Game summary for July 29, 2010; present characters included Kanaka Kohola (darfellan storm druid), Laka Pokukeliki (human fighter/rage cleric), Palu (human ranger).
The party enters a massive chamber with several natural springs and animal skins scattered about for bedding. Several cult members await within and release a dire inferno frog against the party as well. The team steps forward into the fray and slaughters cultists left and right. Palu’s new animal companion, Carmine the crocodile, is ordered into the melee and establishes himself as a formidable foe. In mere moments, the cultists are wiped out, and the party is advancing into a labyrinthine portion of the catacombs.
In the flickering flames of a single sconce, a slaymonger approaches. She moves with incredible grace and slips into the group’s midst, sliding her obsidian daggers into vulnerable flesh. So accurate and violent are her strikes, it rocks the team back. They begin to resist, and she disappears into the shadows. The next several minutes are spent playing cat and mouse as she pops out to brutally stab before tumbling away or hiding. Eventually, Laka hits her with a comet, which also crushes the only source of light. Kanaka remedies this by casting a light spell on Carmine. The slaymonger puts the pressure on Laka, sinking stab after stab and forcing him to flee for his life. Eventually, the woman is brought down, unable to withstand the team forever. After searching the area, Laka discovers a secret door.
The new area was dimly lit with high ceilings. Upon a blasphemous altar, priests of the frog god had bound Princess Ayoli. They were in the midst of a ritual designed to summon an aspect of the frog god and impregnate the princess with a godling. The party disrupted the ritual and brought the full wrath of the priests upon them. Curses and prayers traded back and forth, while one priest veiled himself in shadow and conjured a whirling cloud of steel blades. This priest charged into battle only to be blasted into charred bones by Kanaka and Laka. Palu wasted no time barging in toward the altar, dropping a tendriculos seed along the way. The seed sprouted into a massive plant monster under his control. The creature wrecked havoc while the remaining priest supported his Doomwarden guard by unleashing blistering flame strikes. Kanaka’s summoned fire elemental closed in on the caster, and Laka used air walk to get around behind him. Meanwhile, Palu cut Ayoli free and leaped upon the altar to attack the remaining priest. Laka was staggered by a thrust from the priest’s acidic spear. However, the team prevailed, chopping the man down under their rain of blows.
With the enemies defeated and cultists slain, the team returned to the surface of Ashenford where Laka wed Princess Ayoli. With his lovely new bride in tow, the group left Ashenford to seek adventure and wealth elsewhere.
