During this weeks game, Malik returns from his journey to the north. Vahan escapes the Emerald Citadel. Together, with some new friends, they strike out towards the temple of Omiron, where they have heard a new cult is rising.
Characters
Maik – Fighter 2 – A Thalazian Blade Master, and keeper of a score of land pirates.
Vahan – Fighter 1 – a gruff warrior, swathed in the stolen robe of an Elven King.
Pilas – Fighter 1 – A roaming warrior, tall and hewn.
Retainers
Thalzir – Fighter 1 – a barbarous pirate, lost of his ship and sworn into the service of Malik.
Six thieves (lvl 1 ) – all wretched cutthroats from the gutters of Acron city.
Timin – Dwarf 1 – an underling of Vahan, clad in glittering plate mail.
Uman – Magic-user 1 – A Scoran sorcerer of primeval cunning.
During the last session we had a slight cliffhanger, with two PCs trapped within the ruined temple to Omiron. These players couldn’t make the game unfortunately, so our calendar moves forward.
Malik had returned to Blanbot’s manor after a two week jaunt to the captial; more information on his journeys to soon follow.
Vahan had been left in the Emerald Citadel over a week ago. We made some escape rolls for him, and he luckily made it out and back to the village of Ronton on Fie, though lacking some items and without his beloved squire.
This pair met up in Ronton on Fie, Malik followed by a land pirates, and together they made their plans. Lord Blanbot had asked for them to investigate the temple of Omiron, where strange cultists had been gathering.
Soon they made acquaintance with the fighter Pilas. Then the party searched out some retainers; finding the Dwarf Timin, and the magic user Uman.
At the inn of the Blubbering Whale they made contact with a strange crooked man. His name was Vitius Fallow. He wanted to be escorted to the temple of Omiron, for he had in his possession an amulet that had caused him terrible luck. He’d heard that there was a bottomless pit within the temple, and he wished to rid himself of the amulet, and his poor luck, by casting it therein. For this he would reward them a pouch of gems.
So they set off atop fine mares. Within a day they crosses a river and rose up into the hills. They saw the temple before them. For a few hours the party laid within the bracken, observing. Soon enough they saw a gaggle of beautiful women leading an adventuring party towards the temple.
Vahan, with his magical elven boots and cape, followed after them. This adventuring party consisted of a Dwarf, two thieves, and a magic-user. It appeared the women had spent the night with them, and now the men were to be initiated into the temple. They led the adventurers beyond the columned gate and Vahan, going totally unseen in his magic cloak, followed after them.
The party remained hidden outside, but after the dwarf and his men entered the temple, they saw the women bar the door. A little panicked by this, they began moving towards the women.
Inside the temple, there was a huge vestibule lined with many columns. The floor was totally covered with sand. In the north twelve men approached wearing white togas and black masks in the shape of skulls.
There was a heated exchange between the dwarven leader of the adventuring party and the cultists. They wanted him to give over their weapons, put on togas, and be taken before the master. The dwarf flatly refused, so the men rang a bell, and from a great columned arch in the north a terrible screeching echoed forth.
Vahan watched all this, hidden against a column and closely wrapped in his cloak. The dwarf tried to smash the door to make an exit, but found it utterly impenetrable. The cultists closed distance upon them. The magic-user cast his sleep spell, but only two of the cultists fell to the ground. The cultists clashed into the ranks, and in the north six strange vulture headed men came forth, wielding terrible serrated blades. The adventurers yielded, were cast into chains, and dragged away. Vahan could finally breath, but not without perspiration.
Outside the temple Malik led the players party towards the women of the cult. They tried to woo with their charms, offering to bed them, to rub oil into their aching backs. Malik was having none of this, and with a lashing stroke from his pommel he sent the women fleeing in abject terror.
The doors were opened. Vahan stood within and explained all he’d seen. The party made a quick plan. They would get to this pit, cast in the amulet, and leave quickly. They marched forward, and beyond the columned vestibule found a huge chamber with a recessed area in the centre. The walled were lined with marble statues of minotaurs holding severed demonic heads. In the central recessed area, by a huge circular pit, were the bird-headed beastmen. They were beating the dwarf and his crew.
Vahan crept into the room, unseen, and watched. Some of the cultists went off, but soon returned with an evil cleric clad in chainmail. This dark lord carried a giants skull as a bowl, and after a laborious speech about the virtues of the flesh, he splashed some terrible dark fluid onto the captives, causing them to scream terribly.
After this strange rite, the cleric moved away to the north, sending the toga wearing cultists back towards the pillar room.
The party set up their trap, and as the twelve cultists walked in to the room, they struck.
In all but ten seconds the party killed four of the cultists and wounded another. The barrage of their blades and spears was devastating. The cultists fled back into the pit chamber, morale totally crushed. The party chased after them, and luckily caught the bird-headed beastmen unawares. The party lined up at the edge of the recessed area, utilising the higher ground, and rained blows down on the birdmen.
Vitius cast the amulet into the pit. Then the beastmen began to split, some battled from the lower area, casting hand axes and javelins, one catching Timin and felling him, the others went up a set of stairs and sought to charge the party’s line.
Just in time Uman cast his sleep spell. The birdmen fell into magical slumber and the battle was over.
The party slit their throats and recovered a fine gold medallion. Then they helped the captees to freedom, though the terrible black liquid had caused some malign growths to form on their faces.
They exited the temple, took to their mounts, and fled back to the town of Ronton on Fie. As they left the dark cleric shouted some bitter words of revenge through the northern portal.
Another adventure complete, and many gems claimed as reward. What will they do next time?
Dreadlord Games 