Castle Capers Part II

As we watched the two Bullywugs escape deeper into the cave, some of my compatriots began develop a sense of unease. Back when we had first entered the underground area we had taken a fork that led down – following some muddy footprints. The fact that there was an another path began to sit uneasily, and we decided to backtrack rather than push forward.
 
When we arrived back in the main entrance area of this subterranean space, Rhumor discovered yet another branching circuit of the cave we had missed seeing entirely when we first entered. Initially it appeared to be an empty alcove, with something glimmering at the bottom of a shallow pool on one end. Before any of us got too close though, Conrad noticed something out of place – something slick, and slimy. He sent his summed frog to investigate. A greyish ooze then lashed out at the frog. The ooze was easy enough to destroy, and Virgil collected quite a stash of precious gems from the bottom of the pool. Not quite the treasure hoard we’ve been looking for, but more valuable than everything else we’ve seen so far!
 
Tracking back to the main room we had to deal with more Bullywugs – our presence, or at least the disturbance our presence was causing, had been detected. We killed all but one of the bullywugs before any could run for help. That one was met with a spear from a lizardfolk ally that was at the bottom of the castle steps. And so we kept moving, exploring this other branch we had previously ignored upon entry. The path forward found us looking down into a depressed area of the cave, about 15 feet down, obscured heavily by fog and mist. We could hear bullywugs talking, but could not see them. A crane offered a way to lower heavy loads down, and I surmised the treasure was being brought this way after sorting.
 
Rhumor and I climbed down a rope ladder, and I waited silently for him to do what he does best. He killed two of them in shadows before the third began screaming and running. The rest of the group came down and we crept up toward the passage the fleeing bullywug had taken. We began to hear some sort of bizarre chanting. Pharblex. This was it.
 
Once we were in position Rhumor took his shot. It hit the grotesque looking bullywug leader, but did not have nearly the effect we would have hoped for. This larger creature, wearing a hat made of a crocodile’s head, simply turned to look at us, malice in its eyes. Nuri attacked, and then I unleased twin blasts, trying to position myself to shield her from the rapidly approaching minions of Pharblex.
Poisoned darts came flying at me from blowguns fashioned from swamp reeds. Several of them hit me, one of them nearly caused me to succumb to its insidious poison. Then Pharblex began chanting, casting a spell, and just as I saw spikes begin to break through the ground and the walls I shouted my counterspell. The look on Pharblex’s face was priceless.
 
While all of this magic was flying about, Virgil had rushed in and was busy bashing minions into minced froggy bits. Conrad had his summoned frog thwacking the bullywugs, and had Ardor poofing in and out all around them, singing their slimy skins with each move. Then Pharblex and his minions began focusing on me in earnest. I took quite a few nasty hits, and finally had to retreat, teleporting myself back many paces. Conrad gave support from there, and I began to feel stronger again - and not a moment too soon. I did not see exactly how Pharblex went down, but down he went, and shortly thereafter so did the last of his minions.
 
Looking to the last branch of the cavern that was yet unexplored we were surprised to encounter two very capable looking cultists. They must have heard the fighting with Pharblex, but clearly were disinterested in the outcome. They attacked us, and we fought again. These cultists were tough, skilled, and far better armed and armored than any we’d fought before. Unbelievably, they took down Virgil, though only just before falling themselves. Conrad tended to Virgils severe wounds, bringing him back to consciousness, and we inspected this last alcove. A magical portal was scribed into the ground here, and another intricate alter to Tiamat on the back wall. We decided to take a short break to catch our breath, and renew our stamina. Rhumor, Conrad, and Nuri found a curious (and magically warded) box hidden in the altar. It contained some wondrous items, and this was what Sintos had alluded to when he gave the magical words to Nuri.
 
As we turned back to head back to the castle, we heard, and to some degree, saw, a large group at the top, headed our way. The half elf was there, along with more lizardfolk, including one that we surmised to be Rockfoot, and even more of those battle-hardened cultists.
 
Conrad ran right up to base of the cliff and blew his horn. The walls shook, the ground shivered, everyone screamed in agony. Two of the lizardfolk fell down, and the half elf and Rockfoot turned back, commanding the remaining forces to kill us. While grateful for the improved odds in battle, I was horrified by the cowardice I'd just witnessed.
 
With the mist dispersed by the horn, the fight was on in full. We focused mostly on those cultists, though some of the lizard folk were caught in the crossfire. I saw Virgil charging the cliff face, confused as to his intent, when he suddenly disappeared, and then reappeared up top! This minotaur truly is full of surprises! What a marvelous thing, a giant teleporting Minotaur! I reminded myself how glad I was he was fighting with us, and not against us!
 
Even after a lizardfolk had speared her, Nuri stood her ground without retaliating, and lifted high the head of Pharblex. She said something in Draconic I could not understand, and I watched in astonishment as the lizardfolk kneeled before her. An enraged cultist seeing this charged toward Nuri – only to be gutted by the lizardfolk who now protected her.
 
After the last cultist fell, Nuri spoke to the two remaining lizardfolk at some length. She found out that Rezmir and Azbara intended to flee the castle, using the portal we were now in front of. They also told her they believe Rockfoot would join our cause if Nuri showed him Pharblex’s head. Apparently the half-elf Borngray would be staying behind.
 
After so much fighting, and with nearly all of our resources expended, we decided it best to let Rezmir and Azbara go through the portal, while Rhumor and Conrad hid in the mist to listen for the activation word, which turned out to be “Drayzeer.” With only Borngray and a few of his cultist minions left to fight, our next move would be to go back to the castle and do a more complete inspection and exploration of the main and upper levels.
 
Less than a few hours ago I feared this task of infiltrating the castle and staying alive to be a near impossible proposition, and now, here wee are, nearing that very goal. I must remember to not be overconfident, who knows what tricks that half elf has up his sleeve, and we yet do not know exactly how many cultists remain.