July 31, 2016 – The Journal of Karn Brightscale; Adventurer, Merchant, and Blacksmith
It has been a year since I last picked up my staff and decided to adventure around the town of Karlsburg. I had been working as an apprentice blacksmith and traveling merchant, quite successfully I might add. When I was approached by a former associate, a half-orc named Thagmar, with a business proposition. An equal share of any treasure we recovered from the Mount of the Red Door if I would aid his group in exploring its depths. Previously, the half-orc had traveled with one of my caravans as a body guard and I found him to be an honest fellow and handy in a scrap. I had also joined him when he investigated attacks upon his village, only to find tragedy, we avenged his family upon the undead monster that was responsible. After such adventures, of course I agreed to join him and his companions.
I met the group beforehand; Quasi the Wood Elf Ranger/Bounty Hunter, Vroc the Dragonborn Cleric, and Thagmar the half-orc Barbarian. Additionally, Quasi’s body guard Xon joined our group as well. My personal body guards accompanied us as well, Bron and Jerrick. The best sword arms gold can buy. It was an impressive group that I was happy to join, we gathered our supplies and prepared to enter the Mount.
We carefully entered the Mount and headed down into the first level and found that the level was abandoned, I was informed by the group that they had cleared this level however a recent infestation of some monstrosity had taken over the upper levels. After a careful two-hour search of the level we found the level abandoned and empty. So we headed down to next level and proceeded to cautiously explore the area.
We took an uneventful trip to what I was told was a receiving room for a hobgoblin king name Ruck-Ruck and the last place they encountered the snake monstrosities. After sneaking down the hallway from the receiving room we encountered a closed door, once opened we found a large room that had a partially excavated northern wall, three remaining pillars supported the ceiling, and stairs and a hallway exited the room to the west. Between the pillars to the south sat a throne cobbled together from broken furniture. Around the room were several of the snake monstrosities, the group did not lie at the other worldly horror of these creatures. Immediately battle was joined as the creatures hissed in unison and charged.
The beasts were waiting on our group and caught us unaware, they charged at us and spit a vile acid onto three of our group causing burns everywhere they touched exposed flesh. The fellow dragonborn called upon his god and cast Bless upon our group, bringing aid to all. Quasi raced into the room, as he rushed to attack one of the spitting beasts he cast Hunter’s Mark and slashed the beast with his rapier. Thagmar charged into the room and slaughtered two of the creatures with massive swings of his two handed blade. Thagmar was quickly surrounded by the beasts, the beasts seemed to land a series of horrific blows, which barely damaged the brute. Two of the flying abominations blasted myself and Quasi with acid, painfully burning our flesh. Vroc came to our rescue and cast Prayer of Healing, causing wounds to close, mangled flesh to mend, and bleeding to stop. I shouted, “ENOUGH!” and I cast Witchbolt at two of the beasts, electrifying the flying beast to the point where its skeleton was briefly visible through its flesh. As the electricity coursed through its body the creature screamed in agony. Both creatures become enraged and charged at me swinging away at me. I brought forth a Shield to protect me, however the beast found a way through and raked me with its claws. As the second beast flew toward me, Quasi caught the enraged monster with a quick stab through the spine, killing it instantly. Vroc called upon the benevolence of his deity and cast Preserve Life and healed himself, Thagmar, and me of our wounds. Once again the beast renewed its attacks on me, my second Shield spell blocking one of the attacks but the second got through causing me to lose the Witchbolt spell. Quasi, seeing my distress charged to my rescue, taking a viscous swipe to his side from one of the beasts as he raced to my aid. Quasi quickly dispatched one of my attackers with a twisting thrust of his blade and delivered a series of quick thrusts into the flying abominations side. While this was taking place Thagmar dispatched another abomination with Blood Drinker. Quasi, delivered a series of thrusts and slashes with his rapier, finally killing the flying monster. Vroc once again cast Healing Prayer and bathed our group in the gentle healing light of his god, closing our wounds, and refreshing the Half-Orc Barbarian. Thagmar continued to hold off the beast from attacking the group, continuously being slashed and cut by the beasts but somehow he remained standing despite the punishment. Vroc cast Cure Wounds upon Thagmar and his multitude of wounds closed and mended, reviving the seemingly made of stone barbarian. I cast Firebolt and blasted the acid spitting creature, burning a hole clean through the monstrosity, killing it. Thagmar cut down the last two beasts and ending their threat.
Kills – Thagmar IIII, Quasi III, Karn I
I examined the corpses of the monsters and I recognized them as Slithers and their different variations. We then searched the corpses and found nothing of value. The group decided that it was best to recover from our last encounter, heal up, and recover our spells.
We returned to the scene of our last battle after resting and decided to explore the norther portion of the throne room that the beasts were excavating. In an alcove on the northeast of the chamber there was a carcass of some type, resembling a segmented insect. This thing was enormous. Clearly shaken by the size of this beast the group carefully examined the corpse and found no insights into what this thing was when alive.
We examined a small room on the eastern wall, south of the alcove. Inside the room there was scenes of good luck and fortune painted on the wall. Quasi quickly spotted a hidden room leading to the north, we found an archway covered in runes. Quasi pointed out that the Slither’s slither marks lead from the archway. I examined the runes and found I could not decipher their meaning.
We left the hidden room and returned to the throne room and used a door in the northwest. Upon entering we found colorful mosaics of heroes, fighting dragons, rescuing maidens, etc. We found nothing of value in the small room and carried onto the next room. Inside were frescoes covering the wall depicting agricultural scenes. Finding nothing of value and we were going to return to the throne room when found the door had locked behind us. Left with no choice we continued in the way were going.
Quasi informed the group that when he had scouted the hall previously he had encountered several of the flying beasts guarding a stairwell leading down. Quasi reported hearing Slithers on the other side of the door, the group gripped our weapons tighter and prepared for another showdown with the beasts. Vroc prepared for combat by casting Bless, Warding Bond, Bear Endurance on the group.
Despite our preparations the creatures got the drop on us again and covered Thagmar, Quasi, and Vroc in their acidic vomit. Vroc once again called upon the might of his faith and cast Prayer of Healing, bathing the group in a holy light. Closing wounds and mending damage taken. I could hear an audible sigh of relief from Thagmar and Quasi as their wounds healed. Quasi rushed into the room, with Hunter’s Mark on his lips as he quickly carved into one of the Slithers. Gray-green blood poured from the beast’s wounds. I cast Witchbolt again linking the bolt onto two of the beasts, shocking them with eldritch red colored lightning. With a growl Thagmar rushed into the room ran through one of the beasts, killing it instantly. Quasi with a series of slashes and thrusts killed one of the beasts in a puddle of gray-green blood. Once again the flying creature rushed at me, I raised a Shield at the last possible second catching the first blow but the crafty creature landed a horrific blow on its second attack. The beast’s claws left deep gashes in my side and blood poured from the wound. Vroc’s Preserve Life spell filled the room with its healing light, closing wounds. My wounds closed slightly and the blood flowing from the wounds slowed to a trickle. Thagmar in his rage struck down another of the beasts with a mighty two handed chop. Quasi made quick work of the last of the weakest variant of the Slithers and turned his attention onto one of the remaining beasts running it through. Quasi maneuvered himself behind the Winged Slither, the beast in the confusion of the battle missed his movements and he was able to drive his rapier clean through the monster. The winged abomination howled in agony as the point of the blade erupted from her side, spraying orange blood all over the floor. Vroc cast Guiding Bolt on to the Winged Slither illuminating the creature in a blue holy light, causing it to scream in agony. As the creature blinded by the spell thrashed about, Thagmar ended the creature’s life by beheading it with Blood Drinker. The blade’s ruins glowed in a red light bathing Thagmar’s arms in a warm glow as his wounds started to mend.
Kills – Thagmar III, Quasi IIII,
A quick search of the creatures and the room returned nothing. The group went down the hall leading from our last battle and as Thagmar opened the door a large chunk of stone fell, striking the barbarian, once again the tough as nails half-orc shook off the damage and continued on. The room was empty except a door leading south.
We entered the room and found three stools and an empty weapons rack, nothing of value here. There were doors leading to the west and the south out of the room. We exited the room through the door to the south, inside we found a dozen wooden statues of the pantheon of gods and several demon lords of the nine hells. Once again finding nothing of value we exited through door to the south. Inside the large room we found a silvery painted triangle with words at each point in a language that none of recognized. Quasi quickly scratched out a doodle of the painted triangle to take back to town.
The room ended with a door going to a room we had previously explored so we returned to a previous room with a door leading to the east and found a large room. Scattered about the room were the skeletal remains of 5 hobgoblins and their weapons. Quasi quickly picked up the weapons and stuffed them into the bag of holding. Most importantly we found a collection of chests, coffers, and sacks. Quasi excitedly turned to the group and exclaimed that we had found one of Ruck-Ruck’s treasuries! After collecting the treasure, Quasi searched the room and quickly pointed out a hidden room to the west. Quasi quickly pointed out that this is probably the real treasure room.
After much celebration and counting of coins the group left the treasure room behind and continued on our exploration. We returned to the main hallway and explored several rooms in the process, finding nothing of value along the way and no additional creatures.
We came across a large room with a western room with a boarded up well hidden behind the wall. A multitude of copper pipes leading into the well. Painted above well was a single word in a language we do not recognize. Vroc did his best to copy the word onto a blank sheet of parchment. With nothing else to see the group moved on. After a short trip down a long hallway we came across a door leading to the south.
Inside we found two marble statues, one male and one female, with their heads replaced by the head of Vork. In the back middle of the room sat a large finely carved golden box, sitting upon a stone altar. After several unsuccessful attempts at opening the golden box, we decided to come back with Milo, Draven, and Roland to see if they had an opinion on how to get it opened. We left the room and continued our exploration of the rest of the level.
Eventually we found a large empty room that had been stripped of all valuables and furniture. We continued on and found a large room that appeared to be a trophy room that had been previously looted however we did find several small artifacts. We thoroughly searched the room and found nothing else of value.
Continuing on we explored the final room, finding a well-worn desk and chair. Quasi found a secret door that led to a room with the symbols of Vroc’s god Ezaos covering the walls and a white wooden chest sat in the far corner of the room. Vroc slowed the group as he felt the presence of his god in the room, he approached the chest by himself as the rest of the group waited on his return. Inside the chest he found 3 vials and a marble idol of Ezaos.
After not finding any more of the Slithers we finished a sweep of the level, taking an hour or two of slow exploration we encountered another closed door where we could hear the abominations on the other side moving around. We decided it was in our best interest to recover from our exertions and camp for the rest of the day.
We returned to the room and Vroc, began praying to Ezaos, and cast Bless, Bear Endurance, and Warding Bond. Thagmar heaved the door open and we sprang into action. The battle was joined in earnest as we fought the beasts, trading blows and maneuvering into position. I moved up and cast Magic Missile, slamming missiles into two of the beasts. Vroc attempted a Guiding Bolt but missed his target, as it somehow sensed the spell and avoided it. Thagmar, in an almost blind rage, screamed in rage and cut one of the beasts in half. The beast gray-green blood exploded into a thick mist that covered the walls and floor around Thagmar. Vroc cast Prayer of Healing to bring the light of Ezaos onto the group, mending our wounds. Seeing an opportunity, I rushed up and used my flame breath, scorching three of the beasts. Quasi, using his rapier to slash the creature viciously through the midsection, dropping it into a puddle of gray-green blood. Thagmar cleaved another of the beasts with his blade, killing the wounded thing. Xon thrust with his pike into one of the beasts, driving the point deep into the beast’s gut. Vroc cast Preserve Life again, healing the group of our hurts. Quasi with a whirling attack delivered a series of quick slashes into a group of the beasts, killing it instantly. I cast Magic Missile at two of the creatures, killing one with the force darts. Vroc charged forward with a loud battle cry, cast Guiding Bolt, and once again missed the beast. The battle between our group and the remaining Slither Crystaline creature until Thagmar cut it down with his massive blade.
Victorious again we searched the creatures and found nothing of value. After clearing the level we decided to not press our luck and returned to Karlsburg. When we returned to town we tracked down Roland the Druid, another member of the party. After a brief introduction we showed him the sketches of the triangle and the words near the well. He recognized the language as Ancient Sullian. The words near the well, read “Danger” and the words around the triangle were “Light, Fear, and Fire.”
Kills – Thagmar III, Quasi II, Karn I
