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pogre's story hour Zandyrium -episode 66- (5/10/2006) A short update.
- Thread starter pogre
- Start date
The Amazing Dingo
First Post
Ugh...November Football....cold stuff. I remember those games when I lived in Maryland and was in high school. Of course, after about three or four minutes there was enough adrenaline pumping I could have played in Antartica and wouldn't have noticed.
Good luck with it all pogre! Its just nice to get a post and know you are doing well and will be coming back here sooner or later.
Again, kick some rump out there!
Good luck with it all pogre! Its just nice to get a post and know you are doing well and will be coming back here sooner or later.
Again, kick some rump out there!
pogre
Legend
Remember all pictures are thumbnail links to larger pics.
Zandyrium
Episode 08
Ginny thought she saw a smile passing over the kobolds’ reptilian faces as they pulled their crossbows’ triggers. Even stuck in their net she was too quick, and the bolts zipped harmlessly past her. Ginny effortlessly wriggled free of the trapping nets, and the kobolds’ mirth quickly evaporated as the rest of the group descended upon them.
Too late to retreat, the kobolds were hacked down.
“Where there are two – there’s a dozen,” Wassabe stated flatly.
Thoren could not help grinning with anticipation of fighting hordes of weak kobolds.
“They’re not smart, but they are clever,” Ginny said. “I will have to be more careful.”
Following a quick search of the dead kobolds and the cavern the adventurers headed deeper into the kobolds’ lair. Pressing on as quietly as they could the group found three kobolds kneeling, facing away from them, at an altar with a huge, leering, female kobold’s face carved in the wall.
Thoren rushed forward and with a mighty swing decapitated two of the kobolds in a spray of blood. The third kobold scrambled to its feet, and dashed for the door.
Wassabe was too quick for him.
Wielding a blade in one hand he instantly hamstrung the fleeing kobold knocking him to the ground. Wassabe’s second weapon, a light mace, followed quickly crushing the little monster’s throat.
Justinius began to chuckle as he looked over the large kobold carving.
“What is it Justinius,” Heinrich asked.
“This carving is supposed to represent the kobold goddess of long life,” Justinius answered with a grin.
*****
The group continued along their way into the kobold lair, dodging the occasional trap and killing small groups of kobolds here and there.
Thoren’s war cry signaled the rest that he had found yet another band of kobolds, but as the rest of the adventurers turned the corner they could see the fighter had found a crowd this time. It was a large chamber literally filled with the reptiliads that were tripping over themselves trying to avoid the fighter’s huge sword. Like a peasant’s scythe through wheat at harvest, Thoren swung his long blade mowing down kobolds. None of the creatures were discriminated against by Thoren’s bloody steel, young and old, male and female, all tasted his mighty steel. Wassabe quickly joined his comrade with both of his weapons forming another arc of quick kobold deaths.
Almost unnoticed, another group of kobolds slipped in from a back passage of the chamber and one of them cast an incantation.
Mercutio caught the arcane gestures out of the corner of his eye, “No!” he cried out.
Thoren and Wassabe were oblivious to the Saracen-touched sorceror’s warning and as the sleep spell hit them both fell to the ground in a slumber.
Everyone in the room seemed to stop. The moment was frozen for an instant as the kobolds realized their attackers were suddenly impotent and prostrate on the floor. Like the eye of a storm passing through the calm did not last long.
Justinius realizing the danger his sleeping companions were in dashed to the charge and fought over their fallen bodies.
The swings of the priest’s mace kept the kobolds from delivering killing blows on the sleeping adventurers.
Heinrich and Mercutio stepped up and began kicking Thoren and Wassabe awake.
Wassabe managed to wake up and shake the cobwebs in his mind loose. He stood and readied his weapons to resume the attack. The kobold sorceress hit him with another sleep spell and he went down like a sack of bones. Heinrich gave up trying to wake his companions up and started hacking kobolds up. Well-placed magic missiles sprang forth from Mercutio and the kobold caster was killed.
Once the kobold sorceress was vanquished the rest of the kobolds fell quickly. The entire chamber was covered in bodies of the wee lizard-folk and Ginny set to work looking for valuables. Justinius said a quick blessing over the piles of kobolds and the group set off into the darkness again.
****
The group wandered deeper into the complex and found themselves back in the middle wherein the large lake dominated a huge chamber. This was the place they had killed the beetles earlier, but that was upon the opposite shore.
“This place is just huge,” Thoren commented aloud. It was a simple observation from a simple man, but the truth was everyone else was thinking the very same thing.
Ginny motioned for the rest to follow her down another side passage. The side passage quickly branched into a three-way intersection and Ginny saw one of the ways led into an empty room.
“I’ll check this out real quick,” she whispered back to Thoren. Thoren grunted back to her in a half-bored acknowledgement.
Ginny inched along the walls looking for anything out of place. A slight ripple in the shadows made the rogue hesitate – was that a movement? she wondered. An instant later she recognized the large humanoid creature thrusting a blade at her neck – a gnoll!
A flick of his quick wrist lodged the gnoll’s blade into Ginny’s neck. She gasped as blood came spouting forth from the wound.
Ginny feel to one knee gasping as the gurgling blood interfered with her breathing. She could feel her life force running out of her onto the cold stone floor.
Grexxius, the Gnoll Ranger, cursed under his breath. He had tried to hide in the shadows, but when he saw the female human sneak into the chamber he could sense that she would find him. His mind raced – She was not alone! He readied his weapon to try and carve his way through to escape.
Thoren brought his hefty blade down on the Gnoll.
A spray of blood and gray brain mixed with bone bits heralded the end for the evil ranger. As quickly as he had put Ginny down, now he lay on the same floor dying from shock and blood loss.
Heinrich rushed forward and chanted a quick supplication, sealing Ginny’s wound to prevent further blood loss. Justinius too moved forward and blessed the rogue with healing prayers. Very quickly Ginny was nearly whole again.
“Why would a lone gnoll be cruising through these caverns?” Justinius asked.
“I don’t know,” Ginny admitted. “Any theories Wassabe?”
“Definitely a ranger of some type,” Wassabe said as he looked through the dead gnoll’s belongings. Sniffing some of the gnoll’s dried meat, Wassabe casually tossed it to the ground. “Judging by what he has been eating, he has been down here for a while. I can only assume he was looking for something.”
“Or someone,” Mercutio suggested.
“True, that is a possibility,” Wassabe agreed.
***
The dusty passages terminated in a cavern with three alcoves. Sitting in each of the alcoves was a stone. Each stone glowed with a warm, red hue.
“Soooo, this looks bad,” Mercutio stated.
“Is it magical?” Thoren asked.
Justinius said a quick prayer and determined it was indeed magical.
“It’s atypical for a trap,” Ginny said. “If this has a trigger of some sort I cannot figure it out. These rocks are giving off some heat.”
“I don’t like the looks of this,” Heinrich said.
“I agree,” Mercutio stated. “Let’s leave and come back here as a last result.”
“What if someone else comes back here?” Thoren said.
“So?” Mercutio inquired.
“We could lose these magic stones,” Thoren replied.
“I’ll wager they will remain,” Wassabe reassured the fighter. “Come along now, let’s not get your head worryin’ about magic stones and their lot, let’s head out to the valley and get some winks.” Wassabe gently pushed Thoren along out of the cavern like a mother guiding her child through a crystal shop.
The group returned to the valley to camp.
**
“I have most of the first level marked as explored,” Heinrich commented as he unrolled his vellum scratched with his mapping notes.
“What about here?” Thoren asked.
“That was where we encountered the dragon, and I am none to anxious to return,” Heinrich admitted.
“What of the rocks?” Thoren asked.
“What of them?” Mercutio replied. “They are not going anywhere.”
“Down to the next level then?” Ginny asked. A short debate followed, until all eventually agreed to head down the stairs they had discovered earlier.
“I wanted to go there all along,” Thoren complained.
*
The group traveled back to the low-ceiling room with the defiled orcs’ burial sarcophagi and reopened the secret panel leading to a stairway down. The stairs descended for quite some time terminating in a small chamber filled with shattered crystal or glass.
“Why the glass?” Ginny wondered aloud.
“It looks like it may have been a crystal coffin at one time,” Justinius offered.
Ginny looked over the base of the now shattered glass structure and found a secret panel, but she also discovered something else: “It’s trapped,” Ginny announced.
“Yes, and so now you disarm it,” Wassabe said in a mocking voice of authority.
“It is magically trapped,” Ginny replied.
“I’m not sure we should be defiling this grave anyway,” Heinrich admitted.
“Little late for those concerns, considering the shattered glass lying about father,” Wassabe answered.
“I think it’s a gas type trap,” Ginny stated.
Justinius said a quick prayer and confirmed some of Ginny’s suspicions, “It definitely is magical, and furthermore, it appears to be divine in origin.”
“Let’s leave it,” Mercutio stated. “We can always come back to check it out.”
Thoren did not even bother to complain this time.
“This is interesting,” Ginny said. The rogue was in a small tunnel leading out of the chamber.
She crawled through the tunnel and called back to the rest, “It’s a short crawl way and there is a much larger hallway beyond!” The group followed Ginny and crawled through.
Steel mirrors flanked the hallway they emerged in and light reflected brightly allowing the group to further admire the size and engineering of the place.
“This is no orc lair,” Justinius whispered.
“No indeed,” Wassabe agreed.
“What craftsmanship!” Ginny exclaimed. “The better question is: Who built this place?”
“There are rumors of a lost city buried in the hills,” Heinrich reminded the group.
The group began cautiously moving down the hallway towards an immense set of double doors. The double doors opened into a huge chamber with pillars that lifted a ceiling barely in view. Throughout the entirety of the chamber were mausoleums as far as they could see. The mausoleums were laid out in a neat grid and formed small alleys between them.
Justinius went over to one of the mausoleums and began reading, “Barakus – that must be the lost city.”
“No one shall disturb these tombs that are sealed,” Heinrich demanded.
“Is it even worth our time to venture in this necropolis then?” Ginny asked. Her thought was cut a bit short as a dark shape jumped down from one of the mausoleum’s onto her back.
Justinius turned to her quickly and saw a ghast trying to dig his claws into Ginny’s flesh. “Away foul manifestation of unnatural evil!” he called out.
The ghast caught sight of the cleric’s holy symbol and turned in full flight bounding from mausoleum roof to roof as it ran.
“Hey,” Wassabe said, “that a way your holiness.” He deftly flipped a copper at Justinius. “Chalk one up for the dead lovin’ guy.”
Justinius caught the copper and smiled, “Respect is the first step to conversion my friend.”
The group continued searching the massive complex, keeping a sharp eye out for the undead attacker. The ghast never returned, but the group learned that ancient human peoples created the graveyard. They left the necropolis and headed back down the hall of mirrors.
*****
“This has got to be a temple of some kind,” Wassabe observed. The group had come to the large room at the end of the hallway and found four large statues, each stationed at the corner of a large diamond in the center of the room. The four statues resembled huge, misshapen, human heads with expressionless faces. “Were these supposed to be their gods?” Wassabe asked.
“I do not think so,” Justinius answered inspecting the huge faces. “I do, however, agree that this appears to be a temple of some sort.”
There was another smaller door out of the place, and Ginny suggested that they move on. The smaller door opened into a short passage that terminated in a chamber with daises on both ends. The daises were light gray rock stained dark brown in numerous places. Ginny looked over the daises and announced that the stains were old blood pools.
“And look at this,” the young thief whispered. She pushed aside a section of wall that led into another smaller chamber. Thoren went up to the door with Ginny as she entered the smaller chamber. This place was coated in blood from top to bottom and was featureless save a gleaming double-edged axe hanging on the far wall. Thoren went toward it.
“Do not touch it!” Heinrich shrieked in a shrill, panicked voice that caused the fighter to jump. “This is a vile instrument of blood sacrifice! It is a foul servant to a dark lord!”
“Whoa! Easy there padre. I was just looking,” Thoren responded.
“Brother Heinrich is right and his demand is just. We must leave the foul weapon,” Justinius agreed.
“Fine – we won’t touch it,” Ginny promised. “I just want to take a look around in here.” She announced a short time later there was nothing else of value in the room, but there were a series of grooves cut in the floor. Careful inspection of the grooves by the group revealed nothing further.
“I’m getting a little sick of leaving this interesting stuff behind,” Thoren grumbled to Wassabe.
“Patience, my large friend,” Wassabe answered him reassuringly.
****
The exploration of the other hall leading away from the four-head statues temple yielded little but three rooms that appeared to be former monk cells. The last door loomed ahead of the group.
“This last door must lead to the chamber of the chief priest,” Justinius suggested.
Ginny worked her way to the front of the group and put her ear to the door. “I hear voices,” she reported.
“What are they?” Mercutio asked.
Ginny shook her head to indicate she was not sure. “Should I knock?” she asked.
“Allow me,” Thoren stated brushing Ginny aside. Hefting his mighty sword into the air Thoren kicked the door heavily and it shattered of its hinges. Thoren followed the door’s debris into the chamber and launched a vicious attack on the half-dozen surprised goblins within.
Thoren’s sword cut a wide swath through the cowering greenkins killing a couple with his first blow.
The remaining goblins quickly fathered to create a defensive front, but the force of the fighter was too great. The room was covered in goblin blood and pieces in short order. A quick search revealed a small chest with some silver, but little else.
“This does not seem like a chief priest’s chambers,” Heinrich said.
“I agree,” Justinius responded.
“Maybe it’s beyond here,” Ginny coyly stated as she opened a secret door in the wall.
Despite his bravado, Thoren had taken a few wounds from the goblins and was bleeding badly. Justinius, noticing the blood trickling down the fighter’s leg, used the last of his powerful prayers to heal Thoren.
“Perhaps we should find a place to rest for a time?” Heinrich asked the others.
“I agree,” Justinius stated. “Let us return to one of the smaller monk cells.”
The rest of the group understood only too well that the clerics must be low on supplications to make such a request and thus retired willingly. The group returned to one of the tiny rooms and Ginny took a quick look around before bedding down. “Well would you look at this?” she stated as she slid a secret panel open.
“The deities seem to be conspiring against our rest,” Heinrich shrugged with a slight grin.
“Man, do I know that feeling,” Wassabe piped up.
“I’ll check it out,” Thoren said and headed beyond the panel.
“Wait,” Wassabe ordered and he went to go with Thoren. The rest of the party followed suit. The ceiling of the passage beyond the door was very narrow and low and all of the adventurers were forced to crouch down to make progress through the tight quarters. The corridor led on for 30 feet or so before terminating at a small 10 foot by 10 foot room filled with crates and sacks. A quick check confirmed this had been a secret larder, as the boxes and sacks were full of rotted foodstuff and clothes.
“Let’s camp here then,” Ginny suggested.
“It’s pretty low,” Thoren complained.
“It has been abandoned for some time and Ginny was lucky to find that secret panel. I think her suggestion is a good one,” Mercutio said.
“Out-voted again ole’ boy,” Wassabe said to Thoren.
Thoren just grumped at the swashbuckler and threw his pack down on one of the crates. The rest of the group decided on a watch and prepared to bed down for a few hours.
***
“Ginny,” Mercutio whispered into the sleeping rogue’s ear. “Wake up, I think I hear something.”
Zandyrium
Episode 08
Ginny thought she saw a smile passing over the kobolds’ reptilian faces as they pulled their crossbows’ triggers. Even stuck in their net she was too quick, and the bolts zipped harmlessly past her. Ginny effortlessly wriggled free of the trapping nets, and the kobolds’ mirth quickly evaporated as the rest of the group descended upon them.
Too late to retreat, the kobolds were hacked down.
“Where there are two – there’s a dozen,” Wassabe stated flatly.
Thoren could not help grinning with anticipation of fighting hordes of weak kobolds.
“They’re not smart, but they are clever,” Ginny said. “I will have to be more careful.”
Following a quick search of the dead kobolds and the cavern the adventurers headed deeper into the kobolds’ lair. Pressing on as quietly as they could the group found three kobolds kneeling, facing away from them, at an altar with a huge, leering, female kobold’s face carved in the wall.
Thoren rushed forward and with a mighty swing decapitated two of the kobolds in a spray of blood. The third kobold scrambled to its feet, and dashed for the door.
Wassabe was too quick for him.
Wielding a blade in one hand he instantly hamstrung the fleeing kobold knocking him to the ground. Wassabe’s second weapon, a light mace, followed quickly crushing the little monster’s throat.
Justinius began to chuckle as he looked over the large kobold carving.
“What is it Justinius,” Heinrich asked.
“This carving is supposed to represent the kobold goddess of long life,” Justinius answered with a grin.
*****
The group continued along their way into the kobold lair, dodging the occasional trap and killing small groups of kobolds here and there.
Thoren’s war cry signaled the rest that he had found yet another band of kobolds, but as the rest of the adventurers turned the corner they could see the fighter had found a crowd this time. It was a large chamber literally filled with the reptiliads that were tripping over themselves trying to avoid the fighter’s huge sword. Like a peasant’s scythe through wheat at harvest, Thoren swung his long blade mowing down kobolds. None of the creatures were discriminated against by Thoren’s bloody steel, young and old, male and female, all tasted his mighty steel. Wassabe quickly joined his comrade with both of his weapons forming another arc of quick kobold deaths.
Almost unnoticed, another group of kobolds slipped in from a back passage of the chamber and one of them cast an incantation.
Mercutio caught the arcane gestures out of the corner of his eye, “No!” he cried out.
Thoren and Wassabe were oblivious to the Saracen-touched sorceror’s warning and as the sleep spell hit them both fell to the ground in a slumber.
Everyone in the room seemed to stop. The moment was frozen for an instant as the kobolds realized their attackers were suddenly impotent and prostrate on the floor. Like the eye of a storm passing through the calm did not last long.
Justinius realizing the danger his sleeping companions were in dashed to the charge and fought over their fallen bodies.
The swings of the priest’s mace kept the kobolds from delivering killing blows on the sleeping adventurers.
Heinrich and Mercutio stepped up and began kicking Thoren and Wassabe awake.
Wassabe managed to wake up and shake the cobwebs in his mind loose. He stood and readied his weapons to resume the attack. The kobold sorceress hit him with another sleep spell and he went down like a sack of bones. Heinrich gave up trying to wake his companions up and started hacking kobolds up. Well-placed magic missiles sprang forth from Mercutio and the kobold caster was killed.
Once the kobold sorceress was vanquished the rest of the kobolds fell quickly. The entire chamber was covered in bodies of the wee lizard-folk and Ginny set to work looking for valuables. Justinius said a quick blessing over the piles of kobolds and the group set off into the darkness again.
****
The group wandered deeper into the complex and found themselves back in the middle wherein the large lake dominated a huge chamber. This was the place they had killed the beetles earlier, but that was upon the opposite shore.
“This place is just huge,” Thoren commented aloud. It was a simple observation from a simple man, but the truth was everyone else was thinking the very same thing.
Ginny motioned for the rest to follow her down another side passage. The side passage quickly branched into a three-way intersection and Ginny saw one of the ways led into an empty room.
“I’ll check this out real quick,” she whispered back to Thoren. Thoren grunted back to her in a half-bored acknowledgement.
Ginny inched along the walls looking for anything out of place. A slight ripple in the shadows made the rogue hesitate – was that a movement? she wondered. An instant later she recognized the large humanoid creature thrusting a blade at her neck – a gnoll!
A flick of his quick wrist lodged the gnoll’s blade into Ginny’s neck. She gasped as blood came spouting forth from the wound.
Ginny feel to one knee gasping as the gurgling blood interfered with her breathing. She could feel her life force running out of her onto the cold stone floor.
Grexxius, the Gnoll Ranger, cursed under his breath. He had tried to hide in the shadows, but when he saw the female human sneak into the chamber he could sense that she would find him. His mind raced – She was not alone! He readied his weapon to try and carve his way through to escape.
Thoren brought his hefty blade down on the Gnoll.
A spray of blood and gray brain mixed with bone bits heralded the end for the evil ranger. As quickly as he had put Ginny down, now he lay on the same floor dying from shock and blood loss.
Heinrich rushed forward and chanted a quick supplication, sealing Ginny’s wound to prevent further blood loss. Justinius too moved forward and blessed the rogue with healing prayers. Very quickly Ginny was nearly whole again.
“Why would a lone gnoll be cruising through these caverns?” Justinius asked.
“I don’t know,” Ginny admitted. “Any theories Wassabe?”
“Definitely a ranger of some type,” Wassabe said as he looked through the dead gnoll’s belongings. Sniffing some of the gnoll’s dried meat, Wassabe casually tossed it to the ground. “Judging by what he has been eating, he has been down here for a while. I can only assume he was looking for something.”
“Or someone,” Mercutio suggested.
“True, that is a possibility,” Wassabe agreed.
***
The dusty passages terminated in a cavern with three alcoves. Sitting in each of the alcoves was a stone. Each stone glowed with a warm, red hue.
“Soooo, this looks bad,” Mercutio stated.
“Is it magical?” Thoren asked.
Justinius said a quick prayer and determined it was indeed magical.
“It’s atypical for a trap,” Ginny said. “If this has a trigger of some sort I cannot figure it out. These rocks are giving off some heat.”
“I don’t like the looks of this,” Heinrich said.
“I agree,” Mercutio stated. “Let’s leave and come back here as a last result.”
“What if someone else comes back here?” Thoren said.
“So?” Mercutio inquired.
“We could lose these magic stones,” Thoren replied.
“I’ll wager they will remain,” Wassabe reassured the fighter. “Come along now, let’s not get your head worryin’ about magic stones and their lot, let’s head out to the valley and get some winks.” Wassabe gently pushed Thoren along out of the cavern like a mother guiding her child through a crystal shop.
The group returned to the valley to camp.
**
“I have most of the first level marked as explored,” Heinrich commented as he unrolled his vellum scratched with his mapping notes.
“What about here?” Thoren asked.
“That was where we encountered the dragon, and I am none to anxious to return,” Heinrich admitted.
“What of the rocks?” Thoren asked.
“What of them?” Mercutio replied. “They are not going anywhere.”
“Down to the next level then?” Ginny asked. A short debate followed, until all eventually agreed to head down the stairs they had discovered earlier.
“I wanted to go there all along,” Thoren complained.
*
The group traveled back to the low-ceiling room with the defiled orcs’ burial sarcophagi and reopened the secret panel leading to a stairway down. The stairs descended for quite some time terminating in a small chamber filled with shattered crystal or glass.
“Why the glass?” Ginny wondered aloud.
“It looks like it may have been a crystal coffin at one time,” Justinius offered.
Ginny looked over the base of the now shattered glass structure and found a secret panel, but she also discovered something else: “It’s trapped,” Ginny announced.
“Yes, and so now you disarm it,” Wassabe said in a mocking voice of authority.
“It is magically trapped,” Ginny replied.
“I’m not sure we should be defiling this grave anyway,” Heinrich admitted.
“Little late for those concerns, considering the shattered glass lying about father,” Wassabe answered.
“I think it’s a gas type trap,” Ginny stated.
Justinius said a quick prayer and confirmed some of Ginny’s suspicions, “It definitely is magical, and furthermore, it appears to be divine in origin.”
“Let’s leave it,” Mercutio stated. “We can always come back to check it out.”
Thoren did not even bother to complain this time.
“This is interesting,” Ginny said. The rogue was in a small tunnel leading out of the chamber.
She crawled through the tunnel and called back to the rest, “It’s a short crawl way and there is a much larger hallway beyond!” The group followed Ginny and crawled through.
Steel mirrors flanked the hallway they emerged in and light reflected brightly allowing the group to further admire the size and engineering of the place.
“This is no orc lair,” Justinius whispered.
“No indeed,” Wassabe agreed.
“What craftsmanship!” Ginny exclaimed. “The better question is: Who built this place?”
“There are rumors of a lost city buried in the hills,” Heinrich reminded the group.
The group began cautiously moving down the hallway towards an immense set of double doors. The double doors opened into a huge chamber with pillars that lifted a ceiling barely in view. Throughout the entirety of the chamber were mausoleums as far as they could see. The mausoleums were laid out in a neat grid and formed small alleys between them.
Justinius went over to one of the mausoleums and began reading, “Barakus – that must be the lost city.”
“No one shall disturb these tombs that are sealed,” Heinrich demanded.
“Is it even worth our time to venture in this necropolis then?” Ginny asked. Her thought was cut a bit short as a dark shape jumped down from one of the mausoleum’s onto her back.
Justinius turned to her quickly and saw a ghast trying to dig his claws into Ginny’s flesh. “Away foul manifestation of unnatural evil!” he called out.
The ghast caught sight of the cleric’s holy symbol and turned in full flight bounding from mausoleum roof to roof as it ran.
“Hey,” Wassabe said, “that a way your holiness.” He deftly flipped a copper at Justinius. “Chalk one up for the dead lovin’ guy.”
Justinius caught the copper and smiled, “Respect is the first step to conversion my friend.”
The group continued searching the massive complex, keeping a sharp eye out for the undead attacker. The ghast never returned, but the group learned that ancient human peoples created the graveyard. They left the necropolis and headed back down the hall of mirrors.
*****
“This has got to be a temple of some kind,” Wassabe observed. The group had come to the large room at the end of the hallway and found four large statues, each stationed at the corner of a large diamond in the center of the room. The four statues resembled huge, misshapen, human heads with expressionless faces. “Were these supposed to be their gods?” Wassabe asked.
“I do not think so,” Justinius answered inspecting the huge faces. “I do, however, agree that this appears to be a temple of some sort.”
There was another smaller door out of the place, and Ginny suggested that they move on. The smaller door opened into a short passage that terminated in a chamber with daises on both ends. The daises were light gray rock stained dark brown in numerous places. Ginny looked over the daises and announced that the stains were old blood pools.
“And look at this,” the young thief whispered. She pushed aside a section of wall that led into another smaller chamber. Thoren went up to the door with Ginny as she entered the smaller chamber. This place was coated in blood from top to bottom and was featureless save a gleaming double-edged axe hanging on the far wall. Thoren went toward it.
“Do not touch it!” Heinrich shrieked in a shrill, panicked voice that caused the fighter to jump. “This is a vile instrument of blood sacrifice! It is a foul servant to a dark lord!”
“Whoa! Easy there padre. I was just looking,” Thoren responded.
“Brother Heinrich is right and his demand is just. We must leave the foul weapon,” Justinius agreed.
“Fine – we won’t touch it,” Ginny promised. “I just want to take a look around in here.” She announced a short time later there was nothing else of value in the room, but there were a series of grooves cut in the floor. Careful inspection of the grooves by the group revealed nothing further.
“I’m getting a little sick of leaving this interesting stuff behind,” Thoren grumbled to Wassabe.
“Patience, my large friend,” Wassabe answered him reassuringly.
****
The exploration of the other hall leading away from the four-head statues temple yielded little but three rooms that appeared to be former monk cells. The last door loomed ahead of the group.
“This last door must lead to the chamber of the chief priest,” Justinius suggested.
Ginny worked her way to the front of the group and put her ear to the door. “I hear voices,” she reported.
“What are they?” Mercutio asked.
Ginny shook her head to indicate she was not sure. “Should I knock?” she asked.
“Allow me,” Thoren stated brushing Ginny aside. Hefting his mighty sword into the air Thoren kicked the door heavily and it shattered of its hinges. Thoren followed the door’s debris into the chamber and launched a vicious attack on the half-dozen surprised goblins within.
Thoren’s sword cut a wide swath through the cowering greenkins killing a couple with his first blow.
The remaining goblins quickly fathered to create a defensive front, but the force of the fighter was too great. The room was covered in goblin blood and pieces in short order. A quick search revealed a small chest with some silver, but little else.
“This does not seem like a chief priest’s chambers,” Heinrich said.
“I agree,” Justinius responded.
“Maybe it’s beyond here,” Ginny coyly stated as she opened a secret door in the wall.
Despite his bravado, Thoren had taken a few wounds from the goblins and was bleeding badly. Justinius, noticing the blood trickling down the fighter’s leg, used the last of his powerful prayers to heal Thoren.
“Perhaps we should find a place to rest for a time?” Heinrich asked the others.
“I agree,” Justinius stated. “Let us return to one of the smaller monk cells.”
The rest of the group understood only too well that the clerics must be low on supplications to make such a request and thus retired willingly. The group returned to one of the tiny rooms and Ginny took a quick look around before bedding down. “Well would you look at this?” she stated as she slid a secret panel open.
“The deities seem to be conspiring against our rest,” Heinrich shrugged with a slight grin.
“Man, do I know that feeling,” Wassabe piped up.
“I’ll check it out,” Thoren said and headed beyond the panel.
“Wait,” Wassabe ordered and he went to go with Thoren. The rest of the party followed suit. The ceiling of the passage beyond the door was very narrow and low and all of the adventurers were forced to crouch down to make progress through the tight quarters. The corridor led on for 30 feet or so before terminating at a small 10 foot by 10 foot room filled with crates and sacks. A quick check confirmed this had been a secret larder, as the boxes and sacks were full of rotted foodstuff and clothes.
“Let’s camp here then,” Ginny suggested.
“It’s pretty low,” Thoren complained.
“It has been abandoned for some time and Ginny was lucky to find that secret panel. I think her suggestion is a good one,” Mercutio said.
“Out-voted again ole’ boy,” Wassabe said to Thoren.
Thoren just grumped at the swashbuckler and threw his pack down on one of the crates. The rest of the group decided on a watch and prepared to bed down for a few hours.
***
“Ginny,” Mercutio whispered into the sleeping rogue’s ear. “Wake up, I think I hear something.”
The Amazing Dingo
First Post
I really do love these characters and the constant banter back and forth amongst them all. Is it really like that at the table or several times worse/better (depending on your view on it all)?
PS - Thanks for the update!
PS - Thanks for the update!
pogre
Legend
The Amazing Dingo said:
I'll let the players comment, but I think the attitude of the players is mostly reflected in the posts.
Wassabe and Ginny's player frequently trade friendly barbs. Thoren is mostly looking for a fight and loot.
Mercutio enjoys roleplaying, problem solving and casting big nasty spells.
The clerics Justinius and Heinrich are surprisingly close allies, despite their disparate religions. Those two players are usually goofing around during a session far more than I let on with their dialogue.
Unfortunately, we do not see our demi-humans around much these days.
I'm working on another update and need to get some more pictures taken. The group will be playing more regularly following Thanksgiving.
Thanks for your interest - it makes the story hour much more fun.
Last edited:
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
pogre said:
Heinrich is the righteous fury cleric, I'm supposed to be the turning cleric
. I get better, I think spacehulkster
First Post
I beleive we all are excited about this also. Trying to keep the group going for the last two months hasn't been easy.
This is the funnest group. We mix ribbing each other and bad jokes with experience and serious roleplaying.
"The Pogre Story Hour is back! The Pogre Story Hour is back!!"
Last edited:
pogre
Legend
Zandyrium
Episode 09
Ginny woke with a sudden start, “What is it?” she blurted.
“There is something just outside the door,” Mercutio whispered.
Ginny snuck over to the door and listened. “I cannot determine the language, but there are a few of them. Wake everyone else.”
As the rest of the party woke up Ginny began explaining the situation, “There seems to be a large group of humanoids in the next room looking around. I cannot make out what language they are speaking, but…”
Just then the secret door to the room burst open behind Ginny.
“Goblins!” Thoren yelled. The fighter charged down the corridor creating a huge flesh roadblock for both sides. Thoren could not swing his two-handed sword because of the confined space, but fortunately for him the small humanoids missed him with their javelins.
Thoren managed to back out of the corridor as one of the goblins hurled another javelin at him. When Thoren completed his retreat the goblins slammed the door shut.
“What now?” Wassabe half-asked, half-complained.
“We will heal everyone as much as possible, but it is clear we cannot rest here,” Justinius answered.
The group huddled together while the clerics dispensed most of their remaining healing supplications. When the party moved through the door, they found the room empty. The goblins had moved on.
“We need to go grab that axe,” Heinrich suggested.
Thoren brightened immediately, “Now we’re talking!”
“Not to wield Thoren,” Heinrich admonished the fighter, “We will take it to keep it out of the goblins’ hands.”
“Oh,” Thoren responded dejectedly.
The group moved back into the sacrifice room and Heinrich carefully removed the axe in a cloth. Wrapping the weapon carefully, Heinrich placed the axe in his backpack.
*****
The adventurers found themselves in a chamber with a hole in the floor. A neat pile of rubbish and dirt was piled next to the hole.
“A burrow of some type,” Thoren offered.
“Stick your head in there ole’ boy,” Wassabe suggested.
“Hey, I think I found a secret door,” Ginny offered from the other side of the room.
Justinius went to check out the secret door while Heinrich tried to shout a warning of common sense to the fighter. Naturally, he was too late!
Thoren emerged from the hole with a giant weasel firmly attached to his neck.
“This giant rat is sucking on my neck!” Thoren screamed.
“Actually, it’s a giant weasel,” Wassabe noted. The swashbuckler drew his dagger and plunged it into the animal.
Thoren began hacking wildly at the animal, doing about equal damage to it and his shoulder. The entire time the fighter turned in circles trying to get a better angle on the beast.
“Quit turning you fool!” Heinrich shouted. The cleric smashed his mace down, not really sure if it would hit the weasel or Thoren.
The weasel was of a single mind and refused to release its deadly jaw lock from Thoren’s neck. The loss of blood was greatly weakening the fighter and he sank to his knees.
The momentary pause in Thoren’s spinning gave Ginny an opportunity to shoot an arrow at the blood-seeking vermin. The arrow struck true and the weasel fell off of Thoren’s neck. The clerics moved in to heal the fighter, but he was still weakened mightily from the loss of blood.
“Maybe we should camp?” Justinius suggested.
“What about the secret door?” Ginny asked. “Let’s just check it out real quick.”
“Thoren?” Justinius asked.
“I’m good to go,” the fighter lied. He lifted himself to his feet with some effort.
A hall extended beyond the secret door leading to some stairs. As the group worked their way down the stairs a swarm of stirges descended on them. The bat-winged mosquitoes managed to latch on to Wassabe and the already weakened Thoren. In short order Thoren was on his knees again as the additional loss of blood was placing the fighter in dire straits. Wassabe was losing a lot of blood as well, but the adventurers managed to chase off or kill the rest of the swarm. Wassabe’s stirge got its fill of blood and attempted to fly away bobbing in the air. The bloated creature was flapping its wings madly, but made little headway. Heinrich swung his mace at the stirge and connected with a loud thud. The stirge burst like a balloon spraying the area with Wassabe’s blood.
****
“That’s the last of my curing supplications,” Heinrich noted.
“I could really use a hard drink and a soft bed,” Ginny complained.
“Aye, who’s for a trip back to Zandyrium?” Wassabe asked.
“It’s a three day journey,” Mercutio stated.
“I’m ready for a break too,” Thoren admitted.
The fighter’s admission was the swaying vote and the adventurers left the complex and camped in the valley for the evening. The following morning they began the trek back to the city. The first day’s travel included a fairly inept ambush by a group of goblins.
A few well-placed sleep spells courtesy of Mercutio ended that threat. A large poisonous spider interrupted the second day’s travel, but the party was able to beat the arachnid away before it did any harm.
The final day of travel the adventurers met some pilgrims from Zandyrium. They learnt the city was abuzz with the news of Boethricus Din Woad and his mighty war host sweeping through the north. Boethricus Din Woad, a name that rang through the land like an ancient curse, had united the disparate hobgoblins kingdoms and was systematically moving south. The implications were dire and the city was undoubtedly on edge.
“This trip home may not prove to be as restful as we hoped,” Ginny noted.
***
Zandyrium
The group agreed they would use The Priestess’s Barrel tavern and inn as a rendezvous point that evening. “The Barrel” as it was fondly called was a favorite haunt of Wassabe and Thoren, but not such a dump that the clerics would stand out.
Justinius made his way to the temple of Gravitas Morte. Justinius reported the numerous undead the group had found in the complex at the pass. Granachus, the temple’s Primarch, listened carefully to Justinius’s report, nodding gravely at the news of various undead in the wilds.
“How long do you plan to stay in the city?” Granachus queried.
“I am not certain holy father – a week maybe less,” Justinius answered.
“We still have the situation I mentioned to you earlier,” Granachus reported.
“The missing paupers?” Justinius asked.
“Exactly, I was hoping you could look into before you set off again,” Granachus stated.
Justinius knew the difference between an order and a request and this was much closer to the former. Besides he thought to himself, I wanted to look into this last time I was in town. Justinius nodded to his superior, “Of course, I will investigate Father.”
Justinius ceremoniously deposited half of his funds in the temple’s coffers as a tithe and headed for the markets. Finding an armorer recommended Morguhn, he purchased a fine chain shirt.
**
Heinrich gazed affectionately at the outer temple to Siegphorus. Its great marble columns personified the power and clean beauty of the deity, it inspired young Heinrich and he suddenly remembered how much he missed the life in the temple.
Heinrich nodded at the templars guarding the sacred altar as he made his way back to the locutory. Heinrich found the head of the temple, Bishop Frederick Polariate, conversing with another official who Heinrich did not recognize.
“Heinrich!” the Bishop smiled warmly and motioned for Heinrich to join him. He introduced Heinrich, “My lord Heliophos, may introduce one of our bright young stars, father Heinrich Eisenfaust.”
Heinrich humbly greeted Heliophos, he recognized the man’s name, but he was not sure why.
“Heinrich is one of our field inquisitors, and judging by his appearance has just returned from the road,” Bishop Polariate stated.
“It’s true Bishop, I apologize for my appearance my lord,” Heinrich stated.
“Nonsense,” lord Heliophos replied. “It would be good if more of us had the dust of the road on our garments in evangelical pursuits. Speaking of which, perhaps young Heinrich would make a good candidate for the position we were discussing.”
Heinrich was not yet sure whether he had good timing or bad timing.
“Perhaps,” Bishop Polariate offered cautiously, “Bishop Astriene and I will have a list of candidates for the Emperor’s council within the week.”
Now Heinrich recognized the name, Lord Heliophos was a leading member of the Emperor’s Council, the de facto governing body of the city.
The three men exchanged pleasantries and Lord Heliophos made his exit.
“I am sorry to disturb you Bishop,” Heinrich began.
“Not a problem, young Heinrich. What can I do for you?”
“We discovered an implement of great evil that needs to be destroyed,” Heinrich set down his travel pack and unlaced the cloth holding the great evil axe they had retrieved. He set the axe on the ground and gently removed the coarse blanket that wrapped it.
“You were right to bring this,” Bishop Polariate remarked. “Cover it back up. I will return in a moment.” The Bishop left the locutory and scurried down a sidehall. The Bishop retuned shortly with a long coffer and placed the axe within the box. Heinrich then relayed all that had happened to himself and the group on the trail and in the dungeons below Fool’s pass.
“Much has happened in the few days since you were last here,” Bishop Polariate commented.
“I gathered,” Heinrich replied.
“The position Lord Heliophos mentioned was for war clerics in the new defense army. It seems the city is girding itself for war against the forces of Boethricus din Woad. The temple is obligated to provide clergy for the troops. That is the reason the good councilor was here – a friendly reminder of this obligation.”
Decidely, bad timing, Heinrich thought to himself. Heinirch to leave of the Bishop’s presence with the implicit understanding that he might very well be summoned back to the temple for other duties in the near future.
*
The group me at the Barrel and discussed their plans. The clerics and Mercutio did most of the talking, and Thoren and Wassabe did most of the drinking. Heinrich admitted to the group that he might have trouble getting permission from his superiors to leave the city in the near future. Justinius likewise admitted he could not leave the city until he had investigated the missing the paupers. They agreed to investigate the missing paupers while Heinrich waited to hear from his superiors. Mercutio objected to the lack of financial rewards, but relented when it was obvious no one was anxious to return to the dungeons in the near future.
It was agreed they would return to the Temple of Gravitas Morte in the morning and follow the rounds of the daily death cart to see what they could find out.
“Bring out yer’ dead!” Wassabe bellowed.
“What are you doing?” Justinius asked indignantly.
“Practicin’, jes’ practicin’,” a very drunk Wassabe replied with a wink.
To be continued…
Episode 09
Ginny woke with a sudden start, “What is it?” she blurted.
“There is something just outside the door,” Mercutio whispered.
Ginny snuck over to the door and listened. “I cannot determine the language, but there are a few of them. Wake everyone else.”
As the rest of the party woke up Ginny began explaining the situation, “There seems to be a large group of humanoids in the next room looking around. I cannot make out what language they are speaking, but…”
Just then the secret door to the room burst open behind Ginny.
“Goblins!” Thoren yelled. The fighter charged down the corridor creating a huge flesh roadblock for both sides. Thoren could not swing his two-handed sword because of the confined space, but fortunately for him the small humanoids missed him with their javelins.
Thoren managed to back out of the corridor as one of the goblins hurled another javelin at him. When Thoren completed his retreat the goblins slammed the door shut.
“What now?” Wassabe half-asked, half-complained.
“We will heal everyone as much as possible, but it is clear we cannot rest here,” Justinius answered.
The group huddled together while the clerics dispensed most of their remaining healing supplications. When the party moved through the door, they found the room empty. The goblins had moved on.
“We need to go grab that axe,” Heinrich suggested.
Thoren brightened immediately, “Now we’re talking!”
“Not to wield Thoren,” Heinrich admonished the fighter, “We will take it to keep it out of the goblins’ hands.”
“Oh,” Thoren responded dejectedly.
The group moved back into the sacrifice room and Heinrich carefully removed the axe in a cloth. Wrapping the weapon carefully, Heinrich placed the axe in his backpack.
*****
The adventurers found themselves in a chamber with a hole in the floor. A neat pile of rubbish and dirt was piled next to the hole.
“A burrow of some type,” Thoren offered.
“Stick your head in there ole’ boy,” Wassabe suggested.
“Hey, I think I found a secret door,” Ginny offered from the other side of the room.
Justinius went to check out the secret door while Heinrich tried to shout a warning of common sense to the fighter. Naturally, he was too late!
Thoren emerged from the hole with a giant weasel firmly attached to his neck.
“This giant rat is sucking on my neck!” Thoren screamed.
“Actually, it’s a giant weasel,” Wassabe noted. The swashbuckler drew his dagger and plunged it into the animal.
Thoren began hacking wildly at the animal, doing about equal damage to it and his shoulder. The entire time the fighter turned in circles trying to get a better angle on the beast.
“Quit turning you fool!” Heinrich shouted. The cleric smashed his mace down, not really sure if it would hit the weasel or Thoren.
The weasel was of a single mind and refused to release its deadly jaw lock from Thoren’s neck. The loss of blood was greatly weakening the fighter and he sank to his knees.
The momentary pause in Thoren’s spinning gave Ginny an opportunity to shoot an arrow at the blood-seeking vermin. The arrow struck true and the weasel fell off of Thoren’s neck. The clerics moved in to heal the fighter, but he was still weakened mightily from the loss of blood.
“Maybe we should camp?” Justinius suggested.
“What about the secret door?” Ginny asked. “Let’s just check it out real quick.”
“Thoren?” Justinius asked.
“I’m good to go,” the fighter lied. He lifted himself to his feet with some effort.
A hall extended beyond the secret door leading to some stairs. As the group worked their way down the stairs a swarm of stirges descended on them. The bat-winged mosquitoes managed to latch on to Wassabe and the already weakened Thoren. In short order Thoren was on his knees again as the additional loss of blood was placing the fighter in dire straits. Wassabe was losing a lot of blood as well, but the adventurers managed to chase off or kill the rest of the swarm. Wassabe’s stirge got its fill of blood and attempted to fly away bobbing in the air. The bloated creature was flapping its wings madly, but made little headway. Heinrich swung his mace at the stirge and connected with a loud thud. The stirge burst like a balloon spraying the area with Wassabe’s blood.
****
“That’s the last of my curing supplications,” Heinrich noted.
“I could really use a hard drink and a soft bed,” Ginny complained.
“Aye, who’s for a trip back to Zandyrium?” Wassabe asked.
“It’s a three day journey,” Mercutio stated.
“I’m ready for a break too,” Thoren admitted.
The fighter’s admission was the swaying vote and the adventurers left the complex and camped in the valley for the evening. The following morning they began the trek back to the city. The first day’s travel included a fairly inept ambush by a group of goblins.
A few well-placed sleep spells courtesy of Mercutio ended that threat. A large poisonous spider interrupted the second day’s travel, but the party was able to beat the arachnid away before it did any harm.
The final day of travel the adventurers met some pilgrims from Zandyrium. They learnt the city was abuzz with the news of Boethricus Din Woad and his mighty war host sweeping through the north. Boethricus Din Woad, a name that rang through the land like an ancient curse, had united the disparate hobgoblins kingdoms and was systematically moving south. The implications were dire and the city was undoubtedly on edge.
“This trip home may not prove to be as restful as we hoped,” Ginny noted.
***
Zandyrium
The group agreed they would use The Priestess’s Barrel tavern and inn as a rendezvous point that evening. “The Barrel” as it was fondly called was a favorite haunt of Wassabe and Thoren, but not such a dump that the clerics would stand out.
Justinius made his way to the temple of Gravitas Morte. Justinius reported the numerous undead the group had found in the complex at the pass. Granachus, the temple’s Primarch, listened carefully to Justinius’s report, nodding gravely at the news of various undead in the wilds.
“How long do you plan to stay in the city?” Granachus queried.
“I am not certain holy father – a week maybe less,” Justinius answered.
“We still have the situation I mentioned to you earlier,” Granachus reported.
“The missing paupers?” Justinius asked.
“Exactly, I was hoping you could look into before you set off again,” Granachus stated.
Justinius knew the difference between an order and a request and this was much closer to the former. Besides he thought to himself, I wanted to look into this last time I was in town. Justinius nodded to his superior, “Of course, I will investigate Father.”
Justinius ceremoniously deposited half of his funds in the temple’s coffers as a tithe and headed for the markets. Finding an armorer recommended Morguhn, he purchased a fine chain shirt.
**
Heinrich gazed affectionately at the outer temple to Siegphorus. Its great marble columns personified the power and clean beauty of the deity, it inspired young Heinrich and he suddenly remembered how much he missed the life in the temple.
Heinrich nodded at the templars guarding the sacred altar as he made his way back to the locutory. Heinrich found the head of the temple, Bishop Frederick Polariate, conversing with another official who Heinrich did not recognize.
“Heinrich!” the Bishop smiled warmly and motioned for Heinrich to join him. He introduced Heinrich, “My lord Heliophos, may introduce one of our bright young stars, father Heinrich Eisenfaust.”
Heinrich humbly greeted Heliophos, he recognized the man’s name, but he was not sure why.
“Heinrich is one of our field inquisitors, and judging by his appearance has just returned from the road,” Bishop Polariate stated.
“It’s true Bishop, I apologize for my appearance my lord,” Heinrich stated.
“Nonsense,” lord Heliophos replied. “It would be good if more of us had the dust of the road on our garments in evangelical pursuits. Speaking of which, perhaps young Heinrich would make a good candidate for the position we were discussing.”
Heinrich was not yet sure whether he had good timing or bad timing.
“Perhaps,” Bishop Polariate offered cautiously, “Bishop Astriene and I will have a list of candidates for the Emperor’s council within the week.”
Now Heinrich recognized the name, Lord Heliophos was a leading member of the Emperor’s Council, the de facto governing body of the city.
The three men exchanged pleasantries and Lord Heliophos made his exit.
“I am sorry to disturb you Bishop,” Heinrich began.
“Not a problem, young Heinrich. What can I do for you?”
“We discovered an implement of great evil that needs to be destroyed,” Heinrich set down his travel pack and unlaced the cloth holding the great evil axe they had retrieved. He set the axe on the ground and gently removed the coarse blanket that wrapped it.
“You were right to bring this,” Bishop Polariate remarked. “Cover it back up. I will return in a moment.” The Bishop left the locutory and scurried down a sidehall. The Bishop retuned shortly with a long coffer and placed the axe within the box. Heinrich then relayed all that had happened to himself and the group on the trail and in the dungeons below Fool’s pass.
“Much has happened in the few days since you were last here,” Bishop Polariate commented.
“I gathered,” Heinrich replied.
“The position Lord Heliophos mentioned was for war clerics in the new defense army. It seems the city is girding itself for war against the forces of Boethricus din Woad. The temple is obligated to provide clergy for the troops. That is the reason the good councilor was here – a friendly reminder of this obligation.”
Decidely, bad timing, Heinrich thought to himself. Heinirch to leave of the Bishop’s presence with the implicit understanding that he might very well be summoned back to the temple for other duties in the near future.
*
The group me at the Barrel and discussed their plans. The clerics and Mercutio did most of the talking, and Thoren and Wassabe did most of the drinking. Heinrich admitted to the group that he might have trouble getting permission from his superiors to leave the city in the near future. Justinius likewise admitted he could not leave the city until he had investigated the missing the paupers. They agreed to investigate the missing paupers while Heinrich waited to hear from his superiors. Mercutio objected to the lack of financial rewards, but relented when it was obvious no one was anxious to return to the dungeons in the near future.
It was agreed they would return to the Temple of Gravitas Morte in the morning and follow the rounds of the daily death cart to see what they could find out.
“Bring out yer’ dead!” Wassabe bellowed.
“What are you doing?” Justinius asked indignantly.
“Practicin’, jes’ practicin’,” a very drunk Wassabe replied with a wink.
To be continued…
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