Banewarrens d20 (Angelsboi's party)

[diaglo]

The suspense is killing us...

Fiddle launched his dagger and hit one of the guards. Darian cast sunlight over the lake blinding the drow. Alya pulled his bow and fired away. The drow cowered under their cloaks and tried to cast darkness. But it failed under the strength of Lathander's might. Sully cast invisibilty on himself and those around him. Calrom used his elf bane bow on the drow.. ouch. Grishelm rode his companion lizard to circle around the lake. Vlad charged into combat with the drow. His swing went wide.

Fiddle advanced around drow to get closer to flank with Vlad. Darian cast another of Lathander's magic. A stream of searing lights struck one drow. Alya fired away. One drow went down. The lights went out. And everyone became visible again. A beam lanced thru the air and burned a hole near fiddle, another one near where Grishelm had been, and one on Vlad. The last drow attacked Fiddle and hit. Sully moved to the Fiddle's light. He had lost contact with Redd. Calrom fired at the drow, missing multiple times.

Grishelm yelled, "Eye Tyrant." and rode off.

Vlad attacked drow. Fiddle flanked with Vlad.. hit 4 times on drow... mush left. Darian advanced to Fiddle's light. Alya fired at the beholder. Beholder shifted the main eye. Fiddle's light went out too. It fired more beams at Sully and Fiddle.

Luce

Sully tossed a magically lit coin near the beholder. Calrom fired at the Large floating ball. Grishelm was no where around. Vlad charged the beholder.

 

[diaglo]

Ouch...that hurt

"No time to think," Fiddle thought "just do." So he did what came naturally.

"Hey Sekkr, look the mind flayer is coming," Fiddle screamed in an attempt to get something to look away. Fiddle still didn't know what it was that kept shooting at him with magic. The Beholder didn't flinch...but Fiddle still carried thru with his plan. He ran behind Vlad and tried to hide. "Safe."

Darian stepped to the side nearer Sully. His light returned. He called on Lathander. A ray of holy fire leapt from his hand and struck the Happy Joy Ball. Alya quickly fired another volley of arrows. They bounced off the thick hide of the thing. The Daylight returned. The Beholder drifted away from Vlad and Fiddle its central eye closed. The beams once again fired into the crowd. One hit Calrom. He struggled for a moment and then was free of the effects of the spell. He winked at Fiddle. A scream was again heard in the Grishelm's direction. And Darian too felt pain. By Lathander's great light he was saved from shuffling off this mortal coil. But he still showed the signs of where the beam had struck. All around the party was struck or nearly.

Sully retaliated. A loud crackling ball of power exploded behind the ball. The air stunk of ozone. Calrom followed the display of power with a volley of his own arrows.

"No safe way," Grishelm called from the opposite side of the pool. He was moving again.

Vlad moved back to the ball and swung wild. Fiddle rolled into action too. He and Vlad had the beholder cornered. Darian grinned. He aimed his hand at the closed eye. His aim was true. The ball collapsed. Lathander's magic scorching a hole in the monster.

 

[diaglo]

Trapped prizes

Darian and Calrom stripped the guards and placed the useful items in the Bag of Holding. Alya went to work on recovering the eyestalks from the Ball. Vlad covered the entrance. And Fiddle collected his dagger and lantern. Sully called to and hugged Redd close.

After the party recovered Fiddle went to check the hole. One in the floor and One in the ceiling a tube. Obviously carved from the rock with Magic. One of the eyestalks no doubt. Fiddle activated the House Morcane medallion and floated upward. After a brief time he saw a larger cavern. The light from Darian's spell only revealed the area directly around the opening. Statues in grotesque positions. Many broken. All of them real. Another eyestalk Fiddle guessed. Magic like this was known to him personally from the Banewarrens. A few suits of armor and bags of something were just out of reach. Another form loomed in the distance. Hovering. Possibly another Ball. Fiddle sunk back down to the cavern below.

"There's another one," Fiddle whispered. "And a cavern of statues."

"I'll go see," Alya said. "If you'll give me a hand, Sully."

Sully broke out a wand and tapped Alya. The area went silent and then Alya vanished.

"Hurry up, already," Calrom added. "We don't know when the Grimlock or his Master will appear."

"But there's trophies," Fiddle whined.

Alya was gone for a few agonizing moments. Too long for Fiddle so he floated back up and dangled a rope down to the others. He secured it on a statue. There was a brief flash of light. Fiddle guessed Alya had set off a trap. A gas ball like one they had encountered in the Banewarrens. Things were getting too similar. Images of Hedrack flashed in Fiddle's brain. It had only been a brief meld, but it had left an impression on the hin. Fiddle begged for the Bag. Calrom tossed it up. Fiddle was distracted and let it fall. Darian and Calrom climbed up while Fiddle went to retrieve the bag. The party quickly grabbed what they could. Calrom jumped out of the way of a pit trap covered by a large tigerskin. Alya flew down and got the rug from the bottom of the spike covered pit. A lucky dodge on Calrom's part there. He also checked out the lower hole. It went North-South. The party fled to the East.

 

[diaglo]

Candy Gram.. Avon Calling... Land Shark

After an hour or so, Fiddle broke out his map. He took the lead with Grishelm. The party continued to move at a good pace. Eventually they ran into a fork. Fiddle checked the Map. So they went North. A long trek later, they decided to rest and camp. Calrom and Fiddle setup their magic and bed down. They checked the sacks for loot. The party healed also. Fiddle got a magical throwing axe out of the pile. He named it Ice.

Dreams came to Fiddle in the night. Dreams of an Evil presence. Hedrack. He had plans for the hin. An offer to get his revenge. Kill the haughty priest of Light for leaving him in the Banewarrens with the Evil Suit of Armor Demon Warlord. Steal Vlad's axe to do it. One quick blow and no one would be the wiser. And think of all the things Darian carried. This did not sit well with Fiddle. It seemed all so easy to believe and do. A noise disturbed his slumber. The priest squealing like a little gurl.

WAAAAKKKKEEE UUUUPPP.

Fiddle rolled to a ready position with his blades drawn. A Huge armored creature with sharp teeth and sharp claws just swallowed Sully in one quick bite. Darian tried as well as he could to smash the creature. Two blows landed solidly. He was pressed against the side of the tunnel. The beast occupied the whole area around the campfire. Vlad charged into battle. Calrom also fired arrows at the thing. Grishelm moved closer with his kukri in hand.

It turned and grabbed Darian. Holding him briefly in its mouth. Another snack. Darian wriggled free.

"NOOOOOOO," Fiddle screamed aloud and in his mind thought. "You will not spoil my revenge." Fiddle plunged Lightning Strike and hacked with Ice on the creature's tough hide. Vlad too cut into it with his axe. And then Calrom fired several well placed shots. The Creature bucked, wailed, and collapsed. Grishelm, Fiddle, and Vlad quickly sought to free Sully.

"I'm over here," Sully called and limped forward. He was covered in all kinds of goo.

"What's that stench?" Alya asked when he rolled over awake.

The party healed up again.

 

[diaglo]

Lost in Space

After Darian finished his morning prayers, the party set off again. They traveled for a few hours and avoided a tunnel to the West. Another couple hours found them at a turn Westward. And after yet another couple hours, they heard the sound of water lapping a shore. They found a beach and obvious lake, but not where they had come before. Calrom and Fiddle checked the sand. It matched the lake from a couple days ago without a doubt. They had gotten lost. Fiddle got out his map.

"Are there any other lakes in the area," Alya asked Grishelm.

"Like I said before," the smurf seemed frustrated, "I've never been here. But I would guess traveling East, North, and West would lead us back to the Lake of Giants."

"East, North, West," Fiddle thought. "I thought we were going West, South, and then East." He looked again at the map. It was upside down. "Oops, I found out what's wrong," he said aloud.

"You had the map upside down," Grishelm completed. "I am a guide."

After a little bickering and Darian threatening to brain Fiddle with his mace, the party turned around and backtracked. They made it to the Bulette carcass before they had to make camp again. Something had eaten part of the Huge predator. Something with 8 legs and a big maw. It was going the opposite direction from where the party wanted to go, which was good.

"The dracolisk," Fiddle surmised. "We are in its territory."

"Should we seek better ground?" Calrom asked.

"NO," Darian responded. "I can't go another step. Unlike you outdoorsmen, I need to rest. I don't feel like running into something tired or even exhausted."

The watch was very tense. But nothing happened. Perhaps the dracolisk was sated on the Land Shark steaks. The next morning saw the party once again headed to the Underdark Mire. Fiddle checked for new tracks. Only the party came this way.

 

[diaglo]

Halves and the halves knots

"The other tunnel below the main Eye tyrant's cavern ran North-South," Fiddle said. "We can take it South to Maerimydra. I was hoping we wouldn't have to go into the city but as it looks there is no other choice."

Sully confirmed Fiddle's fear. No faerzress here. The party made it back to the cavern without incident. They started to head down the hole when a gruff voice caused them to pause.

"So you have returned," the Grim morlock croaked. "My master will be pleased. He said you would."

"What else did your master say," Darian began.

Sully assumed pixie form. He didn't have a chance to say anything as Alya pulled his bow and prepared to fire. The Grimlock was on the wall about 10ft up with an axe in hand. Calrom was quicker. He hit the Grimlock on the wall. The Blind monster leapt to the ground and started seething in anger. He charged up to Calrom and attacked. A deep red line appeared in the ranger's side. Darian quickly added more light so the rest of the party could see. The light of Lathander made the place as bright as day. Alya also fired into the creature. Fiddle ran across the way with his bow. Vlad and Grishelm pulled weapons and moved closer to the melee. Sully arched a handful of magic balls into their foe. They hurt, but hardly slowed it.

Calrom backed up and fired again at close range. More pincushions. The Grimlock chopped Calrom in twain. The Half Human body parts fell, while the Half Elven parts stood for a second. There was no saving Calrom. Darian moved around and blasted with his normal hand of holy light. Another of his devastating shots. He was very accurate and deadly with that light.

"For Calrom," Fiddle cried and fired 2 arrows into the Grimlock.

"For Him," Vlad replied and fired his handcrossbow.

Sully detonated a ball of electric behind the Grimlock. Before the Grimlock recovered, a wave of crushing power struck. Alya, Grishelm and Darian reeled. Only Darian still moved. The creature crawled forward and sliced the frozen Alya and Grishelm. Alya went down. Grishelm wasn't much better. The other attacker was no where in sight. Darian blasted the Grimlock. It fell. Fiddle dropped his bow, pulled his blades, ran to the other side of the chamber. Vlad caught a glimpse of the other foe just outside the light. He moved closer and pointed. Sully coated the area with magical dust. A mind flayer appeared.

"Give me the Beholder's treasure," a voice inside Fiddle's head said. He looked and saw everyone heard it.

"I'll give you this instead," Darian replied. He hit the thing with his mace. Fiddle was near enough. He struck with Lightning Strike and Ice. Vlad also moved closer and connected.

"Fools," the voice said. "I will get you for this." The mind flayer stepped away and..

Before Sully could react it was gone. The bard still lived. Fiddle quickly healed Alya with his wand.

 

[diaglo]

Even the dead have a choice

The party hurriedly loaded the Grimlock and Calrom onto Pony, the pack lizard. Fiddle and Grishelm secured a rope and began the descent to the correct tunnel. They were away South in a flash. Grishelm led. Fiddle tried to cover their tracks. Alya, Darian, and Vlad kept an eye and ear out for trouble. An hour or so later, the party slowed down. They found a side cavern and quickly set up camp. Darian coated Calrom's body in unguents and salves. He hummed a prayer to Lathander. The body changed form, but no life stirred.

"There is no soul in this shell," Darian said. "I believe he was afraid of what form he would assume. If only I had more time and better spell components. I could've brought Calrom back as Calrom. Lathander now grants me that favor."

The party looted the body and prepped it for burning. Invisible, silent, and flying Alya went to scout the area for possible trouble before they bed down. A little while later he returned.

"Some drow refugees and an undead horror," Alya reported. "And a little further down is a sundered gate to the city guarded by 4 black skinned powerful Giants. It doesn't look like a good idea to hang out here. I suggest we head to Cormyr."

"Filarni and the Tower of Wit and Woe," Fiddle asked?

"In the morning," Sully said. "I can get us there then. But we don't have much time."

"Four days," Fiddle said. "After that we need to kill another dragon."

 

[diaglo]

Old stomping grounds...

Grishelm protested some. But when Alya pointed out that a mind flayer was on their trail and a drow city was ahead of them, the smurf relented and agreed to come with the party.

Sully took Vlad, Fiddle, and Grishelm on the first trip. They arrived just outside the Windlord's Rest in Tilverton. Snow fell all around them. Sully vanished again soon after.

"I've got coins to spend and now a bar to use them..." Vlad started.

"I'm buying the first round," Fiddle interrupted.

Grishelm squinted and followed them inside. The three were soon engaged in heavy drinking games. They invited the whole bar to join them. No sign of Jhaer Brightsong the Harper. Fiddle was only mildly disappointed. Some time later Darian, Alya, and Sully stumbled in from the snow...

No dreams this time.

"Wake up, Fiddle," Darian said. "Sully is getting ready to take us back to the Tower of Wit and Works."

Fiddle stumbled out of bed and joined the others. They trudged to Filarni's Tower. Filarni met them at the door. This struck Fiddle as wrong. Where was the elf? He didn't have to time to contemplate it. Sully, Alya, and Darian were once again involved in a conversation with Filarni. A disguise to get them past the Giants.

"I wanna be an Ogre," Grishelm whispered.

"How about a Bugbear?" Fiddle replied.

The two of them went back and forth about what to become. Eventually it was decided Filarni would make them Seem as undead Drow revenants. And Alya and Darian would be Drow acolytes of the White Banshee. They had 12 hours to get inside the city and place their potion.

Sully returned them to the pack lizards. The party hurried to the gate.

 

[diaglo]

The Ruined Drow City

As the party approached the sundered gate to the city, they noticed movement. Four Black skinned, red haired 12 foot dwarven-resembling Giants in helmets and blackened steel plate armor carrying heavy swords and a bag of rocks fanned out in front of the party.

"Lookie what we have here, boys," One of the brutes said in his native tongue. "Kurgoth will be happy." Only Fiddle registered the language.

"Uhhhhh," Fiddle moaned.

Darian and Alya quickly went to work negotiating passage into the city in Undercommon. It turned out the Giants and the Drow worshipping the White Banshee were enemies. The spider-kissers were dead or gone from the city. Fiddle's hunch about Hedrack and the Quaan started to make the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Alya convinced the Giants the party was switching sides. Two of the guards escorted them into the city to meet their leader, Kurgoth.

The party descended a slight slope and entered a fungi forest. Most of it was leveled. Dust and smoke hung heavily in the air. The place was lit by small or even large fires raging in the city. Around some of the fires humanoids danced or cavorted. Flecks of ash and cinder fell from the cavern ceiling too. And occasionally a creature was seen flitting thru the air. Smoke obscured much. And the stench of death and brimstone masked even the unwashed body odor of the Giants. Sully nodded that he could feel the faerzress.

The party fell in close formation. They passed the first in a series of bonfires occupied by a troop of goblins, ogres, and bugbears. They then entered the city proper. The buildings were a mix of rubble and debris. Bodies of drow and goblinoids littered the scene.

"Now," Darian shouted.

The party grabbed hands and vanished under the power of Sully's magic.

 

[diaglo]

A safehouse in Heck..

They broke to the right. The old right hand rule. And quickly ducked into an alleyway too small hopefully for the Giants to follow. Alya made the place silent too for safe measure. Behind one building and then another and then into a side street and then out onto the edge of a thoroughfare and then back into another alley after noticing a nearby bonfire. In. Out. Round. Up. Down. Thru. The party ducked and weaved thru the destroyed ruins of Maerimydra. Finally sound returned. They found a building and hunkered down to discuss the next move.

Fiddle pulled out his vial of Fresh Dragon blood while the others chatted. He buried it in the building and marked the wall above.

Fiddle was here. Domo Arigato.. Mr Roboto.. I'm Fiddle.

The party decided to cut back thru the fungi forest and seek the high ground. Perhaps the Drow were still there. The party needed to avoid the Giants. They took off in a scamper and made it to the bottom of a terrace. They were visible again, so Fiddle activated his medallion and went up to see if the coast was clear. It was. Almost. A nice estate burned off to the left 50 yards or so. Several goblins celebrated just inside the courtyard. Fiddle dropped a rope down to the others. Darian climbed. Soon everyone was up. They headed for a far corner and a set of stairs up to the next terrace. All the estates here were ruined. Drow bodies or heads were mounted on pikes. A tower was off to the left. A streak of black possibly blood ran into the building. The door was gone from its hinges. This would be a good place. But first make sure it was empty.