November 4th arrives, and Stiff, Woody, Vardui, Logan, Oh Well, Who Knows and Al prepare to go back into the nexus.
Stepping through the portal up in the tower, you find youselves back in the passage where you battled the giants, daemons and devils. It takes you only a few moments to take the elevator back down to the open area where you fought the rust monsters and will-o-wisps.
Oh Well changes his mind at the last instant about heading in, and when you appear in the nexus you note that Logan has vanished, too.
"Scumbag!" mutters Vardui. "He took your wish and took off, Stiff!"
"Yes my old friend, he did. And no thanks even though I could have charged more than he may ever own. But not to worry".
Stiff grins the grin of a chaotic soul.
Woody will be as sharp as possible for any traps etc. as the party traverses the Wisps area.
"Good riddance to the oaf, he was an infantile boor who was an annoyance." Al comments, "and think of it this way, Vardui, one less person to share treasure with."
The cavalier smiles as he pats the head of his new hammer.
"Well, that's true," the elf says with a smile, and turns invisible.
"Where did you say that treasure was, Stiff?" Who Knows asks.
Stiff replies to Who Knows "Hmmm, I seem to remember this":
Scrying on the opposite side of the wall that I put up, I saw a dimly lit tunnel running east for 10', after which it turned southeast. There was no sign of anymore 'wisps.
Scrying through the door on the other side of the bridge, I saw a chamber or passage, oriented east-west. It seemed to be deserted.
Off to the east and west on either side of the bridge, passages run. However, when I tried to check these out, I was unable to form an image in the crystal ball.
And then I cast Clairavoyance and saw that the passage to the east of the door turns north and ends after 10'. Piled there was a large heap of treasure.
The passage to the west of the door also turned north and ended after 10'. There was nothing up here, though.
Stiff is ready and willing to cast a wizard eye if needed.
You cross the little bridge and move into the northern part of the open area, making for the treasure that Stiff saw. Rounding the corner, you see it: a pile of silver and gold, apparently unguarded, at the end of a 10' deep niche.
As you start to count it out, though, you hear a loud -
POP!
- from behind, followed by many animalistic bellows.
Spinning about, you see an enormous, 19-headed hydra standing there, ready to eat you for lunch.
Stiff casts Maze on the Hydra.
Woody attacks with his Sinclair sword.
He is bitten for 6 hit points before he is able to lop the offending head off.
"Ok, MC, you and me are going to put the hurt on this bad boy," Al says with a grin as he moves into melee and swings at the nearest head.
"Man! He's Uuuuuuugly!" says the hammer, as Al swings and reduces the next head to a pulp.
"Charge!" Who Knows howls as he charges the hydra, short sword of quickness in one hand and magical dagger in the other.
He misses with the sword, and is bitten for 7 hit points. He connects with the dagger, though, before missing with the shortsword again.
Suddenly the hydra vanishes, as Stiff finishes his maze spell.
Finishing counting out the loot, you find you have 4750sp and 1583gp.
"Way to go Stiffy!" Who Knows grins. "That'll teach that stupid beast."
There is nothing else down here so Who Knows suggests checking out the doors.
You go back to the doors. As you go to open them, they suddenly slide aside, back into the walls to either side, of their own accord!
On the other side is a passage running east - west. It is 20' wide. To the east, it only runs for 10' before opening up into a chamber (30' X 50': 10' north, 50' east).
To the west, the passage runs for 10' (north wall) and 30' (south wall). There is 10' of wall at the end to the west (south portion). The remaining open section consists of several steps leading up into a chamber to the northwest whose dimensions you cannot fully see.
What you do see, though, coming towards you from that chamber, are 6 derghodaemons, looking for fun and frolic.
"Uh-oh," says Vardui, as he begins casting a spell.
"Charge," is heard as Who Knows rushes to attack.
"Let's see how bad you are, MC," Al says as he gets into melee with a daemon and pounds on it with MC.
"I'm the baaaadest of the baaaaad!" bleats the hammer.
"For the glory of Thor!" Al roars as he swings.
Seeing the Derghodaemons, Woody attacks with his giant slayer hoping his double proficiency will help.
Stiff casts hold monsters (2 spells worth trying to get as many as possible) on them noting that even if they are possibly not affected by paralysis they might be by the slowing aspect of the spell.
Vardui disappears, but you hear him now casting another spell.
Who Knows suddenly appears behind the daemons, as her shortsword flashes. Six swings she takes at a surprised daemon, and on two of them her blade penetrates its hide.
The monster howls and turns on the halfling. She feels a wave of fear wash over her, but she resists the urge to run away. A claw lashes out, catching Who Knows for 11 hit points, followed by a second for a further 12.
Meanwhile, Al confronts another daemon. The cavalier gets raked for 10 hit points, as he fans with MC.
Beside him, Woody the ranger tries to show Al how it is done. His first swing with his bastard sword easily lays open a gaping wound across the distended belly of the monster. As its stinking entrails bulge out, it misses the ranger.
Stiff releases his first spell. One daemon freezes up solid.
Al's second swing connects, as all of the daemon's subsequent attacks miss.
Woody's next swing opens up a second massive wound, then he is scratched for 21 hit points.
Stiff's next spell goes off. One more daemon is held, while another is slowed.
Suddenly Vardui appears, flying above the slowed daemon. His first swing with his bladeless sword nearly takes the monster's head off, while his second swing finishes the creature off.
One daemon is dead and two are held. Who Knows, Al and Woody each have injured daemons attacking them.
Al grins savagely as he lets his bloodlust take control. He swings MC as many times as he can at the offending daemon.
Al sidesteps a claw as he bonks the daemon with MC. The daemon misses again as the cavalier connects a second time. Then, the monster connects for 10 hit points.
Woody continues to attack as best he can. He says quietly, "ouch."
His first swing connects, and the monster yelps. It lashes out at him, and the ranger is clawed for 10 hit points. Woody connects again, leaving the daemon staggering. Finally, it topples over, dead.
Who Knows continues to attack, hoping she outlasts the daemon.
The halfling fans with her blade, and is clawed for 9 hit points. She fans a second time as Vardui flies over to help out, and she is hit again for 10 hit points. Vardui attacks from the rear, and gets a claw sent his way for 11 hit points, followed by two more for 20 more in all.
Stiff considers the situation and casts a further hold monster spell.
The two remaining derghodaemons suddenly stop dead in their tracks.
Wasting no time, you stick them.
You take in your surroundings again.
Before you, against the north wall, are three small boxes. Panels on them glow red.
To the east, it only runs for 10' before opening up into a chamber (30' X 50': 10' north, 50' east). Around the north and west walls of this chamber is an elevated, 5' wide ledge some 5' above the floor. In the centre of the chamber is a 10' square pillar reaching from floor to ceiling. All of the walls of this place are covered with strange, glowing and flashing panels, lights and buttons. Everything seems to be humming and beeping in here.
To the west, the passage runs for 10' (north wall) and 30' (south wall). There is 10' of wall at the end to the west (south portion). The remaining open section consists of several steps leading up into a chamber to the northwest whose dimensions you cannot fully see.
Al says, "up works," and then looks at the hammer, "MC, my man, can you detect things above normal range, such as people, treasure, etc. ?"
"I kin detect cool coin, man, an' good muthahs an' baaaaad muthahs!"
"Well, dude," he says with some distaste in his mouth, but trying to talk to the hammer on its level, "what do you detect? any coin or bad, hmm, muthahs up aways?" Al asks, pointing the hammer in that direction.
"I don't detct nuthin' within 10', man!"
You go left, up the steps, and survey the chamber. It is somewhat odd-shaped (left wall runs north for 10', northeast for 10', east for 20', south for 40' (20' wide opening in 10'-30' section), and finally west for 20'). This place is bare, and you do not waste a lot of time here.
Looking through the opening to the east, you see another chamber (left wall runs north for 10', east for 30', north for 10', east for 20', south for 50', west for 50' (20' wide opening in eastern section). 10' before you are three steps leading up to the rest of the chamber. In the northeast corner is a huge pile of treasure. Glowing on the north wall to the west of this hoard is another of those red panels. Some more steps lead up to the exit in the south wall.
Like moths drawn to a flame, you make for the pile of loot. As soon as you reach the top of the first set of steps, though, you hear noises from above, and suddenly three vampires land rather heavily amongst you! You now see that there is a walkway some 15' above the steps, and they were waiting for victims to pass below.
They immediately move to attack Al, Woody and Stiff.
Who knows attacks the nearest vampire with dagger and sword of quickness.
"For the glory of Thor," Al roars as he swings MC at the nearest vampire with all of his strength.
The battle begins.
A vampire belts Al for 5 hit points...but Al does not feel his abilities drain away.
He realises that these are only pseudo-undead...and suddenly this battle does not quite seem to be such a life-and-death affair after all.
"Yo!" says MC, as the cavalier clobbers the pseudo-vampire.
Woody easily sidesteps the touch of his assailant, while managing to miss both times with his bastard sword.
Stiff runs away. The pseudo-vampire runs after Stiff, while missing with his clawed hand. Vardui runs after the pseudo-vampire, striking him with his bastard sword.
Who Knows lands a quick blow against the pseudo-vampire on Woody.
The battle continues for awhile. Woody is struck for 7 hit points. Who Knows stabs that pseudo-vamp in the back and kills him. Stiff outruns the pseudo-vampire on him, who then turns on Vardui. The elf is struck for 7 hit points.
Al is struck for another 9 hit points before he reduces his assailant to mush. Woody and Who Knows rush over to help out Vardui, as Stiff strolls back. With the three of them attacking the monster, it soon dies.
Searching them, you find nothing.
You continue over to the pile of goodies, and spend awhile counting out 45,000gp, 600pp, a scroll, a suit of splint mail (human-sized), a wand and two more scrolls.
You look about.
Beside you is a slightly raised slab (10' square). Against the north wall is a panel that glows red. The two together rather resemble the elevator device that brought you down from the level above. Looking up, you see that the walkway above that the pseudo-vamps jumped down off of ends where the slab would rise to.
Keeping that in mind, you go and look through the south exit.
This exit is 20' wide, and a flight of low stairs brings you up to it. Beyond is another chamber (30' X 40': 10' east, 40' south; 10' wide passage running out of south wall west corner). At either end (north and south) are 10' wide ledges; however, the centre of the chamber consists of a 20' wide pool filled with some unpleasant looking slimy green liquid or goo. It runs from one side to the other, and blocks your way to the south side completely.
On this side of the goo, in the west wall north corner, is another red-glowing panel.
Feeling adventurous, Who Knows touches the red panel, waiting to see if anything occurs.
There is a rumble, and a 10' wide, 20' long steel plate slides out of the west wall, providing a bridge over the slime pit to the other side.
The red panel, by the way, has turned green.
"Cool Man!" Who Knows gleems as she crosses the bridge to the other side.
"Well done, Who," Al says with a smile and a nod to her.
As you cross the bridge, Who Knows spots a small opening high up (perhaps 30') in the middle of the east wall. It is about 2' wide and a foot deep. The back of the opening glows red.
Stiff casts a Wizard Eye to send ahead of the party and look around the slime pit and area there.
The slime pit is about 10' deep, and filled with nothing but slime.
Stiff sends the wizard eye out through the south exit and down the 10' wide passage. It runs south for 30', turning west after 20'. Heading west, the eye enters a large, mostly dark chamber. Stiff cannot make out the full dimensions. A walkway runs from the entrance for some 40', turning south after 30'. Note that the walkway slopes downwards. Part way down the walkway stands a yagnodaemon, picking his teeth. At the point where it turns is a small (3' high) pillar with a glowing red panel.
His eye continues south down the walkway for another 40'. The walkway turns east after 30'. Again, there is another yagnodaemon (picking his nose), and another little pillar. Still, the walkway is inclined downwards.
The walkway then goes east for another 40' (still sloping down, turning north after 30'). There is a third yagnodaemon and a third pillar at the corner.
Next, the walkway runs north for 40' ((still sloping down, turning west after 30'). There is a fourth yagnodaemon lurking about here.
Finally, the walkway runs west (and still inclined) for 50', ending at a small chamber (10' X 30': 10' west, 10' north, 10' south). To either side of the entrance lurk 10 wights.
Stiff's eye looks over the edge of the walkway, and sees that the bottom of the entire chamber (which must measure some 70' square) is taken up by another slime pit.
Sending his eye down into the slime, he immediately spots a tunnel opening under the chamber, running west. He follows it west for some 90' (turning south after 80'). Heading south, the tunnel runs in that direction for some 60', then concludes at a 30' square chamber with an elevated platform in the middle. The top of the platform is above the surface of the slime.
He sends the eye up atop the platform, which measures 10' square. In the middle is a large chest. off to one side is a door frame, open. Within the frame is nothing but blackness. It sort of reminds Stiff of the portal that you all stepped through to get from the castle in Demon's Neck to this nexus.
Stiff describes what he sees.
Woody tries to scan for footprints and the like.
He spots some yagnodaemon tracks...
Forewarned, you head south down the passage and round the corner. It is as Stiff described. About 20' away is the first yagnodaemon, and you see the second down at the next corner, some 40' away.
They both charge you, brandishing their bodywreckers.
"I'm tired of fighting these guys," Who Knows sighs. "You guys can take care of these guys."
"Gee, thanks!" says Vardui, from the rear.
"Well I know how you he-men like to take charge of things," Who Knows winks at Vardui.
"Let's put the hurt on 'me, MC," Al says as he swings his hammer, "FOR THE GLORY OF THOR!," he roars as he charges.
"Yo bet yo ass!!" says the hammer.
"That hammer has one hell of an attitude. Go Hammer," Who Knows shouts from the rear.
Woody and Al greet the first yagnodaemon with their blade and hammer, respectively. Woody lands a fast first hit, and the yagnodaemon howls. The daemon then plunges his tol-kendar into the ranger, for 20 hit points of damage, leaving him gravely injured. Still, even though he is impaled, he musters the strength to swing his sword again, and connects a second time.
Al swings MC. His first attack lands on his toe, but his second crunches some bone.
Vardui attacks from above, slicing open the shoulder of the monster.
Everything happens at once, next. The daemon pulls out his body wrecker, inflicting a further 26 hit points of damage. With his last dying gasp the ranger connects with his bastard sword, and kills the yagnodaemon.
Then, his guts spewing out, Woody dies, and collapses atop the daemon.
Al and Vardui have no time to mourn him, though, as the second daemon is on them.
The daemon misses with his tol-kendar, but Al connects twice with MC, and hears bones crunch each time. Vardui attacks from above again, landing a massive blow.
The other two daemons have not appeared...yet.
The second yagnodaemon misses Al.
"Kill my friend, will you? FOR THOR AND WOODY!" Al screams as he slams MC into the daemon another two times.
"Yo! You killed ma' bro'!" adds MC
Al conks the big daemon twice. It howls in pain and anger.
Seeing Woody die sends a shock through Who Knows. She slips on her ring of invisibility and attempts to back-stab the daemon that is fighting Al and Vardui.
Vardui attacks again from above, but also misses.
Who Know lunges in from behind, her blade flashing. However, it is turned by the beast's hide both times.
The yagnodaemon bears down on Al, and buries his body-wrecker into the cavalier for 16 hit points. Desperately, Al swings MC. The hammer shatters the skull of the daemon, and it dies.
It takes you a few minutes to free Al from the body-wrecker, which is sort of stuck into him. In doing so, he takes another 4 hit points.
Fortunately, the last two daemons do not come up and attack you in the meantime.
Vardui looks you over, all battered and beaten, and regards the corpse of Woody.
"Maybe we should go home..?" he asks hopefully.
"Stiff, get us out of here!" Al says, looking for the mage.
Vardui teleports you and Woody's remains back to the castle at Demon's Neck.
"Thanks, Vardui," Al says as he hefts up Woody's motionless body. He plans to contact the high priest of Thor in town and see if he can have Woody raised.
"If you can't find this local priest, just let me know and I'll raise Woody," Orlon tells Al.
"Brother Orlon, no offense, I did not realize you were of such ability. Pardon my ignorance."
"No offense taken," Orlon nods.
"I hope to be one day soon to master even half your ability." Al says with a down head. "Please do what you can."
"Will do." Orlon takes the time to memorize Raise Dead, then casts it upon Woody's body.
The big hole in Woody's corpse closes, the body heals, and he starts to breathe again.
Soon, he is running around.
"Glad to have you back, Woody," Orlon smiles.
You also note that Hardboard has returned.
Vardui looks around.
"You know," he says, "I haven't been back to check in on my own party in months. Maybe I should pay them a visit. I think I'll leave tomorrow."
"Which party is that?" Al asks Vardui.
"The people I usually adventure with," replies the elf. "Leslie, Laurie and all of them. You've never met them."
"Ok, Vardui. Any reason you are leaving?" Al asks.
"No reason," he says with a grin.
"Well, if that's the way you feel. Where is your old group based?" Al asks.
"Way off to the northeast of here," Vardui replies.
"I will gladly train you Al, What level do you wish to be trained to. I only require a small donation of 1000 gp times the level that you will be training to." says Orlon.
Here is the treasure you have taken out of the nexus thus far:
1 gem (50gp)
1000gp
250pp
120gp
scroll
potion
lyre
boots
1000gp
5000sp
400pp
3000sp
90 gems (100gp ea)
4750sp
1583gp
45,000gp
600pp
scroll
splint mail (H)
wand
scroll
scroll
Someone detects magic, and it turns out that all of the non-coin/gem stuff radiates magic.
Vardui is interested in the boots.
Al will train up to whatever amount he has available and to whatever level he can get to.
He takes the splint mail.
Orlon will try to read the scrolls.
scroll - protection from possession
scroll - protection from traps
scroll - resist fire, silence 15' radius, spiritual hammer, snake charm
scroll - protection from elementals
Who Knows will taste the potion. She feels like a used car salesman.
Vardui takes the boots, then.
"Adios!" he says, and disappears.