KidCthulhu
First Post
Thanks for the update, Iron Chef. It's so nice to have a storyhour without the trouble of having to write one!
KidCthulhu's Scarred Land story hour
- Thread starter Piratecat
- Start date
Iron Chef BBQ
First Post
DoppleDeke (end of 01-01-03 run)
Our band travels cautiously to the Queens Head Tavern. It is a seedy place in a decrepit part of town. Rats run along the gutters, and low and dreadful moaning comes out of many of the dark alleys and doorways.
The party leaves Deke outside on a roof across the street. Connecting with a message spell, he can warn the party if anyone suspicious enters the bar. The others step inside and are almost overcome with the smell of liquor, body odor and urine. The place is dark and filthy, and everyone inside seems to be in a bad mood. Our group sticks out like the only clean people in a dark and filthy bar. They separate and try to blend in none-the-less.
Marja spots Black Harry talking to another man over in the corner. She catches his eye, and he moves toward her. “This ain’t no place for the likes of you, Miss. Really, you shouldn’t ought to be here.” As they begin a furtive conversation, Marja sees Harry’s head whip up and to the side like someone grabbed his forehead from behind. Suddenly, blood spatters across her face. A cloaked figure appears, and poor Harry slumps to the floor in a pool of blood, dead, his throat slit.
Violence erupts, but not in the way the clientele of this establishment is used to. Before an all-out bar fight can begin, the men scattered around realize that this fighting is beyond them. They slink into the dark shadows. The figure bolts for the door, and Kenyan, in an attempt to stop him, fires a stun spell that hits Lucre dead on. The party follows the figure into the alley. As the fighting continues two attacks from Deke go astray and hit other party members. Hey, what’s going on here? As Lucre regains his mobility, he moves in for the final blow, killing the attacker. He stares at the body which shifts form as it dies. “This guy is a doppelganger!” Lucre yells. Remembering Deke’s errant attacks he yells, “I think Deke is one, too.”
This is all too much to take in. The party hesitates. It flashes through Kalina’s mind that maybe Kenyan’s misfiring spell wasn’t a misfire after all. She is in hawk form, but is determined to keep her eye on Kenyan. As Lucre takes off after Deke, Marja catches Lucre’s eyes glowing green again. “Maybe Deke isn’t the doppelganger,” she thinks. “Maybe Lucre is.”
Deke starts to run, at first protesting innocence. A chase through the streets ensues with Kalina in the air, Lucre hot on his heels, and Kenyan staying far enough behind to be well out of the way of any real danger. Finally, Lucre climbs a roof and closes in on DoppleDeke who, in a desperate attempt at self-preservation says that if he isn’t allowed to go free, the real Deke will die. Lucre isn’t buying any of that. He charges, grabs DoppleDeke, and hurls both of them off of the roof.
Marja, Kalina and Kel are close enough to see them fall, into a giant bin of garbage. They ready for the two to reappear. Lucre stands up and grapples with…a peasant woman dressed in rags with a shawl tied around her shoulders. She hollers for help.
Who would have believed that in this area of town a constable would be so readily available? But sure enough, down the street he comes, running and blowing his whistle. Lucre keeps firm hands on the doppelganger, and Marja uses her best diplomacy skills to convince the officer to take the entire group to a local temple where the priests can prove their story. Kalina flies high overhead, and Kenyan stays around the corner, uninvolved. Our man in uniform is having none of this. He attempts to haul them all off to jail when Lucre pushes him to the ground, hoists the doppelganger over his shoulder, and starts to run. The others follow until a whistle blows and the officer yells, “Stop in the name of the law!” Kel dutifully stops. Marja catches a glimpse of Kel being hauled off to jail as she turns the corner and races to reach the others.
Our band travels cautiously to the Queens Head Tavern. It is a seedy place in a decrepit part of town. Rats run along the gutters, and low and dreadful moaning comes out of many of the dark alleys and doorways.
The party leaves Deke outside on a roof across the street. Connecting with a message spell, he can warn the party if anyone suspicious enters the bar. The others step inside and are almost overcome with the smell of liquor, body odor and urine. The place is dark and filthy, and everyone inside seems to be in a bad mood. Our group sticks out like the only clean people in a dark and filthy bar. They separate and try to blend in none-the-less.
Marja spots Black Harry talking to another man over in the corner. She catches his eye, and he moves toward her. “This ain’t no place for the likes of you, Miss. Really, you shouldn’t ought to be here.” As they begin a furtive conversation, Marja sees Harry’s head whip up and to the side like someone grabbed his forehead from behind. Suddenly, blood spatters across her face. A cloaked figure appears, and poor Harry slumps to the floor in a pool of blood, dead, his throat slit.
Violence erupts, but not in the way the clientele of this establishment is used to. Before an all-out bar fight can begin, the men scattered around realize that this fighting is beyond them. They slink into the dark shadows. The figure bolts for the door, and Kenyan, in an attempt to stop him, fires a stun spell that hits Lucre dead on. The party follows the figure into the alley. As the fighting continues two attacks from Deke go astray and hit other party members. Hey, what’s going on here? As Lucre regains his mobility, he moves in for the final blow, killing the attacker. He stares at the body which shifts form as it dies. “This guy is a doppelganger!” Lucre yells. Remembering Deke’s errant attacks he yells, “I think Deke is one, too.”
This is all too much to take in. The party hesitates. It flashes through Kalina’s mind that maybe Kenyan’s misfiring spell wasn’t a misfire after all. She is in hawk form, but is determined to keep her eye on Kenyan. As Lucre takes off after Deke, Marja catches Lucre’s eyes glowing green again. “Maybe Deke isn’t the doppelganger,” she thinks. “Maybe Lucre is.”
Deke starts to run, at first protesting innocence. A chase through the streets ensues with Kalina in the air, Lucre hot on his heels, and Kenyan staying far enough behind to be well out of the way of any real danger. Finally, Lucre climbs a roof and closes in on DoppleDeke who, in a desperate attempt at self-preservation says that if he isn’t allowed to go free, the real Deke will die. Lucre isn’t buying any of that. He charges, grabs DoppleDeke, and hurls both of them off of the roof.
Marja, Kalina and Kel are close enough to see them fall, into a giant bin of garbage. They ready for the two to reappear. Lucre stands up and grapples with…a peasant woman dressed in rags with a shawl tied around her shoulders. She hollers for help.
Who would have believed that in this area of town a constable would be so readily available? But sure enough, down the street he comes, running and blowing his whistle. Lucre keeps firm hands on the doppelganger, and Marja uses her best diplomacy skills to convince the officer to take the entire group to a local temple where the priests can prove their story. Kalina flies high overhead, and Kenyan stays around the corner, uninvolved. Our man in uniform is having none of this. He attempts to haul them all off to jail when Lucre pushes him to the ground, hoists the doppelganger over his shoulder, and starts to run. The others follow until a whistle blows and the officer yells, “Stop in the name of the law!” Kel dutifully stops. Marja catches a glimpse of Kel being hauled off to jail as she turns the corner and races to reach the others.
Iron Chef BBQ
First Post
The Vigils of Vesh (run of 02-11-03)
When last we left our intrepid band of adventurers they were scattered about an unfamiliar neighborhood of Vesh.
Deke’s location is unknown. According to his double, he is being held captive somewhere. DoppleDeke, dressed as a peasant woman, is being dragged unconscious through the streets by Lucre to the Church of Enkili, but they are lost and appear to be following an owl, Kalina who is trying to ascertain their location from above. Kel is being arrested. Fang is running at Marja’s heels as she high-tails it after Lucre and Borin. Kenyan is casually making his own way across the city while Borin is at his place in the casino.
In custody Kel of course tells the truth to the authorities about everything. Well, not everything. He has the sense to keep their undercover assignment under wraps, and doesn’t say anything that would embarrass the Temple of Enhili. His tale of doppelgangers and an underworld syndicate called the Eyes doesn’t play well with The Veshian Boys in Blue. “Cast a truth spell on me,” Kel pleads, but that’s a big no go. Since the Titan War average people are very wary of magic. Fortunately, the police find a strange-looking body dead in the tavern. This seems to add some credence to Kel’s story, and they at least agree to take him to the Temple of Enkili to continue the questioning.
Finally, Kalina guides the party to the temple, changes shape and runs to fetch Borin. Borin goes off to find Rossiter. While the others wait, Marja confronts Lucre about his glowing eyes and asks if he has a blood spot. Psionic powers are considered signs of Titan spawn. Most children who exhibit these powers are left in the wilderness to die. Somehow Lucre escaped this fate, but Marja continues to hold him in suspicion until he comes clean and admits his powers. The admission seems to also smooth some of the constant tensions the flow between Marja and Lucre. “After all,” thinks Marja, “sorcerers and psions are both magical freaks of nature.”
Rossiter and Borin quickly rush into the room. They wake the doppelganger who promptly changes shape again into a well-dressed dignitary and produces an official scroll that introduces her as Ankrieg, an envoy from the Calastian Empire. Borin publicly fires Lucre to separate the temple from a political scandal. Rossiter prepares a “proper” excort for her back to her embassy while Lucre runs to the casino to locate Deke. A quick search finds a bedraggled Deke, bound and gagged under a desk, but none the worse for wear.
Lucre and Deke return to the temple as a frustrated sergeant is leaving. Since this matter seems to involve Calastia, he is robbed of his opportunity to press charges against our band. The temple decides to temporarily close the casino.
Free from work, Lucre and Kenyan spend the night gathering information. In the morning they report that indentured servitude is a common practice in Vesh for debtors unable to pay. It seems that several of the names on the list they found in the casino are people who were bankrupted while gambling. They were legally claimed as indentured servants, but they have disappeared. The party suspects they are being taken to Calastia as slaves.
At breakfast the next morning everyone seems relieved to have Deke back and seems much more trusting of Lucre. They all, however, wear a weary appearance of concern. An official-looking scroll arrives. Geoffrey, Marquis of Beltray, “asks us to tea pursuant to the events of last evening,” Deke reads. It seems the party has attracted some attention. Kenyan recalls that the Beltrays are an old, not extremely wealthy family with some scandal. They once served on the Vigil Council, a group trained to gather information, kill Titan spawn, and help those in need. He’s not sure exactly what the scandal was.
Before heading to tea, Borin checks out the casino. The second set of books and the hidden gold are gone. He vows to Enkili to get the money back.
The Beltray mansion is elegant, if understated. Geoffrey is a small, older man, thin with gray hair and blue eyes. He too is dressed in elegant, if understated, gray velvet. He serves them a lovely tea with too little beer for the dwarves taste, but Kel seems to find it quite appetizing.
Geoffrey tells them that the Eyes are a group of Calastian spies. The Calastians have been gathering slaves by bankrupting people in the casino and taking them out of Vesh. The travel is arranged through a merchant, Grim Edgar. He knows that two men named Lanscomb and Grover are still in the city, but should leave on their indentured servitude in four days. He feels strongly that the caravan taking them to Calastia should meet with an “accident.”
He has a proposal for our adventurers. The Vigils have eleven cohorts. Each reports to a separate compiler of information. Once there was a twelfth cohort, but it was disbanded when Geoffrey’s great grandfather “went to the bad.” He wants to reopen the twelfth cohort, and wants this group to be its members. He can supply them with a warehouse in Cooper Alley where they can stay and fix up as they please if they are interested in committing a year to the Vigils.
The group talks it over. Temporarily, their work for the Temple of Enkili is on hold, and following the Calastians seems to be the best lead to finding out what was going on there anyway. As long as they keep their focus on the Temple, Borin is willing. Deke is beside himself with the notion of living in a real home, not a hotel, and not the street. He has already pilfered paper and pencil and is designing the inside of a large rectangular warehouse into living spaces. He’s in. Marja and Lucre and in if Borin is in. Kalina will follow if it might lead her out of this wretched city and into the country for a while, and Kel finds the stories of the Vigils to be noble and righteous and is anxious to join. That leaves Kenyan. Borin tells him he’s out of a job at the casino when it reopens if he doesn’t tag along. Ok, he’s in.
When last we left our intrepid band of adventurers they were scattered about an unfamiliar neighborhood of Vesh.
Deke’s location is unknown. According to his double, he is being held captive somewhere. DoppleDeke, dressed as a peasant woman, is being dragged unconscious through the streets by Lucre to the Church of Enkili, but they are lost and appear to be following an owl, Kalina who is trying to ascertain their location from above. Kel is being arrested. Fang is running at Marja’s heels as she high-tails it after Lucre and Borin. Kenyan is casually making his own way across the city while Borin is at his place in the casino.
In custody Kel of course tells the truth to the authorities about everything. Well, not everything. He has the sense to keep their undercover assignment under wraps, and doesn’t say anything that would embarrass the Temple of Enhili. His tale of doppelgangers and an underworld syndicate called the Eyes doesn’t play well with The Veshian Boys in Blue. “Cast a truth spell on me,” Kel pleads, but that’s a big no go. Since the Titan War average people are very wary of magic. Fortunately, the police find a strange-looking body dead in the tavern. This seems to add some credence to Kel’s story, and they at least agree to take him to the Temple of Enkili to continue the questioning.
Finally, Kalina guides the party to the temple, changes shape and runs to fetch Borin. Borin goes off to find Rossiter. While the others wait, Marja confronts Lucre about his glowing eyes and asks if he has a blood spot. Psionic powers are considered signs of Titan spawn. Most children who exhibit these powers are left in the wilderness to die. Somehow Lucre escaped this fate, but Marja continues to hold him in suspicion until he comes clean and admits his powers. The admission seems to also smooth some of the constant tensions the flow between Marja and Lucre. “After all,” thinks Marja, “sorcerers and psions are both magical freaks of nature.”
Rossiter and Borin quickly rush into the room. They wake the doppelganger who promptly changes shape again into a well-dressed dignitary and produces an official scroll that introduces her as Ankrieg, an envoy from the Calastian Empire. Borin publicly fires Lucre to separate the temple from a political scandal. Rossiter prepares a “proper” excort for her back to her embassy while Lucre runs to the casino to locate Deke. A quick search finds a bedraggled Deke, bound and gagged under a desk, but none the worse for wear.
Lucre and Deke return to the temple as a frustrated sergeant is leaving. Since this matter seems to involve Calastia, he is robbed of his opportunity to press charges against our band. The temple decides to temporarily close the casino.
Free from work, Lucre and Kenyan spend the night gathering information. In the morning they report that indentured servitude is a common practice in Vesh for debtors unable to pay. It seems that several of the names on the list they found in the casino are people who were bankrupted while gambling. They were legally claimed as indentured servants, but they have disappeared. The party suspects they are being taken to Calastia as slaves.
At breakfast the next morning everyone seems relieved to have Deke back and seems much more trusting of Lucre. They all, however, wear a weary appearance of concern. An official-looking scroll arrives. Geoffrey, Marquis of Beltray, “asks us to tea pursuant to the events of last evening,” Deke reads. It seems the party has attracted some attention. Kenyan recalls that the Beltrays are an old, not extremely wealthy family with some scandal. They once served on the Vigil Council, a group trained to gather information, kill Titan spawn, and help those in need. He’s not sure exactly what the scandal was.
Before heading to tea, Borin checks out the casino. The second set of books and the hidden gold are gone. He vows to Enkili to get the money back.
The Beltray mansion is elegant, if understated. Geoffrey is a small, older man, thin with gray hair and blue eyes. He too is dressed in elegant, if understated, gray velvet. He serves them a lovely tea with too little beer for the dwarves taste, but Kel seems to find it quite appetizing.
Geoffrey tells them that the Eyes are a group of Calastian spies. The Calastians have been gathering slaves by bankrupting people in the casino and taking them out of Vesh. The travel is arranged through a merchant, Grim Edgar. He knows that two men named Lanscomb and Grover are still in the city, but should leave on their indentured servitude in four days. He feels strongly that the caravan taking them to Calastia should meet with an “accident.”
He has a proposal for our adventurers. The Vigils have eleven cohorts. Each reports to a separate compiler of information. Once there was a twelfth cohort, but it was disbanded when Geoffrey’s great grandfather “went to the bad.” He wants to reopen the twelfth cohort, and wants this group to be its members. He can supply them with a warehouse in Cooper Alley where they can stay and fix up as they please if they are interested in committing a year to the Vigils.
The group talks it over. Temporarily, their work for the Temple of Enkili is on hold, and following the Calastians seems to be the best lead to finding out what was going on there anyway. As long as they keep their focus on the Temple, Borin is willing. Deke is beside himself with the notion of living in a real home, not a hotel, and not the street. He has already pilfered paper and pencil and is designing the inside of a large rectangular warehouse into living spaces. He’s in. Marja and Lucre and in if Borin is in. Kalina will follow if it might lead her out of this wretched city and into the country for a while, and Kel finds the stories of the Vigils to be noble and righteous and is anxious to join. That leaves Kenyan. Borin tells him he’s out of a job at the casino when it reopens if he doesn’t tag along. Ok, he’s in.
Iron Chef BBQ
First Post
Avalanche (run of 02-25-03)
Before our adventurers proceed further, they are sent to a local hairdressers’ shop in Merchant Street. Presumably the new Twelfth Cohort needs coordinating up-dos. With the appropriate introductions, they are shown into a secret back room where they meet an albino elf who gives each of them a tattoo. Marja is an old pro at this, but she goes on record as saying that if the tattoo involves violets, she’s walking. Garnet hisses in aggravation. The tattoos are simple, IXI written on a slant, but as the artist completes the final line of each tattoo, it disappears.
While waiting for the others, Marja convinces Kalina to die her hair from its natural flaming red to a shocking purple color, “Just like the color of your fairy fire.” Although Kalina has come to embrace the wilds of nature, a small voice inside her harkens back to her more wild days, and she agrees.
The party now has four days to prepare for its “accident” on the Calastian caravan.
Marja visits a wizard named Dwarin to buy some magic scrolls. He indicates that she has a very interesting aura and that she should come back and see him in a year. “Whatever,” she thinks. “That’s a new line.” But since she has just promised Beltray to serve as a cohort for a year, and since his scrolls were fairly priced, she figures she’ll be back here anyway. “You bet,” she replies.
Deke meets daily with construction contractors. The group is pretty sure they’ll get a decent price on renovations in Cooper Alley since Deke rarely parts willingly with a cent, but Deke’s enthusiasm with paying rather than receiving is something unexpected. All day long he pours over blueprints, paces the large open spaces of the warehouse, and climbs ceiling beams to get better looks at the grounds.
Borin spends his time in the market buying large oil barrels and sharp smelling liquids, bringing them home and concocting odd looking lamps with big cloth wicks.
Finally they meet with Beltray who provides them with maps of the area. He sent two scouts out to try to find out the Calastian route, but neither came back. They seem to plan to head south across the mountains and then up river, but the river turns into a steep canyon with a waterfall pouring in so they must plan to turn off the path at some point, or else they’ve found another way through the river valley.
The next day our party heads out. At the end of the first night they sleep on the road. At the end of the second they stay in the tiny town of Milford. The people there are anxious for news of the big city. Few travelers come through this way. Kenyan entertains them well into the night.
As they progress the next day, they notice the riverbanks getting steeper and full of debris. They find an odd shape poking up rigidly from a pile of rubble. It’s a body of a dwarf with a long white beard and a huge distorted mouth. It has huge muscles, sharp jagged teeth and nails and a steel cage affixed over its jaws connecting to its shoulders. The contraption has the effect of forcing its mouth open and its arms forward. Its mouth is full of rocks. The creature is wearing the tartan of Clan Blacksteel. Lucre slices open its torso. Its vicera are covered with a red ooze with an opal sheen, the ugly magic of Titan spawn.
After burying the poor creature, Kalina casts Pass without a Trace so they can cover their tracks. A few more hours up river they find a place to set up their traps. The river here has white caps and appears very cold. The trail is narrow and rocky. They intend to cause an avalanche to block the trail, then when the Calastian caravan approaches, they will cause an avalanche to the rear, trapping the party. When “the business” is finished, another avalanche will cover the evidence.
Lucre uses his stone sense and begins licking rocks looking for the best place to start an avalanche. The rest of the party thought this practice reminded them of a half-orc they’d heard about in a legend sung by Fergus, but since they never paid much attention to Fergus, they weren’t sure. He and Borin locate a good spot and others dig a large hole and bury one of the oil barrels. Borin lights the wick and boom! A perfect avalanche.
Deke wanders up river and spots some white markings on the canyon walls. The lines could be water level marks or sign posts. There are matching marks across the river, but up higher. They find more markings. Some are lines, some are numbers. They find four large wooden beams (25’ long by 4’ wide). The river appears to be about 20 feet across here. Across the river there is a large X marked about 15 feet up. Kalina turns into an owl and investigates. There doesn’t appear to be a secret door there, but there are shards of wood on the ledge under the X.
The party lays low while Kalina scouts back down river still in owl form. She returns after an hour, changes into human form and whispers that she saw 30 or 40 people coming.
Around the bend in the river a small group comes walking, 4 guards, 3 teamsters leading mules, 4 Veshians bound and looking dejected, and one doppelganger riding a mule. When they get into range Kenyan casts sonic boom stunning 2 teamsters and wounding the doppelganger. Everyone springs into action. Fang attacks and kills a guard. Boring kills the doppelganger, but the body that lands at his feet is the body of a peasant.
! Anyone could be disguised. Marja briefly suspects Kalina. After all she reported 40 people, and there are only 12 here, but then Fang doesn’t seem distressed.
They make short work of the guards, and Fang says all the peasants and teamsters smell normal. They make a plan to backtrack and find the rest of the Calastian party.
Before our adventurers proceed further, they are sent to a local hairdressers’ shop in Merchant Street. Presumably the new Twelfth Cohort needs coordinating up-dos. With the appropriate introductions, they are shown into a secret back room where they meet an albino elf who gives each of them a tattoo. Marja is an old pro at this, but she goes on record as saying that if the tattoo involves violets, she’s walking. Garnet hisses in aggravation. The tattoos are simple, IXI written on a slant, but as the artist completes the final line of each tattoo, it disappears.
While waiting for the others, Marja convinces Kalina to die her hair from its natural flaming red to a shocking purple color, “Just like the color of your fairy fire.” Although Kalina has come to embrace the wilds of nature, a small voice inside her harkens back to her more wild days, and she agrees.
The party now has four days to prepare for its “accident” on the Calastian caravan.
Marja visits a wizard named Dwarin to buy some magic scrolls. He indicates that she has a very interesting aura and that she should come back and see him in a year. “Whatever,” she thinks. “That’s a new line.” But since she has just promised Beltray to serve as a cohort for a year, and since his scrolls were fairly priced, she figures she’ll be back here anyway. “You bet,” she replies.
Deke meets daily with construction contractors. The group is pretty sure they’ll get a decent price on renovations in Cooper Alley since Deke rarely parts willingly with a cent, but Deke’s enthusiasm with paying rather than receiving is something unexpected. All day long he pours over blueprints, paces the large open spaces of the warehouse, and climbs ceiling beams to get better looks at the grounds.
Borin spends his time in the market buying large oil barrels and sharp smelling liquids, bringing them home and concocting odd looking lamps with big cloth wicks.
Finally they meet with Beltray who provides them with maps of the area. He sent two scouts out to try to find out the Calastian route, but neither came back. They seem to plan to head south across the mountains and then up river, but the river turns into a steep canyon with a waterfall pouring in so they must plan to turn off the path at some point, or else they’ve found another way through the river valley.
The next day our party heads out. At the end of the first night they sleep on the road. At the end of the second they stay in the tiny town of Milford. The people there are anxious for news of the big city. Few travelers come through this way. Kenyan entertains them well into the night.
As they progress the next day, they notice the riverbanks getting steeper and full of debris. They find an odd shape poking up rigidly from a pile of rubble. It’s a body of a dwarf with a long white beard and a huge distorted mouth. It has huge muscles, sharp jagged teeth and nails and a steel cage affixed over its jaws connecting to its shoulders. The contraption has the effect of forcing its mouth open and its arms forward. Its mouth is full of rocks. The creature is wearing the tartan of Clan Blacksteel. Lucre slices open its torso. Its vicera are covered with a red ooze with an opal sheen, the ugly magic of Titan spawn.
After burying the poor creature, Kalina casts Pass without a Trace so they can cover their tracks. A few more hours up river they find a place to set up their traps. The river here has white caps and appears very cold. The trail is narrow and rocky. They intend to cause an avalanche to block the trail, then when the Calastian caravan approaches, they will cause an avalanche to the rear, trapping the party. When “the business” is finished, another avalanche will cover the evidence.
Lucre uses his stone sense and begins licking rocks looking for the best place to start an avalanche. The rest of the party thought this practice reminded them of a half-orc they’d heard about in a legend sung by Fergus, but since they never paid much attention to Fergus, they weren’t sure. He and Borin locate a good spot and others dig a large hole and bury one of the oil barrels. Borin lights the wick and boom! A perfect avalanche.
Deke wanders up river and spots some white markings on the canyon walls. The lines could be water level marks or sign posts. There are matching marks across the river, but up higher. They find more markings. Some are lines, some are numbers. They find four large wooden beams (25’ long by 4’ wide). The river appears to be about 20 feet across here. Across the river there is a large X marked about 15 feet up. Kalina turns into an owl and investigates. There doesn’t appear to be a secret door there, but there are shards of wood on the ledge under the X.
The party lays low while Kalina scouts back down river still in owl form. She returns after an hour, changes into human form and whispers that she saw 30 or 40 people coming.
Around the bend in the river a small group comes walking, 4 guards, 3 teamsters leading mules, 4 Veshians bound and looking dejected, and one doppelganger riding a mule. When they get into range Kenyan casts sonic boom stunning 2 teamsters and wounding the doppelganger. Everyone springs into action. Fang attacks and kills a guard. Boring kills the doppelganger, but the body that lands at his feet is the body of a peasant.
! Anyone could be disguised. Marja briefly suspects Kalina. After all she reported 40 people, and there are only 12 here, but then Fang doesn’t seem distressed.They make short work of the guards, and Fang says all the peasants and teamsters smell normal. They make a plan to backtrack and find the rest of the Calastian party.
Iron Chef BBQ
First Post
A Trap within a Trap (run of 03-10-03)
Some of the party dresses up as guards. The dwarves pose as dead, draped across mules. Deke sneaks up the riverbank undetected. As the party rounds the bend in the river, four guards launch crossbow bolts. So much for their disguises. Deke thinks he sees a small rock move like it was kicked, but there’s nobody standing in that spot. He sends a message back, moments before an invisible spell caster appears.
Marja gets hit with two of the crossbow bolts, and Kel and Kenyan find themselves stuck in sticky white spider webs. Kalina sends a wall of hornets to the back of the attackers to prevent a retreat.
A sickly green swirl of mist surrounds the group. Marja, Kalina and Kenyan (the chaotic members of the group) hear voices in their heads and feel fingers pulling at their shoulders making them stand up straight and follow rules. The feeling is distracting and uncomfortable.
Borin springs off the mule and crumples a guard. Deke, in a sneak attack, kills one of two spell casters. Between Kalina’s avalanche sling and Marja’s magic missiles, they fell another guard.
Kenyan lights the spider webs on fire, damaging himself, but freeing himself and Kel in the process. Kel runs forward and flanks the guard attacking Borin. As Kalina moves to help him, she sets of a glyph of warding. Electric static fills the air, wounding her and Kel badly.
Kenyan charges, but sideways. Avoiding combat seems to be his favorite pastime. Marja notices and yells, “I see you, you Candy-Ass Coward. Why don’t you skip there?”
Kel, despite his wounds, sends a spiritual long sword of Corrian to attack the spell caster. Borin seconds that attack, and the caster dies.
Deke looks for signs of doppelgangers, but he and Fang find nothing.
Some of the party dresses up as guards. The dwarves pose as dead, draped across mules. Deke sneaks up the riverbank undetected. As the party rounds the bend in the river, four guards launch crossbow bolts. So much for their disguises. Deke thinks he sees a small rock move like it was kicked, but there’s nobody standing in that spot. He sends a message back, moments before an invisible spell caster appears.
Marja gets hit with two of the crossbow bolts, and Kel and Kenyan find themselves stuck in sticky white spider webs. Kalina sends a wall of hornets to the back of the attackers to prevent a retreat.
A sickly green swirl of mist surrounds the group. Marja, Kalina and Kenyan (the chaotic members of the group) hear voices in their heads and feel fingers pulling at their shoulders making them stand up straight and follow rules. The feeling is distracting and uncomfortable.
Borin springs off the mule and crumples a guard. Deke, in a sneak attack, kills one of two spell casters. Between Kalina’s avalanche sling and Marja’s magic missiles, they fell another guard.
Kenyan lights the spider webs on fire, damaging himself, but freeing himself and Kel in the process. Kel runs forward and flanks the guard attacking Borin. As Kalina moves to help him, she sets of a glyph of warding. Electric static fills the air, wounding her and Kel badly.
Kenyan charges, but sideways. Avoiding combat seems to be his favorite pastime. Marja notices and yells, “I see you, you Candy-Ass Coward. Why don’t you skip there?”
Kel, despite his wounds, sends a spiritual long sword of Corrian to attack the spell caster. Borin seconds that attack, and the caster dies.
Deke looks for signs of doppelgangers, but he and Fang find nothing.
Iron Chef BBQ
First Post
An Island in the Stream (run of 03-31-03)
Unfortunately, the party left no one alive that could provide any useful information. During the trek it had slowly dawned on the captives that this was no ordinary indentured servitude, and that they were leaving Vesh never to return. They greeted their liberators with exhausted gratitude. They had been fed and clothed with the bare minimum and were grateful to be alive, but too spent to be enthusiastic.
The Marja and Kenyan sat with them for a while gleaning what information they could and weaving a tale of themselves as travelers from Amalthea who just happened by at the right time. Deke takes the opportunity to scour the Calastian belongings and finds a large trunk of gold coins. He proceeds to dive into it like a bathtub. Borin insists that $2,000 of the gold pieces be delivered to the Temple of Ankili as a sign that we are still determined to find the money that has been embezzled from them. Kel is happy to deliver it. In the morning, better fed and rested, the freed captives head back to town with Kel serving as a guardian.
Marja scans the rest of the gear for magical items. They find 2 bottles of healing potion and a bottle of a levitating potion. They also find a wand of magic missiles. It is a thin willowy wand which, after Marja retrieves it from Deke who stole it out of her pocket, she presents to Kenyan. He has mixed feelings about it. He is thrilled to have more fire power at his disposal, but would have preferred that the wand look more manly.
The group heads cautiously up river. They pass the section where they had found the large wooden planks and take a few moments to again study the strange markings on the canyon walls, but decide to head upstream before spending too much time on these mysteries.
As they travel upstream the river gets narrower, and the canyon walls get steeper forming almost a vertical enclosure. There is just a small ledge to walk upon which is continually splashed by the river and is wet and slippery. At one point Borin and Marja both loose their footing with Marja falling backwards into a small pool of water. She is completely drenched. Lucre is scandalized by how her wet clothes cling to her body and insists on walking directly in front of her, shielding her from public view, although what public might be around to view is dubious. Kenyan takes up the position behind Marja for ostensibly the same purpose, but she questions if his motives are as pure.
At any rate, the party continues on to a bend in the river. Borin cautiously peeks around the bend and can’t believe what he sees. Deke sneaks around and comes back with this news. The river here has been widened by digging away at the canyon walls. The debris from the digging has been piled into the middle of the river forming an island. The front of the island is guarded by 4 20-foot wooden towers, each with a 7’ by 3’ slit on each side. There is one small bridge across to the island. It is directly below a large opening in the canyon wall from which they can here the sounds of snarling and crunching rock. There is a pen on the island that looks like a livestock corral, but in it are several disheveled and downtrodden dwarves. The party grows morose remembering the mutated dwarf body they found in the river.
The party prepares to attack the guard posts. Kalina casts circle of sounds so that the entire party can communicate with each other. Deke, Borin and Lucre are invisible. Lucre and Borin have spider climb. Kalina takes Garnet from Marja and instructs Fang to take his cues from Marja. Kalina then turns herself into a large pickerel, and with Garnet clinging to a fin, she swims across the river to the farthest guard post. Once at the base of the post she transforms back and climbs the wooden structure. Borin, Lucre and Deke make their way as quietly as possible across the bridge, through the camp and onto each of the remaining three guard towers. Kenyan, Marja and Fang stay across the river watching from a high and hidden spot.
Fang’s fur bristles. He clearly sees something, but neither Marja nor Kenyan can tell what he’s looking at. They send a general message of warning to the others. Suddenly two enormous cats can be seen flashing in and out in the camp. They have too many legs for normal cats and seem to glow with an eerie incandescence. Borin and Lucre can see them clearly and report that they also have long tentacles coming from their backs. While the cats can’t see the dwarves, they can smell them. They launch an attack, but miss.
The party springs into action. Unfortunately, Borin, Deke and Marja (who is aiming at the cats) all miss. So much for surprises. Borin and Deke shake it off, however, and quickly dispatch their guards with little injury. Lucre calls out that he hears someone spell casting. A Man dressed in Black plate with a bloody mace covered with the holy symbol of Chardon steps out of the tent and casts an evil blessing. Fortunately, it is quickly countered by Kenyan, his strong baritone cutting across the sound of the rushing river.
Garnet slithers into the guard post and strikes at the guard. Marja feels a jarring pain in her teeth as a whelping little snake says she forgot to check for chain mail. Garnet slithers up inside the guard’s pant leg as Kalina strikes. With the pain in her jaw, Marja fumbles throwing another ice knife at the cats and misses a third time as she hears the news that both Garnet and Kalina have missed their second attacks on their guard. Finally, Garnet strikes greatly weakening the guard’s constitution. Combined with the damage of Kalina’s initial charge, this is enough to kill the guard.
Borin prepares to jump from his tower and attack the Black Cleric when he feels a wave of cold spread across him. His muscles freeze. He is paralyzed. Marja has one dispel magic scroll left from Morgaine. She whips it out and casts, but fails again. Ugh! Poor Borin is left as a statue; fortunately he is inside the tower out of range of the cats.
Fang can’t take the inaction and runs to engage the cats distracting them temporarily away from the party. Finally, Lucre manages to kill his guard. Even frozen, Borin gloats at killing his first. Lucre tumbles from the tower toward the cleric. Marja shoots a Melf’s acid arrow at the cleric, and finally hits dead on (a critical). Kalina retrieves Garnet, turns into an owl, flies over the cleric and casts Genest’s far strike. In the double attack the cleric drops his mace. Lucre tumbles in, picks it up and throws it into the river. Touching the evil weapon takes its toll, however, so Lucre activates vigor to keep himself going.
Kenyan who is certainly proving himself valiant, inspires fear, and one of the cats runs away and cowers behind a tent. Marja, Kalina and Lucre each get in another successful strike at the cleric. Finally, Borin feels warmth return to his muscles. He jumps from the tower, runs up to the cleric and slashes him with his great axe. With a look of shock and dismay, he falls to his knees and dies.
Unfortunately, the party left no one alive that could provide any useful information. During the trek it had slowly dawned on the captives that this was no ordinary indentured servitude, and that they were leaving Vesh never to return. They greeted their liberators with exhausted gratitude. They had been fed and clothed with the bare minimum and were grateful to be alive, but too spent to be enthusiastic.
The Marja and Kenyan sat with them for a while gleaning what information they could and weaving a tale of themselves as travelers from Amalthea who just happened by at the right time. Deke takes the opportunity to scour the Calastian belongings and finds a large trunk of gold coins. He proceeds to dive into it like a bathtub. Borin insists that $2,000 of the gold pieces be delivered to the Temple of Ankili as a sign that we are still determined to find the money that has been embezzled from them. Kel is happy to deliver it. In the morning, better fed and rested, the freed captives head back to town with Kel serving as a guardian.
Marja scans the rest of the gear for magical items. They find 2 bottles of healing potion and a bottle of a levitating potion. They also find a wand of magic missiles. It is a thin willowy wand which, after Marja retrieves it from Deke who stole it out of her pocket, she presents to Kenyan. He has mixed feelings about it. He is thrilled to have more fire power at his disposal, but would have preferred that the wand look more manly.
The group heads cautiously up river. They pass the section where they had found the large wooden planks and take a few moments to again study the strange markings on the canyon walls, but decide to head upstream before spending too much time on these mysteries.
As they travel upstream the river gets narrower, and the canyon walls get steeper forming almost a vertical enclosure. There is just a small ledge to walk upon which is continually splashed by the river and is wet and slippery. At one point Borin and Marja both loose their footing with Marja falling backwards into a small pool of water. She is completely drenched. Lucre is scandalized by how her wet clothes cling to her body and insists on walking directly in front of her, shielding her from public view, although what public might be around to view is dubious. Kenyan takes up the position behind Marja for ostensibly the same purpose, but she questions if his motives are as pure.
At any rate, the party continues on to a bend in the river. Borin cautiously peeks around the bend and can’t believe what he sees. Deke sneaks around and comes back with this news. The river here has been widened by digging away at the canyon walls. The debris from the digging has been piled into the middle of the river forming an island. The front of the island is guarded by 4 20-foot wooden towers, each with a 7’ by 3’ slit on each side. There is one small bridge across to the island. It is directly below a large opening in the canyon wall from which they can here the sounds of snarling and crunching rock. There is a pen on the island that looks like a livestock corral, but in it are several disheveled and downtrodden dwarves. The party grows morose remembering the mutated dwarf body they found in the river.
The party prepares to attack the guard posts. Kalina casts circle of sounds so that the entire party can communicate with each other. Deke, Borin and Lucre are invisible. Lucre and Borin have spider climb. Kalina takes Garnet from Marja and instructs Fang to take his cues from Marja. Kalina then turns herself into a large pickerel, and with Garnet clinging to a fin, she swims across the river to the farthest guard post. Once at the base of the post she transforms back and climbs the wooden structure. Borin, Lucre and Deke make their way as quietly as possible across the bridge, through the camp and onto each of the remaining three guard towers. Kenyan, Marja and Fang stay across the river watching from a high and hidden spot.
Fang’s fur bristles. He clearly sees something, but neither Marja nor Kenyan can tell what he’s looking at. They send a general message of warning to the others. Suddenly two enormous cats can be seen flashing in and out in the camp. They have too many legs for normal cats and seem to glow with an eerie incandescence. Borin and Lucre can see them clearly and report that they also have long tentacles coming from their backs. While the cats can’t see the dwarves, they can smell them. They launch an attack, but miss.
The party springs into action. Unfortunately, Borin, Deke and Marja (who is aiming at the cats) all miss. So much for surprises. Borin and Deke shake it off, however, and quickly dispatch their guards with little injury. Lucre calls out that he hears someone spell casting. A Man dressed in Black plate with a bloody mace covered with the holy symbol of Chardon steps out of the tent and casts an evil blessing. Fortunately, it is quickly countered by Kenyan, his strong baritone cutting across the sound of the rushing river.
Garnet slithers into the guard post and strikes at the guard. Marja feels a jarring pain in her teeth as a whelping little snake says she forgot to check for chain mail. Garnet slithers up inside the guard’s pant leg as Kalina strikes. With the pain in her jaw, Marja fumbles throwing another ice knife at the cats and misses a third time as she hears the news that both Garnet and Kalina have missed their second attacks on their guard. Finally, Garnet strikes greatly weakening the guard’s constitution. Combined with the damage of Kalina’s initial charge, this is enough to kill the guard.
Borin prepares to jump from his tower and attack the Black Cleric when he feels a wave of cold spread across him. His muscles freeze. He is paralyzed. Marja has one dispel magic scroll left from Morgaine. She whips it out and casts, but fails again. Ugh! Poor Borin is left as a statue; fortunately he is inside the tower out of range of the cats.
Fang can’t take the inaction and runs to engage the cats distracting them temporarily away from the party. Finally, Lucre manages to kill his guard. Even frozen, Borin gloats at killing his first. Lucre tumbles from the tower toward the cleric. Marja shoots a Melf’s acid arrow at the cleric, and finally hits dead on (a critical). Kalina retrieves Garnet, turns into an owl, flies over the cleric and casts Genest’s far strike. In the double attack the cleric drops his mace. Lucre tumbles in, picks it up and throws it into the river. Touching the evil weapon takes its toll, however, so Lucre activates vigor to keep himself going.
Kenyan who is certainly proving himself valiant, inspires fear, and one of the cats runs away and cowers behind a tent. Marja, Kalina and Lucre each get in another successful strike at the cleric. Finally, Borin feels warmth return to his muscles. He jumps from the tower, runs up to the cleric and slashes him with his great axe. With a look of shock and dismay, he falls to his knees and dies.
Iron Chef BBQ
First Post
Well, this brings us all up to date, but we play tonight so I get to fall behind again. 
Iron Chef BBQ
First Post
magic items
Here is a list of magic items the party has bought/found/stolen/borrowed.
Boots of Endurance - Deke
Lantern of Continual Light
Cyclone Quarterstaff (+1) - Marja
Healing Wand - Gemma
3 transformation sheepskins
avalanche sling - Kalina
Polar Bear Armor - Borin
Wand of Colorspray - Marja
Pins to enhance Conj Magic - Marja and Kel
Speak with Dead Candle - Marja
Charisma Gloves - Kenyan
Magic Shield - Kalina
AC amulet - Kel
Sash of Hiding (+4) - Deke
Ring of Jumping (+20) - Deke
Mithral Chain Shirt (+1 armor) - Lucre
Large Wooden Shield (+1) - Lucre
Glove of Storing - Lucre
Ring of Nimbleness (+9 tumble) - Lucre
Heartstone of Awareness (+5 to spot, doesn't take up a "slot") - Lucre
Amulet of Natural Armor (+1) - Lucre
2 potions of walk on water - Kel and Borin
scroll of soften earth and stone - Kalina
ring of the ram - Kel
ring of counter spells (with dispel magic) - Lucre
2 wands to hold shocking grasp - Kenyan and Lucre
candle of truth (4 uses) - Deke
amulet of intimidation - Borin
bracers of armor +1 - Marja
crystal capacito - Lucre
ring of protection -
wand of ? -
They also have a love potion, several heal light potions, a detect thoughts scroll and anti-stone salve.
Here is a list of magic items the party has bought/found/stolen/borrowed.
Boots of Endurance - Deke
Lantern of Continual Light
Cyclone Quarterstaff (+1) - Marja
Healing Wand - Gemma
3 transformation sheepskins
avalanche sling - Kalina
Polar Bear Armor - Borin
Wand of Colorspray - Marja
Pins to enhance Conj Magic - Marja and Kel
Speak with Dead Candle - Marja
Charisma Gloves - Kenyan
Magic Shield - Kalina
AC amulet - Kel
Sash of Hiding (+4) - Deke
Ring of Jumping (+20) - Deke
Mithral Chain Shirt (+1 armor) - Lucre
Large Wooden Shield (+1) - Lucre
Glove of Storing - Lucre
Ring of Nimbleness (+9 tumble) - Lucre
Heartstone of Awareness (+5 to spot, doesn't take up a "slot") - Lucre
Amulet of Natural Armor (+1) - Lucre
2 potions of walk on water - Kel and Borin
scroll of soften earth and stone - Kalina
ring of the ram - Kel
ring of counter spells (with dispel magic) - Lucre
2 wands to hold shocking grasp - Kenyan and Lucre
candle of truth (4 uses) - Deke
amulet of intimidation - Borin
bracers of armor +1 - Marja
crystal capacito - Lucre
ring of protection -
wand of ? -
They also have a love potion, several heal light potions, a detect thoughts scroll and anti-stone salve.
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Iron Chef BBQ
First Post
displacer beasts and mutant dwarves (run of 04-08-03)
Kenyan’s bravery seems unsurpassed. He has inspired bravery in the entire party. He has inspired fear in both evil cats. He is shooting magic missiles from his newfound wand like a paladin wields a sword. Marja is so amazed at this change in behavior that she is almost numb. She hurls an ice knife at one of the cats, and for the fourth time today it misses. (4 fumbles, who has that kind of luck?) This time her shot doesn’t just miss it’s target. It finds a new target. It hits Lucre doing maximum damage. Fortunately, Kalina is nearby and is able to give him some minor healing while moving her flaming sphere toward one of the cats. She also manages to cast fairy fire on one of the cats making it a stable target to hit.
Marja refuses to throw another ice knife. She switches to magic missiles. They don’t do much damage, but they hit their mark every time. Borin moves in to attack one cat; Lucre tumbles in to attack the other. Borin swings and kills his target. “I got mine first again, Cousin Lucre.” Lucre growls and strikes, but doesn’t impart the killing blow. Marja and Kenyan send six more magic missiles searing into the cats fur. As it turns to run away, it passes Borin who swings and crushes the creature’s great spine with his battle axe. The cat lies motionless at his feet. “Argh! Again, you win!” snarls Lucre.
Deke checks out the pen in the compound and finds four very dirty dwarves cowering at the far side. The party passes healing potions around, speaks some words of confidence to the dwarves, who are too exhausted and beaten down to even feel much gratitude, and turns their attentions to the cave on the hill.
Kalina uses stone shape to narrow the entrance to the cave. It is now only large enough for a single person to pass. She also uses soften stone to turn the floor of the tunnel into thick mud.
While she and Lucre are busy at the cave opening, Deke has slipped into the tent of the dead dark servant of Chardun. He finds a large chest with a trapped lock, but he knows he can easily spring it. In a rare misstep Deke’s fingers slip on the spring. A needle shoots from the lock and into his chest. He feels his muscles freeze. Kenyan, who has been sitting quietly next to the tent contemplating how it feels to be a hero, hears a soft thud like something solid hitting the ground. He pokes his head into the tent and sees Deke lying on his side, stiff. He calls Marja who is closest to him. He thinks Deke is dead. Marja has seen this before. “He’s not dead, but he’s out of the action for a while. Pick him up and carry him up the hill. He’ll come out of it in a few minutes. Sorry, Deke, the treasure will have to wait until after the fight.” She imagines that she sees Deke’s eyes pop, but of course, he can’t move a muscle.
For a description of the mutant dwarves check out the post above entitled “Avalanche.”
From the dwarves they learn there are four guards and ten mutated dwarves in the tunnel. They wait outside the tunnel until Deke’s muscles soften up. Kenyan begins to sing in a low clear voice. Marja hears sounds way down below. She casts ghost sound, and sends the sounds of marching dwarves down the tunnel. Lucre yells an insult about Chardon performing a sexual act on a male elf that wouldn’t be fit for a grandmother’s ears so we will not quote it here. They hear the guards yell, “The dwarves are loose.” Marja hastes Borin, Deke and Lucre who flank each other around the entrance to the cave.
One by one, guards and mutants come up from the depths. They get stuck in the mud and become easy targets for our hasted fighting team. The spellcasters step back, waiting and watching. The fight is horrible. These mutant dwarves cause everyone’s stomachs to turn. Lucre notices that their beards have been cut off. He is thrown into an angry rage and pummels each guard long after each is dead.
Kalina throws a stone from her avalanche sling. It hits two dwarves who are turned to see each other. They jump to attach each other. These creatures are full of a voracious hunger. They plunge at whatever is in front of them trying to tear it and push it into their mouths. As they lunge at each other their feet hit a guard who has fallen in the mud between them. This is enough to distract them from each other. They pick up the guard who is now frantic and screaming for help and mercy. In their frenzy, they tear and pull. They are obviously many times stronger than an average dwarf. The guard is pulled into pieces in seconds. Blood spatters everywhere. The other mutants in the cave taste the blood and every one of them howls and pushes forward.
One mutant breaks through the pack. With super-strength it manages to break the bars that hold its arms forward. It lunges at Borin. The grate over the creature’s mouth slips sideways. The creature gets his lips around it, and starts chewing. The sound of cracking rocks (it must be the creature’s teeth shattering) and the scraping of metal appall the party. Marja, who is off to the side almost devoid of spells, has been watching the scene and taking it all in. She starts to cry at the wretchedness of this poor, crazed dwarf. Deke, Lucre and Borin all strike simultaneously. Deke stabs it in the back. Lucre swings his sword and severs its head. Boring turns his battle axe to the flat side and hits the head as it separates from the body. He makes solid contact with the metal mouthpiece and shoots it out the back of the head.
In all this, the group failed to notice that another dwarf had gotten out of the cave. It grabs Borin and tears at his collarbone, pulling it and tearing skin. They can see the bone protrude and bend as if to snap in two. Lucre and Deke jump in and kill it.
There are two wounded and fallen creatures in the mouth of the cave. One magic missile each dispatches them. One guard and one mutant are left. Kalina hurls her last avalanche stone and kills the mutant dwarf. The destructo trio charge the last guard. They are unable to hold back their fury and in three swift swings of rapier, broad sword and battle axe, they turn his body into pate'. (90 points of damage)
Exhausted, filthy and battle-torn, the entire party slumps into a heap at the mouth of the cave.
Kenyan’s bravery seems unsurpassed. He has inspired bravery in the entire party. He has inspired fear in both evil cats. He is shooting magic missiles from his newfound wand like a paladin wields a sword. Marja is so amazed at this change in behavior that she is almost numb. She hurls an ice knife at one of the cats, and for the fourth time today it misses. (4 fumbles, who has that kind of luck?) This time her shot doesn’t just miss it’s target. It finds a new target. It hits Lucre doing maximum damage. Fortunately, Kalina is nearby and is able to give him some minor healing while moving her flaming sphere toward one of the cats. She also manages to cast fairy fire on one of the cats making it a stable target to hit.
Marja refuses to throw another ice knife. She switches to magic missiles. They don’t do much damage, but they hit their mark every time. Borin moves in to attack one cat; Lucre tumbles in to attack the other. Borin swings and kills his target. “I got mine first again, Cousin Lucre.” Lucre growls and strikes, but doesn’t impart the killing blow. Marja and Kenyan send six more magic missiles searing into the cats fur. As it turns to run away, it passes Borin who swings and crushes the creature’s great spine with his battle axe. The cat lies motionless at his feet. “Argh! Again, you win!” snarls Lucre.
Deke checks out the pen in the compound and finds four very dirty dwarves cowering at the far side. The party passes healing potions around, speaks some words of confidence to the dwarves, who are too exhausted and beaten down to even feel much gratitude, and turns their attentions to the cave on the hill.
Kalina uses stone shape to narrow the entrance to the cave. It is now only large enough for a single person to pass. She also uses soften stone to turn the floor of the tunnel into thick mud.
While she and Lucre are busy at the cave opening, Deke has slipped into the tent of the dead dark servant of Chardun. He finds a large chest with a trapped lock, but he knows he can easily spring it. In a rare misstep Deke’s fingers slip on the spring. A needle shoots from the lock and into his chest. He feels his muscles freeze. Kenyan, who has been sitting quietly next to the tent contemplating how it feels to be a hero, hears a soft thud like something solid hitting the ground. He pokes his head into the tent and sees Deke lying on his side, stiff. He calls Marja who is closest to him. He thinks Deke is dead. Marja has seen this before. “He’s not dead, but he’s out of the action for a while. Pick him up and carry him up the hill. He’ll come out of it in a few minutes. Sorry, Deke, the treasure will have to wait until after the fight.” She imagines that she sees Deke’s eyes pop, but of course, he can’t move a muscle.
For a description of the mutant dwarves check out the post above entitled “Avalanche.”
From the dwarves they learn there are four guards and ten mutated dwarves in the tunnel. They wait outside the tunnel until Deke’s muscles soften up. Kenyan begins to sing in a low clear voice. Marja hears sounds way down below. She casts ghost sound, and sends the sounds of marching dwarves down the tunnel. Lucre yells an insult about Chardon performing a sexual act on a male elf that wouldn’t be fit for a grandmother’s ears so we will not quote it here. They hear the guards yell, “The dwarves are loose.” Marja hastes Borin, Deke and Lucre who flank each other around the entrance to the cave.
One by one, guards and mutants come up from the depths. They get stuck in the mud and become easy targets for our hasted fighting team. The spellcasters step back, waiting and watching. The fight is horrible. These mutant dwarves cause everyone’s stomachs to turn. Lucre notices that their beards have been cut off. He is thrown into an angry rage and pummels each guard long after each is dead.
Kalina throws a stone from her avalanche sling. It hits two dwarves who are turned to see each other. They jump to attach each other. These creatures are full of a voracious hunger. They plunge at whatever is in front of them trying to tear it and push it into their mouths. As they lunge at each other their feet hit a guard who has fallen in the mud between them. This is enough to distract them from each other. They pick up the guard who is now frantic and screaming for help and mercy. In their frenzy, they tear and pull. They are obviously many times stronger than an average dwarf. The guard is pulled into pieces in seconds. Blood spatters everywhere. The other mutants in the cave taste the blood and every one of them howls and pushes forward.
One mutant breaks through the pack. With super-strength it manages to break the bars that hold its arms forward. It lunges at Borin. The grate over the creature’s mouth slips sideways. The creature gets his lips around it, and starts chewing. The sound of cracking rocks (it must be the creature’s teeth shattering) and the scraping of metal appall the party. Marja, who is off to the side almost devoid of spells, has been watching the scene and taking it all in. She starts to cry at the wretchedness of this poor, crazed dwarf. Deke, Lucre and Borin all strike simultaneously. Deke stabs it in the back. Lucre swings his sword and severs its head. Boring turns his battle axe to the flat side and hits the head as it separates from the body. He makes solid contact with the metal mouthpiece and shoots it out the back of the head.
In all this, the group failed to notice that another dwarf had gotten out of the cave. It grabs Borin and tears at his collarbone, pulling it and tearing skin. They can see the bone protrude and bend as if to snap in two. Lucre and Deke jump in and kill it.
There are two wounded and fallen creatures in the mouth of the cave. One magic missile each dispatches them. One guard and one mutant are left. Kalina hurls her last avalanche stone and kills the mutant dwarf. The destructo trio charge the last guard. They are unable to hold back their fury and in three swift swings of rapier, broad sword and battle axe, they turn his body into pate'. (90 points of damage)
Exhausted, filthy and battle-torn, the entire party slumps into a heap at the mouth of the cave.
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