The Battle of the Gate

Our adventure resumed with the party cautiously following the trail of carnage left in the wake of the newly freed ogre. After ascending a set of (iron)stone steps they discovered a guard room that normally controlled access to the prison below.

Studying the broken bodies of the guards scattered around, it became evident that the ogre had caught the four unawares during a game of chance. Another shattered door provided evidence that the ogre had continued his rampage in the open courtyard of the keep.

Peeking outside in the dark night lit only by smoking torches spaced every 20 feet, the ranger noticed the fallen body of the ogre, pierced by arrows from all sides and surrounded by another half dozen fallen guards. Forming a small circle around the ogre, other guards, these ones still in fighting condition were shouting orders, studying their fallen foe, and trying to rally a squad together to investigate where the monster had come from.

Realizing that time was of the essence and that they stood no chance in a stand-up fight, the monk turned and studied the uniforms and tabards of the Baron's men. Sure enough, while there were some blood stains and rends in the tabards, they'd work as suitable disguises amidst the confusion in the middle of the night.

Stripping the four guards above (and grabbing some tabards from guards on the prison level) the party disguised themselves to the best of their abilities. By the end the disguises ranged from Maks who looked like he was born in the uniform, to Karza who had the tabard on backwards. Hearing orders being shouted outside ordering a squad to investigate the prison level, the party ventured out into the courtyard and hurried in the opposite direction.

The members of the intrepid band began to look around in an effort to locate where they thought the missing map and key might be hidden. Luckily enough they wandered straight to the tallest tower in the keep. Approaching the sole entrance to the tower they found a heavy oak door banded in iron with a small metal grill set at eye level and a shutter behind it.

After a brief discussion on tactics, the disguised warlock approached the door and rapped sharply. "Quick! Come quick!" After a brief pause the shutter was drawn back and a burly guard bearing a lantern peered out at the party, his eyes scanning each and every one of them.

"We need reinforcements! The ogre is killing everyone in the courtyard!"

"Then go the the barracks and rouse them! You know the rules. No one enters without a pass from the Watch Lieutenant."

Morgul narrowed his eyes, "So be it. Leave us to our deaths." His comments only eliciting a guffaw from the guard as he slammed the shutter on the door. Thinking quickly Morgul retrieved a small device from the folds of his robes. With a quick gesture and utterance of dark speech, the shutter slowly slid open on its track. Thrusting his arm forward, Morgul angled the small mirror in his hand to peer into the guard room beyond.

A quick pan of the mirror showed the guard heading back to his game of dice with his two fellows, commenting aloud at the fools locked outside. Tilting the mirror a different direction, Morgul noted that the keys were in the door's lock but their way was still blocked by a heavy bar across the door. With a whispered "Get ready.." to the party, Morgul again drew from the dark powers of his pact and focused his gaze on the bar in the mirror's reflection.

After a brief moment the bar shuddered and then exploded! Morgul jumped back as the wild hillsman Karza took two steps back and charged the door. But wait! The original guard at the door reacted quicker than expected at the loud noise and raced for the door to see what was going on. Just as he reached the shutter door to peer out, Karza hit the door at full speed, rending one of the brackets and slamming the door open. The door caught the guard in the face and knocked him backwards as the party raced in.

Within a few brief moments the guards were all silenced and the door was set back into place as best as it could be. Rifling through the guards' belongings a set of keys were discovered along with some meager coin. Ignoring two smaller doors and heading deeper into the tower's ground floor, the ranger listened at a larger door but heard nothing.

Trying the keys until one worked (and making some noise in the process) the door unlocked and the ranger pressed in. Just as his body passed the door frame a hand darted from the darkness and touched Oberlind on the neck, drawing his lifeforce out and causing the skin to turn a dark purple. Seeing this attack, Karza bull rushed forward, knocking Oberlind further into the room and out of the grasp of his attacker.

With light now filling the chamber, Karza and Oberlind could see they were in a rather opulent bedroom equipped with a large bed, a desk covered in notes and a small shrine that sent a shiver down their spines when their gaze swept across it. Facing them was a maniacal looking man wearing chainmail with a white shock of hair and proudly displaying a holy symbol in the shape of a scythe, a follower of the Reaver, the dread dark god Nerull.

Lifting his mace in a threatening manner, the evil cleric Paurillian suddenly clutched his holy symbol and called out loudly, "Servants! Attack!" In the main guard room where most of the party still stood, the two smaller doors in the eastern wall swung inwards. In each small room stood three 3 hunched skeletons. After a moment they shuddered to life, their skulls lifting up to stare at the party with red pinpoint eyes. And with that, battle was joined.

The cleric focused on taking down the heavily wounded Oberlind. Realizing he needed a distraction, Karza made a feint with his shield and then swept it across the shrine, smashing it to bits and scattering pieces along the floor. Paurillian turned and hissed at the hillsman and Karza felt a momentary sense of dread wash over him but never quite leave.

Meanwhile in the guard chamber, arcane magic was unleashed as Kiernan the monk and Maks the thief strode up to block the doors and engage in melee. Within a minute all of the enemy combatants lay dead or as a pile of dusty bones.

Morgul swept into the cleric's chamber and surveyed the room. "This place is cursed! Quick! Step out lest you be tainted!" Oberlind and Karza who already felt a dark touch, wasted no time in fleeing the room though Karza dragged the cleric's body with them into the hall to search. Left to his own devices, Morgul tore apart the room looking in vain for the map and key. Finding nothing he opened the door to allow Maks in to look for coin and other treasures.

Meanwhile the sorceror Jadlim muttered a simple encantation and searched the body and room for any magical emanations. Sure enough, the dead cleric's chainmail radiated a mild dweomer. After a brief discussion, Karza equipped himself in the chainmail and Maks returned with the small bag of loot he had discovered in a small chest.

Proceeding up the circular iron-wrought stairs, the party ascended to the second level. After checking the doors they proceeded into a small alchemical lab with bubbling vials and an array of glassware and metal utensils. Against the back wall a squat rack contained 15 bottles of liquid of various colors.

Pressing into the next room the party stumbled across an old man who appeared frightened and backed into a corner, eyeing the party suspiciously. After being talked down, the old man introduced himself as Nikolai Monescu, an alchemist who had been pressed into the baron's service after being kidnapped from his home by the Iron Ring slavers who also operate out of Fort Tiroth.

Nikolai informed the party that a member of the Iron Ring was stationed in his own room just across the hall. With quick precision the party descended upon Menelaus the Vain and cut him down quickly. Menelaus himself was fond of gold and was found to be wearing multiple gold chains, rings, bracelets, and a medallion. He also appeared to be working on payroll paperwork for Iron Ring agents scattered throughout the local lands.

In exchange for their help in escaping, Nikolai informed the party that the Baron's wizard-scribe named Enolas had come into possession of a map and key to some tomb in the wilds to the west. The baron was convinced that he could appropriate great riches and power from the tomb, enough to finance his long-desired war to the south against the lands of Aden. To that end, while the Baron was actually out of the area on different pursuits, Enolas was readying an expedition due to head out on the morrow for the tomb. And while Nikolai didn't know where Enolas was at the moment, he knew that his chambers were in the next level of the tower.

Hurrying up the stairs, the party listened at the doors and could hear orders being barked by someone and a lot of strange scuffling sounds. Bursting in the party found Lt. Ruelian and his two guards loading up some items for the wizard out of his study. After a quick combat the party scoured the room. On the larger chest the guards were loading, a smaller chest was discovered.

Maks studied the chest for a moment before sliding out two picks from their hidden pouch and inserting them into the lock. With an audible click, Maks smiled in response, "All too easy." and thumbed the catch. That's when a poison needle jabbed out of the mechanism and pricked Maks' finger. Maks' face took on an ashen look as he stumbled to the floor. With some quick assistance and a heal check, the poison was quickly removed before it could be fatal but Maks was reduced to standing weakly and suffering from the shakes.

Prying open the small chest the party gazed upon the silken wrapped remains of the hollow devilish statue, an ornate iron key, and a moldering map to the Tomb of Valdanor. Everyone smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. Their objective was in their hands. Now to escape without notice..

While a few members argued about attempting to rappel down the sides of the tower, the monk's suggestion to just use the front door prevailed. Stepping into the dark courtyard once again, the party set the door back in place as best they could and began striding towards the southern gate about 100' from them.

Walking briskly, supporting the weight of the poisoned Maks and the old man Nikolai, the party strode up to the guards on duty.

"Hail and hold. What brings you to the south gate at this hour?"

"We bear wounded from the battle with the escaped ogre."

"But..they brought the wounded out awhile ago.."

"These were found under some debris. And besides, we have a pass from the tower." At this point Karza in his backwards tabard flashed one of the access badges for getting into the tower.

The guard's eyes narrowed, "Wait a minute! That's not a pass for the.." and suddenly he was hit in the face as the party sprung into action. At the same time, Kiernan happened to scan to the rear and saw that a guard was beating frantically on the door to the tower, trying to awaken the guards within when he noticed the door was askew and yelled for help.

Everyone sprang into action, some of the party members fighting the four guards, others like Jadlim ignoring the melee and approaching the gate's mechanism and attempting to open the gate quickly for an escape route. As the guards put up a fierce resistance, back at the tower a squad of six began charging across the courtyard to stop the interlopers. Another pull on the gate's chainwheel and the doors edged open a little wider..

With a final desperate effort between Jadlim and Karza, the doors were pulled far enough apart for everyone to squeeze through. Karza threw the brake in place and rushed over to help get Nikolai and Maks through with Leraith's help. One by one the party slipped through, dodging blows from the first wave of reinforcements who had arrived.

Kiernan tumbled between the foes who blocked his way and bounded through the opening. This left Morgul left. With a burst of speed he made a mad dash for the gate. One guard lunged at the warlock and but tripped over a fallen comrade and fell to the ground. Still, Morgul had to shift his momentum to avoid falling over the guard and this gave the last guard in his way the opening he needed. As Morgul passed through the gate, a broadsword pierced his chest and lung. With a feeble moan he collapsed just on the town side of the gate.

Realizing they were in trouble, Oberlind leaped into the opening to hold off the guards. Through the flash of steel he could see multiple guards grabbing hold of the wheel to open the gate wider and allow more men to push through. Leraith leaped forward and placed his hands on the dying Morgul. Closing his eyes, Leraith uttered a short prayer and a wash of warm positive energy spread through Morgul's broken body. With a gasp Morgul sat up straight and blinked as he looked around. Between Oberlind's legs he spotted what he was looking for, the last thought he'd had before being cut down...

The gate creaked open even wider and Karza stepped forward to assist Oberlind in holding back the horde of guards...
the rest of the party prepared their few remaining resources for the hopeless battle...
Morgul peered through the gloom and concentrated on the smallest yet most critical piece of the brake mechanism on the wheel...
With a gesture and dark invocation the mechanism shattered, causing the counterweights to engage without restraint. The gate doors swung shut quickly, catching one of the guards inbetween as he couldn't dodge out of the way fast enough, his scream cut short as his body was crushed.

With the gate closed and disabled, the party turned on their heels and disappeared into the dark alleyways of the town within Fort Tiroth's walls. Victory at the Battle for the Gate was theirs...

Pressing further into the caverns beneath Fort Tiroth...

Our last session ended with the party defeating a tall jackal-faced gnoll deep within the caverns underlying Fort Tiroth.

Pressing further into the natural caves the party heard a puzzling cacaphony of chittering coming from the chamber ahead. As the party peered by torchlight into the darkness a wave of disease ridden rats swarmed along the dungeon floor and attacked the party. Despite a few nasty scratches and bites, the party was able to kill enough of the foul rodents to drive them away.

Exploring further, the party passed through a few chambers and, as luck would have it, discovered a secret door hidden a rough hewn passageway. Sliding the stone out of the way, the party pressed down the secret passage and 70' down the tunnel they opened another secret door and emerged briefly into another passage, this one with a mildly detectable flow of fresh air.

Consulting their map the party deduced that this secret passage linked back up with the middle passage they had not yet explored. The intrepid members took a vote and decided to go back the way they came first, silently shutting the secret door behind them.

Upon their return the party crept forward into the next chamber where they found 3 humans standing like statues in the room. As the party began to creep forward the "humans" revealed themselves to be ragged zombies that still possessed the shiver inducing ability to scream in alarm. While the melee was short and sweet, the zombie's warning drew the attention of large hairy humanoid guard from the next room!

The strange giant managed to inflict some pain before finally being cut down. The party studied the creature but none had any experience with such a foul-smelling creature and could not name it. It was covered in matted fur and humanoid face that was equal parts feral and intelligent. Considering it also wore (ill maintained) armor and a (filthy) tabard of Baron Gorgon's forces, the creature was obviously on the Fort's payroll.

The stinking corpse was examined and a key procurred. Moving into the next chamber the party found the guard's quarters and quickly rifled the chest within. In the center of the room an iron rung ladder rose to the ceiling. Oberlind the elven ranger ascended the ladder and found a locked trapdoor. Fortuitously, the key from around the strange guard's neck worked and Oberlind found himself in a dank but used storage room.

Feeling ill-prepared for any further dangers, the party locked the trapdoor again and set camp in the guard's chambers. The rest passed uneventfully and the party again snuck forward. Emerging from the storeroom the party found itself in a worked stone dungeon, obviously the Fort's prison based on the easily identified cells lining the corridors.

As the party explored the level a number of small skirmishes erupted, notably against the prison's torturer and a carrion crawler in its slop room. After the battle with the torturer, a dying halfling in one of the cells whispered a strange message about a corner cell before expiring. Other cells revealed more treasures. In addition to a large number of prisoners who were freed, the party also discovered Maks' original companions, Leraith, a holy man of some manner and Karza, a hillman from the North. They quickly explained how they had been captured whilst trying to recover the items stolen from them (which had been originally stolen from the Baron's forces to be fair) by the Fort's soldiers. In addition to the map leading to the Tomb of Valdaron, there was a small hollow demonic statue that had been fractured into some pieces and coated in a strange black substance.

After rescuing Maks' companions and swelling the party's size, their continued explorations led to a pitched battle with a room full of the prison's guards. While nearly deadly, the party did discover the missing equipment of their new friends. Checking down one final passage with a large set of cell doors, the party suddenly found itself staring at a heavily chained ogre. While the language barrier could not be breached, through gestures the ogre indicated that it wished to be set free. The ranger, taking pity on it, unlocked the shackles and directed the ogre towards a locked door they hadn't yet penetrated past.

The ogre seized it's opportunity and made for freedom, sundering the door in two slams of its mighty fists and proceeding onward. As the party approached the passage they suddenly heard an alarm being sounded up above, the sounds of combat, men screaming, ogre roaring, and an alarm going off. At the close of the session the party realized they had directed the ogre into the center of the keep compound above them. While a great distraction, the party will have to think fast to take advantage of the confusion that is going on. The element of surprise will last only so long...

The Adventure Begins

Our tale begins as so many do on a road twisting and winding ontoward the unknown. With our companions settling down for camp after a hard day's travel to the borderland city of Sora in pursuit of fortune and glory, it was instead adventure that found them.

Just as the flames of the campfire began to crackle in earnest, fending off the dampness of the misty rain, a large commotion of human yelling and horses neighing came from the east. With the snapping of large branches, a horse run nearly to death and a just as frantic rider burst from the woodline and crashed through the fire. As the rider leapt clear of his collapsing mount the adventurers could see that it had been a crossbow bolt to the steed's neck that had dropped it and not fatigue.

Rolling to a crouch and drawing a short sword and dagger, the tall blonde stranger pointed in the direction he had just arrived from. "No time to tarry on introductions, they are upon us!"

As if on queue seven brigands stepped from the shadows and approached the camp. Five were dressed in leather, while the leader sported a suit of chainmail, helm, and shield, and the last hid in the shadows.

Raising his sword toward the party the leader exclaimed with a sneer, "Kill the wretch..and his friends!" and with that battle was joined. Oberlind the elven ranger, Kiernan the monk, and the mysterious stranger stepped forward to engage the brigands in melee while Morgel the warlock and Jad Lim the sorceror hung back to provide support from afar.

Six of the brigands engaged in hand to hand while the shadow cloaked member held back...until Morgel unleashed his eldritch powers. Identified as a caster, the cloaked stranger fired of a pair of magic missles himself, seriously wounding Morgel, even as he manuevered for cover amongst the trees.

Jad's attempt to summon a Celestial Honey Badger was interrupted as well by a vicious blow by one of the brigands. Not to be deterred, Jad ditched his spells, drew his trusty crossbow and fired a bolt into the midst of combat, 'accidentally' striking the friendly stranger full in the back and driving him down to one knee.

The party slowly wore through the brigands while Morgel was struck down to near death. Eventually the leader and spellcaster of the brigands ran off into the darkness and rode off on their mounts and leaving the party to lick its wounds and parlay with the stranger in their midst.

The bloodied stranger introduced himself with a flourish as Maksimillan Alesar or more simply, "Maks". He explained that he had been a part of a band of "treasure seekers" who were headed to the town of Sora for supplies before continuing on to Fort Tiroth in the neighboring Barony of Varimov, a land known for its thriving slave trade, cruel army, and blood-thirsty leader, Baron Gorgen "The Butcher".

There were rumors floating around that some of the Baron's agents had stumbled upon a great treasure, or more to the point, had stumbled upon a map that could lead to great treasure. The map supposedly showed the location of the Tomb of High Priest Ispep, a devil cult leader of some renown 30 or 40 years prior.

Maks and his companions were on their way to Fort Tiroth to see if they could "acquire" the map and find the tomb for themselves. Somehow their secret had been revealed to the Iron Ring, the Barony's secret police/local slave trade union. Offering a full share to each of the adventurers if they agreed to help, the party resettled their camp and then hit the trail for Sora the next morning.

A cold spring drizzle turned to heavier rain as the day wore on. Reaching the gates of Sora in late afternoon, the party had little trouble with the guards. Maks drew a small map from a leather pouch and navigated the party through winding streets to a shoesmith's shop (yes, a real shoesmith, NOT a cobbler).

"Oh shit! The boss is dead!!"

Maks ushered the party in out of the rain. As everyone shook off the rain and adjusted their eyes to the lighting they saw another group of ruffians standing with swords drawn. Battle was started once again only this time the party left no Iron Ring survivors. After securing the shop a moan was heard from one of the back rooms. Approaching cautiously the party came across one of Maks' friends Alexei.

With his dying breath Alexei uttered a warning stating that the Iron Ring had known to expect Maks and that he should make haste to the Night's Ferry Inn to make contact with Leraith.

Wasting no time the party hustled back into the rain and took a path of winding back streets and alleys to inn along the river. With darkness descending the party entered the warm inn and set to filling their bellies. Maks, flanked by two of the more cautious party members, grilled Janoosh the barkeep about Leraith's whereabouts.

For a price Janoosh indicated that Leraith had been very popular that day as a group of rough looking sorts had been looking for him earlier. Janoosh slipped a note to Maks from Leraith stating that the city had become too dangerous and that he was moving ahead to Fort Tiroth to gather information.

The party held council and decided to stay the night in the inn and proceed out the next day. Two more days of travel through drizzling rain and the adventurers were finally drawing close to the Fort. Along the way Maks detailed that his original group had discussed two methods of entering the Fort. One was to simply pass through the front gates as travelers who have business in the Fort. The other was to search for an entrance to some caves carved into the side of the hill that the Fort rests on. Rumor had it that the caves were somehow connected to the dungeons of the Fort. The party decided in favor of searching for the cave entrance.

Along the way, some of the more eagle-eyed members of the party suddenly noticed eyes watching the party...lots and lots of eyes...A trio of monstrous spiders descended from the trees and attacked. Maks suffered a bad bite, the discoloration indicating he'd been poisoned. Thankfully it wasn't fatal and a few days rest would have him back to normal. The party also discovered a small vial of liquid that the sorceror discovered was a potion of invisibility.

Finally the party approached close enough to see the black smoke rising from the Fort. Waiting for nightfall they did some scouting and discovered the entrance. With the cover of the next morning's fog the party crept into the dank wet tunnels. Relying on the ranger to identify which paths to take the party started by checking the right passage. Eventually they discovered a room with a pair of ghouls who rushed to attack. The adventurers handled them efficiently though Maks was scraped and temporarily paralyzed. The next chamber held some skeleton defenders and the torn up body of a slave or worker being gnawed on by rats.

Switching over to the left passage the ranger was nearly decapitated by an axe wielding gnoll. Thankfully his compatriots were able to cut down the enemy quickly. With chittering noises coming from up ahead the party paused to take stock of the situation and that is where we ended for the day. What lies ahead in the caverns under the dreaded Fort Tiroth? Time will tell..

Introduction

The characters find themselves in the dirty frontier city of Sora along the Sivas River in the small nation of Aden. They approach a rowdy tavern found along the riverfront, aptly named Night's Ferry. It's shingle swaying in the spring breeze, the cut out shape of a black boat swinging back and forth. Stepping inside the characters are assaulted by the sweet stench of cheap Hatayrse incense hanging heavy in the air; a poor attempt to mask the fetid smell of the nearby river fouled by the city's runoff.

     Behind the bar, polishing a mug and surveying the crowd with an appraising eye, the overweight and unshaven propietor Janoosh casually eyes the party before returning his gaze to scan the room. An eclectic group comprised of sailors, vagabonds, locals and travelers occupy the rough hewn tables of the smoky common room. A young red-headed bard with a squeaky voice and even squeakier mandolin stands in a corner of the room, alternating between entertaining the crowd and wooing the passing serving wenches.

     As the adventurers stand in the entryway one of the wenches approaches. Dressed in a short spring skirt and low cut bodice with a intricate orange sash cinched around her slim waist in the local fashion she flashes a smile and winks with kohl lined eyes. "Good evening m'lords and welcome to the Night's Ferry. If ye be lookin' for a warm plate and strong drink, ye be lucky to find a better bitter than Janoosh serves here. There's a table in the corner if it pleases ye. I am Meria." With a final wink and a mischevious smile Meria sweeps back into the crowded room. Your table awaits in the corner, beckoning...