-
NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
In Hextor's Name (Completed 22 Oct 2004)
- Thread starter Capellan
- Start date
From the Journal of Gnorric
With Kulls armour covered in spikes, the huge crocodile seemed reluctant to bite him and therefore missed him completely. I cast a sleeping spell on the crocodile, without effect. It was then that I saw something I’m not likely to see again. Kull pulled back his spiked mailed fist and punched the crocodile directly in the nose! I obviously hurt the beast as it went into a frenzied attack and bit Kull hard, picking him up off his feet and thrashing about causing the water to churn with the red tinge of Kulls blood.
I asked Wee Bat to touch the crocodile with a chilling touch spell, but the little dear couldn’t get close enough. Will then leapt off the column he was on with a battle cry on his lips, hitting the giant crocodile with a very impressive blow. This Will fellow has no fear I tell you! Unfortunately, the crocodile still had Kull in its mouth and thrashed again, causing him a grievous wound as the water became even darker with his blood.
Aramil sent his own crocodile in, which seemed quite small in comparison to this huge beast and I feared for its life. It appeared Aramil did too, as he had a rather distraught expression on his face. Kull broke free from the crocodiles mouth with a very impressive display of strength and retreated as did Will. It was then that we realised that the giant crocodile had a collar about its neck and could move no closer. Aramil began to call to his crocodile in that strange guttural call that he uses, but as Aramils crocodile was distracted by the call, the giant crocodile pounced and tore the druids crocodile in half. Aramil staggered back in shock and was most distraught. The poor fellow, they were very close.
Kull cast a spell that seemed to create a glowing disembodied weapon to float about the giant croc. I began firing my crossbow at it, and Will fired his bow. Once we realised that the giant croc could get no closer we made short work of it while Aramil sat at the side of the water looking lost.
Once Kull healed his grevious wounds, he went back into the water to investigate the thickets and the dead crocodile. In the thickets he discovered five women tied up by their feet and looking much worse for wear as well as a strong box. Kull instructed Will to help the women get out of the thicket and get some clothes on them. In the strong box were some potions and gold. Kull also found some reptilian eggs and a lacquered map.
Kull returned with the findings and we went back to talk to the Lizardfolk delegation along with some newly clothed women. Kull instructed them to take the women back to their caves ad we would pick them up on the way back to Saltmarsh once we were finished clearing out the watchtower. He also told them in no uncertain terms that if they attempted to make peace with the newts ever again, they would have to deal with him and the wrath of Hextor and to inform us if the newts ever returned.
We returned to the underwater room with the giant crocodile and searched it more thoroughly. We found a completely submerged room with the remains of the rest of the women as well as a chest. Will was most distraught at the site of the dead women the poor fellow. We opened the chest and found a watertight scroll case. I was hoping it contained some arcane writings, but it contained a note referring to the crystal ball we found in the corridor with the impressive toads. It instructed the reader to place the ball anywhere in the castle and “it would do the rest”.
We returned to the room that appeared to be the jail and Kull attempted to break the padlock with his flail. He dealt it a mighty blow and the entire wall holding the barred door collapsed! Whatever you say about Kull, he is definitely a strong fellow! With the dust clearing about us, I saw Kull attempting to set fire to his hand with a grimace of pain on his face. Apparently the door had some burning slime on it, and it required fire to remove it. It was most unsettling watching him calmly set fire to himself all the same! Once Kull had removed the slime, we discovered the jail cells contained nothing but a few skeletons of former prisoners. On examining them, they appeared very old and didn’t really help me with my research at all, which is a pity.
We returned to the room containing the webs. It appeared to be an old dining hall, and the silverware on the dining table appeared to be quite valuable. It was decided we would set fire to the webs to ensure that whatever might be living in it would be removed before we investigated the room. However, the webs wouldn’t light as they appeared to be covered in some flame retardant material! I found this quite fascinating, but Will didn’t seem to care either way and promptly jumped on the table sending the expensive silverware flying! I think the sight of his fellow villagers dead and bloated in the water was still affecting him, as I didn’t think it was really the behaviour of a completely sane fellow. Either way, the 4 huge spiders didn’t appear until Will started hacking at the webs.
The ensuing battle was brief and somewhat unsettling. One of the spiders bit me, and I felt its poison attempting to sap my somewhat limited strength, but I resisted the effects somehow. Kull was bitten as well and I could almost see the strength drain away from him. It didn’t seem to affect his ability to squish them with his flail though and the rest of my companions had the nasty things reduced to mush in no time.
We collected the silverware and had a rest in the watchtower while Kull recovered from the effects of the spider bite. We examined the map and it appeared to show the area surrounding Saltmarsh, with one important difference, there are no marshes evident at all! We’ve ascertained that the source of the marshes may have something to do with the Pirate Isles and Kull wants us to investigate.
______
We have returned to Saltmarsh and discovered there is a new shopkeeper! I wasn’t entirely pleased with this, as I thought I was here to replace the old shopkeeper. Some competition might be a good thing though; I guess we shall see. He definitely came in handy when we wanted to sell the treasure we found at the watchtower though, so it’s not a complete loss. My money pouch is quite a bit heavier now.
Kull wants to go to Mellon to hire a Captain of the Guard to take over Kulls town duties while we investigate the source of the swamp. Has asked me to accompany him. I guess I didn’t do too badly at the watchtower after all. Either that, or I’m the only wizard he’s got. It’s probably the latter.
I have some time before we leave to do some study, which is a welcome change. Kull would like me to enchant his armour as well. I thought it was the least I could do considering he saved my life back at the watchtower, and I’m only charging him ¾ of the normal price.
With Kulls armour covered in spikes, the huge crocodile seemed reluctant to bite him and therefore missed him completely. I cast a sleeping spell on the crocodile, without effect. It was then that I saw something I’m not likely to see again. Kull pulled back his spiked mailed fist and punched the crocodile directly in the nose! I obviously hurt the beast as it went into a frenzied attack and bit Kull hard, picking him up off his feet and thrashing about causing the water to churn with the red tinge of Kulls blood.
I asked Wee Bat to touch the crocodile with a chilling touch spell, but the little dear couldn’t get close enough. Will then leapt off the column he was on with a battle cry on his lips, hitting the giant crocodile with a very impressive blow. This Will fellow has no fear I tell you! Unfortunately, the crocodile still had Kull in its mouth and thrashed again, causing him a grievous wound as the water became even darker with his blood.
Aramil sent his own crocodile in, which seemed quite small in comparison to this huge beast and I feared for its life. It appeared Aramil did too, as he had a rather distraught expression on his face. Kull broke free from the crocodiles mouth with a very impressive display of strength and retreated as did Will. It was then that we realised that the giant crocodile had a collar about its neck and could move no closer. Aramil began to call to his crocodile in that strange guttural call that he uses, but as Aramils crocodile was distracted by the call, the giant crocodile pounced and tore the druids crocodile in half. Aramil staggered back in shock and was most distraught. The poor fellow, they were very close.
Kull cast a spell that seemed to create a glowing disembodied weapon to float about the giant croc. I began firing my crossbow at it, and Will fired his bow. Once we realised that the giant croc could get no closer we made short work of it while Aramil sat at the side of the water looking lost.
Once Kull healed his grevious wounds, he went back into the water to investigate the thickets and the dead crocodile. In the thickets he discovered five women tied up by their feet and looking much worse for wear as well as a strong box. Kull instructed Will to help the women get out of the thicket and get some clothes on them. In the strong box were some potions and gold. Kull also found some reptilian eggs and a lacquered map.
Kull returned with the findings and we went back to talk to the Lizardfolk delegation along with some newly clothed women. Kull instructed them to take the women back to their caves ad we would pick them up on the way back to Saltmarsh once we were finished clearing out the watchtower. He also told them in no uncertain terms that if they attempted to make peace with the newts ever again, they would have to deal with him and the wrath of Hextor and to inform us if the newts ever returned.
We returned to the underwater room with the giant crocodile and searched it more thoroughly. We found a completely submerged room with the remains of the rest of the women as well as a chest. Will was most distraught at the site of the dead women the poor fellow. We opened the chest and found a watertight scroll case. I was hoping it contained some arcane writings, but it contained a note referring to the crystal ball we found in the corridor with the impressive toads. It instructed the reader to place the ball anywhere in the castle and “it would do the rest”.
We returned to the room that appeared to be the jail and Kull attempted to break the padlock with his flail. He dealt it a mighty blow and the entire wall holding the barred door collapsed! Whatever you say about Kull, he is definitely a strong fellow! With the dust clearing about us, I saw Kull attempting to set fire to his hand with a grimace of pain on his face. Apparently the door had some burning slime on it, and it required fire to remove it. It was most unsettling watching him calmly set fire to himself all the same! Once Kull had removed the slime, we discovered the jail cells contained nothing but a few skeletons of former prisoners. On examining them, they appeared very old and didn’t really help me with my research at all, which is a pity.
We returned to the room containing the webs. It appeared to be an old dining hall, and the silverware on the dining table appeared to be quite valuable. It was decided we would set fire to the webs to ensure that whatever might be living in it would be removed before we investigated the room. However, the webs wouldn’t light as they appeared to be covered in some flame retardant material! I found this quite fascinating, but Will didn’t seem to care either way and promptly jumped on the table sending the expensive silverware flying! I think the sight of his fellow villagers dead and bloated in the water was still affecting him, as I didn’t think it was really the behaviour of a completely sane fellow. Either way, the 4 huge spiders didn’t appear until Will started hacking at the webs.
The ensuing battle was brief and somewhat unsettling. One of the spiders bit me, and I felt its poison attempting to sap my somewhat limited strength, but I resisted the effects somehow. Kull was bitten as well and I could almost see the strength drain away from him. It didn’t seem to affect his ability to squish them with his flail though and the rest of my companions had the nasty things reduced to mush in no time.
We collected the silverware and had a rest in the watchtower while Kull recovered from the effects of the spider bite. We examined the map and it appeared to show the area surrounding Saltmarsh, with one important difference, there are no marshes evident at all! We’ve ascertained that the source of the marshes may have something to do with the Pirate Isles and Kull wants us to investigate.
______
We have returned to Saltmarsh and discovered there is a new shopkeeper! I wasn’t entirely pleased with this, as I thought I was here to replace the old shopkeeper. Some competition might be a good thing though; I guess we shall see. He definitely came in handy when we wanted to sell the treasure we found at the watchtower though, so it’s not a complete loss. My money pouch is quite a bit heavier now.
Kull wants to go to Mellon to hire a Captain of the Guard to take over Kulls town duties while we investigate the source of the swamp. Has asked me to accompany him. I guess I didn’t do too badly at the watchtower after all. Either that, or I’m the only wizard he’s got. It’s probably the latter.
I have some time before we leave to do some study, which is a welcome change. Kull would like me to enchant his armour as well. I thought it was the least I could do considering he saved my life back at the watchtower, and I’m only charging him ¾ of the normal price.
Capellan
Explorer
Kull's 7th Report - Part 3
My course determined, I called upon Hextor for aid. He responded by sending a powerful gorilla, which I sent forward to attack the toads, before advancing into combat alongside it.
The creatures were huge - easily as big as a man - but such brutish beasts are no match for trained and disciplined warriors, and were soon dispatched. I was thus able to lead the way further down the corridor. The water here was cloudy and deep as my knees, and I moved slowly, sliding my feet so as to be forewarned of any sudden drop in the floor.
Due to this sensible precaution, I had not advanced very far before a strange ring of water suddenly arose out of the depths, and began rushing down the corridor toward us. I was not sure if it would serve any purpose, but I swung my flail as the ring came within arm's reach. There was a satisfying jolt of impact, and a spray of water that seemed to reduce to height of the ring as it swept over me, sending a jolt of cold through my bones.
The others struck at the thing with blades and magic as it swept over them, diminishing it still further, but the ring - which was, I must assume, some kind of water elemental - swept back again. It fared no better on the second pass than the first, and was soon thereafter destroyed, or at the very least dispatched from this plane.
At the end of the corridor lay an ancient chest, rusted shut with age. I forced open the lid, discovering within a strange crystal ball, large and cloudy. We subsequently discovered evidence that this ball was somehow responsible for the subsidence of the fort into the marsh - and possibly for the very formation of the marsh, in the first place. However, at the time, we knew only that it was not a scrying device (at least, Gnorric was not able to use it as such).
This chest lay at the end of the corridor, and so I backtracked to the original area through which I had entered the keep. There were three areas I had not yet searched. These were the main hall, much of which was deeply flooded, whatever lay beyond the iron door, and what looked like the dining room, filled with dense cobwebs of suspicious size.
Before we left, I ensured that all three of these areas had been searched, but it is only what I found in the first that bears recounting. The iron door and the dining hall contained only the usual vermin of such ancient places, which were quickly destroyed: I will not waste your time with such trivialities. The main chamber, however, proved a far different matter.
This large hall was filled to a depth of several feet with water, making movement slow and difficult. However, I knew that it would need to be searched, as the newt-like creatures were likely to be as comfortable in the water as on land. Thus, I led the way into the area, with my deputy moving out to one flank with his bow at the ready, and the druid's companion creature - a crocodile - at my side. As I reached the middle of the room, I could make out a dense clump of reeds against the far wall, and a pair of doors; one in each of the walls to my left and right.
It was at this point that we were attacked.
Though some eight or more feet in length, the druid's crocodile was dwarfed by the enormous beast that burst out of hiding in the reeds. Some twenty feet or more in length, it had teeth that were larger than the dagger I bear at my belt, and must have weighed as much as twenty men or more.
I managed to deflect the beast's first lunge with a sharp blow to its snout, but on the second attempt it seized me in its jaws. The powerful teeth bore down, goring at my body, but the beast was gored in turn: I have for some time employed a suit of spiked plate armour, and the spikes tore into the soft palate of the crocodile, causing its blood to flow and its grip to relax instinctively.
Seizing this opportunity, I fought my way free of the creature's mouth. As I did so, I saw upon its neck a heavy collar of iron, attached by a stout chain to the wall. Knowing thus that the creature could not move freely around the room, I instructed the others to withdraw, so that it could be slain without risk to ourselves. This plan worked admirably, though the druid was too slow in withdrawing his pet, and it was torn in two by the larger beast.
Having destroyed the giant crocodile, I explored the reeds where it had made its lair. There, I found five of the missing women, bound and gagged. These survivors indicated that the other kidnapped women had been taken away by the newts: I found the remains of these unfortunates in one of the chambers that lay off the hall. They had been slain and bled dry by the newts, in preparation for consumption at a feast.
A more important discovery than either group of women, however, was the map that hung from the wall beyond the crocodile's lair.
My course determined, I called upon Hextor for aid. He responded by sending a powerful gorilla, which I sent forward to attack the toads, before advancing into combat alongside it.
The creatures were huge - easily as big as a man - but such brutish beasts are no match for trained and disciplined warriors, and were soon dispatched. I was thus able to lead the way further down the corridor. The water here was cloudy and deep as my knees, and I moved slowly, sliding my feet so as to be forewarned of any sudden drop in the floor.
Due to this sensible precaution, I had not advanced very far before a strange ring of water suddenly arose out of the depths, and began rushing down the corridor toward us. I was not sure if it would serve any purpose, but I swung my flail as the ring came within arm's reach. There was a satisfying jolt of impact, and a spray of water that seemed to reduce to height of the ring as it swept over me, sending a jolt of cold through my bones.
The others struck at the thing with blades and magic as it swept over them, diminishing it still further, but the ring - which was, I must assume, some kind of water elemental - swept back again. It fared no better on the second pass than the first, and was soon thereafter destroyed, or at the very least dispatched from this plane.
At the end of the corridor lay an ancient chest, rusted shut with age. I forced open the lid, discovering within a strange crystal ball, large and cloudy. We subsequently discovered evidence that this ball was somehow responsible for the subsidence of the fort into the marsh - and possibly for the very formation of the marsh, in the first place. However, at the time, we knew only that it was not a scrying device (at least, Gnorric was not able to use it as such).
This chest lay at the end of the corridor, and so I backtracked to the original area through which I had entered the keep. There were three areas I had not yet searched. These were the main hall, much of which was deeply flooded, whatever lay beyond the iron door, and what looked like the dining room, filled with dense cobwebs of suspicious size.
Before we left, I ensured that all three of these areas had been searched, but it is only what I found in the first that bears recounting. The iron door and the dining hall contained only the usual vermin of such ancient places, which were quickly destroyed: I will not waste your time with such trivialities. The main chamber, however, proved a far different matter.
This large hall was filled to a depth of several feet with water, making movement slow and difficult. However, I knew that it would need to be searched, as the newt-like creatures were likely to be as comfortable in the water as on land. Thus, I led the way into the area, with my deputy moving out to one flank with his bow at the ready, and the druid's companion creature - a crocodile - at my side. As I reached the middle of the room, I could make out a dense clump of reeds against the far wall, and a pair of doors; one in each of the walls to my left and right.
It was at this point that we were attacked.
Though some eight or more feet in length, the druid's crocodile was dwarfed by the enormous beast that burst out of hiding in the reeds. Some twenty feet or more in length, it had teeth that were larger than the dagger I bear at my belt, and must have weighed as much as twenty men or more.
I managed to deflect the beast's first lunge with a sharp blow to its snout, but on the second attempt it seized me in its jaws. The powerful teeth bore down, goring at my body, but the beast was gored in turn: I have for some time employed a suit of spiked plate armour, and the spikes tore into the soft palate of the crocodile, causing its blood to flow and its grip to relax instinctively.
Seizing this opportunity, I fought my way free of the creature's mouth. As I did so, I saw upon its neck a heavy collar of iron, attached by a stout chain to the wall. Knowing thus that the creature could not move freely around the room, I instructed the others to withdraw, so that it could be slain without risk to ourselves. This plan worked admirably, though the druid was too slow in withdrawing his pet, and it was torn in two by the larger beast.
Having destroyed the giant crocodile, I explored the reeds where it had made its lair. There, I found five of the missing women, bound and gagged. These survivors indicated that the other kidnapped women had been taken away by the newts: I found the remains of these unfortunates in one of the chambers that lay off the hall. They had been slain and bled dry by the newts, in preparation for consumption at a feast.
A more important discovery than either group of women, however, was the map that hung from the wall beyond the crocodile's lair.
Last edited:
