Banewarrens d20 (Angelsboi's party)

[diaglo]

Knock, knock

The party covered nearly the entire city. They went from collapsed front gates thru the mushroom fields, down the ruined alleyways of the city proper, up onto the nobles' terrace, down to the lake, back into another mushroom field, and to the very back entrance to White Castle. The fires were low around the Coliseum and barely burning at the front of White Castle. Kargoth and his army would not last much longer.

No sign of the drow resistance the party had allied with before. Fiddle told everyone the password again. They all doubted it would still work. Even Fiddle knew it, but it was the only bit of information he had to offer.

The party approached the back door. The way they had entered the last time inside White Castle. It appeared to Fiddle from the tracks that patrols still used this door.

Alya stepped forward....

A blinding flash of light and a stumble followed by a manical cackle from Alya. Some trap had claimed him. A symbol blurred on the door.

"You have chosen poorly," a male drow said from behind the door.

"Only the penitent man shall pass," Fiddle whispered.

Arrows fired out from the guards and battle was joined.

Fiddle ran forward and disarmed the trap. He saw a whole room full of guards and one strange figure, an obvious caster.

"For Tyr," Marcus yelled and bounced off the door.

Ozzy disintegrated the door and part of the wall. The caster unleashed on the party with a ball of fire. The guards followed with a volley of arrows. Vlad returned fire. Fextor tackled Alya. Chloe hung back with Pony, the doorway was too crowded.

Fiddle tried to enter the room using the password. He was thrown back. He recovered and stood defensively. The drow laughed. Marcus backed Fiddle up by blocking the other side of the doorway.

"Let me dispel the magic," Sully said. The magic fizzled. "Blast. It didn't work. I'll try again."

The caster hasted his men. And more arrows sailed into the party. Vlad returned fire. Fextor manacled Alya and beat him unconscious. Chloe healed Fiddle.

Fiddle again stood vigilant. Once Ozzy dispelled the magic he would cut the drow to very small pieces. Marcus likewise waited. Ozzy tried again and failed.

Several bolts of magic struck Fiddle. "Oh, he is going to pay for that," Fiddle thought. "Where is that brooch when you need it. Ozzy. Ozzy is wearing it."

One drow ran from the room. Another volley of misses. Vlad fired again. Fextor tied Alya over Pony's back. Chloe healed Fiddle.

"We need to do something," Marcus said. "Our chances of surprise are ruined. And it may not be wise to enter now."

Sully cast a wall of acidic fog into the room. The drow screamed but were obscured from view.

After a few moments pause, the party retreated back into the city to discuss strategy.

 

[diaglo]

No rest for the weary

Chloe and Fiddle covered the party's scent and tracks with magic. They found a good defensive position in one ruined building. The building was mostly whole with a roof and two door openings. Fiddle used another spell to warn him of approaching enemies. Ozzy likewise danced around the perimeter of the building. Ozzy's spell was more effective versus living intruders. After the watches were established. Ozzy sent her familiar to hang out near the back door of White Castle. Ozzy had a bat.

A few hours later, Fiddle and the party awoke to the alarm except Alya and Pony.

WWWwwwwwhHHhhhOOoooooPPppp

They grabbed their weapons and...

Three of the nasty ghouls entered the building. They slapped Vlad and Fiddle. Fiddle returned the favor. Stab, stab, slice, slice, stab, slice. Mire flesh wounds all. Sully blasted the same ghoul. Large hunks of flesh vanished, but it still remained. Fextor waded into combat naked against the other two. He attacked with his axe. Marcus of Tyr and Vlad also joined the melee. Vlad chopped with his axe. Marcus called on Tyr to guide his blade and help Fextor. Chloe called out to Nature for aid.

The most injured ghoul tried to attack Fextor from his exposed backside. Vlad and Fiddle cut it to pieces. The other ghouls hammered Marcus and Vlad. Fiddle moved into a better position to help his friends and protect the unconscious Alya. He stabbed into a ghoul and distracted it. Sully blasted it. The magic sailed wide and destroyed a large section of wall right behind Marcus of Tyr. Fextor chopped again, followed by Marcus and Vlad. Another ghoul crumpled to the ground. Chloe's call was answered by 3 wolves. They attacked the ghoul while Chloe healed the wounded Vlad.

The ghoul lunged at Marcus. Fiddle, Fextor, Vlad, and Marcus soon had it in pieces. Sully cast invisibility on Fiddle.

Fiddle went to check for other trouble. He found another pack of the ghouls not too far away. When he got back to report the party had sorted out their site again. This time they took even more precautions. They needed the rest otherwise Chloe would never get Alya back to health.

 

[diaglo]

Old habits die hard

Fiddle reminded everyone of the demon fever the ghouls carried. Marcus cured the injured. A few uses of his wand and a dabble or two from Chloe and the party was whole again.

Nothing else bothered them. On the last watch Ozzy got a message from the bat. She quickly told the others the new password. T'ssarran.

A reapplication of a few spells later and the party set off again for White Castle. This time they would assault the upper level. The heights of the place. The dangling Tower. But Alya reminded everyone of the Balor and Vrocks. So just for safety's sake they went invisibly, silently, and flew with the expenditure of one of Ozzy's many wands.

The tower had bars. Fextor swung awkwardly with his axe and barely made a mark. So he leaned back and really put his back into the blows. The bars fell free and plummetted to the cavern below.

Alya removed the cone of silence.

"T'ssarran," Fiddle whispered and tumbled into the room. No traps. He waved to the others.

One by one everyone entered. All but Pony. The Large lizard got the shock of its life because it could not say the password. It scurried to the side of the window and decided to stay attached there. Fiddle assumed it could climb on the ceiling and would eventually find a way down.

Fiddle pulled out his maps. He mentioned what the next rooms held and what they had fought. Khumarr had left White Castle with the party in a body bag last time so it left the question of who replaced him in the chain of command.

The party climbed the stairs, scouted the next level, searched the rooms, meandered around the entryway, and eventually decided they must face off again in the temple room against the priestess and her monk, assassin, vampiric lover/bodyguard. So up to the next level they went.

At the top of the stairs Marcus of Tyr met a bastion of evil. An undead blood-sucking demon with four arms the size of an Ogre. The demon laughed when Alya tried to convince it the party was meant to be here.

 

[diaglo]

One down, two to go

Chloe tossed some diamond dust on Marcus and mumbled a phrase. Fiddle launched his dagger, Ice. It struck the Demon. Marcus charged forward and engaged the creature. It battered him as he closed. His sword struck flesh. Vlad also sprang forward, hacked, and sprang aside. Alya sang. Fextor and Ozzy tried to join the battle. It was a task to avoid all of the bodies. Ozzy cast a few bolts of magic. Handle tailed Ozzy.

Chloe tossed more dust this time onto Fextor. Fiddle closed the distance. The demon swung over his head. He stabbed with no visible effect. The demon attacked Marcus. It knew Fiddle could do nothing to it. Marcus called on Tyr and chopped again and again. Vlad darted past with another swing. Alya tried a volley of arrows. Fextor struck out with his Greatsword. Ozzy tried more bolts of magic.

Chloe called on nature for assistance. The magic failed. Fiddle stabbed, slashed, stabbed, slashed, stabbed, and slashed. He did nothing. The demon wailed on Marcus and tried to stare at Ozzy. Marcus once more called on Tyr. His next series of blows brought the demon down.

The party let out a big sigh of relief. They had little time to think. Fextor opened the door to the temple. A not to different sight from the last time they visited. The priestess and the vampire were inside. The altar was still destroyed, but the walls showed improvement.

 

[the Jester]

Can you post everyone's class and level please?

Seems like you guys are getting pretty powerful...

 

[diaglo]

Can you post everyone's class and level please?

Seems like you guys are getting pretty powerful...

Fiddle Skipstone: lightheart/strongfoot halfling male Rogue 4/ Ranger 6/ Dragonslayer (Homebrewed PrC) 4
Chloe Hartspur: half-elf female Druid 14
Ozzy formerly Ozlo Sullygrub(Sully): strongheart female Sorcerer 13
Alya Silverleaf: deep halfling male Bard 10/ Arcane Archer 4
Vlad Greycloak: human male Rogue 7/ Fighter 6
Fexter Stoneblood: shield dwarf male Ranger 1/ Fighter 5/ Monk 2/ Justiciar 5
Dunnin Anvilgate: shield dwarf male Rogue 6/ Ranger 7
Darian Dawnguard: human male Fighter 2/ Cleric 6/ Morninglord of Lathander 5

former PCs now NPCs still alive:
Marcus of Tyr: human male Paladin of Tyr 12 or so
Richter Belmont: human male Fighter 4/ Cleric of Kelevmor 6 or so/ Hunter of the Dead ?
Erik: human male Fighter ? / Rogue ?

former PCs now confirmed dead:

Valgrim
Calrom

former PCs now NPCs lost in the world fate unknown:

Arendel human female Druid 12 +
Alrissian elf male Archer Ranger
Erin human male Monk / Sorcerer of the Old Way
Elwood human male Bard
Pepto halfling female Rogue
Bernie human female wizard
Veridian elf male Rogue / Fighter

and a bunch more NPCs who died with the party and were brought back or left dead. but they were NPCs to start and remained so. this doesn't include the majority of the first party slain by the drow. (Bartol, Thane, Ulfgar)

 

[diaglo]

Vaporous Vampire

"I told you, Mistress," the vampire hissed.

"They will show me proper respect this time," the priestess purred. "Kill them."

Ozzy reacted first. She quickly sped up the party's actions with magic. Fextor winked at Fiddle. He then ran forward and tackled the priestess. Vlad and Fiddle followed suit. They surrounded the wrestlers and stabbed at vulnerable spots.

The priestess struggled to be free. Nothing doing. The vampire got angry. He stared at Vlad. "Kill the dwarf."

Alya tried to counter the vampire's influence with song. He failed. Chloe also tried to call for aid. The magic failed. Something about the place prevented summoning. Marcus engaged the vampire.

Ozzy placed a barrier behind the vampire to prevent it from fleeing. Fextor dragged the priestess away to a closet all the while pounding on her. Fiddle stabbed her again. He followed them. And stabbed again and again and again and again and...Vlad chased Fextor. He stabbed the dwarf. Some of the injuries were protected by the diamond dust. The priestess tried for freedom again. It earned her another beating. The vampire fought back against Marcus. The diamond dust was still effective.

Alya snapped Vlad out of his stupor. Chloe joined the battle. Marcus hacked at the vampire.

Ozzy fired off some magic at the vampire. It fizzled. Fextor moved to the closet. Fiddle and Vlad ended the struggling drow's life. Fiddle and Vlad closed on the vampire.

"I have failed you, Mistress," the vampire moaned. It became gas.

The party tried to attack the gas. Ozzy even cast another barricade. But it all failed as the gas seeped into the floor and was gone.

 

[diaglo]

"We must hurry," Fextor said. "He is sure to get reinforcements and alert the rest of the Castle to our presence."

Fiddle and Vlad checked the only door they hadn't opened before. The one the priestess had escaped thru their last visit. It was free of traps. And it wasn't locked. Fiddle opened it. A corridor with a big ball of flame in the center. How far it stretched no one could see because of the flame.

When no one made a move to do anything else Fiddle shrugged his shoulders and entered the hallway. He approached the ball of flame.

"It's not real," he thought. "It's not..."

A ball of gas spewed out of the flame and engulfed Fiddle. He held his breath and exited back thru the door.

"I don't feel so well," Fiddle choked. His eyes burned and his body started to shake. His health deterioated almost instantly. Chloe stepped forward and cast several spells on him. He regained his colour.

"Poison," Chloe said in the end. "A very nasty poison."

Ozzy dispelled the ball of fire. Behind it was a large metal structure. Not too unlike ones the party had fought in the Spirals. A metal golem. But this one was larger and denser.

"No way around it," Alya noted.

"I'll get us by," Fextor claimed. He spit in his hands and grabbed his axe. Three steps into the hallway and the golem spewed more gas. Fextor swung his axe. It left not even a scratch. He backed away.

"Well that didn't work," Vlad remarked.

A few moments later, Fextor coughed up blood. Fiddle gave him an antitoxin. Chloe went to his side. It was too late. The dwarf fell over dead.

 

[diaglo]

Melted dreams

"I've got an idea," Ozzy chimed. She pulled out a wand, aimed for the golem, intoned the command words, and waited with the others to see the results.

A glob of acid struck the golem. It hissed and dissolved a little of the thing. Fiddle followed up with a flask of acid. A little more of the metal gone. Ozzy called her acid fog into place. Minutes passed. The party put the stripped drow priestess and the demon's bodies into the fog. When it lifted the golem was still there. It was gonna take more than they had it seemed.

Fiddle hurled some more acid and Vlad too. Ozzy used more fog. More minutes. And still the thing stood. But it wouldn't for much longer.

Fiddle ran out of flasks. And Ozzy contemplated the wand, but went with the fog again.

The last fog worked. It was nearly 40 minutes since the party had fought the vampire. They crossed the hallway to another door. Fiddle checked it. Unlocked and trap free. He opened it.

Bad to worse it seemed.

 

[diaglo]

Crowded thoughts

Looking inside the evil cave cocoon Fiddle saw a massive black sphere with a bony temple curving up around one half of it coming to a point. He figured out the cocoon was outside of the Forbiddance. He asked Chloe to summon a critter to test his theory. It worked, but the raccoon died when it came to Chloe at the door. Fiddle asked Marcus to use the
sword to look at the place. The paladin described another spiral. He also said he saw no hidden monsters at first. Ozlo went to study an area for an hour just to the right of the entrance. During that time a voice contacted her. She told the others. Marcus and Fiddle followed as protection. Marcus used the sword to see. Chloe summoned a unicorn as backup. The others looked for entrances to the temple. They found none. The voice promised Ozlo a way in "For a price". Marcus reported seeing a ghostly knight on a nightmare stick its head out. Alya searched the temple wall. A blast of energy washed over him and an archway appeared. We decided to teleport back to the Rose altar. Fextor, Chloe, and Alya went first. The teleport required a lot out of Ozzy to overcome the faerzress.
When Ozlo teleported back to the temple cocoon she missed, twice. First she was outside the underground ocean near the Giants. Then she was on top of a ziggarut with Blipdoolpoop on top. An army of fishmen prayed to it below. Ozlo 'disappeared' and shouted out "The great Goddess commands you to attack the Drow!" in draconic. Then used her last teleport, successfully, to return to the Rose altar.
In Tilverton Alya identified some items after the head priest booted us out till morning. So we rested 8 hours. Vlad, Marcus of Tyr,and Fiddle figured out they were not getting saved, so they moved to the Anti-Paladin's bedroom in the hanging tower (near where we came in through the observation deck) They barricaded the door with furniture. In the morning some voices in Undercommon pounded and tried to break in the door. Potions were used for darkvision and alter self. - into Drow. Then two drow were let in. The bluff was: The Anti-paladin had lost his voice (Marcus could not speak Drow) The two drow clerics bought it - and then were killed. The three went back to the Evil Temple.
Ozlo succesfully teleported back to the temple, turned invisible , got blasted by the forbiddance when looking for the others and found the three survivors in Drow form. They were pretty obvious. Then all four teleported back to the Rose Altar where Alya was restored and Fextor raised. The rest of the day the whole team rested and figured out what to do. They also caught up with Verd. Some people in the sewers, giant crocs ate some little guy, and a guy in purple
cloak...
In the morning the party went back to the Temple via teleport - this time with Alya inspiring competence every time. For a better chance at success Ozzy used the headband instead of the cap. The spellcasters went first, who had a better chance of survival. Fiddle and Chloe were brought to the temple. Three drow revenant priestess guards, 2 of which Fiddle and Vlad had killed the day before, were there and combat began. Ozlo and Alya teleported back only to end up on the Underdark bridge with
some ogres nearby (where we charmed the Giants near Shadow?dale). Then they made it back to the Altar. Fextor, Vlad, and Marcus were picked. Ozlo tried to teleport them back to the combat at the temple. SPLASH! There were sinking fast in dark water. Darkvision was cast, and Ozlo turned into a Nixie. Marcus almost died this time. During this time Fiddle and Chloe finished off the three guards.
Then the other 5 went to a multi-level chamber with tubes up and down - a beholder's lair. All magic was suppressed during the stun phase. The beholder combat went on awhile, but Ozlo hurt it pretty good with some scintillating spheres. I think she actually killed it. During the battle Fextor was lost down one of the tubes so he went exploring. (smashed some statues he found). So long had passed the other combat at the Temple was forgotten about. The beholder's lair was explored and looted. Some gold bars and gems plus a wand. THis took a good hour or more. Alya was out of inspire's by this time, but Ozlo actually teleported the everyone back to the temple at long last. Finally, the team entered the Temple. Fiddle paid the toll price this time opening the door again. Inside was a ghost. The mire sight of the ghostly knight caused Alya and Ozlo to be drained considerably. The others reacted and scared away into the floor. As it departed the party got blasted with a horrid wilting feeling. Chloe mass healed everyone. Two rooms were explored. A door to the basements was
found, but not gone through. Instead the team went up the stairs. Second floor was wierd. The room was split 1/2 way in 1/2 by a wall behind the stairs.
Behind it was a medusa. She turned out to be a he. Lots of combat here with the medusa killed
in the end. Only Marcus, Fiddle, and Fextor involved due to the medusa casting a wall of force. At one memorable point a shadowdancer Drow popped into the room, but immediately turned to stone before it could sneak attack
- hilarious pose. A few minor magics recovered.
Two bedrooms were found in the 2nd level - one for each of our foes. Maybe a kitchen. On one side of the 1/2 wall behind the
stairs a murky portal led to another realm. Marcus could see it with True Seeing. Another plane. 3rd level was richly decorated, but no magic or monsters. A triptych showed three female foes we might
meet - none were I-Ray who we heard about earlier. Fiddle ran back down
and explored the portal - he could float on the other side. On the
4th floor Marcus and Fextor said it was cold - but not really. It was
Negative Energy effect draining the life from those exposed. Alya was Death Warded and went exploring. Levels 4-6 had a piece of the inner walls cut out. The massive Negative Energy Sphere was built into the side of the Temple. 4-6 all had
Negative damage area effects. Alya was immune and kept heading upward. The level got smaller and smaller until the point at the top.The top had an archway bricked up - maybe a flying entrance now sealed?
One level down from the top Alya ran into the spirit of the Drow Priestess we had killed before. She had
come for revenge. It Wailed like the Banshee. Only Alya was still warded. She ran down back to the party and kept on going.
But we remembered the 2nd ghost on the 1st level. The team went through the murky portal and into the Ethereal Realm. Marcus had pointed this out in the beginning - a 2nd temple in the Ethereal realm mirrored the 1st - only it hung upside down from the ceiling.
Gettiing progressively bigger and bigger as you go up. Flying up through holes in the ceilings, the Team went one floor up
(3rd floor). Beyond the negative energy field was in effect. Alya scouted again. She ran all the
way up to the 6th level, maybe farther. She was still under effect of the neg energy field so maybe 6th. On that level was a
very small room with a door. She opened it setting off a trap - Prismatic Spray. A red bolt hit and burn him. Inside the door was a vast bony temple in the Ethereal Realm. On a throne was the sole occupant - the drow priestess who was in the middle of the triptych picture - with a skull in one hand and a skull mask over her face.
Alya ran back down to the team. Then gave her report. Fextor thought we could take her alone in the room.
Ozlo was given a Bear's Endurance bringing her back up to normal health for the time being. A minute later they ran through the neg. energy effect. Back at the door Fiddle found no trap. He moved to open it. Fextor flew back at
the hole in the floor. He was the only one unaffected as the Prismatic Spray went off again.
Fiddle avoided a blast of electricity only to be turned to stone, Alya was turned to stone, Vlad was turned
to stone, and Chloe was turned to stone. The red beam hit Ozlo and burned her. And Death poison killed Marcus of Tyr. The
neg energy was still hurting Fextor and Ozlo. They had to think fast. Ozlo decided to teleport - ANYWHERE! One problem however. You can only bring what you can carry. The four statues would have to stay. Fextor deadlifted the paladin's dead body with the Sword of Truth on it and Ozlo teleported back to the Rose Altar - only they are still Ethereal.