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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Selm's Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil
- Thread starter Selm
- Start date
Greg Dickens
First Post
Ok Hooked
I know you already have at least two more done so go ahead and post them. I check everyday to see if you added anything. Can't wait to see how your party fares compared to us. We are father along( won't say where since your players read here also) so just keep them coming.
I know you already have at least two more done so go ahead and post them. I check everyday to see if you added anything. Can't wait to see how your party fares compared to us. We are father along( won't say where since your players read here also) so just keep them coming.
Episode 6-1
Episode SIX - NEVER EVER left anyone behind - Part 1
(It can always turn worse.)
- Godsday 18th Planting, 23h30 -
We are back with Diane when she is approaching the moathouse, this is
a night of new-moon and Diane uses a torch to light her way towards
the old fortress. She cautiously enters the courtyard, no sound, no
light, it really seems quiet.
She hasn't seen anything around, but only the stars light the area and
the fog is deep in the swamp at night, it's hard to see anything at
all. In the courtyard, there isn't any sign of Lywen. Diane go round
the courtyard, using a lantern to light the rooms into the partially
collapsed building trough the arrow-slits. She isn't more
successfull. Then she decides to enter the building and starts with
the old tower near the entry, where she hides from the dragon some
days before. It is when she enters the room that she sees a form lying
on the ground. She silently aproaches the man, as you could expect,
it is Lywen. Diane unsheats her rapier and wakes Lywen by putting it
under his neck.
"If I were an ennemy, you would be dead right now." says Diane to Lywen.
"If you were an ennemy I would never have allowed you to come so far
..." responds Lywen with a smile shared by Diane.
After a small discussion, they decide to go back to Hommlet. Dianes
goes out of the small tower ... and is hurt by a small crossbow
bolt. She immediatly feel a strong poison going trough her veins and
can't overcome the paralysis power.
Lywen, surprised, reacts quickly, he casts an invisibility
spell. Seconds pass, there isn't any sound to hear or anyone to
see. Lywen keeps his position invisible behind the paralysed
Diane. One minute after, Dianes falls to the ground
unconscious. Another minute passes, Lywen decides to flee. He goes out
of the tower, runnind towards the broken entry door and
drawbridge. But if there is a thing Lywen does not do well it is
moving silently , especially when he is running as fast at this
night. A thrown dagger stabs him right between his shoulders, with an
extraordinary accuracy. He is no more able than Diane to overcome the
poison and after a minute of paralysation, he losts consciousness.
It is now near 1AM, and we have lost Diane and Lywen ...
-- Later, somewhere in a dark room --
Lywen wakes up, he is in a pitch black room, his hands bounded behind
his back and linked to a ring in a stone wall and his feet also tied
up. Making some noise, he hears the voice of Diane near him, she is
also bounded to the wall.
A strong odor floats trought the room, it seems to be an exotic essence.
They do not wait long before the sound of a door and footsteps tells
them that someone is approaching them. The voice of a man, strongly
shaped by elvish accent, asks them who they are and what they do
there? They do not respond clearly or say only weird things. The man
seems to nearly enjoy the fakes, he doen't seem to be in a hurry and
is finally satisfied when Diane says him that if he wants to learn
anything about them he only has to go to Hommlet and asks his
questions there.
Still in total darkness, they hear the sound of his footsteps moving away.
After two minutes, Lywena and Diane start to speak more frealy, hoping
that the man is really gone ... having nothing better to do, they try
to free themselves from their bounds ...
-- The Others, Waterday 19th Planting, 8AM --
Gandigoot wakes up, he immediately searches for Lywen and Diane. They
are nowhere to be found and Lywen's horse is alone in the Inn
courtyard peacefully eating grass (the wizard released it yesterday
night to prevent it from beeing an easy warning signal for any
newcomer to the moathouse). As you could imagine, this is not good to
reassure our gnome.
Ezekiel and Killasha are not at the Inn, they went to the smithy to
get some help for their quite worn and badly beaten armors. Rousning
Fox is somewhere practicing his mratial artist skills. Gandigoot is
only able to find the young half-elf (and can have the joy to wakes up
her today, revenge for yesterday
). He speaks with her about his
fears for their friends, Alahija understands but does not seems as
afraid as the gnome.
Gandigoot goes to the keep to see Rufus, he finds him in the first
courtyard of the keep. They speaks about his fears, Rufus also tells
him that yesterday night, a strnage woman was at Terrigan's tavern,
asking questions about "The heroes braving the dangers of the old
moathouse". As Dianes express some worries about such strange facts
yesterday, he tells the gnome to say that to her when he finds
her. The woman was noticed especially becuase her skin is pearly white
and her hairs blood red, she was also speaking with a clearly foreign
accent but Terrigan (who is a member of the town milicia) was unable
to identify her origin.
During this time, Alahija goes to the potion's shop, she wants to see
Spugnoir. Hopefully he is not yet departed for another reckless trip
and she is able to find himat the shop. He gives her the items she let
there yesterday for identification, there is some minor arms and
armor, nothing exceptional but it will come handy. He only takes half
the price as they saved him from the dangers of the evil priests (and
his daughter really lectured him for his foolishness
).
It is mid-morning at the Inn of the Welcome Wench, Gandigoot enters
the main room and finds all his friends (less Diane and Lywen) waiting
for him at a table. They quickly discuss of their options and decide
to go to the moathouse to find their friends immediately.
-- Same time, somewhere in a now well known dark room --
It is now several hours after their first discussion with the
elf. Lywen quickly abandonned his tries on his bounds, Diane was more
tenacious but not more successfull. They had some hard sleep, a bunch
of hours bounded to the wall in a cold cell.
And the sound of footsteps is once again heard in the next room, the
door is opened and people enters the room, still unlit. They are two
this time, or it is what Diane heard from the footsteps.
The elf once again asks them what they are doing there and who they
serve, they do not want to respond. A woman voice, with strong suloise
accent (as Diane speaks old suloise she immediately identified it),
says to the elf that do not have more time for these underlings, more
important matters must have their attention. The elf seems spoiled of
some fun but accepts.
He approaches Diane and Lywen and uses poison to make them unconscious.
... soon ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode SIX - NEVER EVER left anyone behind - Part 2
(It can always turn worse, even now.)
Episode SIX - NEVER EVER left anyone behind - Part 1
(It can always turn worse.)
- Godsday 18th Planting, 23h30 -
We are back with Diane when she is approaching the moathouse, this is
a night of new-moon and Diane uses a torch to light her way towards
the old fortress. She cautiously enters the courtyard, no sound, no
light, it really seems quiet.
She hasn't seen anything around, but only the stars light the area and
the fog is deep in the swamp at night, it's hard to see anything at
all. In the courtyard, there isn't any sign of Lywen. Diane go round
the courtyard, using a lantern to light the rooms into the partially
collapsed building trough the arrow-slits. She isn't more
successfull. Then she decides to enter the building and starts with
the old tower near the entry, where she hides from the dragon some
days before. It is when she enters the room that she sees a form lying
on the ground. She silently aproaches the man, as you could expect,
it is Lywen. Diane unsheats her rapier and wakes Lywen by putting it
under his neck.
"If I were an ennemy, you would be dead right now." says Diane to Lywen.
"If you were an ennemy I would never have allowed you to come so far
..." responds Lywen with a smile shared by Diane.
After a small discussion, they decide to go back to Hommlet. Dianes
goes out of the small tower ... and is hurt by a small crossbow
bolt. She immediatly feel a strong poison going trough her veins and
can't overcome the paralysis power.
Lywen, surprised, reacts quickly, he casts an invisibility
spell. Seconds pass, there isn't any sound to hear or anyone to
see. Lywen keeps his position invisible behind the paralysed
Diane. One minute after, Dianes falls to the ground
unconscious. Another minute passes, Lywen decides to flee. He goes out
of the tower, runnind towards the broken entry door and
drawbridge. But if there is a thing Lywen does not do well it is
moving silently , especially when he is running as fast at this
night. A thrown dagger stabs him right between his shoulders, with an
extraordinary accuracy. He is no more able than Diane to overcome the
poison and after a minute of paralysation, he losts consciousness.
It is now near 1AM, and we have lost Diane and Lywen ...
-- Later, somewhere in a dark room --
Lywen wakes up, he is in a pitch black room, his hands bounded behind
his back and linked to a ring in a stone wall and his feet also tied
up. Making some noise, he hears the voice of Diane near him, she is
also bounded to the wall.
A strong odor floats trought the room, it seems to be an exotic essence.
They do not wait long before the sound of a door and footsteps tells
them that someone is approaching them. The voice of a man, strongly
shaped by elvish accent, asks them who they are and what they do
there? They do not respond clearly or say only weird things. The man
seems to nearly enjoy the fakes, he doen't seem to be in a hurry and
is finally satisfied when Diane says him that if he wants to learn
anything about them he only has to go to Hommlet and asks his
questions there.
Still in total darkness, they hear the sound of his footsteps moving away.
After two minutes, Lywena and Diane start to speak more frealy, hoping
that the man is really gone ... having nothing better to do, they try
to free themselves from their bounds ...
-- The Others, Waterday 19th Planting, 8AM --
Gandigoot wakes up, he immediately searches for Lywen and Diane. They
are nowhere to be found and Lywen's horse is alone in the Inn
courtyard peacefully eating grass (the wizard released it yesterday
night to prevent it from beeing an easy warning signal for any
newcomer to the moathouse). As you could imagine, this is not good to
reassure our gnome.
Ezekiel and Killasha are not at the Inn, they went to the smithy to
get some help for their quite worn and badly beaten armors. Rousning
Fox is somewhere practicing his mratial artist skills. Gandigoot is
only able to find the young half-elf (and can have the joy to wakes up
her today, revenge for yesterday
). He speaks with her about hisfears for their friends, Alahija understands but does not seems as
afraid as the gnome.
Gandigoot goes to the keep to see Rufus, he finds him in the first
courtyard of the keep. They speaks about his fears, Rufus also tells
him that yesterday night, a strnage woman was at Terrigan's tavern,
asking questions about "The heroes braving the dangers of the old
moathouse". As Dianes express some worries about such strange facts
yesterday, he tells the gnome to say that to her when he finds
her. The woman was noticed especially becuase her skin is pearly white
and her hairs blood red, she was also speaking with a clearly foreign
accent but Terrigan (who is a member of the town milicia) was unable
to identify her origin.
During this time, Alahija goes to the potion's shop, she wants to see
Spugnoir. Hopefully he is not yet departed for another reckless trip
and she is able to find himat the shop. He gives her the items she let
there yesterday for identification, there is some minor arms and
armor, nothing exceptional but it will come handy. He only takes half
the price as they saved him from the dangers of the evil priests (and
his daughter really lectured him for his foolishness
). It is mid-morning at the Inn of the Welcome Wench, Gandigoot enters
the main room and finds all his friends (less Diane and Lywen) waiting
for him at a table. They quickly discuss of their options and decide
to go to the moathouse to find their friends immediately.
-- Same time, somewhere in a now well known dark room --
It is now several hours after their first discussion with the
elf. Lywen quickly abandonned his tries on his bounds, Diane was more
tenacious but not more successfull. They had some hard sleep, a bunch
of hours bounded to the wall in a cold cell.
And the sound of footsteps is once again heard in the next room, the
door is opened and people enters the room, still unlit. They are two
this time, or it is what Diane heard from the footsteps.
The elf once again asks them what they are doing there and who they
serve, they do not want to respond. A woman voice, with strong suloise
accent (as Diane speaks old suloise she immediately identified it),
says to the elf that do not have more time for these underlings, more
important matters must have their attention. The elf seems spoiled of
some fun but accepts.
He approaches Diane and Lywen and uses poison to make them unconscious.
... soon ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode SIX - NEVER EVER left anyone behind - Part 2
(It can always turn worse, even now.)
Episode 6-2
Episode SIX - NEVER EVER left anyone behind - Part 2
(It can always turn worse, even now.)
- Waterday 19th Planting, early afternoon -
End of morning at Hommlet, the rescue team pass by the keep, there is
no thought to discretion today, they are in a hurry.
They advance quickly on the dusty road and reach the cross between the
road to Nulb where they are and the old track towards the moathouse
for midday. There is no time to loss, they enter the swamp track. The
smog is strong today, the more they go trough the swamp towards the
moathouse the stronger it becomes.
They aren't far from the moathouse anymore, when the scouts (Gandigoot
and Alahija) hear the sound of a waggon on the road before them. They
slow their advance and rousing Fox joins the two scouts. He just gets
by them when he hears a voice casting a spell a few dozen meters in
the fog, Alahijaalso heard it and they cry to warn their
friends. Useless, they will know soon enough.
The dark form of a creature appears in the fog in front of them, it
approaches revealling itself as a huge dark wolf, its red glowing eyes
only seems to seek the death of the party. It's no more time to speak,
the weapons are drawn out and the fight starts.
Killasha charges the creature to protect Alahija from its
attacks. Ezekiels starts to cast his battle's spells (Endurance,
Bull's Strength). Rousing Fox and Alahija fire on the creature ... but
shot the paladine insteed (you know that you should have got this
precise shot feat), who is quite surprised but has more important
matters to care.
The fight is engaged, Killasha draws the first blood but the creature
seems to have plenty of life to endure. Ezekiels joins the fray two
rounds after, his first strike connects with the flesh of the beast
and the damage falls ... 17. This priest is not a friendly one for
sure. The Dire Wolwerine stops its attacks onthe paladine to
concentrate on the foolish berserker on its side. But if Ezekiel
suffers bad wounds from the fight, the creature is not able to survive
the third round of priest's bashing.
During this time, Gandigoot has started to advance towards the
spellcaster on the bank of the track. He is very cautious, but is it
usefull with his friends? ...
Just after the death of the monster, Rousing Fox and Alahija also
advance silently on the track. And Killasha hurries (not as silently)
to protect the young half-elf.
Gandigoot only has the time to hear another spellcasting before ....
A ball of fire inferno explodes centered on Killasha who was trying to
protect Alahija with her shield. The monk is able to escape the blast,
but Gandigoot and Killasha are badly hurt ... Alahija is on the
ground, lying still and heavily burned.
It is getting bad ...
At this very instant, Rousing Fox sees a monster appear in the mist
just in front of him within an arm's reach.
It is huge, as a very big monstrous hyena covered by big spikes over
its whole body. The monk does not hesitate more, this is another
summoned monster for sure, before the creature even understand the
situation a fury of blows strike it. The fight is engaged and the
monster is quick to respond. The monk is pierced by some spikes and is
suffering greatly from the wounds but is also dimished in his
abilities, hindered by the bony spikes stuck into his body. He cries
for help.
Killashalandilis is unable to help him, still trying to save Alahija
nearly killed by the fireball which striked them not even a minute
before. But Ezekiel hears him and charges the foul beast.
The beast seems to enjoy the fight with the monk who quickly seems to
have more spikes than the monster itself. But the priest is a lot less
friendly with it. As we all know Ezekiel now, his first strike was for
17 damage and another score more than 10. The first hit was responded
by a terrible howl from the beast, an horrible sound not known on
Oerth, the horses nearly all fled but our adventurers courageously
stand their ground. On the second strike, the creature drops its
play with the monk (now pierced by more than 5 spikes and nearly
unable to strike it) to send all its attacks towards the priest.
Ezekiel, already heavily wounded by the fight against the dire
wolwerine starts to feel the wounds in all his body. He uses a round
to cast a healing spell upon himself, and is able to escape the
creature's attacks this round while casting his spell. But he can't
score another hit on the creature before falling to the ground,
bleeding from numerous wounds ... and perhaps even dead ...
Will this be the end of our heroes? Do not forget Gandigoot, hearing
the cries of his friends, the gnome drop his project of getting the
spellcaster. At the very moment he rises from his cover, he sees a
form disappearing in the mist a few meters in front of him, magic once
again ... but the gnome does not have any time to think about it, his
friends are in great need of his help.
He runs towards the monster and attacks it from the back, this
distraction is enought for the paladine to find a breach trough its
defense and strike it with all her faith. With a last roar the monster
falls ont he ground ... its corpse is not long to disappear as the
huge wolwerine ... as they thought, they were summoned monsters.
But the situation is not good, Ezekiel is still unconscious, as is
Alahija. Rousing Fox is only barely alive and the two others are also
wounded ... they do not have the choice bu to go back to Hommlet,
abandonning their friends to their destiny ...
-- Once again, return to Hommlet, you should get used at it --
The wounded party comes by the keep, the guards notify them that Rufus
want to see them. But they are too much wounded for now, they are
escorted by the guards to the temples of Pelor and St Cuthbert. As
always, Killasha goes to the Pelor temple to see Yether, taking
Alahija with her (the young half-elf is still unconscious). The others
go to the St Cuthbert church were Calmer helps them and heals the
wounded.
After this short rest, they are brought to the keep, it is now near
five hours in the afternoon, the come back was long with two friends
so heavily wounded and unconscious.
They speak with the lordof Hommlet, the old fighter Rufus. The
decision is taken to go to the moathouse tomorrow with a big part of
Hommlet milicia under the command of Elmo himself. They must rid this
place from all opposition, which seems strong according to the new
informations of the party, about a powerfull spellcaster for
instance.
Elmo refused to go to the moathouse right now as it is already too
late. Even if they were able to go immediately, and it will take time
to bring the milicia together, they will not be able to get to the
moathouse before dusk. Elmo doesn't want to send his men to death by
engaging them in a dangerous fight by night at the old fortress and
against unknown opponents. The destiny of Lywen and Diane is anyway
probably already set and all they risk is to lose their life too.
Elmo also tells them he will try to get some help from some of Hommlet
inhabitants, especially the druid named Jaroo.
Gandigoot goes to speak with Naddy (the female gnome who runs the
leatherworker shop and is one of the head of Hommlet gnomish
community) after their stop at the keep. Gandigoot asks her for the
help of the gnomes of Hommlet, as he says "Anything could help, and
old magic dagger, an unused and perhaps expired healing potion
...". Without any promise Naddy tells him that she will pass the
word.
With sorrow and sadness they go back to the Inn of the Welcome
Wench. It is now nearly lunch-timeand they only take a handfull of
minutes before it. Eveaning lunch is quiet today, no bard and no happy
story of fame and glory, they all await the dangerous fight of
tomorrow and fear for their friends.
At this very moment of mourn, a guard from the keep hastily enters the
Inn, he nearly runs towards their table and asks them to go to the
keep immediately. His face is white and full of fear ... They do not
hesitate and run to Hommlet fortress.
A surprising number of Hommlet folk are gathered in front of the keep,
even more suprising, the guards are preventing anyone from entering
the fortress. However they let pass the party.
The sight into the fortress is hard to withstand ... Lywen and Diane
are back ... or what remains of them.
Their corpses were brought back on the back of two horses says them a
nearby guard.
They advance towards their lost friends. The two corpses have been put
on ground beside their horses, Elmo is near them and make a sign
towards Ezekiel when he sees him. They are still alive !! But what hey
endured is terryfying. Their nearly naked bodies are covered with
bloody scars, they were tortured and mutilated ... even more horrible,
the scars seems to draw some design ont their bodies and some were
"colored" in green using an herbal mixture ... someone used their
flesh to practice her "art".
I will not describe here the effect of such a vision on the guards of
the small town, it is enough itself. Even the courageous adventurers
where shocked, they start to understand that what they fight is evil,
real tangible EVIL and that their opponents will not recoil from any
act as inhuman as it can be !
But why where the two send back alive?
... to be continued ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode SEVEN - Interlude, Verbobonc and Chendl - Part 1
(A Trip in the Astral Plane ...)
Episode SIX - NEVER EVER left anyone behind - Part 2
(It can always turn worse, even now.)
- Waterday 19th Planting, early afternoon -
End of morning at Hommlet, the rescue team pass by the keep, there is
no thought to discretion today, they are in a hurry.
They advance quickly on the dusty road and reach the cross between the
road to Nulb where they are and the old track towards the moathouse
for midday. There is no time to loss, they enter the swamp track. The
smog is strong today, the more they go trough the swamp towards the
moathouse the stronger it becomes.
They aren't far from the moathouse anymore, when the scouts (Gandigoot
and Alahija) hear the sound of a waggon on the road before them. They
slow their advance and rousing Fox joins the two scouts. He just gets
by them when he hears a voice casting a spell a few dozen meters in
the fog, Alahijaalso heard it and they cry to warn their
friends. Useless, they will know soon enough.
The dark form of a creature appears in the fog in front of them, it
approaches revealling itself as a huge dark wolf, its red glowing eyes
only seems to seek the death of the party. It's no more time to speak,
the weapons are drawn out and the fight starts.
Killasha charges the creature to protect Alahija from its
attacks. Ezekiels starts to cast his battle's spells (Endurance,
Bull's Strength). Rousing Fox and Alahija fire on the creature ... but
shot the paladine insteed (you know that you should have got this
precise shot feat), who is quite surprised but has more important
matters to care.
The fight is engaged, Killasha draws the first blood but the creature
seems to have plenty of life to endure. Ezekiels joins the fray two
rounds after, his first strike connects with the flesh of the beast
and the damage falls ... 17. This priest is not a friendly one for
sure. The Dire Wolwerine stops its attacks onthe paladine to
concentrate on the foolish berserker on its side. But if Ezekiel
suffers bad wounds from the fight, the creature is not able to survive
the third round of priest's bashing.
During this time, Gandigoot has started to advance towards the
spellcaster on the bank of the track. He is very cautious, but is it
usefull with his friends? ...
Just after the death of the monster, Rousing Fox and Alahija also
advance silently on the track. And Killasha hurries (not as silently)
to protect the young half-elf.
Gandigoot only has the time to hear another spellcasting before ....
A ball of fire inferno explodes centered on Killasha who was trying to
protect Alahija with her shield. The monk is able to escape the blast,
but Gandigoot and Killasha are badly hurt ... Alahija is on the
ground, lying still and heavily burned.
It is getting bad ...
At this very instant, Rousing Fox sees a monster appear in the mist
just in front of him within an arm's reach.
It is huge, as a very big monstrous hyena covered by big spikes over
its whole body. The monk does not hesitate more, this is another
summoned monster for sure, before the creature even understand the
situation a fury of blows strike it. The fight is engaged and the
monster is quick to respond. The monk is pierced by some spikes and is
suffering greatly from the wounds but is also dimished in his
abilities, hindered by the bony spikes stuck into his body. He cries
for help.
Killashalandilis is unable to help him, still trying to save Alahija
nearly killed by the fireball which striked them not even a minute
before. But Ezekiel hears him and charges the foul beast.
The beast seems to enjoy the fight with the monk who quickly seems to
have more spikes than the monster itself. But the priest is a lot less
friendly with it. As we all know Ezekiel now, his first strike was for
17 damage and another score more than 10. The first hit was responded
by a terrible howl from the beast, an horrible sound not known on
Oerth, the horses nearly all fled but our adventurers courageously
stand their ground. On the second strike, the creature drops its
play with the monk (now pierced by more than 5 spikes and nearly
unable to strike it) to send all its attacks towards the priest.
Ezekiel, already heavily wounded by the fight against the dire
wolwerine starts to feel the wounds in all his body. He uses a round
to cast a healing spell upon himself, and is able to escape the
creature's attacks this round while casting his spell. But he can't
score another hit on the creature before falling to the ground,
bleeding from numerous wounds ... and perhaps even dead ...
Will this be the end of our heroes? Do not forget Gandigoot, hearing
the cries of his friends, the gnome drop his project of getting the
spellcaster. At the very moment he rises from his cover, he sees a
form disappearing in the mist a few meters in front of him, magic once
again ... but the gnome does not have any time to think about it, his
friends are in great need of his help.
He runs towards the monster and attacks it from the back, this
distraction is enought for the paladine to find a breach trough its
defense and strike it with all her faith. With a last roar the monster
falls ont he ground ... its corpse is not long to disappear as the
huge wolwerine ... as they thought, they were summoned monsters.
But the situation is not good, Ezekiel is still unconscious, as is
Alahija. Rousing Fox is only barely alive and the two others are also
wounded ... they do not have the choice bu to go back to Hommlet,
abandonning their friends to their destiny ...
-- Once again, return to Hommlet, you should get used at it --
The wounded party comes by the keep, the guards notify them that Rufus
want to see them. But they are too much wounded for now, they are
escorted by the guards to the temples of Pelor and St Cuthbert. As
always, Killasha goes to the Pelor temple to see Yether, taking
Alahija with her (the young half-elf is still unconscious). The others
go to the St Cuthbert church were Calmer helps them and heals the
wounded.
After this short rest, they are brought to the keep, it is now near
five hours in the afternoon, the come back was long with two friends
so heavily wounded and unconscious.
They speak with the lordof Hommlet, the old fighter Rufus. The
decision is taken to go to the moathouse tomorrow with a big part of
Hommlet milicia under the command of Elmo himself. They must rid this
place from all opposition, which seems strong according to the new
informations of the party, about a powerfull spellcaster for
instance.
Elmo refused to go to the moathouse right now as it is already too
late. Even if they were able to go immediately, and it will take time
to bring the milicia together, they will not be able to get to the
moathouse before dusk. Elmo doesn't want to send his men to death by
engaging them in a dangerous fight by night at the old fortress and
against unknown opponents. The destiny of Lywen and Diane is anyway
probably already set and all they risk is to lose their life too.
Elmo also tells them he will try to get some help from some of Hommlet
inhabitants, especially the druid named Jaroo.
Gandigoot goes to speak with Naddy (the female gnome who runs the
leatherworker shop and is one of the head of Hommlet gnomish
community) after their stop at the keep. Gandigoot asks her for the
help of the gnomes of Hommlet, as he says "Anything could help, and
old magic dagger, an unused and perhaps expired healing potion
...". Without any promise Naddy tells him that she will pass the
word.
With sorrow and sadness they go back to the Inn of the Welcome
Wench. It is now nearly lunch-timeand they only take a handfull of
minutes before it. Eveaning lunch is quiet today, no bard and no happy
story of fame and glory, they all await the dangerous fight of
tomorrow and fear for their friends.
At this very moment of mourn, a guard from the keep hastily enters the
Inn, he nearly runs towards their table and asks them to go to the
keep immediately. His face is white and full of fear ... They do not
hesitate and run to Hommlet fortress.
A surprising number of Hommlet folk are gathered in front of the keep,
even more suprising, the guards are preventing anyone from entering
the fortress. However they let pass the party.
The sight into the fortress is hard to withstand ... Lywen and Diane
are back ... or what remains of them.
Their corpses were brought back on the back of two horses says them a
nearby guard.
They advance towards their lost friends. The two corpses have been put
on ground beside their horses, Elmo is near them and make a sign
towards Ezekiel when he sees him. They are still alive !! But what hey
endured is terryfying. Their nearly naked bodies are covered with
bloody scars, they were tortured and mutilated ... even more horrible,
the scars seems to draw some design ont their bodies and some were
"colored" in green using an herbal mixture ... someone used their
flesh to practice her "art".
I will not describe here the effect of such a vision on the guards of
the small town, it is enough itself. Even the courageous adventurers
where shocked, they start to understand that what they fight is evil,
real tangible EVIL and that their opponents will not recoil from any
act as inhuman as it can be !
But why where the two send back alive?
... to be continued ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode SEVEN - Interlude, Verbobonc and Chendl - Part 1
(A Trip in the Astral Plane ...)
Episode 7-1
Episode SEVEN - Interlude, Verbobonc and Chendl - Part 1
(A Trip in the Astral Plane ...)
- Waterday 19th Panting, early night -
Elmo had called for the curch of St Cuthbert and Calmer is not long to
arrive. When he sees the bodies of Diane and Lywen, he asks Elmo to
bring them into an unused room of the keep. This is immediately done
and all the friends gathered with Elmo and Calmer into a small room of
the barraks, this room was destined to be used as an infirmary and is
perfect to accomodate Diane and Lywen. Calmer also calls Terjon as his
own healing power are already nearly exhausted as he had to heal
Ezekiel, Gandigoot and Rousing Fox only some hours ago. The second
priest of St Cuthbert comes half an hour after and reluctantly helps
the wounded, criticizing the whole group for their foolishness and
careless behavior. As always Terjon is Terjon
It is now night and our adventurers are really tired, they go back to
sleep to the Inn. Ezekiel stays at the keep tonight, he sleeps in the
barracks. Does he starts to fear something? The paladine stayed with
Calmer and her wounded friends ... she was unable to protect these two
and feels a great sorrow. Killasha will stay with her friends the
whole night without allowing her any sleep, praying for the help of
Mayaheine. How great a paladine she is ...
- Earthday 20th Planting, morning -
Ezekiel visits his wounded friends and tries to heal them using
restaurative magic, this will help them but is not enough as they
suffered a lot. This morning Derim, the young novice of St Cuthbert's
church as replaced Calmer who went to sleep near dawn, but Killasha is
still here awake in the room praying for her friends. Her prayers will
be heard ... as Y'dey the canoness of Hommlet has returned this
night.
Ezekiel goes to the dungeon to see Rufus. After some questions to the
guards, he is directed to a room at the third floor of the dungeon,
the door is engraved with a clear magical sign. After a second of
hesitation, the priest enters and finds Rufus discussing with Brune
and Canoness Y'dey, the two returned from Chendl during the night
after a request from Rufus. The three leaders of Hommlet are calmly
debating about the recent events and what they should do. The priest
is invited to enter and presents his request to Rufus, he would like
for the group to be allowed to rest and sleep into the keep. Lord
Rufus accepts without more questions and asks Ezekiel about their
encounter of the day before. Y'dey apologizes and leave Brune's study
to see the two injured adventurers.
During this time, Alahija was searching for flowers ... do not ask
why, half-elven maiden are surely addicted to flowers ... after some
quick questions in town, she decides to go to the nearby druid grove
where, as she was said, the more beautifull flowers grow.
Alahija goes to the small hill covered by big beautifull trees which
is located near the village, towards the north-east. She enters the
grove without any question and advance up to the glade situated in its
center. There a huge tree grows and the druid house is built in its
trunk, a small wooden door is visible in the tree's trunk. Alahija
calls for someone and, without response, advances to knock at the
door. Once again no response, the half-elf is going to leave when a
young man goes out of the trees circling the glade. He approaches her
and presents himself as Yundi, the druid's assistant. They speak a bit
with Alahija and she learns that the druid has quitted the grove since
two days without explanation. Barney, the druid's bear has also
departed since two weeks and has not been seen since. Yundi is overall
quite worried and Jaroo the old druid of Hommlet doesn't speak with
him as often as before ...
Alahija is quite worried too and gets the permission to pick up some
flowers for her wounded friends (we have the explanation) before
returning to the village.
After this small voyage, the half-elf goes to the keeps infirmary to
give the flowers to her friends. They are still asleep and after some
questions to Derim about their state, Alahija found a vase and puts
her flowers into it. At least they will see a bit of nature when
they'll awake ...
Going out of the infirmary, Alahija asks to see Rufus. She is sent to
the dungeon and cross the way of Canoness Y'dey. The gentle priestess
asks her where she wants to go and decides that escorting her to
Brune's study will be easier than trying to convice her to not open
all the doors at the third floor ...
So not more than five minutes after going out of the study Y'dey comes
back, but this time only to introduce Alahija into the room
Y'dey visits the two wounded, she finishes to heal their wounds but
must wait until she prepared specific magic to heal them further. It
will have to wait until tomorrow, nonetheless Diane and Lywen are now
awake and able to understand what happened to them. Killashalandilis
is still here and tries to help them, but Diane sharply pushed her
away. She was alone to go to the help of Lywen, and she does not want
any late help ... at least her was able to see that to be alone in the
moathouse by night was really too dangerous. Sad day for the paladine,
as if her own sorrow wasn't enough to bear ...
Quite shocked, Diane asks to Y'dey if she could get a human-sized
mirror, she just discovered the scars on her body ... and this was hard
to learn. The canoness thinks a bit and says her that she will send
her a mirror present at the church as soon as possible (Diane will get
it in the afternoon ... and burst into tears soon after ...).
It is now near midday, they all eat together at the Inn of the Welcome
Wench (except Diane and Lywen, still resting in the infirmary). They
all learn that they now have rooms in the keep dungeon, as asked by
Ezekiel. Killasha stopped her prayers as her friends are now out of
danger (for their life but perhaps not for their mental health) as
Y'dey said her.
After the meal (or even before for Ezekiel and Alahija, who were
warned before the others) they all quit the Inn to go to the
keep. Vesta, the innkeeper is quite surprised and a little sad, it's
never good to see clients leaving ... but they are all happy to get
rid of Maridosen ... surprising, she is so friendly
They have five rooms in the keep, Alahija fled Killasha (too much
protective attentions for the freedom loving half-elf) and chosed to
sleep with Ezekiel (nothing more intended ...). Gandigoot partakes his
room with Rousing Fox, the two have quite the same cool peacefull
spirit amd the three last have single rooms.
During the afternoon each of the adventurers is free for half a day,
this is quite new for some of them. Ezekiel uses the afternoon to
repair his arms and armor, with magic, a bit of work and the help of
the blacksmith. Rousing Fox practices a bit near the river (he loves
the spot).
Gandigoot was finaly gained by the wories of Alahija about Jaroo, the
druid and the half-elf convinced him to go to the druid grove this
afternoon. The two are now on the road towards the grove, it does not
take them long to reach the glade in the small forst topping the
hill. There they find Yundi and speak with him, Jaroo has not returned
since the morning, but the young fellow is more reassuring than
before, he doesn't though that the young half-elf maiden will come
back with friends and warn the whole village (even so she said it to
Rufus and Brune). Gandigoot lectures himself for having once again
trusted the half-elf, she always speaks of armies in the mountains
when there is only two orcs in the hills (gnomish proverb). Soon after
they go back to Hommlet.
The afternoom pass, and the evening. Another meal at the Inn of the
Welcome Wench. They do not speak a lot, suffering has left its mark on
them. Tomorrow will be another day ...
- Freeday 21th Planting, morning -
Early in the morning, not so long after dawn, Y'dey enters the
infirmary and visits the two wounded. As she promised them yesterday,
she uses the powers granted to her by St Cuthbert to heal them. Some
minutes after, her gentle magical touch restores their strength to the
fallen adventurers. If their are still tired, they now have got back all
their strength and their sleep will now be a real recovery ... even if
Y'dey was unable to heal all their wounds, as their bodies still bear
the marks of the terrible tortures they endured. The canoness of
Hommlet promised them she will speak with the hight priest of Chendel
and asks his help for them, in the name of their rightfull deads for
goodness.
Soon after is the time for the meeting scheduled the day before and the
whole bunch of adventurers goes to the keep...
They are all in the meeting room of the keep, Rufus and Y'dey are
already here and Brune is not long to come. The old wizard wait for
all of them to take a seat and starts the discussion.
He explains them that Y'dey and him went to Chendl to speak with the
royal mage Kerzalyn and some hight priests of Furyondy's kingdom. They
used some magical rituals to scry on the old Temple of Elmental
Evil. As Brune and Y'dey experienced before themselves, they were
unable to see anything about the temple and the vision of future was
obscured, even for the greatest powers they were able to call. A
powerfull aura was protecting the Temple from divination magic, this
aura was more powerfull than anyone which could be done by a human
beeing, these powerfull wizards and priests concluded that Tharizdun
itself, the Ancient God, should be involved. They searched for any
such magical aura in the region of Hommlet and found another
protecting the old moathouse, it was smaller but this wasn't
surprising. A more interesting fact was that they were able to find
such an aura in the Lortmills mountains, beyond the Kron Hills. But
this aura is still a mystery beyond their comprehension, and this
prove the necessity of a direct investigation.
But this is another story as Brune explains them that they will have
to go to Chendl to see Kerzalyn and perhaps even the king Belvor
IV. It was decided to send them as royal investigators about the
mysteries linked to the Temple of Elemental Evil and its possible
resurgence.
After some questions, the problem of transportation to Chendl is taken
up. As they can't postpone their fight against evil for too long and
the travel to Chendl will take near 3 weeks, even by horse. Y'dey
proposed to Brune to use some magical travel and appoitment is taken
for early after midday, Rufus will warn Kerzalyn of their arrival.
Not long before their own departure to Chendl, Alahija leaves her
friends in Homlet and leaves for Verbobonc with Elmo and two militia
guards. She will see her father and inform him about their discoveries
and the will of the king of Furyondy. Elmo is sent to carry the words
of Brune and Rufus to the viscount (and also protect his heir).
... soon ... their travel to Chendl ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode SEVEN - Interlude, Verbobonc and Chendl - Part 2
(A Trip in the Astral Plane ...)
Episode SEVEN - Interlude, Verbobonc and Chendl - Part 1
(A Trip in the Astral Plane ...)
- Waterday 19th Panting, early night -
Elmo had called for the curch of St Cuthbert and Calmer is not long to
arrive. When he sees the bodies of Diane and Lywen, he asks Elmo to
bring them into an unused room of the keep. This is immediately done
and all the friends gathered with Elmo and Calmer into a small room of
the barraks, this room was destined to be used as an infirmary and is
perfect to accomodate Diane and Lywen. Calmer also calls Terjon as his
own healing power are already nearly exhausted as he had to heal
Ezekiel, Gandigoot and Rousing Fox only some hours ago. The second
priest of St Cuthbert comes half an hour after and reluctantly helps
the wounded, criticizing the whole group for their foolishness and
careless behavior. As always Terjon is Terjon
It is now night and our adventurers are really tired, they go back to
sleep to the Inn. Ezekiel stays at the keep tonight, he sleeps in the
barracks. Does he starts to fear something? The paladine stayed with
Calmer and her wounded friends ... she was unable to protect these two
and feels a great sorrow. Killasha will stay with her friends the
whole night without allowing her any sleep, praying for the help of
Mayaheine. How great a paladine she is ...
- Earthday 20th Planting, morning -
Ezekiel visits his wounded friends and tries to heal them using
restaurative magic, this will help them but is not enough as they
suffered a lot. This morning Derim, the young novice of St Cuthbert's
church as replaced Calmer who went to sleep near dawn, but Killasha is
still here awake in the room praying for her friends. Her prayers will
be heard ... as Y'dey the canoness of Hommlet has returned this
night.
Ezekiel goes to the dungeon to see Rufus. After some questions to the
guards, he is directed to a room at the third floor of the dungeon,
the door is engraved with a clear magical sign. After a second of
hesitation, the priest enters and finds Rufus discussing with Brune
and Canoness Y'dey, the two returned from Chendl during the night
after a request from Rufus. The three leaders of Hommlet are calmly
debating about the recent events and what they should do. The priest
is invited to enter and presents his request to Rufus, he would like
for the group to be allowed to rest and sleep into the keep. Lord
Rufus accepts without more questions and asks Ezekiel about their
encounter of the day before. Y'dey apologizes and leave Brune's study
to see the two injured adventurers.
During this time, Alahija was searching for flowers ... do not ask
why, half-elven maiden are surely addicted to flowers ... after some
quick questions in town, she decides to go to the nearby druid grove
where, as she was said, the more beautifull flowers grow.
Alahija goes to the small hill covered by big beautifull trees which
is located near the village, towards the north-east. She enters the
grove without any question and advance up to the glade situated in its
center. There a huge tree grows and the druid house is built in its
trunk, a small wooden door is visible in the tree's trunk. Alahija
calls for someone and, without response, advances to knock at the
door. Once again no response, the half-elf is going to leave when a
young man goes out of the trees circling the glade. He approaches her
and presents himself as Yundi, the druid's assistant. They speak a bit
with Alahija and she learns that the druid has quitted the grove since
two days without explanation. Barney, the druid's bear has also
departed since two weeks and has not been seen since. Yundi is overall
quite worried and Jaroo the old druid of Hommlet doesn't speak with
him as often as before ...
Alahija is quite worried too and gets the permission to pick up some
flowers for her wounded friends (we have the explanation
) beforereturning to the village.
After this small voyage, the half-elf goes to the keeps infirmary to
give the flowers to her friends. They are still asleep and after some
questions to Derim about their state, Alahija found a vase and puts
her flowers into it. At least they will see a bit of nature when
they'll awake ...
Going out of the infirmary, Alahija asks to see Rufus. She is sent to
the dungeon and cross the way of Canoness Y'dey. The gentle priestess
asks her where she wants to go and decides that escorting her to
Brune's study will be easier than trying to convice her to not open
all the doors at the third floor ...
So not more than five minutes after going out of the study Y'dey comes
back, but this time only to introduce Alahija into the room
Y'dey visits the two wounded, she finishes to heal their wounds but
must wait until she prepared specific magic to heal them further. It
will have to wait until tomorrow, nonetheless Diane and Lywen are now
awake and able to understand what happened to them. Killashalandilis
is still here and tries to help them, but Diane sharply pushed her
away. She was alone to go to the help of Lywen, and she does not want
any late help ... at least her was able to see that to be alone in the
moathouse by night was really too dangerous. Sad day for the paladine,
as if her own sorrow wasn't enough to bear ...
Quite shocked, Diane asks to Y'dey if she could get a human-sized
mirror, she just discovered the scars on her body ... and this was hard
to learn. The canoness thinks a bit and says her that she will send
her a mirror present at the church as soon as possible (Diane will get
it in the afternoon ... and burst into tears soon after ...).
It is now near midday, they all eat together at the Inn of the Welcome
Wench (except Diane and Lywen, still resting in the infirmary). They
all learn that they now have rooms in the keep dungeon, as asked by
Ezekiel. Killasha stopped her prayers as her friends are now out of
danger (for their life but perhaps not for their mental health) as
Y'dey said her.
After the meal (or even before for Ezekiel and Alahija, who were
warned before the others) they all quit the Inn to go to the
keep. Vesta, the innkeeper is quite surprised and a little sad, it's
never good to see clients leaving ... but they are all happy to get
rid of Maridosen ... surprising, she is so friendly
They have five rooms in the keep, Alahija fled Killasha (too much
protective attentions for the freedom loving half-elf) and chosed to
sleep with Ezekiel (nothing more intended ...). Gandigoot partakes his
room with Rousing Fox, the two have quite the same cool peacefull
spirit
amd the three last have single rooms.During the afternoon each of the adventurers is free for half a day,
this is quite new for some of them. Ezekiel uses the afternoon to
repair his arms and armor, with magic, a bit of work and the help of
the blacksmith. Rousing Fox practices a bit near the river (he loves
the spot).
Gandigoot was finaly gained by the wories of Alahija about Jaroo, the
druid and the half-elf convinced him to go to the druid grove this
afternoon. The two are now on the road towards the grove, it does not
take them long to reach the glade in the small forst topping the
hill. There they find Yundi and speak with him, Jaroo has not returned
since the morning, but the young fellow is more reassuring than
before, he doesn't though that the young half-elf maiden will come
back with friends and warn the whole village (even so she said it to
Rufus and Brune). Gandigoot lectures himself for having once again
trusted the half-elf, she always speaks of armies in the mountains
when there is only two orcs in the hills (gnomish proverb). Soon after
they go back to Hommlet.
The afternoom pass, and the evening. Another meal at the Inn of the
Welcome Wench. They do not speak a lot, suffering has left its mark on
them. Tomorrow will be another day ...
- Freeday 21th Planting, morning -
Early in the morning, not so long after dawn, Y'dey enters the
infirmary and visits the two wounded. As she promised them yesterday,
she uses the powers granted to her by St Cuthbert to heal them. Some
minutes after, her gentle magical touch restores their strength to the
fallen adventurers. If their are still tired, they now have got back all
their strength and their sleep will now be a real recovery ... even if
Y'dey was unable to heal all their wounds, as their bodies still bear
the marks of the terrible tortures they endured. The canoness of
Hommlet promised them she will speak with the hight priest of Chendel
and asks his help for them, in the name of their rightfull deads for
goodness.
Soon after is the time for the meeting scheduled the day before and the
whole bunch of adventurers goes to the keep...
They are all in the meeting room of the keep, Rufus and Y'dey are
already here and Brune is not long to come. The old wizard wait for
all of them to take a seat and starts the discussion.
He explains them that Y'dey and him went to Chendl to speak with the
royal mage Kerzalyn and some hight priests of Furyondy's kingdom. They
used some magical rituals to scry on the old Temple of Elmental
Evil. As Brune and Y'dey experienced before themselves, they were
unable to see anything about the temple and the vision of future was
obscured, even for the greatest powers they were able to call. A
powerfull aura was protecting the Temple from divination magic, this
aura was more powerfull than anyone which could be done by a human
beeing, these powerfull wizards and priests concluded that Tharizdun
itself, the Ancient God, should be involved. They searched for any
such magical aura in the region of Hommlet and found another
protecting the old moathouse, it was smaller but this wasn't
surprising. A more interesting fact was that they were able to find
such an aura in the Lortmills mountains, beyond the Kron Hills. But
this aura is still a mystery beyond their comprehension, and this
prove the necessity of a direct investigation.
But this is another story as Brune explains them that they will have
to go to Chendl to see Kerzalyn and perhaps even the king Belvor
IV. It was decided to send them as royal investigators about the
mysteries linked to the Temple of Elemental Evil and its possible
resurgence.
After some questions, the problem of transportation to Chendl is taken
up. As they can't postpone their fight against evil for too long and
the travel to Chendl will take near 3 weeks, even by horse. Y'dey
proposed to Brune to use some magical travel and appoitment is taken
for early after midday, Rufus will warn Kerzalyn of their arrival.
Not long before their own departure to Chendl, Alahija leaves her
friends in Homlet and leaves for Verbobonc with Elmo and two militia
guards. She will see her father and inform him about their discoveries
and the will of the king of Furyondy. Elmo is sent to carry the words
of Brune and Rufus to the viscount (and also protect his heir).
... soon ... their travel to Chendl ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode SEVEN - Interlude, Verbobonc and Chendl - Part 2
(A Trip in the Astral Plane ...)
Last edited:
Episode 7-2
Episode SEVEN - Interlude, Verbobonc and Chendl - Part 2
(A Trip in the Astral Plane ...)
As this episode is mainly trip and shopping, I will not write as much
details as usually
- Freeday 21th planting, just after midday -
It is now time to go to Chendl, a road trip will be too long and Y'dey
said that she will use magic to allow all of them to travel together.
They all meet in Brune's study and Y'dey casts an ... Astral Travel
spell. Soon they are all in a strange grey mist, their view slowly
adapts to this strange environment. Around them, all seem the same,
only a dim grey light in every direction except for some strange small
lights here and there.
Brune and Y'dey explain them that they only have to think where they
want to go and that they will simply travel to that place ... this
seems strange but after some tries, the whole group is able to
"move". It takes them one hour (they are slow and not used to astral
travel) to approach a "small light" in fact, they are small
swirling whirlpools or bright colors. But by concentrating on them,
the colors stop and an image forms in the whirlpool.
After one more effort they are back into the real world ... they are
on a small hill from where they can see the white walls of the capital
of Furyondy. By chance (even if they do not know) they didn't
encounter anything in the astral plane, as the encounters on this
plane are often very dangerous especially for inexperienced travelers.
They enter Chendl, the town is quite impressive, but the walls and
complete districts seem whole new, this is due to the war explain
Killasha and Ezekiel (the priest is still a member of Furyondy's army
and the crusade against Iuz is not finished).
They move through the town and go round the palace to reach the royal
mage's tower. A magic mouth on the door asks for their identities and
business, afterwards a small bird construct verifies the identity of
Lywen and they are allowed to enter. The tower is much more impressive
from the inside, a strong voice comming from nowhere asks them to
follow Lywen towards the first floor. The young mage guide them behind
a huge tapestry and they take a staircase going up. They soon arrive
in the main reception room of Chendl royal mage. The room is very
long, a big table nearly as long as the room occupies the center.
Kerzalyn awaits them, he is in a big chair, nearly a throne at the end
of the table wearing an elaborated robe covered of magical symbols.
They sit and start to discuss. Soon aftera knight sent by the king
Belvor IV himself arrives and presents them they "royal mission".
The knight is nobody else than Killasha's father : Aymeric d'Yctis
(see the post of 14th september). He shares with them his knowledge of
the temple, and his thoughts about the current situation. As he was a
member of the several groups of adventurers sent to fight the second
rising of the temple (and one of the few survivors) he is well known
about the subject.
He also explains them that the king wants to investigate the situation
further. It is now clear than the Temple of Elemental Evil is probably
rising again, even if the recent investigations on its site weren't
able to reveal anything. The opponents encountered by the party
clearly show that something is fishy ...
The party is asked to search for more informations, especially about
the temple. A direct search is probably the best thing to do, and the
sub-levels are to be checked if they aren't completely collapsed as
they should after the last battle at the temple ten years ago.
Beside, the huge non-detection areas spoted after their action are
also a great source of questions and probable danger, how these areas
are created and how the magical energy necessary to full the spells is
channeled is still completely unknown ...
Aymeric will see the king tonight and say him their decision. After
some barthering, they all accept to be send in such a dangerous
mission but his time it will be an official inquiry (even if it will
not be revealed oppenly to prevent to much "dangerous advertisement").
Aymeric will return tomorrow morning with the words of the king.
Nevertheless the decision was not so easy than it seems. Diane wanted
to be released from her protection job. As there will be enough
danger,she doesn't want to fear the wrath of Kerzalyn if she can't
save Lywen when she will only barely be able to save her own life.
Gandigoot asks what will be his role in the affair. In fact he was
only chasing gnolls as he said ... but he Kron Hills gnomes are surely
concerned by this matter. A "non-detection area" (NDA) is near their
main village and if the temple rises again it will be very dangerous
for them as all the orc tribes which are setteled in the Hills could
become very more dangerous than they are nowadays.
Finally they can all spend the rest of the afternoon visiting Chendl
(Gandigoot and Rousing Fox who don't love castle, palaces and temples
but prefer markets, fountains (only one, it's enough) and curiosity
shops), or parying at the Mayaheine's chapel in the Pelor's temple
(Killasha if you haven't recognised her), or studying in their
master's library (Lywen), or sending some news to his wife and
daughter (Ezekiel), or inquiring for her home in town (Diane).
Y'dey left them just after their discussion with the knight, she went
to the church of St Cuthbert in Chendl.
After this day they spend the night at one of the best Inns of Chendl,
the Silver Fish, where they rooms are payed by the crown.
It is the first time that Gandigoot and Rousing Fox eat at a table
were a man is serving them ... it is a little strange to them and they
surely at out of place here
- Starday 22th Planting -
They are awaited at Kerzalyn's tower. Aymeric is already there, he
informs them that the king was pleased of their acceptance of the
mission, it ought be hard to find better suited persons.
The king also allocated them a part of the royal tresury to fund
their fight. Aymeric gives them a royal letter with a funding of
75.000 gold pieces. Yes you've read right.
Before leaving, Aymeric allows himself a moment with his daughter. And
he could let his guard down for his beloved young temperamental
daughter.
As you could imagine, so much gold invites the adventurers to huge
expenses. They pass the whole day shopping in Chendl, the town is so
big that they were even able to find some magical items in several
shops (as Greyhawk is less provided with magic tham a world like the
Forgotten Reals, the gold limit of a town is only a rough guide for me
and every magical item costing more than 2000gp is not sure to be
found).
A the end of the afternoon they only have 30.000gp left on the king's
letter and they decide to keep this for future needs (like high cost
healing magic for example).
During the late afternoon, Y'dey also accompanies Diane and Lywen to
the basilica of St Cuthbert. This is not comparable in anyway to the
church of Hommlet. This building is huge, made of grey and white
stones it is very ancient and probably built with the very first
town. They enter the big church and follow Y'dey towards the priests
quarters, she seems to be at home here and explains them that she
lived a long time in this church, as a young priestess.
She leads them to a small chapel in the courtyard around the inside
garden of the basilica, and lets them here while she goes to search
for another priest.
After a little less than half an hour, Y'dey comes back with an old
man, he wears the robes of a priest, holy symbols weaven on it point
him a a high priest of the church. He explains them that Y'dey asked
for his help to heal them. She said that they are zealous and meritant
fellows and that they were severely wounded in their fight against
allies of Iuz. On her words he accepted to heal them. Without more
ceremony the old priest cast two spells and Diane and Lywen feel a
renewed strength through their bodies. Diane immediately remove her
long gloves covering her arms ... there isn't anymore trace of her
wounds. Diane jumps to the priest's neck ...it must be a little to
much zeal ... They thank the priest a lot, still surprised that
such spells were used for them ... and leave the curch without anymore
speach. (In fact the hight priest of St Cuthbert is Y'dey's father and
she asked his help as a personnal favor)
Another night at the Silver Fish Inn. Ezekiel starts to grumble about
so much gold spent in no use. His military spirit and hard life
background don't suit to such expenses. He thinks to his wife and his
young daughter who are still rebuilding the poor villages of the
Crystalreach. The assurance given to him by Aymeric that he will
personnaly see for their security and well beeing does not hamper his
will to fight Iuz humanoids armies and he doesn't like to lose his
time in such places like this Inn while others fight.
At this same time, Alahija arrives in Verbobonc, as she travels by
horse it takes her a lot more time to cover one third of the distance
the others travelled.
But the joy of seeing her father again erase all her fatigue. After
some "young joyful half-elf maiden kiss" they eat together with elmo
and discuss of the recent evolution of the Temple problem.
Even if her father is clearly not so happy to let her daughter
continue this dangerous mission, Alahija decided to help her friends
and nothing will change her mind. Langard, her father, knows her well
and doesn't insist. But he gives her some money to buy some better
equipment in Verbobonc before returning in Hommlet (5.000gp, this is a
lot but less than the others received, Furyondy and Verbobonc do not
have the same ressources).
- Sunday 23th Planting -
Using another astral travel, the whole party comes back to Hommlet
with Brune and Y'dey. Once again they didn't encounter anything on the
astral plane (lucky adventurers, it's surely beginner's luck).
Alahija spend the morning shopping in Verbobonc and leave after
midday. She only takes the time to kiss her father once more and is on
her horse again.
(DM: this was a short log day)
- Moonday 24th Planting -
This is another "lazy" day, they prepare for tomorrow as Alahija is
expected to come back tonight.
Lywen is working a lot during this time, he has new spells to learn
and a lot to scribe ... as he lost all his spellbooks when he was
captured he now must use his second set of spellbooks and he has to
copy them in case another "problem" happens to him (several weeks of
copy work
).
But two events happened today. First they gathered on the request of
Rufus to share informations. Ingrith, a ranger of the town returned
two days ago and was sent by Rufus to spy on the moathouse. She speaks
of what she saw:
A big group of humans and humanoids, some gnolls with strange black
garb, they were nearly all the time underground but a watch was always
active on the moathouse battlements.
The cart was in the courtyard and they charged it during nearly the
whole night. She was unable to see what was put on it.
Next day (Starday, two days ago) the cart departed towards Hommlet
(its was never seen in town and surely go round Hommlet).
Ingrith waited there until the end of this day and returned to Hommlet
at night as Rufus said her.
But all the people present at the moathouse haven't departed with the
cart, several gnolls were still in the moathouse with a huge humanoid,
an ogre she thinks.
During the afternoon Gandigoot also went to the druid grove to ask
about for druid. This time he was able to see the old fellow, Yundi is
nowhere to be seen but Jaroo the druid is at home. He is an old man
with a long, very long white beard and ususl druid robes.
The gnome asks him why he was out for so long and where did his bear go?
The druid, quite amused by such an inquisition from a so small man,
explains to the gnome that he departed to search for special druidic
plants which grow during the new moon (which was some days ago).
Barney, his bear, is him departed to search for a mate, it's his
time as Jaroo said with a smile.
So finally all the questions are answered with a mug of apple juice
(yes, apple juice not hale, which saddened Gandigoot). And the gnome
promised to himself to never listen again to the silly stories of
Alahija
At the end of the afternoon the group from Verbobonc will arrive, even
with a young half-elf they managed to travel with speed and safety.
Tomorrow will see next move towards the moathouse ... but not alone
this time ...
... yeah, this one was not so short ...
today evening, we meet again for session 8 ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode EIGHT - REVENGE !!
Episode SEVEN - Interlude, Verbobonc and Chendl - Part 2
(A Trip in the Astral Plane ...)
As this episode is mainly trip and shopping, I will not write as much
details as usually
- Freeday 21th planting, just after midday -
It is now time to go to Chendl, a road trip will be too long and Y'dey
said that she will use magic to allow all of them to travel together.
They all meet in Brune's study and Y'dey casts an ... Astral Travel
spell. Soon they are all in a strange grey mist, their view slowly
adapts to this strange environment. Around them, all seem the same,
only a dim grey light in every direction except for some strange small
lights here and there.
Brune and Y'dey explain them that they only have to think where they
want to go and that they will simply travel to that place ... this
seems strange but after some tries, the whole group is able to
"move". It takes them one hour (they are slow and not used to astral
travel
) to approach a "small light" in fact, they are smallswirling whirlpools or bright colors. But by concentrating on them,
the colors stop and an image forms in the whirlpool.
After one more effort they are back into the real world ... they are
on a small hill from where they can see the white walls of the capital
of Furyondy. By chance (even if they do not know) they didn't
encounter anything in the astral plane, as the encounters on this
plane are often very dangerous especially for inexperienced travelers.
They enter Chendl, the town is quite impressive, but the walls and
complete districts seem whole new, this is due to the war explain
Killasha and Ezekiel (the priest is still a member of Furyondy's army
and the crusade against Iuz is not finished).
They move through the town and go round the palace to reach the royal
mage's tower. A magic mouth on the door asks for their identities and
business, afterwards a small bird construct verifies the identity of
Lywen and they are allowed to enter. The tower is much more impressive
from the inside, a strong voice comming from nowhere asks them to
follow Lywen towards the first floor. The young mage guide them behind
a huge tapestry and they take a staircase going up. They soon arrive
in the main reception room of Chendl royal mage. The room is very
long, a big table nearly as long as the room occupies the center.
Kerzalyn awaits them, he is in a big chair, nearly a throne at the end
of the table wearing an elaborated robe covered of magical symbols.
They sit and start to discuss. Soon aftera knight sent by the king
Belvor IV himself arrives and presents them they "royal mission".
The knight is nobody else than Killasha's father : Aymeric d'Yctis
(see the post of 14th september). He shares with them his knowledge of
the temple, and his thoughts about the current situation. As he was a
member of the several groups of adventurers sent to fight the second
rising of the temple (and one of the few survivors) he is well known
about the subject.
He also explains them that the king wants to investigate the situation
further. It is now clear than the Temple of Elemental Evil is probably
rising again, even if the recent investigations on its site weren't
able to reveal anything. The opponents encountered by the party
clearly show that something is fishy ...
The party is asked to search for more informations, especially about
the temple. A direct search is probably the best thing to do, and the
sub-levels are to be checked if they aren't completely collapsed as
they should after the last battle at the temple ten years ago.
Beside, the huge non-detection areas spoted after their action are
also a great source of questions and probable danger, how these areas
are created and how the magical energy necessary to full the spells is
channeled is still completely unknown ...
Aymeric will see the king tonight and say him their decision. After
some barthering, they all accept to be send in such a dangerous
mission but his time it will be an official inquiry (even if it will
not be revealed oppenly to prevent to much "dangerous advertisement").
Aymeric will return tomorrow morning with the words of the king.
Nevertheless the decision was not so easy than it seems. Diane wanted
to be released from her protection job. As there will be enough
danger,she doesn't want to fear the wrath of Kerzalyn if she can't
save Lywen when she will only barely be able to save her own life.
Gandigoot asks what will be his role in the affair. In fact he was
only chasing gnolls as he said ... but he Kron Hills gnomes are surely
concerned by this matter. A "non-detection area" (NDA) is near their
main village and if the temple rises again it will be very dangerous
for them as all the orc tribes which are setteled in the Hills could
become very more dangerous than they are nowadays.
Finally they can all spend the rest of the afternoon visiting Chendl
(Gandigoot and Rousing Fox who don't love castle, palaces and temples
but prefer markets, fountains (only one, it's enough) and curiosity
shops), or parying at the Mayaheine's chapel in the Pelor's temple
(Killasha if you haven't recognised her), or studying in their
master's library (Lywen), or sending some news to his wife and
daughter (Ezekiel), or inquiring for her home in town (Diane).
Y'dey left them just after their discussion with the knight, she went
to the church of St Cuthbert in Chendl.
After this day they spend the night at one of the best Inns of Chendl,
the Silver Fish, where they rooms are payed by the crown.
It is the first time that Gandigoot and Rousing Fox eat at a table
were a man is serving them ... it is a little strange to them and they
surely at out of place here
- Starday 22th Planting -
They are awaited at Kerzalyn's tower. Aymeric is already there, he
informs them that the king was pleased of their acceptance of the
mission, it ought be hard to find better suited persons.
The king also allocated them a part of the royal tresury to fund
their fight. Aymeric gives them a royal letter with a funding of
75.000 gold pieces. Yes you've read right.
Before leaving, Aymeric allows himself a moment with his daughter. And
he could let his guard down for his beloved young temperamental
daughter.
As you could imagine, so much gold invites the adventurers to huge
expenses. They pass the whole day shopping in Chendl, the town is so
big that they were even able to find some magical items in several
shops (as Greyhawk is less provided with magic tham a world like the
Forgotten Reals, the gold limit of a town is only a rough guide for me
and every magical item costing more than 2000gp is not sure to be
found).
A the end of the afternoon they only have 30.000gp left on the king's
letter and they decide to keep this for future needs (like high cost
healing magic for example).
During the late afternoon, Y'dey also accompanies Diane and Lywen to
the basilica of St Cuthbert. This is not comparable in anyway to the
church of Hommlet. This building is huge, made of grey and white
stones it is very ancient and probably built with the very first
town. They enter the big church and follow Y'dey towards the priests
quarters, she seems to be at home here and explains them that she
lived a long time in this church, as a young priestess.
She leads them to a small chapel in the courtyard around the inside
garden of the basilica, and lets them here while she goes to search
for another priest.
After a little less than half an hour, Y'dey comes back with an old
man, he wears the robes of a priest, holy symbols weaven on it point
him a a high priest of the church. He explains them that Y'dey asked
for his help to heal them. She said that they are zealous and meritant
fellows and that they were severely wounded in their fight against
allies of Iuz. On her words he accepted to heal them. Without more
ceremony the old priest cast two spells and Diane and Lywen feel a
renewed strength through their bodies. Diane immediately remove her
long gloves covering her arms ... there isn't anymore trace of her
wounds. Diane jumps to the priest's neck ...it must be a little to
much zeal ...
They thank the priest a lot, still surprised thatsuch spells were used for them ... and leave the curch without anymore
speach. (In fact the hight priest of St Cuthbert is Y'dey's father and
she asked his help as a personnal favor)
Another night at the Silver Fish Inn. Ezekiel starts to grumble about
so much gold spent in no use. His military spirit and hard life
background don't suit to such expenses. He thinks to his wife and his
young daughter who are still rebuilding the poor villages of the
Crystalreach. The assurance given to him by Aymeric that he will
personnaly see for their security and well beeing does not hamper his
will to fight Iuz humanoids armies and he doesn't like to lose his
time in such places like this Inn while others fight.
At this same time, Alahija arrives in Verbobonc, as she travels by
horse it takes her a lot more time to cover one third of the distance
the others travelled.
But the joy of seeing her father again erase all her fatigue. After
some "young joyful half-elf maiden kiss" they eat together with elmo
and discuss of the recent evolution of the Temple problem.
Even if her father is clearly not so happy to let her daughter
continue this dangerous mission, Alahija decided to help her friends
and nothing will change her mind. Langard, her father, knows her well
and doesn't insist. But he gives her some money to buy some better
equipment in Verbobonc before returning in Hommlet (5.000gp, this is a
lot but less than the others received, Furyondy and Verbobonc do not
have the same ressources).
- Sunday 23th Planting -
Using another astral travel, the whole party comes back to Hommlet
with Brune and Y'dey. Once again they didn't encounter anything on the
astral plane (lucky adventurers, it's surely beginner's luck
).Alahija spend the morning shopping in Verbobonc and leave after
midday. She only takes the time to kiss her father once more and is on
her horse again.
(DM: this was a short log day)
- Moonday 24th Planting -
This is another "lazy" day, they prepare for tomorrow as Alahija is
expected to come back tonight.
Lywen is working a lot during this time, he has new spells to learn
and a lot to scribe ... as he lost all his spellbooks when he was
captured he now must use his second set of spellbooks and he has to
copy them in case another "problem" happens to him (several weeks of
copy work
).But two events happened today. First they gathered on the request of
Rufus to share informations. Ingrith, a ranger of the town returned
two days ago and was sent by Rufus to spy on the moathouse. She speaks
of what she saw:
A big group of humans and humanoids, some gnolls with strange black
garb, they were nearly all the time underground but a watch was always
active on the moathouse battlements.
The cart was in the courtyard and they charged it during nearly the
whole night. She was unable to see what was put on it.
Next day (Starday, two days ago) the cart departed towards Hommlet
(its was never seen in town and surely go round Hommlet).
Ingrith waited there until the end of this day and returned to Hommlet
at night as Rufus said her.
But all the people present at the moathouse haven't departed with the
cart, several gnolls were still in the moathouse with a huge humanoid,
an ogre she thinks.
During the afternoon Gandigoot also went to the druid grove to ask
about for druid. This time he was able to see the old fellow, Yundi is
nowhere to be seen but Jaroo the druid is at home. He is an old man
with a long, very long white beard and ususl druid robes.
The gnome asks him why he was out for so long and where did his bear go?
The druid, quite amused by such an inquisition from a so small man,
explains to the gnome that he departed to search for special druidic
plants which grow during the new moon (which was some days ago).
Barney, his bear, is him departed to search for a mate, it's his
time as Jaroo said with a smile.
So finally all the questions are answered with a mug of apple juice
(yes, apple juice not hale, which saddened Gandigoot). And the gnome
promised to himself to never listen again to the silly stories of
Alahija
At the end of the afternoon the group from Verbobonc will arrive, even
with a young half-elf they managed to travel with speed and safety.
Tomorrow will see next move towards the moathouse ... but not alone
this time ...
... yeah, this one was not so short ...
today evening, we meet again for session 8 ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode EIGHT - REVENGE !!
Last edited:
- Small speach for the readers -
I reached the end of the posts which were on the old forum. Do not
expect so much posts in the days coming, as I know have to write them
But there is still a written session, the next one, I will post it
tomorrow.
As I said before, we have now (03/06/2002) played the 13th session, so
you have only red one half of the adventures of the courageous heroes
fighting Evil for the sake of Goodness.
I will try to catch with the live games but we only play two times a
month, so I'm not in a hurry
I hope you enjoyed the story so far. And do not forget your prayers to
Mighty Meepo or he will not make nice to you.
Selm
I reached the end of the posts which were on the old forum. Do not
expect so much posts in the days coming, as I know have to write them
But there is still a written session, the next one, I will post it
tomorrow.
As I said before, we have now (03/06/2002) played the 13th session, so
you have only red one half of the adventures of the courageous heroes
fighting Evil for the sake of Goodness.
I will try to catch with the live games but we only play two times a
month, so I'm not in a hurry
I hope you enjoyed the story so far. And do not forget your prayers to
Mighty Meepo or he will not make nice to you.
Selm
Episode 8-1
Episode EIGHT - Another Fight at the Moathouse - PART 1 -
Introduction
(This time they know that they will be awaited.)
It is early morning and the sun just appeared over the gnarley forest
but today most of our heroes are already awake, preparing for the hard
day that awaits them ... and they will not be disappointed. A bit
before seven o'clock, they are all in the room adjoining the kitchen
of Hommlet keep when ... a man wearing a long robe enters and advance
towards them with a strong and resolute pace. The man is Spugnoir,
the potion maker of the small town, his face is pale and he
seemsreally worried. He advances and drop a parchment on the breakfast
table in front of Killasha and Ezekiel.There is a message written on
the scroll:
We have your daughter,
if you want to see her alive again,
come to the old fortress in the swamps
with the adventurers sent by the viscount.
All of you, alone and before midday !
Or your daughter will die very slowly.
Spugnoir then responds to their questions by telling them his wake
today. As all days he woke up early and went to the kitchen to take a
small breakfast. Usually his daughter, Renne, is already awake and has
cooked a breafast with eggs, bacon, milk and slices of bread and
butter. But today the kitchen was empty and othing was
prepared. Spugnoir feared that his daughter has get a cold and went up
to see her. He knocked at the door but didn't received any response,
he entered the bedroom but it was emty, the bed was overturned and
everything was all over the room ... on the bed, put in evidence, was
this parchment. Afterwards he immediately came to the keep to see
them.
They all agreed to help him when Spugnoir asked for and the depart was
advanced a bit to ... right now. Spugnoir goes back to his house to
quickly prepare some adventure gear (strangely it doesn't take him so
much time ) and give them a rendez-vous in a quarter of an hour in
front of the keep. While the others are preparing their backpacks,
Diane goes to the Inn of the Welcome Wench to see Xaod. Vesta is
already working and serving breakfast in the common room, Diane asks
her for Xaod but the black dressed man is not yet awake. Nonetheless
Vesta is able to tell her where is his room and Diane goes up to the
first floor to knock at his door. However she spots a scroll sticked
on one of the pillars of the room: "We search a barman for this Inn,
any interested and qualified person, please ask anymore information to
me." (signed) Vesta. So Alahija was right yesterday night, the "so
friendly" Maridosen has departed two days ago. Diane knocks at Xaod's
door, no response, she knocks again and this time after half a minute
she hears sound and Xaods opens the door. Diane has the proof that
he's not wearing black when sleeping after a bit of explanations
the blackfighter accepts to go with them, he will come as soon as
possible, rejoining them if necessary. Diane goes back to the keep.
Spugnoir is already there, awaiting for them. When he sees Diane, he
approaches her and they decide that he will wait for the group on a
little farther on the road to Nulb and the moathouse. Finally a little
less than half an hour after the first arrival of Spugnoir in the
keep, they depart towards the moathouse fully aware that they will be
awaited. Xaod connects with the group half an hour after on the road,
he also has a black horse and his wearing his black half-plate.
They arrive at the crossroad around nine and enter the swamp following
the small track. Soon they have to walk beside their horses, there is
still quite a bit of fog early in the day and their advance is
slow. After nearly two hours in the swamp, Gandigoot think that they
are probably approaching the moathouse. As the day advances the mist
is slowly clearing a bit. They still walk for less than half an hour
and are finally able to discern the outline of the moathouse through
the mist.
It is now time to test their destiny ....
...soon ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode EIGHT - Another Fight at the Moathouse - PART 2
(Bloody ambush: an ogre, a priest and an assassin.)
Episode EIGHT - Another Fight at the Moathouse - PART 1 -
Introduction
(This time they know that they will be awaited.)
It is early morning and the sun just appeared over the gnarley forest
but today most of our heroes are already awake, preparing for the hard
day that awaits them ... and they will not be disappointed. A bit
before seven o'clock, they are all in the room adjoining the kitchen
of Hommlet keep when ... a man wearing a long robe enters and advance
towards them with a strong and resolute pace. The man is Spugnoir,
the potion maker of the small town, his face is pale and he
seemsreally worried. He advances and drop a parchment on the breakfast
table in front of Killasha and Ezekiel.There is a message written on
the scroll:
We have your daughter,
if you want to see her alive again,
come to the old fortress in the swamps
with the adventurers sent by the viscount.
All of you, alone and before midday !
Or your daughter will die very slowly.
Spugnoir then responds to their questions by telling them his wake
today. As all days he woke up early and went to the kitchen to take a
small breakfast. Usually his daughter, Renne, is already awake and has
cooked a breafast with eggs, bacon, milk and slices of bread and
butter. But today the kitchen was empty and othing was
prepared. Spugnoir feared that his daughter has get a cold and went up
to see her. He knocked at the door but didn't received any response,
he entered the bedroom but it was emty, the bed was overturned and
everything was all over the room ... on the bed, put in evidence, was
this parchment. Afterwards he immediately came to the keep to see
them.
They all agreed to help him when Spugnoir asked for and the depart was
advanced a bit to ... right now. Spugnoir goes back to his house to
quickly prepare some adventure gear (strangely it doesn't take him so
much time
) and give them a rendez-vous in a quarter of an hour infront of the keep. While the others are preparing their backpacks,
Diane goes to the Inn of the Welcome Wench to see Xaod. Vesta is
already working and serving breakfast in the common room, Diane asks
her for Xaod but the black dressed man is not yet awake. Nonetheless
Vesta is able to tell her where is his room and Diane goes up to the
first floor to knock at his door. However she spots a scroll sticked
on one of the pillars of the room: "We search a barman for this Inn,
any interested and qualified person, please ask anymore information to
me." (signed) Vesta. So Alahija was right yesterday night, the "so
friendly" Maridosen has departed two days ago. Diane knocks at Xaod's
door, no response, she knocks again and this time after half a minute
she hears sound and Xaods opens the door. Diane has the proof that
he's not wearing black when sleeping
after a bit of explanationsthe blackfighter accepts to go with them, he will come as soon as
possible, rejoining them if necessary. Diane goes back to the keep.
Spugnoir is already there, awaiting for them. When he sees Diane, he
approaches her and they decide that he will wait for the group on a
little farther on the road to Nulb and the moathouse. Finally a little
less than half an hour after the first arrival of Spugnoir in the
keep, they depart towards the moathouse fully aware that they will be
awaited. Xaod connects with the group half an hour after on the road,
he also has a black horse and his wearing his black half-plate.
They arrive at the crossroad around nine and enter the swamp following
the small track. Soon they have to walk beside their horses, there is
still quite a bit of fog early in the day and their advance is
slow. After nearly two hours in the swamp, Gandigoot think that they
are probably approaching the moathouse. As the day advances the mist
is slowly clearing a bit. They still walk for less than half an hour
and are finally able to discern the outline of the moathouse through
the mist.
It is now time to test their destiny ....
...soon ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode EIGHT - Another Fight at the Moathouse - PART 2
(Bloody ambush: an ogre, a priest and an assassin.)
Episode 8-2
Episode EIGHT - Another Fight at the Moathouse - PART 2
(Bloody ambush: an ogre, a priest and an assassin.)
- Godsday Planting 25th around 11.am -
They are now able to discern the outline of the moathouse through the
mist. This time they know that they are awaited, they are well
prepared but they do not know what to expect. Diane offers to scout
the fortress, the others will wait out of sight for a quarter of an
hour and then advance towards the building. Lywen uses an invisibility
spell on Diane before she leave to give her a bit of protection.
The stealthy fighter-rogue approaches the moathouse. It takes her
little more than ten minutes to reach the building, and she is then
able to see that the gaps in the stone wall have been sealed. A small
wooden palissade has been risen on the west side, the half broken
towers have been filled up with masonry stones and a wooden plank is
risen over the moathouse main door.
Diane goes round the old fortress without spotting anyone on the
building and decides to climb the rubbles on the side of the nort-east
tower. She jumps over the flooded moat and starts to climb over the
stones, it appears clearly to Diane that the upper stones have been
put together deliberately to make a stone trap. If she tries to find a
prize on one of them, they will all fall together and hurt her. But
her invisibility spell will not last a lot longer, she will not be
able to find another way in. Diane decides to try a direct jump on the
wall of the moathouse. This is a very hard jump to do as it has to be
a standing jump. However Diane has to try it.
She takes a deep breath and jumps, but her jump is not powerfull enough
and she finds herself swinging in the air and hanging by a hand to the
stone wall. Hopefully she is light encumbered and fast, after some
efforts she is able to reach the top of the wall but not without
making a bit of noises.
She jumps over the wall slots and starts to move silently over the
walkway, going round the last standing wall of the moathouse first
floor. Suddenly Diane freezes, there is a gnoll no father than three
meters from where she is. Hopefully he is asleep, or at least seems
quite tired, sat on the floor and leaning against a small crumbled
part of the ancient stone wall. But this is not the usual stinking
gnoll. This one wears a black scale mail armor and a long sword, a
composite longbow of great quality rest beside him too. Diane lets
speak her rogue side and silently starts to approach the guard.
At the last moment, the guard awakes but Diane does not allow him
enough time to warn the others. She skillfully kill him with a "coup
de grace" through the throat. She pauses a moment waiting and
hearing. A loud voice cries orders on the ground floor and two other
gnool guards rush to the first floor. As they have to climb by the
west wall, it gives Diane enough time to move. She stays on the first
floor but moves southward. But the gnolls are not stupid, they split
one going each possible escape route for Diane. Things are not going
well. Diane hides behind a broken part of the old first floor wall,
she hopes to silently ambush the guard going southway and perhaps
stealthly escape.
During this time, the others have started to approach the moathouse
after a bit of preparation. Ezekiel used his classical spells:
Endurance, Bull's Strength and others like a protection from evil
... finishing with a slience on one of Gandigoot's arrows. They are
now near the entry when they hear Diane's scream.
(She just ambushed the gnoll but he evaded her attack. Now she is in a
very difficult situation as the second gnoll will soon be able to
attack her from behind.)
Listening only their courage, they rush towards the entry and cross
the bridge which has been partially rebuilt with thick wooden
planks. But the main door has been barricaded with several big
planks. What should they do ?
At least for Ezekiel it is crystal clear, he rushes trough the
barricade ! And the fire trap explodes (* evil grin *) but the way
is now cleared and they can see the courtyard, especially the big Ogre
waiting by the main hall door. But it needs more to frighten our
heroes Ezekiel run in the courtyard followed by Xaod and Killasha,
the others are not so quick.
And then things started to go astray. Ezekiel and Xaod charge the
ogre, Killasha just behind them. Diane jumps in the courtyard from the
first floor, followed by "her" gnoll a few seconds after. When the
others enter they are shot by the second of "Diane's gnolls" still on
the first floor and have to delay a little their entrance, except for
Lywen who decided to give a try to his newfound flight power.
The ogre receives the charge of Ezekiel and Xaod with the skill of a
warrior, with two powerfull blows he sends Xaod directly to the ground
while Ezekiel's strike miss his massive form, striking his
armor. After a few rounds, Gandigoot is engaged with his gnoll in an
archery duel, Killasha fights the gnoll chasing Diane and this last
one is helping Ezekiel fighting the Ogre. Rousing Fox and Alahija are
still going round the moathouse through the swamp (they are now
climbing by the westward wooden palissade). Spugnoir tries to "escape"
Gandigoot's silence aura (from the silence spell of Ezekiel) and Lywen
is considering the situation from his "higher position" (he's
flighting).
If only it was all ... but as they already know, it can always turn
worse than it is ... and when another gnoll jumps on Gandigoot from
the walkway over the entry door, while a black robed man goes out of
the moathouse main hall they knew that it was worse.
The black robed man advance towards the body of Xaod and cast a spell
sucking the last remnants of life from his body. While Gandigoot
fights with his newfound friend (you remember that this gnome hates
gnolls ?), the gnoll archer, he was exchanging arrow with, decides
that it is time to shoot this wizard in the sky and arrows start to
flight towards Lywen.
But Diane reacts quickly and after two powerfull sneak attacks on the
ogre, she runs to attack the black priest (this time Killasha's
principle: "Black is Evil!" seems to be verified). Spugnoir has also
moved and is now in a straight line with the ogre and the gnoll
preparing a lightning bolt spell. Lywen also used two magic missiles
spells to dispatch this annoying gnoll shooting at him and will be
able to help.
Diane is now in the main hall fighting the black robed priest. She was
able to strike him while he was casting a spell at her and prevented a
dangerous outcome for her and perhaps her friends.
The black robed priest retreats towards the ogre, and is struck down
by the fighter-rogue near the monster. She will be able to help her
friends again against this mighty foe. It seems they will prevail in
the end ...
And then it even turned worse !
A black cloaked man emerged from the rubles in the south-east corner
of the courtyard just behind Spugnoir. He strikes the wizard from
behind directly to the heart ... and Spugnoir falls. The surprise is
total for our heroes. An Ogre, a priest and now an assassin ... (how
rude from their DM *evil grin*)
Killasha finally kills her gnoll, but all she can do is helping
Ezekiel who is now forced to go for a full defense each round due to
the heavy wounds he sustained from the Ogre attacks.
Gandigoot is still fighting a tenacious gnoll is a bloody close
quarter fight.
But Rousing Fox and Alahija have reached the top of the palissade at
last, after pondering the situation, they will hopefully be able to
help their friends.
Nevertheless, before they could even react, the cloaked man runs
towards the corpse of the priest, and, after a quick search, he
retreats into the building. Lywen shoots some magic missiles at him
but they seem to fizzle when reaching him. Diane his once again forced
to let her friends alone against the Ogre and runs after the assassin.
Hopefully this is the end of this dangerous foe, the alliance of
Alahija's and Lywen's magic missiles combined whith Killasha's smite
evil finally send the monster to hell (or at least on the ground).
Rousing Fox decides to follow the rogue while Alahija runs to help
Spugnoir. Lywen, now invisible, follows the group inside the building
while Gandigoot who has slain his gnoll goes into the hall too, still
wearing his slience arrow.
(What was its use will you ask ? none obviously, oh yes, it had one,
it really messed up with Spugnoir spellcasting )
Killasha and Alahija try to help Spugnoir, but after quite a bunch a
heal checks they conclude that he is dead, sadly.
The others are running after the assassin, Diane attacks him just when
he reaches and opens the door at the end of the west corridor of the
moathouse ground floor. He is compelled to fight back and we are able
to witness a good "door-fight", whith Ezekiel just behind Diane and
after him Rousing-Fox and the invisible, flighting Lywen.
With her superior speed, Diane is able to tumble past the cloaked
assassin, allowing Lywen to attack him too. The priest successfully
disarm the man while Diane protects his, now evident, aim: Renne,
Spugnoir's douaghter, is bounded and gagged on the floor of this room,
the man surely wanted to use her as an ostage and so escape from the
heroic party. In a last desperate act, the man tries to strike Ezekiel
with a concealed weapon but the priest is, as often, protected by his
magicaly reinforced armor and strikes back. It is the end of the
cloaked black leather armored assassin. (later Diane will identify him
as Chatrilon Unosh, a "merchant" living at the Inn of the Welcome
Wench)
Diane freeds Renne, the young ten years old girl is quite shocked, she
asks for her father and they escort her to the courtyard.
When she sees the corpse of her father in the arms of Killasha, she
runs to him and starts to cry. The paladine and Alahija try to comfort
her in her pain ... while Ezekiel coldly announce the death of Xaod
(it was only now that anybody tried to help him ... how cold from them
!! clearly black is bad in this group !!).
But were is the silenced Gandigoot ?
We will see in the next episode ...
Some DM side notes on this big fight:
the ogre was a fighter lvl4, and dealed powerfull blows :
2d6+13 damages without power attack !!
the assassin made a death attack on Spugnoir as you probably have
guessed, the reason of the magic missiles fizzle was a brooch of
shielding he took from the priest body
this fight is not in the official campaign, it resulted from the
arrival of the wagon at the moathouse a few days ago, the characters
of the black priest and the assassin are official but the "gentle"
fighter-ogre is a creation, for entertaining my players
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode EIGHT - Another Fight at the Moathouse - PART 3
(The gnome and the ooze ... the moathouse underground.)
Episode EIGHT - Another Fight at the Moathouse - PART 2
(Bloody ambush: an ogre, a priest and an assassin.)
- Godsday Planting 25th around 11.am -
They are now able to discern the outline of the moathouse through the
mist. This time they know that they are awaited, they are well
prepared but they do not know what to expect. Diane offers to scout
the fortress, the others will wait out of sight for a quarter of an
hour and then advance towards the building. Lywen uses an invisibility
spell on Diane before she leave to give her a bit of protection.
The stealthy fighter-rogue approaches the moathouse. It takes her
little more than ten minutes to reach the building, and she is then
able to see that the gaps in the stone wall have been sealed. A small
wooden palissade has been risen on the west side, the half broken
towers have been filled up with masonry stones and a wooden plank is
risen over the moathouse main door.
Diane goes round the old fortress without spotting anyone on the
building and decides to climb the rubbles on the side of the nort-east
tower. She jumps over the flooded moat and starts to climb over the
stones, it appears clearly to Diane that the upper stones have been
put together deliberately to make a stone trap. If she tries to find a
prize on one of them, they will all fall together and hurt her. But
her invisibility spell will not last a lot longer, she will not be
able to find another way in. Diane decides to try a direct jump on the
wall of the moathouse. This is a very hard jump to do as it has to be
a standing jump. However Diane has to try it.
She takes a deep breath and jumps, but her jump is not powerfull enough
and she finds herself swinging in the air and hanging by a hand to the
stone wall. Hopefully she is light encumbered and fast, after some
efforts she is able to reach the top of the wall but not without
making a bit of noises.
She jumps over the wall slots and starts to move silently over the
walkway, going round the last standing wall of the moathouse first
floor. Suddenly Diane freezes, there is a gnoll no father than three
meters from where she is. Hopefully he is asleep, or at least seems
quite tired, sat on the floor and leaning against a small crumbled
part of the ancient stone wall. But this is not the usual stinking
gnoll. This one wears a black scale mail armor and a long sword, a
composite longbow of great quality rest beside him too. Diane lets
speak her rogue side and silently starts to approach the guard.
At the last moment, the guard awakes but Diane does not allow him
enough time to warn the others. She skillfully kill him with a "coup
de grace" through the throat. She pauses a moment waiting and
hearing. A loud voice cries orders on the ground floor and two other
gnool guards rush to the first floor. As they have to climb by the
west wall, it gives Diane enough time to move. She stays on the first
floor but moves southward. But the gnolls are not stupid, they split
one going each possible escape route for Diane. Things are not going
well. Diane hides behind a broken part of the old first floor wall,
she hopes to silently ambush the guard going southway and perhaps
stealthly escape.
During this time, the others have started to approach the moathouse
after a bit of preparation. Ezekiel used his classical spells:
Endurance, Bull's Strength and others like a protection from evil
... finishing with a slience on one of Gandigoot's arrows. They are
now near the entry when they hear Diane's scream.
(She just ambushed the gnoll but he evaded her attack. Now she is in a
very difficult situation as the second gnoll will soon be able to
attack her from behind.)
Listening only their courage, they rush towards the entry and cross
the bridge which has been partially rebuilt with thick wooden
planks. But the main door has been barricaded with several big
planks. What should they do ?
At least for Ezekiel it is crystal clear, he rushes trough the
barricade ! And the fire trap explodes
(* evil grin *) but the wayis now cleared and they can see the courtyard, especially the big Ogre
waiting by the main hall door. But it needs more to frighten our
heroes
Ezekiel run in the courtyard followed by Xaod and Killasha,the others are not so quick.
And then things started to go astray. Ezekiel and Xaod charge the
ogre, Killasha just behind them. Diane jumps in the courtyard from the
first floor, followed by "her" gnoll a few seconds after. When the
others enter they are shot by the second of "Diane's gnolls" still on
the first floor and have to delay a little their entrance, except for
Lywen who decided to give a try to his newfound flight power.
The ogre receives the charge of Ezekiel and Xaod with the skill of a
warrior, with two powerfull blows he sends Xaod directly to the ground
while Ezekiel's strike miss his massive form, striking his
armor. After a few rounds, Gandigoot is engaged with his gnoll in an
archery duel, Killasha fights the gnoll chasing Diane and this last
one is helping Ezekiel fighting the Ogre. Rousing Fox and Alahija are
still going round the moathouse through the swamp (they are now
climbing by the westward wooden palissade). Spugnoir tries to "escape"
Gandigoot's silence aura (from the silence spell of Ezekiel) and Lywen
is considering the situation from his "higher position" (he's
flighting).
If only it was all ... but as they already know, it can always turn
worse than it is ... and when another gnoll jumps on Gandigoot from
the walkway over the entry door, while a black robed man goes out of
the moathouse main hall they knew that it was worse.
The black robed man advance towards the body of Xaod and cast a spell
sucking the last remnants of life from his body. While Gandigoot
fights with his newfound friend (you remember that this gnome hates
gnolls ?), the gnoll archer, he was exchanging arrow with, decides
that it is time to shoot this wizard in the sky and arrows start to
flight towards Lywen.
But Diane reacts quickly and after two powerfull sneak attacks on the
ogre, she runs to attack the black priest (this time Killasha's
principle: "Black is Evil!" seems to be verified). Spugnoir has also
moved and is now in a straight line with the ogre and the gnoll
preparing a lightning bolt spell. Lywen also used two magic missiles
spells to dispatch this annoying gnoll shooting at him and will be
able to help.
Diane is now in the main hall fighting the black robed priest. She was
able to strike him while he was casting a spell at her and prevented a
dangerous outcome for her and perhaps her friends.
The black robed priest retreats towards the ogre, and is struck down
by the fighter-rogue near the monster. She will be able to help her
friends again against this mighty foe. It seems they will prevail in
the end ...
And then it even turned worse !
A black cloaked man emerged from the rubles in the south-east corner
of the courtyard just behind Spugnoir. He strikes the wizard from
behind directly to the heart ... and Spugnoir falls. The surprise is
total for our heroes. An Ogre, a priest and now an assassin ... (how
rude from their DM *evil grin*)
Killasha finally kills her gnoll, but all she can do is helping
Ezekiel who is now forced to go for a full defense each round due to
the heavy wounds he sustained from the Ogre attacks.
Gandigoot is still fighting a tenacious gnoll is a bloody close
quarter fight.
But Rousing Fox and Alahija have reached the top of the palissade at
last, after pondering the situation, they will hopefully be able to
help their friends.
Nevertheless, before they could even react, the cloaked man runs
towards the corpse of the priest, and, after a quick search, he
retreats into the building. Lywen shoots some magic missiles at him
but they seem to fizzle when reaching him. Diane his once again forced
to let her friends alone against the Ogre and runs after the assassin.
Hopefully this is the end of this dangerous foe, the alliance of
Alahija's and Lywen's magic missiles combined whith Killasha's smite
evil finally send the monster to hell (or at least on the ground).
Rousing Fox decides to follow the rogue while Alahija runs to help
Spugnoir. Lywen, now invisible, follows the group inside the building
while Gandigoot who has slain his gnoll goes into the hall too, still
wearing his slience arrow.
(What was its use will you ask ? none obviously, oh yes, it had one,
it really messed up with Spugnoir spellcasting
)Killasha and Alahija try to help Spugnoir, but after quite a bunch a
heal checks they conclude that he is dead, sadly.
The others are running after the assassin, Diane attacks him just when
he reaches and opens the door at the end of the west corridor of the
moathouse ground floor. He is compelled to fight back and we are able
to witness a good "door-fight", whith Ezekiel just behind Diane and
after him Rousing-Fox and the invisible, flighting Lywen.
With her superior speed, Diane is able to tumble past the cloaked
assassin, allowing Lywen to attack him too. The priest successfully
disarm the man while Diane protects his, now evident, aim: Renne,
Spugnoir's douaghter, is bounded and gagged on the floor of this room,
the man surely wanted to use her as an ostage and so escape from the
heroic party. In a last desperate act, the man tries to strike Ezekiel
with a concealed weapon but the priest is, as often, protected by his
magicaly reinforced armor and strikes back. It is the end of the
cloaked black leather armored assassin. (later Diane will identify him
as Chatrilon Unosh, a "merchant" living at the Inn of the Welcome
Wench)
Diane freeds Renne, the young ten years old girl is quite shocked, she
asks for her father and they escort her to the courtyard.
When she sees the corpse of her father in the arms of Killasha, she
runs to him and starts to cry. The paladine and Alahija try to comfort
her in her pain ... while Ezekiel coldly announce the death of Xaod
(it was only now that anybody tried to help him ... how cold from them
!! clearly black is bad in this group !!).
But were is the silenced Gandigoot ?
We will see in the next episode ...
Some DM side notes on this big fight:
the ogre was a fighter lvl4, and dealed powerfull blows :
2d6+13 damages without power attack !!
the assassin made a death attack on Spugnoir as you probably have
guessed, the reason of the magic missiles fizzle was a brooch of
shielding he took from the priest body
this fight is not in the official campaign, it resulted from the
arrival of the wagon at the moathouse a few days ago, the characters
of the black priest and the assassin are official but the "gentle"
fighter-ogre is a creation, for entertaining my players
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode EIGHT - Another Fight at the Moathouse - PART 3
(The gnome and the ooze ... the moathouse underground.)
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