Game summary for December 29, 2011, In Search of Adventure campaign, Keep on the Borderlands adventure; present characters included Dinendel Telemnar (elf swordmaster-conjurer), Meriwen Arnatule (elf swordmaster-conjurer), Nicholae Dragos (cleric priest), and Theobald Goblinbane (dwarf swordmaster).
After defeating the gnolls, the party opened the door and sent an invisible Dinendel and Meriwen down the hallway to scout. The pair made too much noise, attracting half a dozen gnolls to investigate. A battle broke out with four of the gnolls slain but two getting reinforcements. Soon the sounds of many laughing gnolls rolling something heavy echoed down the hallway prompting the team to secure the door and retreat back through the secret door. A few minutes later, an explosion rocked the complex but the secret escape route seemed undamaged and undiscovered.
The team then investigated a large, slightly rusted, iron door that was engraved with symbols of Chaos and bolted shut. Theobald and Nicholae hammered out the bolts and opened the passage once Elasha detected magic on the other side. The group carefully inched down into the tomb and discovered the source of the magic to be from one of the back sarcophagi. When opened, it crumbed into rumble and a fearsome shrieking wight screamed up out of the grave! It reached out and sucked away part of Nicholae’s soul before it could be put down with magic spells.
Among the rubble, the group found a jeweled dagger, a protective scroll, a powerful sword, and a magical helm. Dinendel claimed the sword, Nicholae the scroll, and Meriwen took the dagger and donned the helm. She then searched another coffin to make sure no more valuables were within.
The group then returned into a main hallway and advanced deeper into the caves. Within, they found an unholy domed chapel with a checkerboard floor and a frightening altar. The palpable evil disturbed several of the clerics who decided to destroy the altar and the bloodstained bronze items on it. Before they started, Meriwen scooped up the bronze items which released a surge of magic that stunned Elasha, who was using detect magic at the time. Nicholae then slammed his warhammer into the altar, which caused the toning of a massive bell. Behind, marching feet resounded down the hallway. The team scattered into the hallway to take defensive positions. However, they discovered dozens of undead falling upon them and fled.
The group ran toward the orc caves, except for Meriwen who fled into the forest with the bronze items. Nicholae and Dinendel bought the services of the orcs to fight against the advancing undead and clerics from the temple. With the orcs by their side, the party stood ready. The high priest, his writhing snake staff in hand, demanded the bronze items. Unfortunately, the group did not have them. They tried to start a war, but they discovered the orcs were in league with the clerics!
The high priest sent Nicholae and Theobald (and Dinendel, who slipped away invisibility) to find Meriwen and recover the bronze items. They have six days or the clerics and orcs will kill all the party’s retainers!
The above summary is for a game session of Dungeons & Dragons BECMI / RC edition played by the Phoenix Gaming Club.
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