After a quick stop at the general store and packing up the wagon loaded heavily with tools and weapons crafted by Kheldar and several sacks and barrels of foodstuffs from Wyr the brave adventurers set off again. This time, to deliver the goods to a town a few days travel away. They had high hopes and soaring spirits as they rode victoriously from the town of Wyr, knowing that they would not be waylaid by bandits.
They traveled all day and had an uneventful nights rest. Waking up refreshed they started out again, noticing that the weather seemed to be taking a turn for the worst. Olive, the elven ranger, took a few moments to study the direction of the wind and the darkness of the clouds moving in, and decided that the storm would most likely hit them the following day. So, they decided it was best to keep moving. Shortly after setting out, they heard a large crashing sound a ways off to the south. They decided that it sounded like something large had crashed down from the heavens and had landed about a hundred feet from them.
Tori, the wizard, decided that she should climb the nearest tree and see if there was anything to see from higher ground, though was unable to see much deeper into the thick forest. So, once again, the valiant paladin Kitiana, started marching towards the unknown and perhaps dangerous sound.
Tori and Olive decided to investigate as well, though decided that perhaps stealth would better suit their purposes. Quietly stalking through the forest just far enough away from Kit to not draw attention to themselves, yet close enough to help if needs be. After several moments they came upon a small clearing in the woods, and a bloody carcass of what appeared to have recently been a deer.
Kitiana thought that the deer, freshly cleaned and gutted, would make a good snack for the party. Olive and Tori hesitantly agreed. So, dragging the deer back out through the woods the three adventurers started back towards the wagon, and it's guard Flap.
About half way back to the wagon the party started hearing a strange flapping sound, not unlike the sound that might be made by a young green dragon... Interestingly enough, that is exactly what Flap saw bearing down on him whilst protecting the wagon. Though, by the look on his face, a dragon was not what he expected to have to protect the wagon from.
After only a moment of hesitation Kit, Olive, and Tori began to race into battle to help Flap who had just been knocked to the ground by a scale covered, poison breathing creature. The fight took most of the rest of the afternoon. At first it was looking bad for the stalwart adventurers and the dragon was almost too much for them to handle. But, after going to the brink and back a few times the small band was able to overcome and eventually drive the irritated dragon off... and in addition to their victory they were able to enjoy their well earned dinner of venison.
The next morning, as they were sorely tired after their brief encounter with the young dragon, they started out towards Tannar again. Olive again noticed that the weather was getting no better. In fact, she believe that soon it would get much worse. Luckily, Tori remembered that there was a nearby ruined tower sitting atop a large tor. She quickly told the others about this good news and the set off again, quickly.
A few hours later, as it was starting to rain and Kit was beginning to rust they located the large slab of bedrock just north of the road where Tori said that it would be. As luck would have it, the large round rock that nearby villagers rolled in front of the lower entrance to keep creatures out had been hit by a rogue lightning bolt recently and had broken into several pieces.
Kit quickly searched the rubble, while the other members stowed the wagon as close to the outcropping of rock as they could, to see if the rock looked strange. She thought that perhaps the villagers had not only placed the rock to keep creatures out, but perhaps keep something dangerous inside.
The rock did not tell them anything, so pushing the door aside they huddled into the room beyond just as the storm broke. Hail and lightning began to pound the rock above their heads and the ground outside, the adventurers were safe, for now.
They quickly looked around the large room. There were three other stone doors leading from the room, though, they looked cracked and worn... they would not old anything in or out of this room. Just as the adventurers decided to explore their new environment a rather loud explosion of thunder rattled the ground and the stone doors shuddered and then collapsed.
As the dust was settling the adventurers heard some loud squeaking sounds coming from every direction and were soon set upon by several rats which had been disturbed by the thunder. Another battle ensued. Tori shone bright during this encounter as she easily dispatched almost all of the vermin with rays of ice from her hands and thunder of her own. She pushed and jolted the rats to nothingness. And though each of the fierce women had rats at one time or another crawling on them or climbing through their hair none would embarrass herself by screaming.
After the dust settled from both the doors and the fighting that had just ended the company saw that to their left and right were short hallways that led to smaller rooms. One held what looked to be a treasure chest, the other a sarcophagus. Being adventurers, and always up for treasure, they chose to study the treasure chest first. Kitiana was first on the scene and decided the best way to determine the nature of the unoffensive box was to hit it several times as hard as she could.
As quick as lightning, several darts sprang from a trap in the wall and pierced Kitiana. She decided quickly that perhaps hitting trapped chests was not the best way to determine whether or not someone had placed a nasty trap on a chest.
After retrieving the treasure, they moved off to see what lied within the large stone coffin in the other room. The brave Kitiana again decided that it would be best if she went first. This time, however, she was much more careful. Holding her shield in front of her she very carefully pushed at the lid of the stone box to reveal its contents. Luckily, there was no trap this time, however, there was a statue which came to life and attacked.
A gargoyle is a dangerous foe, as the adventurers quickly learned. However, Tori was to the rescue again. Tori stood above the creature, and with a quick gesture of her hand and a magical word of power she put the beast to sleep. The party was quick to take advantage of the now harmless creature and pummeled it to death.
The adventurers were a bit tired from these encounters, but decided that it would be best to make sure there were no other surprises for them deeper into the catacombs before resting. So, they went down the final passage to see what could be found.
They came across a room that looked to have previously been used as a sacrificing room. There was an altar in the middle of the room, stained with what looked to be human blood and a drain to wash away the gore. Above them was a hole leading outside, they knew this, as rain was pouring unhindered from above and into the drain. There was also a rope hanging down into the hole, but they decided not to test its strength, yet.
Now, Kitiana is a paladin and her god was offended by the sacrificial altar. So, being a loyal follower she decided that this would be a good time to destroy the altar. Tori agreed. So, they both began beating on the blood stained stone. After several minutes a few chips begain to break away. It was then that the guardian was alerted to their presence.
With a loud roar, a large zombie rose from the room beyond this one and began to charge at the party. Another battle began. This battle, though, was much more difficult than they had expected.
Kitiana rushed ahead to meet the charging zombie and slow its attack. Tori, Olive, and Flap started flinging spells, arrows, and holy might against the unholy being. They had bloodied the evil beast within minutes, but it had friends. Two more ghoulish beings joined the zombie. A skeleton and another zombie, the latter seemed very cold.
Tori quickly tried to remember what she had learned about zombies in the past and remembered that the Chillborn Zombies did not like fire. So, shouting out several suggestions she was able to convince Olive to use her fire bow and Tori to use any radiant damage that his god provided.
After what seemed like an eternity, though was only moments, they were able to defeat the evil that haunted the tomb. They even had some unexpected help from the Chillborn Zombie as he unthinkingly damaged his ally. So, the intelligent adventurers kept them together as best they could.
Now, after reviving and healing themselves the adventurers decided it was time for some well-deserved rest. With a wary watch on the secret passage they discovered, they decided that the passage lower should be tackled later, after they had rested.
To be continued...