The players:
Scott: Lupin the Thief & his henchman Goemon - Lupin was betrothed to Ulia but he broke it off.
Selina: Ulia Lancaster Magic User - knows El Muerte when they worked as caravan guards together.
Sal: El Muerte de Tijuana the Luchador - released Aleric from imprisonment most dire.
Nate: Aleric the Fighter & his henchman (son) Ulric - Aleric is the older brother of Lupin recently re-aquainted after their separation at birth.
The group started their journey in the village of Marqest at the Dog & Bone Tavern. After procuring supply packs and getting directions to the ruins the group spent a few minutes getting some local information.
Lupin was informed by a patron that the tavern was full of Gnome Nationalists.
Ulia overheard another patron exclaim that he had seen a frog that was as big as a cow!
Both Aleric and El Muerte confirmed the ruins have more than 1 level below ground.
During the two mile walk El Muerte revealed to the party that his clan has an Death-grudge against the Goat of Marqest, and that the tavern keeper told him that the "Flying goats" had not been seen in awhile. El Muerte was put off by the "flying" part.
Upon arrival at the ruins the party agrees to head to the Square Tower by way of the break in the front wall. As they reach the opening a group about ten small naked humanoids are spotted in the courtyard hitting each other with improvised clubs.
Not wanting to get into a confrontation the party opts to try and climb the crumbling wall so they can attempt to gain entry to the Square tower from the parapet door. As the group assembled at the base of the wall just out of sight of the creatures Lupin tosses up his hook & rope to get ready for a safe ascent. Aleric & Ulric take up a defensive position on the left flank of the party near the hole in the wall. The warriors note that the odd little creatures have noticed the group and are watching them and slowly approaching. It is with great disgust and worry that the men begin to urge their companions to greater spedd as the little creatures all begin to gyrate their pelvic regions in a sort of thrusting unision as they close in.
Lupin handily ascends the rope and makes it to the top of the wall. He scans about and sees there is nothing to worry about and urges the others to climb up! Ulia the Wizard climbs up followed by Goemon, as they reach the halfway point the hook shifts in the crumbling rock causing Goemon to lose his grip and fall! El Muerte tris to catch Goemon but it all happens to quickly and the young thief hits the ground with a sicking thud! The Luchador thinks Goemon may still be alive and ties the rope about the thief's torso then scales the rope himself while also pulling the unconscious fellow up behind him.
At the base of the wall both Aleric and Ulric have begun a sort of delaying action with the encroaching creatures. They are resilient beasties and seem able to take quite a beating! Ulric split the head of one open with a blow from his sword as Aleric also spears another directly through the head! The creatures begin to swarm about Aleric as the gut-wrenching sound of their knobby hides slap against his armor while they thrust, claw and seemingly eagerly rub themselves on him!
El Muerte sees his friends surround below and leaps down from the parapet to deliver an amazing Elbow Smash to the creatures scattering then back enought to allow the fighters a chance to scale the rope and gain safety.
Once back together atop the battlement, Lupin reveals the sad fact that Goemon has broken his neck and is indeed dead. Not wanting to stay outside any longer than they must Aleric charges and smashes open the door of the tower. Unfortunately his momentum carries him into the tower interior and he tumbles down a flight of stair just inside the door!
Lupin takes a few items from Goemon then wraps him in a blanket and leaves the body on the wall. The rest of the party quickly enters the tower to see where Aleric has gone.
The second story of the tower is a large room bi-sected by a wall with a single door to the other half of the room. The front half of the room they are in has a stairwell going down to the first floor (which they see Aleric lying at the bottom of), a stairwell ascending to the third floor, Arrow slits overlooking the approach to the castle itself and the door leading to the battlement which El Muerte secures so they cannot be followed inside.
Lupin, Ulia, and Ulric descend to the first floor to aid Aleric, while the Luchador climbs the stairs to the third floor. Muerte notices lots of thick webbing as he ascends and catches glimpse of a large arachnid. Deciding not to tempt fate the massive wrestler backs slowly down the stairs and goes to join his friends on the first floor.
Aleric is hefted to an upright position and Ulric begins to try and revive his Father. Lupin and Ulia search the chamber they are in and discover it to be a small mess hall with a single door leading out. The most unusual thing however is the six foot tall statue of an Owl-man dressed in robes complete with a staff that stands in the center of the kitchen. Lupin notes the door out of this chamber is closed, not trapped, but stuck in the door frame and would need to be forced to open. He also hears the sounds of something moving on the other side!!! Not footsteps, but a sort of sliding whish?!?!
Ulia deduces the statue maybe a rare and legendary Orinthrope! They are a race of intelligent bird-people, and by the look of it she thinks he may not be a statue at all but the victim of something that turned him to stone! Lupin relays that whatever may have done that, just might be on the other side of this door!! The Thief then proceeds to set the locks on this side of the door!
El Muerte reaches the bottom of the steps as Aleric groggily comes to! he relays to the men that there is at least one if not more very large spiders on the third floor!
The party decides the spider to be the bigger threat as it could sneak down on them, so they head back upstairs and Aleric & Ulric lead the assault on the creatures.
A short but intense fight on the third floor stairwell leads to Ulric being bitten and killed by one of the creatures. Aleric and El Muerte are able to dispatch two spiders without any undo harm. A third spider cowers in rafters of the upper chamber and is left alone.
Aleric takes some gear from his fallen son, utters prayer over him then lights his body on fire after wrapping it in a blanket. The smoke trails out of the arrow slits and the group descends back to the first floor.
Taking into summation all the clues they have, the group decide to open the door out of the kitchen to see what lies beyond. Everyone is prepared to run back up the stairs to the second floor if a creature is revealed beyond. Aleric takes the lead and they get the door open with use of Lupins pry-bar. Just beyond is a short hallway leading to an exterior tower door that is slightly ajar. The hall itself also has a pair of single doorways halfway between the kitchen and the exit to the courtyard beyond. Aleric slowly creeps down the hall and peers into the left hand doorway which is open using his small hand mirrior. He sees a terrible beast writhing about inside!!
 |
| The Beast! |
The scent of burnt creature permeating the tower the party decides to check out the doorway opposite of where the Basilisk was. Opening this door they discover a bunk room and an indoor privy, however a pungent odor overcomes everyone, making eyes tear and a stomachs turn. Also a gurgling bubbling sound is heard echoing from the privy chamber and the group quickly backs out and shuts the door.
In the Room with the burnt beast an iron lever is found that operates a hidden defensive pit trap just inside the tower at the base of the exit door leading out to the courtyard.
At this point a magical effect transpires and the Owl-man returns to physical form as the transmuting effect of the creature dissipates!
He thanks the party for returning him to life and reveals his name is Icarus.
The group then left the square tower by way of the exit door into the courtyard. The naked creatures from earlier were nowhere to be seen and they all made it back to town without incident.
THE END
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