Unexpected Promotions (20 March) The time for our return to the citadel of Ashardalon grows near but it appears that we will return one woman fewer. Raenald's, the incompetent captain of the human guard, has by some cruel joke of Baator been promoted to a post somewhere in New Towne. His absence has left a vacuum which will be filled by none other than Red Kate. As I understand it, Raenald has already begun helping her sort through the mounds of paperwork that litter his office. Although she'll be sorely missed, I think that a career in politics will suit her more than one mucking about in subterranean dungeons. Peril in the Direlands (21 March 216B) Raenald took his leave today and Red Kate has retired to her office leaving us free to begin our journey back to the Sunless Citadel. Taking Kate's place among our ranks was a small Faerie Dragon who goes by the name of Julia. Apparently Julia is a pet or familiar of Essandri's and they seem to get along quite well. Our journey back to Ashardalon went somewhat astray. As we were traveling through the wastes, Korvath, now party leader and point man, spied a group of large cats in the bushes next to a panicked, but hobbled horse and the remains of a campfire. He returned to the group whereupon Moge, in an unusual moment of compassion, set out to the camp and cut the beast's restraints. The horse, far wiser than we, bolted off into the distance and not knowing what else to do, we proceeded on our way. Not a minute had passed when an enormous shadow fell over our party. We wheeled around in time to see a manticore launch a deadly barrage of spikes from its tail. The spikes found their marks with uncanny accuracy and to our dismay we soon discovered them to be poisoned. Fortunately, as the menacing beast prepared a second volley, a plainsman, a wild barbarian from the wastes, ran, from seemingly out of nowhere with a pet cougar in tow to stand by our side. While my allies took bowshots and the roaring manticore, I knelt beside Essandri who had been rendered unconscious by the spikes' poison and cloaked us in an illusion. Katie stepped forward and healed her as the plainsman summoned a fog cloud to shield us from the creature's poisoned barbs. Unable to strike at range due to the fog, the beast dove and managed to impale itself on the plainsman's spear. It struggled valiantly but after a color spray from Essandri and several attacks from our fighters it fell dead. Strangely, the poison on its spines did not appear natural, nor did the suit of enchanted hide barding it wore. After slaying the beast, we were heavily wounded and sought shelter in a nearby cave. Mel, the plainsman, turns out to be a member of the nomadic Sanga-Thule plains men. He apparently left his people's lands farther south to roam with a pack of cougars he met up here or some such druidic nonsense. Julia doesn't seem to car for him much, but perhaps that is because the bird like fairy dragon is uncomfortable with Mel's large cougar companion around. Mel has offered to help us eliminate the druid in the citadel to punish him for his crimes against nature. Back to the Pit (23 March 216B) We finally get back to the Citadel of Ashardalon and carefully avoid Yusandrayal. We used subterfuge upon the kobold masses to get us through to the lip of the pit which so hungrily consumed Moge on our previous foray. Julia scouted the bottom invisibly and found a pair of dire rats and a great horned humanoid. I summoned an illusion of Errol Fieldcutter to climb down the wall of the pit and lure the enemies out of hiding as Korvath, Moge, Mel, and Sheenan began their descent of the vines. The illusion drew the two dire rats and large figure with horns out of hiding. One of the rats was slain by Korvath on his trip down but the other made it back to the side of his master, revealed to be a woody-skinned Bugbear with a headdress of antlers. The Bugbear put up a valiant fight but was slain by the combined effort of Korvath, Moge, Mel, and the cat. Listening at the one of the doors to this room, we heard a goblin approaching to use the jacks, and we quickly dispatched it with a murderous ambush. His death was spotted and six other goblins and two goblins with tough, wooden skin fell in line and hurled javelins at Moge. The half-orc scoffed as the pathetic sticks bounced harmlessly from his armor, and Essandri knocked the lot of them to the ground with a well-placed color spray. Quickly cleaning up our mess, we explored the area and found what appeared to be implements for fungal farming as well as a dire rat, presumably the victim of some gruesome experimental procedure involving the growth of fungus from its living body. We mercifully dispatched the animal and found our way to a door, which led to a room filled with luminescent fungus, a goblin, and two bugbears. The fight with the bugbears went well for us despite my two unsuccessful attempts to charm them. Continuing on, we found yet another room, this one eerily cold and devoid of light. In one corner of this room stood an enormous dragon statue with hollow eye sockets. A Draconic inscription at its base spoke of "illuminating its eyes" but before I was able to finish reading it, I was enveloped by a tenebrous, undead form. My strength quickly failing, I sought refuge behind my fellow party members and began a song as they entered battle. The foul creature was incorporeal and thus difficult to destroy. Essandri tried throwing a light spell into the dragon's eyes as the inscription had suggested but it only seemed to strengthen the shadow. Lighting the room did, however, reveal a pit of roiling blackness beneath the statue which vomited forth another shadowy figure. Luckily, Athena was with us, and a successful turning attempt from Katie was able to drive the beasts and the mass of shadow-stuff that spawned them back down the pit. Heavily taxed by this encounter, we retreated back up the vines to the pit room where we now prepare to spend the night. ENDED (6 PM 23 March 216B) NEXT TIME : The underground forest REWARDS ------- (Money now handled by Korvath) XP Summary ---------- 1333 XP per character. (already awarded in game) Experience Rewards ------------------ +100 Twiddle (Summary) +50 Essandri (Julia) +50 Katie (Shadows) Session Notes ------------- I believe the session ended with Moge, Twiddle, and Essandri down some strength and people resting at the top of the pit to regain spells and strength. We will be starting at that point, since there is a chance of random encounters happening throughout the night.