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<blockquote data-quote="Netherstorm" data-source="post: 5741543" data-attributes="member: 84943"><p><strong>5. The Dead Warrens</strong></p><p></p><p><em>11/28/11: The party hit level 2 at the end of this one... </em></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Saga of Valor </span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Book One - NyrodSpace War 3</span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center"><em>Chapter Five: The Dead Warrens</em></p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>Ardra</strong> - Eladrin Bladesinger <em>Vovoidja</em></p><p><em></em><strong>The Blue Monk</strong> - Half-Orc Monk <em>Almoner</em></p><p><em></em><strong>Hartaniel</strong> - Elf Barbarian <em>Groom of the Stool</em></p><p><em></em><strong>Lucky</strong> - Human Warlord<em> Constable</em></p><p><em></em><strong>Ryltar</strong> - Drow Avenger <em>Constable</em></p><p><em></em><strong>Scarlet</strong> - Human Fighter<em> Constable</em></p><p><em></em><strong>Varis</strong> - Half-Elf Warlock<em> Hostarius</em></p><p></p><p>The adventurers were on the trail of a drow plot. A cult of Urgathoa had sent canisters of a disease called blood veil to the drow city of Rilauven. Their goal was to unleash the disease on the people of Olwynn. The drow's hope is that once the plague wiped out the city, the drow would swoop in and take over.</p><p></p><p>The heroes had just fended off an attack from the cult. They gathered at Grog's Half-Ogre Inn and Tavern with key members of the town to discuss what to do next.</p><p></p><p>Captain Bearclaw, the goliath in charge of the town guard, had questioned the town drunk, Jim Aremsee. It turned out that he was a member of the cult. Jim admitted other citizens were members as well. They'd all gone to the cult's lair under the river to warn their leader, Ilcanya.</p><p></p><p>Grog, owner of the inn and tavern, told the heroes they could stay at his place for free any time. </p><p></p><p>Elmo the farmer approached Ardra. He offered to buy her three bugbear slaves. She told him she'd think it over.</p><p></p><p>Old Ezmerelda Fipps had knitted a pair of mittens and offered it to the heroes. They were blue, with a grey dagger stitched on the back. Hartaniel took one glove, and the Blue Monk took the other.</p><p></p><p>Cristina Andovan, a schoolteacher, told the heroes that her parents owned the general store. She said that the adventurers were welcome to take whatever they needed if they thought it would help them defeat the cult. </p><p></p><p>Father Hiram, of the church of Mari, offered two potions of healing. He said he'd try to heal them, but his magic was faltering. His goddess had been imprisoned by the King of Terror.</p><p></p><p>The owner of the wine shop, Gretchen, showed up with her two big dogs. She came bearing gifts for the heroes - bottles of red wine. She noticed a note had been pinned to the front door with a dagger. It read:</p><p></p><p>"We are ready for you"</p><p></p><p>The note bore the symbol of the cult - a moth with a skull imprint on its' back.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers were hurt from their defense of the town. They decided to rest for the night.</p><p></p><p>Scarlet, however, decided to creep through the streets and make her way to the Green Grape Wine store. She opened a window and sneaked inside. Scarlet snatched some bottles of wine and then quickly made her way back to Grog's. She had stolen a total of 400 gold worth of wine!</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel, Ardra and The Blue Monk went to the General Store. Merik Andovan, the owner, greeted them. Hartaniel asked for healing potions.</p><p></p><p>Merik said in his Dagger Rock accent, "You're gonna want to go to duh priest for healing potions. We got stuff like rope, sacks - all sorts of sacks, need a shovel? Rake?"</p><p></p><p>"For free?", Ardra asked.</p><p></p><p>"Hey - if you're gonna take care of dat cult, den help yourself!"</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel grabbed a bag. Merik nodded and said, "Knock ya'self out."</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel looked at the bag and asked, "It's not going to fall apart, is it?"</p><p></p><p>"How dare you impugn duh quality of our sacks?"</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel took a variety of empty vials and flasks. </p><p></p><p>The Blue Monk asked, "Do you have any oil?"</p><p></p><p>Merik said enthusiastically, "Oh - we got oil. We got a barrel full of it."</p><p></p><p>The monk took a jug's worth.</p><p></p><p>"You got candles?", he asked.</p><p></p><p>"Oh, we got candles. My wife with the candles..!"</p><p></p><p>"I don't need to know about your personal life."</p><p></p><p>Merik's wife piped up, "So what? I like candles. Everybody buys 'em."</p><p></p><p>Merik turned to her, angry, "You sell 'em to ya friends for half price. Do ya think I don't know dat?!"</p><p></p><p>The monk took some candles. Hartaniel took some torches. They got some rope and an adventuring kit.</p><p></p><p>The Blue Monk asked, "Where do you keep the good stuff? Do you have a safe?"</p><p></p><p>Merik paused. "Why you askin me about a safe? I think your visit is about over."</p><p></p><p>"Are you hiding something? In the safe?"</p><p></p><p>Merik was incredulous. "Hiding something?! My safe? Why don't you get the frick outta here?"</p><p></p><p>Ardra said, "I think it's time for us to go."</p><p></p><p>Merik's wife asked her husband, "Should I go get Captain Bearclaw?"</p><p></p><p>The heroes made their exit. The Blue Monk said to his friends, "Every time I talk to someone a fight breaks out..."</p><p></p><p>Ryltar the drow stayed back at Grog's. He said to Ezmerelda, the old lady who had made the mittens, "Thank you for your kind words. I know that The Raven Queen will guide your soul safely when you die."</p><p></p><p>Ezmerelda got a good look at Ryltar for the first time and said, "Oh! You're one of those awful drow! Stay away from me! First half-ogres, now drow. Dagger Rock has gone to s**t." She left Grog's and went home. </p><p></p><p>The heroes settled in to their rooms at Grog's. </p><p></p><p>Lucky went in to Varis' room and told Varis and his skull familiar a bedtime story. It was about how her parents died. Varis seemed to enjoy it, noting how his parents had died as well.</p><p></p><p>"Ah you're good kids", she said.</p><p></p><p>That night many of the dreamed of Urialle the torturer, with wine in one hand and a glowing brand in the other.</p><p></p><p>The next morning, the heroes set out for the river just outside of town. There, jutting out of the water, was a huge stone in the shape of a dagger. Captain Bearclaw escorted the heroes there. He reminded them to look for his magic horn, which was stolen from him. It could summon his friend, a roc.</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel swam out to it while the others waited by the dock. The floating lantern of Vecna floated along with him. Vecna told Hartaniel that agents of the King of Terror had his eye and hand. With those, Vecna could become whole again! He promised Hartaniel a great reward. Hartaniel decided to keep this information for himself.</p><p></p><p>The river was deep, but there was a stone shelf that the "dagger" was implanted into. Hartaniel stood upon it, and saw the water was only a foot deep. He looked in the base of the stone, and saw a two-inch slit. </p><p></p><p>The spirit of Vecna, in his floating lantern, said "You're quite bold, Hartaniel."</p><p></p><p>"I was wondering why you haven't spoken in a while..".</p><p></p><p>"My energy ebbs and wanes! As you know, I was once a god but now I am almost completely discorporated!"</p><p></p><p>"Doesn't ebb and wane mean the same thing?"</p><p></p><p>"Flow! This place might be a good repository of secrets for my followers... if I had any followers."</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel thought for a minute and asked, "If we find any secrets, what should we do with them?"</p><p></p><p>"Keep them away from the King of Terror! He knows too much. And so does Galasis, your God of Magic. He's got a big mouth, that one. Your gods once attacked me when I had my back turned! They discorporated me! It was most humiliating. Most die in seconds just being in the aura of my godly presence!"</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel began to stuff the Vecna lantern in a backpack. Vecna continued talking. "Let me tell you something, Hartaniel. If you can find my Eye and Hand, I can become a god once more and you will get a great reward! The followers of the King of Terror have the Eye and Hand. I've been following them for centuries."</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel nodded and decided to keep all of this to himself, as his allies swam up to the dagger rock. They had the iron dagger, which was the magic "key" to open the way.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers joined him, used the dagger in the slot. There was a spark of energy, and a man-sized aperture appeared. A magical field prevented the water from pouring in and flooding the lair.</p><p></p><p>Scarlet said, "Maybe there's some way to turn this field off! We could flood their lair."</p><p></p><p>Vecna piped up again, "I'm afraid your magic is too feeble! Urgathoa is an epic entity! You have no chance against her magic! If she is here, you will all have a miserable death."</p><p></p><p>Scarlet sighed. "That sounds fun. Let's go, guys."</p><p></p><p>"Your best bet, should you find her, is to pray to your gods. They might have a chance against her!"</p><p></p><p>They dropped through the aperture into a hallway that lead to a chamber with pillars. There were pits on either side filled with bones. The muddy walls had skeletons embedded in them. As the adventurers watched, the skeletons animated and pulled themselves free! A skeleton of an owlbar loomed over the rest, all ready to kill the adventurers!</p><p></p><p>Ardra ran up to a skeleton, infusing her blade with radiant energy, and sliced into a skeleton. Varis hit it with an eldritch blast, and destroyed it. The heroes poured into the room. An arrow sank into Ryltar's side. Ardra destroyed another skeleton.</p><p></p><p>The blue monk chased down one of the skeleton archers and cracked its' skull with his fist. The owlbear skeleton loomed over Scarlet, swiping at her with its' claw. Under Lucky's direction, Scarlet grabbed hold of a rib as Ardra teleported past it and into a flank. Her radiant blade sliced into it twice, causing it to let out a strange, pulsing howl that dazed Lucky. The Owlbear sliced open Scarlet's stomach, dropping her to unconsciousness.</p><p></p><p>Varis and Ryltar battled an archer, whittling it down. It side-stepped Ryltar's ice scythe and fired an arrow into the drow avenger's neck, dropping him. </p><p></p><p>Ardra staggered the owlbear with another radiant slash. Varis took aim and destroyed it with a burning spray. The last skeleton stabbed Hartaniel and brought him to the ground. Ardra pelted it with a magic missile, and the Blue Monk finished it off with a mighty punch. </p><p></p><p>They stopped for five minutes to heal, and then snooped around. There were two hallways leading further in the complex. From one, they heard bouts of laughter. From the other, they heard buzzing.</p><p></p><p>They crept up to the room with buzzing. Inside, they saw a lone plaguebringer placing stirges on a dead body and taking notes. They burst in. The Blue Monk staggered him with a punch, and then Hartaniel beheaded him. They killed the stirges. Once they went over his notes, from what they could tell, he was working on a new strain of blood veil - one in which caused those killed by the disease to rise up as plague zombies!</p><p></p><p>The heroes split up and advanced on the other chamber. Half of them went in the hallway, the others lurked in a secret passageway. They saw four plaguebringers inside playing a cruel game. They had a rat in a maze, and wherever it went, they doused it with acid or poison or blood veil. They laughed uproariously at this.</p><p></p><p>The heroes had seen enough. They burst in and brutally slaughtered the doctors. The Blue Monk punched a lady so hard, bones came out of her nose and brain came out of their eyesockets! </p><p></p><p>They kept one of them alive. They took off his plaguebringer mask. He was Yuri, owner of the Dagger Rock Tavern. Hartaniel grabbed a pair of pliers off of a dead plaguebringer.</p><p>Hartaniel knelt down, pliers in one hand, and slapped Yuri to attention. Hartaniel began to pull on Yuri's ear with the pliers. Yuri screamed. </p><p></p><p>Hartaniel said, "Talk."</p><p></p><p>"Whuddya - whuddya want me to say!? They made me do it! Stop pullin on my ear!".</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel stopped pulling on his ear, and began to use the pliers on his nose. Yuri screamed again. </p><p></p><p>"What is your goal?"</p><p></p><p>"Just makin some diseases, that's all. What's tha' big deal? Hey - you let me go, I'll give you money."</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel put the pliers back on the guy's ear and tore it off! Blood spurted everywhere. Yuri passed out from the pain.</p><p></p><p>Varis sighed and shook his head. The 12 year old looked at Hartaniel and said, "You have no idea how to scare people, do you?"</p><p></p><p>Lucky pulled out her blade and ran Yuri through. "He's better off this way. Trust me," she said in a depressed tone. "If someone had done this to me when I lost the first one of my limbs, I wouldn't be in this mess right now."</p><p></p><p>the heroes took the magical plaguebringer masks and put them on. They were now all immune to blood veil and were magically protected from disease and poison.</p><p></p><p>In another room, they found an otyugh chained in a pit. It cried out: "WARM FOOD!". Hartaniel threw Yuri's body at it. The otyugh devoured it. They pelted it with magic missiles and crossbow bolts until it died.</p><p></p><p>They made through a hallway lined with skulls. They carefully, step-by-step, tested the floor for traps. They found three pressure plates, and carefully avoided them. The hall led to a trashed room where a lone plaguebringer was sweeping up a mess. He immediately surrendered. </p><p></p><p>"Please don't kill me! Yaahhh!", he screamed in terror.</p><p></p><p>Scarlet stepped forward. "Give me a reason. Several."</p><p></p><p>"I didn't think you guys were comin'!"</p><p></p><p>"That is a really bad reason."</p><p></p><p>"You - you promise to let me go, and I'll tell you somethin really important."</p><p></p><p>"If it's not important, we'll kill you."</p><p></p><p>"I got two words for you. Carrion. Golem." There was a pregnant pause. "Intrigued? I thought you would be."</p><p></p><p>Ryltar said, "I guess that is kind of interesting."</p><p></p><p>"Now why don't you slide ovah and I'll just make my way toward the exit."</p><p></p><p>Scarlet blocked his path. "I think we would have figured out that a carrion golem was in here sooner or later."</p><p></p><p>The plaguebringer began to stammer. "Ilcanya's gonna kill you with it. Ilcanya's the priestess of Urgathoa with tha' big hand. And a tail. She's almost as powerful as Lady Andaisin herself. You know, lady wit a scythe?"</p><p></p><p>He was describing the woman the heroes had seen during the Battle of Olwynn. </p><p></p><p>The Blue Monk suggested using the plaguebringer as a hostage or a human shield. Scarlet, a fighter who was all about grappling, thought that was a good idea.</p><p></p><p>The plaguebringer looked at her and said, "Dis might actually be fun! Go ahead, grab away, lady." She grabbed hold of him. "Wow lady, you smell so nice! I ain't never seen you in Dagger Rock before."</p><p></p><p>She pulled out her broken longsword and put it at his throat. "My family is called the Brokenblades. We break swords. Does that conjure any mental imagery that may or may not be important in the coming ten minutes?"</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel walked up to a door in the room and pointed at it. "What's in this room?", he asked the hostage.</p><p></p><p>"Pantry. Carrion golem wrecked it. The thing went on a rampage oilier."</p><p></p><p>Ryltar asked, "'Earlier' or 'Oilier'?"</p><p></p><p>Beyond the door was indeed a pantry, in ruins. </p><p></p><p>"We locked duh carrion golem in dere. Ilcanya came and got him out of there. Tellya what, Lady Andaisin would'a been real mad. She's got these big disease demons. She's so beautiful." He thought for a minute. Then, "...Almost as beautiful as duh lady grabbin' me. How long you been in Dagger Rock, toots?"</p><p></p><p>Scarlet twisted his arm. He shouted in pain. </p><p></p><p>The heroes thoroughly searched the pantry but found little of use.</p><p></p><p>"Hand me ovuh to Captain Bearclaw. I been a bad boy."</p><p></p><p>Scarlet smashed his in-step. He shouted in pain. She dragged him to the mouth of a hallway that led left and right.</p><p></p><p>The hostage asked, "So where we going'? We goin to see Cabbagehead?"</p><p></p><p>They stopped and listened. From the right, they heard a a woman moaning or weeping.</p><p></p><p>The Blue Monk asked him what was down that way. "Soy-tin doom, pal," responded the hostage.</p><p></p><p>"Be more specific," said Scarlet.</p><p></p><p>"Ya go right, he's gonna kill ya. Ya go left, she's gonna kill ya. You're in way ova your head, jack. Take me ta Captain Bearclaw. I got rights in Dagger Rock. I'll do five years in Bearclaw Keep. I'll do my time like a man. So Scarlet, you got a boyfriend or what?"</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel said, "The last time someone talked to us like that, I pulled his ear off and then he died."</p><p></p><p>"That happened about five minutes ago", Ryltar added.</p><p></p><p>The hostage started yammering about "his friend Roy", so Scarlet punched him in the solar plexus. Hartaniel busted out the pliers and started yanking on his ear. He began to scream in pain and called out, "Cabbagehead, help me!".</p><p></p><p>The heroes heard a loud, inquisitive groan come from the right hallway, followed by thunderous footfalls. The thing called Cabbagehead yelled out, "Who dere?"</p><p></p><p>Scarlet put her broken sword to the throat of the hostage. He continued yelling out for Cabbagehead to come help him. Scarlet flung off his plaguebringer mask, which protected him magically from poison and disease. Then Varis approached him with a vial of blood veil. Varis sprayed him with it, and he shrieked. His skin began to bubble and a rash formed.</p><p></p><p>"Just lemme go! I got three days to live!"</p><p></p><p>The voice from down the hall boomed, "Is dat you, Ilcanya? What is happening in dere? Cabbagehead want to know!".</p><p></p><p>Ardra called out, weaving magic into her words, trying to convince Cabbagehead to stay where he was. Cabbagehead didn't recognize her voice, and asked, "Are you scythe lady come to see Cabbagehead?"</p><p></p><p>The hostage yelled, "Cabbagehead you idiot! Get in here, they're tryin' ta trick you!"</p><p></p><p>Scarlet choked him into unconsciousness.</p><p></p><p>Cabbagehead called out, conflicted. "But Ilcanya told me not to leave here! Hello? Cabbagehead don't know what to do!</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel yelled out something about Cabbagehead and self-flagellation.</p><p></p><p>Cabbagehead was confused. "Who saying that?!. Then Cabbagehead yelled out for Ilcanya. The sound echoed past the heroes and down the hallway to the left. The heroes decided they'd best kill Cabbagehead quickly.</p><p></p><p>Cabbagehead was a half-ogre with a deformed face. Near him were three pits where prisoners were kept. All were dead, save for one weeping female. The heroes rushed Cabbagehead and Ardra and Hartaniel sliced into him. He shouted, "You go in pit now! Cabbagehead feed you later! Maybe!"</p><p></p><p>Three pits were nearby, holding corpses of his prisoners. There was one live prisoner, a shivering female named Tiora.</p><p></p><p>Scarlet knocked Cabbagehead to the ground and The Blue Monk used his four blues of Azure Elimination. Cabbagehead's heart stopped. A tear ran down his cheek. He said, "Cabbagehead..." and died.</p><p></p><p>The Blue Monk placed his blue dust marking on Cabbagehead and closed his eyes.</p><p></p><p>Lucky took a drink, looked at the deformed creature and said, "A lot of times I say things are better off dead. But this time I mean it."</p><p></p><p>The prisoner in a nearby pit called out weakly, "Please don't leave me here! I'm chained!".</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel climbed down and used his sword to chop the chain.</p><p></p><p>Lucky healed her. You probably won't die now. You might. But there's a chance you won't.</p><p></p><p>From the far end of the hall, a woman barked orders. It was Ilcanya. "As soon as you see them, you know what to do!" she cried.</p><p></p><p>Ilcanya was ready for them, but still, the heroes advanced.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Netherstorm, post: 5741543, member: 84943"] [b]5. The Dead Warrens[/b] [I]11/28/11: The party hit level 2 at the end of this one... [/I] [CENTER][FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3]Saga of Valor [/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3]Book One - NyrodSpace War 3[/SIZE][/FONT][/CENTER] [CENTER][I]Chapter Five: The Dead Warrens[/I][/CENTER] [B]Ardra[/B] - Eladrin Bladesinger [I]Vovoidja [/I][B]The Blue Monk[/B] - Half-Orc Monk [I]Almoner [/I][B]Hartaniel[/B] - Elf Barbarian [I]Groom of the Stool [/I][B]Lucky[/B] - Human Warlord[I] Constable [/I][B]Ryltar[/B] - Drow Avenger [I]Constable [/I][B]Scarlet[/B] - Human Fighter[I] Constable [/I][B]Varis[/B] - Half-Elf Warlock[I] Hostarius[/I] The adventurers were on the trail of a drow plot. A cult of Urgathoa had sent canisters of a disease called blood veil to the drow city of Rilauven. Their goal was to unleash the disease on the people of Olwynn. The drow's hope is that once the plague wiped out the city, the drow would swoop in and take over. The heroes had just fended off an attack from the cult. They gathered at Grog's Half-Ogre Inn and Tavern with key members of the town to discuss what to do next. Captain Bearclaw, the goliath in charge of the town guard, had questioned the town drunk, Jim Aremsee. It turned out that he was a member of the cult. Jim admitted other citizens were members as well. They'd all gone to the cult's lair under the river to warn their leader, Ilcanya. Grog, owner of the inn and tavern, told the heroes they could stay at his place for free any time. Elmo the farmer approached Ardra. He offered to buy her three bugbear slaves. She told him she'd think it over. Old Ezmerelda Fipps had knitted a pair of mittens and offered it to the heroes. They were blue, with a grey dagger stitched on the back. Hartaniel took one glove, and the Blue Monk took the other. Cristina Andovan, a schoolteacher, told the heroes that her parents owned the general store. She said that the adventurers were welcome to take whatever they needed if they thought it would help them defeat the cult. Father Hiram, of the church of Mari, offered two potions of healing. He said he'd try to heal them, but his magic was faltering. His goddess had been imprisoned by the King of Terror. The owner of the wine shop, Gretchen, showed up with her two big dogs. She came bearing gifts for the heroes - bottles of red wine. She noticed a note had been pinned to the front door with a dagger. It read: "We are ready for you" The note bore the symbol of the cult - a moth with a skull imprint on its' back. The adventurers were hurt from their defense of the town. They decided to rest for the night. Scarlet, however, decided to creep through the streets and make her way to the Green Grape Wine store. She opened a window and sneaked inside. Scarlet snatched some bottles of wine and then quickly made her way back to Grog's. She had stolen a total of 400 gold worth of wine! Hartaniel, Ardra and The Blue Monk went to the General Store. Merik Andovan, the owner, greeted them. Hartaniel asked for healing potions. Merik said in his Dagger Rock accent, "You're gonna want to go to duh priest for healing potions. We got stuff like rope, sacks - all sorts of sacks, need a shovel? Rake?" "For free?", Ardra asked. "Hey - if you're gonna take care of dat cult, den help yourself!" Hartaniel grabbed a bag. Merik nodded and said, "Knock ya'self out." Hartaniel looked at the bag and asked, "It's not going to fall apart, is it?" "How dare you impugn duh quality of our sacks?" Hartaniel took a variety of empty vials and flasks. The Blue Monk asked, "Do you have any oil?" Merik said enthusiastically, "Oh - we got oil. We got a barrel full of it." The monk took a jug's worth. "You got candles?", he asked. "Oh, we got candles. My wife with the candles..!" "I don't need to know about your personal life." Merik's wife piped up, "So what? I like candles. Everybody buys 'em." Merik turned to her, angry, "You sell 'em to ya friends for half price. Do ya think I don't know dat?!" The monk took some candles. Hartaniel took some torches. They got some rope and an adventuring kit. The Blue Monk asked, "Where do you keep the good stuff? Do you have a safe?" Merik paused. "Why you askin me about a safe? I think your visit is about over." "Are you hiding something? In the safe?" Merik was incredulous. "Hiding something?! My safe? Why don't you get the frick outta here?" Ardra said, "I think it's time for us to go." Merik's wife asked her husband, "Should I go get Captain Bearclaw?" The heroes made their exit. The Blue Monk said to his friends, "Every time I talk to someone a fight breaks out..." Ryltar the drow stayed back at Grog's. He said to Ezmerelda, the old lady who had made the mittens, "Thank you for your kind words. I know that The Raven Queen will guide your soul safely when you die." Ezmerelda got a good look at Ryltar for the first time and said, "Oh! You're one of those awful drow! Stay away from me! First half-ogres, now drow. Dagger Rock has gone to s**t." She left Grog's and went home. The heroes settled in to their rooms at Grog's. Lucky went in to Varis' room and told Varis and his skull familiar a bedtime story. It was about how her parents died. Varis seemed to enjoy it, noting how his parents had died as well. "Ah you're good kids", she said. That night many of the dreamed of Urialle the torturer, with wine in one hand and a glowing brand in the other. The next morning, the heroes set out for the river just outside of town. There, jutting out of the water, was a huge stone in the shape of a dagger. Captain Bearclaw escorted the heroes there. He reminded them to look for his magic horn, which was stolen from him. It could summon his friend, a roc. Hartaniel swam out to it while the others waited by the dock. The floating lantern of Vecna floated along with him. Vecna told Hartaniel that agents of the King of Terror had his eye and hand. With those, Vecna could become whole again! He promised Hartaniel a great reward. Hartaniel decided to keep this information for himself. The river was deep, but there was a stone shelf that the "dagger" was implanted into. Hartaniel stood upon it, and saw the water was only a foot deep. He looked in the base of the stone, and saw a two-inch slit. The spirit of Vecna, in his floating lantern, said "You're quite bold, Hartaniel." "I was wondering why you haven't spoken in a while..". "My energy ebbs and wanes! As you know, I was once a god but now I am almost completely discorporated!" "Doesn't ebb and wane mean the same thing?" "Flow! This place might be a good repository of secrets for my followers... if I had any followers." Hartaniel thought for a minute and asked, "If we find any secrets, what should we do with them?" "Keep them away from the King of Terror! He knows too much. And so does Galasis, your God of Magic. He's got a big mouth, that one. Your gods once attacked me when I had my back turned! They discorporated me! It was most humiliating. Most die in seconds just being in the aura of my godly presence!" Hartaniel began to stuff the Vecna lantern in a backpack. Vecna continued talking. "Let me tell you something, Hartaniel. If you can find my Eye and Hand, I can become a god once more and you will get a great reward! The followers of the King of Terror have the Eye and Hand. I've been following them for centuries." Hartaniel nodded and decided to keep all of this to himself, as his allies swam up to the dagger rock. They had the iron dagger, which was the magic "key" to open the way. The adventurers joined him, used the dagger in the slot. There was a spark of energy, and a man-sized aperture appeared. A magical field prevented the water from pouring in and flooding the lair. Scarlet said, "Maybe there's some way to turn this field off! We could flood their lair." Vecna piped up again, "I'm afraid your magic is too feeble! Urgathoa is an epic entity! You have no chance against her magic! If she is here, you will all have a miserable death." Scarlet sighed. "That sounds fun. Let's go, guys." "Your best bet, should you find her, is to pray to your gods. They might have a chance against her!" They dropped through the aperture into a hallway that lead to a chamber with pillars. There were pits on either side filled with bones. The muddy walls had skeletons embedded in them. As the adventurers watched, the skeletons animated and pulled themselves free! A skeleton of an owlbar loomed over the rest, all ready to kill the adventurers! Ardra ran up to a skeleton, infusing her blade with radiant energy, and sliced into a skeleton. Varis hit it with an eldritch blast, and destroyed it. The heroes poured into the room. An arrow sank into Ryltar's side. Ardra destroyed another skeleton. The blue monk chased down one of the skeleton archers and cracked its' skull with his fist. The owlbear skeleton loomed over Scarlet, swiping at her with its' claw. Under Lucky's direction, Scarlet grabbed hold of a rib as Ardra teleported past it and into a flank. Her radiant blade sliced into it twice, causing it to let out a strange, pulsing howl that dazed Lucky. The Owlbear sliced open Scarlet's stomach, dropping her to unconsciousness. Varis and Ryltar battled an archer, whittling it down. It side-stepped Ryltar's ice scythe and fired an arrow into the drow avenger's neck, dropping him. Ardra staggered the owlbear with another radiant slash. Varis took aim and destroyed it with a burning spray. The last skeleton stabbed Hartaniel and brought him to the ground. Ardra pelted it with a magic missile, and the Blue Monk finished it off with a mighty punch. They stopped for five minutes to heal, and then snooped around. There were two hallways leading further in the complex. From one, they heard bouts of laughter. From the other, they heard buzzing. They crept up to the room with buzzing. Inside, they saw a lone plaguebringer placing stirges on a dead body and taking notes. They burst in. The Blue Monk staggered him with a punch, and then Hartaniel beheaded him. They killed the stirges. Once they went over his notes, from what they could tell, he was working on a new strain of blood veil - one in which caused those killed by the disease to rise up as plague zombies! The heroes split up and advanced on the other chamber. Half of them went in the hallway, the others lurked in a secret passageway. They saw four plaguebringers inside playing a cruel game. They had a rat in a maze, and wherever it went, they doused it with acid or poison or blood veil. They laughed uproariously at this. The heroes had seen enough. They burst in and brutally slaughtered the doctors. The Blue Monk punched a lady so hard, bones came out of her nose and brain came out of their eyesockets! They kept one of them alive. They took off his plaguebringer mask. He was Yuri, owner of the Dagger Rock Tavern. Hartaniel grabbed a pair of pliers off of a dead plaguebringer. Hartaniel knelt down, pliers in one hand, and slapped Yuri to attention. Hartaniel began to pull on Yuri's ear with the pliers. Yuri screamed. Hartaniel said, "Talk." "Whuddya - whuddya want me to say!? They made me do it! Stop pullin on my ear!". Hartaniel stopped pulling on his ear, and began to use the pliers on his nose. Yuri screamed again. "What is your goal?" "Just makin some diseases, that's all. What's tha' big deal? Hey - you let me go, I'll give you money." Hartaniel put the pliers back on the guy's ear and tore it off! Blood spurted everywhere. Yuri passed out from the pain. Varis sighed and shook his head. The 12 year old looked at Hartaniel and said, "You have no idea how to scare people, do you?" Lucky pulled out her blade and ran Yuri through. "He's better off this way. Trust me," she said in a depressed tone. "If someone had done this to me when I lost the first one of my limbs, I wouldn't be in this mess right now." the heroes took the magical plaguebringer masks and put them on. They were now all immune to blood veil and were magically protected from disease and poison. In another room, they found an otyugh chained in a pit. It cried out: "WARM FOOD!". Hartaniel threw Yuri's body at it. The otyugh devoured it. They pelted it with magic missiles and crossbow bolts until it died. They made through a hallway lined with skulls. They carefully, step-by-step, tested the floor for traps. They found three pressure plates, and carefully avoided them. The hall led to a trashed room where a lone plaguebringer was sweeping up a mess. He immediately surrendered. "Please don't kill me! Yaahhh!", he screamed in terror. Scarlet stepped forward. "Give me a reason. Several." "I didn't think you guys were comin'!" "That is a really bad reason." "You - you promise to let me go, and I'll tell you somethin really important." "If it's not important, we'll kill you." "I got two words for you. Carrion. Golem." There was a pregnant pause. "Intrigued? I thought you would be." Ryltar said, "I guess that is kind of interesting." "Now why don't you slide ovah and I'll just make my way toward the exit." Scarlet blocked his path. "I think we would have figured out that a carrion golem was in here sooner or later." The plaguebringer began to stammer. "Ilcanya's gonna kill you with it. Ilcanya's the priestess of Urgathoa with tha' big hand. And a tail. She's almost as powerful as Lady Andaisin herself. You know, lady wit a scythe?" He was describing the woman the heroes had seen during the Battle of Olwynn. The Blue Monk suggested using the plaguebringer as a hostage or a human shield. Scarlet, a fighter who was all about grappling, thought that was a good idea. The plaguebringer looked at her and said, "Dis might actually be fun! Go ahead, grab away, lady." She grabbed hold of him. "Wow lady, you smell so nice! I ain't never seen you in Dagger Rock before." She pulled out her broken longsword and put it at his throat. "My family is called the Brokenblades. We break swords. Does that conjure any mental imagery that may or may not be important in the coming ten minutes?" Hartaniel walked up to a door in the room and pointed at it. "What's in this room?", he asked the hostage. "Pantry. Carrion golem wrecked it. The thing went on a rampage oilier." Ryltar asked, "'Earlier' or 'Oilier'?" Beyond the door was indeed a pantry, in ruins. "We locked duh carrion golem in dere. Ilcanya came and got him out of there. Tellya what, Lady Andaisin would'a been real mad. She's got these big disease demons. She's so beautiful." He thought for a minute. Then, "...Almost as beautiful as duh lady grabbin' me. How long you been in Dagger Rock, toots?" Scarlet twisted his arm. He shouted in pain. The heroes thoroughly searched the pantry but found little of use. "Hand me ovuh to Captain Bearclaw. I been a bad boy." Scarlet smashed his in-step. He shouted in pain. She dragged him to the mouth of a hallway that led left and right. The hostage asked, "So where we going'? We goin to see Cabbagehead?" They stopped and listened. From the right, they heard a a woman moaning or weeping. The Blue Monk asked him what was down that way. "Soy-tin doom, pal," responded the hostage. "Be more specific," said Scarlet. "Ya go right, he's gonna kill ya. Ya go left, she's gonna kill ya. You're in way ova your head, jack. Take me ta Captain Bearclaw. I got rights in Dagger Rock. I'll do five years in Bearclaw Keep. I'll do my time like a man. So Scarlet, you got a boyfriend or what?" Hartaniel said, "The last time someone talked to us like that, I pulled his ear off and then he died." "That happened about five minutes ago", Ryltar added. The hostage started yammering about "his friend Roy", so Scarlet punched him in the solar plexus. Hartaniel busted out the pliers and started yanking on his ear. He began to scream in pain and called out, "Cabbagehead, help me!". The heroes heard a loud, inquisitive groan come from the right hallway, followed by thunderous footfalls. The thing called Cabbagehead yelled out, "Who dere?" Scarlet put her broken sword to the throat of the hostage. He continued yelling out for Cabbagehead to come help him. Scarlet flung off his plaguebringer mask, which protected him magically from poison and disease. Then Varis approached him with a vial of blood veil. Varis sprayed him with it, and he shrieked. His skin began to bubble and a rash formed. "Just lemme go! I got three days to live!" The voice from down the hall boomed, "Is dat you, Ilcanya? What is happening in dere? Cabbagehead want to know!". Ardra called out, weaving magic into her words, trying to convince Cabbagehead to stay where he was. Cabbagehead didn't recognize her voice, and asked, "Are you scythe lady come to see Cabbagehead?" The hostage yelled, "Cabbagehead you idiot! Get in here, they're tryin' ta trick you!" Scarlet choked him into unconsciousness. Cabbagehead called out, conflicted. "But Ilcanya told me not to leave here! Hello? Cabbagehead don't know what to do! Hartaniel yelled out something about Cabbagehead and self-flagellation. Cabbagehead was confused. "Who saying that?!. Then Cabbagehead yelled out for Ilcanya. The sound echoed past the heroes and down the hallway to the left. The heroes decided they'd best kill Cabbagehead quickly. Cabbagehead was a half-ogre with a deformed face. Near him were three pits where prisoners were kept. All were dead, save for one weeping female. The heroes rushed Cabbagehead and Ardra and Hartaniel sliced into him. He shouted, "You go in pit now! Cabbagehead feed you later! Maybe!" Three pits were nearby, holding corpses of his prisoners. There was one live prisoner, a shivering female named Tiora. Scarlet knocked Cabbagehead to the ground and The Blue Monk used his four blues of Azure Elimination. Cabbagehead's heart stopped. A tear ran down his cheek. He said, "Cabbagehead..." and died. The Blue Monk placed his blue dust marking on Cabbagehead and closed his eyes. Lucky took a drink, looked at the deformed creature and said, "A lot of times I say things are better off dead. But this time I mean it." The prisoner in a nearby pit called out weakly, "Please don't leave me here! I'm chained!". Hartaniel climbed down and used his sword to chop the chain. Lucky healed her. You probably won't die now. You might. But there's a chance you won't. From the far end of the hall, a woman barked orders. It was Ilcanya. "As soon as you see them, you know what to do!" she cried. Ilcanya was ready for them, but still, the heroes advanced. [/QUOTE]
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