Them Bones: Part Two
September 17, 2000
The Tale
The group rested, healed, and plotted their attack on the boat. The logical thing, they felt, was to try to capture the hell hound somehow. An investigation revealed that the sailors had a good deal of rope, some netting and a few stout iron bars. The makings of a trap were at hand.
While others considered the trap, Roland chafed at the thought. He had his heart set on scaling the cliff face, some 800 feet to launch an attack. He and Blatz argued bitterly and Roland eventually conceded rather than continue to argue with the clearly unswayable Blatz. The trap was assembled and their plans were laid.
Unfortunately for them, someone else had been watching them as well. A squat figure appeared on the ledge high above and made an obscene gesture, then called the dog into its lair. Blatz and Roland, in light of this new evidence, renewed their argument about climbing the steep and forebidding walls while trailing nearly a quarter mile of rope down the mountainside. Eventually, they again opted for the trap.
Fergus, Pazdul, and Durgrat took up positions beside the opening while Blatz balanced precariously overhead, hoping to use his own weight to spring the trap. Roland entered the caves gingerly, fully aware that he was being used as bait. He hadn't gone much farther than earshot when he was attacked from behind by the animated corpse of the goblin leader. Luckily Roland fought well and was able to beat down the goblin, but at a horrible cost to himself.
As he debated whether to press ahead, despite his wounds, or to retreat, the decision was made for him. A large ogre emberged on the stairs above and issued him a challenge. Recognizing that he was overmatched, Roland made a break for it with the ogre in pursuit.
He escaped the tunnel, but the wary ogre sent (threw actually) one of his goblins ahead to investigate. Eventually determining it was safe, the ogre came out, only to be struck in the chest by a well-aimed bolt from Durgrat's crossbow. He retreated, challenging the dwarf to combat. Blatz, tired of waiting for action, hefted his axe and chased the ogre.
The ogre kept ahead of the group easily despite his wounds. When they entered the room with the stairs, the ogre had prepared a warm welcome for them - two goblins with alchemist's fire hid behind a partition above and the stairs were coated with oil. Blatz threw a lit torch onto the stairs and Pazdul used his arcane talents to guide a flask of alchemical fire right over the concealed goblins, killing them.
The group kept up their pursuit, eventually climbing a long narrow staircase (which the goblins had used as a chimney) to emerge near the dragon's lair high above. The room they entered was large, with four different burial vaults for Old Ones. Durgrat detected evil in one corner and Blatz charged; Durgrat followed suit as did Roland. Fergus and Pazdul, put off by the stench of bat guano and sulfur, opted to wait near the door to use their magics.
Pazdul spotted the giant perched above them on one of the masoleums and cried a warning just in time to save Blatz and Roland from being fried with oil; a second later the dog latched onto Blatz' arm. As Blatz struggled to free himself, Pazdul launched spell after spell ineffectively at the ogre. Roland joined the battle against the hell hound and Fergus and Durgrat fired at the ogre any time it was foolish enogh to show its face.
Realizing the ogre was using goblins as a shield from his sleep spell, Pazdul attempted to burn them with oil and was partly successful, killing about half of the eight goblins he had with him. Durgrat and Fergus continued to shoot at him when possible and Blatz and Roland killed the dog, then went after the ogre, scaling one of the masoleums to reach him.
He swung his axe, hoping to cut them down before they could gain the roof of the masoleum, but Roland was too nimble and the battle was joined. Moments later, the ogre was left momentarily off-balance and Roland seized the opportunity to kick him in the butt and off the masoleum. Blatz followed, leaping on the ogre's back as he pressed his attack. The Ogre, badly hurt in the fall, surrendered. After asking a few questions, Blatz put him to death.
Continuing up the ledge, the group found the dragon's bones, but they had been reanimated by an evil priest named Gradameron. The priest himself was a mishapen looking figure, only four feet tall and with a metal claw in place of one hand. He waited behind the dragon, his claw firmly wrapped around the neck of a chained girl. A brief dialogue followed, but it soon became clear that Gradameron had no intention to negotiate.
Pazdul used a charm which might have left him dazed, but failed. Fergus, Durgrat, and Roland attacked the dragon and Blatz, by virtue of superior speed, rapidly closed ground on the startled priest. Rather than fight, the priest plunged a horn in the girl's chest killing her. A reptilian hand reached out of the mist which suddenly appeared and yanked Gradameron through, leaving the party to face a very angry undead dragon.
The fight went surprisingly well and the dragon was laid to rest with only Fergus being badly hurt. Much treasure was gained, including a scroll which Fergus used to raise the dead girl.
Her name, she claimed, was Miranda and she had the accent and manner of an old-worlder. She claimed to have been brought to the New World to become a bride by a man named York. She's an indentured servant who was to go to the Rosehouse to work as a servant until she could get someone to pay off her debt, usually this is a man interested in marriage, although it was her understanding that she was not required to accept anyone's proposal. The Rose House is owned by a Narrovian woman name Suclair Andrayande. He had taken her to the Rose House and the next thing she remembered was being sold by Orcs of the Bloody Hand. She had been killed and raised at least twice previously.
The group returned to Port Royal to spend their newfound wealth and, perhaps, to investigate the Rose House.
Experience
Character Base Bonuses Total Roland 1,000? +400? 2,546 Pazdul 1,000? +100? 2,246 Blatz 1,000? +100? 2,246 Durgrat 1,000? 0? 2,146 Third Level requires 3,000 experience points.
Booty:
Already Divided