Banewarrens d20 (Angelsboi's party)

[diaglo]

The destroyed tower and death

From the Foyer, the party found two ways. One up and one down. They went down first. What they found was a cellar filled with crates and sacks. Inside were varieties of mushroom flour and spices. Enough food for an army for weeks. Plus the crates came in handy to use as barricades. Darian went back up to the main door and sealed it with a new spell from Lathander. A stone wall. Sully and Alya went up the other stairs after Fiddle checked for traps. The party then settled in for a good thorough search of the place for hidden treasures, doors, and magic.

The Faerzress was corrupt. It had been infiltrated heavily with necromantic magic. Sully came down with a few new potions and a scroll. An alchemical lab topped the tower and afforded a view of the city below. Some large ugly creature was leading a search their way. It was at the terrace.

Fiddle found a trapdoor in the cellar. It was very well hidden. He opened it.

"Who wants to go first?" Fiddle asked of Alya.

"Why, I think," Alya paused. "You do." He shoved Fiddle.

Fiddle caught himself and tumbled clear. He lit his lantern and looked around the tunnel. "All's clear," he shouted back up.

The others descended and Darian closed and latched the door behind. After a little travel they found a body at the base of a ladder. A dagger buried in the back of the cervical curve angled upwards. A young emaciated human girl. Darian checked for life. It was obvious none remained. Dead 3 days. He prepared it for proper burial. Fiddle climbed the ladder. He looked around. They were in an open courtyard. He tumbled out and got his bearings and then returned.

Vlad and Alya meanwhile had found another hidden tunnel. It was trapped. A blade just missed Fiddle as he tried to cross. He and Vlad took turns trying to jam the mechanism. They succeed after a few minutes. The new tunnel descended rather noticeably. And once again it led to a ladder. This one came up in the lower terrace. A building that looked just like a Large Spider, but it was in ruins was just across the way. Fiddle went again to check on things. Nothing. No easy way in from this side. And he didn't want to go to far away from his escape hole. So he returned.

"What now?" Darian asked.

The party argued and finally convinced Grishelm to become a goblin and go spy on one of the campfires. The others settled in and took care of the young girl's body.

When Grishelm returned the round of debates began anew. The drow obviously had the Black Grail. And the Giant army wanted it. Darian pointed out that the Giants were probably the Quaan. He also let slip a little of what he'd learned of the White Banshee while in Tilverton. And about a subplot of intrigue he'd arranged in case of trouble. Four days from now his church would scry the party if they could penetrate the Faerzress.

 

[diaglo]

Harp the Dire Packrat

Fiddle got bored. He began to think back on all that had happened recently. His thoughts drifted to Calrom's demise. Which led to him wondering about Mulebone and ... Banjo aka Marmaduke. This made Fiddle sad. Lonely even.

So he reached into his sack and pulled out a wheel of moldy cheese....

A few hours later, Fiddle was rewarded. A rat, larger than he, appeared. With some coaxing it accepted Fiddle's offer of cheese. And then his hand... and his friendship.

"I'll name you, Harp," Fiddle announced.


Tune in after Sunday to find out about the new adventures of Fiddle and Harp

 

[diaglo]

Bull's eye

Fiddle woke to a boot in his side. Darian headed to wake the others.

"What now?" Fiddle thought. He rolled over and drew his weapons.

Sully mumbled a spell.

Suddenly, Fiddle could see without the aid of light. A squat figure, a miniature giant, approached the camp. It made a clanging sound like metal chains dragging. The torn cloak it wore barely covered. Fiddle disappeared into the shadows and slowly crept around the thing. Everyone else was awake and armed now.

Sully mumbled another spell. "Hello, friend," the gnome said in Undercommon.

"Graunoine, aheud," the small giant replied.

"It's a dwarf," Grishelm hissed.

Fiddle made it behind the thing without much trouble.

"Fiddle?" Vlad screamed. "No"

Sully let slip that he had "made" a friend of the new visitor, Fextor Stoneblood. That was all Fiddle needed to hear. He started unloading the burden inside his Bag and Haversack. Soon the dwarf was outfitted in ton(ne)s of wealth. Nodwick Stoneblood would wear and thus easily carry out of the city much of the party's extra treasure. Alya cleaned the armor for the dwarf... in concentric rings on his chest. Besides this was the stuff the mind flayer wanted from the beholder anyway.

 

[diaglo]

Scouting Soiree

"So what do we do now?" Alya asked. "I propose a scouting mission. See if we can test the strengths of our enemies. I mean we have to wait for several more days anyway."

"I'll not be travelling with you," Darian retorted. "I plan to stay right here until this is all over and done with."

"Fine," Fiddle snapped. "You can play with the dead girl. Talk to her, will you?"

"I'll make us look like goblins," Sully cut off the debate.

The rest of the party and the new dwarf, Fextor, took the tunnel to the Spider Temple again. No change from before. They chose the Goblin fortress nearby. Goblin voices and at least one Giant could be heard. A bored patrol, just like Grishelm had said.

An Ogre stuck his head out and saw Bugbear-Vlad, Goblin-Fiddle, Goblin-Grishelm, and Goblin-Alya hanging near the door.

"The relief's here," the beast grunted in Giant over his shoulder.

A nasty, mean spirited goblin called out. "What took you so long?"

Alya quickly regained his composure and talked the patrol into vacating. The party settled into the new fortress unmolested. Alya and Redd stayed in the courtyard while the others went to explore.

 

[the Jester]

Ah, yes, there's nothing quite like sneaking through the middle of a drow-giant conflict.

 

[diaglo]

The inside of the fortress was a shambles. A large bonfire burned in the center of the courtyard. All of the available fuel was on the fire. What bits and scraps of stone and rubble strewn about the place were coated in a black dried smear of what could only be blood. The trail led inside the main structure. Small embers smoldered and reeked of death in the building. Sully cast a spell on the group. They could communicate when within range of the gnome.

In comparison to the other tower the party had come from this estate was probably less opulent in its earlier active days. The carvings, ruined and covered in graffiti now, must of once depicted a more menacing theme of drow dominance. Now they looked ridiculous.

Alya had, thru subtle inquiry from the previous guards, learned of the dead rising in the Spider Temple or from the surrounding plateau on more than one occassion. This was why the Giant's army didn't like being here.

Fiddle and Vlad checked the building for traps. Magical or mundane. No telling what the drow had left behind for the invaders. And no telling what the Giants had missed. The search led the party up to the top level. Several old expired or tripped magical wards were discovered. No problems there. But Fiddle nearly fell below into the kitchens when part of the floor gave. The fire damage was extensive. Fiddle eventually did find a partially burnt scroll, a prayer or possibly diary, in a private sanctuary or chapel. It begged for Lolth's return. The priestess must have lost favor with her Goddess.

Just then Redd yelped and Alya's voice sang out, "We've got company. The real relief is here with the guys we replaced."

 

[diaglo]

Plop plop fizz fizz oh what a relief it is

"Who are you?" the nasty goblin called out. "Who do you work for? Throw down your weapons and come out."

The Ogre and the Bugbears advanced into the courtyard. Redd ran into the building. Alya touched his forehead and appeared in the midst of the party. Sully already in pixie form called out a new word of magic. The party's actions seemed to increase while those outside of the area seemed slower. The rest of the party scrambled to find a defensible place to face the enemy. Grishelm exchanged missile fire with some of the goblins below. .

The nasty goblin whispered something to his troops. The Ogre and Bugbears entered the building. The Ogre visibly seethed with anger. Alya swore an oath and pelted the Giant with arrows. Vlad also fired a volley.

"Aaaaayyyy, ayyyy, ayyyy," Fiddle ran and leapt from the balcony of the top floor with Lightning Strike in front of him. He struck the Ogre from above. "Death from above." Fiddle continued to harry the Hulk.

Fextor also moved forward to block the stairway. Several Bugbears approached the dwarf. While the Ogre grabbed Fiddle and flung him to the floor. Sully saved Fiddle the fall with the use of magic. He followed this up with a blast of electricity. Some of the Bugbears went down. The dwarf and the Bugbear on the stair exchanged attempts to dislodge one another from the stairs. Grishelm and the goblins below continued to fire arrows and bolts.

A wall of howling wind appeared at the top of the stairs and all along the balcony. The nasty goblin had a few tricks of magic up its sleeves too. Alya sang out words of encouragement. Vlad pushed his way thru the wall. Fiddle rolled forward and struck the Ogre from below. Fextor hacked into the Ogre from above. It toppled. The Bugbear and the Nasty Goblin fled. The Bugbear on foot. And the Goblin in the air. Sully had already left the building. He fired off some of his magic into the Goblin. The Goblin’s magic failed and he plummeted. Grishelm added injury to insult.

Alya moved to the windows and finished the goblin. Vlad gave chase after the Bugbear. Fiddle began to collect his trophies. Sully also went after the Bugbear.

“I don’t suppose you have a better weapon?” Fextor asked Fiddle. “I like this axe, but against these brutes I need something with more blade.”

Fiddle dug into the bag and handed the dwarf the Half-Dragon’s blade. While Vlad and Sully were gone the party sorted themselves out.

 

[diaglo]

Bonfire of the vanities

"Troubles on the way," Sully said for all to still hear. "The Bugbear made it safely to a bonfire. I count at least 3 more Ogres and an assortment of Bugbears and goblins too. Vlad is somewhere behind me."

A few tense moments passed as Fiddle and the others moved to the gate.. Fextor-Hobgoblin stood in the entryway for all to see. Fiddle ducked into the shadows. Sully quickened everyone's pace with some magic. Alya sang a tune and focused the magic into one of his arrows. When the Ogres came in range he let fly.

Pixie-Goblin-Sully called on his own magic again. A ball of electricity exploded around the Ogres. They charged the gate. One without a weapon and in plain fear of something. Smaller figures closed in from the smoke and haze of the plateau from behind the Ogres. Bugbears and goblins. Grishelm, Alya, and probably Vlad-Bugbear, although no one could see him, fired a volley of missiles at the group. The goblins returned fire at Fextor.

The Ogres came in close. Fextor leapt at one of them in an attempt to climb up the things torso. He failed miserably and took a beating for it. He still managed to bring his sword around to return a blow. Fiddle hung back waiting for the Ogres to duck under the mantle and thru the gate. Alya cured the dwarf of some of his injuries. Grishelm fired away with his bow.

Sully laid down another ball of lightning, one of the Ogres fell. The other Ogre continued to run. The Bugbears closed into the fray with Fextor. Fiddle still hung back. Someone or something would soon taste Lightning Strike in their back. Fextor and the Bugbears exchanged blows. The dwarf swooned, but did not fall. Grishelm and Fiddle moved to take his place. They struck down one of the Bugbears. Alya made Fiddle disappear. Still the Ogre swung into the area. Fiddle wasn't fast enough to avoid the fore swing; however, he was carried clear of the backswing. Ouch. Vlad appeared at the edge of the battle with bow in hand. He fired into the melee. Another Bugbear fell.

Sully fired off some more of his magic. This time at a trio of goblin archers. They went up in flames. Fiddle tumbled between the Ogre's legs. One, Two, Three, Four, Five, ... Stick jab, slice. Fiddle made short work of the Ogre. It fell.

The last Bugbear ran back the way it had come. Vlad and Fiddle gave chase. At the same time Sully went after the last Ogre. He didn't have to go far. His flaming bolts tore the Ogre down. Fiddle ran up to, stabbed, and passed the Bugbear cutting him off at the stairs down to the city proper.

"You are mine," Fiddle cackled.

"Bring it," the Bugbear hissed . It drew a line in the sand and gestured for Fiddle to come closer.

Thump, Thump

Two arrows sprouted from the Bugbear's chest from behind.

"What took you so long?" Fiddle asked as Vlad appeared.

Vlad just smiled and shrugged.

 

[diaglo]

The Mind Flayer exacts his revenge

The party gathered back at the fortress. They decided they had done enough scouting and headed back to the tunnel. The trip back to the Tower was spent healing Fextor. The magic flowed into bringing the dwarf back to fighting prowess. Even Fiddle's wands got some use.

As Fiddle made his way into the basement and up thru the hatch, the hairs on the back of his head stood on end. Something was wrong. A quick look confirmed it. Darian and the dead girl were gone. Signs of a scuffle and the absence of an escape made Fiddle suspect magic. As if on cue a voice registered in the back of Fiddle's mind.

"I have your friend," the voice warned. "If you wish to see him again, bring me the Beholder's treasure to the Prison of Manzessine"

Fiddle looked around to see if anyone else had heard the voice. His first thoughts were of the mind flayer.

Vlad spoke up, "The mind flayer's got Darian."

"Curses foiled again," Fiddle thought to himself. "I won't get my revenge, but at least it serves him right. I hope they feast on his brain."

Debate once again took hold in the midst of the party. Should they rescue Darian. Should they continue scouting. Should they flee the city. Should they sit tight.

Eventually, Alya's sound reasoning won out. The bodies they left behind of the goblins, bugbears, and Ogres needed to be destroyed before the necromantic powers of the area brought them back to unlife. They would deal with the rest of the scenarios when that task was accomplished.

So with little magic and no cleric, the party once again headed back to the tunnel and the Spider Temple.

The trip was almost without incident. But as the party approached the fortress, some unsavory types were busy eating the dead.

 

[diaglo]

Gruesome undeath

"Hmmmmm, Brains," a deep voice called in Giant from inside the courtyard.

Sully made the party vanish. And one by one the party reappeared as they unleashed a barrage of arrows at the unholy humanoids. The ghoulish things ripped into the dead goblin's corpses. Vlad, Grishelm and Fiddle all let loose with their bows. Fextor charged to the courtyard only to find an Unliving Giant. Alya right behind him. The bard used a small trick behind the Giant. The Zombie slowly ambled towards the dwarf ignoring Alya's last magic.

Sully took to the air. An explosion of magic shook the courtyard. But the Zombie still stood.

"Brains," the Giant continued to mumble.

The ghouls ran for the fresh living bodies. Alya, Grishelm, Fiddle, and Vlad met them. One, two, three, ... and it only left the Giant.

Fextor didn't fare as well with the thing. They exchanged blows. And the dwarf bled anew.

Sully let his last bit of magic go. The Giant toppled.

Quickly the party set about burning all the bodies. The larger corpses were cut up into manageable pieces to carry to the flame. The Bugbear on the stair down to the plateau had been almost completely consumed by the ghouls. It took a few minutes, but the party was very efficient. They were once again down the tunnel.

The party planned again. This time they came to a quick decision. Rest, regain spells, leave the city under disguise, and then flee to Ashabenford by way of Sully's magic.

Erik in Ashabenford might be able to shed some light on the mind flayer's prison.