The party sleep on their problems, have strange dreams full of portents, and as
with all people who make decisons while only half awake, greet a new day having
signed their lives away to plausible beings who ooze charisma. The deal encompasses
vague promises of new powers which will arrive in uncertain timescales in exchange
for the commitment from the party members to fight monsters of overwhelming power
while with the other hand provide pastoral care for the churches of various gods
who will be too busy beating a retreat from the world to exercise such responsibility
themselves. The party also get the gods' logo stamped all over their equipment and are
persuaded that this free advertising will improve its power (seems reasonable any monster
trying to read a religious slogan daubed upon your chest is bound to get distracted
in a fight).
On the bright side Treskallion Cordollion turns up in a strange looking craft and
ferries the party back to the real world. They then try out their new role as
champions of the gods and protectors of the poor etc. and discover it brings
a certain amount respect (good) and a certain amount of trouble (also good if you
like that sort of thing).
Maelith, the Drow cleric, has apparently agreed with with St Cuthbert during her
vision to return to the Drow with her sister to try and convert them to her new
religion. The party are wondering what to do about a replacement but learn on returning
to
Castle Raglan that an adventuring cleric has been
making enquiries at the castle in
their absence. The party find her in a tavern in
Salar-Aelendil where at least 50% of
them are immediately smitten by the beautiful elf. She is signed up immediately although
those less smitten immediately do a few alignment checks on her as her affect on humanoids
of both sexes appears to be almost supernatural.
In the Eastern Marches villages are being harassed by what
turns out to rather tough hill giants. These giants are in turn led by black-skinned
giants who seem to have the same gooey green blood as several opponents from the
recent past. The party ambush giants on their way north and finally carpet bomb the
main hill giant camp in the foothills of the Grim Mountains with devastating effect.
They also learn that a separate force
of the black-skinned giants may be in the area.
Midge makes a journey into the wilds to follow up a lead on Risten's Archmage,
Istamor, who
has lived in seclusion ever since Risten's death. At the Archmage's tower he learns
why the Archmage did not go with party who sought to avenge his death, his concerns
regarding Risten's heir and his gloomy view of the future. He does, however, promise
to research the nature of the party's opponents and appears to welcome the sharing
of information.
In order to help Istamor's research the party attempt to collect some of the green
gooish blood of the black-skinned giants. This they do without too much trouble
although Roc learns a valuable lesson about where to stand when you've just slain
a giant.
Lana, the party healer, goes off to help a village hit by the plague which is
unfortunate as Brand contracts a mysterious stomach complaint shortly afterwards
which defies the skills of the cleric, Koln. While Brand lies ill and the
party contemplate their next move Midge learns from the bard, Elentar, at
Castle Raglan that a rather imposing and possibly threatening visitor has arrived.
This turns at to be a 9 foot tall and rather statuesque she-devil. The she-devil
(who refuses to give her name) has a proposition for the party; they are to find
three magical jewels. For their efforts they will be rewarded with one of them,
provided they give the other two to the she-devil. The catch is that the jewels
have guardian constructs who can only be hurt with holy weapons. The she-devil
explains
that these jewels were left under the earth by the gods who now seem to have
abandoned them. She also hints in an offhand sort of way that the jewels may
have other more evil guardians.
The party are slightly suspicious of the arrangement and ask their new cleric
to commune with her god. Rather suprisingly Corellon Larethian appears to give
them the go ahead (or the new cleric is the she-devil's sister in disguise, but
that wouldn't bear thinking about). The party sign a contract in blood with the
she-devil who reveals that the jewels are protection against her own kind. She then
teleports them to a portal deep underground.
The party edge down a corridor littered with traps that strain Midge's expertise
in disarming them (they were built by recently deceased master thieves). At the end
are four devil guardians who fight to the death
to prevent the party entering their complex. The combat is so fierce the party
have to take a breather back under Castle Raglan.
The complex yields a reasonable
return in gold and jewels. A further tunnel is negotiated by a Shadow Walk spell
until the traps begin to have the sophistication to detect even this handy way
of bypassing them.
Suddenly the traps stop and a little further on the room with the jewels comes
into view. Dindle and Lura conceive an audacious plan to nip into the many-pillared
room and make off with the jewels. The first half of the plan goes well as they
succeed in snatching the jewels. The second half unravels a bit as the room is sealed,
the guardians beat them to a pulp and then use them as petrified wall hangings.
The remaining members of the party return to the surface to regroup. Midge contacts
the archmage for advice hoping for some arcane secret to give the party an edge.
The archmage, however, just advises hiring some high level fighters. In the event
the best fighters available are in fact free: Gareth a Half-ogre bouncer at an inn
in Salar-aelendil who comes with the
recommendation of the party's new cleric who he clearly dotes on, and Gark and
Brion who are already at
the castle being colleagues of the Bard. Gark is a Half-orc who has the slightly
reptillian look over many of
Vaarth's personal bodyguard while Brion is a
large
and very hairy man who has the reputation of liking to go for strolls on moonlit
nights.
This fighting prowess is further augmented by a cleric and an 'observer' provided
by the she-devil who is concerned that the party succeed this time. Both these
personnel are of obviously infernal descent although they do not detect as evil.
The new enlarged party is rounded off by a Druid from the local forest to
provide healing for Dindle's pet construct.
In addition Brand thankfully
recovers from his illness but not before passing it on to many within the castle. The
clerics in the party heal who they can but just as the party are about to leave Rok
goes down with the same illness. After some debate the party decide to press on without
him rather than wait for the healer's to recover their cure disease spells.
Down in the jewel room the party steal one jewel hoping maybe to attract the
wrath of only one of the guardians. In practice all four attack them and a brutal
battle ensues with the party's new allies showing their worth. Despite taking many
wounds the presence of the clerics tips the balance in favour of the party and
one by one the guardians fall. The jewels are recovered and Dindle and Lura released
from the wall.
The she-devil keeps
her bargain and the party retain one of the jewels whose properties she explains.
The two members of the party she supplied, however, both ask for
sanctuary in the castle. Happily the dwarves have finished some of the other towers
(which is just as well as some more 'colleagues' of the Bard seemed to have
turned up).
After a short rest the party turn their attention back to the hunt for the giant's
temple. Sheltering in a cave for the night they hear a strange maoning sound which
both depresses and mesmorises the Rok. As he travels towards the sound (using his
flying boots) the rest of the party follow along the path. They see what looks
to be a petrified tree blocking the way and when attacked it creates a magical
tempest which blows everyone off the mountainside. Things are looking
serious for Brand as even his monkish powers can't prevent death from a 700 foot
fall. Luckily an invisible force knocks him back within reach of the cliff wall.
Similarly prospects are bleak for Lura as she hurtles downwards but the
new cleric, Koln, manages to catch her in her arms which Lura finds perfectly
satisfactory.
Rok is buffeted into the mountainside but as the wind drops he is still
seems mesmerised by the tree and follows it through a hidden door into the
mountain with his colleagues in close pursuit. There they find a cavern full
of similar trees and after a difficult encounter barely manage to escape
with their lives after rescuing Rok. As the party leave they collapse
the tunnel into the mountain to contain the trees at least temporarily.
Heading along a mountain path they come across what they believe are
attempts to deliberately sabotage the way through the pass. Their suspicions are
confirmed when they spot some giants scouts hidden above the path. The giants
slip and fall to their deaths in the ensuing melee. The party press on and take
out some more scouts and a fully manned guard post. Ahead intelligence reports
suggest is a compound outside a portal into the mountain, The party are hoping
that they have not yet been spotted and that they can indulge in some more
carpet bombing....
When the party arrive at the compound it is eerily silent and the doors of the portal
are shut. A quick look for secret doors reveals none but Midge does manage to spot
three white dragons perched high on the cliff above the door. With no easy way in
apparent the party retire to their castle and prepare for a frontal assault. The next day
Dindle opens the door in the mountain with a Knock spell. The party carefully wedge
the door slightly open in case a quick escape is needed. The cathedral-like interior
seems deserted but as the party step over the threshhold any spells they had prepared
are dispelled. Happily the magic items that have been blessed by the gods still work
and Rok flies up to investigate the galleries. For his pains he is blasted by two
balls of green fire and narrowly misses taking more damage from the throngs of
dark magicians present.
Quickly assessing reverse gear as the correct option the party make an escape. Unfortunately
the three white dragons are now waiting outside the door and blast the party with their breath.
Midge and and Nifara leave through the walls and attempt (rather poorly for them) to
backstab a dragon. Nifara is mauled as a result and the pair retire to the shadows. Dindle
retires to the shadow realm but Lura and Brand choose the 'leg it' option which proves
popular with the dragons who like a bit of sport. The dragons take to flight to pursue
the fleet-footed members of the party who speed along the the mountain path past the
guard post. Sadly a huge net of greenish hue has been placed across the valley which
threatens to traps the party. Luckily Dindle steps back from the shadow realm and rescues
his beleaguered comrades. The party live to fight another day.
Back home the party hatch a plan to dispose of the dragons. Koln goes into town to
hire some muscle and comes back with a dog, a cat, an owl and a bear.
Only the bear looks like it would qualify as muscle but noone questions Koln's
judgement. Some time later Dindle and Brand return to
the Temple to taunt the dragons and Dindle's fireball has the desired effect of causing
one of the dragons to pursue them up the canyon. It ignores Lura's ambush but sadly for
the dragon Koln catches
it with a Hold Monster spell while it is in hot pursuit. Even sadder it wakes up on
the canyon floor to be greeted by the rest of the party intent on obtaining the raw
materials for dragonhide armour. Party 1 Dragons 0.
Disguising themselves as two adventurers who have narrowly survived the cold blast
of a white dragon's breath Dindle and Brand try their luck again. This time a maximised
fireball
encourages both remaining dragons to pursue. The dragons survive both Lura's
bow and Koln's spell only for the hindmost dragon to run into an inconveniently placed
forcewall. Further more the first dragon now appears to have an invisible attacker on
its back. The lead dragon breaks off pusuit to ask its colleague for a quick blast of
deadly cold breath to rid itself of its attacker only to see him hurtling towards the
canyon floor. The dragons reunite without the invisible attacker being shaken off. Dindle
is, however, more helpful and a well-aimed fireball does the trick. The second dragon,
badly wounded, decides to run for home but does not survive Lura's bow fire. The first
is enraged by the incoming fire it is receiving from the ground and swoops down on
its attackers only for Koln's spell to remove its flight control. The party on the ground
scatter but not fast enough for the healer not to have to heal herself or for Dindle
not to have to play 'Find the Construct in the Remains of the Dragon'.
The party now ascend the cliff where the dragon's were roosting and fortuitously
find an entrance to the temple. Even more fortuitously it would apear that
the destruction of the dragons had not been observed and stealthily and
silently the
black-robed magic users are eliminated one by one starting with their chief.
Having eliminated the chief and his second-in-command the party discover a
network of private tunnels these two used for spying on the rest of the
temple.
Koln's 'pets' prove useful as the dog appears to be able to smell out evil while
the owl has the ability to teleport. The animals are also happy to wade into combat
although because of the nature of their foe's arcane shielding the party mostly dispose
of the magic users
with a hail of daggers from Midge and Nifara the Rakshasa.
Having eliminated more than twenty of the magic users in their rooms the
party discover a deep underground laboratory where victims chained to the
wall are pumped full of the magical green essence of the cult. A bubbling
pool of the stuff apears to be supplying the liquid for the ghastly
experiments. A hail of daggers and arrows eliminates the magic users in
the room and the party put the victims (mostly giant and goblinoid races)
out of their misery. Midge contacts the
Archmage Istamor who expresses
a keen interest in examing the laboratory.
By the time the Archmage Istamor appears (with a rather grumbling
Archbishop Benedict and a well-equipped and competent looking heavy)
the party have all but cleared the complex of magic users (but not
giants). Istamor discovers the green goo is coming through a
portal and soon Treskallion Cordollian arives to help analyse it.
Things are going swimmingly and Midge hatches a plan to bluff
the giants into removing the statue which seems to be the
focus of evil in the temple. But where did the one magic user
who managed to teleport away go to? And who is the mysterious 'D'
who was signing orders for the head of the temple? And is that
an alarm bell I can hear ringing?
Midge's bluff goes well and the giants remove the statue from the temple
but then he pushes his luck and asks them to help destroy it. The giants
react badly to this and soon the party have to exercise their expertise
in giant-slaying. The giants scatter but most are hunted down. Meanwhile
back at the laboratory Daretta has turned up and, finding that the temple no
longer confers a spell-casting advantage for cult members, retreats before
the magic of Istamor. The portal, however, is shut but Istamor is convinced
that Risten's son was captive on the other side.
The party return to their castle and a mysterious sponsor of Lura hires them
(for a derisory amount) to steal some ancient Elvish papers. These are held
in the most secure vaults in the Forest Kingdom and the sponsor insists that
the theft must be undetected. It transpires that the sponsor is an elven
lord with considerable influence at the elven court so the party have access
to quite a lot f inside help. In the end a plot (involving Dindle as a sprite,
a bag of holding, and the forgery of a casket's seals) works like a dream.
In the subsequent celebration the details become a little hazy.