Six more days pass, before Tragon is well enough again to adventure.
The morning of the 9th day of Harvester, 584, finds you back on the second level of the dungeon of the Tower of War, in the chamber where you found the gold ingots.
"OK...who's got the map or remembers where we left off? Was it the room with the skeletal hounds?"
"Silly!" says Kelene, "They were upstairs!"
Off of this chamber are three short passages ending in three doors. You were exploring the area through the door directly opposite the stairs. The other doors remain unopened.
Zanax scans the two remaining passages for evil.
Sensing no evil, Zanax says, "Well, let's take the left passage."
The left door opens to reveal nothing but a little half dug out space behind it. Obviously an area that was never developed by Zagyg and his minions.
"Well, that's a little strange. Anyone good at looking for secret doors or detecting illusions?"
Stump shows you the map.
Badd wanders into the little space, and looks around.
"Hey Nason, there's room in here for two!" he says.
"Kelene or Nason, aren't elves supposed to be good at searching for secret
doors?"
"You bet!" replies the drow.
She takes the hint and starts searching for secret doors.
Zanax uses his sword to test the unfinished walls of the room.
He finds nothing, and neither does Kelene.
So, Zanax leads the party to the last remaining door off of this chamber.
The door to the southeast opens into a passage running southwest. It is 10' wide. From the back wall, it runs for 60' and on, appearing to open up at the end. There is an intersection with another 10' wide passage running northwest after 40'.
You head down there and take a look.
You look up the northwest passage. This one runs for 30', and ends at a large door.
From the intersection you look southwest. In all, the passage is 70' long, and ends at a set of double doors. To either side of the doors run passages to the northwest and southeast, respectively.
Zanax scans for evil down both passageways. He has his frostbrand and holy symbol drawn.
He detects no evil.
Tragon looks down at his sword. "Hey, weren't we supposed to go to Occa's mansion to get better equipped?
"Hmmm...well, yes...I guess with all the fuss about getting you and Lo healed, nobody remembered. Oh, well...I task you with remembering next time we head back to find someone to teleport us there."
Zanax shrugs. "Northwest looks as good as anything."
Zanax heads northwest.
Opening the door at the end of the northwest passage, you see a large area before you, extending off to the north-northeast and west.
To the north-northeast is a cavern, clearly not of natural origin. It extends to the north-northeast for about 105'. The opposite side is about 20' to the northwest of where you stand in the doorway. At its widest it is about 40' across. About 20' from the end and on the same side as this door is another, double set of valves.
A huge pile of manure with eight peaks fills the cavern.
To the west is a broad (20' wide) passage of dressed stone, extending for over 90'. Both side walls are undercut near the floor by drainage troughs. Two half raised (5' above floor level) portcullises stretch across the passage. The closest is some 30' away; the second about 70'.
From the west end of the passage you see daylight.
"Oh, look!" says Kelene, squinting in the light, "Another exit from the dungeon! Now we can avoid the dwarves!"
"That's cool!" Lo replies, glad that the poison is no longer in his system.
"Well see..." says a not so convinced Zanax. "I have a feeling it's not going to be that easy."
"Might cost us double coming out of that exit."
Zanax wonders aloud, "What could have made those piles?"
He also scans for evil and looks up above the piles.
Amberle replies, "Something tells me we don't want to know."
He detects no evil.
"Well, let's check out those valves. Anyone have any idea what they do?"
"Nope," says Badd. "You want me to go and experiment with them?"
Zanax nods.
"OK. I'll try not to break anything. Well, not many things."
Badd scuttles merrily over and checks to see if he can work out if the valves are trapped. After that, he'll try and work out what would happen if they were opened.
Checking the double doors, he finds no traps. Opening them, you see a rough hewn passage running east for about 45', ending at another double door.
As you passed the first pile of manure you realised that it was not actually manure, but rather composed of relatively fresh feces, hair, bones and filth.
Thus far you have passed up the right side of the cave, with the piles of manure and feces to your left.
Amberle looks about. "That is disgusting. They need something to clean this mess up."
"If there's a monster in there," says Badd. "I'll let you guys handle it."
"I got a bad feeling about this," whispers Tragon. "Aren't there monsters like live in trash heaps? I forget what they're called, but they're pretty nasty. Starts with an 'O'."
"Shambling turd-piles?" asks Badd. He makes a face. "Or, as we say in gnomish..." he makes a muffled sneezing sound "Otyugh."
Zanax scans for evil as he heads down the passage to the double doors. "Badd, check them out again."
"OK!"
Badd wanders forward again, and examines the double doors, looking for traps or potential surprises.
Tragon quietly draws his sword, just in case.
"OK...watch our backs while Badd checks out this door."
Badd finds no traps or surprises.
"OK...move back and I'll check for evil."
Zanax scans for evil.
He detects none.
Opening the door reveals a small cave of approximately circular dimensions (about 20' across). There is a 10' wide tunnel extending to the southwest for almost 30' before ending at a door; and a second 10' wide tunnel running for about 35' to the southeast (door at end on left side).
Zanax scans about, and immediately detects evil approaching rapidly from the southwest! Some dark, shadowy form floats over the rough floor towards you...
Zanax pulls out his holy symbol and turns it.
Amberle also gets her holy symbol ready to turn the thing.
Together they turn the undead, who withers away in a puff of holy flame.
You head down the southwest passage to the door at the end. After Badd inspects it you open it.
Through it you see a chamber that you have visited previously. A passage runs southwest to a door, through which is the chamber where you found the poison coated ingots. A second passage runs southeast, into the area where you battled the zombies, skeletons and troglodytes.
In the north corner are a few bones and the dried up husk of an enormous ant, which Badd has prodded previously.
Zanax heads back to the dung room and looks for other doors.
Stump, however, suggests the door back through the circular room where they just came from.
Zanax leads the party toward the unopened door at the end of the southeast passage from the circular room.
Heading to the end of the southeast passage, you let Badd do his thing with the door, and then you open it.
Revealed is another rough tunnel, extending northeast for about 30' and narrowing to but a crevice at the end. About half way up on the left is a door, and just beyond that on the right is a second door.
You move forward and open the door to the left.
Through it is a small (approximately 10' diameter) cave. A crate lies against the far wall.
After checking it out, you open it, discovering a trove of goodies: 196gp and 4 gems (banded agate (10gp), malachite (10gp), alexandrite (200gp) and a pearl (150gp).
You take the coins and gems, then open the door on the southeast side. This reveals a longer tunnel running southeast, about 45' long. About 10' before the end on the left is a 10' wide opens, and in the last 10' section on the right is another door.
Right before you, though, floats another shadow, which immediately reaches out to touch Zanax...
Tragon attempts to turn it.
As will Zanax.
Badd sticks his tongue out at it.
Stump will wait to see if the turning works. If it doesn't, he will attack.
The monk draws his enchanted dagger, hoping he doesn't have to use it.
You are not sure if it is the turnings or the tongue that does it, but the shadow is destroyed.
You continue to the end of the tunnel.
Looking through the opening to the north you see a roughly triangular shaped cave (left wall runs about 25' northwest, then roughly east for 20', then angle it back to close up). It is devoid of anything interesting.
You open the door to the southwest, and see another tunnel stretching away before you for about 30'. After that things open up.
You move forward.
At the end is a roughly square shaped cave (about 30' per side, extending to the southwest and southeast). Here another shadow swoops down on you, aiming for Nason. The elf ducks, Zanax turns and Badd sticks out his tongue again. The shadow is destroyed.
Searching here finds you nothing.
You return to the manure filled chamber, and head down the west side of it. You have not gone too far before Nason notices a section of the west wall that is a different colour than the the rest of the stonework. Upon closer inspection you see that it is actually a slab of compressed manure, in the general shape of a door...
It is about 50' from the northeast end of the cave.
"That is absolutely disgusting!" Lo says, backing away from the door.
"And that from man with your standards," says Badd. He looks at the door. "Perhaps it's a plug, a dam holding back a tide of castle sewage. If we release it, maybe we'll all drown."
He shrugs, walks over and examines the door closely.
"You sound almost excited about the prospect," remarks Tragon.
Badd grins.
"It's not something most people have a chance to experience," he says.
"Drowning in humanoid excrement? No, only those that crawl around in the sewers drunk, I'd imagine. And honestly? ...I'd prefer to avoid that particular experience."
Meanwhile, the gnome examines the slab and finds no traps.
Kelene comes over and helps him push it aside. Given her taste in men, she has no problems manhandling the door.
On the other side is a 5' wide tunnel curving off to the right. After about 20' it ends facing roughly north. The tunnel smells of offal and is filled with a black and green sludge. The end of the tunnel is blocked off with an opaque curtain which was once white but is now blood stained.
You do not have to be a paladin to sense the evil radiating from beyond the curtain.
Drandar looks to Zanax and motions for everyone to move back.
Stump moves back as directed.
Amberle does so as well, she also holds up her holy symbol just in case.
You all step back and wait for the paladin to take some action. After what seems like days, he finally does something.
He starts to snore.
The monk pokes Zanax in the back.
"Wakey, wakey!" he says.
The paladin stops snoring with a start.
Zanax moves forward using his Detect Evil to determine if there are any other evil sources behind the curtain. He uses his frost brand to push open the curtain.
The rest of you slink along behind him.
Parting the curtain, you look into a roughly circular shaped cave (approximately 30' diameter). The place itself is sludge filled and the walls have paintings in blood of a grinning human skull upon them. An altar like area stands to the left. Two five foot high incense pots full of burnt manure stand next to an ogre-sized statue of a fat man with demonic features, reddish skin and long steely fingers grasping a great two-handed sword. A table is across the cave from you. Atop it lies a wicked looking bone handled knife and a liquid filled wooden bowl. Behind the table are some more filthy drapes. A makeshift arc of steel bars forms a makeshift cell to the northeast.
Amberle says, "The stench of Iuz is apparent here."
Zanax scans for evil in the room.
The statue radiates evil.
He whispers to the two clerics, "Either of you have holy water?"
Tragon whispers, "That's the demigod Iuz."
He draws his sword, wishing that it was magical.
Lornard also draws his sword, with the same regret.
"This is a foul place," he says calmly.
"Who?" Lo asks.
"Iuz," says Badd knowledgeably. "The god of flowers and interior decor."
"You people are unbelievable, you have a god for in home decorating? Are you sure it's not Martha Stewart?" he asks.
"She is the goddess of insider trading," says Badd.
"No, that would be Milken, I hear he crosses dresses," the monk replies.
"On this world he was displaced after falling foul of the great Ess Ee See, holder of the balance," replies Badd.
"Bummer!" he smiles.
Amberle says, "Yeah, he's foul alright. I would suggest not to touch anything."
"Actually, we should despoil their altar by pouring holy water on it. Do you by chance have any, Amberle?"
"Or could you Bless it?"
No one responds.
Seeing as no one seems to have holy water, Zanax moves toward the statue. He motions for Drandar to move with him and watch his back. He also indicates to Tragon to stay back and protect the others.
Zanax then circles behind the statue to kick it over. Zanax is very wary of an attack.
"Zanax, let me knock it over, while you protect the others," the dwarf says, flexing his muscles.
Zanax shrugs and moves back toward the party.
Amberle starts backing up toward the door when she sees this.
"Defiling a shrine is a cardinal offense; only those of high standing should even think about it."
"That's me!" says Badd happily. "Actually, why don't you let me check it for traps first?"
He walks over to the statue and looks it over before anyone moves it.
He spots no traps.
"Leaving it intact would be a great offense."
Amberle asks, "Why? They have as much right to build a temple as your god. We might not agree with their philosophies but attacking a shrine is like an attack on the deity itself."
Speaking to Badd, Drandar comments, "This is why I never get involved in religion per se. Too much talking about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin and the like."
"Well, I have seen the way Martha decorates and if this is any inkling, an attack is well called for! The colors don't match and the blood splattered look is so medieval," Lo comments with a slight lisp and increase in his vocal pitch.
Kelene looks at Lo speculatively.
"I love the lisp!" she says, "Tonight we'll have you crossing dresses as well!"
"It's not a matter of philosophy, it's a matter of morality. They use temples to kill, destroy and corrupt everything around them."
Amberle answers, "Still a matter of philosophy. They kill, destroy and corrupt without a temple. I don't condone what they do but this is a sacred area. What would you do if someone tried to destroy a temple of your god?"
"'One man's religion is another man's bellylaugh'," quotes Drandar.
"Oh, this is ridiculous," says Badd. "You preach tolerance and moderation. Orcs come to my village and kill my family, more than likely they worshipped some god like Iuz."
He shakes his head grimly. "There are some things too evil to have any tolerance for. Iuz is one of them."
Zanax shakes his head in disgust. "Amberle, if you abhor what we're doing, then I suggest you leave. My intent is to defeat evil, whether it be mortal or divine."
Drandar ignores the whole discussion, and focuses on his examination of the statue in question, looking with his keen dwarven senses to learn what he can before using his keen dwarven muscles to push the damned thing over, or break it to pieces with his mace, if his dwarven senses suggest that is a better way to go.
Amberle replies, "I abhor what YOU'RE doing, not the group as a whole. You paladins are as extreme and oppressive in your beliefs as the followers of Iuz are with theirs. I am here to learn and try to clear this place enough so others can learn as well. So stick your attitude back in your pants unless you're going to show how much of a 'man' you are and pee on the statue."
"Hey, no peeing on the statute till I push it over, okay? I don't want to slip accidently," says Drandar, still ostensively ignoring the religious discussion.
Zanax laughs. "So, it's acceptable that we loot this place and kill off all the creatures lurking about so that other can learn, but we shouldn't destroy one of the sources of this evil? Tell you what, next time we meet one of those undead creatures, I'll let you discuss philosophy with him so you can learn."
Amberle says, "Ever the paladin, can't see past your own nose. Do what you want, although I suspect you can't."
"Ever the fool, thinks that there is something beneficial to gain from studying evil instead of destroying it."
"Delusional," she says under her breath.
"Oh, and the difference between the followers of Iuz and my beliefs is that they would have already sacrificed you to their gods by now."
"At least it would be a quick death."
Zanax shakes his head. "That's doubtful."
"Can you two lovebirds be quiet? Badd and I are trying to destroy this evil statue thing," Drandar says.
"Of course you didn't even answer my previous question, but I know what the answer would be. So go do what you want, I was only warning you."
"Of course not, it was a rhetorical question."
Amberle walks just outside the room and waits.
"They make a lovely couple, don't you think?" Badd asks Drandar. He looks at the departing Amberle. "I sense a frustrated desire for micturation there," he says. "Sometimes it's tough being a girl."
"You can say that again!" agrees Kelene, fingering her boy toy belt buckle.
"Hmm," says Drandar sagely.
She comments from the other side of the door - "Missed another one."
"Missed another what?"
All you hear are some strong giggles from the other side.
"Woman, we're here doing some serious defiling, what humor is there in that?" Drandar calls. "Badd, she may be suffering from hysteria, and needs appropriate treatment, think you are up to the task?"
"I think it's just Zanax," replies Badd. "She's all giggles around him."
He looks over his shoulder at the paladin. "You could go out there and kiss her; see if she responds."
Then he shrugs. "On the other hand, the divine vengeance of Iuz might be a safer bet."
"You got that right," comes a reply from the other side of the door.
"Drandar, are you done staring at the statue?"
"One cannot rush these things, Zanax," says Drandar who looks up.
"I'm ready," he says and will do his level best to topple or otherwise destroy the statue
The statue topples to the floor and shatters. A dusty cloud rises into the air. Before it dissipates it seems to take on the shape of a wrinkled old man, who casts a malevolent glare at the dwarf, and then at Zanax.
"Damn," Lo replies, "an ugly yoda!"
As the cloud rises, Zanax holds up his holy symbol. "Begone, fiend! And take thy foul stench with thou!"
The cloud dissipates...though not because of any actions on the part of the paladin.
"And that would be Iuz..."
"So that's Iuz?" Lo asks, "looks like he is the god of ugly midgets."
"That was luz? He looked a bit like an old man," says Drandar. He looks where the base of the statue was to see if there is anything. He finds nothing.
"Settle down, chica, I had enough of your kinkiness for now!" Lo replies with a sigh to Kelene. "Boy, do you know how to move though. I always say it's those crazy ones that are the best in bed!"
"You'll come around," says Kelene with a coy, lewd wink, "If you know what's good for you..."
Drandar also looks around for any secret/hidden doors.
Behind the drapery to the northwest is an opening to another area.
You all crowd around and take a look through the opening.
A passage runs north-northwest for about 10', then opens up into a circular cave, perhaps 25' across. The stench of this place is extreme. Your nose burns with the smell of ammonia. In the centre of the area is a raised platform about 10' square with a dark opening in its centre. The top of a ladder sticks out of the opening.
However, rest of the room is a foot deep in foul-smelling, yellowish coloured liquid.
Stump wonders, "Is there any way we can avoid having to walk in that stuff? We'd smell of it for days if we walked through it."
"If anyone has any kind of fire spell or item, throw it in the liquid, as it will likely kill whatever the hell is making this stench," Lo remarks with a shrug. "I would suggest that everyone gets out beforehand or you will be a crispy critter!"
He smiles.
Zanax looks for any indication of a boat or floating device.
"Anyone have any rope? I could probably reach that ladder and tie it off..."
There is none.
"I'm not sure fire will have much effect. I think it's just urine."
"Exactly," Stump nods in agreement. "What makes you think that it is some living thing?"
"Well, since nobody seems to have any, let's head out of this temple and see what else is on this level."
You leave the temple area and reenter the cave area with the mounds of manure.
You head back down to the south to where the cavern becomes a wide passage of dressed stone extending west. It runs for over 90'. Both side walls are undercut near the floor by drainage troughs. Two half raised (5' above floor level) portcullises stretch across the passage. The closest is some 20' away; the second about 50'.
From the west end of the passage you see daylight.
"Quite fortuitous, yet another exit! Now we really don't have to pay those extorting bastards!" Lo says, referring to the dwarves.
"Don't be too sure of that, yet..." Zanax says ominously.
"Yeah," says Badd, "I expect the extortionist bastards already know about it. Extortionists are like that."
He looks back at Lo and nods. "Bastards."
Zanax sighs. "Well, we might as well check it out. Although, I wonder why those troughs are there. Badd, please check for traps."
"Hmm, OK," he says absent-mindedly. He goes over and looks at the portcullises.
The easternmost portcullis is old and rusty but appears to be sound. The winches overhead which raise and lower it appear to be in working order. The bars are raised about 5' above the floor.
It does not take much talent to detect a trap here.
Badd looks at the troughs. They run along the walls between the portcullises. About midway between the two portcullises, the trough on the right is plugged with a pile of debris...branches, sod and such. He wanders over to examine them more carefully.
The troughs are stained with dried blood.
"Hey, look!" announces Kelene, pointing to a nondescript section of the right wall, midway between the corner and the first portcullis, "A secret door!"
"Hey, this is nasty," says Badd. He finds a branch and pokes around the trough a bit.
"Badd, don't worry about disarming it, but what trips the trap exactly?"
Badd looks at the portcullis.
"I expect going under it would do the trick," he says. But he examines the trap for more precise details of how it works.
He has already passed under the first portcullis. From his vantage point on the floor he cannot determine the modus operandi of the trap.
After poking around he eventually uncovers a hole under the debris.
"What did you find, Badd?"
"Hey, there's a hole down here!"
The paladin passes under the first portcullis and inspects the hole. It actually seems to be the entrance to a dirt tunnel, perhaps 3' in diameter. It slopes down steeply, while curving away to the left.
Zanax scans for evil down the hole.
He detects no evil.
They return to the secret door.
Regarding the secret door, Zanax scans for evil and says, "Badd, check it out..."
He detects no evil.
Amberle says, "I've heard of these, never seen one before. How do you open one once you find it?"
"There's usually a trick to it," answers Kelene, "But sometimes not."
Nason says, "This seems like a bad place. Let's get that secret door open quick."
Badd checks the secret door out.
He finds no traps. After fiddling with it for a few moments, he discovers that by pressing one side of the door, it swings open.
Through the doorway you see a short (less than 5') long passage, which then opens up into a chamber to the left.
Confronting you, though, are five skeletons, armed with longswords.
They immediately surge through the doorway and attack!
"Can you clerics do your thing?" Lo asks as he brandishes his enchanted knife in case one of the skeletons get too close to him.
Badd leaps out of the way.
"Zanax!" he yells. "Sing your turning song!"
Zanax pulls out his frostbrand and holy symbol, but merely replies, "Nah. I think you young whelps need some battle experience. Skeletons make good cannon fodder."
"Right," says Badd, putting on his ring of invisibility. "You'll be checking the next few traps then?"
Zanax shakes his head at the fading Badd. "Nope. You'll still be doing that. I think the rest of the party will make quick work of these skeletons, so don't worry."
Tragon surges to the front of the group, longsword drawn. He attacks with the flat of the blade.
Drandar, not to be outdone by the skeletons and Tragon, also surges forward in a manly/dwarfly way as well to meet the foe with his sword, striking with the flat of the blade.
Amberle, without her holy symbol, speaks, "Skeletons, you are dead! It is only by unholy magiks that you have been animated. Fall down and crumble away as the fate that the Holy Mother has deemed for you. Stop your blasphemy and fall away!"
Badd shakes his head. "She's gonna talk 'em to death."
Drandar stops in his dwarfly surging to laugh hysterically at Amberle's logic.
Zanax puts a hand on Drandar's shoulder. "Let them be. The others need the experience and exercise."
With a grin, he adds, "Although, I can understand your desire not to be bested by Tragon again!"
Drandar, still trying to control is laughing, stops surging and takes up a defensive position.
"You are, of course, the paragon of restraint and advice, noble Zanax," says Drandar. "But Thor might not like this."
"Are you crazy? Thor will love this! The veterans letting a young warriors surge forth against unspeakable odds and inevitable doom! That's the stuff legends are written about!"
Drandar nods, knowingly. "As you say, oh wise and virtuous Zanax."
Zanax interjects, "I say there, Tragon, keep that sword tip up and watch that footwork!"
"How about I worry about looking pretty when I'm not trying to be killed? Oh, any if anyone else would like to pitch in, you won't hear any complaints from me."
Shaking his head, Zanax turns to Drandar, "I tell you, kids these days have it easy. We never got to start on something easy like 5 skeletons! It was always a pack of ghouls here or a horde of kobolds there!"
"OK, go get'em!" Drandar says to the others. "Rah, Rah, Rah. Give me a T... Give me a R... Give me an A... give me a G... and an O .. give me an N... what's it spell TRAGON... Goooooo Tragon!!!"
Zanax almost faints after he gets a horrible image of Drandar with pompoms and a short skirt exposing short hairy legs.
"Do you, like, think that this makes me look fat?" Drandar asks.
Zanax replies bluntly, "Yes."
"Hmm. Maybe," says the invisible Badd. "Or it could be the rolls of flab around your belly."
"I think you should work off some of that excess ale by making kindling out of these skeletons."
"Where's that Ranger fellow? He could use some sword training as well," says the dwarf.
Shaking his head and muttering quietly at the indignity that Tragon has been suffering, Lornard steps forward and attacks skeletons with the flat of his sword.
Those close to him hear him muttering something about learning how to use a mace.
Zanax harumphs. "Oh, you know those Ranger-types...always in the rear...claiming that they're less likely to be surprised..."
Drandar looks at Zanax. "I am not... I repeat... not going there."
Lornard mutters, "And here I thought Tragon was suffering indignities."
Tragon snorts. "Don't worry about it Lornard. They're just playing with you. Hey, Stump, how about you help out as well?"
"I'll help!" says Kelene, drawing a glowing shortsword and bouncing forth into melee.
Stump attacks with the flat side of his sword.
The skeletons, meanwhile, have been turned by Amberle. While you have been bantering about, they have surged back into the chamber from whence they came.
Tragon and Lornard step cautiously down the short passage and take a look at the room.
The room is 10' X 15' (oriented east - west). There is a door in the middle of the west wall. The skeletons are cowering in the northwest corner. Along the south wall is a large winch, with cranks at either end. A chain wound around the winch extends up through a hole in the ceiling. You note a few narrow holes in the south wall as well.
While the paladin and the ranger monitor the skeletons, Zanax and Badd go back and consider the hole under the debris.
"Hmmm..." Zanax muses. "Perhaps not the wisest of ideas to pass under that portcullis. I wonder what happens when someone tries to pass under the second one. Perhaps that's the trap...thinking this is an exit, only to be trapped between the two portcullis or squashed beneath the second one..."
Zanax looks at Badd. "Do you want to check this out?"
"Oh sure. Gnomes, holes, holes, gnomes..." Badd shakes his head. "Is this racial stereotyping, or what?"
He nods towards the second portcullis.
"Don't think about it too hard," he says, "You'll strain something."
Zanax snorts. "Really? I haven't heard you mention what the trap trigger is."
"Well, go ahead, examine the possibilities," says Badd. "Don't let me interrupt the great Zanax at work."
"It's getting a little thick in here," Drandar says, "How's those skeletons coming? Any better?" the dwarf asks, gripping his sword.
"Nice job, Amberle."
Zanax nods. "And soon enough you'll be able to destroy them instead of having them run away."
"Should we go in and take them out?" Tragon asks of no one in particular.
Zanax comes back in. "You should take them out. Take Lornard and Stump with you. Good practice."
"If things get too tough, Drandar and I will step in, too."
Tragon nods. "Very well. Stump, Lornard, ready to take out some skeletons?"
"Let's do it," Lornard says. "They're abmoinations, even if they aren't threatening us right now. If only I knew how to use a mace...."
Lornard attempts to smash some skeleton with the flat of his blade.
"CHARGE!" Stump calls out as he attacks the cowering skeletons.
The three warriors attack the horrid undead while the rest of you cheer them on.
As soon as they attack, Amberle's turning is broken and a melee erupts.
Tragon smashes the first skeleton to bits. Lornard, however, fans. The skeleton replies and nicks him for 1 hit point.
Stump, somewhat more skilled with his weapon than the others, also connects as he dodges the skeleton's return attack.
The other two skeletons attack Lornard and Tragon, respectively, but both miss.
Lornard's next swing is somewhat more productive, and a second skeleton drops. Stump does his foe in next, and the paladin follows suit.
The final skeleton on Lornard, though, stabs him for 8 hit points and he drops unconscious.
Tragon and Stump gang up on the last skeleton. It misses the paladin, as the warriors miss in turn.
The skeleton swings and barely misses Tragon. The paladin connects and bones fly everywhere but it still fights. Stump follows up and it drops.
The clerics rush in and patch up the fallen ranger.
Lornard regains consciousness to find the clerics fussing over him. He is at -2 hit points and will be out of action for two days.
Amberle comments, "I'll have to write that speech down. Still seems to work better with the holy symbol. Hate to admit it but it was the paladin's idea."
"Zanax, we need to get better equipped. Let's get Lornard back to full health and go find the community chest you talked about. Then we can get Lornard some decent armor."
"Agreed," Lornard croaks. "And sometime I need to take the time to train and improve my skills."
"Yes, yes...there's no doubt that you need some more training, Lornard...and better armor. We'll head back and see if we can procure a teleport back to Occa's mansion."
"Badd, can you get us through the portcullis area safely?"
Badd grins and runs under both portcullises. Stopping on the far side of the second one, he turns and waves at you.
"OK, let's head out. Tragon and Stump help Lornard. Drandar cover our rear."
Drandar shakes his head.
"I'm not touching that one, either," he says as he prepares to be rearguard.
Tragon nods and picks up Lornard gently, trying not jostle him too much.
Zanax scans for evil as he heads past both portcullises. He detects no evil.
The paladin gets under the second portcullis and joins Badd as the rest of you follow. However, before the rest of you can get under the portcullis there is a rattle and it drops closed before you.
An instant later there is a second rattle from behind, as the first portcullis also drops, leaving Stump, Tragon, Nason, Lornard, Lo, Drandar, Kelene and Amberle trapped between the two.
Through the secret door run four more skeletons, who then turn around and moon you. You recall that in the room where you destroyed the first five skeletons there was another door that you neglected to explore.
Finally, arrows start flying at the trapped party members through previously unnoticed slits in the left wall.
Arrows fly through the air. Most of them miss; however, Badd is struck for 2 hit points, and Lo for 6.
You note that the arrows are gold tipped.
Zanax shoots Badd a look. "Figure out how to open it!"
Badd has a look at the trap to see if he can work out how to disarm it.
Lornard ducks and tries not to pass out.
Using his martial skills, Lo will kick or punch any skeleton that gets too close to him.
Since they are on the opposite side of the portcullis, the monk's skills are not a lot of use to him at this point.
"Down!" Tragon hits the deck, covering Lornard with his own body and putting his shield in front of him.
"Zanax, destroy the skeletons while Badd figures out how to disarm the trap."
Zanax holds his holy symbol forth. "Be not!"
The mooning skeletons are destroyed.
Drandar prepares to use his superdwarven powers to bend bars and lift gates.
Zanax helps Drandar lift the portcullis.
Even with the two of them straining, they are unable to lift the portcullis. Likewise the bars, though old and rusty, do not bend.
Since the trap has already been sprung, Badd sees no way to disarm it retroactively.
The arrows continue to fly. Nason is struck for 6 hit points, leaving him badly hurt; Badd again for 5 hit points; and Lo for a further 4.
The monk lays on the floor, looking like a pincushion.
Stump looks to see if there are any arrows flying near the portcullis where the others are. If there is room, he will make his way over, crawling on his belly if that is what it takes to avoid getting hit by arrows. If he manages to get over there, he will try to lift the portcullis.
The arrows continue to fly...
Drandar is pierced for 6 hit points by a gold tipped arrow, as is Stump for 1 hit point, Kelene for 6 hit points, Badd for 5 and finally Lo tales one in his back side, which he left sticking up in the air, for 5.
Zanax pushes his shield through the portcullis bars. "Stump or Tragon, the stronger of you two get over here! The other one defend the others with my shield!"
Tragon looks at Stump from the ground and sighs. He leaves his shield covering Lornard and moves over next to Drandar.
"Drandar, once again!"
Tragon helps lift the bars with Drandar, Stump and Zanax...to no avail.
"Badd, if you can't stop the trap, get out of range of the arrows!"
"Stand back and shield me!" yells Badd, whipping out a small rod from his pocket with a ping-pong ball on the end. He stabs a switch on the rod, then slices it through the portcullis to cut as large a gate as he can.
His Sinclair blade slices through the rusty bars like the proverbial hot knife through butter. Within a short moment he has cut an opening large enough for the trapped adventurers to scramble through.
You hurry down the tunnel towards the daylight as quickly as you can. A few more arrows come after you, but all miss.
You reach the end of the tunnel, and find yourselves standing on a broad ledge in the sunlight. The top of the plateau upon which stand the towers is perhaps 60' above you. A 20' wide road has been cut into the side of the bluff; it descends to the bottom of the ravine and then winds out of sight around the north side.
Lornard admires the view, but doesn't feel up to much else.
"I could use some healing!" Lo groans as arrows are sticking out of his ass and back.
"Me too!" yelps Badd, probably carrying more than his own weight in arrows.
Zanax lays on hands on whomever is hurt the worst. "Amberle and Kelene, do either of you have healing left?"
Badd is healed up to full. Kelene gets her hands on Nason, who is cured for 1 hit point.
"Nice work, Badd! We should collect a few more of those for emergencies..."
Badd grins. "A wise gnome once said 'He who dies with the most toys wins.'"
You set off slowly down the road.
Following the road down the bluff, it eventually ends up in the ravine at the bottom. It crosses the ravine, then you follow it up the other side. At the top it narrows to a faint trail, and eventually emerges from the bushes to meet up with the main road close by the falcon statue.
It is late afternoon before you return to Castle Greyhawk.
Lornard is put to bed, where he stays for the next two days while he recovers.