Chp. 1: The Adventure Begins.....

[Grognardsw]

Niles leans down over the unconscious girl. She is raven haired, past youth but still beautiful, clad in tattered tunic and torn breaches. Bruises and scabbed cuts cover her body. She stirs as Niles picks her up. Her eyes widen in fright and her body stiffens, then relaxes as she realizes she is not in danger.

"I was kidnapped on the road by evil highwaymen, and sold to goblins," she says. "They violated me and left when noises drew them elsewhere. Please help me - they may return! My name is Selandra."

The party realizes the goblins she is referring to may have been the same you killed earlier.

[Zhym]

Boddin looks a little crestfallen. "Not even a little bit of a puzzle? It seems quite a bit of trouble to go to. There's the checkerboard floor, the carvings on the wall full of portents, all of that, with yon fair maiden in the center—greetings to you, fair maiden—and not so much as a simple riddle? It's disappointing, it is."

Boddin will take a closer look at the carvings on the walls.

[Fearghus]

Fingal, Thief

"I can't say I trust no one that's just ly'n around untied and claims to be taken by goblins. Everyone else was bound", the thief thinks aloud. "Help her, but watch her".

He then turns his attention to the checker-board pattern and faces on the walls. He begins to look for anything telling, traps, signs, hidden messages, and just a general purpose to this room. As he pokes around he says, "If this room ends up being safe we can take a break so those that is hurt can rest".

[Grognardsw]

Boddin takes a closer look at the wall carvings. The first face he sees engraved in the wall is an impish face sticking its tongue out at the halfling.

Fingal joins the investigation of the room, as does Foracor. They search for secret doors, compartments, traps; unusual features, levers, switches, buttons; arcane runes; mysterious riddles; sly jokes; and other possible portents. None are found.

Alas, sometimes room decorations are just that.

[MrHemlocks]

***Albertus, Cleric, Ruins***

"Come on guys. Let's leave these ruins for the rats. We cleared them out and rescued a young woman. I suggest we head back to the Keep. There we will heal up, divide our riches, tell long tales in the pub and pray to the gods for watching over us."

Not fully trusting the young woman, Albertus keeps a careful eye on her...

[NJWilliam]

Brother Bayard

Seeing that there seems to be no immediate threat from the room with the damsel, Bayard casts Cure Light Wounds on Albertus.

[Grognardsw]

Brother Bayard lays his hands over the wounds of fellow cleric Albertus. He intones a prayer and feels divine energy course from his inner being through his hands.

Albertus feels warmth around his wounds. Though he has seen it many times, Albertus is still awed at the sight of godly healing. His wounds close, new skin forms, and he is quickly restored to full health.

Selandra is welcomed into the group. She hugs you all in gratitude.

The tower has been explored. It is about 4:00 pm by your estimates. Options are considered: Albertus suggests a return to the Keep. All things considered, the party is in good health. Foracor pulls out his map, mentioning the smoke he saw east in the direction of the skull on the map. The group reviews the rumors heard prior.

Rumors:
Caves
- A powerful Wizard lives in the Caves of Chaos and destroys all intruders.
- The evil cult in caves is said to have undead guardians.
- There are Orcs, Goblins and the like in great numbers in the caves.
- A beautiful maiden is lost in the caves, but she suffers from a terrible curse.
- There is also said to be a maze near the caves where you lose all sense of direction once inside. A huge flesh-eating beastman dwells there. The maze is rumored to hold a great treasure.
- 100gp reward for each person rescued

Woods
- There are giant spiders in the woods, almost as big as a horse.
- There is a mad hermit who lives in the woods.
- There are tribes of big dog-men & little dog-men.
- An Elf disappeared traveling south by the marshes.

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[MrHemlocks]

***Albertus, Cleric, Ruins***

"Thank you Brother Bayard for your services, may your god be praised. Now what does the party want to do? I voiced my opinion already." Looking at the beaten young woman, "do you wish to head back to the Keep with us as you guide or are you willing to venture forth, alone, to whence you have come?"

[mordrene]

Niles, fighter


"I agree with Albertus. Lets get back to the keep and we can resupply and get her to safety."

[Grognardsw]

"Please let me travel with you to the Keep," answers Selandra to Albertus' question. "For I would surely perish, lost and bereft of my companions who were killed by the highwaymen."

"It is agreed then, let us to the Keep," says Foracor the elf. The party checks their equipment and is soon on their way.

***

The adventurers leave the tower, richer in experience and treasure. Three prisoners were freed - perhaps there will be reward to match noble deed. The party walks in double-file marching order through dank and foreboding woods. The sun will soon set.



After walking 20 minutes, the group hears an odd buzzing sound - much like a fly, but magnified a hundred fold. It comes from all around.

Seemingly out of nowhere three gigantic upright flies appear, one in front, behind, and above. They are sickeningly wicked looking and 4' tall.

Assassan Bug (Fiend Folio)

Actions!

[Zhym]

Boddin fires an arrow at once of the flies.

[NJWilliam]

Brother Bayard

Bayard slings a bullet at the nearest of the flies.

[MrHemlocks]

***Albertus, Cleric, On Road To Keep***

"Watch out woman!" Moving himself and the woman off the road and beside a large tree, Albertus stands his ground. "These bugs, if they want a fight so be it! They will not fly, nor have an advantage, on us when fighting amongst these many tree limbs and shrubbery."

ooc...Both are moving to the large tree to the left of the road. It will provide cover and the many limbs will lessen the creatures flying ability because they will need to maneuver carefully around them in order attack.

[mordrene]

Niles, fighter, on the road back

Niles will attack the nearest one

(OOC so there are some sort of flymen, did they appear aggressive? Niles hears everyone attacking so he is following along)

[Grognardsw]

The bugs take the group by surprise. The front fly bites at Niles, piercing the fighter's forearm for 3 HP damage. The middle fly drops down on Fingal. The thief almost dodges but is bitten in the leg for 1 HP damage. The bug in the rear swoops into Luna, battering the elf for 2 HP damage.

Niles feels his muscles contract, but shakes off the stiffening. Fingal however succumbs to paralysis and collapses to the ground.

Niles draws his sword and lunges at the insectoid monstrosity that injured him. His steel bites into the fly's shoulder for 5 HP damage. The creature staggers back heavily injured. Foracor the Fleet considers a spell, but expended his magical energies in the previous goblin battle. So the elf swings his bastard sword at the fly that attacked Niles. His blade strikes true, hacking the middle section of the creature for another 4 HP and almost cutting the bug in two. It falls to the ground dead.

Luna recovers, alarmed at these flies deadly attacks. With a quick intonation and arcane sign with three fingers, the elf shoots a missile of magical energy at the fly that attacked him. It unerringly strikes the monster for 4 HP damage.

Boddin the hobbit nocks his bow, aiming cautiously into the hand-to-hand melee. He fires at the bug attacking Luna, as he is more separated, and while he misses the bug he also does not hit Luna.

Brother Bayard slings a stone at the fly standing over the prone Fingal. His bullet hits the bug in the shoulder for 3 HP damage. It buzzes loudly at the cleric, its multifaceted eyes meeting his.

"Watch out woman!" yells Albertus, moving himself and Selandra off the road and beside a large tree. Albertus stands his ground. Selandra screams and runs off into the woods, apparently hysterical.

The bug standing over Fingal launches itself at Brother Bayard, its wings propelling the creature at alarming speed. Its mandibles cut into the cleric's shoulder for 3 HP damage. Bayard feels paralysis set in and slumps to the ground.

Luna's bug buzzes over purposefully to the prone Fingal. A protuberance extends from the fly's lower underside and inserts into Fingal's bite wound for 1 HP damage.

Suddenly you all hear Selandra scream from in the woods to the right. "Ahhh! A bug! Help me!"

Actions?

- Fearghus/Fingal is out until the 19th. I'll NPC him until he posts.
- Haven't heard from jdluna, so default attack for Luna.
- Sequence that happened:
1. Assassin bug surprise and attack
2. Round one initiative, party won, party actions
3. Bug actions

[Zhym]

Boddin shakes his bow vigorously a moment and looks at it. "Is this my bow?" he asks no one in particular. "I'm usually better with a bow than with a sword, but I haven't hit anything with this thing since I was rescued!"

Boddin will draw his sword and try to protect anyone who has fallen from bug attacks.

[MrHemlocks]

***Albertus, Cleric, Road to Keep***

Hearing Selandra cry for help, Albertus attacks the bug that is near her.

[Zhym]

Also:

Luna's bug buzzes over purposefully to the prone Fingal. A protuberance extends from the fly's lower underside and inserts into Fingal's bite wound for 1 HP damage.

Oof. What's the going price for heals back at the keep?

[Grognardsw]

Hysterical Selandra screams from within the deeper woods she ran into. "Ahhh! A bug! Help me!"

Brave Albertus runs after Selandra, disappearing into the woods following her voice.

The assassin bug looming over paralyzed Fingal withdraws its rear proboscis from the thief's wound. Slowly it buzzes back, a few feet off the ground, then lands woozily. It stands still, then slides to the ground. Boddin the hobbit runs over and hacks at its prone body. Niles joins in with a thrust to the head. The bug is dead.

The remaining fly hovers over the paralyzed body of Brother Bayard. Luna and Foracor rush in, each elf flashing steel. Luna connects, his blade slashing deep into its lower body for 5 HP damage. Foracor misses. The assassin bug buzzes angrily, heavily wounded, and bites at Luna but is off the mark.

Actions?

- Sequence: party won initiative, party actions, bug actions. One wounded assassin bug remains.
- Paralyzed: Brother Bayard, Fingal
- HP has been updated in the HP thread
- FYI, With his bow and arrow, Boddin did graze a stirge back in the ruined tower (a graze being 1 HP in that case.)
- Boddin is not sure how much a heal spell or potion is at the Keep, but he can inquire when he reaches it.

[Grognardsw]

Foracor the Fleet advances on the final bug, swinging his great blade in an arc of death.

Need combat actions from Boddin, Niles and Luna against the remaining bug.

Meanwhile... Albertus the cleric rushes after Selandra through the woods. He quickly loses sight of the party. He struggles through 50' of dense woods then comes upon an area of low growth vegetation. He is horrified to see an assassin bug flying off with a prone Selandra. The cleric is frustrated he has no distance weapon. The bug's flight angles and Albertus loses sight due to the trees.