Banewarrens d20 (Angelsboi's party)

Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust

Timmay still lived. But blood rushed from the wound on his head. Ulfgar too was still unconscious.

"TIIIMMMMAAAAYYYY," Veridian screamed the battle cry. He sprang to the gnome's aid. But he came up short. 10 ft. short. He forgot he was tied up.

Thane launched another of his fiery balls. This one struck the warrior.

"TIMMMAAAAYYY," Erik bellowed and charged up the slope. He struck the large trog warrior.

The trog and his Chieftain turned their attacks on Veridian. He was caught between them. The Chieftain missed. But the warrior landed. A rather sneaky underhanded blow. Much like the elf was used to delivering. Bartol was stuck by his opponent. And the other trog woke one of the sleepers. Bartol saw blood. He lost control. He struck down his opponent. Timmay continued to bleed.

Veridian used Erik's aid and landed a sneaky stab of his own. Thane moved closer into the battle. He tossed his fire over the combatants heads. Erik struck the warrior again.

The trog tried to kick Timmay over the edge of the shelf. A 20 ft drop from this part of the slope. Instead, Erik struck him again. The warrior and Timmay both plummeted. Timmay landed on top of the warrior's body. Veridian dove for the gnome. The rope yanked him back. He careened past the Chieftain. The Trog stepped over the rope and knocked Veridian into next week. Veridian dangled over the edge of the shelf.

Bartol poured a potion down Ulfgar's throat. The dwarf shook himself.

"Timmay's over there," Bartol told Ulfgar. "He may not be..."

Veridian bled.

Thane summoned some magic. It was magic similar to Bernedette's. Erik attacked the Chieftain, but couldn't get past the breastplate.

The Chieftain stepped back and vanished. One trog advanced on Timmay's prone form. He plunged his longspear into the gnome's heart. The other made an attempt at Veridian. But the elf was too high up. He moved to wake the last trog instead. Ulfgar wade into the battle.
 
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Let the mourning begin...

Bartol was at the edge of his vision. He saw two figures. He swung at them. Ulfgar was moving to Timmay. But decided to draw his hammer after he saw what the longspear did.

Thane's magic summoned 3 nasty rats. They attacked the area the Chieftain had occupied. One bit into flesh. Thane turned his attention on the trogs below. He struck one with a stone. Erik tried a different ploy. He tackled the Chieftain.

The Chieftain squirmed free and fled. His minions battled on. Two trogs surrounded Ulfgar. One stabbed the dwarf. The other battled Bartol. He too scored a gash on the barbarian. Bartol swung wide. Ulfgar stepped back and said a prayer to Moradin. He asked for sanctuary.

Veridian stopped bleeding. However, he was still breathing. Some luck was still with the party. Thane barely missed Bartol. Erik pulled his bow and fired an arrow into the wounded trog below. One trog took a stab at Ulfgar. The other turned away and went for Bartol. Bartol's trog stabbed him again. Bartol swung wide. Ulfgar moved to Bartol's rear.

Thane tossed his fire magic. The trog died. Erik fired at a new target. The two trogs stabbed at Bartol. He had another wound. Bartol killed the injured trog. His anger was spent. Ulfgar bolstered the barbarian's wavering strength. He called on Moradin.

Thane went to Veridian. He pulled him up. Erik fired another volley into the trog. The trog took another poke at Bartol. Bartol laid him low. Ulfgar heard a noise. The Chieftain fled past the party unseen.

Bartol went to the Bear. He began to take his trophies. Erik did likewise to the trogs. They gathered the weapons and Timmay's body.

"I hate all lizards," Erik said in disgust. "They killed Timmay."

Thane and Ulfgar brought Veridian back from the brink. Thane also took care to collect the meat from the bear.

"Come we must go back up," Thane commanded. "We need to rest and care for Timmay's body."

The party trudged back to Bernedette.
 



The meek shall inherit...

"I will see him brought back," Veridian declared.

"He should be buried with the dwarves," Bartol responded. "He attempted to find and free this lost stronghold. He should be honored among their dead. There are 20 empty tombs. Timmay would like it."

"Bah," Thane fussed. "Maybe the Oakfather can reincarnate him."

Bernedette sat weeping. She clutched to her chest Timmay's spellbook. Smacks had given her a hint of the news, by his agitation. Smacks was even now wanting to go back down into the caverns.

The party took turns on watch. Bartol, Ulfgar, and Thane saw to the wounded.

"We must think of Timmay," Bernedette finally muttered. "He would want us to continue before Erland and his goons arrive. We must..."

"Aye," Ulfgar agreed. "We will go down again in the morning."

The hours passed slowly. Each of the party members lamented the gnome's passing. Each paid tribute in their own way.

Bartol sat stunned twiddling his dagger, the match to Timmay's Dragontooth. He glanced over at Erik. Erik still carried Hoard Master.

Erik swore to rid the caverns if not the whole world of the lizards. He sharpened his blade.

Veridian pondered. Only the gnome knew his thoughts. And now the gnome was gone.

Thane accepted Marmaduke into the pack. It was the least he could do for his friend. He busied himself with curing and smoking the bear hide and meat.

Ulfgar took Bartol's words and meditated. He, too, thought Moradin would favor the gnome's final resting place here.

Bernedette...well she had inherited the world. Timmay's world and his things were now hers.
 

A new companion

Bartol almost didn't go. He knew he should. But he couldn't leave without Bernedette. And after losing Timmay it made things even harder. In the end, he did go. Only because Veridian didn't want to and vocalized it adamantly. The stubborn barbarian went to fulfill Timmay's quest.

The party again passed down into the caverns. This time nothing or no one met them. They decided to try the tunnel ahead they hadn't ventured down before. It proved to be empty. But there were several more passages leading off into the caverns. One such passage was blocked by a series of iron bars. The gate was half ajar. The party cautiously crept forward. Inside the cage was another set of bars. An animal had been here. And it wasn't treated nicely. Ulfgar discovered a body, a human. And he was still alive. Bound, gagged, and covered in burlap. But not much worse for wear. Bartol pulled out his healer's kit and tended to the man's injuries. He came around when Bartol put some salts to his nose.

"Whhhat," the man mumbled. "Where am I?"

"You are with friends," Ulfgar replied. "I think. We are adventuring underground. I am Ulfgar of Moradin. And these are my companions."

"I am Elwood," he replied. "Underground? My friend and I were camping in the woods. We were just trying to find a lost stronghold. I had heard some fanciful tales and wished to see if they were true."

The party talked to the prisoner. He came round slowly. They exchanged more pleasantries. The party even told him of their quests and what they now faced. Elwood responded in kind. He had a way with words. He was truly gifted with a glib tongue. His equipment was also found.

"Will you accompany us?" Bartol asked. "Or do you wish to travel back and wait with the woman?"

"Charming," Elwood replied to the group. "Isn't he? Oh, yes, I would like to find my friend. Or learn of his fate."

The group now scoured the area. Nothing but what the bear left. They went further along the tunnel. It branched off some more. The party checked these areas out also. Empty. The trogs had taken all they could and fled. After the third chamber the party came upon a wondrous sight. A glowing blade was visible in the hand of a corpse. The corpse was covered in mold and fungi. It also wore some mail.

"Don't go any further," Thane commanded. "That is yellow mold."

Thane summoned his magical hand. It grabbed the blade and dragged it free. Spores flew into the air. Thane sprayed the area in oil. A fast trickle of water swept some of the oil further into the chamber. He ignited the oil.

BBBOOOOOOMMMM

The spores detonated.

"Well," Veridian sneered. "So much for surprise. Now everything knows we are here."
 

The dead are honored

The party was able to enter the chamber after the oil went out. A brave dwarven skeleton occupied the armor. Two arrow heads lay inside the ribcage. The glowing sword revealed Duergeddin's mark. It also named itself Glory Tongue in runes across the base of the blade. It was a bastard sword. And fit into Erik's hand like it was made for him. The glow intensified. An area 10 ft around Erik was illuminated when he held Glory Tongue high.

"It has a hint of evocation magic about it," Thane murmured as his concentration faded.

"Erik might I suggest you hand Hoard Master to Veridian," Bartol spoke up. "No point in wasting the power of the rapier, if we can have two magical weapons in use."

"Three," Thane reminded Bartol as he touched his cudgel.

Veridian accepted Hoard Master graciously.

The armor was badly corroded. But it didn't matter. The party decided to entomb the dwarf with his fellows. The trickle ran into another chamber. In this chamber too was a dwarven body recovered. This one wore a ruby crested helm. Ulfgar said rites over the two fallen. He bolstered Bartol's strength with the aid of Moradin's favor. They carried the bodies back to the sepulchres. Each was buried with honors. The helm with one warrior. And the armor with other. Erik promised to increase the fame of Glory Tongue.

"Where to next?" Thane asked.

"Down into the glowing fungi," Ulfgar guessed. "The trogs or the dwarven ruins or others might live beyond."

So the party descended into the Depths of the earth. ;) They had little need for their lanterns. But they stayed to the path. Something or someone had kept a rough path clear of the molds, slimes, fungi, and algae.

They wandered along. Suddenly a cloud of something assaulted their nostrils. Most everyone coughed and sneezed it clear. Erik and Veridian stood still.

"Guys," Bartol prodded. "That thing has eyes."

Bartol pointed at a large mushroom like thing. Erik pulled a trog head from his bag and waved it.

"What are you doing?" Thane queried.

"Accept the spores," Veridian mouthed. "He is communicating with us."

"Man, you are tripping," Elwood blurted.
 

Don't take the brown acid...

But the party agreed. All but Bartol. He resisted as best he could. A second cloud of spores covered the party. Suddenly all of the fungi and molds and slimes and colors were alive. They were soooo vivid and they were talking all at once. Everything slowed down or sped up and it all made perfect sense, Man.

For sure, it was like, soooo Gnarly.

"I am the Myconid King," the big Toadstool thought.

"Whoa, cool, I heard that, No man. I felt that. No wait, I errr I uhh Yeah, I can dig it."

"Is that me thinking that or you?"

"What if Dawg were spellled Kat.

Bartol, Focus...Purple Haze all in my brain. Brain, I wish my brother George was here.

I am the Lizard King. Father, yes, Son, I ...No wait..

I am the E. G(ary). G(ygax) man, Coo coo Ca cHoo.

I am the Walrus."

Please sit.

Whoaaa how did we get here...and like these look like stools... cool

Will you drink with me.

Ent water, sure, why not, I hear it does things...

No just a local brew of my own concocting.

The party thoughts rambled on and on and on. and

Let me get back to the story...The party learned from the King that he did not like the trogs, nor the hobgoblins. He was the last of his kind. He also knew of the dwarves and had seen Duergeddin's Mark on a door. The party carried the bodies of the trogs from all over the caverns back to the King. In exchange the King gave them 6 potions. Ulfgar also promised to let the dwarves know of the King's kindness.

Elwood composed a tune for the happening. It was incredible. Awesome..like.. so bitchin'
 

Gricks, smicks...

What happened next was a blur for awhile. But basically, the party went back to the cavern. They strode in the direction of the door of which the King had spoken...thought...communicated to them. Ulfgar and Veridian were on point. They saw something. Something long and many limbed. They were a mass of tentacles and a beak. Erik moved forward. With a swish, Glory Tongue chopped one of the creatures in two. It died. Veridian pulled Hoard Master. He skewered another. It was slightly larger and survived. It struck at the rogue with its tendrils. Two raked the elf's flesh. Ulfgar called on Moradin's favor. He healed the wounded. Thane touched Bartol. He was suddenly stronger. But less agile. Glory Tongue severed the rest of the creature's grasp on this plane. It shuffled off this mortal coil. It pushed up daisies. It...was Gratefully dead. ;)

The party climbed a slight rise and there was the door. A large metal door. With a very complex lock. And Duergeddin's Mark. Veridian tried his best. But everyone knew it wouldn't be enough. Erland's thugs, Grekk and Ulfe in particular, and the trogs and their sneak thief warrior had probably already had a go at the door. No the party needed to find the key. But where.

Only one place left unexplored in the caverns. A slippery slope down. The party tied off to each other. They proceeded further down. Bartol lit his lantern. He moved it left and then right. No one liked the fact the barbarian was in the rear. After a treacherous descent, they ground leveled off. To the East was a set of doors. To the South another passage. And to the West a large pool. The water fell from on high into the pool and flowed South thru another passage. That one was all water. Veridian checked the doors. They were sealed shut.

"Lets scout out the passage South," Ulfgar reasoned. "We can always open the doors later."

So South they went. across a stone bridge and round a corner. The current was strong in the water. Another door was found in the South at a dead end. It was 2ft deep in water. Bartol and Ulfgar advanced. Bartol heaved the door aside. Water rushed out. The dwarf had to leave. It was up to Bartol's armpits. And it was very, very cold. Bartol began slugging ahead. Veridian and Erik joined him. They searched the rooms beyond. They only discovered the remains of a hobgoblin. It's pouch disintegrated when Bartol grabbed it. He recovered two vials. He handed them to Veridian. The party dried off and warmed up.

"Back to the sealed doors," Thane shrugged. "No key here."

Bartol's increased strength still lingered. He pulled one door off its hinges. A sight of decay and waste met the party's senses. An old kitchen or pantry. Nothing like the yellow mold inside but still it reeked. Another chamber was ahead. Thane and Veridian entered two archways.

"Back," Thane yelled. "There is an ooze. Abort the mission."
 

the blob II, the sequel

The ooze didn't react. The bulk of the party huddled back in the chamber. Bartol edged closer to the door. He had his bow in hand and an arrow knocked. Ulfgar was the only one still reading Bartol's thoughts. Bartol buried his arrow into the ooze. It dissolved. And then the ooze advanced. It surged thru an archway. Ulfgar moved thru the other one. He entered the chamber the ooze had vacated. Nothing valuable again.

Elwood played a tune for inspiration. Veridian fired an arrow into the ceiling. Erik struck the ooze with Glory Tongue. The ooze licked the edge of the blade. But did not mar it. Thane tossed a flask of flaming oil onto the ooze. Bartol moved thru the archway after the dwarf. And beyond into another chamber. Nothing in that one either.

"Nothing here," Bartol called out.

The ooze bashed Erik. Its pseudopod and acid eating thru his armor. His armor was beginning to ruin.

"Bartol," Erik screamed. "You owe me."

Veridian's arrow ended the oozes movement. The arrow dissolved.

Erik cold cocked the barbarian.

"I just wanted to get it to move," Bartol said as he rubbed his chin. "I can outrun it and I wanted to see the chamber beyond."

"Yeah, right," Thane disagreed. "You just want to poke it."

With the ooze dead. The party did a thorough search. Nothing. Bartol yanked the hinges off the next and last door. Another useless search.

"I guess we cross the bridge and continue into the dark," Elwood surmised. "I sure hope we find my friend."

Ulfgar healed Erik's wound. The path crossed the river again. A natural bridge this time. And then they were in another chamber. Bartol saw a white blind cave fish flopping on the far shore. A tendril grabbed it. And then the stone put it into a large maw. Bartol slapped himself.

"Dudes, I think I'm coming down hard," Bartol barked. "I swear I just saw that rock eat something."

It was a very large rock. And it had eyes.

"Welcome to my dinner table," the Rock spoke in Common.

"Now I know I'm wigging out," Bartol groaned. "I think I just heard it speak."

"You did hear it," Veridian croaked. "We all did."
 

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