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Adventure Log II
Session Date: Nov. 4, 2000
The Moosha wagon and its myriad of bodyguards get deeper and deeper into the mountains on a supposedly secret route to Deeptown. In truth, Moosha is lost. Gunter, the warrior who has
been so quiet up to this point, confronts the "trader" on this as camp is being made one dawn, and Moosha blusters that he is turned around "a little" but will get us where we’re going.
No one is happy at this revelation. There is little to be done about it at the moment, however, and so the group proceeds with what has become the routine of a day camp. Then the routine is
broken. Lexington, half of the third watch, wakes with a start. Moosha and Corbin, the second watch, are nowhere to be found! First Gunter, then the others are awakened as Nookie runs in frenzied circles. Clues are
found depicting a struggle and a barely distinguishable trail is found leading deeper into the mountains. There is a single footprint found -- of a clawed foot.
Despite Gunter’s initial reaction to move on without them, a rescue is mounted. Supplies are gathered (including breaking into Moosha’s product wagons to get ale and Thunderstones) and the trail is
followed. After more than an hour of hiking a strange sight comes into view. Bizarre and gigantic letters are engraved on the living rock at a bend in the trail. There are sounds as well.
Pilfrey, long out of view as he scouted ahead, makes himself seen to the trio behind him and indicates he’s spotted an orc ahead. As Gunter, Crystal and Lexington get into positions for
the expected ambush of orcs mysterious banging and clanging sounds are heard from ahead. Along with a foul odor and orcish curses. As Pilfrey wonders just what that orc meant about hating this duty
and spiders, the others wonder if the orcs have added a catapult to their arsenal. The truth proves worse. With a few more bangs and clangs a great creaking is heard and suddenly springing into the
clearing is a spider larger than Moosha’s wagon -- including the mules!
Luckily the beast is as stupid as it is huge. It heads toward Gunter, turns when stuck by one of Pilfrey’s slingshot stones, turns again when Crystal blasts it with her special, one-use, lightening
bolt spell. Gunter and Lexington attempt to close on the spider as it closes on Pilfrey, the warriors are betrayed by the loose gravel of the battlefield. First Lexington, then Gunter tumbles into the spider and are
subjected to its wicked poisons. Crystal launches a Magic Missile at the spider, causing the beast further harm and sending it scurrying away from the warriors. Pilfrey has taken the opportunity to jump upon a
rock and bellow to the orc in sight, and any others that may be about, that they are surrounded and must throw down their arms. Despite all evidence contradicting Pilfrey’s statement, the lone orc visible does just
as the halfling orders.
Meanwhile, Lexington has suffered horribly from the spider’s attack. Gunter hands him the Blue potion discovered the previous day. Risking all, Lexington drinks. The potion is neither poison nor
bizarre magic. Lexington is partially healed. He also turns blue. Another dose brings him to full health ,and does NOT turn his hair white. The two warriors, Gunter in the lead, close on the spider. They kill the
beast, but not before it delivers a horrible bite to Gunter. The tall warrior refuses the last dose of the Blue healing potion, apparently blue is NOT his favorite color.
It is then that the next spider comes out from the pen. Only about half the size of the first, it is soon destroyed, as is a third spider of similar size. The group then regroups at the giant
spiders’ pen. Pilfrey drains some spider poison into a flask. Stairs are found, carved into the rock itself, leading up even higher into the mountains and it is clear the orcs, and their captives, went up them.
Lexington surprises a lone orc skulking down the stairs, possibly the same one from earlier. Lexington quickly dispatches the cowardly beast.
Before the group follows, Gunter and Pilfrey head back to the wagon to further stock up on supplies. Gunter feels too ill from the spiders’ poisons to return, and so remains to guard the wagons.
Pilfrey returns (he noticeably has a much heavier load than before, could he have found something else hidden in Mousha's Wagon??) and the trio follows the carved steps up and up and up.
The trail leads right into a great cave. Candles are lit and the group plunges in, soon arriving at a massive door. Efforts to open it are useless until Crystal spots a ruin that matches one
contained in the word emblazoned at the spider battlefield. ("Quasqueton") is uttered aloud and the door opens effortlessly. Beyond the door is a hall - straight, tiled, and surely once upon a time very
elegant. Walking carefully through the hall, the group notes first one then another pair of alcoves; the second housing secret doors according to Crystal. Before any more exploration can be done, steps are heard
from deeper in the hall. An Orcish voice calls out, asking if "the spiders have been fed." Seeing only one orc, the trio decides to remove it. Pilfrey shouts insults to the orc as Crystal and
Lexington take position in either alcove. The plan works perfectly. The orc runs down the hall to chase Pilfrey, who busily coats his dagger with some of the spider-poison. As soon as he reaches the alcoves,
Lexington and Crystal strike and Pilfrey stabs the orc with his poisoned dagger. The orc dies a messy death. Lexington is ecstatic that this dead orc is in chainmail that is in good shape and his size. Then things
take a turn for the worse. The noise has attracted more orcs. And the subsequent noise of killing those orcs draws even more. In moments the orcs believe they are facing a full-scale "elfy invasion" and
the troops begin to arrive en masse. Using burning oil, a thunderstone, and raw muscle, the group holds their own for a few minutes, but the need to escape is obvious by the time the elite troops begin to arrive
(cutting down their own in order to reach the elfy invaders). Opening the secret door in the eastern alcove, the group slips in, dragging the chainmailed orc corpse after them, and closes the door behind them,
In a moment it is clear that the orc forces are chasing phantoms down the hall and the cave tunnel beyond. The group has escaped -- for the moment.
Evading a pack of rats, the three take stock of their situation: though she’s taken the last dose of the healing potion ,and subsequently had her skin turn blue and her hair turn white!, Crystal
remains badly wounded and out of spells capacity for the day, Gunter has the other healing potion back at the wagon, and the others are tired. The choice is made to find a place to hole up for a few hours. Hopefully
the orcs will report back to their masters that they’ve chased away the invading "elfys."
Wandering the back halls of this amazingly large complex, the group locates a bedroom behind a trapped door. There some truth to this place is revealed. An ornate tapestry, fine furniture and
jewelry, and a dress that seems uniquely untouched by time, show that this was the bedroom of a woman named Melissa, a beloved of one of the two masters of this one-time stronghold. It seems a warrior and a wizard
used this place long ago as their own, though if the pair built it or found it is unknown. Lexington recalls an old story, but cannot bring the details to mind. Whatever the truth, the room has plainly been
left untouched by the residing orcs and the group wedges the door shut and takes refuge. Hours later, refreshed and ready, the group sets out again. The twisting halls have only a few rooms off of them: another,
less well-preserved bedroom and a woodworking shop. Soon though, the trio finds a grand room and a grand event. Chanting drifts from far down a hall, out of the group’s sight. Pilfrey advances to
investigate and finds the object of this quest: Moosha and Corbin. They are unwilling participants in an orcish ceremony of marriage, with Corbin as the naked groom! An orc shaman is marrying him to the Queen of
these orcs, and a Huge Orc, perhaps half ogre, stands as Corbin’s "Best Man". Six guards round out the witnesses. Pilfrey launches a sling stone just as the shaman is concluding the ceremony. The noise
prompts Crystal and Lexington to dash up to see just what’s happening. They soon take it in and the battle begins in earnest. Lexington runs up to and cuts down the nearest orc guard as Crystal targets another
with her Magic Missile. Pilfrey confuses the orcs coming after him by dodging and tumbling in and around them, and Corbin slips himself free of the Queen’s testicular grasp. The fighting intensifies, with Pilfrey
continuing his evasive action and taking the occasional stab at the nearby orcs. Crystal sends rays of frost after them, and Lexington takes down the Huge Orc before charging the Queen. Corbin and the
Queen struggle against each other and the Shaman encases the area around the Queen in darkness. Lexington strikes at the Queen anyway and delivers a strong hit. The Queen is greatly wounded but her
greatest suffering is yet to come. As the three nearest orc guards that had been moving in to protect the Queen from the charging, chainmail-clad blue human warrior attempt to strike him in the shaman-induced
darkness, one of them delivers a deadly blow – to the Queen. At the Queen's death cry, the Shaman dismisses his darkness. The sight horrifies the orcs, especially the one guilty of her death. The battle is all but
over. Crystal shoots down several of the fleeing orcs, Lexington and Corbin chase after the Shaman, unsuccessfully, and Pilfrey hunts down some more guards, noting their escape route and cutting one down that ran
too close to his position in the shadows.
Moosha seems less than appropriately grateful and is told to be quiet. The Queen’s head is cut off and placed atop the spear of the nearest dead orc. An examination of the area shows that two orcs have pinned
themselves into a room off a dead end corridor. They are chased down first. The orcs fruitlessly barricade themselves in that room; after a bit of discussion, Lexington batters down the door and charges in, waving
the queen’s-head-on-a-stick and bellowing, "You killed the queen!" The orcs are found wetting themselves and trying desperately to scurry under a table. Talking fast, and speaking orc, Pilfrey convinces
these two cringing orcs that they should bow down before and serve their new Blue-skinned master. The same voice that convinced an orc to drop his spear and run when the warriors of the group were tripping over
themselves in the spider-battle works the same charm here, and the group finds itself with a pair of servants, who seem to think Lexington is an Ogre-Mage. The room is examined and a chest is found, which
becomes storage space that the two new servants are to carry.
Chasing down the Shaman becomes the next priority; he is most likely the top power remaining in this place and could cause endless trouble. Crystal locates the secret door he escaped through
and, once cleared of traps, the group finds itself in the late queen’s bedchamber. A cringing orc handmaiden is found hiding in the wardrobe. Nothing of civilized value is found in this place, and the handmaiden
doesn’t know where the shaman is. Two exits lead from the room. The first the group follows leads them in circles to places they’ve been already. The second leads to a twisting hall that eventually takes the group
to a Wizard-Locked door, Crystal easily opens it and beyond is a fascinating room -- a large oval place dotted with a dozen pools. Some pools seem ordinary, some seem deadly traps, and some are just
mysterious. One of the orcs, the one that truly DID kill the queen, shyly reports that he has seen the shaman drink from a flask that contained a liquid the same consistency and pink color (though his words were
smaller) as the last pool -- "and...and...he got...better." He is rewarded with a piece of gold and now considers himself the #1 Orc. It is indeed a pool of healing liquid, and the group takes full
advantage of it, drinking heartily and filling flasks. Lexington and Crystal are also pleased to see their skin and hair are returned to their normal color. Corbin tests a pool that seems to have a great
treasure. He uses his spear to test the water, and the tip is instantly devoured by countless carnivorous fish. Another pool proves to be acid. One other is sweet water, that renders a drinker mute. Lexington fills
a wineskin with this type.
After much searching, a secret door is located at the arbitrary south of the room. The corridor beyond twists and turns and leads to nowhere but a single door. When it is opened, Lexington stands
before a great green undead creature under the control of the orc shaman, who stands at the back of this small room. Lexington strikes the beast, resisting it's horrid stench and delivers some damage but not nearly
enough to destroy the undead thing. Pilfrey slips around the combat to chase down the Shaman, who is casting a spell. Crystal conjures a Magic Missle and strikes the shaman with it, disrupting the orc’s spell before
it can be cast. Soon the fight turns bad. Lexington is struck by the undead beastie and is paralyzed, while still blocking the doorway. The shaman conjures a web that stretches the length of the room and ensnares
Pilfrey. Corbin orders the orcs to save "their master", and they squeeze past Lexington, but the #2 orc thinks this is a good time to prove his strength by taking out the ogre-mage and he stabs
Lexington, knocking the warrior down and out. Meanwhile, the shaman comes up and nigh-fatally pummels Pilfrey with his shaman staff. The #1 Orc takes out his betraying companion, ignoring the cries of
"traitor" from the shaman, and Corbin is able to slip by and join the battle. Crystal feeds a much-needed healing potion to the unconscious Lexington. Corbin strikes with a spell and the undead creature is
destroyed.
Corbin works at cutting through the web as Crystal comes up and tries to reach Pilfrey in order to feed him a healing potion. Lexington helps Corbin and the web is cut through, though unfortunately
the slack entangles Pilfrey further. The orc shaman is backed into a corner and after a moment of combat he falls dead to the floor. The room is investigated and a chest is found, filled with valuable treasure.
Gems, more potions, an exquisite golden pendant, and four magic items: two pair of enchanted elven boots of silence, an enchanted dagger and a magic ring. These are quickly split amongst Corbin, Crystal,
Lexington, and Pilfrey. The rest is put into the chest that only one orc will now have to carry.
The group decides this will be a fine place to take a rest.
End of Session Two...Whew... it was quite a session for everyone!
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