Chapter Nine - Welcome to Winterhaven...

One branch leading north to the Gardmore Abby, the west branch leading onward to Winterhaven.  The group decided to head west continuing on after Traevus.  Stelios however needed to run an errand at  the Gardmore Abby and informed his companions he'd catch up with them at Winterhaven.  About an hour’s march after the party split ways, a murder of Kenku monks heading east along the King's Road came upon the group.  Roook felt right at home with his racial brethren and after some excitable conversation Roook donated his magical belongings to the monks, bid them fond farewells.  About an hour's march after the chance meeting with the Kenku monks (who Roook learned are members of the Order of Corvus Corvidae far to the east) the party noticed a pair of travelers coming up from behind them and gaining ground.  After some quick deliberation, it was decided to stop and wait for the travelers (and kill them if they meant trouble, thought Murleck).  Soon an Eladrin woman and a female looking Warforged caught up to the party.  Roook and Heterodyne were the first to offer salutations and greetings, the warforged female clearly focused on Cha'kara.

"I am Heterodyne and this is my companion Althea, we are originally from the city of Lankhmar to the east, but have recently come from Hammerfast.  This is where I learned of you Cha'kara.  I am an artificer; I am looking to learn how to create more of our kind... I want to study you.  May we accompany you on your journey?"

After some questioning looks from Cha'kara and discussion amongst the team, the band decided to allow them to join up.  Cha'kara was most intrigued by this encounter of another of his kin... his origin and history getting a new piece added to the puzzle.

The rest of the journey west was uneventful as Janic and Murleck continued to track Traevus trail towards Winterhaven.

As you came around the final bend of your journey, the town of Winterhaven came into full view.  Winterhaven’s population had swelled well past its bounds and of late has been a town in flux.  New construction is happening daily... the town is on the rise. However, as you come closer to the walls of Winterhaven, you arrive to main entrance only to find the doors barred shut, guards both on the wall tops and standing outside the gate.

“The town closed due to quarantine, no one enters or leaves by order of the mayor” the captain states in a matter of fact voice leaving no room for negotiation or future discussion.”

In her own travels, Althea had heard of Captain Aerco and his reputation as a much laid back and mild mannered captain, so for him to be this brusque and hard lead her to believe something was not
right at all.

"Is there any way we can help?" offered the Eladrin

"Are you corrupt?!" - Murleck asked at almost the same time, drawing a glare from the captain.

“Look, the mayor wants this under wraps, but there’s something grievously wrong with the citizens when the sun sets…  um, I really shouldn’t say more, the town is closed…." the Captain whispered to Althea "Leave now" he then said in a much firmer and louder voice.

The party looked at each other inquisitively and then headed back from where they came down the round and around the bend out of view of the town walls.  The entire party that is, save Murleck and Heterodyne.  The warforged and half-elf slipped quietly around the walls to the far northern wall.  After a short while of inspection and a stroke of luck, Murleck discovered there was a bit of wall that looked off from the rest of the wall.  The two looked the section up and down and then decided to give it a push.  A section of wall about 7 feet tall and 5 feet across slid inward, with relative ease.... and then THUNK! It stopped.  About 6 inches in the wall would not budge!  Heterodyne quickly tried to use some of her artificer’s tools to get the wall to come back out, but it was to no avail.  Slipping back to the party, it was decided that to wall needed to be pushed from the inside.  After a quick meal and some further discussion, most of which was centered on Janic and whether or not he was sure Traevus' trail ended here at the gates of Winterhaven, to which Janic was absolutely sure, the party decided to wait for nightfall and try to slip in.

"Does anyone have rope?  Maybe we can climb the wall" said Murleck

"CAW! Hello! WINGS!" Roook quickly exclaimed gesturing to his person.

"You can fly??" the party asked in unison

"I can! For a short period of time!" responded the Kenku

So the party patiently waited out the remainder of the day until sunset arrived.  Shortly before the sun set over the Cairngorm Peaks the guards posted outside the town quickly opened the gates and all filed inside the towns walls.  A quick thinking Heterodyne, Murleck and Althea noticed that for all intents and purposes the people seen inside the walls seemed very normal.  There was the bustle of a busy town, everyone looked human and well to their eyes.  Soon the gates were closed again and before long the guards with outside posts could be seen on the wall walks joining their comrades.

As the sun sank and the last glints of light disappeared over the saw tooth peaks to the west, suddenly there was a horrifying cacophony of shrieks and screams coming from inside the walls.  The guardsmen on the wall-walks mostly stood stock still looking into the town below some quivered but most didn't move a muscle.  After what seemed like hours, the screams of terror died down and turned into a low moan. Waiting and watching for another hour or two, the group stealthily made their way toward the towers with the cover of darkness aiding their movements.  Soon they were gathered by the northern wall were the strange recess in the wall was.

Pulling his sleeves up to his shoulders and giving a bit of a flourish of his feathered arms, Roook flew quickly and quietly to the top of the wall.  Quickly making sure no guards were near he peered into the town below.  The town spread out before him with a mixture of small one story homes and shops to newer looking 3 and 4 story buildings. Everything seemed to orbit the center tower, a large 15 story square spire riding up in the middle of the town... its highest floors still being constructed.  Down below however, he saw nothing in the way of movement and light, no signs of life at all.  As he scanned the streets he suddenly spotted the avenue lamp posts, baskets full of wood as if ready to be lit for the evening’s street light, but all sitting in the dark, not a single branch set aflame.  It seemed as if someone had prepared for the evenings need of light, but when the time came to do their job, the task was left undone...

Seeing the opportunity to move, Roook quickly dropped over a rope to allow his fellows to join him in the town.  Then the thought stuck him to push the wall out and make entry a tad easier.  After a moments debate within as to if he should push a guardsmen in or jump down himself to test if whatever had gripped these people wasn't something that affected things close to the earth, Roook resolved to jump himself and with a quick leap he glided down to the ground.  Checking his person for any sign of change and being content that he was still his merry black feathered self, he pushed out on the shifted wall.  As it was when pushed in, the wall swung easily outward allowing for the entire party to enter the wall.

One by one the party filed in, Janie and Wolf, Heterodyne, Althea and Cha'kara taking up the rear... Murleck however was half way up the wall when he watched the secret door swing outward.  With a muffled curse and swear dropped back down to the ground.  Giving it a moment’s thought and preferring to have their entry a little more secretive, he pushed the door shut and scurried back up the rope and down the other side.

The party, together again, then quietly surveyed the area around them.  Windows were black as night, not a soul moved in and around the streets close by... but then they heard in the distance the sounds of moaning and walking and monosyllabic words being groaned out, words like "eaaaat" and "braaaaains..."  Thankfully due to the heavy construction in the town, scaffolding was everywhere and after a suggestion by Althea that perhaps it would be better above than below, the party climbed back up the nearest scaffolding and started to move about the town several stories above the street level.  Moving ever closer to east side of town where they heard the nearest sounds the party came upon a pavilion. Looking into the pavilion there was a group of citizens two dozen strong shambling around the stone pavilion... most were in their days clothing, though their skin color
was the color of slate and parts of their face and arms showed the beginnings of rot and decay.

Suddenly Roook decided to drop down to the pavilion and see how these "people" reacted to his presence and with that was gliding back down to the ground.  At first his arrival went completely unnoticed... but after a few moments, one by one, the zombified citizens turned and saw something different and something fresh was there to be eaten...

"braaaaaains!" "fleeeeeesssssh" and "eaaaaat" could be heard amid the moans and grunts as the zombies moved at a much more rapid pace towards Roook, but then suddenly his avian ears heard other words mixed in...

"heeeeeelp" and "saaaaave" could be heard from some of the horde.

"Some of them know!" thought the Kenku and quickly started to march around the pavilion drawing the shamblers to follow him like a pied piper, the nearest one a good 15 feet away.  Rather enjoying himself while the rest of the party looked down almost in confusion, Roook then noticed that the gap between him and the nearest zombie was closing.  Not wishing to been food just yet, he found the lowest scaffold and climbed back up to the heights.  The zombie horde, not well over 300 strong, all attracted to the sounds of the "hunt" gathered around the base of the scaffold and made vain attempts at climbing and when that didn't work, they shook the structure until it collapsed into a pile of debris.  With the loud crash of the scaffolding and the increased aggressiveness of the horde, the guards had quickly drawn over to the eastern wall, peering down below with lanterns and torches, clearly unnerved that, to their knowledge, the zombies were now trying to climb up!"
Back over more north east of the pavilion the group gathered in the shadows of a large awning...

"Not a one of them is even hurt or deterred by that crash!" noted Janic as he watched the horde grow even larger.

"Some of them asked for help, they remember or are trying to remember who they are" commented Roook

"A curse perhaps?" wondered Heterodyne

"So what's next, do we heard towards that tower in the middle of the town, that's usually a good place to be a source" chimed in Murleck

"I think maybe we should seek out the Captain and the guards... he did seem like he wanted help though could not say for some reason or another" answered Althea.

"Sneak up on tense, scared guards in the night, sounds like a good plan to me!" replied Janic sarcastically.

and so the debate went round and round for a while before it was finally agreed upon that seeking out the guards would be the better course of action considering the party did not want to have to kill any of the people down below should they encounter anyone on their way to the tower.  So quickly and quietly, waiting for a gap in the patrol, they made their way over scaffold and roof top towards the wall-walk on the north east end.  Finding the north eastern tower vacated they headed to the eastern wall, lighting torches of their own to make their presence known.  As they approached the gathering of shocked guardsmen, all still completely focused on the activity below, they stopped as if to announce themselves.   Janic however continued walking towards the group, never breaking stride and slid up next to the nearest guard and started looking over the wall with them.  After a moment, the nearest guard realized there was someone who wasn’t a guard standing next to them and jumped back in fright!

“Who… who are you! Stay back!” he said, drawing his sword.

“We are here to help” the group all said together while putting on their most winning smiles!

Suddenly all the guards turned to focus on the party, swords and spears being brought up to bear “Stay where you are! How’d you get in here!  GET THE CAPTAIN!” one of the guards shouted.

“Why thank you, that’s who we’re looking for” squawked Roook.

Soon the captain of the guard, Captain Aerco returned along the wall, despite the commotion and new comers, he walked with a steady gate.

“You lot. I thought I told you the town was closed.  How did you get in here?”

“Um… WINGS!” Roook cawed at the captain, frustrated by this oversight.

“Very well, that explains you birdman, but what about your companions?” the captain asked

“We all climbed up and over with this rope” replied Murleck with a cheeky grin.

“Well, I can’t keep you here” he said while gesturing to the commotion below, which had started to dissipate back into the town.  “You said you could help?”

“We’d like to try.” replied Althea with concern.

“Well what do you need from me?” asked the captain “stand down men” he then ordered almost as an afterthought.

“Well first, we’ve been tracking a man and his trail ended here; have you seen a man by the name of Traevus?  He’s a merchant, or at least parades around as one, of average height and build, black hair and a think black mustache.”

“Yes, a man arrived in town but two nights ago, that’s when all this madness began.” Quickly replied the captain. “Only problem is, we haven’t seen him since, he may have been killed by the creatures, er… towns folk, Bahamut save me, but if he was we haven’t accounted for the body.  Bill, what inn did that stranger check into?”

“Sir, the Whispering Swan Inn, sir” replied the cadet.

“I have a query” started the Artificer Heterodyne “If the folk below transform into zombies... how is it that you all are unaffected? Did you do anything differently than they did?”

“The only thing we can figure is that we all had wall duty that day and were up here.  Even so, we lost 5 of our men, the mayor’s personal guard.  They turned that very first night.” answered the captain.

“And what of the mayor?” queried Heterodyne.

“Is he corrupt?” interjected Murleck, a wry grin crossing his face.

“How dare you besmirch our mayor’s name!” burst one of the guards standing next to the captain “Corrupt!? He’s been worried sick about the people, wants something done to resolve it quick.  Didn’t want anyone else affected so he had the gate shut barring anyone else from entering the town! Didn’t want any of the people leavin’ either in case they might be killed at night for bein'… well for bein’ whatever it is they turn into!”

“Stand down lieutenant” ordered Aerco “The lad is right though, Mayor Conti has been meeting with council around the clock… trying to fix this problem.”

“So the mayor hasn’t turned?” asked Althea.

“Well at first he didn’t, but last night he turned, he’s been staying in his room so as to not wander the streets.” replied the captain.

“Well how do you know he turned, did you see him turn?” asked Murleck

“Well no, but… um” answered the captain, now unsure.

“Where does the mayor live?” Cha’kara wondered aloud.

“In the tower of course” Aerco responded.

“Tell us more about that tower” asked Janic.

“Well, the tower is the oldest building in the town… dating back about 500 years.  It was a watch tower back then and the town grew up around it.  It was originally 5 stories tall, but it’s been added on to since then.  The mayor is adding on 5 more floors himself which are still under construction.  It’ll be 15 stories tall upon completion. It’s the oldest thing in town, well unless the crypt turns out to be older.  Construction workers discovered it not three weeks back.”

“Do you have a building plan for tower?” asked Roook

“Well sure, but we can’t get to it now, it’s down there.” The captain said, pointing down below. “I can tell you the layout though. First floor is the main hall, second floor is the kitchens and larders, third floor is the mayor’s apartments, fourth floor is where the mayor and his cabinet do their politicking, and the remaining floors are guest rooms and storage…. Oh!  There’s the basement too, but no one’s
been down there in ages.  Mayor keeps it locked and off limits”

“Crazy zombie transformations running rampant through the town and no one bothered to check the spooky locked basement?!” snarked Murleck, shaking his head in disbelief.   Captain Aerco began to give a retort but the words died on his lips.  Dejectedly he looked to the ground, not having an answer as to why his men didn’t search the basement.

The party and the town guard discussed the events of the last two days for another hour before deciding to sit out the remainder of the evening atop the town walls and wait for sunrise before going down to
inspect the Whispering Swan Inn.  Being the brother of a necromancer and having tried to kill the party once already, gave more than enough  credence to investigate that lead a little further.   The hours
ticked by as the group made more small talk, Roook, Althea and Heterodyne continued to query about the history of Winterhaven, while Janic, Cha’kara and Murleck talked amongst themselves......

Chapter Eight - Dust Up at the Keep!

 NOTES: (to be written up)


Murleck, Stelios, Roook and Ch'kara furthered the adventures of the band while Melvin and Janic took on a small errand for Tharn the Innkeeper who's more than he lets on to be. After taking care of some errands around town, including Murlek getting some vials for blood
samples... the band had met back at the Inn. After a good meal and
several mugs of good ale the inn was suddenly attacked by a throng of
thugs.  Thanks to some crafty eavesdropping and poking around Murleck
knew these thugs were members of the local gang the River Rats.  Led
by one of their Lieutenants, Finch, whom Roook took particular
exception to based on his choice of identifying moniker.. the Rats
were looking for something of value to take from Tharn's keep, looking
to intimidate Tharn, kidnap Kaddie and cause general mayhem in the
inn.  A half-orc named Slythe who was more of a "sword for hire" merc
brought on for some extra muscle clearly had plans of his own and
issues with authority decided he would rather focused solely on taking
Kaddie.  As thugs began to fall to the martially superior tandem of
Ch'kara and Rook and the fast flowing hatchet work of Murleck and the
tide began to turn in the band's favor, some of the gang members in
desperation tried to light the inn on fire to cause further chaos.
Meanwhile Stelios and Tharn did what they could to make sure Slythe
didn't escape with the girl.  Stelios did finally manage to force
Slythe's hand and make him drop her in a desperate attempt to escape.
An escape he would have foiled if not for his code of honor and duty
to protect women and children, as Kaddie had severe injuries to her
ribs and lungs from being tossed around by the half-orc.  Foregoing
his pursuit of the mercenary to save the girls life... not exactly for
free... Slythe manages to escape to see another day.  Stelios in a
vain hope to resume the pursuit was greeted out the window by 3 more
armed men and in haste Stelios slew one of them... unfortunately for
him, these were towns guards arriving at the scene of the crime.
Meanwhile Roook and Ch'kara, with the adept use of dead bodies became
the most recent recruits for the Fallcrest Volunteer Fire Brigade as
they snuffed out the flames consuming the rear wall of the inn.
Stelios using his divine healing abilities healed the guard from any
mortal wounds and Tharn vouched for the paladin to the local law.
Murleck meanwhile captured one of the remaining thugs and decided to
leave him alive for questioning.  With the intimidating aide of a
giant metal man with a bastard sword and a large dragonlike creature
in armor, it was the cunning diplomacy of Rook that ferreted out that
Traevus had hired the River Rats to kill the band.  Since the gang was
coming to the Keep anyway for their own agenda against Tharn, it was
two birds with one stone.  Win win for them.  After getting
information, the town guard more than insisted that the gang member be
turned over to them which everyone did so begrudgingly.

After the evening calmed down, bodies looted,  and ale poured for all,
Tharn pledged his eternal gratitude and trust to the band, free
lodging from now on at the Keep, and use of the cellar by the band to
meet, store valuables, etc.  Once Tharn identifies you as a "friend",
it's for life and means a great deal to him.  (and possibly any one
who knows Tharn)  Early the next morning before the sun had even
risen, after leaving word with the innkeeper for Janic and Melvin to
catch up, you all set out west towards Winterhaven.  ,On the road the
band came upon a bridge over a canal built to channel the waters of
the Nentir River just as the first rays of the sun had started to come
up over the horizon.  As the group began to cross the span, loud
terrible croaking could be heard from all sides as Bullywugs ambushed
the band.  The battle was swift and after the lightening wielding
Mudlord was dealt with the remaining frogmen retreated down the
channel....

Now on heightened alert the rest of your journey was rather uneventful
until you came upon a fork in the road, the left branch continuing on
to Winterhaven, the right branch leading you to the abandoned Gardmore
Abby.........

Chapter Seven - Four plus Three plus Six minus Five minus Two

Place holder (to be written up)

NOTES:


So what happened?  Well, the party defeated Malareth, but it seems that perhaps that was what he wanted all along, completing some spell he was casting.  After defeating Malareth, his three skeleton warriors, his very large zombie ogre and the reanimated Dayz the bard... the part hit pay dirt in Malareth's labratory, with various treasures and gold.  Thraso headed back to town (Cristal, think of a reason why Thraso went back to town that she can explain to her companions, maybe she found what her mission was, and headed back to return something to someone and time was of the essence, just an idea).  Back in town after successfully defeating the necromancer, Tharn the innkeeper lets the party know that Traevus skipped town and was headed west, possibly to Winterhaven.  The day after Traevus skipped, his shop/home was burned to the grown. Also, the slaves that Janic had rescued were fed, clothed and headed to Westmarch Abby in Winterhaven with a caravan of priests and priestesses. Lastly, there was a merchant seeking sell-swords to guard his caravan heading to Hammerfast in the east, but the party declined that job so they could focus on chasing after Traevus who seems to be not all he says he is.

Roook haikus

3 haiku:

New adventurers
Enter yet another room.
Surprise! More combat!

Dark room filled with stench:
Necromancer gets self killed.
Soul goes to Orcus.

Skittish paladin?
Wimpy crow beats Stelios (sp?).
Friendship is thus forg'd. 

Chapter Six - Rook takes Knight B3.... Brain Blast!

When the adventurers finally awaken, feeling refreshed if not slightly damp... they ate some dried biscuts and a slice of fruit and moved on leaving the dead rat and goblin carcasses behind them.  Passing through the door on the far side of the room they entered a large chamber with alternating grey and black tiles on the floor in the configuration of a grid.  Filing in one at a time, they all see across the room seven large stone statues.  In the front stand four men-at-arms, each holding polearms, behind stands a regal looking woman holding a scepter and flanking her are a knight mounted on horseback and a small elephant with a siege tower on it's back.  Janic is the first to notice that besides these statues there was a woman of his race wearing heavy plate standing between the knight and queenly looking woman and behind a man-at-arms.

"We're not alone" he says in a hushed tone, motioning over to the Tiefling.

"We'll let's get on with it" Stelios says as he begins to stride across the chamber.  After taking 3 steps forward he suddenly, violently grabs his head, his mouth open as if to howl in pain, his body convulsing as it is sent flying back to where he originally stood. Murleck and Janic immediately take up defensive stances while scanning the room.

"What the hell was that??" Stelios mutters as he regains his feet, feeling intense pain ringing in his skull.

"I do not know, but I think we have bigger problems" Murleck offers as the seven statues all start to move in one by one, flakes of stone breaking off as each of the statues come to life.  Just as the seven statues all find new animation, so too does the Tiefling, though still unaware of the newcomers across the room.

Making a bee-line diagonally across the room towards the far end and looking back at his companions with a quick triumphant grin Murleck sprung at the first man-at-arms, blades whirling before him.

The stone defender immediately moved to parry the attack, sword and polearm clashing together.


TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Five - Billy the Rat

Bursting through the thick wooden door to their right, Stelios and Janic see a rodent of unusual size looking to make their half-elf friend a quick meal.  Murleck having other plans, deftly lunges to his left, slashing the Dire rat's flank before rolling away.  "What took you?" snarks the Ranger as he recovers his footing and launches himself into a counter attack scoring several deep gouges into the rat's flesh.  Fierce screeches of pain and anger sound as if they are ripped from the rat's throat. Within seconds of the rat's violent screeching, the creak of rusty hinges from the door along the back wall sounds the arrival of a friend.... to the rat!

"Billy....? BILLY!!  INVADERS!!!!" cries a goblin bowman in a gravelly voice as he sees his pet rat bleeding profusely all over the stone floor.

"Is that the only word these guys know?!" gruffs the paladin as he joins the fray.


With that, a second door along the back wall swings open with violent force, three more goblin bowmen, arrows knocked and drawn rush headlong into the small chamber!   Stelios and Janic quickly account for their new odds, Murleck however never even looks up at the newly joined combatants, his focus purely trained on the rat that decided to make him dinner.  Six slices administered with the savagery of a butcher and the precision of a surgeon leave the rat a pile of chopped meat ready for tavern meat pies.

"NOOOO! BILLY!" wailed the archer, his attack fueled by new found rage he starts slinging arrows recklessly towards the group, several arrows scoring hits on both Murleck and Stelios.

Standing farthest from the melee, Janic weaves his hand in an simple but concentrated manner and fires his plasmic fire at the newly entered goblins, the bolt leaving a 1 foot hold in the lead sniper's chest.  The goblin's body falls to the ground, his knocked arrow clattering on the flooring stones harmlessly.  As the lead goblin crumples, Murleck takes an arrow hit in stride as he spins a few spans over slashing his twin blades with the chaotic frenzy of a dire wolverine.  The goblin archer falls, his blood spraying in a multitude of directions.

Meanwhile on the other side of the room, Stelios quickly snaps the arrow shaft off at the base, his blood flowing down from the puncture.  Looking up he sees another sniper and a second dire rat in the back room off to the left.

"You're mine!" he growls rushing towards his two enemies.

"STELIOS! Tread carefully in there, that carpet does not sit well with me!" Murleck calls out, seeing the dragonborn rushing headlong into the back room.

"Thanks elf" replies the tank as he flashes his falchion towards the archer.  Right before impact however, a sharp twang of pain from the arrow jolts through his sword arm, altering his ardent strike just enough for the sniper to dodge the blow. Angling for a powerful counterstrike the goblin goes to slash with his short sword.  Blade still half drawn from it's scabbard, a green flash darts past Stelios and explodes in the face of the minion... a charred ball of flesh and bone all that remains of the imp's head.  As the goblin falls lifelessly to the floor the dire rat rushes at Stelios gnashing and clawing.  Backing off a step or two into the previous room, Stelios resets his footing, regaining the strength in his sword arm.  With a quick shift to the left Stelios redoubles his attack with a vicious counter strike... blade biting deep into flesh, scoring bone.  The rat howls in agony, his gnashing mostly involuntary twitches from spasming nerves and muscle fibers.  The Tiefling seeing the creature in it's death throes, holds out it's hand and delivers one final magic missile.  When the smoke clears, the rat's body lay lifeless, fur and flesh still smoldering with smell like that of a roast gone horribly wrong. 

The band still tense with alertness scans the room for possible reinforcements.  When the realization that they have a moment's reprieve sets in, the clang of a sword skittering on stone titles fills the chamber.

"Damn that hurts!" growls Stel has he favors his arm.

"Well done men" chimes in the half-elf as he licks the remnants of his enemies blood from his blade.

"No, not bad at all" finishes Janic "Not bad at all.  I think we should halt our advance for a few hours and rest ourselves"

Nodding his head, Stelios looked over towards Janic... "I agree with the demon"

Murleck, giving his two companions a quick glance and nod, walks into the next room, his voice trailing off "Ok with me, but I wish to investigate these two rooms before we retire"

While Janic attended to magical wards of protection and Stelios found a quiet corner to meditate and offer his prayers of thanks and healing to his god Ilmater.  Murleck inspected the walls, ceilings and floor tiles as well as anything that decorated the rooms.  After a good hour of inspection which included the richly decorated red carpet with gold trimmings in the back room that gave him ill feelings... which was indeed trapped and would have give whomever stepped on the carpet a very deadly dose of toxin, Murleck returned to the main chamber.  Looking around he decided to inspect the large minotaur statue in the far corner one more time.  Looking the stone over head to toe, front to back he found nothing of interest.  Weariness setting in from his battle and his exhaustive search he placed his hand on the statue to support his weight for a moment.  When he lifted his hand he noticed tiny Davek print where blood still on his hand had smeared.  Quickly darting over to the closest fallen goblin he returned to the statue with more coagulated blood on his hand and began to smear it over the area.  Content that he'd uncovered all of the hidden text he studied it for a moment, trying to recall what he remembered of the dwarven script....

Davek script chiseled into the rear of the statue

"I have found something interesting back here, listen up... 'Seven days have passed and I am the only one who remains. I fear I will never escape to bring word of this place to my clan, to warn them of the danger. Something has driven Morgana mad, and I despair of ever learning what it was. You who find this must warn--'

"Warn who...?  There isn't any more of the message?" the Tielfing pondered to himself out loud.

"Nothing that I can find and I've searched the statue several times" Murleck replied.

"We'll worry about it in a couple hours!  Let's get some rest.  I'll take first watch" offered Stelios, rising from his mediation.

After one last check of weapons and armor and the application of salves and bandages, Janic and Murleck were soon fast asleep.  Stelios looked over at his companions while he worked a whetstone over his blade, honing it's edge when he suddenly stopped mid stroke, grinning like the cat that eat the canary.  Rising quickly and quietly, he slipped out of the room and quickly retraced his steps back to the healing pools and retrieved a goblet of water.  Then, dropping in a flaming hot coal from one of the braziers he returned and sneaked as best he could over to the half-elf biting back a snicker.  Placing the goblet next to the slumbering ranger he placed his hand into the warm water, the snickers slipping through his gritted teeth.....

Chapter Four - Stink eyes, stealth and the beardless dwarf!

"The goblin mage seemed to be interested in these braziers... perhaps they hold a secret or two" queries the half-elf, as he inspected the wrought iron flame carriers.  Finding nothing of value or interest, the frustrated Ranger kicked over the brazier closest to him "Junk! Nothing but junk!" he called angrily.  As the half-elf was expressing his frustration, the bowl of flame crashed accurately into the head and neck of his dragonborn ally burning him slightly.

"WATCH IT!" growls Stelios, giving Murleck the most odiferous of looks!

"Well there's nothing here!" Murleck retorts

"I'm not so sure about that...." the silent tiefling suddenly chimed in from near the large murky pool of water.

"What have you found mage?" the draconic paladin called over.

Waving a hand over the pool, the murk began to clear away and suddenly the pool of water materialized into the image of a room, much like the room the pool was located in.  There are men with swords in the room, a warriors lazy poise about them.  Also with the three men was a willowy wisp of a woman, her skin pale, her hair as white as egg shells.

"I think I just saw deeper into the temple... there are men working with these goblins" Janic confides to his comrades. "We must be extra cautious."

"No argument from me" the dragonborn replied, as he started for the room their crimson drake friend appeared from.  Inside, Stelios found two small basins with fresh clear water.  Upon inspection and recalling some of his religious training as a welp, the large dragon warrior decided to take a big gulp of the fresh water.  Immediately realizing he chose wisely, his body felt the restorative powers course through it.  "Guys, come here, have a drink of this" he called to his friends.  While his friends both got fresh flagons of water from the basin, Stelios filled his again and had taken it to the black warhorse still tethered in the other room.  The horse initially hesitant to take this gift eventually drops is instinctual wall of defense and drank from this flagon contently. After another quarter turn of the time dial, the team feeling restored and ready to move on, go back into the main antechamber.  Facing two doors, one on the far left, the other on the far right the three adventurers deliberated which passage to take.

Ultimately it was decided to enter through the door on the left.  Upon entering the small room the muffled growls of a person or thing could be heard... and sure enough there was a stout dwarf who was curiously beardless, in the far corner, hogtied and gagged.  Fighting furiously against his bonds, he suddenly saw the newcomers.  A look of pleading filled his eyes... Stelios made a move towards the prisoner but before he could take even a third step... a shimmering light started to surround the beardless dwarf and a black void opens up beneath the prone warrior.  The dwarf suddenly began sinking into the blackness as if it were some kind of mire or swamp.  Stelios hesitated in his tracks, taken aback by the apparent magiks at work before him.  After a moment he regains his senses and moves towards the dwarf with a sense of urgency but those few moments of indecision and surprise prove to be too much and the dwarf sinks out of sight before Stel can reach him.

"What just happened mage? Where did he go??" remarks the Dragonborn

"The where I cannot say, but to the what... it seems that was some kind of portal spell, though I've never seen it's like before.  It may have been a trap that we triggered by entering this room.  Who can say?"


Murleck, hanging back to the rear of the group finally intones... "What say we head back and try those doors over there." as he gestures towards the door that was located to the right. "I can sneak in there and see what's what." Janic and Stelios look at each other with a hint of a grin and make a waving gesture towards the door "Go right ahead" they say in unison as they head back the way they came.

Sliding the door open with complete silence, the stealthy half-elf slips into the room.  Once inside, it takes him a matter of seconds to realize he is not alone, but also still undetected.  A giant dire rat is across the room, gnawing on some old bones.  Feeling he's still got stealth on his side, the ranger moves further into the room.  Three steps in, the dire rat's head perks up... the smell of the ranger and his recent battle hit his olfactory senses, causing it to spin around and hiss at his new found prey.

"Now that is the biggest rat I've ever seen..." crosses Murleck's mind.... "GUYS... GET IN HERE!" he then calls out as the dire rat lunges for him!

"Here we go again!" the tiefling and the dragonborn mutter in unison as they rush the door on the right.....

Chapter Three - A new band of Heroes

After returning to Fallcrest and getting some much needed rest, Janic begins his search for some assistance with his mission.  After several days with nothing to show for his efforts Janic finally found two adventurers drinking at an inn on the more unsavory side of town called Tharn's Keep.  Stelios, a dragonborn paladin who had the look of someone not keen on conversation and Murleck, a half-elf garbed in what could only be the gear of a ranger, had been sitting next to each other at the bar each eying the other while working on their mugs of ale. Janic, not seeing this interaction at all, interjected, cutting whatever tension may have been there and told his tale.  Much to Janic's surprise both Murleck and Stelios, their reasons their own, save their interest in a possible reward, decided to join Janic in his quest.

After a day of preparation, which meant restocking on supplies and having a few more pints of ale, the small band set off back to the goblin lair.  Upon arriving at the lair, they find the entrance way left surprisingly unguarded so the group makes their way into the first antechamber.  The team is immediately met by two goblin cutthroats.

"INVADERS!! INVADERS!!" the rear goblin shrieked as the fore goblin made ready to attack the new unwelcome visitors.

"Well, here we go" Stelios chided, his falchion at the ready.  Quickly surveying the room, the paladin notices a large black horse tethered to the far wall.

The goblins moved quickly to attack, slipping in and around the band slashing their short swords wherever they found an opening to strike.  Stelios, finding an opportunity for counter dealt heavy damage with an ardent strike of pious energy.  Murleck loosed arrow upon arrow at his targets while Janic stayed a few steps behind unleashing plasma blast energy.  With the melee fully engaged, the rear goblin continued to cry "INVADERS!!!  INVADERS!!!" which brought a swarthy looking goblin into the room.  This goblin looked different than the skirmishers currently engaged.  He wore loose robes and carried a large oaken staff.  Seeing the battle before him, the newcomer quickly started waving his staff in intricate patterns in the air.

"Watch out, I think we have a hexer on our hands!" Janic yelled to his companions.  Just then from a door to the right leapt forth a crimson scaled drake.  The drake immediately locked onto a target, charging towards Murleck snapping it's fierce jaws but thus far missing his prey.  The battle raged for what seemed like hours, but was in fact only minutes, the goblins and their draconic ally clearly having the upper hand.  Stelios was the first to shed blood as goblin warriors continued to find openings.  Janic took wounds almost as quickly and was bleeding badly soon after while Murleck was having some very inopportune sighting issues with his bow.  The goblin Hexer unleashed a vexing spell into the scrum, affecting the party's ability to see their enemies clearly.  Things were not going well... but then Stelios begun to turned the tide with a mighty blow to one of the goblin warriors, rending his body, causing massive amounts of blood to spill.  Janic unleashed a powerful wall of searing flame behind Stel's attack, the same goblin caught in the eternal flames, it's blood boiling until it burst from his body like a swollen tomato.  Blood splatter drenched the drake, which sent in into a wild frenzy it's wild thrashing and bites missing their intended targets.  Murleck, taking advantage of the moment buried two arrows deep into the drakes skull, far more blood than a being should have within came pouring from the dead creatures head and body, painting the floor tiles crimson.  As the two creatures fell, the numbers had shifted in favor of the crew, but with two already sustaining bad wounds, the fight was far from won.

Janic lured the remaining goblin swordsman into his eternal fire causing the goblin to strike violently at the tiefling mage while sustaining heavy burns across it's body... burns that proved to much for the goblin to take as the flames engulfed and consumed him.

As the remaining swordsman was being roasted on a spit, Stelios and Murleck turned their attention on the Hexer who was now backing away.  Clearly out numbered, the hexer continued to weave arcane powers directed at the "invaders".  Several hexes struck Stel cleanly, causing his already open wounds to bleed worse.

"I got this guy" says Stel through gritted teeth.

Moving in for an ardent strike against the Hexer, Stel calls forth the divine strength of his god Ilmater, but the Hexer seeing the power surge through the dragonborn dodged at the last possible minute.

"AARRRRR! Dammit!" roared Stel, punching the stone wall next to him in furious anger.

As soon as Stel's massive fist moved from the deep impression in the stone, cracks spidering out from the center, he hears the resounding "THOK. THOK" sound as two arrows embeded themselves deep into the crater, Murleck's bow trained on the Hexer but missing it's mark by inches.  The Hexer seeing his good fortune, shifts away and doubles his arcane efforts.

"DIE INVADERS!!!!" cries the goblin mage, hands and staff weaving intricate patterns at break neck speeds.

Just then another blinding cloud engulfs the band, making it difficult to see and causing painful needle like pain throughout their bodies.

 "We need to end this!" one of them calls through the mist

Suddenly the deadly cloud is illuminated as a plasmic blast of energy streaks past Stel and Murleck and strikes the hexer in the chest!  With the aide of this illumination, Stelios swings his blade and scores a direct hit on the hexer, the mage screaming in pain!  Sudden flashes of quicksiver slice the air and just as quickly as the scream had started it suddenly stopped... a headless Goblin hexer falling to the tile, his blood spraying into the air almost looking multicolored in the mist, Murleck Oakstone's two blades dripping with blood as he stands over the body of the fallen mage.   Looking down at his kill, the half-elf licks a little of the blood off of his fouled blade.

"I think that's all of them" wheezes Janic from the other side of the room.

The 3 adventures, winded and in pain, sit where they were standing, catching their breath and tending to their wounds.  After a few minutes, the magical mist dissipates and the three can see each other clearly.   Grinning at their fortune and silently acknowledging the fact that this is going to be a little more difficult than they had planned on, they being to explore the newly vacated rooms.....