The morning of September 29th is foggy but mild.
Right now, the party consists of: Angst, Darian, Jesse, Gilstrock, Valdar, Brightaxe, Al, Arrrgh!, Gonzo, Occa, Pharian and Op Code.
Jesse will bring in 2 stoneskins into the dungeon so if one of the fighters gets down, she will be able to restore it quickly.
"Okay, looks like we need a quick side trip to Sandas. Does anyone have a teleport?" asks Occa.
"Perhaps Valdar? I know he can teleport."
"I'll do it," says Valdar. "Is everyone going?"
"Why not?" replies Occa. He prepares to go.
"Because then we'll all get sidetracked while we're there. Why don't you, Al and Valdar just go. Get the sword and come back. And then we can go dragon hunting," says Darian.
"Works for me, I am just itchin' to get back into the fray!!" Al says as he lights up one of his patented stogies. "I hope #4 is willing to hand Saddam over, he (Saddam) doesn't like being handled by incompetent warriors." Al says with a smile.
Angst replies, "Well I am going wait here and practice my flying."
"Okay. See you later."
He looks over to Al and Valdar and says, "Let's go!"
"After you, wizard," Al says, waiting for Valdar to transport them to Sandas.
Valdar speaks a word, and the three of them vanish.
A short time after they left, Valdar, Occa and Al teleport back in.
"Kidnapped!" says a muffled voice from within a scabbard that the paladin now wears. "Kidnapped by infidels! You shall pay! You shall all pay!"
Gilstrock sighs heavily. "Is that really better than the demons?" he asks, pointing vaguely in the direction of the sheathed Saddam.
"Not unless we can gag it."
"Oh stifle it, metalhead..." Al exclaims to the pain in the ass holy sword. "Act your station and like a whiny woman !" Al says in an authoritative tone.
"'Like a woman'?? You insult me beyond words, once-dead-and-soon-to-be-dead-again paladin! You will not live long enough to regret those words!"
"Enough already... I can just as easily put you back in the Mountain where I found you and wait til some orc finds you. There are plenty of other weapons I will use."
"But there is only one Saddam, and you are loathe to put me aside, infidel!"
"Occa, please leave a note for Connie that I am back in town and wanting to continue the planning of the temple and when we make our next visit here, she and I can get together and work it out." He says with a brief smile. "Time to get back, eh?" Al says.
You pile into the hole, and off you go.
When you pile out, you are in the west passage before the doors that lead into the chamber where you battled Razamataz, the daemons and demodands.
"Heeeesssss baccccckkkkkk." says Jesse, concerning Saddam.
"Be silent, you testosterone-challenged serf!" says Saddam.
"Saddam, in Dwarven laws, arrogance and perpetuating a negative persona are against the laws and considered chaotic," says BrightAxe. "Since you will be in dwarven lands and among some dwarves, we'll have to call you the chaos sword if you keep this up."
"The dwarf speaks blasphemy! You shall die, and the worms shall consume you!"
"But not today Sadaam," replies Jesse. "Today is not a good day to die."
BrightAxe smiles and says, "Maybe the elven chaos sword of life."
"I wish that I could cast wall of stone, so we could bridge some of these gaps." says Jesse out loud. "And perhaps a light spell or three, on some arrows so we can send them around to make sure that our foes are not around."
"Ok, Saddam, time for us to do our work." Al says as he unsheathes his sword and holds it forward as he takes point. "Saddam, do a continual scan for magic and evil and alert me QUIETLY when detected." Al remarks.
Occa casts wizard eye and sends it into the chamber. "Let's go the East...that is where the dragons and Raz are. We must find a secret door."
Angst suggests, "How about casting light on some of these stones we are carrying around and then throwing them at the dark places. That way we keep the arrows for when they are needed."
"Gilstrock you are so right."
"Let me know when you want me to scout ahead, Occa. I do have my Fly spell handy, should I need it."
"What is with the fly spell . Let me try a scout ahead. I will dash right back as I still do not have the skill to fight while flying . I can also only fly in straight line at the moment."
"I only mentioned the fly spell, Angst, because of the chasm that we had to fly across last time. Plus, I can explore the upper realms of the ceiling where that Raz guy hid last time."
"I had been chosen as a scout a while back because of the ring of regeneration and my psionics. Folks figured that I could survive any kind of attack because of these two things. Of course, we were all proved wrong in the last fight. Even with the ring, I can die. So, if you're willing to risk your neck without these protections, feel free."
"Oh great Horus, grant me sight beyond sight !" Al intones as he casts a true seeing spell on himself.
Cracking open the hermetically sealed doors and sending in the eye, you see that the place is exactly as it was when you left several days ago...except that the bodies are gone.
Valdar's continual light continues to light the upper regions of the chamber.
Thoroughly checking out the place with the eye, you see no sign of any occupants.
Occa says, "Let's head to the east door again. This time protect me!"
He giggles.
"This time, let's have two people ferry others across...that way only two groups will be attacked...we won't be spread out."
"I'll volunteer to ferry folks."
Darian and Angst take Occa and Al across the chamber. Gilstrock tags along.
As they approach the east doors, Al notices that the ledge before them is illusionary. He also sees the secret doors that flank the main exit.
Occa knocks the east doors open.
Beyond is an odd-shaped chamber (right wall runs 10' east (secret door), 10' northeast, 20' north (door in middle), 10' northwest, 10' west (secret door). This room is barren and dark. Al notices that the entire floor of the room is illusionary, with a chute below it which curves back to the west...apparently terminating at the main chamber.
You have four secret doors and a normal door to choose from. All remains quiet, otherwise, as Darian, Occa, Gilstrock, Angst and Al hover before the east double doors. The rest of you wait at the far side of the chamber.
Back at the west entrance, BrightAxe takes special note of dimensions of rooms and sees how best to apply silence 15' radius to get other spell casters and not ours.
Op Code has his sword ready.
Gonzo prepares for the doors to be opened.... muttering quietly to himself.
Occa says a silent prayer to his goddess and then says, "Shall we knock the secret doors?"
"Hmmm... Guess I'd better continue hanging on to you Occa, eh? Which secret door do you want to try now?"
Occa casts knock to affect as many doors as he can with it.
Given the geometry of the area, he is only able to affect one door with his knock spell: the secret door in the northeast wall of the main chamber...to the left of the large double doors that you have just opened.
The door opens to reveal a 10' wide passage running northwest into darkness. To the southeast it ends, at a wall facing south.
Al sweeps the passage with his vision to make sure the party does not get surprised again, as per Occa's telling of the attack by Razamataz.
He sees a secret door in the south wall of the passage: obviously the same one that you noted a moment ago in the north wall of the east room.
You go into the passage, then spend a few moments ferrying the rest of the party across the large chamber. Finally, you are all together again, and set out to explore the northwest passage.
It does not go far. In total, 100'. It then ends at a wall facing north. Al notices another secret door up here, though: in the left wall at the end.
Opening it reveals another way into the main chamber. Immediately to your right are the double doors in the north wall. These doors have the images of flames carved into them.
Since you are there, you fly out and open them, too. Beyond is a passage running northwest, 20' wide.
You return to the east doors and open the secret doors to the south. Both open into a 10' wide passage running southwest.
You explore this passage.
Like the other secret passage, this one runs for 100' and ends. Al again finds a secret door at the end, in the right wall. Opening it reveals the main chamber again, with the south doors - carved with waves - to your left. Opening these doors reveals a 20' wide passage running southwest.
Occa recalls that someone once told him to keep heading east, so you return again to the east room and open the door in the middle of its east wall.
Beyond is another 20' wide passage...running east. The north wall runs east for 30', the south for 20'...then both turn southeast. Al notes that the floor is again illusionary, with another chute leading back to the main chamber.
You spend a few minutes shuttling people across the trap, and then continue on your way.
The passage runs southeast for as far as you can see.
You trudge on, desperately wondering to yourself just how much more of this forsaken dungeon there is. You keep your complaints to yourself, though, knowing full well that if the DM should catch wind of them, he could decimate this party even faster than Razamataz did. Dungeonmasters are very sensitive about things like this, you know.
The passage runs southeast for about two miles. Every half mile there is an old dwarven guard post with a set of bronze double doors, but the doors are open and the posts are long deserted. After awhile, a random dwarf says that while the passage has a slight downward slope to it, the amount of rock over your heads is lessening. You know that you are approaching the eastern terminus of the passage: the Halls of Gallahad themselves.
The smell of the air changes as well, as you proceed. It becomes less musty and more humid. There is an unpleasant odour to it: a faint whiff of dragonstench.
As noontime approaches the passage turns east and becomes 30' wide.
You move forward with increasing caution.
Then, Darian notices a secret door in the north wall of the passage.
A light goes on in Occa's brain.
"Occa cover your ears... There's light shining out!"
"I always thought that was a metaphor," says BrightAxe. "Humans always amaze me. What's the idea Occa?"
"This is what I signed up for! Ok, boys and girls," Al says in a hushed voice, "if its got more than two legs, kill it !" Al says with a feral grin as he awaits Occa' report.
Occa says to everyone, "This is it folks. We will come to a chamber filled with dragons. They will be unaware of us and we will attack them by surprise. Be very quiet. I will cast a wizard eye and send it forward...then before we reach the great chamber, we will prepare. Good luck, my friends!"
Occa casts wizard eye followed by knock on the secret door.
The door opens to reveal a dark, narrow (5' wide) passage running north.
Occa concentrates, and after a few moments reports that the passage runs north for several hundred feet before coming to a dead end.
Occa says, "This is probably it. Let's be cautious. Al, you should probably go first...with your true sight running we should be able to avoid traps...and with Saddam, you should be protected. Anyone have find traps? Let's move up."
You enter the passage and head north. It is very dusty in here. Apparently the passage has not been used in many years...perhaps not since the dwarves fled these halls.
Al's true seeing expired several hours ago.
Reaching the end, Valdar takes out his longsword.
"Secret door. North wall," it announces.
Occa whispers, "Al, detect for evil, although they may be out of range....I think this must be it."
He turns invisible.
He then says, "You may want to prepare for the largest battle of your lives! Remember the dragons and Tiamatlet are nothing...Razmataz is the real danger here."
Pharian says, "Well, I hope you're right about us being close, or I am going to waste a lot of spells."
He casts strength on himself and fly on Gilstrock. He casts shield, mirror image and detect invisibility on himself. Then he casts a minor globe and a protection from evil on himself.
Then he says, "By the way, I've been meaning to ask - does anyone have an extra magic sword I can borrow? Just in case I end up behind an archmage. If not, a regular sword would do."
Gilstrock points a thumb at the sword sheated on his back. "Take Hangnail," he says. "I'll use Thawbreaker."
Occa casts fly on himself and fly on Al.
He then follows that with polymorph self and minor globe of invulnerability.
Darian casts detect invisibility, enlarge, strength and then invisibility upon himself.
"Saddam," Al says in a hushed voice, "any evil or magic through the door?"
"I detect none, heathen warrior!" proclaims Saddam.
Occa says, "Anyone have a detect traps or any sort?" We may want to check this door to make sure we don't alert the dragons.
Gonzo does his "magic" and detects for traps, listens for noise and anything else that is required to quietly prepare to open the door.
He detects nothing.
Darian emulates Al's hushed voice. "Occa, should you go get Kadlian and his friends? They offered to help us against the dragons."
Occa says, "I could go there, but I couldn't bring them back...I don't have enough teleports."
"Hmm... Maybe Valdar could bring them? Or can one of their mages cast that spell? Of course, if you don't want them, then let's not bother."
"I could bring back one or two at a time," says Valdar, "Per day."
"Oh. Don't any of their mages know the teleport spell?"
"I wouldn't mind the help, but if we can't we can't. Valdar?"
Valdar shrugs.
"They're pretty wimpy," he says. "If there are as many dragons on the other side of the door as you think there are, Occa, they're gonna be toast...just like Darian, Brightaxe and Arrrgh! will be. If they're the kind of help you think we need, then we can just go back to base camp and get Robert and some of Op Code's followers."
"Um... Thanks, I think. I'll do my best to stay alive and help out. But, maybe you're right. Robert and the others would be quite useful. We can't afford to lose this particular fight. Think Stiff would come along? He could help with that Raz guy."
"Stiff's presence would really tip the scales in our favour..." Valdar says, then continues, "I could clairvoy through the door. It might be nice to know what is on the other side before we make a decision."
"Good idea."
"Yes, please do that!"
"I am able to commune with Horus if the need is pressing!" Al remarks , awaiting the go ahead to communicate with is god.
Valdar speaks some words, closes his eyes and concentrates.
After a few minutes, he speaks, his eyes still closed.
"It's a huge chamber, faintly lit," he says. "This secret door opens onto a ledge or balcony about 60' above the floor, at about the midpoint. There is a row of carvings - gargoyles or something - along the edge of the ledge, forming a barrier about 3' - 5' high. There are enormous double doors at each end of the chamber. They're closed."
He pauses.
"There must be about a score of dragons in there, on the floor. Most of them are sleeping, I think. All sorts of colours...all sizes. You should see the treasure..!"
Valdar opens his eyes.
"I think we need lots of mass destruction spells," he says.
"This is it!!!" Occa seems very excited.
He says, "Anyone have haste?"
Darian makes a sour face. "I gave it up to memorize the dispel magic spell you asked for. And I don't have any mass destruction spells memorized... Only a couple of magic missiles and a lightning bolt for offensive spells."
"Hey, Al. Can your sword also stop dragon breath?"
"Only if I move out of the way!" Al responds with his usual dry humor.
"Okay..... I'll take that as a 'no.'"
"I can't even stop his garlic breath!" snorts Saddam.
Occa says, "Valdar, quick...can you jump back to camp and get all the hand grenades in the treasure pile?"
"Sorry," the mighty elf-lord replies. "I took you guys to Sandas and back already today, remember?"
"Pharian, can you go and get them? If not, it might be worth reading teleport out of my travelling spell book in order to give everyone here some destructive ability."
"And borrow the hole so you can bring reinforcements."
"Anyone have haste? If so, we will want to cast that as well....otherwise, read it from your book Darian...we need it now."
If Pharian doesn't have 2 teleport spells, Occa will read teleport no error from his spell book and fetch the grenades (and anyone else who might want to come back with us).
"We need to hurry before our spells run out!!!!!!!"
He pulls out two potions and hands one to Gilstrock.
"Fire resistance...drink it before we go into the battle."
"Give it to somebody else," Gilstrock says. "I will be carrying Thawbreaker, which should give me some protection from fire."
Occa says, "Who can use fire resistance?"
"I'm all set with my frostbrand. Perhaps Jesse?"
"Um, Occa, I just had a thought. Maybe we should come back tomorrow. That way, we could memorize spells that might be of more help and bring more people with us... What do you think?"
Occa says, "They may not be sleeping tomorrow, Darian. This may be our one chance to take them by surprise."
"You have a point. But, are we sure they're asleep now? Or are they faking it because they know we're here?"
"If that's the case," says Valdar, a note of sarcasm in his voice, "Then we may as well leave right now."
Occa says, "Everyone dig deep...potions, scrolls...anything that will help defensively and or offensively. If you have potions, keep one for you and spread the others around."
Darian looks through his things and shakes his head. "I've got some magical arrows, but that's it. Some dragon control potions sure would be useful though..."
With an innocent and friendly look on his face, Gilstrock flips off Occa.
On his middle finger is a ring. "I've got this," he says. "You think it has any hope of working on Razatamatzaspaz? It's Human Influence, and it once kept Jesse from throwing herself at me."
Occa smiles and says, "I sure hope so!"
"I have a rod of absorption," adds Valdar quietly.
Jesse begins softly.
"What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland?--No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold;
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour,
As one man more, methinks, would share from me,
For the best hope I have. O do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say, To-morrow is Saint Crispian:
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say, These wounds I had on Crispin's day.
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names,
Familiar in their mouths as household words,--
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloster,--
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered,--
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not
And hold their manhoods cheap while any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."
Jesse spends three minutes extoling her comrades with heroic songs.
Occa closes his eyes and seems to concentrate for a moment.
"Cute song, Jesse, Al says quietly as he listens. "Oh great Horus, please pray for this group that we may defeat the evil of the Mountain." He intones quietly as he casts a prayer spell on the group. "Now, let's go kick some ass !" he says in a whisper with Saddam in front of him.
Darian fumbles through his backpack and pulls out his traveling book of spells and flips to haste. He looks at Pharian. "Are you going back for reinforcements or should I read it now?"
"I have two teleports. I was planning to use one to get behind Raz, but if there is a lot of stuff to get from camp that you think would help, tell me what to get and I'll get it." says Pharian.
Occa says, "The grenades in the chest and Stiff and Robert and Salaami would help. As many of those things a possible...with Robert being at the bottom of the list."
He turns to Valdar and says, "Did you say rod of absorption? Uh, do you think I could borrow it for this upcoming battle? It would help me lay the field with heavy artillery!"
Valdar hands it over.
Occa says, "Anything I should know about how to use it or do I just will spells to be cast and absorped?"
"Right!"
Occa hands the extra potion of fire resistance to Pharian.
"I could use the potion against dragons" says Angst. "I am as ready as I can be. I will cast the magic missile at my first foe and then follow up with my bow. If the creatures are not stoneskinned then I will attack humanoid giants as targets of preferance, otherwise the closest dragon will be targeeted using my swords.
When I have taken out any particular foe or I am getting weak I will fly at ground level back out the door and wait for someone to heal me."
Pharian teleports back to base camp.
Occa smiles and says, "Okay, now we wait for Pharian. Everyone...pray to your gods and goddesses. If you think of anything else that will help, dig it out!"
After a short time, Pharian returns. He opens Salaam's portable hole, and out pile Salaam, Orlon, Robert and Jerrold. He also has 92 grenades, 16 blaster pistols, a slug thrower, 18 more strange pistols, 18 power disks for the strange pistols, one rifle, 7 blaster rifles and 9 needler clips.
As soon as Pharian returns Occa casts polymorph self and minor globe on himself. He also drinks the potion of fire resistance.
He hands a scroll to Pharian. "This scroll has chain lightning on it...use that. I was going to, but since I have this rod, I will go with fireballs...they will kill the most the fastest and get multiple ones."
"Except for the red ones..." says Angst.
"Right. If you guys can focus on the red ones...with grenades and spells then we may have a chance of living. I kinda doubt it, but heck, let's find out."
Al smiles to Occa and says quietly, "Been a pleasure working with you all.. today is a good day to die. Occa, give the room another scan and can your eye see through illusions, Wouldn't want to rush into a room of illusionary wyrms??" Al asks Occa in a hushed voice.
"No, it can't see through illusions...this isn't one, either. Don't worry..they are real. Or rather, worry...they are real."
Darian moves over to Jesse and gives her a kiss. "See you on the other side."
Jesse blushes and smiles at everyone. "Once more into the breach dear friends, once more. Or close the wall up with our english dead."
When the technological items are distributed and you are ready, Valdar knocks the secret door open.
The stench of dragons hits you hard, as a strange, ruddy glow filters into the passage.
You cautiously look through the doorway.
Before you is an enormous chamber (100' X 200': 95' east, 100' west, 100' north; 40' wide double doors in the centres of the east and west walls). The secret door that you are peering through opens out onto a 5' wide balcony-type passage that runs around the entire perimeter of the chamber, some 60' above the floor. Along the outer edge of this balcony are carved many ornaments and stone gargoyles, forming a protective barrier and allowing you to creep out into the chamber along the balcony, unseen by the creatures below.
Once you have done this, you take a cautious look down.
As Valdar told you a short time ago, there must be about 20 dragons in here. You see three reds, one white, four strange, wingless dragons, three blues, two dragons that appear to resemble winged lions, four blacks, two greens, and a very pale, almost transparent dragon.
Most of them are either sleeping or dozing...atop enormous piles of treasure. Most of you have never seen so much loot all in one place. You see mountains of gold, platinum, silver, electrum and copper; piles of gems and jewels, and mounds of magical knick-knacks.
Brightaxe, Gonzo and Arrrgh! all choke back involuntary gasps, as avaricious gleams light up their eyes.
The chamber itself was once grand, though now it is filthy. Delved and decorated by Gonzo's ancestors as an outer reception hall for those who
would see the dwarven king, its walls are adorned with great murals, carvings and frescoes depicting the creation of the Halls of Gallahad.
Sadly, all are despoiled and defaced.
As you gaze upon this scene in silent wonder, several dragons stir...perhaps feeling a slight breeze blowing in through the opened secret door. One of them hisses and looks about searchingly...
Occa says, "You fighter types...throw grenades...as many as you can!"
Occa begins sending a hail of fireballs into the room with the rod of absorption...as many as he can.
"YAHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Gilstrock, rather mystified by these grenade things, begins pulling pins and throwing grenades at dragons.
Darian starts tossing grenades at various dragons as fast as he can.
Brightaxe hurries away from the rest of you and then starts throwing grenades.
Angst joins in throwing the grenades at the the wyrms.
"This will probably destroy most of the fragile treasure down there, but a least we will be alive to spend it"
Pharian reads chain lightning from the scroll, centering on the reds.
Orlon starts to cast blade barrier, centered upon the group of red dragons.
Salaam, by Orlon's cue, casts the same spell approximately 20 feet from where Orlon's barrier appears to catch as many dragons fleeing or moving away from Orlon's attack.
Al takes to the air and when he is a touch closer, but out of range of many of the probable fire spells of the part, he casts Holy word at the nearest dragons.
Jerry, feeling rather inadequate, points his staff of Thunder and Lightning at the largest dragon and invokes the Thunder & Lighting powers of the staff.
Jesse begins by using her wand of magic missiles on the dragons as quickly as she can.
When Pharian sees Jesse ready her wand of magic missles, he looks like he means to grab the damn thing from her and snap it over his knee.
"Grenades," he hisses at her. "How many times to I have to tell you, that wand is useless!"
Op Code hears Pharian, he starts tossing grenades at the dragons.
Jesse ignores Pharian and lets the fighters lob the grenades. "I am not so strong or accurate so I do not wish to endanger us with my ineptitude." replies Jesse as she continues to pump the wand for all it's worth.
Pharian rolls his eyes and grunts in frustration.
Gonzo disappears into the shadows and waits for the fireworks display to take their toll, as well as looking for an opportunity to make the best attack possible on the dragons below.
Valdar and Robert have each taken a blaster rifle and have moved along the balcony in opposite directions. The latter has also taken a large number of grenades.
Occa's first fireball detonates amidst the dragons, who are looking about for the source of the noises, now, in some confusion.
He catches three in his fireball: a red, the white, and a wingless dragon. The red, despite it being a fire attack, is so taken off guard that he is badly hurt. The white is vapourised. The wingless dragon is somewhat scorched.
Gilstrock tosses his first grenade...a blue one. It explodes in spectacular fashion, but does little damage. However, the blue dragon he got with it seems to be stunned, now.
Simultaneously, Darian has tossed a green grenade. It explodes with a low pop under the nose of a wingless dragon, engulfing it in a sickly green cloud. The dragon starts coughing and retching...a terrible sound to hear.
From some 50' away, Brightaxe tosses a gray grenade. It too explodes with a low pop, engulfing one of the lion-dragons in a smoky vapour. It collapses...asleep.
Angst is next with a grenade, another blue one. He stuns a black dragon.
Op Code is next, as the spell casters cast and use their magical items, throwing a green grenade. A green dragon is incapacitated.
Valdar opens fire on a blue dragon, scorching it slightly. Robert does likewise, selecting another target, and burns a black dragon.
Occa launches a second fireball. This one engulfs four dragons. A black is badly hurt, a second black and two wingless dragons less so.
Gilstrock throws a sleep grenade, and a dragon-lion drops. Darian throws an exploding grenade, stunning a wingless dragon. Brightaxe is next, engulfing a black dragon in a noxious green cloud. It chokes, rolls over, and dies.
Angst throws a sleep grenade, but his target comes out of the cloud only coughing a bit, and very mad.
Op Code aims at an enormous, hoary old red dragon with his blue grenade, stunning it.
Valdar fires his blaster again, but only grazes the wingtip of a blue dragon. Robert has better luck with his weapon, almost finishing off a previously fireballed red dragon.
Al, now hovering above the scene of spreading carnage, speaks a holy word. A red and a blue dragon are stunned.
The remaining dragons are screeching loudly now, in both anger and pain. several shave spotted you and are spreading their wings, preparing to attack.
Occa's third fireball explodes, hurting three more wyrms.
Gilstrock, aiming at a dragon that is not yet incapacitated, incapacitates a black with a poison gas grenade. Darian follows suit, and a black dragon falls asleep. Meanwhile, the dragon that a moment ago had seemed to be unaffected by Angst's grenade suddenly topples and starts to snore. Brightaxe stuns another dragon, and Angst kills one with a poison gas grenade. Op Code's grenade fails to bother its target.
Valdar and Robert fire together again. A red dragon is vapourised, and a wingless dragon is badly hurt.
Only two dragons remain alive and not incapacitated: the wingless dragon that Robert just shot, and a giant old blue dragon that is barely injured. They both rise up into the air together from opposite ends of the chamber, and fly at you.
Occa's fourth fireball engulfs the blue. It flies majestically out of the cloud, hurt but far from dead. Gilstrock throws an explosive grenade at the other dragon. It hits its nose and explodes with a BANG! stunning the creature. The dragon crashes to the floor of the chamber and is still.
Suddenly there is a crackle, as Jerrold releases his staff, striking the blue with a lighning bolt accompanied by a deafening clap of thunder. The dragon, though, is barely affected by it.
The blue is still coming as the fighters pelt it with grenades. Darian beans it with a poison grenade. The dragon starts choking and its flight falters.
Brightaxe's grenade misses entirely. Angst, though, catches it with an exploding grenade which stuns it.
The dragon drops to the floor of the chamber in a bloody heap.
All is quiet, except for some reptillian choking, gagging and whimpering sounds from the helpless dragons on the floor below.
Pharian's chain lightning spell goes off. A bolt of lightning arcvs across the chamber, strikes a dragon...then another and another...13 dragons in all.
Soon after, Orlon's blade barrier springs up, followed by Salaam's. A red, a blue and a wingless dragon are reduced to pulp.
Jesse's wand spits out a solitary magic missile. It hits the stunned blue, but does not quite kill it.
Gonzo suddenly appears on the floor below, scrambling and climbing over the mounds of coins, killing dragons left and right as he goes. Valdar climbs down and helps out. Others who are able do so as well.
Soon, they are all dead.
Just as you are about to start celebrating your victory, though, you hear a massive gasp, from the east doorway. It has been quietly opened part-way, revealing another chamber, almost as large as this one. It is filled to overflowing with humanoids and giants. Hundreds and hundreds of them...all staring at you and the scene of death and carnage laid out before them in awe and terror.
As one, they suddenly turn and run screaming for the exits, before you have a chance to turn your wrath upon them...as you did upon the invincible dragons. In a moment they are gone.
Looking into the chamber so suddenly deserted, you see that it is not as large as the dragon hall (140' X 100': 20' double doors in south wall: 10'-30', 50'-70' and 90'-110' sections as measured from west; double doors in east wall: 30'-50' section as measured from north; double doors in north wall: 30'-50', 70'-90' and 110'-130' sections as measured from west). Another reception hall, it has been used as a barracks hall for some years.
You glance around. In the dragon chamber, the 40' wide west doors are still closed. Presumably through them, Tiamatlet awaits you.
"That's right, run away. We'll deal with you later!" calls Darian after the fleeing humanoids and giants.
"YEAAAAHHHH!!!" Occa laughs. "Okay, now to the hard stuff!"
"Nice work, Jesse," says Pharian sarcastically.
Darian glares at Pharian but says nothing.
"OH YEAH!!!" Al says as he cheers at the sight of so many dead dragons.
Salaam looks around, a tad apprehensive at what will appear through the door and Jerry simply says, "No shit, man.. that was some fireworks!"
Salaam regains his composure and says to Occa, "Do you have any wizard eyes left to search the other room ?"
Occa sends his wizard eye into the other room very quickly to make sure Raz isn't there.
"Valdar, is your clairvoyance still going? If so, look beyond those other doors."
Valdar shakes his head, the spell having expired.
The doors off of the humanoid/giant chamber are open. Looking through them, you see that they open into passages, lined with doors. The east passage is particularily impressive looking, and has a slight upward slope to it.
"East I guess. Let's go."
He sends his eye forward to examine the places ahead.
Darian moves ahead of the party following the eye by about fifty or so feet.
"Ummm..." interjects Valdar, "Maybe we should open this door to the west, first?"
Gilstrock regards Valdar silently for a few moments, and then turns to pull open the door to the west.
Darian stops and comes trotting back to the rest of the party, although he makes the effort to not bunch up.
"Oh...I thought they were all open. Let's go west then..."
Occa says a quick prayer to his goddess hoping this is right.
"So much for surprise," says Pharian, darkly. "Let's be sure Tiamatlet and Raz don't surprise us now. Stay spread out. And let's move quickly, before our preparation spells run out."
Occa says, "Let's go. Anyone with find traps? Cast it on that door ahead."
Valdar casts find traps and scans the area.
"No traps," he says.
Occa will fly over that way. "Anyone with True sight? We scanning for invisibles!"
Darian detects nothing invisible.
Salaam intones, "Thoth, grant me sight for this upcoming battle!"
He casts True Sight and scans everything.
Al, flies forward, and hovers by the door, making sure he is not in range of being hit.
"Saddam, scan please and tell me what we are up against here!" he says to the sword.
"I sense nothing, weakling!" replies the sword.
Jerry, staff in hand, follows slowly.
Occa turns invisible again with his ring of invisibility.
He moves over toward the door.
"Is everyone ready? We should go while all our spells are intact. Occa, what's the battle plan? Grenades were useful against multiple targets, but about just one dragon with multiple heads?" asks Darian.
"Oh, we don't need to worry," says Pharian. "We have Jesse's wand."
Once everyone is nearby but spread out a bit, Occa says, "Okay...Raz is the main enemy here. Al, you go for him. I will also try to get him. Everyone hit Tiamatlet hard....she will be able to attack everyone very, very quickly. Look out for her breath weapons. Stay spread out if you can....but hit them with all you have. Jesse, use some of those grenades that we gave you...they affect an area, just lobe them at her or him and you will get them. Don't waste the time with that wand."
Once done, Occa casts knock on the west door.
BrightAxe says a quick silent prayer to Clangeddin for strength and victory.
The doors open slowly under the influence of the knock spell.
Beyond is another large chamber: the royal reception hall where the dwarf king of Gallahad held court and received visitors. Even now, after many decades of decay, disuse and abuse, its splendor awes you.
(Trapezoidal-shaped: right wall goes north for 30'; left wall goes south for 30'. The far wall is 130' away to the west. The west wall extends 20' north and 20' south of the extremities of the east wall, Frankie, if you can follow me, so that it measures 160' in length. The north and south walls run at an angle to join things up. There are two doors out of here: in the north and south walls, respectively, at their west ends.)
In the middle of this great chamber is yet another massive heap of treasure.
Curled up atop the treasure pile is the largest dragon that you have ever seen: Tiamatlet. She has two heads: a red and a white one, and the eyes of both regard you all with reptillian coldness. Her body is covered with red and white scales. The tail twitches.
She starts to exhale from both mouths...
...And suddenly Salaam cries out. He has seen her for what she is: an illusion...the creation of some powerful arch-mage...but ultimately harmless to those who can see through her.
Before your eyes, Tiamatlet becomes insubstantial...and fades away to nothingness.
You become aware of the fact that the door in the northwest corner has opened, and a robed figure has appeared in the doorway.
He laughs at you.
"So, you got rid of all those damned dragons for me!" says Razamataz. "Good! I was wondering what we should do with them, now that they have served their purpose! I was thinking about turning them loose on the Elven lands, Valdar...but you'll get yours soon enough!"
He laughs again.
BrightAxe moves up.
"Laugh it up while you can orc-lover. This time, you're going down."
Darian flips the long bow off his shoulder and starts firing arrows at the arch-mage.
When he sees Darian reach for his bow, the arch-mage speaks a word of power.
Darian is unaffected.
Razamataz laughs a third time.
"You idiot!" he says. "That's just to teach you a lesson! Not that your little arrows would do anything anyway! Do you think I'd be so stupid as to just stand here alone and chat with you? I'm not even here, for crying out loud!"
"I figured as much you twit. You're too much of a lily-livered giant-sucking excuse for a mage to actually face us."
Razamtaz pauses, and notes that Darian is still standing.
"Hey, wait! My spell didn't bother you! Shit!"
"You won't be laughing soon," says Pharian. "I just passed the bar exam."
The smirk is wiped off of Razamataz's face.
"No! A lawyer-demon!" he cries.
Pharian grabs Gilstrock and teleports them both behind the archmage.
Pharian and Gilstrock appear behind Razamataz, just inside the doorway.
Suddenly, though, Razamataz vanishes!
"Time for me to go, I suppose!" says his voice, from somewhere down the darkened passage which leads north from the doorway. "But mark this: we will meet again! Oh...and keep the change...we got all we need!"
"You pansy wussy cowardly wimp!" Gilstrock calls in the direction of the voice. "Show yourself like a man!"
"No!" snaps Razamataz.
You hear him speak a word of magic...then there is silence.
Valdar flies over.
"That was a projected image you were about to attack, I'd say," he says, shining a light down the deserted hallway. There is no sign of the arch-mage, now. "I imagine he was down there, somewhere...and when you teleported in you broke the link."
Orlon casts True Seeing. When the party meets the real Razamataz, or Tiamut, he will have Holy Word ready to cast.
However, neither he or Salaam see any sign of the arch-mage.
Darian sighs. "When do we go after all those giants and other humanoids?"
"NFFF GRRRR GHHHE #*#&#&#* illusions... gif me a straight 'an' ta 'an' wid dat Raz-muffin and I'll make him inta ginzu nibblets." says Gonzo, pissed that the arch-mage has once again 'nanny nanny poo-pooed' the party once again.
He then searches around for something else to amuse himself with... giving particular priority to things that need killing.
The rest of you do likewise, and set to clearing the Halls of Gallahad of its remaining nasties.