Tales of the First Airship crewed by members of the Circle of the Blade and Tome:
After a days rest, Guild Masters Thag, Amabel, Manawa, and Wenzen returned to Naga Mountain. First we tried the front door outside the mountain where the bridge to the vast floating city once connected. The door could not be opened from the outside. The Nagas did not open the door even though Thag knocked loudly. We would not be deterred. So we took the air-barge down to the entrance to the Umber Hulk tunnels in the Float Stone Valley.
Our markings of chalk and copper coin remained. Travel toward the Naga Complex was easy to navigate. During this second navigation, we determined that the tunnels definitely had more incline than we previously remembered. As we were making our penultimate vertical ascent to the chamber inside Naga Mountain, we were beset by two Umber Hulks. Thag engaged the beasts in a tunnel while Wenzan and Manawa climbed back down the vertical tunnel. Amabel was able to get line of sight on one of the Umber Hulks and started shooting it with her bow. Thag took so much damage that Wenzan would have been dead five times over. Thag can really absorb a beating and keep on fighting. Manawa had moved in and attacked from a distance with her Pole Arm. Wenzan was able to send some Magic Missiles into the fray. Thag finally retreated from the tunnel leaving an opening for Wenzan to send in a Fire Ball. This Fire Ball finally dropped one of the Umber Hulks. The second one entered the chamber with all four guild members. We were able to drop this second one fairly quickly once it emerged completely from the wall. We scavenged both sets of claws and one set of mandibles. The other set of mandibles were retrieved, but are too scorched from the Fire Ball to sell to Tanner back in Rockport.
After a short rest, we climbed the penultimate vertical tunnel and then went to the chamber in Naga Mountain. The hole in the floor was covered by a heavy crate. Thag was able to push the crate to the side so all four of us could climb into the room. The room was no longer empty. It contained five crates and one chest. The door to the hallway was closed. The locking mechanism in the wall was removed leaving a hole in the wall. We started searching the crates. The heavy crate contained lots of ornamental bolts of cloth. Lots of reds and blues of satin and velvety material. This crate was approximately 5 ft square and a 4 ft tall. The second crate was about 3 ft by 6 ft and 2.5 ft tall. This crate contained a suit of Full Plate Mail. The Plate Mail was custom made and extremely ornate. The armor was made for someone of average height but with a very large and muscular chest and shoulders. The third crate was similar in size to the crate with the Plate Mail. It contained a cache of weapons. The other two crates were approximately 5 ft cubes. The chest was large and about 5 ft in length.
We did not have time to investigate further since a Naga opened the door and cast a spell at Thag which he resisted. This Naga was not a friendly green Naga liked the one we previously met. This was a Spirit Naga. Thag and Manawa engaged the Naga in melee. Amabel stood at the back of the room shooting arrows. Wenzan was in the back of the room also sending Magic Missiles at the Naga. After a short bit, the Spirit Naga retreated down the passage and its Shield Guardian came to the door and attacked. This was a difficult battle. After a few moments, the Naga was not far outside the room and sent a lightning bolt through the room. Wenzan was able to get a Fire Ball off through the hole in the wall from the locking mechanism. He also was able to cast Flaming Sphere in the passage and keep ramming the Shield Guardian with it. We were able to defeat the Shield Guardian and then finished off the Spirit Naga. It was at this point that another Spirit Naga and its Shield Guardian joined the fray.
Thag was not able to resist this Naga’s spell casting. Thag peacefully walked away toward the other Naga where he was greeted warmly. We suspect he is still alive. The second Naga allowed its Spirit Guardian to fight the battle and left with Thag. Wenzan was able to retrieve the Flux Stone from the first Shield Guardian. This hurt Wenzan more than removing the previous Flux Stone. When Wenzan went to flee, the Shield Guardian sent Wenzan to start the journey to the land beyond. Fortunately, when Manawa went to flee, she scooped Wenzan’s body from the floor. Amabel followed soon after. Manawa applied a Potion of Healing stopping Wenzan’s journey to beyond. Wenzan and Manawa both drank potions as they egressed out of the tunnels.
About halfway out of the tunnels, a familiar but different acting creature appeared blocking the exit tunnels. Ziggy, the gold devouring Xorn, was famished and angry. Wenzan thought Ziggy was coming for him so Wenzan sent Magic Missiles at Ziggy. Ziggy attacked Wenzan. Manawa and Amabel tried to bribe Ziggy with gold to release Wenzan. Ziggy finally released Wenzan. Wenzan left a total of 40 gold pieces for Ziggy to eat. Ziggy seemed a bit better after eating the gold. Ziggy and Wenzan apologized for the unfriendly encounter. Ziggy explained that he was famished and he gets Hangry. It seems that the Umber Hulks have been attacking Ziggy and hoarding gold and more stuff. We agreed to help Ziggy fight the nest of Umber Hulks and allow Ziggy to have the gold. We get the other stuff in the nest. Ziggy understood that we had to go rest before fighting the Umber Hulks. We told Ziggy we would definitely return.
The group does indeed plan to return to clear out the Umber Hulk nest and to retrieve Thag from Naga Mountain.
Wenzan Treeblitz