Several more days pass.
The cold snap breaks and the temperatures struggle up above freezing...barely. There is 56" of snow on the ground, today is partly overcast with a heavy fog.
Occa finally emerges from his tent...and you think you are seeing double...for there are two of him.
"Just what we need," mutters Valdar.
Gilstrock regards Occa quietly for a few moments, then says, "Just don't teach that to Al."
Occa smiles and says, "Well, this is my simulacrum. Call him 'Cannon Fodder' for short."
Jesse smiles, "Hi Cannon Fodder, I'm Jesse" To Occa, "How did you do that? Can you teach me... What a team, two of me as a one woman band.... "
Occa says, "No, I can't, but I can make one of you."
To Cannon Fodder again, Jesse asks, "Do you have a better sense of humor than Occa?"
"You bet. He is a total prude and bossy too! Me? I like to have fun!"
"Occa, this is a side of you we've never seen." Jesse puts her arm around Cannon Fodder. "I can see that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Why are we calling you Cannon Fodder? And What's a Cannon?" the bard asks.
Occa says, "What are you talking about? I am always fun."
Cannon Fodder says, "No you aren't." Then to Jesse he says, "A cannon is a big piece of metal that you can fire another piece of metal out of at a high rate of speed. It is a weapon that some gnomes were developing on my world. Anyway, not near as good as a fireball, but the gnomes were pretty excited about it. As for Cannon Fodder...it is like this cloth that is stuffed into the one piece of metal with the second piece of metal. It helps do something, but I am not sure what. Anyway, it always gets destroyed when you use the cannon, so you always have to have new Cannon Fodder."
He smiles and says, "I think Occa is implying that I will be pretty expendable. So, let's eat, drink and be merry because I am probably going to die shortly."
Jesse smiles, "I will write a heroic and epic song for you Cannon Fodder."
He smiles at that and says, "Thank you...I hope I die heroicly. I don't know...I think Occa wants me to Skulk around 'scouting' out some dungeon. I would much rather go out in a blaze of glory! Lighting flashing and fireballs flying."
He laughs.
Gilstrock looks at Cannon Fodder and says innocently, "Well, if you're going to be our scout, perhaps Occa should turn you into a rat, or a fly, or something."
"Well, depending on what Cannon Fodder's powers are, he might be able to do it himself. He is to be our scout which is why the name. Occa and I tossed around a few ideas about how to do this and Occa decided on this method." says Darian.
Cannon Fodder says, "No way...I might lose this wonderful personality. Besides, I can go invisible."
"Can you stay that way?" Gilstrock asks doubtfully. "Every time Pharian turns invisible to sneak up on a monster, he seems to pop back into view the first time he does something about that monster. And, can't some of these higher dragons we're after see invisible people? Kinda like we can all see Sku... um, Darian, when he tries his invisible thing?"
Darian grins. "Not all of you, just the vast majority..."
Cannon Fodder says, "Well, I am going to restrain myself and not attack if I can help it. As for dragons...yes, they can generally see invisible, but they aren't always looking." He shrugs and adds, "We will have to see how well this works."
Occa throws his hands up.
Pharian says to the original Occa, "I can't decide whether the problem is that it is a good copy or a bad copy."
Occa laughs and says, "I am not sure how to take that."
Orlon, looking at Pharian with a big grin, says "At least you could now kill two Occas with one breath."
Occa smiles at this and says, "No time for that. We have to go. Everyone into the portable hole."
Cannon Fodder looks over at Occa and says, "Got a wand of fireballs I can borrow?"
Occa sighs and says, "No."
The other Occa says, "You can call me Occa, thank you."
Occa says to the other Occa, "No they can't! That is my name and things would get confused. How about Occa #2."
The other Occa regards Occa for a moment and then says, "How about Occa #1?"
"Fine...don't make me control you now!"
Occa #1 says, "What a power monger!"
Occa says, "Okay, whatever. Let's move out folks!" he smiles and seems well rested from the work.
Gilstrock looks at the two Occas, growing more and more confused. "Could one of you wear a red hat or something so we could keep you strait? What's the deal with this anyway, can you both cast spells?"
Cannon Fodder says, "Of course I can cast spells! Do I look like I wouldn't be able to?"
Occa snickers and says, "He can, but he isn't that great at it."
Cannon Fodder says, "Give me some time and I will get better."
Occa says, "No you won't and you know that. Who are you trying to impress?"
Cannon Fodder says, "Well, go ahead and insult the simulacrum! Doesn't cost you anything to point out my shortcomings, does it? Sure, the simulacrum can't do this or that..."
He stomps off and shouts back, "I should fireball you for that."
Occa says, "You better not!"
Occa looks at Gilstrock and shrugs, "These things can be a bit tempermental...what can you do?"
Gilstrock's head swings back and forth between Occa and the retreating form of Cannon Fodder, as if he were a spectator at a tennis match. "I used to think you were insane when there was just one of you," Gilstrock says.
"Before we go back and start stomping through the dungeon like so much undergrowth, are we gonna talk tactics some more?" Gilstrock asks. "Like, who goes into a room first, what do we do at a door, that kind of thing. Even draw out battle formations, if our whole 'one fighter with one spellcaster' plan isn't enough."
"As I said before," Orlon tells Gilstrock. "I will have a bunch of True Seeing spells ready to use."
Occa says, "Good thinking. I think wizard eyes and Cannon fodder will do most of our scouting for us."
Cannon Fodder says, "Don't forget that wand of enemy detction...pretty dumb to forget about that really."
Occa says, "Well, thanks for reminding me!"
Cannon Fodder smiles and says, "Well, you would have used it a while back...might have saved some lives, but you were probably too busy thinking about what spells to use or how to blow something up. Never thinking about the rest of the group were you?"
Occa says in a very frustrated voice, "Sure I was. You need to shut up right now."
Cannon fodder says, "Fine, but I am going to use the wand plenty. I sure hope there are alot of charges."
Occa turns to Al and says, "How about that portable hole? We need to get going."
Occa #1 sneers and mimics Occa "We need to get going."
Op Code comes out of his tent and tells the party "I am done my formal training and am ready for more action." He takes a double take after looking at Occa, "Holy magic user Occa. That's a neat trick."
Orlon has decided that, with the demise of Salaam, he will continue with the dungeon party.
"WOW! Occa... neato trick... " says Gonzo coming out of his tent. "Maybe youse could make a couple of meself... we'd be one mean fighting machine... heck.. why stop at a couple... make enough copies of meself and we just go in der and mop up dem nasties by ourselves."
Occa says, "I thought of that...an army of you would be awesome. However, each creation ages me a year. It wouldn't take long before I was an old man. Oh well...I figured this was important enough to give it up." He looks over at Cannon Fodder and says, "We'll see if it was worth it though."
Cannon Fodder moons Occa.
Gonzo will spend the entire rest of time in camp studying the two Occa's, interested in some method of telling them apart. He will follow one, then the other to the point of being annoying, peering at them from all angles and studying their faces, hands and toes, muttering under his breath "Dern keeno... Jez dern keeno."
Cannon Fodder says, "You have extremely long nose hair. I could help you with that if you like." He giggles.
"Ok, let us go then... I believe there is some evil to slay, heh, heh" Al remarks w/ a grim smile.
Occa turns invisible and then after everyone turns invisible and gets into Al's portable hole, teleports to the corridor outside of the red dragon lair.
You arrive intact and disembark.
Checking out the dragon chamber again, you find that it is as you left it six days ago. Something has been chewing on the remains of the dragon, though.
Valdar moves around the chamber, looking for secret doors, but does not find any.
You look down each of the passages that run out of here.
The 10' wide passage running west goes for 60' and into oblivion.
The passage running southwest goes for 60' and continues.
The passage running south goes for 30' and then opens ip into a chamber.
The passage running southeast runs for 40'...after which it ends at a "T" intersection with a passage running northeast-southwest. In addition, there is a 10' wide passage running south in the 20' - 30' section.
Cannon Fodder takes out the wand of enemy detection and expends a charge.
He then walks by each exit and scans for enemies.
It detects no enemies.
That done, Cannon Fodder turns invisible.
Occa will cast wizard eye and send it down the 30 foot passage into the chamber.
Occa says, "Down this 30 foot corridor is the room where we fought the daemon."
He sends it down the west corridor. He says, "Anyone have a suggeston on directions?"
Cannon Fodder heads down that corridor invisible, stopping every 20 feet or so to concentrate on finding enemies.
Occa says, "Man, these dwarves liked making lots of corridors. Anyone have any suggestions about which way to go?"
"Since Occa has been leading the party around with wizard eyes et al, What hallway do you want to go down Occa?" Orlon asks.
After a bit Cannon Fodder returns to report that there is a 4-way intersection 120' down that passage.
To the north, a passage runs for 60' and on. There is a door in the 30' - 40' section of the east wall.
To the west, the passage continues for a further 30' on the right wall, 20' on the left...after which it ends at a 10' wide passage running northwest - southeast.
To the south, the passage runs for 20' on the right wall, 30' on the left...after which it ends at a 10' wide passage running northwest - southeast.
He detected no enemies with the wand.
Al unsheathes his scimitar and shield and says, "I will take point."
Cannon Fodder says, "Hey, great idea!"
Occa shrugs and says, "I have no idea where we are. I would guess keep going west and then north or something. WE could also head downward." He shrugs. "Do you have the map?"
You wander off down to the west.
At the 4-way intersection you turn north.
Stopping by the door, you note that the passage continues on for 60' past it and then ends.
Lore listens at the door. Hearing nothing, Al opens it.
Beyond is a 10' X 10' room. Once a paint shop, the place has clearly not been visited for a long time. Numerous small buckets along with some sealed barrels are in here. The buckets are filled with dried paints of many colours. Brushes - stiff with dried paint - are in some of the buckets, while others hang from pegs in the wall.
Otherwise, the place is deserted.
Occa says, "We should check this corridors end for Secret doors. Valdar, would you like to do the honors?"
Nothing is found.
Occa says, "Let's go back to the 4 way intersection and head west."
He does so. Cannon Fodder will be up front detecting for enemies.
Orlon, scribbling quickly on the map, tells Occa "Sorry about the delay, but I am a bit rusty at this." Showing Occa the map, Orlon says "Going west, then northwest is the way we should go. All the other directions would tale us back to places already mapped."
You do so.
Reaching the northwest - southeast passage, you look both ways.
To the northwest, the passage only runs for 20', then ends at a wall facing west. A shaft extends upwards through the ceiling at the end. A 6" thick stone slab rests on the floor below it. A chain at each corner extends up the shaft.
To the southeast, the passage runs for 60' and on. In the 20' - 30' section of the left wall is a passage running north...obviously back to the 4-way intersection you just passed.
You go northwest and look up the shaft.
It extends upwards into darkness. You suspect that it opens up at the limit of your lights...
Al looks up the shaft in deep concentration.
Then, he suggests that the smallest one climbs up and see what is there.
Occa casts wizard eye and sends it up to check it out...
After 60' the shaft terminates in the floor of a passage running northeast - southwest. It is 20' wide. At this point a 10' wide passage also runs west.
A large winch and pulley contraption looms over the shaft opening...the chains from the slab below run up the shaft and are attached to it.
Occa says, "I don't think what we seek is upward, although I hate to leave any stones unturned. Shall we continue onward?"
Cannon Fodder says, "Sure, let's go."
Occa and CF wander on...
Orlon suggests "Let's go through the dragon's cave and east down the 20' wide corridor. We haven't been that way yet."
You do so and head east down the 20' wide passage.
You follow the passage for about a half a mile...finally stopping when you realise that you must have left the last area...
"Shall we continue on?" asks Valdar. "Or should we go back and finish exploring that area? There is the upper section that that shaft leads to...as well as those stairs leading down..."
"Gonzo, do you know where to the main hall is? That might be the most logical place for the dragons to gather. Or maybe there is a better place?" asks Occa.
"Dis place is just as new ta me as it is to youse. Me pap never spoke about it, must have been da family disgrace an all", says GONZO "But on one occasion, me pap did say he liked watching the sun rise while standin at de main gate... I dink de place musta faced dat way mostly or at least been on dat side o' de mountain."
Gilstrock's brow furrows and his face screws up as he says slowly, "The sun rises in the... _east_ in this world, doesn't it? I mean, I should know that, but I'm still disoriented with this whole idea that it gets colder to the north."
"East... oh, I guess dats what dat would mean. So da place me pap used to live musta been on da east side o' dez mountains den. Is that where weez is now? Le'me take a look-n-see at dat map of yours." replies Gonzo.
Orlon hands Gonzo the map, "It looks like we're nowhere near the east side of the mountain, especially since we just came down that long corridor from the east. We could circumvent the mountain and approach from the east, but that will have to wait for another day. First things first."
"Since I am new here, I'll ask the question.. have we been going up to our destination or down ??" Al asks with a perplexed look, easily getting lost in these winding corridors.
Occa says to Al, "We have no idea...we are just wandering around right now. Gonzo, do you know where to the main hall is? That might be the most logical place for the dragons to gather. Or maybe there is a better place?"
"I think this is the way to our final destination," says Valdar, "But I don't like the idea of perhaps leaving a bunch of monsters at our backs..."
Orlon tells the others "There's this unexplored area south of this corridor. We go back to the 4-way intersection just east of the dragon cave, south to the 6-way intersection, then southeast. It looks like the hallway opens up into something. Or we could go down a flight of stairs that are to the south of that. Any suggestions?"
Occa says, "Let's do both...but the first first and the latter later."
Occa heads that way....
Cannon Fodder says out of the air, "What did he say?"
"You don't want to know," says Valdar.
Soon you are standing at the 6-way intersection.
Going southeast, you find yourselves in a chamber after 50' (each wall) (20' X 30': 20' east, 20' south; passage running north out of north wall east half; passage running west out of west wall south portion.
An area once used for working leather, you surmise...in here hang several sheets of ancient leather and the appropriate tools from the walls. There are also a number of vats, benches and barrels in here.
The party hears a low murmuring from the north passage while you are searching this place.
Looking up there, you see 9 verbeeg giants sauntering down the passage towards you...murmuring as they go.
Darian says, "I'm going to try to use my mind powers on them like everyone's been suggesting..."
Nothing appears to happen.
Lore immediately pulls out his wand of frost, points it at the oncoming giants, and activates it...calling forth a cone of cold to engulf them all!
Engulf them it does, in a spray of deadly ice motes...when they clear you see that none are dead...but four of them are close to it...
Jesse casts a lightning bolt at the creatures.
Two of the giants are blown to pieces.
"Woman, don't assume that all creatures here are necessarily evil... next time, wait for my signal." Al says as he determine whether they are evil are not.
"Regardless of your presto chango Paladin powers," Gilstrock says, "I can tell you that these won't be friendly. We've already wiped out a couple of them."
Looking around at the others, he says, "We should adopt some sort of battle formation, in case the others are ready. Al, Gonzo, and myself in front."
Jesse flips Al the bird. "These creatures attacked us before. Attacking us first. This is called a preemptive strike."
"Is that an invitation, darling ??" Al asks with a smile.
"Only in your wet dreams Al.. only in your wet dreams." replies the bard.
Darian, after attacking the giants with his mind, responds, "No, it isn't. Keep your mind on your own work and leave her alone."
"Darian, the woman can speak for herself.. and what will you do if I do leave her alone ??" Al asks with a wide grin.
Jesse looks angrily at Al. "I thought that you were some sort of holy warrior. Why do you threaten people when you can't get your way?"
"Besides, if you do not leave me alone, I'll make you an eunich so fast it'll make your head spin."
Darian smiles back. "I will do nothing if you leave her alone. That's what I asked you to do, after all. Thanks for listening."
"You tell 'im, Jesse!" Gilstrock says, brandishing his sword defiantly in support of the bard. "Bloody Paladins think everybody else should get written permission from them to do anything."
"Gilstrock, you and me can have a "friendly" discussion about me later. After we take care of these giants." Al respond with a wide grin.
"See?" Gilstrock says. "Told you so."
Al grins and unsheathe his scimitar. "Let Horus sort 'em out," he says as he swings at the closest one.
His scimitar chops a large chunk out of the giant, who howls in pain. He swings his bastard sword...but it bounces off the paladin's armour.
"I see you are playing hard to get again..." Al says to Jesse as he is in the thick of battle.
Jesse replies, "Al, I won't stop your dreams, but I'm not play hard to get. I'm impossible for you to get, ever." the bard says with all seriousness.
Cannon Fodder says, "Shut up Al...stop threatening people or I will turn you into a blasted holy toad of horkus."
Occa giggles and then lighting bolts a giant.
"Thank you Darian, Cannon Fodder and Gilstrock. " Jesse says. "I guess Al just neads to learn some manners. But what's awho's this horkus guy and how am I goingf to rhyme that?" The bard asks waiting to see the effects of the lighting bolt.
Pharian casts magic missile.
The giant on Al drops...followed by one moving towards Gilstrock.
Gilstrock says, "Al, Gonzo, c'mon!" and meets another giant in the corridor before they enter the room, hoping to keep them from getting through so that our spellcasters can work unimpeded. Gilstrock attacks with Thawbreaker, his frost band...and another giant falls.
As Al engages the giants, he says to the party, " I ahh, apologize...I have not been a team player in a very long time. Thus my personal interaction is not what it once was, especially after the deaths of my wife and child."
He pauses and then continues, "I deeply apologize to you, Jesse, you are a woman of high quality and I should never talk in such a rude fashion to any female, much less one as attractive as you." he says with a bowed head. "I hope I can make up the insult to you.." he says with a serious face.
To Darian and Gilstrock, he remarks, "Gentlemen, evidently I am not a run of the mill Paladin as you may have encountered in the past. I will do what I can to be a team player in this close knit group, but my loner tendencies can and will appear.. I will try to change if I can...so I shall stop with the threats.. as long as I have bad guys to trounce. You know a man has to keep in shape and if no bad guys, I might need to practice on you guys..." he says with a grin... "Just kidding..."
"Apology accepted." says Darian.
Occa's lightning bolt fires...two more giants drop.
Orlon will cast prayer.
"Geez, I knew Paladins were loopy, but I neveer knew that they were gabby too," Orlon tells the others as he bashes away on any remaining giants.
Jesse frowns, "I guess we all need to learn. Appology accepted. Perhaps when we get a chance we might talk and you could tell me of your homeworld."
She waits to see if a magic missile spell may be needed, and also looks around to saee if other creatures are attracted to the sound of combat.
Gonzo steps out of ther shadows and easily chops another verbeeg in two before the fellow knows it.
One giant remains, and Arrrgh! goes for it...however he misses.
The giant replies and bounces his sword off of the dwarf's plate. Arrrgh! swings his axe again...and the giant is no more.
The bodies of nine giants litter the floor. Searching them, you find that they were carrying nothing of value.
Lore shakes his head in amazement at the party's actions. "Boy Darian, " he says, "we've ended up with a very interesting group of adventurer's..haven't we?" Not waiting for a response..Lore follows the others..taking up the position in line assigned to him. Some of you notice a half-cocked grin on his face.
"Yup, we certainly have. Kinda nice to be somewhat protected, huh?"
"I says, da bigga dey is, da harda dey fall... " Gonzo comments, to no one in particular. "Wonder where dezuns come from. What's youse guys say we go and take a look-n-see?"
"Yep," Gilstrock says, "let's go take us a look-n-see." He'll head along with Gonzo down the corridor from whence the gaints came.
Al wipes giant blood off onto the dead giants' clothes and follows quietly with Gilstrock and Gonzo.
"Hold up," says Pharian. "Let's send one of the Occas out front."
Gilstrock stops, looks back at Pharian surprised. Then his face breaks out into a big grin. "Wow, I never thought I'd see the day when you'd tell me the magic user ought to go first!"
Gilstrock will bow to Cannon Fodder. "After you, Mr. Fodder."
Cannon Fodder moons Gilstrock and then moves north up the passage...waving his wand about.
This passage runs for 100' in total...at which point it terminates at the 20' wide east - west passage. 10' west of you is a passage running southwest...down to the 6-way intersection.
You decide to follow Orlon's earlier suggestion and check out the stairs down to the next level.
So, you head south again, and, after sidestepping the pit that Gilstrock fell into some weeks back, head east and soon find yourselves looking down the 20' wide flight of stairs.
You head down...
...and after descending 75' or so come out into a cave. It is roughly circular-shaped, about 60' in diameter, with rough, 10' wide passages running off from the north, east and west compass points. The stairs enter at the west compass point.
This place is littered with mining equipment (shovels, picks, wedges, buckets, two-wheeled carts, etc.). As well, there is a large pile of rusted weapons in the northeast portion of the cave, and a pile of rubble - evidently from a cave-in - is in the southwest portion. The cave-in does not appear to have been recent.
"East?" says Pharian with a shrug.
Occa examines the cave in.
A portion of the south-southwest wall has collapsed...blocking the wall behind it.
Occa casts passwall on the cave in.
A 10' deep passage is created into the rock fall. However, the rock pile is deeper than 10'...so the passwall does not penetrate it fully.
Occa casts a disintegrate at the back of the passwall.
The entire cave-in vanishes.
Revealed is the normal rock wall of the cavern. Hidden behind where the cave-in was is a 10' wide passage running west...for 40'...after which it enters a steep downward spiral...
The walls, floor and ceiling of the passage are well finished...though Arrrgh! and Gonzo do not think it was done by dwarves...
Occa says, "Interesting...could be a purple worm. Maybe Umber Hulks. This could give us a back entrance to the dragons den below or it could lead nowhere. Do you guys want to investigate? Orlon, Valdar could one of you augury and see if it would be wise to go down?"
Darian shrugs. "One way seems as good as another at this point."
Al detects evil down the spiral and says, "I wonder, does anyone know if those vile Drow exist on this world ?"
He holds his scimitar and shield in front of himself as he peers down the spiral.
Gilstrock looks at Al with alarm. "Drow?" he says, quickly. "I thought that was just a tale that mothers used to scare their kids."
"Wishful thinking... the Drow are a vile race that live to serve their evil goddess, Lolth... may she burns in the depths of the Abyss for eternity." Al says as he spits out her name.
"Well, you don't have to worry about Lolth in this multiverse, Al," says Valdar. "At least not for awhile, anyway. She was killed some 20 years ago...by people in this party, as a matter of fact."
Lore looks about the group incredulously..."You people killed a god?"
Valdar nods.
"I think Stiff and Neemar are the only survivors from that era, aren't they?" he asks, to no one in particular. "Oh...and Chicken, too...now that he is alive again.
"But the drow are still about," he continues in a dark tone. "And still a strong enemy. Not all of them worshipped Lolth, either."
Valdar casts augury.
After a moment, he says, "Yes...it would be wise to investigate."
Occa smiles and says, "Good. Cannon Fodder, you first."
Cannon Fodder says, "Great...sure, I will check it out...no problemo. You guys just sit pretty. Yadda, yadda, yadda..."
He casts fly, expends a charge from the enemy detection wand and then flies down the hole to do some recon.
You wait for over two hours, before the simulacrum returns...on foot.
He reports that the passage spiraled downwards for some 1200'. His fly spell expired before he reached the end...so in a show of initiative completely unlike any his creator has ever displayed, he continued on afoot.
Finally, the passage ended at the base of an enormous stalactite which grew from the roof of an even larger cavern. The cavern seemed to be dark...but as his eyes adjusted he found that he could see things in the faint illumination.
The stalactite extended downwards from the ceiling for hundreds of feet...a path running from the tunnel carved in a spiral around its side to its end.
The dimensions of the cave itself he could not determine...but it must be some miles in radius.
The floor of the cave was perhaps a mile below him...and he is not sure but he thinks he saw signs of life down there...roads...buildings...towns..? The lighting was very poor.
He also is quite sure that he heard the sound of water falling...from some distance away...
"Good grief," mutters Valdar, when Cannon Fodder finally shuts up. "That Wizard was right."
"There's a city down there ?" Al asks incredulously..., "ah, what wizard would ye be talking about ?"
"Holy shit! If it is actually a city down there, we're either going to get eradicated, or going to do alot of eradicating. Let's hope it's the latter," Orlon comments.
Occa echoes, "What wizard?"
"Wizzleworth."
Valdar relates the tale as passed on from the arch mage and the high priest.
"Are you saying that this is our destiny?" Orlon asks Valdar.
"I don't know what I'm saying, anymore," replies Valdar...trying to pull his foot out of his mouth without success.
Occa says to Valdar, "Seems like I remember them not mentioning anything about this. Valdar, you seem to know more...could you fill us in?"
"I thought they told me but I guess I was wrong," says Valdar... "But maybe we should leave that cavern for later..."
Orlon tells Occa "I thought I related to you abour Wizzleworth's visit to the basecamp? I convened all of the information I heard to the party, or so I thought.
"Shall we go back and explore down the other paths from the cave?" Orlon asks the others.
You do that...taking Pharian's original suggestion and heading east.
The tunnel running east is 20' wide, and runs in that direction for 40'. After that the right wall angles east-southeast for about 30' while the left wall continues east for 20', then south for 10', southeast for 10' and then east. At this point the passage has narrowed to about 10' in width. It continues east for 20'...then northeast for 10', then east again.
Cannon Fodder, up front with the wand of enemy detection, suddenly feels it pulse and point ahead...east...
"Enemies!" he whispers...
Eager to fight, Lore readies his frost wand.
Occa casts wizard eye and sends it forward and around the curve to investigate.
"Let Horus sort 'em out." Al says with a grim grin as he prepares for battle.
Occa describes what he sees...
The passage opens up after 20' or so into an irregularily-shaped cave.
You run the eye around it.
It measures roughly 60' X 45', oriented north - south. Passages run out of the north and south ends, respectively. The passage that the eye came out of is in the middle of the west wall.
Otherwise, the place seems to be completely deserted.
Occa says to the group, "Probably another invisible dragon...hold on I will see if I can detect him." He seems to concentrate.
Occa says, "There are two beautiful women in that cavern near the west entrance....they spotted the eye and destroyed it. I expect they must be invisible as well. They are probably demons or undead so beware. Oh, also, they may be polymorphed dragons I suppose."
Occa says, "Hold on...time to do a bit of recon by fire."
Cannon Fodder says, "I love you man!"
Occa sighs and then walks to the bend and casts fire ball...throwing it down as far as he needs to into the room so that it engulfs the women.
Cannon Fodder and says "Fire in the hole" at the exact same instant.
Two fireballs burst almost together...illuminating you all in a garish, ruddy light.
Occa scurries back away from the turn in the bend and then says to the fighters..."Go get them...they should be somewhat weakened."
"Right-o, boss," Gilstrock says, as he draws Thawbreaker and charges forward to do battle with whomever it is that is in there.
Gilstrock charges in, followed by Al and Arrrgh!. Gonzo vanishes into the shadows.
Rushing into the cave, they see no one.
Occa goes in and looks for invisible.
"Allright, we know you're here!" Gilstrock cries. He concentrates on using his ring of human influence, on the off chance that these are humans or similar. Gilstrock commands any enemies with the power of the ring, "Stop hiding like cowards! Show yourselves!"
Gilstrock peers around trying to detect the motion of invisible creatures, should there be any. He keeps is guard and sword up, ready for action at the slightest hint of danger.
"Ok, buddy, let's send them to their final resting.." Al says as he walks with Gilstrock. Entering the cave, he fans out so the enemies can't spell you all together.
Orlon will cast True Seeing and look around the room, relating anything he finds to the party.
Cannon Fodder hides out in the hall.
Darian holds back. "I will guard the mages while you are gone. Call if you want me to come and help."
Occa using his robe, Al his detect evil intent ability, and Orlon using his true seeing, all note interesting things. The two women are floating above you, near the ceiling. They definitely radiate evil intent. Also, you note the presence of more shadowy, evil intending forms hiding in the north passage. They resemble elves...
From above, all of you in the cave hear the sounds of spells being incanted...
Occa can see them, so he casts magic missle at them in order to ruin their spells! He will distribute the missles between the two of them in the hopes of getting them both.
His missiles are stopped some 5' from them.
Then he will say "Teke Perianth" to activate his minor globe.
"BEGONE, FOUL EVIL" Al intones loudly as he casts a Dispel Evil at the two floating elvish women.
Suddenly, Al, Arrrgh!, Gilstrock and Orlon feel their joints stiffen...as the first woman completes her spell.
Al and Gilstrock are frozen in place...immobilized. Al's spell is stopped dead in its tracks.
Orlon and Arrrgh! are slowed.
Another spell crackles through the cave, directed at Occa. He jumps aside, just in time, and the floor where he stood a moment before is disintegrated to a depth of 10'.
All of you now see your adversaries plainly, now. Two beautiful women, flying up near the ceiling. They look quite human...except for the small horns which sprout from their foreheads...
Your vision of them is brief, however, as suddenly the cave is plunged into darkness...
From down the west passage where the others are, you hear the sounds of battle.
Occa says, "Now we are in a pickle!" He pulls out one of his coins with continual light on it in order to nullify the darkness.
The darkness vanishes.
The women begin casting anew, as well.
Orlon casts, as quickly as possible, Holy Word.
Even slowed, his word is of devastating power. One of the flying women shrieks, and drops to the floor, stunned, where Arrrgh! chops her head off with his axe - in slow motion - and kills her.
The other woman looks surprised for an instant, but continues her spell.
Occa then starts casting disintegrate at the two demons.
The woman's spell goes off first, though, and Occa finds himself engulfed in a cone of cold. He jumps aside again and thereby dodges the worst effects of the spell, but suffers 23 hit points nevertheless, and his spell is ruined. Undaunted, he starts another spell immediately.
From the north tunnel comes the sounds of more incanting...followed by an -
"ACK!" as someone's spell is ruined.
The cause of the ruination is readily apparent, as you can now see that Gonzo has stepped out of the shadows and plunged a dagger into one of the dark figures there...spoiling her spell and hurting her nicely.
He finds himself set upon by others up there, though...drow elves, you realise...but that does not stop him from sticking her again.
Occa and the remaining horned lady continues their spells...
Again the horned lady beats Occa to the punch...and again his disintegrate is ruined by a cone of cold...as he takes 21 hit points and falls.
Orlon casts Prayer...slowly...
Gonzo is set upon by two drow as the spell caster removes herself from his range. Whipping out his flame tongue, he kills one easily as the second drow bounces his sword off of the dwarf's stony hide.
Arrrgh! is moving slowly over to help him.
GONZO gets a really lopsided grin on his face and then squints slightly as he tries to make his features assume the most grotesque appearance he can imagine, while shouting his loud "KAAAAAAAAARUMMMMMBA!" and pressing his advantage into the mass of troops, concentrating on those he judges to be most dangerous FIRST, then mopping up afterwards.
However, his path to the spell caster is blocked by a drow elf. She misses, and Gonzo does not give her another chance as he chops her in half. Meanwhile, the spell caster has been busy...as Gonzo momentarily feels his joints stiffens...but he manages to fight the spell off.
As he charges her, she draws her shortsword to face him.
Orlon is almost finished casting his prayer when the demon lady unloads a magic missile spell into him for 21 hit points of damage, spoiling yet another spell. She blasts him again for a further 26 hit points of damage.
Arrrgh! reaches the drow and attacks. He misses.
At this point, Valdar and Jesse come rushing in.
Jesse will begin to shoot her magic missles at the flying creature.
The missiles are stopped 5' away from her.
Orlon will try to cast blade barrier such that it will cut into the demon lady.
Pharian casts a cone of cold at the horned bitch.
At the same time, she is casting a spell as well...
Pharian's and the demon's spells go off together. The cone of cold catches her, and she is severely injured. At the same time, Jesse is held, while Valdar is slowed and Orlon is doubly slowed.
She looks at Pharian, who is now visible...and suddenly he breaks into a smile - straining some facial muscles in the process - as he realises that she is his friend...
Valdar is heading over to battle drow...slowly.
Meanwhile, Gonzo nails the drow spell caster for 20 hit points...then suddenly finds himself levitated into the air and out of her reach!
Arrrgh! is nailed for 3 hit points of damage before clobbering the drow who hit him...for 9 hit points.
Valdar pauses and casts a spell...slowly...
Orlon continues casting his spell...even more slowly...
The demon woman flies down to Pharian.
"I want you..." she whispers...embracing him and kissing him on the mouth.
He feels his knees go weak...to the tune of 2 hit points...
Meanwhile, Gonzo is thrashing helplessly about in mid-air at the tunnel entrance. The drow below shoot their hand crossbows at him. One bolt bounces off of him.
Arrrgh! is missed twice more by attacking drow as he in turn manages to kill another drow despite being slowed.
Orlon, seeing that his blade barrier would catch Pharian in it as well if he sent it at the demonette, instead launches it at the drow.
The passage entrance is filled with scything blades...just ahead of Arrrgh! and Gonzo. The spell affects four drow...killing them almost instantly.
At this point Lore, Darian and Cannon Fodder rush into the cave.
"Cannon Fodder, help Pharian! Lore, wake up Al, Gilstrock and Jesse. I will take care of Occa. And someone get Gonzo down from there."
Darian goes over to Occa and tries to heal him.
Occa is cured for 12 hit points. With a groan, he comes to again.
Cannon Fodder also rushes over to Occa, and goes rummaging through his pack.
Orlon starts on another spell.
Seeing the arrival of newcomers, the lady demon stops making out with Pharian.
"Go over there and sit like a good boy," she commands him, motioning to the east side of the cave.
With a silly grin, he does so.
Suddenly she winks across to the west entrance and casts another spell.
Gonzo, floating in the air, starts throwing daggers at the drow priestess.
Arrrgh! continues to attack the drow leader.
Valdar's spell finally goes off.
Suddenly, he, Orlon and Arrrgh! are no longer slowed; while Al, Gilstrock and Jesse are freed from the hold spell. Gonzo, just about to throw a dagger, falls to the floor for 5 hit points of damage. Pharian stops and shakes his head as his usual dour expression expression returns to his face.
Orlon has withdrawn. He casts cure critical wounds on himself for 15 hit points of healing. No sooner has he done that, though, when suddenly he is slowed again.
Nevertheless, he takes out a scroll and reads it...but nothing seems to happen, and he remains slowed.
Cannon Fodder has out Occa's spell book, though, and thumbing rapidly through it, finds a spell and begins to cast it directly out of the book.
Arrrgh! dodges a shortsword jab from the priestess but fans badly with his axe. Gonzo, seeing as how he is holding a dagger, lunges to his feet and buries the blade in one of the other remaining drow and kills him. Arrrgh! - with two drow on him, takes a hit for 2 hit points.
Just as things are starting to look up, though, darkness again engulfs everyone but Gonzo and Arrrgh!, as another nine drow rush into the chamber from the south entrance.
And...Valdar is slowed again...as the demonette competes another spell.
The demonette opens fire with magic missiles.
Six missiles hit Gonzo...followed by six more into Arrrgh! Gonzo takes 23 hit points...Arrrgh! takes 21.
Orlon begins casting another spell...slowly...
Cannon Fodder finishes reading dispel magic out of Occa's book. The spell vanishes from the page...but nothing else happens.
"Lights!" Gilstrock calls. "Give o'er the play! The King rises!" As he says this, he pulls out a black velvet bag in which he keeps a stone with 'Continual Light' cast upon it (courtesy of Pharian, one would presume), ahoping to dispell the darkness wrought by the Drow. Once he can see again, he will brandish sword and rush headlong at the Drow, striking to kill.
Darian yells, "Fire in the hole!" as he activates the staff of illumination pointing it at the drow coming in.
The darkness is dispelled.
Gilstrock goes after a drow. The drow gets in the first hit, though, shaving him for 4 hit points of damage...before the fighter cuts her down.
Orlon cancels his spell and instead pulls a scroll out and begins to slowly read from it. As he begins, his withdrawal ends.
Jesse gets her second coin of light out and then begins to cast magic missiles.
Neither of her spells affect the drow.
Lore takes out his frost wand and casts cone of cold upon the demonette.
The cone of cold hits her as she completes her second magic missile spell...killing her on the spot.
"ALL RIGHT !" Al screams as the paralyzation fades. He rushes towards the closest enemy and swings with his scimitar.
Al steps around the thrusting shortsword of the oncoming drow and chops her down easily.
Pharian spits. Then, hoping to cut off any more reinforcements, he uses his wand of fire to cast a wall of fire across the south entrance to the chamber.
Pharian puts on his ring of invisibility. Then he moves north.
Arrrgh! continues to battle, now with Gonzo at his side.
Arrrgh! has a shortsword clang off of his plate mail, before all but killing his adversary with a chop of his axe.
Gonzo, though, easily skewers the drow priestess. She drops to the floor.
Now, though, the remaining drow are attacking...as Gilstrock, Al, Valdar, Orlon, Lore, Darian and Jesse find themselves in hand-to-hand combat...
Arrrgh! continues swinging his axe...misses...is missed...and misses again.
Gonzo hurries over and finishes off the drow.
"Let Horus sort 'em out !" Al snarls as he attacks the drow with a vengeance.
Suddenly he is illuminated in faerie fire. This helps out the drow...who nicks the paladin for 4 hit points of damage. Al turns around and nails the miserable drow twice...killing him.
Jesse draws her short sword and tries to defend Orlon. She is faerie fired and then struck from behind by a drow for 3 hit points...before missing the drow attacking Orlon.
Gilstrock presses on. "I'll return you to the legend you're supposed to be!" Gilstrock cries to the Drow he's battling.
In reply, the fighter lights up like a Christmas tree. This does not help the drow any...as Gilstrock splits him open before he can swing.
Orlon starts bashing heads with his 'big bruiser' mace.
Despite being slowed, Orlon is still missed. He in turn misses as well.
Valdar and a drow trade misses.
Lore and a drow miss each other...as do Darian and another drow.
Next, Valdar kills the drow who has been bothering him.
Orlon takes a hit for 4 hit points of damage. Jesse, using her cursed sword, misses. Gonzo rushes in, though, and toasts the drow to death with his flame tongue.
Lore and his drow again trade misses...as Arrrgh! comes over to help. He gives the dark elf a good whack.
Al kills the drow on Darian with ease.
Gilstrock comes to the aid of Jesse, and splits open another dark elf.
One drow remains...and you all gang up on her.
It is Lore who finally kills her, with a mighty swing of his mighty sword.
Finally, the battle is over.
All of you are wounded, though only Occa is seriously hurt. He will be out of action for a week unless Orlon heals him.
You search the dead.
The two aludemons between them had a ring, a wand, a beaker, a suit of gleaming plate mail, a longsword whose blade does not gleam, a khopesh sword; 80 gems which you value at 500gp each, 14 miscellaneous pieces of jewelry at 4000gp each, and 40 fine diamonds at 1000gp each. In addition, you find several travelling spell books. All of the magic (you assume) items were carried/worn/used by one of the demons.
In total on the dead drow, you find 780pp. In addition, the male magic user whom you killed in the west passage had two fancy darts and several travelling spell books. The high priestess whom you killed in the north passage wore a nice looking broach.
"Damn it!" cries Jesse. "This damn sword." Jesse throws the cursed long sword to the ground. "Orlon, when you are rested, can you perhaps help and remove this cursed sword from me?" the bard asks.
"As...soon...as...I'm...not...slowed....anymore," Orlon replies.
Occa says, "Orlon, could you heal me? I am feeling a bit feeble."
Orlon casts a Heal on Occa. "Who else is badly hurt?" Orlon asks.
Occa is cured for all but 1 hit point.
Darian looks at Occa somewhat troubled. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more Occa. I think I need more training in the psionics."
Occa says, "Not a problem...thank you for what you did do."
Darian smiles. "Your welcome."
Darian wipes his sword on a dead drow. "I think we might want to think about heading back to camp. And blocking up the passageway. Definately, blocking up the passageway. We don't know how many more drow are living around here and I don't think we want them getting into the other corridors..."
Pharian scratches his ear. "We've got to be careful about this constant heading back to camp. It seems that every time we then return to the dungeon, we get clobbered by something that is waiting for us. I suppose the solution is just to be less predictable about where we teleport back into the dungeon. We'll need to do more scouting before we all return."
Valdar thinks for a moment.
"Well...we did wander about the dungeon for awhile before coming down here. Our problem...I think...was that we stood around and waited in the other cave for two hours while Cannon Fodder explored the stairs. The drow and demons probably became aware of us during that time...and prepared a nice welcome for us."
"Anyway," Pharian concludes, "how is everyone doing on spells? I have enough to continue on."
"We are pretty beat up. Going back to basecamp would be our best bet," Orlon tells the others.
Darian looks at Pharian as if he'd grown three additional heads.
"Are you crazy? We just had a major battle with the drow and you want more? Lore and I were badly wounded. I managed to heal myself somewhat, but we still took a bit of damage. I don't think Orlon has enough spells to heal us and I don't know how much healing I can do before I run out. Nor do I know how long it takes to replenish my psionics. A retreat back to camp would certainly be wiser than pushing forward."
Hearing this, Orlon will cast a cure serious wounds into Lore and two cure light wounds into Darian.
Darian is cured for 5 hit points.
"You forgot to call me 'sir'," says Pharian to Darian, as he turns to the rest of the group. "What does everyone else think?"
"Sorry, sir, but I thought you wanted me to stop that."
Lore, still hurting from battle, suddenly bursts out laughing. You see tears running down his face as he tries to regain his composure.
Darian looks at Lore's wounds and approaches him cautiously. "Would you let me heal you? I don't think I can get rid of all your wounds, but I can ease some of the pain."
Darian holds his breath awaiting some reaction.
Lore, just now getting himself under control, nods towards Darian saying, 'Thanks I could use some help....Sir'. Lore says the last word with a friendly smile on his face.
"My powers don't bother you? I mean... the white streak in the hair and all. Being from the same world, I expected that you'd have the same prejudices as all the others did. I feared that you'd shun me."
Darian puts a hand over the worst wound and pours healing energy into him.
"Relax Darian...all I care about right now is being healed.", says Lore with a smile.
With Orlon's spell and Darian's healing, Lore is completely recovered.
"This headin' back to camp with our tail between our legs after every combat is gettin' a little out of hand," Gilstrock says. "We've given the beasties in here too much time to talk to each other about us as it is. I say we try to start camping in here, and try to avoid too frequent extremes where we need to run back to camp."
"We also need to start being more prepared for enemies with magic," Gilstrock says. "We need our folk to be ready to counteract things like that paralyzation, and fast."
"As long as we can recoup and get better, I suppose it doesn't matter where we set up a temporary basecamp. Although I imagine that Occa and Lore have their spellbooks at the basecamp outside." Orlon mentions.
Grinning, Al says, " I agree with staying here, we can't allow them time to regroup or we'll get our butts kicked every time." he finishes as he looks at the party as he resheaths Claw.
Orlon tells Al "If we stay here, then all of the stuff we have here might get lifted by some wandering inhabitant of these parts."
"Oh great Horus, heal one of your most faithful !" Al intones as he casts cure light wounds on himself...for 3 hit points. "Orlon, if we have set watches, we could exist here indefinitely if we chose to !" he says as a point of fact. "I think the spell casters should rest after we find a highly defendable area and the fighters to guard as the casters rest.
"A previous adventuring party that I had belonged to used this system quite successfully, especially as we went into the Underdark, except for those damned xorn, it worked quite well !!" he finishes with a slightly sheepish look.
Jesse looks around. "I don't know, a little paint, a few throw rugs and this place could be quite the attraction. Some rings in the walls to secure paladins and we'd be all set." the bard grins, looking towards Al.
"However, I am not sure that this is a good idea, if we leave for the night and teleport back here, we get to spend the night in our camp, which is much more comfortable. Besides, I doubt you would let me play my lute or flute inside of enemy lines."
"I am getting low on healing spells," Orlon adds.
Valdar tallies up the votes.
"So far it's a dead head as to whether we leave or stay," he says. "Pharian, Gilstrock and Al want to stay; Orlon, Jesse and Darian want to leave. How about the rest of you? Occa? Lore? Arrrgh!? Gonzo?"
"If we leave anyone to be the watch, then the party will be all that much weaker to fight the enemy below.," Orlon replies to Al. "Maybe your playing music inside would keep any enemies at bay," Orlon tells Jesse with a grin.
Jesse bows to Orlon, "I thank you for the complement. I am sure the enemy would not wish to disturb the masterful sounds that I make on the flute and would stay away and appreciate the music. Thus allowing Al et al., to go and slaughter them." the bard replies, somewhat glibly
Occa finally speaks up after being healed and says, 'I can cast a Mordenkenian's Magnificient Mansion spell. This will give us a safe haven within the dungeon as well as the opportunity for baths and 16 hours of rest. However, we can't eat the food within...not that it will matter with our clerics. I think that may be the best option."
"What about your spellbooks Occa?" Orlon asks.
Occa says, "I have them with me...I wrap them in a sheet of smallness so that I can carry them. One never knows when you are going to be sent to antoher plane by accident."
He shrugs.
"Be prepared. It's a good motto to live by," Orlon replies.
Darian looks at Lore. "I didn't cast any spells, yesterday, but what are you going to do? Occa, can we get sheets of smallness as well?"
Occa says, "No, but you can borrow mine..."
Lore shrugs and says, "I carry a traveling spell book...so I can reload on at least some of my spells."
Pharian says to Orlon, "As long as you are going to be relearning spells, why don't you cast some more continual lights on some coins or stones, so that each of us will have some. We are likely to meet more of those elves, and they seem to cast darkness the way I use my ring of invisibility."
Occa casts his spell.
A shimmering glow appears in the air.
Occa steps into it.
The rest of you follow...
...to find yourselves standing in a magnificent entry foyer. From it, you glimpse fabulous chambers beyond.
A staff of nebulous servants - who all look like Gonzo - descend on you, helping you to remove your armour, packs and equipment.