Chapter II
Cast of Characters
Loralask, Human Elementalist (Geourgy), played by Mike (absent)
Morpheus, Human Ecclesiastic (Theurgy), played by Carl
Phylus, Unordered Gnome (Physique), played by Chad
Rhys, Human Warrior-Monk (Unarmed Combat), played by Jeremy
Monday 1 October - 8:00 p.m.
Monday 1 October - 8:00 p.m.
The Avatars, minus Phylus, made one more trip to the tavern (The Blue Fairy) before turning in for the night. This time both Morpheus and Rhys tried the special drink. It left Morpheus feeling a bit sluggish but Rhys got violently ill. Morpheus was able to put his knowledge of herbalism to good use, however, and identify a few of the herbs that went into the making of the blue fairy -- sage, wormwood, and a local herb known only as blue grass (said to give one a greater appreciation for rustic music), responsible for the blue tint of the drink. Rhys retreated to the apartment but Morpheus and Loralask sat in the tavern looking for likely fellows to bring on as mercenaries. The tavern was still busy at this time of the evening but nearly all of the patrons were local folk -- watchmen, guardsmen, and the like. With prospects rather dim, Morpheus and Loralask returned to the apartment and turned in for the night. They did not set a watch but their sleep was not disturbed.
Tuesday 2 October - 6:00 a.m.
Tuesday 2 October - 6:00 a.m.
The Avatars awoke early the next morning. Loralask announced that he would spend the morning doing some scouting, and Morpheus returned to the tavern for breakfast. Phylus, wary of appearing in public, stayed back at the apartment and he and Rhys shared a hunk of dry sausage and some bread. Then Rhys, too, went back to the tavern.
Morpheus' quest met with some degree of success as he encountered three mercenary adventurers looking for work -- Allan, Gwydion, and Johann. They struck a deal whereby the three would join the Avatars for an expedition as long as they received 50% of any treasure won. Rhys, suitably appalled at his fellow Avatar's negotiating skills, suggested that Allan and company give a tithe of their reward to the Church. The mercenaries agreed.
Loralask had not returned when the party decided to set out to explore the rest of the Flat Rock plateau. Just north of the Keep they encountered an overgrown area and espied some ruins, seemingly deserted. As they crept closer they found that these were the ruins of an old chapel and cemetary. They poked around these ruins for a bit and found a small crypt with a hole in it, looking as if it had been recently disturbed. Phylus peered in and saw heaps of trash, piles of old bones, and a few half-eaten carcasses (of what creature he dared not guess). He volunteered to go in and explore as he was the only party member small enough to crawl in. He was surveying the debris when something slammed into him from behind and nearly sent him stumbling. There was a sharp pain in his back. He wheeled around with his sword drawn to face a small (no larger than he!), ghoulish creature with yellow fangs and impossibly long claws. Before the creature could slash at him again, Phylus struck out with his short sword and sent the creature reeling. The ghoul raked Phylus with his claws again, but another sword-blow from the gnome dispatched the creature.
Seemingly. As Phylus looked over the debris in the room again, he felt another blow land on his back. He spun around and swung his sword, leaving the ghoul in a heap on the floor. He stood over the creature, waiting to dispatch it once more, and watched with his own eyes as the wounds he had inflicted upon it healed of their own accord. The ghoul jumped up, but before it could attack again Phylus lopped off its head! However, as he watched the head rolled back toward the creature and reattached itself to the stump of its neck! Wisely, perhaps, Phylus decided to leave the crypt before the creature attacked again. The others (all 5 of them) were waiting outsitde.
Leaving the crypt/cemetary area, the Avatars decided to explore the chapel. They found a carved stone altar lying on its side upon a dais. Examining the bottom of the altar, they noticed a small hole cut into the stone that looked as if it once might have held a compartment of some sort. Perhaps to hold the relics of a Saint? In any case, whatever had been stored or hidden here was now long gone.
Rhys and Morpheus decided to set the altar in its proper position, and with Phylus' help they were able to push it over. It fell with a loud BOOM but did not sustain any damage.
Tuesday 2 October - 8:00 a.m.
Morpheus' quest met with some degree of success as he encountered three mercenary adventurers looking for work -- Allan, Gwydion, and Johann. They struck a deal whereby the three would join the Avatars for an expedition as long as they received 50% of any treasure won. Rhys, suitably appalled at his fellow Avatar's negotiating skills, suggested that Allan and company give a tithe of their reward to the Church. The mercenaries agreed.
Loralask had not returned when the party decided to set out to explore the rest of the Flat Rock plateau. Just north of the Keep they encountered an overgrown area and espied some ruins, seemingly deserted. As they crept closer they found that these were the ruins of an old chapel and cemetary. They poked around these ruins for a bit and found a small crypt with a hole in it, looking as if it had been recently disturbed. Phylus peered in and saw heaps of trash, piles of old bones, and a few half-eaten carcasses (of what creature he dared not guess). He volunteered to go in and explore as he was the only party member small enough to crawl in. He was surveying the debris when something slammed into him from behind and nearly sent him stumbling. There was a sharp pain in his back. He wheeled around with his sword drawn to face a small (no larger than he!), ghoulish creature with yellow fangs and impossibly long claws. Before the creature could slash at him again, Phylus struck out with his short sword and sent the creature reeling. The ghoul raked Phylus with his claws again, but another sword-blow from the gnome dispatched the creature.
Seemingly. As Phylus looked over the debris in the room again, he felt another blow land on his back. He spun around and swung his sword, leaving the ghoul in a heap on the floor. He stood over the creature, waiting to dispatch it once more, and watched with his own eyes as the wounds he had inflicted upon it healed of their own accord. The ghoul jumped up, but before it could attack again Phylus lopped off its head! However, as he watched the head rolled back toward the creature and reattached itself to the stump of its neck! Wisely, perhaps, Phylus decided to leave the crypt before the creature attacked again. The others (all 5 of them) were waiting outsitde.
Leaving the crypt/cemetary area, the Avatars decided to explore the chapel. They found a carved stone altar lying on its side upon a dais. Examining the bottom of the altar, they noticed a small hole cut into the stone that looked as if it once might have held a compartment of some sort. Perhaps to hold the relics of a Saint? In any case, whatever had been stored or hidden here was now long gone.
Rhys and Morpheus decided to set the altar in its proper position, and with Phylus' help they were able to push it over. It fell with a loud BOOM but did not sustain any damage.
Tuesday 2 October - 8:00 a.m.
The Avatars, a bit shaken after the encounter with the ghoul, decided to return to the Keep. They went back to the tavern once again (minus Phylus) and debated whether they should set out once again without Loralask. The three mercenaries -- Allan, Gwydion, and Johann -- sat in another area of the tavern and attracted a bit of attention with their tall tales of their own bravery. Loralask returned to the Keep around the same time and handed the other Avatars a rough map of the surrounding wilderness area, then announced that he was going to bed, having worn himself out flying around the Keep. The map showed a forest to the north with two clearings, one large, one small. Morpheus, Phylus, and Rhys decided to make for the smaller clearing. The three mercenaries accompanied them.
They were able to find the clearing without much difficulty (it was about 1 hour's walk from the Keep, and another hour through the dense forest; they approached it from the east) and discovered that they were at the bottom of a ravine! The walls of the ravine were rather high -- about 100 feet or so -- of dark, streaked rock mingled with earth. Clumps of trees could be found here and there, both on the floor of the ravine and up the sloping walls of the canyon. The floor of the ravine seemed to be about 200 feet wide and 400 feet long, the western end rising in a steep slope. Gaping cave-mouths beckoned from various heights on all sides of the ravine. The Avatars were quite certain that they had located the Caves of Chaos.
The party decided to explore one of the Caves. Two caves could be found on their left (the south side of the ravine wall) at an elevation of about 25 feet. The Avatars and their hirelings scrambled up the side of the ravine, loosening some earth in the process and making a future descent more difficult. They chose to explore the more westerly of the two caves. Peering inside, they saw the sleeping shape of a large bear.
Morpheus decided to summon a venging angel, and began to prepare his propitiation and votive summoning materials. Rhys decided not to wait, and taking Allan with him entered the cave itself. They were confronted almost immediately by a huge troll-like creature, at least 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide, standing atop a leather bag, and wielding a huge spear. Before Rhys and Allan could even approach the creature, he flung the spear directly at Rhys. Rhys was able to dodge the spear, but the troll drew a huge flail with a spiked head. Rhys pummelled the creature with his fists, to no avail, while Allan swung and missed with his short sword. The troll brought his flail down on Rhys, causing a bitter wound. Rhys, sensing that his unarmed combat skills were of little use in this battle, drew his knife. The commotion attracted Phylus and another of the hirelings -- Johann-- and they, too, entered the fray. Before they could come to Rhys' aid, the troll delivered another blow with his flail, and Rhys fell to the ground in a heap, unconcious. Allan and Johann swung wildly with their weapons, but Phylus was able to strike the troll with his sword. As the din of battle grew louder, Morpheus decided to abandon his Invocation and come to the aid of his friends. As he entered the cave with Gwydion, he tried a new spell. Failure.
Meanwhile, Phylus endured a strong blow from the troll, and struck back again with his sword. The hirelings seemed completely ineffective. Morpheus tried his spell again. This time brought success, and a glowing mace wrought of white gold appeared in his hand. He and Phylus were able to bring down the troll, though not without Phylus' suffering another injury from the giant flail. Morpheus then tended to Rhys -- binding his wounds and casting a spell to bring him back to conciousness -- while Phylus and the three hirelings explored the cave.
The "bear" turned out to be nothing but a huge bearskin, under which lay a pile of leaves and twigs. Presumably this was the troll's bed. Phylus cut open the leather bag and found seven large sacks within. He opened each sack to examine the contents:
They were able to find the clearing without much difficulty (it was about 1 hour's walk from the Keep, and another hour through the dense forest; they approached it from the east) and discovered that they were at the bottom of a ravine! The walls of the ravine were rather high -- about 100 feet or so -- of dark, streaked rock mingled with earth. Clumps of trees could be found here and there, both on the floor of the ravine and up the sloping walls of the canyon. The floor of the ravine seemed to be about 200 feet wide and 400 feet long, the western end rising in a steep slope. Gaping cave-mouths beckoned from various heights on all sides of the ravine. The Avatars were quite certain that they had located the Caves of Chaos.
The party decided to explore one of the Caves. Two caves could be found on their left (the south side of the ravine wall) at an elevation of about 25 feet. The Avatars and their hirelings scrambled up the side of the ravine, loosening some earth in the process and making a future descent more difficult. They chose to explore the more westerly of the two caves. Peering inside, they saw the sleeping shape of a large bear.
Morpheus decided to summon a venging angel, and began to prepare his propitiation and votive summoning materials. Rhys decided not to wait, and taking Allan with him entered the cave itself. They were confronted almost immediately by a huge troll-like creature, at least 7 feet tall and 5 feet wide, standing atop a leather bag, and wielding a huge spear. Before Rhys and Allan could even approach the creature, he flung the spear directly at Rhys. Rhys was able to dodge the spear, but the troll drew a huge flail with a spiked head. Rhys pummelled the creature with his fists, to no avail, while Allan swung and missed with his short sword. The troll brought his flail down on Rhys, causing a bitter wound. Rhys, sensing that his unarmed combat skills were of little use in this battle, drew his knife. The commotion attracted Phylus and another of the hirelings -- Johann-- and they, too, entered the fray. Before they could come to Rhys' aid, the troll delivered another blow with his flail, and Rhys fell to the ground in a heap, unconcious. Allan and Johann swung wildly with their weapons, but Phylus was able to strike the troll with his sword. As the din of battle grew louder, Morpheus decided to abandon his Invocation and come to the aid of his friends. As he entered the cave with Gwydion, he tried a new spell. Failure.
Meanwhile, Phylus endured a strong blow from the troll, and struck back again with his sword. The hirelings seemed completely ineffective. Morpheus tried his spell again. This time brought success, and a glowing mace wrought of white gold appeared in his hand. He and Phylus were able to bring down the troll, though not without Phylus' suffering another injury from the giant flail. Morpheus then tended to Rhys -- binding his wounds and casting a spell to bring him back to conciousness -- while Phylus and the three hirelings explored the cave.
The "bear" turned out to be nothing but a huge bearskin, under which lay a pile of leaves and twigs. Presumably this was the troll's bed. Phylus cut open the leather bag and found seven large sacks within. He opened each sack to examine the contents:
- silver coin
- a wheel of hard cheese
- copper and electrum coin
- gold coin
- a keg of brandy
- copper coin
- gold coin
He thought it unwise to count the coin right there in the cave.
Phylus also discovered a side cave (to the east of the main cave) that the troll had been using for waste. Under a heap of old bones in this side cave he found six arrows, a vial of some clear, viscous fluid, and two plaques (1 & 2), each holding one Theurgy activation: Confer Righteousness (1), and Nullify Toxins (2).
Phylus also discovered a side cave (to the east of the main cave) that the troll had been using for waste. Under a heap of old bones in this side cave he found six arrows, a vial of some clear, viscous fluid, and two plaques (1 & 2), each holding one Theurgy activation: Confer Righteousness (1), and Nullify Toxins (2).
posted by dcs at 12:00 AM
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