"Beast of Burden" & "Into the Fire"

[Silver Moon]

Game #5 - 11/02/03

Chapter 15, “Gnoll Punishment,” September 13th, 1019, 1:30 P.M.

The chimpanzee points to himself and says “Al-ton, Sil-Ver-Moon”. The gnome points to himself and replies, “Dragon Stalker.” Alton motions him over to the corner. They both realize that any of the six gnoll archers atop the yoke building could turn around and spot them, so both reapply invisibility on themselves. Meanwhile, some ninety feet lower on the beast, Cassie and Purge spot the gnome and chimp up above before they become invisible again. Cassie carves out a note on the stick, and instructs her familiar to “Bring to Alton”, casting her last Invisibility spell onto the owl, and motions to where Alton is at.

Cassie opens the bag to inform the others that Alton is nearby, and that owl has gone to get him. “Is the owl smart enough to find him?” Narg asks. Cassie replies “Deanna is smarter than most of the party, including Alton.” Mojo suggests, “Then why don’t we elect her party leader.”

Back up beside the buildings, Alton and Grelmak converse. Alton asks the gnome if he has seen any other Silver Moon members. “They’re not with you?” the gnome comments. Alton says, “No, they went off and left me behind. I’m trying to find them.” Grelmak replies, “Welcome to the club. My group abandoned me here almost a day ago.”

“What have you discovered since then?” Alton asks. The gnome replies, “Nothing, I’ve been staying in hiding. It wasn’t until I heard you going right by me that I left my hiding spot. I was curious who else was using invisibility but making a ton of noise.” Alton replies, “Sorry, I’m not a thief.” “No you’re a talking money.” Grelmak states. Alton replies, “I’m actually a druid in monkey form.” The gnome comments, “A druid? With the Silver Moon. Ah, you’re Serita?” “NO, NO, NO!” Alton exclaims, adding “I’m actually a tall human named Alton.” “I don’t think I’ve met you before,” the gnome comments.

The owl returns to Cassie and communicates to her that there are two small creatures but neither smells like Alton. Cassie explains to here that Alton is in chimpanzee form, and sends the owl back with the message. Alton explains to Grelmak that they ran into the other members of the Dragon Stalkers, and that the mage is permanently dead. The gnome exlaims, “Damn! He owes me money!” “Isn’t that always the case,” Alton comments. The owl then lands on the chimps shoulder and hands him the stick. “Hold on, mail call,” Alton states, and feels the carvings. “Huh?” the gnome asks. Alton replies, “What’s the matter. Can’t you see the invisible owl sitting on my shoulder?”

Just then the party is distracted by the sight of a gnoll falling to the ground from somewhere near the Head Howdad. Cassie gets upset that there was nothing she could have done to prevent it, not having seen the gnoll until he was already halfway to the ground. They then notice activity in all of the other buildings, as each crow’s nest is now filling up with gnolls.

The gnolls in the other buildings begin to chant out the gnoll word for “Punish”. Narg asks, “What’s going on out there?” “I think they’re going to kill the druid,” Cassie comments to Narg in the Halfling language. Mojo adds, “We’d better not tell Fido, he might get upset.” Cassie and Purge can now tell that something is happening in the building that they are near, but they are at such a sharp angle down from it that they are unable to make out exactly what. They see the back of the heads of one red-skinned gith standing near the edge fifty feet above them. .

Higher up on the beast, Alton and Grelmak have an excellent view of he festivities, as they see the Yoke Howdad now has atop it all five giths, two holding a gnoll, and a non-gnoll dog-faced being wearing robes. The robed dog-man gestures to the gnolls on the other buildings who begin to chant "Yeenoghu, Yeenoghu!" "What's a Yeenoghu?" Grelmak asks. Alton answers, "I think it's either the name of the gnoll god or type of Oriental food served over rice." The gnome says, "I don't see any rice. Must be the god."

Two of the large red-skinned giths pull on each of the gnoll's arms. The yellow-skinned gith with the sword picks up a bucket of liquid and splashes it over the gnoll. The Yeenoghu creature then yells out in Gnollish, "This is the fate that awaits those who betray me." He gestures to the other red-skinned gith, standing on the opposite side of the crow's nest. The gith breathes out a cone of flames, causing the gnoll druid to ignite in flames, the liquid having been flammable. The two red-skinned giths holding him then throw the flaming gnoll off and away from the beast, with him falling to the forest below.

At the sight of the flaming druid falling Serita yells into the bag, "Narg, Give me the Belt"" He takes off the Belt of Shape Change and hands it out of the bag to her, but by the time she places it on it is too late, the druid having already fallen below the tree line to his presumed death. Cassie looses her temper at not having had a chance to rescue him, and lets out a round of curses. "What happened?" Mojo asks. Purge replies, "The druid just did his impersonation of a shooting star." The gnoll druid apprentice Nahmi does not hear that, being totally pre-occupied and shocked at Narg's transformation from a gnoll into a half-elf. "You tricked me!" He exclaims. Narg replies, "Sorry, didn't mean to. Seemed safer to travel around here as a gnoll. This is the real me."

Outside of the Bag, Alton and Grelmak arrive where Cassie and Purge are, having been led there by the owl. The four briefly bring each other up to speed as to what has been going on, stating that the giths and Yeenoghu went back inside the Yoke Howdad, which now has six gnolls guarding the crow's nest again. Most of the gnolls in the other buildings have also gone back inside, and there are no more alarms. The party members inside the bag are informed of what is going on. Narg tells them, "It sounds like the leaders are all in that building. Get me inside and I'll take it from there."

 

[Silver Moon]

Chapter 16, “Fighting the Giths!” September 13th, 1019, 2:00 P.M.

The four on the strap manage to lower themselves down to the base of the building attached to the yoke. The building if fifty feet tall, being twenty-five feet in diameter for the first thirty feet, and then starts to concave in for the last ten, ending in the 15 foot diameter crow's nest. Cassie's silver amulet, given to her by the demigod Finder Wyvernspur, begins to glow. She comments "Uh oh, it only does that when it's near a Chaotic Evil deity or its servants."

Cassie and Purge decide to let the two little ones scale the building, and climb into the Bag of Holding which is now extremely crowded. They leave the end of the invisible rope hanging out of the bag, and each grab hold of the rope in the order that they wish to exit the bag. Mojo offers to go first, but Narg says "No, be quiet, I'll do it." Mojo protests, "I volunteer to go first and this is the thanks I get?" Mojo then gestures to his Ring of Invisibility and says, "I can do it better than you. What do you think this is? A ring to keep fat chicks away?" Narg answers, "Well, knowing you it could be." Mojo answers, "No, that ring is on the other hand."

Narg tells the gnoll, "Plan to join us with this Fido, you're one of us now." Cassie asks the two former human prisoners what they can do. The man says that he was the mayor of the village that was attacked and the woman is his wife. Narg comments, "Forget it Cassie. If we get a politician involved in this mess there's no telling what might happen."

Alton takes the bag and scales the building, with Grelmak alongside him. Just before the building narrows is another ring of windows. Only two are open, one along the back and another along the front. Alton peers inside and is looking directly into the face of one of the red-skinned giths, who does not see him. The other giths are also in the room. Alton carefully climbs inside, being careful not to bump into the creature. Geelmak moves up into the window, as Alton tugs on the rope. Narg takes this as his cure to climb out of the back, being hoisted up by Mojo.

Narg tumbles out the bag and into the room, catching all of the giths by surprise. He jumps to his feet and charges the closest red-skinned gith. Alton assists Mojo as the next one out of the Bag and is invisible due to his ring. He moves towards the yellow-skinned gith figher-priest, but the spectral hound in the room detects him despite the cover of invisibility. This demonic cannine charges at Mojo, who tosses up his longsword to keep it away. The dog leaps at him, curving to the side in mid-air. The dog's side is impaled on the sword, but its forward momentum was such that it's head still reaches Mojo's head, and takes a large bite out of the elf's neck.

Narg has managed to get two strikes into the red-skinned gith, the second strike cutting off its leg. The mortally wounded creature plane shifts away. Mojo's sword is still sticking into the dog, so he uses his sword as a handle to throw the dog the floor. He then bludgeons the creature to death with his hammer. Alton assists Cassie out of the Bag.

The yellow-skinned gith priest on the opposite side of the room attempts to cast a spell, but is stopped by a Dispel Magic thrown by Cassie. Alton helps Mark climb out of the bag and charges the nearest red-skinned gith. Narg pivots, and he and Mark combine their assaults on this creature, killing it. Mojo tosses his Hammer of Throwing across the room and into the gith fighter-priest, knocking the creature back. Cassie lets loose a Magic Missile spell, sending five more missiles into the gith priest and preventing more spells. This also allows Narg the time to reach the priest, and stab him as Mojo pulls his sword out of the dead dog and charges the fighter-priest.

The gith priest is now lying on the floor, and yells something in a language none of the heroes understand to the remaining red-skinned gith. The creature breathes out a cone of flame at the heroes as the gith priest then plane shifts away. Cassie's immediate reaction is to cast a Wall of Force around the red-skinned creature, encasing it in a circle of flame. This also means that only the start of his flame actually hit her, Narg, Mark and Grelmak, the rest being cut off by the wall. The flame inside the force sphere die out, and the creature is also gone. Meanwhile, Mojo has managed to slay the incapacitate the gith fighter-priest, and Narg assists him for the killing blow.

Cassie pulls out her surgery tools and starts to dissect the yellow-skinned gith for possible magic item components. Alton tells Purge to remain within the bag with the three former prisoners. Mojo notices that the dog's body is become translucent. Cassie charges over to check it out, her hands floating through it. She states "I think it is going back to whatever plane it originated from." Mark, Narg and Mojo now notice that all three of their harp-shaped amulets are also glowing as Cassie's was. "Something nasty is still around," Mojo comments.

Neither trapdoor above or below has opened, and the party concludes that the movement and sound created by the Kadtanath's destruction of the trees as it trudges through the forest have masked the sounds of the battle. "What exactly were these creatures?" Alton asks. Cassie replies, "I don't know, but some wizard friends of mine might, and can probably use the brain and blood to make control potions." Narg says "No time for that Doctor Cassie, we've got bigger fish to fry."

He moves over to the trapdoor down, tossing it open. Looking down into the room below he sees the dog-faced robed being standing atop some azure blue blankets. A long gnoll is also in the room, seated in a high-backed chair and staring vacuously at the wooden wall. He wears an over-sized bone helmet on his head. The robed creature throws his hand up in Narg's direction, and flame shoots forth from the creature's fingertips. Narg holds his magical fire-protection sword out before him.

The stream of flames coming from the creature's hand hits the sword, and arcs to both sides behind Narg. Cassie charges up to the opening and she lets loose with a massive fireball into the room. The flames set the blankets on fire and also burn the robes off the creature, but appear to have no effect on it, other than distracting it and causing it to stop shooting up flames. Narg sees that the creature is a finely muscled humanoid, and was wearing leather armor with barbed spikes beneath its robes. Narg dives through the opening, dropping the twenty feet into the room, and managing to land on his feet for minimal impact damage. The creature reaches over to the gnoll in the chair, and pulls the bone helmet off of the gnoll's head.

Mojo reaches the opening and assesses the situation below and lets loose his Hammer of Throwing into the bone helmet. Narg swings his sword into the monster, but the creature has already teleported away before the sword can connect. Narg kicks open a closed window before the catatonic gnoll in the chair, as Mojo and Cassie climb down into the room. Cassie gestures to the gnoll and says, "He was probably controlling the creature." "Maybe he still is," Mojo comments. "Not any more," Narg comments, as he hurls the chair and gnoll out the window, bouncing off the Kadtanach's neck, and then dropping to the forest below.

Bell alarms begin to sound from throughout the creature. "Now what?" Cassie asks. Mojo replies, "We figure out where McGruff went to and go get him."

 

[Silver Moon]

Chapter 17, “Heading towards the Head” September 13th, 1019, 2:30 P.M.

Narg says, "First things first. There are gnolls in the crow's nest. They might know something." Mojo grabs onto Narg’s back and he uses his Rope of Climbing to snag to the top rung of the ladder and quickly pull the two of them up. As he reaches the top he pushes the trapdoor open and jumps onto the crow’s nest floor. The gnoll archers are taken by surprise, as they were busy looking elsewhere for targets. Narg and Mojo make quick work of them, striking them with swords with full strength to knock them off. They then head back below, and Narg reiterates “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

By this time they have noticed that the beast is acting very differently. It has stopped, and is lifting up its head and is looking around, as if seeing this world for the first time. The party concludes that with the helmet gone it is no longer under the control of the gnolls. They decide that now would be the best time to communicate with the creature, and decide that they need to be at the head to do this. Cassie comments, “You know, it’s been awhile since we brought home any pets….” Mojo comments, “Yeah, but this one is full of gnolls. That’s worse than having fleas and mites.”

They decide to head across the creature’s neck to the Head Howdad. Everyone except for Alton, Narg and Mojo get into the Bag of Holding, making for a very snug fit with a minimum of air available. Alton invisibly scampers across the neck to the head howdad. Mojo ties himself onto Narg and turns invisible. Narg however, is very visible as he makes his way across, becoming the target to archers atop the Head Howdad and reinforcements to the Yoke Howdad from the catapult ramp above it. Mojo finds that his invisibility doesn’t help much, as several arrows that miss Narg hit him. They also lose their footing some on the neck, being saved only by the maneuverability of Narg’s magical rope.

Alton is the beneficiary to the archers at the Head Howdad being distracted. The door to that howdad is locked, and he has Grelmak get let out to unlock it. Once inside, Cassie, Mark and Purge are also let out of the bag, and the top is left open for air to re-circulate back inside for the three former prisoners. This Howdad is comprised of two rooms, a base room housing the metal battering ram attachments to go on the Kadtanach’s horn, and an upper room with closed windows on all sides and bows and arrows hanging on the walls. Alton tells the four of them to wait in this room, and he heads back below to check out the two large wooden baskets hanging from each ear of the creature.

By this time Narg and Mojo have finally made their way across, each one taking a few arrows in the process. They enter the building, with Alton telling them, “Everyone else is up on the second floor.” The two fighters reach that level, and yell at Mark because he hasn’t done anything about the gnoll archers in the crow’s nest above. Narg leads the way up there, followed by Mojo. Narg takes a hit from a gnoll getting up. The two fighters use their swords to slay the first two gnolls and then knock a third one over the side, with it bouncing off the Kadtanach and falling to the ground below. A fourth one manages to escape, quickly sliding down a rope attached to the side. By the time Narg gets a chance to look down that gnoll is gone, and Narg assumes it might have fallen off.

With the gnolls gone they become targets for the archers back on the Yoke Howdad crow’s nest, so head back below, shutting and locking the trapdoor behind them. “Gnolls all gone,” Narg comments. Purge states, “Cassie still wants to take this thing home with us.” Mark asks, “What would we feed it?” Mojo replies, “How about useless high-level rangers.”

Meanwhile, Alton has made his way over to one of the side ear baskets. He peers in from the edge of the window, getting a good look inside. The basket contains a large strapped in six-legged lizard, propped up by the window. Alton lucks on in not having stared directly into the eyes of this beast. Alongside the creature is a pair of gnolls. He heads back and decides to go out onto the creature’s snout to try to communicate with it.

Narg exits through the door of the Head Howdad, and begins to make his way over to one of the ear baskets. Alton sees this, and quickly hurries back to stop him, warning him that “Don’t do that. A basilisk is inside of at least one ear basket and probably both.” “Thanks for the warning,” Narg comments, and heads back to the Howdad and to the second floor. Alton goes back out onto the creature’s snout. The Kadtanach starts to shake and Alton fails to grab onto it in time, being propelled out from the creature.

 

[Silver Moon]

Game #6 - 11/09/03

Chapter 18, “One Basilisk, Going Down,” September 13th, 1019, 3:00 P.M.

Just as Alton had nearing the bridge of the nose the creature had beguns to shake vigorously. Alton loses his grip and is flung into the air and away from the creature. Inside of the building, the party all begin to fall back and forth from one side to the other as the building tips to 45-degree angles one direction and then the other. A comment is made about it looking like an classic Star Trek episode, when the bridge shook from side to side as the ship was hit. They are careful to avoid falling out of open windows. Looking out the rear window they see that the Kadtanach is trying to shake the buildings off of its back, with the body moving similar to how a dog shakes when it comes in out of the rain. They see at least six gnolls fall off of the creature during this activity. Both wyverns have taken to the air, each with three riders on its back. A player comments that “This is a scene that Irwin Allen would be proud of.”

The creature eventually stops shaking, and the party discovers that aside from a few bruises they are relatively okay. The wyverns also stop circling the creature. Cassie sends her own Deanna out to check on Alton. Mojo comments, “This perfect, maybe we’ll lose the owl as well as the dirtbag.” The owl is unable to locate him. Cassie tells the party that Alton is missing. Mojo comments “We don’t have time for that now, we can celebrate later.” She replies, “He was our best chance to communicate with the creature.” Purge adds, “Yeah, and it’s only a matter of time before that fake god gains control of this thing again.”

Narg suggests that they all check out the other buildings to find the fake god. Mojo says, “Hold on, are you suggesting that we undertake a house-to-house search while this creature is vibrating like the beds at a cathouse?” “Yes,” Narg replies. Mojo replies, “Then I say we should put that idea to a vote by the full membership.”

Cassie suggests, “Maybe we should first try and figure out where this guy went to?” “How?” Mark asks. She answers “Let’s ask the druid.” Narg reaches into the bag and yanks the gnoll Nahmi out of it.” “Where are we?” he asks. Narg answers “On the creatures head. Does that gnoll deity have his own building on this structure.” The druid replies , “Yes”, and then points out the window to the building above the Kadtanach’s left front leg. The top of the building is the highest point above the whole structure, with the gargoyle leader standing atop its roof.

Just then the Kadtanach begins moving again, changing its direction from west to southeast, and now going at a more leisurely pace. Nahmi is shoved back into the Bag of Holding. Looking out the front window, they see that the large lake alongside the mountains is around dead ahead. Cassie comments “It’s heading towards the water.” “Must be thirsty,” Mark comments. “Or it wants to take a bath,” Purge suggests. “Wouldn’t you if you had gnolls crawling all over you?” Mojo quips. Cassie comments, “Well of course it wants a bath. This think is similar to a giant crocodile, which is at home in the water.” Narg says, “They we’d better do something before it reaches there and turns this whole thing into a submersible.”

Cassie states “I think Alton had the right idea.” Mojo comments, “Yeah, leaving.” She answers, “No, I meant talking to this creature. Cassie tries to figure out the best way to communicate with the creature. She approaches the Dragonstalker Grelmak, and says “Do you have any useful magic or spells that could help.” He is reluctant to answer, and says “I’ll have to think about it.” She assertively states, “Look, I’m not kidding here. if you want to get out of this alive we need to work together. Tell me EVERY magic item you are carrying and all of your memorized spells NOW!”

He rattles of a list of magic, including a Ring of ESP and a Ring of Spell Storing containing both Speak with Animals and Speak with Monster spells. Cassie determines that the items could be used in conjunction to communicate, but that will first involve getting the Kadtanach’s attention by getting in it’s face. She states that I’d rather not try that while basilisks are looking on.” “I’m on it,” Narg states, and heads down the ladder. He attaches his rope of climbing to the Howdad door, and repels down to the side of the ear basket where Alton saw the basilisk, staying well clear of the window. Grelmak casts an illusion over where Narg is to keep the gnolls on the rest of the structure from spotting him.

Narg discovers that the large wooden basket is secured to the ear via a large leather strap, approximately three-inches thick and nine-inches wide. He begins to use his Sword of Sharpenss like a saw to cut through it with his exceptional strength. After a half hour Purge comes out to check on his progress, finding that Narg has only managed to cut through three inches. Narg decides to change his tactics, and starts using angled sword swipes down onto the strap where he had cut it, chopping out pieces of leather with each blow. Purge returns to the upper room. While this is going on the party notices over a dozen gnolls climb down from the catapult platform to the Yoke Howdad.

Almost an hour later the party notice that they are around five miles closer to the lake. At several points during the creature’s trek through the forests it has disturbed the homes of Elgart birds, with the creature then swallowing up the flocks of game birds. Cassie says “Damn it. I know we had been told it had eaten cows, but I was really hoping that was just a rumor and its wasn’t really a herbavore rather than a carnivore.” Mojo says, “Given its size I say we should let it be whatever kind of vore it wants to be.” Mojo’s player also attempts to annoy the DM, by placing bottlecaps on top of the DM’s sleeping cat as a visual depiction of the various Howdads atop the Kadtanach.

The Kadtanach then comes to a complete halt. The creature turns its head around, as if looking at the countryside again for the first time. The creature changes direction again, now heading northwest. It’s head slumps down lower again and picks up its pace. Cassie comments, “Damn, we waited too long. That being has control of it again.” Narg still has not returned. Mojo says, “I’ll go see what is keeping him.”

Mojo climbs down to where Narg is, finding that Narg is down to the final inche-and-a-half on the strap. “What’s taking you so long?” Mojo asks. “Would you care to try this yourself?” Narg replies. Mojo answers, “Not really, I’m feeling a little tired myself.” Annoyed with his friend and with the renewed vigor of being almost done, Narg energetically takes the final swings that cause the strap to break. The few remaining mountings holding the basket on are insufficient to support its weight, and the basket goes crashing to the forest floor below. This is followed by the sound of bell alarms and it is assumed that the gnolls also saw the basket fall.

 

[Silver Moon]

Chapter 19, “Can’t you just put a band-aid on it?” September 13th, 1019, 4:30 P.M.

Ninety minutes have now passed since Alton had been thrown free of the creature and every attempt to reboard the creature since then has failed. Alton had initially found himself falling away from the Kadtanach at a height of 150 feet from the ground. He was heading towards the forest and his initial throught was to transform into a bird, but he instead chose to remain in monkey form. He maneuvered in the air in order to grab for the first tree limbs that he could, grabbing at the first one to pivot and slow him down, and then using the next limb to stop his descent. He is successful, taking a minimum of damage for the endeavor.

Swinging from tree to tree, he makes his way over towards the Kadtanch, which then beings to move again. Alton chooses to follow, waiting for an opportunity to run up to one of the legs and climb back on board. Unfortunately for him, the creature is exercising more care as to exactly where it steps, meaning that its path is now less direct and harder to determine. He makes half a dozen attempts, four of which are foiled when the creatures suddenly moved further away. The other two attempts were even worse when the leg suddenly lunged towards him, and he narrowly escaped being stomped.

Alton eventually gives up, deciding to just keep with the creature until it stops on its own, swinging from tree to tree as it walks. After several miles of this is arms begin to tire, and he mutters “What a time for me to be without my motorccycle.”

The creature eventually stops, providing Alton with his first real opportunity to board. He charges up to a front leg, just as the creature raises up that leg, putting it down far to the side. Alton notices that the creature appears to be turning around, and has to move frantically to avoid being stepped on. He then runs to the closest leg, which is now one of the rear legs, and manages to climb on board.

He notices that the creature has now changed direction, heading back to the northeast, and is no longer being careful where it walks. Alton concludes that the enemies have regained control of the beast. He quickly scampers up the leg to get out of the way of flying debris from the trees that the monster is splintering as it moves.

Alton climbs up to where it levels off near the buildings and then moves forward. He notices a lot of gnoll activity, with quite a few gnolls moving in the direction of the front of the creature. He eventually gets back to a location near the first buildings and starts to climb down towards the yoke. He is busy approaching the backside of the yoke when Narg severs the ear basket, so is blocked from seeing the basket fall to the ground below. He does, however, hear the bell alarms sound from the various crow’s nests behind him, and also now sees several gnolls lowering from the catapult deck to the Yoke Howdad crow’s nest. He decides to stay clear of that area, moving further down the yoke before attempting to climb up it.

Back along the creature’s ear, where the basket housing the basilisk has just been cut off, Narg comments to Mojo “I’m beat, but why don’t you try cutting the basket off from other ear.” Mojo answers, “I’m not really up to it. I was serious about feeling weak. Here, let me make myself visible and you take a look at me.” Mojo materializes and Narg sees a very nasty wound on Mojo’s neck, where the gith’s dog had bitten him. “We’d better get you back to Cassie to look at that,” Narg comments. “Can’t you just put a bandaid on it?” Mojo asks.

They come back in and Grelmak ceases his illusion. Cassie says, “It’s about time.” Narg answers, “It was like cutting through stone. They must have put some type of magical protection over those straps. It’s a good thing we didn’t even bother with those harness straps. that were three times as thick and wide. They would have taken us a week to cut through.”

Cassie takes a look at Mojo’s neck wound, seeing that the skin and muscle are missing for around an inch in diameter and half-an-inch deep around where the dog bite was. She examines it closer, noticing no blood, with the wound being more of a window into his body. She concludes that his body is beginning to shift to the plane that the dog was from. She cast’s a Cure Light Wound spell on it, which has no effect. Other spells are suggested, such as Dispel Magic, Remove Curse or Cure Disease.

Cassie says, “Wait a minute. Have you activated your Protection from Disease amulet that Finder Wyvernspur gave you?” Mojo hasn’t, and hits the silver harp-shaped medallion. The party is surprised to see the Chaos Armor that Finder had provided them in the Abyss grow out from the medallion and cover over his regular armor. This armor is full plate-mail, and glows of light. Narg says “It shouldn’t have done that without the command word to activate it.” Cassie comments, “His bite must have been worse than we thought. How do you feel Mojo.” He replies, “I feel great. My full strength is back.” She comments, “Then I’d suggest that you keep the armor on.”

They all feel the Kadtanach now come to a stop. Grelmak is still looking out the window and says, “Guys, we have a more immediate problem to deal with.” They look out the window to see a large group of gnolls exiting the base of the Yoke Howdad.

 

[Blasphemonkey]

Great reading!

I'm enjoying reading this story, especially having run the module myself. It's always interesting to get an "alternate reality view" on a story (or module) that you enjoyed reading or watching (or running).

A few quick questions and comments from a curious fellow DM:

1) I thought I saw it mentioned somewhere that you have been running this campaign since the `80's? Am I correct in guessing that most of the original players are still about, only switching from one character to another?

2)How do you handle having an "actual character level" 16th level PC with a group of 8th level PCs? Again, just curious.

3) They all seem like very interesting characters, with the exception of Mark, who seems to get even less play (at least in this story) than Purge. Have your players actually said everything in the story that their PCs say in your story hour? If so, how do you remember everything they say? I think this is the biggest problem I have in my construction of story hours. I can usually remember everything they do, and some major arguments they have, but I can't even come close to quoting word-for-word.

4) Have you run any other adventures from Dungeon? I am using Dungeon primarily for my adventures now...so much to choose from, and full-color art for me to scan and print for my players. So far I have run: Sunless Citadel, Gorgoldand's Gauntlet (on a CD from some Dungeon issue, maybe # 86? It was also in Dragon Annual # 5 I believe), Melina's Dream (free adventure on Wizards website), Keep on the Borderlands (updated to 3rd edition), Dungeon of the Fire Opal (Dungeon 84), Provincial Prior Cause (Side Trek - Dungeon 96), Prey for Tyrinth (Side Trek - Dungeon 90), The Excavation (Side Trek - Dungeon 94), Lust (Side Trek - Dungeon 95), The Last Hunt (Side Trek - Dungeon 94), Sloth (Side Trek - Dungeon 91), Vanity (Dungeon 93), Gluttony (Side Trek - Dungeon 98), Beast of Burden (you know this one, heh), and The Sinkhole (Dungeon 103). The side treks are behind us for now, with Beast of Burden being the first longer module in awhile. They are just now starting Cradle of Madness from Dungeon 87.

5) I realize it's a little late to say this now...but it's spelled howdah, not "howdad."

With the adventure nearly concluded, I'm very interested in seeing how it will end. It sounds like your players are having fun with it, although sometimes this may not seem evident. `Til next time...

- Blasphemonkey

 

[Silver Moon]

I'm enjoying reading this story...It sounds like your players are having fun with it, although sometimes this may not seem evident.

Thank you for some kind words. Other readers should feel free to comment as well. And yes, most of the group appears to be enjoying the module. Now in answer to your questions:

1) Yes, our group has now been together for a long, long time, and each of us has from five to nine different characters who we alternate playing. An “Early Years” story hour with the group’s first two-dozen modules (including “Keep on the Borderlands”) is posted on the Dragonsfoot message board at the following link:
http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1481

2) That hasn’t been a problem yet, as the highest-level character in the group is 13th, and she works fine alongside the 8th to 10th levels.

3) Mark’s player is usually rather quiet, but during this module he has been close to comatose. The player is away on a trip for the next two weeks so the character will probably be more actively played by the group as an NPC.

The Story Hour is a pretty accurate reflection of the games, as I make it a point to jot down all of the best lines and I also try to log each game when it is still fresh on my mind. I’ll often paraphrase some of the dialogue rather than stating it verbatim.

4) We have a second campaign (low to mid level) that we play a few times a year, where most of the modules have come from Dungeon Magazine. Last year I ran “Gnome on the Range” from Dungeon #85. I’ll also steal bits and pieces from various Dungeon Magazines to toss into other modules, as I did this time with the group of Githyanki.

5) Oops, I must have initially read it wrong. I’ll correct it.


Now for the next next chapter:

Chapter 20, “Holding the High Ground” September 13th, 1019, 5:15 P.M.

The gnoll fighters approach along the Kadtanach’s neck in pairs tied together by a short rope, with a long rope extending back connecting each of the pairs. Grelmak moves out of the way for Narg and Cassie to take up a position by the center window, as Mark and Mojo un-shutter and open the windows on either side. Purge heads down below to move the battering ram over to block the door and then climbs back up.

Narg lights one of two glass bottles of oil (Molotov Cocktails) and tosses it down. It breaks against the Kadtanach’s neck, with the flaming splatter hitting several gnolls, but none actually catch fire. Mojo suggests that they wait a few minutes until all pairs of gnoll fighters are out of the building and onto the neck, saying, “We knock off the ones in the middle and they’ll pull the rest down after them.” This delaying tactic proves to be a mistake, as the first pair soon reaches the Head Howdah and is able to secure that end of the rope, allowing the other gnolls to then move across faster.

The attack is launched, with Mojo striking one in the center with his hammer, knocking the gnoll unconscious and off of the neck. It pulls the one it is tied to down with it. The pairs in front and behind fall down and grip onto the Kadtanach’s scales to keep from falling. Mark fires a few arrows into these gnolls, for a minimum of damage. Cassie notices that the rope is now anchored at both ends, and decides to change that, sending a Magic Missile spell down with three missiles hitting the rope before the pair hanging over and her final two missiles striking the next two holding them down. The rope snaps, causing the two dangling ones to fall and separating the first eight gnolls from final eight behind them.

The first pair of gnolls along the Head Howdah start to pull the six they are tied to towards them. They manage to get the four over, but the last two are then struck by Mojo’s Hammer and Mark’s arrows, and fall off. One is dangling either unconscious or dead and his companion is wounded. The first six decide to just leave them, and head around to the front door. Narg moves away from the window and watches through the opening into the room below in anticipation of the arrival of these gnolls.

Mojo, Mark and Cassie continue to strike at the remaining group of gnolls. A few more slip, but some fall off the opposite direction, creating a counterweight of dangling gnolls. The gnoll forces already on the head manage to bust through the door, and Narg enthusiastically yells out “They’re here!” as he jumps through the opening. He successfully lands on his feet below, taking a minimum damage to his ankles from the fall, and charging the lead gnoll. Both Mark and Mojo break away from the windows to go help Narg.

Narg slashes his sword left and right, striking the gnolls as they rush through the doorway. He notices that there are now a total of nine gnoll attackers, but does not stop to consider where the other three have come from. Mark is climbing down the ladder, when Mojo impatiently swings around to the back of the ladder and slides down the side rails to get to the bottom first.

Narg has dropped two foes and taken one hit by the time Mojo is able to join him. They each manage to drop another by the time that Mark finally joins them. Mark gets struck once, but then slays his foe and pivots onto the sixth and final one through the door. The three outside see the carnage and the relatively unscathed elvan fighters, and decide to run away. Narg charges after them as Mark and Mojo drop the last one inside the building.

Cassie has managed to use another Magic Missile spell to break the rope and drop the two gnolls acting as a counterweight. The sudden shift in weight on the rope causes the remaining gnolls to be pulled over the side, with a group of six now dangling together ten to twenty feet below the front of the Yoke Howdah. Grelmak comments to her “Aren’t you going to finish them off?” She replies, “Why waste the spell. Those six aren’t going anywhere.” She then sends her owl Deanna out to use its claws to sever the rope. Meanwhile, Alton has reached the top of the yoke and starts to climb down the other side, also deciding to go cut the rope with the dangling gnolls.

Mojo and Mark charge out the door after Narg. The three gnolls have run to the window at the top of the remaining ear basket, and the first one dives through the opening. Narg catches up to the next one as it is attempting to climb in, and grabs the gnoll. Mojo tosses his hammer into the third, sending the gnoll flying off of the Kadtanach’s head. Mark and Narg toss the other one over the side. Narg sticks his head inside the basket window as Mojo now notices that the one remaining gnoll that hand been dangling from the severed rope on the Head Howdah has now climbed up. Mojo’s hammer has now returned to his hand, and he tosses the hammer into the gnoll for a fatal blow.

Narg sees a giant spider inside the howdah moving towards him. He lights his second bottle of oil and drops it down onto the beast and the layers of webs. The webs and spider catch and the ear basket erupt in flames. Mojo comes back to join Narg as the two of them now see a rope unfurl from the bottom of the flaming basket and the remaining gnoll starts to slide down it. Mojo tosses his hammer, which wounds the gnoll, but he continues to slide down until he reaches the ground. Narg recognizes this gnoll as the same one who had escaped from the crow’s nest earlier and comments “A survivor. I guess he earned it.”

They then watch as the other dangling six gnolls fall to the ground, Cassie’s owl having finally sheared the rope. Narg, Mark and Mojo then become the targets of a new group of gnoll archers that have taken up position on the catapult ramp. They decide to head back inside and out of the line of fire. Alton reaches the rope too late to cut it, but having seen some of his companions over on the creature’s head decide to scurry across the neck to join them.

Grelmak has also seen this new group of foes, and then yells out “There’s a human female with them!” Purge comments, “The wizardess we were told of.” Cassie moves into position by the window and lets loose with a 12-hit die Fireball from her crown of might.”

The DM informs the players that as soon as Cassie’s face appeared in the window the Wizardess let loose with a 13-hit dice Fireball of her own, and which ever mage hit first would have prevented the other from casting her spell. The DM and player both roll a d10 to see which fireball hits first, both rolling an eight, indicating simultaneous explosions at both locations. Cassie, however, does far better with the damage roll, indicating 62 points to the DM’s 35 points.

The catapult ramp is destroyed along with everyone and everything on it. Alton sees this destruction above him and causally comments “Ah, Cassie.” Back in the Head Howdah, Cassie finds that she is rather wounded but still alive, and she is very thankful that Deanna was outside of the room when the fireball hit. She casts a Cure Serious Wounds spell onto herself and calls her familiar back. Looking around the room she sees that both Purge and Grelmak lie unmoving, and she goes over to check them out. Grelmak is dead and Purge is near death. She casts a Cure Serious Wounds spell onto him and then lowers him into the Bag of Holding, instructing the druid Nahmi to assist him. She strips Grelmak’s body of his magic items, finding that all except for his spell book survived the explosion.

Cassie climbs below to her companions, leaving Grelmak’s body behind. Mark, Mojo and Narg were all slightly scorched by the pillar of flame that shot out from the opening above them. She informs them that Grelmak died and that Purge was badly injured, as well as the fact that the enemy wizardess and her companions were destroyed. They then notice the Kadtanach start to move again. Looking out the doorway, they now see the town of Gheldaylin some six to seven miles ahead, and conclude that they will reach it by nightfall in another hour or two.

“Hi Guys,” Alton’s voice calls out from the doorway, adding “I kinda got kicked off and had to catch up with you guys. Sorry it took so long.” Cassie gives him a quick recap of what happened. He says “You look awful,” and then casts a Cure Serious Wounds spell onto her, bringing her back up close to maximum.

Everyone is then violently shaken to the side, as the Kadtanach tilts his head to scrape the burning ear-basket off from its head, as the flames are now bothering its ear. The basket soon cracks and falls to the ground. Alton comments, “So, the even while under control this creature seems to have some basic survival instincts.”

Mark points to the fact that the fireball caught fire to the bedding and supplies in the room above them, which they haven’t put out yet. Cassie says, “Well, if we put it out now the smoke will signal the enemy that we are still alive.” Narg points out that the wood is very thick and will probably take a while to catch. He adds, “Let’s just leave it burning.” Alton feels guilty doing that since the fire could harm the creature. Cassie says “Don’t worry. It will just react the same way as it did with the ear, and will make for a really good distraction.” “Killing us in the process,” Mark adds. Cassie points out that it has now been over twenty-four hours since she used the Helm of Teleportation, which she could use to get everyone out fast in an emergency.

Mark points out that standing around in the first floor of a building whose second floor is on fire is really not a wise thing to do. Cassie takes out the Bag of Holding that she took from Grelmak. It is too small to transport people in, but she uses it to transfer their remaining supplies from the party’s second bag. They then decide to have Cassie, Deanna, Mark, Mojo and Narg get into this second bag and have Alton move them elsewhere. Alton picks up all of the bags and then reapplies the invisibility, making the bags invisible too. He comments, “Just call me Alton ‘three bags’ Wadsworth.”

 

[Joshua Randall]

Looking around the room she sees that both Purge and Grelmak lie unmoving.... Grelmak is dead.... She strips Grelmak’s body of his magic items....

Cassie's not much of a sentimentalist, is she?

 

[Kriskrafts]

Cassie's not much of a sentimentalist, is she?

not a book not important right now

 

[Blasphemonkey]

2) That hasn’t been a problem yet, as the highest-level character in the group is 13th, and she works fine alongside the 8th to 10th levels.

Just a little confused here. You have Cassie-Andra listed as a 10th level wizard/8th level cleric. The magic item she has makes her levels one higher than written, so she is really 9Wiz/7Clr = 16th level? Or am I missing something?

In any event, the Monkey continues to enjoy the story. Almost as good as Fiendish Bananas.

- Blasphemonkey