DRAMATIS PERSONAE:
Skeef Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 8 / Thief 8)
Goro (Half Orc Cleric 7 / Fighter 7)
Solcha (Elf Fighter 5 / Magic User 8)
Chanee (Human Paladin 7)
[Baqua Irontoes (Halfling Fighter 4 / Thief 6)]
Date/Time
Patchwall 8 (midday) to Patchwall 8 (late afternoon)
After a short detour to stirges, the party enters a large cavern with multiple exists. Next to each is a carved face, human but with varied animal characteristics. When approached, each say the same thing; a mournful TURN BACK ... THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY. When the faces speak, Skeef notes there are gems deep in their mouths. So he proceeds to 'pick pocket' each, receiving only one cushing bite for his troubles.
The party chooses a random passage and pushes on. In one dead end cave they encounter an enraged clay golem that charges out of the shadows at them. Once it is defeated, Solcha notes a strange pattern of lines carved into the constructs back. Further examination by the party convinces them it is a map of the caverns. Testing their theory, they follow another passage to see it it matches with the lines. It seems to, and they arrive at large cavern with a thick layer of guano on the floor and a high ceiling lost in darkness. Somewhere ahead Skeef has heard water, so the party moves in to investigate. And then out of the darkness dives a massive bat, striking hard and fast before disappearing into the darkness again. This attack pattern repeats, but each time it appears to be a different bat. Goro casts a silence to block the agonizing shrikes of the creatures, and the party fires away with bows and try to chop them down as they dive. Meanwhile, the paladin (having borrowed Baqua's gloves) climbs the wall to find a total of 6 bats hanging from the ceiling; and a ledge about 30' about the floor. Skeef makes a beeline for the ledge, and there finds two things; a pile of treasure, and a passage in the wall leading out to a ranging underground river.
Finishing off the mobats, the rest of the party climbs to the ledge. They see across the raging river another passage. And so decide to hop on the carpet and fly across to explore this new part of the caverns. A long straight passage leads to a stone arch bridge over (anorther?) river. Around them, the rock walls have gone from grey and brown to a kaleidoscope of color and phosphorescent lichens.
Crossing the bridge, they pause at a 4 way intersection. Skeef stops to listen, and hears emanating from the left hand passage, a sound of something large moving about. Creeping ahead, he sees a strange creature with the body and head of a metallic bull, plus the head of a lion and a red dragon. It crouches behind humps in the uneven floor, apparently guarding the pile of treasure in front of it. Assuming it to be evil (confirmed shortly by the paladin), the party plans a surprise assault. Prepped with prayer from Goro and haste from Solcha, the party charges in. Only to find the gorgimera is ready for them. A gout of flame engulfs the party, and it is by luck alone that none die a fiery death. But the beast does not get a second chance; Goro and Chanee hastily charge it, and with whirling blades slay it before anyone else can react. And then the looting begins.
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