Conquering the Barbarian Altanis: Session 116
Adventurers
| Character | Class | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gomm | Thief level 5 | Swarthy, good looking, dark-skinned thief. Sweet opium-like aroma is his fragrance of choice. |
| Ambros | Cleric level 5 | Follower of Aniu, Lord of Time. |
| Ignaeus | Elf level 2 | A slightly weathered looking elf with dull blonde hair and chiselled features. Seeks wealth and knowledge. |
| Nesterin Sylpetor | Elf level 2 | An avid lover woods and jungles. |
| Mayonnaise | Elf level 1 | Albino elf with long white eyelashes, flowing white hair, magnificent white cape, and long two-handed sword. |
| Happy | Halfling level 3 | Short, very happy looking halfling. Hair covers his eyes and he is nothing but smiles. |
| Hedwig Hogwarts | Elf level 3 | An always alert owl masquerading as an elf. |
Harvestime 12th, Waterday
“Oh, hello there!”
Mayonnaise and Happy greeted Gomm and friends in the long corridor. Apparently they went for a walk around Hara and ended up lost here, in this sunken fort, deep in Eyestone jungle. No questions asked—after all, reinforcements are always welcome.
Following the corridor, the party opted to check second doors on their left. Bursting in they surprised plated guard sitting on a crate. Using their tried and true tactic of wrestle and execute, they quickly dispatched another ooze filled suit of armour.
Wooden crates were filled with adventuring equipment—ropes, lanterns, torches, iron pitons, sacks, so on and so forth. Ambros found a locked metal plate hidden under on of the crates. Key they retrieved from one of the plated guards fit perfectly in the padlock, revealing large sack with 1 800 gold pieces and five gems.
Adventurers agreed to repackage the coins into three sacks for easier carry, and then locked them back in so they can explore the dungeon unencumbered. Gems were stowed away in pockets.
Corridor ended with a T-shaped junction. Straight ahead were doors with chilly fog rolling underneath. Flame smelling chamber was to the left, and an open, dark chamber to the right. Cold doors were left alone, and dark chamber was chosen as safest option.
Spacious, vault domed chamber spanned some fifty feet wide and sixty feet deep, with nearly forty feet tall ceiling at the highest point. Half of the chamber was a pool of dark water. On the west wall were two doors, one in the dry portion, and one above the pool. At the far south end of the chamber another door stood, and a small platform in front of them.
While Gomm scaled the west wall in order to reach the doors hanging over the pool, and Ambros and Ignaeus trying to measure the depth of water, Happy said “hold my beer” and jumped right in. At least Mayonnaise tied a rope around halfling's torso before the dive.
Splashing all around, Happy found himself in neck-deep chilly water. The ground was soft, which was unexpected since everything so far had been solid flag-stone. Undeterred, he waddled towards the south platform.
Ambros, Ignaeus, and Mayonnaise witnessed a towering black mass erupting from the water, completely engulfing Happy. Mayo pulled on the rope, and Ambros rushed to help. The mass shook and pulsated, jerking both with ease. Ambros let go off rope in time. Alas, Mayo was pulled underwater, screaming.
His last oxygen bubbles dramatically popped on the the water surface; until they were no more, and dark red liquid filled the pool.
Bakaru dropped the safety rope around Gomm and fled for his life. Nesterin chased the young thief-in-training. Ambros and Ignaeus retreated backwards to the junction, holding torch so Gomm can return.
Master Thief Gomm pushed himself from the closed doors, building up momentum to break them open with a strong kick. He tumbled into a dark chamber dominated by a bubbling stone cauldron. A pile of cleaned bones were in the south-east corner. Two immobile plated guards stood by the west wall. Black ooze caked the cauldron. Gomm got out, scaled the wall, spider-crawled along the ceiling, and rejoined the party.
“Oh, hello there!” Hedwig Hogwarts hailed the adventurers. He too went for a walk after Mayonnaise and Happy, and somehow ended up lost here.
A loud splash could be heard, followed by silence.
“Well, it seems like the creature is not following us. We don't know what triggered it...”
“Should we go back to the antechamber and explore west doors? Or see what is beyond the oily chamber?”
Latter was the consensus.
Traversing the chamber covered with broken oil vials took some time. Adventurers made sure to douse their light sources before crossing it. Nobody got hurt in the process.
Another t-shaped junction, this time splitting left and forward. Up ahead were double doors, and sunlight shone through the cracks. Pulling the doors wide open blinded everyone for few seconds.
Once they could see again a surprising sight greeted them: an open courtyard with a four story tower. Child-size wall made of rocks bisected the courtyard, and eight naked, hairy, midget humanoids cowering behind them.
Nesterin hailed them in Hobgoblin and Ogre, which made the creatures shake and shiver even more. Gomm and Bakaru begun sneaking around the courtyard, intended on jumping over the wall and striking from behind.
Hairy midgets tightened ranks in front of the only clear passage between the rocks, holding their little spears shakily. Nesterin continued going through the languages he knows, being ignored until he tried—Elven!
One of the creatures replied in broken elven, demanding adventurers to immediately leave.
“There will be no cutting throats!” somebody coughed loudly in Common, making sure the thieves hear them.
Conversation between Nesterin and Tili, the only hairy humanoid that dared to speak, was going too slow for Hedwig so he cast Charm Person on the small creature.
This resulted in total pandemonium as other seven hairy naked midgets begun screaming, crying, and running all over the courtyard.
“Would you like to meet Sor'Ves the Magnificent? She is magnificent! I would like to take you to her!” Tili offered. Sor'Ves, of course, waited in the tower.
Everyone but Gomm followed little hairy man. The thief opted to scale the tower from outside instead.
Going through the door revealed nothing but a round chamber filled with rubble and debris. Second and third floor were no better. Sun was penetrating through cracks and window sills, illuminating the insides.
Exiting through the final trapdoor was quite an experience. Ambros came out first, and what a sight greeted him! A large blue dragon, her scales shimmering in the Altanian sun, face to face with Gomm poking over the crenelations. She was sprawled over thousands of coins, belly sideways; razor-sharp fangs adorned her smile; her yellow eyes focused on the thief.
“Your Magnificence, I bring visitors whom came to pay respects!” Tili announced loudly.
“Oh, how wonderful!” Sor'Ves puffed. “So, what did you bring me?”
Gomm jumped over, and produced six arrows, supposedly of Giantslaying variety.
“Little thief, and what will happen if I cast Detect Magic? Will they glow?”
Gomm quickly found an excuse that amused the dragon sufficiently.
Then Sor'Ves called out each adventurer, one by one, asking them for a gift. Hedwig offered a gold and silver urn; Ambros a silver bracelet from one of the dead guards; Nesterin, Ignaeus, and Bakaru a gem recovered from the storage room.
Gomm tried to steal from Sor'Ves magnificent treasure hoard while others were adding to it.
“In broad daylight? My, how brave. Why don't you stand here—yes right here, in front of me—for a moment? Others should step aside.”
The thief excused himself and jumped over the edge, climbing down rapidly.
“What are you doing here? We are looking for a necklace made out of shadows? Do you know where we could find it?” other adventurers begun rapid fire questioning like they were interrogating a lusty barmaid, not a blue dragon towering over them.
“My, my, so curious! That will require appropriate tribute!”
Since the party discussed what magical items they could give that were useless to them right in front of Sor'Ves she cheerfully chirped “Yes, I'll take them all, thank you for asking. Just put them over there, yes, that's the spot!”
In return they learned about stealer of shadows that lairs just through the northern exit from the courtyard. “If you go there you will probably all die a horrible death.” She also divulged the fact that a shadow demon sits on an onyx throne. He also grants wishes, but unlike her, he has very unreasonable expectations regarding tributes.
There were also mentions of a younger green dragon, Larentis, that had recently arrived in woods just north-west of here. Somebody, best left unnamed, proposed a match-making service in return for additional help from Sor'Ves. She liked the idea but adventures got cold feet.
“Little humies, you are boring me with your constant chitter chatter. It is time to reward my patience once again. Have I not deserved it?”
Those that had no shiny treasure to offer were left with nothing but clothes. They had to empty their pockets, doff their armours, leave their weapons, and yes, all magical items.
“How nice. Now go, leave me be. I have to get my beauty sleep in case that green boy flies over again.”
As a final gift she vomited out a water elemental that will follow Ambros around and do his bidding. Tili pushed the adventurers down and out of the tower. The he hugged Hedwig and thanked the party for stopping by.
“You are always welcome here! Sor'Ves likes shiny gifts!”
The party sulked back to the chambers of plated guards and took whatever armour, arms, and gear they could. Then they left the sunken fort and rowed back to Ah'sas the Terrible.
Gomm groveled at the feet of the witch, mainly using dragon's presence as an excuse for failing to return with a shadow necklace.
“We will brew a poison! Even a single drop, down the dragon's ear whilst she sleeps, will suffice!” And then they cackled.
Will the third time be the charm for Gomm?
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