Banewarrens d20 (Angelsboi's party)

[diaglo]

Plane of Ooze

Fiddle landed with a meaty splat. He rolled over just in time to see Sully do likewise. He started to pick himself up when Dunnin joined the fun.

Fiddle touched his brooch and gained elevation out of the muck. Sully assumed pixie form and flight too.

Dunnin pointed to tracks. The party followed them with their eyes and saw Brother Heth take flight over a small rise about 30 ft in the air.

"Oh, no you don't," Sully commanded. He cancelled Heth's spell.

"AAaaarrrrgghhh," the distant cleric shouted and then SPpplllooooshhh.

Dunnin picked his away around the bowl the party was in. An ooze form began to follow. Sully pulled Fiddle after the dwarf in the air.

A gray mist covered the air. They were in a cold dismal swamp. A light filtered thru the mist. Nothing looked familiar nor quite right. No sign of Brother Heth when the party finally reached his landing area. They hurriedly continued to higher ground.

At one point Fiddle joined the Dunnin in the trek. They both leapt clear of a large sink hole. A river of green slime blocked their path. Sully pulled out a wand and gave Dunnin and Fiddle the power of flight. They flew across the slime and continued to look for signs of life. A few buzzing insects and mangled plants were the only things they found.

After a time they found a large stone pillar and a small pool of almost clear water. This seemed like the best place to wait for it was slightly elevated.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Never, ever separate the party.

... Back at the Chapel of St. Thessina, confusion reigned as the remaining party members couldn't figure out where Fiddle, Dunin, and Sully had disappeared to -- the assumtion that they'd either feather fallen down the gorge, or dimension doored away both proving false.

After exploring the remainder of the Chapel, and finding naught but the dwelling of the false priest, they decided to rest for a day so Darian could commune with Lathander, and perhaps find a way to rejoin their friends.

Meanwhile, back in the swamp ...

 

[diaglo]

Follow the yellow brick road

The swampy weather got to Sully. He had some experience for caring for himself in the wilds, but not like the 2 rangers. The damp conditions, poor light, resting state, and the temperature near freezing began to take its toll. Fiddle and Dunnin huddled in close to keep him warm.

"What happens in the swamp," Sully shivered "Stays in the swamp."

It also made it easier for Sully to cast an invisibility sphere on them if needed. A hour or so passed. Fiddle heard some crashing and splashing. A ragged human appeared. He was armed with a stick. He approached the pool under the pillar and drank.

Dunnin fanned out one way and Fiddle the other to surround him. Sully clapped his hands and appeared by the water.

"Hello," Sully began nonthreatening. "I come in peace."

The human jumped to flee. But soon gave up when he saw he was surrounded. "Don't hurt me. I'll go back to Oz. Raoul is just a slave."

"Oz?" Fiddle thought. "I bet there is a wizard involved. Probably some path paved in yellow gold bricks with flying monkeys and...." out loud he said. "We ain't in Aber-Toril anymore, Raoul. Are we?"

Dunnin shared food with Raoul to get him to speak. Raoul went on to explain all he could about the surrounding land. The stones they were forced to mine. Dunnin had one. The Pactlords, a group of slavers, were in charge of the swamp. Some strange figure named Father Claw was one of them. Other hazards like giant turtles, a dragon, and rivers of slime and so much more. He also told them about the Black Manor. He mentioned Oz several times. Fiddle realized it must be the name of Raoul's overseer.

After eating and talking, Raoul edged away from the group and fled into the swamp. Sully made an attempt to convince him to stay, but it seemed fruitless.

The party huddled again and decided to take turns on watch.

 

[diaglo]

The harpy slaver

A couple hours later Fiddle heard more splashing. He woke Sully. Dunnin was already awake. A group of human-sized figures crept towards the party's hideout. A flying bird woman with a nasty whip and even nastier disposition drove them on.

As they crawled near the side of a rim the earth and sludge erupted. A large turtle grabbed one of the slaves and dragged him under. The others ran faster to the pillar.

When they finally arrived they drank greedily. The bird woman swooped in and chased them away. She cackled at their fear. She landed and eased herself into the pool.

Sully had had enough.

He stepped forward and waved his hands. The birdwoman vanished. A single bone ring fell into the water. The slaves ran.

"Wait," Fiddle shouted. "We aren't with them."

Dunnin reached in and retrieved the ring.

"We can use that to contact Darian," Fiddle said. "I did it once to some guy named Hetrick."

Dunnin put on the ring. He looked into the pool and took a drink. His wounds healed. He then concentrated on the water. An image of a sack appeared.

"Darian," the party yelled.

Nothing happened.

"Oh, well," Dunnin said removing the ring. "It was worth a try."

 

[diaglo]

Aurora Borealis

The night well day really, it never got dark enough for night, was long. The three of them huddled close until their bones began to creak and it became too uncomfortable. They got up to stretch. By all of their reckoning it was the morning of a new day.

"The others will be here soon," Sully said.

"Hopefully," Fiddle replied. "Maybe the snakewoman ate them."

"Shhhh," Dunnin hissed. "Something's coming."

The party looked around. A vulture demon hovered in the air.

Sully gave the party flight with his wand and then made them invisible. They took off back to their original landing place. With any luck Darian had figured out a way to get the others here.

The vulture demon squawked. Maybe it sensed the party. Maybe not.

 

[diaglo]

Homeward bound

From on high, Fiddle saw the others finish off an ooze. Fextor helped Alya out of the mess.

"Need any help?" Sully yelled down.

"We've got company coming in the form of vulture demons," Dunnin told the others as he landed.

"Good," Darian said. "We are leaving. This is not our plane."

A dark figure appeared in the air and continued in the direction the Fiddle et al had just left. A cold feeling of dread came over the group.

Darian mumbled a prayer and pointed to a rift in the air. The party stepped thru...

And exited on top of a large sand dune in the middle of a vast desert.

"I think I can get us home from here," Sully said. "Wherever here is."

"Anauroch," Dunnin spoke up. "Or that would be my guess."

"And I can take the others with me," Darian filled in.

A few minutes later the party once again stood near the Rose Altar in Tilverton. Debate began anew about where to go from here. Darian excused himself and spoke with the High Priest. Fiddle and the others headed to the Windlord's Rest and Grimwold's Revenge to get cleaned up and liquored up.

 

[diaglo]

After party hangover

"Who left this sock in my mouth?" Fiddle mumbled.

He looked around for the others. Bodies and near empty tankards were scattered everywhere. He rummaged thru his things. Funds were getting low.

 

[diaglo]

An overcooked plan

The next morning the party headed to the Rose Altar to collect Darian. A crowd massed near the steps to the place. A rather tall, bald, tatooed man in Red stood with 20 or so Lathanderite guards. They were at an impasse. Alya strode forward to get the skinny.

"Well met," Alya said by way of introduction. "I am Alya Silverleaf. And you are?"

"Stay out of this," the Lathanderite guard captain barked. "He is a Red Wizard of Thay. And he is walking around uninvited and unescorted."

"Penderghast of Thay," the wizard replied to Alya ignoring the captain. "I come seeking a great wizard I heard could be found here."

"Wizard?" Alya perked up. "Perhaps, I can help you. I know most of the practitioners here in Tilverton. The name?"

"Very well," Penderghast sighed. "I hate backwater towns. If only so I can get out of here sooner. Any help you may provide will be much appreciated. I'm looking for Magister Ozlo Sullygrub."

Fiddle whispered to Sully. "I heard this guy was looking for Dragon eggs back in Ashabenford."

The Latharderites started to get restless. So Sully strode forward. "I'm Sully."

"I pictured you would be taller," Penderghast remarked. He pulled a scroll from his robe.

The guards jerked.

"Perhaps, we should do this someplace less threatening," Sully asked.

The Lathanderites wouldn't let them inside nor let them leave. Darian was summoned. After a show of disdain Darian finally agreed to be responsible for the Red Wizard. The party took him back to the Windlord's Rest to talk.

The Inn was empty but for a family with several rowdy kids. The parents ate and talked while the kids got up to play.

"I'm Fiddle Skipstone," the little boy shouted as he chased his sister. "Alya, you are dead. You get to be a kobold now."

The scroll was a recipe from Spugnoir. Penderghast wanted to know about the spell Sully created. The two of them quickly got into the hows and whyfors of cooking and spells to enhance meals.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

You haven't succeeded as an adventurer until you have groupies.

 

[diaglo]

Happy trails

"We are in a Rube.." Alya started to say.

"BREEYARK," Fiddle completed. "That's goblin for Hey, Rube."

The party needed to go to point X so they could get an object Y to complete task Z and then on to AA.

Sully, Alya, and Chloe took off on the fact finding mission while Fiddle, Vlad, and Fextor got back to drinking. Darian left for the Rose Altar. WHo knew where Dunnin was.

After several hours and many beers, Fiddle slumped over on the table. Later that evening Sully woke him to ask about some scales he was given.

"Half dragon, Half elf," Fiddle said. "Where'd you get 'em?" He passed out again before he heard the reply.