Session Six - To Gritznak, or not to Gritznak

General Summary

30th of Lothian, 2179
Deep beneath the Temple of Baleon Nakt the Wolves yips made Alexandre Loralen back away. Likewise Sir Alistair Howell hearing a low guttural growl backed away from his door. They retraced their steps and found Risha lowering a stiff and unmoving Ozias to the floor of the well room. The corpse of the Wolf Spider, Medium still twitching as Risha began to pull a bandage, but she was halted by the Half-Elven Ranger who saw the poison's tell-tale evidence about the bite wound. Instead he rummaged through his pack, and began chewing herb leaves, flower petals and roots. Shoving the mulched contents into the bite wound he knew he could slow the onset of the Paralysis, but eventually it would take hold. They had to hurry.
Setting off the Cleric took the lead, almost as if knowing which way to go, where to turn. he swore the torch blew toward the path, or darkness occluded passageways hat they were not meant to go. the rest assumed it was simply delirium from the spiders venom, but allowed him to lead on. They stepped into the Wolves stable area. The creatures tied up were no threat, but began to yelp, and howl. Instantly sir Howell hacked raw meat from the table into chunks and tossed them to the stabled mounts. The yips died away, as the animals fed, and the group pushed on.
Stairs led down. as they descended Sir Howell grabbed one of the lit torches from the wall. The first room was empty. Though at one time lavish furniture occupied the room. Now time, and rot had taken it's toll, and left what remained in ruins; however, as Ozias had kept heading down the hallway, thus only a cursory glance was had. Seeing this room empty, they followed the wandering Cleric left around a corner. Then right around a corner. Until a four-way intersection was come upon where each one took a direction. The Ranger spotted the gold gilded archway. the knight kept going they way ahead and opened a door to another disused storeroom. Ozias wandered  about a bit, frustrating Risha as she called for him to remain still, and not wander off let alone the poison overcome the Rangers curative, and she has to carry him back, and out.
Alexandre tested the archway, and felt the zap of the temple course through him. Sir Howell, and Risha as well felt the bite of uneasiness, but Ozias seemed unphazed. The door ahead lead to a small room. Odd script, and glyphs carved in the walls and the floor seeming to flow to the central point. in the center a desiccated Goblin  corpse lay mutilated. the door closed, and the script took on a bluish glow lighting the room slightly. Soon a figure emerged from the small alcove in one wall, the Ghoul setting upon the group instantly. After slaying the creature, the runes began to pulse like a heartbeat. The party moved on following the wandering Half-orc again.
The next door was pulled open, and Cave Spider, Small  jumped upon Ozias, while Kobold  moved bout between his legs. The melee was at  stalemate until Risha began bull-rushing to move the group into the room so they could all engage. Although one spider got a successful bit in, the poison was resisted. Some of the Kobolds managed to land strikes, but the room was moped up with the last Kobold surrendering and being whacked unconscious. Bandages were consumed, including one of the fancy medicated ones from town, and they moved on.
Rounding the corner, they discovered Gritznak the Bold private quarters. Once the private chambers of the former high priest Unguaith Kine  piles of loot were recovered, and some information but aside from a snake guarding some chests that was quickly dispatched the room was cleared, and they took a moment to reassess Ozias's for poison onset. Alexandre treated him again, and they moved off after filling a few pouches to the brim with the coins discovered.
Again they turned a corner, and followed the hallway down to the almost end. as they pulled the door open the Boss battle music kicked in! Gritznak stood atop a table that had a brass pot under it with a groove leading into it. a wicked sickle gleamed a reddish hue reflecting the large red glowing stone of an eye on the wall. Four goblins chained to the wall stood in the corner, while four others leapt forward to attack. Gritznak didn't join in the attack, but rather started chanting a ritual in an unknown language, not known by any present. Sir Howell, and Alexandre were both overwhelmed, and grappled. Goblins in the wall chains suddenly leapt forward and began assisting to drag the grappled members toward the table. As Risha, and Ozias hacked their way through Sir Howell was dragged to the table. Gritznak's eyes took on a reddish hue, as he reached down and grabbed the sickle and struck! Sir Howell went limp.
Alexandre was struggling to get free as Risha struck at those entangled with him. Sir Howell's limp form was pushed up onto the table as Ozias struck into Gritznak who continued to chant. Eventually Alexandre worked free, and Risha moved to help free Sir Howell, but his blood was pooling along the table, not flowing down to the chalice, but up toward the eye on the wall. Calling out to Gloriana: Mistress of Battle  Ozias severed Gritznak's head, then immediately began trying to obstruct the blood from the table flowing up as Risha slew the last Goblin, and Alexandre began smashing the eye on the wall. Risha pulled Sir Howell out from under the headless Gnoll 
Sir Howell was bandaged, and helped to his feet as the red eye wall stone shattered. the retinue collected the severed head, looked for the sickle, but couldn't locate it, and departed. As they worked their way back out to the surface they stopped and bundled up, collected, dragged, and carried items of value. Collected weapons, and laid corpses into one pyre. Eventually, they made it back to the surface, loaded the mounts and departed the temple under the dim glow of faint moonlight.
Back down in the Sacrificial chamber, the dropped torch burned dimly. Shadows flickered as the torch burned down. Then a slight rumble as a wall section slid away. Two skeletal forms shambled forth wearing ornate ancient armor. they approached the headless Gnoll left atop the table, and laid him out. Unshackling the wall goblins, and placing them atop the table as well. Slowly the blood dripped forth. a Third skeletal form emerged and began collecting the shattered wall stone fragments. these two were placed on the table. when the blood his a stone fragment, it pulsed slowly softly glowing red. Two more skeletal forms emerged, these departed the Sacrificial chamber searching for slain corpses to gather, but the party had fed them all to a pyre that burned. They hissed in anger eventually returning to the sacrificial chamber. As the torch burned out the doorway in the wall slid back, all five Skeletal guardians kneeling about a large sarcophagus in the center of the adjoining room. Where the lid had opened, and a desiccated hand wearing ornate rings raised upwards....

Report Date

28 Jun 2023