Can't Hardly Wait!
December 10, 2000
The Prelude
Thinking they had the bad guys right where they wanted them, the group set their trap and waited. Now it appears there may be another way out after all...
The Tale
Blatz heaved another stone from the pile and threw it up to the waiting Roland. Despite the cold and the altitude, both of them were sweating from their exertion. Blatz couldn't help but smile when he saw the effect the sight of his mighty thews was having on poor Puca. She and her two friends, Lufdnah and Outhfulmay were grateful to the well-muscled barbarian and his friends, though none had expressed their gratitude just yet.
Blatz had decided to be patient though, since he knew none of them had ever actually known a man before. He believed he would bed at least one of them before they reached Gypsum; after all, there were three women and none of his companions really seemed up to the task. Pazdul would likely sleep, just as he slept now and he was far too dirty for any of these girls. Roland and KARNACK both seemed like nancy boys, more likely to bed each other than a lithesome wench. Grimlock was, of course, a half-orc, even more disgusting than Pazdul.
Yes, he had it pretty easy, not that finding a wench was ever hard anyhow. He continued lifting rocks, relishing the rythym of the activity and thinking of other rhythmic activities he might enjoy. Thus it was that Roland spotted the stranger first.
He appeared an odd sort, badly beaten and battered, Blatz could tell by his walk and by the way he carried his weapon that he wasn't really a warrior but that he was no stranger to blade work. He and Roland went to speak with the man, leaving Puca to wake Pazdul. As always happens, the arrival of a compelling distraction meant doom for the one event that mattered.
As the pair, joined by Pazdul, scrambled back towards the cave to spring their trap, the first two goblins exited the cave, sitting high atop their worg mounts. Blatz leapt fro the rope, but it was too late. Err the trap could be sprung, three of the four party members were engaged in melee. The lead pair charged at Cornelius, the strange old man who had just appeared opted to join them; for his trouble two goblins charged him and one drove his lance nearly through Cornelius' ribs, at the same time circling wide to avoid combat.
Sadly for them, the goblins were no match for the party. Blatz began attacking wildly with his axe and Pazdul let loose with his latest gift, the lightning bolt. Within minutes all the goblins were dead save one and their wargs had run off, badly wounded.
The group, after making quick introductions, grilled the sole surviving goblin for information. They learned that their quarry had taken a few "fire dwarves" as prisoners and presented them as gifts for the King of the Mountain. Cornelius proved himself worthy of the company by killing the goblin once he had revealed what he knew.
Their lust for torture and death sated for the moment, the group entered the caverns and followed the long tunnel to it's only fork. After briefly debating which way to go, they headed away from their obvious destination and discovered the bodies of several dead dwarves. Angry at being tricked, they retraced their steps determined to soothe their anger with blood.
Pazdul crouched behind a rock where he had a clear view of the tower while the others scaled the nearly sheer surface, barely concerned about the salamanders guarding the wall they scaled. When one of the salamanders noticed something odd and investigated, Pazdul wasted no time and used a lightning bolt to kill the hapless guard where he stood. The others rapidly swarmed up onto the wall, spoiling for a fight.
While the others fought the salamander on the wall, Pazdul alone could see the Half-Ogre and his mishapen companion as they stepped onto the roof of the tower and began to ascend the silvery stair. Again he spoke the words and again lightning smote his enemies, though this time it did not kill them, but instead sent them ducking for cover.
Meanwhile with both guards dead, the rest of the company began clamoring up the wall after their true quarry. Grimlock arrived first and struck a single blow before the mishapen one held him fast. Pazdul responded with a glitterdust leaving the half-ogre blinded; the mishapen one dispelled that petty magic easily, but not soon enough. Blatz and Roland had gained the roof of the tower and joined the battle. Meanwhile, Cornelius fought against the very king of salamander's by himself.
Pazdul joined Cornelius, casting web's in the courtyard and trapping the lower half of the salamander; the half-ogre was killed and Roland began stripping his body while Blatz raged across the roof looking for the mishapen one. He appeared on the stairs below a moment later, brandishing a unicorn horn and screaming for the girl to stop. Cornelius struck at him as he went by but missed. Pazdul ordered him to freeze or face the wrath of the lightning but the mishapen one would have none of it and called for the salamander to summon their greatest ally.
The salamander rubbed his ring and began summoning an efreet. Blatz, unable to control himself, launched himself at the salamander but missed and stopped in the courtyard below. As the efreet took form, Cornelius and Blatz redoubled their efforts against the salamander and killed him; Cornelius took control of the ring just as the summoning was completed. Pazdul continued his attacks on the mishapen one and Roland, now finished with his looting, launched a few crossbow bolts into the melee. Seconds later it was all over.
Cornelius used his first wish to have the dragon kept at bay, his second to have knowledge of Pazdul's bucket and his third to speak with the King of the Mountain. The King turned out to be a Dwarf, an agreeable sort who routed the remaining salamanders and the dragon without a fight. He seemed grateful for the party's help in restoring him to power.
That settled, the group ascended the silver stair to the cube and entered. They quickly learned that the ruby was one of six such gems, placed by the Old Ones to keep the Outsiders out. The gem needed a guardian who would become the embodiment of it. Without so much as a second thought, Cornelius touched the gem and was sucked inside. A moment later he emerged, naked and hairless, but wearing a large ruby ring.
The guardian of the ruby's room, was actually the Sentinel, one of the Old Ones. He conferred with the group, then gave Cornelius his badge of office (making him the second god in the party) and died.