After some deliberation at the end of our last adventure the group decided to return to Karlsburg and recover, relax, and earn some coin around town.
I returned to the Arch-Druid Ferdinand and helped him minister to the community surrounding Karlsburg. Milo took up residence at the Golden Horse Shoe tavern, he played his hits and a couple of new tunes; Eye of the Beholder, Welcome to the Dungeon, Orc this Way, and Cure Me Before I Fall and Die. He was so successful that he sold out every concert, it became quite the social event and the talk of the town. Draven returned to the local library, researched and translated the tomes we had found in the dungeon, and was surprisingly secretive about all the research he was conducting. Quasi trained with the local acrobatic troupe to increase his flexibility and range of motion. Vroc returned to the temple and reflected upon what he has learned while exploring the Mount of the Red Door, gaining new insights and learning new spells. Thagmar disappeared into the seedier side of Karlsburg; he returned to the group a little worse for the ware, telling tales of drunken fist fights, gambling on horses, and buxom red haired barmaids.
After 10 days of rest the group decided to return to the Mount of the Red Door and continue our exploration. We hired Xon and a new shield bearer to accompany us on our return, luckily we still are able to find hirelings willing to adventure with us despite our recent tragic losses. After a quick march back to the level we had left, we returned to the northwest corner of the Orc level and found a room filled with oak writing desks, and found nothing of use, only cracked and dried parchment.
We continued down the hallway and tried the room to the south of the hall. The room was decorated with six mosaics depicting Vork the goateed mage: reading a magic book, gazing to the stars, leaving an alchemy lab holding a silver liquid, teaching to a group of students, Vork about to be executed as his students look on in horror, and finally an image of Vork in the constellations. On the corners of the room were two large statues, one of Vork and the second of a woman depicted in the mosaic of Vork lecturing. As we examined the room Vroc accidently touched the female statue and took a tremendous shock from some trap. I carefully patched up Vroc and healed the electrical burns he had suffered at the hands of the trap.
The group decided to move on, returning to the hallway and traveling north along the corridor, to the door leading north. As we approached the doorway, we heard conversation coming from the room, Draven recognized the language as something the group had heard before but could not remember the context. Vroc began casting spells to prepare us before we entered the room, praying feverishly to Ezaos, granting his aid to the group.
We looked at each other, nodded, and Thagmar burst through the door. We found a large room filled with Gnolls who had prepared the room with barricades strategically placed around the room. With a roar of rage and anger Thagmar rushed into the room, leading the charge for our group. Milo cast faire fire on the back of the room, causing the gnolls to glow in a purple hue, making them significantly easier to hit. Vroc waded into the room and crushed the skull of the gnoll protecting the entrance of the room, dropping him in a bloody heap. I called upon the forces of nature and the will of Desonia to transform into a wolf and charge into the fray. Instantly I regretted my decision as the Gnolls focused their attacks on me, I took several horrible wounds in my wolf form. During the battle the Gnoll archer at the top of the room took a javelin to the spine from down the hallway as a group of Orcs entered the fray from the eastern hallway. The battle became desperate for the gnolls and very interesting for our group. One of the gnolls turned his attention to Milo, landing a solid blow with his spear to his shoulder. Vroc once again connected with his flail of the swirling winds, crushing another gnoll into pulp. Thagmar in an animalistic rage, ran a gnoll through, killing it in a bloody spray. I turned upon the gnoll that had struck me with his spear, ripping his throat out, killing him instantly. With the taste of blood in my mouth I turned upon the closest gnoll to me and took a huge chunk out of his calf. As the battle appeared to be turning in our favor the far door burst open and gnoll reinforcements charged into the battle. Not expecting the charge from behind I took a spear through the hind quarters, causing me to howl in agony and forcing me back into my human form. Draven met the charging gnolls with Agnazzar’s Scorcher, burning the gnolls horribly, causing the room to wreak of smoked gnoll. Quasi moved to help protect the spell casters and ran an gnoll through the heart, spun and ran second gnoll through, killing both. The orcs to the east flooded the room and cut a bloody swath through gnolls on their pathway into the room, joining the fray in earnest. Milo cast faire fire again on the massed group of fighting gnolls and orcs, causing them both to erupt in pink glow. Draven, cast Ice Knife at the cluster of gnoll and orc combatants, causing a massive blast of cold and frost to ripple through the cluster. However, several of the orcs danced out of the way of the blast avoiding damage. Quasi through a series of precise and viscous thrusts with his rapier dropped an orc and severally wounded a second. The orcs and gnolls renewed their aggression on each other, barely registering that we were in the room. Milo, assessing the situation, decided to create some breathing space for the group by blasting them with a Thunderwave spell, disintegrating two of the gnolls into a fine paste. Then the crafty bard stepped up and stabbed a gnoll with his dagger, killing a third. After seeing how poorly the battle was going, the remaining gnolls, ran from the battle. Thagmar took a viscous wound to the back as a cowardly orc struck him with a viscous cut of its great axe. Milo stabbed an orc with a rapier, orc slaying dagger combination that ended the life of one of the foul creatures. Thagmar, turned towards the orc that had wounded him and with a mighty swing of his blade cleaved the orc completely in two pieces, spraying blood across the wall in a fountain of gore and guts. As the sword killed the orc a red glow spread through the blade and up through Thagmar’s arms, causing his wounds to close. Quasi rushed into attack the final two orcs and ran one through and stabbed a second. After the battle Quasi came over to Milo and clasp his hand in recognition of his battle prowess.
Kills – Vroc III, Thagmar II, Roland as a wolf I, Quasi IIII, Draven I, Milo IIII
Our victorious group ignored the fleeing gnolls for now and decided to search the dead orcs and gnolls. We found a collection of great axes, bows, arrows, and other assorted weapons. After collecting our spoils, the group continued down the hallway leading west.
We came upon a door to the north, the group entered and found a barracks, and decided to search the room and we found 57 silver pieces. After searching the room, we went to the door to the south and tried our luck there. In the room we found the wall contained 2 of the strange metal looking suits, hanging from hooks on the wall, Quasi stuffed them into our bag of holding. Crumbled along the wall were two dead ghouls, who appeared to have been stabbed to death a couple of days ago.
During our search we discovered a secret trapped door, which when opened revealed a ladder, leading down to the level below we had already searched prior (the room filled with bones). We decided to continue our exploration of this level, eventually running into another barricaded room, filled with gnolls, including our friends from the earlier battle.
The gnolls prepared for our group, readying for our group by knocking arrows and taking aim down the hallway. Quasi cast Hail of Thorns as he launched arrows down the hallway, hitting the first gnoll square in the chest, and raining death down on the rest. The gnolls howled in agony as the thorns ripped through their ranks. Draven rushed out of our collective group and cast magic missile down the hallway, slamming the magic into one of the lead gnolls, and opening viscous wounds where ever they hit. Thagmar bellowed with rage and took off in a sprint straight down the hall, causing the gnolls to unleash hell, firing arrows down the hall. One struck him solidly in the chest, barely breaking his stride. As Thagmar approached the wall the sorcerer we had killed the last time we fought the gnolls suddenly appeared and cast firewall down the hallway. Milo screamed a warning and the group took off running and beat the flames, except for myself and Draven. I activated my brooch of absorption protecting me from the firewall. Thagmar rushed to the sorcerer and landing two solid blows, dealing horrific wounds, and causing him to lose the firewall spell. Vroc cast a Silence spell that took the sorcerer’s voice from him. The sorcerer, rage painted across his face, cast fireball hitting Thagmar, Vroc, and myself. Thagmar howled in pain as his skin burnt to crisp from the flames of the fireball, Vroc and myself burned as well. I stepped up cast Heat Metal upon the leader’s chainmail shirt, causing it to glow bright red, the leader shook off the damage and charged in to attack Quasi but missed due to the pain the heated metal shirt is causing him. Draven cast Ice Knife and hurled it into the grouped gnolls and missed, but the spell exploded in a wave of frost and cold, coating the grouped gnolls. Vroc cast cure wounds on Thagmar healing some of his wounds. The gnolls rushed into the fray surrounding our group, thrusting ineffectively into our numbers, until they hit Thagmar with a viscous stab to the back. Draven blasted the sorcerer with Magic Missile, killing him instantly. Quasi ran through a gnoll with a viscous stab through the heart, killing it with his silver rapier. Thagmar turned toward the remaining gnolls with pain and rage in his eyes and slashed the gnoll across the chest, dropping it to the ground. Milo ran a gnoll through with a viscous thrust to the gut, as the creature dropped to his knees, Milo twisted the blade, ending its life. I heated the armor of the lead gnoll, causing him to crumble to the ground burned to death. Thagmar rounded the corner and dropped another gnoll with an overhand chop of the blade. Milo cast faire fire on the remaining two gnolls, lighting them in a hot pink glow. Draven cast Magic Missile killing both gnolls with the bolts of magic.
Kills – Draven III (Sorcerer), Quasi I, Thagmar II, Milo I, Roland II (gnoll leader)
The group victorious and horribly wounded, in the case of Thagmar, searched the defeated gnolls and the room.
Finding only basic weapons and armor, the group collected what gear that could be salvaged. The group dragged the mage to the hidden room we had entered the floor with and left the mage there, hoping that he could not be resurrected.
The group moved to a hidden room and camped for the next 24 hours, healing our wounds, recovering our spells, and preparing for further exploring.
After recovering the group returned to the room with the small white pool of liquid we had come across in our previous adventure and entered the hallway to the east. Finding a long hallway with multiple doors branching north and south. We entered the first room to the south and found 6 stasis tubes, all empty except two of them. An older woman and a male in non-descript clothes, floated in a golden liquid. The group searched the room and found nothing of value. Not wanting to kill the people in the tubes or unleash an unspeakable evil we decided to move on.
The group tried the door to the north, that is further down the hall, hearing a mechanical sound coming from the room. Vroc prepared the group by casting several spells to protect are group. Inside we found a room filled with pipes leading to a machine in the middle of the room, the pipes lead to the east. All of the pipes and the machine appear to be coated in a black rust, that drips and pools on the floor. We searched the room and found nothing of value.
The group advanced down the hall until it made a sharp turn to the south, heading south we came across a room that was filled with white sickly rose bushes. I stopped to inspect the flowers and the flower burst into some type of monstrosity and attacked me but missed on its first attack, but landing a solid blow with its second attack. Quasi fired arrows at the plant creature, landing a solid blow, and advanced into the room which revealed a second monster that attacked and landed solid blows on him. Draven cast Scorching Ray, but missed. I cast Thunderwave, blasting the plant back but causing a small amount of damage to the plant thing. Thagmar raged and charged into the room, finding another creature and taking a glancing wound from the new plant. Vroc blessed; Thagmar, Quasi, & Draven and charged into the room to stand beside Thagmar. Milo cast Bane upon the plants, cursing the slimy monsters. The groups traded attacks with the plants, neither side able to gain the advantage. Draven decided to try to turn the tide of the battle, hitting one of the plant with Magic Missile, the creature barely reacted. Vroc and Thagmar combined to kill two of the monstrosities. Draven charged into the room, screaming dwarven curses, and struck down the final plant creature.
Kills – Vroc I, Thagmar I, Draven I
The group searched the room and found a small bag filled with 37 gold pieces. I prayed to Desonia and attempted to remove whatever foul magic had befouled these plants.
The group decided to continue through the hallway to the east, which curved north and led to a doorway. A horrible clanging and clatter came from behind the door. Once the door was opened the noise grew louder, inside the room we found shrubs covered with gold and purple buds. Pipes entered the room and bent to the north, with a door leading out of the room to the north. The group began to cautiously search the room and we were attacked again by some form of ambushing plant like creatures.
Battle began with Thagmar charging in and missing the plant-like beast. The creature responded by whipping him with a tendril that wrapped around his torso, holding him in place, and causing some minor wounds. I cast Moonbeam on one of the creatures, bathing it in the moon’s soft light. Milo cast Bane on the creatures, only affecting one of them. The creature under the glow of the moon, burst into flames and crumbled into a pile of ash. I moved the moonbeam onto another creature. The creature that attacked Thagmar, tightened its wicked embrace, causing the barbarian to howl in pain. Vroc charged in and attacked one of the creatures, triggering a viscous response from the plant, entangling another ally in its wicked embrace. Quasi fired two arrows into the grouped monsters, killing both with precision strikes. A second plant creature under the effects of moonbeam, burst into flames, and crumbled into a pile of ash. Quasi maneuvered around the room and fired an arrow into the monstrosity, killing it with a well-placed arrow.
Kills – Roland II, Quasi II
I patched up Thagmar’s wounds and he ate a couple of Quasi’s Goodberries and recovered the last of his wounds. The group searched the room and turned up nothing.
We opened the door and found a massive machine made of steel/adamantine, with pipes leading into the room from the room to the south. We searched the room and found nothing of value.
The group continued to the north and found another hallway that breaks to the east. We continued exploring and found the hallway ended in a large room with doors leading to the west and stairs leading up to the north and south. The group tried the door to the west and found a room filled with empty boxes.
Deciding to explore the stairs leading north, the group found a hallway that ran east/west. The group followed the hall to the west and came across a door leading north. As we approached the door, crossbow bolts slammed into the group, hitting Draven and Roland. The group responded to the ambush by attempting to kick open the door only to find it locked. Out of desperation the group decided to face our attackers and turned down the hall to see two orc arbalests cocking their crossbows.
Vroc healed myself, Draven, and himself. He then rushed to the front of the group attempting to draw their fire. Xon took a bolt in the gut, dropping him to the ground. Out of thin air a magical spear appeared to attack Vroc and missed, we have found the evil orc shaman and it was time for vengeance! Milo healed the wounded Xon, getting him back in the fight. Draven cast Magic Missile sending the bolts down the hall, killing one of the bowman. Thagmar flew into his rage and rushed down the hall, taking a savage wound from the magic spear. I moved to the front of the group and cast Spike Growth in the middle of the room. The shaman directed the magic spear to impale me from behind, doing vicious damage, and causing the Spike Growth spell to fail. The orcs swarmed Thagmar, doing a large amount of damage to the barbarian. The orc leader, ran up and chucked his spear directly into Thagmar, once again wounding the mighty half-orc. Milo advanced to the front of the group and cast Hold Person on the Shaman, having no effect on the orc. Draven cast Magic Missile on the two of the orcs, blasting them with the powerful spell. Vroc, cast silence on the leader, capturing the entire orc horde with the range of the spell. Magically quieting the orcs. Milo rushed to the frontline and cast Cure Wounds to heal Thagmar. The Shaman bathed in the light of the moon, burned his flesh, causing the coward to hit Thagmar and then turn and run. This gave Thagmar the opening he needed to deal a viscous wound to the shaman with Blood-Drainer. Draven cast magic missile into the horde, blasting two of the beasts, killing one of the monsters. The orcs once again turned their blood thirsty gaze upon Thagmar, doing viscous damage to the warrior. I cast Cure Wounds upon myself to bind the wounds I had suffered at the hands of the orc Shaman’s magic spear. Vroc cast bless upon; Thagmar, Quasi, & Milo. The orc Leader rushed to the front and battered Thagmar with his great axe, inflicting horrible wounds that nearly killed the half-orc. Digging deep, Thagmar summoned the strength of the wolf and suddenly he seemed to shrug off the wounds he had taken so far. Once again the magic spear attacked me, drawing blood and further weakening me. Quasi, thrust his rapier clean through an orc and charged into the horde of orcs. Draven cast his final Magic Missile spell, launching them into the orc leader, exploding in a painful burst of magic. The orc Leader got the moonbeam, burning it for a small amount of damage. The Leader, swung mightily at Thagmar dealing a terrible wound to the half-orc. Vroc charged to the frontline and missed the orc Leader. Milo danced to the back of the orcs, stabbing them with his rapier and dagger, killing one and advancing further into the fray. The unnamed hireling dealt a devastating blow to the orc Leader with his pike, somehow the beast remained standing. The orcs retaliated by scratching Thagmar and smashing Milo with their axes, opening fresh wounds on the bard. Quasi stabbed the leader and in the confusion snuck a second thrust into a second orc, killing it. The Shaman cast another spiritual weapon spell, summoning a second spear into the middle of the group. I took a horrific stab from the spiritual weapon on me, weakening me to the point my vison blurred. The orcs grouped up on Quasi, dealing a small wound to the elf. Draven attempted to maneuver into a better position and took a thrust from one of the spears. Thagmar in a fit of rage and desperation struck the Leader with Blood Drainer ending its life. After ending their leader’s life the group slaughtered the remainder of the Orcs.
Kills – Draven I, Quasi I, Milo I, Quasi I,
Quasi, seeing the monster who had killed his brother cut the head off the Shaman and took it as a trophy to mark the grave of his brother. We then searched the remaining corpses and stripped them of their gear and found a small collection of gold. The group decided to not press our luck and returned to town.
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