Session 8: Fighting Back - Part 2 Report

General Summary

The party, accompanied by Leosin Erlanthar, headed deeper into the cave as loud voices could be heard from nearby in the camp. It soon became clear that the cave entrance led into a much larger complex of caverns and tunnels. The dispatched guards were dumped in a crevice and hidden as well as could be before curiosity and a need to avoid detection drew the companions deeper. Naturally formed caves led into the gloom and little light came from outside as they moved onwards, so light sources were needed.   A faint wind could be felt from distant tunnels indicating that there might be another exit from the caves away from the cultist camp but as the party turned a corner it became clear that the cultists already knew of these caves. Several green robed bodies lay here and a closer inspection drew attention to the fact that they seemed completely drained of blood. It soon became clear what caused the blood loss as a swarm of winged nightmares swooped down upon the party. Quickly surrounded, the adventurers fought the creatures off but not before several party members were injured badly by the stirges. However, within a few minutes the creatures lay dead and the party had recovered from the trauma. Another look at the bodies by Picasso showed that, as well as the blood drain, they were missing some limbs and extremities. Picasso deduced that these injuries were not caused by the stirges.   The Giant led the way onwards in bear form, his superior sense of smell invaluable in the dank darkness. He quickly picked up the strong and unpleasant scent of rotting and decay and growled a warning to his companions. Rounding a corner the smell became considerably stronger and The Giant knew the source was close by. Down a slight slope on the left the companions came across some ragged forms lurking in the darkness, feeding on something noisily, the figures turned at the sound and light and the companions saw evil, hungry faces staring back at them with mad, red eyes. The ghouls immediately attacked, seeing the adventurers as another source of food. Again the companions triumphed and moving to a safe place away from the stench of decay they made camp, a well-earned rest giving them some succour in that dark and evil place.  

  The party, rested and rejuvenated, made a brief stop at a oddly out-of-place walled area. Clearly not a natural formation this piqued the companion's interest for a few minutes but the area seemed to lead to a dead-end and so they set off to explore other parts of the cavern complex.   Passing the site of the stirge fight the party reached another structure and found stairs leading up into a building. Entering cautiously in the deathly silence they explored.This seemed to be the site of an ancient place of worship, long since abandoned. In one room a strange demonic statue sat undisturbed. As The Giant approached this statue he felt heat emanating from it, the heat grew increasingly intense as he neared the demonic figure and he was forced to withdraw. Examining the statue from a safe distance Khorg determined that it represented a 'Balor', an 12 foot tall fire demon from nightmares, it carried a flaming whip in one clawed hand and a wicked sword in the other, it's horned head seemed to leer down at them evilly.     In another part of the structure Citrus found strange markings on the wall, it looked like blood that had been smeared on the walls to form crude, but unsettling pictures of disemboweled humanoids, some without heads. There were also deep gouges in the walls here but their source was as yet unknown....

Rewards Granted

Ring of Protection +1