then on 10/16:

found on evil cleric’s body:
symbol of dire fate -> cross
medic’s mace +1 -> gribbin
chainmail
big, flat, black, shiny, pearl ring

tucked in his pouch:
rod of feywild -> gribbin

creepy star in the middle of the floor and inscription on the wall just south of it
partly in common

found 10 gold

tim says he’ll perform “comprehend language” ritual

it’s a cute poem about fallen comrades, with random scribbles under it (wtf?)
tim senses magic about the poem, and decides to speak the poem allowed
at the last word, half a zombie rises from the ground and tries pitifully to attack
cross kicks it in the face, and it dies

there doesn’t appear to be much else going on, so we leave the basement
we don’t find anything interesting in the rest of the church either

in the cleric’s room, we smell something which cross recognizes as balsam, a corpse preservative

mat finds a false bottom in a chest, which contains:
18 black opal (worth 30 gold each)
there is a locked chest, which mat picks. it contains:
130 gold, 160 silver, 1 potion of healing, 1 suit of exalted chainmail +1 (->cross)

to each:
26 gold, 32 silver

we go to the ferry tale inn and find the mayor, who asks about the cleric for his sick son
gribbin explains about the evil cleric and the mayor is saddened but doesn’t seem too surprised
he ponders a bit and then asks cross to be the town’s cleric
gribbin says he has other obligations but he will see if anyone in tenant can come to the town
the mayor asks us to stay and help a bit before leaving town, and we agree

we get free night at the inn, hear rumors about haunted silver mine (where the crazy slave guys are afraid of)
next morning we decide to investigate the mine, the mayor

gribbin tries to determine what he can about the illness the crazy people have
the guy that used to own the silver mine was durbidin twinbeard (dwarf) head of dwarf family, well-liked
new guy shows up (human)–name’s azoviet neimlus and he has papers showing he owns the mine
nobody’s seen durbidin recently so they’re not sure what he says about it
mayor doesn’t want to close the mine as it’s the lifeblood as the town

we go to the mine (nordstrom’s silver mine), it looks very inviting, with lots of KEEP OUT signs, etc.

cross digs a shallow grave for the monsters and says a blessing over it to prevent the area from becoming a fell place or something like that

harpy has a satchel with something shifty inside

we open it carefully

the bag has blackness inside

kava pulls out a greataxe! it appears that the axe couldn’t possibly have fit in the bag. frost greataxe +2

magic orb +2 is found! gal grabs it

bracers of defense get! ->cross

leather armor get! black dyed, sneaky and halfling-sized -> mat

gal recognizes the arm as “deathcut armor +1″ p228

gap recognizes the bag as a bag of holding -> 200lbs or 20cf in volume, but always weighs one pound

we wander away looking for a camp and camp all night

bracelet bitch is now giving gal -1 to INT instead of +2 because she’s bitchy >:-o

resultantly gal becomes a bit moody and frustrated himself

we stop in salidia to go shopping

cross overhears some farmers talking about slaves rescued from the forest

he goes to ask about them, and they apparently were from the town of rancor’s crossing, and when found they were all raving mad

cross lobbies to go to randor’s crossing, says we won’t lose too much time going to randor’s crossing and then continuing to venant via river

gal remembers a bit of the area’s history from his aunt:

once upon a time, the evil demon zendrach enslaved the people of the domain; demanded sacrifices & other depraved demonic acts

a group of adventurers came together and challenged him and fought him

2 adventurers died but zendrach was killed and fell through his portal to the hell dimension

it was sir landolin the brave whom dealt zendrach the killing blow, and his sword went through the portal (inside the demon)

people built pillars to protect from traversing the portal (they glow or something when you near)

the sword was bound to him and when he died he found that he couldn’t pass on, so his soul protects the portal to demonland

cross finds a guy (peloric cleric) from venant to send a message to venant, in return he wants cross to see what is teh up with randor’s crossing, which suits cross just fine

gal asks the peloric guy about serving pelor (or appearing to do so) and gets a way-too-idealistic answer that doesn’t really help him pacify the bracelet bitch

arrive in randor’s crossing on the south road

there is a peloric temple, run by lathgor

there is also the “ferry tail inn” near the river

mat and kava go to the inn

cross and gal go to the temple

inngoers overhear that the former temple cleric died 6 months ago

the new priest father meris is not very good at healing or helping the town, people are suffering from the lack of a talented healer

also there are rumors of people coming back from the dead, but in a creepy undead way

templegoers see the cleric, short middle-aged guy (5’5″), unruly, black, wispy hair and stubble, overweight, danny devitoesque… he is preparing for his evening services

cross sits down discreetly in the back, gal reluctantly joins him

ceremony is for avandra, even though the guy is a cleric of pelor–temple is a combo deal kinda thing

cross waits until the end of the ceremony, then approaches the cleric to chat him up

cleric says he’s kinda busy with religious duties, cross is suspicious, cleric explains he has 4 funerals and a wedding tomorrow

cross pushes his help on the cleric, who looks a bit dubious… cross insists and the cleric says he can talk to the families but the ceremonies are his responsibility and he must go, cross can talk to him tomorrow

cross and gal go to the inn and fill in the others and vice versa

cross takes an interest in the undead rumor drunkard

cross goes to talk to the families of the dead and subtly asks about the cleric

many stories of people dying of things the previous cleric would have been able to help–infection, e.g.

the old cleric wasn’t particularly old or in bad health, he just was found dead one morning in the temple 6 months back

cross gets mat to spy on the cleric for him

we get two rooms for 5s each

cross drags us to church in the morning

the cleric questions why we are still around, cross says we are takin a load off

gal asks the cleric about pleasing pelor, he gives another idealistic answer about bringing light good deeds blah blah blah

gal mutters “why couldn’t i get the bracelet of a god that just wants some dead calves or something”

kava notices he smells like dirt and rot

we all exchange glances

the cleric invites us to dinner, we agree and he takes us to the cellar

the cellar smells a bit like the cleric… and looks like a catacomb

there are lots of cobwebs and dust but also looks like it’s been well-trod

gal looks around and says “you know guys, not to jump to many conclusions, but this looks like a trap”

the cleric says “now that you’re down here, i can get rid of you! bwahahahah”

the coffins start to rattle

ROLL FOR INITIATIVE!

* Cross has decided to become Lawful Good
* encounter! surprise!
* * Walking along the road, we encounter four Evistros
* * * carnage demons
* * * summoned by demon-worshipping cultists
* * * hard to control
* * * often set loose on enemies
* * no idea what the winged lady is
* * a typical-looking tiefling
* * * flowing robes, staff
* most of us are surprised
* tiefling: “are you the ones!?”
* cross: “who are these ones of which we may be!?”
* he mentions bracelet and ring, says they overheard us
* we insee and feel threatened
* battle!!
* * he engulfs cross in hellish flames
* * * cross resists
* * harpy starts to sing at us, we are charmed and cannot help coming toward her
* * * gelantim resists charm because of eladrin racial bonus
* * gelantim creates icy terrain below enemies
* * * hits 3 demons and harpy, misses tiefling
* * * 11 damages and difficult terrain
* * gelantim also casts sleep on them
* * * all slowed
* * demons stand up and start saving against sleep
* * * 3 save
* * * 1 critically fails and “nods the heck off”
* * Khava, immobilized and a ways away, lets loose on all but the tiefling with lightning-flavored breath
* * * hit 3 demon mans
* * Khava starts singing the song that never ends, thus breaking free of the harpy’s song
* * Cross “you will not survive this” to tiefling
* * Cross uses divine mettle to try to break free of the song, critically fails
* * Radiant delirium on tiefling misses even with a 23 against reflex! half damage: 9, dazed
* * Cross tries to save against song again, critical fail again!!
* * tiefling says we are ineffective warriors and not worth his time
* * * walks toward forest, but being slowed and on ice makes him only move 5 feet
* * * calls out to steed
* * * mounts up onto a phantom steed, horselike creature that is large
* * * trots away quickly through the forest, unimpeded by the
* * * “my harpy and minions will take care of you”
* * harpy stands and continues singing
* * * pulls Cross closer, into the icy terrain
* * * claws Cross
* * * takes off and flies back 2 squares, away from the ice
* * * saves against slowness
* * Gal rolls a 2 to hit harpy, 26 to hit sleeping demon with icy rays
* * * in addition to being unconscious and slow, now immobilized
* * * and 13 damages
* * Lotus came to D&D!!
* * * drools for 3 damages
* * Gal moves in
* * demon claws cross for 6 claws
* * demon claws cross for 13 claws
* * demon destructively bites Cross, clangs against falchion as i skillfully block
* * demon wakes up and is unslowed, but still immobilized
* * Khava moves, provoking a miss of opportunity
* * * hits demon with shatterbone strike for 13 damages, causing -3 AC penalty
* * Mat flanks a surrounded demon, hitting it for 28 with torturous strike, bloodying it
* * Cross is beset on three sides by demons
* * * lay on hands: self
* * * issue divine challenge on the bloodied demon
* * * piercing smite, doing 13 damages to the demon and challenging the other two around him
* * harpy flies over us, belts out foulest stream of profanity we’ve ever heard
* * * hitting our fortitude for 24, 20, 14, 29
* * * 7 thunder damage and dazed from the force of the shriek
* * Gelantim. “That is just inappropriate young miss.”
* * * summon a ray of frost at harpy because she offended him so; misses
* * * saves against dazedness
* * Demon rakes claws at Cross for 9 claws
* * Demon rakes claws at Cross for CLANG
* * Demon rakes claws at Cross for 12 damages
* * Cross is very bloodied and near unconsciousness
* * Demon circles around toward Gal, swipes at Khava along the way, CLANG
* * Khava enters purple disco fury, then totally misses the demon
* * Mat takes demon’s claws off, oozing acidic blood all over
* * Cross, dazed, lays on hands: self, then action point, bolstering strike demon, 12 damages, not enough to kill, then saves against dazedness
* * Harpy flaps over by Gelantim, swings her filthy claws at her, raking a bloody furrow down her shoulder
* * Gal summons a ray of frost, hitting harpy, and then immobilizes all enemies
* * Demons are immobilized by frost
* * Demon claws at Khava for 9 claws
* * Demon claws at Khava for 10 claws, bloodying her
* * Demon destructively bites at Cross, DENTAL PROBLEMS from BITING ARMOR
* * Demon bites tongue
* * Khava has her second wind
* * Mat slyly flourishes, slaying the deteriorating demon
* * Cross righteously smites demon for 14 damages, and everyone gets 7 temporary hit points

“2. We have evidence that a member of the Haftorang Ardent Guard (the purple hat guys) has been killed!” The old sage says “let me think about this” and abruptly drops into a trance. Eventually he comes out of his trance, looks at Solgirv, and blurts “Will you help us?” Solgirv sputters some, but basically agrees, and the sage cuts him off, saying, “great!” He sends a guard off, to return with a large bundle of what looks like clothing wrapped in a nice cloth. “You said that there were 5 of you, right?” The guard reveals his bundle is a set of beautiful white cloaks. “Bring these to hte rest of your friends and see if they’re interested in helping us” “Are they magic? What do they do?” Solgirv tries one on. “He feels more resilient, ready to do battle, and more willing to take wound from your enemy in the service of your quest, because you have faith you can withstand their harm”

Solgirv says that the whole party is tired & resting, but that he will bring the offer, and the cloaks to the rest of the party and see what they say. Another guard enters, agitated & whispers something to the sage. The Sage looks surprised, and yells “You have to go now!” “Please, please, gather your friends ,we need your help!” “… um, ok, i’ll go do that then!” “when can you be back?” “depends on how drunk, er, weary, they are. We’ll return as soon as we return! I shall return!” Takes cloaks, comes to find the rest of the group.

Solgirv returns, and relates his tale of woe to the group. We’re supposed to find this magic room, and seems very urgent. Casually solgirv spills some scotch, to test the scotchguard-properties of the cloaks. It rolls right off. Everyone allows themselves to be towed across town to the palace. Tuon needs carried. Doarn is too intoxicated/sceptical/horny to accompany us

On arrival, the guards hurry us into the Sages library chamber again. “I don’t have a lot of time to explain, but it’s starting!” “what’s starting?” <diplomacy check – 22> “I wasn’t entirely honest with you earlier. We’ve been looking into the prophecy, what with the big red omen of doom, and the short version si that they sent some people to investigate where their artifact might be, underneath an old keep that was used as a teleport station many generations ago, and somehow word got out about the possibility of the super powerful ancient artifact being underneath the ruined not-very0defended keep, and the person who was investigating (leisurely) sent an urgent message back via comm-ring, to say that something really momentous was happening there, and before he could explain what that something was, stopped communicating.”

“Was that the ardent dude we found?”

“no. I wouldn’t send my ardent guard to do a job like that.”

(apparently you send strangers who just show up..) <insight – 25> you think that he wants us because 1- you already know WTF is going on, and 2 – he has some faith in you because you dealt well w/ the hat thing ( no mention of disrespecting the hat). 3 – he doesn’t really care if we’re completely obliterated… so would the whole city. He’s kinda desperate. 4- If something starts happening, and the city panics, he’s gonna need all the guard he can keep around him.

Does the sky indicate anything in particular, or is it just generic bad prophecy doom sky?” — solgirv

The Sage tosses books on the floor, revealing a passage, where we’re escorted into a dusty disused teleport room, where a dragonborn teleportation dude herds us onto the pad. As we’re being teleported, the sage tells us “it should be below one of the towers, and we have no idea what’s in the castle, so, look out!”

We appear on a ruined teleport pad outside a mini version of the deep moat that surrounds haftorang. You can see Haftorang in the distance, and you appear to be next to a ruined keep on a hill within sight of the city. Leading to the keep is a long, curving arch-bridge. which leads to the entrance tower. It looks sturdy & stable. Looks like there’s 5 towers, 4 on each corner, and 1 at the entrance. Much of it looks crumbling, and derelict, but still majestic. The tower in front of us looks like it used to have doors, but they’ve rotted away.

The party enters the first tower, which is open to the bridge, where we spread out to look around. Pyc looks up, notices the tower used to have 2 or 3 floors above, but they have collapsed, so there’s just planks sticking out the walls. The tower is hollow all the way through to blue skies above.  Across the next walkway there lies another tower, covered by a large, rusty, portcullis. Solgirv wiggles at it, with his shield. There is something that appears to move inside. Pyc looks inside, and sees a couple of odd-looking devises that are moving inside. They look like wooden tripods with something on top. They look like big crossbows (balistas?) on legs, walking towards us. Roll for initiative!

(cloak of the walking wounded)” if you use your 2nd wind while bloodied you can expend 2 healing surges instead of one.”

BATTLE

tuon summons a flaming sphere

pyc shoots an arrow into one

solgirv casts sacred flame on one of them

the crossbows shoot mazhur and solgirv, and then something metallic appears from behind us.

4 horrific looking metal hounds appear in the tower behind us. Made of iron, kinda spikety. They fell out of the walls. (Homunculi)

they all charge the party, where pyc and tuon stand in the back.

ouch, both are bitten, tuon critically.

mazhur guarding strikes one of the hounds, wounding it greatly, and providing some protection for tuon

tuon ray of frosts the same hound.

after much more bloody fighting, solgirv gets the opportunity to push one of the hounds off of the walkway! AROoooooooo….

tuon is raying some frosts all over the place!

more evil homonculi die

The xbows die to tuon’s ball of fire.

375 xp

Got loots!

• Tuon Got… A copper circlet with a mummified eye (eye of deception)
  +2 item bonus to Bluff and Stealth checks.
  +2 to Save against Illusion or Charm
  Also a little glass box, containing a desert rose.
• Doarn Got… A Baldrick of Tactical Positioning.
• Solgirv Got… A shield of Cold Heavy Iron Shield.
• Last but defiantly not least, was treasure!
  • 6 gems (worth 100gp each)
  • 540gp
  • 400sp
  • Two jewel encrusted books, written in an unknown language

Crossed the moat after killing all the bad guys.

Walk over to a tell-a-pad at the base of the Halfdurang spire. There a shaman looking guard like guy is there. We are unsure of him intentions. He is wearing beads that look the same as those warn on the guys who transport people.
Looks at us suspiciously.
He asks us for our last names.
We are stumped.

Dragon noticed a puff of steam, of impressed or intrigued when the Shaman looked up Tuons name in his great book.

Wizard is teleported.
‘Do I reappear?’, ‘Maybe. Your in transit.’
The rest of our party is teleported.

We appear in what we assume is Halfdurang’s teleport pad. In the middle of a city center, lots of people about. But everyone, everything, the whole city is engulfed in a glowing red light.

The dragon insights that the people of the city are uneasy, but also excited. They must be stupid. They know the end is nigh, and have lost their inhibitions.

Lots of Warlocks and Wizards wondering around town, doing card tricks etc. Everyone is in their best clothes, looks like Dalaran mumbles the Dwarf.

Now that we have arrived the party is wondering why we are at Halfdurang. Something about a purple hat. Maybe it is floppy. Also trying to keep this spire city from falling to the earth.

The party looks for a nice inn, not super fancy, but you know upper middle fancy. You know, nice 4 star.
The Dwarf is annoyed and wants a nice cheap dive bar.
The Dragon relents and accepts a nice 3 star inn. “The Mortar and Pestle”.

The Wizard goes browsing in the markets for Arcane reagents to perform a Comprehend Language Ritual upon the two books we were given by the old guy. Bought three sets of reagents for 10g a pop.

Ritual Ritual Ritual….. 10 minutes later.

Only to discover the books are of the pornographic nature. A wide variety of stories. (Not a commonly known language, and is quite old)

The Wizard & Dwarf drink in the Inn, while the Dragon goes out and tries to sell the old books for money.

The Dragon is being slightly more successful then normal, but not very. Got a offer of 450 for both and failed at bargaining and left in a huff after offending the merchant. Next he tries a library and finds old ladies, all hunched over. The dragon picks the wiliest looking one. Next he tries to diplomatically insert…. One of the ladies examines the books. Slams it closed and demands to know where he found it. “They Found Them!”, the old scholars being talking in a language the Dragon does not understand. The old people have been looking for these books for years.

The old people want the Dragon to take the books to the city sage.

The Dwarf and Wizard and getting all pestled’ up at the Mortar and Pestle.

The Dragon thinks he has the brains to go and deal with the Sage himself.

The Dragon is lead to a palatial Palace…he sees strong fellows in Purple Floppy Hats guarding the Palace. This reminds Dragon of the hat Pyce has.

Dragon has gone insane and is babbling about people being on his crappy tin ring.

Dragon calls the Dwarf insufferable.

Tuon just shot a chotic evil humming bird

Finally all the hobgoblins are dead!!!!

whew. THey all fell down the moat.

Menet hops out & dangles over, checking out some dead hobgobs, fiddling w/ something on the edge of a pillar. He ignores hails to him.

Pyc shoots his thread, but it does not break.

Menet is annoyed. “What are you doing?” “What are YOU doing? (pyc)” “My Job!”

Solgirv demands an explanation very diplomatically.

“I’m trying to help you, look at all this treasure you’ve earned and you can’t even get it! I’m pulling it up w/ my spider twine!”

Solgirv thinks he’s being sincere.

“Well, why didn’t you say that in the first place?!”

THE PARTY managed to kill TWO SCALLYWAGS, but the CUBE glommed up KAVA, dealing MASSIVE DAMAGE!

Things don’t look good for OUR HEROES!

DAH DAH DUM!!

MAT removes himself from the CUBE’s proximity to engage the BLAZING SKELETON.

KAVA bursts out of the cube and lets out a TRIUMPHANT ROAR, boosting his allie’s defenses!

KAVA attacks the GELATINOUS CUBE with a SHATTERBONE STRIKE!

SCULLERYBOY lets out FLAMING THING dealing 5 damages to nearby DUDES!

FIERY SKULLMAN whiffs at MAT!

CROSS takes a BOLSTERING STRIKE at the GELATINOUS CUBE, dealing a bunch of damages and bolstering himself with temporary HP!

CROSS’s FLAMING FALCHION flares at the CUBE, setting it ablaze!

The GELATINOUS CUBE begins to ooze blue blood!

TIM summons a CLOUD OF WHIRLING DAGGERS!

BOBBIN checks out the CUBE’S ass with an EYE BITE. It connects!

GRIBBIN mutters a HEALING WORD at KAVA, who is reviverized!

GRIBBIN strikes at the CUBE with a LANCE OF FAITH, striking it mightily!

The CUBE shrieks in pain!

MAT does a SYLY FLOURISH at the BURNING SCALLYWAG, ripping off his leg!

The GELATINOUS CUBE lurches towards CROSS and KAVA, engulfing them both!

CROSS and KAVA are DAZED!

The CUBE’s ACID eats away at CROSS and KAVA!

The CUBE’S FIRE goes out!

MAT’s AURA is DAMAGED by some SEARING SKULLDUGGERY!

The SCULLION BLAZING CLAWs at MAT, raking across him and dealing damages!

KAVA takes more damage inside the CUBE!

TIM uses eir ACTION POINT to summon not ONE but TWO CLOUDS OF WHIRLING DAGGERS inside the GELATINOUS CUBE!

The CLOUDS OF WHIRLING DAGGERS DEAL massive damage; one CRITS!

BOBBIN takes a chunk out of the GELATINOUS CUBE with his EYE BITE!

GRIBBIN spears the CUBE with a LANCE OF FAITH and it dissolves, freeing CROSS and KAVA!

The GELATINOUS CUBE is dead!

MAT does another SLY FLOURISH, thwacking the SMOLDERING SKELLINGTON in the face!

The FLAMING SKELETOR falls over, once again dead!

The BATTLE is WON! Our PARTY is VICTORIOUS and gains 280XP!

The skeletal skeletons of the SCORCHING SKELETORS are blocking a DOOR.

CROSS moves them out of the way.

The DOOR looks very heavily-enforced and purposefully-made.

CROSS makes a move to OPEN the DOOR.

GRIBBIN stops CROSS and asks MAT to CHECK FOR TRAPS.

MAT does so and finds none, but notices the DOOR appears to have been opened recently.

CROSS PULLS on the DOOR. It doesn’t budge. It appears to be super-heavy.

CROSS, MAT, GRIBBIN and TIM yank on the DOOR. It budges, but doesn’t open.

EVERYONE TRIES AGAIN, and the DOOR OPENS.

A SMALL ROOM with a DAIS in the center is revealed.

There is RECESS in the DAIS. It is CHALICE-SHAPED.

TIM’s GENDER-BENDER BRACELET starts going CRAAAAAAAZY! It becomes VERY HOT!

TIM hears a pained shriek in eir head! The BRACELET is FREAKING OUT!

TIM removes it and starts JUGGLING it!

CROSS makes a GRAB for it! He fails!

TIM holds onto eir BRACELET protectively and steps out the DOOR!

NOBODY understands what’s going on!

There’s an INSCRIPTION on the DAIS!

It matches one from the TEMPLE OF ERATHIS with a SWORD, CHALICE, SCALES and SHIELD, with the CREST OF ERATHIS.

It’s related to the SPIRE-FALLING-DOWN PROPHECY!

This INSCRIPTION emphasizes the CHALICE!

CROSS suggests that the BRACELET realized it BELONGED THERE!

TIM disagrees.

NOBODY has a CHALICE!

EVERYONE wants TIM to tell them what’s going on, but TIM is preoccupied with the SCREAMS in eir HEAD!

They LEAVE to the OUTSIDE so TIM can have eirself a FEY TRANCE.

there’s a red cylendir of light around the moat

Solgirv knows that colored skies can mean portents of significant times

John read about legendary artifacts in the past that are possibly non-existant, that there have been artifacts that, when they were exerting their will, awakened, becoming major players in the world scene, that they would cause large columns of light.

John hears some jingly jangly noises!

There’s a bard-dude with jingly janglies sneaking up behind us. He has a little war-horn he was about to blow behind us to scare us. We catch him, but he blow it anyway. It’s unremarkable. He looks like a 1-man band. got a bandolier, wine-skins, vials, tons of crap hanging. big crazy beard. colorful clothes.

solgirv tries to be intimidating, and sucessfully causes him to fall on his ass & blubber

he feels bad about scaring him & tries diplomacy. 

“I was just wondering if he came to clear out the hobgoblins? The ones on the pillars! The ones you use to get across the moat to Haftorang”

If you’re not being pummelled w/ hobgoblin projectiles, it’s easy to get across. If there’s any resistance, however it’s very hard to cross.

City is abuzz w/ portentious sky, and the hob-goblins have taken control of the pillars. Seems the city is in mass panic.

Bard’s name is Menet the Bard.

“what are you doing here?” “You know, barding around…. I live in these parts, kind of a wandering entertainer.” he’s worried abut his home.

He’s going to lead us to pillars from which we can see the path to haftorang, and the hobgoblins camped thereon.

pilliars are ornate, sandstone, purple decorations, dorric style 8′ across, 2 stories high. area around is light woods.

Pyc sneaks up to the first pillar, sneakily, and sees some hand-holds, climbs up and peeks over the top.

she is shot in the front by a fire arrow. menet gives her a bandaide.

She swears she saw some hands & a head peeking over a pilliar in the moat.

Hobgoblins!!!!

we proceed cautiously, gal grumbling because it might be dangerous and zhe’s bloodied

we emerge to find the phalanx of venant soldiers all confronting a single dragonborn female (we can tell she’s a chick because of her reptammary glands)

she says she is from satevis and was away when it happened, had no knowledge of the collapse

we explain what’s been going on

general marks asks what happened inside

we tell him

he asks if we found a way further in

we say no, but we were distracted chasing down enemies

dude from venant says we should go back in

we say we want to rest first

we sit around the camp to plan before resting

the dragonborn introduces herself as khava

she expresses a desire to come with us

cross introduces itself

cross asks if she follows erathis

she says ‘no……….’

cross agrees to let her come with us, provisionally

everyone introduces themselves, gal is pretty awkward and keeps talking even when khava doesn’t care

we all go to sleep/trance and rest for the night

we go back in the next day, but have trouble finding anywhere

we search the room with the ledge where we met the dark ones

then on the way down to the room with the ledge from the zombies we see a nook

it’s not a chinook or a breakfast nook, and there is no “le bistro” sign

after some investigation, we notice that one wall appears to have been bricked over

cross asks khava to bash the wall with her axe

khava expresses concern that the wall might damage bertha, so she pushes on it instead, but falls right through as the wall crumbles!

a narrow passageway leading to another spiral staircase is revealed

throws up necklace, makes around gal’s neck

gal jumps downs and runs

everyone runs, gal gets there first and casts sleep on the guys

everyone is in the cavern where we first entered

the guys stop and both throw daggers at gal

gal gets hit twice and is badly hurt

everyone rushes in and starts attacking

gal summons cloud of daggers 4 times but misses

one of the guys is killed

gal finally summons a cloud of daggers and kills the other

we hear yelling from outside

120xp