Session 5
The Characters
Telok: Elf cleric of Obad-hai (level 4) CG
Xyun: Human Fighter-Bard, (level 4) LG
Jimwise Welby: Halfling Paladin (Level 4) LG
Jerry Springwater: Human Fighter (Level 3) LN
Jestyn: High Elf Wizard (Level 3) CN
Former PCs:
Pylor Dashadow: Arrested for thievery and sentenced to nine years in prison. Currently rotting in jail.
Pezzel: Slain by Mobats on the third level, he snatches no more candy.
Quests: Discover the fate of Abysthor, Find the Chalice and Stone from the tomb of Flail, Become a Paladin (Jerry), Fix up the Filthy Harlot Tavern (Xyun).
ADVENTURE 5: THE STONE MAN FREED: That night, each of them had very strange dreams, some connected with their quest, and others surreal and grotesque, featuring scenes of hellish horror. The next morning, all awoke feeling uneasy, seeing a gray canopy of clouds overhead in the sky, hoping that the day would bring better news than their unpleasant dreams. After discussing the dreams a little, the party had breakfast at the inn, and began to set off to free the stone man who they had discovered on the third level. Near the gates, they were stopped by a merchant handing out flyers that advertised an event in the gladiatorial arena. In a week, Gorbash the Ogre was to fight the dashing Jaque Garamond, master duelist, in a fight for the arena championship. All the city anticipated this main event with glee, including the PCs.
The days journey back to the stoneheart mountains was an easy one, but as the characters began their trek along the mountainous holy road, they were nearly ambushed by a viscious one-eyed troll who came down from the mountains, intent on devouring them. He was a lethal foe, regenerating his wounds and seeming to never tire of battle. As they were starting to weaken him, the troll fled, running back into the mountains. Pezzel was able to pursue him using a wizardly spell and his ring of jumping, but the tiny monk was hesitant to battle the fierce monster alone, and so they let him go. Continuing on their journey, the arrived at the twin shrines, and decided to rest for the night inside the cloistered recesses of Muirs temple. The next morning, far cheerier than the previous one, they journeyed back to the burial halls and eventually made their way back to the man turned to stone on level 3, Pezzel took out the magical scroll that would free him, and as the read the arcane words, the stone melted away and a confused warrior looked down at his savior, not knowing at all where he was, or even when he was. The warrior was unable to warn Pezzel as a Mobat sneaked behind him and attacked the little monk, biting him hard in the back. Four more arrived soon after, form a lair beyond this great caverns sinkhole. It was a tremendous battle. Pezzel was hit often, and the mysterious fighter suffered a stunning effect from the bat-monsters screeches. Soon those screeches were disabled, by a Silence spell from Telok, and the battle came down to sword against tooth. At one time, their new fighter friend was dropped by an attack, though a healing spell managed to save his life, as about half of the mobats were slain. It was then that Pezzel fell, his throat ripped out by one of them, and his body soon bleeding to death. The tomb had taken its first victim. Enraged, the others fought on, soon killing all the beasts, except one which fled back to its lair. They then spoke to the man they had freed. His story was an odd one indeed. Jerry Springwater was his name, a brave warrior who had come to these burial halls three hundred years before, when the old faith was still strong and the gods not forgotten. He had sought to become a paladin, and wished to make a pilgrimage to the tomb of Flail, the great hero who was supposedly buried very close, just down a nearby hallway. The tombs that he remembered were very different: tended by priests, watched over by guardians of good. Yet in these lower levels he had encountered a foul lizard thing with many legs, whose gaze had turned him to stone for so many years. Jerry was shocked at the decline of his religion, though not dissuaded in his faith. He decided to accompany his new friends, agreeing with their holy quest. They then gathered up the body of Pezzel, and went back outside to the twin shrines, deciding to bury him nearby. As Telok said a prayer over Pezzels grave, the shrines for a moment felt pure and holy again, and as tiny leaves sprouted from the monks grave, everything was right again, though only for a moment. Afterwards, they fully explored both shrines. In the final room underneath Muirs shrine, the halfling paladin found a beautiful sword and armor. As he touched the sword, he fell into a trance. A dashing hero of old appeared to him, commanding him to take up the sword in the name of goodness and virtue, questing him with restoring the old faith. Jimwise took the blade and armor with pride. In Thyrs shrine basement they found an enchanted mace, which Xyun took for use against the foul undead of the burial halls. Also, within these shrines they discovered a long-lost divine ritual: the spell of Chant, forgotten in elder days, now restored. After they learned this great blessing, they took the scroll that contained it, deciding that their church needed such a great find.
Back in town, the characters went immediately to the crumbling old temple to the twin gods. The high priest Satorious was there, and very glad to hear of the retrieval of a chant scroll, saying that he would teach it to all his priests. He also examined their items. Shockingly enough, when he grasped the sword that Jimwise had found, he dropped it to the ground immediately, claiming that he had seen an image of a hellish demon, and that the sword was a cursed blade of berserking, that would make its wielder a friend-killing madman. He took the blade for cleansing, but gave the paladin a hundred gold reward for its return. Later that day, Jerry wandered about the city with wonderment, seeing the changed the centuries had brought. He eventually went to a clothing store to buy clothes more suited to todays fashions, discarding his outdated gear. As he did so, the others went to see their friend Gorbash, who told them all about his upcoming arena battle, and how he was going to get enough money to impress an ogre lass who worked nearby. Xyun gave Gorbash a few hints on defeating a duelist, as it was a style he was very familiar with. After this talk, Xyun spoke with the obnoxious bartender, about buying a partnership and setting up a second floor. The former bard wanted to spruce the place up, bringing in better clientele and improving the service. The owner considered the offer, though wanted to see more money up front. Telok then spoke to the rude fellow, getting into an argument which ended up in him being kicked out of the tavern. As he was leaving, he saw a waifish elven man walking towards him. The man was Jestyn, an elf wizard who was formerly employed in nearby Hemmarakis Tower, but had recently taken to adventuring. He had seen Teloks ad at the Delvers Den, and was intrigued by the clerics supposed 1000 gold offer. Telok didnt like the other elf, and wasnt willing to pay the full thousand. His mind was soon changed by a wand of charming that the wizard used, and the group took him on. As the night was now coming, all the tired PCs rested.
DM’S COMMENTS: A productive session. I finally used Brundle the Troll as an enemy: and he will be back! Gorbash is still going good as ever, and all the players will be rooting for him in his upcoming fight. Some of the PCs are really getting into their characters, a sign that my group may be maturing a little. They even got into a theological argument about whether it was right to take things from inside of the shrines. Still, next game may start off a little crazy, as Jestyn’s charm wears off on Telok. The others will probably restrain the cleric from killing him, but maybe not. Generally, the campaign is going well.