Out of the Pits (Pt B)

Starring
Atropa Belladonna, Elven Ranger
Bahlgrimm, a Dwarf warrior
Solauder, Drow Sorceror
Fuantos, Dwarf Soldier (NPC)
Vierna, Human Cleric of Darras (NPC)

The team starts where they left off, at the plant ensconced room. They consider going further in but the trees are so packed tightly in, they hesitate. They can tell it's a fairly small room, but are unsure of anything else within the room because of the heavy leafy presence.

They move ahead in the passageway, and see another locked padded door and leave it alone as it appears to be a locked funerary room. As they go forward, they see a side passageway, with plenty of tracks coming and going, since this is the only place with lots of movement they want to check it out.

As they head into the side passage, a heavy iron portcullis comes down and and they hear the screeching laughs, then see the small yellow eyes of goblins. Bahlgrimm pulls the gate up, just enough for the second dwarf warrior to roll underneath. He rushes forward to take on the pitiful, as Atropa pings away with her bow. Quick enough, they take down some of the goblins as the other ones dart away. Fuantos finds the lever to open the and the rest of the party goes through.

They slowly make their way ahead, being careful not to set off any similar traps. They find a deep pit that covers most of the cave passageway. At the bottom of the sixty foot pit, are sharp spikes and a multitude of snakes crawling around. The team takes quite a bit of time to attack the snakes with missile weapons. After much debate, they decide against going down. They tie ropes to each other to get past the narrow ledges on the side.

They don't have much time before the hear the clanging of boots onto the floor, a small contingent of skeletal soldiers, clad in breast-plate with shields and spears, all marching in formation. The Drow casts a spell of energy, as the two dwarves run in formation up to their foes, bashing them down. All the while the Elven ranger pierces the undead with her arrows. The cleric raises her holy symbol but cries out in pain, she is losing her connection to the divine here. Even with their perfect formation, the skeletons are quickly overpowered and brought down in a flash.

Going further ahead, they see several heavy wooden doors, all well established and enamoured door on the right, no obvious trap or lock., no sign any of them have been entered unlawfully. After the fourth door in a row, they see a heavy wooden bulwark, it covers the full passage width. As they investigate it, the see the tiny flickers of blood everywhere, Atropa believes this is where the skeletons came from, and even worse, where lots of people died trying to get through. But how...where. She goes into a deep trance, she sees in her mind the solution, she sees visions of her walking peacefully through the bushes. If she remains true to the path...she believes she can pass through them. But she hesitates, can it be so easy?

The cleric rips a shred from her bodice and covers her eyes, then simply walks calmly ahead, through the thorny bulwark. When she reaches the end, she hands back blindfold and she reminds them to stay calm, stay true; then, one by one each of her teammates does the same. But Bahlgrimm hesitates, he starts thinking about drowning in the thorns. As he does, the bulwark closes around him, piercing him a dozen times...he struggles to get out. His hesitancy (and rolling number one on the dice.) caused the bulwark to close in on him. Vierna immediately helps the injured dwarf out.

They see a vile pit of blackish bubbling putrescence just pass the bulwark. When they investigate
they see the small bits from previous sacrifices, plus small chairs all around the pit. They almost immediately pass the scene but they eventually look up, they see a three prong rack, used to drop the prisoners into the the black bile, and one body hanging above. Soulauder casts an energy spell, destroying the body. But just a few moments later the see three new, bodies in the rack, while weak they are obviously still alive. The group debates about on whether they should rescue, and come to the conclusion that they could not keep any of the freed prisoners safe, better to rescue them another way.

Moving forward and reach a side door to a much smaller room. This door is open, with a set for three holy symbols. The top, showing the symbol for Lord of Laws (LN - Casna), and the bottom one showing , Lord of Destruction. (CN - Faval) The middle one has a symbol for the Earth Mother (N Holon) has all been torn out. The Ranger looks in and is confused...something about the room is disorienting. She walks out unsure of her next steps. Bahlgrimm steps in to find out on his own and is fascinated, he looks up, and sees a swirling mass of light, and energy and...power! His eyes open wider, as he scans around the small balcony he is on, is there anything that can get him up there. He sees the roots are hanging upside down, hanging up. He starts to climb, but he feels pressure, more pressure with each foot upward, so much so it slams him down to the balcony. He looks up again, thinking about how to get up there, but the calls from his colleagues catches him once again, and he goes back to his group as much as be is tempted to find out what the magical swirl is.

Going further in, they come to an elegant set of wide stairs, culminating in an impressive and very elaborately decorated door. The group approaches, with the ranger taking lead. With some scanning, Atropa notices there is a trap, a false floor. She sets it off, and the see the floor drops...meaning anyone that attempted to open the lock from the stair-top would be dropped into the deep pit. The cleric advises that she has no mana or spell energy left, something near-by is draining her, stopping her ability to cast spells. They carefully search the pit, and find a small control box, which opens the door.

As they go inside, they are surprised at the brightness of the large temple room. Five prisoners, chained to the left and right side. Four huge columns reaching sixty feet up. A large panoramic curtain with a symbol of Keran at the centre fore of the alter 100 feet ahead. Three large, well armed skeletal figures approaching with impressive spears. As the team spreads out, Vierna is walking slowly, painfully. She is in tremendous pain. Atropa spends some time to carefully scan the room, and she determines the curtain, with the evil unholy symbol is causing problems for their cleric. At the same time, in the centre of the room, there is something else, a large presence, an evil otherworldly, figure, stuck in a black pool of goo. It is struggling to get out, to get into this realm. Atropa yells out that she believes it is the curtain that is the source of danger.

The dwarves clash with the skeletal figures, bashing them back. The skeletons have the advantage with reach, but the two dwarves stay strong as rocks – cutting the undead down. Atropa starts to climb, wanting a better shot at getting the curtain. Soulader concentrates on the skeletons he launches some of his energy spells.

At the same time the Drow sees Vierna in a daze, she has dropped her holy symbol and weapon, and has started walking listlessly towards the evil, invisible presence. Wanting to protect their ally, Soulader casts sleep on her which brings the cleric down to the ground. (Player Gaining advantage for quick thinking, to be used at a later time.)

Atropa having reached the near top, fires an arrow at the curtain's binder. It connects, bringing two binding rings down. As it does, a bright light emerges from behind the curtain. The light hits the invisible figure which roars in pain, at the same moment a flash of energy emerges from the creature which rebinds one of the binders.

At almost the same moment, Fuantos drops from a massive blow inflected by the skeletons. Bahlgrimm stays planted, defending his team by making sure none of the skeletons came too close to the spell-casters. Atropa releases another arrow, which cuts down the last few bindings, causing the curtain to drop. (Player Advantage) As it does, everyone sees a huge mirror emanating a heavenly light that for a moment covers the room, blinding everything. It then quickly starts to fade. The light, sign of the Heavenly Queen, purifies everything, banishing the evil presence in the room, both the otherworldly figure and the skeletons.

The team awakens the cleric and they release the prisoners. They determine the cult was using the mirror's magic plus the blood of the prisoners to attempt to release the demonic creature... They needed the mirror to weaken his goo prison, but not the direct light. Once the cleric has her spells, she casts bless on the large curtain, enabling them to destroy it.

Returning to their employers they are rewarded with 250 crowns (gp) a piece for their efforts. The dwarven contingent are saddened at their comrade's loss but they will be welcomed as rock-brothers into their camp for mourning and nourishment.

Exp Points:
portcullis opening – 150 ex points
four goblins - 200 exp points
snake pit – 250 exp points
4 skeletons - 400 exp points
bulwark - 250 exp points
Stairs Trap – 250 exp points
3 skeletons - 300 exp points
Curtain & Unholy Symbol - 300 ex points
Mission Completion - 400 exp points
                                  =2500 ex points
                                   600 exp points per player       
                                         

+2 bump on dwarven etiquette rolls or tunnel / cave rolls 

The first mission - Into the Pits

Three members - a Drow Sorceror, an Elven Ranger and a Dwarf warrior.

Solauder, is a Drow Sorceror from another world, bereft of his connection to the radiance he has long studied. He remembers waking up in this world but not how he got here. Instead of contempt, he is treated with respect from elves, humans and others he meets. The black-skinned elves in this world, the Dral, are honourable musicians and historians. Lost, he knows there must be something here, otherwise, how would he have spells.

Bahlgrimm, a Dwarf warrior with some connection to the militias of the area. His family were former noblemen, alas he remembers little of their former life as they lost their position when he was quite young. Raised by an uncle and aunt, who has some wealth but no noble rights. He has been on local missions, and has a few connections but he needs to prove himself if he is to regain his position of high authority.

Atropa Belladonna, an Elven ranger, far from her forest spire home, she left when her older sister returned from a vision-quest with a winged-snake companion, and then dared her to do the same for the tribe. She headed south with the Oromian merchants in their flying seaships until she found a large forest. There she met distant elf-kin who reside just outside a larger multi-racial community. These settled people have much more wealth and magic then her own people.

The team is apart of a larger unit, the Quarnik Maces, who are mostly usually asked to accompany the travelling caravans going North. This time it is a mission very close to their home base, asked to investigate the training pits of Tartinn, a well known stomping ground for lower skilled combatants - especially warriors and rogues. While being hired they make a connection with another member, Vierna, a human female cleric of Darras, who is tasked to accompany them.

A little over a ten-day ago, some merchants from Chiventuss didn't report in as expected. Even stranger, some of their goods were starting to be seen around the lower areas, especially the training pits. Investigators started hearing stories of a wagon and their workers being smuggled into the pits, nothing could be proven and even less found, but the stories were horrifying. The Maces are asked to find the Chiventuss team.

They approach the pits and see the huge numbers of trainees there: human, elf, dwarf and the golden horned ram humanoids - Jahlen. Most practicing their militia skills with virtually every type of imaginable weapon. They see an immaculately dressed human figure, with a regal presence giving orders heeded by almost everyone. Solauder goes over and waits his turn. They begin talking about the events of last week and the missing soldiers. The talk turns terse, as they disagree on details. When questioned, the speaker gets irate at being questioned, unfurls his flame wings, declares himself a Phaetox, who are physically incapable of telling falsehoods, he expects the Solauder and everyone else to listen to his every command.

Unsure of where to go next, Bahlgrimm challenges anyone to face him. At least one of each defender's race steps forward, the fighter selects the minotaur-kin, one of the Jahlen. The ram starts with a running horn butt, which almost shakes the human down. He stays up, and slices into his newfound foe.

At almost the same time, Atropa is touched by a root on her shin, as it snakes up her leg she is contacted in her mind by her kin. The voice asks why the group is there and Atropa explains their quest, to find the lost group who disappeared near the pits a little over a week ago. The soft elven voice says they are unsure, but the fourth pit, farthest from the town is the best place to begin.

The human fighter though injured, is much stronger and faster than his combatant and in a few rounds takes him down enough so when offered a way out, the young jahlen agrees, and the audience cheers in triumph and comraderie.

The group approaches the 4th pit but are stopped from entering by a group of heavily armed dwarves, who block their path with raised axes. They have words, and the Dwarves are unwilling to move. Solauder again is insulting to one of the Dwarf commanders, challenging him to accompany them. The Dwarf then leaves the pack and returns a few moments later, holding his axe out, telling them his name, Fuantos, and asking to accompany the party, which they hesitantly agree to.

These pits, unlike the others, have stone stairs, with protective glyphs near the top. As they descend, every one and half curve, there is a small winged statuesque figure opposite the stairs, very similar to a mini-gargoyle....these smaller ones seem to watch anyone that descends the stairs, the team carefully monitor the statues for any movement.

As they reach the bottom, they see it split, two doors heading south that the dwarves are constantly patrolling and the other going north has limited reach, there is a blocked passageway. They go towards the blocked door where they find in a large room filled with debris. Solauder picks up some coins among the debris. They see the 12 ft tall gothic door, sealed by three locks spread out and large bolts spread out in a unrecognizable pattern. The ranger eventually sees the pattern on the door, the lower lock, already opened, is showing the symbol of Keran (LE God of the Fright), the middle one showing the symbol of Casna (LN - Lord of Laws) and the upper one bearing the symbol of Quanna (LG Lady of Light.) Their newly found Dwarven partner has the symbol of Casna, which easily opens at the touch. As they don't have a holy symbol to Quanna, but the party puts some pressure on Vierna to use hers, as the deities are closely associated, apart of the Quadrane, the holy alliance of the four High Good Gods. Her symbol does open the lock, but she is shocked by a strange white lightning. Hurt, lightly burnt and dazed, her party members help her with some healing and they continue on.

Fuantos, the accompaning dwarf is amazed, the party has quickly been able to open the area his group has been trying for quite a while. As they go through, they find themselves in a wide room, which has a 15 ft tall minotaur statue, in physical armor carrying a two handed polearm; a small pool of blue liquid, two standard doors and a spiked metal door which has no keyhole or opening apparatus. The warriors realize the statue's edge is Anthril one of the strongest known magical metals in this world. Bahlgrimm is tempted by the anthril, but is dissuaded by the party, they all feel that it wouldn't be wise to possibly awaken the statue.

Bahlgrimm then looks at the simple pool. Just looking at it brings him to a state of ease, he puts his hand in and finds that every nick, cut and bruise is gone when he takes it out of the water. Atropa takes a pouch of the blue healing water.

The spiked door grabs their attention, when Solauder nears it, he realizes that the spikes subtlety changes shape depending upon who is nearest the door. Each tries their hand, but the group is unsure of what action is best.  They move away, then head towards the largest of the door, as they do the pathway is lit by torches along the walls every forty feet.

Fairly quickly, a swarm of stirges fly out, pecking their bloody noses for feed. Yet, the swarm does not linger, a few grab their bite of blood, but many more are brought down by bite of axe and bow of the party. The group is careful but make their way to the first door. No apparent traps, and when they open the door they are surprised by the smell and sight of plants, healthy, vibrant leafy plants in an apparently small room. Atropa doesn't even need to hold out her hand before a plant unfurls to caress her. It snaps off its root to curl around her. The room is small, and they decide to move past it.

As they do, they hear a rumble down the hallway, they look up to see three snarling undead hounds, nearly torn out of their skins, come running towards them. Vierna touches her holy symbol and one is kept at bay. The others face the party, the two dwarves plants his feet down to face off as the Atropa pierces them with arrows along with the Solauder's spells. They quickly take the two down. Meanwhile Vierna continues slowly walking towards the undead beast, chanting slowly...as she comes to within 20 feet, the turning rips the unliving beast apart, as bits of meat and bones are slowly devoured by the ground itself. As she turns back to face the group, there is no reminder that anything was there moments before.

She hands them a small pouch of sand, and instructs them to sprinkle some dust on the fallen foes, as it does, the ground swallows the corpses, providing a final resting place. This is Nyssian dungeon custom, bury the dead as quick as you can.

Resting for a moment, the crew looks towards the passageway, still a long way to go to find the missing caravaneers.

Experience Rewards
Dwarf Fighter RP & Solution                 100
Elf Ranger - RP                                       100
Drow RP                                               100
Finding Way Down                                  20 100/5
Stirge 25 * 8                                             40 200/5
Skeleton 3 * 100                                      40 200/5
Opening Sealed Door -                            40 200/5

Rewards                                                 240 ex points for each player

***It was a fun first game. We are still getting used to each other, and for the first few games I think they will be picking up on a lot of the story background of my world. (Gods, magic, etc)