Game Session Recaps

[frenzied67]

Highlights of Episode Seventy
Gurthos 8th CE 1031

* Note- Someone needs to buy a crowbar.*

Grynn caught up to the group as Blaylocke spent ten minutes to cast Detect Magic on the potion, then when that did not spur any knowledge in him, he cast Identify as a ritual spell.  The flask held a potion of Fire Resistance.  Not wishing to be hurt by another trap, Riardon used his invisible Mage Hand cantrip to open the door.  They found a stair up to a thoroughly burned out room, the floor was gone.  At this point Leiya used the Healer's Kit to bind up Riardon's wounds.  There was a slight ledge on the left, a better looking ledge to the right, and some scorched beams down the middle of a thirty foot drop.  Tying a rope around himself, Riardon handed the other end to Enkili, then he balanced beamed his way across the middle of the drop.  Once across he wedged himself with his back to the wall and his feet pushing the other wall to anchor the rope. 

One by one the party traversed their way across.  Enkili, with no one to anchor him, decided to climb down and investigate the basement below.  Slipping after climbing a third of the way down he fell, but Jolrael caught him with a Feather Fall.  After ascertaining that the basement doors were truly filled in, Enkili climbed back up on the other side of the burned out room.  The hall where Riardon had wedged himself ran west to east with an alcove in the south half way down (15’).  Three large barrels with brown stained barrel staves filled the little alcove.  Grynn moved to the end of the hall where it turned north.  Stairs ran down to a 15’x 15’ room that had a door on its north eastern edge.  Dust and a pile of rags were in this square little room.

While Leiya, Jolly, and Enkili were trying to find out what the barrels held, Grynn entered the room and was beset by a giant sundew plant (pile o' rags).  Blaylocke stung it with an arrow as Grynn cried out, he also hit the priest with Bardic Insiration.  Enkili ignored the barrels after that to barge through Blaylocke and Riardon to get where the action was, drawing the Sainted Sword as he elbowed his way to flank the creature with Grynn.  Six tendrils lashed out at Grynn and Enkili, missing the fighter but grappling the HalfOrc priest.  Turning his headband around so that the light side was out, Jolrael also pushed his way to take up position at the bottom steps just below Riardon and Blaylocke.  Blind without light, Leiya felt her way over to Blaylocke’s side and was unable to enter the fray; too many people between herself and the action.

Riardon pulled his bow and sank a shaft deep into the sundew (sneak attack!).  He did not move, unwilling to get closer to the sticky plant.  Enkili moved around the flailing leafy creature and severed the tendril holding Grynn, then he burst into furious chopping activity to severely wound the plant with three of four attacks (action surge).  Jolly used a fiery Chromatic Orb, thinking it was the flaming properties of the Sainted Sword that had injured the sundew; it proved resistant to the fire.  Blaylocke missed with his next arrow.  Leiya plowed through Blaylocke, Riardon, and Jolrael to get next to the creature, unfortunately she had been slowed down enough to not get an attack.  Grynn used some divine energy when he attacked with his magic mace, crushing leaves and tendrils alike.

Though his second shot wasn’t as well placed as his first, Riardon’s arrow finished off the plant monster.  The sticky sap that remained on Grynn continued to damage him with acidic burns.  Enkili ran back to the barrels and smashed the lid of one.  It held wine that had gone to vinegar a long time ago.  He carried that barrel back so that Grynn could wash the caustic sap off his person.  Leiya also took a flask of that vinegar just in case it may have a use later; she may be looking forward to a salad later, so she joked.  Riardon checked the next door, listened at it, then opened it.  Leiya, Blaylocke, Grynn, and Jolrael noticed a metallic glitter near the dead sundew.  They dug up 500gp, a tiger eye, topaz, and yellow saphyr gems, and a ring that glowed with energy when Jolly cast Detect Magic.  Grynn neither healed himself nor accepted offers from Leiya, bearing his sundew burns stoicly.

*That’s it for our 70th game in this anti slavery campaign.  We will meet again on October 29th, but in the meantime we will be voting via text to see if we play D&D or do a one shot horror game.

Highlights of Episode Seventy One
Gurthos 8th CE 1031

Leiya talked Grynn into letting her patch him up with the Healer’s Kit, completely healing the damage he had taken from the Sundew plant.  Riardon steped out of the sundew room, to the left was a short passage to a door, and a hall going north with a left hand intersection fifteen feet up.  He listened at the left hand door and thought he heard conversation, so he trotted to the intersection to the north.  Around the corner was a door leading to a burned out room (15’x35’), and a passage heading east that turned south beyond that door.  As everyone searched the room, Grynn ran to the east and found another door on the east wall around the south turn, and passed that door heading south were stairs going down.

Thinking the stairs would take them to the slave pens, the party decided to go down.  Riardon listened at the eastern door and thought he heard the noise of wind, then he moved down the steps to a door with a slide latch facing south.  Beyond that door was a short ten foot long passage to another door to the south.  This door opened onto a courtyard.  Whatever fire that had destroyed much of the temple had left rubble around the courtyard’s periphery.  They worked their way south, observing retaining walls and temple walls framing the open air area they moved through; there were no signs of guards along the short retaining walls or the temple roofs.  A turn to the west was found at the far end of the courtyard, charred stone and timbers were all over.

Scouting slightly ahead of his friends, Riardon rounded a wall to the west and found open passages twenty feet away heading south, and one burned out door five feet away to the north.  He turned north and was surprised by a gaunt undead creature upon entering the room.  It attacked the rogue with a sword and clawed hand, the hand hit and drained the hapless Elf; slamming him into the wall everyone else was behind.  After a few seconds of not knowing what to do (surprise round), Enkili drew the Sainted Sword and dashed around the corner.  Dueling around an empty door frame, the fighter managed to slash the ravening creature twice before clearing the door so that others could engage this caricature of life. 

Jolrael was trailing the rest of the group, but was the next to act.  Using the storm winds his magic manifested as a by product, he sailed up to the wall and hurled a fiery Chromatic Orb at the vicious creature.  The sorcerer landed on the wall top, yet his precarious perch made it hard for him to make his shot.  Also unable to close the distance, Grynn ran around the corner and used his turn to cast bless on Enkili, Jolrael, Blaylocke, and Riardon.  Cursing in Elven, Riardon stabbed the intelligent undead then ran away.  Unwilling to pass through the doorway the creature backed up, tossed aside its sword, pulled a bow and fired two arrows at Jolly.  The second arrow forced Jolrael to teeter atop the wall, but he held his place after windmilling his arms.

Blaylocke stepped around the corner and could not see who everyone else was fighting; he granted Riardon a Bardic Inspiration and hit the Elf with a Healing Word.  Unfortunately the life had been drained from Riardon, so the magic did not restore him any.  Grynn stormed into the monster’s lair, expending all his energy crossing the rubble; all he was able to do was manifest a Spiritual Weapon near the undead thing.  Moving into another gutted room, the fell creature launched two more arrows at the sorcerer; Jolrael mocked the thing from his wall top untouched by this second volley of shafts.

Grinning as his Tempestuous Magic floated him off the wall, Jolrael cast Tidal Wave at the doorway the creature had ducked behind.  It’s dead body rolled into view in the wash of magically generated liquid.  Leiya examined Riardon and figured out that she did not have the right spells ready to help him, but judged that a good night’s rest would more than likely see the rogue recover on his own.  The party spread out, moving from one fire glutted room to another.  Riardon and Grynn discovered coins spilling from a fire baked bag, they recovered roughly 1,000 EP, and 2,000 CP.
Ignoring the fire ravaged rooms to the south, they party reasoned that any access to the basement would likely be sealed up by the slavers in these charred ruins so they returned the way they had come from at the far end of the courtyard.  They found the door closed and locked behind them.  Shadowy figures flitted along the roofs and walls.  Riardon tried to pick the lock, but someone slapped the mechanism closed from the other side.  Enkili tossed his grapnel rope up, someone cut the rope and stole the grapnel hook.  Mocking laughter floated down from above from a handful of humanoid shadows.  No alarm was raised by those harrasing them!

*Here is where we leave our intrepid characters until November 12th.  Remember, the party still needs a crowbar, have to replace the grapnel hook, and we start at noon instead of 1 pm.  Not to mention we have to figure out why the mysterious figures want them locked into the courtyard and its maze of rubble strewn rooms.

Highlights of Episode Seventy Two
Gurthos 8th CE 1031

Under the eyes of the figures on the roof, the party wondered what to do.  Since Riardon’s attempt to open the door had been rebuffed, Enkili decided to try force.  Unfortunately he bruise his shoulder for no gain.  They felt their only alternative was to make their back south and go back into the maze of burned out rooms again.  The rooms they had not visited did not yielded any exit, but the wall just east of them seemed low enough to scale.  The roof skulkers began to fade away, blending with the night.  Enkili offered to hoist his friends to the ten foot wall’s top, but Jolrael stopped him.  The sorcerer cast Light on a stone and had it tossed over the wall.

Riardon was the first over the wall.  The courtyard beyond was filled with lifelike statues in weird poses, most of them broken in some way.  Jolly was next over followed by Grynn.  Before Leiya or Blaylocke had a chance to go over two big lizards ambled around the corner; they had eight legs and the most malevolent glares.  Jolrael briefly met the eyes of the lead creature and felt a supernatural energy trying to freeze him to the spot.  Shaking the effect off he dashed behind a statue and blindly hit the creatures with a Tidal Wave spell.  For his efforts the lead creature zipped over to his position and bit Jolrael with an envenomed bite.

Heeding the sorcerer’s warning Riardon winged one with an arrow then attempted to lose himself within the garden of statues.  Wondering what ill fortune had befallen his friends, Enkili swarmed over the wall to see Both Basilisk’s.  Somehow he ignored the foul gazes of the beasts and fell behind the lead monster who was making Jolly’s life less festive.  He attempted to frighten the lizard with his first attack, but Enkili’s second attack was well delivered and the basilisk had it’s life carved out (critical hit).  The fighter then moved so that the second beast would have to attack him or go the long way around.

Blaylocke chanted a song at the Fighter (Bardic Inspiration) then prepared himself to help Leiya over the wall.  Climbing was not the priestess’ strong suit, so it took all her effort, even with the Bard’s assistance, to clamber over the wall and get to Jolrael.  Grynn manifested his Spiritual Weapon and sent it to the last lizard, swinging wide since he could not look directly to place the blow.  After that he climbed back to the top of the wall to help Blaylocke over.  The Basilisk attempted to bite Enkili, but the reforged plate armor held up under the attack.  Sending a fiery Chromatic Orb at the last creature, Jolrael missed with the spell.  Riardon repositioned himself and sent another half aimed arrow flying.  This shaft missed.

Tricking the savage lizard with his swordplay to increase his odds of hitting, Enkili landed a great shot with the Sainted Sword; but his follow up shot nearly cut the basilisk in two (a second crit!).  Gynn used a healing scroll on Enkili while Leiya used a Cure Light Wounds[i]spell on Jolrael immediately after the battle. The party found a nest around the south western corner, but no treasures were found.  There was an area of wall near where the party had climbed over that was obviously bricked up, the party pulled this section of wall apart and found an entrance to a room back inside areas they had already explored.  This was the broken tool room they had visited before.  They had to traipse back up the stairs, over the rickety beam, then down the stairs to the sundew room.  This time when Riardon listened at the western door he did not hear conversation.  He opened the door and stepped in.  Someone inside the room, around the corner, said: “What’s that?”.  Riardon pivoted about, gently closed the door and ran passed both Blaylocke and Ekili telling them to be quiet and hide.  Leiya, Grynn, and Jolrael were still in the sundew room and noticed the commotion but did not hear the rogue’s warning whisper.  Enkili followed Riardon up the north passage, but for some reason Blaylocke did not move from his spot.  When the door opened, humanoid figures noticed the bard right off the bat….

*This is the cliffhanger for the fortnight.  We will convene again on November 26th, followed by December 10th, however December 24th we will not game.  Note, we need a crowbar and a replacement grapnel hook.

** Riardon One Liner- Great! We found a stupider way to go in circles.  ** I wonder if Rimmermac would have said this, it is hard trying to channel him while subing his character.  Hope Rimmer comes back to us.
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[i]Highlights of Episode Seventy Three
Gurthos 8th CE 1031
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*My apologies, I forgot to take notes for most of the first hour of our game.  I’m not sure if I have the sequence of events correct or not.  Starting off in combat gave me four whole pages of notes, and I write small.  I have everyone correct after that first hour though, when our pace picked up.

Three creatures that appeared to be mostly of Orc blood confronted Blaylocke in the short west hall.  Riardon scooted down from the narrow northern hallway and fired at the closest Orc with a[i] Firebolt spell.  His aim was so poor the creature never felt the heat from the cantrip (natural 1).  The Elf then ran back north so the spot behind Blaylocke would remain open for his friends to use.  Enkili move to the spot just before the spot Riardon had just abandoned, moving passed the rogue to do so.  The burly fighter waited to strike any foe that moved into that square.  Casting a Word of Radiance cantrip after moving into that spot behind the bard, Leiya’s aim was slightly better than Riardon’s yet she too failed to hit a target and moved back to her former position.  At this point an Orc at the back of the trio turned about and returned to the stables they had all come from.

Grynn chose his moment to also move into the sweet spot, he could see all his friends there and was able to Bless them all; he then returned to where he had been.  From the back of the sundew room, Jolrael prepared his Chromatic Orb cantrip; aiming for the same magic spot beyond the sundew room’s door, just behind Blaylocke.  After a few seconds the Sorcerer chose a different tactic, he moved passed Leiya into the space beyond the door.  He fired an Aganaazar’s Scorcher at the two orcs beyond Blaylocke then flew on a wind back into the sundew room.  On his turn, Blaylocke disengaged and moved into the sundew room, pressing passed Leiya.  Not knowing that Enkili was in the northern hallway above the door to the sundew room, an Orc moved to strike Leiya; finding her at the doorway rather than Blaylocke.  It got hit by the Sainted Sword and badly damaged; it tried to hit the fighter back but missed and stumbled back from the contested spot at the door, taking the space Blaylocke had abandoned.

Having a killer instinct, despite her protestations that it is not so, Leiya stepped through the door and hit the damaged orc with a Word of Radiance slaying it.  She retreated back to her former position at the doorway of the sundew room.  At this point Blaylocke chose to produce his new Haste spell, casting it on Enkili; a move that arguably may have been a key choice in this battle as more and more Orc guards would be joining the fray coming from two directions.  To the fighter it seemed as though the whole world had slowed except for himself.  He rounded the corner he had been guarding finding a lone orc in the west hall, near the stables.  He cut it down then ran into the stables searching for the third Orc guard that had been present moments before.  All he saw were the double doors to the stable partially open at the far western side of the facility, he turned to head back as he heard the commotion his party was making back in the north facing hall.

Riardon, who was still in the narrow northern hall, heard the clap of boots on stone as more Orc guards seemed to be heading their way.  The clever Rogue used Minor Illusion to fill half the corridor with the seeming of a big boulder.  Possibly not knowing how impactful his Bless spell was proving itself to be, Grynn chose to follow Enkili into the stable, he was the first to see two Orcs rise with drawn shortbows.  Back in the narrow northern hallway, an Orc guard discovered the boulder in the passage.  He could see the slender Elven Rogue further south of himself, so he tried to climb over the boulder.  He tumbled into the illusion falling flat on its face.  As the two snipers in the stable fired at Enkili, hitting him with one shaft, Blaylocke fired an arrow of his own at the Orc who had fallen in the illusionary boulder.  The hit would have slain another creature other than a hardy Orc.

A guard following the illusion befuddled Orc was himself disturbed by the strange boulder, but none-the-less pushed through the image and closed with Rairdon, making a double move to close the gap.  Grimacing after seeing a companion taking an arrow, Grynn threw himself up the ladder to gain the hayloft where the villains were.  Once again he manifest his Spiritual Weapon, placing it between the Orcs, and had it club the nearest sniper injuring him.  Blaylocke shot the Orc Guard that had closed with Riardon, causing some harm.  The clumsy guard who had fallen into the illusionary boulder stood up and raced to just behind his companion facing the rogue.  Back in the hayloft the injured sniper dropped its bow and retrieved a shortsword posted in a nearby hay bale and vainly tried to skewer Grynn.

Facing two Orcs now, Riardon grasped the nearest and electrocuted it with a Shocking Grasp cantrip.  As its body spasmed and jerked from the residual energy, the rogue slipped into the hall spaces between the sundew room’s doorway and the stables.  Three more guards end their movement behind the illusionary boulder in the north hall, wondering how the impediment had gotten there.  Happily Jolrael slamed the far trio of Orcs with a Tidal Wave, knocking one of them off their feet, injuring all of them.  Drawing her rarely used crossbow, Leiya fired a bolt at the guard whom Riardon had shocked, but missed.

Using the increase in his speed wrought by the Haste spell, Enkili ran halfway down the stable, vaulted off a stack of hay bales,  and swung himself up into the hayloft behind both snipers (Thank the Erathian gods for the Athlete feat).  With two slashes of his heirloom blade, he killed the nearest Orc then, with Grynn’s permission, moved behind the Orc attacking Melana’s priest.  He damaged that one with a single hit; again the dauntless nature of the Orc prevented him from dying from the wound.  On the other side of the two front fray, a washed out Orc chose to flee back to the north due to the manifestation of magic that had almost killed him, another uninjured Orc took his place though.  Since he had not been pursued into the western short hall, Riardon peeked around the corner and Firbolt cantriped the Orc he had zapped a few seconds ago, nearly cremating it with his shot, he then retreated back around the corner not liking all the other Orcs who had shown up.

Using his Ray of Frost cantrip on one of the wave injured Orc’s up the passage, Jolrael killed this opponent and goaded the survivors with his brogue accented insults.  The sorcerer remained at the mouth of the door in front of Leiya.  The Guard behind Jolly’s victim realized the boulder’s illusionary nature and ran through it, dashing to close with the spell slinging human.  Returning to the hayloft fray, Enkili chose to give the last sniper a little push instead of using his big curved sword.  Though he tried to grab the fighting man to keep his balance, the orc plummeted the fifteen feet to the stable floor.    Though his head survived the impact, the angle of his neck did nothing to keep his spinal column from snapping.  Enkili then lowered himself down from the loft and waited for Grynn to climb down and join him near the short hall door to the east.

The Half Orc priest clambered down the ladder and bade his Spiritual Weapon to follow.  The tall ladder took Grynn’s entire movement to clear.  Noises to the west, beyond the stable’s double door, indicated more guards were coming.  Back in the sundew room, Leiya cranked back her crossbow and let fly at the Orc directly in front of Jolrael.  The shaft sank deep into the light armor the snarling humanoid wore, dropping it on the spot.  Blaylocke attempted to duplicate the priestess’ feat with a shot of his own.  His target was further up the northern hall so his shaft missed its mark.  That Orc dashed to close with Jolrael, straddling his dead companions to do so.

Using the same tactics as before, Riardon poked his head around the short hallways corner and fired a Firebolt at Jolrael’s new challenger.  The fire did this Orc no favors, so Riardon smiled as he retreated out of view.  Seeing the cantrip’s flames lick up this Orc’s torso, Leiya moved up and directed her next bolt at it nearly killing it in the process.  She retreated back to her former position standing beyond the doorway.  With no enemies remaining in the narrow north hall, Jolrael prepared a Chromatic Orb spell in case more villains showed up.  Orcs stormed into the stable and closed with Enkili, almost hitting the fighting man with an attack.  Grynn had his Spiritual Weapon attack the nearest foe, before he half clambered onto a stack of oat sacks and finished it off with a savage blow of his mace.  The cleric then moved into one of the stables and began to pull out his climbing pitons to spike the stable doors closed with.

Not seeing anymore Orc Guards in the narrow hallway, Blaylocke ran for the stables and cast a Healing Word on the barely injured Enkili.  Not usually perceptive, Enkili figured out what Grynn was wanting to do, so he moved to the stable doors.  Several Orcs were in the yard beyond, so he slammed the doors shut in their faces and droped the locking bar into place.  Back in the north hall a new Orc discovered the illusionary boulder.  Once his hand passed through the image he called the information back to the reinforcements behind himself.

The stable door rocked under one then two thudding attempts to breach the aperture.  The board locking the doubles doors shut developed some cracks and splintering though.  To the north more Orcs pressed into the hall, one letting fly with a bolt at the sorcerer.  The missile missed but still alarmed Leiya, Riardon and Jolrael with the fresh tactics being employed.  Another arbalestier tried to skewer Jolly, but his bolt too flew wide.  As the barn doors suffer another battering more Orcs pour into the narrow northern hall, some getting as close as the eastern intersection on their turns.  Not liking the snipers up around the illusion, Jolrael targeted them with another Tidal Wave spell, sweeping them off their feet and knocking them savagely about.  Riardon attempted to target the nearest charging guard with a Firebolt, but his aim was so cockeyed that no Orc felt the destructive heat of the cantrip (another natural 1).  The closest guard closed with Leiya at the sundew room’s doorway, a fell friend on his heels.

Even after Enkili voiced an opinion that they should fall back to a point where the party would not be fighting on two fronts, Blaylocke climbed up into the hayloft and prepared to fire at any creature breaching the double doors to the west.  Using a climbing piton, Grynn spiked the doors just before a fresh onslaught of banging thudded into the barrier.  The doors held.  Enkili flew out of the stables, through the short hall and into the Orc confronting Leiya.  Even though he had dashed passed Riardon, Jolrael, and before that Grynn to get into position, the Haste spell still allowed him one attack that gravely injured the guard in the door.  A Word of Radiance dropped that Orc allowing Leiya to move behind the wall, concealing herself from would be snipers.

In the stable the piton flew free and the doors slammed back on protesting hinges as four battering ram armed Orcs were revealed.  A guard straddled Leiya’s victim in the sundew rooms' opening and engaged Enkili whose armor shunted the blow aside.  Dropping the battering ram, one guard fired a missile at Grynn which missed, while another drew a shortsword and failed to stab the Half Orc priest; a second crossbow bolt did hit Grynn grazing a limb and creasing skin.  The fourth Orc moved behind the companion engaging Grynn as a fifth guard appeared in the courtyard near the arbalestiers.  On the other front an orc pushed through the villain fighting Enkili and entered the sundew room, he squared off against Leiya.

Back in the stable Grynn danced away from the orc trying to hurt him and cast Guardian of Faith in the space he had just vacated.  Meanwhile his Spiritual Weapon clobbered the priest's last attacker.  Centering his spell on the stables double doors, Blaylocke caste Confusion.  All five Orcs were in the target area but only two of the guards succumbed to the spells influence.  The bard then climbed out of the hayloft realizing he would be trapped and swarmed if he remained in the high vantage.  A brain dazed victim of the bard’s spell walked away from the stables beyond the sight of any of our heroes.  At the same time another orc squeezed into the sundew room, taking a solid hit from the opportunistic fighting man, Enkili.  This guard managed to strike Leiya with a sword stroke.

Still in the short hall behind Enkili, Jolrael hit the fighter’s foe with a Chromatic Orb badly injuring the Orc.  Behind Jolly, Riardon also targeted that guard with his own cantrip; the Firebolt snuffing the slaver in a cloud of oily smoke.  In the yard outside of the stables, the other Confused Orc chose to sky watch on his turn.  In the sundew room, Leiya slammed a Word of Radiance into the bloke who had stabbed her.  Enkili waded into the Sundew room killing one Orc, and injuring the other….

*That is it for this biweek of action.  There does not seem to be but one injured guard remaining from the narrow northern hall front, and most of the Orcs in the stables are injured or ensorcelled.  We will next meet on December 10th, however the session following that will fall on December 24th, a holiday date we reserve to spending time with our families.  This means that we will gather again on January 7th after these early winter celebrations.  Remember, the party still needs a crowbar, and have to replace the grapnel hook.  Long John has crafted another Enkili Picture that has captured that character’s resting psycho face, check it out in Erath Miscellany under The Party heading where our current party’s portaits are portrayed.
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[i]Highlights of Episode Seventy Four
Gurthos 8th CE 1031[/i]

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Jolly tossed a fiery [i]Chromatic Orb at the foremost Orc in the stable, the spell would have slain an ordinary creature, but the Orc’s obnoxious tenacity kept this one on its feet.  Feeling its mortality threatened though, it tried to duck into a stall to avoid other missiles and spells but his movement triggered the Guardian of Faith spell Grynn had set up.  This obliterated the Orc.  As this was happening, Grynn pulled out a scroll and read it.  The Tongues spell he placed on himself made Malena’s Priest able to decipher the Orc’s speech.  He then began to negotiate with them, unfortunately only the Orcs and the Halforc cleric were the only folk able to understand the conversation.  This was the gist of Grynn’s words though: Where is the glory in throwing your lives away?  The living Orcs in the stable, those not under the influence of Blaylocke’s Confusion spell, were thrown into instant consternation.

Realizing that their new party member was making headway, Blaylocke ceased shooting at the guards; he took a readied stance showing he was willing to resume shooting if necessary, he also cast a Healing Word on Grynn.  Back in the sundew room no one knew that hostilities were cooling down in the stable.  The last remaining Orc, already bad off with terrible wounds, tried to separate himself from Leiya and Enkili.  The Mandagan fighter pursued the hapless Orc and slew him back near the barrels of vinegar, he than raced back into the sundew room.

The two living Orcs in the stables who were not ensorcelled made it known they were willing to deal.  Grynn let his Guardian of Faith spell lapse as a sign of good faith.  Grynn tried to make the Orcs change sides for cash, which did not seem too enticing for the guards, but they did not resume fighting after that offer.  With no nearby foes and no sign of further antagonists coming down the north hallway, Leiya broke from the sundew room.  She began to hear the negotiations on entering the hay strewn facility.  Changing strategies, Grynn told the orcs he would pay them if they told him where the slaves were held.  Leiya backed Grynn up with persuasive words of her own.

As the victims of the Confusion spell continued to run around doing random acts of pacing, gibbering, or navel gazing, Jolrael lowered his hands and assumed a passive stance.  Riardon pattered into the stable and lowered his bow after seeing their new friend persuading their enemies into a different mind set.  The advent of the Elf almost upset the balance Grynn had achieved, and things almost reverted to a tense but non violent state before Enkili raged into the room with his great Mandagan sword raised on high.  Fortunately the fighter read the room and stopped his charge.

Not liking the numbers coming to bear against them, the lead orc became more tense but did not break off the parley.  At this moment both the Bless and Haste spells wore off.  The sudden lethargy hit Enkili like a ton of bricks, the fighter staggered into a stall and leaned against the wall to keep from falling down.  This time Grynn held up some platinum coins when he repeated his request for knowledge on where the slaves could be found.  The offer of twelve platinum coins was more than incentive enough for the surviving Orcs to agree to the terms.  Even as the ensorcelled Orcs continued to do random acts, the two steady creatures began to describe two different ways that the underground pens could be reached.

One approach could be found in the chapel under a statue.  Unfortunately there was a password required and the only Orc that knew that word had already died.  At this point there was another lapse in the talks.  One of the spell scrambled Orcs pulled its blade and tried to stab the second stable Orc, that fracas continued out of sight for a few moments.  The lead Orc turned about showing his back for a moment.  He was much relieved that the party did not pounce in that second of lapse.  This made his information flow to the group without the soul searching that had slowed him down before.  The heroes began to learn of the second route to the underground captives.  This was a route through a haunted graveyard.

Both routes were through the passage north of the sundew room. That hall would take them to the stone cutter’s shack.  Through the shack north was the chapel, but south of the shack was the cemetery.  Evidently there was a rumored secret passage in the cemetery that led to the underground passages under the temple complex, unfortunately this area was haunted.  The spell confused Orc who was attacking his friends was slain, ending that little drama.  The survivors gathered themselves after collecting the money they had earned, and they marched away in the directions of the complex’s main gates.

Grynn started gathering dead bodies and stashing them in the hay, Enkili and Blaylocke gave the priest a hand.  After a brief discussion the party laid back patching their wounds and gathering their breath for an hour.  At the mention of questioning the dead with a spell that Leiya possessed, Blaylocke protested the use of dark magic which killed the debate on discovering the secret word needed to get through the chapel’s trap door. As the break ended Leiya cast Aid on herself, Enkili, and Jolrael, then cast Death Ward on Grynn.  Riardon resumed his place on point, probing the group's path through the north hall over and passed the bodies strewn there from the battle.  The hall was long and turned to the west after a bit of hike.  The doors to the stonecutter’s shack were open, even the aperture at the far end of the building.

A set of closed doors were immediately south, in the direction the Orcs had said the cemetery was.  Riardon crept through the shack and peeked about looking for the chapel across the courtyard.  He came back to report his findings, which stimulated a discussion on which path they should take.  Only Leiya and Jolrael argued in favor of going through the chapel, everyone else thought the stealthiest approach would be through the haunted graveyard.  So the southern doors were opened revealing an overgrown lot with overturned gravestones, trees, weeds, and one lone mausoleum fifteen feet away.  The crypt’s door faced them.

Spreading out, the party let Riardon do his thing checking for traps, then attempting to open the locked aperture.  Grynn walked down the western side of the crypt to make sure nothing was hiding behind it, and a tree seemed to slap Jolrael with a branch.  Once at the back of the mausoleum, all the bushes and grasses seemed to rise up, surrounding the Halforc priest.  Grynn chose not to react to this provocation, speaking gently to the growth.  This seemed to work as a few seconds later the bushes parted to allow him to go back to the party.  Riardon failed to pick the locks again, so Grynn cast Guidance on the Elf before the Rogue tried for a third time.

This attempt worked and the door's lock clicked, however Riardon could not drag the doors open.  They had to call on Enkili, with Blaylocke’s help, to pull the reluctant doors wide.  Rust and growth were the hampering factors behind the aperture's reticent opening, but that could not halt the duos tandem effort.  Instead of sarcophagi, coffins, urns, and other things to hold bodies, the group found a set of stairs leading into the depths below.  The stairs headed south, turned to the east, then turned north making a complete ‘U’ before they came to a dirt landing.  The dirt passage they found did not have tool marks nor the sign of claws to show the passages formation.

Blaylocke studied the walls, ceiling, and floor for a few moments as the occasional spill of dust dirtied their hair or made noise down the passage.  He thought that insects of incredible size may have been the engineers of these tunnels.  Their passage moved north east for a ways then intersected with another north/south passage.  South had the noise of wind whistling distantly, but Riardon heard Orcs conversing up the north passage.  They headed for the orcs.  Nearing the sound, the rogue moved off on his own and came to another juncture.  The tunnel continued in a north westerly direction but there was an opening and a ladder down into a circular room filled with ten orcs who had a number of large leashed weasels…

* This is where we leave off of this 74th episode of our adventures.  Again, our next game will be on January 7th because of the holidays.  Too long a wait in my opinion, but I would sell my relatives for any chance to game
**Our shopping list has grown.  We now need 600 gold pieces worth of diamonds for our clerics, as well as a grapnel hook, and a crowbar.  Merry Christmas to one and all, Happy Hanukkah, and may the love of family be matched by the love of your friends during this holiday season!
[/i][/i]

[i]Highlights of Episode Seventy Five
Gurthos 8th CE 1031[/i]

[i]

For a few minutes our heroes considered whether to continue on in the bug tunnels or to advance on the Orcs and their pets.  Jolrael proposed the use of a new offensive spell he had not had a chance to use yet.  His argument moved the party to choose climbing down the ladder to face the Orcs.  Followed closely by Enkili, the Sorcerer crept up to the top of the ladder and surveyed the room.  A fifteen by ten foot rectangular nook off of a circular room met his eyes, sewage flowed in an annular channel around the edges of the round portion of the room with a span bridging the nook with the inner circle.  The disposition of the Orcs was too wide for Jolrael’s initial plan, so he cast [i]Storm Sphere near the ladder instead.  He achieved complete surprise, as he floated into the room and dropped onto a crate in the north east corner; he caused lightening to pop out of his spell to strike a human male sitting at a small table in the nook under the ladder.

Enkili sped down the rungs and hacked one of the nearby weasels to death.  When one hit was enough to do in the overly large mammal, the fighter sent his second stroke into the man, giving himself advantage with a feint; the man did not fall from this attack.  Trying to strike and remain in cover, since there was not enough room to clamber down and not get swallowed in Jolly’s spell, Riardon let loose with a Fire Bolt at a weasel but missed; he scuttled back from the opening.  Everyone else shuffled forward waiting to climb down, but unable to act due to the narrow confines of the bug tunnel.  After the Storm Sphere killed a couple of weasels and damaged the Orcs and the luckier weasels, the Orcs began to withdraw back out of the spell.  Seven of the ten Orcs tried to skewer Jolrael with bolts from their crossbows, bad aim and magical protection kept the sorcerer from suffering any harm from the missiles.

Riardon’s aim was better with his next Fire Bolt and he was able to snuff one of the last remaining weasels, he then stepped back.  The last weasel tried to bite Enkili but could not penetrate the plate armor covering his thigh.  The fighter cleaved that furry pest then roared in the face of the man when he attacked him with his follow up slash, shaking that villain to his core.  Grynn pushed passed his comrades and dropped into the space Enkili had made at the ladder’s foot.  Jolrael tried to zap the human with the Storm Sphere’s lightening bolt, but the fellow managed to slide away from the magical discharge.  The sorcerer then decided to cast Synaptic Static into the bulk of the Orcs who were amassed just beyond his first spell.  This was Jolly's new magical weapon.

All six Orcs caught in the psychic blast fell dead with blood leaking from eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.  The human man carefully disengaged from Enkili then dashed across the ring shaped portion of the room.  He was briefly limned in a flash of light on a stairway on the far side of the room.  That light flared then died returning that corner of the room back into a darkened state.  Choosing to cease concentrating on his Storm Sphere spell, Jolrael suddenly made room for the rest of the party to climb down and get involved in the fight.  Two Orcs tried to punish the sorcerer, but their aim was just as bad as before.  Reaching the floor, Blaylocke cast Charm Person on one of the snipers who had just tried to pierce Jolrael.  It lowered its crossbow as the bard reassured him that he was no longer in danger.  Having to work his way through the sudden plug of his friends, Enkili tried to chase after the man, flipping the light around on his helmet so he could see, he gained the same stairway as his prey.  He found both the human man and an Orc opening a set of double doors at the top of the steps but could not quite reach either.

Jolrael also followed but chose to cast Tidal Wave instead of trying to close with those fleeing.  His spell killed and washed the Orc off the steps but the Human deftly kept his feet.  The sorcerer then snarled threats at a nearby Orc sniper.  The party members nearest the ladder notice the lantern that had been on the table was on its side now that the table was overturned, it was not leaking oil which meant it had a Continual Flame spell cast upon it.  The slaver human passed through the doors, turned to smile at Enkili, then manipulated something behind the doors.  The steps folded turning the incline into a slick ramp.  Enkili was dumped at the bottom of the new made slide.  Sensing that the fighter was going to race up the slope, Grynn ran over and placed a Guidance upon Enkili.  Leiya joined her fellow cleric at the foot of the new made ramp.

Blaylocke moved over to his charmed Orc and began to ask his name and inquire after the slave pens, he learned the Orc’s name was Mugg.  At the same time Enkili tried to get up the slide, but only made thirty feet after straining.  Those nearest the ramp heard noises of forces gathering from where the slaver had ran, cries for help from the slaves, and orders rallying the slaver's minions.  Riardon made his way partially up the ramp.  Mugg told Blaylocke there was a long way through the bug tunnels to get to the slave pens, but the shortest way was up the ramp.  Also he named a priestess and the rogue human as the bosses he reported to (those names are in notes not currently accessible to the DM).  Enkili got through the doors but could not find a device to activate the stairs.

Having gone back to the overturned table, Leya began to read some of the scattered papers.  She found hints of several slaver activities so she scooped up all the loose sheaves and the journals she could grab.  Riardon caught up with Enkili and took over searching for the mechanism that worked the stairs.  Going from body to body, Jolrael began going through the pockets of the dead, kicking their unnecessary equipment and bodies into the sewer as he went.  He collected two crossbows and the ammunition for himself and Grynn as he went.  The bard tried to get Mugg to provide troop numbers, but it became evident that the Orc had never thought about using his fingers and toes to count with.  All the Orcs bunked to the southwest of the slave pens in a series of caves and they were “many, many”.    Blaylocke then gave Mugg a silver piece and told him to leave, which he did, climbing into the bug tunnels to escape.

Jolrael convinced Blaylocke to check out the crates in the corner for loot, the Dwarven bard found various supplies, but also some bags of coins.  Climbing to the top of the stairs, Enkili tossed a rope down the slide which Grynn tied to a piton he hammered into the floor.  Riardon triumphantly discovered the mechanism for activating the stairs, making Grynn and Enkili’s antics with the silk rope moot.  Grynn realized the commotion from up the stairs was now that of enemy forces on the move having already gathered.  Seeing that Blaylocke had a lot of items to look through, Jolrael cast Detect Magic on himself to help expedite that search.  They gather up all the coin they could after the spell failed to locate anything interesting.

Next the party became divided with some of their number arguing about crawling through the bug tunnels in the hopes of finding the slave pens, while others thought that going forward up the stairs was the shortest and best route.  After several wasted moments the faction who wanted the shortest route won out so the party gathered in the west bound hallway beyond the double doors.  They did not get very far before they noticed movement in a chamber ahead of them, Orcs and several Dwarven sized bugs armed with swords and shields were squaring off to face them….

*It was nice having R.C. return to be our Jolly sorcerer rather than being a jolly Santa.  Now if only we could get Rimmermac back.  Our 76th episode will be on February 4th.  Take care until that happy day.
**Our shopping list: we now need 600 gold pieces worth of diamonds for our clerics, as well as a grapnel hook, and a crowbar.
[/i][/i]

[i]Highlights of Episode Seventy Six
Gurthos 8th CE 1031[/i]

[i]

“Mahkim, I hope I have lived a life you would approve of,” Enkili prayed before charging to the end of the hall.  A crossbow bolt streaked by missing by a mile, so the fighter waved The Sainted Sword and jetted out a cone of fire ([i]Burning Hands) catching a bug man two Halforcs, and two Orcs in the fan of flame.  None of the enemy dropped.  Another bolt came at Enkili, but went wide.  The bug creature, that looked like an upright weevil, had two swords and two shields.  It’s two attacks missed the fighter.  Grynn, who was in the middle of the group tried to fire his new crossbow at the Orc closest to Enkili, but his bolt lodged in the narrow hall's ceiling, so he cast Spiritual Weapon in the midst of the Orcs; smashing a foe down when the manifestation acted.

Another bug creature stepped around the corner and got two shots at the Mandagan fighter, hitting once.  When it scuttled away, Enkili retaliated with an opportunity attack, cutting it deeply.  Stepping into the vacated spot in front of Enkili, an Orc tried to cut the Human but scuttled safely back after missing.  Moving by his companions, Blaylocke placed a Bardic Inspiration on Enkili, then he plied his bow hampered by the narrow hall.  Leiya cast a Slow spell in the middle of the enemy’s formation, catching all but a couple of them.  Firebolt did not connect for Riardon, cast from the rear of the party in that damned hall.  Another bolt shattered against the wall near Enkili.

Nearly spent from their last fight, Jolrael had to marshal his magical power (converting Sorcery Points into a spell slot) in order to cast Synaptic Static into the pack of enemies.  He caught every visible opponent with the potent spell, unfortunately he did not realize that there were pits full of slaves in the radius of his spell also.  The party had heard the cries of the people but had not fully laid eyes on the pens at that point.  Many slaves were dropped, but so were many of the guards.  A woman came out of a side room near the hall, she tried to snare Enkili with some spell, however Blaylocke’s Inspiration helped the fighter resist.  The woman then ducked back into the side room allowing a slowed Orc to move up and miss with a short sword; he too moved back.

Another Orc copied this tactic, but he hit the hearty fighter; he too stepped back.  Instead of trying to harm Enkili, the next Orc dropped his weapon and stepped out on to the top of the slave pens, the barred cages below formed a grid of squares that could be slowly balance atop of and crossed.  Blaylocke got a good shot off at an upright bug person, killing it with a Dissonant Whispers spell.  Faring better with his second crossbow shot, Grynn dropped an Orc, then hammered another one down with his Spiritual Weapon as he moved by Enkili to get on the platform above the slave pens.  Many of the innocent slaves were down, felled by Jolrael’s spell, a sight that brought dismay to the priest.  The last bug man (Aspis) filled the gap between the cleric and fighter, it’s being Slowed helped Enkili twist away from the assault.

An Orc tried to stab Grynn, but was too rattled by the chaos to hit, its friends running away was a sight too much.  The rogue boss from the sewer room popped out of the side room, slashed at Grynn twice, then skipped out of harms way with great agility; he ran to the north side of the room putting the surviving Orc and bug guards between himself and the party.  From the corner of his eye, Grynn noticed the priestess leave the side room through a door; that south facing closure shut with a rattle that sounded like locks or bars being placed.  Riardon cast Firebolt on the last bug man, who surprisingly took the shot and remained upright.  Shuffling up til she was just behind Enkili, Leiya cast Spiritual Guardians.  The radius of miniature angels did not have many enemies left to target.

After filling in the gap in the hallway, Jolrael hit the bug man with his Frostbite spell.  From the lack of reaction the Aspis proved it was immune to cold.  Dropping his crossbow, another Orc under the Slow spell trusted himself to the balancing act get-away atop the slave pens.  Another Orc quickly followed that example.  A third Orc also fled this way, but this one kept his weapons in hand.  Having to put extra effort into his action (action surge) Enkili missed the Aspis twice, then hit with his extra action killing it.  The fighting man then sped by the few enemies on the platform to close with the Sewer Boss.  He did not kill the man even as an Orc missed with an opportunity attack at Enkili’s back.  Squeezing by Riardon and Leiya, Jolrael moves onto the platform and layed eyes on the slaver boss.  Arcane winds let the sorcerer fly passed the last Orc so he could knock the boss prone with a Chromatic Orb.

Hoping against hope, Grynn cast a Mass Healing Word into the nearest pit before swinging his magic mace at the last Orc on the platform.  Seeing some of the bodies respond to his healing magic was enough to be a distraction; he missed the attack.  The Halforc cleric then tottered out onto the slave pens getting into position to cast more heals.  Seeing three Orcs atop the pens on the rail nearest him, Enkili closed with the rear most and cut him down, waving his arms for balance the entire time.  Seeing that he was almost surrounded by the relentless party, the last Orc on the platform made a double move to escape; the narrow walks over the slaves now full of precariously balanced combatants.

Moving onto the platform, Riardon popped the last fleeing Orc with his cantrip and killed him, he then glanced into the side room to see what or who was there.  Blaylocke also left the hall and moved up to the edge, seeing all the fallen slaves distracted him from the combat at hand.    Dropping her Spiritual Guardians spell, Leiya also moved onto the platform, taking up station along the edge.  She then started looking for familiar faces in the two cages below her even as she cast Mass Healing Word into the nearest pen.  Five of the six fallen stirred to life from her spell.  Natural aggression made one of the Orcs turn and fire at Enkili rather than fleeing as fast as he could, he missed.  Jolrael killed him with a Ray of Frost to the face.  Wanting a prisoner to question, Blaylocke attempted to bind the Sewer Boss’ wounds.

Calling for Miria, Leiya also moved out along the rails, casting another Mass Healing Word into a cell.  All six prisoners began moving, saved by the magic.  One Orc got away, moving out of sight to the west.  The last visible Orc was teetering along but Enkili spent all his efforts to close with that guard.  Seeing that the fallen bodies in two cells were close together, Grynn used his next Mass Healing Word on the victims in both pits.  He saved five of them.  Blaylocke found out that the Human slaver had passed away even as the bandages were being applied.  Going into the side room, Riardon did not find any keys, but he did find several roped platforms that the slavers used to get their subjects in and out of the pit pens.  He dragged those contraptions out then begins to use one to bring forth those in the nearest pen.

Knowing it would help, Jolrael went back to the sewer room to get the ladder stationed at the bug tunnels.  Fate allowed the last Orc to get away through a tunnel along the west wall, but Enkili tried to follow.  When the fighter saw there was no hope to bring mayhem on the last guard he turned back and began to help raise the slaves out of the back pens.  Grynn healed another pen, this time with a one hundred percent success rate.  Blaylocke, who found no keys on the boss, grabed lift ropes and begins to get people up and out. He and Riardon began discussing how best to get the shackles off the prisoners ankles….

*Here we end this day’s game session, success seemingly at hand.  Though there are worries about the two escaped Orc guards, and the Evil Priestess.  What mayhem could those three conjure, especially with an Orc village and Aspis allies in the same cavern system?  We will all find out this September 18th when our story will resume.
**Our shopping list: we now need 600 gold pieces worth of diamonds for our clerics, as well as a grapnel hook, and a crowbar.
*** Well, our September18th game got derailed due to technical difficulties.  It has been noted by the DM that there are 19 freed slaves, none of whom are familiar to any party member.  I guess you'll have to join us March 3rd.
****Another lore drop between games has revealed that some of the 19 freed slaves have indicated that these pens were a sorting area, and ther eare other holding facilities elswhere.  There are more slaves yet to be freed.  Does this mean we may yet save Miria, and other friends taken?  Have we determined that the priestess' are among the 19? I also think that this means a bigger badder beatdown boss ahead.[/i][/i]

Highlights of Episode Seventy Seven
Gurthos 8th CE 1031

*Unfortunately this was too short of a game. The Fantasy Grounds update seemed to have broken the big maps the DM required for this campaign.

Blaylocke fished a key off the slaver’s body. Meanwhile some of the former slaves informed Enkili, Leiya, Grynn, and Riardon of the other slaves that had once shared the pits with them. They claimed these pens were a sorting area before people would be moved into the little room the evil priestess had fled through, presumably to other holding facilities beyond. After going down the stairs into the circular sewer room, Jolrael noticed some movement from above the ladder. Aspis! He turned and began to race back, shouting a warning. With an unbelievable speed, the upright weevil looking creatures were on his tail, giving the sorcerer a nasty gash with one of two sword slashes.

Two more join the lead Aspis persuer, unable to close with their prey because of the narrow causeways in the circular sewer. Floating back on mystic winds, Jolrael hit the trio with a Tidal Wave, washing the tail end Aspis all the way back to the ladder. The spell caster then sprinted as far up the stairs as he could with bug men hot on his heels; and even more Aspis spilled out of the bug tunnels into the sewer room. As this was occurring, Riardon had dashed down the narrow hallway reaching the top f the stairs. He positioned himself at the stair/ramp controls ready to flip the switch once Jolrael reached safety. Enkili pounded after the Elven rogue, sheathing The Sainted Sword as he ran.

The cry Jolrael had given caused the former prisoners to panic. They dashed to and fro with most of them crowding into the northern portion of the platform. A few of the survivors even crawled back down into the pits. Leiya devoted her efforts into quelling the panic amid the former captives, using soothing tones to begin directing their efforts to remain together; and to trust their rescuers to keep them from harm. Seeing the priestess had the prisoners well in hand, Blaylocke followed everyone else down the hall, he hit Enkili with another Bardic Inspiration. Riardon was faced with a tough choice. Part of him wanted to get involved in the fight steps away from himself, but with many Elven curses on his tongue, he forced himself to wait for the sorcerer to clear the doorway so he could flip the stairs back into a ramp.

Floating out of sword reach by his Tempestuous Magic abilities, Jolrael detonated another Storm Sphere where he had stood. He floated through the door as high winds buffeted the bug men and one bolt of lightening coruscated harmlessly off the carapace of a harassing Aspis. The Sorcerer wished to do more with this spell, but Riardon flipped the switch turning the stairs into a steep ramp. Instead, Jolly slammed the door closed which caused the mighty spell to end early. More Aspis pour into the sewer room even as the view was cut off. Trading places with Riardon, Enkili positioned himself near the door, bidding his friends to go back and open the door in the little southern room. The same door the evil priestess fled through, and through which the remaining undiscovered prisoners had been taken.

*Our next game will be March 17th, gods willing.
**Our shopping list: we now need 600 gold pieces worth of diamonds for our clerics, as well as a grapnel hook, and a crowbar.

[b]

Highlights of Episode Seventy Eight
Gurthos 8th CE 1031

[/b]

*Another short game due to technical ^%#$@!!! &$^#$!…. Pardon the implied invective.

Blaylocke quickly handed the key off to Riardon, almost a short toss. The rogue quickly turned that key in the lock afraid he was about to hear the weevil like Aspis begin pounding and attempting to break through. Both he and Blaylocke were slightly unnerved from the silence coming from the sewer room. Riardon did not waste time listening too long, he thrust passed everyone heading back to the sorting pens. Grynn kept his hands upon his weapons while keeping watch on the door inside the small room, just in case the priestess returned that way.

While organizing the prisoners, Leiya began asking what they knew about this facility. The subdued responses she received told her that everyone in the holding pens had been herded passed an Orc camp or village coming from the tunnels on the far side of the pens; the people no longer in the pens had been taken through the small room and not seen again. Jolrael, Enkili, and Blaylocke also headed back to the holding pens, jostling by each other in the narrow passage. Riardon moved up next to Grynn and discovered no lock for the key he held, so he produced his tools and began to unlatch it using his unique skills to great effect. Enkili decided that they should keep the prisoners between them with Riardon leading the scouting party while he and Grynn brought up the rear.

Further, the fighting man encouraged the prisoners to take arms and armor so they could help free themselves. Leiya showed her quality when she offered her spare weapons to the unfortunates in their care, an example that Enkili quickly imitated, turning over his mace and dagger to those unafraid to take them. Jolrael set himself in the middle of the pack, keeping an eye toward the sewers just in case the bug men did come that way. Blaylocke and Riardon moved through the door, finding themselves on a landing before south facing steps down into a small room that hooked west. Moving ahead of the Dwarf, Riardon caught a glimpse around the corner. A wide room seemed to run south, full of barred cells full of prisoners in a terrified state. Each of them were belly down on the floor with hands covering their heads, their whimpers of fear only audible to himself and the Halforcs waiting to unleash their trap.

Shooting between bars, a crossbow armed Orc drilled Riardon before the Elf could step back (crit.). Hearing the guttural shout from the Halforc’s Jolly tried to wade forward, but too many freed prisoners were in his way. He began to call for them to fall back to the holding cell platform. The Bard used a Healing Word on Riardon before placing himself to fire an arrow at anyone coming around the corner; he called back word of the pending skirmish which helped turn the freed people back from the steps. Enkili could only dance with impatience, switching weapons from sword to bow, while waiting for the free folk to make a path. More Orc breed’s move up from the hidden southern portion of the jail.

A woman’s voice rose up in a chant from the south, casting an unknown spell. Riardon popped out as the enemies maneuvered to new positions and cast a Firebolt on one Halforc, injuring him. A heavily robed figure also moved up from the south, waving his arms and intoning a spell. Instead of shooting this partially concealed figure, Blaylocke unleashed a potent Counterspell and disrupted this fell spell caster. Though Grynn kept his features and emotions more in check than the fighter, he too felt helpless in the back waiting for the prisoners to grant him a path to the fight. Leiya crossed from the stairs to the southern wall, around the corner from the nearest Halforcs and the spell caster. Not having a lot of options left to her since her spells were all but used up, she pulled forth the red gem she had acquired in Dharsta. She began to unleash the fire elemental held inside the glowing stone….

*Here is where our VTT failed us again, bringing a sudden and final quelling chill to our game. Fortunately not the final chill of a TPK, but an unwanted halt to the immersion.
**Our shopping list: we now need 600 gold pieces worth of diamonds for our clerics, as well as a grapnel hook, and a crowbar.
*** I think our next game is Easter Sunday, March 31st.