AD&D Greyhawk Adventures: The Temple of Elemental Evil

Game Master Anselth

"What is in the water in this place? Giant frogs, giant ticks, and now, giant lizards! Back, you beast!" Andre slashes his sword out at the lizard, hoping to strike blood and force the creature back into the room.

Though unable to hit the beast, Andre does manage to force it back into the room a few steps.

Sir Galavaine must have intuitively known battle was coming. He carries on past the paladin and attacks the giant reptile from the left.

Hammer attack 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13, damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

His shield is covering his right flank and the beasts jaws which drip slippery saliva. Meanwhile he keeps one eye on the back end and that tail.

"'Ware the tail sweep. Tis a dragon's weapon of ambush so father spake!"

Stepping aside to let Galavaine pass, Tarmin then moves to the doorway with bow drawn. Seeing the scene within she has a moments hesitation. Her instincts war with one another, on one hand her desire to protect her friends, on the other her desire to not harm those creatures that do not deserve it. In a split second though, her friend's safety rears paramount in her mind, her fingers gently release the first of her arrows.

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

I'm back y'all.

Mechanics for DM Anselth

Sallandrya makes a search of the room where Andre was bloodied after making sure he is in no longer need of healing, as she goes through the room she hears sounds of drawn blades once again.

She takes two more arrows from her quiver and sets off to join her comrades' side, shaking her head at their willingness to wake every beast that has lain claim to this "deserted" keep.

Sir Galavaine's mace strikes the beast, but feels as if it just bounces off its thick hide. Almost in unison, four arrows pass between the two warriors, one of Tarmin's bouncing off the creature, but three bury themselves to the fletching in its chest. The beast Rears in pain, then falls over onto its side, twitching.

A glint of light catches Andre's eye, and he notes a chest in the southern corner of the room.

55xp for the tick and the lizard, per player. also 29 more for the two previous encounters, my calculations didn't mesh with the values in the module.

Tarmin lowers her bow and walks forward to kneel at the great lizard's head, placing her hand on its now still brow. Her eyes close and her chin falls to her chest, then with a sigh she rises to assist the others.

Podo walks around the room, kicking at things, and looking about.

" What do we do now"? "I'm getting hungry".

The room is littered with the remains of cots and several plain, wooden chests. Podo finds one still intact, and in the litter of the room he finds a jeweled dagger. Inside the chest, he finds a scale mail tunic, a light crossbow, 24 bolts, and 33 cp.

Would I be right in thinking that we have left two side chambers because they have something "skittery" inside them?

Sir Galavaine moves quietly over to Andre but speaks loud enough for all to hear. "I have magick to protect against evil. All signs point to the middle doors at the way on. Doth thou wish for the boon of protective magick? My other spells provide healing and the Brave One has allowed me two such spells of curing."

I don't think so, the fight with the snake might have distracted everyone from checking those two rooms, since there wasn't actually a door to where the snake was living.

Let's tidy up Anselth's lovely map and search those last two chambers. Usual formation, Andre and archers on point, Galavaine at the rear near Pettry?

The room is littered with the remains of cots and several plain, wooden chests. Podo finds one still intact, and in the litter of the room he finds a jeweled dagger. Inside the chest, he finds a scale mail tunic, a light crossbow, 24 bolts, and 33 cp.

Ohhhh! I better keep this dagger so it won't get lost Podo says sliding the dagger into his pouch.

Then heading back to the others. "Hey". "There is a chest in here with some armor, and a crossbow, and some bolts, along with some money". "Aren't you proud of me for sharing".

Tut tut scranford! how could you?

Pick Pockets

BTW... Podo doesn't really understand 'stealing'. He really just sees it as keeping things safe, and if he's ever called on it he'll give it back freely...it just might end up "kept safe" again :-). He really doesn't even try to hide what he's doing...among his friends anyway

Kender syndrome. Nobody notices Podo pocket the dagger.

"Yes, lets finish with the above ground ruins, prevent any surprises from coming behind us." Tarmin says, looking to Galavaine "Any such boon would be welcome, as I am sure that the dangers we face will only get worse" she says with a smile. To Podo she says "I am always proud of you Podo, best you hold onto your finds, keep them 'safe'"

Andre nodded to Galavaine. "Aye, friend. Whatever magics the Valorous Knight can bestow would be appreciated. If these brigands are not within the double doors, then they have quit the Moathouse, surely." After the warrior-priest finishes his miracles, Andre steels himself to throw open the double doors and confront whatever lies beyond, be it brigands, giant insects or simply an empty room.

Andre, are you moving to the door in the NE corner of the moathouse ,like THIS? note that I'm just checking whick door, I will line up everyone before it's opened.

Galavaine will provide Andre with protection from evil once the last two side chambers have been emptied. Just before we open the double doors. I think Andre may have missed that we intend to finish off the rest of the level first.

"First the right hallway must be cleared. Then the double doors, my Lord."

Gnobby listens at the door.
1d100 ⇒ 50
He shrugs his shoulders and steps back.

I did, in fact. Onto the lower rooms! So, basically, my exact same post, but let's take the eastern door, rather than the big room to the NE.

As the light from Pettry's torch spills into the room, a violent rustling can be heard by the group, which turns into an ululating din as a large black cloud rolls out of the room, enveloping the party. Pettry drops the torch in surprise, and there is a somewhat physical force to the cloud surrounding everyone, like thousands of wings beating all at once.

Those without infravision can't really see, due to the dimming of the light when the torch went out coupled with the cloud around your heads.

Andre raises his shield, warding off the battering as best he can. "Light!", he cries out. "Get us light, damn it all!"

Tarmin raised her hands into the air allowing the rushing bats to gently bounce off them. Her silvery laugh fills the air "Worry not, Andre, 'tis merely a large family of bats. Quite harmless!!"

Galavaine smiles grimly as the tension releases a little.

Sallandrya crouches low to avoid any contact with the swarm, keen on finding out if this sizable distraction was planned for by unknown foes to keep her comrades off balance and unawares.

The woodland priest keeps vigilant for any who may take advantage of the swarms movements.

"Pettry, can you salvage the torch?" And remembering some earlier basic and rudimentary arcane teachings she learned in her homeland, " shall I collect some guano from the Chiroptera for your later use?

Then to her companions closest to her " could we use the Chiroptera to our advantage? Have their own panicked flight shroud our movements by opening the remaining doors and funneling them through before us?"

DM Ansleth

As Sallandrya bends over to escape the swarm of bats her head hovers near Podo. "I guess there are some advantages to being short Huh", Podo asks with a smile.

The swarm of bats dissipates as quickly as it appeared, the majority finding theier way out into the courtyard. Pettry picks the torch back up, and relights it. He smiles sheepishly at the offer from Sallandrya. "Sure, I guess. I don't think I'm anywhere close to needing it yet, but it couldn't hurt."

"Guano? Bat guano. Be that part of your magicks? No idea of mine but what could that be for?"

Galavaine brushes his hair out of his eyes at the bat cloud's passing and nods in the torchlight to Podo. "I agree."

"Chela...the woman that taught me...mentioned it could be used to create a blast of flame and heat. I've never seen it done, though." His voice shakes somewhat at the mention of his teacher's name, though he obviously is trying to control it.

"Must be a fine sight for one's eyes to see such an inferno. Perchance one day we could see Chela's Fireblast?" the knight's eyes fix on the torchbearer.

"I guess there are some advantages to being short Huh", Podo asks with a smile.

"Indeed there are!"

The Elf priestess then plants a brief fond kiss on the Halfling's forehead, "Keeping safe small things those too tall would lose anyways not being the least of them brave Podo," and gives her scouting partner a knowing wink.

Sallandrya then heeds Pettry, the Archmage in training's words, and pulls out one of her recovered arrows and a little bit of parchment. Once she is certain it is safe for her to lower her bow, she starts to use the arrow and small bit of parchment to collect what even the most powerful of would be world conquering spell casters have to use at some time in their careers.

After a minute or so she she gingerly hands over a folded up "package" to the wizard, "May Pettry's Unerring Flame not be long forthcoming."

Note: I have the campaign's first guano arrow as well. : )

Pettry winces at the mention of Chela's name, but smiles as he accepts the package from the Elf woman. "Thank you, though I hope we don't have need of it in the coming days."

Tarmin watches the exchange between Sallandrya and Pettry, a smile on her lips I knew Sallandrya would fit in perfectly. She then moves further into the room, seeing if the bats were concealing anything of interest.

As the wave of bats finally pass over them, Andre begins composing himself. He blinks as the torch is relit, and scans the group. "Is everyone alright? These flying rats didn't savage anyone on the way out?" When everyone answers in the affirmative, he nods to himself. "Good. If the brigands are on this level, they must have heard that - be alert for anyone coming down the passage to investigate." With that, he follows Tarmin into the room beyond.

"I shall guard our rear."

The bits of furniture and cloth that remain in this room speak to an opulence you've not seen yet in the moathouse. While none of it appears to have any value anymore, the bits of silk, velvet, and laminated hardwoods that remain clearly meant this room was set aside for the use of one of the more important figures in the building's past.

So lets check the last room opposite and then we can confront the double doors!

Leaving the search of the room to the smallfolk, Andre opens the last door in the southern corridor. The door opens onto a small bedchamber, the furniture within is hacked to kindling. No threats are apparent to the Paladin's eyes, nor are any valuables. Looking back to the others, he gets nods from Tarmin and Sallandrya, indicating that their measure of the room matches his. Steeling their wills, the group turns their eyes upon the doors in the northeast corner of the building, knowing now that any threats that may remain are in front of them.

There are no valuables or enemies in either of these two rooms

Tarmin steps to the area in front of the doors, her eyes searching the ground in front of them, seeking any tell-tale signs of recent foot traffic.

Tracking 1d100 ⇒ 65

Returning to the group Tarmin says quietly "There's some evidence of foot traffic around those doors, at least 3 different tread marks. Hard to tell how old though"

"Then let us expect an unwelcome reception. Sir Galavaine, the Valorous Knight's protection, if you please..."

Trying to lose himself among the tall people, Podo awaits the opening of the big doors. Big doors mean big...stuff...

Tarmin checks the tension of her bowstring and that the arrows in her quiver are arranged correctly, she takes one arrow and knocks it. Nodding to Sallandrya, she takes up position before the doors.

Sallandrya mirrors the other Elven archers movements takes her place on the opposite end of the double doors and notches an arrow that is prepared to be lit.

She looks to the wizard for a light from the torch he bears and whispers a prayer to The Great Hunter.

Gnobby moves up to listen and then retreat.
Listen1d100 ⇒ 32