• Maervahr - Invisibility
• Ilariya - Ranger 2 (Maervahr Henchman)
• Thorgard
• Tatrin
• Halaema
• Fandilas
• Risten
• Arusun
• Honji
• Baldingo
• Delemir
• Falavor

The inscription on the scroll:

“With a one hand of flame, and another of stone above the lake of fire, the dancing drow's mind is his one worthy treasure. Speak 'rise', and ' recover.”

Halaema is banished from Ornholm so Maervahr had to fly her around that settlement.

We can get to the Grotto in a day on medium mounts.

It is Winter. The weather is clear.

Maervahr, Falavor and Risten have Invisibility. We also ALL have Stoneskin.

We set out.

Travel across the Sea of Grass is uneventful. The open shrine descends down below.

Maervahr casts Strength on Thorgard. Fandilas also casts Strength. Delemir casts Endure Heat on himself. Maervahr casts Deeppockets on himself. He places all his scrolls, wands and terrarium into the deeppockets.

We descend down.

It takes 8 turns for us to descend and went down the fireplace. We find the huge table in the room made of the wood. Maervahr does not recognize the wood. Within Vernum, the underworld, there are some plants that grow without sunlight. They are highly valuable and rare. It could also be a tree from some foreign land.

Falavor does not recognize it.

We head south…

Doors are Thorgard, Fandilas, Delemir.

Halaema tries to switch up the command word on her cloak but nothing happens.

We open the door and go south to the chamber with the carvings on the wall. We are going into the flooded room full of dead troglodytes.

We are not surprised due to a Ranger and a Weasel.

We entered the great hall and enter the hallway, we can hear insectoid trittering.

• Tatrin gets a sling out.
• Thorgard forms a front line and prepares for a charge.
• Fandilas draws his bow.
• Honji casts protection from Evil.
• Arusun has his wand out.
• Baldingo slinks into the shadows.
• Risten doesnt do anything.
• Halaema knocks an arrow.
• Delemir grasps his rod and prepares for a charge.
• Falavor uses his bow.
• Maervahr waits.
• Ilariya draws her bow.

Tied Initiative.

4 segments for Protection from Evil.

We begin casting and prepare our weapons but do not see anything approaching. Several Fire Beetles come out of an alcove, their glands glowing red. They approaching aggresively.

Everyone misses except Fandilas who hits for 4 damage. The Fire Beetle charge continues, 16 of them run into the party.

Everyone down to Tatrin is in combat. 8 on Delemir.

Tatrin and Fandilas both missed the charge. 5 miss Delemir, 3 hits, 1 hits his STONESKIN. He takes 5 and 7 damage, 12 total damage.

3 are attacking Arusun. He has a shield against 2 attacks. 2 hits, the next 3 are without shield, 1 hit. Last one is a miss. Loses Stoneskin. Takes 9 damage total.

Arusun missed his retaliation.

2 attacks on Tatrin, 1 hit STONESKIN.

Protection From Evil would have gone off but he was struck and lost his spell.

Thorgard gets his second attack. He hit for 6 damage, which kills one! There are 15 left.

• Fandilas casts Sleep.
• Arusun casts Cure Light Wounds.
• Baldingo tries to stab.
• Honji tries to back out.
• Risten stays out of combat.
• Halaema switches to shortsword and Moving Silently.
• Delemir casts Protection From Evil. NVM Delayed, he attacks.
• Falavor keeps watching their backs.
• Maervahr backs up out of combat.
• Ilariya charges.
• Thorgard attacks.
• Tatrin attacks.

We lose initiative.

15 attacks incoming.

5 people are in melee currently. 3 on Fandilas, AC 0 with no shield, hit on an 18, ALL MISSED. 2 on Thorgard, he is missed. 5 on Delemir, AC -3, all miss. 1 on Arusun, he takes 4 damage and DROPS! he is at -2. 2 on Tatrin, 1 hit and he takes 8 damage.

Baldingo gets Hide in Shadows and can Backstab. +4 to hit. Ilariya misses. Tatrin hit one for 7 damage. Delemir hit for 8, kills one!

Sleep goes off causing 5 to go to Sleep! Cure Light Wounds also goes off, actually would not! He is Unconscious.

• Halaema tries to backstab.
• Thorgard and Tatrin attack.
• Fandilas attacks.
• Baldingo attacks.
• Honji stays out of combat.
• Risten hangs out in the back.
• Delemir attacks.
• Falavor Moves Silently.
• Maervahr hangs back with Risten.
• Ilariya attacks.

Halaema does not Move Silently. Delemir hits one for 7, not killed. Thorgard hits one for 13 damage and that kills one!

Fandilas does 11 damage. Kills one. Ilariya misses. Baldingo misses.

7 are attacking.

1 on Thorgard, missed. 1 on Delemir, missed. 1 on Baldingo, it hits and does STONESKIN. 1 on Thorgard, missed. 3 on Ilariya, Stoneskin is used after being hit.

Thorgard gets his second attack.

• All melee attacks.
• Falavor backstabs.

Halaema has a Cloak of Flying, Fulmok has a Cloak of Sneaky something.

Ilariya hits for 3. Fandilas hits for 10. Thorgard hits for 7. Falavor hits one for 24 damage.

There are 2 left. No morale check. 1 attack on the Ranger and 1 on Baldingo. Baldingo takes 4 damage. Ilariya is missed.

• All Melee Attacks.

Thorgard hits for 12 damage, Ilariya hits for 5.

WE KILL ALL OF THEM!

Baldingo is healed for 4. Tatrin heals himself for 3.

We gather 48 Fire Beetle Glands to sell.

We go to the old Troglodyte lair and go to the staircase, we are now in the flooded chamber. We are standing on some of the stairs looking down into the chamber.

Thorgard uses his Ring of Water Walking and walks in. Thorgard and Tatrin all have Continual Light.

Nothing comes out of the water, there are Troglodyte corpses in here. He will carry Honji over there to read the writing in the Fire Giant Runes.

He can Comprehend Languages.

These runes are tied to some kind of Clerical magic. The runes are for some kind of ritual that can be performed by casting the flame onto the column and speaking the ritualistic words. The words are not on the column. They might have magic power.

The flame must be cast onto the Aspergilium then onto the columns then the words are spoken.

Thorgard can search the back wall for sliding passages and then checks the columns. We can walk in the water, which is 2.75 feet. No moving parts on the wall or columns.

Halaema can fly back but cannot go into town.

We decide to leave to recover.

We have to camp outside in the Sea of Grass.

Some people are sleeping in Elven Chain. Night goes by without incident. We prepare our spells.

Stoneskin is cast on several people.

We continue on our way to Ornholm and make it back successfully.

Baldingo and Arusun are left behind. Halaema's cloak does not move by itself.

Endure Heat is like the Stoneskin spell. It lasts 45 turns. Halaema is able to fly with Delemir on her back who weighs 2500 cn. The cloak needs the full 20' wingspan

We are back at the opening.

Spells are cast, Deeppockets is cast by Maervahr, Strength is cast on Thorgard.

Descent is uneventful. Everyone has Stoneskin and Endure Heat is cast on Maervahr, Thorgard and Fandilas. Halaema, Risten and Delemir also receive one. They last for 45 turns.

We went down the chimney and then cast the spells.

Resist Fire is cast in the passage by the Lake of Fire. On Fothas only for 5 turns.

There is an immense heat coming from the lake of fire. No monsters of any kind around. We head east around the lake to go to the elevated platform.

By the time we get toward the platform, it shoots up like 10 times. There are flames on the lake surface but the geyser is only by the outcropping of rock. The room has 120' ceilings.

We come to an intersection and see a small cavern room with 2 Fire Beetle shells. On the right cave wall is a rod with a liquid that pours out into a shattered wooden barrel.

The metal rod is driven into the metal wall. No magic is detected by the Rod of Alertness.

The shells of the Fire Beetles look like they were eaten by something sizable. Much bigger than a man. It looks a few weeks old. The liquid looks like water.

The passage branches off to the north and then continues. We take the southern passage. Delemir casts Find Traps.

We are surprised.

It is 2“ distance but the heat has dispated somewhat. We carefully move down and can see up ahead that there is a bigger cave. We can smell the scent of a lot of trash left on a hot day. Like the burning igneous rock which makes a terrible aroma. Sudden movement from behind.

We turn around and there are 4 creatures. The first 2 are Hell Hounds. Behind them are 2 creatures we have not seen. They look like Fire Giants, but they are smaller in size. 9-10' tall. Bone structure and weaponry of fire giants, black purple skin. Their eyes are white.

Heavy swords and shields are being carried.

They attack and hellhounds breath fire.

Attacked from the rear. Ilariya and Maervahr, Risten and Halaema are attacked.

Risten is invisible. The Hellhounds go for Maervahr and Ilariya. Ilariya saves.

1 on Maervahr, it strikes Endure Heat, it is gone! Ilariya is hit for 3 from fire and 1.

Rocks are being thrown and they get 3 rocks each. The Fire Giants charge. Risten, Maervahr and Ilariya.

Ilariya is charged twice. 1 Hit STONESKIN Second attack misses!

Back Line is in melee.

• Fandilas casts Blink.
• Honji can use the wand to hit the giants from overhead.
• Risten moves to the back.
• Halaema will Move Silently and withdraw.
• Delemir plants the rod and does Prayer and Animate Object!
• Fothas charges one of the Giants.
• Maervahr goes psionically invisible.
• Ilariya does a fighting withdraw.
• Thorgard charges the giants.
• Tatrin moves to engage.

We lose initiative.

Maervahr is psionically invisible and Blink lasts 1 segment.

Halaema and Ilariya are the only targets.

Halaema must check move silently, gets it. Ilariya gets 2 attacks. Failed both saves. 1 hit with a bite.

Honji can hit both Giants or all 4, but he will have a chance to hit Risten and Maervahr. Honji is hitting all 4, Risten and Maervahr are also effected.

Maervahr is not in the beam but Risten must save versus wands. Risten is feared. Both Giants fail their save. Hell Hounds, one saves one fails. Fandilas's Blink goes off.

We get a Prayer spell and Rocks are now animated.

Some people charge, the Half Giants have AC 4. One is hit for 16 damage. Fothas missed.

Animate Objects goes off immediately and we get a +1 to Initiative, which would bump our surprise roll up to 1-8. They attack as light objects, against AC 4. It attacks as an 8th level fighter.

There are 5 hits for 7 damage. Another 8 attacks, 3 hits that do 6d4. 14 damage and they attack every other round.

Thorgard hit for 16 damage and his second attack hits for 17 damage. Both Fire Half Giants are wounded heavily. Only 1 Hell Hound is not feared.

• Tatrin and Thorgard attack.
• Fandilas charges.
• Risten is running away.
• Honji falls back.
• Halaema backs away and is out of combat, she can shoot her bow.
• Delemir charges.
• Fothas attacks.
• Maervahr will cast Polymorph Other.

Polymorph Other is 4 segments.

Thorgard and Tatrin get attacks against the feared Fire Half Giants. Thorgard hit for 9. Tatrin hit for 1.

Animated Objects do 9 damage and then 41 damage.

We cut down one and the other is pummeled to death. The rest of the rocks go after the Hell Hound that is feared and they kill it.

The Hell Hound is dead!

1 has a sack with:

* 4000 cp 
* 4000 sp

No Magic is detected.

We can see stairs going down to the right, and to the left we can see that there is a pond. Detect Magic is cast.

We can hear something coming.

• Halaema waits.
• Delemir prepares to receive a charge.
• Fothas does not do anything.
• Maervahr goes back to the body of Ilariya.
• Thorgard goes to the front line.
• Fandillas casts Mirror Image.
• Honji goes behind the rock.
• Risten stays invisible.
• Fothas stays out of trouble.

We lose initiative.

Up the stairs come 3 20' long lizards. They are sticky feeted. They are .2 inches short of melee.

Halaema can shoot both arrows. Must hit AC 6. 1 hit for 1 damage.

The front line gets an attack first. Delemir hits for 6 damage. Thorgard hits for 15 damage.

One attack on Fothas, Delemir and Fandilas. Fothas is hit, STONESKIN. Delemir is hit, STONESKIN. Fandilas has AC 0, it misses.

Thorgard gets a second attacks and does 6 damage.

Fandillas does 2 damage and he gets 2 images.

Prayer is being cast.

• Maervahr casts HOLD MONSTER.
• Thorgard attacks.
• Tatrin will move to engage.
• Fandilas attacks.
• Honji stays hidden.
• Risten stays invisible.
• Halaema moves out of range.
• Delemir attacks.
• Fothas attacks.

Prayer goes off, Hold Monster is 5 segments. Tatrin gets Prayer.

Fandillas hits for 6 damage.

3 of them are attacking the front line. 2 on Thorgard, both miss. 1 on Delemir, hits! It was a natural 20, which means it inflicts damage and clamps firmly, it does double damage. 18 damage is done to Delemir!

Hold Monster goes off, they need 16s, 1 passes, 2 are Held and 1 is Slowed. Maervahr goes Psionically invisible.

Delemir casts Cure Light Wounds.

• Melee attacks.

We win Initiative.

+4 to hit the one that is slowed.

Fandilas does 10 damage, Thorgard does 6, Fothas does 5 damage.

They kill one! The other held ones are dead.

It has been 10 turns.

We head south while Maervahr collects Subterranean Lizard parts.

We come to a larger area and see some stairs going up. We see a wide hallway and we can see a great glow coming from down the way. It is coming from below a bridge.

There is a 20' wide bridge. There is a great glow of fire from below. The whole thing is illuminated. The bridge continues on to an open area. In the room we can see 5 nests that are spread out across the area, they are unoccupied and made of rubble, scraps of leather and bone. Mostly rock nests. They are big nests.

There are no eggs in any of the nests. Delemir can detect that something of an enchantment on the ground area in the middle.

Tatrin will get closer but does not detect any traps. Halaema searches the 10' area for secret doors. Maervahr taps in an alcove with his dagger. Honji and Tatrin keep an eye out.

No secret doors are detected and the walls are solid. Thorgard tries to search the ground and finds that it does not move.

Circular area that is 8' in diameter. Perfectly circular.

Honji casts Detect Magic. Maervahr does not detect the school of magic.

Fandilas steps in the circle.

The ground under Fandillas feet begins shaking. Fandilas must make a saving throw. He Saved!

It begins to ripple like water, his boot goes below the ground, he leaps out and rolls over to the lizard bed. The top of the chest appears to break the surface of the stone, like a rising Sea Turtle. There is a thud as it hits the real stone.

Tatrin detects a mechanical trap on the chest. The pool is now gone. Tatrin points out the mechanical trap, it is inside but Halema can try to disable it.

Halaema cannot disable the trap. She can tell that there is some kind of device just inside the lid of the device. Looks like a very small thing near the lid of the chest where it meets the base.

Key ID 55, Thorgard tries to fit this key but it does not fit.

Halaema tries to open the chest from behind. When the chest is opened there is a bug cloud of yellow dust in a 10' x 10' area. She must Save versus Poison or die. She fails and will die.

Slow Poison is cast by Tatrin. There is a thin layer of yellow powder covering everything. There was a small glass capsule that exploded the dust.

• A suit of chainmail (strong magic) (Human).
• Bundle of 12 arrows (strong magic).
• A scroll of protection from lycanthrope.

No coins in the chest.

Ilariya is being carried out by our party and Halaema is still able to walk.

We head out.

Thorgard flies his hippogriff back to Ornholm with Halaema.

15 turns to get out. 30 turns left, We have 2.5 hours.

Thorgard wanted to take her to the priest in Ornholm. He cannot make it in time.

Halaema realizes she cannot make it in time.

The priest casts Neutralize Poison after Thorgard pays 1,000 gp. When the spell expires, HALAEMA DIES.

Halaema dies.

The rest of us will need to camp.

The arrows are +1 arrows.

Tatrin spars with Thorgard while wearing the armor.

No events in the evening. Maervahr casts Stoneskin on himself and Delemir.

We get back to Ornholm successfully.

We sell the chainmail for 3,500 gp. We sell the scroll for 5,000 gp They divide up the magic arrows between 3 people who each get 4, Fothas, Delemir, Fandilas.

2750 gp to Raise Dead on Ilariya. She is RAISED! She loses 1 point of CON.

48 Fire Beetle glands - 265 gp

1st part

30 gp each, henchmen get 15 gp.

2nd part

1214 gp for pcs, henmen get 607 gp.

Maervahr paid for the Raise Dead from his share and owes 1536 gp.

Delemir is a Cleric 5/Fighter 5.

We have 46 total levels. 32 levels for the Fire Giants.

71% of experience.

Part 1 XP:

PCs get 293 xp. Henchmen get 142 xp.

Part 2 XP:

862 xp, PCs with arrows 919 xp, Henchmen get 222 xp.

Maervahr's Upkeep: 6040 gp UPKEEP PAID ←- Without the alchemist.

Guild Hall upkeep? 15 gp a month.