July 7th turns out to be a stinking hot day in the mountains. Under a cloudless sky the temperature is already climbing towards 90F by late morning, when Occa teleports the lot of you back to Sandas to go s-h-o-p-p-i-n-g.
Valdar tells Zanax that the party base camp is located at the base of the Mountains of Lia, only a few days away from the Pacific coast...and many hundreds of miles west of Sandas. To the south are the elf lands...the nearest being Dorian, which Valdar is the ruler of. To the north and east is wilderness...wild and uninhabited for the most part. The nearest settlement is the town of Inner Sanctum.
It is afternoon when you arrive in Sandas. The weather is cooler here - only about 84F when you arrive, and the sky is partly cloudy.
You teleport into the grounds of Occa's house.
The house has been transformed since you were last here a month ago. The lawn is neatly trimmed and flowers grow from flowerbeds. The house itself has been cleaned up and sports a fresh coat of paint.
"Bah," Gilstrock mutters. "Still too hot around here."
Occa heads into the house, "Need to check on my estate. Al, if you would like, I could have a lackey summon Connie for you."
"Thank you, Occa, for all your help !!"
"Nice house, it looks so much better than before. Are you sure we wrecked the place?" Jesse asks.
"What?"
"Wow," Gilstrock says, "Looks a lot better. Hope that you've had somebody block off your basement, though."
Occa says, "I am going to check it after a bit."
Darian goes down on one knee in front of Valdar. "Lord Valdar, I had no idea. Please forgive my impertinence."
"What are you talking about, you silly boy?" says Valdar. "I took you back to my palace to train you a few months back! Didn't you clue in, then?"
"Um, no sir. I didn't realize that it was your palace. No one seemed to bow much or anything. I knew you were a Lord, but I didn't realize you were the Lord of an entire nation of elves."
"Hmmm...I *know* I've made reference in the past to having a kingdom to rule!" says Valdar. "Sheesh. Elves. They're so scatterbrained."
Occa rolls his eyes. "What an ass kisser."
"I wish," laments Valdar.
"Well, I guess we should go shopping. I need four changes of clothing and maybe another cloak or two. And an extra set of boots."
"Zanax, where should we go to find out about the fate of your temple?"
Zanax shakes his head "I'm sorry...this is something I have to do on my own. Occa, when I return, can you teleport me to my companions near the Borderland Keep?"
"As you wish... The Borderland Keep. I've heard that name before..." Darian thinks for a moment. "Gilstrock, you mentioned it once... Did you know it was near here?"
Gilstrock frowns and his forehead wrinkles. "Borderland whatsit? Did I mention that? Hmmm."
Gilstrock nods slowly. "Maybe I did say that once, but I have no idea what I was talking about. Just sorta popped into my head, I guess. Have no clue where it is. Is it near here?"
"Well, it would seem so since Zanax met us here and he says he needs to join his companions near there. My guess is that it's within a week's journey."
Valdar says, "It's a day or two's ride north of the city."
Occa frowns and says, "Uh, well, I could have if Stiff had complied, but since he is so angry...I don't think I can unless we can figure out a way for us to get a view of it."
"I could give you a mental picture of an area, if you could read my mind."
"Okay, we can do that then."
"Zanax do you mind if I come with you and give you a hand with your temple?" requests Angst. He looks towards the property behind the estate. "I presume that that pile of rubble over there is the Ex-temple of trouble."
"Occa I do like the job that your staff have done on this place, they must a quite an ordered life style, definately tending towards law side of the balance eh?"
"Well, I find that paladins make the best servants except that they have a tendency to run off to slay dragons and the like instead of planting the flower beds."
"To those who are going shopping I could do with a nice new set of warm weather clothing, although knowing shopkeepers the prices will be extravagant to say the least, but so the best you can"
Occa says, "Hey, does anyone have money I can borrow? I am pretty broke."
"Depends what you're buying," Gilstrock says. "I bought 1,000gp with me, but I need to get me some weapons and clothing and supplies and things. I can't really finance magic items."
"I think acquiring magical items is going to be difficult. Ray Jay mentioned something about a war down south last time Occa, Valdar and I saw her. Seems everyone is hoarding them. No one's selling, but everyone's buying."
Orlon wishes to buy clothing and restock material components.
Orlon tells Occa "We have used the money in the com chest like an interest free loan. Everyone is trusted that whatever they borrow, they will repay in the future."
Occa says, "Great! I will have to go get some cash in the morning."
Occa says, "I don't want magic items...I want to make copies of my spell books so that I don't have to worry about them so much. Never mind, I can borrow some money out of the community chest. No interest and if I die, I don't have to pay it back!" He giggles.
"Speaking of cash...and other treasures...do you plan to go into the temple at some point? I mean, if some our magic survived, surely some of theirs did as well!"
Occa says, "Good point...we should excavate the site."
"That sounds like fun. I wonder how stable everything is down there, though. Need a bunch of dwarves to check things out, first." says Darian.
Occa heads inside with Al.
Zanax and the rest head into the city...the former to seek out his temple and the latter to shop 'til they drop.
You part ways with Zanax just after passing through the West Gate into the inner city.
Valdar leads you down towards the centre of the city. The streets are crowded with people...and you notice a lot of soldiers on patrol.
Valdar looks surprised as one squad passes.
"Those are not the Baron's men," he says, eying their uniforms. "Those are the Duke's."
"What does that mean, Valdar? Trouble?"
"I don't know," the elf replies.
"I presume that the Baron is the Duke's vassal?"
Valdar nods.
"Duke Morg of Strabath."
"Maybe you should stop by and speak with Ming?"
"Why?"
"Well, he might know what's going on around here..."
"He doesn't. I checked in yesterday."
You set off to do your shopping. Valdar says that he will meet you at the Inn of the Drunken Dwarf in two hours time.
After two hours you go into the inn. Orlon tells you that it is a great place...much favoured by adventuring types, with the best beer in town.
Gilstrock takes a huge draw from a large stein of beer. He slams the mug back down on the table and wipes the froth from his several-day bear with the back of his hand. "Ahh, good stuff," he says.
He looks around at the others. "Pricey town, eh?"
The common room is quiet at this time of day (late afternoon).
You find Valdar seated and talking with a red haired young woman dressed in the robes of a cleric.
"These people are Angst, Orlon, Gilstrock, Brightaxe, Gonzo, Darian, Arrrgh!, Jesse and Pharian," Valdar says, nodding to each of you in turn. "This is Sasha. She is a cleric of Isis."
Orlon, a middle-aged human cleric, stands and bows. "Glad to meet such a fine lady of the cloth."
A young looking female half-elf wearing what looks to be a new dress and boots carrying a lute moves over and sits next to the woman. "I am Jesse, a simple bard, please to meet you. Perhaps you can tell me about yourself and I can sing you a song."
You notice a simple gold necklace around her neck and rings on her fingers.
Gilstrock waves to Sasha. "Yo," he says.
Darian gives Sasha a slight bow. "It's nice to meet you miss. I'm Darian Trist."
Sasha smiles shyly, returning the greeting though her eyes are wary upon seeing his shield with the hawk emblem.
Darian notices her glance at the shield. "Do you like it? I painted it myself. My seargeant in the army gave me my first shield and he showed me how to paint a hawk on it. Since then, I've been doing that to all the shields I own."
"Does it have some meaning then ... I thought perhaps that it was the shield of your house .. or a sign of service to Ra .... " Sasha replies a bit uncomfortably.
"Ra? No... It was the emblem of my unit in the war back in Greyhawk which is, I've been told, a different world than this one. It means nothing more than that. Our captain called us the sparrowhawks since we were an all elven unit and most of us were small for elves."
Sasha smiles in what can only be relief. "Ah, I understand. Quite nice." She comments,, more at ease now.
"Is this Ra an evil god?"
Sasha smiles softly. "Oh no, quite nice actually, the sun god in some places. I do not think he is worshipped here ... but I have studied far and wide ... " Sasha blushes suddenly. "Well, anyway ... no, he is not evil."
She turns back to Jesse.
"Hi Jesse ... there is little enough to tell. I am a cleric of the Goddess Isis - her province being Magics and .. uh .. well, that is the part I am concentrating on." Sasha shrugs ligthly, sipping her mead again. "I could of course ask you what news you have of the war or what you know of the activity here - it is much more tense and occupied by soldiers than when last I was here. I suppose it was too much to hope that the war would leave us untouched." Sasha sighs, but looks expectantly at the others , obviously hoping for news.
Jesse looks puzzled, "War? We've spent most of our time in the mountains, having fun. This is only the second time I have been to this city, the last time ended in disaster." she says and looks sheepishly at the rest of the group assembled around the table.
"What war is this?" Gilstrock asks, completely clueless.
Sasha turns to face Gilstrock, an expression of surprise crossing her face.
"Well, for a while now there have been rumors of war to the south in Marmador ... and I guess there has been other excitment here as well ... my old party was sent to 'clean-up' a house, but the High Priestess told me that some lord came and bought the house, leveling it and all it's problems ... Luthus is babbling about dragons and all ... I know that another party we met with were working to find and destroy an evil temple in the Borderlands ... this place has become a hotbed of activity ... what have you all been doing .. ?" Sasha asks, looking wary again.
"Oh," Gilstrock says. "Well, to tell you the truth, we've been way up north -- at least, I think it's north -- wacking about in some dragon caves or another that used to belong to Dwarves. Near Inner Sanctum. I have no idea where this Sandas place is, we teleport every time we come. To be honest, I'm not from this world, but rather from a country called Gowulake in a place called the Runelands. So I don't really have any clue about where things are around here, or what sort of wars are going on. Inner Sanctum is a long way away from Sandas, though, I think."
Jesse looks around, "I guess ... ummm... well... that is ... I should say, that was my fault, I think. Let me explain.... It is too much, let me summarize. I accidently broke a powerful magic item , quite by accident, I might add again, and well, umm.. that is to say... oops." the woman concludes as she again looks around at the assembly.
Sasha smiles at Jesse's discomifiture. "Please, do not be concerned on my account. That house was a curse to us all .. many of us perished attempting to clear it of vermin. We were asked by the High Priestess to 'clean up'. I or .. I should say we discovered that the Church of the Gods of Trouble were behind it all eventually .. and it was there actually that I was killed by Rane .. who was a member of our party ... and well .. all I can say is Thank you ... it was too much for us ... we all were much to inexperienced ... none of us having adventured before ... but we seemed to be almost compelled to go back .. time after time ... I for one am glad that the house no longer exists!" Sasha says quite sincerely.
Clearing her throat, "Occa, a mage of our acquantience is the owner of said house. And these dragons up north, well, that sounds like the group another acquantience is with."
Sasha raises a brow in surprise. "Indeed? Occa? Which of you is he?" Sasha asks, looking at each in turn again. "I guess you will need to rebuild ... " She says softly, smiling now.
"The dragons ... another acquantance? How interesting ... perhaps you are all responsible for the war too?" Sasha says, laughing and shaking her head, wondering if her leg is being pulled. "Seriously? YOu all caused all this havoc ... and that too? I find that so ... well ... difficult to believe ... "
Jesse nods, slowly, "Yes... it was my action that appeared to cause the explosion. And I also pissed of another mage who really wanted the item. I guess it was pretty powerful. Like I said, oops."
"You all seem to have new gear .. and yet, with prices here ... I'm surprised ... are you new to adventuring then ... thinking to find action here ... " She asks with a puzzled frown. "I mean .. you have the hard edge of seasoned veterans ... perhaps you have come from the Borderlands then?" Sasha asks.
Darian looks at Gilstrock and Pharian unsure how to answer.
Gilstrock shrugs. "If Inner Sanctum is the Borderlands, then yes. We have new gear because of... erm, an incident involving, shall we say, a certain amount of vaporization. Plays hell on the clothes. Gotta get new ones."
Gilstrock himself is actually quite decked out with new equipment. He's wearing a brand new light blue cloak, and has a new small helmet for his head. He's wearing even more weapons than he used to, with a hand axe and a dagger at his belt joining his customary sword and flail. He's got a spear or three propped up somewhere nearby as well, as well as a short bow. What's more, he seems to have backups for a lot of the weapons, clothes, and other supplies, which he's filled a few large sacks with. He's also picked up what looks to be a rather nice tent.
"Pleased ta meet ya Sasha !" Says BrightAxe cheerfully, "You know, dying can be an uplifting experience for people skilled such as you and I; though it still is fun to bash a few heads every now and then too."
He finishes showing that he has lost none of his gaeity and merriness.
Sasha pales at his words and shakes her head. "I have died once .. it was enough for me. I don't understand how you can be so ... well .. flippant about it ... but I do agree ... bashing has it's rewards." Sasha replies softly, turning to order some mead from the barmaid.
"If I die, then I'll die in Service to Silverbeard. Either way I enjoy my life in service or join my lord in his realm with stories of fighting and dead giants." He orders the drinks in twos now. "My life is Silverbeard's if I live, then I gots plans on how to glorify his name on high." He pauses, "Plus it twas a glorious fight we died in, one the bards will sing about for years had it been witnessed my multitudes."
Jesse laughs, "I'm not sure bards will be singing about it for years... I need to write the song yet. Besides, I'm not sure how to end it." she says as she sips on a glass of wine.
Sasha nods. "At least you had the opportunity to die gloriously ... I died at the hands of treachary ... a member of a party I used to adventure with .. used his mind powers ... and well ... there was no glory or service involved ... had I died in the service of Isis ... I would have been pleased." Sasha replies softly, the pain of that event showing in her emerald eyes.
Darian interrupts. He pulls down his hood showing wavy brown hair with a prominent silver streak running through it. "You said mind powers. You mean what folks here call psionics? Did he have a streak like mine in his hair?"
Sasha frowns in surprise, biting her lower lip in thought. "No ... I don't believe he did, have a silver streak I mean .. psionics ..yes, that is what Verona called it. His name was Rane ... he was an elf I believe .. but no silver in his hair." Sasha says, sounding more sure of herself now. "Why? Does that streak signify something? If so, I imagine he was clever enough to have hidden it with some dye ... it is not hard to do."
"Where I grew up, the silver streak meant I was marked. My neighbors thought it meant that I was cursed and brought misfortune to those that lived near me. But, you're wrong about the dye. My parents tried that and it never stayed long. I've been covering my head for most of life, until coming here and learning that it doesn't mean I'm cursed."
"Oh .. I ah ... see. How odd." Sasha replies.
Sasha frowns suddenly, backing away slightly. "Why?" She asks, suddenly wary and suspicious again. "Do you ... any of you ... also ... " She stammers, unable to finish her question.
"Yes, that's what the silver streak means. I've got psionics. I met this Ray Jay person who told me it's a great gift and learned it isn't a curse."
Sasha's eyes widen in surprise and she pales. "I see ... " is all she can say for some time. She takes several moments to compose herself.
"I"m sorry ... for my reaction. I of all people should know that I am being irrational in my fear of you .. and your powers ... but you will simply have to excuse me before I become quite ill ... " She says softly, rising from her seat, gripping her staff firmly in white-knuckled fingers.
"Excuse me ... please ... " She whispers, barely able to speak now. She turns, remembering to pick up her pack. She takes several hesitant steps away from the table, then turns back, looking strained but oddly defiant.
"No ... no ... I will not let him ... " She mutters, setting her pack down and resuming her seat.
She takes a deep breath, looking deeply apologetic. "I am .. very sorry for my ill manners ... I cannot fear everyone with those powers .. just as I cannot fear men ... if it is my fate ... I do apologise Darian .. " Sasha says softly, looking at the rest of the party, she adds, "And to anyone else with such powers ... "
Jesse reaches over and touches the cleric on the hand, her touch lingering a second as she looks into Sashas eyes and replies, "Don't worry dear. That is an unusual power and Darian here has saved my life several times, as his powers are of a healing kind." she says softly, with a brief, yet lingering glance at Darian.
Darian smiles and looks at the floor.
"I'm the only one with such powers. And I assure you, I've only used them to help. I've been given a great gift. I can heal people..."
Sasha nods. "Healing is indeed a great gift ... through the powers of the goddess, I can also heal." She replies softly.
Pharian glances over at Sasha, but does not introduce himself. He is a middle aged-- or perhaps more-- magic user dressed in a new brown robe. He is gaunt, and his face is set in an sour expression. His prominent nose looks like it has been broken at least once.
He heads over to where Gilstrock is seated. "All those pig-eyed merchants who were gouging us today could stand to be relieved of some of the gold that is falling out of their pockets," he grumbles.
"That the could, my friend, that they could," Gilstrock says. "Pure highway robbery what they were doing to us today."
"Hey, Valdar. What was that deal earlier you were saying about the Duke's men and the Baron's men?" Gilstrock asks.
"It is unusual to see the Duke's troops stationed in Sandas, that's all," replies Valdar. "The Baron must be hard pressed to call in help from his overlord, especially when the King is calling on his lieges to send troops to the Duchy of Marmador."
"Aye, it's the troubles here in th' city an' th' Borderlands," puts in Luthus the innkeeper, whose ears are flapping as usual. "Bandits, evil temples an' fire breathin' dragons up there...an explodin' temples, rampaging undead and air ellymentals runnin' amok here in town. The Baron don't have enough men to cover it all."
"The Borderlands? Isn't that where Zanax mentioned his friends were? And they've dragons up there too? Geez, seems to me this world would be far better off with a lot less dragons..."
Zanax enters the common room.
He looks slightly depressed.
Gilstrock looks over at Zanax. "Zany, you look sad. What's up?"
Zanax shakes his head and also seems to be in a hurry "No time to talk, where's..." Zanax stops in midsentence as he notices Sasha. Turning his attention to her, he walks over toward her.
He bows and introduces himself "Greetings, you must Sasha! I am Zanax. The High Priestess Verona mentioned that I might find you here. She suggested that you accompany me on my journey. Are you able to leave now?"
"Leave ... now? For where?" Sasha asks, raising her brows in surprise. "I mean ... well .. I guess if she suggested it .. since I do have to seek some answers for her regarding another matter ... where is it you are going. I will need to change into my traveling clothes ... " She replies, puzzled at the turn of events, but also eager to do Verona's bidding.
After her answer, Zanax turns back to Gilstrock and says "Now, you were about to tell me where Occa is."
"We haven't seen him since we parted company. Maybe we should look for him at this house?" says Darian. "Zanax, was it your temple that was destroyed?"
You finish off your drinks and leave the inn. Sasha accompanies you...once she has collected her luggage.
Soon you are back at the old house.
It has certainly been transformed since Sasha last laid eyes on it last winter. It has been completely fixed up and repainted. The lawns are well tended and the flowerbeds are ablaze with colour.
You head up onto the freshly repaired verandah and knock at the door.
Igor the hunchbacked doorman answers. A portrait of Spiro Agnew hangs on the wall of the foyer.
"Yes?" Igor wheezes, when you ask for Occa. "Master?? He is...downstairs...somewhere..."
"I wonder if he's searching for those magic items that Zanax suggested we try to find. Should we go searching for him?" wonders Darian.
With a sigh, Gilstrock says, "We've had some bad experiences in that basement. But... what the heck. Let's go!"
Gilstrock lifts his handful of spears in a "charge!" gesture, and starts to walk, when he stops and looks at Igor.
"I say, old bean, anywhere I might be able to dump all of this stuff?" Gisltrock nods back at the rolled tent and sacks of extra weapons and supplies he's purchased. "Just while we're downstairs, of course. I mean to take it back to base camp with me."
"Ohhh...I can see to them, sir!"
As Gilstrock unloads his excess stuff, keeping only one version of each kind of weapon with him (except for arrows, of which he keeps 20), he asks Igor, "Yes we can go down, or yes he asked not to be disturbed?"
"Ohhh...you can go down!" replies Igor, rubbing his hands as his eyes roll about independently of each other in his head. "He...he's playing with the monsters!"
"Uh oh," Gilstrock says. "He probably needs our help them. C'mon guys!"
"Playing with monsters?" Zanax says with some disbelief. "No, forget that I said that. Let's go and find him!"
"What monsters, Igor?" asks Darian.
"The monsters downstairs!" wheezes Igor, as he shuffles off.
Gilstrock heads for the basement, spear in hand. "Occa!" He shouts. "Where are you?"
Igor leads you through the foyer and into the hallway beyond. The house has been transformed since Sasha was last here...the walls are repainted and papered, the musty, decaying smell is gone and the corpses and bloodstains cleaned up for the most part. Maids and servants bustle about, dusting, carrying platters of this and that, and generally looking busy.
Zanax seems impatient as he heads downstairs.
Zanax's impatience infect's BrightAxe and he will follow with a repressed smile.
"Down there...he is...somewhere," says Igor, stopping at the top of the stairs.
You head downstairs...past the spot where Sasha was murdered by her fellow party members and to the end of the passage at the bottom.
This is more like the way it used to be...damp...decaying...with a lingering malodour of rotting flesh...
You past through the wine cellar...where the corpses of the murdered family still rest in their casks...through the secret chambers beyond...and down the rough stone passage to where it forks.
On your last foray you went east...to the octagonal chamber and ultimately to the Temple dungeons. A passage also runs south, too.
"Can anyone here do a locate on an object Occa normally holds ?" asks BrightAxe.
"Angst, can you tell which way he went?" asks Darian.
Angst attempts to track which way Occa went.
"With all this cleaning that has been going on I don't hold much for our success for tracking."
The ranger noses around and quickly spots two sets of tracks heading east. Occa was not alone, it would seem.
You head east, and soon find yourselves at the octagonal-shaped room. The bodies of undead, bugbears, gargoyles and a tunnel worm still lie there.
As you enter, one of the south doors opens and Al walks in. He seems to be alone.
"Hey Al,!" Have y'all been having fun without us ! ? asks BrightAxe. "Have you seen Occa, and that Mr. Fodder guy ?"
"Hey, Al, have you seen Occa?" parrots Darian.
An invisible Occa says, "Hey guys! Did you have a good time shopping?"
"Very good," Gilstrock says. "Look, got me a new toy!" Gilstrock pulls out his throwing axe and brandishes it in front of Occa.
"So, what's up down here?" Gilstrock asks Occa. "Igor said you were playing with the monsters."
Occa turns visible.
Occa sighs and says, "I wish. we haven't really found any, except for some rats...we were looking for how the undead are getting into my house...they have a tunnel or something. You see, they have been eating my lackeys and I can't have that! So, we were just doing a bit of exploring. You wanna join in?"
"Let's go!" Gilstrock says, putting his axe back on his belt a picking up his shield with his left hand. (He's got a spear in the right hand.) "Though once we're done cleaning up your house, we probably really outta get back to those dragons we were beating upon for Valdar and those elves."
Occa says, "Yep, I agree....I don't think this will take long."
"Now that the temple is no more, I don't expect there is much more to this maze. However, there are 4 unaccounted for corridors that need exploring. I suggest we head back this way and check out that southern one first..."
BrightAxe is Ready, lead away to any place you feel this house needs to be cured of the abominations.
"We don't know for sure that the vampiric archmage was destroyed, do we?" says Pharian. "I remember hearing once that mages can sometimes escape the destruction of their own staffs-- they get teleported to another plane just before the explosion, or something like that."
To Pharian he says, "Well, if he survived, the vampire is on another plane..probably with no way to return. And if he does...his coffin and temple are gone." He giggles.
Occa pulls out a map, "this is what we have found so far:"
"Interesting. I would like to continue to explore but Zanax and now Sasha need to leave. Can you teleport them to their friends?"
Zanax looks impatiently at Occa "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't have much time for chit chat. Can you teleport me and Sasha to my campsite now?"
Occa says, "Uh, I could in a couple of hours. I need to relearn teleport no error again and get the image from your mind."
Occa says, "Let's break for dinner and then we will finish this up down here once I get Zanax back."
You turn around head out.
Occa heads upstairs, tells Jeeves to arrange for dinner for everyone and then goes to study his spells.
Dinner awaits you in the informal dining room. After a appetizer of soup and bread, you are treated to a simple dinner of roast cygnet in red wine with fresh peas and new potatoes. Dessert is bread pudding.
Several hours later Occa returns...casts ESP on Zanax...takes both Zanax and Sasha in hand...and teleports out...
It is late evening.
Suddenly Occa reappears in the dining room and says to the group, "Okay, let's get the basement cleared out!"
He says to Frau Hilda, "I am going to make the basement a bit more safe...I would like to get it cleaned up. Have the guards go down and carry the bodies to one room. I will disintegrate them when they are all in one pile."
"Ja, master!" she replies.
He heads downstairs, goes to where the corridors fork and this time heads down the South corridor that hasn't been explored yet....
The rest of you allegedly follow...
He will cast wizard eye and send it ahead...
Then he turns invisible.
"A killing we go," issues BrightAxe who follows Occa, who is still wondering where Mr. Fodder is.
Occa says, "Oh, Cannon fodder is dead....I will recreate him while Darian finishes his training...speaking of which...Darian, how much more do you have to train?"
Darian looks at Gilstrock. "A few weeks, maybe?"
The south passage takes you 60' down to a rough chamber (~20' X ~30': 20' south, 20' east; passage running out of south wall west corner). In here are four stools, a covered brazier, and an empty chest.
After checking and finding nothing, you continue south.
After 70' the passage comes to an oblong cave (~30' X 50' oriented east - west; this passage enters from the centre of the north side; another passage exits from the centre of the south side). A small stream flows out of the northwest corner and down the south passage. Otherwise, the place is bare. From the south comes the sound of flowing water, though, and a nasty smell.
You go south.
After 10' the passage ends at a sewer (30' wide, runs east - west for as far as you can see; 10' wide walkway along this side). The walkway is about 1' above the murky, odiferous waters...which flow towards the west. A few down to the west a bit of rope dangles over the edge of the walkway and into the water.
Occa has his unseen servant yank on the rope....to see if it happens to be alive or something.
It appears to be tied to something under the surface of the water.
Darian holds his nose. "A drain, perhaps?"
Al sheathes Saddam and hoists up the rope.
It refuses to be hoisted.
"Yeech," Gilstrock says, but he steps forward and prods down into the water with the back end (i.e. not pointy end) of his spear. He probes down next to the robe, a couple of feet or so into the water.
The butt end of the spear hits something...it feels like a spike driven into the sewer wall. Presumably the end of the rope is tied to it.
The reason why it should be tied is unclear, though...
"Gonna hafta clean my spear," Gilstrock says.
"This is bizarre," intones BrightAxe, "But too much force never hurt anything, let's all try to pull."
"Occa, do you care what this is?" Gilstrock asks. "'Cause I sure don't want to go down into that water."
Occa looks up toward the ceiling in order to see what the other end is attached to.
One end of the rope is lying on the stone walkway. It is not attached to anything. The other end appears to be tied to a spike embedded in the side of the sewer under the surface of the water.
He also pulls out his wand of metal and mineral detection and uses it. "Mother Lode!"
Nothing happens.
Then he says, "Should we explore this sewer? This is kinda nasty, but I wonder if this is where the ghouls come from..."
Al detects for evil intent towards the sewer and then agrees, "Let's all tug and see what comes out !"
Darian stands to one side from where they are pulling and draws his sword. "You folks pull. I'm not strong enough to really make a difference..."
Angst searches for tracks...but finds nothing recent.
Occa grimaces and says, "Uh, I don't think this is something I am willing to go diving over." He thinks for a moment and says, "Hmm.."
He tries to send his wizard eye into the water.
He does indeed see that the rope is tied to a spike imbedded in the stonework a foot under the surface.
"So, what's its purpose? To move something underneath the water? I still wonder if it's a drain of some sort..." says Darian.
"Can't clerics do 'evaporate water' or something like that?" Gilstrock says. "Coulda sworn I saw that once. Might give us a look down in."
Occa says, "This is a dead end...I wish we had Valdar here for secret door detection. Let's head back to the other section of the dungeon."
"But I AM here, you goof!" says Valdar.
Occa says, "Oh, Valdar! There you are...sorry."
Valdar prances and checks for secret doors...but turns up none.
Occa heads that way. This time going to the door in the EAST wall of the octagonal room and having his unseen servant open it.
Beyond is a 10' wide passage running east...for 20'...after which it opens up into another chamber.
You head down that way.
Suddenly Saddam shouts out -
"Halt, Al! I see a trap ahead! Send a chaotic scum up to trigger it!"
"Saddam, arrgh, behave and could you be nice enough to tell me what kind of trap ?" Al asks in an exasperated voice.
"I am being nice! That's what we decided that the chaotic scum were useful for...remember?" says Saddam. "There's a trap door leading to a pit at the east end of the passage!"
"Hey Al, I thought you were going to have the 'Value of all living things' talk with him," Chimes brightAxe, "though I do see his point about chaotic beings.
Occa will send his wizard eye into the adjoining room.
After a moment or two of concentration, Occa sees if he can get his unseen servant to trigger the trap.
After backing out behind the door, of course.
The servant is unable to trigger the trap.
Occa casts fly on himself.
He then flies over to the trap, lands on it (hovering) and gradually adds more weight to it until it triggers.
The trap door in the floor opens and immediately snaps shut again. Occa glimpses a water-filled pit beneath the door.
He flies up. He then sees if there is a way around the trap for everyone else (a pathway or something).
There is nothing.
"Can't one of you rogue types disarm this trap?" Orlon asks.
Muttering into his beard, Gonzo moves up and kneels down at the edge of the trap. Out come his tools, and he sets to work. After a few moments there is a click and a clunk. He steps out onto the trap door and it holds.
Occa then heads into the room with the rest of the group following.
You see a partially collapsed chamber beyond the trap (right wall runs south for 10', then east for 25'; left wall runs north for 10', then east for 50' (passage running north in last 10' section; balance of the chamber consists of a pile of collapsed rubble). The floor is of cracked marble, very dirty, and someone has dropped a set of nasty looking fangs by the north passage.
The room is otherwise uninteresting.
You head up the north passage. It runs for 30'...turning east after 20'.
Looking east, the passage continues for 60' and on as measured from the corner. There is a door in the 40' - 50' section of the north wall.
You make for the door.
Reaching it, you see that the passage continues for another 10' and ends at a door. There is another door in the last section of the north door as well.
You have three doors to choose from.
Occa says to everyone, "First door? Hmm, maybe, since we past that pit trap, we should have someone check for traps or something. Gonzo, could you? Or Orlon, could you cast find traps?"
Gonzo checks out the first door but finds no traps, so you open it.
Through it is a room (20' X 20': 20' north, 10' east). It is entirely bare.
"Go in and check the place out, Occa, you slime! And make sure you trigger the trap just inside the door!" suggests Saddam in a helpful tone.
Jesse glares at Al, "Can't you control that hunk of metal. It is annoying and not the least bit helpful with it's comments. Besides, Chaos rules."
Al looks at Jesse, "Well no one controls you, lass, do they ?" he says with a grin.. "and Law will overcome..as long as Saddam stays quiet !"
"At least I know manners. That sword does not." She retorts. "If it were willing to listen and discuss things rationally that would be fine, but it is an extremest, and that is where the problem lies."
"I am extremely mannerly!" replies the sword. "To those who deserve to be mannerly at!"
Occa giggles and says, "I am starting to like that sword...I hate to admit it."
"Valdar, can your sword sense any secret doors? There may be no reason to enter."
The mighty elf lord waves his weapon around.
"Nothing within 5'," he replies.
Occa nods at Valdar and says, "Okay, Gonzo,can you disarm this trap?"
Gonzo moves forward again...as suddenly a voice from above is heard to say -
"Damned dwarves! Go back to your pig wallow!"
- and Brightaxe feels a sword chop his arm off! The dwarf takes 22 hit points of damage to start...and his left arm lies on the floor...amputated just below the shoulder.
Behind him now stands an elf in leathers clutching a bloody longsword that does not gleam...
"Well here's your typical elf," spits BrightAxe, "they love life as long as it doesn't belong to anyone else." He will forget about decorum and such, to tackle this guy and pummel him with his remaining appendages until only pulp remains.
"You're dead, you just don't know it yet !" Al snarls as he launches Saddam and himself at the attacker of Brightaxe.
Darian draws his sword and charges the elf. "Back away from them! What do think you're doing!"
Jesse looks around to see if there are other foes who coming to attack while the rest of the party begins its onslaught of the foe.
"You fool!" Gilstrock says, as he drops his spear. "Disarm my eating buddy, and you DIE!" Gilstrock holds his small shield before him and draws Thawbreaker as he charge the elf.
"Come and get yours" Angst charges the strange elf with both swords drawn and out for blood "What gives you the right to attack someone in his friends house"
Brightaxe spins around as the snarling elf bounces his longsword off of his plate mail.
Occa says, "Wow, a sword of sharpness!" He magic missles the elf repeatedly until he is dead.
The air comes alive with the music of Occa's missiles. It takes two spells to blow the offending elf to pieces.
Orlon will go over to Brightaxe and cast Heal on him.
"I will learn and cast Regenerate as soon as I can, but keep the arm. It will help." he tells Brightaxe.
Brightaxe is cured for all save 3 hit points. He picks up his arm and tucks it under his...other...arm.
Pharian looks to see if any secret doors are about to open, releasing minotaurs. He looks to see if any spiders are about to drop from the ceiling. He looks to see if the ceiling is about to fall.
Not yet.
Searching the scattered remains of the corpse, you pick up his longsword. That appears to be all that he had of value.
"Something's wrong here," Al mutters as he detects for evil intent . "Saddam, was this an illusion or do you detect something out of the ordinary ?"
"Only your sicko, chaotic companions!" snorts the sword.
"What. Is every talking sword in this universe lawful in nature?" Orlon wonders aloud.
"Saddam, deny it all you want, they are now your companions as well, so do try to treat them with some modicum of respect !" Al says to Saddam.
Occa sighs and says, "That was disappointing...what balls, though! To attack a party this size...amazing. Hey, check to see if he is regerating or anything."
He shows no sign of doing so.
"Gonzo, can you disarm that trap now?"
Occa will go and get a chunk of the guy, "He would make a great simulacrum! Not as good as Gilstrock, but hell, what courage!"
Darian moves over to Brightaxe. "I don't know how far my healing powers extend. Let me try to see if I can reattach the limb or regrow it for you."
Darian has someone hold the cut-off limb in position while he tries to heal BrightAxe.
Jesse will gingerly hold the limb in place for Darian and BrightAxe.
Occa says, "You know what would be an interesting experiment? If BrightAxe borrowed Jesse's ring of regeneration and we chopped off more of his arm...what do you think would happen? Would the whole thing grow back or just the part we chopped off? I sure don't know...that would be cool to find out. Hmm, I wonder if that could be published in the Journal of Adventuring Techniques. If Darian can't do it, let's try."
"You most certainly are a chaotic type Occa," Orlon says as he bursts out laughing.
"Hell," says Pharian. "No need to cut off more, just borrow the ring. Wouldn't that work? But what would really be interesting, come to think of it, would be to put the ring on the arm and see if it grows another Brightaxe."
"Great idea!" Occa says, "Jesse, try it!"
Gilstrock looks over at Pharian, and regards him for a few silent moments. He then looks back at the others. "After all these years, I still never can tell when he's serious."
BrightAxe isn't to sure about that. "Any other suggestions, one handaxe doesn't do a whole lotta damage..."
Jesse shakes her head. "Sorry BrightAxe, we can try it, but it will not work. As you may recall Occa, we have tried this before, several times, and it appears that the magic is limited to injuries that are sustained _while_ the ring is being worn."
"Nevertheless," Jesse says, as she slips the ring off, "If there is no effect in a few minutes, please return it, as it was a gift from my parents."
"If that doesn't work, then when we stop for the night, I will regenerate it for you," Orlon tells Brightaxe.
Darian concentrates...but the limb does not reattach.
"May the gods one day bless you with the skill of regeneration." Orlon comments.
Darian sighs heavily. "I can only hope that when I gain more experience, that will be so."
Occa says, "We could always polymorph you into a dwarf with two arms..."
"Sorry, Brightaxe, guess I can't reattach it. But, maybe I can regrow it. Hold still and let me concentrate." Darian takes a deep breath, holds it and lets it out slowly focusing all of his will on regrowing the arm.
Nothing happens.
Darian drops his hands from Brightaxe's stump obviously disappointed. "I'm sorry, Brightaxe. I guess this healing isn't as powerful as I thought. You might want to try the regeneration ring idea, though. At least it couldn't make things worse..."
Gonzo looks around from his position, perplexed at where this foe, now dead, came from and if it had anything to do with his moving to disarm the trap. Once he is satisfied that no other attackers are present, he will move cautiously to examine and disarm the new trap.
"Brightaxe... dat musta been one o' doze one-armed bandits..."
"Well the obvious point here is that this is a sign from silverbeard." muses BrightAxe "I screwed up and had to be cast away from the eternal battle and now must face my future fights without an appendage." He rambles for a while
"It could be I'm not using my clerical powers enough, It could be I'm not leeping into the fray fast enough, their could be a shortage of one-armed dwarves kicking giant butt...." catching himself "Well, the safest thing to assume is that this is a punishment. To this end, I'll wear my missing arm as symbol of shame and fight with one axe instead of two."
"Egads," mutters Starr - err - Valdar. "Another one!"
Occa says, "I think you were just unlucky is all...I don't think wearing your arm as a symbol is such a good idea. What are you going to do when it is covered in maggots and smells to high heaven?"
"I believe we must be able to preserve it," says BrightAxe, pauses and reconsiders, "Maybe, the absence of an arm is shame enough."
"Ahhh, wait a day, Orlon can get you your arm back. He said so himself. What's a warrior without his full strength?" Gilstrock asks.
"Besides, just a few days ago you were dead, and I didn't hear you saying you wanted to stay that way because it was some punishment or something," Gilstrock adds. "Of course, I was dead too, which made it hard to hear, but still."
Occa frowns and says, "Don't you want your arm back? How will you bring Silverbeard his glory? You won't be able to cast your spells...that isn't good for you or your god. In fact, I think if Silverbeard wanted to punish you, he would probably give you some bad ale...not cut your arm off."
While Gonzo is disarming the trap, you are trying to rearm Brightaxe.
The latter puts on Jesse's ring of regeneration...but after a few minutes it becomes obvious that nothing is happening.
He takes it off and Pharian puts it on a finger of the severed appendage. Again nothing happens.
By this time Gonzo has disarmed the trigger of the pit trap...so you go in and look around. The place is barren and uninteresting...and Valdar turns up no secret doors, either.
Occa says, "Well, what we should probably do is break for the evening...Orlon can learn regenerate and then we can come back in the morning."
However, you decide to open the last two doors before quitting for the night...because the DM had already written the move when this message came in... :^)
You open the next door to the east.
This reveals another room (20' X 20': 10' west, 20' north), crammed with old furnishings. You note that much of this stuff is of a religious nature. None of it is of any value, you discover. However, you do find a slim travelling spell book hidden under a seat cushion, though.
You move on to the last door...in the east wall.
This opens to reveal a cave (roughly kidney shaped: right wall runs southeast for 5', east for 30', east-northeast for ~20', north-northeast for ~20', north for ~40', west for ~30' (~10' wide passage running northeast out of easternmost section), ~south for ~30' (passage running ~northwest in first 10' section), and finally south-southwest to close it up).
This cave is quite damp, with water dripping down the walls and off the ceiling. The place has a number of stalagmites and stalactites growing from the floor and ceiling, respectively.
You check the place out...and note that when you tap one of the stalactites...it sounds hollow...
Your ponderings of the implications of this discovery are interrupted, though, when five ghouls come running into the cave through the doorway...carrying one of Occa's lackeys.
They skid to a stop when they see you...then start to advance again...
It is midnight.
"Unhand him, you scum who should have stayed dead!" Gilstrock cries. He rushes forward to attack the ghouls with Thawbreaker.
"Occa can you with hold your magic on undead until at least the clerics get to use their divine powers as they may , just, be, able to defeat them with out wasting spells" suggests Angst. "It takes you 2-3 days to memorise every spell and only 40 rounds or less so save your spell for the second or third round of combat, especially in a party this size and versitility"
Occa says, "Maybe it takes you 2-3 days to memorize every spell, my dull friend, but I can memorize every spell I know in 1 night! Besides, I doubt I will have to cast all my magic since everyone else will be slaughtering away..."
"From the Power of Clangeddin Silverbeard, be Damned," shouts brightAxe holding his holy symbol in his good arm.
The ghouls snicker.
"Lookit the stupid one armed cleric!" hisses one of them.
"Bet he couldn't turn his way out of a paper bag!" rasps another.
The charge at Brightaxe, tossing the paralysed lackey aside.
Orlon tells the others, "Do you want to see a disappearing trick?"
"Don't kill them all. I want to find out where they are coming from in the first place, if that can be helped," says Angst, "Destruction to the undead"
Too late...
Orlon turns to the Ghouls and says "Hocus Pokus."
Suddenly the ghouls are engulfed in the holy fire of Thor...destroying them utterly.
"HORUS, TURN THESE FOUL CREATURES," Al roars as he attempts to turn the ghouls.
"Never mind, Horus!" says Saddam.
Occa says, "Alright! Target practice! Looks like this is the way to the grave yard!" He seems very excited. "No more gnawed up lackeys!." He giggles and then thinks to check on the newest lackey...
The lackey is still alive...but as stiff as a board.
Occa says, "What about this hollow thing? Can anyone see a way to open it?"
He searches around it himself, trying to figure out how to open it.
He finds no way to open it.
"Just smash it, you chaotic creep!" says Saddam. "Al, we may want to stand well back when the ceiling comes down on him!"
Occa smiles and says, "I need to get my one of those chaotic avenger wands or something like that."
Occa turns to the group and says, "Well, we have an idea of where they are coming from...it is midnight. Let's take a break for the evening and come back here in the am."
He heads out, but stops long enough to spike the door to this cave shut. "We can undo it in the morning."
Once in the large cave, he casts disintegrate on the dead in there in order to clean up the place a bit. Then he heads up to the house for the evening...