Ready'reat 2, 584
Two
weeks pass in the wink of an eye, it seems, and suddenly you are back
in the Greyhawk Ruins, ready to continue your explorations.
Amberle has trained and is now considered an adept.
With you is Robert, hung over and feeling ugly.
"So Tragon conned you into leading us?" Logan asks.
Robert shakes his head and glares at the elf.
"I thought you were leading."
Amberle says, "I suppose we could always draw straws."
She shakes her head a bit.
"Relax, Robert," Logan says in a calm tone, "I just wanted to make sure
we are all on the same page," he says to the veteran. He clears his
throat and says, "Listen up, people, I was asked to resume the position
of leader now that Tragon has left for a personal mission. I am fair
and I lead by delegation, BUT I, as Robert has, been involved in many
near death battles, so when I speak, its not to hear myself speak but
to make sure I keep you all alive. If anyone has an issue with that,
speak up now, I will take any and all silence to mean that you all
agree."
He stops, waiting to see if anyone has an issue with his position.
Tragon, standing next to Badd, smiles and says nothing.
"Okay, Tragon, was that good?" Logan looking at the Paladin with a wink and a smile.
"I think you were referring to the departure of the other paladin," corrects Robert, "Whatever his name was."
"Follow me!" says Badd, wandering off towards the last room the party explored. "Fame and fortune await!"
In typical orderly fashion you wander after the guide gnome, and soon
find yourselves back in the cave area: You see that you are now in an
irregularly shaped cave area (right wall runs west-southwest for about
12', then southeast for about 55', northeast for about 10', northwest
for about 40', then about north for about 15' to close up). In the
middle of the last section is a 10' wide tunnel running more or less
east.
At 10' intervals along the southwest wall are four wooden panels. The
far end of the cave has collapsed, partially burying a low table.
Looking up the passage, you see that it narrows down to 5' width within
10'. In all, it seems to run for about 25' before opening up into
another cave.
Badd had checked out the panels previously and discovered that they
opened into dark area(s) beyond. There is a chest on the table,
partially buried in rubble.
You head up the passage and look into the next cave. This one is larger
(right wall runs east for about 10', then southeast for 5',
west-southwest for about 5', curves approximately around to the
southeast after another 20', northeast for about 10', east for about
10' (5' deep niche in the centre...there is a large boulder at the back
of the niche), south for about 5', east for about 20', north for about
15', northwest for about 40' (8' wide tunnel exiting out of last
section), then wall curves around gradually to close up (door in middle
of this curved section).
The centre of this chamber is supported by a sturdy rock column. Rock
debris has been piled along most of the south wall. Some shovels, picks
and a cart rest atop or close by the debris.
Going across the cave you look up the tunnel. It runs northeast for about 40', ascending steadily, then ends.
"Whoa!" says Badd. "I wanna take a look at that chest."
And he does so.
All of the seams of the chest appear to be sealed with a gummy wax. It does not seem to be locked, though.
"After you're done with the chest, can you go listen at the door, Badd?" Stump asks.
Badd runs over to the door and listens at it next. He hears nothing. He does note that the door is locked.
"Badd, be cautious with the chest. Sealed like that, it's bound to be a trap."
"Yep," says Badd happily. "Maybe slime, or something."
Gingerly he checks the chest for traps, and realises that the gummy wax is holding something inside the chest.
"Someone big should flip it open from a distance."
"Anyone got a long pole handy?"
"Here you go," says Kelene, handing her stave to the paladin.
"Thank's Kelene. I suggest everyone stand back."
Tragon gets the pole situated in the right spot, holds up his shield and attempts to flip open the lid of the chest.
The lid does not flip. The gummy gunk keeps it sealed.
Stump remarks, "If necessary, maybe a bit of heat on the remaining gunk will loosen its grip."
Badd carefully removes gunk until it feels like only a small amount of additional force would be required to open it.
When Badd is finished and safely away from the chest, Tragon tries again.
The lid starts to lift, and suddenly it pops open, releasing a cloud of gas with a loud POP.
Tragon jumps back, but not quite quickly enough, as he catches a whiff and stiffens up, paralysed.
The rest of you wait for the gas to clear, then inspect the contents of the chest.
Inside you find four crystal bottles. One of them is broken, hence the gas. The others are filled with liquid.
You take the three bottles.
"Badd, you want to open the door next?" asks Robert.
"And I forgot to say," Kelene puts in, "But I was looking at the
boulder over in the south and it is hinged! Must be a door of some
sort."
Tragon remains as stiff as a poker...and worse still for a paladin, he cannot speak.
Badd walks up to Tragon and pokes him in the chest.
"It's a very commanding pose," he says, obviously impressed by the
paladin's bearing. "Do you think we should leave him here as an
inspiration to passers-by?"
"Wouldn't be much of an inspiration," snorts Robert.
"I think he's cute," says Kelene. "I wonder if all parts of him are stiff?"
Badd shrugs.
"You know," he says "I think this may be your unique chance to ply your
charms on our comrade. Would you like us to give you a few minutes
alone so you can investigate to your...er...satisfaction?"
Kelene gives this suggestion consideration.
"No," she says at last with a coy smile, "I wouldn't want to risk breaking him."
Stump shakes his head, "Now that is just plain sick. What's the matter, Kelene? Can't get any the normal way?"
"What's normal?" she asks.
Amberle also gets upset.
"Can we have a little bit of decency for once? Anything more here
to check, besides him? If not, either wait for him to normalize,
if a paladin can be normal, or someone pick him up and carry him."
"Open the door, or check that other passage, or do the rock," says Robert. "We can drag him along."
The warrior prepares a rope.
"What's indecent about it?" says Badd curiously. "It's a perfectly normal part of mammalian behaviour.
"Although sometimes..." he looks into the middle distance reflectively.
"Well, Plinzziph Klinckenfpsrink made a machine which..."
He shakes his head at Amberle, saddened by the thought of folk who
would not appreciate ingenuity wherever they found it. "You wouldn't
want to know."
Then he grins at Kelene. "You would, though."
"Yes I would!" she says brightly, "And so would Logan!"
"Kelene, can you either dispel the magic on him or remove his paralysis?" Logan asks.
She shakes her head.
Robert ties a rope around Tragon's neck and then follows you around,
pulling the paladin, bumping and dragging along the floor, after you.
Badd tries to pick the lock to the door but it defeats him.
Nason has a go as well and it pops open.
Through the door you see another cave, approximately circular and about
20' in diameter. The floor in here is littered with the bones of many
creatures as well as numerous corked bottles. Inspecting the bottles,
you see that they contain chunks of flesh, preserved in some sort of
foul-smelling fluid. One particularily large bottle is filled with
blood.
"Ugh," says Kelene, "Components to use in an animate dead spell."
There is nothing else of value in the cave.
You head up the inclined tunnel to the northeast and check it out.
Nason, to everyone's surprise - including him - finds a secret door at
the end...in the ceiling!
Amberle says of the components, "Then it's obvious they need to be destroyed."
Amberle returns to the cave and goes about breaking bottles and upsetting contents, especially the vat of blood.
The elf unsheathes his sword and helps Amberle destroy everything.
Amberle says, "Thank you Logan."
"My pleasure, any opportunity to stop evil from raising its nasty head is fine by me," he nods to her.
Kelene also helps.
Badd also joins in...although he seems more taken with the notion of breaking things than any consideration of virtue.
Nason says, "What a waste. We could have probably sold some of those components."
Amberle asks, "Perhaps you like undead and would like to snuggle with one?"
"Even I won't go that far!" exclaims Kelene, "Though Lo Wang was pretty close."
Nason laughs. "An interesting idea, however, those components might be
useful for something else. Do you know what a raise dead requires? Or
what about holy word? I don't...maybe these could have been used for
those. That is the problem...you are assigning morality to objects. It
is the user that is evil, not the item."
He chuckles, "Well, in most cases..."
"Wheeeee!" shouts Badd, throwing a glass jar against the wall with a crash. "C'mon Nason, trash some stuff."
Nason says, "I like to save my trashing for private moments."
He picks up a bottle containing several ears that isn't broken and may be rare or valuable. He tucks that into his pouch.
"What does morality have to do with anything? These items are
being used to upset the natural progression of things. It is
better to destroy such items than to leave them around or sell them to
who knows what, so that some freak won't get them. Plus these items
aren't good for that. If you don't mind please leave clerical
matters to clerics."
Nason says,
"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeee, tell me
you know all the components to all spells. If so, then that will save
us a ton of time."
While smiling, he picks up a vial of something and gets ready to hurl
it against the wall...waiting for the word of Amberle's knowledge.
Amberle replies, "Of course I don't, why would I know mage components?"
Amberle stands there and gives him the look of I'm waiting, or will your greasy little palm feel cheated out of a copper piece?
"Oh, I know! I know!" yelps Badd. "Go on, ask me anything." He nods at the vial
in Nason's hand. "Don't worry, you won't need that."
Nason says, "Sure, Badd, like I believe that."
He tucks the vial into his pouch.
He laughs.
"Ah, Nason..." Badd grins merrily, his eye twinkling. "Would I lie to you?"
"No, but you have clear priorities on what you enjoy."
"What about the secret door?"
You head out of the cave and make for the secret door. As you cross the
large cavern, Kelene stops, lets out one of her yelps and points at the
large hinged boulder to the south.
You see something white sticking to it, that was not there just a few moments ago.
You go over and look, and see that it is a scrap of paper with the words -
'Nogoz waz here.'
- scrawled on it.
"Sounds kinda familiar," says Badd. "Why is that?"
Nason says, "We found a similar note on the first level of the tower."
"Ah, that was it."
He shrugs.
"Oi, Nogoz," he calls out. "You still here?"
He gets no answer, so you proceed to the secret door. The door being in
the ceiling, you need something to climb up to get at it. After looking
about, your eyes alight on Tragon, still paralysed and rigid. You prop
him up at the end of the passage, and Badd scrambles up him and stands
on his head.
Examining the secret door just above him, he spots no traps and quickly
discovers a hidden latch. However, when he tries to open it he
discovers that it is locked, and when he tries to pick it the mechanism
defeats him.
He climbs down off of Tragon, and Nason climbs up to take his place.
However, the lock also proves to be too much for the elf as well.
Nason sits on top of Tragon's head and looks dejected.
Amberle comments, "I'll have to write these down: 1001 uses for a paladin."
Nason says, "Anyone have a way to pop this open? Or is very strong?"
"Yeah," says Badd. "Stay there a second."
He scrambles up Tragon and sits on Nason's shoulders, and whistles
circus tunes for a few moments while he juggles with hazelnuts.
Then he takes out his Sinclair blade.
"That works," Nason says, and climbs down.
However, when he tries to activate the sword, nothing happens.
"Yep," says Badd happily. "We should form a performing troupe. I don't think I got the door, though."
"Got another charge?" asks Robert.
"Yep," says Badd, searches his pockets. After a few minutes, during
which the gnome produces a remarkable assortment of detritus, he shrugs
sheepishly.
"Er, nope."
Then he begins to juggle hazelnuts again.
Stump looks at the others. "Must be one of those gnome garments. Carries everything but the kitchen sink in them."
"Can I have one?" Amberle asks Badd.
"Sure," says Badd, tossing one her way without missing a beat, and
producing another from a sack at his waist. "I always carry a bundle.
In case, y'know, we meet squirrels."
"If we need something hard enough we can always use the paladins head. Paralysed or not it is a good battering ram."
"Can you knock, Logan?" asks Robert, "Or should we do the hinged boulder?"
Logan does not answer, so Robert takes Amberle up on her suggestion.
With his rippling muscles he wraps his arms around Tragon's knees, then
bodily lifts him and smashes the top of his pointed paladin head into
the secret door above.
Nothing happens.
He does it again.
Nothing happens.
With a final grunt he tries a third time.
There is a splintering sound. You think it is the door. Looking up, you see that it has been smashed, revealing a room above.
You prop the paralysed paladin against the end of the passage again and
scramble up him and into the room. When you are all up, Robert uses the
rope tied around Tragon's neck to haul him up as well.
You are standing in a room (20' X 30': oriented northeast - southwest;
door near the middle of the northwest wall). This place was a pantry,
its walls lined with shelves. Some debris lies along the floor under
the shelves lining the southeast wall. A broken barrel sits in a random
corner. There is a spear launcher poionting at the door. It is loaded
with two spears...the tips of each being covered in some sort of slimy
goo. A pair of fine wires run from the launcher to the door.
Searching the room, you find nothing of value. Under the debris you see
a hole in the southeast wall...similar to the entrance to the ant
warren that you explored earlier.
The spear trap is easy for Nason and Badd to deactivate from this side.
Opening the door, you see a kitchen chamber (35' X 20': 15' northeast,
15' southwest, 20' northwest; stairs going up out of northwest wall,
north section). This place smells of rot and decay. The source of the
decay is readily apparent, for standing limply in the west corner is a
zombie!
Amberle takes her nut and tosses it to hit Robert in the head with it.
"I only meant that as a joke," she says, referring to using Tragon as a battering ram.
Badd grins. "You have to admit though, Tragon is far more versatile in this form."
Amberle then gets her holy symbol ready.
Stump gets his sword ready for battle.
"Damn," the elf mutters as he levels his crossbow at the zombie and fires a bolt at it.
Logan's bolt strikes the undead. It jerks and starts shuffling towards
you. You see that it seems to be alive with putrid green worms.
Badd pelts the zombie with hazelnuts. "Feel the power of the nut god, fiend!"
Lornard fires an arrow from his longbow.
The arrow nails the undead and it collapses in a heap.
You search the kitchen and discover nothing of value. You do see a few charred bones in a corner.
Then, you hear a noise behind you. Spinning about, you see the undead staggering to its feet!
At the same time a wave of fear washes over you.
Stump, Nason, Amberle and Lornard scream and run away up the stairs.
Robert, Badd, Kelene, Logan and of course Tragon stand firm.
"Begone, horrid undead!" says Kelene, brandishing her holy symbol. The undead ignores her.
"This ain't no zombie!" exclaims Robert, drawing his bastard sword.
The undead advances on you.
"Even the nut god's power fails us!" yelps Badd, running away. From a safe distance he casts chromatic orb at the undead.
"Damn," Logan says as he fires another bolt at the zombie. "This time we burn it after it goes down!"
The zombie swings at Robert and misses. Logan's bolt slams into the undead and it drops again.
This time you burn it, and it does not rise again.
After awhile the others return.
Stump, Nason, Amberle and Lornard return to the kitchen to find Robert,
Kelene, Logan, Badd and Tragon alive and happy, though the paladin is
still as stiff as a poker. The undead has been reduced to a pile of
ashes.
It is midafternoon.
"I apologize for running out like that," Lornard says. "The
terrifying effect of these undead - it is unnatural, and I hope I can
learn how to counter it."
"Don't worry," says Badd comfortingly, patting Lornard on the shin.
"Not everybody can be brave all the time. There have been times when
even my resolve to fight these hideous creatures has weakened."
Lornard pokes at Tragon. "Is there anything anybody can do for him?"
"I don't think so," Badd shakes his head sadly. "Even if we could unfreeze him, he'd still be a paladin."
Amberle adds, "I don't think there is any cure for Paladinism."
"I hope he stays this way permanently," says Robert. "He has become quite useful."
"Badd, can I have a few more nuts, please?"
"Sure."
Badd sends a few Amberle's way.
"Where next?" asks Kelene, as she trowels on a fresh layer of makeup.
"The rock," says Robert, and leads the way, with the paladin bumping along behind him.
Back down through the secret door you go, down the descending passage and back to the cave.
Reaching the hinged boulder where you found the mysterious note, Robert and Lornard grip it and swing it open.
Before you a short 10' long tunnel descends into another cave. You
cannot see its full dimensions from the entrance, but you do see a
chest off to the left, a tunnel opening with a flight of stairs going
down to the southeast, and an opening into another cave to the
southwest. A large gong with a mallet hangs from the ceiling to the
right.
Suddenly five large humanoids step into the cave from the chamber to the southwest and charge at you!
"Ogrillon!" shouts Robert, drawing his glowing bastard sword and leaving Tragon behind as a doorstop.
The elf aims his crossbow and fires at the nearest ogrillion, providing none of his companions run in front of him.
His bolt sticks itself into a shin.
Lornard shoots off an arrow at the charging ogrillion before throwing his longbow over his shoulder and drawing his longsword.
The ranger's arrow passes straight through the monster, leaving the fellow seriously injured.
Badd fires off an arrow at an ogrillon.
The gnome's arrow nicks an ogrillon.
Then he becomes invisible, and sneaks around for a rear attack.
Nason fires a magic missile at the lead ogrillon. The elf softens up a monster.
"Gorilla what?" Stump wonders as he charges the humanoids.
The monsters attack Logan, Lornard, Robert, Nason and Stump.
Logan manages to sidestep two punching attacks.
BIFF!
- as Lornard takes a haymaker in the chops for 2 hit points of damage.
POW!
- as the ranger has the wind knocked out of him for 7 hit points.
Robert ducks under an incoming fist and stabs his assailant in the groin, killing him.
Nason also dodges a swing...and then sidesteps another.
Stump deflects an attack as he nicks the last ogrillon.
Lornard's hurting, but with his longsword he attempts to finish off the Ogrillion attacking him.
KAPOW!
- as the humanoid is faster, and punches him for 2 hit points. The
ranger's aim is true, though, and he kills the monster with his swing.
"Ha," Logan says as he unsheathes his sword with his right hand and holsters his crossbow with his left one.
BIFF!
- and Logan takes it on the chin for 2 hit points of damage. He swings his blade at the ogrillon and another foe is history.
Badd tries to backstab the lead Ogrillon with his magical dagger. The
gnome connects with the ogrillon on Nason, badly hurting the monster.
Amberle readies her mace just in case any get through the front ranks.
Stump continues to attack the last ogrillon. The warrior lands a beautiful hit, then -
UNNNH!
- and he is nailed for 2 hit points, followed by -
BANG!
- and he takes another fist in the solar plexus for 3 hit points.
Nason throws up to 3 daggers at the Ogrillons.
The elf throws a dagger as the ogrillon misses, striking him in the eye and killing him.
Then he pulls out a dog-eared copy of "War and Peace" and waits for the battle to get done.
Stump soldiers on, taking a one-two hit to the jaw and the midsection
for 10 hit points, as he misses. Robert steps in and finishes off the
ogrillon.
Peace and love reign in the cave.
"Thanks Robert," Stump rubs his jaw.
"Badd, do your thing on the chest and Kelene, honey, you think you can
spread the love around and heal some of us?" Logan asks the drow cleric.
"Certainly," replies the cleric, laying hands on Logan's affected parts (1 hit point), and Lornard's (4 hit points).
Badd raises his eyes heavenwards. "By 'my thing'. I assume you are requesting
the exercise of my professional skills?" he asks.
"Yes, is that a difficult request to fulfill, Badd?" he asks the gnome.
Then he does his thing on the chest.
"Thanks," he says to the gnome. "I am glad when a plan comes together."
Stump watches out for any more intruders as Badd checks out the chest.
Badd immediately notices something sticky on the handle...as if Lo Wang were here earlier doing HIS thing.
"Euchhh," Badd backs away from the chest. "Anyone got a cloth to wipe
this with? I think the Ogrillons really, really... love treasure."
You tear off some of Tragon's clothes and clean off the handle, then
open the chest. Inside you find a collection of arrowheads, cups,
bracers, plates and such. All are made of gold, and you estimate their
value at 350gp.
You check out the cave to the southwest, whence came the ogrillon. It
is approximately circular, and about 20' in diameter. In it is a round
table, surrounded by some chairs. There is nothing of value to be found.
As you face the stairs, deciding whether to descend them, you notice
that Tragon's paralysis is beginning to wear off. Since he is a
paladin, the first part of him to regain its functionality is his mouth.
Tragon open and closes his mouth a few times to loosen the muscles.
He looks like a beached fish in the process.
"Finally!"
"I think we should go up," says Badd with certainty. "I bet there's a privy up there."
"Uh, Badd. I think your sense of direction is a bit off. These stairs go
down."
Stump motions to the stairs.
"Do you have to go again?" asks Kelene, sounding somewhat irritated.
"I just don't understand why there wasn't one down here!" replies Badd
enthusiastically. "I mean, we're not just here to steal treasure,
right? This is an opportunity to understand the people who built this
place! Their toilet habits!"
He shrugs. "Well, and other stuff too."
"Geez, Bad. You're a gnome. I'm surprised you haven't invented some type of
undergarment that someone with bladder problems can just wear and not have
to worry about privies," Stump wonders.
Lornard says, "I am still rather wounded. How is everybody else?
Might it be wise to take some time to rest and heal further before we
venture forth?"
"Lornard, if you come here and touch my hands, I may be able to heal
you. If not, I'll have to wait until this paralysis wears off
completely."
Lornard walks over and touches Tragon's hands. He is healed for 4 more
hit points, and Kelene touches him for 2 more, so he is starting to
look pretty healthy.
"In any event," Lornard says, "we should wait long enough for Tragon to become fully mobile!"
"Get up, Tragon, enough resting on the job," the elf smirks at the fallen Paladin.
After a short while Tragon is able to stagger to his feet and move about, albeit stiffly.
"Time to explore new places," he smiles. "Badd, can you please check the stairs for traps?"
"Uh, OK," says Badd, emerging from thoughts of catheters and bladder extension
devices.
He checks the stairs for traps and finds none.
You head downstairs.
The stairs twist and turn down a rough tunnel, eventually straightening
out and running northeast for 45', before ending at an odd shaped
chamber (left wall runs northwest for 10', northeast for 10', northwest
for 10', northeast for 20', southeast for 20', southwest for about 15',
southeast for 10' and southwest for 20'; flight of stairs continues
down out of rightmost wall, southwesternmost half ie. immediately to
your right). The northernmost section of this chamber is raised a few
steps above the area which confronts you. Upon a table at the back of
the raised area are a number of items which glint of gold.
Before you, however, are three large orcs and an ogre, who move to attack you!
"Swordspeople, attack the orcs, mages and bowpeople, take out the
ogre," Logan instructs as he aims his crossbow and fires at the ogre.
His bolt nicks the ogre.
Amberle casts a spell. She looks at the furthest orc from the group and yells, "Die!"
The monster drops.
Tragon draws his sword and attacks one of the orcs.
Tragon is not quite as fast as he hoped to be, and takes a hit for 3
hit points. His blade finds its mark, though, and the orc howls.
Stump jumps at the ogre, his sword a-swinging.
The warrior fans badly with his sword. He then takes a hit for 6 hit points, leaving him badly hurt.
Badd turns invisible, and manoeuvres for a backstab on the ogre.
The gnome pops into view as he stabs at the ogre, pricking his backside.
Lornard draws his sword and engages the remaining orc.
The ranger takes it in the kisser for 7 hit points as he misses badly. Another hit comes in for 2 hit points.
Kelene dances around to the back and kills the 'dead' orc.
Robert helps out Stump, and opens a deep wound in the ogre.
Stump attacks again, and misses...as does the ogre. Badd stabs again
and also misses. Robert lands a glancing blow, though, and the monster
drops.
Tragon dodges a blow as he lands one, then misses with his follow up attack.
Lornard makes a surgical strike but the orc survives and swats him back
for 4 hit points of damage. The ranger makes a gurgling noise and drops.
Kelene rushes over and attacks the orc that just dropped Lornard, but misses. The monster turns on her.
Next, Kelene and the orc both fan, then the drow connects with her glowing shortsword, badly injuring the orc.
Amberle rushes over and pulls Lornard to safety.
Tragon misses, then takes it in the groin for 7 hit points. Robert steps up and kills the orc.
One remains, battling Kelene. Stump rushes over, and with a single swing kills the offending monster.
Amberle binds Lornard's wounds, and a few minutes later he regains consciousness.
Lornard regains his senses after a few moments. The battle has been
won, and Amberle has patched his wounds. The ranger is at -3 hit
points, and will so be out of it for three days while he recovers.
The lower chamber where the battle was fought has little or nothing of
interest. The upper chamber, though, has several items to excite your
curiosity. Atop the large table lie several parchments, as well as a
bottle of ink and a quill pen. A small chest sits in the west corner,
and along all the sides of the room lie numerous gold items, ranging
from a tall urn to earrings (30 jewelry worth 1110gp ea.).
The chest is covered in dust, but does not appear to be locked. Scrawled in the dust are the words -
"Nogoz wuz here!"
The parchments have writing on them. It is unintelligible...though Nason and Logan growl at the sight of the words and letters.
"The language of the Underdark!" exclaims Kelene, looking at the harsh and misshapen letters. "I fear my brethren are about!"
"He seems to be everywhere," Tragon observes regarding Nodoz.
"Oh," says Badd. "That's not good. Not good at all."
He looks up at Kelene hopefully. "Unless they're all depraved clerics of friendly gods...then it might be quite fun!"
"Not likely," she replies, serious for once.
"What's the best way to deal with your 'brethren'?" asks Amberle.
"Not to deal with them at all," the drow replies.
Amberle agrees. "Sounds like a recommendation to me. I say we head back to a safer area till we're all well."
"I agree!" Stump nods to Amberle as he checks out his wounds.
"I suggest we head back and rest up. Lornard's going to be out for a while and I don't think we're up for another fight."
"Yep," says Badd, looking At Lornard. "Hey Tragon, lead us outta here!"
"Badd, I don't even know where we are! I don't suppose you noticed I had my eyes closed the entire time I was paralyzed?"
"Oh," says Badd. "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but was that smart? Wouldn't it
have been better to open your eyes as you felt yourself stiffening up?"
Tragon laughs. "I don't think I consciously did it. I might
have been blinking at the time. If I had it to do all over again,
I think I would've been in another room."
Stump suggests, "I suggest we head upstairs and rest in the room that
is at the corner of the hallway in between the two flights of stairs."
"I think we should head back to Castle Greyhawk," says Robert. "I think I'm sobering up."
You head back to the castle, arriving at Akitrom's tower in time for a late dinner.
Kelene, who brought the parchments with her, tells you what they are about.
"They look like inventory ledgers...stuff brought into that room, and
stuff taken out and upstairs over the past few months. Remember those
gold ingots we found when we first entered the previous level? They are
listed here! There is also a sheet entitled 'Gold lost to surviving
surface dwellers', but it is blank."
She pauses, then adds, "With the treasure we just brought out I think I'll have enough money to do some training!"
"Robert, thank you for coming with us. Will you accompany us again when we're ready to set out?"
"Oh sure."
Tragon holds out a hand to Kelene. "May I see them?"
She hands the sheets over.
Tragon flips through them quickly. "If you don't mind, I'd like a chance to look at these a lot more carefully."
Regarding training, the paladin says, "That would be nice. Are you ready to train?"
"You bet!"
Tragon nods. "I am ready as well."
He looks around the room. "How about the rest of you?"
"Hey, me too!" says Badd. "Ogrillons bring out the potential latent in my small gnomish frame."
He beams. "Soon I'll be a great hero. Like Tragon, only with my eyes open."
Amberle adds, "It seems that last
outing was very intense for all, I feel the need to train as well. I
don't know Badd, Tragon did some of his best work with his eyes closed."
"Here here," nods Robert, hoisting a beer.
"I feel I am soon capable of casting better spells, but not there just yet," Logan smiles. "Kelene, what did you find out in those parchments you found other than inventories? Any clue as to who is ruling the place now?"
"Nothing of the sort in them," she replies.
"All this talking is making me hungry. Does anyone have any SPAM?"
"Gangrene..?" asks Kelene.
"I have a wafer-thin mint!" volunteers Badd.
"Just make sure you bring me a bucket."
Badd shrugs and lifts his eyes to the heavens.
"'cos there's bugger all down here on earth..." he mutters.