Prologue: Shadows of the Past

Turn 16: Mopping Up

Mauser looked across the room to where Meepo, Erky and Telemachos stood in front of Calcryx’s repaired cage examining the recaptured wyrmling. Then the cleric turned and looked at Nanoc and Danton once more.

“I am concerned that Telemacho's current state of mind may make him a liability should we encounter the Frog Man again,” said Mauser. “I believe there is every chance he survived the conflagration below. Who knows what sort of defenses the druid had in place before we accosted him? It was obvious he seemed impervious to our weapons, which makes me believe he had already cast a spell called barkskin. A druid would also have at his disposal spells that would make him virtually invulnerable to fire as well.”

”I suggest we regroup in Oakhurst,” continued the cleric, “claim our just rewards, restock our supplies and return to explore this temple further. We must see if Telemacho's infatuation with the Frog Man wears off. I would like to return to the grove to verify the tree is indeed dead and the druid is gone. If he perished in the fire, then there should be remains to verify that fact. We cannot afford such a man catching us unaware if he is still alive.”

”As for the temple, I believe it deserves a thorough search for any and all treasure. Nanoc, an axe the likes of which you speak of would surely not be found lying around in dust and debris. The builders of this temple would have surely stored such a weapon of power with other valuable objects in a vault or some hidden room. Such places would have guardians or wards to keep people from taking the treasure. We must overcome such obstacles if we are to obtain the best of what the citadel had hidden. The very shadow that drained my strength may even be such a guardian. We've earned a few hundred gold for all the trouble we've gone through in this hole. I see no wisdom in clearing out all the rats, goblins and bugbears so that peasants from Oakhurst can come and loot any treasure we've left behind. Any treasure that remains in these ruins belongs to us by right and I think we should claim it!”

Danton shook his head emphatically.

“Frankly, who giveth a damn whether the Frog Man hath survived the conflagration? Hath I misremembered the terms of our arrangement with Kerowyn Hucrele? Is it not so that we were promised payment only with respect to the now-deceased Hucrele twins? Is it not further true that the arrangements contained not a single codicil—not even a mere word—involving the Frog Man, to say nothing of Dark Trees, giant frogs, twig monsters and vampiric bones? Nay, you know ‘tis so. So whyfore to the grove, and to what end?”

Mauser scoffed. “What happened to the brave band of men who set out for this hell hole? What happened to the great Nanoc who is destined to find a powerful axe? Do you think your axe is under a mug of ale? Danton, do you think a few hundred gold is going to impress Vanessa's father? And what of Telemachos’ quest for his father? Do you truly think the handful of gold we've earned from the Hucrele family is going to finance that quest as well?”

“You misunderstand me,” replied Danton. “I am a mercenary now, but not a fool. Without want of my own, I am indeed a man without a country, which is practically the definition of ‘mercenary.’ In my prior vocation, when I risked life and limb, I did it for ‘queen and country,’ as the saying goes. Now, I risk it for mine own purposes, such that they are. What I am, I am—and without apology. But I will not go needlessly into death’s embrace.”

Nanoc raised his hands to either side of his head and grunted: “Oh' all this talkin' is given me a headache. Don't see no reason ta go back down ta that there lower level, when we gots a key ta a magical door. I says we go back to that door at the beginning an see if'n the key works. If it does that's what we needs ta explore.

If it turns out ta be a big place behind the door we may need ta go back ta town and re-supply. With our rewards for the rings that ought not be a problem. If it is just a treasure room, well let’s take what is there and get the hell outta here. I could sure use a cold ale ‘bout now.”

”Unbelievable,” muttered Mauser. “We've traversed nearly all of this foul hole and killed everything in it which crossed our path. We've cleaned out the filth and are now free to explore it thoroughly and relieve it of its riches and all you can think of is mediocre ale and cheap wine back in Oakhurst!”

Nanoc shot the cleric a dark look. “We sure as heck ain't gonna go to Oakhurst without first try'n that key in the door. If there is new places behind there, then I am for find'n them out. Heck I don't need torches, if we get through that door and there is more to explore I am fine with it we can go without re-supplyin'.”

“But,” added Nanoc with a raised finger, “I don't see no point in trampsin' around were we already done been, though! Heck ain't nothing down there but old statues o' dragons, and some worthless book in a library. Books never done me no good. I suppose the druid might have a stash somewhere we done missed, but I think we cleaned it out pretty good. I wanna see if this here key we got works.”

“Nanoc, my boy,” interjected Danton, ”you are on the right track. In any dangerous foray, the wise man playeth the ‘law of averages.’ I will not dizzy your head with overlong explanation, and there is no need because ‘tis an easy concept. In short, what are the odds of the potential reward outweighing the risk? Here, there odds are slim indeed, and based upon the sheerest speculation. Frankly, the only likely place we might find a magical axe—if such even exists in this hole in the ground, which I frankly doubt—would be behind the dragon door near to the entrance. If there is no axe there, ‘tis highly unlikely that there is one anywhere in this dungeon, or that the risk will be commensurate with the theoretical reward.”

“Plus,” added the Velunese, ”think you that a stupid vampire bone will have any value amongst street vendors, tavern keepers or ladies of the night? Of course not! Well then, why waste time to exhume it?”

Suddenly the debate was cut short when Telemachos appeared, clapping Nanoc and Mauser on the backs.

"Fellow adventurers, a job well done,” said the Furyondian. “I seem to have lost the treasured sword that my lost father gave me when I began my military training.  It has been a trust companion through many battles and

adventures, I can assure you.  But this replacement is not too shabby either,” he continued, hefting the rune-carved blade Nanoc had taken from Sir Braford and twirling it in the air.

“Whilst I think that simply smashing an enemy's weapon to pieces is a cowardly act, I shall brandish it for the time-being and discover its properties. I shall otherwise take my fair share of the loot, but you gentlemen - and Nanoc - can divide the rest of the items. Except for the gems that is. Where is the Frog Man, by the by? I would bask in his wisdom once more had I the opportunity."

"By the way, Nanoc, did you really need to hit me so hard?  I don't remember much about what happened to me, but I certainly still feel it! I am certainly glad that you are a companion on our side!" 

Nanoc shrugged and rolled his eyes.

“In any case,” continued Telemachos, “from what Erky tells me, we don't know if our enemies are on the attack or mustering their forces.  We should be

hasty and leave this place . . . forever. Let us collect our promised rewards and depart the citadel and Oakhurst. I think we all seek other places and people. I,

for one, must seek out the smallest iota of information regarding my lost father.  I fear we have already tarried too long, though we did gain some valuable traveling money.”

“That sounds like three-to-one to me,” said Danton with a meaningful glance at Mauser. “Meaning we use the key on the stone door, follow it where it may lead, and then decamp for Oakurst and beyond.”

Mauser tried one more time: “I agree that we should check out the magical dragon door to see what it hides. But I also think we should take some time to examine the shrines in more detail - we know how to deal with the shadow now and if that is the worst we encounter, I don't see that we have anything to worry about. I am a seeker of magic and knowledge. Assist me in my search and I will assist all of you in your quests. Nanoc, I will go to the ends of all Oerth in search of your great axe. Danton, I will offer my unique talents to aid you in your desire for Vanessa's hand. Telemachos, I will march or sail as far as it takes to find your father. These things, I promise.”

“Nay, I think not,” pronounced Telemachos. “I am in need of a clean bed, a warrior's feast, and massive tankards of ale.  I hope that the intellectuals among us don't interrupt our respite too much with their philosophical speculations. 

Mind you, I am well-educated and trained in the liberal arts, but nothing beats the feeling of cold steel in your hand."

With a clear majority in favor of using the key on the dragon door, following the door wherever it might lead, and then departing the citadel, the party gathered its belongings, lit a torch and took its leave of Meepo. The kobold was only too glad to have the group go so that he could return his full attention to attempting to ‘master’ Calcryx, who seemed as restive as ever in his cage.

“Good luck, Meepo,” said Telemachos when the group was ready to depart. “With the goblins decimated, you guys pretty much own this place now. May peace go with your people.”

Meepo’s only reply was a distracted wave.

Once the party was underway, the trip back to the dragon door was short and uneventful. The group passed down the long hallway leading out of Meepo’s chambers, through the ruined tower where goblin bodies still lay rotting and then into the collapsing hall with the stone door that had proven resistant to all of the party’s previous efforts to open it.

Once in the chamber, Danton removed the metal key that Yusdrayl had given the party for returning Calcryx and approached the door. Finding nothing untoward (Search: 4+9=13; Listen: 6+6=12), the scout placed the key into the single keyhole on the door. It fit perfectly. Danton then turned the key, which produced an audible ‘click’, and motioned for Nanoc to open the portal. As the half-orc did so, there was a hissing noise and a puff of dust around the door.

Beyond the dragon door was a large chamber that appeared to have been undisturbed for a very long time. Roughly thirty feet from north to south and nearly forty from east to west, every surface in it was covered by the dust of ages. Not a single footprint or other sign of movement was visible anywhere. Apparently a gallery of some sort, the room contained three alcoves on the north wall, and one on the south wall. Each alcove held a dust-covered stone pedestal with a fist-sized crystalline globe upon it. Although the globes in the northern alcoves lay cracked and dark, the globe in the southern alcove glowed with a soft blue light. Faint tinkling noises sprang forth from it. At the far end of the chamber another closed stone door was visible in the light from the torch Danton carried.

Danton withdrew the key from the door, leaving the portal open, and the party moved carefully into the gallery. As they moved, their boots kicked up the inch of dust that coated the floor. The air felt stale in their lungs. As the party advanced into the chamber, the tinkling from the one glowing globe grew gradually louder until it became apparent that the device emitted some sort of forlorn music. The music grew louder and louder, eventually filling the room and even echoing out into the chamber beyond.

“I liketh this not,” said Danton. “This dirge doth fill me with foreboding. Let us move on.”

“Hold,” said Mauser. “We know not what this device is. It could be of great magical power to have been protected so.”

“Or it could be lethal,” countered the Velunese, “explaining why it was so thoroughly locked up for so many ages.”

“I think it’s kinda pretty,” said Nanoc. “Look at that blue light! An’ the tune ain’t so bad either.”

“This is foolishness,” said Danton, “I am moving on to the next door.”

While Erky looked around the room, Telemachos distractedly twirled his new sword through the air, and Danton moved to check the far door for any traps, Nanoc and Mauser approached the glowing musical globe. The music continued to grow louder minute by minute. The growing noise made it impossible for Danton to hear anything beyond the far door (Listen: 14+6=20), and his examination of the portal (search: 17+9=26) turned up no surprises.

“This is clearly an item of power, whose full properties must be carefully studied,” pronounced Mauser (spellcraft: 17+3=20).

Suddenly Nanoc screamed. The music that had at first seemed somewhat pleasant to the half-orc had taken a darker turn and now it filled his head, drowning out all else, including his own thoughts (Will save: 4+2=6; fail).

“Make it go away!” screamed the barbarian, turning and running out of the chamber, howling as we went.

Within a matter of seconds, Erky called out in pain as well and followed in Nanoc’s wake.

[Will saves: Danton: 11+1=12; fail; Telemachos: 1+1=2; fail; Mauser: 16+7=23; success]

While Danton and Telemachos soon found the piercing music to be as overwhelming as Nanoc and Erky and felt compelled to flee the chamber with all speed, Mauser was able to resist the effect. While the others did not stop running until they had actually exited the citadel and stood outside in the ruined courtyard where Nanoc had first fallen into a pit trap days earlier, Mauser carefully approached the musical orb and wrapped his burned cloak around it. This muffled the orb somewhat, but did not silence it completely. The cleric then walked out of the chamber to go in search of the rest of the party. However, the moment Mauser stepped through the dragon door and into the outer chamber, the orb fell completely silent.

Mauser stopped, unwrapped the orb, and saw that the blue light had faded as well. Conducting a quick experiment, the cleric re-wrapped the orb in the cloak and stepped back into the gallery with the alcoves. The moment he was through the door again, the orb glowed blue once more and the music began to play.

“Most interesting,” mused the cleric. He slipped the covered orb into his pack and then followed the sounds of the others out of the citadel.

Although it was still mid-morning, little light filtered down into the crevasse outside the citadel. Still any natural light was the first the party had seen in many days.

“What the heck was that?” blurted Nanoc when he saw Mauser approaching. “Once that music got inta my head, it started to hurt! All I could think about was getting away from it!”

“I think it might have been some sort of ancient security device,” replied the cleric. “Either that or those who resided here long ago enjoyed such things. In any case, the orb falls silent when removed from the gallery. I shall take it with us for further study when we depart, but until then we need only leave it outside the gallery to silence its effects. Come, let us continue our search.”

Danton and Telemachos exchanged a questioning glance, but the party nevertheless walked back into the tower once more, carefully avoiding the area in the courtyard with the pit trap.

When the group again stood outside the dragon door, Mauser removed the orb from his pack and carefully buried it and the cloak covering it in the pile of rubble at the southern end of the chamber. The group then walked back into the now-silent gallery and back to the door at the far end. This door had no keyhole and slid open easily when Nanoc put his weight against it.

Beyond the door was a twenty-foot long corridor, not much more than ten feet wide. Yet another closed stone door stood at the far end. The air was stale here too. Danton scanned the floor, walls and ceiling carefully (search: 18+9=27). Nanoc started to push past the scout when Danton held up his hand and blocked the barbarian.

“Hold, Nanoc. I have a funny feeling about that area in the center of the hall.”

Something about the large paving stone that filled the center of the hall seemed a bit odd. Although the layer of dust made examination difficult, the floor in the center of the hall seemed slightly raised above the rest of the area. Previous experience in the citadel suggested that such an oddity could signal a trap. Setting to work to identify the nature of the trap and a way to disarm it (disable device: 11+7=18), Danton concluded that the center of the chamber contained some sort of pressure plate, but he was unable to determine exactly what stepping on it would do.

Unfortunately, the pressure plate filled the chamber from wall to wall and there was no way to skirt one’s way around it.

“Guess that means we’re jumpin!” said Nanoc excitedly when Danton presented his conclusions. “Get outta the way an’ I’ll go first!”

While the others stood aside, Nanoc walked back for a running start and then charged forward to leap over the dangerous area (jump: 13+6=19). Even laden down with gear as he was, the half-orc easily cleared the ten-foot long pressure plate, landing heavily on the far side just short of the door.

Going next, Danton tossed his torch to Nanoc and then did his best to match the half-orc’s actions, but his legs lacked the barbarian’s incredible strength and he came up a couple of feet short of his target (jump: 13-1=12). When his feet landed on the pressure plate, there was a whooshing sound from the far door as an arrow shot out of it. The projectile went directly at Mauser, but the cleric managed to get his shield up in time to block the attack. Danton then jumped the last few feet and landed on the far side of the pressure plate.

“Be careful!” he hissed. “It will probably fire again if anyone else falls short as I did.”

Mauser went next, not clearing the plate by as great a distance as Nanoc, but still landing safely beyond it (jump: 20-4=16).

All of the party members prepared for the worst when Erky’s turn came, for it was obvious that the gnome’s short legs would never launch him ten feet or more through the air. Indeed, their worst fears were realized when the gnome stumbled when he should have leaped, and landed on the plate a mere two feet from where he had left the ground. As Erky leapt again and again trying to get across the plate with as few steps as possible, arrow after arrow shot out from the far door. Erky somehow managed to dodge the shots that went in his direction and Danton pressed himself against the wall to avoid another shot, but one arrow slammed into Mauser’s side (5 damage).

While Mauser grunted in pain, Erky apologized repeatedly and assisted him with removing the arrow and binding the wound. No magical healing was available unless the party wanted to expend one of its precious scrolls.

“We, uhhhh, have to come up with some other way of doing things on the way back,” said Mauser through clenched teeth.

“Either that or our bard has to get better at removing traps!” yelled Telemachos as he launched himself into a running start for his own leap. The fighter’s jump carried him most of the way over the plate, but the weight of his armor dragged him down, and he landed three feet short of the end of the trap (jump: 8+4=12).

One last arrow shot out and this time Danton was too slow to avoid it completely. Although he leapt out of the way, the arrow still grazed his right arm (1 damage).

“If we needed any further evidence that continued exploration of this citadel would be anything other than hazardous, I would say we have found it,” hissed the Velunese while Erky bound his new wound. “Let us finish our explorations here, hope that they do not lead to our doom, and have done with this vile place.”

After Danton checked the far door (listen: 15+6=21; search: 9+9=18) and found nothing other than the holes by which the arrows emerged when the pressure plate was activated, Nanoc opened the door, which again had no keyhole.

Beyond the door was an oval chamber that was only twenty feet from east to west, but nearly forty from north to south. Dust filled this hall like a layer of gray snow. In the rounded northern end of the chamber, the party members could see a sculpture of a dragon carved from red-veined white marble. The statue was nearly ten feet tall and stood on a low pedestal. It depicted a coiled dragon of unknown type. No other exits from the chamber were visible.

“Perhaps if we leave this door open when we depart,” mused Danton, “we will not need to worry about the arrows again. I for one have been perforated more than enough.”

“I hope we didn’t come all this way just to find another one of Mauser’s stupid statues,” muttered Telemachos.

“Does that mean more of those shadow-thingies?” asked Nanoc.

“Hold, be silent, and allow me to investigate,” said Mauser as he approached the statue.

When the cleric reached a point some five feet away from the statue, words boomed out from it and the stone jaws of the dragon’s mouth actually moved:

“We come at night without being fetched; we disappear by day without being stolen.”

“What the heck was that?” blurted Nanoc. “Where’s the shrine monster? What was that about thieves?”

“It sounded like a riddle,” said Mauser. “Let me think a moment…”

“Of course it was a riddle, and a laughably easy one at that,” said Danton. “Any child in Veluna knows the answer to this one—Stars! Stars come out by night and disappear by day!”

The effect of Danton’s words was immediate and dramatic. The moment he said the word ‘stars’, a heretofore unseen door in the west wall slid open with the sound of stone grinding on stone.

“Now that, Nanoc, is how to open a door with style!” said Danton with a florid bow.

“Hmm,” grunted the half-orc. “I prefer my way an’ I still don’t see what stars have ta do with thieves.”

“Perhaps I can explain later—when we have an hour or two over a fine repast at the Ol’ Boar in Oakhurst. Until then, let us move on.”

Beyond the secret door was yet another dust filled chamber. This hall was only twenty feet wide but almost fifty feet long. Although Danton’s torch had been the party’s only light source in the other rooms in this part of the citadel, a faint greenish light was visible from the far end of this room. Three narrow alcoves lined both the north and south walls. Each alcove held a humanoid figure carved of red-veined white marble, except for the southwest alcove, which was empty. The figures resembled tall elves in plate mail. The far end of the hall opened via a stone arch into a wide room, from which the greenish light trickled. A dark pit was situated before the western archway.

“We must proceed very carefully here,” said Danton. “I sense great danger.”

“I sense great power to be had,” whispered Mauser.

Danton moved through the chamber, examining every inch of it as carefully as possible as he went (search: 12+9=21). One thing was immediately obvious to the scout: while previous chambers in this area had lain undisturbed for centuries, someone or something had been moving about in this area. While dust was everywhere, it was disturbed in several areas. Some sort of tracks could be discerned, but they too were filled with dust, suggesting that whatever moved through the area had done so some years previously. No one in the party was sufficiently skilled to follow the beginning and end of the tracks (no one has the ‘track’ feat), but the knowledge that someone had been here put the party on a higher state of alert.

At the far end of the chamber, where the pit lay under the archway, the party members were able to gaze across the pit and into the next room. Although the pit filled the entire western end of the room where the party stood, the archway that led into the next chamber was only ten feet wide, so the party could not see the entire chamber beyond. But they could make out that it was reasonably large, with violet-hued tiles covering the floor and walls. The source of the green light was not visible, but the light was stronger here, illuminating what appeared to be a massive stone sarcophagus, easily nine feet long, in the center of the next chamber.

As for the pit that blocked passage forward, when the party members gazed down into it, they could see that it was ten feet deep and its bottom was filled with spikes. The walls of the pit were rough and uneven.

Aside from these observations, Danton also noticed something unusual when he examined the center alcove on the southern wall—part of the alcove wall was slightly discolored and when the scout fumbled about with his fingers on the wall, he quickly found a mechanism that opened a hidden door at the back of the alcove.

When the door opened, it revealed a tiny chamber five feet wide and ten feet deep. Dust coated the chamber, obscuring words inscribed on the southern wall. Otherwise the chamber appeared empty and unremarkable. Danton rubbed the dust off the markings on the wall, but the words he revealed were written in a language that no one in the party could understand.

“What’s th’ point o’ buildin’ some tiny empty room?” asked Nanoc. “When ya found it, I was hopin’ my axe might be in here! I mean, Mauser got his morningstar, Tel got his sword, but where’s my axe?”

“Shhhh!” admonished Danton. “I am thinking…there must indeed have been some reason to construct such a chamber…some reason not evident to the untrained eye…”

The Velunese carefully probed the walls and floor, searching for anything unusual (search: 15+9=24), and he quickly found it: a trapdoor in the center of the floor that lifted up to reveal a dark three foot by three foot crawlspace that ran off to the west. When Danton lay on the floor and stuck his torch and head down into the crawlspace, it appeared that it ran for at least fifty or sixty feet—as far as the light from the torch would carry.

“So, which way we goin?” asked Nanoc. “Can’t say I’m too thrilled ‘bout the idea o’ crawlin’ through that little space.”

“Nor I,” agreed Danton, “but it doth seem a better option than a leap across that pit—this time falling short would have consequences more severe than an arrow or two to dodge.”

“Then let’s get on with it,” said Mauser. “We can use our usual order and Tel can wait and guard this end until we know whether we can safely emerge at the far end.”

“No problem,” grunted the fighter.

With Nanoc somehow cramming himself into the small space and slowly crawling through it, Danton followed, along with Mauser and then Erky. The tunnel ran for a full sixty feet before it finally ended in another trap door overhead. Nanoc opened the door with one hand while clutching his axe in the other. He then stood up in the tunnel and stepped up and out of it into a new chamber. The others quickly followed and Erky called out for Telemachos to join the rest of the group.

When the party stepped up and out of the crawlspace, it found itself in the chamber beyond the pit and the archway. The room was thirty feet from east to west and forty from north to south. The party could now see that the violet tiles covered the walls and floor of the entire chamber. The trap door where the party had emerged was located in the southwest corner of the room. Wall sconces were attached to the walls at each corner, but only one still bore a torch, and it burned with the tiny, greenish light the party had seen from the previous room. The huge marble sarcophagus lay in the room’s center. Now that the group stood closer to it, it was clear that the stone possessed heavy carvings with dragon imagery, and the head of the sarcophagus resembled a dragon’s head. Rusting metal clasps firmly locked down the lid of the sarcophagus.

“How’s that torch still burnin’ after all these years?” asked Nanoc, pointing towards the green flame.

“It must be magic,” said Mauser. “Perhaps it has a permanent enchantment. We should take it with us when we go—we’d never have to worry about lack of light again.”

“Now what?” asked Telemachos. “Is this the end of the line? Should we ask the Frog Man what to do next?”

“Let’s find out,” said Danton. “This whole part of the citadel appears filled to brimming with hidden doors.”

The Velunese moved systematically through the chamber, looking for any sign of traps or hidden portals, but, even after an exhaustive search, he found nothing (search: 11+9=20).

“Twould indeed appear to be as far as one can go—at least in terms of the area of the citadel accessible via using Yusdrayl’s key in the stone dragon door,” he said finally when his examination was complete.

“So we came all this way for a magic torch and a stupid sarcophagus?” asked Telemachos incredulously. “I’ve definitely had enough of this place.”

“Has it occurred to any of you that the hidden treasure is probably inside the sarcophagus?” asked Mauser. “Come, Nanoc, did you truly expect your axe to be simply lying about on the floor? Of course not. Why don’t you open that thing up that we may find out what is inside and claim our just reward for our efforts.”

“I don’t know,” said Danton.

“Look,” said Mauser, the exasperation evident in his voice. “We’ve come all this way and gone through all these traps and tunnels to get here. Surely you don’t intend to simply turn around and waltz off to Oakhurst now?”

“C’mon, Danton, he’s right,” said Nanoc. “Goin’ back ta places we already been is pretty silly, but this is new and with how hard it was ta get here, there’s just gotta be some good stuff inside.”

“Famous last words, no doubt,” said the Velunese, “but I will not stop you if you wish to open that tomb. I will merely caution all present to be ready for the worst, for if there is treasure to be taken, I have no doubt it will come at a price.

Facing no obvious threats and without any kind of time constraints, Nanoc was able to take the time to position himself as effectively as possible and gather his strength to break each of the six latches in turn (“take twenty”=20+5=25 for each latch). The half-orc then motioned for Telemachos to assist him with lifting the heavy stone top off the sarcophagus. As the two warriors did so, the remaining party members stood back with weapons at the ready for any surprises.

Inside the sarcophagus lay the mummified body of some very large creature—a full nine feet tall. It appeared to have been entombed wearing fine clothes, now rotted. But it still wore sparkling jewelry and rings adorned with tiny silver dragons. The mummified flesh seemed shrunken but elongated at the same time, and was a rubbery, putrid gray. The hair on the creature was long, thick and ropy, while its hands were clawed and its feet three-toed. As the party members gazed down into the sarcophagus at the bizarre body, its eyes flashed open with a flickering orange light.

“Oh, I might have known!” groaned Danton. “Here we go again!”

[Initiative: Mummified Thing: 10, Nanoc: 11, Telemachos: 21 Danton: 10 Mauser: 16, Erky: 13]

As the mummy, creature, or whatever it was rose up from its sarcophagus, the party members did not wait for it to give proof of hostile intent. Instead, they all had at the creature from all directions. Unfortunately, the thing proved surprisingly fast and managed to dodge most of the flurry of blows that came at it (Danton attack: 2+4+2=8; miss; Mauser attack: 10+4+2=16; miss). Only Nanoc and Telemachos (Nanoc attack: 11+9+2=22; hit; 9 damage; Telemachos attack: 12+9+2=23; hit; 10 damage) were quick enough to strike the creature before it leapt out of the sarcophagus and landed amidst the party members, right next to the Furyondian.

When the thing landed, it lashed out at Telemachos with both clawlike hands and leaned over in an attempt to bite the warrior as well. The fighter blocked the claws with his shield, but took the bite on the shoulder (5 damage).

Telemachos backed away and the huge shambling thing came after him, but the other party members surrounded it once again and continued to slash at it. Telemachos struck the creature a solid blow as he moved back (attack: 12+11=23; hit; 13 damage), while Mauser smashed his morninstar into its side with a flash of yellow light (attack: 17+6=23; hit; 8 damage). Somehow the thing managed to take these blows and keep advancing on Telemachos, but when Nanoc slammed his axe into its back (attack: 19+11=30; hit; 15 damage), the creature fell face forward and collapsed unmoving onto the tile floor.

“Aw, come on, Danton,” said Nanoc as he pulled his axe from the thing’s back. “That wasn’t so bad—pretty ugly—but not all that tough! An’ maybe my axe is inside that tomb over there!”

When the party members returned to the sarcophagus so hastily vacated by the thing that had attacked them, they saw that there were a number of items scattered across the bottom of the grave, including dozens of silver and gold coins, an engraved dagger, and four scroll tubes. Nanoc scooped up all of these items into a sack and then frowned.

“Huh, no axe,” he said with a shrug.

[Spot: Telemachos: 11, Nanoc: 4, Mauser: 17, Danton: 13]

“Is it just me or is that corpse we just…er…killed…moving again?” asked Mauser suddenly, pointing back at the thing the party had just felled.

When the others looked closely, they could see that the grievous wound caused by Nanoc’s axe seemed to be closing up and the arms of the creature were trying to push the body up off the floor.

“I’ll kill ‘im again!” shouted Nanoc, dropping his sack, retrieving his axe and rushing over to the body. The half-orc began hacking at the corpse with abandon, but no matter how much cutting he did, the wounds all slowly began to repair themselves.

“Get that torch off the wall!” hissed Mauser. “I have read of such creatures—only fire or acid may kill it permanently. This looks not like the pictures of trolls I have seen, but it surely has their regenerative capacity!”

While Nanoc continued to hack at the body, Danton used his mundane torch to begin setting it alight and Telemachos pulled the green-glowing torch from the wall sconce and used it to add to burn the squirming body parts. It took several minutes, but between the two torches, the party was finally able to burn all the remnants of the bizarre creature.

When the thing was finally destroyed, Danton gathered up the bits of jewelry that it had worn and dropped them into Nanoc’s sack. He then wiped his hands on his pants and turned to the others.

“And that, as they say, is that. Oakhurst awaits.”

Although Mauser continued to press the other party members to return to the lower level of the citadel, they all insisted on returning to Oakhurst to claim the reward for the two Hucrele signet rings. The journey back through the citadel was uneventful, as the traps that had bedeviled the group on their way to the sarcophagus room could now be safely avoided. The group stopped only long enough for Mauser to recover the magic orb he had covered in his cloak. Once outside, the party climbed back up the winding stairs and then used the rope left by the Hucrele’s ill-fated party to climb out of the dark ravine and into real daylight for the first time in almost a week. It was a clear day and the sun was still high in the sky.

Erky, who had been imprisoned in the goblin’s dungeon for a full year, was particularly struck by the sight of sky, hills and trees and stood silently for several minutes taking it all in.

As the afternoon passed, the party retraced its steps along the Old Road largely in silence. Erky remained preoccupied by the sights and sounds of freedom, while the other party members had grown weary of endless debate on returning to the lower level of the citadel. It was late afternoon when the exhausted group finally traipsed back into Oakhurst and right up to the Ol’ Boar Inn.

Garon, the innkeeper, was visibly shocked at the party’s reappearance.

“Blazes!” the man said. “We all thought you had gone the way of the Hucrele kids! But here you are back—and with a gnome in tow no less! I guess that means no luck finding Talgen and Sharwyn, eh?”

“Tis a long story and one I am sure Nanoc will be only too happy to relate in great detail over dinner,” said Danton. “But I for one require a bath, a shave and a glass of your finest wine before I will be in a condition to speak to anyone.”

“Whatever you want!” said Garon. “I’m just glad you’re all back in one piece!”

“What news is there from the wider world?” asked Telemachos. “I feel as though I have been underground and cut off from the world for a year or more.”

Garon’s mood visibly darkened.

“There’s talk of war in the east,” he said. “They say Iuz has finally struck in the Pale and the County of Urnst. One of the Hucreles’ caravan drivers told me he heard in the capital that King Belvor has put the Furyondian military on the highest state of alert—in case Iuz decides to move in the west too.”

“Has there been any actual fighting in Furyondy?” asked Telemachos, visibly upset at the news. “If so, perhaps we should ask the Frog Man to help defend the realm!”

“Not that I’ve heard,” said Garon, “but I get the impression things could heat up at any time.”

“And Veluna?” interjected Danton from the barstool where he had collapsed to await his drink.

Garon shrugged. “Haven’t heard anything specific, but I imagine they’re just as concerned as old King Belvor. But if you’re really interested in the latest information, maybe you should ask the newcomers. They arrived just this afternoon from the capital—checked in and went straight to see Kerowyn. I think they’re still over there if you want to talk to them or they’ll be back here later.”

Danton’s eyes narrowed. “Newcomers? Talking to Kerowyn Hucrele? Just who are these people?”

Garon shrugged again as he finally poured Danton a glass of wine. “Seem like you all—adventuring types. Guess they’re interested in the contract too…”

“Like hell!” hissed Danton, all but spitting the drink Garon handed him. “Rivals after our reward!”

“We’ll just see about that!” said Nanoc, standing up and hefting his axe. “We done all the work! That ain’t right!”

“I think it would be wise for us to get over there right now,” said Mauser. “We can rest later.”

This time no one objected to the cleric’s suggestion and the group, still dirty and worn from many battles and the dust of the road, marched across the single street in Oakhurst and up to the residence of Kerowyn Hucrele.

Danton rapped on the door, politely, but insistently.

“I thought we had removed all the adverts back in Verbobonc City precisely to avoid this sort of complication,” he muttered as he knocked.

When the butler who had greeted the party a week previously finally answered the door, Danton pushed his way past the man and blurted:

“Fetch your mistress, my good man, and tell her that we have learned the fate of her children and come to claim our just reward for the contract she offered!”

The flustered man stammered something about the lady of the house already having guests, but he was interrupted by a shout from the living room.

“What news? What news?” yelled Kerowyn Hucrele as she rushed into the foyer.

“Might we sit down, my lady?” asked Danton.

“Of…of course,” stammered the merchant woman. “Some others had come to inquire about taking up my offer, but if you already have news, then I have no need for them.”

“Indeed we do madame,” said Danton. “You may dismiss these others—I can assure you that their services will not be needed.”

The party then waited as Kerowyn Hucrele returned to her living room and asked her butler to show out whoever was there. Voices were raised in protest, but the lady would have none of it, and moments later a group of people stalked past the party, shooting foul looks in all directions as they went. There was a dwarf in heavy platemail, a tall, thin half-orc, a human woman in leather armor, a halfling woman covered with tattoos and wearing bright colored shirt and breeches, and an elven man with a long blue cloak with the hood thrown back. In response to their scowls as they walked by, Danton only smirked.

“This isn’t over,” said the elf as he walked past the Velunese.

“Ain’t we seen them somewhere before?” asked Nanoc when the group had passed. “Those tattoos seemed awful familiar…”

“Never mind that, Nanoc, my boy,” said Danton, “we’ve a reward to claim.”

With the other group gone, the party moved into the living room. Most of the group remained standing to avoid soiling the furniture, but Nanoc sank heavily onto a couch, leaving all manner of permanent stains and causing the wood to creak and crack.

Danton gave the news of the demise of Talgen and Sharwyn Hucrele in as diplomatic and empathetic a manner as he could (diplomacy: 4+6=10), revealing the two signet rings and explaining that the party had found the remains of all four members of Talgen and Sharwyn’s adventuring party. He left out the fact that the party had been forced to engage in combat with whatever it was that had remained of Sharwyn and Sir Braford.

Kerowyn Hucrele was clearly shaken by the confirmation of her worst fears and the party had to wait a long time before she was able to speak again.

“I…I thank you for your efforts,” she said finally. “And you shall be paid the gold I offered for each ring—250 gold wheatsheaves total. Will you be leaving Oakhurst now?”

Exchanging a look with Mauser, Danton said: “Yes, I believe we shall depart soon. We all have other matters that drive us and we must seek adventure and employment elsewhere.”

“I understand,” replied the merchant. “But perhaps you could do one more thing for me when you go—I will pay you for your services, of course.”

“We are listening,” said Danton.

“Tonight I shall write a letter to my brother, informing him of what has transpired and the fate of my children. He lives in the town of Hommlet in the east, near the Gnarley Forest, where he runs another branch of our trading company. His name is Joman and you can find him at the Old Trading Post. If you will do this, I shall pay you a hundred additional wheatsheaves—and instruct my brother to pay you a similar amount upon delivery of the letter.”

“That is a most interesting offer,” said Danton. “May we have a few moments to discuss it—and our future plans more generally—in private?”

“Certainly,” said the woman. “I need to be alone as well. You may tell Walt, the butler, your answer when you go. But I do hope you will accept my offer. If not, I suppose I shall be required to hire that other group after all.”

With that, the woman left the room, leaving the party alone.

“We may consider this offer for later,” said Mauser immediately, “but I mean to return to the citadel first—with or without the rest of you.”

While the others sat in silence in response to this comment, Erky cleared his throat and said: “I’m really grateful for you all getting me out of that place, but I don’t want to go back to it. If you decide to go to Hommlet, we could stick together a bit longer since my village is in the Gnarley Forest and Hommlet is along the way, but if you want to go back into the ravine…that…that’s not for me. I’ve been gone from home for far too long as it is and I can only imagine all that’s happened in my absence. I’ve got to get home.”

________________________________________________________________

Notes for turn 17:

Please send postings for Turn 17 by the end of Friday, July 28th.

Items gained this turn: magical torch, 300 gold, 220 silver, four unknown scrolls, jeweled dagger, various bits of jewelry from the thing in the sarcophagus, unknown music-producing orb from the citadel (now silent)

Undivided Loot previously gained: 977 silver, 440 gold, 3 gems, 2 onyx gems

Items used/lost/destroyed this turn: 1 day’s rations, 2 Hucrele signet rings, 1 torch

FOES DEFEATED:

Current Status of the Party:

Nanoc

AC: 17
Hit points: 35/35
New XP: 180
XP total: 3390
XP needed: 6,000

Equipment: great axe, 2 short bows, short sword, studded leather armor (2 sets), 46 arrows, 2 quivers, backpack, waterskin, 9 days trail rations, bedroll, 2 sacks, 2 flint & steel, bearskin, tent, 50’ rope, 16 pounds of caltrops, 1 sap, spare chainmail shirt, 2 small marble statues, 3 silver rings

Gold: 2

Mauser

AC: 18
Hit points: 23/31
New XP: 180
XP total: 3390
XP needed: 6,000

Spells Available:

0 Level (4): none
1^st Level (4*- one of these four spells must be a domain spell):Alter Self

Equipment: quarterstaff, heavy mace, light crossbow, scalemail, 36 crossbow bolts, small wooden shield, backpack, pouch belt, 50’ silk rope, 2 torches, waterskin, flint & steel, 2 holy water flasks, peasant outfit, bedroll, entertainer’s outfit, cleric’s vestment (all clothing badly damaged by fire), healer’s kit, 7 days rations, four jade dragon figurines, ½ potion of cure light wounds, 1 sap, 2 unknown arcane scrolls, 1 unknown potion, scroll of slow poison, unknown tome, enchanted morningstar (?)

Gold: 0

Danton

AC: 15 (16 vs. one opponent)
Hit points: 13/14
New XP: 180
XP total: 3390
XP needed: 6,000

Equipment: rapier, 6 daggers, light crossbow, studded leather armor, quiver with 13 bolts, bedroll, backpack, flint & steel, thieves picks, waterskin, 11 days trail rations, hooded lantern, notebook, pen, ink, gold ring engraved with the name Karakas, 1 sap, 1 metal key from Yusdrayl

Gold: 9

Telemachos

AC: 16
Hit points: 27/32
New XP: 180
XP total: 3390
XP needed: 6,000

Equipment: short sword, 2 daggers, long bow, quiver and 36 arrows, scalemail, large wooden shield, backpack, large sack, flint and steel, 12 days rations, waterskin, bedroll, tent, 1 sap, spare suit of scalemail, Sir Braford’s longsword

Gold: 12