Session 13: The New Guys

For the last 6 months a band of adventurers have been travelling the cairn hills in search of adventure. 5 stalwart adventurers from the Cairn Hills. You have been using the small roadside village of Blackstone as your base.

The five of you consist of
1) Melinde, a female human heironean Paladin from the town of Diamond Lake to the east.
2) Ardgaal, a male human devoted inquisitor of Wee Jas, from the Temple of the Green Lady in the Cairn Hills.
3) Isolde, a female human priestess of Wee Jas and friend of Ardgaal's, also from the Temple of the Green Lady.
4) Sir Palamedes of the Scarred Shield. A knight who worships Saint Cuthbert and is originally from the Shield Lands.
5) Azreal, a human cleric of Akira, Queen of the Air. Son of a travelling merchant, most recently from Greyhawk.

During the last 6 months the group fought goblins & worgs, a rogue ogre, bandits from Urnst, and lizard men raiding parties. The group fell apart recently. Isolde was summoned back to the Temple to perform priestly duties for the next year, and Sir Palamedes left soon thereafter. You suspect he revealed his feelings for Melinde and she rebuffed him, though Melinde will say nothing. Currently the three of you had been in Diamond Lake, where there is a temple of Heironeous.
Melinde heard about a woman who was in need to protection, a former prostitute named Grace. When you went to meet her after dark at a whore house, Grace and the Madam were gone and there were signs of a struggle. Ardgaal caught a glimpse through the window of figures running away carrying a burden.
The three of you followed them to a large hill with a mining camp on one side of the hill. The camp seemed confused and in disarray, and the guards more interested in keeping the prisoner/miners in than anyone out. Melinde said you represented the militia and clergy of Heironeous in town, and were following criminals. The guards after a few gold pointed you towards the tunnels where 4 cloaked and robed figures had run into the mines.

You followed them into the Dourstone Mine, and after persuading a guard that Melinde was associated with both the militia and the Heironean temple he pointed you towards the off limits portion of the mine. It seems the miners had opened up a series of natural tunnels, which were posted as 'Unsafe', the area had been entered recently, and after exploring, by torch light, the trio eventually found a newly installed elevator lift heading down a 10'x10' shaft into darkness.
The lift was in the down position, and after raising the lift up you found it a muscle powered though sturdy contraption. You descended, and towards the bottom heard the throaty and occasional inhuman chanting echoing through the rooms below.
Around the corner from the elevator was a pillared room with 3 tunnels leading from it. At the back was a very large cathedral, round and domed. A series of steps and landings surrounded a huge black oily pool.
On the lowest landing were two cloaked figures, and on the middle landing stood two purple robed figures with bound form at their feet. Obviously these were the foursome that had abducted Grace from the whorehouse.
Azreal blessed the trio, then Ardgaal sprang into action, running up the steps, followed by Melinde who fired her light crossbow at one of the purple robed figures.
Ardgaal faced the cloaked figures and found instead of people they were smallish man sized bird-med! They wore clothes and had black brown oily feathers, large crow like beaks, and cold black eyes. Taloned feet and hands gripped crossbow, which fired and hit Melinde. Then Argaal’s great sword cut the first one down. He ran by the second one up to the middle landing. One of the purple robed figures cast a defensive spell, and before he could cast another Azreal had cast Silence upon the area.
Before Ardgaal could reach the landing the two purple robed figures had thrown the struggling captive down with a great gurgling splash into the black pool. Melinde went to go rescue her.
Argaal slashed at the purple robed man, who wore ragged robes, and his blade sliced into the man despite his invisible armor. The man then loosed a bizarre creature from the folds of his robes, a small set of flying eye balls with a muscle-like cord between them. The bizarre ‘creature’ writhed and flew from the man targeting Ardgaal. From one eye it fired a beam of light which struck the Devoted Inquisitor. He barely fought off waves of sleep that would have spelled his doom.
Azreal ascended the steps next, and was met by the second purple robed figure. This one a woman of slight build in finer purple robes, had dropped her crossbow, and drawn a rapier.
She fenced with Azreal until he smashed her to the ground with his heavy flail. She yielded and laid down her rapier. Azreal rushed past her to help Ardgaal.
Meanwhile Melinde had rescued Grace from the pool. Grace had wriggled free of her bonds, but was a poor swimmer. The pool radiated an intense cold which was rapidly sapping Grace’s strength. Melinde fished her out before she could succumb to the oily depths.
The purple robed woman ran from the battle, leaving her weapon, and Grace, despite her weakened condition sprang on her, the two tussled and then Melinde approached and stopped the scuffle.
Azreal and Ardgaal had slain the second bird-man, robed spell caster, and eyeball monstrosity. The battle was over.
Then from one of the side passages a well armed group of six 2 dwarves, 2 elves, and 2 humans bearing torches approached and demanded to know what was going on…

Session 12: Face of Evil - Erythnul

After searching the temple complex the group found some treasure, a journal and a key. The journal was in the hand of the head priest of Hextor, and bore further reading. The key was an ornate metal key made of cast iron with the leering fanged face of the god Erythnul at one end. The group thought it may lead to one of the other doors out of the main cathedral.
After a day of healing and rest, the group formed up and struck out for the main cathedral and thence the northern passage, over which was carved in the stone the face of Erythnul ‘of the many’ god of malice, fear, panic and slaughter.
The key fit the lock in the door and the passage beyond was a crudely hewn passage leading down. The group, with the doughty dwarves in the lead headed down the passage and in the first room the found a natural cave with stalactites and stalagmites. Walking was difficult and after a dozen steps the group was attacked. Javelins struck Moregrim from strange warriors which blended easily with the stone. They were man sized humanoids, with long black stringy hear, tough coarse grey skin, fangs, and empty sockets where they eyes should have been.
Two were quickly killed but not before a third fled the room down a back passage.
Theldrick’s journal spoke of a being called ‘Grallek Kur’ leading a group of ‘Grimlocks’ from the under-dark to join Theldrick and another figure called ‘the Faceless One’ in the Ebon Triad. Their purpose was to raise a figure referred to as ‘the Overgod’ or alternatively ‘the Ebon Aspect’
The next cave was an encounter with 2 Grimlocks and 2 cat beasts. The cat beasts growled and the skin from their faces peeled back as they snarled and spat at the group. Fear struck Stigand and he ran. The rest of the group attacked and quickly killed them.
A ledge lay beyond the cavern which fell 40’ huge iron spike had been driven into the wall of the drop off forming a crude stair. As the party started down with ropes attached Grimlock archers opened fire with bows. The archers proved very effective, and despite covering fire from the elves and Mouse assaulting them directly, the most the group could hope forwas a distraction while the rest climbed down. At one point Mendax was hit with 2 tanglefoot bags sticking him to the wall, the archers then fired at him, and he was barely able to wrench himself free from the sticky goo before being killed by arrow fire.
At the bottom of the chasm lay a tunnel. Another tunnel was directly under the archers firing ledge. From that tunnel to the firing ledge more huge spike were driven forming another stair. Mouse was sent up to attach a rope so the group could clear out the archers once and for all. As he was pounding a spike into the rock a huge female Grimlock attacked him with two wickedly curved steel daggers. Mouse wounded and with no back up jumped off the edge and floated down to safety. The Gorelock retreated back into her tunnel.
The group explored the passage at the bottom of the chasm and it led to the bottom of a second chasm. This one had a huge pile of rock at the opposite side. Also high up was a rope bridge leading from one tunnel (the one with the female dagger wielding Grimlock) to a new tunnel.
Mouse tried a new tactic. He climbed to up the wall of this new chasm and snuck up behind the Dagger wielding Morelock. The creature was hiding just out of sight from the party members still below. Mouse stabbed her with his short sword, and seeing the vicious blow struck pressed his attack. Mendax cast a sound burst spell from a scroll and the Morelock was slightly hurt and stunned by the spell. Mouse had the perfect opportunity to strike…and he slammed his blade against the narrow wall, failing to even hurt her. The Grimlock recovered and slashed Mouse heavily. The halfing fled, and the fast Grimlock almost cut the little Halfling rogue apart were it not for sheer dumb luck on Mouse’s part. For the second time he dove for the safety of a chasm, using his ring of feather falling to save his life.
The group healed up and pondered their next actions.
Mouse climbed the chasm wall to the top of the rope bridge. He did so after knotting a length of 50’ ft. rope every few feet. As he got to the top he heard javelins whiz by his head in the dark, one struck his shoulder. He tied off the rope and jumped for the rope bridge.
Stigand was on the rope behind Mouse, he was struck by the Grimlocks but got to his feet and pressed on.
Down below Bornir, Lath and Feldnar heard a shuffling and to either side of the pile of debris at the bottom of the chasm rose two monstrosities. Huge gaping maws with jagged teeth, ugly stumpy bodies, and two barbed tentacles lashed out at them. A third eye stalk tentacle eyed them hungrily.
In the far back down the tunnel Moregrim and Aarth heard the fighting ahead. Before either dwarf or elf could rush forward, a frenzied Morlock wielding two daggers tried to jump on Aarth. Aarth’s uncanny dexterity saved him from being crushed under the brute.
In each case the group handled the enemies with ease. Even when the two archers fired on Mouse at the bridge, Feldnar was able to stop them cold by webbing up their passageway.
When all was over Stigand and Mouse had sustained serious wounds. The party of adventurers re-grouped and healed up using curing wands.
The next encounter wouldn’t prove as easy.
The far tunnel wound forward and opened to a large tiered cavern. 30 ft’ forward was a 10’ foot ledge up to the rest of the cavern. Three Grimlocks wielding long spears tried to block the group ascending. They were taken out by ranged weapons.
Immediately another group of 6 Grimlocks poured from a side passage. Mendax climbed the ledge and cast hypnotism, stopping two of them in their tracks. Mendax turned as he heard leathery feet running on the stone towards him. He turned and saw an enormous Grimlock, with the face of Erythnul branded into his chest. The Grimlock swung a massive great axe into Mendax’s mid-section. The bard screamed in pain, the only thing saving his life was his chain shirt, but just barely. He doubled over in shock, his side and stomach awash in dark crimson blood.
The Grimlock chief raised his axe triumphantly.
Bornir enlarged himself and clambered over the ledge. Moregrim helped Feldnar and Lath onto the ledge while Mouse nimbly climbed the rock wall. Aarth provided covering fire, while Stigand lashed out with his spiked chain against the Grimlocks attacked the flank of Bornir. The Grimlock chief struck Bornir a mighty cut, and then grunted in pain as Mouse’s small blade stung his side.
The monstrous Grimlock turned and sensing Mouse had cut him deeply swung at the Halfling rogue.

Though Mouse had always acted only in his own self interest, in this case, and more and more often he had acted bravely… Self interest alone wasn’t the cause. He felt a strange pulling sensation, a sharp pain in his throat which was gone almost immediately, there was neither light nor dark, just a grayness.
“Hey Mendax, where are we?”
Mendax sat up in the strange grayness from the ground that was no longer there.
“Dunno, strange dungeon I suppose.” Mendax replied mildly. “Strange music though”
“Music? I don’t hear anything. Were we rescued? Or jailed?”
Mendax pondered “Hmmm this may be the astral plane, in which case we are in deep trouble.” With that Mendax slowly faded from view.
Mouse panicked “Mendax!” Then he too slowly faded…

Aghast Feldnar saw the terrible Grimlock slice Mouse’s head from his body. Fire spewed from Feldnar’s wand, by the time it was over the grotto ran with blood. Mendax and Mouse had died. Two more stones would be added to the role of honored dead.
The remaining 6 adventurers followed the passage the gang of Grimlocks had followed and found a smelly barracks with no exits. They bundled Mendax and Mouses corpses in their sleeping blankets, and dragged them into the room to rest and heal.
The next day the group explored the rest of the tunnels. They found the Chieftans chambers with some loot inside.
They then found a room which led down to the rooms floor 10’ ft. below with 6 Grimlocks wielding long spears and javelins. Across the room was a small ledge with a bizarre looking Grimlock in armor, who was franticly throwing strange powders onto a fire - a Grimlock shaman or witch doctor.
The group rushed them. Stigand had just gained the ability to climb like a spider along the walls so led the rush. Feldnar webbed half the chamber, trapping two of the Grimlocks. The shaman cast a spiritual weapon at Aarth, who was being pressed by a spearman. Stigand was then affected by a cause fear and led the retreat.
The Grimlocks fell, and Bornir cast a silence spell on the back of the cave. This forced the shaman to throw down a rope and clamber down to the chamber floor. As he got away fro the silence he issued a command “Rise and feed!” The dirt and stone floor underneath Moregrim’s feet heaved up and a large multi-limbed insect burst from the ground. It’s mandibles dripped acid, and two mantis-like arms reached for the dwarf. It grabbed him up, and bit heaviy into his side.
The adventurers swarmed the beast and cut it down before it could retreat into the ground with its prey.
The shaman put up a bit more of a fight. He tried going invisible but with the webbing on one side and adventurers pressing his side he was surrounded. He yelled for Erythnul to accept his death as he attacked, but was cut down soon enough.
The adventurers had killed every last Grimlock. A bitter victory, but a good one.