Splug! All Adventuring Hero!

With a since of purpose the mighty band of adventures set forth to determine if the historical ramblings of the sage were accurate? Was a Cult of Orcus trying to re-open an ancient rift to the Shadow Fell?

Persona Dramatica
(We have had some minor changes since the first post on this subject)

Zoltan the Reformed - A middle aged human wizard that has distant nightmares of a past life
Zarzthor - Dragonbord Warlord who finds himself in the thick of each battle
Extel - Human Ranger - Strong, brash, & young, wielding two blades
Sliver Elmwalker - Elf ranger on a quest to find those that killed his kin
Eldcar Elddarion - Halfling rouge - cocky, self-assured, and self proclaimed antagonist of Extel
Uhlk - Human Fighter - UHLK SMASH!
Elladen Phaers Halladen - Softspoken Eladrin Swordmage that uses the power of the life drinker to keep the battle moving. An a healer of others extraordinaire.

The party had no problem finding the remains of the keep. Only the odd looking wooden shack in the middle looked to be from the current century. Behind its doors they find a path leading into the damp dungeon of the keep. Entering the first room the party sees a goblin yelling and waving at them from across the way. Eager to engage in combat, the party moves forward to engage. Several warriors and a few sharpshooters begin ranged assault. Extel made an ill advised move across the floor and fell into the 10' pit trap and was attacked by a rat swarm.

The few goblins were quick work and off the party went to the east. They found a secret door to the North along the hallway and another group of goblins digging for treasure. These however had a few guard drakes to keep them company. The battle fought on multiple levels was a bit tougher, but the party continued to press after only finding a small holy symbol of the Dragon god Bahamut.

Back to the secret door, the party encountered a large sleeping goblin. However, Extel, again, tripped on his feet ('1' on his stealth check) and Balgron the Fat was able to sound the alarm. The fight was made tougher as a Goblin Hexer entered the fray and the alarm was sounded bringing in the goblins and hobgoblin torture from a near by prison cell. The party was fighting on two sides of the large connected rooms. Extel, Zarzthor, and Elladen fought the hexer and his goons while the others contended with the hobgoblin and his posse coming in behind them. Characters fell, blood was shed, much pain was given. An extended rest was in order.

The evening passed with out incidence and the party continued looking for a way down deeper into the keep to find the evil. Their next room was the tourture chamber and prison cells that the hobgoblin controlled. In one cell, weak with hunger a goblin prisoner cried for help. "Help Splug!" "Splug very, very nice" "Splug your friend". And here we see the unbridled hostility between El and Extel. El was in the mood to slay the pathetic goblin while Extel was looking for a porter to carry his stuff. In the end Splug joined the group as porter and guide.

A decision needed to be made. Should the party explore the last remaining door, or explore the caverns near the excavation site. The party made towards the last closed door and found a maze with pictures on the floor blocking access across them. Splug warned them that the scary dead live here. Not good to go that way, but forward the party went anyways.

Unable to determine how to cross the pictures, the party went to the east again and encountered a patch of zombies and rotters. They were able to dispatch them with create ease and had no issues with the second batch that came from behind. Moving forward, the party entered into what appeared to be a chapel to Bahamut, but as the Rouge passed the threshold to the larger chamber, a large "BONG" was heard and a skeleton legion appeared from the sarcophagi along he edges of the leading hallway. The team leap into action, taking the minion Skeletons to task quite easily, but having some fight with the warriors that had combat advantage on the a few members. Five minutes searching the room, a the "BONG" went off again. Thinking quickly Zarzthor knelt in front of the alter and gave a prayer to Bahamut, which dispelled the second wave of skeletons. In the battle, the might Splug slayed two minions, earning the respect of his 'peers' "Splug no hero, Splug just carry stuff"

And with that the game was adjourned. Double doors leading out of the room to explore, undead around every corner, and Splug gots your back!

jp
Winterhaven Evil Guild Local #1001