22: In Defense of Blackwall Keep, Against the Lizard King

The heroes rested. The day after defeating the Spawn of Kyuss in Blackwall Keep was spent digging graves and dragging bodies. Stigand was laid to rest, and the groups three clerics said words over his grave.
Afterwards the group discussed whether or not he had family. He had left no will, nor spoken much about his home. Each hero wondered when his time came, would he be remembered, or buried in some soon forgotten ruin. At least Stigand died fighting a tribal enemy. Maybe that is enough. He avenged his brother fighting aquatic trolls, now you will avenge his death. Marzena, the Keep’s battle wizard, found some log entries from two+ years ago dealing with the transformation of the Keep’s mage, Huebner, into a Spawn of Kyuss. It seems the Commander knew of the transformation and locked him down in the half completed tunnel, with the vain hope he could be cured.
The following day the heroes left to finish off the tribe and rescue the last of the soldiers. Marzena stayed behind to wait for reinforcements.
On the way to the Lizard man tribe they were attacked by 6 crocodiles and a giant crocodile. It was a tough fight but the crocs were all slain.
After healing the heroes reached the Mangaroo Tree lair. This time Aardgal mapped the interior to ensure they wouldn’t get lost again. They searched the interior and found the Lizard King’s throne room.
Four lizard Men guards kept the heroes at bay while the druids buffed in the throne room. Once the four were slain, the heroes burst into the throne room. In front of the throne was a huge lizard man wearing a silver breast plate, his skin was tattooed with black tattoos in draconic, and he bore a wicked looking trident. Also in the room were the two lizard men druids, and 8 other lizard men.
The heroes charged and the druids cast Spike Growth and Entangle at the entrance. Lath dispelled the entangle spell. The older pale druid, Hishna, dove into a pool of water and left the combat. After Feldnar cast a offensive spell, the female lizard folk druid cast a fog cloud on the entrance. Once the fighters mobbed the Lizard King, the druidess cast Obscuring Mist. The Lizard King was a one man stabbing machine, but was outnumbered and eventually fell.
A detect magic showed the King’s breast plate, necklace, trident, and belt were magical. They also found Marzena’s magic items. Lastly, near the back of the cave were two unconscious and abused Greyhawk Troopers.
After some discussion the group rested and healed up the two Troopers. Then went down the water tunnel to see where the druid had gone. After Aardgal got snared a few times, he and Aarth backtracked and the group suggested they rest and get spells, including a water breathing spell.
The next day Bornir cast water breathing on everyone, and the whole group went down the water tunnel. When they emerged, Moregrim and Bornir who were in front saw an air filled chamber, and behind a small retaining wall reared a black dragon, 20’ from tip to snout.
The dragon named itself as ‘Farthane’ and bade the dwarves approach to their deaths. Before they could move the dragon breathed acid, hitting Morgrim and Bornir squarely. A large fight followed. Aardgal got within striking distance and the dragon turned it’s fury on him. Fortunately the weight of attackers eventually brought it low, despite it’s hardened hide, tough armor, and ferocity. During the fight Felnar fireballed the dragon, Aardgal evaded damage, but Felnar fried a bunch of Lizard Folk eggs, and a large black dragon egg which was in the center of the chamber.
Upon examining the egg, the group found instead of a dead hatchling, were a fried mass of Kyuss worms, burned to a brown sludge. Felnar thought it quite interesting and thought to show the remains of the egg shell and dead worm goo to Allustan.
Morgrim looked over the dragon and declared he wanted to spend the next day skinning the fell beast. While he went to work with improvised tools, the group found some chests beyond the lizard egg pool. Inside were silver and gold coins, and a box with 6 potions and a magic ring. The group set to counting the storing the coins while Morgrim worked.

Skinning of the dragon took the rest of the day, and with dark falling in the Marsh you decided to head back to Blackwall keep the next morning. There are a myriad of strange marsh sounds. Bird calls. Flutterings, skittering of rodents and lizards. All and all a strange place to bed down for the night.
Between the coins, treasure, dragon hide, and charred remains of a rather strange 'dragon egg' all 10 of you (the seven PCs and the 3 guards) trudge back to the Keep. There is a minor encounter with nest of snakes, but Lath's sharp eyes keep Morgrim from stepping on the nest and you avoid them.
Upon returning to Blackwall Keep you find there is a large detachment of Greyhawk Militia and horses, some 35 in number, who have taken up control of the Keep.
You are spotted and hailed, and scouts come out to give you a hand. MacCubbin and the three guards had returned to Diamond Lake and immediately the Militia Commander and 2 lietenants had mustered 30 men and more horses to race to the Keep's defense. They arrived late yesterday after a forced ride. Earlier in the day a druid, Dannen, had arrived to scout ahead for the Militia in the shape of an eagle. Marzena told them what had transpired.
Along with Commander Tolliver Trask, the High Priest of Heironeous - Valkus Dunn, Chief Scout Merris Sandoval, Lt. Mekkela Venderin, and Lt. Dobbrun Trent (the half elf you had dealt with initially) comes the Wizard Allustan, Felnar's former mentor, and Master Dannen, a druid of Obad Hai who is the mentor for the 2 Druids Terra and Willow (Felnar is dating Terra).
After a heart felt greetings from the assembled soldiers the Commander has you tell your tale (damn a Bard would come in handy…) of retribution and rescue. The men (and a few women) get quiet when you describe the death of Stigand, and again when describing the return to the abandoned Keep.
After you recount the rest the Commander thanks you on behalf of the town of Diamond Lake and the Lands of Greyhawk. He will make sure your names reach the highest levels of the Oligarchy and Guild Council in Greyhawk City.
After the soldiers have dispersed, the leaders take the heroes aside and impart a few other tidbits of information.
1) A force of Saint Cuthbert worshippers are marching to the Keep. Their leader Jierian Wierus, the high priest of Saint Cuthbert couldn’t be dissuaded. The mine owners are quite upset with this since most of the men are miners and other workers in their businesses. High Priest Wierus rallied the believers of Saint Cuthbert to avenge the men of Blackwall Keep. A force some 100 strong of men are a days march away. When they find no force to vent their anger upon things may get ugly.
2) When MacCubbin and the 3 soldiers raced north, towards the main road and thence west to Diamond Lake, they encountered a large band of 20+ dwarves. Some wearing priestly robes. Upon hailing the dwarves at a distance, the dwarves turned away from the road and would not treat with the men for assistance at the Keep. When Morgrim asks probing questions about the dwarves, you find a number had red beards, and soldiers have no clue about the Dwarven language or clan markings.
3) Master Dannen the Druid confirms that he has indeed decided to settle in the area, and has purchased the old observatory. The place was briefly the lair of the necromancer Filge. He plans on fixing up the place.
4) Allustan and Marzena have spoken at length. Allustan feels the behavior of the Lizard Folk tribe is most aggressive and too organized for normal Lizard Folk. When you mention the Black Dragon ‘Farthane’, he surmises it was a young adult by the size of it’s hide. Master Dannen speaks of a Black Dragon which killed several adventuring colleagues months ago, an old female naming herself ‘Illthane’ The names seem too similar to be a co-incidence.
5) Felnar shows Allustan the remains of the Black Dragon Egg. Allustan wishes to take it back to his study where he has access to alchemical tomes.
6) Marzena thanks you for returning her magic cloak, dagger, ring and wand. She casts a number of Identify spells from her wand in gratitude.
7) Commander Trask has installed a new Sheriff and Deputy in Diamond Lake. Sheriff Melinde, and Deputy Gerek Bandsmen. Melinde is a friend of Aardgal and Azrael’s and she is a paladin of Heironeous. Gerek you may be familiar with since he was part of Dourstone’s crew of thugs originally. He surrendered and he co-operated fully with you. Later he would act as a spy for Mine Owners Gelch Tilgast and Chaum Gansworth, feeding you information about the location of Durgstra, Ragnolin Dourstone’s bodyguard, coming and going from Smenk’s compound.
8) Lastly Commander Trask gives Azrael a private letter from Chaum Gansworth. It is a job offer for Azrael to become the new mayor of Diamond Lake if he is inclined to retire. The offer may only be open for a short time, since Gelch Tilgast is putting forth his wastrel son Edgar Tilgast, recently recalled from Greyhawk City, to run for the office.

The following day, the soldier Krech speaks with Lt. Trent about resigning his position in the Militia. Trent says he will consider the request. Krech can’t remember how long he’s been in the Militia, but it’s been a long time. He wants to go fight monsters with those guys (pointing at the heroes of Diamond Lake). “Me fight Dragon and win.” Says Krech. Later that day Lt. Dobbrun Trent pays the heroes for escorting the wagon with the offer of a small bonus. “Krech wants to travel with you. I can’t say he has much potential in the Militia, he’s just too dang stupid to ever get beyond guard duty. We can discharge him from the Militia when he gets back to Diamond Lake. Would he be any help to you?” (i.e. can Paul play his new character? He has mentioned playing a Bard…)

21: In Defense of Blackwall Keep, Against the Lizard Men, part 2

The heroes regrouped behind the effects of the Spike Growth and Fog Cloud spells. Healing spells were cast and they decided to move through the deciduous tunnels to circumvent the spells.
After some wandering, they moved through a few living chambers for lizard men, now vacant. They stumbed across the entrance they had entered the Mangaroo tree and back tracking found a new room, obviously the garbage pit for the tribe. Upon entering the room a horrible monster sprang up. Composed of four gelatinous tentacles, a tentacle with several eye, and a gaping maw, the creature vaguely resembled an Otyugh.
The creatures acidic tentacles immediately wrapped up Morgrim, Bornir, Stigand and Aardgal. The other four fire bow, spell and slashed at the beast. Azrael healed as fast as he could. Just as the creature was nearing death, a horrid noise came from Stigand, and he stopped moving and breathing, his spine broken. His eyes clouded and he quickly succumbed to death. Rallying the remaining heroes slew the beast.
Mindful that they hadn’t rescued all of the soldiers, the heroes took the unconscious body of Marzena and Stigand’s dead body and trudged back to Blackwall Keep, knowing they could find no rest in the Lizard Folk’s den.

The heroes reached Blackwall Keep in darkness. The Keep loomed dark and qiuet. No torches or signs of life could be seen. The heroes approached cautiously, in case the Lizard Men had returned to finish their grisly business.
The gate to the keep was unbarred and open. The heroes had just left the keep this morning, of the 6 surviving troopers nothing could be seen. The heroes devided into two groups to search the keep faster. Morgrim, Bornir, Felnar and the guide Dawson went down, while Aarth, Lath, Aardgal and Azrael went up.
Soon screams could be heard from the dwarves and men who went downstairs. The elves and men came rushing down to find the four screaming in utter fear. They clawed at the walls and cowered from a trio of greenish zombies. Two of the zombies wore soldiers armor like that worn by the Troopers stationed at the Keep. Most frightening of all were their eyes, or should I report lack of eyes. Where their eyes should have been, crawling from their mouths, and writhing under in their skin were multitudes of green worms. Small gnawing parasites which seemed to burrow and eat the undead flesh constantly.
Aardgal's presense allayed the fears of his fellows, but the other four were insane with fear, they also showed signs of being infected by the horrible green worms. Lath called on the power of Corellon Larethian to turn the undead one by one. Even with the undead sent away, Aardgal was infected and the other four were also.
Immediately the heroes turned to potions to try and save themselves, Bornir recieved a potion of Cure Disease which stopped the worms in his brain immediately. He then went to work with a dagger, first cutting a worm out of Feldnar's flesh. He then set to work on Aardgal. Azrael likewise tried to cut the worms out of Dawson, but succeeded in sending him into shock from a nasty knife wound. Morgrim was saved only by a lucky potion from Stigand's pouch which had a neutralize poison potion inside. Dawson wasn't so lucky. His eyes sucked into their sockets, and his skin turned greenish, worms spewed from his empty eye sockets and he rose as another 'Spawn of Kyuss', as Aardgal named them.
He was quickly turned and destroyed.
Panting as the terror faded, the heroes laughed not a little maniacally as they dubbed Bornir, Bornir 'the Barber' for his effective dagger-work.
Searching found two more soldiers, one of them Hawkins, still dressed in the Commanders armor, dead, bludgeoned to death before the worms could transform them. The last two troopers were no where to be seen.
The heroes would spend a full day and night at the Keep recuperating before heading back to the Lizard Man lair. During the day Aardgal, Morgrim, Bornir, Azrael and Azrael's air elemental dug graves for the fallen soldiers and burried the men of Greyhawk. During this grisly work they found a small miracle. One of the troopers still lived! A hulk of a man, he was caught outside the wall without a weapon and looked near death. A bit of minor healing from Aardgal got him on his feet despite the fact he looked pale, had lain on the cold ground for 2 days left for dead, and with the caked grime looked more dead than alive.
He named himself Krech. After some more minor healing he insisted he would go with the heroes to rescue the rest of the men of the garrison. He could not be persuaded not to go, and seemed a trifle slow.
Also during this time Marzena was revived and looking at the re-undead she figured the third spawn, which was dressed in torn and ragged purple robes, golden bracers, and bore a small trinket with the symbol of Boccob, was the Keep's previous battle mage. He had disappeared two years ago, deserted, or so she was told. She said she would check the Commander's journal and try to glean some clues while the heroes were gone.
Felnar asked her if she knew why she had been captured by the Lizard Folk? She responded the tribal leader, a tatooed lizard man named Shukakk, had ordered her captured and questioned by the Tribes Shaman - Hishna. They were torturing her. They thought she and the other 'pink skins' had infected the tribes young with green worms, killing them all. The attack had occured several years ago, before she came to the Keep. When she told Hishna this, Hishna seemed to take it to be true, but Shukakk thought she lied, so broke her jaw, and beat her unconscious.
With that the heroes departed once again into the Mist Marsh.