The Temple of the Three Faces Conclusion

SESSION 6 PART II

PCS

Talos Redwand, 4th level Conjurer
Kieren, 4th level Druid
Shaw Ashcroft, 3rd level Ranger (Justifier)
Eswin, 4th level Elven Thief
Lutien, 4th level Fighter (Myrmidon)

NPCS

Knobby Greenburrow, Halfling Cartographer

FROM THE JOURNAL OF KNOBBY GREENBURROW, CARTOGRAPHER EXTRAORDINARE

Well if this tale doesn't put the grey in a dwarf’s beard, I don’t know what will. I’m sitting here, propped up in a bed in the Brysgod Inn, munching away on some of Fudwick’s delicious crab cakes, recovering from wounds recently received. The fact that I made it back at all is a wonder.

I’ll pick up where I left off. We had just recovered the scrolls from the Library of Ages and decided to make one last stop on our way out of the monastery in the Chamber of Sighs; a place reputed to hold a pool which could show the future. As we entered the Chamber of the Petitioners we saw several dead Dancing Devils lying about. A large onyx skinned giant in eldritch bronze armour barred access to the Chamber of Sighs. He radiated a power I have not felt in my short years of life. As we moved closer, his eyes shot ablaze and he uttered “I am Marut XXXVI. By the order of Mechanus, none shall pass until three are one.” Well, we knew better than to press our luck, so we gave up our notions of getting a peak at the future and headed straight back to the old ladies’ hut.

They healed us of our wounds and graciously let us keep the scroll we had won. The next day, we made our way back through the forest to the clearing where we were supposed to signal the fisherman across the river to come fetch us. Fortunately, we encountered no resistance on our way to the clearing.

The Indomitable Blood Knight

When we arrived at the clearing, we found the fisherman already there. He looked nervous and began to apologize, but before he could complete his apology, a huge man in blood-encrusted plate mail appear out of the ether and lopped his head off with an axe. He congratulated us on our small victory and said one Ragan Doon was impressed with us, but our lives were forfeit and we could not live now that we had gained the knowledge in the scrolls. Apparently they had something to do with a prophecy and the war between Beltigost and Old Althyria and our achieving of the scrolls did not sit well with this Ragan Doon.

At any rate, the large brute advanced slowly upon us. Batty magicked the weeds and plants around the evil warrior which twisted around him and prevented him from moving closer. We were feeling quite confident in downing the brute, when the vines suddenly disappeared. An ugly looking priest in night-black armour appeared also from out of the ether and dispelled Batty’s magicks. Off to our right two more adversaries appeared. A bald, gap-toothed sorcerer and a hulkng Iskal warrior. Trouble indeed, but I felt the odds still favoured us at 6 to 4. Suddenly, arrows started flying at us from the branches of a tree to our rear. An ambush if ever there was one.

The battle was the fiercest, most hazardous situation I have ever had the misfortune of being in. Things happened so fast. Sneaky and I made for the archer in the trees, while Wheezy faced off against the sorcerer, Batty took the Iskal warrior, our new companion Lutien took on the dreaded priest and much to his misfortune, Stabby faced off against the blood encrusted knight.

Magic flew, swords sung and arrows whizzed. We had the worst of it for a while. I was nearly knocked unconscious by a poisoned arrow, but thankfully Sneaky managed to knock the archer out of the tree with one of his own arrows and we soon put and end to him.

Wheezy had a worse time of it. He got blasted by a lightning bolt, nearly charring the skin from his bones. In the end, he managed to conjure up a demon dog from the pits of the underworld with his newly won staff and the beast was finally able to bring the sorcerer low.

The dreaded priest couldn’t for the life of him hit Lutien with his black mace, and soon fell to our heavily armed new companion, who mercilessly battered him to pieces with his axe. It was really no contest.

The ugly Iskal warrior hit Batty several times with mighty blows from his axe and it looked like Batty’s end was drawing nigh, but the crafty druid took to the air with his cloak and from a safe perch on one of the branches in the trees used his magic to heat the barbarian’s armour and fry him in it.

The leader of the group, the blood encrusted knight, would not so easily be brought down. He hammered away at Stabby with his twin axes, bringing the Ranger close to death. Stabby took to heel when the battle was lost, but the brute followed him and sliced him open good. As Stabby’s lifeblood poured out on the ground, the blood knight stood above him ready to make his kill and smear the blood of his enemy upon his breast. With quick thinking from the rest of the companions however, Stabby was eventually saved, though I daresay he’ll not be too quick to jump into a fight any time soon. Wheezy conjured a puddle of grease below the blood knight’s feet and with luck on our side, the huge brute could not keep his footing. The demon dog then ran over to the knight and with its breath was able to set the grease aflame, roasting the knight and finally laying him low.

During the fight, we could all hear the boyish laughter of that treacherous little fairy creature known to us as Puddle. I hazard to guess that the slimy little mischief maker will cross our paths once again at some point and I shudder to think what other trouble he’ll cause us.

With the battle done, our weary band hobbled back across the river in the fisherman’s boat to lick our wounds and rest. I know Stabby and I will require at least a week’s bed rest before doing anything strenuous. We gathered up the weapons of our enemies before we left as well. Most of them were cursed and only usable by those with evil hearts, but Lutien did manage to take possession of the blood knight’s armour and his magical axe.

I have thanked the group for taking me with them, for they have provided me with years of yarns to spin for those who will listen, but I’ve had my fill of adventure for a little while. When they move on, I’ll politely let them know that I have come down with a case of the stomach flu. Perhaps we’ll cross paths and join together again someday; but part of me hopes that day is far into the future.