409 - JUL 30
On 30 July after their brusing encounter with the Otyughs, the party returned to the Villa. While there they met up with Norry, a Dwarven Cleric of Vulcan newly assigned by the 6th Legion to the party.
While resting the party received another message from Nennius.
The evil party hunting the adventurers (the "Avengers") has been augmented. Their party now appears to consist of:
- A Human Male Ranger/Assassin.
- A Human Male Cleric of Arawn.
- A Male High Elf Wizard.
- A Male Goblin Rogue.
- A Male Half Orc Fighter.
- A Male Human Barbarian.
- A Female Half Elf Druid.
- A Male Human of apparent Egyptian origin. This NPC was described as disposing of three veteran Roman Cavalymen by merely looking at them. He carried no weapons and wore no armour. Alaricus knows he is a Psion and happens to know that Egypt is renowned for producing powerful psionic characters.
- A Male Human Monk with jet black skin - probably of Nubian origin.
With this welcome news to ponder, on the following morning (July 31), the party returned to the mysterious cavern.
They moved stealthily through the eerie cave, Norry watching carefully for signs of danger.
Suddenly 4 Cloakers swept down from the ceiling and assailed the party. They used vicious slaps with their stinger-like tails, but their most dangerous attack involved them enveloping their targets with their wing-like appendages then tearing their prey asunder with razor sharp teeth.
Arwen and Aradec were engulfed. Surprisingly, Arwen, with strength born of desperation (aware how squishy Bards are), managed to break free of the Cloaker attacking her. Aradec was not so lucky, the creature proved amazingly strong and the doughty thief was soon engulfed, helpless to escape and was mortally wounded by the creature's vicious bites.
Fierce combat involving Dell, Aicen (and Mors in Tenebris, her animal companion) assisted by some rather indifferent spell casting by Vincenzo, eventually managed to slay two of the horrors. Arwen's Bardic Music proved invaluable in supporting what was one of the worst combat performances this party has ever delivered.
Norry was able to save Aradec's life with a timely Cure spell.
The two surviving Cloakers, deciding this meal was proving too tough to chew, flew away into the ceiling.
The party gathered itself and bravely continued on.
They came to a fork in the cave and decided to try the right fork.
Norry's Darkvision espied a curious shimmering presence in the corridor within which was suspended some objects.
The presence proved to be an oversized Gelatinous Cube. Suspended in the giant jelly was a massive Amphora (about 6' high) and a wooden chest of 4' by 3'.
Using a combination of oil, alchemical fire, missile fire and good old hack and slash the Cube was steadily chopped to bits.
While engaged in this, the party suddenly noticed a Babau standing behind the Cube leaning on a staff. The Demon appeared to be watching the party with some amusement and was mildly surprised when two arrows bounced off it's hide. They were valiant shots, being fast and very precise, but mere arrows at that so no-one was surprised at their ineffectiveness.
At this point, Domitius, holding his scroll of Dismissal Spells before him, resolutely marched towards the Babau. The Demon watched the kamikaze Cleric with an expression of disbelief. As Domitius reached the Demon, it casually raked a taloned hand across the Cleric's chest bringing forth a cloud of blood.
At this point two things became apparent:
(1) The Cube was rapidly dissolving and the Amphora was in danger of toppling to the ground and shattering.
(2) Domitius needed help fast.
To resolve (1), Jarol selflessly hurled himself under the toppling Amphora to cushion it. In so doing he immersed himself in the revolting goo of the expiring Cube. He stiffened as the paralysis took effect which made him an ineffectual Ranger, but a very effective cushion for the Amphora. It fell, heavily, onto his chest.
Alaricus delivered a vicious Mind Thrust at the Babau and the Demon gave a startled cry and staggered, the former receiving malevolent Telepathic images from the Babau of the exact things it would do to the instigator of that vicious assault. Arwen followed up with a Sound Burst which stunned the Babau.
Norry rushed up behind Domitius and cast a Cure spell. The magnificent Vincenzo, acting with alacrity and clear thought, gave the demon pause with a display of mighty eldritch powers. Thus fortified by cure and deed, Domitius read his scroll.
A loud boom ensued followed by a flash of light. When everyone's sight returned to normal, the Babau had gone.
Domitius became insufferable, proclaiming himself as the hero of the hour and belittling Vincenzo's admittedly feeble spell casting in this encounter. Vincenzo, with difficulty, restrained himself from blasting the little creep. Everyone just shook their heads at Domitius but gave the win to him so he need not look for courage at the bottom of a wineskin.
Meanwhile, showing admirable Roguish sentiments, Aradec lassoo-ed the chest and dragged it over to him.
Checking the chest he found that the lock was trapped with two odd slots on either side of the lock.
Vincenzo divined that the chest was not magical, but something very magical was inside.
Aradec managed to prize the lock plate off and revealed a cunning apparatus made up of two glass tubes connected to two glass globes containing a swirling reddish-orange gas. Aradec assessed that picking the lock would break the globes.
He and Dell carefully tipped the chest on it's side. Dell, being a Fighter and a bit hamfisted, made a hash of it. A scabbarded sword in the chest smacked into one of the glass tubes. There was a tense moment when everyone paused waiting for a gas cloud, but nothing happened.
Dell removed the sword.
Aradec attempted to remove the trap but it was fiendishly designed and one of the tubes cracked. The rest of the party saw the Rogue swathed in a cloud of gas. When it dissipated he was revealed as having been petrified.
Meanwhile Jarol examined the sword. It was a longsword in a beautiful blue scabbard encrusted with rubies and emeralds. Skilled appraisers in the party gazed unbelievably at the scabbard assessing that it must be worth in the vicinity of 200,000gp.
Jarol drew the sword. A clipped aristocratic voice in his head said "I don't think so, give me to a real Fighter".
Jarol gave the sword to Dell who drew it. The sword then spoke in his head and said: "Mmmm, shows promise, you might do." The sword revealed itself as a +3 Flaming Sword. Both the sword and scabbard are highly magical. The sword has other powers but does not reveal them yet.
Examining the Amphora, the party find, inscribed on the side in Greek the words "Milos of Messina ; Special Issue".
The more learned members of the party recall that Milos is a winemaker from Sicily and is famous for producing a top quality spiced white wine. If this Amphora is full of this wine, it will be very valuable (assuming Domitius doesn't get to it first).
The party, dragging the petrified Aradec, return to the Villa where they set him up in the fountain as a talking piece while the party came up with amusing epitaphs to honour their fallen comrade.
Campaign time, 1030, July 31.
Ends
While resting the party received another message from Nennius.
The evil party hunting the adventurers (the "Avengers") has been augmented. Their party now appears to consist of:
- A Human Male Ranger/Assassin.
- A Human Male Cleric of Arawn.
- A Male High Elf Wizard.
- A Male Goblin Rogue.
- A Male Half Orc Fighter.
- A Male Human Barbarian.
- A Female Half Elf Druid.
- A Male Human of apparent Egyptian origin. This NPC was described as disposing of three veteran Roman Cavalymen by merely looking at them. He carried no weapons and wore no armour. Alaricus knows he is a Psion and happens to know that Egypt is renowned for producing powerful psionic characters.
- A Male Human Monk with jet black skin - probably of Nubian origin.
With this welcome news to ponder, on the following morning (July 31), the party returned to the mysterious cavern.
They moved stealthily through the eerie cave, Norry watching carefully for signs of danger.
Suddenly 4 Cloakers swept down from the ceiling and assailed the party. They used vicious slaps with their stinger-like tails, but their most dangerous attack involved them enveloping their targets with their wing-like appendages then tearing their prey asunder with razor sharp teeth.
Arwen and Aradec were engulfed. Surprisingly, Arwen, with strength born of desperation (aware how squishy Bards are), managed to break free of the Cloaker attacking her. Aradec was not so lucky, the creature proved amazingly strong and the doughty thief was soon engulfed, helpless to escape and was mortally wounded by the creature's vicious bites.
Fierce combat involving Dell, Aicen (and Mors in Tenebris, her animal companion) assisted by some rather indifferent spell casting by Vincenzo, eventually managed to slay two of the horrors. Arwen's Bardic Music proved invaluable in supporting what was one of the worst combat performances this party has ever delivered.
Norry was able to save Aradec's life with a timely Cure spell.
The two surviving Cloakers, deciding this meal was proving too tough to chew, flew away into the ceiling.
The party gathered itself and bravely continued on.
They came to a fork in the cave and decided to try the right fork.
Norry's Darkvision espied a curious shimmering presence in the corridor within which was suspended some objects.
The presence proved to be an oversized Gelatinous Cube. Suspended in the giant jelly was a massive Amphora (about 6' high) and a wooden chest of 4' by 3'.
Using a combination of oil, alchemical fire, missile fire and good old hack and slash the Cube was steadily chopped to bits.
While engaged in this, the party suddenly noticed a Babau standing behind the Cube leaning on a staff. The Demon appeared to be watching the party with some amusement and was mildly surprised when two arrows bounced off it's hide. They were valiant shots, being fast and very precise, but mere arrows at that so no-one was surprised at their ineffectiveness.
At this point, Domitius, holding his scroll of Dismissal Spells before him, resolutely marched towards the Babau. The Demon watched the kamikaze Cleric with an expression of disbelief. As Domitius reached the Demon, it casually raked a taloned hand across the Cleric's chest bringing forth a cloud of blood.
At this point two things became apparent:
(1) The Cube was rapidly dissolving and the Amphora was in danger of toppling to the ground and shattering.
(2) Domitius needed help fast.
To resolve (1), Jarol selflessly hurled himself under the toppling Amphora to cushion it. In so doing he immersed himself in the revolting goo of the expiring Cube. He stiffened as the paralysis took effect which made him an ineffectual Ranger, but a very effective cushion for the Amphora. It fell, heavily, onto his chest.
Alaricus delivered a vicious Mind Thrust at the Babau and the Demon gave a startled cry and staggered, the former receiving malevolent Telepathic images from the Babau of the exact things it would do to the instigator of that vicious assault. Arwen followed up with a Sound Burst which stunned the Babau.
Norry rushed up behind Domitius and cast a Cure spell. The magnificent Vincenzo, acting with alacrity and clear thought, gave the demon pause with a display of mighty eldritch powers. Thus fortified by cure and deed, Domitius read his scroll.
A loud boom ensued followed by a flash of light. When everyone's sight returned to normal, the Babau had gone.
Domitius became insufferable, proclaiming himself as the hero of the hour and belittling Vincenzo's admittedly feeble spell casting in this encounter. Vincenzo, with difficulty, restrained himself from blasting the little creep. Everyone just shook their heads at Domitius but gave the win to him so he need not look for courage at the bottom of a wineskin.
Meanwhile, showing admirable Roguish sentiments, Aradec lassoo-ed the chest and dragged it over to him.
Checking the chest he found that the lock was trapped with two odd slots on either side of the lock.
Vincenzo divined that the chest was not magical, but something very magical was inside.
Aradec managed to prize the lock plate off and revealed a cunning apparatus made up of two glass tubes connected to two glass globes containing a swirling reddish-orange gas. Aradec assessed that picking the lock would break the globes.
He and Dell carefully tipped the chest on it's side. Dell, being a Fighter and a bit hamfisted, made a hash of it. A scabbarded sword in the chest smacked into one of the glass tubes. There was a tense moment when everyone paused waiting for a gas cloud, but nothing happened.
Dell removed the sword.
Aradec attempted to remove the trap but it was fiendishly designed and one of the tubes cracked. The rest of the party saw the Rogue swathed in a cloud of gas. When it dissipated he was revealed as having been petrified.
Meanwhile Jarol examined the sword. It was a longsword in a beautiful blue scabbard encrusted with rubies and emeralds. Skilled appraisers in the party gazed unbelievably at the scabbard assessing that it must be worth in the vicinity of 200,000gp.
Jarol drew the sword. A clipped aristocratic voice in his head said "I don't think so, give me to a real Fighter".
Jarol gave the sword to Dell who drew it. The sword then spoke in his head and said: "Mmmm, shows promise, you might do." The sword revealed itself as a +3 Flaming Sword. Both the sword and scabbard are highly magical. The sword has other powers but does not reveal them yet.
Examining the Amphora, the party find, inscribed on the side in Greek the words "Milos of Messina ; Special Issue".
The more learned members of the party recall that Milos is a winemaker from Sicily and is famous for producing a top quality spiced white wine. If this Amphora is full of this wine, it will be very valuable (assuming Domitius doesn't get to it first).
The party, dragging the petrified Aradec, return to the Villa where they set him up in the fountain as a talking piece while the party came up with amusing epitaphs to honour their fallen comrade.
Campaign time, 1030, July 31.
Ends