Session 22

Date Played: November 24, 2001

Gromdain, 23rd of Thaumont, 1,000 A.C. (continued)

Time: 3:00 pm

Dungeon exploration began with the party in the gate yard. Outside the portcullis behind them the red glow covered all. Chow-Lin lit a lantern to better see in more natural light. The room was large and plain. Two doors led out of the room and an inscription on the south wall depicted a shield and sword with letters “A” and “B” on either side. Two smaller portcullises on the south wall were closed with no obvious way to open them.

The party decided to check out the western door first. When they opened it, they surprised five giant rats scurrying about in confusion. They were able to quickly and easily kill off the rats. Once inside they found themselves in a 20’ square room, plain and empty except for some refuse from the dead rats. On the south wall was a lever marked with the letter “A.” The party quickly came to the conclusion that the lever had something to do with the portcullises outside. Chow-Lin experimented with the lever by changing its position, but nothing happened out in the gate yard.

They regrouped and then moved on to the door across the gate yard on the east wall. After listening at the door, Hamlin detected the sound of rattling chains. On guard, the party opened the door and saw three humanoid skeletons within, ready for the attack. A short combat resulted in the destruction of the skeletons, leaving behind an empty 20’ square room, just like the other one complete with a lever, but this one was marked “B.” Chow-Lin returned to the first room, and Markus positioned himself at the new lever. Hamlin and Eric remained outside to see what effect they had on the portcullises. When Markus grabbed his lever and began to bring it up a small needle poked his hand, springing out from the handle. Luckily, he was unharmed, but the lever slipped from his grasp. Trying once more, both levers were raised at the same time and both portcullises rose up, exposing empty corridors beyond. Markus, curious, lowered his lever, thus closing both gates. Apparently, it was an all or nothing endeavor. Both levers were raised once more and the portcullises were left in the open position.

Time: 3:40 pm

After recovering from wounds in the battle with the skeletons and raising the portcullises, the party decided to explore the western corridor. It stretched for some distance westward until turning south. Following the corridor and mapping the area with their mapping supplies, the party came to a door on the east wall. They listened at the door but heard nothing. Noting other doors in the corridor, they decided to walk the entire corridor length to get an idea of what lay ahead. They found themselves in a 170’ long corridor running north-south with numerous doors ending in a T-junction. Returning to the northernmost door, they decided to open it and explore. Inside they noted numerous paper scraps, pens, and ink bottles on the floor, and three tables overturned and shoved into the southeast corner. Examination of the room uncovered a small group of kobolds hiding behind the tables. Markus and Eric lifted one of the smaller tables and heaved it over a larger table at the kobolds. Two of the kobolds became trapped under the table while the other three threw javelins in hopes of killing the intruders. A quick battle ensued as the party flipped the large table down to get a better look at the remaining kobolds. Hamlin rushed forward to attack while Eric and Markus handled the other kobolds who had picked up clubs. Chow-Lin hung back and examined the room. A short combat resulted in a few lumps for Eric and Chow-Lin, but the three kobolds were killed. Markus managed to speak with the two trapped kobolds under the table. All he learned was that an Evil Master had summoned them here but was not here himself. Apparently, the red glow is his doing and he will be coming soon. Once they had obtained all the useful information from the kobolds, they piled the rest of the tables on top of them, crushing their fragile bodies under the weight. Eric then searched the east wall for secret doors, but found nothing. Chow-Lin found little of interest in the scraps of paper except for lists of equipment and people.

Time: 4:10 pm

Leaving the kobolds in the room, the party moved on to the next door on the east wall. Here they found shelves containing sacks of grain and barrels of beer. This storeroom contained nothing of interest so they crossed the hall and tried the first door on the west wall. Here they found a staircase which descended a level and ended in a closed door. Unwilling to explore deeper at this time, they closed the door and returned to their exploration of the corridor.

Time: 4:20 pm

Listening at the door to the next room on the east wall, Markus heard smashing and rummaging noises. Obviously, something awaited them on the other side of the door. Ready for combat, the party opened the door, revealing a pantry occupied by 5 goblins armed with spears and morningstars. The goblins were initially surprised by the party’s appearance. Markus took advantage of this time to shoot a goblin with his crossbow while Eric crossed to Chow-Lin to cast a protection spell on her. The goblins were crafty however. One by the door charged to attack Marcus while the three furthest goblins moved up to block the door. A goblin midway in the room threw a spear at Markus but missed him. As they grew closer, the party noted that their eyes glowed red in the darkness. Several minutes of combat ensued resulting in serious injury for Markus. In the end the goblins were slain by Hamlin’s axe, Markus’ sword, and Chow-Lin casting magic missile. Once the battle ended, the party dragged the bodies into the room and began exploring the place. Nothing was to be found here, however, except for broken crockery, utensils, and the remains of a smashed human-like statue.

Time: 4:40 pm

Proceeding down the hall, the party opened the final eastern door in the corridor. Here they found a large, dark chamber with numerous silhouetted figures sitting around a long table. Using his infravision, Markus determined that the figures were cold as stone and sitting on wooden chairs around a wooden table. After bringing the light into the room, the party found that the figures were stone statues of men and women in the midst of a feast. The food and other items in the room, such as trestle tables and candelabra, were normal in appearance. Nothing of worth was found here although the party spent much time examining the statues and investigating the area.

Time 5:00 pm

The party decided to map out the corridors after the T-junction. They continued into the western corridor, mapping in the details and noting doors. The corridor turned north and they followed it to a staircase leading down. They descended and continued mapping three more doors before the corridor ended in a door. One of the doors was assumed to lead to the staircase they first encountered. None of the doors were opened, however. The party wanted to map as much as possible before entering another unknown area. They backtracked to the corridor intersection, but as they began mapping anew they detected another light source in the distance, accompanied by off-key chanting. Ahead of them, as much startled by the party’s appearance as they were of theirs, the party spotted a group of men, armed and armored, and carrying some sort of reddish light source. The party retreated around the corner back into their mapped corridor as quickly as they could. Chow-Lin hung her lantern on a torch sconce on the last 10’ of the western corridor wall. The party then retreated beyond the northern light radius to be hidden in the shadows. Once the group of armored men came into view, the party formulated a quick plan. The men were armored in plate mail, carried shields and maces, and wore hooded, red robes under their armor. Their hoods were pulled over their heads casting their faces in shadow. Their robes were embroidered with numerous eye symbols and their shields also bore large eyes painted in black and white with red pupils. The men called to the party to “come out from the shadows and face the wrath of Arik.” Of course, the party refused to answer. Chow-Lin cast her sleep spell, affecting all the men and sending them into dreamland. Then Eric cast his heat metal spell on the first three men, causing them to heat up and then burn to death, awakening them just as they began to fry in their armor. There was some writhing and screams but these were mercifully short. All three men were cooked in their armor, igniting their clothing and essentially burning them to death. Markus approached cautiously and slit the throats of the other two sleeping men. Unfortunately, removing the corpses from the hallway would be too much of a messy operation so the party just left them there. Markus tried looting but found little more than a vial of water and a holy symbol of a silver eye pendant on a metal chain around the neck of one of the unburned men.

END TIME: 5:20 pm

Burning time remaining for Hooded Lantern = 10 turns.