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pogre's story hour Zandyrium -episode 66- (5/10/2006) A short update.
- Thread starter pogre
- Start date
pogre
Legend
Old One said:
What are you lecturing on? I might want to come listen
Rock Island is a bit of a haul at 180 miles (about 3 hours).
The China trip was great! Highlights included - touring the river at Shanghai, the open markets in Guangzhou, the Forbidden City in Beijing, and of course the well-named Great Wall.
Wow!
Pogre,
Sounds great! I am dripping with Sino-envy now!
I am actually the keynote speaker at the Retiree Activity Day for military retirees and their families at Rock Island Arsenal...the talk will be on military retiree benefits and legislative issues <yawn>...
I do have some scheduling flexibility...so if you guys happened to be playing on Friday or Saturday night...!
~ Old One
PS - I will even sit through your slide show!
pogre said:What are you lecturing on? I might want to come listen
Rock Island is a bit of a haul at 180 miles (about 3 hours).
The China trip was great! Highlights included - touring the river at Shanghai, the open markets in Guangzhou, the Forbidden City in Beijing, and of course the well-named Great Wall.
Pogre,
Sounds great! I am dripping with Sino-envy now
!I am actually the keynote speaker at the Retiree Activity Day for military retirees and their families at Rock Island Arsenal...the talk will be on military retiree benefits and legislative issues <yawn>...
I do have some scheduling flexibility...so if you guys happened to be playing on Friday or Saturday night...
!~ Old One
PS - I will even sit through your slide show
!
pogre
Legend
Zandyrium
Episode 05
**Remember, all pictures are thumbnails linked to larger pictures if you would like to see more detail.
The ogre brought his greatclub down on Thoren with a sickening crunch. Thoren went down on the chamber floor in a pool of his own blood. “Come play with Grosh,” the ogre bellowed.
Githraldul pulled back on his bow and aimed carefully. A quick twang recorded the shaft’s leaving the bowstring and it flew straight into the ogre’s eye. The giant reeled in pain and dropped his weapon. He stumbled for a moment or two longer and then fell to dead to the ground from shock and blood loss.
The clerics rushed to Thoren’s aid and managed to save him. Thoren was up, but both clerics had exhausted all of their blessings for the day. Reluctantly, the group decided to return to their base camp in the pass.
******
The darkness of the new moon meant Mōrguhn drew the middle watch. A movement down the trail caught his attention. “Who’s there?” Mōrguhn called out. The dwarf could vaguely make out the outlines of a humanoid heading toward the camp. Something in the creature’s approach told the dwarf it was not hostile.
“Mōrguhn?” Mercutio called back.
“Aye, Sorcerer,” the relieved dwarf answered.
Mercutio came closer still and spoke up, “I am most pleased to see the lot of you has not perished.”
“Not likely,” Mōrguhn commented. “We must be crafted of hardier stuff than your previous comrades, ‘though yesterday proved a close call.”
Githraldul rose from his bedroll and approached the pair of adventurers.
“Return to your slumber elf,” Mōrguhn stated waving a hand dismissively. “It’s just the Saracen-touched sorcerer.”
“Welcome Mercutio,” Githraldul offered an open palm. The two clasped forearms in greeting. Githraldul began discussing Mercutio’s journey to the pass. Mōrguhn and Githraldul then recounted the adventurers’ experiences of the previous day.
“Thoren’s rash action could be a problem in this place,” Mercutio commented.
“The fighter is reckless,” Mōrguhn admitted, “But it is good we fight with him. Too much caution can be as formidable an enemy as thoughtless action.”
“Though I hesitate to dismiss your wisdom, your watch is over,” Githraldul stated.
“And you elf?” Mōrguhn replied.
“I have rested enough. As soon as our recently arrived comrade gets bedded down I will awake one of the clergy for the final watch.”
“Wake up Heinrich,” Mōrguhn suggested. “He has some good prayers. Justinius is always hoping for last rites.”
Githraldul smiled and escorted Mercutio over to one of the group’s tents. The elf sat outside watching the stars for a few minutes and finally woke Heinrich for his watch. Githraldul let the righteous cleric half sleep until the dawn as he listened to the sounds of the hills.
*****
“Watch out for piles of garbage,” Thoren cautioned Mercutio. The group was making their way back down the stairs into the dungeon complex.
“Why may I ask?” Mercutio queried.
“They hold rats and the lil’ runts bite hard,” Thoren replied.
“Excellent advice my friend,” Mercutio replied with a wink. The truth was Mercutio was grateful to have the simple fighter leading the way down the dark passage.
The group traveled into the caves retracing their steps from the previous day and headed deeper into the caves. A corridor terminated in a large chamber with a statue of a large demon dominating the center.
“Ahoy, Captain Mac we meet again ye’ dirty bastich!” Wassabe called out.
“What in the hell is he talking about?” Mercutio asked.
“Who knows,” Justinius replied. “The only thing I know is that statue portrays one of my lord’s most hated enemies, Orcus.”
“Whew!” Wassabe said wiping his brow, “Fer a second there I thought ‘tis one of my old rotten captains!”
Justinius could only shake his head.
“Wassabe, Orcus is a demon prince of undead. He is one of the most fearsome fiends,” Mercutio instructed the mariner.
“Aye, that is nearly as bad,” Wassabe admitted.
Ginny and Thoren began approaching the statue carefully.
Two huge mastiff war dogs bolted out from an unseen corner of the chamber making a beeline for Thoren and Ginny. Githraldul quickly raised his bow and unleashed a pair of arrows knocking one of the canines down. The other dog continued its charge as a brutish orc appeared from the same hidden corner and launched a javelin at the pair. The javelin clanged harmlessly off the Orcus statue. The mastiff leapt for Thoren’s throat, but the fighter quickly stroked his great sword through the dog’s midsection causing it to fall limply to the ground.
The enraged orc attacked with a gleaming axe, but Ginny managed to sidestep his first attack. Ginny stuck the orc in the arm with her sword.
Heinrich then quickly charged into the combat and smashed his mace into the orc’s neck. An audible cracking noise filled the room as the humanoid fell to the ground lifeless.
Ginny began searching over the statue very carefully and found a small dagger near the base. “How cute,” she quipped.
“Probably an instrument of sacrifice,” Justinius noted disdainfully. “This was once a large temple, but I suspect it has not been used for a very long time.”
“What about our friend here?” Thoren asked giving the orc a kick with his boot.
“I doubt this was much more than a lair to him,” Justinius answered.
The group explored around the area a bit and decided to head back towards the ogre throne room.
****
“Oy, what a horrible smell!” Wassabe complained.
The group of adventurers entered the throne room in time to see a large horde of rats emerge from the ogre’s corpse and dodge into the shadows. They proceeded out of the throne room to a rubble-choked passageway that opened into a small room. A pair of ratmen watched the group nervously and before the adventurers had a chance to react the ratmen burst into action.
One ratman bravely charged the group and caught Thoren completely off guard. The other Ratman dashed out of the room.
“Don’t let him get away!” Heinrich shouted.
Thoren swung wildly at the ratman blocking his path, but missed. Ginny missed the ratman as well.
“Kill it quickly! The other is probably warning an entire colony of these vermin!” Heinrich shouted.
“Just shut the hell up!” Thoren shouted at the cleric. “I’m doing the best I can,” he complained as he missed the shifty ratman again.
The ratman managed to land a blow on the fighter that made him draw back again.
“If we cannot kill one – imagine dozens of these things coming our way!” Heinrich yelled.
“Shut it! I may not be able to kill this rascal, but I know I can kill a priest!” a frustrated Thoren retorted.
The Ratman was dodging and weaving, but managed to hold the whole group of adventurers at bay. It could not last, and a frustrated Thoren finally connected. The result was devastating as the ratman wilted under the fighter’s blow. Split from throat to hips, the creature stared dumbly down at its entrails spill out. The ratman tumbled to the side, graveyard dead.
Thoren pressed on, but paused to kick the slain ratman’s head in frustration.
“Go slow Thoren,” Ginny cautioned. “They know we’re here. Don’t fall into a trap.”
The adventurers voiced their agreement to Ginny’s suggestion and regrouped before heading deeper into the complex. Traveling down the passage, the adventurers could hear skittering, squeaking, banging, and scrapes ahead. The passage emerged in a small room where four ratmen behind a table took aim at the adventurers.
Thoren charged the barrier.
“Cut the bilge rats off!” Wassabe shouted as he skirted the table in attempt to assume a flanking position on the ratmen.
Thoren’s mighty blade came crashing down and brained one of the ratmen. Almost simultaneously, Justinius loosed a crossbow bolt that caught another vermin-kin in the throat. The ratman collapsed in a gurgle of blood and gasps. The remaining ratmen struck back, deeply wounding Wassabe and sticking Thoren as well.
A well timed mace blow from Heinrich killed another ratman, and the other scampered down the passage beyond.
“Damn it! Get him!” Thoren shouted.
“Easy Thoren,” Ginny commanded. “Take your time, these things rely on ambushes. Let’s not make it easier than it has to be for them.”
Mercutio began chanting and tossed a pinch of desert sand into the air. A tiny fey creature appeared in the palm of the sorcerer’s hand and listened as the sorcerer whispered orders to it. The sand sprite left the room, flying at blinding speed after the ratman.
A moment later, Mercutio spoke up, “They are very near.”
“How do you know?” Justinius asked in genuine curiosity.
“Because the sand sprite did not get very far,” Mercutio answered grimly.
“That’s quite a spell there,” Mōrguhn commented.
“A gift of the desert,” Mercutio replied.
The clerics went around to the injured and spent their supplications for the day curing them. Ginny motioned for the group to follow her slowly. In short order the adventurers came into another room containing four more vermin-humanoids, half-hidden by a turned-over table barrier, firing bows at the group. Thoren, as usual charged.
The rest of the group follows suit and very quickly all of the ratmen are killed. Barely able to catch a breath after the last of the enemy had fallen another group of four ratmen appeared in the room from another entrance. This group of vermin enemy had an additional member, a magic-user of some kind. Accompanying the magic-user was a rat the size of a medium dog.
“Now, she looks like trouble,” Mercutio noted.
Thoren gathered his strength to make a charge, but just as he is started towards the new foe – another group of a half-dozen ratmen appeared at another door to the chamber. As the adventurers hesitated, the magic-user began a mystical chant and threw some powder in the air.
Mercutio cursed as he recognized the incantation of sleep heading their way…
To be continued…
Episode 05
**Remember, all pictures are thumbnails linked to larger pictures if you would like to see more detail.
The ogre brought his greatclub down on Thoren with a sickening crunch. Thoren went down on the chamber floor in a pool of his own blood. “Come play with Grosh,” the ogre bellowed.
Githraldul pulled back on his bow and aimed carefully. A quick twang recorded the shaft’s leaving the bowstring and it flew straight into the ogre’s eye. The giant reeled in pain and dropped his weapon. He stumbled for a moment or two longer and then fell to dead to the ground from shock and blood loss.
The clerics rushed to Thoren’s aid and managed to save him. Thoren was up, but both clerics had exhausted all of their blessings for the day. Reluctantly, the group decided to return to their base camp in the pass.
******
The darkness of the new moon meant Mōrguhn drew the middle watch. A movement down the trail caught his attention. “Who’s there?” Mōrguhn called out. The dwarf could vaguely make out the outlines of a humanoid heading toward the camp. Something in the creature’s approach told the dwarf it was not hostile.
“Mōrguhn?” Mercutio called back.
“Aye, Sorcerer,” the relieved dwarf answered.
Mercutio came closer still and spoke up, “I am most pleased to see the lot of you has not perished.”
“Not likely,” Mōrguhn commented. “We must be crafted of hardier stuff than your previous comrades, ‘though yesterday proved a close call.”
Githraldul rose from his bedroll and approached the pair of adventurers.
“Return to your slumber elf,” Mōrguhn stated waving a hand dismissively. “It’s just the Saracen-touched sorcerer.”
“Welcome Mercutio,” Githraldul offered an open palm. The two clasped forearms in greeting. Githraldul began discussing Mercutio’s journey to the pass. Mōrguhn and Githraldul then recounted the adventurers’ experiences of the previous day.
“Thoren’s rash action could be a problem in this place,” Mercutio commented.
“The fighter is reckless,” Mōrguhn admitted, “But it is good we fight with him. Too much caution can be as formidable an enemy as thoughtless action.”
“Though I hesitate to dismiss your wisdom, your watch is over,” Githraldul stated.
“And you elf?” Mōrguhn replied.
“I have rested enough. As soon as our recently arrived comrade gets bedded down I will awake one of the clergy for the final watch.”
“Wake up Heinrich,” Mōrguhn suggested. “He has some good prayers. Justinius is always hoping for last rites.”
Githraldul smiled and escorted Mercutio over to one of the group’s tents. The elf sat outside watching the stars for a few minutes and finally woke Heinrich for his watch. Githraldul let the righteous cleric half sleep until the dawn as he listened to the sounds of the hills.
*****
“Watch out for piles of garbage,” Thoren cautioned Mercutio. The group was making their way back down the stairs into the dungeon complex.
“Why may I ask?” Mercutio queried.
“They hold rats and the lil’ runts bite hard,” Thoren replied.
“Excellent advice my friend,” Mercutio replied with a wink. The truth was Mercutio was grateful to have the simple fighter leading the way down the dark passage.
The group traveled into the caves retracing their steps from the previous day and headed deeper into the caves. A corridor terminated in a large chamber with a statue of a large demon dominating the center.
“Ahoy, Captain Mac we meet again ye’ dirty bastich!” Wassabe called out.
“What in the hell is he talking about?” Mercutio asked.
“Who knows,” Justinius replied. “The only thing I know is that statue portrays one of my lord’s most hated enemies, Orcus.”
“Whew!” Wassabe said wiping his brow, “Fer a second there I thought ‘tis one of my old rotten captains!”
Justinius could only shake his head.
“Wassabe, Orcus is a demon prince of undead. He is one of the most fearsome fiends,” Mercutio instructed the mariner.
“Aye, that is nearly as bad,” Wassabe admitted.
Ginny and Thoren began approaching the statue carefully.
Two huge mastiff war dogs bolted out from an unseen corner of the chamber making a beeline for Thoren and Ginny. Githraldul quickly raised his bow and unleashed a pair of arrows knocking one of the canines down. The other dog continued its charge as a brutish orc appeared from the same hidden corner and launched a javelin at the pair. The javelin clanged harmlessly off the Orcus statue. The mastiff leapt for Thoren’s throat, but the fighter quickly stroked his great sword through the dog’s midsection causing it to fall limply to the ground.
The enraged orc attacked with a gleaming axe, but Ginny managed to sidestep his first attack. Ginny stuck the orc in the arm with her sword.
Heinrich then quickly charged into the combat and smashed his mace into the orc’s neck. An audible cracking noise filled the room as the humanoid fell to the ground lifeless.
Ginny began searching over the statue very carefully and found a small dagger near the base. “How cute,” she quipped.
“Probably an instrument of sacrifice,” Justinius noted disdainfully. “This was once a large temple, but I suspect it has not been used for a very long time.”
“What about our friend here?” Thoren asked giving the orc a kick with his boot.
“I doubt this was much more than a lair to him,” Justinius answered.
The group explored around the area a bit and decided to head back towards the ogre throne room.
****
“Oy, what a horrible smell!” Wassabe complained.
The group of adventurers entered the throne room in time to see a large horde of rats emerge from the ogre’s corpse and dodge into the shadows. They proceeded out of the throne room to a rubble-choked passageway that opened into a small room. A pair of ratmen watched the group nervously and before the adventurers had a chance to react the ratmen burst into action.
One ratman bravely charged the group and caught Thoren completely off guard. The other Ratman dashed out of the room.
“Don’t let him get away!” Heinrich shouted.
Thoren swung wildly at the ratman blocking his path, but missed. Ginny missed the ratman as well.
“Kill it quickly! The other is probably warning an entire colony of these vermin!” Heinrich shouted.
“Just shut the hell up!” Thoren shouted at the cleric. “I’m doing the best I can,” he complained as he missed the shifty ratman again.
The ratman managed to land a blow on the fighter that made him draw back again.
“If we cannot kill one – imagine dozens of these things coming our way!” Heinrich yelled.
“Shut it! I may not be able to kill this rascal, but I know I can kill a priest!” a frustrated Thoren retorted.
The Ratman was dodging and weaving, but managed to hold the whole group of adventurers at bay. It could not last, and a frustrated Thoren finally connected. The result was devastating as the ratman wilted under the fighter’s blow. Split from throat to hips, the creature stared dumbly down at its entrails spill out. The ratman tumbled to the side, graveyard dead.
Thoren pressed on, but paused to kick the slain ratman’s head in frustration.
“Go slow Thoren,” Ginny cautioned. “They know we’re here. Don’t fall into a trap.”
The adventurers voiced their agreement to Ginny’s suggestion and regrouped before heading deeper into the complex. Traveling down the passage, the adventurers could hear skittering, squeaking, banging, and scrapes ahead. The passage emerged in a small room where four ratmen behind a table took aim at the adventurers.
Thoren charged the barrier.
“Cut the bilge rats off!” Wassabe shouted as he skirted the table in attempt to assume a flanking position on the ratmen.
Thoren’s mighty blade came crashing down and brained one of the ratmen. Almost simultaneously, Justinius loosed a crossbow bolt that caught another vermin-kin in the throat. The ratman collapsed in a gurgle of blood and gasps. The remaining ratmen struck back, deeply wounding Wassabe and sticking Thoren as well.
A well timed mace blow from Heinrich killed another ratman, and the other scampered down the passage beyond.
“Damn it! Get him!” Thoren shouted.
“Easy Thoren,” Ginny commanded. “Take your time, these things rely on ambushes. Let’s not make it easier than it has to be for them.”
Mercutio began chanting and tossed a pinch of desert sand into the air. A tiny fey creature appeared in the palm of the sorcerer’s hand and listened as the sorcerer whispered orders to it. The sand sprite left the room, flying at blinding speed after the ratman.
A moment later, Mercutio spoke up, “They are very near.”
“How do you know?” Justinius asked in genuine curiosity.
“Because the sand sprite did not get very far,” Mercutio answered grimly.
“That’s quite a spell there,” Mōrguhn commented.
“A gift of the desert,” Mercutio replied.
The clerics went around to the injured and spent their supplications for the day curing them. Ginny motioned for the group to follow her slowly. In short order the adventurers came into another room containing four more vermin-humanoids, half-hidden by a turned-over table barrier, firing bows at the group. Thoren, as usual charged.
The rest of the group follows suit and very quickly all of the ratmen are killed. Barely able to catch a breath after the last of the enemy had fallen another group of four ratmen appeared in the room from another entrance. This group of vermin enemy had an additional member, a magic-user of some kind. Accompanying the magic-user was a rat the size of a medium dog.
“Now, she looks like trouble,” Mercutio noted.
Thoren gathered his strength to make a charge, but just as he is started towards the new foe – another group of a half-dozen ratmen appeared at another door to the chamber. As the adventurers hesitated, the magic-user began a mystical chant and threw some powder in the air.
Mercutio cursed as he recognized the incantation of sleep heading their way…
To be continued…
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
pogre said:
It's like granpappy said "pick one thing and do it better than anyone else"
Feralkoala
First Post
Justinius' "one thing" is obviously turning undead
I may have a group who is wanting to start DnD, so I will have to give "Micon's Hideout" a spin as an intro adventure. My history of TPK rivals Pogre's, so I am sure it will be quite suitable
I may have a group who is wanting to start DnD, so I will have to give "Micon's Hideout" a spin as an intro adventure. My history of TPK rivals Pogre's, so I am sure it will be quite suitable
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Feralkoala said:Justinius' "one thing" is obviously turning undead
Yes, I am conflicted. I hate undead, but I can't perform last rites if I'm always sending all our enemies away. Decisions, decisions..........
pogre
Legend
Zandyrium
Episode 06
The sleep spell affected Wassabe and Morguhn and both fell to the floor in a deep slumber.
“Nay, I'll conjure too,” Mercutio roared at the ratmen. He countered with a sleep spell of his own. Two of their party fell victim to the spell.
“More Ratmen coming!” Justinius exclaimed. A slight sense of panic had crept into his voice and he loathed showing any fear. Death is my release, the cleric prayed silently as the other entryway into the chamber was filled with another party of ratmen.
Thoren struggled to hold the first group up, while Heinrich made his way over to the new invaders. Thoren took two quick jabs from the vermin-kinds swords. Blood was rolling down the mighty fighters legs and he struggled to stay upright.
The she-rat sorceress called forth another spell and touched her huge rat familiar. The brownish-gray fur of the foul rodent crackled with energy and it wormed its way to the front of the combat and bit Thoren. Thoren went rigid as the power of the spell’s electricity shot through his body. The fighter jerked rigidly twice and fell to the floor.
Mercutio now was open to the ratmen’s direct attack and quickly kicked the sleeping Morguhn awake. Justinius followed suit, kicking Wassabe awake as he went forth to knock the ratmen off of Thoren’s throat. Morguhn stumbled to his feet trying to shake the cobwebs from his mind. He could hear Heinrich’s desperate calls for help as the tide of ratmen to the north threatened to overtake him.
Morguhn rushed to reinforce the cleric’s efforts and Justinius headed towards Thoren’s position to heal the fighter. The ratmen were not out of tricks though; one of the ratmen to the north tumbled through Heinrich’s legs, and planted a short sword square in his back. Fortunately for Heinrich, his back plate saved his life, but the blow was vicious nonetheless.
Githraldul planted an arrow in the ratman’s back. As the backstabber turned to face the elf he was greeted with a mouthful of Morguhn’s steel. The tumbling ratman fell to the floor with a mangled maw and his life force draining from his body. Morguhn wasted no time celebrating and immediately killed another ratman.
Heinrich wielded his mace with deadly accuracy and downed another ratmen and the vermin tide to the north wavered. Wassabe and Justinius pressed their attacks continually trying to reach the sorceress. The sorceress for her part, launched a couple more sleep spells at the adventurers without effect. As Thoren rose, renewed and buoyed by Justinius’s healing, the sorceress squeaked some sort of command and the ratmen engaged in a fighting retreat.
Two of the ratmen stood blocking the hall while the sorceress and the rest scurried into the darkness. Morguhn, Githraldul, and Heinrich were making short work of the group to the north. Morguhn’s weapon sliced through the last of that group and they turned their attention back to the efforts of the rest of their companions.
Mercutio launched another well-placed sleep spell and the remaining defenders fell to the floor. Thoren quickly cut their throats with quick turns of his great blade.
“She is getting away!” Thoren bellowed.
“I’m not sure we are in any shape to catch her,” Githraldul answered. Thoren glowered at the elf – from he what he could tell Githraldul’s clothes were the only ones not stained with blood.
“She is out of spells and is weak,” Thoren complained.
“Sounds too familiar,” Mercutio replied.
“Huh?” Thoren asked.
“I would venture to state we are all out of spells and prayers and we are weak,” Mercutio explained. “I like our chances after a night’s rest.”
The rest of the group agreed and even Thoren reluctantly admitted he was not in top fighting shape. The band of bloodied adventurers worked their way back through the cavern and out into the valley’s night air. The group cleaned up best that they could and divided watches as they bedded down for the night.
*****
“Damn it!” Ginny exclaimed.
“Shhhhh!” Githraldul admonished her. “What is it Ginny?” he whispered.
“We did not loot their bodies,” Ginny replied.
“Oh,” Githraldul nonchalantly answered. “They’ll be there tomorrow.”
“Not in that place I’ll bet,” Ginny complained. The young female spent the remainder of the evening cursing herself for the oversight.
The morning brought sunshine and Ginny’s revelation to the rest of the group.
“By Delgrod!” Morguhn cursed. “That blood for ne’er a penny. A sin!”
“Look, I doubt it was that much gold,” Githraldul interjected. “They did not appear to be merchants to me.”
The elf’s smirk was almost enough to send Morguhn over the edge. “I do not care if the coins are nicked and cut copper! That’s blood money and ours!”
Wassabe was watching the exchange with amusement and offered a further instigation, “I wonder if those ratmen were the same ones who were stealing from the dwarven ale deliveries to the city I heard about in Zandyrium?”
“Let’s go!” Morguhn called out. “It’s early and the ratters might not have made it back to clean up after their dead kin. And even if they have, that’s more incentive to sniff ‘em out. Quickly now! There may be dwarven ale at stake!”
Wassabe snickered as he followed the group back into the caverns.
****
As the adventurers wandered back to the scene of the battle they spotted a strange creature pecking at the innards of one of the deceased ratmen. The creature was small and looked like a strange rooster of some sort. It had very unusual coloring, however, and was burdened with a heavy lizard tail.
“Be very careful,” Mercutio cautioned. “I think this is a…”
The sorceror’s sentence was interrupted by a distinct thwang noise from the ranger’s bow. Githraldul’s arrow hit its mark and the cockatrice staggered. The beast half rushed and flew at Wassabe, but missed him. Thoren followed up the bowshot with a charge. Swinging his mighty sword in a wide arc, the fighter hit home and decapitated the bird thing.
“What was that?” Justinius asked.
“A cockatrice,” Mercutio answered.
“As in ‘turn you to stone’ cockatrice?” Heinrich asked.
“The same,” Mercutio answered.
“If I’d have known that,” Wassabe piped up, “I would have let him peck me right here below the waist. Then maybe I could offer Ginny something to get into my roll tonight.”
As Wassabe grinned devilishly at Ginny he saw her eyes widen. Too late he whirled around to see the flat of Morguhn’s axe flashing down on top of his skull. Wassabe staggered and struggled to keep his balance. His head was ringing like a huge cathedral bell, and he shook it back and forth trying to unwool his brain. “I warned you sailor,” Morguhn stated. “Now you get your reward. Will it be blood or no?” Morguhn turned his axe from the flat to on edge indicating he was willing to fight to the death for this affront to Ginny.
Wassabe grabbed his second weapon and held it before him. Ginny jumped between the two, “If either of you touch each other I will leave this group and never speak to you again.” Her hands were on her hips and despite her efforts at leadership both Wassabe and Morguhn began laughing. The rogue looked very much the part of a little girl about to grab her ball and run home.
“No real harm done,” Wassabe stated rubbing his neck. “Your honor has been saved Ginny and ol’ Morguhn can rest easy. It was almost worth it to see you get fired up.”
No apology or explanation came forth from Morguhn, nor would there. The dwarf had told the sailor what would happen if he insulted Ginny in that way and he had delivered. He was grateful he had not given him the blade, but he would not do that to a man’s back. Secretly he marveled at the sailor’s resiliency – most men would have crumpled below such a blow.
“All of these bodies have been looted, but there is a trail leading away from this room,” Githraldul reported.
The adventurers hoisted their weapons and shields and followed the elf down a dark corridor.
***
The ranger had tracked them down and the ratmen stood before their sorceress in a desperate last stand. Mercutio launched a sleep spell knocking two of them down immediately. Heinrich sprinted to the chamber’s other exit to prevent their escape. Githraldul pumped a pair of arrows into the she-rat, nearly killing her outright.
The sorceress, seeing that her way was blocked by Heinrich casted a sleep spell at him. Heinrich easily withstood her magical efforts. The cleric responded with a charge and brained the rat-sorceress with his mace. Thoren stepped forward and killed another ratman and the final guardian tried to flee past Heinrich. The cleric was too quick and his flashing mace killed it too.
Morguhn began looting the ratmen bodies and a quick search by Ginny turned up a lockbox. Using the sorceress’s keys the adventurers found a large amount of silver and a vial of liquid beneath a false bottom. Ginny portioned out the silver to the group members and Mercutio swirled the liquid in the vial trying to determine what it was. Neither the sorcerer nor either of the clerics could tell what the liquid was, so they stored it in a pack.
“There’s enough here for me to begin my studies,” Morguhn announced.
“This means your leaving?” Ginny asked.
“I must study while I have the chance,” Morguhn answered.
“Spending time in studies does sound more reasonable than what we are doing in these foul caverns,” Heinrich commented.
“Then go with him, ye’ fat parson,” Wassabe jabbed.
“There is no need for that,” Githraldul announced.
“Can’t anyone in this crew take a lil’ joke?” Wassabe asked.
“You misunderstand fair mariner,” Githraldul replied. “I meant there is no need for Heinrich to leave, because I am going with Morguhn.”
“Oh look ye’ got a date there Morguhn,” Wassabe laughed. “He looks to be your type too.”
The dwarf ignored the sailor and spoke to Githraldul, “You are most welcome to come, but do not leave on my account.”
“No, the timing is good for me as well,” Githraldul answered. “We will return friends, when Morguhn completes his training we will find you.”
“Go in peace friends,” Justinius said.
“Don’t give me any of that ‘go in peace stuff’,” Morguhn objected. “I plan to die like a dwarf – with my boots on!”
The group laughed and each wished the pair well as they left the caverns and headed back to the city.
**
“We sure could use Morguhn down here,” Ginny said.
“Why? To protect your honor?” Wassabe asked.
“No,” Ginny answered rolling her eyes. “It’s just that he is so good in natural caverns like this. He has a real eye for the stonework. I bet he could explain why this corridor’s ceiling is getting so low.”
“He probably would not notice,” Justinius stated.
Wassabe laughed heartily, “That’s the spirit death boy! Glad to see yer’ loosening up!”
“What’s ahead Ginny?” Mercutio asked.
“It looks like a low-ceiling chamber with a group of sarcophagi.”
Justinius immediately pushed his way to the front of the group. “It is a burial area,” he confirmed. “Orcish, and it’s been pillaged.”
“Would it be alright for me to search the boxes?” Ginny asked.
“I should think so,” Justinius answered.
As Ginny looked through the crude stone sarcophagi Heinrich and Justinius compared notes on orcish religious rites and traditions.
“He said it’s been looted,” Thoren complained. “Let’s go.”
“Hold on,” Ginny demanded. “I found something. Come here Thoren have a look.”
“What is it?” Thoren asked.
“Try to pry that corner up,” Ginny suggested. Thoren reached down and wedged a dagger in the seam and managed to lift the floor of the inner sarcophagus up. Below the sarcophagus’s false bottom was a long flight of stairs leading down into the darkness.
“Let’s go!” Thoren announced excitedly.
“I do not think so,” Heinrich replied.
“Why not by Hades?” Thoren asked with frustration lacing his voice.
“We should finish exploring this level first,” Heinrich explained.
“Fine you do that,” Thoren countered. “I’m going down these stairs.”
To be continued…
Episode 06
The sleep spell affected Wassabe and Morguhn and both fell to the floor in a deep slumber.
“Nay, I'll conjure too,” Mercutio roared at the ratmen. He countered with a sleep spell of his own. Two of their party fell victim to the spell.
“More Ratmen coming!” Justinius exclaimed. A slight sense of panic had crept into his voice and he loathed showing any fear. Death is my release, the cleric prayed silently as the other entryway into the chamber was filled with another party of ratmen.
Thoren struggled to hold the first group up, while Heinrich made his way over to the new invaders. Thoren took two quick jabs from the vermin-kinds swords. Blood was rolling down the mighty fighters legs and he struggled to stay upright.
The she-rat sorceress called forth another spell and touched her huge rat familiar. The brownish-gray fur of the foul rodent crackled with energy and it wormed its way to the front of the combat and bit Thoren. Thoren went rigid as the power of the spell’s electricity shot through his body. The fighter jerked rigidly twice and fell to the floor.
Mercutio now was open to the ratmen’s direct attack and quickly kicked the sleeping Morguhn awake. Justinius followed suit, kicking Wassabe awake as he went forth to knock the ratmen off of Thoren’s throat. Morguhn stumbled to his feet trying to shake the cobwebs from his mind. He could hear Heinrich’s desperate calls for help as the tide of ratmen to the north threatened to overtake him.
Morguhn rushed to reinforce the cleric’s efforts and Justinius headed towards Thoren’s position to heal the fighter. The ratmen were not out of tricks though; one of the ratmen to the north tumbled through Heinrich’s legs, and planted a short sword square in his back. Fortunately for Heinrich, his back plate saved his life, but the blow was vicious nonetheless.
Githraldul planted an arrow in the ratman’s back. As the backstabber turned to face the elf he was greeted with a mouthful of Morguhn’s steel. The tumbling ratman fell to the floor with a mangled maw and his life force draining from his body. Morguhn wasted no time celebrating and immediately killed another ratman.
Heinrich wielded his mace with deadly accuracy and downed another ratmen and the vermin tide to the north wavered. Wassabe and Justinius pressed their attacks continually trying to reach the sorceress. The sorceress for her part, launched a couple more sleep spells at the adventurers without effect. As Thoren rose, renewed and buoyed by Justinius’s healing, the sorceress squeaked some sort of command and the ratmen engaged in a fighting retreat.
Two of the ratmen stood blocking the hall while the sorceress and the rest scurried into the darkness. Morguhn, Githraldul, and Heinrich were making short work of the group to the north. Morguhn’s weapon sliced through the last of that group and they turned their attention back to the efforts of the rest of their companions.
Mercutio launched another well-placed sleep spell and the remaining defenders fell to the floor. Thoren quickly cut their throats with quick turns of his great blade.
“She is getting away!” Thoren bellowed.
“I’m not sure we are in any shape to catch her,” Githraldul answered. Thoren glowered at the elf – from he what he could tell Githraldul’s clothes were the only ones not stained with blood.
“She is out of spells and is weak,” Thoren complained.
“Sounds too familiar,” Mercutio replied.
“Huh?” Thoren asked.
“I would venture to state we are all out of spells and prayers and we are weak,” Mercutio explained. “I like our chances after a night’s rest.”
The rest of the group agreed and even Thoren reluctantly admitted he was not in top fighting shape. The band of bloodied adventurers worked their way back through the cavern and out into the valley’s night air. The group cleaned up best that they could and divided watches as they bedded down for the night.
*****
“Damn it!” Ginny exclaimed.
“Shhhhh!” Githraldul admonished her. “What is it Ginny?” he whispered.
“We did not loot their bodies,” Ginny replied.
“Oh,” Githraldul nonchalantly answered. “They’ll be there tomorrow.”
“Not in that place I’ll bet,” Ginny complained. The young female spent the remainder of the evening cursing herself for the oversight.
The morning brought sunshine and Ginny’s revelation to the rest of the group.
“By Delgrod!” Morguhn cursed. “That blood for ne’er a penny. A sin!”
“Look, I doubt it was that much gold,” Githraldul interjected. “They did not appear to be merchants to me.”
The elf’s smirk was almost enough to send Morguhn over the edge. “I do not care if the coins are nicked and cut copper! That’s blood money and ours!”
Wassabe was watching the exchange with amusement and offered a further instigation, “I wonder if those ratmen were the same ones who were stealing from the dwarven ale deliveries to the city I heard about in Zandyrium?”
“Let’s go!” Morguhn called out. “It’s early and the ratters might not have made it back to clean up after their dead kin. And even if they have, that’s more incentive to sniff ‘em out. Quickly now! There may be dwarven ale at stake!”
Wassabe snickered as he followed the group back into the caverns.
****
As the adventurers wandered back to the scene of the battle they spotted a strange creature pecking at the innards of one of the deceased ratmen. The creature was small and looked like a strange rooster of some sort. It had very unusual coloring, however, and was burdened with a heavy lizard tail.
“Be very careful,” Mercutio cautioned. “I think this is a…”
The sorceror’s sentence was interrupted by a distinct thwang noise from the ranger’s bow. Githraldul’s arrow hit its mark and the cockatrice staggered. The beast half rushed and flew at Wassabe, but missed him. Thoren followed up the bowshot with a charge. Swinging his mighty sword in a wide arc, the fighter hit home and decapitated the bird thing.
“What was that?” Justinius asked.
“A cockatrice,” Mercutio answered.
“As in ‘turn you to stone’ cockatrice?” Heinrich asked.
“The same,” Mercutio answered.
“If I’d have known that,” Wassabe piped up, “I would have let him peck me right here below the waist. Then maybe I could offer Ginny something to get into my roll tonight.”
As Wassabe grinned devilishly at Ginny he saw her eyes widen. Too late he whirled around to see the flat of Morguhn’s axe flashing down on top of his skull. Wassabe staggered and struggled to keep his balance. His head was ringing like a huge cathedral bell, and he shook it back and forth trying to unwool his brain. “I warned you sailor,” Morguhn stated. “Now you get your reward. Will it be blood or no?” Morguhn turned his axe from the flat to on edge indicating he was willing to fight to the death for this affront to Ginny.
Wassabe grabbed his second weapon and held it before him. Ginny jumped between the two, “If either of you touch each other I will leave this group and never speak to you again.” Her hands were on her hips and despite her efforts at leadership both Wassabe and Morguhn began laughing. The rogue looked very much the part of a little girl about to grab her ball and run home.
“No real harm done,” Wassabe stated rubbing his neck. “Your honor has been saved Ginny and ol’ Morguhn can rest easy. It was almost worth it to see you get fired up.”
No apology or explanation came forth from Morguhn, nor would there. The dwarf had told the sailor what would happen if he insulted Ginny in that way and he had delivered. He was grateful he had not given him the blade, but he would not do that to a man’s back. Secretly he marveled at the sailor’s resiliency – most men would have crumpled below such a blow.
“All of these bodies have been looted, but there is a trail leading away from this room,” Githraldul reported.
The adventurers hoisted their weapons and shields and followed the elf down a dark corridor.
***
The ranger had tracked them down and the ratmen stood before their sorceress in a desperate last stand. Mercutio launched a sleep spell knocking two of them down immediately. Heinrich sprinted to the chamber’s other exit to prevent their escape. Githraldul pumped a pair of arrows into the she-rat, nearly killing her outright.
The sorceress, seeing that her way was blocked by Heinrich casted a sleep spell at him. Heinrich easily withstood her magical efforts. The cleric responded with a charge and brained the rat-sorceress with his mace. Thoren stepped forward and killed another ratman and the final guardian tried to flee past Heinrich. The cleric was too quick and his flashing mace killed it too.
Morguhn began looting the ratmen bodies and a quick search by Ginny turned up a lockbox. Using the sorceress’s keys the adventurers found a large amount of silver and a vial of liquid beneath a false bottom. Ginny portioned out the silver to the group members and Mercutio swirled the liquid in the vial trying to determine what it was. Neither the sorcerer nor either of the clerics could tell what the liquid was, so they stored it in a pack.
“There’s enough here for me to begin my studies,” Morguhn announced.
“This means your leaving?” Ginny asked.
“I must study while I have the chance,” Morguhn answered.
“Spending time in studies does sound more reasonable than what we are doing in these foul caverns,” Heinrich commented.
“Then go with him, ye’ fat parson,” Wassabe jabbed.
“There is no need for that,” Githraldul announced.
“Can’t anyone in this crew take a lil’ joke?” Wassabe asked.
“You misunderstand fair mariner,” Githraldul replied. “I meant there is no need for Heinrich to leave, because I am going with Morguhn.”
“Oh look ye’ got a date there Morguhn,” Wassabe laughed. “He looks to be your type too.”
The dwarf ignored the sailor and spoke to Githraldul, “You are most welcome to come, but do not leave on my account.”
“No, the timing is good for me as well,” Githraldul answered. “We will return friends, when Morguhn completes his training we will find you.”
“Go in peace friends,” Justinius said.
“Don’t give me any of that ‘go in peace stuff’,” Morguhn objected. “I plan to die like a dwarf – with my boots on!”
The group laughed and each wished the pair well as they left the caverns and headed back to the city.
**
“We sure could use Morguhn down here,” Ginny said.
“Why? To protect your honor?” Wassabe asked.
“No,” Ginny answered rolling her eyes. “It’s just that he is so good in natural caverns like this. He has a real eye for the stonework. I bet he could explain why this corridor’s ceiling is getting so low.”
“He probably would not notice,” Justinius stated.
Wassabe laughed heartily, “That’s the spirit death boy! Glad to see yer’ loosening up!”
“What’s ahead Ginny?” Mercutio asked.
“It looks like a low-ceiling chamber with a group of sarcophagi.”
Justinius immediately pushed his way to the front of the group. “It is a burial area,” he confirmed. “Orcish, and it’s been pillaged.”
“Would it be alright for me to search the boxes?” Ginny asked.
“I should think so,” Justinius answered.
As Ginny looked through the crude stone sarcophagi Heinrich and Justinius compared notes on orcish religious rites and traditions.
“He said it’s been looted,” Thoren complained. “Let’s go.”
“Hold on,” Ginny demanded. “I found something. Come here Thoren have a look.”
“What is it?” Thoren asked.
“Try to pry that corner up,” Ginny suggested. Thoren reached down and wedged a dagger in the seam and managed to lift the floor of the inner sarcophagus up. Below the sarcophagus’s false bottom was a long flight of stairs leading down into the darkness.
“Let’s go!” Thoren announced excitedly.
“I do not think so,” Heinrich replied.
“Why not by Hades?” Thoren asked with frustration lacing his voice.
“We should finish exploring this level first,” Heinrich explained.
“Fine you do that,” Thoren countered. “I’m going down these stairs.”
To be continued…
Last edited:
Puppy Kicker
First Post
One of my favorite TPK tricks! The only thing better than a good sleep spell cast by an enemy sorcerer is a bad sleep spell poorly cast by a friend.
Anyway, very cool story hour. Haven't seen your previous stuff but I'll have to check it out now. I love the pictures to illustrate the action.
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