ADVENTURE 39: Freeing the Slaves
The Characters
Jerry Springwater: Human Fighter-Paladin-Justicar, Level 15 LG
Jestyn: High Elf Wizard, Level 15 NG
Verrof: Earth Genasi Ranger-Foe Hunter, Level 13 LG, ECL 14
Kirian Ylestos: Human Figher-Barbarian, Level 13 CG
ADVENTURE 39: Freeing the Slaves: After the tender reunion, Agamemnon offered to lead the PCs out, deciding to go with them back to town. They went to the floating door and he opened it. It teleported them to a sea-cave on some beach. Before they left, they used the last wish to recover their companions lost items, knowing that otherwise, many valuable artifacts would be lost. Then they went back to town, Akbeth and Agamemnon along. Here they spoke with one another. Agamemnon knew much of the dungeon, and offered to aid them in payment for their help. He also offered Jestyn his staff of power, a mighty item. When asked how to find the goblin prisons, Agamemnon knew several ways. He said that the easiest way to get there was from level seven. A key could be found in a secret room in a door-filled hallway near the overminds lair. It would open up a hidden door in the northeast corner of the level, which would lead to a staircase that descended all the way down to the goblin area. He also told them several interesting things: one being that a powerful lich named Slavish (who lived in a tomb opposite Agamemnons lair) claimed to have something that could destroy Orcus himself. He also spoke of the Mace of Cuthbert and how it lay on level 14, beyond many barriers. He finally offered to pay for a single characters resurrection.
Back at the temple, Jerry, Verrof, Jeb and Anna Marie were raised from the dead. Relan chose to remain in the perfect afterlife of his elven people. After their revival, the party decided to wait a little to recover. Akbeth offered to join the party, after she had gained a new deity; she was very thankful for their aid. Eventually, she became a priestess of Boccob. Some of Relans old gear was given to her. During the week that it took for her to realign herself with her new god, the party did some things. Jestyn found that his tower was finished being built, and got ready to design it. Jerry spoke with Jimwise Welby, who had finally returned from his journeys. The halfling agreed to train as the next justicar, and that week the two practiced fighting, as well as discussed moral issues. Welby got ready to go and speak with Flail, in order to receive a quest. Verrof and Jestyn then traveled back to Agamemnons lair after a buying a new folding boat (which they later traded away again in return for a greater restoration to restore Jestyns lost wisdom). They retrieved the Book of Exalted Deeds, but decided against the other magic tome—they had been told that it was the cursed Vacuous Grimoire. Back in town, they gave it Jerry to read. After some preparation, they were ready to leave again. Before the party left, however, they spoke with the convert, Rachel. She told them some interesting things: first, she did not believe that the recent attacks were commited by the cult of Orcus. They were evil men, but suicide attacks were not their style. She suspected somebody else. Recalling Jerrys horrific visions, many characters believed that it could be Demogorgon, prince of demons. Perhaps they were working together? She also told them of another secret of the culta rumor that Orcus was already in this plane! Supposedly, they had summoned him many hundreds of years ago, and he dwelt on the lowest level of Rappan Athuk. The temples were not to summon him, merely to raise his power. With them he was invincible, though he was still quite the threat without them.
This time, the characters traveled back to level seven and easily found the secret door, which lead into a room with four pillars and a circle in their center. When Verrof stepped into the circle, he was commanded to give his life, his heart and his mind. A key-shaped indentation was on one pillar. There was much debating, but finally, three characters (Jestyn, Verrof, Jerry), decided to sacrifice these things, losing abilities and levels. A magical key appeared in the pillar, which they took. Teleporting back to the room they remembered, they found the secret keyhole again and used the key. It opened up a door in the floor, leading to a spiral staircase going down. They took it, traveling for many hours before coming to a great underground hallway; one way leading east, the other west. An inscription in goblin said that the west lead to the Slave Pits and the east lead to Greznek, a rumored goblin city. They headed for the slave pits.
At the entrance they were greeted by some guards. They quickly killed them. Further into the area, a group of warrior-trolls attacked, swinging their greatswords with one hand. Verrof was almost killed by these, but managed to survive. Jerry killed almost all of the trolls with his vorpal sword, and the bodies were burned. They discovered a spiral staircase that led down into a horrible area: a pit full of more than a thousand rotting corpses! A door here lead to some jailers rooms. After killing the jailers (evil clerical hobgoblins) the party explored, soon finding two hallways filled with cells. Here they found many people: peasants, adventurers, some dwarves, and even a group of young girls. Among them was Kirians sister, teenage Karina, who is in shock from everything and barely recognized him when they met. Another girl seemed horribly scarred: a hellish inscription in Abyssal carved into her back. She wouldnt say a word. Feeling deeply for her, Jerry took the child and looked out for her. The party even found some goblins: traitors who refused to worship Orcus. They took these along, as they seemed redeemable, and some were even interested in forming a band! (Verrof wanted them for the tavern.) Finally, the party discovered Sir Kingsley the paladin; who seemed least horrified by all of his experiences. Happy to be out, he thanked them, though he was very surprised to see a Justicar had saved him. The only prisoners that the party didnt free were a group of mind-flayers. Leading the large group of refugees out of the prisons, the party made it back to level seven. There, with a good number of teleports, the party was able to finally transport everyone back to Nenkal, and to the cathedral of Muir, where a mass was being held.
The refugees were given temporary homes in the temples spare rooms, while some of them (mostly natives) went back to their homes. Kirian took Karina to the best inn in town, and tried comforting her there, though she seemed in terrible shock from all the things done to her (torture, rape, forced cannibalism, etc) When asked about his other sister, eight year old Lindsey, Karina finally admitted that she was gone, taken by Gudmund to a place called the Lower Temple, supposedly to be his assistant. Jerry took the silent girl from before and took her to see Karsyla. There, the two adults spoke while the silent girl (who soon revealed her name as Tara) and Carrie played together. After this, Tara seemed a bit more talkative, though only to certain people. A divination by Sartorious revealed who her parents were: two priests of Orcus, long ago killed by the PCs. Jerry finally took the girl to a spare room at the temple and let her rest. That night, Jestyn took Anna Marie on a tour of his tour, and the two spoke some while having dinner in his Mordenkainens Mansion. Verrof got his goblins together, and after finding out that they used to have a band back in Greznek, he decided to give them all jobs as musicians. He bought them each instruments and a stylish suit. Their audition at the filthy harlot was interesting. Their music was loud, with plenty of banging and screams; kind of a monster punk. Their first song was horrible. Everyone hated it. Their next song was much better. Verrof decided that with a bit of work, this goblin band could be great. Later that night, Jerry tried finding Karsyla again, but she was apparently asleep: a magic mouth on her door told him that.
The following day, Jerry met Karsyla in a garden outside the temple. He saw that her eyes were bloodshot. She looked upset, but said that it was just some silly personal problem, and didnt tell him more. They spoke a bit, having a short discussion on children and families. Jerry told her that he might want to adopt Tara if parents couldnt be found for her. Later, Jestyn briefly tested out a Locate spell, and Verrof prepped up his band some more.
DM’S COMMENTS: Not too much death this time, just some good role-playing. It’s nice seeing my PCS caring about friends and family, even if this is mainly a dungeon campaign. Still, for all you fans of violence, I’m sure there’s plent coming up in the next few sessions. Their plans seem to be: destroy the level 12 temple, destroy the chapel of orcus and get the mace of cuthbert, then maybe take on the big guy himself! Kirian wants to destroy the goblin city, but the others would rather not have to deal with that.