January 13, 1372


All is quiet again...almost. Sian and Vanadil report in the morning that during their watch they thought they heard some low cries or moaning noises from the water-filled passage below...followed by an abrupt splash...then silence.

After awakening, the clerics and spell casters spend some hours in study and contemplation, before you are ready to continue.

"Hmmm... Guess there are some ghouls still out there.

"Do we want to take time and get everyone to full strength? If not, then I suggest we heal the most wounded and move on."

Zanax asks eagerly, "Maybe I could finish off those ghouls while you're resting?"

Kadlian sighs and rolls his eyes. "Take back up."

Zanax smiles, "Hlarn or Sian...care to join me?"

"If Kadlian doesn't require me, I'd like to go," offers Aron.

Zanax looks critically at the warrior of Tyr. "Are you sure you're up to it? You're still injured and you're not very well armored."

"I am up to it, thanks to you and Votishal."

"I guess we have decided to heal everyone and let the clerics regain their spent spells?"

Kadlian shrugs. "Aron, let me heal you first. I can prepare for more spells while we wait."

Kadlian casts a cure light wounds spell upon him, healing him up to full.

"We have to figure out how to cross over to where the gargoyles were without tripping any of those traps."

"Hlarn, a find traps spell would definitely be in order."

"Ummm...fearless leader, I believe Rage's spell tripped the traps already," Zanax points out.

"No guarantee that that is true."

Zanax heads down the passage with Aron and whoever else wants go to slay the rest of the ghouls. He has his frostbrand and holy symbol out.

"Zanax, be careful with the frostbrand and the water. We do not want to have to deal with a Zanaxiscle."

Zanax grins, "Yes, mom!"

Aron steps forward, joining Zanax.

"Kailar, would you go with him to keep him out of trouble?"

"Certainly. Wouldn't it make sense for us to bring an elf along though, since they cannot be paralyzed by ghouls?"

"Certainly, who would you suggest? Sian and I are needed here to contribute our healing and then rememorize those spells."

At the end of the passage the three intrepid ghoul hunters stop, and look through the 8' wide opening. Below them is a 10' wide water-filled passage running back towards the north. To the south, on the other side of the opening, is the opening which Rage created, leading into the chamber whence came the gargoyles.

The rest of the party watches from the north end of the passage with baited breath.

"Vanadil, can you stand watch from above and use your bow on anything that threatens Zanax and Aron?"

Vanadil nods.

"Thank you."

Logan joins the ghoul hunters.

Roganna heals as needed. She casts cure light 3 times, and also heals serious wounds.

Zanax comes back, and casts one CLW, plus he heals 18 hps with a lay on hands.

Hlarn casts two more cure light wounds spells, and everyone is healed and happy.

Kadlian wants everyone to have a full regimen of spells. After all, night and day don't matter when you're in an underground ruin

In that case Hlarn recommends you rest an entire day. Thus you can start off fresh with all of your normal clerical protections (endure heats cast on everyone, etc).

Kadlian nods. "Make it so, number one."

"To maybe save our candle....I can supply 2 clw as I assume can Kad," says Sian.

At some point, Agulhas converses with the group of mages, and eventually conveys to the others that he will be memorizing (assuming time, and the availability of spellbooks and components):

1st: Magic Missile X4

2nd: Knock, Mirror Image, Web X2

3rd: Fireball X2, Fly

4th: Ice Storm, Polymorph Self

5th: Wall of Stone X2

"I will go up and see what I can see withe ghoul hunters. If they need help I shoul be able to holler and lend them some arrows." says Sian as he starts up to a higher vantage point.

Zanax heads back up to where Aron and Kailar wait, taking Kadlian, Logan, Sian and Vanadil with him.

"I can fly down and I believe that you can use your mind powers to levitate down Zanax. What about you, Kailar?" asks Aron.

"I have my broom."

"Then we have no need for ropes to get down. Just to be on the safe side though, let's attach a rope somewhere and leave it hanging down for us to get up."

Zanax scans below for evil.

You tie a rope around a convenient rock, and then, while Vanadil watches with an arrow nocked, Kailar, Aron and Zanax fly, fly and levitate down into the water-filled passage below.

They see that the passage below runs north for 40' in all, turning west after 30'.

"I didn't sense any evil before we came down. Let me check the area again."

Zanax scans 360 degrees for evil.

Aron waits to see what Zanax has to report.

"No evil. Shall we head north?"

"You lead, I'm just along for the ride," says the gnome.

"Yes. If you take the lead, I'll cover our back."

Zanax nods and heads down the north passage and then turns west. He has his frost brand drawn.

"Do not stray too far and be back in an hour. I do not want to have to search for you guys if you get lost," clucks Kadlian from above.

"Ok."

Logan and Sian climb down the rope to the passage below, and enter the water. It is about 4' deep.

The party heads north up the passage, while the rest of you above rest and relearn...

For perhaps ten minutes you wait. You hear the occasional voices of Logan, Zanax, Aron and Sian as they move slowly down the water-filled passage below you, growing fainter as they move away from you. For several moments you hear nothing, then there is distant shouting, followed by Zanax's clear cry -

"By Votishal, be gone!"

- followed by the sounds and cries of a fight.

After a couple of moments, silence returns.

Perhaps twenty minutes after they departed, Zanax, Aron, Kailar, Logan and Sian return. Aron is clawed and scratched, and frozen in a Bruce Lee stance. Sian and Logan are carrying him. Logan also looks pretty beaten up, and he has what appears to be excrement on his clothes. He does not smell too pleasant.

Everyone else looks fine.

They are carrying a leather sack.

"What happened?" Roganna asks, indicating Aaron. "I don't suppose that sack contains what we came here for?"

Kadlian wrinkles his nose. "Logan, could you go take a bath, please?"

He looks at Zanax. "Well, what happened?"

Zanax shrugs. "Minor combat. We destroyed some ghouls and ghasts. Logan stumbled upon this leather sack while helping Sian carry back Aron. Aron was paralyzed by one of the ghouls. He should be alright in a little while. I told Logan to hold off openning the sack till we got back."

Roganna nods, "Okay then, guess I don't need a remove curse or anything like that for Aron then."

"Could you heal me and help clean me off?" Logan asks Beauty as he drops the bag of coins. "The ghouls jumped us and as much as I hate to ask for help, I could use it."

Zanax chuckles, as he pinches his nose. "And don't forget the excrement that ghast hit you with!"

"Real funny, ha, ha, I am covered in crap and you joke," Logan says as he sticks his tongue out at Zanax.

"I can heal you, I don't have the equivelent of a 'clean' spell though. Maybe Rage does," Roganna replies.

She casts a cure light on Logan, for 1 hit point of healing.

"Thanks, Beauty, guess a sponge bath is out of the question then, eh?" he asks, with a slight, hoping smile on his face.

"I have a sponge bath for you," says Sian as he advances on Logan. "I hope you can fly, though. It is kind of far down to the water after I throw you from the top."

"Back off, shrubhead, I was talking to Beauty, not to you," Logan retorts.

Rage sniffs and looks to Beauty, "It seems that the menfolk have an excess of that thing, what's it called... ego? You know, where they go posturing and posing. Beauty, are you ... ummm.. well... are you in , shall we say, heat? This behavior is like many tom cats when it is mating season dontyaknow?"

"Kailar, please check out the sack."

"Not sure if we got them all, but then those undead breed like vermin."

"How? I thought ghouls and such required victims to create new ones."

"I only meant that there are probably more than those that we killed lurking around. They probably have been hanging around for some time now...and Votishal knows how many other people have stumbled around down here."

"Ah. Well, I suppose. Okay, folks, let us finish our preparations and get started."

"Certainly."

Kailar dons his leather gloves and examines the sack very carefully.

It looks like a standard leather sack, tied shut with a leather thong. It is sodden and waterlogged. The gnome spots no traps, so he opens it.

Out spill 31 gems (100gp ea.); 13 bejeweled necklaces (4000gp ea.); two bone tubes, their ends sealed with wax; 875cp and 2 more smaller gems (50gp ea.)

"Nice take."

Hlarn nods toward the tubes and turns toward Kailar. "What do you think? Wait till we get to a safe location, or open those as well?"

"I think we should treat it as we treat other magical items. Therefore we should cast auguries before we open them. The tubes could be trapped or the scrolls cursed."

The mages and clerics return to their praying and studying, finally finishing up early in the afternoon.

Poor Aron, meanwhile, remains as frozen in place as ever.

"Anyone know how to unfreeze Aron? It's pretty spooky with him looking at me like that... a statue.." Rage asks the clerics.

Roganna walks around Aron, touching and poking.

"Hmm. I don't think this is wearing off too well. Shall I try a remove curse or something? I am not familiar with this condition," she says with a frown.

"If we do not have a remove paralysis at the ready, would a dispel magic work?"

Zanax shrugs. "The book only mentioned time and Remove Paralysis."

"Hlarn, Roganna or Umboth, if you do have the spell at the ready, do we have a scroll to help Aron?"

Roganna nods,."Ah, okay then. I'll try that."

She casts remove paralysis on Aron...and Aron thaws out immediately.

Roganna nods in satisfaction. "Welcome back Aron."

"Whoa! That was different. Thanks Roganna." While stretching, Aron says, "As one of my masters once said, 'that which does not kill you only makes you stronger' - I hope the next time I face those creatures I will be better at fighting off their paralyzing effect."

"You need elven genes for that, me boyo, glad you are ok though. I think you should be taking point from now, you are getting a little wide around the sides if you get my meaning. Carrying you was no picnic," Logan says with a smile as he re-enters the room all clean and healed. "Thank you, Beauty for your help.."

"I would be honored to be given the chance to take point and use the skills Tyr has granted me." Pinching his waist, Aron says, "I probably could use a little more excercise, it can be difficult to get a good run in these dungeons.

"And I must also thank Zanax, Logan and Kailar for getting me out of there. Tho I couldn't move, I was aware of what was going on around me. How horrible it would be to be eaten by those creatures while still alive! I will include all of you in my next meditation session to Tyr."

Roganna nods, looking more serious now. "It would be hard to imagine a worse fate."

Zanax smiles. "Merely say a thanks to Votishal, that will be enough for me."

"For now, let us stick to our original game plan. Zanax, is there any reason we should continue along the path that you took? Otherwise, we go across the walkway and see what lies beyond."

Moving back to the rear, somewhat dejected, Aron says, "Aye."

"Please do not take it that way, Aron. You will have your chance, outside. In here, where traps can be abundant, I want Kailar and Roganna using their talents to act as scouts. Your abilities are better used outside."

"Understood, but I am also able to find traps."

"I will remember that."

Roganna preens, "Well of course! I am a Master's Master in the arts. Not that I brag about my abilities of course. I've been doing this for a very long time, and I had the wonderful luck to visit those pools as well. That helped my abilities tremendously!"

Zanax shakes his head. "Let us go across the walkway."

You form up and head down the walkway to the end of the passage. To get through the hole in the south wall that Rage created yesterday, though, the climbing abilities of all are tested, as there is an eight foot wide gap in the floor before it, opening into the water-filled area below where Zanax, Sian, Aron, Kailar and Logan explored this morning. But, using plenty of spikes and ropes, everyone finally gets across and through the opening in the south wall.

You now find yourselves in a chamber (20' X 30': 20' south, 20' west; 10' opening in west wall south corner leading to a ramp/passage descending to the north). In the middle of the chamber lies a small pile of gold (400gp), and, when you gather it up, you find a bejeweled tiara underneath as well (6000gp). Otherwise, the chamber is now uninteresting.

You take a look down the ramp, and the explorers from this morning realise that it leads back into the area where they were a few hours ago.

The ramp descends at a steep angle, and after 10' it is under the water. In all, it runs north for 60', turning east after 50'. In the 20' - 30' section of the west wall is a passage running west, and in the 40' - 50' section of the same wall is a second passage...also running west.

Suddenly there is disturbance and a gurgle in the water, and three ghouls stand up. It appears as if the intrepid explorers missed a few. Something brown and stinky is hurled through the air by one of them, and Logan is again hit square in the chops.

"Here we go again!" Roganna mutters, stepping back so she isn't hit.

"Damn," Logan sputters, "I just got clean."

He unsheathes his sword.

"Am I wearing a sign that says, 'Throw crap at me'?" he asks as he moves in on the ghoul that hit him.

Zanax rolls his eyes upward and sighs. "Stinkin' ghouls..."

He thrusts forward his holy symbol "By Votishal's will, begone!"

"Hlarn, Roganna, Umboth, follow-up if any survive."

Roganna nods, standing ready.

The dwarf has his holy symbol ready.

At the sight of the paladin's holy symbol the undead turn and flee to the north, around the corner, and out of sight to the east.

You slowly advance to the first intersection to the west, and look in that direction. This new passage runs west for 30', turning north after 20'.

You continue north after the ghouls.

Looking around the corner to the east, you see that it runs in that direction for 30', turning south after 20'.

You go east and look south.

The passage runs south for 30' from the corner. The ceiling is partially open, and you realise that above you is the walkway you had to traverse to get to the gargoyle room. At the end of the passage is an 8' wide opening in the ceiling. This is where Zanax, Sian, Aron, Logan and Kailar originally climbed down into this are this morning.

Cowering in the water below the opening are the three ghouls.

"Rage," Logan says sweetly, "can you use a fireball or some other method of mass destruction on them. Since Zanax said we aren't here for fun, let's just kill them quickly."

"It's up tot he bossman," Rage replies. "I thought that you clerics could like destroy these critters without me wasting any firepower."

Zanax shakes his head "No. Let Hlarn turn them to dust. It'll save some spells."

"Every time Hlarn goes 'Boo' with his holy symbol, they run away. That sure as hell ain't finishin' the job," Logan replies to Rage and Zanax, "no offense, Hlarn, you are doin' great, but I really am tired of getting crap thrown at me," he says as he looks at his excrement covered body AGAIN...

"Actually I think it is Zanax doing the boo-ing. He seems to jump the gun a bit rather than let his betters do the job right, the first time We'd save a lot of time by letting Hlarn deal with the undead. I remember another cleric of ours, Sasha, poor lass kept trying to turn the undead, but they always laughed at her. Really did not do anything for her self-esteem. What was that goddess she worshipped? Fertility or somesuch," Rage replies to Logan.

"Too weird, I understand the power of the Gods, but it seems its half divine ability and half personal fortitude, so why not just strengthen yourself and be a man, or, heh, woman or women in your case," Logan says with a smile. "Since we are on the strengthening topic, is there any time soon that you can tutor me in some higher ranking spells?"

"If and when we take a respite from this crawl we are on, and we are safe, then yes," the mage replies.

"Wunderbar, all I need to teach you is some optimism," Logan replies to Rage with a slight bow. "Do we have time to stop, once Hlarn deep fries the ghouls, for me to clean this crap off?"

"Why don't you just duck into that muck at your feet. It has to smell better than that crap on you," says SIan, moving towards the front.

Logan bares his teeth and is about to reply, but then looks at Rage and says, "Calm, cool, and collected, though I am gonna whoop his ass one of these days."

Rage replies, "Unlikely. Besides Sian is a good friend of mine, and has stuck up for me before, so take this as a friendly warning."

"Kad it probably will be best if you me and Vanadil kill them if Hlarn doesn't destroy them. We won't be as likely to be paralized," says Sian drawing his swords.

"True, but there may be others hiding under there."

"Zanax, please check the area for evil."

Zanax scans the area for evil and treasure.

He spots none of either.

"Rage, save your spells, please. Hlarn, please do your best to remove them from our presence, forever."

"Zanax, in the future, follow Hlarn with a turning, do not proceed him. Rage is correct. We should let the strongest do the turning, first."

"Hlarn steps to the mound, the ghouls have three on base. The windup and the pitch..." Rage begins commentating.

Hearing that Hlarn is going to try to turn the undead, Aron moves back 25 feet from the party, trying to move silent and hidden in the shadows, no weapon drawn, and listening for anything coming up on the party.

Hlarn gives a manly grunt and mutters something about "more power" as he presents his holy symbol toward the ghouls.

The ghouls scream and curse unholy oaths at the dwarf before turning and trying to climb up the wall at the end of the passage. Their attempts at escape are unsuccessful, though, and so they fall back into the polluted water and continue to cower there.

Zanax raises an eyebrow. "So much for more power..."

"Never know until you try."

"Great, real effective," Logan says sarcastically. He takes out his enchanted long sword and wades into the water, slicing into the nearest ghoul. "Aron, get over here, and Zanax, careful with that sticker, that's all I need to have myself frozen in here. No job is worth doing if you aren't having fun doing it."

Zanax then wades forward with his frostband in hand "Guess we'll have to do this the long way..."

"Sian, come with me."

Kadlian draws his swords and approaches another one of the ghouls.

Zanax attacks, attempting to keep his frostbrand out of the water.

Hlarn shakes his head. "Be careful. At least one ghoul should have been destroyed. Perhaps something about this place gives them added protection, or they might be some subspecies of ghoul that is more resistant."

"Could be that they aren't ghouls...I believe we decided they were ghasts...don't know if that makes any dif to you, Hlarn," says Sian as he starts to move forward.

"Vanadil go help out our big mouthed womanizer. I don't want to waste time on waiting for him to unfreeze or to waste another spell to unfreeze him," says Sian with a grimace as he watches Logan advance.

"Right, boss," says Vanadil. "Maybe he'll drop his drawers again, and paralyse the ghasts with laughter..?"

So, Zanax, Logan, Kadlian, Sian and Vanadil move up to deal with the ghasts.

Zanax swings first, connects, and badly injures the undead. It screams and swings a clawed fist at him, missing him. A horrible stench comes from the creature. The paladin of course is unaffected, but Logan is sickened - again - and so is Vanadil. Zanax swings again, and splits the ghast in half, finishing it for once and for all.

Luckless Logan - retching all the way - swings his blade at the next ghast and connects nevertheless. This breaks the turning and it attacks back, clawing him for 3 hit points, and he freezes up solid. The ghast then bites him for 5 hit points.

Kadlian has a go at the last ghast. He easily connects and it attacks back, missing. The ranger then finishes it off with his flame tongue.

Sian - as promised - helps out Logan, and the last ghast drops dead.

Kadlian slides his swords back in their sheathes.

"Idiot! He should have stayed in the back and guarded the spellcasters as assigned. I do not suppose we can leave him like this? Just deserts and all?"

Roganna grins, "Well, we really should, but I guess we have to lug him along as he still owes me. Though maybe I should fire him?"

Kadlian shrugs. "That is up to you. But, I am thinking of imposing penalties on disobeying orders. He does it again and he is going to start by shining everyone's boots!"

Roganna chuckles, "I would impose a much harsher penalty. I would make him fetch and carry for everyone for two weeks for the first infraction. After that, it gets worse."

Roganna grins evilly.

"Roganna, can you help him as you helped me?" asks Aron.

"I suppose you had better, Rogana. After all, we might need his sword arm or his magic."

Roganna shakes her head, "Actually,I can only cast that once a day. It will have to wait until tomorrow."

"You know, I've always wondered how a paralyzed person breathes. I mean, it's not like he make his muscles move, you know."

Zanax checks the area for evil and treasure.

He detects none of either.

He then cleans his blade off and re-sheathes it.

"I vote yes," Rage says. "Perhaps I should shrink him and let him thaw at normal speed?"

"How much can you shrink him? Might be worth just shrinking him small enough to fit in someones pack for now," Roganna replies.

"Shrink him, then, Rage. I do not want to stop for the day just because Logan was impulsive. If he comes out of it while we are hiking, you can restore him to his rightful size."

"Maybe I won't. It might teach him a lesson."

Rage pours a bit of powdered iron over Logan as she casts her spell.

"Itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out," she says waving her hands in the air.

Roganna giggles.

Logan - frozen in a John Travolta/Saturday Night Fever pose - shrinks until he is just a few inches tall.

When her spell is done, she picks up the frozen man and tosses him to Roganna.

"You keep him, but be careful, I suspect the spell will be up in about an hour and a half. If he comes unfrozen before then, I want to hear him grovel before canceling the spell."

Roganna catches him, almost dropping him though. "Whoa there boy! Easy now," she says to the statuette of Logan. She places him into a small pouch, making sure his head is outside of the bag. She then nestles the pouch (and Logan) between her breasts. "Should be a nice comfy ride, Logan, lots of cushioning there to keep you safe," she says with a grin.

"There we go Kad, he should be no trouble at all. Isabella wants to know if she can play with our new doll later? You know, dress him up and have a tea party?" Rage finishes.

"If he is still frozen when we next make camp, sure. But, I do not want to stop until then."

Roganna shakes her head, just about shaking with suppresed laughter. She looks down at Logan and tries to catch her breath. "No need to make jello of you I guess ..."

Spinning around, looking up, then down, and behind, Aron vows, "By Tyr, I will do my best to cover our back without Logan's aid."

Seeing Roganna stuff him down her top, "Are you sure that's the place to put him?" Turning a little red, he adds, "When he comes out of his paralysis, he might take advantage of his situation."

Roganna smiles, "Well, he is certainly small enough now to keep in place easily. With one flick of my wrist ... I could change his...well, you know..."

Looking at Roganna's chest, Aron warns, "I know you can hear me Logan, be a gentleman."

Rage nods, "Yes Logan, listen to Aron. If you do anything that might be considered less than gentlemanly, I will turn you into a newt permanantly. A pink newt with purple spots. Forever. Understand?"

You complete your explorations of these water-filled passages. From where you stand, at the end of the passage where Zanax, Sian, Logan, Kailar and Aron entered this morning, it runs north for 40', turning west after 30'. It runs west for 40' in all, turning south after 30'. To the south it runs for 50' in all, ending at the ramp you descended recently from the gargoyle chamber. In the west wall are two passages running west: one in the 10' - 20' section; the other in the 30' - 40' section.

You go down to the first of these passages and go west.

It runs for 30', turning south after 20'.

You go west and look south.

This length of passage runs south for 30' in all, turning east after 20'. In the middle of the west wall is another passage running west. It is at this point that the explorers from this morning had their major battle with the undead, Aron was paralysed, and they found the treasure.

You go and look west.

This passage only runs for 10'; then, there is another ramp going into a fairly large chamber.

You go south and look east.

This passage runs for 30' in all. After that is a "T" intersection with a 10' wide passage running north - south...where you have been before.

You have encountered no more ghouls or ghasts. Perhaps you have finally cleared this area of them.

"Ummm...Kadlian, can I see that map again, please?" asks Zanax.

Kadlian, however, is still trying to update the map.

At last, Kadlian looks up.

"Sure. Let us investigate that room off to the west with the ramp. After all, that is all that is left at this level."

You head west, up the ramp, and see that it leads up into a fair-sized chamber (30' X 40': east wall is 10' east of the top of the ramp and extends 10' north and 10' south; west wall is 30' west of the top of the ramp and extends 10' north and 10' south; door in middle of west wall with flight of stairs leading up to it).

A ramp leads up from the east and meets the floor of this chamber 10' into it. Obviously some sort of formal hall, the ceiling looms some 50' overhead. Four stained glass panels are along the north and south walls (two per wall); the coloured glass in each depicting grinning demons of different sorts. They are each 5' wide and 10' high, and are located in the 10' - 15' and 25' - 30' sections of each wall, respectively.

In the east wall, some 30' up, is a ledge. From your angle on the ramp you cannot see the full width of the ledge. Stones jut out of the east wall, running diagonally upwards from each corner, forming two staircases of sorts leading up to the ledge.

To the west, starting 10' out from that wall, a flight of broad steps leads up to a steel door. There is no obvious way to open the door.

Your attention is drawn up to the ledge to the east by a hissing sound, and up there you see two horrible demonic creatures. They appear much as skeletons in form fitting black leather but with oversized extremities (head, clawed hands and clawed feet). Their heads are the size of a hill giant's, with an enormous, curved horn growing out of the back of them. They carry enormous broadswords.

They rise up into the air and then swoop down to attack you.

Zanax draws his frostbrand and scans the area for evil as he awaits their attack. He also faerie fires them with his ring of shooting stars. One of the demons lights up; the other is unaffected.

"Magic users, hit them with everything you have!"

"Aron, Logan, Vanadil, protect the magic-users as best you can. Zanax, use your protection against evil ability to keep them sheltered."

Aron, who is behind the magic users, stays behind them so as not to interrrupt their casting. Should one of the demons look like it's coming towards the magic users, Aron will use his ring of flying and try to intercept.

"Sian, Hlarn and I will see what we can do when they try to land."

Kadlian draws both swords and awaits his chance.

Zanax replies calmly as he moves toward the mages. "Kadlian, don't look at the stained glass, but we've got more company behind them. I suggest Rage prepare a suitable welcome, as they're likely to attack."

"Behind, how? Rage, hit whatever is coming at us from the behind. Agulhas, Kailar, hit our friends in the air."

Kailar uses his wand of polymorphing on one of the demons coming at us.

The ray strikes a demon, but does not affect it.

Kailar then turns invisible as quickly as possible to keep out of the way of danger.

"They're not behind us...they're above us behind the stained glass panels..."

"Okay. Rage, you know where to aim..."

An invisible Rage looks up to the stained glass windows.

"Argulhas, let's do some damage." She puts up her protection globe from her staff.

However, the creatures that Zanax is referring to behind the stained glass panels remain there, and do not move to attack...yet.

Hlarn uses the time when they charge to cast a withdraw, followed by a protection from evil, prayer, aid and bless spells. He'll cancel the withdrawal by moving to attack directly with his axe so he'll hit quickly, but switching to his hammer if they teleport out of range.

The demons fly in on Vanadil and Aron.

Vanadil swings her glowing longsword and connects with a lovely blow; however the creature's slimy hide seems to protect it from the worst effects of the blade. The devil attacks her with a broadsword, but misses.

In similar fashion the other demon chops into Aron with a broadsword, doing 16 hit points of damage.

Hlarn comes out of his withdrawal and charges into battle as the rest of you converge on the demons.

"Ouch!" Using a mighty magical dagger, Aron attacks back.

Aron misses the demon.

"Agulhas, react!"

Kadlian moves to help Aron. "Hlarn, Sian, help Vanadil. I will assist Aron. Rage, Agulhas, nail the demon on Aron with some magic missiles."

Agulhas fires off two spells worth of magic missiles at the beast attacking Aron.

One of his spells gets through the creature's magical resistance, putting a significant dent into the monster on Aron.

Zanax hangs back to protect the mages.

Vanadil connects again as Hlarn and Sian encircle the demon. She is struck for 11 hit points as she fights down an unreasoning fear of the creature and swings again. This time she misses.

Hlarn swings with his axe, and even though he puts all of his strength into the swing, the axe seems to do less damage against the infernal monster than he would have expected. His second swing misses altogether.

Sian misses as well with his frost brand, but lands a glancing blow with his cutlass.

Nearby, Aron and Kadlian battle the other demon. Aron slices into the creature's hide with his glowing dagger, then is chopped again for 10 hit points, leaving him staggering. Kadlian is next, but he misses with his longsword and then his shortsword.

The demons seem to be enjoying themselves.

Zanax watches with frustration while standing guard around the mages. He anxiously hopes one of the demons will come within striking range of his frostbrand.

Kadlian swings his swords again. "Rage, help us out with a few magic missiles, would you please? Aron, disengage if you can and seek some healing from Umboth and Roganna."

Despite the activities topside, Logan is enjoying his rest in between Beauty's cleavage!!

"Right," replies Aron, who tries to disengage (backing up without turning his back..).

The dwarf switches to his hammer, suspecting the demon can only be hit by more magical devices.

Catching Zanax's frustration out of the corner of his eyes, Aron yells, "Dude! I sure could use some of Votishal blessings."

"You'll have to come to me. I won't leave the mages vulnerable."

"Understood." Aron tries to make his way to Zanax after he's not in melee.

As the man retreats, the devil comes after him and slashes him one last time for 14 hit points. Aron collapses as his entrails spill out of his body, and he soundlessly cries out to his patron with his dying breath.

Then, something strange happens.

Aron's entrails go slithering back into his bodily cavity as if under their own power, and Aron draws a shuddering breath.

He lives...but only barely.

Roganna moves as fast as she can to reach Aron and casts some cure light spells on him. Kneeling over him, she cures him for 11 hit points with two spells, closing up the massive gash in his abdomen.

As the wound begins to close, though, the miniaturised Logan pops out of Roganna's cleavage and falls into Aron's bodily cavity head first. The wound closes up around most of Logan, entrapping all but his feet within Aron's bodily cavity.

Aron groans and regains consciousness.

Aron regains consciousness to find himself lying in a pool of his own blood with Roganna kneeling over him. He looks down at where the demon slashed his abdomen open.

All that remains is a faint scar...and two tiny elf-feet protruding from the region of his stomach.

He looks at the shocked Roganna...and notes that Logan is no longer between her breasts.

Meanwhile, Kadlian now faces the demon which felled Aron alone.

All three of his attacks miss the demon.

Beside him, Vanadil continues to fight with Hlarn and Sian helping out. The demon opens a nasty wound across her shoulder as she connects again. This monster is looking hurt, now. Hlarn, with his hammer, lands a solid blow again. This time you hear bones crunch, and the monster drops.

Sian immediately jumps over to help out Kadlian, and connects with his longsword but does little damage.

Rage, who has been busy and traveling into other planes, turns and faces the demon. Her first spell all but kills the remaining demon...and her second spell finishes it off.

The chamber becomes quiet again.

Roganna looks quite surprised and wrinkles her nose.

"Ewwwwwww!" she says, looking a bit pale. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

For the first time that anyone in the party can recall, Agulhas, regarding the outlandish sight of "LogAron", bursts out in bellows of laughter. The mage is dumbstruck with hilarity for several seconds before finally regaining his composure.

"It's all about Karma, isn't it?" he eventually blurts while reaching to flit Logan's feet with a finger. He passes Aron a sympathetic glance and retreats to the rear of the group.

Zanax, staring incredulously at Logan's feet sticking out of Aron's torso, comments, "Aron, how did you heal yourself like that? It seemed as if your wounds partiaally closed on their own."

Looking at his stomach, Aron starts to bug out. "Is this some kind of sick joke? Aggh, I can feel him moving around inside of me."

Taking a few deep breaths, he tries to calmly ask Rage, "How long till your spell ends and he grows back to his normal size?"

"Won't Logan run out of air inside Aron?" Zanax asks.

"Hlarn, can you figure out how to separate them?"

The dwarf draws his dagger and motions for Sian to hold the fellow down. Quickly cutting a small but shallow cut next to the scar, he reaches into the incision to draw the diminutive fellow out.

Aron - aready weakened by his death/near death experience - promptly passes out.

Hlarn pulls out the blood-covered and still paralysed pocket Logan.

He looks at the rest of his companions.

"Before doing any healing on a person who has fallen unconscious, let a cleric cast a death's door spell."

Hlarn does so now, followed by a cure light wounds to close his incision, but he's unsure if it will allow Aron full strength or not.

Aron comes to a few moments later. He remains weak, though, and will be out of action for the next nine days, you suspect.

"If one of Sian's or Kadlian's followers can stay with me, the rest of you should go on without me. We've come so far, now isn't the time to stop."

"We will figure something out, Aron, do not worry quite yet."

"True, we should continue on but we must also keep in mind that we don't have a way out...much less a secure place to put you. As Kad said, we will do something," says Sian.

"Umboth, take care of Vanadil. She got hit a couple times by that demon," says Sian as he starts to look at the windows.

"Yes, milord," says Umboth, and he casts two cure light wounds spells into Vanadil, for 10 hit points of healing.

The stained glass depict several different types of demons...including the type that you just defeated.

"Zanax, keep scanning for evil. If those things behind the glass come at us, I do not want to be surprised."

Zanax scans the area for evil, especially behind the stained glass.

Quietly, Rage speaks, "Zanax, are those evil critters still up there?"

Zanax nods affirmatively.

"I wonder if the glass protects or prevents them from coming after us?" Rage says.

Zanax concentrates and sees if he can use his clairvoyance to see on the other side of the stained glass.

"Clerics, see to the wounded."

"Kailar, can you scout around this room a bit? Check out the ledges and such."

"Sure thing."

Kailar makes sure that he is invisible and then scouts out the room on his broom.

The chamber is as previously described. There is no obvious way to open the door to the west. However, when Kailar flies up and inspects the ledge jutting out of the eastern wall, from whence the demons flew down to attack, he spots two things. First, he notes a gem and a necklace lying on the floor. Second, he sees a glowing bas relief of a grinning demon jutting out of the back wall, just above the level of the ledge, and invisible from the floor below.

He flies back down and relays this information to the rest of the party.

"Vanadil, how do you feel? Do you need some more healing?" asks Sian of his follower.

Vanadil is still somewhat beat up, so Sian cures her for 1 hit point.

"Hlarn and Roganna, see to the injured, please. Umboth, if you have any healing spells left, please use them on the most grievously wounded."

"Aye Aye Captian. Healing it is," Roganna says softly, going to the most grieviously wounded.

"Take care of those who will be able to battle first," says Aron.

"Rage, since we know that Zanax can use his psionic powers down here, do you suppose that you would be able to teleport Aron and Vanadil to the entrance of the other ruin? From there, she could get him back to camp, where he could rest."

Rage looks at Zanax. "What? I thought you could not use your mind powers."

"He has been using his clairvoyance to look behind doors and the stained glass..."

"I thought he was just detecting the evil there," the mage says, looking at Zanax for confirmation.

Zanax shrugs. "Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Just now I saw what lies behind those stained glass windows...some shadowy creatures in a small room..."

"So," the mage says, "It is either his diety has taken an interest in us and his helping him overcome the magical barrier, or it is weakening. My fear is that I could do one teleport and then not get back to you all."

Rage looks at Kailar. "Does the crystal ball work?" she asks, "I still fear that there is something preventing us from using distance magics."

"If everything appears safe, could you just teleport Aron and Vanadil? That way, there would not be an issue of you getting back to us. Oh, did we leave any other healers back at camp? If not, then we had best send Umboth in place of Vanadil. I do not want Aron's wounds to not get healed while he is separated from us."

"I don't think that healing would be a problem," says Sian, "The rest of my followers should be there. And being that most of them are clerics he should be well tended."

"That is right. You know, Sian, other than Vanadil and Umboth, I have trouble remembering who they are and what they do. It feels like we have been down here for months."

"Hey I know what you mean. I have a hard time remembering them sometimes. But there are 3 clerics and 1 druid up there plus my fellow ranger," says Sian.

"Zanax, do you suppose you could contact one of my followers if Rage can teleport Aron? Then they could just retrieve him without sending Vanadil. I would hate to lose her sword arm."

"One of mine would work just as well if you have any better luck," says Sian to Zanax.

Rage looks at Kad.

"I can try, tomorrow, when I memorize the teleport spell. Until then we have to decide if we wish to push on or not. Are we seriously depleted of our fighting strength? I don't think so, and only a few magic missiles were expended," the mage says. "Let's move out."

"Hold a moment, Rage. We have not yet decided where to go, although the doors look like an option. I want everyone who is wounded to be healed."

"Our other option is to carry him with us, but that reduces our fighting strength and means our defensive stratgey has to change to protect him."

Kadlian looks up at the ledge. "I wonder what all those demon bas reliefs are for? This is not the first one we have seen..."

"Hlarn, can you try to locate the sceptre again? I would have thought we would have found it by now..."

"Any thoughts where we go next?"

Looking up at the glass again, Sian asks, "Zanax, you are our resident expert on demons. Do you recognize any of the others? I have a feeling that we will be seeing those other types before long."

"Those demons we fought were vrocks and toad demons. Fairly minor demons. There are also 5 shadows...undead creatures...behind each of the stained glass. They seem to be inside a small room. Perhaps there is some sort of trap trigger that releases them..."

"Hlarn, anyway to destroy them before they actually become a problem?"

It is late afternoon, you suspect.

Kadlian walks over to Vanadil and expends his two cure light wound spells. "Roganna, Umboth and Hlarn, please see to Logan and then Aron's wounds."

Aron holds his hand up, "No, I think can hear Tyr, and I believe that he wishes for you to procede now. Do not worry about me, recovery of the rod is what matters." At which point Aron passes out.

Kadlian looks at the others. In a voice that brooks no argument he says, "See to his wounds. We are taking him with us until we can see him to a safe place."

Vanadil is healed for 7 hit points.

Concerning Kadlian's question about contacting followers, Zanax shakes his head.

"Not possible since I've never touched their minds before. Same problem with Sian's followers...I've never established contact with them before."

"Hlarn?"

Hlarn nods. "Not at my current level, but with the aid of my candle I should be able to destroy most of them, as well as help out with some more healing spells."

Hlarn carefully places the candle and once ready lights it.

With the sudden increase in power, Hlarn first casts cure critical wounds (5th) on the most wounded active party member, followed by Cure serious wounds (4th) and a cure light wounds (1st) on those who need it.

17 hit points into Aron.

14 hit points into Logan.

7 more hit points into Logan.

He next casts a Remove Paralysis (3rd) spell on our paralyzed member of the party.

The mini-Logan thaws out...and starts wriggling around in Roganna's bodice, where he was redeposited for safekeeping.

Hlarn uses a detect object spell to see if he can get any hit of the scepter.

He detects nothing.

Using the last of his new energy he renews his Detect Traps spell (2nd).

The stained glass panels are traps of some sort.

Finally he holds out his holy symbol and orders the shadows to be gone, and then quickly snuffs out the candle and puts it away.

Since the shadows are behind the stained glass panels and not in his direct sight, he knows that his turning would not work.

The candle is just over half of its original length, now.

Hlarn looks closer at the glass. Does the spell show what might trigger the trap?

It looks to be some sort of automatic opening mechanism. You do not see where the trigger is.

He does a quick look around the room to see if he can spot whatever might happen should the trap be sprung, although he's just guessing that releasing the shadows are probably the answer.

He cannot tell.

"I wonder if touching the door or the engraved demon would cause the windows to open."

"Hlarn, if you lit the candle again, would you be able to destroy them? I suggest that we have Kailar touch the demon while I attempt to open the doors. And then we both make it back to the rest of the party as quickly as possible. If you can destroy them, then that particular trap is no longer a worry."

"It's about time, dammit, I hope you all had fun at my.. ooh, it warm in here, *kiss, kiss *, mmmm, I'll stay here for awhile," says a squeaky voice from inside Beauty's shirt.

"Rage, can you restore Logan to his original size?"

Kailar attempts to scry an area inside the dungeon.

He sees static.

"Well, there goes that idea. Rage, can you shrink Aron as you did Logan? Then we could carry him around without too much difficulty."

"If I did not need someone to act as a rear guard, I would leave him in that state. But, with Aron down, we need his blade."

Kadlian puts out a hand to Roganna. "May I please have Logan? He and I need to have a little talk."

"No rush," you hear a squeaky voice from Roganna's breasts.

"After Kad has his discussion with you, we'll see how you do in the meantime," Rage says. "Roganna, can I have Logan for a minute?"

"It is probably a good idea that you talk to him before I do...." says Sian with a frown on his face, "It seems he doesn't listen when frozen either."

Logan turns his diminutive head towards Sian and grits his teeth, but says nothing. A moment later all that is heard in his little voice is, "I am a team player, I am a team player," over and over until Rage takes him from Roganna's hands.

Roganna chuckles and nods,

"Sure," she replies, wondering what Rage is up to.

"Be gentle, Rage," Logan pleads as she grabs for his miniature form.

Roganna carefully removes Logan from his warm little nest and hands him over.

"Rage is in line behind me. Hand him over, please, Rage."

Rage blinks in surprise at Kadlian's bruskness. She hands Logan over before she even realizes it.

"Yes sir..." she says, sounding uncharateristically meek. "Can Isabella play with him soon, though? She's been waiting a really, really long time. Sir."

"Yes, you are after me. But, I intend to install some discipline into this group. And let us face it. With the loss of Furgh, our real remaining problem is Logan here. So, he and I are going to come to understanding.

"When we are done, you can speak with him."

Rage raises a brow and nods, "Of course, thank you." she replies evenly, her eyes staying on Kad as he goes about his business. "Good luck, Kad."

Kadlian and Logan go off to a corner to speak quietly. After a few moments, they return and Kadlian hands Logan to Rage. "Here you go, Rage. Please restore him to full size."

Roganna smiles at Kadlian. "I hope you also mentioned the sexual harassment issues."

She looks at Logan, "I suppose if I smacked you now it would be more memorable than if I smacked you later, but I guess we do need your sword arm."

"I mentioned it. But, I really think that is an issue for you ladies to tackle. I will mediate any complaints, but unless you make a complaint, it is hard for me to judge what you feel is reasonable behavior. My own feelings may not reflect yours."

"He knows my feelings I and I think I made them clear that while in combat/dungeon he keeps them to himself or I will make sure he doesn't want to," says Sian, glaring at Logan.

Roganna smiles gratefully at Sian.

"I do agree with you Kad though....our ladies need to be a little more specific with him when we are in camp," says Sian, looking at Roganna.

Roganna looks quite shocked by Sian's comment and seems about to respond, then changes her mind.

"At ease, Sian. You only need to guard a lady's honor if she asks you to. And believe me, these three ladies can take care of themselves."

Roganna chuckles and shakes her head. "I was being facetious, but thank you for letting me know."

"Well, the topic came up and I felt that I should speak to it. I do not defend your honor because you are quite capable of doing so yourself and you have not asked me to."

"I am not the one throwing out conflicting signals, my lady, but as per my conversation with Kadlian, I will cease and desist all sexual references, unless the woman or women in question make their desires explicitly known to me. Is that to your approval?" Logan asks Roganna. "And that applies to the other women here as well," he remarks afterwards, giving Rage a sidelong glance.

Roganna laughs, "All women send out conflicting signals, haven't you learned that yet?" she asks, still grinning. "Besides, that was a special circumstance, I really needed to leave Sandas quickly and in a special way."

"Remind me to read your palm again sometime soon. Big things are happening." Roganna looks up, "Anyone else want their palms read?"

Sian raises an eyebrow.

"Palm reading...you are a person of many talents. Maybe when we camp. Just so you can stay in practice," says Sian with a grin.

"Is now a good time?" Logan asks with his traditional grin, no smaller due to his new 'mindset'.

Roganna grins, taking a quick look at his hand.

"I sense great danger coming...you will have an opportunity to mend your ways...make sure you have life insurance," she says.

"Well, I am working on it, lady," he says with a bow and gently kisses her hand.

Roganna smiles. "Actually, I should see if my life insurance is paid up too!"

Rage stares at Kadlian, big tears welling up in her eyes. "But ..but..you said we could play with him ... while he was little and all."

Kadlian sighs. "How long?"

"Just a little while. Logan can play Mrs. Nesbeth and have some darjeeling tea and then we can go," Rage says hopefully. She digs through her pack and quickly produces a little flowered straw hat, an apron and some little hig heeled slippers. She also gets a small teacup and teapot.

"Kadlian, I'll do camp setup..." Logan pleads in his squeaky voice.

She quickly puts the hat, apron and slippers on Logan and gives him the teacup. She pretends to pour some tea into his cup, "I'm so glad you could make it Mrs. Nesbeth, I think you will really enjoy this tea. All my other friends like it a lot ... and I baked these marvelous little tea cookies to go with it. The recipe said to use almond and vanilla, but I thought it might be nice with cinnamon, what do you think Mrs. Nesbest?"

"Oh, shit," Logan mutters as he takes a cookie. "Yummy!" he mutters.

Roganna chuckles and rolls her eyes. "I think it is time we moved on now Rage. Why don't you make Mrs. Nesbit all big and tall now so we can find the thingie we came here for?"

Rage nods, "Soon ... " she says, continuing to play.

"But first I think you need to wash out Mrs. Nesbit's mouth with soap, it is very rude to curse like that at a tea party," Roganna adds with a smirk.

Rage shakes her head, "Oh no, I couldn't do that .. soap could make him blind," she says quite seriously.

"You can use...ah forget it," Logan remarks as he was about to say something and then started to behave.

"You are learning, Logan. Rage, can you make Mrs. Nesbit big again so that we can move on?"

Rage looks up at Kadlian. "Okay, a promise is a promise ... I'l get someone to make him big. Thank you for letting me play."

"My pleasure, does that mean we can accelerate my apprenticeship?" Logan asks hopefully.

Rage looks at Logan. "That depends on how well you keep your word to this group. I'm not sure what Kad said to you, but I hope it takes hold, since Sian's words did not sink into your brain. Isabella needed an out, and you provided that, for this, we thank you. But remember your promise."

"Isabella, my pleasure, lass," he says, bowing to Rage, "as to the rest of you, I am available when needed. As to my promise, you need not remind me, I keep to my word."

Rage nods, "Actions, Logan Obi-Wan speak louder than words."

"Yes, so watch me!" Logan says with a grin.

Rage rises, puts her things away, and soon Logan is his usual size again.

"Speaking of moving on, what does everyone think of my plan to spring the trap?"

"I had a slight buffer when you were talking about the trap, can you enlighten me?" Logan asks as he grins of the visions of Roganna's breasts pressed against his entire body. He, also, stretches himself out, now that is regular size.

Rage considers before speaking.

"I seem to have lost track of what the plan was actually," she says, shaking her head and frowning.

"I wonder if touching the door or the engraved demon would cause the windows to open."

"Hlarn, if you lit the candle again, would you be able to destroy them? I suggest that we have Kailar touch the demon while I attempt to open the doors. And then we both make it back to the rest of the party as quickly as possible. If you can destroy them, then that particular trap is no longer a worry."

Rage turns to Kad. "I think that the plan is fundamentially flawed. Who knows what evil is lurking beyond if we are to trigger the trap. I suspect the creatures we see are bait, to lure us into a false sense of security. Is there a detect magic running?"

"No."

"So, do you have a suggestion?"

"Quiet Kad, Let me scan the room, and then I will see if there is anything I can offer," the mage says as she casts a detect magic and concentrates.

Rage detects no magic, save what the party carries.

"Rage, do you have a stoneskin spell available?" Logan asks, "my master used to have one in his ring of spell storing and what laugh at the warriors that bothered him at home as their blades and arrows just bounced off of him. If you do have one, it could be cast on me or another fighter and then I can draw their attacks as the group picks them off, one by one. Shame my items didn't return with me when I was wished back alive..."

With Aron down, Logan, you are going to have to pick up the slack as rear guard along with Vanadil."

 "Fine, it was just a thought!" Logan says as he flexes his fingers and walks to the back of the line.

 "And not a bad thought, Logan. If Rage can cast one, she can do it for you and Vanadil. That way, you can hold out longer against a sneak attack."

 Rage looks at Logan. "We have already established that I do not have the components for that spell. Please pay attention."

 "Sorry, I haven't paid attention to what components you have or don't have. I have been through an awful lot over the past two days, so I think we can cool it on the attitude," Logan replies. "What do you need for it and can we procure it? It is not of an order that I can learn yet."

 Rage ignores Logan.

 "Fine, Rage, get them yourself!" he says as he goes back to stand with Vanadil.

 Rage draws herself up and walks over to Logan. She points her finger in his chest and speaks. "If you wish to learn to control magical energies and cast higher order spells, organization is critical. Your bad day is nothing compared to what happens when you screw up on the higher order spells. And would not have been so bad if you had listened to the others in this group! You think getting a little shit thrown on you is a big deal...well, I have news for you: it's nothing... I mean nothing... it washes off and you move on... You want to have a bad day, I'm sure that there are many here who would oblige you..." As she speaks, she pounds her finger into Logan's chest. "Every day you wake up and walk away, alive, from the creatures we fight here is a good day... and you should be thankful for that.

 "Since you have gotten here, it is always 'I need this' or 'I want that' and that attitude sickens me, especially since you are new to this group and to our way of doing things. Open your ear and use your big head, rather than your small one to do your thinking Logan Obi-Wan, and then you will make progress, rapidly. I cannot cast the stoneskin spell, since it is not in my traveling books, nor do I have the components. Zanax has asked me repeatedly for one, and I have declined him. Do you think I am holding out on a good friend?"

 Rage looks at Logan.

 Rage begins to pace like a caged animal.

 "No, the thought never entered my mind," he replies to Rage. "Rage, I told you, I am going to make every effort to fit in and become part of the team. If my actions declare that I break my word, do what you will to me, but until then, if Kadlian can treat me as a member, why can you not? Ok, I may not have listened well in the past, but that is no reason not to ignore. And as Aron will testify when he thaws out, paralysis is an obscene way to spend any time. Anyhow, I willing to make every effort to make sure we all survive and do what we need to do to get out of here, are you willing to help me in the process ? the more I know and do will increase the survival rate of all of us!" He replies in a calm voice, ignoring Rage's fit of anger and pacing.

 Stepping between the two, Sian says, "Logan you really must pay a bit more attention. The last time I checked he was beat to hell and unconcious...not paralyzed."

 "It would help if YOU paid attention," Logan turns on Sian, "who do you think carried his frozen form from the pool to camp this morning??"

 "Sian, Logan is speaking of your little jaunt to go kill some ghouls earlier this morning. Aron ended up paralyzed from that little adventure."

 "Well, being as he only was that way for what an hour and a half I didn't think that it was so traumatic for him....as it seems to have been for you," says Sian as his voice begins to rise.

 Logan breathes deeply.

 "Sorry, Sian, seems I have anger towards you and would like to patch things up!" Logan says with a thin smile. He puts his hand out to shake Sian's hand.

 Sian raises an eyebrow.

 "Well, I have never been one to hold a grudge that long. But then again I don't think you ever met Furgh and what he did to a few others among the party," says Sian with a smirk as he shakes Logan's hand. "And the other thing that is really not a good idea is to piss Rage off...we have calmed her a little here lately but....you never can tell."

 "I know, she has almost fried me on a few occasions," Logan remarks with a wider smile.

 Rage looks to Kadlian.

 "Rather than trying to touch everything, I think we need to investigate that steel door there. I suspect it is trapped, and that might be the necessary trigger for the undead to come down. Alternatively, let me let loose with a lighting bolt and destroy the glass pane to see what happens, and perhaps released these undead to then be destroyed," Rage begins thoughtfully.

 "This room reeks to me... but I cannot quite place it yet."

 "Well, before we attempt to release the undead, I want Hlarn ready to turn them. If I remember my lore about shadows, they can drain you. And I would like to take all precautions against them reaching us."

 Kadlian looks puzzled. "Besides, did not Hlarn confirm that the only traps were on the glass panes?"

 Hlarn confirms that the only traps seem to be on the stained glass panels. The west door is not trapped, though there is no obvious way to open that door.

 Rage inspects the west door, but no new information is gleaned. Trying to open it by physical force achieves nothing.

Kadlian look at Hlarn again. "Hlarn, will you please pay attention and let me know what you think about my plan? We are stuck here folks. This seems to be the way to progress and unless someone comes up with a way to continue, we are going to stay here forever. So, people, start making suggestions!"

"Has anyone tried a knock spell on the door?" Logan asks, "I have one in memory if it is needed."

Kadlian smiles. "See, now there is a useful idea. Thank you, Logan. But, just one moment before you start, please. I want Hlarn ready to deal with the shadows if they are somehow released by you opening that door."

"Ok," he says, he waits for Kad's ok.

"Lightning bolts," Rage says, "Lots of them."

"Against the shadows or the door?"

"Everywhere," Rage says, "Or we can wait till tomorrow and I can do a rock to mud on the stone surronding the door, so that the door is no longer braced against anything."

"Wouldn't it be better just to make a hole in the wall for us to pass? No reason to trip the trap if we don't have to..."

Roganna nods, "I think that is a great idea, actually!"

"As long at the wall is thin, that works. What if we choose wrong and the wall is thick? Then again, we could go pick a spot next to the door and go at an angle to meet up with the opening behind the door. That might work."

"Good suggestion, Zanax. We will do that tomorrow if none of other attempts work."

Zanax walks up to the door and concentrates on seeing the other side.

"Well, if Logan's knock does not work, we may have to wait tomorrow. But, what would throwing lightning bolts everywhere do for us? Just an act of destruction or is there something that will occur because of the lightning bolts?"

"Who knows? But destruction is cool," Rage says.

"Unless you happen to be in the middle of it. Let us save our firepower for foes, okay? I do not want to bring down the ceiling on us."

"I see," Rage says curtly. "You let the little one play with a doll, but when I come out, you refuse to let me exercise my skills? Very well then, I know when I am not wanted."

"Rage, did you not exercise your skills against the demons? And quite well, I might add. But, I want you ready to help with the shadows should we accidentally release them."

With that, Rage sits down and blinks a few times. In a quiet voice you hear, "Where am I?"

"In a ruin somewhere in Mestom."

"Where's Mestrom?" the woman asks. "Last I remember we were in a camp somewhere and that evil, oogie man had tried to attack me."

"Oh boy," Logan says as he walks over to Rage and crouches by her.

"I am Logan and you are..?" he asks nicely.

"Hi Logan, I'm Molly." the woman says, "But Ragina is close too."

Looking away from Molly, Logan asks, "when I am done talking with Molly, is it a go on the knock spell ?"

Kadlian kicks Hlarn. "I really want an answer from Hlarn, but I guess it is not going to happen. So, go ahead. Although, it might be nice to get Rage back, just in case."

The woman looks up, "I don't think you want Rage back. She's pretty mad and it took both Audrey and Erica to put her back and calm her down. I can do most everything, although Audrey doesn't like me to use the staff. I think that Audrey or Erica could come back shortly, if you really wanted them to," the woman stands up, "I'm Molly the Mage, and I'm pretty good too... I bet I could blast those oogie things to bits just like Rage can."

"Why is she mad? Because she cannot knock down the ceiling?"

Kadlian sighs. "Molly, it is nice to meet you. And you will do fine. I just want your body available to cast spells if something comes our way."

Roganna winces and shakes her head.

"You have such a way with words, Kad," she mutters softly so that Molly doesn't hear.

"Sorry."

"I bet you can, Molly, please tell Rage that we all appreciate her and what she does. So, Molly, if you would like, how about after I open the door with a spell, we talk a little more about magic." Logan asks.

Hlarn sputters a bit and says he's been feeling under the weather this past week, and only now is catching up with things.

"I'm ready." He gives Beauty the job of carefully blowing out the candle once I've made the turning attempt, as he'll likely be in the thick of combat if he doesn't succeed totally.

"So, you think we should try and spring the shadow trap? Any suggestions on how to do this?"

Hlarn points to the clerics. "As carefully as possible and keeping our distance. Let me attempt to turn them first, and then Zanax and the others attempt to turn those that remain, making certain no one attacks until we know how the turnings worked. Follow up with lightning bolts. We don't want them touching us."

"But you already failed to turn them where they are behind that glass. So, how do you propose to make them available to your turning?"

Hlarn points to Kadlian. "You'll trigger the trap and hopefully that will reveal them."

"How? Should I fly up and touch the glass? Touch the door? Touch the leering demon?"

Hlarn smiles.

"Yes."

The dwarf then pulls out his candle again.

"Seriously, we don't know what triggers it. We'll try one thing, then another if that doesnt' work."

"Which one do you want me to try first? And how should I touch the glass? Do you think an arrow would work?"

The dwarf shrugs. "Give it a go with an arrow first. Softly though so as not to break the glass. Snap the arrowhead off."

He looks at the exit. "Best have someone strong stand by the door as well with some spikes... just in case it suddenly wants to slam shut or something. Sian?"

Kadlian nods. "Go ahead, Sian. Guard the exit."

He looks up. "You still have your flame sword? I suggest you keep it ready and lit to use it versus undead."

Kadlian nods and draws his flametongue.

"Molly, you ready with the lightning bolts?"

Hlarn cautions, "Make certain you wait until all the clerics have tried turning. If they are not an immediate danger wait for Kadlian's signal."

Kadlian sheathes his swords, snaps the head off of an arrow and fires it at the glass. He will quickly draw his swords and wait for the outcome.

The arrow bounces off of the glass. Nothing further occurs.

He next runs over and touches the west door - the one with no visible means of opening it.

Rage had given it a thorough pawing over only a few minutes ago. Again, nothing happens.

Finally, he climbs up to the ledge and touches the leering demon.

Several things happen at once.

There is a loud clank from the western door, but it does not open. Also, the four stained glass panels slide aside, revealing what lies behind them.

Behind each panel is a small, narrow room (10' long, 5' wide). The floor of each room is littered with gold and platinum pieces. Also in each room are shadows...five per room, twenty in all.

Released from their prisons, the shadows fly out into chamber, wheeling and flitting about, then swoop down on their liberators, intent on gorging themselves on your life energies.

"Molly, my dear, how about throwing some of those lightning bolts?" Logan asks, as he prepares to cast a few magic missiles.

"It ain't the little sap," a voice says. "I'm back and bad as ever."

"Is that you, Rage? or someone else in there?" Logan asks as he confronts the shadows. "I wonder which is worse, her or the shadows?" he asks himself.

The dwarf dodges two shadows.

Hlarn, the candle burning again, shouts "Begone!"

Seven of the undead are consumed in holy fire.

Hlarn then waves for it to be snuffed out, and for the other clerics to take their turn.

The Mage, formerly known as Rage launches two lighting bolts from memory and then turns invisible.

"I'm back..." you hear in a strange female voice "It's good to be back! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA."

"Keep at it. There are a lot of shadows!"

"Oh boy!" Logan remarks as he brings his enchanted sword to bear.

"Kad, what's the battle plan?" he asks, spell on his lips and blade in hand. Logan inches over by Rage, to defend against any attacks.

Logan also dodges the deadly touch of a shadow...then fans with his longsword.

"Keep the shadows away from the party.

"Sian, get back to the group. Zanax's aura may keep them at bay."

"Negative! It shouldn't have any effect on them unless they're summoned creatures!"

Kailar takes cover somewhere near Zanax.

"Hlarn, turn. Then Roganna, Umboth and Zanax. Rage, Agulhas, Logan, use your lightning bolts and magic missiles!"

Roganna turns the remaining shadows. Three of them - including the one attacking Logan - turn and flee down into the water-filled passages from whence you came. Another shadow moves to attack her from behind, though, and she sees it just in time to avoid a hit.

Hlarn shouts. "NO MAGIC! Wait for the turnings and then we'll pick them off slowly!"

Logan waits for the clerics' turnings and then will cast Magic Missile.

"So, you mean the best you can do is to scare them? Why bother?" the mage says. "Better to destroy them now than just make htem afraid of us."

Hlarn sighs. "The point is to destroy them. But would you rather do so one by one at a distance, or all at once as they charge us...especially knowing that their very touch can drain the life from you."

"Listen cleric boy, you just said that you could only turn them. That seems to be a problem."

"Yes, they will be turned... those I don't destroy. And with us clerics between them and the exit, they will be forced to cower in the corner there. THEN we pick them off one by one. Much preferable to trying to fight them all at once. Unless you'd rather fight twelve soul hungry shadows simultaneously."

Rage sighs, "Then speak clearly. In the span of a minute you said that you could destroy them and then only turn them."

Modifying her plan, Rage turns invisible, just as a shadow moves towards her.

The dwarf shakes his head. "Just wait for the signal... or attack only those not affected... I can destroy up to twelve. The others will hopefully turn the rest."

"He can only destroy twelve. It is up to Roganna, Umboth and Zanax to turn the others. From a distance, you, Agulhas and Logan can pick them off. However, any of the ones that the cleric cannot turn must be destroyed immediately. Those are the ones you should concentrate your spells on."

Agulhas scans his memory and shakes his head. "I am out of magic missiles and have no lightning bolts memorized."

At this confession, the mage activates his ring of invisibility and recedes to the rear of the party. His fingers what he believes to be a wand of frost at his side. He will use the wand if he is an obvious target of the shadows. (He will use the command word "stop".)

The dwarf nods. "Yes, of course you can immediately attack any that don't turn. But hopefully we can turn them all."

"Hold up, Rage and Logan. Wait for the clerics to finish their turnings and then pick off the ones that are still coming for us."

Zanax tries to turn a bunch of shadows. "By the will of Votishal, be gone!"

Nine more shadows flee down the passage to the east.

He then engages in melee with the last shadow with his frostbrand. He easily strikes the shadow.

Kadlian jumps off the ledge, doing a somersault, landing gracefully. He dashes over, ready to lend two swords against the shadows.

He easily finishes off the shadow that Zanax injured.

All of the undead are dead or gone...for the time being.

"I do not think that was such a good idea!"

"Win some, lose most, boss man!" Logan says with a grin.

Zanax looks over in shock at Kadlian. "At what point did it seem like a good idea to release a bunch of shadows into this room?"

"When I thought there was only a half dozen. If I had known there was a score of them, I would re-thought things."

"Hey! You only live once, I was getting tired of all this mucking around anyways," Roganna replies.

"So, we only took care of eight, the other twelve are still around. Suggestions?"

Hlarn curses, having hoped that they would not be able to flee past the clerics.

"Quick, a look at that map Kadlian. Lets see where they might be cowering so we can finish them off while the fear lasts."

Kadlian unrolls it. "Here, take a look."

"They could be anywhere in the dungeon," Vanadil observes.

"I know. But, do you want them coming at our backs when we least expect it? We should have been smart and shut the door."

Kadlian unrolls the other maps for this ruin.

"We could always close the door now....that is once we figure out how to open the next one. I think that a knock spell was mentioned," says Sian. "That might at least make sure they don't come on us from behind."

Kadlian pauses, sighs and nods. "Stake it as well. I do not know if shadows can pass through walls, but none of these did, so we will have to hope that the door can hold them."

"Let us grab the coins, first and then, Logan, knock the door."

"We should also check for secret doors...they could have been guarding hidden doorways in their cells."

Kadlian points to the ceiling. "If they are guarding any hidden doors up there, it is going to be difficult to make use of them. But, feel free."

Zanax shrugs and searches the cells for secret doors, good/evil and treasure.

Zanax notices no secret doors, evil or treasure other than that already discovered.

"Aye captain," Logan replies as he helps collect the wealth.

You gather the treasure, also taking what is up on the ledge. In all, you come away with 1 gem (50gp), one pearl necklace (3000gp), 1000gp and 800pp.

Once done, Logan approaches the door and intones the arcane words to the knock spell and casts it on the door. As the door opens, he unsheathes his sword in case of attack from beyond the door.

The door opens easily...so easily, in fact that you wonder if a knock spell was even necessary.

The door opens to reveal a passage running south. After 20' there is a "T" intersection with a passage running east-west. To the north is another stained glass window, depicting another grinning demon. The ceiling is some 40' overhead, and up there you see two wooden platforms: on just inside the door; the other in the 15' - 25' section. Each are octagonal-shaped, and roughly 10' across.

In here you smell burning tar.

Suddenly a flaming tar ball is hurled down at Logan from the first platform! The ball - actually a stone covered in flaming tar - strikes the elf square in the chest for 21 hit points of damage, sending him staggering backwards. The flaming tar sticks to him, and continues to burn.

Over the edge of the platform you carch a glimpse of a large creature which looks like a cross between an ape and a boar, and hear a pleased growl.

"ARRGGGH!" Logan screams as the flames lick at him. He immediately drops to the ground and rolls in his cloak to put out the flames and try to use what's left of the cloak to pull the tar off of his chest, or at least to cool it.

Roganna immediately starts to cast cloudburst as close to the source of the flaming tar balls as she can, but so that it will drench Logan as well.

"Save your spell!" Zanax replies tersely, as he brings his frost brand near the flaming tar balls to extinguish them.

The flames immediately go out. Logan's clothes are again a mess.

"Rage, blast that thing off the platform.

"Everyone, take cover and let Rage do her thing. Zanax, use your shield to absorb any more tar rocks from that thing while Rage is casting."

Hlarn shakes his head, "Belay that! It's a type IV demon. Her spells only have a small chance of touching it. Magic missiles only, and magic weapons only... Fighters let's take the fight to it."

Hlarn takes off using his magic ring, and axe in hand charges for the assault.

Kadlian sighs. "Right. Zanax, Hlarn and I, then.

"The rest of you stay out of sight. Sian, watch down the corridor in case reinforcements come from a position of safety."

Hlarn warns, "But be ready to respond if the demon tries to avoid us and attacks the main group. Someone cast a Protection from Evil spell."

"Zanax, stay behind, then and guard the mages."

Rage holds her spells and looks for other foes coming.

Kadlian activates his ring of flying and takes off towards the platform, drawing both swords.

"Beauty, do you have Protection From Evil, 10' Radius?" Zanax asks anxiously.

"No .. I used up that level of spell already when I cast sure serious wounds," Roganna repies. "I think I'll go for my old Spiritual Hammer spell. It's about all I have left and it is like a magical attack...isn't it?"

The elf ranger and the dwarf warrior fly upwards to attack the demon on the platform. As soon as they rise above the level of the platform, though, more flaming stones assault them: one from the demon on this platform and another from a second type IV demon on the next platform down the passage! The first stone strikes Kadlian in an undisclosed location below his waist for 10 hit points. The second stone bounces off of Hlarn's head for 18 hit points. Both the elf and the dwarf are now afire, but that does not stop them from pressing the attack on the closest demon.

Kadlian lands two quick hits, then misses on his third attack. Hlarn, though, misses the demon with both swings of his axe.

Suddenly a wall of ice pops out of thin air, sealing off the entrance, and separating Kadlian and Hlarn from the rest of the party. To those of you in the chamber, the source of the wall is not to be seen.

"Damn!" Zanax curses. "Rage, can you do something about that icewall or do something about the stonewall next to it?"

"Everyone, gather around," Rage says, "Get as close as you can."

She activates her globe of invulnerability from her staff.

"I hope this works," says Sian as Rages begins casting. "I would think that we all move into that room when we can...I will go first as I have my frostbrand and should help any flames at me. Rage you should probably follow with Logan on your heals. You need to magic missle those things in there.

"Zanax you should probably follow next. We need your protection for Rage. Kailar find that mage that cast that spell," says Sian quickly. "The rest follow as fast as possible. Keep an eye out to the rear so we don't get ambushed from behind."

You all gather about Rage.

"Hold on. Hit it Rage."

Then she casts a fireball from her staff at the wall.

Suddenly the wall and the chamber is engulfed in flames and steam, as the wall of ice is evaporated.

Through the smoke, flames and steam come Sian, followed by Rage, Logan, Zanax and the others. Above them they see the platform engulfed in darkness. From within the darkness comes the sounds of battle. They see Hlarn flying above as well, heading for the second platform located some 10' down the passage and 30' above you, axe drawn.

From around the corner to the south you hear a most ungodly shrieking.

"That really hurt," Logan mutters as he looks as his torn and bloody chest. He winces and says, "ok, boss man, we have a couple nasties in front and something with bad breath down the way, what's the plan?"

Kailar casts detect invisibility and looks around.

Hlarn shouts down at the others. "Two type IV demons and a vampiress. I'm on one demon, Kadlian on the other. The vampire is turned right now so is not an immediate threat, but be aware she's probably has powers of both a cleric and mage. Someone check for invisible objects, though, in case the vampire isn't the mage after all. She's the source of the shrieking. Rage and any other mages, if you can be certain of taking her out in a single powerful spell volley have at it!"

"Would some continual light or a silence spell on that vampire creature be of any use?" Roganna asks.

"I am detecting for invisibility right now. I will let everyone know what I see."

Zanax moves to interpose himself between the creature to the south and Rage, while staying within 10' of her.

"Rage, can you dispel the darkness or injure the demon battling Hlarn?"

"Already on it Zanax, continual light should negate the darkness. We will find out shortly," Roganna replies.

"Kad, I can unload a compliment of two magic missile spells into the undead shrieker," Logan says with gritted teeth, as he attempts to master the pain the demon inflicted on him.

"No, Logan!" calls Agulhas. "You'll cancel the turning without killing it. We need a single strike with enough power to destroy it, lest we deal with it at the same time as the demons."

With that, Agulhas returns to being useless.

"Alrighty then, It was just a suggestion," Logan says.

"Logan, use your spells on the demons." Rage commands.

Logan looks to Kadlian but does not see him.

Roganna casts a continual light spell centered on the center of the platform.

Logan spies a visible demon and launches the magic missiles at that one.

Neither spell has any effect on the magic resistant monster.

"Umboth, I want you ready to turn anything that comes at us...I don't think that vampiress usally are by themselves. Or if she returns I want you prepared," says Sian looking at his follower.

"Yes, milord."

Sian shouts, "Kad, we need that monster where we can see it. There is going to be a light spell coming. If it doesn't work we can't help you."

Zanax scans the area for evil and tries to light up the demon on Hlarn with Faerie Fire from his ring.

The faerie fire does not affect the demon, either.

From the darkness you hear, "Worry about the other demon and the vampire. I have this one almost licked and I can see just fine."

"Hlarn, take over command until I get out of this."

"I cannot detect anything invisible in this room."

Rage speaks. "Someone cast light on Hlarn's armor, that should help defeat this darkness, or cast it on an arrow and let Sian shoot into the darkness to help us see. The vampire will not bother us for a few minutes, if Hlarn is right, so, we must deal with the demons first. Any mage with magic missiles fire them away."

Rage casts 3 spells worth of magic missles (granted by the mneomic enhancer) at the one demon she can see.

Hlarn shouts down. "I can probably handle this demon as well... Mages coordinate your magics so that when we are ready you can take out that vampire in one fell blow."

"In the meanwhile all of you get up into position so that we can next fight the vampire."

Rage looks at Hlarn and laughs.

"First we deal with the demon." the mage says "Anyone else have a fireball ready? We can do the same trick again and be able to use the high power if we are simultaneous in their explosion."

None of Rage's magic missile spells bother the domon.

Suddenly the darkness surrounding the other demon and Kadlian is gone, as Roganna's spell takes effect. The elf lunges forward with his blades, and opens a terrible gash with his longsword. The monster howls and lashes out, clawing him for 4 hit points, while at the same time darkness returns and a terrible wave of fear washes over the elf. Kadlian resists the fear, though, and connects again, this time with his flame tongue. The monster howls one last time, then falls off of the platform, just missing Logan, dead when it hits the floor.

Meanwhile, Hlarn spars with the last demon. His axe finally finds its mark, gutting the demon, its entrails spilling out over Hlarn and the platform and hanging down over its edges. Amazingly, the monster still fights. The dwarf is tapped for 2 hit points, then darkness descends on this platform. There is a roar, and the dwarf feels rather than sees a rent in the fabric of space-time open up beside him...then something steps through the portal and attacks him also. Through the darkness he sees a four-armed, pincered demon. The rest of you below see nothing through the darkness.

The dwarf, somehow keeping his footing, swings his axe again, killing the type IV demon.

He then turns to face the glabrezu demon.

Hlarn shouts over, "Guess you are in charge again Kadlian... I've got this covered I think. I suggest you get everyone into position to battle the vampiress before her turning wears off. You don't want her casting spells back at us."

Hlarn swings his axe, and chops a chunk off of the demon.

Kadlian activates his ring again to fly to the next platform.

He calls down, "Sorry, Logan!"

When he tries to, the ring suddenly turns to powder, leaving him flat footed and flightless up on the platform.

"Rage, Agulhas or Logan, I need a fly or levitate spell, quick!"

Kailar flies up to Kadlian and casts fly on him.

The dwarf gets pincered for 8 hit points.

"No problem, Kad, better him than me," the elf says with a pained grin.

"Coming to help, Hlarn. I will bring some light with me."

The dwarf swings again, but misses. He is torn by a second pincer for 7 hit points.

"Kailar, you are in charge. Get ready for that vampiress!"

"Thanks, Kailar. Get the troops ready, okay?"

Kadlian flies off to help Hlarn as he had originally planned.

"As you wish."

Hlarn is clawed for 5 more hit points.

As Kadlian flies at the demon a force suddenly grabs him, then hurls him downwards, slamming him into the floor at Logan's feet for 32 hit points of damage, and leaving him dazed for a brief moment.

Kailar flies back down to the group.

"Everyone get ready for the fight with the Vampiress, but do not attack until Kad and Hlarn are done. Unless of course she comes after us.

"Zanax, you are still protecting the mages. Rage what do you have left for spells? We will be best off if we can kill her from a distance. Agulhas, stop moping and tell me what you have left for spells. Logan, what do you have left?"

"Sian and Vanadil keep watching our backs."

A discussion erupts.

Rage steps over Kadlian and speaks in a quiet, commanding voice.

"If we were to follow regulations, Captain, hours could turn into days," she says cryptically, then continues "Kailar, the best route of attack would be to hit it with as much firepower as we can at once. I suggest the same trick that I have already done, using the shield I have up to protect us from certain spells that would cause a great deal of damage to it at once. Logan, Argulhas, can you cast said spells, like I already did to take down the wall of ice. When the others are ready, I suggest we do that."

"I have one more magic missile spell left in memory, as well as a couple of hold person spells, but if memory serves, it does not affect undead," Logan says.

Rage groans. "Let's tell it what we have, good going Logan, and Kailar, I should have thought you would have more sense than to ask for a list of spells and plot strategy in hearing of what we are trying to dis."

"What?" Logan asks, "the vampire is no where near here and I doubt she has her mental facilities to be spying on us and seems you and I are doing a real good job about the demons, so back off, sister, I am trying to do the team thing here, remember??" he barks back at her, not pleased at her constant verbal attacks.

"Excuse me, are you talking about the vampire that is around the corner over there," Rage asks. "If this vampire is a spell caster, and that wall of ice is a good indication that it is, we have an idea of it's power, and therefore intelligence."

Up above, Hlarn continues to battle the demon. He opens a second enormous gash in the creature, as it attacks back.

"Intelligence or not, when you have the holy power of a god scaring you off, I doubt it is in any condition, at least until the divine fear wears off, to be thinking clearly!" Logan replies.

The demon shrieks, but Hlarn somehow evades a pincer.

"Never. Never. Never underestimate a foe. That always, and I mean always, spells doom for you. Regardless of it's fear or not, Reality dictactes we best deal with it as if it was not feared, else we get surprised," Rage replies "As for backing off, when you begin to think, Logan Obi-Wan, then I will back off, but until you begin to think... and use your brain to observe the area and react accordingly, I will continue to challenge your actions, when they are poorly thought out, or executed."

"Fine," is all he replies as he has no retort to her truthful response.

Rage smiles, "Excellent, there is hope yet."

Hlarn swings his axe again, but misses.

"The only offensive spell I have in memory is ice storm," returns Agulhas. He continues on in a stream-of-consciousness sort of way. "I do have a wall of stone, pretty useless right now, though if she survives our initial strike, a web spell might be in order, though she may be able to polymorph herself free from that..." He speaks finally with confidence, "I have an ice storm at my disposal."

Hlarn dodges another pincer.

Rage smiles.

"Excellent Argulhas. Be ready with a Wall I think. Ice is less effective against vamps, as I recall. Zanax, you know undead, am I right?" the mage asks.

"Sounds correct to me," Zanax replies.

The dwarf next avoids an incoming claw.

Hlarn is still fighting his demon adversary, but hears the debate from below.

"Just a suggestion... how about a fairy fire or some other spell cast before you zap the vampire. Remember those things only turn gaseous when slain... A glowing cloud of gas however can be tracked to her crypt."

The dwarf is bitten for 4 hit points.

He then laughs. "Or perhaps some sort of zephyr spell to keep her from moving once in gaseous form... but I guess that won't do unless you can keep it working for almost a day."

A final claw slashes Hlarn for 3 hit points. He feels the force try to grip him, but he evades that too and swings his axe, but misses. A pincer punctures him for 8 hit points.

Kadlian staggers to his feet, shakes his head, and flies upwards again.

Hlarn fans.

Hlarn is pincered again for 8 more hit points.

Kadlian flies back at the demon, is caught by the force a second time, and is again sent careening, this time northwards and into the stained glass window at the end of the passage. The glass shatters, its shards shredding him for 8 hit points. On the other side of the broken window is a small (10' square) room. The floor in the rear half of the room is elevated by 5', and in that section is a pile of goodies. The elf sails over this heap of treasure, strikes the back wall for 12 hit points and abruptly vanishes, only to reappear on the first platform where he fought the first type IV demon!

Meanwhile, Hlarn is trying his level best to avoid taking any more hits, but to no avail, and he is clawed and bitten for 7 more hit points.

Kadlian looks around and regains his bearings. He is crushed, bruised, battered and cut in a dozen places. But, like the mighty lemming, he will not be deterred from his goal, and so he once again takes flight at the demon.

Hlarn is again snagged by a pincer for 6 hit points. His condition is almost as critical as Kadlian's, now. But, be musters enough strength to swing his axe again, and finally cuts down the monster...just as Kadlian finally arrives to lend him a hand.

For an instant all you can hear is the ungodly keening coming from down the passage and around the corner to the south, then it trails off.

You hear a feminine snicker...then silence.

Before you have time to contemplate this latest turn of events you hear a series of low moanings from the chamber behind you...as the twelve shadows that you turned nine minutes earlier return for another go at you.

The day is starting to get old as the monsters keep on coming.

"Oh joy!" Logan says sarcastically.

Zanax turns invisible. He then prepares for the return of the shadows and the vampiress by scanning the area for evil.

Pulling a potion out of his pack, Hlarn quaffs it. The potion tastes like ordinary water, and has about as much effect on him.

He then tries to fly down to the others, but when he tries his ring also crumbles to dust.

Whispering to Kadlian, "I'm tapped for healing spells."

Kadlian nods.

"Hlarn, Roganna, Umboth and Zanax, turn them again."

"NO," Rage commands, "Destroy them now, so we do not have to face them again."

Hlarn nods. "Do it then, but it will have to be by magical means. My magic candle's not lit, so I can't destroy them. The turning however should buy you more time and keep them at a distance until your attack strikes."

Zanax, however, brings forth his holy symbol and turns the shadows.

Three shadows turn and flee.

He then turns invisible.

"Ok, Kad, what's the game plan?" Logan asks, sword in his right hand, ready with his last magic missile to cast with his left hand, if the opportunity presents itself. "Beauty, are you able to turn the shadows ?"

"The game plan is to let the clerics destroy those shadows. Kailar, keep scanning for that vampiress."

"You bet."

Kailar scans the area for any invisible creatures.

He spots none.

"Kad, use your head. They had little success last time, which is why they are here. Let us just destroy them and be done with it."

"Go for it, Rage. I just want a backup if you and the other mages cannot get them all, okay?"

"Hlarn took out eight last time. Rage, if you have something that will stop them, do so. But, do it quick."

"No turning, kill the bastards," Rage says. She casts cone of cold at the creatures. "Kailar, look for that invisible vampire."

In the thirty seconds that it takes Rage to cast her spell, the remaining shadows are all over you.

Hlarn dodges a shadow, then kills the assailant.

Roganna feels the chilling touch of a shadow. She takes 4 hit points of damage, and feels her strength being drained.

She shrieks an epitaph at the undead and brandishes her holy symbol. It flees back the way it came, along with four of its companions.

Umboth, dodging another shadow, cries, "By the Power of Forseti, begone!"

The rest of the shadows retreat.

Rage finally unloads her cone of cold on the fleeing undead, without effect.

"Cold spells do not usually harm undead," says Umboth in his usual helpful fashion. "If you were a follower of Forseti you would have known that."

Logan shoots his last magic missile spell at the shadows, injuring one.

It turns and flies back at him.

Agulhas casts detect invisibility himself and reports any findings. He then activates his ring of invisibility.

What he sees is a visible bat flying up the passage from the south. As fast as a ...flying bat...it is on you.

It perches itself on Umboth's shoulder like some dark parrot, then transforms into the vampiress that Kadlian and Hlarn saw earlier.

"Be my lover!" she cries as the cleric staggers under the sudden increase in weight on his shoulder, and the vamp prepares to take a drink.

"You shall not touch him!" shouts Sian as he rushes over to Umboth swinging his frostbrand.

But touch him she does, as she grips Umboth in a deadly clasp, buries her fangs deep into his neck, and drinks. Blood spurts out of the wound faster than she can consume it, for she has pierced his jugular. The cleric groans as he feels his life energy being drained, and feebly tries to push her away, without success.

Sian is on her, and strikes her with his frost brand, eliciting a bloody hiss from the vampire cleric.

"Logan, the shadow is yours to deal with."

"Yaah!" Logan yells as he swings his enchanted blade at the undead shadow. The elf clips the shadow with his blade, then feels its chilling touch for 2 hit points. Its touch seems to drain the very strength out of him.

"Rage, blast her! Sian and Zanax, get that thing off of Umboth."

Kadlian grabs Hlarn and tries to help him down to the ground without hurting them both.

Hlarn again shouts a war cry and attempts to turn away the vampiress.

This time he is unsuccessful. However, the shadow on Logan flees.

Hlarn waves Kadlian off and tells him to get down there with his flame blade.

"It, the frost brands, and my hammer are the only weapons powerful enough to hit the vampire, so get at her!" Hlarn is just as effective up here throwing his hammer.

He send his hammer flying toward the vampiress.

His hammer flies wide, and returns to his clasp.

Rage speaks slowly, "Let's see... 4 normal 1st order spells, another 6 from Mneomic Enhancers. 2 reduce spells, 3 magic missiles at the demon, 3 earlier. That leaves me with 2 magic missiles."

Rage points her finger at the vampire. "Bang.. Bang," she says, casting her last two magic missile spells.

Her two spells blast at the vampiress, but are stopped cold some 5' distant from their target.

Rage turns invisible again with her ring.

Zanax slashes at the vampiress with his frost brand.

The paladin bounces his sword off of her splint mail with one swing, then connects on his second attempt, breaking her grip on the cleric.

"By Hecate, paladin, I curse you!" she swears.

Kadlian dives off the platform and flies at the vampiress, swords extended.

Attacking from the air, he misses with his longsword, then with his flame tongue as well.

"Agulhas, if you still have that wand, use it now!"

"I don't have THAT wand anymore," claims an invisible Agulhas. "I do have a supposed wand of frost that I don't think would be very effective."

The vampiress ignores her attackers and lunges at Umboth again. The cleric of Forseti staggers aside, though, barely evading her. Sian attacks her flank, but his blade is turned by her armour. His next attack is equally ineffective.

Zanax fares better, though, and his blade bites deep, eleciting more unholy curses from her. His next swing is wide, though.

Kadlian attacks from above, and with his longsword he strikes her hard. Suddenly she is a wisp of invisible gas, her curses echoing through the halls of the dungeon.

You pause.

Umboth sits down, shaking, and mutters prayers to Forseti as he clutches his bleeding neck.

Kailar and Agulhas, with their detect invisibility spells, see the wisp of gas as it wafts south down the passage to the "T" intersection. They carefully follow it. At the intersection the gassy form of the vampire drifts east.

They look west and east.

To the west the passage ends after only 5'.

To the east it runs for 10' and also ends. There is a door in the south wall. Up against the east wall is an open coffin, filled with dirt. They see the vampiress enter the coffin. Suddenly the lid slams shut, as if by its own accord.

"Any holy water, folks?" Logan asks weakly. "Damn shadow, gotta shrug it off!

"I could spear her through the coffin with my enchanted sword," he suggests as he looks at the coffin. "Heh, or we can set it on fire!"

Hlarn pulls out his rope and carefully fastens it with spikes to his position. He then descends down to the rest of the party.

"Lets destroy that creature, and then camp here for the night. We are all tapped for spells."

Kadlian lands on the ground.

"Agreed. Someone who still has healing spells see to Umboth. Get that bleeding stopped."

"Hlarn, what do we need to do to destroy the vampiress?"

"Sunlight obviously, but we don't have access to that. Running water as well. I don't recall that, but perhaps I'm mistaken? A stake through her heart will kill her, but only until the stake is removed. Cutting off her head and filling it with holy wafers will finish the task. Unfortunately I don't carry holy wafers around with me, but perhaps Umboth or Beauty does? If we can't totally finish the deed, I suggest we stake the body and hide it away where no one will remove the stake, and hide her head as well in a different location. Also destroy her coffin and scatter the dirt. Without her coffin she can't ever regain her strength, but then she probably has a second hidden somewhere abouts."

Roganna nods.

"I don't suppose a continual light spell cast inside her casket would do any good? Or casting a cloudburst would work?" Roganna asks. She searches through her stuff, "I might have some actually."

However, she comes up empty.

"Maybe a create food and water spell could work? I never tried to create wafers before, but if it doesn't work, at least we can eat well," Roganna chuckles.

"And what do we need to secure the camp from the shadows? We did not destroy them all, there is still a half dozen or so floating about this place. And we need to secure this place until we are all healed. That is going to take Umboth, Hlarn and I some time..."

"Best we finish them off this time so we can rest without being disturbed. I'll stand ready to destroy as many as I can, and the rest we'll just kill."

Hlarn prepares a flame from which he can very quickly light his candle when the shadows arrive. He'll then attempt to turn them, destroying the creatures, and snuff his candle out while we slay the rest.

The dwarf draws a dagger enchanted with continual light and leaves it in the doorway through which the shadows departed, thus brightly illuminating the area. Hlarn himself will take a position where he isn't likely to be disturbed by the initial rush of shadows.

Sure enough, the preparations are barely completed before you hear a faint wailing, approaching rapidly. Hlarn lights his candle, as the shadows come flitting in through the doorway, and brandishes his holy symbol at them.

They are gone in a flash of holy fire.

You wait patiently to see if anymore of the undead will assail you, but no more do.

Umboth, feeling a little better, takes Hlarn up on his suggestion and begins to rummage through his knapsack. Besides the usual adventuring accutrements, he pulls out a chime, an incense burner, a font, an extra holy symbol, a small idol of Forseti, folding church pew, and finally a wrapped package. This latter he unwraps, and holds up a neat collection of holy wafers. They look like Oreo cookies.

"I will take great pleasure in sacrificing these wafers," he announces in a grim tone.

"Good man, Umboth. Let us go and get this done. Kailar, lead the way and check for traps."

"Yes Sir."

Rage calls, "Hey, what do those taste like? Can I have one?"

Umboth hands her one.

"Blessed by Forseti," he says. "The first step in your conversion."

Hlarn's trap checking spell is fully active so he'll keep a sharp eye out as well.

"Shouldn't be a problem. If the vampire were normally sleeping they might be able to attack us while we spiked them, but this one was forced into this state so they should be pretty helpless. But as a cleric she may have set glyphs or other traps."

Hlarn then frowns. "And of course there is the possibility of sub- vampires she controls. But since we haven't encountered them let's hope they don't exist."

You head down the passage and around the corner. The area is as previously described.

"Open the coffin, spear her, cut her head off and dowse her in holy water sounds like a good plan to me!" Logan says as he tries to recuperate.

Hlarn nods, "Fill her mouth with the wafers as well."

You flip up the lid on the coffin, ready for anything. She lies there, in a beatific slumber. Only her bloody mouth taints the sight. Carefully you open her robe, revealing her splint mail. This you also snap open, revealing her bare breast. Logan enjoys the view.

Umboth next produces a wooden stake from his pack.

"May Forseti have mercy on you, servant of Hecate," he says, and drives the stake through her breast and into her heart.

Her eyes bulge open, and she emits one long, gurgling scream, which gradually trails off into a plaintive wail.

Then there is silence.

Umboth steps back, and Hlarn beheads her. The cleric of Forseti then fills her mouth with the holy wafers, while he utters a prayer.

The deed done, exhaustion overtakes you. You make camp where you are, and take stock of the situation. You also search the corpse and coffin for treasure. You find a suit of splint mail (human sized), a shield, a potion and a ring on the body, but nothing else in the coffin.

You also go back to the north end of the passage and take the treasure from there that Kadlian discovered. You find 5000ep, two scrolls, a potion and a wooden staff.

"I want everyone healed up to full strength. While we do that, perhaps the mages can identify some of the things we have found. You folks still have the spell components for identify, correct?"

"Who's got the live minature carp?" Rage calls. "Who's going to eat it this time?

"Kadlian, we have the components, at camp, not here. I don't usually carry a live carp with me to cast the spell."

Kadlian shrugs. "Oh, well. I thought it required pearl, not carp. Some of these spells require the most odd components..."

"No a pearl, a carp an owl feather and some wine." Rage says. "We could always cast identify 1/2, which requires a studly fighter type as a component."

Kadlian chuckles. "Is the studly fighter type consumed during the casting?"

"Mostly depends on the test and the item being tested. For example an invisibilty ring would not damage the studly fighter... but he might not like the test for lightning bolt or fireball."

"I see. Do you have any volunteers in mind?"

"Well, since Equinox left us, our current bad boy is Logan," the mage says, "However, Erica says that she has some plans for him, and I can only imagine what those plans might be."

"Oh really?" Logan asks with a raised eyebrow.

"And what exactly is her specialty ? I mean you're the psycho, Molly is the sweet one..." he says with a grin.

"Logan Obi-Wan. Pay attention, this is Audrey speaking. Rage is temporarly indisposed, after your, shall we say, little tiff," the mage says.

"Sorry Audrey, I can not always tell when there is a new visitor in your body. Do you dislike me as much as Rage? I hope not... maybe you and I can talk about as we rest and maybe swap some spells," Logan says with a weak smile as he shifts uncomfortably against the wall.

"The training of your powers of observation have been remiss. This needs to be rectified," the mage says. "As for liking you. I neither like or dislike. I cannot afford those sentiments. I must protect this body from harm, physical and more importantly, mental and emotional. Only those who truly harm or attempt to harm us are dealt with, usually by assisting Rage in her attack - providing a calming focus so she can cast the necessary spells."

"Ok, so who is going to teach me?" he asks Audrey.

"As for your request to trade spells, our spell books have been made open to the group and until we return to a point where you can copy spells into your own books, it must remain that way. When we return to civilization, you have permission to copy what you wish into new spell books."

"Thanks, I could use the help. Ever since I was brought back, weird things have happened. I lost all of my things, my blades being of sentimental value and my mind is look a tense spring... but I am practicing to keep my cool!" he says in an unsure voice.

"We could turn Logan into a Carp. That would solve all our problems," suggests the gnome.

"Still wouldn't get you a life, furball!" Logan growls, but backs off.

"Sure, I'm the low man on the totem pole," he mutters as he leans against the wall and slides down into a sitting position.

"Worry not Logan Obi-Wan. I will never turn you into a carp. A newt, perhaps. However, Erica is better versed in that spell than I am," the mage says.

Kadlian chuckles, despite himself. "Well, that is an interesting suggestion, but I think not. However, it does bring up an interesting question. Could we polymorph something into a carp? Would that satisfy the requirement, Rage?"

"I do not see why not," Rage says, "If we were to polymorph a rat or something, it becomes a carp and would have all the properties necessary."

"As long as no one cast a dispel magic on the caster, that is."

"Let's try for something smaller than a rat then, such as a fly. Should an item be cursed we might need to dsipell the magic, and you would have quite the stomach ache with a large rat suddenly appearing in your belly."

"Kailar, Sian, Rage and Agulhas shall be on bug catching duty, then. Try to round up as many as you can manage."

"Zanax, you can guard the wounded. Right now, all I want to do is get some rest. I am exhausted."

"Bug Catching Duty!" exclaims Kailar. "I think we've sunk to a new low."

Kadlian chuckles.

Agulhas also chuckles. "Aye. But I'll bet Furgh would have found it to be a choice assignment."

The mage sighs and smirks, as he is once again reminded of the eccentric elf.

"As a true mage, I appoint the soon to be apprentice Logan to catch as many flys and bugs as he can. Besides the way he snores, he's got to be catching lots," says Rage.

"Wish I could even help out in the hunt for bugs..." says the wounded monk. Pulling a ring off his finger and tossing it to Kadlian, Aron says, "Another one of those rings of flying...don't know what's left in it tho."

Aron then passes out.

Kadlian slips on the ring. "Get some rest, Aron. We will be here for at least another day or two."

Roganna looks at Aron, "But he's first."

"No, Aron is in no immediate danger. Take care of the more seriously wounded, first. Hlarn and I are both hanging on by threads."

Roganna rubs her eyes and takes a closer look at both Hlarn and Kad. "Oh goodness, you both look and act so hale and hearty that I almost missed the level of your distress. Certainly you will be first!"

Kadlian chuckles. "You mean because I am not acting like I am dying? I am not dying. Neither is Hlarn. However, neither of us is looking to get into another fight with two demons and a vampiress anytime soon."

"And here I thought all those stains were from your tea party with Isabella," Roganna chuckles.

"Oh, those are the light green stains. The bright red ones are from the fight."

Roganna nods. "Indeed. Those look more like a dull red than bright red," she comments, sticking her finger into one of the still wet patches. She tastes it briefly before making a face. "A positive I think."

"Great, another vampiress wanting to taste my blood..."

Roganna chuckles, "I don't see what they see in the stuff. It's pretty nasty. Maybe I should do a taste test? I wonder if men, elves and dwarves taste different? "

Kadlian makes a face. "Well, a number of us are bleeding, but I do not want to encourage you going around tasting other's blood."

Roganna laughs, "Believe me, I was only joking. I keep forgetting that elves are humor impaired."

She grins.

"I do not think you can generalize it to all elves. I think it is just me."

Logan starts to cough. "Cough, cough, yes, cough, cough," as he finishes, "sorry, I don't know what overcame me,"

Roganna nods, "I think you are right."

He turns to Roganna.

"Not all of us, luscious!" Logan says as he grins, ready to go rat/bug hunting. "I hurt, and when you are ready Beauty, do your thing...all over me!"

Roganna laughs, "In about 8 hours, Logan."

In a little girls voice, the mage begins to pout. "I didn't stain anything... I always clean up my toys. I'm good about that. I hate messes, and would never leave any of my toys a mess."

"Of course not, Isabella. I was just being clumsy."

Roganna nods, "I'm sure you didn't make the mess at all, you know how messy boys are, always getting dirty and never cleaning up. He probably did it after you were all done playing."

"Yea," the little girl's voice says, and then proceeds to stick her tongue out. "Oogie.. oogie...don't want boy cooties."

Roganna laughs, "Well, believe it or not, someday you will like boy cooties .. as long as the boy doesn't make messes of course."

"Not me... no way... men are mean... they make you do things you don't want to do," the voice says. "They put things in your and laugh and beat you..." the girl's voice begins to crack and she starts to cry... She looks at all the men in the room and runs away.

Roganna follows her. "Please, I'm sorry. These men aren't bad and maybe Audrey can tell you that so you know it is true ... "

The mage turns, her voice again changed to that of Audrey's. "I am sorry Roganna. Isabella was out, because of the mention of playing tea. And Rage is close too, that causes some instability. I think that Erica and I have it under control for now. Isabella says she's sorry to you, and\ knows that you are a good friend to her."

"I know it is hard sometimes to know who you can trust and who you can't. No need to be sorry at all," Roganna says softly.

Hlarn looks down at his bruised and battered body. "These scratches?"

He grins.

Roganna shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "Men!"

Hlarn ponders. "Perhaps the ring is an elemental ring or a ring of spell storing? There is the matter of the wall of ice that was summoned to account for. As a cleric she shouldn't be able to cast such a spell. Although it may have been a demonic illusion."

Hlarn will first see to the healing of the party, but will cast some auguries as well to determine if any of the items are cursed.

"Zanax, can you keep a running scan for evil? Everything we have faced in this ruin has been evil. Undead, gargoyles, margoyles and demons of various types."

"And then we are going to have to find a way to continue in this ruin. We have seemingly explored all obvious passageways, so we must have missed something somewhere."

Vanadil points to the unopened door in the south wall, beside the coffin.

Kadlian sighs. "I must be getting blind as well as old..."

"No more haste spells for you." says the gnome.

Kadlian chuckles. "At least not for a few days..."

Hlarn turns to Zanax and asks him to check and see if he detects anyevil behind the door.

The paladin detects no evil.

"Unless it represents a direct threat, I suggest we wait to explore that passage until such time as we are ready to do so."

"Agreed. We can take shifts guarding it."

"Hlarn, a locate object spell for the rod might be in order, again."

Hlarn turns to Umboth. "How do you feel? Weaker all over? Is your clerical ability lessened as I suspect?"

"I am weakened," the cleric admits. "I feel no more powerful than a mere adept, now."

He shakes his head sadly. "If so, then we'll do what we can when we return to civilization to get your powers restored. Or you can carry on and just try to relearn the memories the vampire stole."

"I shall carry on. This is clearly a test by Forseti. In the end I shall emerge stronger."

"So, who's taking point on this lovely adventure?"

"Sian. He is not wounded. Take Agulhas and Rage, just in case. Even if they do not get on their hands and knees and look for bugs. I would start in the room where we fought the shadows."

"Listen here, boss man, this is my blood. I didn't see you catch any flaming tar balls!" he says as he puts his fists on his hips. "But Audrey said this would aid my training, Let's go, buddy!" he says to Sian.

Hlarn laughs. "Both Kadlian and myself were quite well cooked. Why do you think we both look as bad as we do?"

"Heh, you guys aren't such lookers to begin with," he says with a smile.

"I do not know... Hlarn has a certain charm about him. It is probably the nobility factor..."

"Quite right," says the dwarf. "Chin up and all that. If you are going to slay a vampire and her demons, then do it with style, and never let them see you sweat."

"I believe you did not see Hlarn and I catch a flaming tar ball because you were too busy rolling around on the ground. Both Hlarn and I got hit and kept going. And we both got hit multiple times while fighting the demons. Not to mention that I got slammed into the floor and various walls by one of the demons."

"That must have hurt," Logan says.

"It did not then, it does now."

"And, remember, I did not ask you to do this. You were volunteered by Rage and company."

"I am not complaining, all I am saying is that I was hurt and you are acting as if all I have is a scratch.. I do, LOTS off 'em. Sian, you ready yet?" he asks.

"I have never forgotten that you were hurt. If you believe that is how I have been acting, please re-examine what I said with an objective ear."

Time passes.


next day...

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