• Lygan - Hippogriff
• Ekkor - FTR4
• Voltendo - PAL, CHA 17
• Xrith'atiril - Hippogriff
• Elithra
• Omaz
• Mirella
• Skalf - Dwarf THF4, AC 1/3, Phantom Armor
• Desmond - PAL, CHA 17

We do not have any Magic-Users joining us this session.

Our plan is to return to the Temple Fissure that was originally part of Voltendo's Paladin Mount quest.

We had returned last time on 01-05-499 and this time we will be leaving from Starling on the 12th.

Voltendo's mount is called ANGELDUST. She has an INT of 6.

We leave and head north east of Hardin and will camp out in the plains.

We have a possible patrol encounter that is not affiliated with Lord Thompson.

Xrith is surprised from the air and the ground party is not surprised.

We had departed Starling and headed north east and just come into the valley, not even arrived in Trawis. We see something coming from the hills to the north east. We see coming up from a hole in the ground, a STREAM OF GIANT ANTS!

They are milling about at 16“.

• Voltendo tries to avoid the ants
• The rest of the party also avoids.

The Ants do not pursue.

We see a few streams of Giant Ants go off in different directions, there were about 100 of them.

We arrive at the site of our party camp.

During Watch 2, we are not surprised.

No additional encounters during the night.

To the north is plains, north east is more wasteland but there is a small pond at the far side. To the south east, is a continuation of the wasteland.

We arrive in the plains and see plains to the north east and hills to the north.

We continue north east and find plains to the north and hills to the north east and east.

The Hippogriff Riders (Lygan and Xrith) are not surprised and nothing happens.

We continue north and see plains to the north west and we see a castle here, with no banner. The walls do not appear to be in good repair but the keep is heavily fortified.

To the north is hills and north east is plains. The castle appears to be a Neutral aligned place.

Xrith and Lygan fly out to go check out the Castle, out of Balista range. The structure has complete walls, though old. There is one balista on one tower, the other towers are empty. There are Men in the towers and in the courtyard below. Just on the towers we count about 30 people. There are more Horses visible in a stable west of the keep.

The banners have the letters C.V.B. The whole is ivory color but the border is brown. There are a fair bit of vehicles unattached to horses within the keep. Behind the keep are junk piles of wagons and carts.

As a 5th level Fighter, Lygan knows that this is not a Lord from this area and this is not normal heraldry. Xrith did notice some siege damage on the north west tower but it has not been rebuilt yet. These seem like Bandits.

We pass through the hex and nobody emerges from the keep.

To the south west is plains and to the north west is a Thorpe at the crown of the hills. Maybe 25 buildings. There is another Thorpe in the valley

The Riders are not surprised.

The weather is still clear.

We head south west and find hills to the north west. We head up into the hills to go to the Thorpe. To the north west is scrub and hills to the north west.

We head into the Thorpe. It is quite small with 40 people that live here. They are Human.

Desmond approaches the palisade on his mount and gets +20% for being Human. He will take a -15 to the roll. They allow us into the Palisade. The place is called CREMB. They have a very small House of Shrines in their meeting hall, which is the only public building. Their little town is small but they have a Cleric of Cine. The Thorpe to the north east is called Falzid. They are under the domain of Maznair, a Magic-User that rules this land. Falzid has 50 people and the Castle is ruled by MAZNAIR. The CVB is Crown Valley Brigade.

Cremb says he was an acolyte here when Maznair arrived and took over the keep, which was previously occupied by one of the Henchmen of Lord Thompson. He serves as the Valley's protector and makes sure they have the best protection possible. The quality of life is decent here.

The leader of Falzid (the other Thorpe) is a Cleric of Geos. They allow us to stay in their settlement for the evening.

Skalf finds out that the ale here is very bad…

The weather is clear.

To the north is hills and that is where we go. The hex to the north is hills and it is heavily forested hills. To the north east, is a marshland. We head into the hills to the southeast and north east is a light forest. We head that way.

To the north is hills, north east is medium forest and to the south east is heavy forest.

We are surprised but we do not notice anything else.

We head north into the hills. The weather is still clear. North east is hills, north is a continuation of the medium forest with a pond. To the north west is more medium forest.

The weather is still clear and we head north west into the Medium Forest. North west is more hills and to the north is heavy forest.

We head to the hills. North is more hills and we go down into the badlands. There are no buildings present here. We will wind up in the desert (wasteland) hex.

We camp here for the night. The weather remains clear.

No encounters.

We are about 15 miles south of our destination and we travel north without any issue. The place appears to be unchanged.

It is 5/8ths of the way through the day. We head inside the TEMPLE FISSURE!

We head inside. Mirlla, Omaz, and Voltendo have light. Desmond has a purple glowing broadsword.

The party passes down a long hall and we hear a distant echo by something distant in the altar chamber beyond.

• Desmond asks for a continual light.
• Voltendo gives him a coin.
• Elithra readies her bow.
• Lygan and Ekkor pull out their bows.
• Xrith and Skalf try to Hide in Shadows with their weapons.
• Omaz readies his spear and shield.
• Mirella prepares to Turn Undead.

We get prepared but nothing comes around the corner until about 40 seconds later. Then we can see a tiny puff of light at the end of the hallway and the snout of a small creature 60' ahead. It is the maw of a similar creature that was standing on the altar.

The creature retracts its maw and we do not fire.

• Desmond tosses a continual light coin.
• Voltendo moves forward.
• Elithra readies her bow.
• Lygan readies.
• Xrith stays back.
• Skalf hides in shadows.
• Omaz moves forward.
• Mirella holds back.

They get to the end and see that the hallway is empty and not illuminated. Lygan rejoins the front line and we stay back 2”.

The front lines move forward to the altar room, the curtain had been torn to pieces and the bodies are gone, as is any treasure. The hallway continues up ahead.

The altar is trap free. Voltendo can see an open area and the ceiling and they can hear things loudly in this chamber. Lygan can see the next area is open. On the edge of the area is one of the creatures sitting squat with its tail out.

• Lygan falls back.
• Ekkor goes the center.
• Xrith goes to the altar and uses it as cover.
• Skalf does this too.
• Omaz squats down behind his shield.
• Mirella casts Endure Heat.
• Desmond also gets behind the altar.
• Voltendo braces for a charge.
• Elithra readies her bow.

Lygan gets behind the wall and everyone else gets into position. We suddenly hear the calls of 5 different creatures from beyond the wall. Roars of intimidation. We see flashes of flame and claws shifting on coins, loose on the ground.

No flame or creature comes. The one guy that could see Lygan tries to blast Voltendo. He must save versus dragon breath. Voltendo saves!

• Lygan goes toward the south.
• Others move up.
• Voltendo charges.

Voltendo finds a similar set up as this west area. The walls are angled. There is also an Altar of GRACK in here with a Brass Statue. There are 4 of the creatures sitting in here against the walls.

Voltendo hits and does 13 damage. This does not kill the creature and then all 4 unleash their flames. She failed 2 saves versus dragon breath. She takes 29 damage, Voltendo is down to -6 hit points, dead…though he does have a Ring of Regeneration. Item saving throws:

• Armor saves.
• The Spear +4 barely saves!
• Backpack is destroyed but the sack saves the potion inside.
• The Ring is covered by the armor and it is all good!

Voltendo is fried and on the ground.

• Lygan and Ekkor charges
• Xrith moves silently to backstab.
• Skalf does the same.
• Omaz attacks.
• Mirella charges
• Elithra fires.

Omaz is being attacked and can counter attack. The first attacks miss. Omaz misses but one of them hits him for 5 damage.

Lygan is charged and does 10 damage. It survives and fails to bite Lygan.

Elithra fires and misses.

The other people that charge, Mirella, hits for 3 damage.

More of them come around from the north and south ends.

• Xrith attacks to backstab.
• Skalf moves to backstab.
• Omaz and Mirella attack.
• Desmond attacks.
• Elithra charges.
• Lygan charges the 3, Ekkor attacks.

Lygan makes his second attack and misses, Ekkor also misses.

One of them charges in at the top and the three at the bottom charge in. The north one does not make it into melee. The south characters can counter attack. Xrith misses his backstab attack. Lygan does 5 damage and Ekkor does 8 damage.

Skalf hits for

The one not charging misses and the one on Lygan misses. Ekkor is missed, Desmond is hit for 6 damage.

Skalf is attacked 3 times, though he has Phantom Armor. He is hit twice for 4 damage, Phantom Armor is gone. Then another 4 damage. Mirella did 6 damage, Skalf did 5 damage killing one!

Elithra hits for 7 damage and she gets her fist attack for 3 damage. Mirella takes 4 damage.

• All the Fighters are in melee
• Xrith melees.
• Skalf stays in melee.
• Mirella stays in melee.

Xrith hits for 9 damage, Omaz takes one down. 3 damage from Skalf. Lygan does 5 damage. They are getting desperate so they will likely unleash their breath weapon, like a Hell Hound attack.

2 Breaths up north and 3 breaths down south. South has 4 possible targets. Lygan is missed.

Skalf and Omaz must make a save versus breath weapon. Omaz fails and Skalf too. 12 damage to Omaz, 10 damage to Skalf.

They must roll for their weapons. Omaz is fine, Skalf's longsword is fine. His Shield saves Omaz's life but it melts! Skalf's armor saves. Omaz's backpack is destroyed. His potion is id 214. His backpack is destroyed as is his shield.

There are 3 breath attacks. 2 on Xrith. He takes 9 damage. Desmond is FRIED TO A CRISP and is at -9 hit points. DESMOND IS DEAD!

Lygan misses.

• Omaz attacks.
• Mirella attacks.
• Desmond is dead.
• Voltendo is down.
• Elithra attacks in the name of ROOK.
• Lygan attacks.
• Xrith attacks after screaming at them in Elvish.
• Skalf attacks.

Morale checks on the creatures. They fight on.

Elithra is missed and Skalf is missed. In the south, 2 attacks on Xrith, one on Lygan. Xrith is hit for 2 damage and Ekkor is missed.

Xrith misses. 3 damage from Ekkor and 2 damage from Elithra. There are 2 in the north and 4 in the south.

We continue melee.

Mirella did 8 damage, Xrith did 4 damage. 7 damage from Lygan kills one, Ekkor does 9 damage killing another. Elithra hits for 6 damage and 3 damage. Now there are only 3 total left.

The survivors attack, one is breathing this round. Skalf is attacked and is hit for 5 damage. He DROPS! Though he is unconscious.

One bite attack on Lygan, misses. The breath attack is on Lygan and he saves, only taking 8 damage. Lygan can make his second attack and hits for 9 damage.

All of them are wounded.

Xrith misses but Lygan hits for 3 damage.

The creatures fail their Morale Check. They turn and flee over the corpses!

Xrith backstabs one for 30 damage. The 3 creatures are all killed!

Mirella heals 3 and Omaz gets 14 hp back.

We find some coins and treasure:

• 2000 cp, 8000 sp, 1150 ep, 720 gp, 1 gem

These are on the floor in front of the altar of Grack. Resting on the top of the spikes is a Brass Statue of a fat happy man with a ruby in his lips.

Mirella casts Find Traps.

We have not searched the room. Once we do, Xrith finds a trap and disarms it. There is something behind the ruby that has the scent of lilac. He flips the switch and has disarmed the trap.

• Perfectly cut Ruby.

Elithra finds a third altar this adorned with small chips of peridot. It is dedicated to Foresi and there are many loose coins.

• 4000 cp, 2000 sp, 580 ep, 480 gp

They can see that the passage continues and goes to the north.

Omaz checks the three altars and finds no more moving parts.

Voltendo regenerates and regains consciousness, then they use Lay on Hands.

Omaz continues around the corner and finds an alcove with a 9' tall stone statue. It is a warrior clad in metal and has a sword across his chest but his hand is raised to the sky. He wears a thin wire gold crown with many teardrop rubies. There is a nest on top of his head. There is a brass plaque at the bottom of the statue.

Navarsi, Death's Flame, 2nd Lieutenant to High Lord Commander Nisus the Bloodfather
"May he war a thousand years"

Omaz carefully makes his way back to the group. He does not notice anything up close at the statue.

Back to the treasure, we pile it up in one room with Desmond and Skalf. We are standing now in the statue room.

Mirella casts Find Traps on the statue but finds none. Voltendo can detect evil coming from the crown. Mirella then casts Detect Magic but does not detect any magic.

Xrith grabs the crown and Elithra and Mirella demolish the statue. They completely bash up the statue.

Nisus is associated with The Green Lance.

Skalf is now conscious.

Voltendo, Omaz and Elithra are on doors. They open the door and find a long hallway, the wall fans out. It extends eastward and there are long tables with insect eaten black cloth they bear dust covered silver platters. It extends about 40' before us. There is a door to the left and a hallway heading south. The Hall extends beyond the length of our light.

Once we get to the middle of the room, on the last table is a skull on the silver platter.

• 18 silver platters.

40' past the north door is a tapestry that is in bad shape. There is an angled wooden door to the north east and south east. Each table has 2 silver platters each and there is the one human skull.

Voltendo detects evil but does not sense anything in this direction. Mirella looks everywhere for traps.

We are not surprised.

There is a fountain positioned in the center of the south room. There are two smaller fountains positioned behind it. She can smell the outdoor air from this south room. She suddenly sees a small rock as though someone kicked it from elsewhere.

• Mirella steps back.
• Elithra readies her bow.
• Lygan has his bow out.
• Xrith tries to hide in shadows.
• Skalf is way in the back with Xrith.
• Omaz readies his spear with both hands.
• Ekkor has his bow.
• Voltendo braces, detects evil and starts shouting slurs. Actually just detect evil.

Tied initiative.

We prepare ourselves when a lizard emerges and climbs the stone fountain rim. It looks down the hallway at us.

The Lizard is 2.5' long and has AC 6. Elithra missed but Ekkor does 6 damage. The arrow goes straight through the Lizard and it moves no more. Blood pours into the fountain.

• Mirella checks for traps.
• Voltendo wants to enter the room with the pool.
• Elithra goes with Voltendo.
• Lygan goes into the room with Ekkor.
• Xrith moves silently into the room.
• Skalf lies in the corner.
• Omaz enters the room to the south.

Appearing from the left and right are 5 more Lizards that attempt to charge into melee. They attack with their bite. Those with weapons can attack first.

Omaz hits for 4 damage, Lygan does 6 damage. Voltendo kills one for 12 damage! 2 on Lygan and both of them hit! He takes 4 damage from the bite, which is 0 and 1 damage. He must make 1 save versus poison.

Lygan bends over backwards and collapses on the ground from the venom! LYGAN IS DEAD!

Omaz is hit for 2 damage and must save versus poison. Omaz withstands the poison but still takes 10 damage. The final attack is on Voltendo. They hit Voltendo for 3 damage and he must save. Voltendo is stricken by the poison lizard.

We can see better in the chamber. There is a great gash in the south west wall that cuts through a deep stone. There are no other exits from the room, other than the crack. It goes up at a 15 degree angle.

The larger fountain is filled with coins.

• Xrith attempts to backstab.
• Mirella moves over
• Elithra charges.

Ekkor hits for 7 and 4 damage. Xrith fails both his Move Silently and his attack. There are 4 attacks against us.

Ekkor, Xrith and Omaz are being attacked.

Omaz is missed. Xrith takes 2 hits for 4 damage and he succumbs to the poison. HE DIES!

Ekkor is hit and takes 12 damage, though he resists the poison.

Elithra did 6 damage with her rapier. This does not kill one.

Omaz hits and kills one, Elithra and Ekkor both hit as well and kill another one.

There are two attacks on Ekkor and two on Elithra. One hit on Ekkor for 3 damage and must save versus poison. Ekkor fails and DIES!

Two attacks on Elithra miss. There are two Lizards left.

Mirella calls to her deity for divine intervention. This does not work.

The remaining 2 attack Omaz, who has AC 2. He is hit for 3 damage. Omaz saves and takes 14 damage, He DIES! He succumbs, only Elithra is in the melee.

No last words for Omaz.

• Mirella throws her hammer (id 195).

Two of the Lizards defend their territory, targeting Elithra. Mirella throws her hammer and misses. Elithra hits for 2 damage, which kills one!

• Mirella charges.
• Elithra attacks.

Elithra is missed! Elithra also misses. Mirella hits for 5 damage. It has been SLAIN!

Most of the party has succumbed to poison.

There are no traps in the room.

• 150 ep

They gather the coins from the pool.

The survivors attempt to pull the bodies out and use the Hippogriff to assist. The process succeeds and they have made it up to the surface. They go down to get the money. Elithra is grabbing the statue.

Voltendo has gained another 6 hitpoints.

It will take them 4 days to get back that way. They can use the Hippogriffs to ferry people if they want.

The weather is cloudy. They will make it to the hills by the first night. In the evening the weather is still cloudy.

The day is cloudy and in the latter half of the day, there is a potential encounter in the hills.

Voltendo is fully healed. As they are passing by the pond.

They see a single animal that looks like a lion at the pond. The creature is not like a Lion but it has horns. The creature may be a Sphinx. Voltendo will talk to the creature. It immediately takes off as Voltendo approaches.

It lands about 100' away. Voltendo is hailing the creature and must roll a Reaction check. The creature responds to Voltendo in a language that sounds utterly garbled. But Angeldust has reacted to this, as though when Voltendo calls for it. The Mount can understand it. After the creature makes its noise, Voltendo's horse looks at Elithra then looks at the creature with the head of a Ram and wings. It looks down towards the pile of treasure and then looks across the hill. It looks at Elithra expectantly. Angeldust does not have any fear.

This creature is not happy and wants some treasure.

Mirella and Elithra will give it 100 gp. The creature releases more garbled words and Angeldust gets more agitated. The creature continues staring at the party.

They try to walk away, they get some distance and it goes to inspect the sack on the hill, it leaves the sack and goes the direction opposite. They leave the gold behind and continue.

They arrive in Great Hill and will spend a day in Great Hill.

The weather is cloudy and this goes by without incident.

There is light rain and they end up in Elir. They make it successfully. The next day they can stop at Forgotten Masters tower.

Actually…

There is heavy rain so they stay in Elir.

They drop off Lygan and Ekkor in Starling. Lygan and Ekkor are both successfully RAISED! This takes 2 characters down on the CON score. A total of 11,000 gp each for this.

We make it back to Mombafra!

It is 5500 gp for a Raise Dead and 1000 for a Neutralize Poison.

They go to Mombafra and travel is uneventful.

XRITH IS RAISED, he now has a Brass Statue.

• Ruby is 1900 gp.
• Brass statue is worth 130 gp.
• 9 gp gem.
• Crown is 4000 gp.

Xrith can take 2500 gp from Falavor's fund. 1500 gp per level for training.

Xrith owes 7500 gp for training and must take out a loan for 5000 gp.

He will then switch to BARD LEVEL 1! The first ever BARD in the game.