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Interlude:

After Jasper's burial, the PCs found themselves at loose ends. They were not unwilling to return to the dungeon, but without a rogue, they felt it was unsafe. Each time they thought they had found someone to join their group, either Maximus detected an unsavory aura about them, or they decided that the Dragon's Delve was too deadly to risk. A month or more went by, and both Elrohir and Valkrist became quite wrapped up in the renovations on their new property. The old building has been cleared of debris, and much of the structural repair is underway. Valkrist, Torsten her mentor, and Elrohir find that their presence was required a great deal of the time to keep the project moving and on schedule. Also each time Maximus thought of leaving town, he got an uneasy feeling. Being wise to the ways of his god, he decided to remain in town for a while. About six weeks after Jasper's death, things suddenly happened. As Maximus was eating a holiday lunch (it was the Third Day of Summerfest, the midsummer festival celebrated all over Greenvale and Tallowsland) at the Bridgeman Inn, a horrid old female humanoid appeared in the Market Square in a puff of smoke, accompanied by two large snakes. She seized and held captive a hapless merchant and made a despicable demand; the town was to bring forth to her a young, beautiful, virgin girl of 16-18 years, or she would kill the merchant, and everyone else she could slay (she threatened to summon a huge cloud of poisonous gas that could potentially have killed dozens of holidayers). Maximus immediately leaped to the town's defense, rushing her from behind, killing both of her snakes, and causing her to flee. The merchant was badly wounded, but not slain, and there was no cloud of poisonous gas. Everyone was greatly relieved, and Maximus was declared a Hero of Brindenford by the Town Council that very night. Alas! His heroic stature was not capable of protecting him; less than a month later, a trio of black-armor-clad men slipped into town during the night, descended upon Max's cottage, and burned it to the ground. As the paladin emerged, armorless and almost defenseless, they attacked and slew him. They stole all his belongings and fled into the night, never to be seen again. Since that time Rocky, Max's faithful cohort, has had a dream. He sees Maximus, hovering in the air, holding his magical greatsword "Bane of Evil". Max has spoken to him, assuring Rocky that "I am not dead; my soul and my weapon are as one. We are still preventing evil from acting; please find me and recover me. You will do great good, and be rewarded greatly, if you can do so. I am within the Dragon's Delve, though I do not know where."

2/4/2012

Our game has begun again!

Not too long after Max's death, Rocky departed for Greenvale, determined to let the Temple of St. Justin know what fate had befallen their honored knight, and to try to recruit some Paladins to return with him and recover the Sword Bane from the dungeon, as the PCs seemed to be slacking off the job. In the meantime, Elrohir finally got two clear "bites" on his job wanted ads. The first new hireling is a cleric of Mikol,  known as Wilfred. He's a very quiet, tall, softspoken man who weilds his holy symbol with vigor against undead. He hired on for a half-share of treasure, and has assured everyone that he will be a trustworthy healer and rear-guard. The second new adventurer is Typhon, a sturdy fighter-rogue, also human, who claims to be highly skilled at trap removal and fighting in equal measures. However, he's not so skilled at finding traps or opening locks! He hires on for a full share of treasure, with the assurance that his funeral expenses will be covered in the event...

The next day they set off for the dungeon. It was a quick easy trip, and then down into the dungeon. Level one was quiet, deserted and dark. On level two, some Vesh had come up to fish in the stream, but no other creatures were to be seen (aside from some Vesh) before the PCs returned to the cavern where Jasper died. A little exploration there allowed them to enter the hidden chamber, and fight the tiger. Unlike Jasper's meeting, it was a fairly quick brawl, with Val taking the worst of the tiger's attacks, but soon the creature was dead, and the treasure chest looted. No magical items were found, but a nice haul of treasure, including a pair of cuff-links, which baffled the adventurers.

At this point, examining their map, the PCs decided to go ask Cora if they could borrow her boat. After demanding some fresh fruits and veggies, the old woman allowed them to use it if they promised to bring it back in one piece. They used the boat to investigate two cave openings across the river; the first was at the slippery bridge, and there they found a large cave with several stalagmites. A tiny wormling black dragon laired there (which they only then realized was the chicken thief they'd heard about earlier, in town). It fiercely attacked, managing to breathe acid on everyone, and then viciously bite Valkrist. But Val fought back valiantly, using her dragonbane rune, and inflicting large amounts of damage on the beast.  Soon it was slain, and treasure looted. A pair of masterwork handaxes and a small pouch containing some silver and a note (which says "Took the sword with the paladin's soul and gave it to Setaraghos in the Aberrant Laboratory. Found the gold statue in the chapel and sold it to buy grog for the gnolls.")

The tunnel leading out from the dragon's lair eventually (after several hundred yards of travel) opened on a steep slope covered in heavy brambles, above the river that runs through Brindenford. Once assuring themselves that their "new front door" was accessible but not easy to find, they returned to the dungeon, and moved back upriver a bit, to the last section of unexplored caves on level three. The first cave turned out to be guarded by a ghostly spirit of a soldier of some sort, who attacked Valkrist and then Elrohir with bitter cold touch attacks. Only fire and magic seemed able to harm him, but when El blasted him with a huge fiery burst, and then Wilfred presented him with his holy symbol, the wight fled. Beyond the wight, a cluster of rooms that appeared to have once been a workroom, living area, meditation chamber and storage room, housed little of interest beyond a plain wooden staff, and a locked iron box. When pried open, the box gave voice to a message from someone calling himself Urlaster, and addressing an unknown named Durstam.

"Durstam, this is Urlaster. These keys serve some purpose within the Prison of the Red Saint. My research indicates that the names on the keys are names of servants of Lord Saral, and were likely imprisoned by the Red Saint after their conflict. You cannot gain entrance to the prison without a special key that I have prepared. If I am not available, you can find it in my home in Brindenford." Three gold keys with names engraved upon them were also enclosed within the box.

The PCs instantly knew that "my home" referred to the Lost Shepherd Inn. With great glee and frustration they immediately started to make plans to search the Inn. So they returned to Brindenford, sold their loot, and rested for a couple of days.

2/19/12

After a day or two of rest, with Valkrist not feeling up to par, Elrohir and Typhon decided to investigate the Lost Shepherd, hoping to find out if Urlaster left any traces of his presence on the aged building. They knew from their previous stays there that by midnight Judd, Marla and Taran would have gone home, and Roman would be asleep in his room over the stables. They also presumed that the back door would be open, as it often was in the past, to facilitate guest access to the privies. Sure enough, they were able to sneak in the back door, get down to the cellar, and in very short order, discover that there was a secret door in the cellar wall. Typhon deftly opened the door, which was not locked, and revealed a small stone-walled room beyond it. Within it was a stone table, covered in laboratory equipment and a thick layer of dust, untouched in centuries. Elrohir's use of detect magic revealed three items; a potion, a jar, and a small rod. The rod appeared to be what they were looking for; they took the potion, ointment, and a pouch of pearls that Typhon noticed buried in the dust at the last minute. 

While leaving the Lost Shepherd Inn, Typhon and Elrohir heard someone in the kitchen upstairs. El casts invisibility and they proceed to try to sneak out. They get all the way to the back door, when El realizes he's hearing Taran, the serving maid, crying by the fire. Reluctantly, he decides he has to know what's going on. He slips out the open door, drops his invisibility, and pretends to have been passing by and noticed the open back door. Taran is quickly induced to tell him her problem; she's pregnant by Roman, the much older caretaker; her father will be dreadfully upset, and there's no way they can afford to marry and start a family. So Elrohir sighs and offers them a job; Roman can run the stables and Taran be the housemaid at their new manor house. After some back and forth, with Roman brought into the discussion, they are happy to agree.They have two weeks to get themselves married, to give notice at the Shepherd, and to show up at the Manor.

The next day, back at the manor, Elrohir is told by his head workman, Gareth, that one of the workmen is missing. Gareth fired the man the day before, and now he's gone, and so are a lot of stoneworking tools. They assume he stole them to sell for drinking money. So Elrohir and Typhon go into town and spend a day questioning various shopkeepers about the theft, the worker, and the tools. Typhon manages to be friendly to Fascher, but totally offends the hobbyt Badger, who runs the town junk shop. And they find out nothing about the tools. Elrohir reports the thefts to Sherrif Erro and is told another curious piece of news; activity and strange lights have been spotted around Terregaunt's Tower, out in the woods a few miles beyond the manor, to the west of Dragon's Delve. The tower was, 500 years or so ago, the home of Lord Saral's one-time henchman, the warrior Terregaunt. Terregaunt however, was defeated by the Red Saint after Lord Saral was also destroyed by him. No one knows exactly what happened to Terregaunt after he was defeated, but there have always been rumors that he was imprisoned, rather than slain.

Elrohir and Typhon hire a ranger from the temple of Safreth to assist them in tracking anything that might be visiting the tower, and pay it a visit. At first, as they approach the very tall, nearly intact, and rather disturbing tower, they see nothing. However, as Typhon climbs the steps to examine the front door, Clarion the ranger spots a woman coming out of the forest towards the tower. The woman demands to know who is intruding on her home; she wears chainmail, a shield, and carrries a battle-axe. She looks quite competent and capable of laying down the law with her axe. Typhon quickly claims (almost accurately) that they are investigators for the Sherrif of Brindenford (his deputies, in fact), investigating the strange noises and lights coming from the tower recently. The woman rebuts that the tower is now HERS! She's laid claim to it, and her name is Jarrla. Elrohir and Typhon question her for a bit, but she refuses to give them much information, insisting that "nothing nefarious" is going on, that she knows nothing about any missing stonemason, etc...

Without better legal understanding, Elrohir and Typhon are not sure she can't lay claim to the tower, and thus feel they have no real grounds to attack or to force their way in, so they politely wish her a good day, and retreat home. They don't like her, but have no reason to think she's lying, so Jarrla is allowed to retain her tower...for now. All is reported to the Sherriff, however, in case of future need.

3/4

A couple of days after meeting Jarrla, Elrohir, Typhon and Valkrist, with Wilhelm, decide to go "spy on" Jarrla at the tower - they're suspicious of her, and have cleared with Erro the legal situation; since Terregaunt's Tower lies outside the bounds of the village of Brindenford's claimed territory, no law holds there; if Jarrla's claim to the tower's ownership is disputed, only might will serve to prove the contest.

As they travel through the woods, the PCs are ambushed by an ettercap; both Typhon and Val are webbed by it, but both manage to escape with ease; it falls to the party's blades in moments.  A thorough search finds its lair in a nearby tree; within they discover a potion that Elrohir eventually recognizes as a potion of displacement. Later, as they draw nearer the tower, in a thick, dense, dark forest, they are attacked by a Shadow. By the end of the battle every member of the party has been somewhat drained of strength, and is badly shaken, but between Elrohir's fireburst, the Ghost Touch dagger that Typhon weilds, and a lucky strike from Silence, wielded by Val, they manage to slay the foul creature. Discreetly, they retreat to their manor to rest and recover their strength.

Another day later, they resume their spying mission.  This time they are able to reach the tower unhindered; as they draw near the clearing that surrounds the stony ridge-topping tower, they see a peculiar sight. The tower door bursts open, and fleeing down the steps come Burr-buggle, Brother Fortress supporting Meinhard, and Renitass, looking chagrined. Behind them, Jarrla stands, shouting at them to "begone and not come back!"

Elrohir, his distaste for all of them winning out over any lingering sense of fair play, runs forward into the clearing and  throws one of the missiles from his necklace of fireballs; he hits Jarrla squarely, catching everyone in the 20' burst. Burr-buggle drops to the stairs, unconscious or dead, Meinhard and Fortress both look seriously burned, and Reni throws himself off the stairs to avoid the blast, then goes invisible. Jarrla laughs and continues to shout curses at everyone! Typhon runs forward, Val shoots at Jaarla, and Wilhelm runs towards the injured...

A running battle ensues, with Jarrla advancing to go toe-to-toe with Typhon. Then Meinhard, after healing himself,  flees. Brother Fortress attacks Jarrla from the rear. Above his head a red-winged imp appears, and tries to poison-sting him. Elrohir uses another flame spell, and Typhon sneak-attacks Jarrla, finally taking her down. Wilhelm, in the meantime, has cured Burr-buggle and saved him. An argument about who has the right to assault the tower ensues, but Burr-buggle's companions are just injured enough that they are forced to retreat, while Fortress mutters about "another day..."

As the PCs contemplate entering the tower, Val hears Reni's voice in her ear, offering to sell her a description of the first room of the tower for 50 silvers. She roundly dismisses his offer, warning him that he's not in much position to bargain! He soon departs. The PCs loot Jarrla's body, gaining a nice set of magical chainmail, shield, battle axe, at least one potion, and a healthy sum of money.

Entering the tower, the PCs find a room blanketed by an ectoplasmic curtain on the rear wall, and many smashed skeleton bones. They make the assumption that Burr-buggle's group slew them. A door is hidden by the curtain; Typhon's ghost touch dagger is able to cut through the ectoplasm and bare it; it is not locked nor trapped and they pass quickly through. The statues of Saral and Nibul in the next room are searched thoroughly, but nothing is found. They decide to investigate the upper levels of the tower next, and  climb to the second level. There, Barzonyn's trap briefly terrifies Val, but since it only attacks once, they ignore it. There they search, find the black curtains and drive off the shadows. They find some minor treasure hidden in a sack under the cauldron in a storage room.

Ascending to the third level, they are immediately assaulted by Barzonyn's pet wights. She joins the battle a moment later; this was a tough fight. Typhon was level-drained, and it looked bad for him for a minute. But Elrohir was able to badly damage Bar with his fiery ray, and then fireburst. Val joined her in melee combat, and she tried to shatter Silence, but failed. Alas, first she and then the wights fell to the party's relentless blades. At this point, the PCs began to feel the next level of they Abyssal effect overtake the tower.

3/18

Typhon was overcome with fear of the abyssal effect; he dropped his ghost touch dagger and fled the tower in panic. Val, Elrohir and Wilhelm resisted the effect, and were able to remain. They searched Barzonyn and recovered her armor and weapons, as well as her spellbook. They dispatched a zombie she had created in her laboratory, and Wilhelm said a prayer over the sad corpse. At this point they decided it was best to finish the upper levels as quickly as possible, and try to get out of the tower before anything more horrible happened. But as they climbed the ladder into Jarla's bedchamber, they were set upon almost immediately by a trio of foul dretches. It took them considerable effort to despatch the demons, but they managed, even after Elrohir's beloved flamebolt failed him. They looted Jarla's bedchamber, while Wilhelm bravely climbed the final ladder to close the trapdoor. He was amazed and terrified to discover where the dretches had come from; a rift in the air above the tower seemed to connect directly to some hellish place beyond. Wilhelm quickly realized it was some sort of gate that only several powerful clerics would be able to heal. (Here, I made a slight modification in the rate at which evil dretches could come through the gatee, and decided it was hours rather than minutes.) Wilhelm raced back to town and was able to recruit Mother Iris Gellow of Elanora, Brother Herrud of Kehret, and Brother Werrimer of Safreth, as well as Sheriff Erro. These three ranking priests, with Wilhelm's able assistance, are able to heal the rift, and restore calm to the tower. Mother Iris offers to establish her own watch on the tower, but when Elrohir and Val both indicate that they are willing to dwell here, she agrees that they are sufficiently powerful to keep an eye on any trouble that might arise.

After the priests leave, the adventurers decide to finish exploring the lowest levels of the tower, while waiting for their workmen from the Manor to arrive here (the Sheriff carries word for them). In the lower level, they find the bronze box Azzaserah left behind for one of his followers, with a scroll inside which reminds him that he left a key to Terregaunt's prison here, in case they need to question him in future. In the secret cellar, they found Saint Uomo's tomb, and within it both a sceptre and a ring. The ring enabled them to unlock Azzaserah's bronze box. Unwilling to desecrate the tomb, they left the sceptre behind.

After deciding that they liked the idea of living in the tower better than at their manor house, Val and El spent a long time deciding how they wanted to renovate the place, having many interior walls added to divide up the previously huge rooms into more useable space, and creating kitchen space, servants' rooms, and enough bedchambers to house their whole group, including Val's mentor Thorvald, Wilhelm, and a couple other folk.This took them about two weeks. During this time, Val also discovered that another scattered survivor of her mission from Vanhark had made it to Brindenford. Gunter is a tall, skinny young man, a bit reckless and roguish, sent on the mission in hopes it would mature and steady him; instead, he seems to have decided that if life is always a risk, he's going to meet it head on.

(Typhon's player dropped out after only a few weeks of play, and now my two remaining players are each running two PCs; Val and Gunter (L3 human rogue) are played by Tara, and Jeff is running Elrohir and Wilhelm, who was an NPC until now).

After getting their tower liveable, and putting word out that they want tenants for the almost-remodeled manor house, they decided to get back into adventuring. Using Urlaster's Key, they returned to the 2nd level of the dungeon, and were able to overcome the barrier Azzaserah had set on the stairs leading to the 4th dungeon level. Little do they realize what they're getting into! they were quite nervous to find themselves in a strange bare stone room, with an odd silver rune-circle on the floor, and that the stairs had vanished behind them...

Exploring a bit, they were able to recognize much of the nature of the silver rune-circle upon the floor, though they were very careful not to touch it or the odd orange glass circle above it. They peered through the arrow slits carefully, and listened at the door. Gunter heard fire crackling beyond, but nothing else, and they opened the door cautiously. Seeing the large, uninhabited room with the burning firepit, Gunter scouted the two side-passages, and then drew too near the firepit. He was badly burned by a fireball, but managed not to fail his saving throw. He backed off rapidly, and the party paused for a consultation before making any decision on what to do next.

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