Chapter VII
Cast of Characters
Inigo, Human Bravo (Swashbuckling) played by Jeremy
Gwydion, Human mercenary fighter (henchman of Inigo)
Loralask, Human Elementalist (Geourgy), played by Mike
Morpheus, Human Ecclesiastic (Theurgy), played by Carl
Phylus, Unordered Gnome (Physique), played by Chad
Thursday, 11 October - 9:00 a.m.
The Avatars returned to the Caves, arriving at about 11:00 a.m. Before they came to the Caves proper, but after they entered the woods, Morpheus built an altar and summoned another Destroyer. At the same time, Loralask inscribed both a command circle and a protection circle and summoned a Devati.
The Avatars' first task upon arriving at the Caves was to try and dig away through the rock and debris blocking the South Cave. But the blockage was far too extensive, and they succeeded only in making a lot of noise. They ignored the other nearby cave on this level (the Troll Cave), as it had already been explored, and clambered up to the next level (another 25') and entered the nearest cave there.
Here they found the entrance guarded by a stout door. Skulls of various humanoids (and perhaps even humans?) lined the walls of the entrance cave, some being affixed to the door itself. As the Avatars came closer to the door, they saw runes burned into it: "Come in -- we'd like to have you for dinner!" They pushed and tugged on the door but to no avail. Morpheus directed the destroying minion to try and break down the door. This latter attacked the door with his axe, striking three sharp blows, without much to show for it except a horrible racket: "BONG! BONG! BONG!" Finally Inigo stepped forward and examined the door, and located the hidden mechanism that would allow him to slide the bar back and open the door.
Gwydion and Phylus then moved up and the three pushed the door to. It opened with a creak, and as soon as their torches shed some light in the cave these three were caught in a hail of arrows. Six large goblins stood in the cave beyond; the Avatars could see them drop their crossbows and draw their curved swords.
The three fighters rushed headlong into the cave, followed by the Destroyer and the air elemental. The goblins fought wildly but mostly ineffectually and the Destroyer was able to cut them down one by one. As the fifth one fell, the last cried: "BREE-YARK!" Four more goblins ran up to replace the ones that had fallen. The Avatars torches suddenly went out and they were blinded. When they managed to get them re-lit, there were now 10 goblins standing before them.
Phylus struck with his sword. Two goblins fell back before him, each with the same wound in his side. Then the goblins took their turn. Most of their attacks were errant, but one struck Phylus' unarmored sword-arm and drew blood. Morpheus and the destroying minion then fell on the goblins. Two were struck down in a single blow from the Destroyer. Inigo and Gwydion struck at the others, but missed. As the battle wore on, the Avatars started to gain the upper hand. Just when it seemed that they would be able to overcome the goblins, they heard the hiss of arrows behind them! Some of them were hit by crossbow bolts. Turning around toward the cave mouth, they saw three ranks of goblins -- three crawling on the floor with swords in their hands, three crouching down and firing crossbows, and three more standing behind these, also firing crossbows.
The Avatars slammed the door and wedged it with a dagger. Loralask began preparing a spell, thinking that they could open the door and surprise the goblins with a magical attack. The two remaining goblins in the hall were slain by the destroying minion, but just as they fell, eight more goblins ran up, three of them uncommonly large and strong. They fell upon the party immediately, but the Avatars still had the upper hand. Still, one of the larger ones struck Phylus again in his sword arm, this time severing it below the elbow! Phylus cried out in the gnomish tongue as his hand, still bearing his sword, dropped to the floor. Loralask's air elemental defended him as he continued with his spell preparations. But alas! the spell fizzled, and the Avatars were sorely put to the test. Phylus picked up his weapon and attacked with his off hand. When most of the goblins had fallen, three of them turned and fled. The party ran after them, stopping only to tie a tourniquet on Phylus' arm, but the goblins were faster and better knew the ways of the cave.
Still, the Avatars were able to track them through the footprints they left in the dust on the floor. The trail led to a wall. Morpheus suspected a secret door, and some time later was able to find the mechanism for opening it. A hidden lever was pulled, and the door opened quickly with a grinding noise. But the trail led only 20 feet further before it ended in a wall again! A second secret door was revealed, and the party was able to press on. They followed the trail through a series of common rooms, each of which showed signs of a hurried packing and evacuation. A set of stairs led them down deeper into the caves, and they continued following the tracks (now much more numerous) through a storeroom and then to a passageway leading east. Here again the tracks ended at a wall. The party suspected a secret door, but they were not able to discover the mechanism for opening it. They doubled back, hoping perhaps to find some treasure left behind by the fleeing goblins.
They returned to the common area and opened a door leading west. Here was a chamber clearly belonging to a goblin of some importance; it held more "stuff" than any of the others -- junk furniture and the like. A box containing a number of animal skins was found to have a secret compartment containing some mixed coin, a small green gem, and a vial of a cloudy yellow liquid. When a pile of kindling near the fireplace was searched, a magical wand of some sort was revealed. Loralask took a moment and subjected the wand to magical analysis. He learned that its command word was "freeze," that it would work to stop an enemy from approaching, and that a "moderate" number of charges were remaining in it.
The party began to hear the muffled shouts and cries of more goblins. Morpheus attempted a safe haven but failed. But even after the failure he still had the energy remaining for another attempt. The party started to hear approaching footsteps when they were swept up into the safe haven and the caves suddenly disappeared. They found themselves in the midst of a copse of pine trees.
Inigo, Human Bravo (Swashbuckling) played by Jeremy
Gwydion, Human mercenary fighter (henchman of Inigo)
Loralask, Human Elementalist (Geourgy), played by Mike
Morpheus, Human Ecclesiastic (Theurgy), played by Carl
Phylus, Unordered Gnome (Physique), played by Chad
Thursday, 11 October - 9:00 a.m.
The Avatars returned to the Caves, arriving at about 11:00 a.m. Before they came to the Caves proper, but after they entered the woods, Morpheus built an altar and summoned another Destroyer. At the same time, Loralask inscribed both a command circle and a protection circle and summoned a Devati.
The Avatars' first task upon arriving at the Caves was to try and dig away through the rock and debris blocking the South Cave. But the blockage was far too extensive, and they succeeded only in making a lot of noise. They ignored the other nearby cave on this level (the Troll Cave), as it had already been explored, and clambered up to the next level (another 25') and entered the nearest cave there.
Here they found the entrance guarded by a stout door. Skulls of various humanoids (and perhaps even humans?) lined the walls of the entrance cave, some being affixed to the door itself. As the Avatars came closer to the door, they saw runes burned into it: "Come in -- we'd like to have you for dinner!" They pushed and tugged on the door but to no avail. Morpheus directed the destroying minion to try and break down the door. This latter attacked the door with his axe, striking three sharp blows, without much to show for it except a horrible racket: "BONG! BONG! BONG!" Finally Inigo stepped forward and examined the door, and located the hidden mechanism that would allow him to slide the bar back and open the door.
Gwydion and Phylus then moved up and the three pushed the door to. It opened with a creak, and as soon as their torches shed some light in the cave these three were caught in a hail of arrows. Six large goblins stood in the cave beyond; the Avatars could see them drop their crossbows and draw their curved swords.
The three fighters rushed headlong into the cave, followed by the Destroyer and the air elemental. The goblins fought wildly but mostly ineffectually and the Destroyer was able to cut them down one by one. As the fifth one fell, the last cried: "BREE-YARK!" Four more goblins ran up to replace the ones that had fallen. The Avatars torches suddenly went out and they were blinded. When they managed to get them re-lit, there were now 10 goblins standing before them.
Phylus struck with his sword. Two goblins fell back before him, each with the same wound in his side. Then the goblins took their turn. Most of their attacks were errant, but one struck Phylus' unarmored sword-arm and drew blood. Morpheus and the destroying minion then fell on the goblins. Two were struck down in a single blow from the Destroyer. Inigo and Gwydion struck at the others, but missed. As the battle wore on, the Avatars started to gain the upper hand. Just when it seemed that they would be able to overcome the goblins, they heard the hiss of arrows behind them! Some of them were hit by crossbow bolts. Turning around toward the cave mouth, they saw three ranks of goblins -- three crawling on the floor with swords in their hands, three crouching down and firing crossbows, and three more standing behind these, also firing crossbows.
The Avatars slammed the door and wedged it with a dagger. Loralask began preparing a spell, thinking that they could open the door and surprise the goblins with a magical attack. The two remaining goblins in the hall were slain by the destroying minion, but just as they fell, eight more goblins ran up, three of them uncommonly large and strong. They fell upon the party immediately, but the Avatars still had the upper hand. Still, one of the larger ones struck Phylus again in his sword arm, this time severing it below the elbow! Phylus cried out in the gnomish tongue as his hand, still bearing his sword, dropped to the floor. Loralask's air elemental defended him as he continued with his spell preparations. But alas! the spell fizzled, and the Avatars were sorely put to the test. Phylus picked up his weapon and attacked with his off hand. When most of the goblins had fallen, three of them turned and fled. The party ran after them, stopping only to tie a tourniquet on Phylus' arm, but the goblins were faster and better knew the ways of the cave.
Still, the Avatars were able to track them through the footprints they left in the dust on the floor. The trail led to a wall. Morpheus suspected a secret door, and some time later was able to find the mechanism for opening it. A hidden lever was pulled, and the door opened quickly with a grinding noise. But the trail led only 20 feet further before it ended in a wall again! A second secret door was revealed, and the party was able to press on. They followed the trail through a series of common rooms, each of which showed signs of a hurried packing and evacuation. A set of stairs led them down deeper into the caves, and they continued following the tracks (now much more numerous) through a storeroom and then to a passageway leading east. Here again the tracks ended at a wall. The party suspected a secret door, but they were not able to discover the mechanism for opening it. They doubled back, hoping perhaps to find some treasure left behind by the fleeing goblins.
They returned to the common area and opened a door leading west. Here was a chamber clearly belonging to a goblin of some importance; it held more "stuff" than any of the others -- junk furniture and the like. A box containing a number of animal skins was found to have a secret compartment containing some mixed coin, a small green gem, and a vial of a cloudy yellow liquid. When a pile of kindling near the fireplace was searched, a magical wand of some sort was revealed. Loralask took a moment and subjected the wand to magical analysis. He learned that its command word was "freeze," that it would work to stop an enemy from approaching, and that a "moderate" number of charges were remaining in it.
The party began to hear the muffled shouts and cries of more goblins. Morpheus attempted a safe haven but failed. But even after the failure he still had the energy remaining for another attempt. The party started to hear approaching footsteps when they were swept up into the safe haven and the caves suddenly disappeared. They found themselves in the midst of a copse of pine trees.
posted by dcs at 12:00 AM
