Eldeen reaches

[megamania]

ELDEEN REACHES
SEGMENT 008
11/08/09
“Trail of The Lost People”

THERENDOR 27 997

Having come into town to collect their money from the Dire Boar Hide Leaffa walks to the Healer’s Office. She talks to Kato briefly about things in life before leaving. She is slightly depressed, as she has decided to free Ash of her commitment to her. The Animal Companion neighed its feelings to her then looked to the open fields of the foothills and ran to join other wild horses.

Piik has begun retelling his story of how he killed the three barghests. Each retelling of it has fewer allies helping him do it. Gilfer considers correcting him but every time to motions to add to the story the bugbear includes his gallant efforts while leaving out the fear effects.

Things seem peaceful once more.

A lone man with haunted looking eyes is drinking in the corner. He is listening to the bugbear’s story with limited interest. Piik finishes when he gutted the GREATER barghest in a single swing of his battleaxe. The man snorts.

Gilfer turns and looks at the man. “Do you have something to add?”

“Where were you when my village was taken?”

“Taken?”

“Taken during the night by kidnappers.”

“Sounds like the treacherous Drow of Xen’drik. Now those people are something to fear. Did I ever tell you about my time in the Guar’fectra Jungle of the lost continent?” Sir John asks as he leans back and pulls out his pipe.

“This is no story of fancy old man.” Snarls the man. “My friends and family were taken in the night. Few of us remain.”

“Sounds like they need our help.” Says Leaffa as she walks in.

“By the heat of the eternal flame! Leaffa. Welcome and well met.” Says Arkoose.

Task rolls his eyes.

“What happened your village exactly? I didn’t hear the story.” Asks Leaffa as Sir John locates a bottle of her favorite wine and pours her one glass.

“It began a short time ago. The outlining homes of the village were the first targets. Oxen were taken then the pigs. People looked for the cause but found nothing. Then the people began to disappear. Taken from their beds at night.”

“Someone should do something about it” offers Gilfer (not meaning themselves)

“That someone can be us.” Offers Leaffa.

Both Piik and Gilfer stop in mid drink and stare.

“Oh well done!” exclaims Sir John. “I wish I could go. In my youth I would have taken on the Barghests AND this new threat at the same time. Heh… in my youth I did face multiple threats at once. Especially in the Military.”

“Then it is set, We leave tomorrow.” Declares Leaffa.

The next morning comes and Leaffa has prayed for a new Animal Companion. Not her horse but something that can defend itself and fight as well. Shortly after leaving the town they come across a berry bush field and spot a medium Black Bear. It looks at her and gives a gentle “Moargh” sound and lumbers up to her. She pats its snout and talks to it even as the Shifter and Bugbear begin to place their weapons back. “Looks like we have a bear to travel with.” Says Gilfer.

“If it dies in battle- can we eat it?” asks Piik (only half- joking)

Based on the instructions given by the shaken man, it will be a two-day trip to reach the valley he once lived in. It is located in the foothills by the mountains. This section of mountains are very tall and almost cliff like. Sir John mentions the Harpies of Droaam live near there. He is fairly certain it is on the Droaam side of the mountains but after a few uncertain moments and memories he reassures them that they live only on the Western side of that section of mountains.

They follow a road that the man used. It is not an Orien road so it is rough and at points washed out. They stop and camp in a cusp of trees near the road but far enough away to avoid drawing attention to themselves. They eat their bread and dried ham (dire boar) washed down with water. It’s not much but it will do. Paw, the new animal companion of Leaffa, enjoys the last of the berries she had gathered and saved to share. The bear doesn’t share and growls at Piik when he tries to take a few. Piik decides that yes, if the bear somehow has an accident he will eat it.

On the second day they reach the valley where the people are being taken at night.

 

[megamania]

Something my son has told me may interest some one.

He is obviously having a good time playing Gilfer and has been talking to his 5th grade science teacher about it. Turns out the teacher used to play himself.

So of course my son wants me to print out the adventure thus far to give to him. I think I will.

 

[megamania]

ELDEEN REACHES
SEGMENT 009
11/08/09
“Valley of Green Thorn”

“The people are staring at us.” Whispers Piik.

“Not us…. You.” Answers Gilfer

Piik sneers at the next person to stare at him. They quickly busy themselves and then outright move on. The trading post they have walked to seems to be the closest thing to a village within Green Thorn Valley. There is a tradehouse, a mill that grinds grain and a pavilion. Leaffa notices a small simple shrine to Boldrei, the god of the hearth and community.

“The pavilion seems to have a message board within it. Maybe we can learn something there.” Offers Leaffa.

“This is not a village. It has to have a tavern or place to eat and drink to be a village.” Sputters Piik looking around.

“I know Eldeen is not your native home but this is typical. Small hamlets where farmers, hunters and trappers come to trade goods- not live.” Says the shifter as he notes a wanted poster of a shifter from Aundair. “Geth…..” he reads but moves on to other notices (DM NOTE: another key character from the Bassingthwaite series that originated at the other end of the mountains the kids are starting at A good story by the way).

Piik nods his head. Leaffa and Gilfer look in the direction he pointed at and see three men walking over. Two have long sticks that could double as quarterstaffs and one has a pitchfork. They look grim.

“What are you doing here?” asks the man with the pitchfork. He is a tall and strong looking man. One used to working hard all day at the mill. The other two look like younger versions of him. Perhaps his sons.

“We have learned that your area is having problems. Animals and people being taken during the night. If so we wish to help if we can.” Offers Leaffa as non-aggressively as possible.

“And why would you do this for a group of strangers?”

“Because we can.”

“There is no reward.”

“We didn’t ask for one.”

The man stares at them for a few moments before grunting. He motions for them to follow him to his mill. The two younger men allow the group to pass then follows. They are obviously uncertain of the Bugbear and equally concerned about the bear.

The man directs them to a table and several stools. He offers them chilled water from a stream that powers his mill. He looks around in cupboards and shelves for something to offer to eat. Finding nothing he pulls out a folded up cloth with a small handful of nuts. He offers them even though it may be his only meal while working. Gilfer and Leaffa hold off. Piik takes a few nuts but finds his sharper teeth do not crush nuts well within his mouth so he only has the few he first picked up.

“A few weeks ago the Sherman farm was first stolen from. Some animals were taken. They tried to track it but lost the trail as it entered the mountains. Then the Parkipens lost their prized oxen and some blankets the misses made.” While telling his tale he looks down to the floor. He is weary and possibly even fearful of the events he is revealing.

“The first person taken that we can confirm is the Chanean boy. From what his parents can tell he left on his own accord which makes little sense. The boy wouldn’t walk off in the middle of the night like that.”

Leaffa listens carefully. She takes great interest in the story. Especially the taken animals whom she feels she is a sworn protector for.

“Seems everyone on the southern side of the valley has had something or something taken. People are afraid and some are talking about leaving their homes and farms.”

“Do you know what or who is taking them? You mentioned tracks that could not be followed once in the mountains. What kind of tracks?” asks Gilfer.

“Wide booted tracks. Sized like a dwarf’s. All of the tracks lead out of town on a road that leads into the mountains where there are many old caves and ruins. We avoid the area for fear of what lives within the caves. Could you search the area for our missing people and their Oxen? We have little to offer but rumors have it that the ruins have items of value within them. Things adventurers like yourselves would find useful.”

“We’ll try.” Answers Leaffa.

 

[megamania]

ELDEEN REACHES
SEGMENT 010
11/08/09
“The Road to The Mountains”

“With tracks like these how could they NOT follow them?” gripes Piik.

“Cowards or did they not tell us the whole story?” adds Gilfer while following the oxen tracks on the dirt road.

“I sense ill feelings. What is wrong guys?” asks Leaffa.

“Why are we doing this? I feel so …. Used.. If I don’t get to squish something soon I will go crazy.” Grumbles the bugbear.

“You did kinda get us involved without asking us. And Piik is right. These tracks are too easy. Why didn’t they do something about it on their own?”

“They are simple farmers…. Not warriors.” Retorts Leaffa in defense of the victims.

Piik snorts and shrugs his shoulders.

They walk on through the afternoon in silence. They stop for a late lunch by a stream. While eating their bread, cheese and dried dire boar jerky they hear birds cry out and fly into the air. Suspicious of this, they put their food away and draw weapons. They look across the field but see nothing.

Gilfer spots a large hole in the tall grass and points to it.

They go to it and see nothing. Piik peers over the edge but sees nothing. Gilfer “pretends” to motion to push him in. Piik is not impressed and Leaffa has the look of growing impatient with their child-like antics. The bear, Paw, sniffs and gives a low growl that Gilfer misses as he now leans over the edge and suggests they check it out. He stands upright to say something smart to the bugbear when a chitinous long claw reaches out to attempt to grab his leg. Gilfer leaps away in surprise and the creature feels around trying to locate the shifter..

Piik shouts out and attacks it. The bear attacks and Leaffa prepares to call up allies while Gilfer switches from sword to dagger form and attacks from ten feet away. The large cockroach-like creature (Ankheg) is overwhelmed by them as they attack it half in and half out the borrow.

Defeated it slumps back into the hole- dead.

Gilfer seriously considers going into the hole to explore. Thinking about his size vs. the size of the tunnel Piik passes. Leaffa reminds him that they have a mission to complete. Gilfer climbs down onto the creature and peers into the hole but the bulk of the beast blocks the passage. Disappointed, he climbs out and the resume lunch.

Eventually they spot the branch in the road that the miller had told them of. They go to it and find the small cabin that once belonged to the Trevor family. This family and their animals were all taken in the night weeks ago. They set up camp within the cabin and look for clues.

Little is found.

There was no struggle, no fight, and no signs of anything but abandonment. It is very strange and a bit eerie as nightfalls.

Leaffa uses the few healing spells she knows on Gilfer and her bear whom the large insect creature had struck. She meditates briefly and knows in the morning her used spells will be returned to her due to her faith and connection with nature.

 

[megamania]

ELDEEN REACHES
SEGMENT 012
11/08/09
“Entrance to the Ruins within the Mountain”

They follow the tracks of the oxen the next morning along the road, which is becoming muddier as they enter the foothills and finally the rockier and steeper mountainside.

There are fewer trees and many more loose and large boulders here. Signs of washouts of springs in the past.

The road has followed a tumbling creek for most of the day. Leaffa hints at the first reason to be here besides aiding the kidnapped people and animals. She hopes to locate something magical to use. A Longbow especially. Gilfer hopes for something useful also. Piik wants the dark skinned dwarves.

The stream crosses the road. Blanks and cut trees have been placed over the muddy area that surrounds the stream. Clear signs of oxen can be seen here. It appears the dwarves allowed the oxen to rest here and get a drink. Several piles of dropping line the area in lines suggesting the animals drank here. The road turns to the right and follows the mountainside. However, there are disturbed rocks in the stream suggesting something was in the water recently. There are no oxen tracks in the road. All three follow the stream with their eyes and sees it comes from a pool at the base of a large rock. Thick vines drape down from the rock onto the water.

They walk into the knee-deep water to the vines. Leaffa checks them to be sure they are normal vines and not something dangerous. She lights her torch and they go in.

The ripple of the water echoes gently within the cavern. The water curves to the left about fifty feet in. They move in with purpose and caution. The stream deepens and pools ahead of them. A small sandy island is within the pool. Signs of the oxen treading across it are obvious. They move up and look around. A gravel filled walkway lead up. As they look Gilfer suddenly can not see clearly. Leaffa calls out also.

“What is happening?!? Yells a stunned bugbear.

Even as their vision becomes less clear something begins to drop from the ceiling and lands on them. It is like a thick rubbery towel only it then begins to constrict as Leaffa discovers. She wrenches the offending thing away. It is still somewhat dark like wearing a cloth over one’s eyes. She can see everyone, including Paw, has something attached to his or her heads. Piik easily rips it away and throws it to the ground. Whatever it is, it begins to levitate then swirl through the area and make several attempts to land on the bugbear again. Paw roars in frustration then tears his assailant apart with his sharp claws.

Gilfer rips one free and while still grappling with it another spins onto his head. It muffles his shifter curses. Piik has visions of the manacles and suggests he use the axe to remove the creature while it still rests on the soul knife’s head. A muffled yell of “no! wait” can be faintly heard. Faint enough it could be easily missed thinks Piik.

Leaffa runs away the area where these creatures (Darkmantles…the new piercers for 3e) are active. Her torch has gone out so she can see much. She sees only a sharp watery reflection of the light through the vines. She trips along more than runs. Paw follows her as any animal companion would.

Piik, with his darkvision, hacks at the creatures as they are pulled free. Eventually, Piik gets them all and the light returns to normal.

They climb the gravel and small rocks onto a manmade tunnel. Or at least treated to be easier to walk.

Water pours down the walkway. Shortly they can see where the water bubbles out from an underground well. A bridge made of wood allows two separate paths to branch off from the waterway. Looking to the right, Gilfer sees stairs that lead up. There is a ten-foot section missing from the stairs that leads into a deep hole or pit.

Calling on his psionic power to defy gravity for short bursts he sprints up the stairs and onto the wall and goes around the hole. Leaffa had caste light onto his shield once more so he can see the top of the stairs. Piik looks up and wonders how to best cross the pit since the show-off has.

The druid and the bear look to the passage that goes to the left. It goes thirty feet then turns to the right. She is about to go further to see what is around the corner when Gilfer calls out.

Piik looks up with a bit of anger. How is he going to cross this? If it were level he might be able to get a running start but UP the STAIRS…. no uh. Not him.

Meanwhile, Gilfer has found a large room with a series of wood logs strapped together like a raft. These are connects to thick ropes and a polley system. Uncertain what to do or what this is, Gilfer begins to pick and prod the ropes and levers.

Piik is now trying to gage how deep the pit is. He wonders if he could climb down then up on the other side. He feels the stairway shake and looks up. Suddenly out of the darkness (and thus the range of his darkvision) something large charges down the stairs. The next thing he knows is the air is knocked out of him and he is airborne. He falls hard onto the wooden bridge at the bottom of the stairs.

Leaffa runs over to him to check on the warrior. “Did you see where that rhino went?” He is completely stunned and nearly out.

Gilfer looks down and smiles faintly. He knows it was his fault but hopes to avoid blame. “Everyone all right?” he calls down.

Leaffa calls up to him. “Piik set off a trap of some sort. He’ll live.”

“Piik will live….” He says dreamily


“That’s good. You have to be careful Piik. There could be more traps here.” And he walks down to the wood structure, which covers up the hole. “It looks like everyone can cross now however.”


And this is where our first weekend of game play ended. I hope to pick up where we left off for Thanksgiving.

 

[megamania]

ELDEEN REACHES
SEGMENT 013
11/26/09
“Windy Hallway of the Living Spell & A Water Elemental”

The three of them check out the wrench machine that lowers a log bridge down over the pit within the stairs. Fortunately for Gilfer, Piik is still convinced it was a trap system he somehow set off- not Gilfer. There are signs of the Oxen having been within the room on several occasions. There is only one other exit out of this large round room so they follow it.

There are two rooms without doors that are located off of the main hallway. Both are small rooms that are empty.

The third branch from the hallway has a locked door. The door doesn’t last long as Piik strikes it over and over until something gives. They begin down the short hallway and spot glowing ruins on the floor of the hallway. Leaffa attempts to figure out what they are. Her only answer “Wards”. Gilfer and Piik look at each other with a look of uncertainty. “What do they do?” asks Piik.

“They ward… guard things.” She answers.

The bugbear looks to the floor then back up at her. “What would they do if we cross them I mean.” He grumbles. Leaffa shrugs her shoulders.

“I’m not a mage or an artificer. I’m a druid.”

Gilfer steps up to them. He slowly reaches his hand over the runes. He feels a cooler sensation. Not so much cold but like that of a cold draft. He withdraws his hand smiles as he looks back at the group and steps onto the runes.

His short fur ruffles like in high winds and as he steps again the wind seems to intensify. He is on the other side quickly. He turns and begins to walk back when the wind truly intensifies and pushes him back. “Uh-oh”

He literally slides back on two occasions as he struggles to walk against the wind back to his teammates. With a satisfied smile he finally does. “Easy” he says.

This time he tries to do his running on walls psionic trick and finds himself tumbling as he returns to the main floor on the other side. Leaffa slides across the runes with her hair and cloak whipping around her. Piik swallows hard and takes a tentative step. If he had hair on his legs (remember- a lot of it has been removed from various accidents) it would have bristled. As it is he loses his balance and tumbles the length of the runes. He stands up and glares at Gilfer “Easy” he growls.

They continue a short way down and discover stone spiral stairs that lead down. Carefully they go down after Leaffa has relit her torch.

Near the bottom they see a sharp pulsing light like a large fire but without the crackles of such a large fire. Peering around the corner they see a human sized swirling mass of light orange and yellow energy On the floor behind it are glowing marks on the floor. Curious, they step into the room and fan out. Leaffa is concerns since this fire is sitting on the floor. It is not burning on logs or oil. It is self-feeding. “Magic” she warns as much as states.

Piik hefts up his weapon and steps up the flame suddenly attempts to reach out and slap at him. He steps back then thrusts back into the creature striking it in full. The flames spit and sputter. Gilfer strikes at it and it dies out.

Leaffa inspects the marks on the other side and can’t figure out what they are. There doesn’t seem to be magic to them but they do gently glow. They seem to slowly move also. “I think these are Dragonmarks.” She looks further but can not even begin to decipher them.

They turn around and have an extremely hard time now leaving the room. The storm like winds batter at them. Eventually they do escape the winds.

Another 700 feet down there is a new branch from the main hallway. It is another empty room with no door or security measures added.

300 feet further down again brings them to a room with a strong portcullis blocking their way in. Piik struggles with it but does lift it for Leaffa and Gilfer to creep through. It drops heavily and they walk down the hallway that goes about 100 feet before coming to a locked door. They look at the door for a few minutes then have Piik break it down.

They peer into the room on the other side and spot many broken and fallen stone columns that liter the floor. A shadowy doorway seems to be on the opposite end just out of their vision from the light spell and torch light.

They begin to cross when Leaffa hears movement within the room. She has the two warriors stop as she tries to pinpoint the source of the noise. She hears it to the left and before them. Piik charges then she thinks she can hear it to her right. Piik strikes at a rough-scaled red and black snake with venom dripping from its fanged mouth. He kills the Fiendish Viper with one blow but discovers the room is crowded with the creatures. “urrrr…. Guys…” He begins but they are already aware of the creatures and have begun to take defensive positions.

Leaffa summons up a Dire Rat to attack the slithering snakes as Gilfer runs up and over the creatures using the walls and his special powers. The attempt to flank the creature works only so well as he finds himself now also flanked as he returns to the floor amongst a nest of the monstrous snakes. Piik cuts his way to them leaving a bloody and squirming mess in his wake. The snakes do not last long with them and their animal friends fighting.

Looking now to the door at the other end of the room they open it to find a huge 30ft by 55-foot pool of clean but dark water.

They consider camping here but are unsure of what else could be here. Piik and Leaffa rest first as Gilfer takes first watch. He thinks he hears something in the water and goes to check on it. He sees a gentle ripple in the water. Wondering if something is invisible within the water he leans over to poke it with his psi-blade. The water elemental attacks him now. Luckily for him, Piik and Leaffa awaken to his falling into the water. Leaffa and the bear reach there first. She summons an earth elemental to help seeing Gilfer being held within the water thrashing about but not moving anywhere. Piik can not get into the room as the Bear- Paw and the elemental are blocking his way in.

Gilfer is nearly drowned before he is pulled free from the attacking water elemental. They move away from the water and attempt to stay out of its range. Gilfer refuses to go into the room again. Piik finds minor amusement in the appearance of the half-drowned shifter.

They camp in the column room again but closer to the entrance than the exit by the water. Leaffa is certain the elemental can not leave the water to attack them this far away from the main pool of water.

 

[megamania]

ELDEEN REACHES
SEGMENT 014
11/26/09
“Crypts”

After a breakfast of dried meat and water Leaffa, Gilfer and Piik once more begin their exploration of the ruins that resemble a long hallway and their goal of locating and rescuing the kidnapped farmers and their livestock.

They come to a chained and locked door about 200ft down. Figuring this meant there was something of value on the other side they force the door and enter. There is a short hallway that leads to a door and there is a door leading off of the hallway to the left.

Cautiously they pass the side passage and check out the door directly in front of them. It opens easily but makes a loud creaking sound as it opens. Thick cobwebs hang from the ceiling and the walls. They carefully sweep the webs aside as they enter the room to better see what is inside. Crypt! They decide to check it out. Leaffa is uncertain about disturbing the crypts and fears they may even upset any spirits within this crypt. Gilfer ignores her completely as he moves ahead to the closest stone burial coffin. It is plain with no inscriptions or special marking to hint at the origin or even the species within.

He works the heavy lid off and discovers the skeletal remains of an armored hobgoblin long since dead. Looking around he finds a large knife. The Dagger gently glows blue as he holds it in his hand. The other crypts have a few gold pieces and a ring within it…. And a nest of angry and hungry tiny spiders!

Paw is attacked and they rush to his aid. They find killing a swarm of tiny vermin is not so easy. Gilfer and Leaffa climb onto the other stone crypts to get away from the vermin. Paw and Piik try their best to fight them from the ground. Leaffa summons up a small fire elemental, which seems to work well against the swarm. Soon the spiders are gone and Paw relaxes (if only a bit). Piik is disappointed that all he finds is an empty potion tube.

[DM NOTE: They miss a secret door here that housed a lot of gold and a bag of Holding to carry said money out. Sucks not to have a rogue within the group]

They backtrack to the hallway and checkout the door leading away to some stairs that go down. They go down and find more crypts. There are two statues here also. The statues are of hobgoblins armored in heavy breastplates and shields. Nothing more there. The three of them and Paw check out the crypts further but find nothing of value. There are two exits from this large 40 x 40 foot room. The first room they check out is small but contains a small chest hidden in the corner.

Gilfer is quick to check it out along with Piik. So quick is he at rushing the chest he never considers traps and falls victim to a concealed pit trap that snares both him and Piik. Luckily for them it is shallow and has no occupants within it.

Climbing out, they go to the next room. Within this huge room are two crusty undead warriors with rotted weapons and armor on. Piik and Gilfer make short work of them. They follow the exit out of the room into a small room with a dark well within it. As they move up to the well several creatures crawl out of it. Six bony legs hold up a body with a single red eye and a small mouth filled with needle like teeth. Each of the legs ends with dagger like sharp talons.

The creatures rush them and Piik attacks quickly. Gilfer attacks at range throwing his psionic blades at them. Leaffa summons up another dire rat to attack the Khyber dwelling creatures. These Mad Slashers do not last long before Piik’s mighty battle-axe.

They decide to camp here feeling it will be safe and they need to recover from their wounds from the swarm and the Mad Slashers.

 

[megamania]

DM NOTE:

This was the first use of a mapping / storage system i plan to use for Con / Store games.

The tiles and miniatures for each room were placed into a gallon sized zip-lock storage bag.

Then printed out was a map of the room and markings of where the creatures were along with details of the room and creatures.

It worked very well.

Back to the regularly scheduled storyhour

 

[megamania]

ELDEEN REACHES
SEGMENT 015
11/27/09
“Finally- The Duergar Dwarves! (oh and a ghost)”

Having rested from battling undead, swarms and aberrations, the adventurers return to their quest of saving the innocents and becoming as rich as possible in the process.

After several more empty rooms and about 1000ft of marching down this long central hallway they come across a door. Piik opens it and finds three gray dwarves caught off guard. Remembering the pain and embarrassment they had given him several nights before he leaps at the chance of killing them off. Gilfer barely gets in before the dwarves are defeated.

They check out the beds, desk and closets the dwarves were using. And of course the loot the bodies as well.

Little is found.

A few coins and back up equipment. Gilfer is disappointed and Piik had hoped the magic user was here but he isn’t.

They leave the room and look for more adventure (They never think about the attacked barracks will expose their existence…. They will learn…. In time)

Another 300 feet down they find another bared off branch leading to another room or area. Piik struggles with this portcullis also but everyone gets in while he holds the gate up.

They come into a large room with twin sparking columns at the far end. Gilfer spots a door beyond the columns. They march to the columns but Gilfer activates a hidden spiked pit trap. Piik produces rope and with Leaffa and her animal companion bear securing it, he goes down to free the shifter. Several spear tips have punctured the soul knife’s body. It is a painful and unpleasant operation to remove him from the spears that are planted into the floor. Gilfer spots a lever on the wall. He carefully walks to it and cautiously pulls it.

The lightning stops sparking between the columns!

They hurry to the locked door and find once more Piik must break it down. With the door destroyed Gilfer steps into the small room and faces… a transparent female hobgoblin! A ghost!

She or it if one prefers is a statue of some hobgoblin. Gilfer wants to investigate it but the ghost is not willing to step aside.

“You are not heroic nor worthy to venture further beyond me. You are not heroic enough.” Is whispered in a voice that seems disjointed from the undead guardian. Gilfer tries a frontal attack and a find he is weakened greatly by the undead’s touch as he tries to rush past her. After several failed attempts, Gilfer decides he can not keep this up. He feels weak and like he is slower than even the Bugbear.

In goblin, the Bugbear, Shifter and undead speak about what is beyond the doorway.

Each time Gilfer tries to get in he is repulsed and weakened spiritually for the effort. To make matters worse, the electrical columns reset and Piik is blasted hard by the starting bolts and Gilfer avoids the worst of it but is greatly weakened from the undead’s touch.

They back off after verifying the ghost is limited to that one room. They camp there to gather their strength again and figure out how to get past the undead guardian. Gilfer is once more weakened and near death from the effort. Once more they sit back and rest for the remainder of the day.

Eventually, they do “destroy” the ghost and check out the statue and the room. Only the statue is here. It is dedicated to the hobgoblin explorer- Letaan whom died here over 2000 years ago. Gilfer has Piik destroy the statue in hopes of finding something hidden. Nothing within the body but in the pedestal below they discover a map. They believe it originats within the Eldeen Reaches but they are uncertain.

Disappointed, they leave the room again and camp in the main room again.

 

[megamania]

ELDEEN REACHES
SEGMENT 016
11/27/09
“Healing Circle and Hunter’s Nest”

200ft down on the right they spot yet another hallway leading away. Once more it has no door or block. They check it out and discover a large circle drawn with small runes of magical power. There are three hallways leading away from the rune.

Gilfer steps into the circle to prove it is nothing and it immediately begins to glow a soft blue. He feels better for the effort. Piik is next and also feels good going in. His burnt away fur doesn’t regrow but the sores and partially healed burns on his skin heal up completely. They keep going in and out of it until it doesn’t work anymore (5 / day it heals 1d8+3). Only slightly daunted by this they begin to explore the other branches hoping to find more healing circles.

One branch is empty, the other has a few loose silver pieces. However, the branch has a small bag. Gilfer hurries ahead of everyone to get to it first. He picks up the bag with reckless abandon and opens it feeling some weight within it. He pulls out a glowing dagger. “It’s Mine! I found it!” He declares as the others arrive. {DM NOTE: +1 Bane vs. Aberrations and CURSED. 5% chance per morning he will wake up as a human man instead of a Shifter. ]

They leave this only after discovering the healing circle has lost its ability to heal (has 5 charges a day only). They walk for a very long time. After traveling over 1000 feet they see a faint glow ahead of them. They slow down and try to sneak up. They see what Gilfer mistakenly thinks is an Azer and attacks. (This is what happens when you misuse player knowledge) The Magmacore Golem easily deals with their “surprise” attack and begins to ooze out molten magma burning Piik badly and Paw. Gilfer attacks from an angle by throwing first his psionically charged blades then his two glowing daggers. Leaffa calls up several allies whom all burn as the guardian oozes out more protective magma from it. She then attempts to use her bow but finds little success doing this.

Piik continues to attack while being burned by the creature’s ooze and fiery hot slams. Suddenly the creature stops in mid motion and explodes in a wave of intense heat and shrapnel. Magma splatters and spreads everywhere including on Piik whom is now looking to escape as all of his fur on his legs has been burned off and his legs now have severe burns on them.

With its armor now missing, it is a much easier to hit the guardian although its ooze still threatens everyone near it. Finally the creature succumbs to the combined attacks but most of the party is so badly injured / burnt that they retreat to the healing room.

They hope it works again but it doesn’t. They camp here. When they awake they discover the healing circle works again of which Piik and Gilfer quickly use up its abilities. They check out the room the molten guardian was protecting. A heavy and recently made door is behind when the guardian was. It takes time but they break it down. Gilfer pushes the door open and cool air comes out, cool and refreshing air. They walk down the short hallway to a large open room. Looking up they see dark skies with heavy clouds. It looks like rain. The opening to the surface is about 200 feet up. Figuring they can not exit from here they search the doorways leaving this large room.

One room has a box within it. Lifting the wooden cover carefully they discover a Longbow (magical) and 40 arrows. Leaffa takes these. In another room they find a roughly made shelf built from stones and boards. On the shelf is a potion that Piik quickly drinks once Leaffa says she thinks it is a curing potion. He drinks it feels better as dried blackened skin flakes off his feet and reveals bare bright red skin. It is still painful to walk on his blistered feet but at now he can. The last room has a few cracked jars on the floor. They have gold, silver and copper coins and a loose ring with gold worth possibly as much as 25 gold. Gilfer and Leaffa take these.

They walk back to the “healing” room again and rest and use the healing circle in the morning once more.