Cooperative Dungeon 04 -- When Heroes Fall

[Trainz]

What an IDIOT I am !

I can't believe I did that.

My most profound apologies...

 

[Erekose13]

No worries.

I introduced you to the judge watching the game and the others as a friend who helped on the adventure. I dont mean to downplay the importance of the project and all who helped make it a wonderful adventure, but I'd like to try and keep the origin of the module a secret for now.

Sorry to derail your thread William, hope to hear how things are going for your group again soon

 

[William Ronald]

William - any more updates on your end?

I have to admit it's quite a thrill seeing people wander through the adventure you helped create!

Yes, and I will add it now. Trainz, none of the iconics used in this adventure had Decipher Script or Disable Device as skills. However, I am completing the tale tonight -- with a final paragraph that is my own creative interpretation.

Despite repeated efforts, the great carved doors would not budge. So, a weary Tordek led Hennet and Jozan towards the hall on the left. They passed the storeroom, the room with the thrones, and the tomb of the undead mage and approached a hall that led to a sturdy wooden door, carved with hieroglyphs and marred by claw marks. As they proceeded, the three heroes searched for any sign of traps, prodding with spears and staffs. A few yards before the door, Hennet found a section of wall carved with the image of an ancient king that seemed to be hollow. After much work, the plaster gave way to reveal a corridor.with a draft and blowing sand. Carvings showed images of slaves carrying a sarcophagus

After the band of heroes turned a corridor, they found bas relief carvings of a vulture headed goddess with a whip and a fierce looking knight whose hand stood upraised in a gesture of warning or greeting. Beneath the bas relief of the vulture-headed statue, after pounding on the plaster wall, Tordek found some Hennet sent his familiar, a bat, to fly towards the far end of the hall which vanished out of the sight of the ever burning torch. As the party and the bat proceeded forward, the wind increased. Tordek struggled against the wind, as did Hennet and Jozan. After some effort, the bat was blown backwards and landed on the spikes. Hennett turned and was blown backwards against the spikes as well. Jozan turned and was followed by Hennet, both of whom managed to keep their footing. After helping the bat and Hennet off the spikes, Jozan spoke. “We can come back here if we must. There is still the door near the entrance.”

After some healing from the priest of Pelor, the party headed back to the first corridor and to the door. The hieroglyphs were undecipherable to Jozan, Hennet and Tordek but they recognized the gnoll claw marks on the door and the damaged lock. The door opened outwards, revealing a library with several bookshelves and a table with an ornate lamp. A carved door was on the The three -pronged silver and gold oil lamp was topped by the figure of an asp. Hennet read a word inscribed on the lamp as Jozan reached for a book.

Suddenly, a spectral figure in ancient armor reached through the floor to lunge at Hennet. He screamed as the figure’s hand struck him across the chest and the color drained from his face.

Jozan turned and raised his sun disk. “In Pelor’s name, begone!” The figure fell back through the floor as Hennet slumped against the table. Jozan and Tordek rushed over to the sorcerer, who shook as if he was exposed to severe cold.

“I feel awful,” Hennet said in a weak voice. To Tordek’s eyes, the sorceror had a confused look on his face. His skin looked ashen, and he leaned heavily on his staff.

Hennet, Jozan, and Tordek walked over to the door on the far side of the room. The carvings on it were incomprehensible, The door opened to reveal a room lined with scrolls and books. A bald headed man in black and yellow robes glared at them. “Why have you come to disturb the tomb of Toth Nekamek. In the name of Chacal, answer me!?”

“It was a messenger of your god who asked us to clear this temple. We are not your enemies. Who are you?” Tordek asked as he stepped into the room and walked to stand before the figure. Hennet and Jozan followed cautiously.

“I am the librarian of this tomb, and a humble servant of Chacal,” the man said in a soothing voice.

“This place has been abandoned for a thousand years. Why are you still alive?” Hennet said.

“I was given an elixir of immortality by my fellow priests so that I could maintain the library forever. If you wish to dispose of anymore gnolls, I can show you where there bodies are I can reward you with several rare tomes that are of great value, perhaps 10,000 gold coins, even more so to a collector of antiquities..”

“I don’t believe you.” Hennet said.

“Why do you not believe me?” the man said in a calm voice.

Hennet looked flustered and muttered something that Tordek could not hear. “Can you heal me of the damage that the wight caused?”

“Only if you are willing to become a priest of Chacal. Well, do we have an agreement on the exchange of the books for the removal of the bodies?”

Tordek, Jozan, and Hennet nodded their assent and the priest lead them out of the room, past the library and to a corridor where several gnoll bodies lay on the floor near a pit. To Tordek’s eyes, it seemed as if something had dug through the sides of the corridor with large and vicious claws. The first gnoll was missing its legs but had several healing herbs in a pouch and two scrolls with the calm animals spell. Jozan, Tordek, and Hennet carried the first body past the entrance of the tomb. Jozan and Tordek carried the body to a tree, while Hennet and the priest glared at each other by the entrance.

After moving another body, Jozan spoke “Do you trust this priest to keep his word.”

“There is part of me that mistrusts him and wonders if we are angering a messenger of an ancient god by not clearing this place.” Tordek said. “Yet we have given our word. Furthermore, it seems this place is riddled with traps --- and I am far from an expert trap finder.

Jozan, Tordek, and Hennet walked back with the priest. Hennet and the priest seemed on the point of arguing, when the sorceror aimed his wand at the priest and it discharged some magic missiles into his chest.

“Hennet!” Jozan shouted. Tordek looked shocked

“Do you wish to fight me?” the priest said in an angry voice. “I will hold on to that wand for safe keeping.

“No, we shall not fight you. We shall go.” Jozan said. Hennet shrugged his shoulders and handed the wand over to the priest. The priest waited at the end of the corridor as the heroes walked towards the last body

As Jozan approached the last body, which lay near the pit, he slipped on the edge and plummeted downwards. He landed on the floor with a thud into a pile of bones that pierced through his flesh.

“Jozan!” Tordek screamed. The dwarf swiftly reached for his rope and grappling hook, dropping the everburning torch behind him.

“There is something down here with me.” Jozan said before he chanted swiftly.

“I’ll have the rope to you soon,” Tordek said as he handed an end of it to Hennet.

Tordek’s keen dwarven eyes saw down into the pit. Something large was down there with him. “What are you doing down there?”

“I’ve cast a sanctuary spell. That should protect me from this thing”

Jozan saw a dire badger move about in the pit and moved past him to climb up to the top of the pit. It lunged at Tordek, but its claws and teeth bounced against his armor.

“Do something!” Tordek said as he swung his axe at the beast, landing a blow on one of its outstretched legs. Fur and flesh yielded to the dwarf’s sharp axe.

“I’m trying!” Jozan said as he hurriedly cast the calm animal spell from the scroll. The dire badger ignored the spell and struck Tordek with its claws and teeth. The dwarf screamed in pain but landed a solid blow across its chest.

From behind him, Tordek heard Hennet scream in pain. Of course, the priest!!! Tordek could not see the sorceror but realized that he was under attack. He heard the sound of Hennet throwing the grappling hook against the side of the corridor and beginning to chant

“Jozan, hurry!” Tordek said as he raised his shield and kept the dire badger from biting his right arm.

“I’m trapped under this thing. I’ll try another calm animals spell.” Jozan hollered back.

“We are under attack. We need you NOW!!” Tordek swung his axe and landed a solid blow that bit deep into the beast’s chest, piercing flesh, muscle and sinew. The dwarf heard Hennet’s screams and a groan from the direction of the priest.

The beast’s claws and teeth dug deep into Tordek’s shoulders as it struck him. The dwarf groaned and swung his axe. The axe cleaved through fur, through flesh, and bone to land in the beating heart of the beast. It dropped and slid back into the pit. As it did so, Hennet screamed and fell silent.

Tordek turned and saw the sorceror unconscious on the floor. The priest stood with the wand of magic missiles in his hands. The missiles struck Tordek in the chest, but he continued his charge. “Jozan, hurry!!”

As he charged, Tordek’s mind raced. Of course, the priest had lied about the immortality elixir – along with everything else. The reached the priest and landed a solid blow with his axe – before the magic missiles discharged into his chest. The dwarf fell into unconsciousness as his armored body clanged noisly against the floor.

Jozan made his way up the rope and heard two soft sounds. As he reached the edge of the pit, he saw the priest holding the wand. “Took you long enough,’ the priest said coldly as its form wavered to reveal a doppelganger. “I had time enough to finish both of them off. “

The priest of Pelor charged at the doppelganger who was struck by a bolt from a crossbow. Jozan continued to close the distance but was stopped when he was struck in the best by a crossbow bolt. A small figure chortled in the distance and disappeared around a corner.

The doppelganger raised his hands in parley. “I thought he was one of yours.”

“No he is not.” Jozan said as he glared at the doppelganger,

“I can’t have both of you about,” the creature said nervously.

“Well, if you let me take my dead and leave, I will help you against it. Do I have your word on this.”

“Yes!” the doppelganger said hurriedly as another crossbow bolt missed him.

Jozan followed the doppelganger and separated from him to pursue the small figure, clad in dark gray clothes. “I will catch up to you. I know a short cut.”

So began a running battle between the priest of Pelor and the short figure through the corridors of the ancient tomb. The priest fought with his crossbow against the crossbow of his adversary. Every now and then, the figure screamed as a magic missile from Hennet’s wand struck him.

Finally, Jozan cornered the creature and struck with his mace. The figure’s cloak parted to reveal the face of a svirfneblin, its gray face snarling underneath short cropped gray hair. The woman dropped her crossbow and quickly drew her short sword.

The two battled, with the deep gnome slicing at Jozan’s legs. The fight ended as the priest’s mace squarely landed across the side of her head. Jozan stood over the body and turned to look back down the corridor.

A volley of magic missiles struck Jozan in the chest. Before the priest of Pelor could reach the doppelganger, a second volley of magic missiles struck him in the chest. Jozan fell as he glared at his foe, his mace and armor clattering loudly on the stones of the corridor as he breathed his last.

Jozan felt his soul float above his body, until it entered a place with an infinite silver horizon. The souls of Hennet and Tordek were there waiting for him.

“It took you long enough to get here out of that pit. Time for us to get going,” Torkdek said as the three of them turned towards a distant, shining light.

THE END, OR PERHAPS A NEW BEGINNING

 

[Erekose13]

wow a TPK. Here's hoping my adventurers wont end that way. I don't think they will as they are an average level higher than required for the adventure. Thanks for the fun story hour William.

 

[Conaill]

Darn, I was hoping they would get a little further than that. Glad to see the Howling Winds worked as intended though!

Couple of interesting twists there. I love the part where Hennett fires the wand of Magic Missiles at the doppleganger, and then just gives the wand to him. Players...

 

[William Ronald]

Darn, I was hoping they would get a little further than that. Glad to see the Howling Winds worked as intended though!

Couple of interesting twists there. I love the part where Hennett fires the wand of Magic Missiles at the doppleganger, and then just gives the wand to him. Players...

Well, without a rogue, the traps were difficult. We had planned on coming back if other options were exhausted. (Possibly using enlarge spells might be a good way to defeat the trap.) I had not anticipated the person who played Hennet handing over the wand, either.

 

[Trainz]

Fascinating.

Mark played the beasts in a devious fashion (as they were intended actually).

Too bad for you guys... you didn't get to see the MAIN dungeon. So close...

 

[Mark CMG]

These guys play tough but sometimes the dice betray you and tough just ain't enough.

 

[Conaill]

Some nice action going on, over in Erekose's thread.

 

[Erekose13]

Thanks The first couple of encounters were far to easy. When one of the sleeping gnolls made his listen check at -16 I smiled and decided to try all 7 against the party. With 2 5th, 2 4th, and 2 3rd level characters I think many of the encounters will be similarly easy. I'd like to adjust some of the main encounters but haven't had time.

Any suggestions on raising the difficulty of some of the combats at least?