Post by David on Oct 30, 2006 22:18:41 GMT -5
After spelling out the party's operating rules to the four men-at-arms, only two remained, Edgar and Mervin, whom the group outfitted with weapons and armor in Hommlet. Together, they and Pigñolé, Ziyi, Claudia, Ichi, Torr, and Verna began the walk back to Nulb and the Temple of Elemental Evil.
Late on the 28th, the group reached their now-familiar campsite. Passing an uneventful night, the heroes used Torr and Ziyi's levitation abilities to walk overland, cross the Imeryds Run, and completely avoid Nulb.
The heroes quickly reached the section of under-temple which they had been exploring before. They searched for the ghouls, but encountered a gray ooze instead. Soon afterward, the undead ambushed the heroes, but without the aid of their ghast-leaders, were quickly overwhelmed. The heroes then set about exploring, encountering a number of empty rooms (they'd slaughtered the inhabitants during earlier runs) as well as several rooms with normal (evil) men.
Finally, the heroes reached the larger hallways of the section that they had previously avoided. Deciding that they were near full strength (so why not go for the gusto?), the group continued on to what turned out to be the Temple of Earth. There, Verna's detect magic located several vague dweomers beneath the floor, but before the group could do much about it, they found themselves being mashed by an earth elemental. In the first hit, it nearly killed Torr and in the second did the same to Ziyi. Verna fell back and cast a prayer off of a scroll the group had found. Meanwhile, Ichi and Claudia discovered they couldn't hurt the creature. Only little Pigñolé's magic missiles left a mark. Fleeing quickly, the heroes decided to explore "just a little more" of another section of dungeon.
They had healed themselves up somewhat since fleeing the earth elemental, but were clearly not prepared for the demon that appeared and attacked. It ripped open Ziyi and then proceeded to menace Claudia. Trying to buy time, Verna charged the demon, which unleashed a mental assault that nearly killed her all while ignoring Ichi. Torr fell back, leaving oil to cover the party's exit, while Claudia and Pigñolé prepared to run. Edgar didn't wait for the party and was last seen sprinting for the stairs. As Verna healed herself, Torr charged the demon, trusting his aura of protection, but unfortunately at that moment Pigñolé activated his ring of shooting stars, covering the young paladin in burning purple sparks that took him out. The heroes decided to run again, but unfortunately, the fighters were in disarray and/or down. Torr was out and Verna couldn't really flee. She was nowhere near as fast as the demon and quickly being overwhelmed. That's when she slipped and smacked herself in the head with her mace, nearly shattering her own skull!
Claudia and Ichi lept to the giantess' defense, followed by Mervin. But the creature was just too powerful. He ripped open each person and even when Ziyi joined in, was nearly impossible to hurt. After the gnome's spells failed, he joined the combat, but had his mind nearly shattered for his troubles. The demon then feared Claudia. One by one, the heroes fell, with the demon only receiving minor injuries. Finally, however, after several strikes from the fighter/acrobat, it chose to flee rather than face death on the Prime Plane.
Ziyi used Verna's enchanted gem to restore most of the party to their feet, but the half-orc could not be revived. And although Pigñolé was on his feet, the psionic attack had caused nerve damage, rendering his left arm completely useless. The heroes gathered their wounded and Verna's body and headed for the exit. En route, an ogre ambushed them, but was quickly dispatched by Ziyi and Torr. On the ground level they found Edgar and helped him out, although told him his time with this group was over.
Once outside of the Temple, the group headed back to their camping site. In the distance, Torr spied Claudia levitating and tried to get her attention, only to see the squad of orcs she was avoiding. Directing his group, they too dodged the orcs and met up with Claudia at the camp site.
On the evening of the 1st, the group slept again at their same spot and in the morning build a bonfire for Black Robe to contact them. Late in the evening the shaman arrived to aid the heroes, discovering that Verna was NOT dead, but merely in a terrible coma. Black Robe healed both the half-orc and gnome and tended to the wounds of the others. He then kept watch through the night so the heroes could recover their strength...
Shortly before they went to sleep, however, Chastity and Kara also appeared. After the group failed to defeat the earth elemental, Verna tied on the "signal scarf" Aris had given her. The two wizardesses had scried the group, seen the scarf, and come to help.
The next move? Unknown...
Late on the 28th, the group reached their now-familiar campsite. Passing an uneventful night, the heroes used Torr and Ziyi's levitation abilities to walk overland, cross the Imeryds Run, and completely avoid Nulb.
The heroes quickly reached the section of under-temple which they had been exploring before. They searched for the ghouls, but encountered a gray ooze instead. Soon afterward, the undead ambushed the heroes, but without the aid of their ghast-leaders, were quickly overwhelmed. The heroes then set about exploring, encountering a number of empty rooms (they'd slaughtered the inhabitants during earlier runs) as well as several rooms with normal (evil) men.
Finally, the heroes reached the larger hallways of the section that they had previously avoided. Deciding that they were near full strength (so why not go for the gusto?), the group continued on to what turned out to be the Temple of Earth. There, Verna's detect magic located several vague dweomers beneath the floor, but before the group could do much about it, they found themselves being mashed by an earth elemental. In the first hit, it nearly killed Torr and in the second did the same to Ziyi. Verna fell back and cast a prayer off of a scroll the group had found. Meanwhile, Ichi and Claudia discovered they couldn't hurt the creature. Only little Pigñolé's magic missiles left a mark. Fleeing quickly, the heroes decided to explore "just a little more" of another section of dungeon.
They had healed themselves up somewhat since fleeing the earth elemental, but were clearly not prepared for the demon that appeared and attacked. It ripped open Ziyi and then proceeded to menace Claudia. Trying to buy time, Verna charged the demon, which unleashed a mental assault that nearly killed her all while ignoring Ichi. Torr fell back, leaving oil to cover the party's exit, while Claudia and Pigñolé prepared to run. Edgar didn't wait for the party and was last seen sprinting for the stairs. As Verna healed herself, Torr charged the demon, trusting his aura of protection, but unfortunately at that moment Pigñolé activated his ring of shooting stars, covering the young paladin in burning purple sparks that took him out. The heroes decided to run again, but unfortunately, the fighters were in disarray and/or down. Torr was out and Verna couldn't really flee. She was nowhere near as fast as the demon and quickly being overwhelmed. That's when she slipped and smacked herself in the head with her mace, nearly shattering her own skull!
Claudia and Ichi lept to the giantess' defense, followed by Mervin. But the creature was just too powerful. He ripped open each person and even when Ziyi joined in, was nearly impossible to hurt. After the gnome's spells failed, he joined the combat, but had his mind nearly shattered for his troubles. The demon then feared Claudia. One by one, the heroes fell, with the demon only receiving minor injuries. Finally, however, after several strikes from the fighter/acrobat, it chose to flee rather than face death on the Prime Plane.
Ziyi used Verna's enchanted gem to restore most of the party to their feet, but the half-orc could not be revived. And although Pigñolé was on his feet, the psionic attack had caused nerve damage, rendering his left arm completely useless. The heroes gathered their wounded and Verna's body and headed for the exit. En route, an ogre ambushed them, but was quickly dispatched by Ziyi and Torr. On the ground level they found Edgar and helped him out, although told him his time with this group was over.
Once outside of the Temple, the group headed back to their camping site. In the distance, Torr spied Claudia levitating and tried to get her attention, only to see the squad of orcs she was avoiding. Directing his group, they too dodged the orcs and met up with Claudia at the camp site.
On the evening of the 1st, the group slept again at their same spot and in the morning build a bonfire for Black Robe to contact them. Late in the evening the shaman arrived to aid the heroes, discovering that Verna was NOT dead, but merely in a terrible coma. Black Robe healed both the half-orc and gnome and tended to the wounds of the others. He then kept watch through the night so the heroes could recover their strength...
Shortly before they went to sleep, however, Chastity and Kara also appeared. After the group failed to defeat the earth elemental, Verna tied on the "signal scarf" Aris had given her. The two wizardesses had scried the group, seen the scarf, and come to help.
The next move? Unknown...