Ruins of Undermountain — Game Session — 015

Game summary for March 11, 2017, Ruins of Undermountain campaign, for Harm Incorporated. Session included: Boran Gibbs (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Kalil Bakran (Human Sorcerer played by Parker Harmon), Paddy Brandywine (Halfling Bard played by Preston Harmon), and Rumbald Shieldcracker (Dwarf Ranger played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team entered a very tall chamber flanked on either side by massive stone statues of black armored men.  Before them was an altar with a black glowing hand hover over it.  Bound to the altar was a blonde woman bleeding slightly from a head wound.  Rumbald approached and triggered a trap!  A harpoon shot from the ceiling to impale him.  Then, the chain began to retract and drag him up into the air!  The rest of the team began to approach more cautiously as Kalil used dimension door to get behind the altar.  Paddy and Kalil began pouring healing potions down the throat of the woman, but she would not wake up.  Rumbald extracted himself from the harpoon and fell twenty feet to the ground!  The harpoon whipped back into the ceiling and reset only to be triggered again by Boran!  He was hoisted into the air, impaled by the spear.  He was able to extract himself and lay bleeding on the ground where he fell.  Rumbald had gotten to the altar and was trying to help the woman when he triggered the trap again!  It hit the altar near him but did not hit him.  Kalil and Boran began using detect magic to try and better understand what was going on.  Meanwhile, Rumbald triggered the trap yet another time and was impaled!  This time, Paddy jumped off the altar, grabbed the chain, and swung Rumbald like an agony-pendulum as he scampered up.  He jammed stuff into the mechanism and disabled the trap!  Rumbald was able to rip himself free again and lower himself down with a grappling hook and rope.  The group then discovered the woman was merely a permanent image illusion!  The had been pouring healing potions onto the altar and wasting them.  Searching, they discovered a secret compartment and claimed a mace of darkness as their own.

In the next chamber, the team found a greater earth elemental engaged in mortal combat with an umber hulk.  The titans clashed it out, and Paddy threw in a water elemental gem to summon his own elemental into the fight!  Chaos ensured, with the elemental killing the umber hulk and pulverizing the party.  It destroyed the water elemental as a second umber hulk burst through the wall!  The tunneling creatures caused instability in several rooms resulting in falling rocks.  The team finally defeated both creatures and fled down a hallway.

The group entered a feeding frenzy involving quaggoths and hook horrors and the slain body of a drake.  The beasts charged at the party.  Paddy was hooked by a horror and grappled!  The quaggoths entered blood rages and attacked Rumbald because he was a favored enemy.  Boran took a beating and had to fall back as fireball and flame snake spells worked over the creatures.  Once defeated, the group could then search a trapped chest to extract several valuables.

The party found themselves next face-to-face with a death kiss beholderkin!  The bloodthirsty monster lashed the party with biting mouths.  Fortunately, the team knew a lot about these creatures, and Boran used communal protection from energy to defend all of them against electricity.  This absorbed several blasts from its electric aura.  It settled on draining blood from Kalil and Paddy to heal its wounds, but it was insufficient.  Finally, it exploded in a blast of electricity, which was negated by Boran’s magic.  The group did recover a Netherese blast scepter from a group of slain adventurers the creature had killed.

Finally, the group entered a room swarming with spider creatures.  Two cildabrin and a drider assaulted the party!  The cildabrin used spike stones and stinging tails to separate the team and then grappled several of the party with pincers.  Meanwhile, Paddy slipped through and put pressure on the drider.  She used levitate to get out of his reach.  Much to her continued frustration, she discovered the entire team resistant to electricity by casting numerous useless lightning bolt spells.  She used web on Paddy who accidentally scorched himself when he fired a flaming arrow through it.  Rumbald and Boran found the spiked floor painful and obstructing.  Cut off from his allies and grappled by a cildabrin, Kalil found himself overwhelmed and killed.  Rumbald’s critical hit with his axe killed a cildabrin as Boran accidentally hit him with a holy smite.  After a bit, the team dropped their foes and were able to raise Kalil from the dead.

Reign of Winter — Game Session — 018

Game summary for March 7, 2017, Reign of Winter campaign, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Deska Starseeker (Half-Elf Druid played by Kaliegh Belda), and Tulvur Xandersen (Dwarf Fighter played by Taylor Averdick). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team piled into a hovel with Greta and answered some of her questions.  She agreed to help them deliver the fish and led them down a back alley to avoid more mirror men.  Along the way, they ran into a fleeing human named Jorhan scrambling to escape a pursing winter wolf.  The team learned the man was owned by the wolf who had decided to kill him.  Deska and Tulvur talked the winter wolf into selling them the man for 75 gp, and they put him to work pushing the fish cart.  They quickly dropped off the fish and then headed toward the forger’s house.

The group went by a rowdy bar, and two winter wolves, in human form, came out punching and kicking each other.  When they say the party, the hurled some vague threats to which the party responded arrogantly.  The wolves decided to have some sport and try and eat the team.  They shifted into wolf form and attacked!  Armed with only daggers and light armor, the team was sorely pressed.  Fortunately, Greta was fully armed and charged in alongside.  Ten-Penny setup a flank and began harming one winter wolf while Deska blinded another with spit venom.  Tulvur raged and slashed madly with his dagger.  Meanwhile, a wolf tripped Greta and menaced her, forcing her to fight with her axe from the ground quite ineffectively.  Tulvur demoralized the wolves and pressed his advantage, allowing Deska to square off with one using flame blade.  She avoided a nasty hit using windy escape.  The group defeated the wolves, and Greta revealed some magical talent unleashing healing divine magic upon herself and several of the team.

Just outside the home of Mortin the forger, the group came upon two ice trolls arguing with a pair of winter wolves in human form.  The trolls noticed the team but was too busy with the wolves.  As the team got to Mortin’s door, the trolls and wolves went their separate ways with the trolls looking for the party.  No one would answer the door, and Ten-Penny fumbled with the lock.  Deska rolled a bag of marbles into the street as Tulvur hurled a rock to distract the trolls.  Ten-Penny finally got the door open, and the team began fumbling through.  The distracted troll stepped on the marbles and fell flat on his back, which caused the other troll to roar with laughter.  This devolved into a fight between the two right in the street.  The team was able to get behind the door and close it, mostly forgotten.

A furious Ringeirr berated Mortin for not opening the door and risking their lives.  He ended up browbeating the man into forging papers for the team for free and also making papers for Jorhan to go free.  The team stayed overnight as he completed their documents.

Finally, the team headed for the gateway into Whitethrone proper.  They were stopped by a pair of mirror men who looked over their papers and found nothing amiss.  The creatures spoke to the team telepathically and warned them that public dancing remains strictly prohibited.

Reign of Winter — Game Session — 017

Game summary for February 28, 2017, Reign of Winter campaign, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Alfbern Winterbloom (Half-Elf Inquisitor played by Preston Harmon), All Might (Human Warpriest played by Andrew Renfrow), Argun Longtusk (Wereboar-Kin Druid played by Parker Harmon), Deska Starseeker (Half-Elf Druid played by Kaliegh Belda), Kenwrec Battleglaive (Dwarf Slayer played by Peyton Harmon), Magnus Erlingsson (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Svala Alehorn (Dwarf Unchained Barbarian played by Todd Hughes), Tiswichtt (Orc Witch played by Casey Scruggs), and Tulvur Xandersen (Dwarf Fighter played by Taylor Averdick). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team arrived in the Fishcamps outside of Whitethrone to look for Ringeirr and discovered he was “arrested” by the Fishcamps Guard.  This group of extortionists was milking the town dry.  The team found a group of the guard and beat up on them until they revealed Ringeirr’s location.  The party found the guardhouse, and Magnus kicked open the doors.  Within a pair of surprised ogres stood protectively around Marcian Enarxion.  All Might rode in on his horse as Ten-Penny ran toward the rear of the building.  Argun cast enlarge person upon Magnus and stepped back.  Deska swept in and knocked an ogre down with thunderstomp before unleashing a flame blade.  Tishichtt washed a wave of flames over the fallen ogre using burning hands.  Alfbern ordered his bear into the fray as Kenwrec charged in to engage Marcian in the back.  Svala entered a rage and swept about with her mighty axe.  Marcian used a series of feints to nearly slay Kenwrec while Deska killed an ogre with her flame blade.  Alfbern’s bear mauled an ogre to death while the team surrounded Marcian.  He had no choice but to fight for his life!  Svala moved in and cut him down with her deadly axe.  Meanwhile, Ten-Penny found and rescued Ringeirr.  The team agreed to his terms of assistance, which included leaving Nadya behind.

The group agreed to help Ringeirr slip food into the starving citizens of Whitethrone in exchange for help getting into the city through the Howlings Gate, getting forged papers, and getting a meeting with the Heralds of Summer’s Return.  The team packed up fish into carts, buried their weapons on the bottom wrapped in oiled rags, and walked up to the gate late in the afternoon.  The team bribed their way past a stunningly beautiful guard named Greta.  She remarked upon the magnificence of Magnus and invited him to drinks at the Frosty Weasel tavern and inn.  Intrigued, Magnus agreed.

The team sought to hide out in a shack until dark and just narrowly avoided the notice of a mirror man guardian.  Magnus and Deska slipped out to meet with Greta once night fell.  Magnus went in first and started drinking and carousing with her.  She was obviously accustomed to strong drink and easily paced Magnus who was trying to go easy on his consumption.  Greta was obviously spoiling for a fight or other form of excitement the more she drank.  After a while, Deska walked up as if she just happened to stumble into the area.  Greta seemed suspicious and perturbed.  She invited Magnus upstairs to her room, and he decided to join her.  From outside the door, Deska heard things she wished she could unhear.  After a respectable amount of time, Magnus and Deska returned to the rest of the team.

The group got their fish carts and set out under the cover of darkness to deliver the fish.  Along the way, they attracted the attention of some goblins.  Ringeirr had warned them goblins were full citizens of Whitethrone, and tangling with them could result in criminal charges.  Several of the team managed to grapple the goblins and choke them unconscious.  They stuffed them up in some gutters so as to not be seen.  After a bit, two of the party were spotted by an approaching mirror man!  As he got close to stare at them, Greta emerged from the darkness and smashed the mirror, telling the team to follow her quickly.

Reign of Winter — Game Session — 016

Game summary for February 7, 2017, Reign of Winter campaign, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Deska Starseeker (Half-Elf Druid played by Kaliegh Belda), Svala Alehorn (Dwarf Unchained Barbarian played by Todd Hughes), Tiswichtt (Orc Witch played by Casey Scruggs), and Tulvur Xandersen (Dwarf Fighter played by Taylor Averdick). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team came upon a summer pocket created by druids resisting the power of the Winter Witches.  A great elk was under attack from a pair of worgs, and the team was able to drive the beasts off and rescue the megaloceros.

The team then found a ruined temple of Desna and met a pair of old priests.  The team made came in the ruins as night fell.  A haunt overtook the area revealing an ancient horror:  giants and trolls slaughtered a group of children rounded up by the priests.  The team learned the priests, in the ancient past, betrayed their deity and the children by offering them as sacrifice to Baba Yaga during the Winter War.  This resulted in the death of the kids and the priests who rose again as heucuva, blasphemous fallen priests that appear as normal humans during daylight.  The team was able to destroy these two undead abominations once and for all.

A few days later, the group discovered a woodsman shack under siege from a twigjack and quickling fey.  The woodsman was dead on the lawn, and the fey tore into the party.  The team took them down and discovered a third quickling beating the homeowner’s bastard half-breed son with a shovel.  The faun was distraught over what had happened to his mother’s spouse, and his grief awakened his fey nature.  His falling tears healed the slain woodsman and restored this family.  Nadya, who knew this family from her travels, agreed to leave her kids with them now that the danger of the fey was eliminated.

As the group approached a bridge, a trio of freshwater merrows clambered up to block the path.  They demanded the team’s papers.  Tulvur walked up and handed them a crude handwritten note.  One of the merrows snatched it up and read it, or pretended to.  They demanded a “small tax.”  When asked, they said they wanted Tiswichtt as a tax.  Instead, Tulvur drew Icebiter and tried to kill them.  Battle erupted, and one merrow grappled Tulvur but was slain by his blade.  The group closed in and took down the merrows and discovered a previous victim hidden under the bridge.

Approximately 8 days into their journey, the team was ambushed by four Winter Guard falconers and their falcons.  As the creatures swept in, Deska noticed a winter wolf creeping around to flank the party.  She used wild shape to assume wolf form and charged after it.  Svala, Nadya, and Ten-Penny took the fight to the falconers right up the middle.  Tiswichtt summoned a bat swarm that brutalized one of the poor guards.  Deska tried to talk to the winter wolf, and it called her a “Wolf Sister” and told her to flee, but it had to kill the others for their crimes against the Winter Witches.  It then darted around her, dragged Tulvur to the ground and mauled him nearly unto death.  Nadya moved in to try and rescue him and was tripped up by the fearsome creature.  Deska failed to catch it in entanglement as well.

Meanwhile, falconer archers riddled Tiswichtt with arrows and falcons clawed at her face.  She distracted two of them with birdseed, and fell back.  Ten-Penny and Svala cut a deadly swath through their foes, leaving falcons and falconers dead in the snow.  Nadya landed a pair of critical hits on the wolf from the ground, and Deska charged in and bit it in the flanks.  Now outnumbered and badly injured, the winter wolf turned and fled into the snowy forest.

Ruins of Undermountain — Game Session — 014

Game summary for February 4, 2017, Ruins of Undermountain campaign, for Harm Incorporated. Session included: Boran Gibbs (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Kalil Bakran (Human Sorcerer played by Parker Harmon), Paddy Brandywine (Halfling Bard played by Preston Harmon), and Rumbald Shieldcracker (Dwarf Ranger played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team entered a chamber and were accosted by a pair of white chimeras.  One unleashed a breath of frigid cold over the party.  Paddy got mauled by the other chimera.  Kalil dropped a fireball in the back and scorched the creatures.  Boran moved up toe-to-toe by himself as Paddy and Rumbald fought against the other.  Kalil’s fire snake killed one chimera and Rumbald’s axe dropped the other.

In the next chamber the group discovered a massive remorhaz.  Paddy ran in and found himself eaten by the monster!  Kalil hit it with a lightning bolt, and Boran hit it with a flame strike.  As Paddy fought to not be digested, Rumbald moved in and using axe and shield slew the beast!  Paddy came running out on fire!

Ducking through an archway, the team found a horrendous gug crawling up out of a yawning chthonic abyss.  The creature tore into Paddy using its rending claws, nearly killing the halfling.  Kalil unleashed spell after spell, and Boran followed up with a searing light that harmed the creature.  Rumbald sliced away with his axe, finally slaying the beast.

Finally, the team entered a chamber occupied by a pair of destrachans.  The blind aberrations unleashed blasts of sonic energy but Rumbald and Paddy were able to evade the effects.  Kalil and Boran took the brunt of the damage.  Boran moved in and drew deep wounds with his slashing blade.  Paddy was able to slip up and drop one of the beasts.  After a final sonic blast, the destrachan fell to Rumbald’s axe.  With the creatures vanquished, the party moved on to find further adventures in Undermountain.

Small Adventures — Game Session — 003

Game summary for February 4, 2017, Small Adventures campaign, for Small Timers. Session included: Delwyn Underhall (Dwarf Arcanist played by Jack Smalling), Elowyn Graycloak (Half-Elf Arcanist/Cleric/Rogue played by Noah Smalling), Reth Steelarm (Half-Orc Fighter/Rogue played by Luke Smalling), and Valetin Krupova (Halfling Paladin played by Jared Smalling). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team was tasked by a local baron to hunt members of the Red Hand orc tribe.  They were to recover the small statues each orc makes from trophies and spoils of battle as proof of death.  The team tracked the orcs to a dungeon and charged in.  Within they discovered two large orcs wielding bardiches and enraged dungeonbred manticore!  The team surged in and killed one of the orcs quickly.  The manticore hurt Valetin a bit but got blasted by Delwyn’s magic.  In retaliation, it sent a volley of spikes at Delwyn!  The team overcame the enemies, but only after the remaining ferocious orc got in a final shot at Reth.  Before advancing, they found a lose rock in the wall and a hidden ancient crossbow of magical power!

The team entered a second chamber to find a dire ape and four orc goons!  The goons swarmed in but were hurt by flying crossbow bolts and magic missiles.  The dire ape closed in but was overwhelmed by the team.  Slow burn bolts, Reth’s stabbing dagger, and burning sling stones from Valetin was just too much.  The orcs were ferocious but unable to withstand the team’s onslaught!

The party ducked through an archway to find a massive hole in the ground… a refuse pit.  Nearby sat a chest, and a stake was driven into the ground with a rope looped over it leading into the bubbling morass of filth.  Valetin hoped down off his dog and moved to open the chest.  To his horror, it was a mimic!  He was glued to the creature which immediately began constricting him.  The team unleashed a barrage at the mimic, and Reth discovered another occupant of the room:  an otyugh was hiding in the pit!  The creature surged forward, tentacles flailing.  It grappled Reth and began crushing the life out of him.  Fortunately, Elowyn and Delwyn were able to rain down death from afar and help rescue their injured comrades.  After defeating the aberrations, the team pulled up the rope and found the orcs had hidden some magical treasures!  The team gathered these up and fled to patch up their wounds and return another day.

Reign of Winter — Game Session — 015

Game summary for January 31, 2017, Reign of Winter campaign, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: All Might (Human Warpriest played by Andrew Renfrow), Deska Starseeker (Half-Elf Druid played by Kaliegh Belda), Kenwrec Battleglaive (Dwarf Slayer played by Peyton Harmon), Magnus Erlingsson (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), and Tulvur Xandersen (Dwarf Fighter played by Taylor Averdick). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons, and co-GM was Jared Smalling.

The team ransacked the upper level of the tower.  They discovered a vault with a trapped frozen statue.  Deska shrugged off the curse effects, and the team took the treasures.  All Might studied several tombs and figured out the ritual to close the winter portal.  He failed in his attempt to close it, and Deska used the knowledge he provided to finish the incantation.

With the Pale Tower conquered, the team decided to head toward Whitethrone to liberate the Dancing Hut.  Nadya Petska volunteered to be their guide under the condition they escort her children Orm and Mjoli safely to Ellsprin, and the team agreed.

About a day out, the party was swarmed by ravens and lost a few days’ travel due to injuries to Magnus’ eyes.  Also along the way, the fell prey to the malicious pranks of gremlins who cursed their food and spoiled it.  The team drove off the gremlins and recovered part of their provisions.

One evening young Orm got lost gathering firewood, and the team scattered to find him.  They could hear wolves in the distance as snow began to fall.  Tulvur and All Might stumbled off in the wrong direction, but the team found the boy right in the nick of time.

The team came across a small cabin and found a red-haired woman within.  She pleaded with them to save her husband from a moss troll she saw in a cave to the north.  Magnus became suspicious of her and noted she was trying to avoid getting too close to them or let them around behind her.  He accused her of lying, and he thought he caught sight of a fox tail beneath her robes!  Deska stepped up to calm her and realized she was dealing with a fey!  She had heard tales of faeries taking up residence with humans but that such relationships were often the subject of derision and violence.  Deska surmised that was the truth the woman was not telling.  They agree to try and rescue her husband and set out for the cave.  Inside a mossy creatures swinginig an axe attacked!  The team swarmed in with Kenwrec hurling a dagger as Ten-Penny shot a crossbow bolt.  They discovered the “troll” was actually Finngarth being controlled by some sort of mold or moss!

Armed with this new knowledge, the team was able to slay the mold and rescue the man.  For their efforts, the couple awarded the party an insidious bear trap.

Reign of Winter — Game Session — 014

Game summary for January 24, 2017, Reign of Winter campaign, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Deska Starseeker (Half-Elf Druid played by Kaliegh Belda), and Tulvur Xandersen (Dwarf Fighter played by Taylor Averdick). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The team found a door and listened.  They heard someone inside, so Tulvur knocked.  A female told them to come in.  The group hid on either side of the door, and Deska walked in.  She found a human woman of Ulfen descent holding a greatsword.  She demanded Deska come in, drop her weapon, and kneel down, which she did.  The woman bound the druid as Tulvur came in.  He tried to intimidate the woman, successfully, and in her panic she tried to decapitate Deska!

Ten-Penny slipped around the door and sank a crossbow bolt in the woman’s chest.  Tulvur and Nadya rushed in while Deska tried to sweep the legs out from under the woman.  Ten-Penny cut Deska free, and the team took the woman down and hid her body under the table with all the chairs pushed in.

Next the team went down the hall and opened another door which entered into a kitchen.  A gnome stood stirring a pot and began yelling at the team.  The group backed out of the room and shut the door.

With the second floor cleared, Tulvur went to the teleporting crystals and went to the top floor.  Up there he discovered a brown-haired man standing near a cauldron.  Tulvur hurried across the room as the man cast a summoning spell conjuring two wolves and two giant spiders.  A fracas erupted with fangs and swords flying.  The man cast blindness on Tulvur striking him sightless!  Ten-Penny arrived on the teleporter and was blindsided by a charging goat!  Deska arrived soon after and helped the half-orc fight the familiar back.  They moved closer to the man as Nadya arrived on the teleporter.  The man cast a spell hurling magical snowballs at the team!  Tulvur blindly swung his sword about as a spider and wolf tried to kill him.

The team started defeating the summoned creatures sending them back into the ether.  They killed the familiar goat, Valstoi, eliciting a cry of rage from the man.  He pulled forth an icicle and began stabbing Tulvur as the team closed in.  The man slipped past the blind dwarf and ran toward the teleporting crystals.  Ten-Penny dropped her weapons and tried a flying tackle.  They began furiously grappling as Deska ran up and assisted.  The ladies slammed the man to the ground and bound him.  They tried to interrogate him, learned he was a witch, and forced him to drop his spell rendering Tulvur blind.  The dwarf then killed the witch.

Ruins of Undermountain — Game Session — 013

Game summary for January 17, 2017, Ruins of Undermountain campaign, for Harm Incorporated. Session included: Boran Gibbs (Human Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Kalil Bakran (Human Sorcerer played by Parker Harmon), Paddy Brandywine (Halfling Bard played by Preston Harmon), and Rumbald Shieldcracker (Dwarf Ranger played by Peyton Harmon). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The party stumbled through a portal in the Undermountain hallways and found themselves in the town of Daggerford as giants and dragons attacked!  The group engaged the hill giants quickly with Kalil throwing a fireball among them.  Two began hurling rocks and closing in while the third went out wide and ran forward hoping to use its club.  The giants battered the party a bit, but Boran dropped a flame strike strategically, slaying two of them.  Then Rumbald, slayer of giants, chopped down the third.  The team quickly nursed their wounds as a young red dragon swooped in!

The dragon unleashed a blast of searing flame; however, two of the party evaded the attack, Kalil’s fire resistance thwarted it, and Boran partially dodged.  The dragon didn’t make the same mistake, though.  It tore into Rumbald with tooth and claw, cause him to withdraw toward Boran for healing. Little halfling Paddy went toe-to-claw with the dragon!  His chilly blade, Frostburn, stung the dragon harshly as the two tussled.  Kalil discovered scorching ray was completely ineffective against the monster, but his series of lightning bolt spells harmed it greatly.  Partially healed by Boran, Rumbald charged back in and too more grievous injury.  However, the brave dwarf struck a deathblow and felled the dragon!  As the creature’s corpse began to cool, the magic of Undermountain drew the party back down into its depths.

Small Adventures — Game Session — 002

Game summary for January 14, 2017, Small Adventures campaign, for Small Timers. Session included: Delwyn Underhall (Dwarf Arcanist played by Jack Smalling), Elowyn Graycloak (Half-Elf Arcanist/Cleric/Rogue played by Noah Smalling), Reth Steelarm (Half-Orc Fighter/Rogue played by Luke Smalling), and Valetin Krupova (Halfling Paladin played by Jared Smalling). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

The party entered the first chamber to discover a vicious minotaur and a pair of goblin rascals.  The team swept in launching magic missiles and swinging with abandon.  The minotaur savaged Reth with its greataxe and then unsuccessfully charged Valetin.  The team took down the goblins with relative easy suffering only a few slices from their wicked dogslicers.  The minotaur closed in on the team and forced Reth to fight despite his grievous injuries.  The half-orc was able to slip past its defenses and land a fatal blow to the gigantic brute!  The group then discovered a small chest buried under a flagstone.  Messing with it, they triggered a burning hands trap that singed several of the party.  Within the chest they found some magical trinkets, crossbow bolts, and some coins and gems.  Elowyn went up to the door leading to the next chamber and began messing with the lock with his thieves’ tools.  After a few moments effort, he realized he had locked and unlocked door!  After a few more moments, he once again had the way ahead open.

The team slid into a frigid room filled with glowing blue mist and an ice sculpture of a dragon!  As the team entered, the sculpture animated and attacked.  The team quickly chiseled away at it with dagger, sling, and crossbow while Delwyn moved to the side and blasted it repeatedly with fire!  The team destroyed the sculpture and found a potion and wand along with some jewels within the rubble.  The exit from the room presented itself as a puzzle door.  The team had to decipher the right combination of buttons to press in order to open the passage.  After some debate, the team succeeded on their first try.

The next room appeared to be a tomb with skeletons in niches, and a single coffin sitting in the center of the room.  Off to the side sat a chest.  Elowyn went up to examine the coffin, and it animated!  The mimic adhered itself to Elowyn and began constricting the very life out of him.  Valetin tried bravely to chop into the monster but glued his sword to it.  Delwyn blasted away with magic missiles while Reth ended up with his dagger glued to the beast as well.  Finally, Delwyn killed the creature, and the team was able to revive Elowyn from the brink of death.  Valetin then went to open the chest and shocked himself terribly with an electricity arc trap.  Elowyn then picked the lock, and the team found several magical sling stones, a potion, and some coins and gems.

Horrors were discovered behind the next door.  The dead were piled about with droning flies buzzing all around.  Two female zombie lords jerked to motion to attack the team.  Filled with righteous wrath, Valetin charged in and declared a smite against one of the evil monsters.  The group entered quickly but found the creatures largely ineffective against their good armor.  Reth did suffer a stiff punch to the throat, but once the team figured out piercing weapons were ineffective, the zombies were slain quickly.  The group lowered Valetin down on a rope into a pit to retrieve some magical keys and a potion.

The group moved into another room to find a savage orc and his two pet dire rats.  Reth, a half-orc, walked in and attempted some diplomacy.  It went badly.  Very badly.  The team could only surmise this orc was racist and hated Reth’s heritage.  That or he just had a bad attitude.  Regardless, the orc ordered his rats to attack.  Reth sprang into action and killed one of the rats with ease.  This enraged the orc, and it came charging forward swinging its axe with brutal effect.  The team took a beating, and one of the party was even bitten and infected with filth fever by one of the rats.  The group was successful in defeating them, however, and Reth claimed the orc’s axe for his own.

A dead end presented itself, and the team had to backtrack.  Just past the charnel zombie room they ran into a trio of heavily armored axe-wielding individuals.  The team almost talked to them but decided to attack instead.  Elowyn’s nerve broke, and he tried to slip past them to flee.  He was caught with a critical attack of opportunity and driven unconscious and dying to the ground.  The Small Timers smashed into the enemy and discovered the suits hollow.  These were phantom armors animated by the spirits of the dead!  In short order the team eliminated the creatures and moved on to safety.