2nd Campaign, A1, Session 5. 5/27/26

Birthmonth the 8th, 11:30 AM. We talked to Govaine, he escaped 9 year old slave boy, about the layout of the west side of the Temple of Grummsh. The way he got out. Where Karraway might be, and the portcullis. We felt pretty good about our chances and rested for the day. About 7 PM we are well and then after curfew had been called, about 8ish, he left the Temple of Uller and west went down Temple Way. We snuck behind the Temple at the top of the refuse trench and walked the length of it again.

At 8:30, we had come to the back of the Temple Grounds, stepped through the broken wall, and made it to the Temple of Gruumsh again. Once here, Sylas bundled our now 3 sets of rags into hobobundles to take out with us when we leave, Carl summoning some water to wash the ranger’s hands and gloves clear.

We followed the west side of the grounds along to the front and looked over from the woodcutter’s shed to the front door. Portcullis was down, couldn’t see the send set. Rhareli used his ring of invisibility and snuck over to the area to look in. 25’ x 25’ space between the bars, 2nd set was currently up about 5’. Could see a cart and some tables in the gloom of the courtyard. Orcish voices.

He snuck back and shared what we learned. We came up with a plan to loop rope between a few of the bars in 2 places and used a crowbar to twist the ropes, making the bars bend. Before we tried it though, we had Rhareli call to Garl to silence the area. Then Hrimvir and Rhareli worked the bars and ropes, bending them over and making a space big enough for us to sneak in.

Sylas snuck up to the 2nd set, braced a length of wood there in case the portcullis drops, and came back to share. 10 orcs, at least 2 more on either side of the entrance but hidden. We figured on Atlas firing off a sleep spell eventually but wanted Gun and Rhaerli to flip around the corners and take out the orc’s in the winch rooms – prevent the portcullis from being dropped on us. Then we run in.

9:05 both the gnome and halfling snuck around the corner and entered the winch rooms. Gun had 2 orcs in his, one with a sword pointing at the other, swearing that he is NOT his friend. Rhareli had a single orc wearing a chain shirt in his. Both snuck up and Gun struck the orc with the sword first. Wrist dagger pierced his neck and he went down dead. The other orc looked at Gun, thanked him, picked up the sword, and then shimmered – turning into Gun! Doppleganger! He started shouting. As for Rhareli, he lined up his backstab and hit – but the orc here was not some common orc, and was instead a skilled fighter. He rolled with the stab, and stood up, whipping his spear around, giving the gnome a solid stab in the thigh.

Battle on.

In the courtyard, the orcs nearest the tables dumped them over and propped up crossbows, shooting at Yandr and Hrimvir running towards the battle. The ones nearest the cart with the barrels on it started working a bellows on it while two other were untwisting hoses and ready to point them at the group.

Rhareli was outgunned and was calling for help. Yandr, Hrimvir, and Carl converged on the closest table, attacking the crossbow orc’s beyond. Sylas heard Gun’s calls and ran around the corner – seeing 2 guns! One had crossbow’ed the other and they were struggling now. Both were arguing that Sylas should kill the other when the ranger asked one “wait, you can understand me?” It replied of course and Sylas killed that one. “How’d you know that the right one?” the assassin asked. “Because it was able to understand my works through my heavy accent.” Gun looked at the ranger and frowned. “What, boy?”

As the pump orcs were about ready Atlas crumbled up some rose petals and let them fly, putting 1, 2, 3…and 4. All 4 orcs at the cart to sleep! Nice. The cart had some barrels attached to the mantlet made of brass and bronze. Pressure was running through, the smell of gas and oil was strong. Gun took a shot at the cart, hitting a barrel but nothing happened.

Cara got close enough to help out, hurling her enchanted spear and hitting where she could. The orcs near the front were down to 1 and Rhareli was about half hit points when Yandr finally cleared enough of the battle to enter the winch room and slide the gnome behind him. The paladin and the orcish fighter were evenly matched, trading strokes and blows in rapid succession.

Sylas could see Gun shooting at the barrels so joined it, the ranger firing at the pressurized barrels. And then finally, it happened. One of them punched through, raised sparks…and the entire pump cart exploded setting the courtyard there on fire and sending a plume of fire and smoke 30’ into the air, shaking the courtyard, and alerting everyone left that we were here.

The orc fighting Yandr gave him a shove backwards out of the winch room and slammed it closed. “No more fight with you!” it said with a growl. “Alright…we’ve done enough! Let’s go!” In the distance we could hear the night guards yelling fire and the clang of alarm bells were growing more numerous and louder.

We ran for the main gate, 47 minutes after we had originally entered the grounds, Sylas dragging the dead doppleganger behind him, Atlas urging him on. We hit the main road and ran eastward to the Temple of Uller, entered the gates, and then the main temple where Father Falder was surprised to see us again. So soon.

We wrapped up the body in some cloth and tied it closed, discussed what we did and what went wrong, and figured we’d lie low for the next 3 days for the Dragoons to eventually move on and the situation at the Temple of Grummsh to calm down.

As for the body, Sylas and Gun had done some investigating around town, eventually getting a line that someone at the Pig and Whistle might know an arcanist or an apothecist who could make use of the Doppleganger’s body. Then wandered there and spoke to Herin, one of the bar tenders there. Herin was a bit disturbed when it was mentioned they might actually have a body, but told them that at the est end of the Warehouse district, there is an import/export person named Heimo who would be best to talk to.

They left, took the body from behind the Pig and Whistle, covered it with a cloak and walked to the Warehouse area. Checking the signs they felt this was the right place and came up, asking a burly looking stevedore sitting outside the warehouse doors, whittling a piece of wood. Pleasantries were exchanged as Sylas was mentioning wanting to talk to Heimo and we had a body. The Whittler was stunned. You had a body. A dead body? Here? Who sent you here. They mentioned Herin and the Pig and Whistle and the Whittler was unhappy, suggesting they leave and leave now as most likely the Dragoons were coming soon.

Gun wanted the whittler’s name but he refused to give it. This got Gun mad. The Whittler then put down the wood he was whittling and took a new one, looking at Gun’s face intently before whittling the new piece. “What’s that?” The Whittler pointed to other figures and faces near him. “Whittling of people who used to bother me and don’t anymore.”

We refused to leave, he told us to leave the body and go, and Gun was getting more and more cross with the whittler. Eventually Heimo was gotten and they were told to get off the street now. Inside we met Heimo and Ilvi, his assistant who works as a gravedigger normally but also works here with Heimo regarding preservation and corpse shipment. They have a friend in Seaford who buys such “fruit” from them and offered the two 20 crowns for the Doppleganger. Gun was seriously asking what the Whittler’s name was.

While we were knee deep in this, a violent knocking was at the door. Captain Vauli of the Highport Dragoons was here to ask questions about the transport of a dead body. He was eventually let in but not until Heimo had the doppleganger’s body brought to a secret coffin/crate with a drop away bottom and placed within. Captain Vauli and 6 Dragoons were here and the conversation did not go very well.

We have a ghast problem in town and Ilvi is slumming here, go to the cemetery now. Who the fuck are you two? Mr Smith and Mr Jones. Did you have a body? NO. Yes. It was a deer. I’m a hunter. Sure enough they pointed to a deer corpse in here and everyone agreed that was what was being transported through town. Heimo then took out 200 crowns and gave it to Sylas as payment for the “deer”. Unable to argue over the shortfall cost of the doppleganger, we took it. The Csaptain was not believing us. 200 crowns for a deer carcass? Where you staying?

At a hotel. Where? In the middle of town. Does this hotel have a name? I’m sure it does, I cannot read. Really? Fine, let’s go to this “hotel” and I want to talk to the proprietor that you are actually staying there. As we were leaving Captain Vauli was pissed off, we have a ghast issue and some dump fuck is moving corpses or killing people in town. Gun said that he knows some people who could help with the ghast issue, and the Captain offered to go with Gun afterwards to talk to whoever he has.

We came to the Two Seasons Hotel near town square and Sylas was like, oh yes, this is the place. Really? Let’s go in. They entered and Captain Vauli went to the desk clerk and talked to him about Sylas, pointing to him, Is this guy staying here?  Behind the Captain’s back, Sylas lifted the bag of gold he had gotten from Heimo and made a begging face, showing some of the coin. The Desk clerk didn’t hesitate and backed up Sylas’ story. We left the ranger here (who overpaid for a room here to keep the desk clerk from alerting the Dragoons) and went with Gun back to the Temple of Uller.

He introduced the Captain to everyone, said he was Mr. Jones, said nothing about missing Sylas, and we listened to Vauli’s pitch about hunting the Ghasts. We agreed to go with them, he has an undead hunting ranger on staff and we agreed to go with them to find the lair. First 2 days were a loss, but we did find a ghast lair near the east end of town by the granary. The ranger doused it with holy water and they were setting up a new lair that would be attractive to ghasts elsewhere but lined with traps and falls to help catch and kill it.

Meanwhile Gun was spending 3 days following the Whittler, who he learned was named Sminki. His comings, goings, and patterns. Finally on the evening of the 12th as the Whittler was passing a dark alley on his way home, Gun lunged out and stabbed – hitting hard – but failing to assassinate him! The Whittler began yelling for guards and running away and Gun faded into the background, eventually making his way to the Temple. “Some other time, then,” he muttered.

By this point it was Birthmonth the 13th. As for the Temple of Gruumsh, an orcish paramilitary group run by a Karraway had been illegally squatting on the temple grounds and were arrested, eventually sent off to do hard labor at the zinc mines north of town. There was no other issues and eventually the Dragoons put a new chain and lock on the gate, reminding the populace that the Temple was off limits and to not enter the grounds again.

We were going to sneak back in tonight.

Meet 159, Adv 16, 5/16/26

Heatmonth 18th, 2:05 PM. We checked the wall of Thorns, verified it was going to hold for a while, and then started doling out healing. The thought was we were NOT going to leave here today, but instead set up camp and eventually rest.

A few of us went to look over the Feeder, noting that Asmodeus was hanging back and watching. We asked why and he let us know that the creature was not of this earth, not of this plane. And parts of it were sieving back to the Astral plane through micro-cracks in the foundation. It will eventually get dry and calcify in 2 to 3 weeks, but as long as it is “wet”, it is a possible beacon or conduit for other extra dimensional things.

Ok, we left it alone.

We shared food, drink, smoke, peyote, pipe, songs, stories, and tales. Ghostbear admitted he wanted to count coup against Nate but he showed such bravery and focus, that he was no longer a concern for the medicine man. Asmodeus let us know about the native American heroes, and in some worlds the most heroic deeds and magics they had done, earning their reward in the happy hunting grounds. So it is sad for them on some level to be in heaven and then no longer there. There was not a way for them to get back home, but they have a new chance at another life now and who knows what the stories that will come out from their actions now.

Asmodeus did talk at length, offering us answers to questions about the cosmology of the planes and our place in it. He identified the primodial dagger as belonging to the first race of mortals – the Melnibone. After the dragons were fashioned and sent out to seed the worlds with magic, the Melnibone were crafted by a consortium of the greater gods to catalog the magic in place and report back to the gods on the order of the planes. They established large cities and eventually were supplanted by the rise of elves, dwarves, and goblinoid races – most of them have faded over time, jaded and weary of long lives and unable to seek new joys. Nate’s heterogenesis to a higher life form no longer places him as a person, but one of the original pure bloods who existed before even elves. What he does with his life from this point on is his own, but Asmodeus finds it comforting and interesting that a Melnibonian has arisen after millennia of their absence here.

As for our fight against Dagon – he informed us that besides the ritual he would be providing for us, as far as weaponry was concerned, the Lord of Nightmares would need to be struck with weapons of pure silver. Not specifically magic – but silver weaponry. He then pointed to Nate’s Dagger- and that as well. The dragon would need magic to be defeated, but once it was slain, Dagon would need silver.

We discussed options. Silver dipping a weapon is a possibility, but the silvering would only last 1 to 8 solid blows before flaking free. A weapon forged in and of silver would be better. We would look at options at town/Bork Keep.

We spelt well and awoke the next day, doling out healing and getting ready to move on. Ghostbear blighted the Wall of Thorns and we walked up the stairs and into the Labyrinth. It was quiet here, no one was around. We strode through the stone halls following our path back to the surface. The salt column was missing and we got through there without issue. Eventually we arrived at the stairs and we took them slowly up and with care. It was quiet. So quiet. No one was around.

At the 3rd level we walked the goblin history hall until we arrived at the 3rd Warren. And it was empty. Not a single goblin nor their belongings could be seen or found. Apartments emptied. Belongings taken. The Buffalo skin was still here, mounted on the ceiling, We took it down and rolled it up, taking it with us. As we walked along we came to the 2nd Warren. The Overwatch was still there but everyone was missing. The streets were dim, the doors opened. Everyone was gone. We walked to the stairs up to the 1st Warren and looked. The Hwa’cha’s were missing as well as the people. The water still fell from above to the cistern.

We looked around for the water babies, told earlier that if they could be reintroduced to the water, they would come back to life. In the cathedral we found them there, along with other goblin grisly trophies. Taking the dried squidlike forms back to the water we tossed them in and they filled back up and were whole again. The Cree Nageshi were called and they too joined us. Looking over the statue of Maglubiyat, Asher left a small set of edicts for future goblin tribes that might settle here on how to behave and what Maglubiyat wants from them.

The mass of us headed west up and out of the Warren to the far passage. We set up the block and tackle and spent a few hours hoisting people out as well as Stoneribs walking them up the wall. At the top of the last floor we came upon 5 spectral animal spirits standing here. Raven, Coyote, Owl, Wolf, and Bear. Bear informed us that he made sure to gorge the hell out of the actual bear first so it would sleep off the big meal and give us safe passage.

We walked past the sleeping cave bear to the top of Donnegarten and looked out over the setting sun and land beyond. Each of the 5 spirit animals gave up a bit of their divine energy to fill Buffalo’s hide, returning the powerful spirit animal to life again. The 6 animal spirits then all bowed to us, stepped out of the cave into the sun and then off into the greater world.

We rested the night in the Wyvern’s old cave and the next day, all of us leftthe cave, went down the mountain, across the valley, to the rise of hills and then south to the Captain Twilick and Zephyr’s Windshade. He had gone back to refuel and get supplies a week and a half ago but was waiting for us. The party, Stoneribs, Ghostbear, and Asmodeus all boarded and we headed the 5 hours to Bork Keep arriving on Heatmonth the 20th at 8:30, about 20 days after we had gone into the cave.

We knew we had some weeks of training ahead of us and figured we’d be done and ready to adventure on Firemonth the 5th. We did learn that the Speaker of the Moon, The Most Blessed of Frey, reported that through their great magic, the Life Tree was reborn and was growing once more in Tilani. Not the Kaiser’s machinations, the evil of dwarves, or those who tried and killed the Speaker of the Sun could extinguish the might of the elven people. With the Lifetree growing again, there is much discussion and excitement in the councils regarding the elven nation.

Which gives us 2 months and 29 days exactly to face off and finish Sanctodragodon and seal the last gate before our time is over and we are forced return to our time with Ragnarok unstopped. We had 3 weeks to study, train, and outfit ourselves before figuring out the next and last bit of our adventure.

Meet 158, Adv 16, 5/9/26

1:35 PM, Heatmonth the 18th. The Feeder roared overhead, acidic spittum flowing from its hundreds of ulcerous mouths, its tentacles trailing across the ground as if questing to find us. We ran off, the group splitting in half, some hoping to lead it east, others southeast. It flailed about and then followed, its tentacles retracting and then slamming forward, hitting like horned whips. We ran off as it tracked one of the groups. Slowing them down with a deep gurgle and then spitting out a small wave of green slime.

We dodged around, blocking the bulk with an upraised shield before discarding it and running to the side. The Feeder matched our speed, sending tentacles to slam around us, each one whipping, biting, and tearing flesh. We managed to get a torch lit and then another one. The groups converged briefly to share fire while another green slime was sent out. Arrows flew but most of them struck lightly, only a few drilling deep.

We burned the slime we could and then ran off faster to the east, minute after minute, The Feeder following. Wilhelm called out to Shakak for a lightning spell but would have to wait for the time to arrive to get one to fly. We were running out of shields and figured on getting enough of a gap to open the hut and get some more.

Shim and Stoneribs, loping along the ceiling at as fast a clip as the native hero could risk, arrived at the pulsar gate – 72’ above the gave floor. The gate was spinning roughly every second and a half, the images shifting again and again and again. Shim reached out, took hold of the diamond, and pushed – and the edge of the spinning gate threatened to rip his arm off as fire from the briefly stopped elemental plane of fire spilled out burning both him and Stoneribs. They backed up and got their bearings to try again.

The group had run pretty far east, outside of easy strikes from the Feeder when they felt it was close enough to the right time to open the hut. Darius put it down, grabbed the door, lifted up, and opened it. And the being from another extradimensional space used the opening of an extra dimensional space to SHOVE its tentacles through the open door, wrap around Darius – and after squeezing the fuck out of him, reverse and PULL him back THROUGH the door of the hut! He tried to stop it by turning his shield and using the metal to brace him briefly on either side of the door frame but the Feeder would not be deterred and puuu..llll….ed hard – and Darius disappeared – reappearing in a spray of light and tentacles WITH the Feeder, who proceeded to lift the knight up and have its many cilia, tendrils, and mouths hold him fast to its body and start to feed.

Fucking hell.

Trying again at the Pulsar Gate, Shim reached out and struck the diamond at the BOTTOM of the gate where the spinning axis was. The Desmondian Diamond held fast and crackling energy pulsed around the gate as connection was made. And he started to lift.

Which alerted the Feeder who TURNED and was now heading back to Shim and Stoneribs – Darius held to the beast and being eaten slowly. Asher pointed at it, “What the fuck?!” as the group turned (closed the hut) and started to run after the Feeder. Arrows flew and we shot what we could but the feeder flew on. It was here that Ghostbear gave the party a chance. He called to his ancestors, shook his medicine bag, and caused a massive wall of stone to appear sideways, from the ground here, up through the air, and over the feeder. Slamming down on it and dropping it 10’ down. It howled in fury as it was briefly stopped bore trying to fly off from under the massive stone.

Nate, Connal, and one or 2 others ran up the wall as fast as they could, charging for the Feeder. It slid forward, the wall scrapping along its back, but all three made the beast and proceeded to try and cut Darius free. The knight was trapped in dozens of tentacles as other tentacles swept over the Feeders back, hitting and smashing at the party.

And of course, The Eternal Queen Helen Back, showed up as this time.

The demonic goblin sent a wave of abyssal force up to Shim and Stoneribs, making a Lolthian Spider appear. She then proceeded to approach the party, whip and sword out and at the ready, fire running up and down her form. On The Feeder, the group was hacking Darius free while getting pummelled by tentacles. The knight was slowly released from the tentacles while Nate used his primordial dagger to slam the Feeder hard, the ancient blade making it scream and forcing it to drop out of the sky.

Spells and magic flew out at Helen, arrows came next, she responded with a wave of energy and a 15 count of goblins appeared, ripping into the party. The Feeder was shedding slimes and tentacles, Darius was free, and as the Feeder was dropping lower, the group left Nate to deal with the monstrosity, jumping to the ground to shift the fight to Helen. On the ceiling the spider bit Stoneribs who failed his save and had poison run through his body. He carefully placed Shim INSIDE the rift, the gnome sorcerer anchoring himself in place, still zipping the portal closed. Free now he tore into the spider, smashing and pulverizing it.

On the floor the group was making short work of the goblins, everyone hitting, slashing, and punching. The party’s heavy hitters ran for Helen, potions drunk and Darius moving faster and faster. The knight hit the queen with a cyclone of assaults, making her stagger for the first time. She returned the favor, flaming blade making short work of his shield and then breathing a cloud of abyssal fire right into his face.

Nate was turning the Feeder, stabbing it repeatedly on one side, making the beast low and twist, turning in the air as it tried to dislodge him. He was constantly getting whipped and then healing it by using the primordial blades magic to siphon the lifeforce to himself. His white hair was whipping wildly as he drove the eldritch horror away from the party. It was beating him up psychically at this point, trying to shred him from the foundation of his very being, Mind blasts, psychic crushes, Ego whips. Stoneribs finally killed the spider, suffering more poison, and pulled Shim OUT of the pulsar gate, the hole continuing to close. To hide them, Shim shot off a darkness spell to obscure them from the Queen below.

She summoned a gibbing mouther to attack the group. Connal turned to face it, cutting and punching and hitting at it. The goblins were being slain almost to an entirety. Darius was doing his utmost to take her out, attacking her twice for each one of her attacks. He would sacrifice attacks to parry, his shields were being torn apart, and she breathed gouts of burning fire into his face almost like clockwork every 45 seconds, burning his hair, eyebrows, eye lids, and lips.

Nate got the last blow in on the Feeder and it fell from the sky, hitting the ground and driving a furrow before falling to the side and the exhausted Nate slumped to the ground trying to catch his breath. As Helen was fighting, she glanced at the many goblins there and made a lifting motion – animating all of the dead greenskins into zombies – who then turned and attacked the party AGAIN.

It was here that 2 Stone Giants showed up, Stan and Lans. Pointing at the dark spot above where the Pulsar gate was she told them to take it out. They lifted big rocks and let them fly, staggering the two party members up there, some wounds, but they kept on. She dispelled the darkness and Shim smirked, and put it back in place again.

As for the giants, it was Eoghan’s time to shine. The ranger drew a 4 count of arrows and took aim, shooting them one at a time, doing terrible damage to the first Stone Giant – dropping him in a single volley to 60% of his hit points. The party was fighting on. Summoned monsters appeared next, Stray lighting from Wilhelm’s spell crashed down from the sky, sending enemies to scatter. Seeing the party in trouble, Nate got up and was running towards the party, hands waving and shouting, making himself shine like a beacon, outlined in Witchfire somehow. The giants took aim at him for a change and fired boulders in his direction while Shim got the gate a bit more closed.

Queen Helen tore deep into Darius’ flesh and breathed another gout of fire at his face as he returned the favor, slashing at her again and again. She was being attacked on 4 sides now and Eoghan finished off one of the stone giants. The second decided this wasn’t worth it and backed off, pissing Queen Helen off. She summoned another Lolthian spider outside the dark area and sent it across the ceiling to attack Stoneribs again. Once more he had to place Shim INSIDE the Pulsar Gate to deal with the arachnid. The undead goblins were being taken out and another giant showed – this was the Cloud Giant. Using a massive spear he hurled it at the group, making them hurt badly. Eoghan returned another volley of arrows, one of them a critical hit, along with Ghostbear’s massive Wall of Thorns choking the stairs to the ceiling. It was forced to give ground and Queen Helen could see that she was not going to prevail.

So…She snarled at the group and Dimension Doored away.

In the silence the followed we redoubled our efforts to finish the closing when the air grew cold, everything seemed to slow down and stepping out of the shadows, was the figure we had seen a few times before…Asmodeus.

“What do you think you are doing with that gate?” He asked. “I have need of that gate and if you close it, you will put a massive crimp in my plans to go home.”

Outfitted with foreknowledge, we agreed to hold off for now and we all gathered down here to talk. Asmodeus is smart, terribly smart. He gleaned quickly that we were from the future and somehow were back here fucking with time. That means his plan to have the dwarves force ragnarok worked. But none of the gods would dare to use Cronus’ power, the god of time after helping to establish the universe, self exiles to the deepest hole in Tartarus to keep the flow of time safe. Too many times gods try to “fix” things and they often time, because they don’t know enough about their actions, they cause the ruin of the world.

He then showed us past universes destroyed from fucking with time. Dozens. Hundreds. Thousands. Over ten Thousand. So we must have gotten this one time hole, or jaunt sponsored from a powerful divine being but NOT one that is worshipped. We talked for a while about what we had seen and why we are doing this.

Asmodeus knows that his lieutenants in hell will cover for his absence until he returns, but he doesn’t want to make himself known here because that will invite a corresponding angelic/divine response which will be terrible for the world and still not allow him to get home. What he needs is a massive rip to occur big enough to cover his energy signature to pass through. There are not many options.

We talked about Sanctodragodon. Dagon, the Lord of Nightmares, was birthed here in a place called the Fane of Dracos. When a dragon is born, it releases magic into the world. And when a dragon dies, the same thing happens. The Starlitzian Lizardmen had been guardians of this Fane and over the centuries, forgot why they were guarding thousands of dragon eggs. But in their desire to finally fight back against the Randari Ympire, they raided the Fane, killed a number of dragon eggs, and opened the gate for Dagon to come through. And to hide himself, Dagon is nesting inside the massive black dragon, Sancto.

If, and if, Dagon was to be slain, it would cause a massive implosive hole that Asmodeus could then use to step through back to Hell. He is not so sure the group can do it. He does offer some help, a ritual they can use to weaken Dagon but only after they kill the dragon for around him. As for the 3rd gate? Well…that is actually INSIDE Sanctodragodon. The hole passes though the negative energy plane and is part of what fuels the lord of nightmares here.

As for Asmodeus, he was adamant about one thing. He does not lie. Ever. He might hide the truth or avoid an answer, but as for who he is, he is Lawful. No one would ever enter a contract with him or his minions if he was anything less than honest in that regard. We…agreed.

And now we had a direction to work in. Heatmonth 18th, 2:05 PM.

Meet 157, Adv 16, 5/2/26

10:38 PM, Heatmonth the 17th. With the Wall of Force in place, we had a chance to move on, but it would not last long. Could they Hellfire Transport through it? Was there another way down? What would Helen bring to bear? We paused long enough to dole out the little healing we had left and move on, looking at the walls of the 500 years of goblin history, displayed in pictograms.

We went into the hut and got clothes, shields, and arrows. At some point Nate asked Ghostbear about him coming back and coming back weaker. The Medicine Man explained that passing through the veil of death robs everyone and those lucky enough to have their hoop restored, finds it a bit smaller and more fragile. He tried to explain about the missing hit points. Everyone else who had come back had come back with some health but he came back at just barely alive.

Ghostbear admitted flat out that that was by design. Why? He leveled a finger and reminded Nate of his tirade against him a few days ago and that they did not need his help. He promised to withhold it on a going forward. The deal was to keep you from death and have your soul slide to the Umbra for now, that was all he was going to get. Things went back and forth ad got a bit heated and then Connal interjected insulting the medicine man about not wanting to listen him on his soap box when Ghost bear exploded in anger.

Your people take and take and give no thought to the things they make happen. He doesn’t have to do a fucking thing for you, you, or you (pointed specifically to Nate, Connal, and Shim – the original 3 who picked a fight with Ghostbear days ago) – and after watching their actions in getting Geronimo killed during the battle because the forced him to make the jump at the Rust Monster – so they didn’t have to risk facing it. Geronimo did make the jump, he can be influenced to do things if enough people pressure him, did kill the monster and some goblins there, but was 30’ behind enemy lines and surrounded and his jump skill requires him to be free, and ended up dying.

Does he go to the Umbra? No. No he doesn’t. Ghostbear can Shadowstep to the Umbra and take others there but he needs to be touching them to make the walk to help them escape death and Geronimo was too far away. He’s dead. His hoop is broken, and it was the party’s fault it had happened. He did not want to make the jump and said so 2 times before the group pressured him to doing so. And now his friend is gone. He was spitting blood he was so angry. Shim and Nate were talking afterwards, making plans and contingencies. It was not a pretty sight.

We ran on to the end of the corridor some 200’ away and came to a shaft heading down into the gloom. A scaffolding set of wooden steps circled around the pit, going down the rest of the way. We gathered around and ran on, eventually getting to the bottom. It seemed like a labyrinth of some sort. Ceiling was 15’ tall and passage ran off to the northeast and southeast. Walls seemed to be sort of worked, pumice, concrete looking. Unsure of options, Nate used his Trident to scout for any dangers nearby. To the east, through the walls and at the limit of the range, he ended up seeing a tall giant figure working on some weaponry. Pale of skill and white hair.

We decided to head northeast. After some time the passage had the ceiling rise and we ended up seeing a decent sized chamber here. What appeared to be an oversized Hematite cubic crystal dominated the center of the room, stretching up 11’. We did not enter and Eoghan was able to let us know that there were tracks in here, goblinoid, and they seemed to hug the edge of the chamber, the sides were smeared on one another. Magentic?

Darius tested it out, taking a nail he took aim and tossed it to the hematite crystal. It slowed down, hung briefly, and then flew back VERY fast, ringing off his shield. Magnetic – but backwards? He tried it again, hoping to see if there was a sideways way to go through but the nail flipped over and rang back again. We could get through, but we’d have to remove all our metal armor – and who knows what’s on the other side. The decision was made to NOT do this and instead head back to the other passage.

We went southeast this time and around midnight, Heatmonth the 18th, came to another open chamber. 2 or 3 other ways out, but a 1 and ½’ wide column 22’ feet from floor to ceiling – made entirely of salt. Damn it – no one wanted to touch that either. We were discussing who and how to get by, or going back to the other passage and trying the death magnets, when Shim volunteered to summon something. Good answer! So a quick summon followed – and we got a Giant Toad. Nice. He commanded it to hop along.

As soon as it got about 18/15’ from the column, it gave a strangled yelp, moisture was sucked from it, splashing against the column, and it crumbled to a husk before dying. The column did turn to stone though. Nice. We waited about 3 minutes and then it turned back salt. We figured we could all get by in time, but instead of murdering another sentient creature, Wilhelm called to Shakak and created a spring of water about 18/15’ from the column.

Sure enough, the water flew from the stream as if sucked from a straw for almost 2 minutes into the column until before the spell ended (10 gallons) when it returned to stone again, and the last of the water just wall on the rock floor. We ran past, making sure we were beyond the 18’ mark on the other side. Had a choice – northeast or south east, and we went north east – relying on Shim and the Desmondian Diamond.

There were about 20 or so very dried up goblin bodies here, husks devoid of water. Past here were 4 possible ways to go – 1 to the north east and 3 parallel passages heading north. All still 20’ wide, ceilings were 25’ high or taller in places. We went northeast. Before we did so, we used a piece of chalk to mark the ground on the off chance anyone came through here, they would smear it. We travelled a bit and the passage opened to the south to a large chamber. Bed, table, stand, some weapons, book rack, and a 22’ tall handsomely bearded humanoid figure wearing roman gladiator armor and sporting a short (for his size) sword.

He was watching us and we stopped. Talking revealed that we did not speak Giant, and the giant did not speak Common although it understood it. His name was Galain and we guessed he was here because Queen Helen Back had hired him for some length of time to be here and fight for her when called. He was a Storm Giant (as evidenced by his size as well as the demonstrable bolt of lightning he shot for us). But he was honorable and for now agreed that he would not fight us. In fact, after sharing some mood and drink with him, agreed that if Helen did call him and they were there, he would slow walk his arrival for as long as possible. As for the other giant (as seen in the Trident warning), that was another one and he was the weapon maker here. For now he would have to let Queen Helen know that someone had shown up (agreement and all), but would give us 10 minutes or so to vacate the area. We thanked Galain and moved on.

We returned to the 3 choices and took the next of the northern passages. Corridor went on for a while and then turned. An alien creature was here – 8’ tall, shaped like a barrel, 3 arms, 3 legs, eyes set strangely in its body, smells hot and spicy, serrated spiral toothy orifice on the top. It stopped us, Eoghan letting us know it was a Xorn, powerful, strong, elemental plane of earth, and dangerous.

It would let us pass if we gave it mineral to eat. It thought and answered silver. So we started with a few pieces and placed them on the ground and it hunched over them, sucking them up and kept waiting. So we gave more and it seemed to know when we had more to give. It was not going to let us past, and I seemed we could not back up without pissing it off. So we went through out inventory, coins, daggers, forks, even silver chain armor. And finally it relented. Grinding a bit of it down, it fashioned a ring to allow us to pass next time.

We followed the corridor to the north east and it ended at some sort of strange subterranean tavern. 2 Old women were here, Olga and Helga, they offered us stew for a bit and a place to rest without being disturbed. We felt they might be aspects of the Norns. They were here because something had happened and they wanted to leave something nearby to keep an eye one it. We guessed the Maw and the presence of the Native American milieu being here as catalysts. After eating the stew we grew tired and slept.

Awoke later, fully rested (no hp back again) but ready to go. Olga and Helga? No where to be found. We backtracked past the Xorn to the passages and tried the next northern one. When we spied 2 16’ tall stone giants in that chamber we backed out and rethought our plan. We decided to head back to the Column of salt. A create water spell got us past it and from there we went southeast. Corridor wandered a bit, turning northward and then north and then came to a 12’ stone looking figure of a goblin warrior, sword at the ready. Yeah. Don’t think so.

Another summon spell followed, waking the statue up and the party began hitting the damned thing. Hard. Darius took some of the more brutal blows from the construct but the party poured on the fight and the statue fell over at the end of round 3. 1:15 PM, Heatmonth the 18th.

Beyond here was a set of stairs 20’ wide, going down 30’ to the humongous cave. Phosphorous fungi illuminate the cave as far as we could see. ¼ mile north to south, 3/5th of a mile from here west. The floor slowly sloped down in the distance until was 200 plus feet to the ceiling there. Here it was over 60’ . 100’ from here was the maw, except here in this time, it was different. 15’ in diameter, the hole in the ceiling spun like a pulsar, each revolution opened up a glimpse to another world. And we could hear something around the gate getting bigger and coming out.

We devised a fast plan. Stoneribs and Shim would run north where they would get to the wall and then follow it up and to the ceiling to the gate. There, Shim would use the diamond to close the gate. Last time we did it, it took Shim 1 minute per foot to close it – so 15 minutes max. That was a lot of time. We would lure whatever the feeder was away from the gate so that Shim would be unbothered. If Helen showed up, Darius would use the Sword of the Unlikely Hero on her. Everyone else would pour damage if they could on the Feeder or whatever else might come (Giants? Goblins?).

The gnome and native hero were already running when the Feeder emerged. 30’ long, 20’ diameter tube covered in slimes and sores and festering wounds and dribbling mucus, a dozen over sized eyes situated about its form over ragged carnivorous lined toothy maws. Tentacles hung down 40, 50, 60’ from its main body, dragging on the earth with horny growths and teeth and serrated body ridges lining it. It was like nothing…nothing anyone had ever seen or heard of before. A figure of pure chaos, from before the universe existed.

And it was here now, and drifting towards us, howling whispering gasps of painful pleasure radiated out from its maddening approach. Heatmonth the 18th, 1:35 PM.

It’s time.

2nd Campaign, A1, Session 4. 4/29/26

Taking a brief rewind in time, Father Falder had reached out to the 5 SEGA operatives that had been in town for the last 5 months, acting as liaisons, fences, support, and scouts for the operation, seeing if one of them was willing to break ranks and take the risk with joining the forward operation of your party.

One of them did. Sylas Rybak, 5th of 6th children of the Ryback family, a fisher by trade, ranger by occupation. He had been working the docks down here @ Highpoint, tracking to arrival and departure of the syndicate boats and putting together a complete log and manifesto. A scarred individual, he had been victim of a fire some time ago, but was both an accomplished woodsman, kingsman, and bounty hunter. After some questions he was welcomed into the group and promised to do what he could.

We also had a chance to better hear and understand Yandr Offop’s concern regarding the 2 ghasts that had escaped during the first excursion to the Temple of Gruumsh. Pretty much he wanted us to put some effort into eventually cleaning it up and to be more mindful of our actions in and around the temple.

Returning back to the here and now, Birthmonth the 7th, 8:50 PM, we stopped outside the Stonecutter entrance and listened. Hearing nothing, we opened it up, and some stacks metal and wood on the door fell out, making some noise. Fuck. We waited and sure enough, could hear some running figures approaching. Yandr did a fast detect evil and we got 4 orcish pings closing…and at least 2 or 3 ghouls beyond the cemetery doorway.

We figured to line up and get ready, weapons hot. The orcs hit the door, the lead one hunched over, expecting an attack, and then slammed into Darius, the next one hitting Hrimvir. Some of us were behind the door and were ineffective to hit, but did instead slam the two doors repeatedly into the orcs there. The 2 in the back rank fired crossbow bolts, hitting the group. Hrimvir and Sylas took turns swapping to make attacks. Rhareli called to Garl Glittergold to make the fight silent so we didn’t attract more enemies.

The orcs held the ground for 3 rounds, 1 set of them swapping, out for the front before 1 of them decided to flee down the hall. Rhareli went to Atlas who used his ring of spell storing to place jump on the gnome. Rhareli jumped back of the group, tumbling through the gap at the door, and hit the orc there, felling the crossbow wielder. It took 6 minutes but we managed to finish the fight. They were using poor weapons and armor, and had less than 10 coins on them. And 1 escaped.

We got a bit in conversation and lost some direction for a bit. We did remember the broken iron box and we spent 4 or 5 minutes forcing it open to reveal a potion of fire resistance and 6 decent sized diamonds. Carl was sure they were 500 crowns a pop. Nice – we kept the items and returned to discussing our options. Eventually settling on Sylas tracking the 1 who escaped back down the hall and the rest of us coming along. The new ranger found scuffs that indicated where the 4 orcs had come from, and the further we walked along the long passage, the more obvious the trail became. At the side corridor, we came to more proof they had come from this way and a few doors. Best we could tell were the doors were closed and some air movement behind? No evil in the area. A final door was south down a short hall.

We gathered up and after making sure the door was not trapped, opened up to take a look around. An Inner courtyard. Star and moonlight gave up a heads up on the size of it. Mostly dust and grass, some soot, several large yellow trees near the edges, blocks of stone that had fallen from the higher walls and outbuildings. Lots of protection for creatures to hide behind. Big.

We decided early on to NOT split up. A tracking showed that they had come through here at one point, but no way to know from or where (poor check). We decided to start on the eastern side of the courtyard and check the area out with care. Within a short time we stumbled on a dozen to a score of deep bones – legs primarily. Well gnawed and eaten. Carl and Sylas had no idea what it was that had eaten the flesh off, outside of it being a carnivore.

Eventually we did find a concealed door on the east wall. Sylas was sure the one who escaped came from here. We tried to open the lock (5 tumblers!) but no one had any luck. Maybe tomorrow. We kept going on, staying on the east wall and heading south. We were getting dirtier and looking around. To the south was a wall that showed many repairs, reaching 10’ in height. Looking at the map that Cara and Gun were working on, this section of the wall came right against the inner room that we had mapped where there were repairs on the eastern wall within that chamber. Same sort of repairs here. Ok – this was the same place.

Don’t want to knock it down, so we decided to have Atlas (tallest) be hoisted up and grab the top, take a peek over. Hrimvir cupped hands and Atlas stepped in, lifted, scrambled, and slid off, hitting his side – 1 point of damage. Ok, ok. Again. And again he went up, lift, scrabble…and fall on his face this time – 1 point of damage. Dude!

This time Cara, Carl, and Yandr braced the mage’s leg, holding him up and in place and Hrimvir lifted and Atlas grabbed the top finally. Hands together, he lifted, braced his feet and looked over. Chipped cracked stones, some caretaker items, a few statues in weird poses. Eyes from a lizard looking thing staring at him.

…

Atlas was turned to stone. “What the hell?!?” Hrimvir lifted Atlas up and off the wall as 1…2 howling dinosaur sounding monsters from the other side howled and yelled, wanting to get over and attack us. Hearing the noise, seeing Atlas’ condition, Sylas took off his cap and wiped his sweating head clean. “I think we got us a couple of basilisks over there.”

“Damn it.” We wanted to get out of here with Atlas and see if Father Falder had a way of turning the wizard back to flesh. As we were discussing our options, we failed to notice danger creeping up except for the ranger who looked up and stepped in front of Gun, axe up, as a 6’ tall undead pale skinned monster stalked out of the gloom and tried to attack. The surprise blow was turned aside by the ranger who returned the favor with a well placed hit on its neck. The axe blade dug deep and was pulled out – the flesh knitting back to normal instantly. “Damn it!!”

We shuffled the lines, Carl was sure it was a wight. Hrimvir lowered Atlas and told Carl to hold his turning attempt until he could get a combine spell out from Thrym. The wight though saw the cleric and shifted its attack, spurring towards the cleric. Where its claws rippled out and slashed Carl. Robbing him of strength, warmth…and life force. Carl went from 5th level to half way down 4th instantly – losing spell power, hit points, and skillsand abilities. The Combine spell rang out but the cleric was now lower in level, and had to work harder to turn – managing to get lucky enough to drive the wight away for a short time.

Carl looked over at the god’s dice and saw it was only a “3”. “3! 3 rounds! We have 3 minutes until it comes back!”

We grabbed Atlas, each other, and ran north across the courtyard. Getting to the door, we burst through, slammed it closed behind, and ran through the Temple to the Stonecutter shed again. Rhareli went invisible, snuck to the gate 45’ away, unlocked it, and we all ran out into the street, dodging and guards and curfew, making it eventually to the gates of the Temple of Uller. 11:15 PM, 2 hours and 25 minutes after we first entered the Temple of Gruumsh.

We awoke Father Falder and filled the venerable priest on what had occurred. He could turn Atlas back to flesh, Uller demanded 2500 crowns of payment. We took 5 of the 6 diamonds we just got and offered them up. 10 minutes of prayers followed and then Atlas took a deep breath, his skin turning back to normal again. As for Carl, that was something else. The draining life force of the undead cannot be reversed and only time could replace the life that Carl had lost.

We rested and awoke the next morning, Birthmonth the 8th. We were eating breakfast when we heard a knock at the front door. The party hid for now in the nave behind the partition while the Captain of the Dragoons entered. It seems there was a ghast sighting and potential attack but had been driven off. During the subsequent chaos, they discovered this young human boy, malnourished and in bad shape. They wanted to know if Father Falder would watch after him for now, obviously he had been either captured or enslaved up until recently.

After the Captain left, we ended up talking to Govaine. He was nine and from Seaford further up the coast. A few months ago, pirates had attacked, killing his parents and capturing him and his 2 older brothers. They eventually came here to Highport where they were taken to the Temple and brough underground through some unused Sewers. They had been there for some time. The eldest brother was taken out after a week, shipped north to someplace called the Stockade. A month later the next brother was taken out on a different caravan and was to be taken to someplace called the Aerie on orders of a cruel woman named Valeria.

He had been working underground, fearful of “bug men” and something called “The cow”. The slaver orcs were nasty to all the humans and something had happened. A slave master named Karraway was approached and told about intruders. A meeting followed and they all went up out of the sewers to the surface. Govaine, finally left alone and not reshackled, took the chance to climb up. He came out between the legs of a one eyed orcish statue and then snuck for the entrance, running through the open portcullis until he snuck out of the gates and found himself near the town square.

Nice. At this point we wanted to enter the eastern half of the Temple and Govaine said he’d draw us as best a map as he could. We figured we’d re enter the Temple tonight, this time to encounter Karraway and maybe make our way into the lower sewer levels and get some more answers. Birthmonth the 8th, 11:30 AM.

Meet 156, Adv 16, 4/18/26

10:21 PM, Heatmonth the 17th. The number of goblins ahead of us was like a solid wall, racing towards us, stones and crossbow bolts flying. Stoneribs and Darius were a constant target , only their respective damage reduction and armor class kept them upright. Shim’s tick continued to drink from the Lothian Spider, Eoghan was shaking from the effects of the poison, and Wilhelm hit Connal with a jump spell.

A purple flame shot from a far roof, hitting Asher, and making the half elven cleric of Maglubiyat disappear. The entirety of that roof was outlined in purple flames, blocking any of us from seeing what was going on there as well as anyone up there getting free. Captain Asher was on his own for now.

More magic flew out and we rocked from the impact. As the next Demonbat tried to make a run for the group, Connal jumped up to the nearest roof and poured his anger at the bat there, getting a grip on its wing and scratched, but not poisoned. One of the Goblin/Demonics leapt down from the building and stalked for the party. Nate slid into the shadows, primordial dagger at the ready.

A fireball raced out from a spider rider, tearing across the back ranks of the party, killing Eoghan and Quiver, and hurting everyone else. The demonic stalked up and Nate struck from the shadows, primordial blade hitting. He got walloped back but stayed on. Darius was racing through his fight with the Spider to help out. The Demonbat and Connal continued to struggle on the roof as a huge spider crept up trying to bite.

More crossbows fired out as we fought on, the goblins were withering away in ones and twos but still they fought on. A Carrion Crawler was creeping up on the party and Shim hit it with a darkness spell. A spider rider from the nearby roof canceled it with a light spell. Eoghan returned and shot 3 arrows, the ranger looking even worse than before. Nate’s fight with the demonic was slowly leaching the color from him, hair and skin going white, eyes going black. Bits of his humanity slowly frittering away. He was struck and killed as Darius arrived, slamming into the Demonic.

We spread out and reshuffled the line, the last Demonic began its walk up the street. There was talk about Ghostbear hitting one of Wilhelm’s cats with a Giant Animal spell but we didn’t want to turn it into a target yet. Stoneribs took one of the goblins he was fighting and hurled it at the spider rider, making it rear up and hit the Lolthian Spider hard. One of Wilhelm’s cats died next as Nate returned – without healing anything this time! 1 hit point! He quickly chugged a healing potion as we doled out what healing we could, but our stores were diminishing.

The demonic went down, the reverberating blast ripping through Darius’ axe but the enchanted weapon remained whole if a bit more weathered. Carrion Crawler went down, Demonic Bat went down. Another fireball went off and Eoghan died AGAIN. We were down to scrolls and potions, Darius doing what he could to keep himself on the positive side of the hit point list.

With the second Demonic down and the number of spider riders fading, the goblins left began to lose their nerve but still fought on. Also, each of Helen’s children we slayed had a chance of alerting the Eternal Queen of their passing so we had to wrap this up. We redrew the line and pressed on. Poison was in our veins, most everyone was badly hurt and limping, The Planar Ally kept returning to the Umbra to ferry out recent dead back to the fight. By estimation, Stoneribs had been hit over 40 times and Darius the same. A Summoned Earth Elemental had the group groaning in fury as we turned to address the new threat.

More shots from the roof peppered the party, Rhygar got badly wounded, we limped onward, eyes on the far end of the 3rd Warren. We finally came to the last Demonic, Nate, Connal, and Darius took point. Eoghan was down to a handful or arrows, 2 quivers used up. Shim blocked the last spider rider’s vision with a globe of darkness. It tried to magic missile Darius but the knight used Spellcleave, shredding the 7 missiles before they hit.

The purple glow from the roof fell and 9 rounds after he disappeared, Captain Asher showed up covered in gore, looking more bestial than normal, but grinning in triumph, the power of Maglubiyat firmly in his grasp. “About damned time!” we called out as he clambered down from the roof.

The final fight was brutal and agonizing, everyone hitting as hard and as fast as they could until finally the last Demonic went down with a blast of hellfire. Fearing the worst, and assuming Helen was returning, we ran across the Warren as fast as we could, Ghostbear dropping a Wall of Force at the end of the Warren, blocking anyone from pursuing us for now as we ran into the large darkened corridor, the goblins lost behind us.

54 rounds of combat, 203 goblin warriors, 3 Demonic Goblins, 2 Demonbats, 12 Lolthain spiders, 6 huge spiders, 1 carrion crawler, 11 goblin shamen/spider riders, 1 rust monster, and 1 juggernaut later.

10:38 PM, Heatmonth the 17th. Most everyone badly wounded or died multiple times. But running on.

2nd Campaign, A1, Session 3. 4/15/26

Birthmonth the 7th, 1:25 AM. The party cycled their way across the beam slowly and with care, everyone holding on to the rope just in case. Progressively we moved heavier and heavier people across, the 2x12 beams flexing and groaning bad. Fjord was the last, but the half ogre was so big and oversized, that the beam snapped a bit over way across, dropping him. A mad scramble and he held the rope, and then inched his way across to the end by us. We reached out and helped pull him up. No way back across the pit that way, at least not easy anymore.

Once we were all good, we walked out of the room and to the passage there. Passage turned east, went about 30 feet, and then turned north, stairs going down. An alcove was about half way down on the left had side. The smell of vinegar was strong and there was a distant wet on wet sound. Hall way tight, 5’ wide, so we stayed together and checked out the alcove first.

3 barrels here, wood was darkly stained, barrels covered in dust. Vinegar smell was coming from here, but also elsewhere. We tested them, they were solid, full of a liquid. Old wine? Checking out the steps, they went down a floor to a 15’x15’ room. Wet sound smell of honey, flies. We looked with infravsion and could tell the back end of the room had something warm in it, lower to the ground, not body temperature, cooler.

We figured, let's kill 2 birds with one stone. Casting light on the barrel itself, Cara and Hrimvir picked up the barrel, brought it to the stairs, turned it on the side, and rolled it down. It bounced 3, 4, 5 times as it rolled and fell, gathering momentum and speed, before the staves broke and it crashed into the room, spilling 40 gallons of vinegar/wine everywhere.

A 6’ diameter, 4’ tall mound of tarry rags was down there, wet and slimy, tendrils and fronds and tentacles all around the perimeter of it. It flailed about, picking up wood and jamming it underneath, while other tentacles sloshed the vinegar away. The liquid was draining through cracks in the floor. It was Atlas who figured out the creature first: a giant sundew. A carnivorous plant that could pull itself along if need be in search of prey, catching it with its tendrils and suffocating them to death before devouring them. Cara knew of normal types, but this was a monster, very distantly related to the smaller benign ones found in nature.

We had to get past it (there was a door down there). Using the auger, we drilled a hole in another barrel, and Rhareli doused his rag mittens with the vinegar. We all drew up in the hall and Fjord went first, down the steps flaming sword leading the way. The sundew responded, slapping the half ogre with half a dozen tendrils, 3 of which hit, stinging as they slapped and then wrapping around the offending limbs. One was unlucky enough to hit the ogre in the face, around his neck, mouth, and nose – starting to suffocate him.

The rest of us raced in, weapons flashing. Hrimvir learned his mace was ineffective (bludgeoning), but slashing and piercing seemed to be effective. Cara, Ply, Yandr, Carl, Hrimvir poured in, hitting and slamming. The Sundew was tough. Fjord was pulled forward and off hit feet, face first into the sundew – and the tentacles were now burning him with acid. Hrimvir struggled to pull his flaming sword free, swapping to it.

Ply was hit next, the giant rat lifted up and dragged to the Sundew. We poured on the fight as Fjord slumped and stopped breathing, suffocated and at 0. Atlas shot 2 magic missiles, burning the damned plant. But it was still hanging on. Rhareli and Gun were on the steps with crossbows. It was tough shot, into an active grappling melee, and a bad shot would hit Fjord. But they discussed it and not taking the shot was worst. So the gnome pulled back, took aim…and fired.

1.

Shooting the half ogre in the back and dropping him to -6. “Damn it!” Tentacles hit Cara, wrapping around the druid as Ply was pulled to the Sundew next to be devoured.

Its ok, its ok, we have potions, and Carl could help out. But we have to get the thing killed and now. So Gun took aim, same difficulty, and let his crossbow bolt fly.

1.

Shooting Fjord in the back of the neck and out the front of his lower face – dropping Fjord to -12. And dead. “I..well, damn it.”

We poured the fight on and killed the Sundew but damage done. We used the vinegar to weaken the glue and eventually got everyone free. Some healing was given, Fjord was very dead. We know that Father Falder said he could try and raise him, Uller has that power, but it would be 3,000 crowns. We talked about getting out of here, the pit room was uncrossable and we had 500 lbs to drag.

Thobar offered to drag Fjord for the group, outside of him normal duties, for 50 crowns – keeping the groups strongest free to fight on as he pulled the half ogre home (moving very slow, but possible). We agreed, giving him the money (and an additional 10) from Fjord’s own pouch. The half ogre had a number of gems on him, and it should be enough to raise him from the dead. We just have to get out of here.

While we were going through his belongings and divvying them out, two of us used spears and lifted the Sundew. Bones, roots, thick glue, and coins – hundreds of them. We used more vinegar to dissolve it, took the gold, silver, and copper, 3 rubies, and a silver and black striped ring with the roman numeral 3 on it – still with a finger (bone) within.

We took it and figured we’d figure it out later. It was 2:30 and we figured, time to get out. Gun was sure we had to go north to get to the exit, and the door out of here were north. Listening to it twice, we figured it was safe enough. So we opened and looked. Passage went north as far as the lantern light showed, side passage to the east about 20’ down. There was also an eastern run 15’ to a door. Using Gun’s map, we went north, dragging Fjord behind.

It was slow going but after 70, 80’ feet (this area also seemed to be actually more used – repaired, clean, not ruined, came to the corner, passage went west. Could smell fresh air. Almost out? Yandr looked for evil, he got 6 orcish pings west and north, and 2 graveyard dirt and rotting meat – ghouls, west and south.

We opted north – have to be almost free. We set up for most of us to take the orcs out first and fast. Looking down the passage, 25’ to 2 sets of double doors. South ones were very nice, had the motif of Gruumsh on them. Most likely led to the cathedral’s original private cemetery. North double doors were shitty, thin, and bad shape. Hrimvir was first, mace out, ready to kick ass. He kicked the door in and yelled at the orcs to “drop or be killed!”

The orcs, 6 of them, were young, between 10 and 13. They had leather shirts on, held halberds that were falling apart, and were terrified. They had hammered and nailed up over 40 random holy symbols all over the room. 3 of them pissed themselves. One passed out. Yandr smashed one who was trying to escape out the outer doors north of this room, and Cara got the other, flattening his nose and face on the door and knocking him out.

They were young orcs, swayed by the promise of a better orcish society, preached by Karraway, a member of the guild here (Syndicate). The talkative one, Jessi, let us know they were on guard here in the wood cutter’s shed and to not go into the grounds between 3 and 5 – ghouls hunt during that time. After that, from 5:30 to 7ish, Karraway might have business here or somewhere else. The eastern side of the temple is where he is. They just don’t want to die and are frightened of undead. There are older orcish guards, still teens, they have stable duty.

We gave them the chance to get us out of here and we’d let them go, but they cannot come back to work here. Fiine – all good. The lock on the gate is a pin lock – pull it one to unlock it, Snap it and its closed again. We readied ourselves, Jessi reminded us that Karraway sometimes has people on the east side watching so we’d have to be fast and use moonlight only. We opened the door and ran across the grounds, 45’ to the gate. Once there Jessi opened it and we all spilled into the streets. The gate was closed, chain wrapped lock in place…and the orcish kids had already run, terrified of us. We left the front of the temple, trudging east along temple Way until we finally arrived back at the Temple of Uller.

We dragged Fjord to the front near the altar, then the rest of us made our way to the cells where we stripped off our armor and fell asleep at 3:45 AM on Birthmonth the 7th. We awoke, sore, tired, and humbled a bit after noon. We doled out some healing, and made our way to the main temple where Father Falder and Brother Ostant was there. They had already stripped Fjord down to his skin, folded and cleaned and organized all his gear, and had two choices – embalming and wraps for burial, or markings and oils and candles for raising.

We talked about what Fjord might want and figured he’d like the chance to come back. So we gave Father Falder all of Fjord’s gems and watched as the priest cast the 10 minute ritual, the gems slowly dissolving away as Uller took his offering. At the height of the spell, energy coursed down and into Fjord, making him jump and float off the ground.

(Resurrection survival chance 75%.) Dice roll…76%

He glowed, opened his eye, and then it seemed that Hel took hold of him and pulled him violently back down. Spell ended – and Fjord as still dead. “Garl..damn it!” Rhareli cursed, fishing around inside his pants by his nuts and storming away mad. Without another 3,000 crowns, we bid our farewell to Fjord. Brailance was going to the grounds to dig a grave for the fallen half ogre. We took his stuff and thought about the fact we were down one. Father Falder let us know that other members of SEGA were in the city and he would contact them to see if anyone wanted to risk joining the group in the quest to take down the Syndicate.

We still had the box to open, but sort of forgot about it. As for the ring, Atlas took another look at it. He was convinced it was a ring of spell storing…and it had 3 spells in it (hence the “3” on the outside). But he would need to try it on to see what they were. So he held it over his finger and pressed.

His ego was not strong enough to overwhelm the ring’s internal personality. There was a struggle and a combat of wills. The ring manifested itself the same as Atlas was, and the two mages struggled for mental dominance, stabbing at one another again and again. It was almost 10 minutes of hard struggle before Atlas put the ring’s presence in its place and showed his mastery.

Sliding the ring entirely on his finger. To the rest of us, it was only a strange 3 second pause. The ring was now Atlas’ and could not be removed until and upon his death. But it could any 3 spells – right now it had Friends, Shatter, and Jump. Nice!

We wanted to go back but wanted to wait for nightfall. It was here that we learned that a family in the Middle Class section of town was torn apart during the early morning hours. At first the thought was it was a wild animal, but Lord Keleborn’s people revealed that it was an undead. A ghoul or similar, who tore apart the family of 4 (father, mother, and 2 teenaged children). They had gone to the few temples still standing and Father Falder and the others gave the few precious holy water vials they had. A drop would cause the ghouls to burn and hopefully drive them away. A curfew was set up for tonight, everyone off the streets between 7:30 PM and 6:30 AM. Patrols were being tripled.

Yandr could NOT keep the judging look off his face and promised to talk to the group about this after he had a chance to digest it.

Eventually it was closer to 8. We were given lengths of Fjord’s underwear to use as rags and left the Temple of Uller. We went down to the main cross street, snuck to the back of the temple of Thrym, and donned the rags before walking the trench of filth again. 450 feet later, dirty, we came to the hole in the wall. Climbing to the grounds we dropped these rags by our earlier rags and proceeded west to the end of the temple there.

The secret door was still closed and locked and no one was here. We walked north, hand on the wall, keeping quiet and silent. About 2/3rds of the way north, we came to an over sized set of double stable doors. The stables was here. It was quiet on the other side, Yandr did a detect evil. He got 5 instances – 4 of them that were decidedly orcish, and one that was strange, liquid…like mercury.

WTF?

We decided after talking about it to go north to the woodcutter cottage section and enter that way. The assumption was that the young orcs were gone and we should be able to enter there without issue. So we crawled on to the north end of the building, looked over, and Yandr assured us there was no evil pings inside the double doors of the stonecutter’s shed. Birthmonth the 7th, 8:50 PM.