5 November, 595
Part II
Returning to Jzadirune, the party decides to fill in parts of their map that they haven't been to yet. They start with the closed "J" door in the mask room. Nothing there but dusty cots and lockers containing personal effects and uniforms.
Moving on to an unexplored tunnel, the group comes to a wall with rungs leading up to a hole in the ceiling above. Kyladrian peeks his head through and moves just in time to see a rapier slash the air where his head used to be. He srambles back down and the group decides to blind it then attack. Felian casts a light spell on the ceiling of the room above, and Fario and Salla scurry up the ladder to find an empty room. Fario finds a hidden door in one of the walls, and it opens into the room where they rescued Starbrow. This time it is occupied by one of the tall grey creatures and a pair of hobgoblins guarding a bound up halfling. Our heroes strike quickly, cutting down the hobgoblins and corning the other creature, who throws his weapon down and starts yammering in a language unknown to anyone in the group. The person tied up guesses aloud that it sounds like a form of undercommon, a language spoken by creatures who dwell deep below the earth. Salla attempts to wrestle with it to tie it up, but it deftly avoids him and makes a break for the door, jumping through the hole and running down the tunnel. The group decides to let him go, and Baxter shouts a harsh warning after him.
The halfling is unbound and introduces himself as Serro Broadcuff, a minstrel, and one who could provide help for the rescue attempt. He explains that he was taken captive by some of these creatures and forced to live in a cell for the past week in proximity to other prisoners (including some children!). He is given a crossbow and welcomed as a member of the party.
The search continues, and eventually leads to another passage with a hole in the ceiling. This time, more care is taken, and Salla gingerly pokes his head into the room above. This room is filled with the stench of the rotting carcass of a large green worm, and flies buzzing noisily about it. There is also a pile of armor and shields. Serro takes advantage to equip himself with a shirt of mail and a shield, and the walls are searched more throughly. A potential hidden door is found, but neither Kyladrian nor Salla can determine how to open it. The stench of the worm is overbearing and eventually forces the party to discontinue the attempt to open the door.
The party retraces its steps and comes to a room with a cot and chest featuring a lit lantern. Baxter steps into the room and is immediately set upon by a pair of tall "greys", one of them attacking with just its fist (possibly the one that got away earlier). This time, no mercy is shown and the two are slaughtered. In the chest is found some lantern oil, a ceramic bunny mask, a silver ring in the shape of a serpent, and a silver ewer set with gems. The company pockets the loot and heads toward the northern part of the ruins.
The group discovers what they determine to be a classroom, with basic physics equations and formulae still written in faded gnomish upon the chalkboards. A secret door is also found which opens into a room filled with a strange mist. Instead of entering it, the group moves down a different passage, which seems to lead to the same room, from a different side. Salla, Kyladrian, and Fario are roped together and begin to explore the room. The mist is so thick that visibility does not extend more then 5ft in front of them. As they move about the room, Salla is swarmed by a group of large centipedes - one of them crawls up onto his foot and bites him, its poison having an immediate effect. Despite the setback, Salla and Kyladrian easily hack apart the insects, their green ichor splatting on the floor. Continuing onward, Kyladrian and Fario map out the rest of the room, finding nothing of interest except a nondescript lectern and a ladder propped against some shelving.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
A Furry Reunion
5 November, 595
Part I
The next day the party continues to rest until the following evening. Some valuables found in the ruins are hawked, and the group uses the services of the Temple of Lordly Might to heal wounds and purchase potions of healing.
Another foray into the ruins is in order, and they decide to investigate the forested room. Amidst the sound of chirping birds and flitting butterflies, Kyladrian tries to carve his initials into one of the trees, and Fario rips a leaf, but neither of these actions seem to have any effect. The group begins to guess that some magic is afoot here, but is not quite sure what is going on. Leaving from a circular door with a "D", the party enters a room containing a caged rat. Indeed the creature matches the appearance of the one lost by Keygan, several weeks ago! The rat squeaks excitedly and is immediately taken back to the surface, along with an empty gray sack found in one of the chests.
Keygan is overjoyed to be reunited with his companion, and thanks the adventurers profusely. He listens distractedly to Karnak's tale of how they found them, but finds it hard to concentrate among all the excitement. The group is pleased at their accomplishment, as this is the first objective they have been able to complete in several hard days of exploring.
Eager to continue their search for the missing children, the heroes ponder their next move, and the danger in Jzadirune awaits...
Part I
The next day the party continues to rest until the following evening. Some valuables found in the ruins are hawked, and the group uses the services of the Temple of Lordly Might to heal wounds and purchase potions of healing.
Another foray into the ruins is in order, and they decide to investigate the forested room. Amidst the sound of chirping birds and flitting butterflies, Kyladrian tries to carve his initials into one of the trees, and Fario rips a leaf, but neither of these actions seem to have any effect. The group begins to guess that some magic is afoot here, but is not quite sure what is going on. Leaving from a circular door with a "D", the party enters a room containing a caged rat. Indeed the creature matches the appearance of the one lost by Keygan, several weeks ago! The rat squeaks excitedly and is immediately taken back to the surface, along with an empty gray sack found in one of the chests.
Keygan is overjoyed to be reunited with his companion, and thanks the adventurers profusely. He listens distractedly to Karnak's tale of how they found them, but finds it hard to concentrate among all the excitement. The group is pleased at their accomplishment, as this is the first objective they have been able to complete in several hard days of exploring.
Eager to continue their search for the missing children, the heroes ponder their next move, and the danger in Jzadirune awaits...
Creepy Crawlies
4 November, 595
Part III
That night, the group decides to venture back into the underground ruins. Listening at the 'A' door in the mask room, Baxter thinks he hears some soft rustling noise in the room beyond. Kyladrian takes the torch and waves it menacingly in the room, trying to reach whatever he imagines is on the other side of the wall. This surprisingly has some effect, as two creatures are flushed from the room, and escape down the two smaller corridors exiting the room. The group summons up the courage to investigate the room.
One of the corridors is explored and leads to a rectangular room that is seemingly empty. This proves not to be the case, as a shout is heard and a smallish creature with dark hooves darts out of the room in an opposite hallway. Moments later, an ear-piercing shriek is let out, and the most of the group is stunned, not knowing what hit them. Baxter is at the front and takes some tremendous blows from a pair of spiked wedges that seem to come from thin air and disappear. Baxter goes down and the group tries to retreat, but not before Salla and Felian both take on the brunt of the attack. As the party retreats backward, a lobster-shaped automaton emerges from thin air and follows the group up to the small corrider they came through. The machine cannot squeeze into the tunnel and vanishes again when faced with arrows shot from Fario's bow.
Needing healing, the group looks for a good place to hunker down. They come across a very strange room with four trees sprouting from a grassy floor, with all the feel and appearance of an outdoor scene. Branches and leaves form the ceiling and the walls are made of brambles and bushes. Not trusting what they are seeing, the group continues down the hallway until they reach a kitchen with two great hearths. As the clerics of the group are administering healing, two of the hoofed creatures sneak out of the fireplaces and attempt to ambush the group. Both Salla and Fario make quick work of the little creatures. Kyladrian investigates a rickety cabinet and jumps back just in time as the cabinet comes crashing down, smashing its contents onto the floor. In the rubble, a key is found that looks like it may fit the "Z" doors.
Passing through a smashed up dining room, our heroes encounter a blue-tiled room with a water fountain pouring into a pool. Above the pool a man-sized cocoon is suspended, held in place by copious webs dangling from the ceiling. Kyladrian investigates and is about to set fire to the webs when a large spider quickly descends and moves toward him. A fierce battle rages on and the group is beset by two other smaller arachnids. Salla is bitten several times and falls unconscious to the ground. Before the spiders are defeated, both the dwarf and Kyladrian are inflicted with the poisonous spider venom. Acting spontaneously, Kyladrian holds a torch to the webs and in seconds the entire ceiling is on fire, smoke clouding the room and choking the inhabitants. Salla is dragged out of the room and the group finds comfort in the large area with the dancing lights. After a anti-poison and healing potions are administered, the victims are revived, and it is decided that a trip back to the surface is in order to rest and recuperate.
Part III
That night, the group decides to venture back into the underground ruins. Listening at the 'A' door in the mask room, Baxter thinks he hears some soft rustling noise in the room beyond. Kyladrian takes the torch and waves it menacingly in the room, trying to reach whatever he imagines is on the other side of the wall. This surprisingly has some effect, as two creatures are flushed from the room, and escape down the two smaller corridors exiting the room. The group summons up the courage to investigate the room.
One of the corridors is explored and leads to a rectangular room that is seemingly empty. This proves not to be the case, as a shout is heard and a smallish creature with dark hooves darts out of the room in an opposite hallway. Moments later, an ear-piercing shriek is let out, and the most of the group is stunned, not knowing what hit them. Baxter is at the front and takes some tremendous blows from a pair of spiked wedges that seem to come from thin air and disappear. Baxter goes down and the group tries to retreat, but not before Salla and Felian both take on the brunt of the attack. As the party retreats backward, a lobster-shaped automaton emerges from thin air and follows the group up to the small corrider they came through. The machine cannot squeeze into the tunnel and vanishes again when faced with arrows shot from Fario's bow.
Needing healing, the group looks for a good place to hunker down. They come across a very strange room with four trees sprouting from a grassy floor, with all the feel and appearance of an outdoor scene. Branches and leaves form the ceiling and the walls are made of brambles and bushes. Not trusting what they are seeing, the group continues down the hallway until they reach a kitchen with two great hearths. As the clerics of the group are administering healing, two of the hoofed creatures sneak out of the fireplaces and attempt to ambush the group. Both Salla and Fario make quick work of the little creatures. Kyladrian investigates a rickety cabinet and jumps back just in time as the cabinet comes crashing down, smashing its contents onto the floor. In the rubble, a key is found that looks like it may fit the "Z" doors.
Passing through a smashed up dining room, our heroes encounter a blue-tiled room with a water fountain pouring into a pool. Above the pool a man-sized cocoon is suspended, held in place by copious webs dangling from the ceiling. Kyladrian investigates and is about to set fire to the webs when a large spider quickly descends and moves toward him. A fierce battle rages on and the group is beset by two other smaller arachnids. Salla is bitten several times and falls unconscious to the ground. Before the spiders are defeated, both the dwarf and Kyladrian are inflicted with the poisonous spider venom. Acting spontaneously, Kyladrian holds a torch to the webs and in seconds the entire ceiling is on fire, smoke clouding the room and choking the inhabitants. Salla is dragged out of the room and the group finds comfort in the large area with the dancing lights. After a anti-poison and healing potions are administered, the victims are revived, and it is decided that a trip back to the surface is in order to rest and recuperate.
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