July 7th is again warm and partly cloudy.
You arise early, prepare yourselves, and soon find yourselves back at the ruin.
This time Farad is prepared with all of his mapping equipment, and you spend some time retracing your steps around and through the upper area of the ruin.
It is but a small, humble castle, 110' X 150', oriented east - west. It has three towers, each about 30' in diameter...two are at the northwest and southwest corners, respectively, and jut out an additional 10' from the main walls. The last is in the middle of the east wall, and is contained within the dimensions of the castle.
There is but one official entrance into the ruin...a 10' wide gate passage in the middle of the west wall. It runs for 20' and ends where it opens out into the courtyard. The arch over the entrance has long-ago collapsed, and the ground is littered with rubble. The walls are 20' high.
You walk through the entranceway and enter the courtyard. It measures 100' X 50' (20' north, 20' south, 100' east; doors in west wall, north and south ends; doors in north wall: 30' - 40', 50' - 60', 80' - 90' and 90' - 100' sections; doors in east wall, north and south ends; doors in south wall: 50' - 60' and 80' - 90' sections). The courtyard is deserted. Small heaps of stone and rubble lie scattered about.
You head for the door in the northwest corner.
Beyond is a passage running north - south, 5' wide. To the north it runs for 25'...turning east after 20'. There is a door in the last 10' section of the east wall, and another small door in the last 10' section of the west wall. To the south it turns west in the next 10' section.
You go and look around the corner to the west.
The passage immediately turns north again. You note some small holes in the south wall...through which you can see into the entrance passage outside. To the north, you see that the passage runs for 35' or so from the back wall...before ending at a rubble-strewn flight of stairs...curving upwards.
You return to the entrance door and continue north.
Looking around the corner to the east, you see that the passage continues for 40' and then ends. You open the door at the corner.
Revealed is a room (20' X 30'), completely empty.
You turn and open the door in the west wall. A small, semicircular-shaped store room is revealed. It is barren.
You turn and go down the east passage and open the door at the end. This leads into another empty room (20' X 20': 10' east, 20' south; door in south wall, west corner) You open the south door, revealing the courtyard.
You open the next door to the east. Another empty room (20' X 20': door in north wall west corner; door in east wall south corner).
You next open the next door to the east. Another empty room (20' X 20': door in north wall west corner; door in east wall south corner).
Next, you the door in the north wall. Beyond is a landing (5' X 10', oriented east - west). To the east a flight of stairs goes up for a few feet, ending in a pile of rubble. To the west, a flight of stairs descends into darkness.
(I've just redescribed the areas on the surface level of the ruin that McTavish took you though earlier...)
Aldarin keeps an eye out for secret doors.
"Weren't we supposed to help McTavish get home? Or is that part of the deal finished?"
"Aye, but its not a direct route. McTavish wanted to see the sites, and I guess this is one."
"Lets start looking. Maybe we can even find some equipment down here."
You open the east door in the south corner of the dining hall.
This leads into an empty room (odd shaped: left wall runs east for 15', south for 40'; right wall runs south for 25'; curved (in) south wall connects things up; door in west wall southern corner). The place is cool, dark and damp.
Searching, you find nothing in here.
You open the other door in here, and find yourselves at the end of a 10' wide hallway that runs south. From the north wall, the passage runs for 40', turning east after 35' and becoming 5' wide. There is a door directly across from you in the west wall. There is another door in the southernmost section of the east wall.
You open the west door, and find yourselves looking back out into the courtyard.
You go down and open the east door, and see another odd shaped room built into the base of the collapsed east tower. It measures roughly 20' X 15' (oriented north-south) and is barren.
You look east down the passage. It runs for another 15'...after which is a flight of stairs running upwards...curving to the left. There is a door at the end in the south wall.
You head down there and look up the stairs. They spiral upwards in daylight. Ascending them, you find yourselves atop the ruined tower. There is nothing up here save rubble.
You head back down and open the south door...this leads into another empty room (35' X 25': west for 15', south 35'; doors in west wall at each end).
You open the door in the west wall, north corner: the courtyard again.
You open the door in the west wall, south corner. A stable lies beyond (30' X 25': 15' north, 30' west; door in middle of north wall, door in west wall north corner). There is a large pile of wood and junk in here, in the southwest corner.
Raz continues to trod along with his fellow adventuers, keeping an alter eye out for trouble.
Humphrey follows the party where ever it goes.
Illyana shakes her head. "Nice dump this place is. Shall we dig through the wood?"
Aldarin will help prod around in the junk with his sword. (unflamed of course).
In an amazing display of teamwork you tear the wood pile apart.
Underneath it all you find a dead rat...alive with fleas...which immediately jump into Illyana's hair and make themselves at home.
"Ah! Fleas! Yuck! Why me? These things are impossible to get out!" She pauses. "Anybody know of a spell which could get rid of them?"
Farad smiles. "Fireball, but I don't think you want to try that method."
Illyana's eyes widen. "You crazy? My hair would take forever to grow back! I thought wizards had spells to help with such things. Not every spell made could possibly be a combat spell."
"True, but those types of magicians who cast such spells don't go adventuring."
Britan says with a smile, " Hey it could be worse Illyana they could be Wereflea's in that case we would have to Irraticate you."
Raz laughs softly at Farad's comment.
"So all wizards who go adventuring are those who don't like to take care of themselves?"
"Au contrare. We don't get fleas in the first place." says Farad.
Laughing Britan says "Well Well Illyana looks like you got some new friends who want to have you for dinner?"
Frowning Pillar looks at the rat "May you rest in peace little one."
"Pillar, you're not going to build it a coffin and bury It on holy ground?" says Britan, smiling.
Farad shrugs. "There doesn't appear to be much of anything up here. Why don't we start down below now, in the same room we first entered the dungeons."
You leave the room, cut across the courtyard, and head downstairs.
The stairs run down to the west, and at the bottom is a landing (10' square). It opens to the south. Passages run south and east from this point. To the south, the passage runs for 80' in total (from the north wall of the landing), before ending in a pile of stones and rubble, where there has been a collapse. In every 10' section on both sides (excluding the landing) there is a door.
To the east, the passage runs for 50' (from the northeast corner by the landing...turning south after 40'. Another passage runs south in the 20' - 30' section. A door faces you in the east wall.
"I don't think we should leave this many doors behind us. Lets open them, one by one. Spike those further down the hall first." says Farad, so you do.
Opening the northernmost door to the west reveals a passage running west for 40'...where it ends. There is a 5' wide opening in the end wall, north half. In the 10' - 20' section of the south wall of the passage is another passage, running south.
You continue on, opening the doors that line the near south passage. Each of them opens into a cell (10' square), furnished with but a wooden pallet. Some of the pallets are smashed. The last cell on the right side, however, has a skeleton lying on the pallet. The skeleton clutches a dagger.
You also note that there is a small hole in the rubble at the end of the passage...similar to the hole that Farad and Aldarin crawled down yesterday.
You move back up the passage, then east and down the next passage to the south.
It runs for 50' and also ends at a pile of dirt, rock and rubble. It too is lined with doors, that you discover open into 10' square cells. Again, they are barren but for the pallets, and some have manacles and rusted chains attached to the walls. Again, you note a small hole in the rubble.
The last cell on the left is the cell where you imprisoned the magic user and cleric, yesterday.
Searching all of the cells, though, you find nothing of value.
You round the last corner to the east. This passage runs south for 40' on the right, 30' on the left...with the end being rubble. There is another door in the last 10' section on the left. You went through this door yesterday, and battled orcs in the room beyond.
You have also explored what is behind the door at the north end of this passage (east side).
Once again, you note a small rat-hole in the rubble at the south end of the passage.
All remains quiet.
"Might be cursed.." Illyana says of the dagger that the skeleton holds.
Britan says, "Boy it seem the only thing here is us and the rats now," then looks at Illayana, "oh and your Wereflea's."
Aldarin will move up and listen to the door in the east wall.
He hears nothing, so you open it.
This door opens into a smithy (20' X 30': 10' north, 10' south, 20' east; door in south wall east corner; passage in west wall north corner running west). The place is filled with refuse. There is a firepit in the north section of the chamber with a hole in the ceiling to vent the smoke through.
You look down the passage to the west. It runs for 10' and ends at a door.
You go and open the door.
Beyond is a storage room (10' X 30': 30' west). It is barren but for a few bones lying on the floor.
You return to the chamber and open the door to the south.
This opens into the room where you fought the orcs (20' X 40': 20' east, 10' west, 20' south; door in west wall south corner; open secret door in east wall south corner.
The place is still littered with bodies from yesterday's encounter.
Through the secret door is the way McTavish led you yesterday.
"I guess that this wing is finished. Lets go back to the landing and head down the other passage." says Farad.
Aldarin continues to keep an eye out for secret doors.
You head back to the landing, go through the north door and west.
Stopping at the entrance to the south passage, you look down it.
It runs for 60' on the left wall, 40' on the right. A pile of rubble forms the end of it. There is a door in the 20' - 30' section of the right wall.
And, Aldarin notices a secret door in the first 10' section of the west wall as well.
You leave it for the moment, though, and continue down the west passage. Reaching the end, you look through the 5' opening there...and see a small, circular shaped chamber (10' diameter) beyond. It is empty. You realise that you must be beneath the base of the northwest tower of the castle above you.
"Lets go through and kick some major butt, I grow tired of doing nothing Kill NOW!!!" Pillar's voice rising through his proclomation.
You listen at the secret door and then open it.
From it a passage runs west for 50'...ending at a door.
You hurry down there...Pillar leading.
The cleric listens at the door...and reports that he hears snoring sounds through it.
Raz suggests that someone open up the door from behind and that the rest stand in back of him at some distance from the door. "This way I can get a clear shot at whatever's behind the door without frying anyone", says Raz.
"Small prob with your suggestion. What if it isn't something evil?"
Kelar waits for someone to open the door and see what is in there.
Whispering, Aldarin asks, "Well is the door locked?" Readying his blade.
The door is not locked.
Someone opens the door.
Beyond is a room (30' X 50': 20' north, 20' south, 30' west; door in middle of west wall, door in middle of south wall). A barracks hall, there are pallets scattered about the room, along with a bench and table at the north end.
Sleeping here are a total of 8 goblins. A ninth goblin - supposedly on watch - sits at the table, where he had been dozing.
He snaps awake as you open the door...but his cry of alarm dies on his lips when Aldarin lets loose his sleep spell.
All nine goblins sleep.
"Good Job Aldarin!", exclaims Raz
Farad makes sure they do not awaken - ever.
Searching the bodies and the room, you come with 36ep.
When he is done and his sword clean, he nods to the south door.
"Be careful with the doors, there may be more goblins around." cautions Illyana.
Farad opens the south door. Beyond is a passage heading south...for 40'...where it ends at a door.
You head down there, listen, and open the door.
Beyond is a room (20' X 30': 10' east, 10' west, 20' south; doors in the east wall middle and south wall middle). This room is quite bare.
You listen at each door in turn but hear nothing.
"Lets continue south." says Farad.
You open the south door.
This leads you into another passage that runs south for 50', after which it ends at a "T" intersection.
You go down and look.
East, this new passage runs for 35' on the north side, 40' on the south, and ends at a pile of rubble.
West, the passage goes for 40'...after which it curves to the left (with a radius of curvature of 30', FYI). In the 10' - 20' section of the south wall is a door...and in the 30' - 40' section of the north wall is another door.
You head back to the goblin room and search for secret doors.
Farad and Aldarin discover a door in the middle of the west wall.
Opening it, you look down a passage that runs westward for 50', ending at a door. In the 20' - 30' section of the south wall is another door.
You head down...and Kelar notices another secret door...in the north wall...10' - 20' section.
"Lets check it." says Farad.
You open the secret door. Beyond runs a 10' wide passage for 60'...ending at a door. After 30' it narrows down to 5'.
You move up and listen at the door.
Hearing nothing, Farad opens it.
Beyond is a small cave, ~20' in diameter. At the back flows a small stream. In the cave are six reptillian creatures...roughly man-shaped and sized...and of nasty disposition. They look at you...for you have interrupted their hearty dinner of raw human female...
Raz, totally disgusted by the sight, tells everyone to step back and casts sleep on the grizzly beasts.
Illyana nods, and waits for anyone else to cast spells before attacking.
Four of the lizard men nod off, so Farad and Illyana leap in to polish off the last two.
The elf swings his sword, but the lizard man is faster, and Farad finds himself clawed and bitten for 6 hit points. Then, Farad connects with his sword and splits the monster open, killing it.
Illyana is also clawed for 1 hit point before nicking the last monster. It in turn misses her with its toothy maw.
Kelar and Aldarin set to sticking the sleeping lizards.
Again Illyana is nicked for 2 hit points, this time, as she misses with her sword. The lizard man bites her for 8 hit points, as she lands a heavy blow. The lizard man is staggered...but not quite killed.
Farad moves in...but also misses.
Finally Illyana connects again...severing the monster's head from its torso. Blood spews out, showering her and Farad.
All of the monsters are dead by now.
"Ouch, they can bite. As soon as we are healed, lets keep going." says Illyana.
Humphrey comes out from the hallway.
"Just making sure that no one sneaked up with them. I thought you could handle them without a problem." Seeing Illyanna has gotten hit a coupel of times, he adds, "Illyana, I will not let that happen again while I am doing nothing."
"Lets search the area," says Farad.
Aldarin cleans his sword and then proceeds to search the cavern for valuable items saying, "I've always hated reptiles...."
Searching, you find 900sp, 300gp and 75pp.
You also find a leather bikini and a shortsword...presumably owned by the victim before she became dinner. Looking at her remains, you see that she was a young woman, fair-haired and in good physical condition.
There is no indication as to how she came to be here...though her bikini is wet.
Clapping Pillar grins "Good show, Good show, just what a man needs when he drinks, some blood". Grinning Pillar takes a long pull of a medium sized barrel, burps quite loudly and says "Where next?".
Illyana shakes her head. "Very strange, and very sad.. no one should be down here alone."
Aldarin hands the short sword to Humphrey, "Don't you make use of this type of sword? Mayhaps it is of particularly good quality."
You return to the passage and continue west to the door at the end.
Opening the door, a strange sight greets you. Beyond is a large room, dimly lit by patches of greenish glowing moss on the ceiling. The right wall runs north for 40', then west for 30', south for 10', west for 20', south for 80', east for 10', south for 20', east for 40' and then north for 60'. There is a door in the east wall, 20' - 30' section as measured from the south. The ceiling is 50' above you.
A number of trees grow in the room. They are ~25' high. Across the western portion of the room flows a stream...meandering northwards.
The place seems to be quiet and otherwise deserted.
Humphrey takes the new short sword and compares it to his own, checking it for balance, sharpness and overall feel. It handles much like his own blades...perhaps slightly inferior. He will then make sure he can sheath it before drawing it again.
"I am not sure that I like this," he says of the room.
As the party enters the room Humphrey will check the door that 30' south of where they entered the room.
As you all head for that door, suddenly something drops out of a tree on Pillar!
It's a giant tick...intent on sucking him dry.
However, it is unable to pierce his thick skin,,,and instead remains perched atop his head like some strange helmet.
"Aaaaaack" PIllar screams in surprise "Theres a thing on my head get it off me GET IT OFF ME".
Pillar then proceeds to try and prise the thing off with his hands, but it will not budge.
Failing that, he runs at a tree head down...and misses said tree by a yard.
Farad points his finger, and releases magical missiles to strike the tick.
Two missiles slam into the tick...injuring it somewhat.
Humphrey goes and bashes the Tick on Pillars head with one sword (the new one) while pointing the other sword in the air, waiting for another tick to impale itself on it.
The fighter misses badly.
Britan watches everyone bashing Pillar's head with sword and magic and laughs
"Well Pillar didn't you say when a man has been drinking all he needs is a little blood well he want to just leave you with just a little."
The tick is still unable to penetrate Pillar's hide, as the cleric runs madly about trying to dislodge the thing. Humphrey chases along after him, flailing with one sword while keeping the second at the ready in case anything else drops out of the trees.
Grunting Pillar keeps on running around trying to escape swords aimed at his head, gets his flail and tries to bash the tic. "Dont cut my head off" he yells.
Pillar swings his flail...and somehow manages to miss both the tick and his own head.
As he runs by Aldarin, the elf attempts to bat the creature off with his fist...and he succeeds!
The tick lands on the ground and scuttles for the nearest tree.
Raz quickly releases a burst of magic missles into the tick...blowing it to smithereens.
With that little escapade out of the way, you open the door in the south.
Before you is a passage running east for 30', turning south after 20'. There is a door in the last 10' section of the north wall.
You go down to the corner and take a look.
From the back wall, the passage runs south for 45'...turning east again after 35'.
"That tick gave us more trouble than anything else in here." comments Illyana, as she looks at the door. "We should listen before we open it. Or have we been here before?"
Someone listens, and then you open it to see if you have been here before.
You have not, for before you is a passage running north for 30'...ending at another door.
You go up and open this one...to find that you have been here before...now.
This last door opens into the passage that connects the goblin lair with the tick and tree room that you just left.
Satisfied, you return through the door to the south and head back down that passage, and look around the corner where it turns east.
This passage runs for 20' and ends at a blank wall.
"I say we go away from the tick room, they are powerful enemies, not as tough as me, but still nothing to be scoffed at." Pillar looks very thoughtful "Yes powerful indeed".
Humphrey is no longer smiling and looking bored.
"I hate to say this, but it seems that there really isn't that much in here. That tick was a hoot though. Do you all still want to continue checking this out, or should we continue on, with our journey."
The prolonged silence that follows his question is taken to mean that you want to leave...and so you do.
Returning to the surface and your camp, you find McTavish sitting by the fire, puffing his pipe.
"Didn't catch anything," he says, regarding his hunting expedition. "We eat iron rations again tonight." He sniffs the air. "Tomorrow we should get on with things. Summer's gettin' on, and I think we're going to have an early winter."