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- + THE ADVENTURERS +
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- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
- + The various characters contained in these writings are +
- + copyright 1992 by Thomas Miller. Any resemblance to any +
- + persons or characters either real or fictional is utterly +
- + coincidental. Copying and/or distribution of these tales +
- + is permissible only under the sole condition that no part +
- + of them will be used or sold for profit. In that case, I +
- + hope you enjoy them... +
- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
- + THE PARTY: +
- + +
- + Alindyar 11th level drow elf mage (N) +
- + Lyra 7th level female drow elf mage (N) +
- + Belphanior 8th/8th/9th level high elf w/m/t (CN) +
- + Ged 9th/9th level grey elf priest/mage (NG) +
- + Arnold 7th level human warrior (NG) +
- + Mongo 9th level dwarf warrior (CG) +
- + Peldor 12th level human thief (N) +
- + Rillen 9th level human warrior (N) +
- * Flint Firelips (guest) dwarven warrior +
- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
- + Date: 7/20/571 C.Y. (Common Year) +
- + Time: morning +
- + Place: the Underdark +
- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
- + "Hey, nine is a lot of drow." +
- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-
-
-
-
-
- XC. Salvation
-
-
-
-
-
- The party is ready to move once more, after escaping
- the anti-magic zone, resting for a couple of days, and
- bringing Flint Firelips back from the dead. To summarize
- recent events, they have spent the last four days in a
- large, subterranean passageway, one section of the maze
- of caverns and tunnels comprising the Underdark. They
- have encountered, fought, and run from monsters both
- common and previously unknown. Though they have gained
- a good bit of treasure from their endeavors, the group
- has grown weary of the dangers here, such as lava traps
- and anti-magic zones.
-
- Mongo: (fuming) I hate this place.
- Alindyar: Aye, I concur. I once sought to escape this
- region, and upon doing so, I swore against returning.
- Lyra: Yet, here we are...
- Belphanior: Hey, _I_ like it here. The loot we have
- found has been good...and the magical items...
- Ged: Bah. Both Boccob and myself shall be most angry
- if we find another anti-magic zone.
- Peldor: (sharpening the new sword that no one has yet
- noticed him having) Ho-hum.
- Rillen: Bah. Enough talk. Let us be on our way.
-
- The group resumed their journey, walking along the big
- tunnel, which was illuminated by the eerie blue light of
- the fungi on the walls. After five minutes or so, they
- spotted a large, murky puddle of fluid ahead.
-
- Peldor: What the...?
- Ged: It's blocking the entire passage. Perhaps I shall
- evaporate it with a fiery spell of doom.
- Belphanior: Whatever it is, it's not water. Water isn't
- black.
- Mongo: (walks forward to investigate)
-
- Suddenly, the pile of thick fluid welled up, oozing into
- a gigantic shape in front of the adventurers. The vaguely
- humanoid form was fat and featureless, rather like a large
- baby.
-
- Mongo: Yaar! (hurls his hammer at the thing) Take that!
- thing: (unaffected by the blow - and the weapon sticks in
- its syrupy mass)
- Mongo: Hey!
- Belphanior: (charges the thing, and slashes a mighty blow
- at it) Huh? (his sword is held fast by the creature)
- Peldor: Hey, that thing looks like it's made out of tar.
- Ged: Boccob's bloody bones! A tar baby!
- Rillen: A sticky situation, this.
- Mongo: (stamping up and down) Dammit! It took my hammer!
- (begins looking for one of his other weapons)
- Belphanior: (ducks the clumsy blow of the tar baby) Blast
- it, someone!
- Ged: Yea. (points his wand at the thing) Everybody, get
- out of the way!
- Belphanior: (he and Mongo scatter)
- Ged: Now, you ebon infant...Axui!
- tar baby: (spontaneously combusts)
- Ged: Hah!
- Mongo: You can say that again.
- Ged: Okay, hah!
- Rillen: Look, the baby still approaches.
- tar baby: (its blazing form stumbles toward the party)
- Ged: It cannot be!
- Peldor: (hefts his meteorite, and uses his ring to send
- the rock whizzing toward the creature) So!
- tar baby: (belted in the head by the meteorite, pauses
- for a moment)
- Alindyar: (thinking about preparing an appropriate spell)
- tar baby: (falls to the ground, and melts into a flaming
- puddle)
- Ged: Ah, victory!
- Belphanior: (produces a wand)
- Peldor: (regains his meteorite, after all the tar on it
- has burned off) That showed him.
- Arnold: Taaaa baby.
- Belphanior: (points his wand at the flaming puddle and
- speaks some command word)
-
- The elf's wand belched forth a cone of white foam, and
- the stuff soon covered the tar baby's remains, dousing
- the flames. An unusual stench filled the air.
-
- Ged: Hey, why didn't you just let it burn?
- Belphanior: Aw, come on. It's dead. Besides...(recovers
- his longsword)...it was just a baby.
- Lyra: Albeit a lethal one.
- Mongo: Yeah. No argument from me. (recovers his hammer)
- Hmm. Good thing this hammer was forged by the dwarves.
- Otherwise it might have gotten melted.
- Alindyar: Behold, there in the corner. Treasure!
-
- Indeed, there was a large sack off to one side. The
- group quickly investigated, and found some treasure: a
- great number of golden coins, an iron rod, a scroll which
- only Ged could read, and a thin book, perhaps a spellbook.
- This loot was appropriated, and the party made ready to
- move on, noting with some fascination that none of its
- number had been injured in this battle.
- However, there was no relenting. Within a minute of
- leaving the tar baby's vicinity, the group beheld a huge
- oblong shape, rolling rather unevenly toward them.
-
- Rillen: What in the hell is that?
- Peldor: By the gods...it's a huge _jellybean_!
- Ged: What nonsense...Boccob. It is! (begins spellcasting)
- Arnold: Bean?
-
- The gigantic thing, some 30' in breadth and perhaps 20'
- in height, rolled incessantly toward the party, who saw fit
- to scatter.
-
- Ged: Nothing so stupid shall menace one of Boccob's loyal
- servants! (he casts a Lightning Bolt directly at the
- thing)
-
- There was a terrific noise, and the jellybean was knocked
- back about twenty feet, a smoking crater etched in its pale
- surface. Then, it began to roll once more, much more slowly
- this time...
-
- Ged: Boccob!
- Peldor: We're gonna need more than him to beat this thing.
- (becomes invisible...without touching his sword, though
- nobody notices) I'll backstab it when it rolls by.
- Belphanior: Me too. (since the bean seems fixed on Ged,
- who is standing in the center of the passage, he simply
- ducks to one side, and unsheathes his sword) I'll cut
- that thing into little tiny bits.
- Rillen: (looks at his staff hesitantly) I do not think
- this is the right weapon to fight the bean.
- Alindyar: I am amazed at the utter stupidity of this
- situation. A jellybean?!?
- Lyra: It would seem so. Maybe you should use a fireball.
- (they both begin spellcasting)
- Mongo: Hmph. (hurls his hammer at the thing, and the
- weapon buries itself inside the pale white mass) Oh
- hell! Not again!
- Flint Firelips: (readies his axe, intent on meeting the
- bean head-on, beside Ged and Arnold)
- Arnold: Don't worry, I'll chob it up for you.
- Ged: Whatever. (begins casting his next spell)
-
- jellybean: (rolls onward; the crushing of Ged and those
- near him is imminent)
- Ged: Everyone, behind me! (puts up a domed wall of force)
-
- The rolling white mass collided with the magical wall
- with great force. There was a sickening sound as the big
- jellybean hit the barrier and ricocheted directly upward.
-
- Belphanior: (looks up) Holy shit! (the jellybean hits
- the ceiling of the huge passage and rebounds, falling)
- Gangway!
-
- The gigantic jellybean fell from above, hitting the
- floor with a sickening <thud>, exploding and spraying
- white, smelly syrup everywhere. All was silent...
-
- Rillen: (pops up from a puddle of jellybean guts) Ptui!
- What is this thing?
- Peldor: (stands up, covered in gunk) Hmm. It sort of
- tastes like...coconut. Yum. (wipes some gunk out of
- his ears)
- Ged: (he, Arnold, and Flint Firelips are safe and dry
- inside the wall of force) Ha, ha. Haaaa!
- Mongo: (swims out of a mass of the stuff) Where's my
- hammer? Where's my friggin' hammer?!?
-
- After some time, those who were splattered with the
- "guts" were cleaned up, and Mongo found his hammer. A
- large, grey ovoid leaned against a wall about a hundred
- feet down the tunnel, noted by Peldor's ever-observant
- eye.
-
- Mongo: What the hell's this?!? (he storms toward the
- 6' high object)
- Ged: Hey, wait...you don't know what's in that thing!
- Mongo: Bah. (begins cursing loudly as he lifts the
- egg-thing) Fuckin' eggs and beans! (he hurls it into
- the wall, and it shatters, sending treasure everywhere)
- Hey, wow.
- Peldor: All right!
- Belphanior: Good job.
- Mongo: Hmm.
-
- Among the items released from the egg-shell were a
- silver morningstar, a silver jug, a sphere of amber, a
- jar of jellybeans, an iron goblet, a moldy old loaf of
- bread, and some copper pieces. The party collected the
- loot, and made ready to move onward. By now it was noon,
- and a lunch break was had. During this time, Ged spent
- several minutes communing with Boccob, seeking to learn
- when some exit from this tunnel would be found. He only
- divined that a great battle was ahead. Also, Ged and
- Alindyar debated whether or not a teleport would work to
- escape this region (the drow was convinced that such a
- spell would not work here.) After lunch, everyone packed
- their gear, and the march began anew. Perhaps half an
- hour later, a nearby presence was detected...
-
- Belphanior: Souls...I detect several souls. A large
- group. (casts Stoneskin upon himself)
- Peldor: Huh? I can't see a damned thing up ahead.
- Rillen: Maybe they are above, or behind...or below.
- Ged: We had best prepare for the worst.
- Lyra: Interesting statement.
- Ged: ...yea, it was. Hmm. Maybe I should cast Haste
- on everyone.
- Belphanior: Ahead...that's where they are. Look! (he
- points to several very shadowy forms in the dim area
- ahead)
- Mongo: (hefts his hammer)
- Peldor: Uh...don't look now, but I think they're drow
- elves. (squints) Yep, that's it, all right. Drow!
- Alindyar: Indeed? Ged, now would be a...strategic time
- to cast Haste.
- Ged: I couldn't agree more. (begins spellcasting)
- Belphanior: (readies himself) I spy, uh, nine of them.
- Peldor: Nine? (becomes invisible)
- Ged: (Hastes the party) Boccob aids you all.
- Rillen: (observes his blurred movements with interest)
- How...speedy.
- Mongo: What do they want, these drow?
- Alindyar: Who can know? But I would advise that we be
- ready for any trickery. The drow - most of them - are
- not known for their good graces.
- Peldor: Hey, look. They've spotted us.
- Ged: Of course they have.
- Lyra: They probably spotted us a long time ago...
- Belphanior: (yells to the drow, who are now perhaps a
- hundred feet distant) Greetings! (turns to the party
- and grins, obviously impressed with his own diplomatic
- finesse)
- drow: (they begin gesturing and muttering to each other
- excitedly)
- Arnold: Oh, shit.
- Alindyar: I think I can deduce their next step. (begins
- spellcasting)
-
- Suddenly, the entire party was cloaked in darkness! The
- sounds of spellcasting could be heard nearby, as the drow
- prepared to press their attack.
-
- Rillen: I can see nothing.
- Mongo: Damn!
- Alindyar: Hold. I am prepared to erase this blackness,
- but since these foes do not know this, I would suggest
- that everyone prepare to attack, when the light doth
- re-appear.
- Ged: Yea. Hear, hear. (prepares his wand)
- Mongo: Just get rid of the darkness. I'll handle the
- rest.
- Alindyar: Very well. (casts Dispel Magic, negating the
- darkness and revealing nine drow, most of them about
- thirty feet away) Behold!
- drow A (a female) : Iblith! Sarn! Sarn!
- Rillen: What is she saying?
- Lyra: She curses, and warns the others. (whirls, and
- casts a Lightning Bolt into the midst of the drow)
- Ged: Hey! Boccob was pre-empted! (points his wand in
- the drow's general direction) NDREK! (a wall of flame
- appears, and moves toward the drow relentlessly even as
- several of them cast their own spells)
- Belphanior: Nice one-two punch. (dashes to one side, his
- sword held high)
- Mongo: (leaps to one side clumsily as a bolt of acid hits
- him in the chest, sizzling as it eats his armor) Yagh!
- drow A : (waves her hand, and a dozen large spiders appear
- and scuttle toward the party)
- drow B : (her arms ignite in blasts of black flame, which
- burn the clothes off of her arms, but don't seem to hurt
- her) Ogglin! (she hurls a ball of black fire at Rillen)
- Rillen: (hit by the eldritch flames, he is seared) Aargh!
- Ged: (watches his flame wall advance upon the drow)
-
- All of the above events happened simultaneously (and also
- rather spectacularly, it might be added.) The lightning
- bolt and flame wall sizzled as they encountered the magic-
- resistant drow auras; Mongo and Rillen yelled in agony as
- they were burned by magical effects; the spiders ran about
- wildly, some being consumed by Ged's moving wall of flame.
- When the smoke, acid, and ozone cleared, the two groups,
- both damaged somewhat, squared off against each other. The
- whole scene
-
-
-
-
-
- A
- B C
- key
- F G H I A....F drow P/M
- B....F drow P
- D E * C....F drow M
- * D....M drow W
- * * E....M drow W
- F....F drow P
- Mongo Belphanior Rillen G....F drow P
- H....F drow M
- Arnold Flint I....F drow M
- * giant spiders
- Ged Lyra (Peldor = invisible)
- Alindyar
-
-
-
- Mongo: Hey, look, none of the dark elves got killed by
- your spells.
- Belphanior: Too bad, isn't it?
- Ged: Boccob.
- drow A : (begins spellcasting)
- drow B : (begins spellcasting)
- drow C : (brandishes a wand)
- Alindyar: (begins spellcasting) There is no time for
- delay - we must be efficient here!
- Rillen: (moving lightning-fast, he uses his staff to
- vault over the spiders, and attacks drow E)
- Peldor: (invisible somewhere, he dashes about silently)
- drow D : (whips out a bow and nocks arrows)
- drow E : (defends himself against Rillen, wielding a
- longsword)
- Belphanior: (leaps into action, attacking the spider
- nearest him)
- Ged: (begins spellcasting)
- Lyra: (begins spellcasting)
- drow F : (holds up a red rod with three 8' tentacles
- and strides toward Mongo)
- drow G : (holds up a similar rod, a yellow one, and
- joins her companion in assaulting the dwarf)
- Arnold: (moves to intercept drow G) Hey, no fair to
- gang up on Mondo!
- Mongo: (stomps toward drow F) What the hell is that
- stupid-looking thing, you crazy drow?!?
- Flint Firelips: (raises his axe and charges a spider)
- drow H : (holds up a black wand)
- drow I : (holds up a pale yellow wand)
-
- drow A : (casts a spherical wall of force around Ged,
- sealing him off from the world) Brorn, brorn. (she
- cackles in glee)
- Ged: Hey! Aaa! (pounds on the magical barrier, to no
- avail) You fu- (realizes that his spellcasting is
- wasted at this point, and begins cursing)
- drow B : (casts a Flame Strike upon Mongo) Xun!
- Mongo: (singed a bit) Hah! Stupid bitch! Good thing
- I'm wearing a ring of fire resistance! (hurls his
- hammer at drow B, scoring a hit) Take that!
- drow B : Aie! (she stumbles with the force of the
- dwarf's blow)
- drow C : (waving a strange wand, she mutters some words
- of command, and a small gray blob shoots out of the
- wand toward Mongo)
- Mongo: Yah! (tries to dodge as he catches his hammer;
- the glob of stuff hits his feet and pins them to the
- ground) Huh?
- drow C : Ultrinnan!
- Mongo: Shit. (tries to walk away, but can't - he is
- held fast...fortunately, he was in a stable stance and
- isn't really in danger of falling down) Fuck! Fuck
- this! (hurls his hammer again, beaning drow C this
- time)
- drow C : Urgh! (recoils)
- Alindyar: (casts a Web upon drow C, H, and I) How does
- that grab you?
- drow C : (held fast, she curses) Igglith!
- drow H : (held fast, tries to begin spellcasting but
- can't) Malla ogglin.
- drow I : (held somewhat, points her wand at the webs
- holding her, and a ball of acid begins dissolving the
- webs) Heh.
- Rillen: (pummels drow E relentlessly with his staff)
- Put that sword away, fool, for the staff is a far
- better weapon. See? (whacks the drow again)
- drow E : Usstan tlu alur. (speaks a command word, and
- his sword flashes with unnatural speed as he slashes at
- Rillen)
- drow D : (fires arrows at Mongo and Belphanior, at an
- alarming rate) Fah!
- Belphanior: (slices a spider) Shit, this is no fun. I
- want to fight a _drow_!
- Ged: (fumes in his sphere of force, thinking of a spell
- to get him out)
- Lyra: (casts Magic Missile, blasting drow A, B, F, and G
- with one missile each)
- drow A : Ogglin faern! Darthiir...!
- Rillen: (continues to trade lightning-fast blows with
- drow E, in a blurred dance of death)
- drow I : (frees herself from the webs, though the acid
- has eaten part of her boots, and works to free the
- other two drow)
- Peldor: (invisible, he backstabs drow B with an extremely
- well-placed blow, and becomes visible) Take that!
- drow B : Gak! (falls, her spine severed by the blow)
- drow A : Sarn! Velkyn!
- Peldor: Whatever you say, babe. (he closes with the very
- much infuriated drow A)
- drow A : (pulls out a large rod, with seven tentacles -
- purple, red, yellow, amber, black, jade, and violet)
- Peldor: Oh shit.
- drow F : (whips Mongo with her red-tentacled rod) Elgg!
- Mongo: (hit by two of the flailing things) Argh! You'll
- pay for that! Just 'cause I'm stuck in this spot doesn't
- mean I can't fight! (hurls his hammer at drow F, twice
- in rapid succession, breaking some bones)
- drow F : Argh. (shudders in pain) Elgg! (prepares to
- attack again)
- drow G : (whips Arnold with her own, yellow tentacled rod)
- Arnold: (hit by all three tentacles, he is magically dazed
- from his wounds) Aaaaaa. (stumbles as he tries to fight
- the drow near him)
- drow G : (chuckles, and prepares to flail Arnold again)
- Belphanior: (makes mincemeat out of his spider, and moves
- toward drow D)
- Arnold: Aaaaa. (even dazed, he swings his sword in a
- deadly arc, slaying drow G with two powerful blows) Aaa.
- (stumbles about, still dazed)
- drow G : (falls, her head cloven down to the sternum)
- Ged: (stuck inside the sphere of force, quietly notes
- Arnold's mightiness)
- Flint Firelips: (quietly, yet efficiently dispatches two
- spiders with his deadly axe and hasted speed) Damn drow
- scum!
-
-
-
-
-
- A
- Peldor C
- H
- F I
- Mongo Arnold
-
- D E
- Belphanior Rillen
- *
- Flint
- Lyra
- Ged Alindyar
-
-
-
- (Ged in sphere/wall of force; drow C, H in webs)
-
-
-
- Peldor: (slashes at drow A, but misses...barely)
- drow A : Elgg! (she whips the thief with her tentacle
- rod) Elgg, wael!
- Peldor: (hit by _five_ of the seven tentacles on the
- rod, suffers strange magical effects) Argh! I can't
- see! I can't hear! I can't FEEL anything! (falls
- to the floor from both the severity of his wounds and
- the aforementioned effects, and begins wailing) Aie!
- Aiiiiiiiieeeeeeee!
- drow A : (moves in to finish Peldor) Wael...
- drow I : (taunts Arnold while waving her tentacled rod)
- Arnold: (still dazed, but also furious, charges drow I
- while screaming in rage) YaaaaaaAAAAAAA!
- drow I : Whaiee..! (dodges one blow, but gets cut by
- another, interrupting her efforts to free her webbed
- companions, drow C and H)
- drow C : (curses at drow I for becoming distracted)
- Ged: Aha! (begins spellcasting)
- drow I : (fires an acid glob at Arnold, point-blank)
- Arnold: AAAAARGH! (dances in pain)
- drow I : (returns to her efforts to free her companions
- from the web)
- Arnold: (ignores the pain, and slashes drow I, slaying
- her with a heroic effort) Argh. (falls to the floor,
- the acid still at work upon him and his armor)
- drow F : (whips Mongo, this time hitting with all three
- tentacles, and shrieks in triumph)
- Mongo: Wha- YARGH! (his left arm suddenly loses all
- its strength) What the HELL did you do to me?!?
- drow F : (cackles in glee) Jivvin, jivvin!
- Mongo: Damn it! (he hefts his hammer in his right
- hand, and hurls it right at the grinning drow) Go
- fuck yourself, scum!
- drow F : Nau! (she falls, her head crushed by the blow)
- Mongo: Stupid @%#$&*! (begins grumbling and looking for
- another target, since his feet are stuck to the floor
- and he can't move about) Huh?!? (spots drow A about to
- finish Peldor off) Hey! (hurls his hammer at the female
- drow, knocking her over) Stay away from Peldor, bitch!
- Peldor: (wallows ungratefully on the floor, in pain and
- confusion)
- drow D : (tosses his bow away frantically, since he is
- now being menaced by Belphanior)
- Belphanior: (stabs the drow) Take that! (stabs him once
- more) And that!
- drow D : (weakly tries to parry the attacks)
- Belphanior: (presses his offensive)
- Rillen: (bashes drow E again, breaking more bones) What
- speed! It has been a long time since I have fought one
- who rivaled my attacks!
- drow E : (bloody and bruised, like Rillen, he slashes at
- the warrior again, drawing another line of blood as the
- adventurer ducks)
- Rillen: Whew! (feels the fresh wound on his neck) That
- was too close. Talk about sticking your neck out...
- giant spider: (bites at Flint Firelips, but can't punch
- through the dwarf's armor) Hsss!
- Flint Firelips: (demolishes the spider with several blows
- of his axe) Bah! (heads for drow C and H, trapped as
- they are in the webs nearby)
- drow C : Nau! (hastily begins trying to cast a spell to
- get out of the webs)
- Ged: (casts Teleportation, and blinks out of the wall
- of force, though nobody really notices)
- Lyra: (casts a Wall of Ice around drow A, blocking her
- off from the combat) That ought to slow her down...
- Peldor: (continues to writhe on the ground)
- Arnold: (likewise)
- Flint Firelips: (produces a torch, and sets fire to the
- webs holding drow C and H) So much for you two.
- drow C : (as the webs around her go up in flames, she
- casts a Cone of Cold in a final act of attrition; the
- magical bolt hits Flint square in the chest and goes
- on to blast Rillen, the unfortunate drow E, Alindyar,
- and Lyra) Pfugth! (ignites, and begins to scream, as
- does the other drow in the webs)
- Flint Firelips: Argh! (falls, comatose and frozen,
- perhaps even dead)
- drow E : (his magic resistance saves him from the cone
- of cold, but he staggers under its sheer physical force)
- Rillen: (blasted fully by the spell, he falls)
- Alindyar: What-? (falls as well, buried in a pile of ice
- and snow)
- Lyra: (likewise)
- drow E : (looks around, pleased, and silently bows to
- the blazing drow C as he moves to decapitate Rillen)
- Mongo: (still rooted to the spot, he has become very
- angry) Son of a f- (hurls his hammer at the unmanly
- drow E, but misses) Damn!
- drow E : (momentarily distracted)
- Belphanior: (slays drow D with a herculean blow) Ah!
- (absorbs the warrior's life energy through his sword)
- Aaaaaah.
- Mongo: (catches his hammer, then hurls it once more,
- at drow E) Keep your fuckin' hands off of him!
- drow E : (hit by the weapon, his head is smeared away,
- and he falls) Urg...
- Mongo: Friggin' drow. (catches his hammer, and looks
- around at the decimated remains of both parties)
- Shit...(everyone has fallen, except for himself, and
- the drow within the ice wall, and...)
-
- < There was an incredible explosion, as the ice wall
- shattered from some mighty force... >
-
- drow A : (levitates into the air, looking extremely
- pissed) Xun dos elgg! (she points at Belphanior
- and speaks a word of power)
- Belphanior: (instantly falls to the ground)
- drow A : Xun dos ELGG!!!
- Ged: (standing behind the drow leader) Not if _I_
- can help it!
- drow A : (whirls about, and begins spellcasting
- anew)
-
-
- Ged: (casting his own spell) Boccob has spoken to
- me, foul one! You must be defeated!
- drow A : Fah! (casts Feeblemind upon Ged) Bspa!
- Ged: Uh...(due to his priestly skills, and his high
- Wisdom, he barely resists the powerful spell) You
- vile miscreant! It shall take more than THAT to
- get rid of me!
- drow A : (brandishes her rod, the tentacles waving
- like evil snakes) Ssss...
- Ged: (casts Evard's Black Tentacles upon the drow)
- drow A : Yie! (eleven black, writhing tentacles
- surround her)
- Ged: You shall be defeated, foul one! Boccob has
- spoken!
- drow A : (begins laughing, as the tentacles begin
- dissolving) BWA HA HA!
- Ged: Shit! (whips out his magical morningstar and
- faces off against the drow and her tentacle rod)
- Spells are useless against this scum. I'll have
- to resort to physical violence.
- drow A : (stalks Ged, her rod's waving tentacles
- flailing about) Usstan ultrin!
- Mongo: (chooses this moment to hurl his hammer at
- the drow matron) Ahh, shaddup!
- drow A : ARGH! (hit in the arm by the weapon)
- Ged: Yea Mongo!
- Mongo: (catches his hammer, and gets a few more
- shots off in the heat of the monent, hitting with
- one more while missing with two) Yah!
-
- drow A : (immediately whips Mongo with her rod,
- scoring six hits with the seven tentacles and
- opening terrible bloody wounds on the dwarf's
- form) Heh heh.
- Mongo: YEARRRGH! (he is suddenly robbed of his
- sight, smell, and touch, and sinks to his knees
- from the agony of his wounds)
- drow A : (gloats silently, and turns to face Ged)
- Ged: (wallops the matron in the head with his
- morningstar, knocking her from her feet) That's
- for Mongo!
- drow A : (recoils, stunned)
- Ged: And this is for everyone else! And for Boccob!
- (smashes his foe with his weapon)
- drow A : (finally dies, cursing Ged loudly as she
- does so) Glk...
- Ged: Whew! Boccob! (turns to survey the carnage)
- Holy shit...
-
- The elven mage-priest wandered around purposefully,
- casting healing spells as needed. Peldor and Arnold
- were alive, though badly wounded. The same could be
- said for Flint and Rillen. In fact, the same could
- be said for everyone, though the two drow were quite
- unconscious from the cold, and Mongo and Peldor were
- at least temporarily deprived of some of their senses.
- Ged used wine to dissolve the gunk holding Mongo's
- feet, and the dwarf fell to the ground in relief.
- Belphanior was merely stunned, and got up after a short
- time. Ged kept his fire wand handy, in case anything
- or anyone tried to overwhelm the wounded party, but
- nobody showed up to test his power. In short order,
- Peldor and Mongo regained their senses, and at this
- point, Mongo used his magical rod of healing to bring
- the two drow back to consciousness, and to heal some
- of the others who were more seriously wounded (Mongo
- insisted that his own wounds were not that serious,
- although it was obvious that he was lying.) Shortly,
- the party was in such a state of readiness that they
- searched the drow bodies, or what was left of them.
- Many magical items were recovered...
-
-
- 6 x drow chain mail armor
- 5 x drow shields
- 2 x drow longswords
- 2 x drow maces
- 9 x drow daggers
- 9 x drow cloaks (two slightly charred)
- 9 x pairs of drow boots (two slightly charred)
- yellow lesser tentacle rod
- red lesser tentacle rod
- amber greater tentacle rod
- master tentacle rod
- four identical black rings
- wand of viscid globs
- finely crafted longbow
- bracers
- wand
- wand of acidic spheres
- small sack
- ring
-
-
-
- Needless to say, much debate ensued...
-
- Alindyar: Hmm. The weapons and armor, 'tis sure, cannot
- withstand the radiations of your sun, above.
- Mongo: Why's that?
- Alindyar: The peculiar properties of the Underdark...
- Belphanior: Bah. What about the other stuff?
- Lyra: We cannot know yet. Anything of underdark make
- will most likely become useless outside of here.
- Ged: So? So we take everything up and see what works
- and what doesn't. Simple enough.
- Rillen: (examining the longbow) Hmm. This does not
- look like it was made by elves.
- Alindyar: (wanders over and takes a look at the bow)
- Indeed. 'Tis is no drow weapon, this.
- Belphanior: What about the tentacle rods? Those seem
- like they'd come in handy.
- Alindyar: Such rods are innately evil. Only priests of
- evil may make successful use of them.
- Belphanior: Darn.
- Lyra: These four black rings are control rings, used
- by such priests to wield the rods properly.
- Ged: So...we destroy the stuff we can't use, yes?
- Mongo: Sounds good to me.
- Alindyar: Hmm.
- Belphanior: What a waste.
- Alindyar: The items may prove difficult to destroy.
- Lyra: They're usually incredibly resistant to harm.
- Mongo: (ambles away and begins piling drow bodies up)
- Hey, I say just toss the shit on top of the carcasses
- and torch the whole thing.
- Ged: Yea. I'll use my wand.
-
- Ten minutes later, Ged ignited the whole pile of drow
- bodies and the arms, armor, and items deemed useless or
- unusable for the party. As everything burned, Rillen
- noticed that the smoke wasn't filling the tunnel as it
- should - it was escaping somewhere.
-
- Rillen: Maybe there is a way to the surface nearby.
- Ged: Maybe they have a lair nearby. Their spellbooks
- have to be around here somewhere.
- Alindyar: Spellbooks?
- Belphanior: Yes, drow spellbooks would sure be nice to
- have.
- Mongo: Bah! Who cares for such mummery and crap? I
- say we go onward. Only then can we find the way out.
-
- The adventurers realized that they needed to rest for
- a few days or so, and began looking for appropriate areas
- to rest in. Since no side passages presented themselves,
- the group forged on. Five minutes later, they came upon
- a large open area, an intersection of passages similar to
- theirs. There were seven such passages in all; all of
- these were about the same size. In the center of this
- intersection was a huge, twenty-foot tall column of skulls
- and bones. Into each of the seven tunnels pointed one
- large skeletal hand of the column-thing; crude signs were
- hung from the seven bony arms. As the signs were in a
- language that few in the party could read, Alindyar and
- Lyra read them aloud to the whole group.
-
- Alindyar: Hmm. The way from which we just came says,
- "Nine Hells, 85 leagues"...fascinating.
- Lyra: Next to that is, "Skeva Ra, City of Vampyres,
- 5 leagues"
- Rillen: Sounds like a place for suckers.
- Alindyar: Mayhaps. The next sign reads, "Vrek Waxen,
- Liche Lorde, 1 league-"
- Mongo: At least we know he's close.
- Lyra: - and after that is, "Skull Gate, Flayer Town,
- 7 leagues"
- Ged: Great.
- Flint Firelips: Mind flayers?!? I'l _smash_ them!
- Alindyar: Next is, "Abaethaggar, 103 leagues"...
- Belphanior: Never heard of it. Let's go that way.
- Lyra: Nay. That is a drow city.
- Peldor: Drow _city_?
- Alindyar: Aye. Perhaps ten thousand dark elves.
- Mongo: That's too many. What else is there?
- Lyra: Hmm. "Wraith Lords Three" is next.
- Peldor: No distance given?
- Lyra: What, do you think that everyone who makes
- these signposts knows all?
- Peldor: Uh...
- Ged: Wraith lords, eh? I wonder if I could turn them?
- Peldor: Let's not be overconfident, here.
- Alindyar: Last among the seven ways is this: "He who
- watches, 13 leagues" Methinks it refers to a beholder.
- Rillen: A what?
- Alindyar: A huge floating sphere with numerous eyes,
- all of which bear deadly spell-like powers.
- Rillen: Oh. Sounds like something to see.
- Ged: Well...which way did those drow come from?
- Alindyar: Hmm. I do not think that any drow scouting
- party would be found 103 leagues from their city.
- Lyra: Maybe they were wandering far from home.
- Peldor: Yeah. Or maybe they got here through some
- other passage that we didn't find.
- Belphanior: I say we go back to the ol' bonfire and
- check for hidden exits.
- Ged: I agree. Even if we don't find an exit, we might
- find a hidden side passage that we could use to rest
- in.
- Peldor: Yeah, time to lick our wounds.
- Alindyar: I concur. 'Twould be wise.
- Ged: Yea. None of these other options sound like
- ones we want to pursue...
- Alindyar: Verily.
-
- The party walked back to the blazing fire, where the
- smoke continued to vanish, seemingly into the walls of
- the colossal tunnel.
-
- Belphanior: Hmm. Where to look first?
- Mongo: Who knows? We'll just have to do the best we
- can.
- Peldor: (looks up suddenly, and heads for a section of
- the tunnel wall)
- Ged: Hey, where's he going?
- Belphanior: Maybe he found something. Come on. (goes
- over to the area where Peldor is tapping the wall with
- his sword)
- Peldor: (prods and pokes a section of wall for a bit,
- then slides it open) Look, everybody, I've found a
- secret tunnel.
- Mongo: What's that?
- Ged: Ah, so you have.
-
- The group entered the narrow secret passage, and soon
- found that it led upward, albeit steeply. A draft of fresh
- air could be felt from somewhere ahead. After about ten
- minutes of squeezing through the tunnel, light was visible
- from up ahead.
-
- Ged: Sunlight!
- Alindyar: (covers his eyes) Ow. So it is, so it is...
- Rillen: The open sky!
-
- The group emerged from a small crevice within a rugged
- mountain face. The crack in the mountain was well-hidden
- from view by some scrubby bushes. The smell of the open
- air and the mountainside flora was a great relief to all
- of the adventurers.
-
- Ged: Let's move away from this accursed cave and find a
- road or trail.
- Rillen: Good idea.
- Belphanior: (decides that the party wouldn't want to go
- back down and challenge the city of vampires, or the
- beholder, or even the lich lord) Ah, what the hell?
- Let's get out of here.
- Mongo: Yeah! (he leads the party in doing so)
-
- The group headed down the mountain slope for hours,
- until a trail was found. At this point, it was late
- afternoon, so they found a campsite near the trail and
- made camp. Rest, relaxation, and food were enjoyed by
- all, and eventually the magical items were piled up in
- the center of camp. Ged and Alindyar used Identify
- spells to help give the party an idea of the loot they
- were all about to split. Even though many of the party
- members were sorely wounded, they wanted to split the
- items at this very moment.
-
-
-
- THE MAGIC ITEM PICKS (items listed in approximate order
- of their discovery) :
-
- non-Drow items
- potion of extra-healing - Flint
- potion of extra-healing - Lyra
- potion of longevity - Arnold
- rod - Rillen
- scroll of priest spells - Ged
- thin mage spellbook - Lyra
- silver morningstar - Ged
- jug of anti-poison - Mongo
- amber sphere w/bee - Mongo
- Drow items
- wand of viscid globs - Alindyar
- finely crafted longbow - Rillen
- bracers - Flint
- wand of darkness - Peldor
- wand of acidic spheres - Belphanior
- small sack of holding - Alindyar
- ring - Arnold
-
-
-
- Arnold immediately used his new potion to reverse the
- evil aging that he had suffered in a recent adventure.
- The others drooled over their new treasures, especially
- the drow treasures. Belphanior, who had secreted one
- drow cloak and pair of boots just to see if the myths
- were true, was disappointed to watch the drow garments
- begin to unravel and decay already.
- The party camped for the night after setting up some
- traps and deciding upon a watch order. It was decided
- that they would rest here for two days, to regain their
- full strength and faculties.
-
-
-
-
-
- next time : the long trek to civilization
-
- ftp site : ccosun.caltech.edu, in pub/adnd/fluff/adventurers
-
- notes : Okay. You demanded it, so here it is...the
- Adventurers' magic item list! (drum roll...)
-
-
-
- DISCLAIMER#1 : The following list is for reference purposes
- only. Any attempt to use it to question the stories will
- probably be ignored :)
-
- DISCLAIMER#2 : This was indeed a high-magic campaign.
-
-
-
- The Adventurers' magical inventories as of episode #90:
- * denotes unique & very powerful items or pseudo-artifacts
-
-
- Alindyar, 11th level drow mage
- [20 Intelligence]
- [cursed to always have -3 on saves vs petrification]
- cloak of protection +4
- staff of striking
- ring of human influence
- wand of viscous globs
- bag of holding
- horn of fog
-
- Lyra, 7th level female drow mage
- cloak of protection +3
- blanket of warmth
- thin mage spellbook
- 2 potions of extra-healing
-
- Belphanior, 8th/8th/9th level high elf warrior/mage/thief
- [has permanent intimidation effect & red eyes due to potion]
- Blackrazor *
- longsword +1 (luck blade, one wish left)
- quiver of Ehlonna
- 13 arrows +2
- bracers ac4
- staff of power
- wand of acidic spheres
- well of many worlds
- boots & cloak of elvenkind
- folding boat
- cube of force
- dice of chaos
- ring of wizardry
- periapt of proof vs. poison
- wand of foam
- Flask of curses
- potion of undead control
- potion of skeleton control
- potion of super-heroism
- potion of speed
- potion of poison
-
- Ged, 9th/9th level grey elf priest/mage of Boccob
- [19 Wisdom]
- morningstar +4 (Lightbringer) *
- morningstar +3
- sling +2, of seeking
- chain mail +2
- wand of colorless fire *
- wand of conjuration
- libram of silver magic
- ring of shooting stars
- ring of spell turning
- torus/talisman of pure good
- belt vs. normal missiles
- Boccob's Blessed Book
- manual of golems (stone)
- figurines (golden lions)
- harmonica of gravity
- scroll of priest spells
-
- Arnold, 7th level human barbarian warrior
- [hair & skin green due to recent breathing of strange gas]
- 2-handed sword +2
- plate mail +3
- boots of ?
- ring of anti-venom
- potion of water breathing
-
- Mongo Thunderhead, 9th level dwarven warrior
- [19 Constitution]
- hammer +4, dwarven thrower
- longsword +3
- crossbow of speed
- 11 bolts +2
- plate mail +3
- shield +1
- girdle of fire giant strength
- helm of life
- ring of fire resistance (actually Fire Elemental Control)
- ring of regeneration
- portable hole
- chime of opening
- necklace of adaption
- amber bee of feather falling
- bowl of boiling
- cadeucus *
- hell cube *
- cornucopia of endless food *
- jug of extra-healing x5
- jug of anti-poison x3
-
- Peldor, 12th level human thief
- [has permanent persuasiveness effect due to potion]
- [also has 18 Chr due to deck of many things card]
- longsword *
- short sword +1 (of Lyons)
- two daggers +3 of throwing
- leather armor +2
- cloak +2
- ring of telekinesis
- ring vs. insects
- eyes of the eagle
- luckstone
- rope of climbing
- hat of disguise
- boots of striding and springing
- adamantine meteorite
- pouch of accessibility
- everburning green torch
- bell of healing
- shield (traded to Belphanior later)
- FEATHERS * <see footnote below!>
- wand of darkness
- potion of longevity
- potion of extra-healing
- potion of flying
- potion of treasure finding
- potion of feather falling
-
- Rillen, 9th level human monk/warrior
- quarterstaff +3
- longbow +3, of doubling
- longbow +2
- red & black sling stones
- bracers ac3
- robes of protection +4
- boots of speed
- gloves of missile snaring
- ring of djinni summoning
- ring of feather falling
- bronze horn of Valhalla
- wand of illumination
- Laertes' ointment
- rod of inertia
- potion of stone giant strength
-
-
-
- feather footnote
- The ten tail feathers of the "jub-jub bird" were intended
- to be split amongst the party, as each conferred some useful
- power/ability upon its owner. However, only Peldor thought
- to take them, thus he got all ten. Each of the feathers has
- some magical power or property; after some owner has had a
- particular feather for nine days straight, the item vanishes
- from physical existence. The owner will find a small tattoo
- on his person, a feather tattoo of the color that his or her
- feather was. Henceforth, the powers of the feather are his
- or hers to command. And they are:
-
- white.........feather falling
- silver........invisibility (as the ring)
- yellow........regeneration (as the ring)
- orange........+3 on saves
- red...........fire resistance (as the ring)
- green.........+3 protection
- gold..........wish (1/year)
- blue..........cold resistance
- purple........haste (3/day)
- black.........poison resistance
-
- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-
-
-