It has been many weeks since I wrote in my diary. Life has been busy with cleaning the estate out from whatever evils inhabit it; there is even rumor of a dragon down there. I have pulled my weight, even unto the edge of death, and now that it may be closing in on us, I wish to leave my thoughts behind for someone to find and read one day…
We have been very lucky with this adventure, up until now. We even killed 6 ogres on our last outing with barely the bat of an eyelid thanks to our magical skills.
Today started well. We came with many retainers, intent on cleaning out the lair in the name of all that is good, and feathering our pockets a bit too.
We took the stairs down to the dungeon, in the area we had burned down many days ago. We left ½ a dozen archers on lookout on the ruin walls and 8 heavily equipped fighters with them. As we entered we opted to head south, after some discussion, in the hopes that the passageways would take us under the temple and allow us to surprise the denizens there.
I carried a torch, which gave us some light from my position in the 3rd rank. The walls were sound and the dusty floor was flat, no clever traps or designs meant to speed our downfall. But there was a warm wind and banging sound from behind us which we ignored.
Eventually we came to a door in a crook of the corridor. Listening at it, I could clearly hear three voices, one louder and engaged in haranguing the other two. I think it was Rarder who boot the door down, I could not see well once I had resumed my position. But our party flowed into the room while I stood guard and easily overwhelmed the big hairy and his 2 smaller minions. On inspection were in some torture chamber replete with a wrack and an iron maiden. The holding cells were empty, but the wrack held a warm skeleton and another hung from the walls. We were puzzled by the warmth but dismissed it.
Back in the corridor, we followed it as it jinked south towards the temple. Rounding a corner we were charged by 7 skeletons, quite unexpectedly; Rarder and Hats took flesh wounds from the spears. Our Cleric turned 4 of them. Then our first misfortunes struck.
Koko, firing from the second rank, hit a skeleton in the skull. It is then we noticed the black runes glowing all over it and it then exploded in a splash of greek fire. The same happened to the other two left fighting us. Rarder and Hats were covered in the burning liquid and injured.
While this was happening, I doubled back to check our rear with a pair of retainers and Knuckles.Two men in marron robes emerged from a secret passageway and attacked us. They had a strong cultish look to them and reminded me of pervious adversaries. Simultaneously, at the front of the paty 3 more cultists came out of another hidden door.
As Knuckle’s constitution is not the strongest, I struck his attacker a mighty blow, ignoring my own opponent. Alas, the fiend, who may have been their leader was wearing plate and I only hurt him badly, but it helped Knuckles for a turn.
Back in front, Sorkunde loosed two arrows and incomprehensibly managed to plant one into Rarder’s back. One of the cultists facing them cast a spell, I know not what, but quick wittedly, Rarder emplyed his Stone of Spell Absorption and it was sucked into the ether. Our colleagues at the front then proceeded to send the cultists to their god.
At the back, I was stabbed by the cultist in front of me and almost succumbed. Fortunately, our cleric healed me after the party killed these attackers.
Inspecting the room that the cultists came out of in the front, we discovered a hidden door and passage that had also brought them to our rear. We liberated wine, goblets and gold, but left the heavy rich drapes.
As we withdrew, well satisfied with our foray, we came around a corner that was roughly 150 feet from the stairs up. We were met by an oil bomb and a hail of arrows. I did not get a look at them but assume our attackers are the hairy ones. Rarder and Hats were set alight, though the arrows missed us. The confusion was overwhelming, as we realised we could not push through them. After much hurried debate, we decided to seek what we expected to be an exit leading up to the temple. We retreated back down the corridor. Searching the area west of the hidden room, we found a richly appointed bedroom. Alas, there were no exits or hidden passages. Then we went to the last door on the eastern side and found another room. The door was locked but Knuckles had earlier looted some keys and managed to open. Disappointment!! Another well appointed room and no hidden passages.
So here we are. We know our pursuers are behind us and dare not come around the corner. They have probably sent for reinforcements. Meanwhile, we debate how to get out of this mess. I will check the coridor walls for secret doors and hope that this is not my final entry…