and nails looking to be as sharp as
needles. The look in it's eyes is of malevolence.
The battle begins, Obba gets hit and his pin flares. Most of
the early attacks miss, and I put couple of arrows in the door
jam. Eventually we casuse enough damage to kill the creature.
In the room is a bed, a couple of chests, a table and small
bookshelf with a handful of books. A couch and the chairs appear
be covered in human skin. In the chests werw fine robes of Andon
(God of Death and Shadow)and of Jaskell (God of Darkness and
Loss). The books are on topics of undead to flora and fauna. We
pack up the books and robes so they can be destroyed later and
set up to find the assumed evil cleric around here.
We continue down the last hallway and encounter a lab with
more skeletons hanging around on hooks. A door on one of the
walls leads to a second lab with a human wearing robes working on
female corpses. He introduces himself as the new God of Death,
and taunting the precludes most battle begins. Thus began one of
the first of many battles between the new gods. From hidden
corners in the room a small number of ghoulish creature join the
fray with God of Death.
Lorias in paralyzed early in the battle by the ghouls. I get
a substantial shot on the God of Death. Obba is hit by a ray from
the him. Obba goes into a frenzied rage and in a pair of
horrendous attacks kills the new godling. This reminds me not to
upset Obba that much. I get nicked by a couple of attacks by
ghouls but am able to continue on. Althalaus gets bit later in
the fight and becomes paralyzed. Obba and I finish off the rest
of them.
After the battle when the rest are mobile, we search the
room. We pack up the useful items and make a big bonfire of the
other stuff stuff including the robes and evil books. We make a
very quick exit after we notice some of the chemicals bubbling.
We get out just as the explosion goes off.
We press on toward our mountain and a couple of days later
we reach a small town. A few cursory questions by Elmo (who we
later find out is the head of the miltia) we are pointed to the
Welcome Wench for a place to rest and get food after welcoming us
to Hommlet.
A Dangerous Addition
We make our way to a table and order drinks and food.
Entertaining the tavern is a human female bard. The bard plays
well to keep everyone entertained. We get a variety of rooms
from Maridosen, a female half-elf with a dour attitude. The
female bard approaches our table approaches our table and after
brief period of introductions, her name is Tasha Baden, asks if
we could do her a favor. A clan of hobgoblins had destroyed a
caravan nearby. Apparently a harp of the friend of her masters
was on it. She needs some assistance in retrieving it.
The following day we set out after the hobgoblins, a half
day later we arrive at the complex where Tasha claims it is. I
can find no sign of hobgoblin tracks though. Tasha casts a
protective spell on Obba and herself.
We enter into the first room, stymied by a stuck wooden
door, we switch off to another of the stone doors in the room.
It leads to a winding passage, and eventually a room. The exit
out of this room initially shoots a jet of flame at Obba who
sprung the trap. Obba avoided the flames.
The passage leads to the other side of our stuck door.
Going through it, we head to the other door. From there the
passage leads to a room. Trying the door, I trigger net trap the
sweeps up Tasha. Lorias cuts her out of the net. The passage
leads to a room with 4 goblins and 4 hobgoblins. I recognize the
symbol on the shields as that of a vicious tribe of hobgoblins.
I draw a bead on a hobgoblin and drop him with a single shot.
Obba drops on but suffers some damage from goblins. My next shot
drops a hobgoblin who was attacking Tasha. Shortly thereafter,
the last of the goblins. A search of the rooms shows that most of
the goods is from raided caravans.
Continuing deeper we run into a room where there are 4 more
goblins and 4 Hobgoblins. A pair of javelins come flying at me,
and I dodge one of them. I return fire on the goblin who hit me
and drop him. The other three goblins apparently fearing me the
most launch their remaining javelins my way. Not knowing which
way to go, all three hit. This upsets me, so I drop another of
them, with a shot to the head. The remaining two goblins suddenly
seeing them selves alone as Obba and Lorias took care of the
hobgoblins charge me and Tasha. Both of us are hit, but I
puncture the one in front of me killing it.
Lorias spreads some healing around and we recover a couple
pouches of gold and the harp Tasha wanted. Tasha spends a little
time examining the harp.
((The next few pages are smudged, perhaps by soot from the
fireball that Tasha miss fired on the party. Resume journal in
the same cavern a little later ... ie (log section missing)))
Obba, Tasha and I decide to explore through a trap door we
found in the floor. It seems to be some sort of a crypt. Heading
down the passage, we end up in fair sized burial chamber. While
examining a door on one end, Tasha triggers a trap and 6 suits of
plate mail animate and move to attack. I plunk an arrow into on
as 2 move to attack each of us. I switch over to my swords to
fend them off. I get a minor hit on one of the suits. Tasha
gets hit a couple of times and then goes down. After a few more
excange of blows I manage to drop one of the suits of armor
revealing a zombie. I currently have one attacking me, Obba is
fighting off 4, until he drops one. Continuing to be outnumbered
he is accruing minor nicks and cuts. I manage to get a couple
more hits in before one gets though my defensive net, and Obba
gets hit again. I drop the last suit on me, and switch over to my
bow, and activate one of its special powers, (blessing my
arrows), while Obba drops a fourth. I put a couple of arrows
into them as Obba finishes them off.
I heal Tasha back conscious from my ring and myself. And
Tasha begins to start looting body while Obba rests. She finds a
silver key on one of the zombies. She attempts to use the
magical harp to heal her and I and nothing happens. I am
beginning to suspect the bard can play music fairly well, but
should stay in town as she is incompetent in an adventuring
atmosphere.
While resting, Obba and I are visited by a mysterious guest
(Carol the Yuletide Troll) who leaves us each a small box, inside
a healing potion, and then leaves.
Obba, Drovic, and I haul the rest of the party out of the
cavern and head back town. While camping on the way back, a
divine creature arrives and leaves us a gift of a glowing ball of
light, from which a ray arcs out and impacts Drovic, Obba and I.
The result of this is another burst of power from the godhead.
Owlbears, Hobgoblins, and Kobold-Demons...Oh My!
When we get back to town we get a suite at the Welcome
Wench, where we drop off our sleeping friends. We sort through
our collection of treasure and divide up the coins.
That done we break up to handle our little errands about
town. Which for me was purchasing supplies and arrows from Joman
Dart, the halfling, at the Old Trader, and a potion of healing
from Spugnoir. In talking to Spugnoir, I hire myself out to
retrieve some Unicorn's Thistle for a batch of potions. For this
errand I would get a second potion from him. The place has become
protected by some owlbears.
Obba, Tasha, and I set out the following morning for the
owlbears. On the way we are ambushed by a large bug. I put a
couple of arrows into it and Obba swats it. This prompted it to
spit out a stream of acid, which Obba and I manage to dodge the
worst of it but not Tasha. Obba finishes it off.
Tasha washes the acid off and then checks the hole and finds
a small gem. We camp just outside clearing where the owlbears
were, so we move in the daylight.
While resting that night, a large dire wolf attacks the
camp. When Obba and I awake, it is standing over a prone and
bleeding Tasha. A quick skirmish later and the wolf is dead, and
I manage the stop the heaviest of the bleeding, and pour my only
healing potion down her throat. The rest of the night is
uneventful.
The following morning Obba scouts while I keep an eye on
Tasha. When Obba comes back to report, Lorias appears from the
other direction, with a thanks for waiting for him. He heals
Tasha back to full health. Obba reports seeing the pair under
the tree. The plan to distract them while someone gathers the
Unicorn Thistle.
When we sneak up, we notice that there is 3 young ones as
well. A change of plans was for Tasha disable the young with a
spell. She started playing the harp and Lorias and Obba began to
feel drowsy.
The next plan started as the bold frontal assult, which we
proceed to do. Obba takes a big hit and collapses in the battle.
I get a couple of good hits, and Lorias and I eventually drop the
adults, while Tasha finishes up on the young.
I collect Unicorn Thistle, while Lorias heals Obba. Tasha
checks out the nest for any loose treasure. Obba uncovers part
of a lid which looks to be 5 feet in diameter to some underground
cavern.
Since the herbs need to get back fairly quick we decide to
head back and recover. We cover the lid back up and head back to
town. I give Spugnoir the herbs and he gives me the promise
potion. Obba and Tasha buy a couple of potions from Spugnoir.
A couple days later we decide to head out and explore under
the slab. Tasha, Obba, Lorias, and I have breakfast and then set
out.
On the way out to the slab, I hear a noise I sneak off to
examine the noise. It is a cluster of hobgoblins attacking an
elf. I run back and tell the others and then back to save him. I
fire a shot, wide unfortunately, as the rest of the group bursts
into the clearing . The hobgoblins are quickly disposed.
We do introductions briefly, and then I scout for more
tracks, which I do. We decide to hunt down the rest of the
hobgoblins.
I track them back to their camp within looks to have 7 large
tents about a cavern entrance. We estimate that there should be
about 40 of them or so. Out of the cavern entrance walks a
kobold and begins to issue orders to the hobgoblins, strangely
enough they listen.
Lorias issues a challenge from our hiding spot about 100
yards away. A cluster of hobgoblins come rushing up the hill at
us. When they come within easy bow range I issue my own
challenge to them and drop one with a shot. The rest of the
group silences the rest of them fairly quickly, but not before
one of the them can blow a warning horn. I take a very long shot
with my bow at the kobold, and miss just as he and the last of
the hobgoblins are retreating into the cave.
We race down the hill and find that they all retreated into
the cave . Instead of heading after them into the cavern, some
of the others start to plunder the tents. In one of them, Lorias
is attacked and after Obba and I hear his muffled yells for help
and rush in, I see him wrapped up in a bundle of dirty clothes.
Obba manages to get caught up in them. I see Lorias go limp, in
the clutches of the dirty clothes and I rush to administer my
healing potion into Lorias. Tasha joins the fray with a spell.
Eventually we do manage to kill the creature and save Lorias and
Obba. Lorias after examining it, says it was a mimic. Looking
around we find its stash of treasure in shallow hole below it.
We make our plan to assault the caverns with a volley of
missiles and then charge the barricade that we can see in there.
My arrow hits and drops one of them at the wall while Hanse's and
Lorais's shots impact the barricade. A pair of bolts come flying
my way with one hitting. I move forward and drop a second and
Obba rushes to the wall as he pulls some cord and a pile of rock
and debris come crashing down on the entrance catching Lorias and
Tasha, burying Lorias under it. I drop the last of the
hobgoblins and go dig out Lorias while Obba creates a walkway
through the barricade.
We press on down the hallway, when out from behind a boulder
3 hobgoblins attack. In the quick skirmish I drop two of them.
Continuing on we nearly slip on something on the floor as we
enter the next room, but we manage to stay on our feet. On the
far side are 4 hobgoblins with the kobold in the center.
The kobold tells us we do not know who we are interfering
with, but we laugh if off with a shrug. Obba rushes forward, and
slips. Tasha begins to play nicely in the background. Lorias
casts a spell at the kobold and ball of fire about him. Hanse
identifies the substance as oil, just a hobgoblin flings a torch
towards us, the oil bursts into flame. I fire through the
flames, where I saw a hobgoblin before. Obba stands and moves to
attack. Tasha takes off after the kobold who has fled down the
all, the ball of fire following him. Oddly enough, it looks as
Tasha ran right through that as well. We finish off the
hobgoblins and hear Tasha yelling for help.
Not entirely ready to rushing forth we do so to save the
silly bard, and when we round the corner, shers in on her knees
and hands at the feet of the kobold and a hobgoblin. He tells us
to leave, and then points at Lorias with a spell going off.
Obba and Lorias miss. Tasha takes a couple of swings
hitting (surprisingly), and then passes out (not surprisingly).
Hanse lunges with his rapier and kills the hobgoblin. The kobold
pulls a wand and jet of flame bathes Obba, Lorias, and Hanse. I
miss a shot at the kobold. With an oath, Obba hits the kobold
solidly who remains standing. Hanse and I misses with our
attacks. The kobold returns Obba threat with one of his own and
then opens his mouth and spits a bolt of lightning! What a shock,
it wasn't expected, even more shocking was when it rebounded of
the wall and came back at us. Obba and Lorias collapse to the
ground, me and Hanse are barely standing.
The cowardly kobold turns to run, and I put an arrow in his
back and putting him on the floor. I turn to begin to administer
first aid to my friends, while the bard who had a minor recovery
thanks to Lorias earlier in battle, races off to plunder the
dying kobold.
Hanse, Tasha, and I carry Obba and Lorias outside the cavern
to the woods were we can rest. Obba comes too and after a nights
rest, we head back to Hommlet. Where we divide up the treasure
and items we found. Obba was adamant that it was a demon-kobold
we were fighting.
Out of the Shadows
(log section missing)
We remove the book from the tomb. Hanse checks the three
chests and finding no traps, proceeds to do a thorough check of the
room, finally pronouncing it clear. Obba opens the first chest and
inside are a variety of items, a helmet, a dagger, and a folded
set of platemail armor, sized for him. When he hands the armor to
Lorias to examine the dagger, the armor is now able to fit Lorias.
The dagger is a treble bladed with barbs and weighted for throwing.
The second chest contains a longsword, gloves, 3 bottles of
liquid, 2 scroll tubes and a smooth red gem. Tasha examines the
gem while Obba looks over the sword. When he draws the blade, he
is surrounded by in a pale blue light shaped as a suit of armor.
It disappears when sheathed.
When Obba opens the third chest, an inky blackness billows
forth from it, filling the room. Then it is gone, but we are no
longer in the crypt. We are standing on deary plain, with stunted
trees and scrub brush in view under a twilight sky. It is quite
foreign to us. Obba can not even determine which way is north.
Hanse and Tasha find no tracks at all, but I am able to spot a
circle of stones in the distance.
We head that direction, and as we approach we notice shadowy
blobs floating about back and forth. There also appears to be a
door in one of the stones. As we get closer one of the five blobs
begins to approach. We begin to draw weapons as the rest of the
blobs converge upon us.
Obba and Lorias hit the shadowy creatures and are in return
hit, both cringing a bit. Tasha begins an uplifting tune. Obba
hits again and his blob fades away, but is hit again weakening him
even further. My arrow passes right through my target, as does
Hanse's rapier on his attack. Obba hits another as I get my first
hit, and Obba is struck again. Tasha begins a slow retreat from
the figure advancing on her. Hanse makes a courageous attempt
to draw the long sword being carried by the battle lusted halfing
and succceeds! Lorias vanquishes one, and Hanse now in pale blue
armor fends off one of the shadows. Shortly the rest of the shadows
are vanquished.
Both Lorias and Obba are weak from the fight and while we
rest briefly, Lorias checks the scroll tubes. One of the scrolls
appears to be arcane but the other has a couple of very useful
spells. They are able to boost Obba's and Lorias's strength back to
near what it was before the fight.
As we decide what we are goin to do next, Obba spots a blue
light over behind the next hill. There appears to bo a figure trapped
in a large blue sphere as we approach. Around the sphere are 3 more
of the shadowy creatures shaped as large dogs. Obba and Tasha try
to sneak around and look but are seen by the dog-like creatures.
My shot misses as one leaps and snaps at Obba, biting him. Obba
slices him in half with a might cleave. The second rushes and bites
Tasha as she sticks it with a dagger. It emits a blood curdling
scream scares Tasha to make a run for safety away from the battle.
The third approaches me forcing me to switch to my swords, and I
get bit the in proccess. Obba kindly finished both of them off.
Tasha returns just after the fight ends, and I tend my
wounds. Now that the dogs are gone, we check out the blue sphere.
Tasha thinks there is female in it. The little sphere on the
pedistal next to the big one is very cold to the touch as I discover
quickly pulling my hand away from it.
Obba picks up the small globe and touches it the large sphere.
The globe shatters into hunderds of small shards, catching all of us,
but Tasha more so. The big sphere slowly fades.
The wooma inside is an elf, when we ask her show she is. She
replies, that she is Kyres. She was searching this area for an evil
wizard named Abd Al Azred. We explain to her that he is long dead by
centuries. This seems to take her back a bit, as she tries to process
the fact that she has been trapped for centuries. The next shock
to hear, is that the gods are dead.
In the distance we hear the baying of more hounds. We decide
that its time to leave. We hustle back to the door in the rock.
Inside is a set of rungs, we proceed up the ladder, part way up the
gravity changes and we plop into the initial room under the seal.
We leave the tomb and make a breif camp where we get a bit
better acquainted, and are able to eat and clean up. The following
moring we return to Hommlet.
A Re-emerging Evil and of a Banished God
We spend the first day back in Hommlet getting a good meal, at the Welcome Wench, and exchaning tales with Kyres. We invite her to travel with us until she wants to travel off on her own. We then break up in the mid afternoon to handle various errands. I purchase a new set of exceptional tools which to work on bows and for making arrows. I also do my best to talk to the others in town I see. Later that afternoon, Lorias tracks us down and calls a meeting at the Welcome Wench, to pass on some information. One of his stops that day had been to Spugnoir's. Renee, his 10 year old daughter, is worried as he has not returned from an expedition to the east to gather ingredients. Appearently, he had been in the vicinty of an old moathouse. Lorias, had told her that he would look into what happened to him. We use the rest of the evening to prepare for the trip. We (Kyres, Obba, Lorias, Balthor, and I) set out in the morning, without a whole lot information about the old moathouse from the Locals. We did get a bit of information regarding hobgoblins having moved in to the old temple. On the way out we bump into a grizzled trapper heading towards Hommlet. We inquire of the path where he came from and about the moathouse. He gets quite excited about that and tells us not to go there, as there is black dragon there. We thank for for the info and then press on. The place appears to be more of an abandoned keep or manor house, than a moathouse. It looks rather run down from the distance, but seems quiet. As we approach, there is moat around it, with the draw bridge down. Oddly enough there a several new planks on the drawbridge. From out of the moat, a large frog jumps the group. I put a couple of arrows into it, and Kyres finishes it off. We then decided to enter into the courtyard carefully, because of the supposed dragon. Inside the courtyard, there is a blood smear near the stairs leading to the entrance of the building. Near the smear thier lays an unsheathed dagger. As we are exploring the courtyard we hear a "woosh" of wind and a dark shape circles us. A closer examination shows it to be a small (10' long) dragon, blue in color. I draw a bead on it and the rest scatter for cover. The dragon hovers at a height of 15' stirring up a cloud of dust. My vision obscured by dust I try to place an arrow in it and I hear it clance off its hide. The dragon becomes distracted by a swarm of bats that appears lands in the courtyard. The others rush out to engage it. I put an arrow into it, followed by a slash from Obba. It bites into obba so I try to plant another arrow into, which bounces off. Obba slices it in retalliation. Lorias's attack glances off the hide as does the Kyres. Kyres finally hits it, and then the dragon spits a bolt of lightning at Obba. I get a good shot in, followed by a vicious slice from Obba. A few more attacks and the dragon tries to take flight, biting and raking Lorais, Kyres, and Obba. I clip part of the wing with my next shot. Obba gets one last swings as it gains altitude, and my next shot is enough to bring it crashing down to the ground. A search of the nearby area shows its lair in a portion of the collapsed upper level. A partially eaten body in ochre robes has a mace resting him. He is wearing a black necklace with an upside down 'Y', a sign of the Elder Eye of the Elemental. A couple of magic items are gathered, a few coins, a couple of gems, and lilac mask. About this time Hanse arrives, having tracked us from town after finding our note. We decided to explore the lower levels for Spugnoir as we find stairs down. As we get light going heading down the stairs we are attacked by a pair of black armored gnolls. Hanse impales one with his rapier and Obba drops the other. They are dressed in black armor with axes. Both wear the black amulet with the yellow 'Y'. As we continue on we enter a large room, and as we are exploringing it we are attacked by a foul stenched undead creature from a pillar. Lorias later identified it as a ghast. Most of the group becomes sick fighting it. Eventually, hits by Obba, Lorias and Hanse drop it, as three more undead creatures (ghouls) enter the room at the far end. The fight continues to swirl around, Obba and Lorias recieve some nasty bites before we are able to get rid of them. Shortly after the fight, Tasha arrives boltering our numbers. The room where they ghouls came from seem to be an old torture chamber. Hanse finds a secret door in a pillar, headed down on a ladder. We decide to wait with that route. Continuing to search the level we are currently on, we find some rooms with refuse in them. The next room is cleaned up and has 5 space out pillars in it. Near the center of the room, some items lie spread out on a blanket. Standing next to the blanket, is a woman in ochre robes and 2 large gnolls. Whe she sees us she commands the gnolls to kill us for the Elemntal Eye. A fight ensues and the lady moves to a far door, opening it, she yelss for assistance. A little later 7 skeletons, one of the quite large, emerge. I am plugging away at the robed lady, Obba and Hanse are battling the gnolls. Tasha is playing music. Lorias forces the skeletons to the far wall. Tasha changes her tune and grows her hair out about a foot in length. Kyres drops the robed woman. Tasha tries the same tune again, and heals everyone within close proximitiy of her. We examine the items briefly on the blanked while the skeletons cower along the wall. We then prepare to finish off the skeletons, each reading an attack on them. Tasha tries the same tune again, finally getting the spell result she wanted if not the placement. A blast of fire explodes on here and engulfs all of us. Needless to say we are all quite upset about this, being its the second time its happened to most of us, but we continue on with our plan of eliminating the skeletons. Dispatching them takes less than a minute, and we search through the items. We head back to the entrance and we move to ther side of the of the dungeon checking some doors we by-passed earlier. In one of the first rooms we check we find Spugnoir who is hiding and resting. He warns us of the dragon outside and cultists in the lower levels. He says that he is trapped here. We tell him that dragon is dead now, and the Renee sent us to look for him. We give Spugnoir some food and Lorias leads him home, after he draws us a small map of the areas he knows about. The rest of us continue on and end up in a large room with multiple doors. Hanse searches for traps and finds one. He tries to remove it, then we hear a loud clang from the hallway behind us. It is portcullis that has fallen blocking our exit. Looking into one of the rooms it appears to be a sleeping area for some gnolls. We attack and make quick work of them with little or no damage from them, with a handful of hits from me. In the room we find a locked chest that we can't open at that time. Continuing on, Taasha is attacked by gnoll, she draws her weapons and defends herself. She takes a slash and as the rest notice and move to take care of him. I notice the problem about now and with a quick shot I drop him. We then tend to Tasha's wounds. After running into a dead end, we move back to check out a second hallway and we are ambushed by a ghoul. Obba is hit and becomes paralyzed. Next Hanses is hit and becomes paralyzed. It's not a ghoul, but a ghast! I am unlucky enough to get hit next and I freeze in place, and am powerless to aid my friends. Eventually we get movement back, and press on down the other hallway. WHich looks like a crypt, when we get there. As we enter the room we are attacked by ghoul that scurries out an alcove. Lorias is the one who drops it. Another one, a little further up the way starts to shuffle towards us. Kyres and I team up to drop this one with a pair of arrows. The next ghoul advances, with several of the others missing, I plant an arrow in it. A fourth one advances, Obba suffers some minor problems from a bite. We drop them both then search the room. We discover an odd tunnel. We set off following this path, through its twists and turns. We end up in a cave with a 4 sided column with different images. Before the column is an alter of rock mad of pourous rock. On the column, one side is jet black with an armored figure holding a sword. The second is dark green of a man in flowing robes, long sleeves and high collar. Covering the face is a mask similar to the one we found above ground. The third side is in deep blood red, of a man clothed in high boots, doublet, gauntlets and a hood pulled close over his face. The last side is a robed fellow with a sigil covered sash, and cradling a scepter in his arms. Lorias and Kyres are examining the set up. Kyres announces that this is a temple to the banished god Tharizdun, the God of Destruction. He was banished by the other gods to a far off plane. Kyres reckons that he is the only old god still alive. We figure we have a large problem on our hand, but we can't do anything about this now. So we back track up and check out the last passage we haven't seen yet. The passage heads into a room with a very unnatural chill in the air. A pulley system holds a platform over a hole. Shovels and picks lay scattered about. As we enter a pair of figures in robes, one of them human, start waving their arms and chanting. We attack as they do, for some reason Obba begins to jump up and down. Lorias casts a spell causing the human to stop moving. The other starts to smell terribly. We drop the human, and Lorias charages him and pushes him over the edge and down goes into the hole. It looks to be a rather deep hole. We find a couple of minor items including potion and a scroll. We check out the lif and then decide to check it out. We get on and then begin to lower ourselves down. As we do down it becomes colder. The lift stops near a platform with violet streaks in the black rock. As soon as some one steps on it, the veins of purple begin to move towards them. We decided we need some warmer clothes to continue so we head back to town. Once there we find Spugnoir talking to another man in robes. Spugnoir introduces him as Balthor a wizard. We invite him to join our marry little adventures. We get some warm clothes, restock, and rearm, and return back to the underground dungeon. We run across in pairs and lower ourselves further down into the darkness. As we go down, I am attacked from above. It looks like a floating blob with a beak and 10 tentacles dangling from it. Obba, Lorias and I are hit. I become paralyzied, but it snatches Lorias and Obba. Somehow Balthor manages to kill it and it falls. Obba manages to grab teh platform but not Lorias. Miraclously, Lorias is alive and unhurt wieh we get to the bottom. He alaso claimed to have been visited by the godhead as well. Looking around at the bottom we see a large obilesk and an invert zigguart, (the symbol of Tharizdun). As we are exploring a crazed man flies out at us screaming at us. Lorias stops him in his place with a spell, and we eventually kill him. Searching around we find a few items of intrest and then return to town.
Stop Thief!
Upon getting back to town we have a chance to rest and handle things we need to. During our weeks rest, I make some arrows, and sell somethem to Joman. I als hire Nedwig to be a bearer an light carrier (torchbearer). Our wizard managed to figure our what all of the extraneous magic items we had were. We split up the items and treasure we had found. About a week after we return, after a session of sparring, Balthor joined us just as we were entering hte welcom Wench. I notice the barkeep, Maridosian, scowl our direction and then head upsairs. I join Obba at a table for a drink. Balthor follows her up stairs. A waitress tired of waiting for Maridosian to come back, she finally goes and gets our drinks herself. A moment later, Balthor comes down and says someone is in our room. Obba, Lorias (who just entered the inn), and I make our way upstairs with Balthor. We cautiously enter the room, it is empty of others, the window is open. The chest that contained a dagger, incense blocks and an iron torch are missing form the chest, and the room is a mess. Balthor says this is the room Maridosian went in to. I head down to outside and find a couple of tracks where it looks like someone jumped down. The rest of the group joins me and I try to follow the tracks. they lead me to the Mill. We need to wait while Balthor prepares some spells. This slows us down, I figured he would have automaticly prepared some each day but appearently wizards down when they aren't headed anywhere. While we watch the mill and Balthor prepares, Lorais passes on the info regarding the re-emergence of the cult of the Elemental Eye. When we decide to enter the mill, the workers are just beginning to leave for the day. When I ask where Maridosen went they said to Karlun's (the owner) friends in the cellar. I thank him, and then we enter the Mill. We ready our plan for plan for entering the cellar. Balthor will open the door and Obba and Lorias will lead the decent. When Balthor opens the trapdoor a bell down below rings, an alarm of some sort. Obba jumps down to get some measure of surprise, but lands rough and is the recipient of hail of arrows and crossbow bolts. Only two hit. Balthor jumps down next and Lorias scurries down the ladder. There not bing room to head down, I hold at the top of the trap door. I get surprised someone attacking out of the shadows. It is a viscious slice across the back. As I whirl around, I realize I'd seen him at the Welcome Wench. I drop the bow and draw my swords. My attacks miss him and I dodge his next attack. I spy Balthor come running back up the ladder in to the mill area. I finally manage to connect with an attack on my opponent, while doding another. We continue to exchange some misses, I use my ring to give me a bit of healing. I notice Balthor running back down again. My dual attacks miss, and I begin to curse my lack of sword pratice. He tags me again with his rapier. I manage to get a minor knick on him and he returns the favor, I take another hit while missing him myself. Lorias climbs up to the mill area, and as Obba begins to appear with us well. My opponent says we will meet again, and then breaks an object he pulls out of his cloak and vanishes. I get a little healing from Lorias. As I and Lorias move to try and chase him down the outside becomes obscured in mists. Then all of sudden a flaming torch comes flying in a window and lands in some chaff. Nedwig and I quickly move to put the fire. The rest of the group gather Maridosen, whom they manageted to capture and various items from below off the dead. In a chest is a letter that tells someone named Dunrat to set up a base in Hommlet, discover a temple in the hidden in the moathouse and return the stuff found to a Temple of All-Consumption. The rest of the group, decide to question Maridosen. Meanwhile, I and Nedwig head out to try and track down, the guy who escaped. I spend 2 days searching the area around Hommlet for him or tracks and was unsuccessful.
All the World is not a Stage
The following morning I enter the Welcome Wench in need of hot
meal. Kyres, Obba, Lorias and Tasha are sitting their eating. They ask
me where I've been, and I told them of my efforts and their lack of
success. As I am waiting for my meal to arrive, Lorias asks when we are
leaving for the tomb. What tomb, I inquire.
They spend a few minutes explaining to me what happened while
I was gone, from the incinerated Maridosen during questioning to the
old box from that evil cleric we defeated a while ago. Appearently in
the box was a bluish gem and journal which had a deadline for the gem
to open a certian tomb. So we decide to head out after paying to hold
our rooms at the inn.
Of course, there were the last minute purchases. Skins for
water, Lorias was afraid because of the last time we fought a mummy,
it zapped all our water, the tomb was to an old Necromancer named Hargat.
Tasha then recounted the legend she had heard, about this necromancer
having a scepter that sucked life.
So after a few minutes of wrangling most of the rest of the
group decided to go back for a bit more supplies and potions, and holy
water. Obba not pleased at the wait, sits next to a tree and appears
to be sulking. I am not all that thrilled myselft.
Shortly thereafter Goddess, Kyres new dog, comes running up
to me with a note, asking for coins. I send back a reply I've only got
3 platnium.
As everyone begins to gather again Tasha pleads her case of
needing the coins for potions. When told it is over 1000 gold, for a
variety of potions. We are surprised as we wanted only the Healing.
Tasha said some of the others could be sueful. Lorias and I urged her
to just by the healing.
Later we found out Tasha bought the lot with a promise of more
cash later. Foolish I thought, I told myself, she's paying for it
herself and not out of the party funds.
Lorias and I start out ahead to scout around, and once in the
area begin to search for the tomb. As the others arrive they join the
search too. Kyres finds it first. A stone door with 2 blue gems
embedded in it and spot for third.
As we are examining the writing on the entrance, a large armored
creature bursts up from the ground and bites Balthor.
Balthor responds with a burst of flames at the creature burning
it. I fire an arrow that finds the mark, while Lorias's sword catches
a piece of the armor plating. Kyres arrow goes wild. The creature aims
a pair of claws at Tasha and basically mauls her, she collapes to the
ground. Obba manages to find a chink in the armor.
Balthor fires off another spell, and my arrow glances off it's
tough hide. The monster turns his attention to Balthor clawing him and
he collapses to the ground as well. Lorias moves to heal the dying Tasha.
I put another arrow into the creature, and Lorias moves to heal
Balthor. Both are surrounded in a blue light (later we found out that
Balthor was dead and Lorias saved him). The creature attacks me,
connecting with a claw. A lightning bolt flies from Tasha's harp to
the creature hitting and Obba gets in a good shot as well.
Balthor now sitting up, pulls out a potion to drink, as I place
another arrow into the hide. The creature pulls off this impressive
maneauver of jumping the air and raking Obba with all four feet. It
fortunately manages to only hit with one. Tasha calls forth another
lightning bolt, and then finally Obba slays it.
We take a few minutes to orient ourselves and rest as we wait
for the moon. After it rises, we ready opurselves to enter. Lorias
places the gem in the socket, and with a groan the door opens revealing
a 10 foot passageway.
The passage leads into the hill to a set of stairs down, the
passage continues to another set of stairs and then ends at a stone
door. As we open the door the sounds of shrieks and moans and cries
come billowing forth. In the center of the room a book rests on short
pillar. Tasha translates the book and says that it continas the names
of those the necromancer killed and how they were afraid to enter his
dungeons.
We try one of the three other doors out of the room, and it
leads to another stone door. The plaque next to it says it contains the
remains of those who fell hunting him down.
The door from the main chamber leads to another stone door. A
pair of shadowy creatures move to attack us. I fire an arrow into one
of them. They move forward hitting Tasha and I. I feel a bit weak from
this. Lorias kills one of them, and eventually we kill the other.
Kyres casts a spell on me, and I feel the strength surge back
through me. She then aids Tasha too. In the thanks going around after
this Kyres jokingly asks "What, no kiss for me?" So I step over and
kiss her cheek. This startles her and tells me to warn her next time.
I wonder is she will figure out, that it was not a joke for me to kiss
her. Perhaps I'll have to take her up on the offer of warning her in
the future just for the pleasure of another kiss, but that will have
to wait for a bit.
We continue on through a door on the other side of the room,
the hall beyond leads to another door with symbol carved above it. I
was told it was a ward of protection from evil.
We open the door and the wailing and moaning gets louder and
clearer. Also mixed in is monotone voice speaking, later I was told that
they were names of victims of Hengest. In the center of the room on a
pedistal is an obsidian scepter with a crystal skull on top.
Tasha rushes forward and graps it, while the rest of us are
telling here to stop. It is shortly after that we realize that someone
is chained to the wall.
We assumed it to be the necromancer Hengest. The hands and feet
had been severed and he had been blinded and the tounge cut out.
The next few minutes were tense as we tried to convince Tasha
that we can't sell this, it must be destroyed, and to put it down. By
looking around the room, several of us are ready to put her down, myself
included. Tasha tries to break it over her knee and ends up with a
bruise instead.
She finally relents and tosses the scepter to Lorias who catches
it in his bedroll. Tasha then leaves the room and Kyres is asking her
questions. Tasha claims to not know what is going on which has us going
for a bit until she says she is just acting. At which point Kyres
blows up at her. Her claim to be honing here skills and meant no harm
does not please us at all. They lead Tasha away, and now Lorias can
get back to work, while I provide some protection.
Lorias is attempting to purify the room, when the necromancer
bursts into flames, and then explodes catching him in the blast.
Lorias tends to his wounds and then we head to the last door
from the main room. This one is a room for all of the victims of Hengest.
Lorias preforms a blessing over the tomb, and we take a rubbing
of the book and reseal the tomb, taking the gem. We agree not to
discuss this openly in town to avoid the spies of the Elder Eye of
the Elemental. The return trip to town is uneventful.
Sairewan Eveningstar