409 - Jun 21
21 June, evening.
The party make camp in the woods. Aileil sets up cunning traps at the camp's perimeter while Aradec sneaks through the wold looking for any potential ambushers.
The party retire for the night.
At about 0400 the weather begun to turn nasty with clouds gathering and a wind getting up. Hester cast his eyes skywards and predicted that a storm would soon hit. Sure enough, about 30 minutes later it started to rain. Before this, Hester had rigged up a shelter to protect the sleeping spell casters.
The rain soon turned torrential accompanied by strong winds.
The party had a quick cold breakfast and returned to the caverns.
They decided to explore a side passage that was on the way to the room where they met the Duergar and his bad-tempered lizard.
They came to a 30' by 40' room with a raised altar to the south. On the altar was a stone bowl. On the wall behind the altar were bas reliefs. They showed a good looking man dressed in whimsical clothing transforming himself into a number of forms (a salmon, a horse, a bird taking flight and a beautiful woman). In each carving the man is shown speaking to others and calming them down when they appear upset by his transformations.
Standing before the altar is Duergar in banded mail apparently some sort of priest.
Ailel and his wolf entered the room and Ailel unsuccessfully tried to speak to the Duergar. The Duergar produced a scroll from his sleeve ignoring attacks from the Druid and his companion and cast a Fear Spell. This had disturbingly little effect other than making Aradec squeal like a girl and flee from the dungeon in panic. Vincenzo tried a Sleep Spell while Alaricus attempted his usual mind fry. The Duergar ignored these feeble attacks.
One attack he did not ignore was a savage slash from Taryn. Proceedings ended when Vincenzo decided to ignore mental subtleties and cooked the annoying runt with a Scorching Ray. Steaming gently, the Duergar crumpled to the floor.
The party searched the room. The Duergar had a Heavy Crossbow, a Masterwork Heavy Mace, a Tanglefoot Bag, Banded Mail, 102 gp, a silver holy symbol worth 25gp, manacles and a scroll with 2 spells on it (as yet unread).
The Elves noticed a secret door concealed in the altar.
MEANWHILE - Aradec fled the dungeon in a blind panic and took shelter in the woods, cowering behind a robust Larch. While whimpering and hoping it was good drying weather, he became aware of something approaching towards him. Aradec's attempts to hide were vitiated by his uncontrollable sobbing. He looked up and beheld a ghastly sight - a Kobold loomed over him but was not the typical horned runt, but was horribly disfigured, chunks of flesh missing, its' eyes glazed and its body exuding a charnel stench. Aradec was paralyzed by terror and was helpless as the Kobold horror leaned forward , sniffing in a sinister fashion and drew Aradec's short sword from its sheath. The Kobold peered at the sword closely, grunted, then lurched off to the north. Aradec recovered his nerve soon afterwards and tried to track the Kobold, but there was no sign of a track in the dense woods. Aradec rejoined his comrades in the dungeon.
Reunited, the party moved through the secret door and headed off down a passage into an intersection. Aradec, boldly leading, entered the intersection then heard a slight click. The words "Oh Sh..." were forming in his mind when a trapdoor opened up underneath his feet. His freakishy reflexes enabled him to jump back before plunging into the 20' deep pit before him. At the base of the pit was a mass of wriggling small snakes intertwined with what looked like human bone remains. Aradec, despite attempts by Aielel to stop him, tossed an oil flask into the pit then lit it, incinerating the reptiles. The Rogue checked the pit finding 11 cp. The bones were definitely human and he noticed some odd bits of armour of an unusual (barbarian?) design. He also recovered a broadsword. The party moved on. Ailel announced that the snakes were common vipers, poisonous but not exotic (party members were observed to yawn).
Suddenly, slots opened in the walls on either side of the corridor the party were moving down and four crossbow bolts flashed out. Giggling could be heard and the party identfied the sound as Kobolds. Moving through the corridor of death (or maybe mild inconvenience?) the party entered a chamber defended by four Kobolds. A short melee followed. Four more Kobolds appeared coming from small side passages that connected to passages that provided the sniping positions into the corridor. Despite the reinforcements, the Kobolds were no match for the mighty adventurers. Nothing of interest was found in the room.
The party explored another passage way and came to a large room with a pit in the middle with a 5' pathway spiralling downwards. Taking note of the pit, the party moved on and came to an odd room. There was a small dias below which was a room with an 8' tall statue of a northern barbarian wielding a large warhammer. Nordic-looking runes were carved on the statue's base. Aradec noticed some copper nozzzles poking out of the ceiling. Aradec, Ailel and the wolf entered the room. As they did so, giggling came from above and oil sprayed out of the nozzles. An instant late a panel opened at the base of the statue. Behind it was a Kobold barbarian holding a flask of Alchemist's Fire which it playfully tossed at the oil spattered adventurers. Aradec, in an impressive acrobatic display (overcompensating for his earlier bed-wetting antics?) leapt on the dias avoiding the oil. Ailel managed to avoid most of the oil, but his wolf got a good dousing. The vial exploded and flames sprang up around the base of the statue and the room filled with the scent of hot dog. Ailel took a mild scorching but the wolf was not having a good time, not helped when Aradec started flogging it with a cloak in a well intentioned but inept attempt to put the flames out.
Taryyn, striking a photogenic pose, leapt forward and slashed at the Kobold, hurting it badly. Alaricus, hoping to find an opponent of lesser mental robustness, directed a Mind Thrust at the Kobold. It gave a little yelp, its eyes rolled upwards and it tumbled back out of sight.
The flames having died down, Taryyn leant into the hatch. He saw the Kobold lying a few feet away on its back clearly dead. As he leant forward with the aim of dragging the Kobold out of the statue, Taryn noticed two iron doors behind the corpse. They opened revealing a dark red/blackish jelly-like substance which started to sluggishly pour through the doorway. A strong astringent smell filled the air.
Abandoning thoughts of heroism, the WarBladeyelled "Run!" to his colleagues and left the chamber.
As the party fell back they saw the stange jelly surge onto the dias. Strange pseudopods waved about at the top of the dias apparently trying to sense the party. As the party slowly backed away they saw the jelly rise up to the ceiling and then, remarkably, form into a wooden-looking door complete with lock and handle. At no stage did the blancmange leave the confines of the room.
"This be magic", Vincenzo sagaciously observed.
The party returned to the pit room and decided to check a passage leading off it. As they proceeded down some steps, they noticed the air become laden with moisture and could smell ocean brine and rotting fish and could hear lapping waves. They came to a large cavern with a shingle beach.
On the beach were several broken spears, an old fishing pole with a tangled fishing line, a new net and the remains of dozens of gutted and semi-filleted fish. Beyond was a large lake.
After a discussion about the merits of trying lure fishing with the Psicrystal (Alaricus was not a good sport), Ailel, Taryn and Aradec ventured into the water and noticed the water deepened quite quickly (2 and a half feet per 5 feet). As they enjoyed a badly needed bath, a large swimming creature (gray, sheet-like with a barbed tail and a face from nightmares) swept past close to them. Deciding they were not ready for aquatic adventuring, the brave bathers fled ashore.
The party decided to head off outside to rest and recuperate, but checked the pit first. Vincenzo cast a Light Spell on his staff and revealed a narrow pathway winding downwards 20' to a door. Vincenzo noted what a perfectly normal looking door it was and was considering examining it when Aradec remarked in a noticeably shaky voice that he thought he had just seen eyes in the door. On closer inspection the party decided that this door resembled the door formed by the weird jelly thing much too closely. Vincenzo was convinced that powerful Ilusion magic was afoot.
The party returned to the forest to rest and ponder on next steps.
June 22 - midday. ENDS
The party make camp in the woods. Aileil sets up cunning traps at the camp's perimeter while Aradec sneaks through the wold looking for any potential ambushers.
The party retire for the night.
At about 0400 the weather begun to turn nasty with clouds gathering and a wind getting up. Hester cast his eyes skywards and predicted that a storm would soon hit. Sure enough, about 30 minutes later it started to rain. Before this, Hester had rigged up a shelter to protect the sleeping spell casters.
The rain soon turned torrential accompanied by strong winds.
The party had a quick cold breakfast and returned to the caverns.
They decided to explore a side passage that was on the way to the room where they met the Duergar and his bad-tempered lizard.
They came to a 30' by 40' room with a raised altar to the south. On the altar was a stone bowl. On the wall behind the altar were bas reliefs. They showed a good looking man dressed in whimsical clothing transforming himself into a number of forms (a salmon, a horse, a bird taking flight and a beautiful woman). In each carving the man is shown speaking to others and calming them down when they appear upset by his transformations.
Standing before the altar is Duergar in banded mail apparently some sort of priest.
Ailel and his wolf entered the room and Ailel unsuccessfully tried to speak to the Duergar. The Duergar produced a scroll from his sleeve ignoring attacks from the Druid and his companion and cast a Fear Spell. This had disturbingly little effect other than making Aradec squeal like a girl and flee from the dungeon in panic. Vincenzo tried a Sleep Spell while Alaricus attempted his usual mind fry. The Duergar ignored these feeble attacks.
One attack he did not ignore was a savage slash from Taryn. Proceedings ended when Vincenzo decided to ignore mental subtleties and cooked the annoying runt with a Scorching Ray. Steaming gently, the Duergar crumpled to the floor.
The party searched the room. The Duergar had a Heavy Crossbow, a Masterwork Heavy Mace, a Tanglefoot Bag, Banded Mail, 102 gp, a silver holy symbol worth 25gp, manacles and a scroll with 2 spells on it (as yet unread).
The Elves noticed a secret door concealed in the altar.
MEANWHILE - Aradec fled the dungeon in a blind panic and took shelter in the woods, cowering behind a robust Larch. While whimpering and hoping it was good drying weather, he became aware of something approaching towards him. Aradec's attempts to hide were vitiated by his uncontrollable sobbing. He looked up and beheld a ghastly sight - a Kobold loomed over him but was not the typical horned runt, but was horribly disfigured, chunks of flesh missing, its' eyes glazed and its body exuding a charnel stench. Aradec was paralyzed by terror and was helpless as the Kobold horror leaned forward , sniffing in a sinister fashion and drew Aradec's short sword from its sheath. The Kobold peered at the sword closely, grunted, then lurched off to the north. Aradec recovered his nerve soon afterwards and tried to track the Kobold, but there was no sign of a track in the dense woods. Aradec rejoined his comrades in the dungeon.
Reunited, the party moved through the secret door and headed off down a passage into an intersection. Aradec, boldly leading, entered the intersection then heard a slight click. The words "Oh Sh..." were forming in his mind when a trapdoor opened up underneath his feet. His freakishy reflexes enabled him to jump back before plunging into the 20' deep pit before him. At the base of the pit was a mass of wriggling small snakes intertwined with what looked like human bone remains. Aradec, despite attempts by Aielel to stop him, tossed an oil flask into the pit then lit it, incinerating the reptiles. The Rogue checked the pit finding 11 cp. The bones were definitely human and he noticed some odd bits of armour of an unusual (barbarian?) design. He also recovered a broadsword. The party moved on. Ailel announced that the snakes were common vipers, poisonous but not exotic (party members were observed to yawn).
Suddenly, slots opened in the walls on either side of the corridor the party were moving down and four crossbow bolts flashed out. Giggling could be heard and the party identfied the sound as Kobolds. Moving through the corridor of death (or maybe mild inconvenience?) the party entered a chamber defended by four Kobolds. A short melee followed. Four more Kobolds appeared coming from small side passages that connected to passages that provided the sniping positions into the corridor. Despite the reinforcements, the Kobolds were no match for the mighty adventurers. Nothing of interest was found in the room.
The party explored another passage way and came to a large room with a pit in the middle with a 5' pathway spiralling downwards. Taking note of the pit, the party moved on and came to an odd room. There was a small dias below which was a room with an 8' tall statue of a northern barbarian wielding a large warhammer. Nordic-looking runes were carved on the statue's base. Aradec noticed some copper nozzzles poking out of the ceiling. Aradec, Ailel and the wolf entered the room. As they did so, giggling came from above and oil sprayed out of the nozzles. An instant late a panel opened at the base of the statue. Behind it was a Kobold barbarian holding a flask of Alchemist's Fire which it playfully tossed at the oil spattered adventurers. Aradec, in an impressive acrobatic display (overcompensating for his earlier bed-wetting antics?) leapt on the dias avoiding the oil. Ailel managed to avoid most of the oil, but his wolf got a good dousing. The vial exploded and flames sprang up around the base of the statue and the room filled with the scent of hot dog. Ailel took a mild scorching but the wolf was not having a good time, not helped when Aradec started flogging it with a cloak in a well intentioned but inept attempt to put the flames out.
Taryyn, striking a photogenic pose, leapt forward and slashed at the Kobold, hurting it badly. Alaricus, hoping to find an opponent of lesser mental robustness, directed a Mind Thrust at the Kobold. It gave a little yelp, its eyes rolled upwards and it tumbled back out of sight.
The flames having died down, Taryyn leant into the hatch. He saw the Kobold lying a few feet away on its back clearly dead. As he leant forward with the aim of dragging the Kobold out of the statue, Taryn noticed two iron doors behind the corpse. They opened revealing a dark red/blackish jelly-like substance which started to sluggishly pour through the doorway. A strong astringent smell filled the air.
Abandoning thoughts of heroism, the WarBladeyelled "Run!" to his colleagues and left the chamber.
As the party fell back they saw the stange jelly surge onto the dias. Strange pseudopods waved about at the top of the dias apparently trying to sense the party. As the party slowly backed away they saw the jelly rise up to the ceiling and then, remarkably, form into a wooden-looking door complete with lock and handle. At no stage did the blancmange leave the confines of the room.
"This be magic", Vincenzo sagaciously observed.
The party returned to the pit room and decided to check a passage leading off it. As they proceeded down some steps, they noticed the air become laden with moisture and could smell ocean brine and rotting fish and could hear lapping waves. They came to a large cavern with a shingle beach.
On the beach were several broken spears, an old fishing pole with a tangled fishing line, a new net and the remains of dozens of gutted and semi-filleted fish. Beyond was a large lake.
After a discussion about the merits of trying lure fishing with the Psicrystal (Alaricus was not a good sport), Ailel, Taryn and Aradec ventured into the water and noticed the water deepened quite quickly (2 and a half feet per 5 feet). As they enjoyed a badly needed bath, a large swimming creature (gray, sheet-like with a barbed tail and a face from nightmares) swept past close to them. Deciding they were not ready for aquatic adventuring, the brave bathers fled ashore.
The party decided to head off outside to rest and recuperate, but checked the pit first. Vincenzo cast a Light Spell on his staff and revealed a narrow pathway winding downwards 20' to a door. Vincenzo noted what a perfectly normal looking door it was and was considering examining it when Aradec remarked in a noticeably shaky voice that he thought he had just seen eyes in the door. On closer inspection the party decided that this door resembled the door formed by the weird jelly thing much too closely. Vincenzo was convinced that powerful Ilusion magic was afoot.
The party returned to the forest to rest and ponder on next steps.
June 22 - midday. ENDS