10/9/2004

Players: Kathi, JC, Chris

Characters: DM & Salaisee, Elendil & Cyrus, Billimiah (Billi)

Second and third watch are uneventful and we wake up to a thick fog. Since visibility is near zero Billi stokes up the fire and we gather around for warmth during breakfast. The fog has kept the temperature from dropping too much and it's still in the mid 40's. We manage to dry some of our wet things by the fire before the fog lifts and we set off again mid-morning. The dark clouds are finally gone and it promises to be a sunny and warm day despite the altitude.

A few hours into our travels we stop for lunch when all of a sudden there is a shrill cry from the sky above and we see a griffin swooping down on us in surprise

MELEE

The beast attacks Salaisee and as it does we can tell that it's not in very good shape. It has wounds and open sores over most of its body and is manacled (with broken chains) about the front legs. It pounces on Salaisee for some major damage but the lovely cleric maintains her presense of mind and leaps out of the way. Elendil grabs his staff and moves between Salaisee and the griffin so she will not be in the way of anymore immediate harm. The griffin looks ravenous and attacks Sander for some minor damage which the horse rears and returns with a well placed hoof. Cyrus clobbers it with an expertly placed blow.

The next round it continues to focus on Sander and is again absolutely bludgeoned by Cyrus. The round following, after sustaining even more damage, the griffin backs away staggering and near death. Salaisee throws the remainder of her sandwich at the beast hoping to both feed it and distract its attention. It gobbles the sandwich up immediately and looks up obviously searching for more. Elendil begins feeding it some of the vegetables from Sander's saddle bags. As long as he does the griffin continues to devour them but when the supply runs out the creature agains advances and Sander, bless his heart, thinks he's under attack knocks the beast down and out with a bite.

Elendil casts Cure Light Wounds and then Speak w/Animals. Salaisee starts casting Create Food. With Elendil's spell the griffin revives enough to realize it's being helped and remains quiet. Elendil speaks quietly to it and casts a few Cure Minor Wounds to further ease it's suffering. When Salaisee's spell is done a LARGE haunch of meat appears next to the griffin and it starts to eat vigorously, its attentioned fixed on the meat. She casts another Cure Serious Wounds on the creature and then we leave it to its meal.

We travel for a while more and then, as it gets near dusk, Cyrus goes hunting while the rest of us descend back down into the trees to make camp for the night, hopefully out of sight of the griffin should it decide to go hunting again. When Cyrus returns empty handed Elendil makes a meal of trail rations and then retires into his daily communion.

The first and second watches of the night are uneventful but in the middle of third Billi hears a faint rattling coming from one of the trees. He goes to investigate and sees something that looks likes large bats looking down at him. The halfling's eyes widen and fear is evident in his voice as he calls out for the group to wake up. The creatures swoop down to attack.

MELEE

Cyrus and Sander wake up at the Halfling's call but Elendil and Salaisee remain asleep. The noise of Cyrus rousing and arming himself as Billi shouts again is enough to wake up the two still sleeping and by the next round everyone has entered the battle. Elendil chooses the opportunity to use the staff as a two handed, double attack weapon and while it's good to get the practice in he still needs lots of work. When Cyrus smashes one to dust the others seem to pause and lose initiative. Salaisee crushes another before the third flies away. Her comment that bone bats are usually minions or spies worries us and Elendil declares that maybe we're starting to get close to our objective. Elendil and Salaisee each cast a couple Cure Light Wounds and we get everyone back up to full health.

[Side Note: If a cleric takes his time (in an unhurried, non-battle situation) he may attempt to Cure for max hit points. This requires a DC check at 10 plus the spell level. Sucess indicates maximum results are achieved. Failed DC checks roll for points restored as normal.]

Cyrus stays awake with Billi for the remainder of third watch and then heads off for the morning hunt, hoping for better results than the previous day. Billi, who has started a pot of vegetable stew for breakfast, collects up the three rabbits that Cyrus returns with and prepares them for inclusion into the stew. After a hearty breakfast we set of again. The skies are once again gray but so far there's no rain in sight. The morning is quiet and by the time we stop for lunch at the crest of a peak the clouds are breaking up. Elendil gets out his "long viewer" and spots what he believes to be the ruined monestary at the base of the next mountain. After everyone gets a good look we have a serious discussion about what we know regarding the keep, the key from Salaisee's dream, the mission that Rixis, Rowan and Nym were on, and various other aspects of what could be waiting there. Then, with a renewed sense of purpose we descend toward missions end.

We travel towards the ruins which consist mostly of fragments of a few stone walls, within which there is a dark rectangular hole in the ground with broad stone steps leading downward. We decide on the usual marching order with Elendil leading Sander, Billi, Salaisee, and then Cyrus.

By early afternoon we're on the steep stairs heading south into darkness 40' while decending perhaps 25' or 30'. Elendil lights his bullseye lantern and Cyrus lights a torch. Before we proceed any farther Elendil casts Bulls Strength on himself and then on Cyrus as we enter the first room. The room has four openings, one in each wall at the center, we've come in from the north side. There's a pile of what appears to be bones, skin fragments and assorted junk in the center of the room and Elendil wonders grimly what creature or creatures has placed this obvious warning.

With a deep breath Elendil leads Sander first to the passageway leading east, then the one leading south, then the one leading west to see if the horse can scent any dangers. Sander remians non-commital at each so Billi runs up to the door at the end of the 20' western hallway and announces that there's the sound of rushing water coming from within. The door is open perhaps 10" and Billi slips off his pack, takes the lantern from Elendil and enters for a quick peek. He reports that it appears to be a closed cavern with a fast moving stream cutting through with a pool at the far end. He sees something darting about in the pool. He also sees what he thinks is a skeleton with something bronze in its hand.

As Elendil pokes his head in to see what the halfling is describing Billi howls in pain and clutches at his shoulder. Elendil drops his pack and rushes in not sure what has happened but bumps into something before he reaches his small companion.

MELEE

He manages to grab ahold of whatever it is and tries to throw it into the stream. He succeeds and there's a splash as something very invisible enters the cold rushing water. Because he can tell where it is by the water displacement Elendil tries to whack it with his staff but misses. Despite this, he can still tell where it is as the displacement makes it way back toward him and climbs ashore, the water becoming visible as it pools on the cavern floor beneath it. Elendil attacks it again and then Cyrus joins the battle having come up from the rear. The two dispatch whatever it is (at least we think we hear it expire with a thud) and after a minute or so it becomes visible, a horrible kind of fungus thing with four thick legs and a vicious row of sharp teeth.

Ignoring it in favor of a closer examination of the skeleton we can tell it's definitely clenching something bronze in its hand and also seems to be wearing a medalion. Elendil retrieves a length of silk rope from his pack and ties one end of it around one end of his staff. It take him several tries but he finally loops the rope around the skeleton and gently pulls it to shore. The object in its hand turns out to be a bronze key and the medallion is of a flame, the symbol of the monestary before it fell.

Salaisee suggests that this might be the perfect time to use the Speak w/Dead scroll and we spend several minutes discussing the exact nature of the three questions we will be able to ask.

Q1) Where is the lock for the key you were holding?
A1) The key is for the secret door in my chambers. Without the key, the door opens to somewhere else.

Q2) How can we find the flame opal?
A2) You can reach the secret treasury through the secret door in the ceremonial chamber.

Q3) What can you tells us that will help us to avenge the fall of the temple and vanquish the evil that now resides here?
A3) Endagon betrayed us to the gnolls. Kill Endigon, kill the gnolls.

Before we return to the previous room Salaisee makes the comment that if the water in the stream is fresh we should all refill our waterskins and take a bucket or two to Sander (who is patiently waiting) before continuing on into the dungeon.

End of Session

Next Session 11/20/2004