The EARTH story - June 15, 1372
The night passes uneventfully, and in the morning Farad is back up to full mental power.
"Maybe some of us should stay here, looking for treasures, while one or two goes back with the feeble minded people and try to heal them," suggests Kithus to others while he stretches out.
Jon says, "Hmmm, methinks that is a really bad idea. I would rather all stay together. There's safety in numbers and this is really a nasty place. But I will go with the group decision."
Mikodin looks at Jon, nods in agreement, and adds, "It is usually much safer if all travel together. But, if those with more experience than I deem it safe, then I will go along with their decision."
Farad looks up. "Since my power only allows me to take two people at a time, I suggest I travel alone with the two who are feebleminded. I can likely be back this very day. I'll see if I can go to - "
Farad lays his hand on the two and travels to the astral with them.
Beth says as Farad fades out, "Geez, he's so implusive, he leaves without finishing his own sentence, never mind waiting for input from us...
"I think we should wait for him to get back. As annoying as Farad is, he does tend to be one of the most competent members of our party."
Jon continues to look around the cave. "Hmmm... Guess we are staying put, then. Time to study my books."
Aldarin nods in agreement with Beth as a sly smile crosses his face. He then finds a secluded corner and begins meditating to himself and studying his spellbook.
Brennon finds a spot and sits down to memorize spells as well.
"Well, geez," Beth says, as Aldarin, Jon, and Brennon all sit down to study their spellbooks. "Make me look like a slacker."
Beth sits down to study her spellbooks.
Mikodin observes the four spell-casters all sitting down quietly poring over their spellbooks, and decides it might be a good idea to have someone walk the perimeter as a sort of guard for those not paying much attention to their environment.
"I'll stand watch so that we aren't surprised while sitting around here," Mikodin volunteers.
Ayazin, having cast no spells today, rests his mind to recover psionic strength and spends some time training his new animal companion.
"I guess I will try to get better in swordsmanship," says Kithus, "Anyone care to go against me in a match?"
Devlin offers to spar with the ranger.
Perhaps two hours after he left, Farad returns with Kelar and Jo-owrn. The latter two are obviously healed and looking fine.
When you are ready, you head back to Razamataz's dungeon, pausing by his statue.
Jon looks up. "Who's leading again?"
"I think I will not lead this time. I think I am not lucky today," says Kithus as he recalls how he lead everyone to the mind flayers.
Jon says, "Kithus, please lead again. No real harm was done and we defeated them anyway. Have another go."
Devlin snorts. It seems to be a habit of his.
"Let's keep exploring the area where we found the 'flayers," he says, and sets off in that direction.
The rest of you follow.
You soon find yourselves back in the room where you encountered them. The three corpses are there, already putrifying into something unpleasant smelling. It measures 10' X 20' (10' north, 10' west) and there is a door in the west wall, south section.
After checking the door for magic and traps, you open it. Through it you see an identical room - minus mind flayers - and another door.
You open this door, and see a square room (50' X 50': 10' north, 30' south, 50' west; door in north wall west corner; doors in west wall, 10' - 20' and 30' - 40' sections; doors in south wall, 10' - 20' and 30' - 40' sections; door in east wall: 10' - 20' section as measured from the south).
This whole room - Farad notices with his detect magic spell - radiates magic.
Mikodin scratches his head for a moment, then decides, "Farad first?" and looks inquisitively toward him. "If it teleports people, you can get back, while most of us can't. Or, if you think it doesn't do that, I'll go first."
"Wait, before any of us go in there, better check if it is worth going in," says Kithus, peering into the room and trying to see what is in there. At the same time, he makes sure that his body is not too close to the doorway and not touching any part of the door.
The room appears to be bare.
Beth says, "Unless anybody sees anything that the rest of us don't, let's leave it be and move on."
You leave that room, and retreat back through the mind flayer room to the one beyond it. This one measures 40' X 50', and has five other doors to explore.
Devlin leads you to the first of these; also in the west wall (30' - 40' section as measured from the south), and after doing the usual detects you open it.
Revealed is another room (20' X 30': 10' north, 10' south, 20' west; door in middle of west wall; door in south wall east corner). This room is bare.
You go over and open the west door, and find yourselves looking back into the 50' square room that radiates magic.
You turn away and open the door in the south wall.
Through this one you see a 30' square room (10' east, 10' west, 30' south; doors in middle of east and west walls; door in north wall east corner; doors at either end of south wall).
At first the room appears bare...then a horse seems to gallop out of the ether straight at you! A gaunt and skeletal steed it is without a rider, though, with a huge head and glowing red eyes. Flames and smoke shoot from its nostrils and its hooves are afire.
Aldarin throws a dagger at the beast as he draws his sword and prepares to melee.
Mikodin leaps at the horse from the side, trying to kick the horse as it gallops by.
Kithus draws his sword and tries to flank the horse, while making sure not to be anywhere where the horse could kick him with its hind legs.
Devlin draws his sword and meets it head on.
Aldarin's dagger misses.
The nightmare lunges at the elf, trying to bite him, while kicking at Devlin with his flaming forefeet. At the same time the smoke it spews from its nostrils starts to obscure your vision.
Aldarin is bitten for 4 hit points. Devlin is missed by both hooves.
They strike back.
Aldarin slashes its hide open with his flame tongue.
Mikodin somehow misses the right flank of the nightmare.
Kithus slices open a massive wound in the left flank of the monster, and it screams in pain.
Devlin grins fiendishly as he slices its jugular open with his bastard sword and the creature drops dead.
When the smoke clears you spot a sack in the northwest corner of the room. After taking the usual precautions you open it, to find that it contains 500gp.
When you are ready you continue.
Opening the west door you are faced with a bare room (10' X 30': 10' north, 10' south, 10' west; door in middle of west wall; door in south wall).
You pass into this room and open the west door.
Through this door you see a room (20' X 30': 10' south, 30' west; doors at each end of the north wall; doors in both sections of the west wall; door in south wall west corner).
This room is bare but for an old brown blanket lying in the southeast corner. Farad does not detect any magic.
Ayazin warns, "Careful! It could be one of those Mongolian Death Blankets, lying in wait..."
Devlin turns to him.
"A Mongolian Death Blanket??"
"There seems to be an echo in here," says Kithus, trying to be funny and lift the mood. "Of course, it could be nothing but a common blanket. Anyone care to take a risk and find out?"
Jon, trying to get out of the way of the expected breath weapon, looks at Ayazin and says, "What are you talking about...it's obviously a horse from a merry-go-round that got lost from hell."
Devlin looks at Jon, next.
"Why do elves always talk like they are on drugs?" he asks. He turns back to face the room, and, taking a spike, tosses it at the blanket.
It lands on it, but nothing else happens.
The warrior snorts again, and walks into the room, over to the blanket.
"'Mongolian Death Blanket' my - ouch!" he suddenly says, jumping back. You see frost on his fingers and the tip of his nose, and he is shivering. He has also 8 hit points of cold damage for his efforts. At the same time, you see the 'blanket' growing...spreading across the floor after Devlin and towards you.
Jon, moving to the side to let the fighters at the Mongolian Death Blanket, says, "Mhhhhh...well it must be very cold in Mongolia... Looks like we have wandered into some sort of planar set of rooms. Hell, cold, wonder what's next?"
Mikodin, who fights bare-handed, decides that hitting a freezing-cold blanket with his bare skin doesn't sound overly bright, backs away from the blanket and out of the room altogether.
Jon asks, "Who's got the flame tongue sword? I think it should be used here!"
Aldarin shouts, "Actually that is a really BAD idea. If that creature is what I think it is, it drains heat from the surrounding environment and beings. Fire will only cause it to grow larger. If anyone has any cold spells then use them; otherwise, try anything but fire."
Aldarin then fires a group of magic missiles into the creature.
His missiles do not affect it, though the growth rate of the blanket seems to be slowing. You do not know if this a result of the spell or of something else.
"Brown mold, alright," says Jo-owrn. "Unless someone has a frost wand, maybe we should get out of here."
Ayazin says, "Yes, and quickly! I might be able to deal with this using a Hold Plant spell, but I do not have it memorized today. Let us close and spike the door and return tomorrow."
"Not too quickly. If this thing feeds on heat, it must have some way to sense heat. If we run, we will give off more heat and make a better target for it. I think we should get out of here slowly and try to keep distance between us and that thing," says Kithus, while slowly and calmly backing out of the room, keeping his eyes one the blanket all the time.
One way or another, you retreat from the room and spike the door behind you. The mold does not come after you.
Realising that you are safe, you decide to continue your exploration, and open the south door in the 10' X 30' room. Through this one you see a 20' square room (10' west, 20' south; doors in west wall north section, south wall west corner and east wall south corner). This room is bare, so Devlin directs you to the west door.
As you are walking across the room, though, Kelar trips over something invisible and lands sprawled across it.
Jon moves closer to investigate, and, drawing Geerzo asks, "Detect magic please, Geerzo? Can you tell us what's here?"
"I think we can assume that it is going to radiate magic...It is invisible. I don't go tripping over things that I can't see unless I have had a little too much to drink," grumbles Kelar while picking himself up off the floor.
"Two invisible chests, there!" says the sword.
Kelar kind of feels them while getting up and tries and determine what they are.
There are definitely two chests, made of wood, here. The elf feels a couple of locks as well.
Jon asks,"Geerzo can you dispel the magic?"
"Sorry!"
"Can you make me see the chests?"
"Sorry!"
"Can you describe them and look closely at the locks for traps and other possible nasties?"
"Big wooden chests! Don't see any traps!
"Okay everyone stand back I will throw a rope over the chests and try and move them with help. If nothing happens I will then try to pick the locks."
Jon does exactly that and then pulls on the ropes. They do not budge, apparently being too heavy. On the other hand, no traps are sprung, either.
Sharone looks at the strange sight of the rope draped over the invisible chests.
"Perhaps a simple dispel magic will fix your problem."
She casts one.
Jon wails, "Nooooo...damn, too late. I was hoping to take the invisible chest with us. Well, there is always the possibility that the spell does work..."
The spell does work, and the two chests become visible.
The elf tackles the first lock, but it defeats him...as does the lock on the second chest.
"Maybe we could smash the locks off," suggests Kithus.
Farad looks at Beth. "You have a knock spell handy?"
Mikodin steps forward, and asks, "May I try?"
The locks prove to be no challenge to the dexterous monk, and you are soon peering into two chests loaded with coins.
You gleefully count out 500ep and 3500gp.
Thus fortified, you head for the west door in this room and open it. Through it you see a 10' X 20' room (10' south, 10' west; door in south wall). The room is bare. However, Farad halts you before you enter, for it radiates magic. Devlin tosses a coin into the room and it promptly disappears.
So, you leave that for a later time, and open the south door in the room with the invisible chests.
Through here is seen a bare 20' square room (10' east, 20' south; door in west wall south corner, door in east wall north corner).
You pass through here and Devlin leads you to the west door.
Opening this one reveals another 20' square room (10' north, 20' west; two doors in north wall, door in west wall north corner), but otherwise bare.
Going to the easternmost door in the north wall you open it, and find yourself looking back into the 10' X 20' magic-radiating teleport room.
Opening the door beside it you look into a second 10' X 20' room (10' north, 10' west; door across from you in the north wall, door in west wall) which is also bare.
Devlin opens the north door, and you look into a 10' square room (door in north wall). This room is also uninteresting but for the large pile of gold coins lying loose in a heap in the centre. After checking for traps and poison you collect them (2500gp) and open the door to the north.
You find yourselves peering into the room with the Mongolian Death Blanket, so you hurriedly close the door.
Retreating back to the last 10' X 20' room you visited, you open the door in its west wall. On the other side is a 10' square room, bare and with no visible exits.
You turn about and head back to the last 20' square room that you visited, and open the west door in there. Here is another bare 10' square room (door in west wall).
You open the west door.
Through here is yet another 10' square room (door to south). It too is undistinguished, except for the nice yellow carpet which covers the floor.
Aldarin hurriedly speaks, "Do not enter! I believe this may be another form of mold similar to that of the 'Mongolian Death Blanket' in the other room. If this is what I believe it to be, then it is yellow mold, capable of releasing a cloud of deadly poisonous spores if disturbed. It is susceptible to fire and could be burned away if we so desire."
Farad tosses in a copper piece into the center of the carpet.
Mikodin watches Farad toss the coin, and then will act if he's about to cross the room. "Are not certain spores a yellow color? Might not such spores resemble a carpet? Seems to me I remember something of deadly poisonous spores being yellow..."
A puff of yellow spores rise up into the air.
Ayazin nods. "Yellow mold. Very dangerous. We should try to find another way around."
"Not only does he like teleports he seems to have an affinity for molds," grumbles Kelar as he prepares to move on.
Sharone seems to remember something about spores effecting your breathing. " I think the stuff is also susceptible to fire, can I suggest we toss in a torch and oil and just shut the door for a while."
Jon holds his breath while closing the door. "Well at last we have some money. Where to next?"
Mikodin stops in thought for a moment, then offers, "I like the idea of burning our way through this room. Anyone have a torch handy?"
Aldarin says, "Since there is a door in the room, I suggest we burn the mold and move on through the room."
Jo-owrn produces a vial of oil and a rag. A molotov cocktail is quickly constructed, lit, and tossed into the room.
You close the door quickly, and listen to the conflagration on the other side. Smoke starts seeping out around the door after a bit, and the wood smoulders some, but finally things die down and you open the door again.
Once the smoke clears you see that the yellow mold has been destroyed, revealing an otherwise barren room.
So, you enter, open the south door and take a look through it.
This reveals a 10' X 20' room (10' south, 10' east, door in west wall). In here is a mule, complete with bridle and saddle bags, but no owner.
The mule brays at you.
"This place gets stranger and stranger," observes Jo-owrn.
Jon detects magic, and says, "Now, I wonder what makes me suspicious..?"
Jon detects no magic.
"Could it all be just an illusion?" suggests Kithus quietly. "Everything we imagine has come real! Like the death blanket and so forth..."
Aldarin furrows his brow and exclaims, "Now I've seen just about everything I could imagine in this complex. We had best beware, that mule could be a dragon in disguise."
Ayazin shrugs and says, "We shall see in a moment."
He then casts Animal Friendship on the mule.
Mikodin watches, smiling that the group is afraid of a mule. Of course, he suddenly realizes, the Mongolian Death Blanket didn't look like much,either. Perhaps the mule might be more than it seems. But if it is just a mule, it would make a wonderful beast to carry all the gold the party is accumulating. On that note, Mikodin walks to the mule, saying, "I think we just found our beast of burden for the treasure we're finding."
The mule immediately bonds with the druid.
Once you are sure that the mule is just a mule, you open up the packs on its back to start loading them up with all of the coinage that you have found. Inside them, though, you find more goodies...namely 300pp and 20 gems (9gp ea.).
It just keeps getting better and better.
So, you next open the door to the west. This reveals another 10' X 20' room (20' west) with no other exits. It is bare, and after a quick, fruitless search you retrace your steps all the way back to the 20' square room with the unopened east door.
This door you open, and see a larger (20' X 30') room on the other side (10' north, 30' east; door in same wall to left; door in north wall west corner; door in east wall north corner; doors in each section of the south wall). Apart from lots of doors, the room is bare and uninteresting.
Devlin opens the door in the south wall, west corner.
Through it is a 10' square room with a rather threatening pile of dung in the centre.
Jon detects magic, and says, "Now I wonder what sort of monster made all this dung?"
"A monster that smells really, really bad," replies Kithus.
He detects no magic.
Beth polls the assembled group. "Who thinks Farad should mindblast the pile of dung?"
Ayazin says, "Strange! I'll bet this is mule dung -- but the mule could not have put it here himself. Once again, I wonder where the mule's owner could be."
Ayazin's wolf walks into the room and sniffs the pile of dung. The canine then returns to Farad and inserts his nose into the elf's crotch, where he usually likes to keep it.
Convinced that the dung is not about to attack, Devlin enters next and kicks it, scattering it across the floor. Revealed underneath it is a sack, which he gingerly opens, finding 200pp and 6 gems (60gp ea) within.
After storing this latest find on board the mule, you continue to the next door, in the middle of the south wall.
This door opens to reveal a short passage running south for 40', where it ends at a door. In the 10' - 30' section is a 20' wide passage running east-west.
You head out and explore. You soon realise that you have been here before: 90' to the east is the 4-way intersection with Razamataz's statue, and 120' west are the entrances to the caves where you battled the mimic and giant crayfish.
You return to the room to the north and open the last door in its south wall.
This reveals another 10' square room which is completely bare and uninteresting, so you next open the door in the east wall.
Through here you see a third 10' square room with no visible exits. The stench of death issues forth from here. The floor is lettered with bones. Then, three forms wrapped in filthy rags stagger to their feet and come at you, arms outstretched.
Kithus put his hands on his sword and prepares to attack to be attacked.
"Somehow I don't think they are very friendly."
A mummy confronts the ranger and belts him in the chops for 10 hit points. Kithus swings back with his two-handed sword but the non-magical blade bounces right off of the creature.
Mikodin steps back, aware that hand-to-undead combat may be unhealthy for him, and somewhat draining.
Aldarin moves in with flaming sword to attack, hopefully leaving room for others to do likewise. The elf connects easily with his flame tongue, and the undead bursts into flames. Still it swings back at him, but Aldarin sidesteps the flaming fist.
Brennon sends forth a magic missile blast at the closest of the targets.
His spell blasts into the mummy on Kithus.
Jon says, "Sharone, I think this room's for you and your god's special talents!"
Sharone strides towards the creatures, her holy symbol held high.
"IDUN...these poor souls need you to put them to eternal rest."
The mummies ignore the cleric of Idun.
Ayazin readies a javelin to throw at one of the nasty undead things.
Farad waits to see what effect the turning will do as well. If a monster continues to attack, he'll release a magic missile spell and draw his blade and prepare to attack.
His spell also blasts into the monster attacking Kithus. There is only room for two fighters to melee in the doorway.
After seeing what Sharone does - or does not do - Kelar launches magic missiles. His spell all but downs the mummy on Kithus.
"Well, normal mules to undead. I wonder what is next?" grumbles Kelar. "And all we are finding is money. No magical equipment."
"If the mules can turn to undead, can't money turn magical? Maybe if we got enough money, they will turn into magical equipment," says Kithus.
At this point the feeling of unease and fear which has been growing within each of you at the sight of these horrible creatures overwhelms Kithus and Ayazin. They scream, turn, and run away.
The wolf, the mountain lion and the mule look at each other, then go running after the druid as well.
Ayazin: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
Having failed with her holy symbol, Sharone shakes out her flail and stands ready to engage one of the bandaged brigade.
"This is not good," Beth mumbles quickly, as several of her companions run away.
First thing, she figures out whichever mummy is being least targeted by magic missiles from the others, and she will attempt to cast a "polymorph other" spell on that mummy, turning it into a steaming bown of clam chowder.
She targets the mummy at the back, who is still uninjured. The spell does not affect it.
Once that is complete, she looks at which fighters have moved to the front to engage the mummies.
Farad moves in.
She whips out her wand of paralyzation and start taking potshots at the remaining mummies.
Brennon blasts the mummy that had been on Kithus again with another magic missile spell.
The mummy drops into a heap of bones and rags.
Jon has a magic missile ready in case the fighters get into difficulties.
Kelar launches another magic missile into the undead, targetting the monster on Aldarin. His three missiles send up a shower of rotted rags and dried flesh.
"We need to down these guys before anyone else goes off running," grumbles Kelar.
Mikodin wishes he had some sort of magic weapon to fight these creatures, and decides he would be better off rounding up the runners and screamers, so he takes off after Kithus and Ayazin, making sure they don't get into trouble in their 'afraid' status.
Kithus fled through the northernmost door in the west wall, into the room where you tripped over the invisible chests. Ayazin and his menagerie ran through the door in the middle of the south wall, and out into the passage beyond.
Mikodin decides that Ayazin and his menagerie can fend for themselves a lot better than Kithus alone, so Mikodin races after Kithus, patiently keeping him in sight as he waits for the panic flight to end.
Meanwhile, Aldarin and Farad try to deal with the last two mummies.
Aldarin is clobbered for 11 hit points. He connects again with his flame tongue, and the mummy staggers back.
Farad also nails his opponent. Both fighters note that their weapons do not seem to be doing as much damage into these undead as would be expected. Farad then ducks an incoming fist.
Beth fires her paralysation wand, but the undead are unaffected.
Jon fires a magic missile at the most damaged mummy.
The monster on Aldarin drops.
Jon starts to maneuver into a position to backstab the last mummy.
Farad has no good offensive spells for such close quarters, and simply continues to fight with his blade as best he can. "Someone go find those others before they get eaten. These creatures aren't that big of a threat so much as the confusion they cause."
Farad ducks another swing and comes up to jab the mummy with his blade twice.
Aldarin, beside him, attacks next, plunging his flame tongue into the mummy. It collapses in flames.
After a little while, Kithus, Mikodin and Ayazin rejoin the party. Kithus found a convenient corner to cower in, in a room where you had explored previously, and the monk kept watch over him. When Ayazin came back to his senses he found himself knee deep in the pool where you had battled the giant crayfish.
Jon detects magic, looks for treasure and collects with gloves on some of the remains of the mummies, and puts them in his back pack.
He detects no magic, and finds no treasure.
Aldarin also collects some remains from the mummies being careful to use his gloves so as to not have to touch the actual infectious materials.
Farad turns to the fighters next to him. "Did the mummies touch any of you? If so, it is best I attempt to heal you now or you might risk being infected by a horrible disease."
Ayazin nods. "I have a Cure Disease spell memorized for whoever needs it."
Farad nods. "Just so you know, I can cure disease as well...one of the gifts the Gods have granted me. Since disease is such a rare occurrence, you might want to memorize other spells in the future to make more efficient use of your energies."
Aldarin replies as he rubs the place where he took the blow, "I got clobbered pretty good one time."
Farad lays his holy hands on Aldarin and Kithus, and they are both cured.
Aldarin asks, "Are there any doors left to check that did not radiate magic?"
Kithus tries to bring his fear under control, and peers around the room through fingers covering his face out of terror.
"Lots, I think," says Jo-owrn. "This place is full of them."
Jon says, "Well lets go then...who's leading again?"
Jon makes sure that the mummy leftovers are very well wrapped up and put in his backpack.
Sharone gathers all the remaining bits of the mummies together and after a short prayer sets fire to the pile, consigning their souls to Idun. "You may now rest."
There remains an unopened door in the north wall of the 20' X 30' room. This leads into a smaller room (10' X 20': 10' north, 10' east; door in east wall, door in north wall west end), which is bare.
Devlin, taking the still shaken Kithus' place in the lead, points you to the east door. This you open, and look...outside.
Through the door you see a pine forest of stunted trees, extending as far as you can see. A cool blast of air hits you in the face.
Farad points out that the doorway radiates magic.
You close the door, and turn to the north door.
Opening the north door, you find yourselves back in the room where you fought the nightmare. There are two doors remaining to be explored in this room: in the south wall, east corner and in the middle of the east wall.
You open the south door, and find yourselves looking into a largish room (40' X 20': 30' west, 20' south; doors in east and west walls, south corners, door in south wall, 10' - 20' section as measured from the west, door in south wall east corner).
You realise that there is something funny, here, as this room cannot possibly extend to the west the way it appears to.
Once again, then, Farad points out that the doorway radiates magic.
You close the door.
You head over to the east door and open it.
Through it you see a large room (30' X 40': 30' east, 10' north, 20' south; doors in middle of north and south walls, door in west wall south corner, doors at either end of east wall. Again Farad stops you, detecting magic in this otherwise bare room. Devlin tosses another copper in, and it vanishes.
You go next and open the door in the norteast corner of the nightmare room, and find yourselves back in the 40' X 50' room that you were in soon after starting the morning's explorations. Three doors remain unopened, here: another one in the south wall that you realise must lead back into the latest magic-radiating room, and two more doors in the east wall.
Devlin leads you over to the southernmost of these (10' - 20' section as measured from the south), and opens it. You see before you another 10' X 20' room (20' east; door in the east end, doors in north and south walls at the far end). The room is bare, so you go and open the south door in it.
Through it you see a 30' square room (10' east, 10' west, 30' south; door in middle of west wall, door in south wall west corner, door in middle of south wall, doors at either end of east wall). This place is bare.
You enter, and open the west door. Again, you are looking into the magic radiating 30' X 40' room.
You open the door in the southwest corner. Through it you see yet another 10' X 20' room (20' south; doors in east and west walls at far end). Lying in a corner you find two small gems (50gp ea.), which you add to your collection.
You open the west door to this room and again find yourselves looking into the magic-radiating room.
You next open the east door, and see before you another 30' X 40' room (10' north, 10' south, 40' east; doors at west of north and south walls, door in south wall 20' - 30' section as measured from the west, door in south wall east corner, door in north wall 10' - 20' section as measured from the east). Again, another bare room.
You stop for lunch.
Resuming, you open the door to the southwest. This leads to a bare 20' square room (10' west, 20' south; door in west wall north corner). You go and open that door.
This reveals another 20' X 30' room (10' south, 30' west; doors in eastern and centre sections of north wall).
In here is a large serpent-like creature with the head of a woman. Her scales are black with crimson bands.
"Oh, such a handsome elf," she says, gazing at Farad. "Come to my side."
Farad hesitates, then shakes his head and does not do her bidding.
Mikodin, somewhat disoriented from looking at so many doors, can only say, "Naga?" before asking, "Are there any good nagas? If not, let's very quickly dispose of this one."
Aldarin responds, "Not good!"
He then extends a hand, speaking a few arcane words, and sends a lightning bolt into the chest of the beast.
Mikodin decides that Aldarin's actions are a response to his question, and immediately prepares for an all-out assault on the beast, beginning with a flying kick to her head.
If Brennan can get in a position as not to hit any of the others he will toss two daggers at the creature.
Jon tries to get behind the creature if an opportunity presents itself; otherwise he will leave this to the fighters. Jon makes sure not to stare in to her/it's eyes, "Hey, snake woman! What's wrong will me?"
"Hmm," Beth says, and mutters, "I guess we're going to fight her in any event, now!"
She watches to see the result of Aldarin's lightning bolt. If it appears to hurt the naga, but the naga isn't dead, Beth will follow up with a lightning bolt of her own next round.
Seeing Aldarin beginning to cast a spell, the naga speaks a word and a three magic missiles strike the elf, for 8 hit points, ruining his lightning bolt.
Brennan's first dagger flies through the air, but is turned by her scaly hide.
Mikodin comes next, sailing through the air at her.
"Sleep!" she hisses at him.
He lands on the floor before her, snoring loudly.
Brennan's second dagger is a wide miss.
Devlin is rushing in to attack.
Beth lets fly with that lightning bolt.
Another magic missile from the naga ruins her spell as well, and dings her for 3 hit points.
With his last magic missile spell, Brennan fires at the Naga.
The naga takes its first damage from the party.
Jon rushes forward and tries to wake the monk up thinking at the same time, I hope this was a good idea but it looks as though the snake's got enough troubles...
Aldarin changes tactics and rushes forward to engage the beast with flaming sword.
Farad joins Beth with a lightning bolt of his own, and then draws his sword and advances should anything remain.
Sharone moves into the room but away from the action. Unpacking her backpack she prepares a small fire and puts on her pot to boil.
"They'll be hungry when they finish this action."
She watches the battle continue.
Seeing all the magic go flying, Kelar moves in with swords.
"Hope people like boiled snake. It sounds like that is what's for dinner," says Kelar.
Ayazin draws his scimitar and shield and guards the rear of the party.
Beth says, "Somebody wake up Mikodin!"
Devlin attacks, with Aldarin right behind him. The warrior's bastard sword carves a large chunk out of the monster. Aldarin misses with his flame tongue.
Next comes Farad's lightning bolt, which catches the naga, Devlin and Aldarin. The naga is badly hurt. Devlin takes 24 hit points of damage, Aldarin takes 12.
Unfazed, Devlin swings his blade again, killing the naga.
Finishing, he turns to Farad and says, "Idiot."
Searching the room, you find some treasure: 167sp, 167gp, 4 gems (10gp ea.), 2 necklaces (3000gp ea.) and a vial.
Mikodin, by this time, is awake.
"Well," Beth says. "I did my job by keeping the Naga busy while the rest of you nuked it."
Looking around, she adds, "C'mon, I'm just trying to feel useful here."
Mikodin, now fully awake, asks no one in particular, "Well, did my flying kick of death finish off the naga? For some reason, I lost interest in it halfway through the move."
Farad shakes his head and says to Devlin, "You aren't dead are you? Your wounds I can easily heal."
"Better to save your spells for a challenging foe."
Farad shrugs. "Spell using nagas which till then were mostly unharmed qualifies in my opinion."
Devlin snorts.
Farad begins doing his rounds, healing everyone up to full strength.
"Let's move on to the next closed door."
Aldarin gathers some scales from the naga's body and places them in his pack.
Beth shows the others her maps. "We're in the room I've numbered 26. Let's check out the doors to the north, since we haven't been in that shaded region yet, but it's only a small unexplored region."
"Who's our professional door-opener? Devlin? Do the door in the middle of the north wall, if you would?"
Mikodin moves to back-up Devlin, just in case he should need help in opening locks or disarming traps.
"I suggest we wrap our investigations soon, that way some of us may be able to refresh ourselves with spells. I am getting low," Brennon says, following the others to the northern door.
Beth says, "Yeah, and at least I could use some healing, and I'm getting tired to boot. Let's take a look at what's through these two north doors, and then pull back to the caves for a good night's sleep."
Jon listens at both doors, but hears nothing.
Devlin opens the northeast door. Through it you see another 10' X 20' room (10' east, 10' north). In here is a large, festering pile of garbage, about 8' tall.
"Nice," Beth says. "I've just decided that I have enough seniority not to have to poke through the garbage. Who wants to do it?"
Aldarin: "I've seen too many piles of garbage come to life and attempt to eat people, to take that chance."
With that he strings his bow, nocks and arrow with a piece of cloth around it.
"Would someone care to lend me some flame, so we can see if this thing has any strange ideas about life and hunger?"
Somebody obliges him.
He then fires the flaming arrow into the center of the pile of garbage.
"Ow!" says the pile of garbage, and then does indeed come to life; sprouting three legs, eyes on a stalk and a raspy pseudopod.
It strides towards you, its intentions clearly hostile.
Aldarin continues to fire arrows into it until it becomes dangerous to other party members to do so, then he draws his flaming sword and hacks away.
His next arrow misses. He tosses his bow aside and draws his sword.
Farad attempts to mindblast the creature, hoping its not too intelligent.
His mind blast does not seem to faze the monster.
Mikodin, hoping to not fall asleep on the job this time, decides to redeem himself by by aiming a kick at the hideous creature, as soon as Beth and the other wizards finish casting any spells.
Beth hmms, and steps back. "Nearly out of spells, guys."
She pulls out her wand of Paralyzation for good measure.
Seeing Farad concentrate on the creature, if it doesn't explode or otherwise cease to be a threat in the near future, she'll try zapping it with the wand.
Jon moves towards the back of the group and goes on lookout while the fight with the garbage is going on.
"Geez," the pile of garbage says as it lashes out at Aldarin, "Here I am, a self-respecting pile of garbage, living quietly in the dungeon minding my own business, and what happens? Some over aggressive, testosterone overdosed elf with an attitude problem bursts into my room and starts shooting arrows at me! And he claims that I am dangerous!"
Aldarin is whapped for 4 hit points, but he does manage to dodge a second pseudopod.
Then comes Mikodin, who bounces right off of the creature, which apparently has quite a thick hide under that veneer of refuse.
Beth fires her wand into the melee but the ray strikes Aldarin instead of its intended target. Fortunately, the elf shrugs off the effects of the wand.
Devlin attacks next, landing a heavy hit with his bastard sword but missing on his second swing.
Mikodin, somewhat unsettled that his kick apparently did no harm, decides that he'll give it one more try before switching tactics, and kicks at the pile of garbage again.
Sharone goes back into the naga room to tend her little fire, which still burns.
"Don't be too long, you guys, it'll take but a moment to boil the water."
"You guys want to move in so the rest of can help?" says Kelar while drawing his swords.
Aldarin, Mikodin and Devlin continue to attack the festering pile of garbage. In its small room there is no room for Kelar get in to help.
Aldarin dodges one of the pseudopods but gets showered with maggots. he manages to land a solid hit with his flame tongue, though, and the monster howls. He then takes a second pseudopod in the kisser for 6 hit points, smearing him with slimy, foul-smelling goop.
Mikodin again bounces off of its thick hide, but is then bitten by the creature for 1 hit point.
Devlin fans badly with his bastard sword, tries again and fans a second time.
Again Aldarin connects, and the monster sags, badly injured and smoking. But he still manages to slap the elf one more time, for 11 hit points. Mikodin kicks the monster in a shin, and stubs his toe. He is then bitten for 2 hit points. Finally it is Devlin who finishes the neo-otyugh off, and the monster drops to the floor.
You search the room and the creature but you find no treasure.
Sharone takes out her cooking knife and goes to do some open heart surgery on the smelly beast.
"You never can tell what one of these creatures will eat," she offers by way of explanation.
Mikodin, whose pride is hurt as much as anything else, hobbles around for a moment, working off the pain of a stubbed toe, and inspecting the bites he received from the neo-otyugh.
"Aldarin," the monk solemnly asks, "if you have no one else to attend to, could you heal these bites? And I really need to find a magical weapon suitable to my skills, before too much longer."
Aldarin replies, "I am afraid I have not the skill you seek, my friend. My magical skills are more of the sorcerous nature. Farad, is the one to see if you need healing. As for the bites, be sure to clean them well so as to stave off any infection."
Aldarin takes some time to pull out some rags and begin wiping the muck off of him. He pays close attention to the maggots, being sure that all are removed and burnt with his sword. "Farad can you do something about the wounds I received from the beast? I am concerned with infection, due to the nasty nature of the creature."
The grey elf nods and heals anyone touched by the creature.
Mikodin mumbles something about "All spellcasters look alike," when Farad, in making his rounds to all injured, stops to heal him.
"Thank-you, good Farad", the monk says wearily. "Perhaps we should stop and rest here. I'm beginning to confuse mages and clerics in my present state."
Jon detects magic.
You detect no magic in here.
"Perhaps it's time we had a rest and a good cup of tea and recovered spells..."
Beth says, "Let's go back through the door to the south to the thirty by twenty room, and then open the door in the middle of that room's north wall. According to my map, there ought to be a 10' x 10' room there, and that should fill in the immediate area. After that, we can head through a bunch of these doors to get to the main shaft that leads to our campsite, where we can all rest and recover spells."
Farad nods, leading the way.
Opening the specified door in the north wall of the room where you killed the naga, you do indeed see a bare 10' square room with a door in the north wall. Putting two and two together you realise that that door again leads into the 30' X 40' magic-radiating room that you have encountered several times already.
Deciding to call it a day, you make your way out of this warren of rooms and exit Razamataz's maze, returning to the cave which has been your home for the past little while.