Session 82: Paying our due, or not

We moved up into the room where the flies were and Myrtle Dixon noticed something written on the wall: “Not finished come back later” near a hidden latch. I checked for traps and opened it, finding a goblin picking his nose. Clearly he needs a new, heavy labor assignment.

We moved in further and opened a door up to the left. The door itself was kind of sticky gross, and when we opened it two blood spiders rushed at us. One immediately latched on to me and as soon as i started bleeding the other attacked me as well, but the group cut them down quite quickly. Tatiana explained to us that the blood spiders apparently aren’t poisonous but act more like spider sharks. Whatever that means.

We entered the spider room, following Arnd, who slashed through the webs toward a bricked-up wall/doorway to the west. As we got there, suddenly Lhoss appeared and got stuck in some webs for a moment. Arnd, Kyro, Armaziti, and I started bashing the brick wall and pretty soon had it broken down. Inside we could see an ornate fountain of blue water, with some words written on it. Lhoss and I snuck around the room checking the floors and walls.

The words on the fountain said “Pay your due”. A few of us threw in some coins and suddenly two enormous and angry-looking water elementals appeared. Maybe they should have been more specific about what the due was. They were very difficult to hit and appeared quite formidable. Arnd and I attacked but then I chose to back up, allowing Lhoss to get behind it and attack, finally doing some damage. Armaziti cast his “command” spell and said “Retreat!” and the one in front of him turned to retreat! Arnd smacked it just before I cast Mesmerize and they were both mesmerized, allowing Armaziti to blast through them both, destroying them and washing the floor as they fell. As we left the room, Tatania wrote “Band of the Black Hand, toss coins in the fountain” on the wall. It could work. They seem pretty dumb.

We moved back out and down to the room below. Pausing there and closing the doors, Tatania, Lhoss, Armziti, and I memorized spells. We then opened the door to the west and discovered a room full of burial alcoves, with a portcullis closed down on the north wall and a hallway behind it that we couldn’t see clearly in the dark. We searched the room and found a bunch of gold coins and a golden statuette. Then, working together, we lifted the portcullis and entered the hallway behind it, opening the first door we found on the right. Inside we found burial boxes which we searched and found a lot of electrum.

Back in the hallway, Armaziti discovered yet another hidden latch on the wall and used it to open a doorway with stairs behind it, going down. We all moved forward and down the stairs where we found ourselves in another hallway.

Session 81: An Education in Potions, Day 1 of Wealsun

The morning of the first day of Berrytime was warm and sunny. Feno, Aramaziti, Chalkboi, Gnorcia, Lhoss, and Tatania began their day in Orlane doing errands. Feno and Lhoss went to the shop and sold off some weapons (a throwing axe for Feno and a spiked long sword for Lhoss). Feno then bought a morningstar as to have a blunt weapon to use against skeletons (cue foreshadowing music). Wishing to replenish their poison antidote supplies, the group headed to the temple of Merikka.

At the temple, the team met up with Browning (a lesser acolyte). They were informed that he would be conducting all future commercial temple dealings. Browning listed the prices for healing potions and poison cures. The group decided to buy one poison antidote and place it in the bag of holding. Additionally, Feno and Gnorcia purchased a dose each to keep in their personal packs. Browning then told us that if we could obtain the valuable components of the potions (ogre mage blood or troll blood for healing potions and poison glands from spiders or scorpions for heal poison potions) we could receive a discount to purchase them. At this, Gnorcia's ears perked up. She produced several poison sacs that she had skillfully extracted from defeated spiders and was able to sell them for a hefty treasure. Looking at the vials for sale, Lhoss pulled out a few unidentified vials from the bag of holding. With a small gasp, Browning identified two as healing potions, with one being a super healing potion containing three doses. What a discovery! The group, stocked up, headed out toward the barrow marsh.

Even though this has become a well-trod path for our heroes, they were still struck by the business of the area with new builds and a few travelers passed on the way. Other than these merry sights, the journey was uneventful. As the party descended into the gloom of the barrow marsh, they were set upon by that familiar enemy: skeletons! (Repetition of foreshadowing music, now in a major key).

The undead monsters were quickly dispatched with and left in piles of burnt and broken bones. Lhoss turned to Tatania and said "Tatania, wanna see a new entrance?" and pointed out the new door that the party had discovered the previous day. It presented a significant shortcut to the part of the barrowmaze the group had been exploring. Being a quiet and relatively secured area, the party ate lunch and rememorized spells.

Moving on, the heroes found themselves in a familiar spot where they had encountered a melee between the cultists of Orcus and Set. Feno noticed a switch on the wall and, with encouragement from Lhoss, threw it. The wall disappeared to reveal several carnivorous flies. Disgusting as they were, the warriors slew them all quickly and skillfully.

Session 80: Cleaning up and going home Day 23 - 28 Flocktime and Day 1 Wealsun

Armatzi, Gnorcia, Arnd, Lhoss, Hilja, and Feno gathered together after the battle with the fearsome spiders in their den, and Armatzi healed a few groups with the chant of "Smile and wave boys". Lhoss and Armatzi went  into the previous area and memorized and prayed for new spells. 

The group then focused on where to go next, and there was renewed interest in the walled off end of the stairway. Armatzi and Feno used their strength, skills, and tools to make shortwork of the wall, revealing a tomb, with six alcoves, each containing a skeletal warrior in old chainmail, with shields and spears. They surrounded an altar with a brilliantly glinting broadsword there. 

Gnoria stealthily entered the room, looking for traps on the floor, and carefully examining the skeletons. The skeletons proved to be quite aged, with chain mail coifs and armor that were rusting, old metal shields, and dusty spears that were nevertheless sturdy. Another door on the opposite end was also walled in. There was some supposition that a greater treasure lay in the room beyond (discussions of legends of great treasures that were kept hidden by lesser treasures that were more apparent). 

Armatzi, Arnd, Feno, and Lhoss all worked on that wall and quickly took it down, revealing the evening light and the mists of the Barrowmarsh. This was apparently another entry to the Barrowmaze that they had discovered! The group then decicded to go back in and examine the sword. Lhoss went up to the sword, and found that it was brilliantly bejeweled with a rainbow of colors. There was some guess that a previously found jeweled scabbard was the match, but then it was recalled that the scabbard was only blue and green gems. Lhoss grabbed the sword, which caused the six skeletons to quickly animate and attack the party. Fortunately, despite being surprised, the group was able to handle the skeletons, particularly with the aid of St. Cuthbert directed by Armatzi. Lhoss claimed the sword, and found that it had some magical properties, and decided to keep it. 

The group then decided to head back to Orlane, but were ambushed by four more skeletons. The same result happened though, with the clerical power from Armatzi proving to be very useful. The group proceeded out of the Barrowmarsh (they found that the new entrance was to the north and west of the previously discovered entrance). 

As the group moved through the Dim Forest, a group of zombies attacked the group. However, Armatzi continued to prove his worth, and the zombies were routed. 

The group returned late to The Foaming Mug, and found a tasty dinner of chicken pasties, fried greens, and spring wine awaiting them (fortunately for them that The Foaming Mug keeps a late kitchen). 

The next morning, after a delicious breakfast, the group sold their wares. Lhoss asked about the value of the sword, and was offered 1800 gold pieces for it, but she decided to retain the sword. Gnorcia and Arnd then borrowed some wealth and went about training for the next week, becoming strong in their illusionist, thief, and fighter occupations.