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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 1350909" data-attributes="member: 16069">The Wednesday KnightsSESSION XI.Moonday 7th Fibber 2000Year of the DarkThe Orc Raiders, the Terrible Twins- part 3.Dramatis PersonaeLiandri Elven Rogue 1/Wizard 1Felix Dwarven Deep Druid 1 (ko’d) with Arse the WolfEndrin Human Bard 2Bob Human Ranger 1Mallaria Half-Elven Barbarian 1Xeolus Human Monk 1Whirlwind Human Fighter 1 (still guarding Felix)Return to level 3.This week is characterised by a much more professional approach- miraculously everyone’s sober throughout. After a thorough healing- the group decide to make a tactical evaluation of the problem- “We need to really think this one through.”“Can I be excused- my head hurts.”Whirlwind is allowed to wander off and look after the corpse/door-stop, whatever that is Felix- apparently the two have been getting on like a house on fire.Xeolus stands frim, “I think we should send a note down explaining that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable in the year of the Dark- these are enlightened times. I think provided we are firm and use strong language to make our point then they will be left with no choice but to capitulate and surrender.”Endrin looks at Xeolus- “I think Felix is sickening Xeolus, it would perhaps be best if you prayed over him a while- Hieroneous may be able to do something to ensure his survival- you know how much Felix relied upon you.”“I think it would be a comfort for him, knowing you were there.” Liandri adds after catching Endrin’s wink.Xeolus smiles and nods, “happy to oblige- perhaps you are right. Do you know I think Felix has perhaps always admired the teachings of Hieroneous.”“We all have Xeolus, we all have… Now run along.”Xeolus heads off after Whirlwind, the remaining members of the Knights watch their shoes for a while- until Xeolus is out of earshot. “Has anyone got a sensible plan then, one that involves murder and the like…” Mallaria asks.And so the Knights decide to descend open the doors and pile out kicking the crap out of everything they see. It took them over half-an-hour to work this out- down they go.“Ah but,” Wayne (an actual person) who sometimes commands Endrin states, “the devil’s in the detail- this time we’re kicking Mallaria and Bob out regardless. Those skellingtons don’t stand a chance.” And lo it comes to pass…The doors whiz open and Mallaria & Bob rush out- the shock troops,“BOO.”The skeletons attack, there are four bonies, with a couple of Zombies following them- battle is joined. Endrin sings his courage song while fighting and everyone else wades in, Xeolus punches the head off one of the skeletons “for Heironeous” he cries. Bob & Mallaria kick the crap out of the rest- the Zombies prove much too slow, the Knights are barely having to pause for breath. A robed figure darts past the far end of the corridor- the same robed figure from the woods and the Orc ambush- he holds a crossbow in his hands and is grinning from ear-to-ear.Soon after- “Twwwaannngg”, Endrin is hit and so it continues, with one of the Knights being hit every ten seconds or so- in the meantime four more Skeletons and another pair of Zombies rush & shuffle respectively, into the fight. The tide turns and the Knights are once again being forced back towards the lift. Liandri thinks he has broken through the skeletons when another human guy in a Chain Shirt appears at the bottom of the corridor- he looks exactly like the guy with the crossbow. Evil twins, the players look at the DM with a mixture of awe and admiration. The guy in the chain shirt waves his hands vaguely in Liandri’s direction, “pussy”, and an all-encompassing fear washes over him. Briefly his mind is filled with the dread and terror that comes when you realise in the dark of the night that there is something small with many legs crawling over your bare foot. When you slowly suck in your breath and realise it has decided to curtail its journey across the floor and has begun instead to climb your leg. Liandri runs screaming back the way he came and begins clawing at the walls of the chamber, in a forlorn effort to dig his way out.Meanwhile Mallaria goes crazy-ape bonkers,“Toothpastetorchythehumantorchmeatpastemeatpastetralalalatherhythmisgonnagetchya.”She begins to cut through the Zombies with ease- it’s the skeletons and the Knights lack of bludgeoning weapons that hampers them. “Charge- destroy the infidels, in the name of Nerull”, around the corner come two extremely large Orcs and Evil Twin no.2. (he of the Chain Shirt). He goes toe-to-toe with Mallaria, which proves to be a big mistake, the Barbarian finishes off the last Zombie and charges into Aldin (Chain Shirt guy), two-handed sword clashes with mace the two push together.“You are dead, you barbarian bitch, you will see Nerull in hell.”Aldin smiles evilly at Mallaria, in the clinch, Mallaria merely smiles back and then in one move butts Aldin in the face, who recoils in shock, Mallaria spins, her two-handed sword catches up with her and neatly decapitates Aldin.“You can point him out to me when I get there.”Evil twin number one is not best pleased.“Aaaarrrrggghhh- you barbarian bitch.”He fires his last bolt into Mallaria’s chest- she barely notices, although she’s losing blood fast- Mallaria attacks but is repulsed, the guy has got a magical force-field protecting him. Bob however is much more accurate a longsword/dagger combo later, Evil Twin number one lies dying.“I’ll see you in Heh…”“Where did he say?”“Hull?”“No, he said ‘Heh’”“Where’s ‘Heh’?”“’Heh.’”“Yeah.”“I think it’s near Hull.”The Orcs fight on but they are defeated, and they know it, with nowhere to go, the Undead are likewise despatched. Liandri is back with us and has calmed down- he is now picking over the bodies looking for spoils.A brief bout of healing followed by some more investigating; the passage from the lift chamber splits left & right- the Knights head right into a 20 foot square chamber. It has a strange pattern on the floor, the PC’s notice that the centre of the chamber is slightly higher than the perimeter. Also there is a central bowl, seemingly scooped out of the floor- perfectly smooth, with a number of run-offs which lead to mouseholes (well like mouseholes) in the walls- Mallaria, after a brief spell unconscious- her rage wore off, has an idea. While the intellectuals within the group are trying to work it out- measuring things, studying angles, trying to lift the walls using the mouse holes for grips etc., Mallaria gets one of the Orc bodies drags it back into the chamber and slices off it’s head. She then up turns the decapitated creature, and like emptying a sack, allows its blood to spill out into the depression in the centre of the room. It fills to the brim and then flows down the runnels and through the holes in the walls- there is a grating noise and a panel, unnoticed thus far, opens. The rest of the group are not even in the room at the time, they are either hiding round the corner or waiting back just outside of the room for the inevitable trap to go off. Mallaria strides over and looks inside the secret compartment and finds a ring with a skull & crossbones on it- she picks it up, has a look at it, and then puts it on. Nothing much happens- the rest of the group gingerly approach the room and the new-found panel is checked over but nothing else is found.From here the Knights head back out and left- to a door marked with various warning symbols- Liandri has a look but can find no traps. The group open the door and head on through, the chamber is old and seemingly unused, although there are a few boxes and crates about- merchants goods. Another door opens into a large cavern- once again is split in two by a chasm- a voice rings out from the other side.“So you have made it this far, my…” the creature struggles to find the words, “followers said to expect you. I am Holg, they call me the Bloodaxe.”There is little light in the room- a few guttering torches- stepping into the Knights vision is a giant Orc or Half-Orc dressed in a Chain shirt and armed with a huge Heavy Mace.The creature plants his feet and begins to whirl the Mace above its head, till the thing makes a rattling whistling noise- Holg screams, “Fight ME.” The creature then draws back, gesturing for the party to follow, into the darkness.In the meantime- Liandri has snuck off and begun to climb over the chasm to the other side, once there he descends onto a pile of loose rocks- suddenly there is a small blue flash and he can feel the charge of power in the air. A small blue lizard is poking its head out of the rocks- Liandri freezes.Bob, Xeolus and Mallaria- rush at the chasm and leap over- with mixed results. Xeolus lands a foot or so short and grasps onto the ledge, Mallaria does slightly worse and is holding on by one hand. Unfortunately her grip loosens- Xeolus’ hand reaches out just in time and the young Monk pulls Mallaria’s back up to the chasm rim. Bob however lands perfectly and charges straight at the creature. Endrin fires his bow into the shadows, a slight moan indicating that he has nicked the creature. Bob attacks Bloodaxe alone.DM’s note- how many times has this happened to you? This is my end of level bad guy, ok AC, lots of HP (30), a few protection spells etc- +8 to hit with weapon, does approx 8-10 damage with a hit- he’s going to hang around a while, that’s what you think, but ah no you’d be wrong. This is the thing that grips me this lot sometimes take an age and are nearly killed by a pack of four skeletons- they meet the ultimate bad guy and they kick the crap out him in well…While Mallaria and Xeolus are pulling themselves out of the hole (actually chasm) they are in. Endrin is offering support “come on now- you can do it”- but not jumping across. Liandri is attempting to stare down the blue lizard, unaware at the time that the creature is Bloodaxes Animal companion, of sorts. Bob circles Bloodaxe longsword and dagger drawn- the two clash and both take a wound- Bob’s far worse than Bloodaxes, six seconds later Bob takes a huge swing and connects (DM- natural 20), Bloodaxe is struck across the chest and unpeels almost- guts spilling out.  Bob appears at the chasm- standing over Mallaria and Xeolus, both still hanging on, he reaches down and helps them up. Liandri remains perched on the rocks eyes locked on the lizard, the staring contest has intensified- the Knights shout at him but he cannot be reached, he just continues to stare.So much for the end of level bad guy.A thorough sweep of the cave is completed and a few other items are picked up- mostly the deranged writings of Holg Bloodaxe dictating his rise to power- demonstrating his all-encompassing self-belief, he refers to himself as if he were a deity. The rest of the Knights spread out and search the lair once again- they leave Liandri downstairs- the group are forced to spend the remainder of the day here while the staring competition continues. Much later, in the wee small hours, Liandri appears with the lizard perched on his shoulder.“Everyone this is Eric.” Liandri grins from ear to ear.Mallaria and the others barely give the lizard a glance, shrug their shoulders and head for the exit, and home.The Knights, almost fully healed, head off to Travensford and their rewards, dragging the sad-sack of a Dwarf behind them.This adventure was cobbled together from various places including “The Caves of Shadow” by Monte Cook (I think), which I believe is available at wizards (see below) but I’m probably wrong. This is connected to “Unearthing the Past” by Jesse Decker, you can download this also from <a href="http://www.wizards.com/dnd" target="_blank">www.wizards.com/dnd</a> for both. The bottom level is also connected to “Into the Darkness”, which I think is also available from Wizards. Go to <a href="http://www.d20reviews.com/adventure_guide.html" target="_blank">www.d20reviews.com/adventure_guide.html</a> to look them up- that’s where they’re all at, or at least they were.And so endeth the session that is numbered 11.Next time- The massacre of Sir Malcolm’s moustache.</blockquote>

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