• Eomiaje the Bear - Doors 7/8 (3) - Phantom Armor, Invisible
• Walker T - AC 5/7 on odd days
• Lucien - Phantom Armor, Invisible
• Thalen - Phantom Armor
• Thorgard
• Tatrin
• Lok-Vurn
• Jacob
• Josalyn
• Kheskhor
• Risten - Invisible
• Lyo

There are Bugbears on the roof and on the middle levels. There are 4 Bugbears on the roof.

The third level has a big dome in the center of the roof and a wall surrounding the upper level. The dome has an archway. The tower is 60' high.

Lucien searches and sees the chest and supplies in the wagons. He checks to see if they are locked. Inside of one chest is a bunch of copper coins.

• Eomiaje is climbing up the tower.
• Risten is hiding.
• The rest of the party is still approaching.
• Walker is on the other side with some cover.
• Thorgard and everyone is moving along the cliff wall.

Thorgard gives Lok-Vurn Lowir's blade.

Eomiaje has made it up 24' and made it up half way up the tower. He can smell the Bugbears inside.

A portcullis slams at the bottom. Eomiaje can see a large window inside. There are several Bugbears talking about something.

• Eomiaje grips onto the tower and waits for the party to show up.

The group on the ground can move 6 segments on the ground. Thalen discusses starting a fire in the tower. They would need to divert their forces to put out the fire.

Walker fires and misses with both shots. The Bugbears on the left side are closer to Eomiaje's side. The Bugbears return fire. Walker has AC -1/3 due to cover. Walker is hit for 2 damage and another 2, Phantom Armor is gone.

Sanctuary is cast for 6 rounds total.

• Jacob stays out of range.
• Walker fires arrows.
• Eomiaje hangs onto the tower.
• Lucien pours an oil flask on the side of the wagon then lights the candle. He pulls the chest off the wagon.
• Thalen moves forward with an oil flask.
• Thorgard keeps moving.
• Risten helps Lucien.
• Lyo stays with Thorgard.

They start pouring the oil. Walker fires two shots while Eomiaje hangs on to the tower. Walker misses.

The same two Bugbears are firing their full rate of fire. Walker is hit for 6 damage. Lucien lights the oil but the chest is 3600 coins. Lucien has 12 Strength but with Risten's help, they can drag the chest off the cart. They hear an exclaim from one of the Bugbears. The flames begin to light up on the cart.

Eomiaje can see the plume of smoke right away while everyone moves a full round of movement.

The party is now in visual range of the archers. There are two Bugbears that have a shot. One shot goes to Tatrin and the other on Thorgard, both miss. The archers are shooting from the roof.

They can see that there are no occupants on the first level. There are noises from the level above. The cart is in flames. The windows are 40' up.

• Jacob starts moving toward the tower.
• Walker starts firing.
• Eomiaje climbs up to the top.
• Lucien talks about smoking them out.
• Thalen asks if anyone can throw an oil flask 40', nope. He lights an oil flask to Thorgard to throw.
• Thorgard passes the oil flask to Tatrin to throw, he and Lok-Vurn try to bust down the portculis.
• Risten stays put.
• Lyo stays with the group.

Walker can fire both shots and drop prone. He misses. Tatrin has the flask now, Thorgard can try to bend bars. Tatrin is throwing the flask. The oil flask is inside the tower, there is a sudden shout of alarm as the oil flask breaks. Eomiaje can smell and hear it.

Eomiaje gets to the top, it only goes up 4.5', There is an open stone arch going inside the dome. He can see a staircase going down. Standing up there are 4 Bugbears shooting down at Walker, the other two are just arriving.

Lok-Vurn breaks open the Portcullis wide enough for them to break through. There is all kinds of trash from the Bugbears. There are shouts of exclaim and a smell of burning oil. Clouds come out from the tower and the wagon.

• Walker stays prone.
• Eomiaje wants to throw a Bugbear over the side.
• Lucien goes in after the preliminary rank.
• Thalen moves into the tower.
• Thorgard moves into the tower.
• Lok-Vurn moves in.
• Tatrin moves in, just to the opening.
• Risten stays with Lucien.
• Jacob and company are charging.

Eomiaje hits twice for 10 and 2 damage against a Bugbear. Eomiaje lets out a great roar! They will need to make a Morale check. The Bugbears fail by 2 points as they hesitate. The Bugbears start arguing.

Jacob and Josalyn have run to the second level, there are 10 Bugbears here and most have their bows out. Only 2 will be able to counter attack. Thorgard is in melee too. The two Bugbears have polearms. They both try to go for Josalyn with 9' spears. Josalyn has a CURSED SHIELD (id 177). It functions as a -1 giving her AC 1/3 but protection from evil takes her to -1.

Josalyn is hit once for 6 damage. Jacob attacks and does 19 damage, instantly killing one. Josalyn does 20 damage, killing another one. Jacob gets a second attack for 11 damage, it lives.

There are 8 Bugbears left on the second level and there are 9 Bugbears on the roof. The Bugbear leader has some kind of parasite and is gaunt, partially disintegrating.

• Thorgard, Tatrin etc all attack.
• Risten hangs back.
• Lyo goes up to enter melee.
• Jacob attacks
• Josalyn attacks.
• Kheskhor stays downstairs.
• Walker has a 1/10 to hit Eomiaje and he would have a +7 to his AC. He fires two arrows.
• Eomiaje tries to throw the nasty guy off the roof.
• Lucien tries to get to the third level.
• Thalen casts Cure Light Wounds.

There is another morale check for the sudden Bear appearance. The Bugbears fight on!

Eomiaje has AC 2/3. He takes 2 hits for 10 damage, Phantom Armor is gone.

Thorgard hits for 13 damage, it lives. There are 8 Bugbears on the second level. The first 5 have halberds. The first 3 have spears. Thorgard has AC -5. Thalen is not able to be attacked since he has Sanctuary. Tatrin is attacked and missed.

Jacob does 16 damage, Josalyn does 10. Thorgard did 10, Tatrin did 7 damage.

Eomiaje throws the Leader off the roof after Eomiaje does 7 and 2 damage, then throws the decrepit Bugbear off the roof. It lands on the burning wagon and stuff crashes on the ground. The other wagon has sparks catching on it.

The second level does not burn any longer and there are still 6 Bugbears on the second level. 3 damage from splash damage on the Bugbears. Thorgard missed with his second attack.

There is a Morale check again due to the loss of their leader.

• Jacob and Josalyn attack.
• Kheskhor hangs out.
• Walker charges to the door.
• Eomiaje throws another guy off the wall.
• Lucien tries to spook.
• Thalen tries to disengage.
• Thorgard attacks with all of his group.
• Risten watch what happens.
• Lyo attacks.

Jacob hits for 14 and Josalyn hits for 9, they kill one. Thorgard also did a bunch of damage and kills one. Eomiaje does 4 damage with a claw.

Spook goes off and the Bugbear saves. He resists!

Morale check is rolled. They BREAK! The Bugbears fall into a panic trying to flee for the stairs.

Eomiaje did 5 damage as they flee. Actually 10 damage. Jacob kills another one as Josalyn also hits for 10 damage. Thorgard does 12 damage. Tatrin hits for 7 damage. 3 still survive on the second level.

Kheskhor does not attack them as they run through. Walker charges up and does a ton of damage. Walker does 12 damage.

Jacob does 14 damage, Josalyn does 8 and 8 damage. Thalen hits for 3 damage. Thorgard does 15, Lok Vurn did 16, Tatrin does 7 damage. They kill 2 more. Thalen hits for 2 damage. Walker hits for 14 damage, killing one outright!

There are 7 that are fleeing in panic! Jacob and Josalyn will attempt to pursue them on Hippogriff.

The 3 Hippogriff riders pursue and must make attack rolls until they miss. Jacob never misses so he gets them all.

Eomiaje is cured for 4 hit points. Tatrin heals Walker and Josalyn is healed.

After combat one turn passes. The Hippogriff Riders execute all of the Bugbears. We recover after the fight.

• Coin Purses
• Leader has 2 coin purses. One has gems.
• Plain Iron Key (id 66)
• Key with cuts (id 12)
• Old mossy covered (id 77)

The Leader is completely dead. No traps are detected on the first level there are no traps on the chest.

Thorgard tries to open the chest. Key Id 66 opens one.

• 33,200 cp
• 40,000 sp
• 303 cp
• 211 sp
• 151 ep
• 94 gp
• Halberd
• Spears x2
• Short Sword
• Medium Wooden Shields
• 13 Halberds
• 6 Spears

Walker uses the Rod of Alertness to Detect Magic. He can detect strong magic from the black bag with gems.

The bottom level has a staircase that is like a column in the tower. The first level also goes down.

On the second floor are 4 steel levers arranged on the south west of the tower wall. The left lever is currently down. The middle lever is currently down as well. Three are down.

Nothing more to mention on the roof.

Thalen casts Find Traps and checks the top of the stairways and the levers. There are no traps detected, even on the pouch.

The staircase goes down a bit longer than the other stairs. They alight on a basement area and we are on the corner of the room.

Thalen sees something unusual, two huge chunks of a big stone door and smaller pieces of it at the sides. The door was blocking off the exit of the staircase at one time. It had no handles. They can see the cracked remnants of a nondescript woman on both doors, a mirrored image on both of the doors. Looking past them, the room is empty with a single trap door that has two iron rings on it.

No traps are detected. Eomiaje opens the trap door. It opens at an angle, two metal gears are hidden underneath. It supports its own weight and it gets caught open revealing a staircase down into colder air. The bottom is only 20' down.

Thalen will remain in front as long as Find Traps is active. He will move back if he finds anything.

We get to the bottom of the stairs and have 1 turn left of Find Traps. The air temperature is colder here and there is no particular dampness. Though, it feels that we are underground. The staircase goes down 20'. There is a hallway with 6 metal iron doors, 3 on each side. They have small jailcell windows. All of the doors are closed and have keyholes.

Jacob, Josalyn, Thorgard and Kheskhor all have Continual Light going. Thalen's Find Traps still has 1 turn and then Josalyn will cast Find Traps. Eomiaje doesnt smell anything inside the rooms. It smells normal. Lucien looks in the windows as we pass.

Timbraun's Quest is going to be DL 8 and involves having to collect a kit that are located in 2 places, the Citadel of the Grand Astrologer. Someone there was probably eaten by a Xorn by now. The other one is located elsewhere. With the kits we can collect a fallen Meteorite that Timbraun must retrieve for his quest giver. It is a Quellstone that we must retrieve.

We continued onward and Lucien looked inside the cells, he looks and sees Goblins in both. There are 6 Goblins cuddled in the back. Light reflects off their eyes. The ones in the right cell are twice as many. Lucien sees that the middle cell is empty and the opposite has even more female Goblins, about 10 of them. Inside the last one is a man crumpled in the shadows. He cannot tell what it is, but it could be metal armor with red color and a coned helmet. It does not move.

The party moves forward around the corner. There is a hallway around the corner with a stone door that has an etched lable, I E U. The door is made of stone and closed. Institution of Education and Understanding. There are no traps on the door and there are no keyholes.

This stone door is not similar in that it does not have the embossments and it has a regular handle.

Eomiaje, Jacob and Thorgard are one doors.

We heave the door open. In front of us is a 20' passage which opens up immediately that opens to a chamber of intersections. The door looks like it was opened recently…by us. The room beyond does look like it was regularly trafficked. There are two doors in front of us and there are two passages on either side.

We look both ways. To the left has a door and an alcove to the north. On the left the room is mirrored but there is no door. Thalen can see a magic trap about stomach height. Josalyn is the one who can see these and she gets the roll. It is an Evocation trap. The radiation of magic is about where the handle would be on the east wall.

Tatrin has a Dispel Magic that he casts. Tatrin does not dispel the magic trap, This is a magic circle type trap that Thieves can try to disarm. Eomiaje easily finds the trap and has read about this circle, it is disarmed! He can see that it was centered on an obvious handle built right into the wall. Jacob opens up the door but it does not budge, Eomiaje also fails to open it. Lok-Vurn and Thorgard looks for shifting walls.

Eomiaje starts sniffing around for hidden movable stones or levers. The two sections are closed off alcoves. Each one has a large stone disk that is 8' in diameter that is shaped like a big seashell depicted on its face is a figure, an Aspect of Nefer and an Aspect of Venha. They would be looking at each other in the center of the room if they could see each other.

Lucien notes that they have similar jewelry and clothing on. Its unusual to see the deities dressed so similarly. Thalen knows that these depictions are uncommon and doesnt know anything else about it. The depiction of Venha is often depicted in Courts and places of Judgement. It is aligned with Law and has aspects of Guardianship and Defense. Walker checks for Magic and Evil but does not find either one.

Walker then checks for illusions but does not find any. Kheskhor will use a Knock spell to open the Secret Door.

The spell is cast and nothing happens. It is not a Secret Door.

Thorgard, Eomiaje and Lok-Vurn try to budge it but it doesn't move.

We return to the stone door…

The party is back in the halls with the Goblins, we can see the entirety of the cells now. 3, 6 and 9 Goblins and one is a Skeleton from a forgotten age. It is wearing reddish armor and a conical helmet. He is bent over. There is no magic on the Skeleton.

Thorgard talks to the Goblins. He must make a Reaction Roll (at -20). Most of the Goblins give asinine responses like “Wouldn't you like to know Stinky!”. All of the Goblins are wearing rags and they have damage on their wrists from being bound.

One in the back starts yelling “I will help, I will help!” Then the other Goblins start beating that one up. Josalyn casts Hold Person on all three.

They are all frozen. Jacob and Josalyn stand away while Thorgard goes to get information. We open the cell and Eomiaje ROARS at them.

All of their hair pulls back as Eomiaje roars. Thorgard pulls one out and then gets Lok-Vurn to lock him in there.

Meanwhile Thorgard does this, we go to check out the Skeleton. Its just a Skeleton in armor. Walker and Lucien go in. A key falls out of the Skeleton.

• Key id 113.

When the Hold spell wears off, the one that talks to Thorgard is cooperative. The Goblin says they are slaves of the Bugbears for the last 2 months. They have bags on their heads when moving place to place. They dug a dungeon for 6 weeks. The last two weeks they have been here and dont know where they are. They have lice and are broken down. Everyday there is a terrible force that passes past their cells. They felt this same force while being moved from place to palce before. They can smell it and thinks this force is in charge of the Bugbears are also slaves.

It has not seen it walking but heard it sliding, like a huge snake on the stone floor. When it goes past, it is though the force of Grack is wearing down on the Goblins. The Bugbears talk to a Human Woman that travels with the Bugbears. They think she is not a slave.

• Thalen is after a magic hat.
• Lucien is looking for information, discovery, of the place we are in.

The Goblins say they cannot see if the Woman has a hat. Meanwhile, Lucien searches through the Skeleton body. He has a sheath for a sword and no shield.

Lucien and Eomiaje look around by the secret door. Walker listens at all 3 doors. Walker does not hear anything and we find no ways to open the door. Thorgard notices no markings on the floor but the opposite door does have those marks indicating that it was opened.

Protection From Evil expired 7 turns ago.

Tatrin casts Find Traps before we open the west door. We open the west door successfully.

We find ourselves in an armory and there are many racks on the wall. We can see bloodstains, two broken helmets crushed in and they lay there rusting. A wooden door is on the northern wall. The east passage opens to a hallway. There is a portcullis that is open. The hallway continues beyond into the darkness.

No Traps are detected. We continue onward past the open portcullis and find a closed wooden door. We open the wooden door.

Beyond the door the hallway goes 60' before turning to the right. There are no Traps detected so we keep going.

Around the corner is another 50' of hallways until it comes to an angular dead end. We search the dead end for secret doors and shifting walls. None of us think the wall slides open. The wall does sound hollow.

We try pushing on the wall and the stone grinds open into an open, angled hall. The air is filled with a horrific howling as though a man is in terrible anguish pain. Like someone on a battlefield that has been terribly wounded. The singular voice tears into our ears from both directions. It is louder in the north east. The sound is coming from the southern direction also but is more muffled. We do not see where the passageway ends.

The voice sounds very masculine.

We hear something barelling around the corner.

• Jacob charges to meet it.
• Josalyn joins him.
• Kheskhor wonders.
• Walker charges.
• Eomiaje tries to sneak up.
• Lucien stays back
• Thalen stays back.
• Thorgard and Lok-Vurn charge.
• Risten observes.
• Lyo readies a sling.

We hear the sound of frenzied running. Some charge forward to meet it. A hulking 9' tall 4 armed caped figure with reddened skin, streaming with blood runs at us, heedless of our weapons. Its cape flowing behind it. It has no weapons but they have to hit AC 4.

Jacob hits for 9, Josalyn hits for 9 and 11, Thorgard hits for 13 and Lok-Vurn hits for 12. Their weapons cut into it horrifically. Its body crumples as it screams. It thuds into the ground and dies.

The creature looked like a very strong Human, the head was human but it had 4 arms. It had an undersized lower body. Like Machamp. The pigment of the red skin looks like blood rising from its body somehow. The creature has not died and its teeth are still gritted. It has the red cloak tied around its neck with a gold rope. Its lower body is torn brown pants. There is a key ring with

• Key id 25
• Key id 30
• Split key

Walker detects strong magic on the cloak.

• Magic Cloak (Jacob grabs it).

We see a hallway to the east with a portcullis and an intersection. The other hall goes 30' before it cuts south.

There is a portcullis at the other end of the hall and we see a cell. We see another cell just before it turns to the left.

We are not surprised.

We hear another running coming at us. They are more lightweight and faster, they are coming from behind.

• Risten and Lyo stay out of the way.
• Jacob and Josalyn move to engage.
• Walker will make sure people are behind him.
• Eomiaje comes up behind Jacob.
• Lucien runs in the opposite direction.
• Thalen braces for a charge.
• Thorgard and Lok-Vurn move to engage.
• Tatrin turns undead.

We form a front rank with Walker, Jacob and Josalyn, Thorgard and Lok-Vurn. The two figures appear, they are 7' tall they are glowing red-orange. They are like the creatures we fought on the ship they are heedless and run toward the fighters.

They must hit AC 4, Jacob does 14 damage and Lok-Vurn hits for 6, Josalyn hits for 9. This kills one! They cut it down!

The attack is on Lok-Vurn who has AC 2, both hit which countered by Stoneskin. The single creature starts fighting madly, babbling incessently. Jacob does 18 damage and 10 damage from Thorgard. The creature survives the attacks. Tatrin rolls to turn undead but the creature is not undead.

We all run away except for the front line melee.

• Kheskhor failed NVM he Saved!
• Walker failed
• Lok-Vurn failed
• Walker failed the save.

Damage is 21 damage. Eomiaje takes 11 damage for saving. Walker is DOWN! Lok-Vurn is also Down and in a coma!

Lok-Vurn has Lowir's Blade, it saves. His backpack saves. Walker has the Rod of Alertness, it saves. His plate mail saves and his backpack is destroyed. He had 4 gems, 1 failed and is destroyed.

Thalen stabilizes Lok-Vurn and Josalyn casts Endure Heat on herself and Kheskhor and Resist Fire on Jacob.

Eomiaje is healed for 5 and Lucien is healed for 5. The party will head out.

We are in this corner, looking down the hallway. We can see the jailcell bars at the edge of our light. This thing comes out of the jail cell. It is 10' tall and is a purple crackling energy. There are two eye shapes and a smiling mouth shape. It reminds us of a fire elemental but it gives off a flashing light of purple and blue light. It flashes off our armor and weapons.

• Risten casts Magic Missile.
• Lyo stays back.
• Jacob and Josalyn form a front line and she casts Prayer.
• Eomiaje starts moving away from this thing.
• Lucien heads down the hallway expediently.
• Thalen casts Command.
• Thorgard is 8“ from the creature and forms up a front line.
• Tatrin casts Light on its eyeballs.
• Lok-Vurn and Walker are both on Eomiaje's back.

Prayer takes 6 segments and Command is 1 segment. Light is 4 segments. Eomiaje and others that are leaving to the south.

The creature has the look of a fire elemental with gas and sparks and fuzzes like a firework. It hovers over the surface, moving steadily toward us.

Magic Missile does 12 damage. They fly to the creature and then POP like balloons, they do not strike the creature. It TEARS forward!

Light resolves when the charge is met. It saves against the Light spell. It is quite bright in the hallway. As it approaches us, those that did not depart are overwhelmed by a force.

Eomiaje, Lucien and the fallen companions are not forced to save but everyone else must roll under their intelligence. When it gets within 20', they are overwhelmed by a terrible force. It almost overwhelms them and they have a feeling of resilience. Thalen undergoes a sudden change, his visage wearies. He ages 10 years and must save versus system shock or die. He succeeds at System Shock!

They must defend themselves now. It flashes and bounces between us.

Jacob hits for 11 damage! Thorgard misses. Jacob misses the second attack. Thorgard hits for 12.

The creature flashes and is about to go out. The creature appears again, but this time instead of a grin it has a howl!

Prayer finishes.

• Thalen charges it to hit. NVM he disengages.
• Thorgard and Tatrin attack
• Risten casts Lightning Bolt.
• Lyo runs down the corridor.
• Jacob attacks
• Josalyn attacks.
• Kheskhor stays back.

Tied initiative. Everyone must roll 3d6 under their intelligence. Thalen ages another 10 years and must roll a System Shock. He succeeds!

They must hit AC 0 and Jacob hits for 14, Josalyn hits for 9 damage. They deal the destroying blow. There is a sound like paper tearing and it is extinguished like a candle.

Thalen has been aged 20 years. He must make a saving throw versus magic. HE iS PERMANENTLY AGED!

He loses 1 point of Strength and 1 point of Constitution.