Selm's Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil

[Selm]

Episode 4-2

Episode FOUR - The gnomish night - Part 2
(Those gnomes know how to feast.)
- Moonday 17th Planting, dusk -

It's already nearly night when our heroes arrive at Hommlet. When they
pass in front of the keep, the guards call them. Lord Rufus want to
see them in the keep. They are quickly brought to Rufus and their
friends are here, Alahija and Lywen. They speak about the news of the
day, Alahija and Lywen have already explained to Rufus what they know
and the others complete the news with the cockatrice lair and the
blocked way. They all comment these informations and close the meeting
without delay, they realy are tired today. Nothing surprising with the
encounter they faced, some gnolls backed by an evil priest and even
some undead after that, if it wasn't enough they even found some
cockatrices and Gandigoot was nearly turned to stone. Quite a big day
don't you think ?
Ezekiel and Killasha asked Rufus if they can take some weapons from
the keep, they really need small weapons for underground and corridor
fights, as they discovered today. Their greatswords are not really
usefull with small space

After this quick delay, they can finally go to their Inn, and get a
big surprise ! There is a feast at the Inn, numerous gnomes, halflings
and even dwarves are happily drinking, singing and dancing everywhere
in the Welcome Wench.
Gandigoot has already nearly forgotten the fact, but Naddy surely
hasn't. Two days before, our gnome proposed to the leatherworker to
organize a gnome feast at the Inn, no sooner said than done, Naddy
Tomanloft got the job done. And the feast is TONIGHT !
Nearly all the gnomes and other halflings of Hommlet are now in the
Inn of the Welcome Wench and if the feast is very pleasant and
friendly, it surely isn't quiet
Diane and Alahija seem to enjoy the show, as obviously Gandigoot, but
the others are a little upset. Lywen and Ezekiel go to their room,
hopefully they are on the second floor and can get some sleep, after
midnight. Rousing Fox decides to sleep outdoor, near the mill where
the river is borded by big trees. And Killasha goes to the temple of
Pelor to find some greatly needed sleep (even if she didn't fight too
much today ).

It is already nearly two o'clock in the morning when Vesta gently
pulls all the last gnomes outside. But the night is not finished,
Gandigoot is a little sad because he wasn't invited to the
"after-feast", but Diane heard of this fact and says it to our
gnome. Happily, Gandigoot goes out of the Inn and search the "after"
... but Diane sent him to the wrong building and the gnome is quickly
lost in Hommlet ... it's already late and the moon is small. He sadly
decides to go back to the Inn. A little lost, he comes back by a
different side of the town and hears a faint sound, obviously a feast
of some sort. Investigating, Gandigoot found the "gnomish-night" with
a "little bit of luck".
He knocks at a door, two young twins open the door, they are two
gnomes he saw at the Inn. It's the home of the potter of Hommlet, he's
a gnome and one of the older from the town. There, several gnomes, two
halflings and a dwarf are finishing the night. Lying on soft cushions,
they are drinking a little but more than that, they are smoking a
lot. Several huge gnomish pipes are passing around the room, and
several tobacos are compared by those expert smokers
Gandigoot, not very used to such nights (he's still a bit young),
enjoy the end of night and the morning in this quite oversmoked room.
Early in the morning (at something like eight o'clock) the party is
finished and our gnome goes to sleep a little near the river. He will
wake up at 10 and go to the Inn ... with a strange odor around him
...

... soon ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode FIVE - Strike at the Moathouse
("This time will be the last."
"Yeah, take food, we will not flee until it is completely cleared."
"Yeah !")

 

[Selm]

Episode 5-1

Episode FIVE - Strike at the Moathouse - Part 1
("This time will be the last."
"Yeah, take food, we will not flee until it is completely cleaned."
"Yeah !")
- Godsday 18th Planting -

A new morning in the quiet little town of Hommlet. Our heroes are
going up, early or not but decided to fight evil, as everyday since
their arrival.

After a breakfast at the Inn, Alahija decides to go buy healing
potions. After a short inquiry, she is sent to the Church of St
Cuthbert. Entering the church, Alahija encounters Terjon, one of the
resident clerics of Hommlet. She asks him for potions but she is
discouraged when Terjon harshly says her that they only provide this
service to members of the cult. Alahija quit the curch, quite angry
against the cleric !
Lywen is him going to Spugnoir's shop, where he sells alchemical and
magical potions. The man is here (Renne is allowed to rest at last)
and they chat a bit about magic. They promise each other to exchange
spells later and Spugnoir even offers Lywen a magical scroll when he
goes out. This is a powerfull incantation allowing to disperse magical
energies, this could perhaps help them with the magical stone wall
Lywen's friends encountered yesterday. The wizard goes afterwards to
the scrollmaker's schop, an elf called Zerosh Nubric (yes, you red it
well, this is strange name, even for an elf). They chat a bit also,
but Zerosh is less friendly and more a business type of person.

After this early business, they are all at the Inn for 10 o'clock. All
but the gnome, who is not long to appear.
Gandigoot is coming back, with red eyes from the night and lack of
sleep. He is smelling bad, a mix of alcohol and tobacco and directly
go to his bedroom with only a grunt for his friends who are all
laughting at him.
They start a discussion about the schedule of the present day. They
all agree to return to the moathouse, and they are decided to finish
all the exploration today. As Xaod is nowhere to be seen, they decide
to go fight without him (bad decision? future will tell).They check
their travel food and all their equipment for a long stay there, as
they expect that it could take several days.
Keep the spirit up conrageous adventurers !

Alahija goes to the stairs to wake up Gandigoot as soon as they are
ready, it is already near midday and the gnome is still sleeping. But
the young half-elf doesn't find him in his room and he doesn't respond
when she softly calls him: "GANDIGOOOOT...". She starts to search, as
curious as always and finds the gnome's backpack. This is a real
treasure, there is everything in this pack for sure ... if you could
guess what is the use for all those strange items.
But you could not check trough the backpack of a gnome wihtout him
earing it, this a special gnomic sense linked to their cherished items
And Gandigoot is no exception, even within his sleep (already
disturbed by the calls of Alahija) he could hear that something in his
pack was touched, it was his precious spring for a clockwork of his
invention. The gnome grunted still half-asleep. Alahija hears the
sound and finally finds the gnome under his bed with his blanket
covering him. She manages to convince him of going downstairs.

This is how the gnome crossed the Inn of the Welcome Wench still
dressed from the evening, still huming alcohol and tobacco, and
rolled into his blanket, going to the stable to care for his
pony. Quite a frightening sight for sure

It is time for lunch when they are ready at last. Alahija decides for
the group to eat at the Inn, nobody protest
And so it is finally near one in the afternoon when they take the road
towards the moathouse. As early as each time before ...
As decided, Diane is staying in Hommlet, she said that she wanted to
look about the artifacts into Brune's grimoires but in fact she will
look for the spy affair. And she also wants to spy the group's
departure, as she strongly belive that they are spied in Hommlet and
she so hopes to see the spy.

-- On the road to the moathouse again --

Once again they are leaving Hommlet going north, hoping to confuse
anyone spying them. As they already used this trick yesterday it will
be surprising that any spy doesn't understand that they are once again
going to the moathouse. Especially as they are speaking loud of it
when they were at the Inn. But these adventurers are not of the
suspicious type.

This time they can reach the moathouse without problem. Even if
Gandigoot still seems to suffer from his night, Alahija took the place
of the guide's second and corrected him when he was ... lost?
The shadow of the old fortress is once again profiling trough the fog
which seems to stick to this swamp everyday. The party is approaching
with care.

They enter the courtyard, after a good look. The ground floor seems to
be deserted, but the numerous corpses, testimony of the fight, have
disappeared. And the staircase going down is now blocked by a huge
number of rocks from the collapsed walls of the moathouse. There is
numerous blood traces on the floor going from the room to the staircase,
indicating that the corpses where pulled downstairs. How will they go
down now ?
Then Killasha remembers that there was a secret passage in the
backroom, this passage was opened yesterday, but is nowhere to be seen
today. This is a clear proof that there is still opponents to
await. (DM note : And even that they are awaited I would have said.)

Gandigoot and Alahija start to search for the opening, the half-elf is
able to find it after a few minutes. There is a stone carved with an
old symbol that they all know very well, the Obex, the inverted
triangle with an Y into it, the symbol of the Elder Elemental Eye.
Alahija pushes the stone and a part of the stone wall moved to reveal
a secret passage, and a small flight of stairs going down into the
darkness. "I'll try a head." said Alahija's player at this very
instant. No sooner said than done, the half-elf puts her head into the
entry and a big flash with a huge BOOM happens, you know what, the
entry was trapped, how astonishing no ?
Killasha tried to protect the young daughter of the viscount of
Verbobonc (who really seems to have suicidal tendances) and the two
where shocked by the Electric glyph of protection. Alahija sneaked
under the paladin and was safe (Evasion is really strong) but Killasha
was the first to suffer this day.

After this small incident, they decided to go down, but it was
Gandigoot who was going first and he slowly descended the staircase,
searching for a trap on every step. This time they reached the ground
of the staircase without more traps.
They are now in front of a stone wall, obviously there must be a
secret passage somewhere. As the staircase is quite small, and they
can only advance one after the other into it, they pass the word
through the group that Gandigoot and Alahija are searching for an
opening and it will take a few minutes ... at least.
Once again, the half-elf is able to find the secret stone carved with
the Obex symbol. And this time she searches for traps before pushing
it. Being convinced that it wasn't trapped (these magic traps are so
hard to find at low levels ) Alahija pushes the stone, and
activates the magic trap linked to it. Gandigoot just behind Alahija
falls to the floor, and the door reveals a dark chamber only lit by
the light of the party (not a lot as they are still in the secret
stairs) wich is enough for Alahija to see two hideous skeletons in
front of her ready to strike the poor half-elf who as always in just
in front line of unexpected danger ...

While Alahija is dodging the blows of the undeads, she cries for
help. Ezekiel, just behind the gnome, is taking him and passing him
behind to Killasha who in turn puts him behind her. The two front line
fighters of the party are advancing towards the entry after that, which
is not easy with their full-plate armors.
During this time, Alahija has the bad surprise to be striked by two
small sparkling magic bolts, much more frightened by the magic than by
the skeletons, the half-elf courageously retreats behind her two
protectors.

And now the fight will start ... soon ...


-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode FIVE - Strike at the Moathouse - Part 2
(You will not say to me to didn't expected an ambush !)

 

[Selm]

Episode 5-2

Episode FIVE - Strike at the Moathouse - Part 2
(You will not say to me to didn't expected an ambush !)
- Godsday 18th Planting, 16pm -

Back into the fight. Ezekiel turns the undead and the two skeletons in
front of him crumble to dust. It give our heroes a small time to
reorganize, Killasha is able to join Ezekiel at the exit of the secret
passage and Alahija retreats behind them, taking the inanimated
Gandigoot with her. The gnome is still alive but seems to be stuck
into a powerfull sleep spell, some will say that it is the result of
his long and festive night.
But this is all they will get. Two new skeletons are approaching the
secret door ...the Kord's priest knows that something is wrong, these
two creatures should have been turned by his release of positive
energy, something still unknown to them ...
Withtout more hesitation and exchanging only a quick sight with
Killasha, Ezekiel runs into the room, directly into the darkness to
release another turn undead whre it will be the most effective. Our
paladine does not hesitate more and follows the priest to cover him in
his foolishly courageous attempt to deliver the group from this undead
menace.
At the exit of the staircase, it is now Rousing Fox who is in front of
the skeletons, Alahija just behind him trying to wake up the
gnome. When she hears the cry of Ezekiel and the sounds of a lot more
fighting into the dark room, she uses her magic to light it with small
balls of light ... they are know able to see the whole scene noly lit
by their lanterns and the light of Killasha's armor until then (I
remember you that the paladine's armor is glowing a slight blue light
... and you know what it meens in total darkness ... it is a big
target sign ).
Ezekiel and Killasha are in the middle of the room, nearly twelve
skeletons are circling them, one is especially big and uses a huge axe
which blows could porobably hurt you more than a frail gnoll poleaxe
... gnoll? Yes, half the skeletons are indead reanimated gnolls, the
evil priests use their own dead to fight the party. But this is not
the best part as two evil clerics are in the back of the room,
preventing Ezekiel from using his positive energy to its full power,
and so protecting the skeletons from the turn undead attempts. But as
if it isn't enough, a small hooded figure is also near the priests and
an orc fighter in plate armor flanks them.
You know what? THIS will be a real fight !!

The room is big, four massive stone pillars forming a square into it
and supporting the roof. The skeletons are mainly in the first part of
the room, around the secret staircase exit and now around the two
foulish adventurers too. Two evil priests, and orc fighter and another
small creature in black robes are backing the skeletons in the back
part of the square room. This is weel organised and obviously an
ambush.

Anyway the fight is already engaged between the skeletons and the duo
of Ezekiel and Killashalandilis (somethimes I use her complete name
only for you to not forget it ). While the paladine protect the
priest, he tries another turn but, still unaware of his surroundings
as the light spell from small Alahija is not yet in effect, his power
is countered by the two evil priests who bolster their small undead
army. Then the room is lit at last. And the truth of the dreadfull
situation appears to our courageous (if not foolish) heroes.
Ezekiel then identifies the gnoll skeleton in front of him. This is
all what remains of the gnoll chief he killed yesterday. He doens't
even think before striking and with a powerfull blow reduces the
undead to pieces of bones on the ground. One of the evil priests tries
to curse the two heroes but the spell is uneffective, they kust be
protected by their gods ...
Then the priest tries to run on the priests, but the Orc stops him and
the two starts a fight, obviously easier for the orc as several
sekeletons are also striking Ezekiel, the giant skelton with its huge
axe among them. Killasha , who was protecting the back of the priest,
is surprised by his charge ans deparated from him, she decides to help
his action by directing her attacks on the priests too. She starts to
go round one of the big pillars to reach the priests. And is blocked
by two skeletons while one of the priests advance on her casting a
spell.

And during this time ... what are doing the other heroes? They are
courageously hiding in the staircase, Rousing Fox blocking the entry
and fighting two skeletons at once, while the others are firing on the
skeletons. Alahija was finally able to wake up Gandigoot with a strong
slap on his face (she even had to do one point of subdual damage,
which means a very strong slap for the young half-elf maiden). The
gnome is now awake and firing bolts on the skeletons while Alahija is
using holy water and spells to help the monk (Do you ever see a
sorcerer choosing a disrupt undead spell as one of its precious spells
? Alahija did it ! ).

All seems good for them, until the hooded figure reveals it as the
gnome they encountered at the Inn of the Welcome Wench and starts
using a wand of magic missiles on Ezekiel. The priest then remembers
the words of Alahija: "As there is only two missiles, the wizard will
not be able to cast more than 4 or 5 times this spell!". Good guess
young sorceress, and with a wand?
Even with his protection from evil, his shield of faith and his
natural AC of 22 (full plate, shield and magical bonuses) Ezekiel will
not be able to stand long in front of so much opponents and a wizard
striking him each turn with two magical bolts. But he still continues
to fight the orc fighter in front of him, with determination and rage
in his eyes.
Things are not better for the paladine. She was strucks twice by the
poleaxe of a gnoll skeleton and is now facing one of the evil priests
who looks at her with an evil smile. He wears a plate mail and is
using a heavy mace, looking at the paladine (who is really wearing her
character's class on her) he says her:"you will die today servant of
goodness!". Not impressed the paladine responds him:"Mayaheine is
protecting me, you will not win today.". The priest nearly stares at
her and finally a sight of understanding flashes trough his eyes (Is
it possible he really knows Killasha's goddess? ).

But as the battle continues, the two front rank fighters of the party
are exhausting themselves. Ezekiel is starting to be heavily wounded
and as he starts to feel Kord more and more closer to him, he has to
drink one of this precious healing potions. Even if he knows that with
two more strikes from the evil gnome's rod, the healing will be used,
the priest has no choice! It's getting hard!
But Killasha hasn't finished her duty for goodness today. The second
evil priest is now just behind the one who is fighting the paladine,
and Killasha could now clearly see that he is a she and that she
starts to cast a spell. Unable to stop her, she only direct her hopes
towards her goddess. But with horror, she could see nearly all the
wounds she inflicted the evil priest close. He was healed by ht eother
priestess. THIS is UNFAIR ... if evil clerics could heal themselves
... but now our paladine is really angry. The priest then stare at her
laugthing: "Poor good girl, I said to you that this is the day of your
death." Calling Mayaheine, Killasha uses her smite evil power to
strike him. With a single blow she scores more damage than the priest
have life ... and he falls to the ground. "You shouldn't have wake my
wrath evil scum!"
The other members of the party are out of the staircase at last. Still
fring at the skeletons or throwing holy water vials all around the
place (Alahija is not always scoring a direct hit ).

Ezekiel in a desperate attempt to save the situation casts a silence
spells around the pillar near which him and the paladine stand,
preventing any spellcasting around it. But the gnome has the time to
cast another spell, this is not a magic missile this time, but another
spell, five other gnomes appear around him. And Ezekiel, quite decided
to end the life of this evil and pitiful creature seems to be even
more frustrated (he wants to kill the gnome since half an hour of play
time at this moment, since the time he was striked by the first magic
missile).
But in fact the death of the first evil priest has already decided the
fate of the fight. The dark robed priestess seeing her ally fall in
front of her with a single strike of the big ugly and bad paladine
(from the priestess point of view, she is beautifull and full of
goodness for her friends) decides to ... flee towards safety. And the
evil gnome decides to follow the priestess.
But our two fighters will not be able to follow them as there is still
a good number of skeletons in the room, especially the big one. It is
Lywen who will do the job, with an Invisibility and Darkvision spell.

Do not hope too fast that all is good for our heroes, the fight is not
finished!
Killasha only has the time to turn towards the two skeletons still
attacking her from behind when one of them strikes her hard and send
her towards Mayaheine. The paladine falls ... alone.
Ezekiels is still fighting the orc. He now clearly see that the
creature is in fact an half-orc and bright enough to use healing
potions, these evil ones are sneaky too this time! But the priest is
still fighting and hasn't seen the paladine's defeat.
Rousing Fox advances to help his fallen friend. And has to fight the
giant skeleton, which is trying to kill Ezekiel for nearly two minutes
without success. Confident, the monk strike the giant, nearly sure
that the creature will not be able to retaliate. How fool it was from
the monk ... Ezekiel is heavily protected by his armor and magic (AC
26) and Rousing Fox is only dodging blows as usual. This will be his
doom. Even if the monk is able to strike the giant skeleton, breaking
one of his arms, with two powerfull blows, the undead monstruosity
sends the monk to the ground heavily wounded and bleeding.

Hopefully nearly at the same time, Ezekiels scores the last blow on
the orc fighter and is now able to turn his soft attentions towards
the giant skeleton. You should know that a strike from the priest with
his power attack is not easy to endure. With the help of Gandigoot and
Alahija, the giant skeleton is quickly dispatched, the gnome scoring
the final strike with a weel aimed crossbow-bolt.
The fight is now finished, or at least for a time. Killasha and
Rousing Fox are on the ground, Ezekiel and Alahija heal the wounded,
they are still barely alive. Killasha will remember how close she was
from Mayaheine (going round after round from -4 to -8 Hps).
More healing magic and potions are used to allow the three heavily
wounded to continue, understand Killasha and Rousing Fox but also
Ezekiel, even if he do not fall the priest finished the fight with
only a bunch of hps.

-----

During this time, Lywen followed the priestess and the gnome. When he
reached the room where they fled, he was able to see the priestess but
not the gnome. The woman was opening a door, and sending orders. Two
ghouls go out from the room and are sent towards the party. Lywen only
has the time to see the priestess enter the room before the two undead
creatures see him and advance to attack him. Our wizard wisely retreat
to get help after having cast a double magic missile on the first
ghoul (as undeads see through invisibility he is no more protected by
his spell and wasn't bothered about losing it with the attack spell).

This is how, two rounds after they finished to heal the wounded, our
heroes see their wizard enter the room crying that two ghouls are
following him. Quickly they take positions, the two creatures only
have the time to enter the room, the first is stroke by a
crossbow-bolt from Gandigoot and another magic missile spell from
Lywen, sending it to the ground; and the second is turned to dust by
the last turn undead from Ezekiel.
Good work this time, I'm impressed !

Lywen explains to the other what he had seen. They decide to quickly
investigate for the fleeing priestess and gnome.
Gandigoot is left alone in the room in charge of protecting the
paladine and monk, still barely concious (as a master I do not allow
characters to recover immediately from unconsciousness, even with
magic healing). He uses magic spells to prevent any surprise attack as
he will be alone, warding the staircase and the other secret passage
that Spugnoir indicated them yesterday (remember that they have a map
from the underground complex).

They quickly investigate a small room south from the big square room
where the fight occured, nothing interesting beside numerous bones and
broken skeletons on the ground, backed by a strong odor of death.
Advancing where Lywen saw the priestess, they are back in the entry of
the underground complex, where rousing Fox and Diane encountered a
ghast the day before. But the gnome is nowhere to be seen. They split
a bit around the big staircase each of them searching one room.
Alahija climbs the stairs (which are blocked on the ground level by
numerous boulders) and she hears the soft sound of a breath near the
blocking boulders ... on this side. They have found the gnome, who
seems to be invisible and hiding in the upper staircase.
Alahija goes back towards the others and they discuss of a plan to get
the gnome. Ezekiel finally decides that they will use his technique
for small invisible creatures in a small corridor! The priest started
to move the head of his flail in circles and advanced in the corridor
upper the staricase like that until he reached the blocking boulders.
A moment before he reached them, the gnome revealed himself and casts
a spell, this is a color spray (as Lywen will said) but all the heroes
resist its effect for his doom. Ezekiel is quick to knock him down
after that.
The gnome is brought back into the square room and his death is
sentenced. Without hesitation Ezekiel cuts his head. Kilasha was not
even able to asks for a legal judgement as she was still barely
conscious.
While Gandigoot searches for the other secret passage on Spugnoir's
map which must be in this room but as he can't find it, he then starts
to blow all the skeletons on the floor: "This time they will not have
anything to animate!" says the gnome as sole explanation.
Lywen and Alahija are investigating the room where the priestess
fled. They discover an old torture chamber, smelling dust and death,
an old iron maiden lies against a stone wall and shackles still
hang to the opposite wall.. This zone of the underground complex seems
to be an old jail. As they are unable to find the priestess, the
wizard uses another spell to detect secret doors. They find one hidden
in a large stone pillar, Alahija tries to block the door with old
metal scraps lying on the ground before they go back to inform their
friends.

As his spell is still active when they enter the big square room,
Lywen is able to find the secret passage that Gandigoot was searching
before he started to break all skeleton's bones in the room. As the
two first doors, this one is also activated by an old well used stone
carved with the Elemental Eye symbol.

But they now have to speak before opening this new door towards the
abyss of the unknown.
More dangers surely await them, more fights, more traps ...
Will they retreat now, as they always did before? Killasha and Rousing
Fox are only starting to wake up from unconsciousness, but even if
they suffered a lot the party siprit is still up.
Will they find the courage to keep up the fight for goodness?

... soon ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode FIVE - Strike at the Moathouse - Part 3
(What a bloody mess !!)

 

[Selm]

DM Side Note

A hint for the readers.

As a DM, I never say to my players how much damage they suffer, or how
much life points they still have. All they know is what I say them
when they take a blow: "This one was strong, it pierced your rib cage
and crushed a lung ... you know, it hurts a lot." or "You see a bright
light, Mayaheine isn't so far from you anymore ...".

So drinking a healing potion is often a last resort action when I say
them such a thing. And going to a fight when they are already wounded
is very courageous, as they do not know really if they will be able to
endure more than one blow, especially at low levels.

It's harder for my players but I find it's better for tension and
dramatic impact of the PC's actions.

It is only at the end of the sessions that they know how near or far
they were from unconsciouness or even death.

As an exemple, Ezekiel was hit for more than 140 damage points of
damage from the beginning to this moment of the story, but Gandigoot
only suffered 24 damage points.

It was the "scores" at this moment of the story, now (Episode 12)
Killashalandilis has taken the lead with 303 life points losed and
Diane is the most cautious with around 40 damages endured.

...some PCs are more carefull than others ...

See you,

 

[Diane Derwyn]

Re: DM Side Note

A hint for the readers.
[...]
Killashalandilis has taken the lead with 303 life points losed and
Diane is the most cautious with around 40 damages endured.[/i]

And I definitly plan remain the most cautious !
...While Ezekiel and Killashalandilis compete to prove they are the least able to dodge a blow .

 

[Rousing Fox]

Re: Re: DM Side Note

...While Ezekiel and Killashalandilis compete to prove they are the least able to dodge a blow .

Pfff. Even if I can dodge far better than they can, I still am close to Ezekiel in the loss of HP race !
I really don't understand... Maybe I should be more careful ?

 

[Diane Derwyn]

Re: DM Side Note

I really don't understand... Maybe I should be more careful ?

You fight like the paladine ... why the hell not strike at someone from behind ? .. right where it hurts the most ... let me show you, we'll call her and make an ambush so you can learn the rogue basics .

 

[Selm]

Re: Re: DM Side Note

You fight like the paladine ... why the hell not strike at someone from behind ? .. right where it hurts the most ... let me show you, we'll call her and make an ambush so you can learn the rogue basics .

How mean you are Diane

At least let me be the first to ambush your glimmering paladine. It is so kind from her to help my poor monsters (oups encounters, they aren't all monsters) with her shining armor.

Sometimes I'm still wondering how she was able to survive so long ...

he', he' ....

Selm
Faithful Priest of Mighty Meepo

 

[Rousing Fox]

Well, erm, I don't want to become a ninja. It's not the future like I see it. I think I will just better my dodging capacitiesand maybe find some magic to help me... if I have time and money in sufficient amount

 

[Selm]

Episode 5-3

Episode FIVE - Strike at the Moathouse - Part 3
(What a bloody mess !!)
- Godsday 18th Planting, 16pm -

You know that fear could not strike the heart of our heroes, so they
decide to continue their attack on the complex, hoping to defeat the
evil priests and claim the moathouse as their trophy.
Lywen operates the secret door in the south east corner of the square
room. Behind it a corridor opens into darkness. Once again Gandigoot
takes the lead and advances towards danger and evil.

The corridor is quite long, after nearly sixty feet it curves towards
south east (it was going east before). Thirty more meters and our
adventurers are able to see the light of a nearly used torch on a wall
at the end of the corridor, fifthty meters far from them.
A creature sudenly appears into the light, it is a disgusting humanoid
with a scaly skin and wearing black robes. It watches them for an
instant, seaming absolutely unsurprised and run towards its right into
another passage (the end of the corridor is shaped as a T).
They are quick to react and Gandigoot, Ezekiel are first to chase after
him. But some are not fast enough, there was a trap and a huge iron
porticulis falls from the roof. Lywen, Rousing Fox and Alahija are
behind it, the monk and the rogue run to escape the trap while the
wizard prudently stops behind it. The young half-elf is fast enough
and passes just under it but the monk fails. He is pinned to the
ground by two hundred pounds of iron and as you could imagine, it
hurts a lot. One of his leg and harm are seriously wounded, the
paladine, seeing the monk nearly dead tries to help him.
During this time, Ezekiel and Gandigoot runned after the hugly evil
lizardman (as he's wearing black clothes he must be evil, this time I
will not say the contrary ). They pass the corner at the end of
their corridor and face the lizardman but he flees trough another
door, they follow and are ambushed. He's not alone, the priestess who
fled the flight in the big bloody square room is here, they were
awaited. The fight engages just when Alahija arrives. The lizardman is
protecting the priestess, preventing anyone from passing beside him in
the small passage, if Diane were here she could try to tumble him but
... there is only Ezekiel, Gandigoot and Alahija. Ezekiel and the
lizardman exchange blows. The dark robe of the evil lizard priest is
torn by the blows of Ezekiel, revealing a plate armor, he's also
wearing a steel shield engraved with a Flaming Eye, the fight will not
be easy for our priest of Kord. Gandigoot is noz using his light
crossbow as the passage is too small for two fighters, Alahija is
preparing magic missiles, but she will never have the time to cast her
spell. The second evil priestess casts a fear spell which strikes the
young half-elf and send her running towards the other members of the
party, still around the iron porticulis. Ezekiel and Gandigoot are now
alone, and Ezekiel has great difficulties to bypass the armor of the
lizardman. But the gnome is doing the job, he scores two critical hits
on the big lizard and all seems better, until the priestess takes a
scroll in her pouch and casts a healing spell on her lizard friend.
These evil are really bad, to use so much heal is discouraging for the
party's fighters
The fight is still going, but the priestess runs out of spells (and
even scrolls) before Ezekiel falls. She wisely runs away (you now know
that she is really good at it), just when Gandigoot once again connect
a bolt to the lizardman's flesh and send it to the ground.
Ezekiel has not even yet realized the situation (You know that things
are harder when I say: "Your endurance spell is all what you have now
...") but Gandigoot is already running after the priestess. The priest
quickly follow him, without even a small healing spell ...
Alahija is now released from the fear spell. She comes to the battle
scene and searches for anything able to activate the iron gate. With
her queen sense of observation the half-elf quickly find an iron
lever, she pulls it and the gate opens ... the iron spikes are
abruptly forced out of the wounds of the monk, injuring him even
more. He drops unconscious. Nice try young Alahija, you will know one
day that you must sometimes think before acting Killasha heals the
dying monk just in time, hopefully she was near him at the right
moment.

Gandigoot and Ezekiel are chasing the priestess, they run trough a
corridor going east, and after north, and after east, and after south,
and east once again ... they are not able to see the priestess but hey
can hear her running.
They arrive in a room with three doors and an open passage to the
north. They are no more able to hear the priestess ... no sound is
coming from the doors, the gnome and the priest cautiously advance
towards the open passage. They arrive in a chamber with a strong sent
that Gandigoot immediatly identify as gnoll's odor. But they are not
able to go further, the priestess was awaiting them at the entry and
once again ambushed them. It was hard to see her with the small bull's
eye lantern of Gandigoot as sole light.
But this time, chance is not on her side, when Alahija arrives she is
already bleeding on the ground, a huge strike of Ezekiel's flail was
enough to send her towards her god ...

this time the fight seems to be finished. They quickly search the
gnoll's room but there isn't anything of value there. The party is now
reformed and thinkning of what they must do. They do not have anymore
healing power or potion, Rousing Fox and Ezekiel are badly hurt, and
they still expect some danger. This time it is wiser to go back to
Hommlet, survive this day and you will be able to fight another day
...
they decide to retreat, when Gandigoot was opening the first door in
this room (they were in the three door room where they chased the
priestess minutes before). It reveals a small room with a coffin
raised on the back wall ... a wooden empty coffin ... it is wiser to
go back to Hommlet, they are now sure of it ...

When they go out of the underground complex, Lywen says his friends he
will "guard" the moathouse until tomorrow. Each time they went back to
Hommlet, reinforcements come to the moathouse, the wizard want to know
who they are and from where they come. He assures his friends he still
has enough magic to ward him against any problem. So Lywen is let
alone, spying in the moathouse ...

--- Back to Hommlet ---

Imagine the scene, five adventurers covered by blood, exhausted and
evidently heavily wounded ... it seems a perfect prey as they could
even have some good loot.
This is how the party is ambushed by two (yes only two) bandits.
Surprised and unbelieving at first, the adventurers do not react
immediatly, the two bandits know think that it will be easy and ask
them for all their gold. Gandigoot advances towards the first with his
gold pouch ... and Ezekiel charges ... the first bandit is sent
towards his ancestors and the second asks for pity ... they now have
two prisonners!
Will this be a lessons for the evil encournters? Do not try to attack
the party when you are two CR1

They actually arrive to Hommlet. They stop to send the two brigands to
jail and the guards at the keep door say them that Lord Rufus would
like to see them as soon as possible. In any ordinary situation, they
would have seen him immediatly, but now they are bloody, very tired
and smelling bad from blood and dead bones.
They go to the temple of Pelor and the church of St Cuthbert for
healing. Calmer of St Cuthbert is able to heal Ezekiel and Gandigoot
while Yether heals rousing Fox and Killasha, Alahija also asks for
healing but Yether gently says her that it is not necessary, her small
wounds will be closed tomorrow. The young half-elf, sure that every
priest in this town doesn't want to help her, quits the temple! (Three
hit points are a lot for a young lady as her).

Diane has seen their arrival and is speaking with Gandigoot, when she
learns that Lywen was let alone in the moathouse, she immediatly takes her
horse and goes to the old fortress. It is a little foulish at night
but Diane's job is to protect the wizard (why the two beeing protected
always want to take so much risk?) and she has given her word.

About Diane, what has she done today?

--- Diane's afternoon in Hommlet ---

The stylish fighter spied the departure of her friends. She waited to
see who sent out of the Inn of the Welcome Wench after them. She only
saw a merchant going towards the village mill. She followed him but
all she saw was the merchant speaking with a young man at the mill
door.
Diane followed her friends towards the exit of the small town and saw
a man going out of the town after them. He was wearing pelts and was
carying a pole on his shoulder. She also followed him, he went into
the forest one hour out of Hommlet, towards what seemed to be a
hunting cabin. The man only seemed to be a trapper of some sort.
Without more success, Diane went back to Hommlet.

Once back to Hommlet, Diane went to see Rufus. He was in the keep,
speaking with Elmo in the milice training room. She asked him if
anything or anyone special was spoted in Hommlet recently. Rufus said
her that beside Naddy's constant speaking about the halfling running
the old trading post beeing a spy in town, there is nothing really
special to say. From his point of view, the halfling never showed any
sign pinpointing him as a spy, and it is surely more an old rivality
than anything really serious. But Rufus assured Diane that if anything
strange or special was reported to him, he will inform her as soon as
possible.

After this quick talf with Rufus, Diane decided to watch the mill
until the night and placed herself on the other bank of Hommlet's
river directly behind the mill and with a good view towards the old
trading post but easily concealed by trees and bushes. Nevertheless
she was not able to see anything particular and she finally heard the
other members of the party arrive in town.

--- back to present time ---

Diane is gone towards the moathouse, the others, exhausted directly
went to their bed, all ... but Gandigoot.
The gnome is anxiously expecting the return of Diane and Lywen. He
finally goes to sleep one hour after midnight, still anxious.


... next installment Session SIX ...
-----------------------------------------------------------
Episode SIX - NEVER left anyone behind - PART 1
(It can always turn worse.)