The Waterdeep Adventures or Kobold Soup is good eatin!

[spacehulkster]

As the small group takes their leave of the kobold matriarch, their little friend Meepo runs up to Pudge.

“Meepo come too!” he implores, looking sorrowfully into Pudge’s eyes.

Pudge clances back towards the Matriarch, who is scowling menacingly at Meepo. “Take him, he is worthless!” she exclaims.

The group again bow and take their leave. They glance at each other with wondering looks, while Meepo scrambles up ahead to get his gear.

Thalez breaks the silence, “What was that about?”

“I didn’t think anything of it before,” Elric explains, “but you know the room that Meepo keeps the dragon caged up in, the room we enter to get here? The cage was empty and Meepo wasn’t around! When he gets back we should ask him what happened.”

Meepo returns with light crossbow, short spear and a small pack. He looks eager and excited to be with the group.

“Meepo, we noticed the cage for Calcryx was empty and Yusdrayl seemed MIGHTY angry with you. What has happened?” Valen inquires.

“After Meepo’s friend left last time, goblins from below come up and attack kobolds. Goblins kill Meepo’s Calcryx and one hand of kobolds. Meepo’s queen mad at Meepo, she say Meepo worthless to not defend tribe better with dragon. Meepo now bottom of rope in tribe. Meepo empty tribe waste!” Meepo reflects.

Pudge walks over and pats the kobold on the head, “Does Meepo want to stay with Pudge?”

Meepo nods happily, “Meepo like fanged human. He always nice to Meepo. Meepo want to stay with new friends.”

“Looks like you got a new pet Pudge,” Thalez exclaims.

“Let’s head down and see if we can repay those gobbo’s for killing your pet, Meepo,” Elric petitions.

The five head down to the area below. It is eerily quite. They search the area, that they had cleared during the last visit, a little more thoroughly. The only thing they discover is that the bodies are gone and the place has been picked up and is still being used. Not feeling strong enough to confront a large group of goblins, they backtrack from there to the entrance to this level, and investigate the only other exit to the south. It leads to a hall that has been torn by a past earthquake. After looking down both sides of the fissure, they continue down the hall. It ends at a door, which Elric checks for traps and opens.

Inside is a slim pedestal of rusted iron with an upright dragon upon it. The walls have mosaic tiles, some of which have fallen and shattered. Inside the gaping mouth of the dragon is an empty tray.

“This appears to be some sort of shrine,” Elric points out. He investigates the statue first. “There’s nothing of value or hidden compartments on this statue.”

All three elves look for secret doors, while Pudge and Meepo gape at the statue.

“This would be a good place to rest,” Elric again points out.

“I admit to being a little tired. We’ve done a lot of walking today. I haven’t walked this much since my first hunt.” Thalez sighs.

“You mean the hunt you broke your bow on!?” Valen jokes. “Your father wasn’t too pleased with you.”

“Hey! That rabbit scarred the wood right out of this elf!” Thalez exclaims.

Pudge spikes the door and the group jokes and rest the night in the shrine. Above they hear sounds of distant thunder and assume that the storm has finally arrived above. They wake a few hours later, refreshed.

**************

Carthax wakes the little ones up early the next morning. “I believe we should get an early start. Your friends never arrived last night,” he informs the three.

“Well, it was pretty bad last night. It was hard to rest,” says Felix. “I’m sure they found a safe place to rest.”

“None the less, I have a bad feeling about today,” Carthax says prophetically.

They gear up and eat a quick lunch, which Milo resents. The trip to the ravine was long and muddy. Except for Felix, who flew the entire way. Upon reaching the citadel they too head straight for the kobold sector and approach the matriarch, with Vern as interpreter.

“What is it now!” she blurts. “Yesterday the others of your group came to me and said they would take care of the stranger below. Then he kidnaps 2 of my guards this morning and leaves a note saying “You will now serve me or be destroyed!”. I am at an end with you all.”

“Our humble apologies, Queen. We have not meant to upset you.” Vern says, in his most diplomatic voice.

“UPSET!” she cries. To which her guards tense and point their crossbows at the party more menacingly.
“I am beyond upset. You will either make good your promise or I shall deliver you to him myself!”

Vern whispers out the side of his mouth, “She’s a little upset.”

“Ya think!” quips Carthax.

“We should begin graciously backing out of here.” Vern replies.

“So our friends were here yesterday and you haven’t seen them since?” Vern ask of Yusdrayl.

“Yes, we have not seen them since,” she respond. “And I hope never to again” she thinks to herself.

“We can take them,” the pixie whispers.

“Now is not the time,” Milo reminds.

With much appeasing, the group heads for the entrance to the level below.

 

[spacehulkster]

Earlier that morning Pudge, Meepo and the 3 Elves (Thalez, Elric and Valen) are feeling brave and investigate the large hall that lays beyond the goblin barracks. The hallway has three other exits. One on the North, East and South. They choose to go north. This door leads into another hallway with two other exits, North and East.
Again they choose the north door and enter what seems to be some sort of garden with a bugbear tending to some burnt plants.

The encounter is short, but raises all 5 of the parties bloodlust. They race through the only other exit from this room into a chamber with an eerie reddish glow, emanating from the eye sockets of a huge marble statue of a rearing dragon atop a circular dias. This stops the party cold.

“Let’s leave this statue alone!” Valen exclaims. “I’ve got a creepy feeling. Let’s take this exit here to my right.”

“What harm can come from us searching this statue. Those eyes have to be gems of some kind!” Elric points out.

“Let him look,” Pudge seconds. Meepo eagerly nods his head up and down to Pudge’s words.

“I’ll be by the door here,” Thalez says cowardly.

As Elric begins to examine the statue, he feels a cold touch go through him, but he is undamaged.

A second later Pudge cries out, “OOH, that’s cold! I feel weakened.”

Valen spots the shadow and attempts to launch arrows into it, to no effect. Thalez, following the path of the arrows, sees it also and begins an assault with his sword, striking home. As the shadow retreats for cover, Elric is able to land a telling blow and the creature is no more.

“Pudge, you all right?” cries Elric.

“I…I don’t know. I feel similar to when that Quasit hit me a few days ago,” Pudge reflects.

“Meepo help fanged friend,” the kobold offers a shoulder for Pudge to rest a leg onto. Pudge quickly declines Meepo’s offer after taking note of Meepo’s relative height to his own.

“I can make it, onward!” insist Pudge.

The next room holds a library, now in a shambles. Broken bookshelves, torn and burnt pages and scrolls litter the floor. Not interested in reading anything and hungry for blood and treasure the five press on. They find a stairway down going under the garden area they had entered previously. It raises up on the other side and the hall turns to the south. Elric keeps a slow and watchful pace up front, checking for traps. The hall ends with two doors on the east wall 30 feet apart.

Elric approaches the first door and checks for traps. Unable to determine whether it is was trapped, he moves to the second door. He determines there to be no traps on the second door and opens the door. They look into a partial room with three cut walls, but the south wall is missing and beyond it, it is cavernous. Sporadically spaced throughout the cavern, are briars, bushes and low brick crumbling walls. A luminescent fungus covers the walls of the cavern giving off a violet hue.

“What place is this?” questions Thalez.

“Meepo no like! Meepo stay here,” Meepo whimpers.

“Hush little buddy. You’ll be fine!” encourages Pudge.

The group slowly moves into the grove. Valen warily notches an arrow. Elric steps quietly towards the west wall of the cavern, attempting to hide. Thalez trails behind, constantly checking his bow, dagger and hefting his sword. They are all on edge.

“Did you see movement ahead?” whispers Valen inquiringly.

“Watch yourselves, these briars are barbed,” Elric points out.

Thalez hears something behind him and whirls around, his sword sweeping in front of him. But upon surveying the area, he sees nothing.

At this point, they all stop, gaping in awe at the large tree ahead of them. Three human figures stand under it.

“Welcome, we have been expecting you. Please come forward,” the robed figure with a sickle motions.

Elric instinctively flattens against the shadowed cave wall. The other four step apprehensively forward ten feet. A giant frog jumps in front of the robed figure, as does the male human, drawing his sword. The female stands beside the robed figure, motionless. In front of the male, 3 twig-bush like creatures rear up taking humanoid form.

“I’m not within a good range yet,” Valen whispers.

“Who are you?” questiong Pudge.

“I am the keeper of the Gulthias tree,” the robed figure responds. “My name is Belak. Please hold your actions a moment, you do not know what you do! This tree brings life to the earth and it can bring you peace and a new life as well. Submit to the tree peacefully or it will go worse for you!”

“I’ve heard enough!” cries Valen, loosing an arrow at the robed figure. The arrow is deflected by some sort of force field, “Oh poop!”

 

[spacehulkster]

Is this the end?

Elric watches in horror, from the shadows of the cave wall, as three thorny bush like creatures rise from behind Thalez. They are exactly the same creatures Dank described had attacked him. Elric is torn between shouting out, running to aid the group and waiting to see what other surprises the Druid has in store. He stays motionless and silent.

Three more small thorny bush humanoids rise up in front of the young paladin protecting the druid and move toward Pudge.

“Come at me, scourge of the earth!” Pudge yells out at the druid in defiance. His swing shatters one thorny creature.

Meepo looses a bolt toward the young paladin, who deflects it with his shield. Thalez, struck from behind, whirls his blade over the top of the three small creatures.
“Take them prisoner,” cries the druid, “the tree requires more servants!”

Finally, Elric’s wait is over, as three bugbears and six goblins round a corner from the cave ahead. Valen moves away from the group, to get a better shot on the druid, and looses two more shots.

Suddenly, vines and roots rise from the dirt floor and entangle Pudge, Meepo and Thalez. From a distance the goblins and bugbears use their spears as staffs to subdue the three. The paladin moves slowly in the entanglement and uses the flat of his sword on Pudge.

Elric lunges from his hiding spot, only to enter the entangled area, his movement slowed and his surprise blown.

Now it is Valen, outside the entanglement field, who watches as one by one his friends are knocked unconscious. He continues to shoot at the druid and female protecting him. The poor girl goes down, but only after hitting him a few times with magic missiles.

Valen, badly outnumbered, is torn between leaving to get help and staying to try and help his friends.
He charges the druid, sword drawn. The paladin steps in front of the druid and proceeds to pummel Valen into unconsciousness.

With his eyes rolling into his head, Valen hears the druid speak the last words he expects to hear, “Tie them to the tree!”

 

[Hairy Minotaur]

With his eyes rolling into his head, Valen hears the druid speak the last words he expects to hear, “Tie them to the tree!”

Children of the tree? They're all going to be turned into Botanists? Maybe the tree will let them all leave?

sorry couldn't resist.

 

[spacehulkster]

Belak, the druid, looks down at his once loyal paladin, he turns to his bugbear commander “Gather what goblins are left and bring them here. I was told there were 7 or 8 “heroes” invading our citadel. There are only four plus this kobold.” He kicks at Meepo. “The others will no doubt be searching for their friends. I want a better ambush set for them. This encounter has cost us greatly.”

Belak orders the body of Sir Braford be taken out and disposed of. The destroyed Twig-Blights are collected and stacked along the wall of the cavern for kindling.

Belak speaks with one of his last remaining Blights, “Go to the surface and summon all your brothers that you can find. Bring them down here immediately.”

He straightens himself and brushes off his molding cloak, “Yes, they will pay dearly for these intrusions,” he mutters to himself. He turns to look upon the four “would-be heroes” as they are getting tied to the Gulthias tree, “these will more than make up for destroying one of our true believers, oh great tree of life.”

 

[spacehulkster]

About 4 hours later….

“I’ll fly down and see if the landing is clear,” Felix states. That said, he becomes invisible and flies down the shaft. The other three secure ropes to climb down.

Within a minute, Felix makes himself visible and informs the three that the landing is clear, but he has an eerie feeling. “It’s unusually quiet down there.”

“Oh, I do hope we find them and unharmed,” Milo worried while he carefully lowered himself down the shaft.

“Faith, sir cleric, remember your faith! I have no doubt that we will find your friends,” Carthax consoles.
“These vines seem to be broken in places, and very recently,” he continues.

“I wouldn’t worry about how recent this shaft has been traveled. It was probably just Pudge slipping down as usual.” Vern interjects.

Carthax is not too sure about Vern’s statement, but he keeps his concern to himself, not wishing to worry the little ones.

 

[spacehulkster]

The four make it safely down and take up a marching order. They proceed down the same path that their friends had taken the night before. The tracks are quite easy to follow, especially the two large boot prints of Pudge intermixed with a pair of kobold feet.

The tracks lead to a room with a dragon statue (where Pudge and the elves spent last night). A quick search is made, finding nothing they head back to the goblin barracks that they had purged a few days earlier. They find that the barracks and make-shift kitchen have been “cleaned” of dead goblins, and otherwise empty.

“Maybe they packed up and left?” Felix kind of questions. The other three turn to him with disgruntled looks.
“They could of!” counters Felix.

Tracing the steps of their friends, the four enter the long hall. From this point on, tracking becomes impossible and they elect to go through the south door. After a brief pause at the door, Felix opens it to find an empty but well kept garden, in an octagonal shaped room. Perplexed, they elect to not open the east door, but open the north one and enter another long hall.
Two more doors now face them, one on the east and the other at the end of the hall on the north wall.

Growing impatient, the four hustle to the east door and open the door without pausing to listen or checking for traps. They are surprised to find three skeletons working another octagonal shaped garden. The skeletons are also startled, but go into fighting mode a little quicker than the adventurers.

Carthax takes the brunt of the skirmish, as the skeletons focus their attacks on the larger enemy first. Felix and Milo use their maces to devastating effect. Vern spouts a few magic missiles and the skeletons are dispatched. The four take a breath. They notice no other doors in the garden.

“Well, we missed a door in the other hall and we have one door to the north. Do we want to go back and try that door in the other hall?” Milo questions.

“Let’s try this door to the north while we’re here,” Vern replies. “We can always go back.”

They regroup and head to the north. They expect to find another garden room and are not disappointed. This one however has a couple piles of bones and skulls crumpled up in it.

“I think we’re back on their trail!” Felix states, smiling broadly.

“I believe you are right,” Vern replies, and turns to see a door adjacent to the one they just came in. “This way, if you please.” Vern opens the door open for the others as he gestures them through.

 

[Spider_Jerusalem]

hey hey spacehulkster,

Thought you'd disappeared! Thankfully not though - this is good stuff. Write more! Write more!

[sblock]pssst... Is this the adventure with that vampire tree thing?[/sblock]

Spider J

 

[spacehulkster]

spoiler - yes SJ it is "The Sunless Citadel".

This update catches me up so I have to write more.

They enter the room with a marble dragon statue and are startled at first. Another quick search reveals nothing and they wander through the only other exit.

“Oh my!” Vern states, his interest perks up 200%. They find themselves in a destroyed library. Vern quickly searches the ruined books and scraps of paper on the floor, hoping to find something useful. After 5 minutes he is getting discouraged, when the others insist on moving on. Dejected, Vern agrees to press on.

Exiting the library, they begin to descend a flight of stairs.

“I believe it’s time to go invisible friends,” Felix says with much concern in his voice.

“Where are you going to be?” questions Vern. Milo and Carthax also cast questioning looks at him.

“I will try to scout ahead and warn you of anything, if I can,” Felix offers. It’s agreed, and he flutters on down ahead of them.

The stairs reach a landing and head east 40’ to stairs going up. Slowly the three ascend and follow the hallway around a corner. To the groups recollection, they are heading south. After 80’ they find a door on the east wall and another 20’ further south.

From nowhere, “I don’t hear anything.” Felix appears, ahead of the three at the far door, motioning his hand near his ears and shaking his head.

Startled, the three jump and gasp for air. “Sorry, I forget you can’t see me,” Felix apologizes.
“There’s no sound from either door. And this one here is locked.” Felix points at the first door.

“Well,” Vern steps up with a wry smile, “there are ways around that.” He gestures a says a word in draconic.
They hear a click and the door creaks open. “I knew that spell would come in handy some day,” Vern, matter of factly states.

They enter a 20’ by 30’ room with a soil floor. Rough shelving lines two of the walls, littered with scrolls, books and paper scraps. A desk sits in the center of the room and light emanates from a form of fungus on the ceiling. A few potted plants are scattered around the room.

Carthax and Vern are immediately drawn to the shelves. Milo concentrates on the desk, while Felix flies to a door on the south wall of the room.

“Very interesting,” Carthax mumbles, “it appears we are dealing with a druid. What could he be doing down here?”

Not paying attention Vern complains, “hey, I can’t read some of this writing,” he pauses over a large tome, “OOOH, what do we have hear?” His hands brush off a layer of dust and he reads, “Treasures of the Fire Lords”. His hands quickly brush off all the dust and he begins to open it.

“Well, being this creature is a druid, it could be Druidic you are looking at.” Carthax states.

Carthax’s last word ends with a “BOOM”. Startling Felix by the door, Milo quickly takes cover behind the desk. A second passes, Felix and Milo look up from their hiding places to see Vern holding the remnants of a book, his hair wind blown and singed, his eyes wide, encircled with soot on his face. Carthax, startled, is on his butt on the dirty floor.

“Found some good reading did you Vern?” Carthax inquires smugly.

“I don’t quite care for the ending,” replies Vern, dropping what’s left of the book.

Felix turns to Milo, “That should of alerted anyone down here! I’m waiting by the door. Let me know when you guys are ready to go.” To which, Felix disappears.

“Hey, you two, we need to gather what we can and head out of here. That sound probably resonated down here.” Milo commands.

Carthax motions for Vern to head for the south door. His findings have been more fruitful than Verns. He has found a Druidic tome and two scrolls, Entangle and Slow Poison.

Gathering at the south door, Milo whispers, “we’re ready.”

“Right!” comes the reply. The door opens, and the party gazes upon a cavernous room with dirt floor and briars and bushes littering the floor.

“I believe we are getting close my little friends.” Carthax utters.

 

[spacehulkster]

The Setup

“BOOM!” the sound resonated through the cavern. Belak knew exactly what that meant, “They dare to enter my room!”

Pointing to the goblins who are kicking and poking the unconscious Meepo, he yells at his Bugbear commander in gobloid, “Take those and hide around the corner. Wait for my signal to spring the surprise.” The bugbear acknowledges the order and wrangles up the four goblins.

He then turns to Kulket, his toad familiar, and points up at one of the trees branches, “Rest upon the branch there, my pet. I give you a spell to cast for me.” He cast a spell upon his familiar and the large toad leaped upon the branch and croaked its approval.

After checking the binds on his four captives, Belak orders Sharwyn, the female Wizard, by his side. She obeys without question. Belak then orders the six twig-blights that are left, to scatter and attack the forthcoming party in the rear.