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(4e) Saga of Valor
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<blockquote data-quote="Netherstorm" data-source="post: 5857533" data-attributes="member: 84943"><p><strong>22. Reflections of Ruin</strong></p><p></p><p><em>3/19/12: Brendan is in Florida, so no Varis. We're taking a quick jaunt through a dungeon adventure that is linked to the abbey. This contains spoilers for<a href="http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/dun/201111reflections" target="_blank"> Reflections of Ruin</a>, a Chaos Scar adventure from Dungeon 196.</em></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Saga of Valor </span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Black'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Book One - NyrodSpace War 3</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center"><em>Chapter Twenty-Two: Reflections of Ruin</em></p> <p style="text-align: center"><em></em></p> <p style="text-align: center"><em></em></p><p><strong>Aurora Brightbolt</strong> - Unicorn-Person Ranger</p><p><strong>Ardra</strong> - Eladrin Bladesinger</p><p><strong>The Blue Monk</strong> - Half-Orc Monk</p><p><strong>Hartaniel</strong> - Elf Barbarian</p><p><strong>Ryltar</strong> - Drow Avenger </p><p><strong>Scarlet</strong> - Human Fighter</p><p></p><p>Sanctioning #: 12-03-3326515</p><p></p><p>Rain began to trickle down from the sky as our heroes made their way through the forest. They headed away from Gardmore Abbey and toward the lair of Maluriath, the red dragon. Our heroes had decided to travel there by foot instead of flying on their giant bird created by Vecna so as to avoid early detection. Aurora's blink dog happily raced down the trail ahead. </p><p></p><p>Hartaniel scowled. His Draedsmasher clan had a new, more vicious leader. And his allies had caught a glimpse of the slave who had betrayed Hartaniel way back when - Galan the Sly. Galan had been riding on the back of a hill giant, and seemed to still hold a position of power amongst the orc clan.</p><p></p><p>Raindrops dribbled down his owlbear skull helmet, falling past his eyes of pure black. His heart was heavy.</p><p></p><p>The discorporated remains of Vecna asked Hartaniel to be removed from his pack. Hartaniel pulled the lantern that contained the swirling, purple cloud out. He held it above his head. </p><p></p><p>Vecna's cloud had never been brighter. Vecna seemed to be accumulating power at a rapid rate. Perhaps Vaona's cult of Vecna in Olwynn was continuing to grow. Each convert, and each prayer gave the former god of secrets more power and perhaps one day soon, he could once again become a deity.</p><p></p><p>Vecna said, "I need to warn you Hartaniel - the time is almost at hand."</p><p></p><p>"The time for what?".</p><p></p><p>Vecna dis-regarded the elf's question. "I need to know who is on my side."</p><p></p><p>The Blue Monk looked at the cloud, the purple glow illuminating his dull green skin.</p><p></p><p>Vecna asked, "How about you, Blue Monk?"</p><p></p><p>The Monk's frown became more pronounced. "I don't much like the cut of your jib", he growled.</p><p></p><p>"Very well. You may regret that decision."</p><p></p><p>Ardra wondered what Vecna was up to. The discorporated god of secrets addressed her.</p><p></p><p>"What about you, sword lady?"</p><p></p><p>She said, "It's still up for debate. I do respect your powers, sir."</p><p></p><p>"Secrets! Magic! Can I count on you if need be?"</p><p></p><p>"It depends on what you mean, sir."</p><p></p><p>Vecna grumbled.</p><p></p><p>"What about you, mohawk?". He was referring to Ryltar, the drow.</p><p></p><p>Ryltar did not look back, or respond. He continued to walk, his tattered reaper cloak providing some protection from the light rain. </p><p></p><p>"Scarlet?"</p><p></p><p>She sighed. "I don't know, I've got a lot on my plate..."</p><p></p><p>Vecna was dismayed. The heroes did not trust him. He said, "Hartaniel, you shall be rewarded, my friend. My memory is returning to me! I have great power!"</p><p></p><p>Ryltar spoke up. "Thanks for telling us, and not keeping it a secret."</p><p></p><p>Soon after, they came to a dormant volcano with a cave in the base of it. This was Maluriath's lair. They'd seen it in the crystal ball back in the Feygrove.</p><p></p><p>Hartaniel spotted tracks. Ogre tracks. He fixed his black eyes on the mud, trying to see how many ogres might be inside. The barbarian guessed there were at least 9.</p><p></p><p>Our heroes crept inside..</p><p></p><p>The air within the cave was filled with smoke and the odor of burned meat. Rough stone walls enclosed a spacious cavern illuminated by a cook fire tended by ruddy-skinned ogre, who was completely enthralled by the crackling flames. Nearby, three more ogres argued over a badly scorched chunk of meat.</p><p></p><p>Further inside, smooth black surfaces of polished obsidian reflected warped images of the fire and ogres, as well as something from deeper within the cave. A strange, clawed limb and a portion of a large, toothy maw were apparent, but a complete image of the creature or creatures never formed. Walls and floors around the obsidian mirrors had a peculiar, scaly pattern. The stone heaved rhythmically, in time with a gurgling chant.</p><p></p><p>The heroes approached cautiously, hoping to get the jump on the ogres. </p><p></p><p>A gurgling voice emanated from the cavern’s walls. “What twist of fate brought you to despoil my triumph? The deck? The devil? It matters not. This time I shall succeed, and the creatures in this valley will learn to adore their new queen, Maluriath!”</p><p></p><p>A pair of milky white eyes flickered within several of the mirrors. Other mirrors provided glimpses of braziers etched with arcane markings and burning with multihued flames. “Talons, Void, Flames—I have no further need of test subjects, so slay them all. Idiot—close the gate! I want no interruptions!”</p><p></p><p>Three ogres turn their gap-toothed grins toward the heroes as they hefted their clubs. Another, holding an axe, stared slack-jawed at a rope that leads to two wooden portcullises at either end of the cavern. Strange, ghostly images flickered around their rough, filthy hides.</p><p></p><p>Ardra cast a magic missile across the chamber, which killed one of the shadowy humanoids. As it died, there was a flash of light that teleported one of its' allies closer to the adventurers. </p><p></p><p>Ardra absorbed its' soul into her helm of seven deaths. It was a hideous mockery of a humanoid from the far realm, known as a foulspawn.</p><p></p><p>An ogre cut a rope, which dropped a portcullis, blocking some of the heroes out of the room. But the blink dog was among them, and he had the power to teleport them past the gate.</p><p></p><p>Aurora fired off two arrows in rapid succession. Both plunged into the chest of the ogre staring at the fire. The ogre had an image of one of the cards from the deck of many things branded on its' chest. So did each of the other ogres. The heroes would learn that each ogre had a special power relating to the card emblazoned on their body. Each ogre's name corresponded to the card it represented.</p><p></p><p>Maluriath had made a pact with a contract devil in exchange for three wishes. She'd used a wish to create a horde of ogres, all imbued with special power. The heroes would learn this and much more, very soon.</p><p></p><p>The ogres rushed the heroes, but their attacks were stymied by Ardra's magic shield spell and a well-placed disarming arrow fired by Aurora. The Blue Monk ended up surrounded and was bloodied. </p><p></p><p>Hartaniel knocked one ogre back so that it fell down the 10 foot ridge. Scarlet made her way down there, charged the prone ogre, and killed it. </p><p></p><p>Ardra used the magic of her helm to infuse her blade with power. She stabbed it into the gut of an ogre bearing the symbol of the idiot card. Soulfire and blood trickled forth as the ogre hunched over in pain. The Blue Monk tore into the ogre, beating it to death.</p><p></p><p>Then Ardra turned, held out her hand and sent another ogre flying down the ridge with an unseen hand spell. She teleported down, stood over the ogre's prone body, and plunged her magic blade into the creature's lung, killing it. She absorbed the soul of the ogre. He bore the power of the talons card.</p><p></p><p>An arrow from Aurora sent even another ogre over the ridge (<em>I kept failing the save</em>). Ryltar phased through the ground and decapitated it with his scythe.</p><p></p><p>The battle was ended. The blink dog raced over to the camp fire. It started digging with its' hind paws, kicking dirt on the blaze, putting it out.</p><p></p><p>Ryltar approached one of the black mirrors. He stood in front of it. The scaly ground shifted beneath his feet. He saw a huge, milky eye staring back at him. Psychic energy wracked his brain. The drow clutched his skull and stumbled back.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers went through the room and shattered every mirror. </p><p></p><p>Then our heroes continued deeper into the caves...</p><p></p><p>The wide passage descended steeply. Although the caverns obviously formed naturally, scattered rubbish was a telltale sign of the presence of ogres. Rough-hewn ceiling timbers span erected intermittently throughout the chamber helped to support the walls and the roof. Phosphorescent lichen clung to these beams and provided enough illumination to dimly light the area.</p><p></p><p>In the wider corridor to their left, an ogre stood half-slumped against the wall, his chest rising and falling slowly. A snort erupted from his nose as he shifted his bulk slightly, but he did not appear to be fully awake.</p><p></p><p>Scarlet and The Blue Monk quietly approached the ogre, ready to slit his throat. But it was a trap! The ogre was pretending to sleep. The ogre jumped up and smashed his fist into the ceiling, causing rubble to fall down on the duo! </p><p></p><p>The Blue Monk was buried in the rubble. Scarlet jumped ahead, past the collapse and next to the ogre. </p><p></p><p>The noise of the collapse alerted other nearby creatures - more ogres, and more foulspawn.</p><p></p><p>The Monk pulled himself out of the rubble pile and teleported behind the ogre. He drank a healing potion, used his magic amulet to enhance the healing effect, and punched the ogre. Blood spewed from the ogre's nose.</p><p></p><p>A foulspawn came around a corner and swiped at the half-orc. The Monk's black eyes began to glow blue in rage. He punched the foulspawn in the neck. There was a cracking sound, and the thing fell to the ground, dead.</p><p></p><p>More ogres came around the corner...</p><p></p><p>Back in the tunnel, the rest of the group battled a wave of foulspawn. Aurora picked one off with an arrow, and Ardra stabbed another to death. The foulspawn were led by a four-armed creature, in each hand a dagger. It was known as a foulspawn mangler!</p><p></p><p>It became intangible, passed through a wall, and emerged next to Ardra. It became solid again, and danced around her, stabbing at her four times. Ardra parried once, twice, three times and then a fourth! The mangler stumbled back. Never had it faced someone so skillful with a blade.</p><p></p><p>Ryltar slashed his scythe into the mangler's back. Sticky blood sprayed out of the wound. </p><p></p><p>The mangler stood between them, stabbing daggers at both heroes. </p><p></p><p>Nearby, Aurora drew an arrow from her quiver. She touched it to her horn, causing the arrow to glow. She fired the arrow into the mangler's heart (<em>a critical</em>). Blood spilled from it's mouth. It weakly stabbed at Ardra. </p><p></p><p>Aurora drew another arrow. She enchanted it with her horn as well. She fired it through the mangler's head (<em>another critical!</em>). It died.</p><p></p><p>As Ardra slew the last of the foulspawn, Hartaniel raced over to help Scarlet and The Blue Monk, who were standing in rubble fighting three ogres! As his silvery-blonde hair trailed behind him, he charged through the rubble and stabbed an ogre. It fell to the ground. The Monk caved in its' skull with his fist.</p><p></p><p>Ryltar and Ardra ran through a back tunnel so they could come around and flank the two remaining ogres. Aurora stayed where she was, and took aim. She fired an arrow into an ogre's neck (<em>yep another critical</em>). The ogre howled in pain. Hartaniel used the opening to bloody the ogre with a number of slices.</p><p></p><p>Ardra and Ryltar came around the side. The ogres were surrounded. They were knocked to the ground and killed with rocks and punches. The Blue Monk punched the teeth out of an ogre's mouth. He collected them up, and considered making a necklace out of them.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers patched up their wounds. The blink dog approached a mirror and barked at it. The heroes took up their weapons.</p><p></p><p>Ardra said, "Wait! Before you destroy the mirrors, allow me to study them."</p><p></p><p>In the mirror, she saw a distorted image of a dragon performing a ritual. After a bit of study, she saw that the dragon appeared to be creating another dark mirror. But this mirror was more powerful than the others. It could twist the landscape for miles around, including Gardmore Abbey!</p><p></p><p>Scarlet wondered if the mirrors were valuable. </p><p></p><p>Aurora pulled out her crystal ball. She used it to glimpse into the next room in the caverns.</p><p></p><p>Inside the gleaming crystal, she saw a room with piles of stone, a mine cart on a track, and a weird shimmering section of floor. A number of ogres and foulspawn lurked...</p><p></p><p>Once the adventurers had studied the layout, they were certain they could ambush the monsters.</p><p></p><p>The tunnel ahead widened into a torchlit cavern. Heaps of broken stone rose toward the ceiling, and a crude mine cart sat on a track leading off to the south. Hunkered behind a few of the haphazard piles, three ogres snarled in anticipation.</p><p></p><p>A handful of smaller warped humanoids skulked about.</p><p></p><p>Although more dark mirrors were here, the fearsome voice of the creature spied in the mirrors emerged not only from their distorted surfaces but also from the southern corridor, rising in pitch and fervor and punctuated by blasts of multihued light. The cavern floor to the north exhibited the same twisting corruption present near some of the mirrors in the room.</p><p></p><p>The adventurers burst into the room, surprising the ogres. Scarlet knocked an ogre to the ground. The Monk struck the ogre as it lay prone. Scarlet plunged her broken blade into it, creating a bloody gash. Keeping it impaled on her blade, she dragged the massive creature close to another ogre. Ryltar brought his scythe down on the ogre, ending its' life.</p><p></p><p>Aurora fired an arrow across the room, knocking an ogre onto a wired, shimmering section of floor.</p><p></p><p>The ogres roared and counter-attacked. Ardra blocked a club with her shield spell. The Monk was hit by a club and hurt badly. He pulled out a healing potion and guzzled it.</p><p></p><p>A spellcasting foulspawn lurked in the far end of the room. It cast a maddening burst spell, which dazed Hartaniel and Ryltar. </p><p></p><p>A wave of foulspawn rushed Hartaniel. He killed two of the three with a single swipe of his blade. </p><p></p><p>A second ogre died, courtesy of Ardra's magic missile. </p><p></p><p>Aurora fired an arrow into the last surviving ogre. Scarlet used her magic belt to ensnare the ogre, keeping it close and focused on her. It brought its' club down on her, but she blocked it with a large piece of granite she'd snatched from the ground. The ogre swung again, and hurt her badly.</p><p></p><p>Aurora's horn glowed, and a rainbow beam shot out from it. The beam washed over Scarlet and sealed up her wounds. Then, Aurora drew out an arrow, fired it, and killed the ogre.</p><p></p><p>Ryltar had been the first to cross the room and engage the foulspawn spellcaster, known as a mockery. It pelted the drow with psychic energy, dazing and injuring him. </p><p></p><p>Scarlet came over to help. Together, they cut down the mockery.</p><p></p><p>The monsters had been defeated.</p><p></p><p>The blink dog approached to a pile of bedding, sniffed it, and pulled out a sack. In the sack was gold and jewelry!</p><p></p><p>Weird light spilled from a large tunnel. They could hear Maluriath chanting. Her ritual was almost complete. There was no time to rest. - there was one more battle to be had.</p><p></p><p>In the Demonweb, the Gods had just killed 99 drow in the Fane of Eclavdra. They were determined to kill Lolth once and for all....</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Netherstorm, post: 5857533, member: 84943"] [b]22. Reflections of Ruin[/b] [I]3/19/12: Brendan is in Florida, so no Varis. We're taking a quick jaunt through a dungeon adventure that is linked to the abbey. This contains spoilers for[URL="http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/dun/201111reflections"] Reflections of Ruin[/URL], a Chaos Scar adventure from Dungeon 196.[/I] [CENTER][FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3]Saga of Valor [/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3]Book One - NyrodSpace War 3[/SIZE][/FONT] [I]Chapter Twenty-Two: Reflections of Ruin [/I][/CENTER] [B]Aurora Brightbolt[/B] - Unicorn-Person Ranger [B]Ardra[/B] - Eladrin Bladesinger [B]The Blue Monk[/B] - Half-Orc Monk [B]Hartaniel[/B] - Elf Barbarian [B]Ryltar[/B] - Drow Avenger [B]Scarlet[/B] - Human Fighter Sanctioning #: 12-03-3326515 Rain began to trickle down from the sky as our heroes made their way through the forest. They headed away from Gardmore Abbey and toward the lair of Maluriath, the red dragon. Our heroes had decided to travel there by foot instead of flying on their giant bird created by Vecna so as to avoid early detection. Aurora's blink dog happily raced down the trail ahead. Hartaniel scowled. His Draedsmasher clan had a new, more vicious leader. And his allies had caught a glimpse of the slave who had betrayed Hartaniel way back when - Galan the Sly. Galan had been riding on the back of a hill giant, and seemed to still hold a position of power amongst the orc clan. Raindrops dribbled down his owlbear skull helmet, falling past his eyes of pure black. His heart was heavy. The discorporated remains of Vecna asked Hartaniel to be removed from his pack. Hartaniel pulled the lantern that contained the swirling, purple cloud out. He held it above his head. Vecna's cloud had never been brighter. Vecna seemed to be accumulating power at a rapid rate. Perhaps Vaona's cult of Vecna in Olwynn was continuing to grow. Each convert, and each prayer gave the former god of secrets more power and perhaps one day soon, he could once again become a deity. Vecna said, "I need to warn you Hartaniel - the time is almost at hand." "The time for what?". Vecna dis-regarded the elf's question. "I need to know who is on my side." The Blue Monk looked at the cloud, the purple glow illuminating his dull green skin. Vecna asked, "How about you, Blue Monk?" The Monk's frown became more pronounced. "I don't much like the cut of your jib", he growled. "Very well. You may regret that decision." Ardra wondered what Vecna was up to. The discorporated god of secrets addressed her. "What about you, sword lady?" She said, "It's still up for debate. I do respect your powers, sir." "Secrets! Magic! Can I count on you if need be?" "It depends on what you mean, sir." Vecna grumbled. "What about you, mohawk?". He was referring to Ryltar, the drow. Ryltar did not look back, or respond. He continued to walk, his tattered reaper cloak providing some protection from the light rain. "Scarlet?" She sighed. "I don't know, I've got a lot on my plate..." Vecna was dismayed. The heroes did not trust him. He said, "Hartaniel, you shall be rewarded, my friend. My memory is returning to me! I have great power!" Ryltar spoke up. "Thanks for telling us, and not keeping it a secret." Soon after, they came to a dormant volcano with a cave in the base of it. This was Maluriath's lair. They'd seen it in the crystal ball back in the Feygrove. Hartaniel spotted tracks. Ogre tracks. He fixed his black eyes on the mud, trying to see how many ogres might be inside. The barbarian guessed there were at least 9. Our heroes crept inside.. The air within the cave was filled with smoke and the odor of burned meat. Rough stone walls enclosed a spacious cavern illuminated by a cook fire tended by ruddy-skinned ogre, who was completely enthralled by the crackling flames. Nearby, three more ogres argued over a badly scorched chunk of meat. Further inside, smooth black surfaces of polished obsidian reflected warped images of the fire and ogres, as well as something from deeper within the cave. A strange, clawed limb and a portion of a large, toothy maw were apparent, but a complete image of the creature or creatures never formed. Walls and floors around the obsidian mirrors had a peculiar, scaly pattern. The stone heaved rhythmically, in time with a gurgling chant. The heroes approached cautiously, hoping to get the jump on the ogres. A gurgling voice emanated from the cavern’s walls. “What twist of fate brought you to despoil my triumph? The deck? The devil? It matters not. This time I shall succeed, and the creatures in this valley will learn to adore their new queen, Maluriath!” A pair of milky white eyes flickered within several of the mirrors. Other mirrors provided glimpses of braziers etched with arcane markings and burning with multihued flames. “Talons, Void, Flames—I have no further need of test subjects, so slay them all. Idiot—close the gate! I want no interruptions!” Three ogres turn their gap-toothed grins toward the heroes as they hefted their clubs. Another, holding an axe, stared slack-jawed at a rope that leads to two wooden portcullises at either end of the cavern. Strange, ghostly images flickered around their rough, filthy hides. Ardra cast a magic missile across the chamber, which killed one of the shadowy humanoids. As it died, there was a flash of light that teleported one of its' allies closer to the adventurers. Ardra absorbed its' soul into her helm of seven deaths. It was a hideous mockery of a humanoid from the far realm, known as a foulspawn. An ogre cut a rope, which dropped a portcullis, blocking some of the heroes out of the room. But the blink dog was among them, and he had the power to teleport them past the gate. Aurora fired off two arrows in rapid succession. Both plunged into the chest of the ogre staring at the fire. The ogre had an image of one of the cards from the deck of many things branded on its' chest. So did each of the other ogres. The heroes would learn that each ogre had a special power relating to the card emblazoned on their body. Each ogre's name corresponded to the card it represented. Maluriath had made a pact with a contract devil in exchange for three wishes. She'd used a wish to create a horde of ogres, all imbued with special power. The heroes would learn this and much more, very soon. The ogres rushed the heroes, but their attacks were stymied by Ardra's magic shield spell and a well-placed disarming arrow fired by Aurora. The Blue Monk ended up surrounded and was bloodied. Hartaniel knocked one ogre back so that it fell down the 10 foot ridge. Scarlet made her way down there, charged the prone ogre, and killed it. Ardra used the magic of her helm to infuse her blade with power. She stabbed it into the gut of an ogre bearing the symbol of the idiot card. Soulfire and blood trickled forth as the ogre hunched over in pain. The Blue Monk tore into the ogre, beating it to death. Then Ardra turned, held out her hand and sent another ogre flying down the ridge with an unseen hand spell. She teleported down, stood over the ogre's prone body, and plunged her magic blade into the creature's lung, killing it. She absorbed the soul of the ogre. He bore the power of the talons card. An arrow from Aurora sent even another ogre over the ridge ([I]I kept failing the save[/I]). Ryltar phased through the ground and decapitated it with his scythe. The battle was ended. The blink dog raced over to the camp fire. It started digging with its' hind paws, kicking dirt on the blaze, putting it out. Ryltar approached one of the black mirrors. He stood in front of it. The scaly ground shifted beneath his feet. He saw a huge, milky eye staring back at him. Psychic energy wracked his brain. The drow clutched his skull and stumbled back. The adventurers went through the room and shattered every mirror. Then our heroes continued deeper into the caves... The wide passage descended steeply. Although the caverns obviously formed naturally, scattered rubbish was a telltale sign of the presence of ogres. Rough-hewn ceiling timbers span erected intermittently throughout the chamber helped to support the walls and the roof. Phosphorescent lichen clung to these beams and provided enough illumination to dimly light the area. In the wider corridor to their left, an ogre stood half-slumped against the wall, his chest rising and falling slowly. A snort erupted from his nose as he shifted his bulk slightly, but he did not appear to be fully awake. Scarlet and The Blue Monk quietly approached the ogre, ready to slit his throat. But it was a trap! The ogre was pretending to sleep. The ogre jumped up and smashed his fist into the ceiling, causing rubble to fall down on the duo! The Blue Monk was buried in the rubble. Scarlet jumped ahead, past the collapse and next to the ogre. The noise of the collapse alerted other nearby creatures - more ogres, and more foulspawn. The Monk pulled himself out of the rubble pile and teleported behind the ogre. He drank a healing potion, used his magic amulet to enhance the healing effect, and punched the ogre. Blood spewed from the ogre's nose. A foulspawn came around a corner and swiped at the half-orc. The Monk's black eyes began to glow blue in rage. He punched the foulspawn in the neck. There was a cracking sound, and the thing fell to the ground, dead. More ogres came around the corner... Back in the tunnel, the rest of the group battled a wave of foulspawn. Aurora picked one off with an arrow, and Ardra stabbed another to death. The foulspawn were led by a four-armed creature, in each hand a dagger. It was known as a foulspawn mangler! It became intangible, passed through a wall, and emerged next to Ardra. It became solid again, and danced around her, stabbing at her four times. Ardra parried once, twice, three times and then a fourth! The mangler stumbled back. Never had it faced someone so skillful with a blade. Ryltar slashed his scythe into the mangler's back. Sticky blood sprayed out of the wound. The mangler stood between them, stabbing daggers at both heroes. Nearby, Aurora drew an arrow from her quiver. She touched it to her horn, causing the arrow to glow. She fired the arrow into the mangler's heart ([I]a critical[/I]). Blood spilled from it's mouth. It weakly stabbed at Ardra. Aurora drew another arrow. She enchanted it with her horn as well. She fired it through the mangler's head ([I]another critical![/I]). It died. As Ardra slew the last of the foulspawn, Hartaniel raced over to help Scarlet and The Blue Monk, who were standing in rubble fighting three ogres! As his silvery-blonde hair trailed behind him, he charged through the rubble and stabbed an ogre. It fell to the ground. The Monk caved in its' skull with his fist. Ryltar and Ardra ran through a back tunnel so they could come around and flank the two remaining ogres. Aurora stayed where she was, and took aim. She fired an arrow into an ogre's neck ([I]yep another critical[/I]). The ogre howled in pain. Hartaniel used the opening to bloody the ogre with a number of slices. Ardra and Ryltar came around the side. The ogres were surrounded. They were knocked to the ground and killed with rocks and punches. The Blue Monk punched the teeth out of an ogre's mouth. He collected them up, and considered making a necklace out of them. The adventurers patched up their wounds. The blink dog approached a mirror and barked at it. The heroes took up their weapons. Ardra said, "Wait! Before you destroy the mirrors, allow me to study them." In the mirror, she saw a distorted image of a dragon performing a ritual. After a bit of study, she saw that the dragon appeared to be creating another dark mirror. But this mirror was more powerful than the others. It could twist the landscape for miles around, including Gardmore Abbey! Scarlet wondered if the mirrors were valuable. Aurora pulled out her crystal ball. She used it to glimpse into the next room in the caverns. Inside the gleaming crystal, she saw a room with piles of stone, a mine cart on a track, and a weird shimmering section of floor. A number of ogres and foulspawn lurked... Once the adventurers had studied the layout, they were certain they could ambush the monsters. The tunnel ahead widened into a torchlit cavern. Heaps of broken stone rose toward the ceiling, and a crude mine cart sat on a track leading off to the south. Hunkered behind a few of the haphazard piles, three ogres snarled in anticipation. A handful of smaller warped humanoids skulked about. Although more dark mirrors were here, the fearsome voice of the creature spied in the mirrors emerged not only from their distorted surfaces but also from the southern corridor, rising in pitch and fervor and punctuated by blasts of multihued light. The cavern floor to the north exhibited the same twisting corruption present near some of the mirrors in the room. The adventurers burst into the room, surprising the ogres. Scarlet knocked an ogre to the ground. The Monk struck the ogre as it lay prone. Scarlet plunged her broken blade into it, creating a bloody gash. Keeping it impaled on her blade, she dragged the massive creature close to another ogre. Ryltar brought his scythe down on the ogre, ending its' life. Aurora fired an arrow across the room, knocking an ogre onto a wired, shimmering section of floor. The ogres roared and counter-attacked. Ardra blocked a club with her shield spell. The Monk was hit by a club and hurt badly. He pulled out a healing potion and guzzled it. A spellcasting foulspawn lurked in the far end of the room. It cast a maddening burst spell, which dazed Hartaniel and Ryltar. A wave of foulspawn rushed Hartaniel. He killed two of the three with a single swipe of his blade. A second ogre died, courtesy of Ardra's magic missile. Aurora fired an arrow into the last surviving ogre. Scarlet used her magic belt to ensnare the ogre, keeping it close and focused on her. It brought its' club down on her, but she blocked it with a large piece of granite she'd snatched from the ground. The ogre swung again, and hurt her badly. Aurora's horn glowed, and a rainbow beam shot out from it. The beam washed over Scarlet and sealed up her wounds. Then, Aurora drew out an arrow, fired it, and killed the ogre. Ryltar had been the first to cross the room and engage the foulspawn spellcaster, known as a mockery. It pelted the drow with psychic energy, dazing and injuring him. Scarlet came over to help. Together, they cut down the mockery. The monsters had been defeated. The blink dog approached to a pile of bedding, sniffed it, and pulled out a sack. In the sack was gold and jewelry! Weird light spilled from a large tunnel. They could hear Maluriath chanting. Her ritual was almost complete. There was no time to rest. - there was one more battle to be had. In the Demonweb, the Gods had just killed 99 drow in the Fane of Eclavdra. They were determined to kill Lolth once and for all.... [/QUOTE]
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