Session 11: The Face of Evil - Hextor

The group of intrepid adventurers spent the better part of the day infiltrating the Dourstone Mine. With the aid of Moregrim's wagon, the group was able to pass themselves off as a group of tradesmen, meanwhile Lath, Aarth, and Mouse hid amongst the 'supplies'. The supplies consisted of the groups adventuring gear, armor and most weapons.
Mendax and Feldnar conferred with the on duty manager at the time. He was charmed by the wand of charm person and gave them all sorts of useful information. When the next manager came on duty he too was charmed. In this way the group infiltrated the mine system. They removed the barrier from the mine tunnel leading to the natural set of caverns, and after finding the petrified bones of a small dragon, the group came to a pulley and winch elevator recently installed.
The group descended on the wooden hand cranked elevator and came into a large gallery with a multitude of columns, 3 tunnels leading to doors, and a huge domed cathedral with an inky black pool at it’s center. Over the archway of each of the three doors was carved a holy symbol to a deity. One was the fanged and warped visage of the Oeridian god ‘Eruthnul of the Many’, the second was the fist clenching 6 arrows, the symbol of the Oeridian god ‘Hextor the Herald of Hell’ and lastly was the severed hand cupping an eye ball the symbol of the Flannish arch-lich, turned god ‘Vecna the Keeper of Secrets’.
Before the group could explore they were spotted by 2 men, wearing chain shirt armor, and chain mail masks over their entire faces except their eyes. They fired arrows at the group and tried to flee down one of the chambers but were cut down. When the group examined them they found one had red and black skin color and a dog like nose and mouth with rather large fangs, while the other had ram like horns they had assumed was a part of headgear, and his ‘boots’ were actually cloth covered hooves.
The party of adventurers tried the door the duo had been guarding. Upon opening the door a largish room with 3 doors lay beyond with over a half dozen skeletons, which animated and menaced the group. Lath quickly dispatched them by calling upon the holy power of Corellon. The combat did alert the inhabitants of nearby rooms, and before long men with long spears and red and black robes opened one door, while 3 more chain clad warriors similar to the previous two opened another door.
The group quickly dispatched each set of adversaries. They then searched their rooms and set out down the third door behind which lay a torch-lit hallway.
Down the hallway the group found 2 doors to either side and a set of double doors at the end of the hallway. One of the side doors was barred and chained from the hallway side. The group felt it best to leave this door alone. The other side door led to a hallway which ended in another door which was locked.
The double doors were opened and revealed a large room with sand covered floor. In the center of the room was a large 6 armed statue of a warrior holding various weapons aloft – Hextor. Around 3 sides of the room were balconies 10 feet from the floor. The furthest balcony was further recessed and had a large chair at the back of the balcony along with a set of red curtains concealing an exit.
Along the balcony were a half dozen men in red and black robes armed with crossbows and maces, along with a few more 'Tieflings' and eventually they were joined by a pair of clerics.
The battle was joined. The group rushed into the room, except for Feldnar. The head of the temple standing on the balcont, a one eyed battle cleric of Hextor in heavy armor, threw a lever and the double door slammed shut and locked. He then yelled “Kill the elf!” The crossbow men opened fire on Aarth.
Feldar used his hold portal spell to good effect after finding the double doors locked, and narrowly kept the temple guardians from sweeping through a side entrance and killing him. He lay low for a minute casting defensive spells and waiting for the bad guys to withdraw, then threw open the side door and stalked them.
Meanwhile Bornir had enlarged Moregrim who was picking up other party members and lifting them towards the balcony, so they could engage the crossbowmen, Tieflings and clerics.
Bornir was one of the first up and he badly hurt a half orc cleric. The cleric fled and Bornir gave fast pursuit. He then came into a small shrine guarded by 2 troglodyte zombies. Bornir fled, knowing he was outnumbered and alone. Back in the balcony with allies at his back he took on and defeated the zombies then the half orc.
The head priest summoned a huge fiendish centipede which nearly snapped Mendax in half but smashed him to the floor unconscious. The fighters quickly attacked the beast and it was slain.
Soon with Feldnars help from the side of the balcony all of the underlings were slain, only the head priest remained in the fight, but he proved difficult to hurt with so many defensive spells in place. Eventually the group wore him down and slew him. He yelled a last defiant curse in the name of Hextor and expired.
The group was exhausted and resolved to quickly search the chambers beyond for a safe place to rest.

Session 10: Sneaking into Diamond Lake

The group went back into ‘Cold Stones Keep’ to heal up before trekking across the Mist Marsh another day.
The following day they took off and hours later crossed the Ghoul Bridge. They were attacked by swarms of mosquitoes and 6 aquatic ghouls. They quickly dispatched them. Suspecting some of the group who were fighting in the mosquito swarms may have come down with disease the clerics cast protect disease on Feldnar and Lath. Later the next day Stiggund started showing the signs of a horrible disease called ‘the Shakes’ as his body was wracked by tremors.
The second day of traveling the group made their way to Slurroth the potion maker’s hovel, only to find it a smoking ruin. Slurroth was no where in sight. They had been hoping to find antidotes for their illness.
The group camped for the night and the next day they went to Krudin’s hut. They found the ‘swamper’ fishing. He greeted them and was surprised to hear about the fire at Slurroth’s place. He intended to investigate, but not before the group bought some of his fish and whatever other food he had available. They were starving, having not brought enough food along for such a long expedition.
Later that day the group also encountered a small rider on a pony riding fast. He veered towards the party. It was a gnome wearing the colors of Greyhawk. Introduced as Xanther of the Greyhawk Couriers Guild, he was looking for a band of adventurers led by a fighter named ‘Simone’, said to be trudging out of the Mist Marsh after a deadly encounter with a black dragon. When the group professed no knowledge of this group he took off to the west as he encircled the fringes of the Marsh looking for the group.
The next day the group encountered the self same band. Led by a tough female fighter named Simone, a beefy man in furs who claimed to have used a magical sending to request aid for their fallen leader named Dag Gunnar, a sharp faced half elf in black leather named Corraigh, a half elf hunter named Theriol, and a trio of druids, an older man named Gerrad, and his two younger students Willow and Terra.
They told the tale of having been hired to slay a black dragon named Ilthane Deep in the Mist Marsh. The contractor wanted it’s hide from which to make armor.
After days of trudging through the Marsh, killing or treating with bands of lizard men, and killing other foul monstrosities, the dragon found them. Their leader Bridgette, a fighter, and Sabah Cesh their priest were slain by the dragon. Sabah Cash was consumed and Bridgette fell to the beast’s acid breath.
The group fled under concealing mist conjured up to cover their retreat. Having no cleric, Dag sent for a scroll of Gentle Repose be sent by courier to bolster their chances of Raising Bridgette from the dead. Alas they seem to be too late.
Both groups traveled to Diamond Lake, keeping a distance ‘just in case’. The trio of Druids worshipped Obad Hai and for a donation cast Remove Disease on Feldnar, Lath, and Stiggund. Feldnar and Terra started to talk and spent a fair amount of time with one another.
They parted ways since the group was still wanted for the death of Kullen. Moregrim and Stiggund took Moregrim’s cart into town to sell goods, while the rest stayed at the Mine Office.
Moregrim first treated with the clerics of Heironeous and gave them Imm’s body. He was informed the prostitute Constance Grace would no longer be welcome without Imm’s oath binding the clergy to put her up. When Moregrim offered to have her hide at their place outside of town she refused and said she would hide out at the Midnight Salute until everything blew over.
Work on the Mine Office was nearing completion. Lath took Arianna’s body and built a funerary pyre. Saying some words over her body, he also consecrated the surrounding graves to his god Correllon Larethian.
Later in the day a cadre of 16 men arrived from Diamond Lake. Led by Sheriff Cubbin and his deputy they outnumbered the 6 inside. Umm, 5 inside, since suddenly Mouse was no where to be found.
The Sheriff had a warrant for their arrest and after some serious intimidation he coaxed Mendax from the building. He told the group they had two choices. One was bloody and messy and involved most of them being arrested and/or dying, the other was to work for Mr. Balabar Smenk.
Smenk has a problem with some sort of cult in Dourstone’s mine. The cult had to be eliminated or else… The group was given one week in which they would be allowed to go freely around Diamond Lake.
Cubbin and his boys left. Moregrim and Stiggund passed them on the road back.
It was time to make some plans to get into Dourstone Mine.