Write up follows:
So the party was in the room before the Bandersnatch pen, and they verified they had all 5 keys, taking the time to figure out which key went into which lock. From the other side of the pen they could hear the Bandersnatch snuffling and banging on the door (9’ tall, 6’ wide for those keeping track!).
We had the makings of a plan that involved a number of spells and scrolls but the truth was it was about 9 PM and the party was pretty low on fumes. A rest would be a good idea. But can we rest? How about the bar? This was something we wanted to talk to Decron, the Octodron, about. But when we went to open the door, he was actually there.
He had come to watch the fight as he had been alerted that the 5 keys had been claimed and the parties have come to the pen entrance. When we talked about resting beforehand he said that would be fine but the party could not partake of any of the Deep Root Stout as they had no horn and were not proven to be heroic yet.
He waited until we all left the room and then went with us to the bar where he let us sack out and answered a number of questions we had. He would not describe the Bandersnatch except as a being from Pandemonium. There had been others who had fought the Bandersnatch and lost and it was up to him to slay it and drag it back to the pen before it became alive again.
So, not permanently dead? Nope, as a being of chaos, it does come back to life some time after it had been slain. Good to know. How does he kill it? He has a sword that can do so, snicker-snak. A few of us had the idea that there was a vorpal blade nearby and on asking if we could borrow it, were told “no”. No surprise there.
Our questions wandered around for a while until we realized that Decron avoided telling us anything detailed about our fight to come and just that the conflict ends on getting the horn. So maybe…we can get its horn first before killing it. Food for thought.
We went over many plans and eventually fell asleep, awakening the next day, Icemonth the 4th, early in the morning (we assumed). We prayed, studied, prepped weapons and tactics, doled out scrolls, and set up the timing of what was to go on. It was almost 8 when the 12 of us (including Decron!) made our way to the pen area. We had given Rhygar and Silk instructions to STAY out of the fight and hole up in the “dead adventurer’s trophy room” for now – and if it sounds like we lost – to get the hell out of the dungeon as soon as possible.
So that left 9 combatants ready. Menaria was going to use the keys to open the doors one at a time, trusting in herself and her shield to keep the Bandersnatch off of her. The rest of us were going to be spread about the room and ready for whatever came our way. Extra shields were placed about the chamber and as Menaria worked through the locks, just at the last one Vulwulf, Asher, and Percy cast Barkskin, Shield of Faith, multiple Blesses, and a Protection from Chaos – as the last key was opened and the door opened.
The Bandersnatch plowed out with a pair of huge sweeping horns on its bovine body – looking like a ton and a half black stone snorting bull with fire coming from its nose and heat radiating from its skin.
It mowed down the shieldbearer (as she expected) and plowed toward the heart of the party horns flailing as it gored the group. We shot spells, fairie fires, bolts and sling stones at it as it shook off most of the easy blows, turning its bulk sideways to trample anyone too close. And then its skin grew hot and a fire flashed out like spitting magma from its skin and everyone nearby hissed and snarled in pain.
At this point Shim began summoning monsters to join the fight. Bugbears, lizardmen, even a giant frog took part. Darius got a lucky blow with a sling bullet, fragmenting part of one of the horns but that was it. Sybil had her sling torn and the party had to scatter as the Bandersnatch charged again across the room, driving Darius back who had to swap weapons. Shields were splintering as the mighty horns attempted to gore the group, when they did hit, doing terrible damage.
Plus its skin kept changing colors and spitting for chlorine gas, bolts of electricity, even radiating bands of icy cold. Connal attempted to ride its back but was knocked off and forced into the corner. More shields broke as we hit the creature again and again.
Shim lucked out and one of his summonings called not just a crested lizardman, but a chieftain one! It relished the idea of the fight and stayed its ground, its huge spiked club doing terrible damage to the Bandersnatch. A number of the party too close to the fight were bleeding badly, suffering from multiple painful wounds and out of shields. Spells were fading and the Bandersnatch continued its one beast rampage but the Lizardman Chief being there took most of the obvious blows and returned the effort – and the Bandersnatch fell over dead.
We clove the horn from its skull and the party took a few of its “rocks” as trophies while Decron shouted “Calloh Callay!” and invited us back to the Asgardian Rathskeller Outlet. We drank the Stout and eventually the summoned beasts faded away. And then thanked Decron for his time and he wished us well – and the group made their way back and out of the Glyph gate and one again in the Terror Dungeon.
Ok…On guard again, we decided it was time to leave. So we snuck out of the pit room, down the hall to the water damaged chamber, through where the Ogre’s would be, up the slope, around the corner and past the room with the trees, beyond the Lathandar Glyph gate, and then down slope to the area near the bugbear lair.
It was at the door that would lead us out that we heard voices not too far away, elven sounding and something deeper – many of them. We discussed staying and seeing and fighting or just backing away. We decided to back away so back UP the slope and to the Glyph Gate area, turned south and to the side secret chamber where we hid within and waited.
It was worth it for almost 45 minutes later we heard voices coming closer, and it seemed to be the same elvish voices. They were talking about trade and barrels and the bugbears and then they faded away. We waited another half hour just to make sure and then snuck out of the secret area. We retraced our way to the same long corridor and went off to the main Entrance One to leave. Just shy of the door there was a 40 gallon barrel just sitting there. Beyond there we could faintly hear voices in the distance.
Hitting the stairs we made all speed on our way out when Shim felt a feedback from his spell...someone dispelled it.
Not good.
At the top of the steps we called for the guards to open then spilled up to the surface again. The doors were barred again we took stock that we had made it. Kara the guard guardian took our names and spoke with Darius for a bit, making plans to meet with him after 2 when she gets off. Time? 10:04 AM, Icemonth the 4th.
We went to the Visitors hall and then to the Mess hall where we got some drink and relaxed, decompressing from the long and successful foray. Looking around we weren’t the only adventurers doing that, at least 2 other groups were deep in their cups and introspective. The last group was young, loud, brash, and seemed out of place – almost arrogant.
When they checked the time and it was after 11, they got up to leave and Darius followed them. They went to the 2nd visitor’s hall, got geared up in seemingly brand new armor and equipment, and had a group of 3 henchmen following along. Seemed to be a mix of classes and they were trash talking with one another before heading down to the dungeon.
After waiting a few minutes Darius went down and asked Kara who they were. A Canaslan Adventuring Band known as Crimson Wave and this was their first foray down. He thanked her for the info, went back to the party, shared with them what he learned about them, and suggested that they might very well be in over their heads.
No comments:
Post a Comment