Knowing we were looking to leave tomorrow, the group finished up their shopping. Pestle spent some time making some healing potions, Camunsant the half-orc apprentice giving the gnome a hand, using the College’s alchemy lab and some reagents supplied at a cost by Percy Threecoppers. We loaded up on food stuffs and gear and on the 10th of Birthmonth, spring air and sunshine with us, left the town of Nulb along with the contingent from the Order of the Gnarley Woods.
It was some 3 to 4 miles out of town and south through the dense forest. Many of the trees were confusing to us and trails were non-existent. Rowan had enough wilderness lore to help him get his way back to here and out again should need be due to the thick tree cover making any sighting with the sun or moon impossible. We hoped to get a feel for the temple area and maybe some light exploring before possibly returning back and hiring a person or two to help us out in the future – a shieldbearer and a thief if we could find one.
Eventually we came to an area where the undergrowth was a solid tangle of vines and thorn bushes. The Order let us know that beyond here was the Temple and they would not dare to enter. Furd drew his great sword and using it a machete, hacked and chopped his way along and through, 20 feet or so until the passage finally parted enough for us and the party came to the other side of the warded area.
It was horrible
The land rose ahead in a washed out and tired looking version of the world we knew. The sun seemed anemic, the sky was grey-blue. Twisted trees with leprous looking leaves when they had any at all dominated the land. We walked toward the center where some walls and a building stood, our ankles getting welt from the brambles and diseased looking underbrush that clogged our passage. Fat ravens spun lazily in the sky, croaking out their disgust at our presence.
We walked on, sounds both muted and shrill. We approached the busted wall surrounding the temple grounds and got our first view of the Temple of Elemental Evil. It was huge with numerous gargoyles and carved faces adorning its walls. Strange baffles and cutouts made the place feel like it was screaming. The grounds were a mess of thigh-high overgrown thorns and bushes and the entire wall looked like it had been assaulted in the past, the tops maybe 20’ tall, rounded, and broken. There was a tower close to here with the top that had collapsed. It was thought that we’d check that place out first.
Ophelia had dared a detect evil spell and was overwhelmed by the constant wave of malevolence everywhere. But, as we came closer to the tower, she was able to feel 8…15…20…26 distinct evil presences within. We all picked our way around, Albert slipping and wrenching his ankle, going to slow the mage down a bit.
We came to the front door and on seeing it had a chain around it, split ourselves up and got ready to open the door and attack. A lit flask of oil was prepared and floated in where Aredhel burst it, setting the opening on fire and starting the fight. And they responded with a withering storm of arrows that had us scatter back and draw ready. They burst out, human, male, dirty and unshaven, wild looking and grunting and snarling – language seemingly absent from them for now.
The first batch were clad in leather and sporting spears but beyond were others including slingers, archers, crossbowmen, and some metal clad fighters. Albert called a summons and a troglodyte appeared, javelin stabbing out and catching a spear wielder head on. Furd positioned himself near the front and smote the first, cleaving into the seconds. Spells and missiles fired but they slung some molotovs out at us, setting the ground on fire. Hamburger charged in and smote down 2 of the closest fighters and cleared the area a bit for Furd.
More missiles fired and Aredhel cast sleep within, dropping a number of the archers but it inspired the main fighters to march out, longswords flailing in the air. Rowan called another summons and got a hyena – it ran out to attack, slipped on some flaming oil, rolled helplessly and getting itself on fire and then charged in terror across the field where it collided with the Troglodyte that had just been struck by a nearby spearman, and setting the oil reptilian ablaze – the two of them screaming in terror and pain as they were consumed from the blaze. (Multiple fumbles!)
Aredhel was struck hard and went down to zero, forcing the party to already run about to get some healing in place. But it was the approach of the leaders that had us worried – which had Albert draw one of Burne’s spells and read off – Suggestion – suggesting to the leader of the thugs that they were actually friends and could use his help. He failed his save, pointed to himself and grunted, “Torrand!” and then plied his sword against the same guys he just came out with.
No comments:
Post a Comment