Session 5: Kullen’s play

Session 5:
Bornir, Lath and Mouse buried Arga outside the abandoned Mine headquarters. They needed as much help as possible to avenge Arga and take the dual sword wielding wind warriors.
Luckily Vance returned from his meeting with the members of the Twilight Monastery. The group also contacted Feldnar at Allustan’s tower.
Mouse went into town in search of other would be adventurers. He found a musician named Mendax playing at the Emporium. The group also contacted Feldnar at Allustan’s tower.
Mendax spun a tale of a missing damsel in need of rescuing. Mouse agreed that the group would help the woman and in return Mendax would join them. They agreed to meet in a day, but when Mouse failed to show up Mendax started looking around for other allies.
Mendax came across a curious Halfling named ‘Im’ dressed in a suit of scale mail and wielding a sword, shield and the symbol of Heironeous god of chivalry and honor on his breast. Im was all for rescuing the lady. As the pair went to the Midnight salute to ask around Mouse, Vance and Lath arrived at the Emporium to meet Mendax. They heard he had left to go to the cheaper brothel across town. They followed.
Meanwhile Bornir was at the general store buying a suit of half plate. He left the general store and outside the Emporium was accosted by the albino half orc, Kullen, and his gang. Kullen got into Bornir’s face and intimidated him while the other three moved to ring him in. Bornir knew he couldn’t run from them, and he didn’t know where the rest of his allies were. He drew his axe and swung at the half orc’s face.
Kullen stepped back, he had rattled the dwarf and the blow was a few inches off. Todrik took a swing with his guisarme to knock the dwarf out, but missed. Despite being outnumbered the dwarf was strong and no casual foe. Things got deadly quickly. Within 10-15 seconds the fight was over and Bornir unconscious.
They dragged him off but not before patrons from the Emporium got a good ook at the fight.
Back at the Midnight salute Mendax had tried to perform for the ladies, but was off. He did find out from the madam Purple Prose about the missing girl: A prostitute named Constance Grace, she is one of the best of the girls at the Midnight Salute. She is a favorite of many of the mine owners and even the Mayor. She had a ‘date’ with a gang leader named Thurbiss the night before her disappearance. Thurbiss is known to frequent the Spinning Giant tavern.
Mendax, Im, Lath, Vance and Mouse went to the spinning giant. Primmith the serving wench recalled serving Thurbiss and his tattooed thug Gulgh that night. Thurbiss got drunk and the two picked a fight with some garrison soldiers. They aren’t welcome at the Giant anymore. She also mentioned they and the rest of the gang sometimes hang out at a shack owned by one of the gang. A guy named Gerek, who she describes as being nicer than the rest of Thurbiss’ gang.
After Mendax tipped generously, Primmith even remembered the location of Gerek’s shack. The group went to round up Bornir and Feldnar. They found Feldnar but heard from the folk at the Emporium that Bornir had been attacked, knocked out, and dragged away by a white half orc and some other guys. The 6 went to the Feral Dog to rescue Bornir.
Mendax and Feldnar went into the grisly tavern first, since neither had met Kullen before. He was no where in sight. They did see an off duty deputy constable and the Elf Lirra from the Greyhawk trio. Both were near the bar.
Mendax cajoled the bar maid. After a generous tip and a baudy joke later she told him Kullen was in a room off the main room with his gang. The rest of the group arrived and Mendax motioned towards an inner door. Vance in the lead he flung open the door and saw two men down the hallway, one with a guisarme protecting another with a bow. Vance came down the hall and the man with the guisarme advanced and blows were exchanged. Mouse snapped a shot from his crossbow at the archer and scored a hit, as did Lath with his long bow.
The bar patrons recoiled, the deputy watched impassively, and Lirra advanced, bored with the nights dog fight she wished to see a real fight.
Vance hit the archer and downed him with his glaive, while the other man with the guisarme missed striking a telling blow on Vance. Then Kullen rounded the corner of the hallway. With a mighty bellow he swung his mighty great axe two handed with all of his rage bourn might. It clove deeply into Vance’s chest and arm. Vance collapsed, dead before he hit the ground. The balding mage followed Kullen and tried a sleep spell which affected no one. Then Im advanced on Kullen and smote him with his diminutive long sword. Kullen wrenched the axe from Vance’s torso and clapped Im across the head, poleaxed the little Halfling warrior fell unconscious.
Felnar loosed a color spray which knocked out the man wielding the guisarme, then a sleep spell which knocked out the opposing wizard. Kullen was attacked by Mouse on one side and Lath on the other. Kullen stepped past them and attacked Feldnar, nearly ending his life. Due to the luck, or providence Feldnar survived the same axe that had already killed Vance and dripping with gore slashed his robe, but no harm was done to the scrawny wizard. He fled.
Mendax played his flute to inspire confidence in his allies, then tried to daze the rampaging albino half orc but to no avail.
With the fate of the combat still in doubt, two of Kullens allies stricken by spells and sure to awake any moment, Lath scored a telling blow and the half orc fell unconscious and bleeding.
Mendax closed the door to the bar and the group surveyed the carnage. Bornir was found unconscious but alive in a nearby room. Lath healed his wounds and the two clerics revived Im. The wizard and polearm wielding warrior were trussed up. The group quickly dragged or carried everyone out the side door of the feral dog. Before they left Mendax entered the tap room and paid the bar man 2 gps for his troubles. The bar man yelled into the back room “We got some blood to clean up, get some buckets and water!”
Bornir took his Dwarven axe and cut off Kullen’s head, left in the hall, lest anyone wonder who won.

Session 4: Filge and the final tomb

Session 4:
Vance and Mouse went to Allustan’s home to speak with Felnar. Unfortunately Felnarwas still engaged in work for his mentor. Vance did learn that several brothers and sisters from the twilight monastery had just come to town. The Twilight monastery was dedicated to a secretive order of monks situated outside Diamond Lake. They sent members into town every so often for supplies.
Vance was interested in learning the mysteries of their way, so sought them out. He was unable to persue Filge. Luckily Lath, the elf cleric of Corellon Larethian sought out the group to continue exploring the whispering cairn. He was told what had occurred so far and agreed to seek out the bones of the Land family.
Arga, Bornir, Lath and Mouse headed up to the old observatory. Arga bashed open the front door and was met by 3 skeletons. The skeletons sprang up behind a crude barrier made of tables, chairs and other detritus. Arga was hit by one poisoned crossbow bolt and charged the skeletons. His axe took a large chunk out of a table but missed the undead menace.
Lath brought forth the might of his god, and turned the skeletons. They collapsed into a pile of bones.
The foursome explored the rest of the observatory. They found a horrible zombie dinner party and Arga went hacked them to pieces. The next floor found a bed room with a bizarre wrapped creature barely 3 foot high dressed in finery and holding a silver platter, on which lay a female human head with a platinum piece on her outstretched, purple tongue.
Arga knocked the head off the platter and when it started screaming ‘Intruder!’ over and over he chucked it out the window.
The group proceeded upstairs. They found the old observatory had been transformed into a gruesome laboratory. A pale, wicked looking man stood near a corner. A blue corpse lay pinned down to an operating table. 4 large cylindrical glass and metal tanks holding a yellow liquid shot through with rusty swirls stood around the operating theatre. Inside the tanks were something unspeakable vile.
“Who are you to invade my home?! Leave at once or be destroyed!” Filge demanded.
The four advanced on the evil necromancer, Arga bounded forward as Mouse snapped off a shot from his diminutive crossbow. The quarrel bounced off magical protection surrounding Filge.
Filge yelled “Arise my minions and destroy!” As one 4 creatures burst from the glass and metal cylinders. 3 Troglodytes corpses and a bugbear corpse animated and attacked. One swiped Arga across the scalp and knocked him unconscious. Lath and Bornir rushed to Arga’s side to heal him, leaving Mouse to be attacked by a pair of zombies.
Mouse tumbled/rushed by the zombies and went to attack Filge. Arga did the same. Filge chilled Mouse draining him of some of his strength, but the pair flanked the necromancer. Arga missed but distracted him enough to allow Mouse to land blow after blow. Lath turned the Zombies and all four fled before his might. Filge surrendered and told the group where to find the Land family skeletons, then Arga cut him down.
The zombies were attacked one by one until they were cut to ribbons.
The four then gathered the skeletons, and as much treasure as they could carry and trundled outside. When they exited the observatory Kullen and his gang rounded the corner. “A deal’s a deal. Where are Filge’s eyes?”
Having forgotten their deal Mouse made nice while Arga went back, severed Filge’s head and gave it to the albino half orc Kullen. Kullen seemed pleased and as the group left the four of them went into the observatory to look around.
The group went back to the mine office to heal up and clean up. A day later saw them selling an animal rug, silver platter and severl other trinkets in Diamond Lake. They consulted Feldnar, and gave him Filge’s spellbook to peruse, along with a magical scroll to read.
The next day with a full complement of spells they went to the Whispering Cairn to speak with Alastor Land’s ghost. Good as his word Alastor opened the door and thanked the four for burying his bones. He then disappeared into the ether.
The four clambered up other side of the iron sphere room and past the metal door into a very large cylindrical chamber. The ceiling was 40’ above, and the floor dropped away in the middle of the chamber. 4 Frescoes were along the outer wall display events from the dawn of time. In the center of the room 4 stone walkways went to a center playform suspended in mid-air. From the center of the platform a column of rushing hurricane force wind formed and went into the ceiling.
The group examined the frescoes which magically showed a race of pre-human creatures, the same as the figure carved on the top of a sarcophagi below, in Idyllic surroundings which eventually fought bizarre creatures, perhaps demons. From this struggle a 7 part staff was made and used to fight the greatest of these demons. In so doing the demon and the greatest of these noble warriors were slain.
The 4 advanced on the pillar of air in the center of the room. Bornir attached a rope to Mouse, who would enter the pillar. When they advanced on the walkways two figures emerged from the pillar of wind. They were in ornate full plate armor with circle designs etched into them, wearing large helms with pennons that fluttered constantly, and wielding a pair of long swords each. The two figures silently strode forward.
Bornir tried to parlay but the pair attacked. One clanged his swords together and a mighty thunder struck Mouse and Arga. The other attacked and wounded Bornir. Bornir gave ground and Arga advanced. Lath and Mouse fired their bows but missed. The pair struck at Agra, one scoring hits on arm and leg, while the other put his blade through Arga’s neck nearly severing his head. Agast at their deadliness, Bornir scooped up the fallen half orc and along with the others fled the chamber. They were pursued but the Wind Warriors stopped at the entrance to the room. Arga was dead. The trio took his corpse away from the Cairn.
The next morning Bornir dug a grave for the half orc and he and Lath said prayers for this unlikely but valiant ally.

Session 3: Alastor Land and the Owlbear

Session 3:
Well we can wait for one of the others or keep exploring. Let’s get some more rope and stuff in town, sell things, and then try to get across that damn room, said Mouse.
During the night Vance heard something outside. The group had dumped the goblin, dire rat and badgers in a dry ravine 75 yards away from the Mine Office. The noises seemed to be coming from there.
The trio, Vance, Mouse, and Bornir armored up and went out to investigate. They spotted a large humanoid hunched over the corpses. Vance yelled a challenge, the creature was startled, then started whirling a sling. The three approached and saw a half orc in hides, with a great axe in one hand and a sling in the other. The half orc ducked behind some trees then climbed a maple, quickly scrambling up 20’ off the ground. It loosed the sling bullet which hit the ground in front of Bornir.
The trio advanced, and this time the half orc hit Vance squarely in the chest. Mouse loosed his crossbow hitting the half orc. Vance and Bornir came forward. Bornir eyed the tree and then his Dwarven war axe. The half orc sprang from the tree rather than get cut down. It wasn’t able to get far before Vance’s glaive cut him down with a mighty hit. Bornir cured the half orc to keep him from dying and they dragged him to the Mine Office. It seemed the half orc had been scavenging meat from the dire rats and badgers.
Later when the half orc came to, it was bound and disarmed. It spoke common, and seemed somewhat intelligent. (DM note: Vance, Bornir and Arga the half orc all have 8 intelligences, while Mouse is a heady 12) After speaking with Arga, as the half orc was called, Vance convinced Arga that Arga owed Vance his life since Vance had saved him. Bornir convinced Arga that he would kill Arga if he got out of line. Thus the group gained a fourth member, again.
The four set out for the Whispering Cairn a day later. They climbed to the iron sphere room. Mouse and Arga climbed down to the iron spheres and started walking across them. They were attacked about half way across by a snake-like green creature with a beak mouth surrounded by four octopus tentacles and no obvious eyes. Vance and Bornir both hung over the edge and dropped down to the sphere surface to fight. The fight was over before they got there. Mouse suffered a bloody wound from a razor sharp tentacle, but Arga killed it with a mighty blow from his axe.
Gothen was curing Mouse when an apparition appeared. It was a glowing blue figure hovering about the ground. It’s neck was bent at an unnatural angle and it’s fingers were like daggers. It spoke ‘I am the last of the Land Family. Alastor Land was my name in life.’ With that it dove into Arga’s body. Arga writhed and his neck bent like the ghosts. The ghost spoke through Arga’s mouth but with it’s grave-born voice. ‘I have need of you strangers and you have need of me. My need is simple. Over yonder lay my bones, I wish them to be interred with my family at our family farm. You search for treasure as once I did. The door across the hall is impassable. It has no handle or means of opening on this side. But to one such as I, a ghost, it is simplicity to open the door from the other side. What say you?’ The group discussed and agreed to the ghosts trade. Alastor Land then disappeared.
The group spent a few hours digging through the spheres, they uncovered some treasure and Alastor Lands bones, which they wrapped in a blanket. They then set out for the Land Farm, which when they asked the ghostly voice spoke ‘ The farm is some 20 miles distant to the East of this Cairn.
After some searching the four located an old run down farm in the place the spirit directed. It was a farm, and an old iron gate had the rusted name ‘Land’ above it. There hadn’t been any inhabitants in a decade or more. They did locate a family burial plot, and fourd the headstones for 4 members of the Land family. All had died of the Red Death plague, dated 12 years ago. Their graves had been recently dug up, and their bodies missing.
The four dug a shallow grave for Alastor and buried his bones. They hoped this would be enough, but doubted it. They decided to explore the Land Farm House for any clues. Who would dig up long dead bodies? Why so recently?
In the Farm House the group stumbled over the scene of a fight. A dead Owlbear, and two dead young lay inside, another heavily wounded Owlbear was eating a human arm, and clots of blood and flesh lay about the place.
Vance advanced and struck it, but was then enveloped by it. It was crushing the life out of him. Arga yelled a blood curdling scream and tore into the beast with his axe, It quivered and slumped, Vance fell from it’s grasp alive, but barely.
No treasure to speak of, but the arm had a strange tattoo. Mouse scribed a copy of the tattoo onto some parchment and they set out for the Whispering Cairn. Alastor Land was not pleased that his family was missing, and wouldn’t rest until they lay beside him.
So they went into town to try and find out who had been killed by the Owlbear. Mouse determined through carousing at the Emporium and showing the tattoo copy, that it belonged to a gang of toughs, all were branded by an old mine owner with his sigil. They lot of them worked for Balabar Smenk now. Smenk being a notoriously corrupt mine owner and confidant of Lannod Neff, the Mayor of Diamond Lake and Sheriff Cubbin.
The four went to the Feral Dog to check out the rest of this gang. They found an albino half orc, a man in chain mail with a pole arm, a man dressed in gray with a bow, and a balding man dressed in soiled dark red robes.
After some attempts to talk, Mouse bought them a round of beer and then chatted them up. It seems they four had lost a friend recently fighting the Owlbears. When pressed about the bones, the half orc got quiet, but Mouse was able to negotiate a bribe. 200 gps in exchange for the bones from the Land Farm or their whereabouts. After the money was produced the half orc, named Kullen, told them the bodies had been dug up for a necromancer named Filge. Kullen seemed to loath the spell caster. Filge had some to town recently, and Kullen and crew were on Smenk’s orders to assist him in any way. Filge was holed up in the old observatory on the hill. One last condition to the deal, said Kullen “You give me Filge’s eyes. I hate that bastard.” With that Kullen fingered his great axe and then licked the cut it made.

Session 2: The Mine Office and the Whispering Cairn

Session 2:
After divving up the treasure, Arath and Lath were called away to go hunting with their host, so were unable to continue exploring the cairn. Vance and Mouse were afraid that their discovery would be noticed by the rival adventurers, went in search of more folks to fill out their band.
They came across Feldnar, an apprentice of Allustan. Feldnar had been looking to join a group of adventurers and after being turned down by the trio from Greyhawk, he met Mouse. Another likely candidate was a none too smart dwarf named Bornir. Bornir is an axe wielding cleric of Clanggedin Silverbeard, Dwarven god of battle. Gothen’s habot for not bathing and eat overripe cheese aside they made a formidable team.
Mouse had heard of an old abandoned Mine office in the vicinity of the Whispering Cairn, and they figured it would be a good base of operations to launch their continued forays into the Cairn.
They four traveled to the old run down building. They fought off some stirges nesting in a tree, then entered the building.
‘Breee Yark!’ came the yell from a band of spear hurling goblins inside! Vance led the charge, and the goblins fled. Feldrin caught some in a sleep spell, then more goblins burst from a side door. Their leader cast a sleep spell knocking out Bornir and Mouse. Feldnar was left to hold these new goblins off lest they slay his new companions! He cast a color spray, which knocked out most of the goblins, and fought staff vs. sword with a remaining goblin. He fled and woke Bornir. Vance had pursued the fleeing goblins and run into some starving badger pets. He was pressed by the badgers and was unable to help the rear fighting. Bornir used his Enlarge spell and grew very large, he then lay about with his mighty axe, cleaving goblins like wheat, while Feldnar went and woke Mouse. The battle was finished quickly, and the four looted the goblins then explored the rest of the house. They found some rations and gear, along with some treasure, and in the basement killed some dire rats. The lit a fire in the old fire place and rested for the day.
Looking around the building, the roof was partially collapsed, and they thought they would discreetly check with a local carpenter to estimate how much would be involved in fixing the place up. Feldnar and Mouse found a man the next day and paid him a gold to come and give an estimate. He said that a team of carpenters and masons could fix the place up in 2-3 months for 500 gps. The group decided to buy a sturdy canvas tarp and cover the section of roof around the fireplace to keep the rain away, price 20 gp.
With a hovel for a home, the four then looked towards the Whispering Cairn again. This time they explored a flooded section. Feldnar swam into the water with the ever-burning torch with a length of silk rope tied to his waist. Vance and Gothen had the other end of the rope and waited for a tug in case of emergency.
Feldnar quickly tugged as he came face to ‘face’ with a humanoid water creature, composed of water and swimming rapidly towards him. He must have startled it after a long time of inactivity for he was able to out swim it. It took a swipe at him and missed. Then as he heaved himself from the water the creature emerged from the water and started attacking Vance with watery fists. Vance quickly dispatched it, but they thought next time someone should dive with the frail mage, lest he be overwhelmed. Vance took off his armor and glaive in hand he and Feldnar dove into the submerged room.
This time they explored further, until a side passage took them to an underwater room where a yellow skinned ghoul wearing tattered red leather armor lunged at them. Feldnar again swam for the surface while Vance tried to fight the creature off. He would up skewering the creature, but not before it clawed his torso bloody. Vance barely fought off a creeping paralysis that would have spelled his doom. A few quick swipes of his glaive later and the creature was no more. Beyond the pair found a missing red lantern that belonged in the sarcophagi room.
The foursome took the lantern back, hung it, and lit torches in all seven of the lanterns. Nothing seemed to happen. Shrugging the four wondered where else to explore. The only place left in the cairn was a tunnel forty feet off the ground, accessible by a lanterns chain. Mouse scurried up and hammered a spike in place then lowered a rope to the other three. Up they went.
Down the hallway was a large face, 20 tall with a mouth open in a yell. Beyond the mouth/doorway was another room. Mouse checked for traps around the face and finding nothing, shrugged and they went through. Beyond lay a room with a walkway 1’ wide spanning a floor 10’ below filled to an unknown depth with softball size spheres of iron. When Mouse tried walking across the walkway a hole opened up in the side wall and an iron sphere shot out and narrowly missed his head. He scurried back to the others and pondered what to do next. The four decided to call it a day and return to the Mine Office to rest.
The next day Feldnar went to meet with Allustan and he was set to various tasks which would occupy him for days to come. He regretted being so delayed and promised to seek out the others at the Mine Office when his tasks were done.

Session One, Into the Whispering Cairn

Session 1:
Vance and Mouse were hanging out at the Emporium in Diamond Lake. Mouse had overheard a trio of adventurers from Greyhawk talking about exploring the local cairns for hidden treasure. They were discussing suppling an expedition to the Stirgenest Cairn.
Anyone who had half a brain and had gron up in Diamond Lake knew the Stirgenest Cairn had been cleaned out decades ago. But the Whispering Cairn, now that one had potential. Local kids used to dare each other to sleep in the Whispering Cairn over night, that was until one girl never came back. Since then the place was shunned.
The problem was Mouse was good at sneaking and climbing, and Vance an able warrior, but they needed some more mates. Mouse found two such folk in traveling elves, Lath and Arath, an elven cleric and wizard, both from Celene and house guests of Ellival Moonmeadow, the local Silver mine owner, an elf and also from Celene. They had come out east in search of adventure.
Mouse bought some supplies from the general store. The four of them set out the next day, keeping a wide berth from the trio from Greyhawk.
They entered into a spooky and ancient stone cairn set into a hill 10 miles outside Diamond Lake. The local ranchers had set up warning signs long ago. The four figured they might burn reasonably well in the next camp fire. Inside the cairn lay a tunnel with holes in the walls through which the wind blew constantly.
The four encountered a pair of wolves which were lairing near the entrance and slew them handily. Next was a large room with an eerie green glow. Inside was a large cathedral like room containing a stone sarcophagi. A strangely androgynous figure was carved in bas relief on the top to the sarcophagi. Down seven corridors lay several lanterns, only one was lit with a torch and the green glass in the lantern was producing the green light. The torch turned out to be a magical ever-burning torch and was used quickly as the foursome brought only a few
The sarcophagi didn’t open but did turn on some sort of mechanism. With effort the sarcophagi was turned to point feet first towards one of the tunnels and a portion of the floor magically lifted revealing a small 5’ tall opening in a larger 7’ tall, 4’ diameter cylindrical block of stone. Inside the block of stone was a projection, that when pushed took the person inside down through the stone and into a tunnel below.
After Vance returned the sarcophagi was turned to face another tunnel and this time a great grinding noise was heard and felt through the stone, then it got louder and finally the whole end of that tunnel collapsed with a mighty grinding/roaring/smash!
As the cloud of dust cleared something gruesome hauled itself from the hole. A clawed beast, in fact it had 4 clawed boney crablike arms and a central body with a mighty baleful, veined eye in the center. This monstrosity clattered up the hole and charged Vance. After this creature a mighty swarm of red-orange bugs poured from the hole. Before they poured forth a horrendous acrid smell assaulted the four. Acid beetles!
Vance chopped the clawed monstrosity to pieces, but not before it scored a hit on his leg, slowing him, as the acid beetles roiled forth. They tore at his flesh and he limped away as Lath brought forth the healing power of Corellon Larethian to mend Vance’s body. Aarth was busy casting a burning hands spell, but he was new to the magical trade and soon out of spells. Since the fire seemed to affect the swarm where Vance’s pole arm couldn’t, Mouse produced flasks of lamp oil and started opening and stuffing the flasks with rags. They were soon lit and thrown by Mouse and the dexterous elves to great effect on the swarm. Soon it had been mostly killed, with beetles scurrying to safety.
The foursome congratulated themselves and left the Cairn to sleep under the stars and rest. They had little to show for the days fighting, but had formed a bond of friendship.
The next day would see them exploring more of the cairn. They defeated a patch of Brown Mold with the aid of Arath’s ray of frost spell. They found hidden treasure, and an odd stone and earth creature that attacked them after failing to communicate. It was dispatched, as was the odd sinewy floating creature, formed as if 2 large ogre eyeballs were joined by rope formed of muscle. It fired magic beams from its eyeballs, but was quickly slain. Another swarm of acid bettles was destroyed, as was a very large queen of the colony. From this the foursome found items of magic and wealth. From a corpse bearing red leather armor with an 8 pointed star symbol came a ring of feather falling, under a stone block trap, which had crushed some long dead explorer came a suit of magic chain mail, and in a secret compartment came two wands made of steel and bearing graceful geometric lines, and a set of clear crystal goggles.
The loot was divvied up in town and the elves bid Vance and Mouse a good day, as their host Ellival had a hunting expedition planned for the next week. They promised to meet again soon and continue exploring.