This morning, Orlon and Salaam pray again, and restore Niko to the bottom points of the two levels that he lost.
It is noontime before you set out again for the presumed back entrance to the pirate lair. You enter it in the same fashion as you did two days previous, and soon find yourselves standing at the fork in the westbound passage, wondering which way to explore this time. Behind you, a rough tunnel runs south. To the northwest is the area that you partially explored before. To the southwest is unexplored territory.
Niko looks expectantly at Salaam "Did your god grant you Find the Path, Salaam?"
"Yes, I did, I have prayed for it as requested. Two in fact," Salaam responds.
"Then do it, Salaam!" says Valdar.
"For an elf, you seem to display little patience. Is it possible that there is some human blood in you?" Salaam asks with a wide smile.
Valdar giggles.
"Well, these paths may intertwine," says BrightAxe. "Shouldn't we know a bit more about each of these paths before we go using 50% of our current allottment ?"
Salaam considers the dwarf's words.
"Find the Path is the only spell that I can use at this point in time, friend. I can only commune with Thoth once per week," Salaam responds.
He then intones, "Oh great Thoth, please allow your humble servant to find the quickest path to the pirates' lair."
A funny look comes over his face. Salaam's raises his arms until they are horizontal and pointing out straight ahead of him...then he starts walking...down the southwest branch of the passage.
The rest of you follow.
This tunnel runs for 40', and then ends at a roughly cut chamber which is approximately parallelogram-shaped (right wall runs west for 10', then southwest for 40' (10' wide tunnel running west out of last section), then east for 20', then northeast for 40' (10' wide tunnel running east out of northernmost section), and close it up). This is a bare chamber. You note that this part of the cave complex is a bit more damp than where you originally entered. Some common mold grows on the walls in here.
Salaam leads you straight across the chamber to the west exit, and you head down this tunnel. It runs more or less straight west for about 70', then curves sharply to the right and begins a sharp, spiraling descent.
Salaam leads you down the spiraling tunnel.
At last the downward spiraling passage ends at another crudely squared off cave. This one is somewhat more damp than those above. The place is littered with bones, mostly old ones. In all, it is a very depressing place. (~20' X 30': 10' east, 10' west, 20' south, 10' wide passage running out of south wall, east corner. The spiral tunnel enters this cave/chamber in the middle of the north wall.)
Salaam leads you across this cave. However, you are only half way across when suddenly a series of glowing, floating globes of light appear! Ther are eight of them, and they are all around you.
"Will-o-wisps!" cries out Valdar. Salaam snaps out of his trance, for the moment.
Niko casts magic missile at one of the will-o-wisps. It dims slightly as the spell pours into it, and then the sailor jumps aside as it spits out an electrical spark at him.
"Hmm," Gilstrock grunts. "Wonder if you can slice and dice them?" He performs the experiment with Thawbreaker. He chops away at a will-o-wisp, and his sword does do damage, as he too jumps aside to avoid a spark.
Jesse casts lighting bolt at another critter.
Darian follows with his own lightning bolt at a different critter.
Neither of their lightning bolts affect the creatures.
Pharian stands back and watches how the combat goes. If any of the fighters have trouble with a will'o'wisp, Pharian will cast a magic missile at it.
Salaam takes out his hammer and swats any ball of light that comes near him. He and a will-o-wisp trade misses.
Angst casts his magic missile at any wisps that still have not been hit and then stands ready to attack. His missiles slightly hurt one of themonsters, and it sends out a spark, which the ranger dodges.
Another one goes after Op Code. He nails it handily with his longsword #2, while also dodging an incoming attack.
The last one goes after Valdar, also missing, and he manages to unload a spell's worth of magic missiles into it.
"Ha! Take that, you miserable excuse for a wingless firefly!" Gilstrock says, as he continues to press the attack and dodge any return attacks. Finally a will-o-wisp zaps someone...namely Gilstrock for 7 hit points. He whacks it twice with his frost brand, though, and by the time he is done, the creature is looking very ill indeed.
Niko follows up with another magic missile spell at the same will-o-wisp. His wisp is starting to look badly hurt, as again it misses him.
"Damn. Guess we need a more personal touch. Jesse, honey, try your magic missile wand. This time it looks like that's the right tool to use."
Darian draws his frostbrand and chargesthe wisp on Valdar. He misses badly with both swings.
Jesse draws her wand of magic missiles and begins to unload missiles as fast as she can into the critters. One missile strikes the wisp.
Gonzo, waiting for an opening, wacks one of the critters with his best weapon. The dwarf steps out of the shadows and easily slays the 'wisp on Niko.
Salaam looks for a near one and plays baseball with it, using it as the ball. He sends the will-o-wisp flying...however it immediately returns.
Op Code casts his two magic missile spells into the wisp. His missiles slightly hurt the monster.
Angst starts attacking the wisps while dodging them. The ranger is zapped for 10 hit points as he chops it with his longsword, landing a solid hit.
Valdar unloads another spell into the last 'wisp, badly injuring it.
Gilstrock is shocked for another 11 hit points, but he kills his assailant immediately thereafter.
Jesse, still spitting a magic missile at a time, is zapped for 8 hit points. Niko bounds to her aid, nailing her attacker twice with his cutlass.
Darian, trying to help out Valdar, has another will-o-wisp buzzing about him like a pesky mosquito. It does about as much damage to him as one, too.
Angst and his 'wisp trade misses.
Salaam again bats his enemy across the room...but still it comes back for more.
Op Code and his will-o-wisp trade misses.
Valdar kills his 'wisp with another magic missile spell, then turns and blasts the other monster circling Darian.
Gonzo moves over and helps out Angst, but misses this time.
Five will-o-wisp remain.
Darian moves to assist Op Code and swings at that will-o-wisp. He connects against that will-o-wisp, and its light fades.
Jesse is zapped for 5 hit points as she spits another missile at her assailant.
"Aha!" Niko exclaims, making a riposte with his cutlass, "Injure a lady, will you. Take this!" Niko presses his attack with his cutlass, and misses.
Angst continues to trade blows with the little spark.
"Oooh that was nice . Let's do it again."
He lands a minor hit.
Gonzo presses his attack till he or someone else gets the fire-fly. He lands a telling hit on the will-o-wisp.
Salaam lines up his sight, spits to the side, and tries to slam the wisp out of the park.
Both Salaam and his will-o-wisp miss, as do Op Code and his target.
Occa wakes up for a moment and lets loose with magic missiles. Five spells later, all of the monsters are dead.
Though Salaam is itching to continue, you pause and search. Scattered amongst the bones in this place, you find: 10,667sp, 160 gems (50gp ea.), 40 various articles of jewelry (800gp ea.), a potion, a longsword and a scroll.
Salaam leads you down the south passage. It runs fairly straight for about 40', then opens up into another chamber (roughly circular, ~30' in diameter, 10' wide passage exiting to the southeast). Things seem to be getting wetter and wetter, as you go deeper into this warren of caves. Not only do common molds grow on the walls and ceiling of this place, but you also see some slimes as well. They do not appear to be of the harmful variety, though. In a niche to the east, you see what appears to be a mound of mold. Looking closer, you see something white poking up out of the pile. You realise that it is a bone.
Salaam chivvies you out of the cave before you can investigate, though, and you head down the southeast passage. It runs for ~100', then turns east for ~20' before you arrive at another cave (roughly circular again, ~40' in diameter, passages exiting out of east side: one curves northeast, the other curves southeast). Also, you passed another passage about midway down the 100' length, this one running south.
This is the wettest cave you have yet encountered. You see water dripping from many stalactites which hang from the ceiling some 20' overhead. The water collects in small pools in the numerous hollows in the irregular stone floor of the place.
In here is a horrid monster: it has a huge, bloated body with an enormous maw. The maw is surrounded by no less than 11 heads.
A thessalhydra.
BrightAxe casts a Prayer.
Niko exclaims, "Wow! Look at the size of that thing!" as he launches a Lighning Bolt spell at it.
"That's no moon," Gilstrock says in an uncharacteristicaly wise voice, as he draws Hangnail (the sword of sharpness he keeps sheated behind his back) and rushes forward to attempt to sever hydra-heads.
"Occa, time to bring out the big guns."
Darian draws his longsword and charges the beast side to side with Gilstrock. "Into the maw of hell, we go."
"Nasty," Salaam says as he mutters words of magic and casts magic missile at the creature. His missiles sear into the monster.
Jesse releases a lightning bolt at the creature.
"Another beastie? How many of these things are there before we can reach our quarry i wonder?" queeries Angst drawing both swords and flying to a point above the creature to try and hack it from behind.
Op Code rushes in, sword in hand. "I'll have your head on a platter," he yells at the thessalhydra.
As all of you cast or move to attack, the thessalhydra hawks up a gob of phlegm and spits it out.
It splatters on the floor at its feet, showering all of you with burning acid.
Salaam, Niko, Darian, Brightaxe, Gonzo, Occa, Angst, Gilstrock, Jesse, Op Code and Valdar take 24 hit points of damage. Pharian was caught with his finger up his...nose, however, and suffers 47 hit points.
Niko's lightning bolt strikes the thessalhydra's body, blasting it good and proper.
Gilstrock takes down a head, and Darian almost takes down another.
Jesse's bolt blows another head to smithereens.
Angst tries to clobber the body from above and behind, however, he is spotted, and a head lashes out at him. Both he and the head miss each other.
Op Code, despite his threats, is bitten by a head before he can strike, but his stoneskin saves him again. He lands a glancing blow with longsword #2.
Other heads swarm the attackers, but again your stoneskins save you.
Valdar pours another magic missile spell into the body of the monster, and suddenly it dies.
"Phew!" he says, as the thessalhydra keels over.
Darian heals himself. "May I suggest we get everyone healed up before we continue?"
"Excellent idea!" Gilstrock exclaims, looking at his various wounds. "I'm leaking like a sieve myself."
"Come here." Darian heals Gilstrock.
Niko examines the carcass, kicking it quite solidly. "Perhaps we should make sure it doesn't come back to life. Creatures like these have a nasty habit of regenerating."
"Oh, good point. I guess I don't have to heal myself very much. I keep forgetting about my ring. Can we wait long enough for Jesse, Pharian, Occa and myself to heal completely? I'll heal everyone else."
You know by now that a ring of regeneration only heals at the rate of 1 hit point every 10 minutes.
"If I recall right, burning the heads off should do it," Op Code ponders.
"Anyone have a flametongue or some oil?"
Niko steps forward "I have a fireball spell!" and begins to cast it.
Suddenly, he stops "Just kidding, everyone!"
Niko looks around for someone with oil then proceeds to cut off the remaining heads and cauterize every stump.
Gonzo takes out his flame tongue and does the job for him.
"Oh great Thoth, heal your wounded servant," Salaam intones as he casts Heal on himself. He regains all but one hit point. He then goes around healing those wounded worst with 3 cures serious wounds and 2 cure light wounds. He starts with Pharian, despite any protests he may give.
"You should have cast the heal on me," protests Pharian, as he takes his scabrous finger out of his blistered-covered, pus-oozing nose.
"Well, if I would have done that, you would have nothing to complain about," Salaam responds as he heals the difficult mage.
Salaam brings Pharian up to 54 hit points, which should shut the mage up, if only briefly.
The high priest puts his last cure cure serious wound into Occa, for 13 hit points.
Niko pipes up "Hey! I could use a little healing, myself!"
Niko is cured for 3 hit points with two cure light wounds spells.
If anymore healing would be needed, BrightAxe has his complement of Cure lights. The dwarf drops one spell and cures Niko for 6 more hit points.
"Hey Gilstrock have you tried any dishes with roasted hydra in your travels and if not we could always take some back and try some this evening" asks Angst waiting to be healed.
Niko then looks around for anything else of interest in the cave while waiting to be healed. He finds nothing of value.
Meanwhile, Valdar heals Jesse for 8 hit points and Angst for 2.
Salaam gets itchy again, being as how his find the path spell is still ticking, and so you continue on your way...through the southeast exit from this chamber.
It runs southeast for about 20', then turns south. You go to this corner and look. It runs south for perhaps 25', then turns south-southwest.
At this point a small rivulet of water dribbles down the right wall, and then flows down the middle of the passage to the southeast. Ahead of you, you see more water flowing down the walls and dripping from the ceiling, adding to this small underground stream.
You go and look south-southwest, and see that it runs for another 20' or so, then opens up into a small cave.
You go and take a look.
The cave is small and narrow (~10' wide X 30': 10' west-northwest, ~10' east-southeast, ~10' south-southwest; passage exits out of middle of opposite wall). The floor of this cave is covered with an ankle-deep layer of water. Here and there, rocks stick up out of the water. Overhead, stalactites drip more water down on you.
You carefully go wading into the cave, with Salaam leading.
Suddenly the cleric feels something trying to bite his leg. Looking down, he sees a snake! It is very difficult to tell its full extent in the water, for its body seems to blend in with it perfectly...
Darian, Brightaxe and Gonzo also feel snakes chewing at their lower regions, but yet again, your stoneskins save you.
Op Code tries to attack one of the snakes, room permitting.
Salaam tries to squash any snakes with the heel of his boots.
Niko searches for high ground, and starts moving towards one of the rocks that stick up out of the water.
Gonzo looks shocked and then utters his "KARUMBA" drawing a dagger in each hand and attempts Yappanez ginzu on the snake and any other critters in range.
"Och! Vermin!" Gilstrock exclaims, as he cuts at the snakeheads with Hangnail.
Darian rises to the top of the water and slashes down at the snake with his frostbrand.
As soon as the blade touches the 4" deep water, the water freezes solid out to a radius of 10', effectively trapping all of you in place.
"Way to go Darian! What's your next plan, to fireball the place in order to melt the ice?" Op Code remarks sarcastically.
Salaam just sighs, wondering how he can deal with these people sometime. He then punches the ice to free his legs. He then looks to see how deep the ice goes and if it freezes the snakes as well, he says, "Not bad for a mistake."
It is frozen right through.
Salaam reconsiders as he would prefer not to damage his hands. He takes out his enchanted hammer and smashes the ice around his legs.
The snakes are frozen into the ice as well, making them very easy for you to dispatch.
"Whoops," Gilstrock says. "Gotta be careful with these frost bands and water."
He proceed to decapitate as many snakes as he can reach with Hangnail.
After that, he says, "Anybody got a quick way to melt a whole lot of water?" He takes up his axe to begin chopping at the ice.
"Darian, despite the possibility of dire consequences, good job on the accidental save of the moment," Salaam comments to the fighter.
Darian looks at the ice confused. "Um, sure. I mean, thanks. I guess I didn't realize the sword would have that effect. I mean, I know it freezes stuff, but I thought it'd just affect a small area around me. That's why I decided to get on top of the water. Besides, I was afraid to use my other sword. Didn't want to accidentally cut off my foot or something."
"Gilstrock, if you want to give that axe, I'll do the chipping. It's got to be easier to do it when your feet are encased in ice."
Occa says, "Mayhaps a fireball would help?"
He snickers.
"I was waiting for Darian to suggest that," says Pharian.
Darian grins.
"Darian dear." calls Jesse. "I think that we need to have a small talk about simple physical properties of the world." she says in a light tone, smiling.
Darian grins. "What? That the rest of you can't walk on water like me?"
Jesse laughs. "Its not the walking on water that is the problem."
"Hmmm... Well, if you're complaining about the ice, I still claim that I didn't know it would affect such a wide area. I thought it'd do about a one foot radius, not ten feet. Of course, if someone wants to explain to me all the sword's powers, I won't object."
Niko calls out "Hey, Gonzo...still have that flaming sword of yours?"
Gonzo takes his "heater" out and frees everyone who is still trapped. Soon the ice has been reduced to steaming slush, and you are all mobile again.
Niko examines the water to determine if it's fresh or salt.
The water is fresh.
Salaam's spell is still running, and so you continue down the path that he alone sees. The passage exiting out of the far side of this small cave runs south for about 20', then angles southwest and widens out slightly. It remains very rough, and a regular stream flows down it. Water streams downs the sides of the tunnel and drips off the ceiling. Soon you are all drenched.
After another 20' or so the passage turns more or less west, and runs fairly straight for the next 50' or so. At this point it opens up into a fairly large cave. The cave is so large that you cannot see its farthest extremities, so you go in and look. The water is almost knee-deep for a man, and more water drips continuously from the ceiling and runs down the walls. The cave is a large, irregularily-shaped place, with stalactites hanging down from the ceiling and stalagmites sticking up out of the water. There are two exits from this place, both to the north. (Right wall runs north-northwest for ~60', then west for 20' (10' wide exit tunnel running north out of westernmost section), then southwest for ~60' (10' wide tunnel running approximately west out of first 10' section), then southeast for ~80', then close it up). The cave is uninteresting.
Salaam leads you down the west passage.
This passage runs west for ~60', then turns northwest.The water continues to flow down this passage, getting only slowly deeper. At this point there is an alcove some 12' deep, also filled with water. It is on the left hand side at the corner, and is about 10' wide.
In it are four giant crabs.
They leap out at Salaam, Gonzo, Angst and Gilstrock. Their first attacks are turned by your stoneskins as usual, but the second pincer nails Salaam for 4 hit points.
Occa magic missiles one or more of the crabs. His spell kills the crab on Salaam, and dings the one on Gonzo.
Darian begins to draw his frostbrand and decides against it, drawing the broadsword instead. "Hey, Salaam, if you use that hammer, I bet we can have crab tonight for dinner."
He swings at a nearby crab. His broadsword lands a devastating hit on Angst's crab.
Angst leaps in and attacks the crab.
"Boiled Crab, fried Hydra, and roasted snake as well. It is certainly going to be a feast tonight"
The ranger polishes the crab off.
"Wait!" cries Pharian. "Don't kill them! I think they might be relatives of mine."
Guffawing loudly, Gilstrock says, "You always told me you hated your cousins!"
BrightAxe halts his swing and goes to full parry to see if Pharian might be serious. He's also not sure which concerns him more, the issue that this may be a joke or the issue that he believes Pharian is telling the truth.
Darian laughs. "Your parents? I could see how they might get this way having to raise you."
Gonzo yells, "KARRRRRRRRRUMBA! Me like steam crab-meat... " and pulls his "heater" out to cook some for dinner....
The dwarf easily reduces his foe to crabcakes.
"MMmmmmm, crab," Gilstrock says. "Anybody have some butter?" He draws Thawbreaker and begins to attack the crabs.
"Gilstrock, what about the water and all? I thought we were supposed to be careful with frostbrands. Or is that only me?"
However, the fighter manages to keep his frost brand out of the water as he lands two quick hits and kills the last crab.
Op Code salivates at the thought of crab legs.
Searching the alcove, you find no treasure, so after wedging the dead creatures in there to collect on your return trip, you continue down the passage.
The passage runs northwest for about 30', then you come to another cave. It is roughly oblong, oriented east-west (draw a blob, Frank, ~60' X 30'; thistunnel comes in in the southeast corner, another tunnel exits out of the middle of the north wall). The water in here is almost thigh-deep on a man, but otherwise the place is tranquil and quiet. Out of the north wall a passage runs, and down this flows the water.
When you inspect this exit closer, you see that it slopes steadily downwards. The water makes very little noise as it rushes down this tunnel.
Salaam's find the path spell indicates that you should go down this tunnel.
Gonzo uses his dwarven expertise to ascertain if the down-slope of this passage is dangerous to traverse and he "Shushes" everyone so he can get a good listen for any sound of water falling rather than gurgling its merry way.
It is hard to tell what the stones are like under 2 1/2 feet of water because he cannot really see them. The visible stonework (the walls and ceiling of the tunnel) look to be quite sturdy, though. He hears no sound of falling water.
Satisfied, he changes his appearance to look like an orc and takes the lead, figuring if he's dumped into the middle of the pirates layer, he'll attempt to fool them into thinking that he's just an orc lost in the tunnels.
"Da rest o' ya might want ta stay back o' bits and avoid being dumped iffn dis passage turns inta a slide," he says to the rest.
Gonzo proceeds, expecting that he's not going to walk far. The rest of you follow some 20' behind.
Gonzo manages to keep his footing, but after about 40' Gilstrock suddenly loses his.
"Blub-blub-blub!" he says, as he falls over and goes under the water. The current takes him and he goes tumbling down the chute, almost taking Darian with him. Gonzo manages to maintain his footing but is unable to catch the big man as he rolls by, head over heels.
You all hurry after him.
Barely able to keep your footing going down the chute, what with the incline, the uncertain footing and the rushing water, you at last reach the bottom, where things open out into a cave. The ceiling arches some 20' overhead, and your feet feel the floor of the cave sloping sharply downwards. Faintly glowing mosses and lichens growing on the ceiling provide a faint, greenish illumination in here. The air has a salty tang to it.
Directly opposite you on the far (north) side of the cave, some 70' away, is a ledge of stone just above water level. Exiting from that point is a rough tunnel which runs north, but then curves east shortly thereafter. Standing on the ledge, just filling a bucket with water, is a man in dungarees and a torn, striped t-shirt. He is staring at you in surprise...until he jumps up, drops his bucket, and runs for the exit.
There is no sign of Gilstrock...though the water some 20' out into the pool is rather inexplicably turbulent...
"Take that man down. I'm going after Gilstrock."
Darian takes a deep breath and dives into the water.
Pharian also dives in after Gilstrock.
Gonzo grabs a dagger and hurls it at the fellow hoping to stop him in his tracks.
Salaam summons the magic of his flying boots and then intones, "Oh Great Thoth, please hold this man so we may divine the location of our friend," as he casts Hold Person on the man in dungarees.
Occa magic missles the fleeing pirate.
"Die you scurvy dog!"
The missiles blast into the receding man's back, but do not drop him. Gonzo's blade embeds itself in his shoulder, but he keeps on running. It takes Salaam a half a minute to cast his hold spell, and by that time the man is out of sight around the bend in the passage.
"Aaaarrrrhh!" Occa intones.
Niko rolls his eyes back and looks at Occa. "Ummm...wouldn't it have been better to capture him alive to find out who he was and what he knows?"
Occa looks surprised by the question. "No. We are here to destroy the pirates. Why ask questions? Kill 'em hard and fast I say, let the gods sort them out."
"Anyone a capable swimmer?" Salaam asks in mid flight.
"I am." Niko volunteers.
"Yeah," Op Code tells Salaam as he starts to walk across the water.
However, to his surprise, he does not walk, but rather sinks immediately.
As Op Code vanishes under water, Gilstrock surfaces, evidently having used his boots of levitation to good effect. He grasps his spear, and appears to have been bitten in several places.
There is no sign of the man in dungarees.
Salaam flies about overhead.
"Spearfishing!" Gilstrock cries, maintaining his elevation while hurling the spear after the fish charging Pharian. At that point Gilstrock takes his bow from his shoulder and notches an arrow.
BrightAxe is ready to attack should any fish come close enough.
Flickers of magical light illuminate the waters of the pool. You see the water below start to turn red, then a body floats to the surface. It is that of an enormous pike, a good 14' long, gutted.
Occa dimension doors after the fleeing pirate. He appears about 30' up the passage to the north, where it curves east.
"Occa, with me!" Salaam says as he flies after the man in dungarees, another Hold Person on his lips.
Angst flies after the man who was last seen fleeing.
Occa, Salaam and Angst race up the passage and out of sight of the rest of you.
No more fish are visible, since the water is now murky with blood...
BrightAxe takes up a defensive/guard position looking for others until everyone is safe out of the water and re-equipped.
Niko sheds his non-waterproof equipment and dives in after whoever is in the water.
A moment after Niko dove into the pool, Salaam, Angst and Occa return to the cave.
Two more dead giant pike float to the surface.
Gilstrock counts floaters. "What, three," he says. "Now, how many where there down there? I was a little distracted. Wonder if I'll be able to find my spear?"
He looks around at the others, before saying, "Ah, hell, gotta go for it."
He starts stripping off his armour.
Suddenly, Darian and Pharian surface, gasping.
"Pharian, see if you can take care of that fish. I'm going after Op Code and see if I can drag him to the surface. Gilstrock, where's your spear? I'll grab that if I can find it."
"Down there somewhere," Gilstrock says. "Tried to spear a fish and missed," he says. "You need any more help down there?"
"Just keep that ray off me while I rescue Op Code. I think with my psionics, I can get him to the surface."
Suddenly there is a disturbance below the surface of the water, and the next thing you see is Op Code being launched up and out of the pool. The ranger sails through the air to land in a rather wet heap at the south entrance to the cave, where you came in.
Valdar grabs him, and holds his head above the water rushing down the chute, until the ranger has regained some of his strength.
Looking back at the pool, you see Niko's head just above the water, looking about.
All seems to be quiet, for the moment. Salaam, Occa and Angst have returned, and are on the ledge at the north exit from the chamber.
"Oh, Niko," says Pharian. "Good thing I decided not to cast that lightning bolt."
Niko looks askance at Pharian, as if determining whether or not Pharian is kidding. He finally answers cautiously "Yes, a good thing for both of us..."
"Niko, was that ray thing you?"
Niko smiles. "Yup."
"Hey, did you guys stop that pirate?" asks Darian, to the others across the pond.
"Did y'all get the pirates or see where they went?" asks BrightAxe as well.
"Anyone see Gilstrock's spear?"
"Give me a sec and I'll see if I can locate it down there." Niko ducks beneath the water to locate Gilstrock's spear.
A moment later he surfaces again with Gilstrock's spear.
Darian swims to the edge of the pool. "Shall we dry off, Pharian?"
"I don't think that's something we need to do together," answers Pharian.
Darian chuckles. "I only meant, should we get out of the water. I was going to offer you my assistance since I can walk on it."
You note that the pool seems to be flushing itself of blood and gore quite quickly.
After Niko resurfaces with Gilstrock's spear, he hands it to Gilstrock and says, "There's obviously some underground river. Valdar, should I take a look to see where it goes?"
"Sounds like a good idea," says Valdar, "But you may want to wait until those guys report," he adds, motioning to the three mute adventurers on the far side of the cave.
Niko nods.
"Dude, thanks!" Gilstrock says, picking up all of his weapons. He shakes his head furiously, and the fact that he needs a haircut means that droplets of water are sprayed all over the rest of you.
Darian grunts in annoyance and looks at his sodden clothes. "Occa, you wouldn't happen to have a cantrip that would dry us off, would you? I squish when I walk."
Niko grins "No problem, dude! Anybody interested in grilled fish tonight?"
"Is there anything left to eat? If so, why not? We killed them, might as well add to them to the menu. We're going to eat well tonight."
There are three more or less whole dead giant pikes floating around. In addition, there are a number of chunks of fish-flesh...which explains what became of fish #4...
"It'll be a good change form Orlon's pizza and beer," Salaam says with a smile.
Occa says, "The pirate got away and no, Darian, I don't have a cantrip to help."
"Oh, so you do speak... So, what happened with the pirate?"
"Don't be a wiseass, Darian, I am not as spry as I once was..." the cleric says. "We chased the pirate down a corridor and then he ducked around. Once we came upon the spot he was in, he was gone. Detection magics not withstanding, the pirate was not there, as if he teleported or vanished in some way. Not even a residue of magic was there," Salaam answers.
"Secret door, perhaps?" Niko offers.
"My true sight should have seen it, unless there was a natural or man made depression in the wall or floor that we overlooked. Nevertheless, is everyone ok and accounted for?" Salaam responds and then asks of the group.
Darian looks shocked. "Me, a wiseass? How could you think such a thing, Salaam?"
He grins. "It comes from being young in a group of old fogies. We're supposed to make fun of our elders to keep them from getting too full of themselves. And our elders are supposed to burst our bubbles to keep us from thinking we know everything. And I'd say the lot of you have done a remarkable job with the latter."
"Anyway, I thought Occa nailed the guy with some magic missiles when Pharian, Op Code and I dove into the water. That didn't take him down?"
"Seems the old man is having aiming problems or his punch is lacking some," Salaam says with a smile, edging over to the side of the youngins.
"Or that the pirates are a lot tougher than we thought. Well, we'd better get a move on before they come at us in force. Guess we lost all hopes of a surprise attack. They may even be fleeing now."
He looks at his dripping form. "Guess I'll have to squish when I walk for a while..."
Darian pouts and then get a devilish grin and snaps his fingers. "I know what'll dry me off, a fireball!"
"MMmmmMmMMMMmmm, broillled fisssh," Gilstrock says in a slow voice.
Occa says, "Let's see what Niko turns up, up the river and then we will go on. Hurry Niko."
Niko dives back in.
After a few minutes Niko surfaces, changing back to elf form, and says to Valdar, "I found a tunnel, but it's very narrow. I'll either need lots of rope or a Reduce spell. Someone have either?"
"Not me," says the elf-lord.
Darian shakes his head. "Sorry, I don't either."
"Or me," adds Pharian.
"Pharian, do you have a cantrip that can dry us off?"
"Wait 'til we're on dry land," says Valdar. Right now, everyone but Niko, Angst, Salaam and Occa are standing at the mouth of the water-filled chute that you came down from the level above, roughly thigh deep in water.
"So, says the elf-lord, "Shall we join Occa, Salaam and Angst over there and try to see where that passage leads?"
"Sure, why not? Sure beats standing in the water."
"Let's go. Can we get past this water somehow?" Op Code asks as he recovers.
"What? You can't walk on it?" Darian grins.
"That's all we need is a comedian in the group," Op Code snarls at Darian.
Jesse chimes in. "A comedian? I thought that was my job. So... Knock Knock?" the bard says.
Jesse smiles, "Can you carry me across Darian Dear?" She asks.
Darian grins and shrugs. "I don't know. But, falling into the water with you in my arms could be fun..."
Darian picks her up and tries to stay on the surface on the water.
Niko swims across, holding his non-waterproof equipment above his head.
Eventually you all get across, either via Valdar or Salaam, and find yourselves standing on relatively dry land again.
You set off north up the tunnel.
The tunnel is rough, and about 10' - 12' wide. It meanders back and forth, but generally goes north. About 300' north of the cave - well past the point where Salaam, Occa and Angst stopped - the tunnel curves north-northwest. It runs that way for another 60' or so, then begins to curve around to the south.
At the point that it begins this turn you pause, for you hear the sound of many approaching feet and voices. You hear snatches of conversation, getting steadily louder, saying things like -
"Arrrr, Davey Jones' locker for them."
"Feed their balls to the sharks, mateys!"
"Blarsted landlubbers!"
"Keel haul 'em, we will!"
- and -
"We'll make fishsticks out of em, lads!"
It is dinnertime.
"Pirates," Gilstrock concludes with a nod.
Darian smiles and draws his frostbrand. In a quiet voice, he says, "Sounds like a fight coming to find us. Ready, Gilstrock?"
"Yep!" Gilstrock says enthusiastically, as he draws Thawbreaker. Beads of condensation form on the chilly blade.
"Hey, Salaam, just a thought... Could you drop one of those nasty blade barriers that Orlon's always using behind them so they can't retreat? Or maybe just a little closer than behind them so that the tail end of them gets chopped up a bit."
"Not a problem, once the enemy is in sight, I will conjure a blade barrier." Salaam says, bringing the spell to his lips, awaiting the whites of their eyes.
Darian casts strength and then a detect invisibility spell on himself.
His strength rises to 18/21.
Darian grins. "This, I hope, is going to be fun."
Gonzo fades into the shadows and waits for his "fish-steaking" opportunity.
Pharian casts a strength spell on Gilstrock and then a mirror image spell on himself.
Gilstrock's strength rises to 18/55.
Op Code gets his sword ready, then turns to Darian, "Hey Darian, maybe you can try your comedian routine on these guys. See if they like you."
Darian grins. "I only do it for my friends. Besides, you can't laugh when you innards are falling out."
Occa watches and waits...
Niko waits till just before the pirates turn the corner and then casts Stinking Cloud to prevent their escape.
Around the corner they charge, whooping and screaming for blood. You have never seen a more dangerous-looking band of cutthroats. With their filthy hair tied back with bandanas, daggers clenched between their teeth and fake parrots perched on their shoulders, you know that you have a battle ahead of you.
There must be over 40 of them.
Salaam starts casting his blade barrier as Niko's stinking cloud goes off. A billowing cloud of noxious vapours rises at the corner, engulfing about 10 of the pirates and cutting off the few at the rear from the majority at the front. Many loud coughing, choking and cursing sounds come from within the cloud.
Niko then wades in with cutlass and short sword, hacking at one of them saying "And this one is for me ship you sank!"
"Blow it out yer porthole, Billy!" snarls his adversary, an enormous, pot bellied man in leathers, wielding a glowing sword. Evidently he is the leader.
His sword easily cuts into Niko for 11 hit points of damage.
The elf strikes back, though, chopping hard into the man with his cutlass. The captain replies, striking Niko for 14 hit points. Blood pours out of him, and he is barely left able to stand. Niko summons his last dregs of strength, though, and connects again, injuring the man slightly.
Beside him, Darian is also in melee with a pirate wielding a broadsword. The man fans badly but Darian does not, striking him twice in quick succession with his frost brand.
Salaam's spell goes off at the rear of the mob, engulfing about 15 of them. Many are killed immediately, while others crawl out bleeding and mutilated. Gore sprays everywhere, and the air is filled with feathers.
But the remainder of the pirates press the attack. Niko and Darian are unable to hold back the mob, and Gilstrock and Op Code will find themselves in melee next round as well.
"Come on, mages, let them have it. There's more than enough to share. And we could use some help up here in the front."
Darian continues to attack the pirate with his sword. The elf rather easily sticks his sword into the pirate, who fans. Darian then finishes him off.
Another pirate immediately steps up, grinning evilly.
Niko curses something fierce about getting better equipment and unleases two Magic Missile spells into the captain. His first spell blows into the captain, resulting in a string of curses.
"Shiver me timbers!" the leader says, skewering Niko with his sword for 13 hit points. As the elf drops he is struck again for a further 8 hit points, which is enough to kill him.
"Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of THIS!" Gilstrock cries as he lays into various pirates with Thawbreaker. "I hope you scumbags know you're keeping me from dinner!!!!"
Gilstrock finds himself hit for 9 hit points by a pirate wielding a glowing shortsword before landing two hits of his own.
Op Code charges into the melee.
"But this fight won't take American Express. Visa, it's everywhere you want to be," begins Jesse, before shaking her head in wonderment...
Op Code laughs, "Cash is the only thing I accept, the cold hard stuff."
As he dies a horrible death, Niko shakes his head at Darian. "Isn't it always like a woman to talk about shopping when there's fighting to be done?"
He then croaks.
Jesse laughs, "Indeed," she replies as her lightning bolts fly forward.
"Actually, she's pretty good about staying focused. Maybe she just needs some food."
"I need something, dear Darian." Jesse replies, "But food it ain't," she says with a coy smile.
"Not now, dear, I'm busy fending off a horde of pirates."
As Gilstrock continues his attacks on the pirates, he says to Jesse, "Hey, if you aren't going to eat it, can I have your food?"
"Of course, you big lug," replies Jesse sweetly.
Op Code dents another pirate, while the enemy bounces his broadsword off of his stoneskinned carcass.
Jesse casts a lightning bolt (x2), if she can and then use her wand of magic missiles.
Somehow she avoids blasting the fighters in front of her, and nails two pirates., hurting them both.
Salaam casts the web spell at the largest concentration of pirates that he can see, then magic missiles (2 spells) whoever is nearest him not in the web.
Salaam webs twelve pirates.
Pharian casts polymorph other on the pirate leader. The spell does not bother him.
Salaam's first magic missile further injures the pirate on Gilstrock. His next one kills the fellow.
Jesse lets loose her second bolt, nailing two more, killing one outright.
Op Code is missed as he nails his opponent two more times. Darian takes on another individual, and suffers 6 hit points while striking him twice.
BrightAxe charges forth into Melee swinging both axes. He strikes twice, killing the man.
Gonzo wills his face to look like one of the scurvy dogs and even attempts a frizzy feathered fake bird on his shoulder if possible... his whole purpose is to further confuse them when he does attack... he will wait for a really good shot at one of them hoping to take the fellow out in one blow.
When opportunity arises, he jumps in with a "KARUMTUM-DEE-TUM!".
Once in combat, his disguise stops the pirates attacking him long enough to get his cut in first.... he'll shout things like "NO DON'T hit me... I'm one o' you." "OWWWWW... why you hittin' on me you stupid dog"....
His target is taken completely off guard and dies instantly.
Gilstrock goes after another pirate, badly injuring him, as Jesse magic missiles yet another.
Still they continue to swarm you. Angst and Jesse will be in battle next.
Gonzo immediately presses his attack on another (hopefully confused) pirate.... "ARRRRRRGGGG" he says with gusto. This one sees him coming, though, and bounces his broadsword off of the dwarf's hide. The dwarf nails him twice back, and the man reels.
Pharian casts an ice storm on the pirates if he can get many of them in without hailing his friends too.
In reference to the fallen Niko, Gilstrock says, "They killed Kenny!" as he presses the attack with Thawbreaker against the pirates. Another pirate falls, but another jumps in to take his place.
Salaam points to the pirates and says, "You bastards!"
BrightAxe gives a battle cry to Clangeddin and presses the attack. he nicks his opponent, then has a broadsword bounce off of him, before fanning with his second axe.
"Hey Occa, Lord Valdar, how about helping out already!"
Occa looks up from his DugeonBunny magazine and says, "Eh? Oh, right, okay." He will begin magic missiling the leader pirates until they are dead, or he has gone through 3 magic missle spells...
The captain falls, dead.
Occa then thinks about casting a lightning bolt, but with the mob of his own allies in front of him milling about, thinks better of it.
"Sorry, used up most of my spells on the will-o-wisps and thessalhydra, earlier," says Valdar. Nevertheless, he looses his last magic missile spell and then starts casting another spell.
His missiles soften up five pirates.
Darian swings at the pirate in front of him.
Darian's swing misses, then he gets nailed for 7 hit points. The elf's second swing also is wide.
"How about taking Jesse' place in battle?"
"Better pay more attention to your own fight, Darian!" advises the elf-lord.
Pharian's ice storm goes off, catching 10 pirates in a blizzard of stinging sleet.
"Jibbooms and bobstays!" they cry.
Salaam bares his teeth in anger as he sees one of his own fall. He then conjures the words to a Hold person spell to his lips and casts it on the nearest pirates.
Seeing Niko fall, Op Code attacks with a fiercer determination.
The pirate drops dead, but another one rushes him.
Jesse dimension doors away from the battle just as a pirate was about to split her in half and then casts magic missiles.
Valdar's next spell - ice storm - goes off, catching 10 more pirates. he then finds himself under attack by a man who was iced by Pharian's spell. His sword bounces off of Valdar's stoneskinned hide.
Salaam's hold spell catches two pirates.
Angst swings at a pirate and lops his head off.
From here the battle degenerates into a chaotic melee of swords and bodies. The magic users find it virtually impossible to tell friend from foe, and have to back up to avoid being caught in the fight. Angst, Gonzo, Brightaxe, Darian, Salaam, Valdar, Gilstrock and Op Code fight the hordes.
After about four minutes of heavy fighting the ranks of the enemy have thinned considerably, though you are taking hits as well. Several tougher looking pirates move up and attack.
"Arrrr, Billy" says one, evidently the ship's navigator, as he has a go at Op Code, "Have ye ever split Gamma Virginis with a ten-incher?"
The battle continues, until midway through the 7th minute of battle Op Code is disemboweled and killed by a man wielding a glowing cutlass.
Less than a minute after Op Code dies, Darian also falls, bleeding heavily from a chest wound.
Finally, in the 8th round of this brawl, no more fresh pirates are alive to enter the battle, and you are able to start helping out each other. This is no help to Angst, as he rushes to attack the pirate who killed Op Code and is immediately cut down with gaping leg wound.
Gilstrock takes on the man with the cutlass who has taken down both rangers, next. He fares no better, and is immediately taken down.
"ARRRR!" says the mate, a gleam of triumph in his eyes.
Salaam drops next, to the glowing blade of the third mate. Brightaxe rushes in to fill the spot...
Finally, Gonzo and Valdar gang up on the first mate, and after a furious battle he is taken down. As they rush over to help Brightaxe with the last pirate, though, the doughty dwarf is cut down and falls into a pool of his own blood.
At last, it is Valdar who cuts down the last pirate.
You rush about, binding the wounds of your wounded compatriots, before they die, too.
Angst, Brightaxe, Gilstrock, Darian and Salaam return to consciousness to find that all of the pirates have been dispatched, but at a cost.
You search the corpses and find: leather armour, 12 arrows, leather armour, longsword (does not glow), leather armour, longsword (does not glow), javelin, leather armour, scimitar, leather armour, potion, 2 darts, potion, shortsword, leather armour, broadsword (does not glow), leather armour, longsword, leather armour, longsword, longsword (does not glow), longsword, potion, leather armour, longsword, leather armour, dagger, leather armour, broadsword, potion, leather armour, leather armour, longsword, leather armour, leather armour, cutlass, leather armour, longsword, ring, potion, leather armour, cutlass (flaming).
Salaam near death, thinks that a trip to base camp for healing and identifying would be a damn good idea about now, but of course being that there are no natural telepaths in the group, his thoughts go unnoticed...
Gilstrock looks up and around.
"Pharian, you look healthy," he croaks out. He holds Thawbreaker out, with the hilt towards Pharian. "Take over."
Gilstrock passes out.
"I feel fine," mutters Pharian, putting his ring of regeneration on Gilstrock.
Nothing happens.
Darian groans and closes his eyes again concentrating on healing himself to the point where he can at least stand up.
Nothing happens.
He opens his eyes.
"We need to get some rest and healing. Plus, Niko and Op Code need to be healed."
"They need more than healing," says Valdar, as he pokes around the scene of the carnage. Despite the fact that he is still standing, he looks more beat up than any of the other survivors. "These fellows are southerners," he says, nudging the body of a pirate with his boot, "Lesser Men, as the Saltarians call them."
You notice that the pirates are of a shorter stature, and of a swarthier complexion than the men of Nlad, say.
"I can never remember, does Salaam have a portable hole?" says Pharian. "Or was that Al?"
To Pharian's amazement, a small black growth emanates from Salaam's midsection.. before he gets any weird ideas, he realizes that it is a portable hole falling out of Salaam's belt.
Occa puts away his magazine. You load the dead, the living and the loot into the portable hole, and he teleports you back to base camp.
It is evening when Occa suddenly teleports back into base camp, where Orlon, Stiff and company are eating a dinner of venison steaks.
It is a cool, clear evening.
Occa opens up Salaam's portable hole, and the survivors limp out: Gonzo, Jesse, Pharian and Valdar. They in turn carry out Angst, Brightaxe, Gilstrock, Darian and Salaam, who are critically wounded. Next come the dead: Niko and Op Code.
Finally, they dump out the loot.
"This battle may take us some time to heal up. Do we have a feel for how quickly they can re-equip pirates to take the place of these?" asks BrightAxe. "If not we may have to assume that by the time we get back here they'll be back up to the same strength."
"We should be able to return tomorrow. We have a lot of people who can heal us." replies Darian.
Stiff, who has been passing the time curling and uncurling his beard without using his hands, stands up and wishes that everyone were alive and restored to full health, or both.
Suddenly all of the injured people are as good as new. The corpses of Niko and Op Code jump up and start dancing around, except that they aren't corpses anymore.
Niko and Op Code are suddenly restored to life, and find themselves dancing around the base camp just for the fun of it. It is dark, a fine starry night, and a dinner of venison steaks awaits you.
Everyone else in the party - including the people who battled the pirates - look just fine and dandy, and there is a large pile of loot lying on the ground that needs poking through.
Stiff sits back down by the fire and resumes eating his steak.
Niko, upon realizing that he's alive and dancing, starts grinning as he checks out the area where he was mortally wounded. "Damn, what happened?" He asks. "Did you guys whoop them pirates' arses? And whom do I thank for bringing me back?"
"The big guy," says Valdar, nodding to Stiff.
"What happened?" Op Code looks around. "Last thing I remember is seeing my guts being rearranged."
"We beat them," says Valdar, "Barely. Then, we used Salaam's portable hole to get out of there."
Gisltrock looks around the fire for somebody other than Stiff and Orlon, and then uses his Ring of Human Influence on them. "Bring me food!" he suggests.
Gilstrock's stomach rumbles loudly, echoing the sentiment.
Jesse gets up and gets large mug of ale and a plate of excellent slop and begins to bring it to Gilstrock... however, in her haste to do the job, she trips on a convient branch and stumbles, spilling the ale and slop onto Gilstrocks chest and lap...
"Oh my gosh... I am so sorry for that... does it hurt?" she asks the fighter as she looks at the mess that she has just caused...
"No," the large warrior says. "You missed," he adds, opening his mouth wide and pointing at it.
Niko drools over the large pile of loot. "Wow!" he exclaims, "Now that's a treasure trove!"
"I suggest that we leave the identification and division of the goodies until after we are finished with the pirates," says Valdar. "We are very close, I believe, and I think we should move quickly. All these years!" he mutters, before resuming in a normal voice, "I would like to be back in those tunnels first thing tomorrow."
Since Valdar is suggesting this in his DM's voice, you feel compelled to agree.
"You may want to take that cutlass that the one sailor was chopping people down left and right with, Niko," he adds.