Stephen Marks's page

My problem is that the more I am hearing about Pathfinder II, the less I am liking it. :(

Same here.

Great. Our June start got delayed until August because of everyone's vacation schedules so you have not missed anything.

We usually play on Saturdays but if a couple people are busy on Saturday but available Sunday afternoon then we could play on Sunday. We try to be flexible.

Still looking for a couple more players.

My gaming group is starting a new Pathfinder campaign that will start the end of June. We have 3 players and a GM so have space for a few more players. We will play in Frederick, Md several times a month, sometimes on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday depending on schedules.

The campaign is set in the Forgotten Realms. We are older gamers and enjoy role-playing and building our characters in the story. We are not min-maxers.

Dream Wizards in Rockville, Maryland.

If you are interested in joining our game you still have time. Not everyone made it Saturday to make characters. So far we have:

Halfling Ranger- archery style
Human Sorcerer - Copper dragon bloodline
Human Fighter - two weapon swashbuckler
Elf Rogue - scout
one undecided - may be a cleric

Our campaign will be set in the Forgotten Realms and we will begin in Cormyr. If you want to know more we have a yahoo groups site. The group name is Laughingdragon.

We are getting together to make characters this Saturday, Sept 4th.

If you don't mind driving to Frederick my group will be starting a new Pathfinder campaign in a few weeks. We play one Saturday a month from about 10 am until we feel like stopping. The players are mid 30's to 40.

Thank you Stringburka.

Can someone explain what the spirit ranger is and what its options are, please?

I started playing D&D in 1984 and went through the contraversy of the game. The game was blamed for a couple of suicides because some kids killed themselves after their characters died in game. The game was also accused of being an introduction into the occult.
When I started playing I bought my books and miniatures at Toys R Us but the stigma got so bad they stopped carrying D&D.
But I could always show people my game books and no where did it have you pick a character that served or worshipped devils.
I am worried that 4th Ed is going to bring the whole stigma back. Having the Tiefling race that made a pact with devils through "darkness and blood" is bad enough but I have the Races & Classes book and the Warlock is so much worse. Those who are against D&D will be able to point to that class description and say D&D encourages kids to make bargains with dark powers. The proof they were lacking before will be given to them.
I'm old enough now that no one elses opinion can stop me from playing (except my wife's) but I'm worried that the choice of Tiefling and Warlock will hurt recruiting new players to the game.

What I've heard about 4th edition that I like is that characters aren't as dependent on magic items. But there are many other rumors that have me worried.

The mention of sources of power for martial classes and that the Tome of Battle was used to design the fighter makes me worry that WotC is making D&D into an anime game. It has been given as an example that a rogue can jump over people which stretches but doesn't break my suspension of disbelief. But if fighters can make their weapon do fire damage or heal from a strike or shoot electricity I won't use it in my games. In my campaigns magic is like a science that must be studied. Adding Tome of Battle to my gaming world would be like saying a karate black belt has studied his craft for so long he can now do heart surgery.

It appears that character building elements are being taken out. The classes are being revamped to be better in combat but the out of combat role playing is being reduced. As a DM I used the profession skill. In between adventures the characters had expenses and could make money with profession checks. During my groups last game session we had 6 hours of role playing and 2 hours of combat and it was a great game.

To me it appears that 4th edition will be like the D&D Tactics game for PSP. You get a couple of sentences about why you are about to fight and then go into battle.

It appears to me that it is becoming a game like Hero Clicks. Your characters even a a role to fill like melee tank, shooter, flyer, leader. The character is just a list of combat stats and not a persona to develop, build, and grow to love.

And they mention encounters will be easier for the DM. I haven't found anything hard about encounters. As DM my hardest task is a fun believable plot and storyline. Now monsters will have specific roles and tactics to use in combat. It seems like monsters will be repetitive cliches.

The mistake I made with 3.5 is that I bought the splat books as they came out thinking one day I'll use something from them. If my group switches to 4th edition I won't buy a book until I need it for my next game session.

I'm sorry that I was unclear in my earlier post. It is true that anyone can make a two weapon ranger also but as a DM since 3.5 edition came out (I haven't been able to play a character myself)I have not seen one survive for long. Maybe it is my friends who tried to play them. I have also been reading the boards over the years and many opinions are that a character with d8 hit die, light armor, and -2 attacks is not an ideal melee fighter. Even the Player's Handbook 2 suggests that if a ranger is the party's melee fighter then the cleric should have a lot of healing and buffs to keep him on his feet. I was just hoping to see what the creative minds at Paizo would do to design a melee ranger that survives. Like what feats you guys would give him, what would have been your spell choices, etc. No big deal really, I was just curious what you all would do.

I saw on the Blog that the Iconic Fighter is a two weapon user. He seems interesting and looks good but does this mean the Ranger won't be a two weapon user? Anyone can make an archery ranger. Since the iconics will be given stats as pregenerated characters I was hoping to see a two weapon fighting ranger build that can survive as a warrior.

When you do the Core Beliefs type articles on the gods can you include the role of rangers for the gods who have ranger followers. In the Core Beliefs article on Pelor there was a description of the role of clerics, paladins, and even druids but rangers seem to be forgotten as divine spellcasters.

In the Pathfinder world will druids and rangers even get their spells from the gods?

A Favored Soul of the kobold deity. He is trouble for both the king and shaman because he may be destined to be both the secular and spiritual leader.

I was disappointed with them. They are too cartoonish for me. When I see one I think of the baby in that cartoon "Family Guy", the talking baby with the football head. And the goblins are described more like gremlins than bloodthirsty humanoids.

I am also sad about losing Dragon and Dungeon Magazines. I think it was not a smart decision by WotC. I buy the magazines to carry around with me when I want something to read or to use at my games. I will not carry around a laptop to read an e-zine and I do not use my computer at gaming sessions. So I have no use for WotC's new e-zine.

Although I won't be supporting the WotC e-zine I do want to keep supporting Paizo because they have been so customer friendly to me. Pathfinder looks like a good resource for adventures but I see some problems besides the higher price. One problem is that if I don't like the current adventure path then that is 6 issues I don't need to buy and Paizo loses me for 6 months. The second problem is my gaming group plays only once a months so it takes us a couple of years to get through a campaign. So when I buy the first adventure path in the first 6 issues I won't have to buy another issue for a year or two. It seems to me that sales will suffer.

But what I am hopeful about, and another reason why I think WotC made a mistake, is that I think Paizo can create a fantastic campaign world much better than WotC. For those who are tired of Forgotten Realms and disappointed with the Eberron concept this is great hope for a fresh world. Many players have wanted Paizo to take over Greyhawk, well now they can do their own world as they want. As Pathfinder grows and becomes popular we may see a new campaign guide. And WotC will lose all of the money I spend on Forgotten Realms books as I switch to the Paizo world.

A lot has happened in the nation of Cormyr in the Forgotten Realms but there has been nothing written about what is happening in Cormyr because of these events. The nation has lost its king and a princess. The new king is an infant. The royal wizard left and was replaced by a less experienced one. The city of Tilverton is covered in darkness presumed to be destroyed. The city of Arabel was occupied by monsters for a time. These monsters are now roaming the land. The town of Redspring was in the path of the goblin army but nothing is mentioned about what happened to it. Eveningstar was attacked. Many, many ranking knights, nobles, and wizards were killed in battle.

So, how are the nobles recovering?
What nobles are left?
Were any war heroes elivated to nobility?
How entrenched are the monsters roaming the land?
How occupied is the King's Forest?
What are Cormyr's enemies doing in its time of weakness?

The newly released adventure set in Cormyr addresses nothing about the nation's problems. How about an article that can coincide with the adventure to help a DM make a better Cormyr campaign.

I had two ideas that I thought would be interesting for adventure paths.
One idea was about the Shadar-Kai trying to end their shadow curse and return to the material plane. They aren't trying to invade the world they just want to come home but the local area doesn't want such violent fey in their area. There are a lot of shadow, shade, and darkness monsters in the different books that can be used.
The second idea was using the plots of the Yuanti. The snake people aren't trying to conquer the world, they are just trying to gain power in a region. In the beginning the party thinks they are fighting humans (the yuanti that look like humans) and later there are many reptile/serpant type of monsters to fight.

My copy of issue 141 hasn't arrived either but my last two magazines took 5 weeks to be delivered here in Maryland so I hope it will be here by next week. I'm beginning to doubt the usefulness of a subscription that arrives 2 weeks after the issue is at the newstands. Anyway, you may have the same delivery time problem I'm having.

Thanks, that's good news and something to look forward too.

In Class Acts Dragon Magazine has done two variants of the ranger, the Wild Defender in issue 324 and the Mystic Ranger in issue 336. But what I and many of my friends have wanted to see is a tougher melee combat capable ranger. Even in the Class Acts of issue 327 the ranger article states "The ranger thrives as a skirmisher, scout, and supporting combatant." It goes on to say that it is difficult for a ranger to stand alongside a paladin or fighter in battle.

I realize that in the conversion to 3.5 the concept of the ranger was changed to that of a skirmisher. But for those of us who still see the ranger as the guy who draws the line between the wilderness and civilization and challenges any monster that crosses that line and who believe a ranger should be able to stand alongside a paladin and fighter, could you do a variant that is along this concept. Heck if the city slicker, pretty boy Swashbuckler can stand with the fighter and paladin why not the hardy, rough, outdoors ranger?

Anyway, my players have asked me to do a warrior variant of the ranger but I would prefer a version created by professionals such as the writers of Dragon.

Also for a Core Belief, could you do an article on Ehlonna. I have wondered just how religous does a ranger have to be. He does get divine spells that he must pray for after all. How much devotion do the gods expect in return for those spells and that animal companion? Other divine casters must serve their god to keep their abilities. What is expected of a ranger? I'm hoping an article on Ehlonna's followers will give me a better understanding.

Thank you.

I would like to add my vote for Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk.

Thank you. Usually I receive an issue 14 days after it was sent out.

I see that Dungeon 140 was mailed out Sept 19. Here it is October 16 and I still have not received my issue. A month is an unusually long time for the mail to be delivered. How can I get my copy of this issue?

18th of Mirtul, 1370, Year of the Tankard
The Company of the Amber Flame rests in their camp in the valley of the Caves of Chaos. They have explored the valley and searched the caves to discover that the goblins and orcs are gone. They sit in their camp having a simple celebration to honor Yen, the company’s half-elven spellsword, for it was his 30th birthday. Discussion at camp turns to the subject of what to do next. The option to follow the goblins and orcs west was mentioned but Lothwen, their wood elf druid, wanted to find the missing druids of northern Cormyr. The company was frustrated because the wilderness was a vast area to wander in looking for missing people. It is said that with age comes wisdom so Yen must have been benefiting from this day for the spellsword recalled that the town of Redspring was near. Surely someone in a town so far north in the wilderness would know of druids in the area. The companions liked Yen’s idea and they all agreed to go to Redspring.
The companions rested in their camp that night and on the next day started the walk to Redspring. Elwin led his friends through the forest but not knowing the area he became lost, well just a little disorientated, that is he took the long scenic route.
At one point in their journey the heroes unsuspectingly entered the hunting grounds of a deadly predator of the wilds. It was a creature so viscous that hundreds of beasts had fallen to the surprise attack of its hunt. The heroes found themselves ambushed by a killer vine. The attack would have been much worse had Elwin’s elven senses and alert mind not noticed the vine move as he walked over it and it tensed to launch its ambush. The elven scout was able to yell a warning to his friends before they entered the same peril he found himself in.
Further down the ranks of the companion’s marching order Elwin’s friends heard him yell a warning. By his desperate yell the other heroes knew their elven friend was in a dangerous situation fighting for his life for Elwin called out “Grabby Vine”. The heroes of the Company of the Amber Flame rushed forward spurred to great speed and action because their friend was in mortal combat fighting for his life against a “grabby vine”.
Elwin was able to get out of the reach of the vine by jumping onto a nearby fallen tree and running along its trunk. The other companions saw their scout running from a vine laying on the ground and felt great relief that he had escaped the terrible grabby vine. But the relief was short lived. The terrible deadly vine did not earn its reputation by letting pry get away so easily. The vicious vine had the ability to control the other plants within its hunting ground and it caused every tree, bush, and shrub in the area to grab and hold the heroes as it slowly stalked them to get within reach of its attack.
Most of the heroes dodged and chopped through the vegetation to get to safety but Rutker and Yen were held fast by the plants. While Rutker was held in one spot the horrible grabby vine slithered closer to him. Before the dwarven priest of Tymora could free himself the vine lashed out with its attack. A part of the vine whipped at Rutker and slapped him in his gut then wrapped around him and started to squeeze. The constriction around the dwarf’s gut and chest was making it hard to breath. In just a few moments he knew he would be the latest victim of the deadly grabby vine.
But Rutker was not alone. He had friends with him and his friends were the Company of the Amber Flame. Dev went into action. The hexblade tried to make his way to Rutker but he too became entangled by the plants. Grelin knew the humans weren’t up for the challenge of a grabby vine so he charged toward Rutker. The plants grabbed and whipped at Grelin slowing him down but the dwarf warrior kept pushing forward one step at a time for his brother dwarf needed him. As Rutker’s face was turning blue from lack of oxygen Grelin made it to his side and chopped the piece of vine off of Rutker with one swing of his ax.
Now Yen and Dev were trying with all of their might to break free of the entangling vegetation but their strength was not enough. Zed was desperate to save his friends from the deadly embrace of the grabby vine. He located the monster’s roots and launched arrows into it. Michael too saw the creature’s roots and through a lit torch onto it. But their attacks weren’t enough to stop the mighty grabby vine.
Talek was trying to help Dev escape by cutting away some of the plants that had him entangled. Elwin went to help Yen and began cutting the plants away that were holding him. Soon Dev and Yen were able to break free of the plants that remained on them. But in helping Yen, Elwin had put himself in danger. The plants of the forest grabbed the elven scout and held him fast. But instead of fighting against the plants as Yen and Dev had, Elwin twisted and turned and dexterously slithered out of their grasp.
As Rutker’s lungs gulped in air the vine had slithered closer to Yen and launched another attack against the spellsword. A length of vine slapped Yen in his shoulder knocking him off balance enough to give the vine a chance to wrap around his neck. Blood and oxygen were cut off from Yen’s brain.
Michael saw that his torch and Zed’s arrows were not killing the monster fast enough. Yen would die before the vine did. So with the courage of a true warrior the duelist sprinted into the animated vegetation to try to save his friend. Michael made it to Yen in just moments and cut the piece of vine off of his neck.
Sap oozed out of the cuts that Grelin and Michael had made. Several arrows pierced the vine at its roots and it was smoldering from Michael’s lit torch. The monstrous grabby vine was finally defeated. It fell limp and the forest plants stopped entangling the heroes. Hardly believing they had survived an ambush by a grabby vine, the Company of the Amber Flame rested long enough to catch their breath then continued their trek to Redspring.
Elwin was unable to locate Redspring before night fall so they made camp in the wilderness. In the morning Elwin was able to get his bearings and he led the company into Redspring by midmorning. The town was a surprise to the heroes. The expected to see, well a town. But Redspring isn’t finished being built.
Redspring is Cormyr’s new frontier town in the northern part of the kingdom. Merchants and tradesmen come from all parts of the kingdom to be the first to establish their trade in this new settlement. Many buildings are being built but few are completed. There is a garrison of Purple Dragon soldiers and they have raised a wooden stockade around the town but few other buildings are finished. The heroes were disappointed because the town offered little in comforts for them to enjoy. There wasn’t even an inn.
Some of the companions went to the garrison to report the dangers they had witnessed in the valley of the Caves of Chaos. The heroes met with Swordcaptain Ulgrim Soldorak. Swordcaptain Soldorak is the dwarven officer second in rank to Lionar Marliir, the commander of the garrison. The heroes told the swordcaptain about the hobgoblins, orcs, and ogres who were possibly in the area north of the town. They also told him about the Shadar-Kai, the Netherese book of shadow magic, and the missing druids. The Purple Dragon officer seemed uninterested in most of their tale. He advised them to make a report in Arabel. His garrison had the mission of establishing and protecting Redspring for the king. They had neither the time nor the manpower to go chasing tales in the wilderness. The only part he took interest in was information about the goblinoids. Their rock quarry to the north has been harassed by such creatures lately. The dwarf thanked the heroes for the information and sent them on their way.
Michael, Dev, and Grelin had gone looking for a tavern in the town. What they found was a partially built building serving food and drinks from a window. With no other options at hand they ordered drinks and stood outside drinking them. In front of the tavern Dev started talking to some of the locals who were having a meal there. He found out that a lot of mercenaries were working in Redspring because the merchants were nervous about the lack of defenses for the town so most of them have hired their own security. Dev began talking to one of these sellswords, a woman by the name of Yuanna. He learned more about Redspring from her and they began to become friends.
After finding out general information about Redspring, Dev and Michael started talking with the tavern owner, Andante. Dev approached Andante about buying into a partnership with him. Andante was interested in having a silent partner and discussed it with Dev. After awhile they came to an agreement and Dev and Michael became part owners of the tavern.
During this time Dexter had found that the town had a small temple of Lathander being constructed. He went and talked with the Dawn Priest. High Dawnlord Menion was the missionary trying to get the temple built. Dexter introduced himself to the priest and offered his help to get the temple established. High Dawnlord Menion told him he needed carpenters and stonemasons at the moment. When Dexter and his friends inquired they learned that the temple construction had had some problems with a vandal destroying one of the stain glass windows. All of the townsfolk were friendly with the faith of Lathander and the High Dawnlord did not know who had broken the window. When Dexter left he let the High Dawnlord know that if he needed help to just send word.
Embarrassed about getting the company lost Elwin was determined to find a good guide to lead them to the druid groves. He eventually found a man named Stern who he had heard was an excellent tracker. Stern told Elwin that he was familiar with the druid groves because he was a friend of the druids. Elwin explained that he was traveling with an elven druid who believed the local druids were missing and their company was trying to find them and make sure they were not in trouble. Stern became concerned that his friends might be in danger and agreed to lead Elwin’s friends to the grove.
Elwin told his companions that he had found a guide who would take them to the druid grove. The companions finished their business for the night and rested for their next journey.

21st Mirtul 1370, Year of the Tankard
On the morning of the first day of Mirtul’s last tenday the hired guide, Stern, lead the Company of the Amber Flame north into the foothills of the Storm Horns Mountains. They passed several farms and orchards in the lowlands and cattle and sheep herds in the hills. Once they entered the forest the heroes stopped seeing signs of civilization. The druid grove was two days out so the company had to camp after the first day of travel. Stern found a great campsite and the night was uneventful. Selune was dark that night with hardly any light coming from her.
By midmorning of the second day the company arrived at the druid grove high in the foothills of the Storm Horns. As they approached Stern told Elwin that something was wrong. No one got this close to the grove without being stopped by a druid sentry. The animals and trees kept the druids alert to anyone approaching and it was very difficult to surprise them. The young paladin, Dexter Sunric, said a prayer and called upon the holy power of Lathander but he was too far away to detect any evil in the grove. So the heroes drew their weapons and approached cautiously.
At the top of the hill the grove was a lovely site in the wilderness. Around it stood several phandar trees spaced apart to allow sun light to shine on the grassy floor of the grove. In the grove stood a boulder with a small oak tree planted on top of it. The top of the boulder was hollowed out and filled with soil for the oak’s roots and other roots draped down the side of the boulder reaching for the ground. In the center trunk of the oak sapling was a large amber gem. The boulder at the base of the oak was engraved with prayers written in the druid language.
Standing across the grove from the oak sapling was a pillar of stone. A soft green moss grew on the back of the pillar and on the front was an engraving of a tall tree. More soft green moss grew on the engraving where the leaves of the tree were drawn. From the leaves of the tree water was drawn in as if falling like a rain from the tree.
Forming a triangle with the sapling and the pillar was a stone arch. Images of different animals and fey creatures were engraved in the arch. A vine of vibrant flowers grew up the arch entwining itself around it. In the arch was a pitch darkness that allowed no light through.
The heroes walked into the grove and noticed two bodies on the ground. The bodies wore the remnants of druids. Many of the companions went to the arch thinking they had found a portal of some kind. But as they examined the engraved images on the arch the darkness in it attacked. A tendril of darkness struck out from the mass of darkness, its touch chilling Yen to his spirit. The creature of darkness was like the one the heroes had fought in the cave of the temple of Shar but twice the size.
Unafraid of the monster the heroes surrounded it and attacked with their weapons. This proved to be useless because the creature of darkness was not from this world and was immune to weapons of this world. The only things that seemed to harm the creature were the sword that the company had taken from the Shadar-Kai, bolts of magical energy from Yen and Zed, and Lothwen’s druid fire. The other warriors had no weapons that could harm it. Working together Yen, Zed, and Lothwen were able to hurt the monster enough to send it back to its dark plane.
When the creature of elemental darkness was finally defeated the adventurers search the grove for anything that would tell them what happened to the druids. Lothwen examined the two bodies and found that they had been killed by a blade about one month ago. Dev found tiny script written into the engraving of rain on the stone pillar. It was druid script and Lothwen read to learn that it was prayers of protection over the grove. Elwin found a small chest and wooden shield buried in the ground and covered with turf. The chest was an emergency cache for the druids and contained 3 scrolls of druid spells, a potion of barkskin, a masterwork club, and rations and water. Stern found the tracks of a horse leading northwest from the grove. The companions decided to follow these tracks.

The tracks soon became a blood trial also and eventually led pass a large oak tree. As the company walked near the oak the tracker Stern was pierced by an arrow the size of a dart. Before he could react Stern fell to the ground asleep. As the other heroes reacted to the tiny unseen archer a beautiful naked woman walked out of the oak tree. Her hair was the color of the green oak leaves and her skin was the color of the oak’s bark. The fey creature cast a spell and more of the heroes fell asleep. Yen and Lothwen were not affected by the sleep spell because of their elven blood. Lothwen called out to the fey creatures telling them she was a priestess of Mielikki and would not fight them. Two sprites appeared in the air with the dryad and they halted their attack long enough to talk to Lothwen.
The dryad explained to the druidess that Celedor, a unicorn of the forest, had come by her oak yesterday. The unicorn had been bleeding from two arrow wounds. She sent a fox to find her two sprite friends and explained to them the danger Celedor was in. When they saw the heroes following the unicorn’s trail they thought the heroes were the ones hunting Celedor. Seeing the priestess of Mielikki the dryad realized they had made a mistake. Lothwen asked the naked creature about the missing druids. The dryad told her that the druids have been gone for at least a month. Animals of the forest had told her there had been a battle at the grove the last night the druids had been seen. The dryad also told Lothwen that the forest to the north has grown dark since the druid’s disappearance.
The sprites also apologized for mistaking the heroes as the hunters. To make up for their attack the sprites gave the company a large pearl and oil to keep their weapons sharp.
The Company of the Amber Flame continued to follow the tracks of the wounded unicorn. Stern lost the trail a few times but Elwin was able to help find the tracks or blood trail. Night came before the heroes found the unicorn. The adventurers were worried that they were running out of time to save the unicorn so they did not want to stop for camp. They lit their lanterns and Zed used his wand of Moonbeam to light the trail so they could continue to follow it at night.
Following the trail at night was extremely slow. Lord Priest Rutker was watching the left flank of the marching order and his dwarven darkvision saw a mounted figure watching the company from the forest. He gave a warning to his companions and as they turned their attention to the left flank arrows from their front started to pin down their lead scouts. Seeing they were now under attack, Lord Priest Rutker called on his faith in Tymora and placed a shield of mystical energy around himself.
The hidden enemy then charged the companions. Two forms came out of the darkness from the front charging at Elwin. The elven scout quickly dropped one with an arrow but the second one was on him attacking with a short sword. On the left flank the mounted rider charged Lord Priest Rutker. The dwarf cleric saw that his foe was a Shadar-Kai warrior mounted on a black unicorn. The warrior chopped down on the dwarf with a scimitar. The warrior’s charge was so fierce and his attack so strong that the blade cut through Rutker’s shield of faith, armor, flesh, and bone. The Lord Priest took a grievous wound that cleaved through his shoulder and he fell to the ground dieing.
On the right flank Klink was cursing his bad luck for being on the opposite side of the fighting when 3 Shadar-Kai warriors appeared out of the darkness and surrounded him. Klink was soon fighting for his life against 3 warriors and his heart was filled with joy.
Elwin engaged his second opponent. Elwin’s combat training as a scout taught him to keep moving in a fight. The best parry against an attack is to not be standing where that attack will hit. So the elf scout moved back and let fly an arrow. The arrow hit his opponent but his hardened leather armor stopped the arrow from doing any harm. Then the Shadar-Kai warrior surprised Elwin. It took advantage of the distance Elwin had just create and built up momentum for his attack. Elwin knew this kind of fighting and knew what his opponent was going to do. Elwin countered the incoming attack with ease. Elwin danced around the shadow elf again and finished him with a well placed shot.
Michael and Dev had rushed to the left flank in time to see Lord Priest Rutker cut down by the mounted warrior. Grief and rage built up in the warriors at the sight of their friend receiving such a vicious wound. Michael and Dev realized this was a deadly opponent and they could not let him charge again. So as the warrior rode pass Rutker’s fallen body and galloped toward Elwin, Michael and Dev knew they had to act fast. Dev ran toward the black unicorn with Michael running right behind him. Dev stopped 5’ from the unicorn and dropped to a knee. Michael didn’t pause when Dev stopped in front of him; instead he leaped onto Dev’s shoulders. When Dev felt Michael’s foot land on his shoulder he pushed up with all of the strength in his legs and launched Michael into the air. Michael flew toward the black unicorn and landed across its rump behind the saddle and the rider. The mounted Shadar-Kai had to abandon its charge at Elwin and shake Michael off of his mount. Michael was thrown off of the black unicorn but the nimble swashbuckler landed unharmed.
In the center, Lothwen, Stern, and Yen formed a triangle back to back so the Shadar-Kai warriors could not back stab either one of the companions. Yen and Lothwen saw Klink fighting against three warriors by himself and feared their friend was in dire trouble.
Klink was swinging his ax furiously to keep his foe’s swords from stabbing him. The dwarf warrior was surrounded by 3 Shadar-Kai warriors and they were pressing him from 3 different sides. Klink had them almost where he wanted them and was changing his footing to launch is own offensive attack when out of the darkness elven arrows and bolts of magic energy impact his foes dropping them dead. Klink looked up and saw Lothwen and Yen looking at him concerned and making sure he was ok now. Klink yelled with frustration and sat on the ground grumbling. A fellow dwarf would never take a companion’s kill, how did he ever come to be traveling with all of these elves? Klink’s motivation was rekindled when Dexter came to him and yelled that he was letting the elves have all of the fun. Together the two warriors charged back into the fight.
The mounted warrior turned the unicorn around and charged at Dev. Dev cursed every god he knew when he saw the black unicorn lower its horn toward his chest and the warrior raised his scimitar. At the last moment Dev jumped into some brush and both enemies missed him. The black unicorn kept galloping ahead and did not turn back around. The heroes quickly loss sight of it in the darkness. The hidden archer also seemed to have retreated for no more arrows where shot at the party.
When the sounds of battle died away the companions heard Talek yelling for Lothwen. There was desperation and grief in his voice. He was knelt next to Rutker trying to stop his bleeding but the dwarf was near death. Lothwen rushed over and used her healing magic to mend the grievous wound and saved Rutker’s life.
The heroes did not want to risk walking into another ambush in the dark especially since Rutker had been so wounded in the last fight so they camped for the rest of the night. In the morning Elwin and Stern found the trail for the wounded unicorn and continued to follow it. By midmorning the company crested a ravine and saw a sight that filled even Dev with sadness. Lying in the ravine was the majestic form of a unicorn. Its snow white fur was stained red with its own blood and two arrows protruded from its side. Their hearts fought with fear and hope as they ran into the ravine. It seemed that they were too late. Lothwen checked the unicorn and saw it was still breathing but barely. By Mielikki’s grace it was still alive. Lothwen carefully pulled the arrows out and she and Dexter used their healing magic to heal the wounds. Though the wounds closed and mended the unicorn still did not recover. Lothwen realized the arrows had been poisoned.
The heroes did not know if the unicorn would survive the poison but they set up their camp around the creature and guarded it through the night. The next day before the sun rose Michael was the first to notice Celedor open his eyes. Michael poured some water into a helmet and let the unicorn drink. Celedor soon had enough strength to raise its head enough to touch its side with its horn. The magic of the unicorn’s horn cured the poison running in its blood and Celedor leapt to his feet.
Michael tried telling him that they were here to help and would not hurt him. Celedor looked Michael in the eyes and Michael could see that the unicorn knew. All the companions were up and excited that Celedor had recovered. Even Dev could see there was something majestic and good about this creature. This is a moment they would all remember the rest of their days.
Celedor climbed up the ravine and at the top he reared back on his back legs lifting his head and front legs into the air and the first rays of the morning sunlight touched the unicorn. Then Celedor galloped away into the forest.
The Company of the Amber Flame could not deny the joy they felt but they knew they had to leave the forest soon. The heroes decided that they should go by the stone quarry and investigate the orc troubles they had heard about in Redspring.
Stern knew exactly where the quarry was and took the companions to it. When they neared the quarry a few days later they saw signs of an attack. The brush around the quarry was trampled down as if a large force had been through. Also the wall around the quarry had several breaches in it. The heroes did spot some sentries in the guard towers but did not know if it was occupied by the Purple Dragons still or an orc army. They decided to go back to Redspring and warn the garrison. Lothwen said she would stay behind and keep a watch on the quarry until the others returned. The druidess was getting tired of human cities.
So the company returned to Redspring and informed Swordcaptain Ulgrim Soldorak about what they had seen. The garrison increased its guards around the town and put out a call for mercenaries to increase their numbers. A messenger was also dispatched to Castle Crag.
The Company of the Amber Flame got together to decide what they wanted to do.

(at the beginning of our game day we had some fun with the trouble an assassin vine caused the party of heroes. For the quarry fort I used the WoTC online adventure "Base of Operations")

15th of Mirtul 1370, the Year of the Tankard

After fighting the wolves at the cave entrance the party moved deeper into the cave to follow the figure Lothwen had seen. The entrance chamber where the wolves were was a natural cave but the tunnels and chambers deeper in the complex were worked stone. Rutker could tell the work was done by human stonemasons and not dwarven.
The hallway soon came to an intersection. The heroes took the branch to the right. The complex was dark but the heroes carried a lantern and Zed used the Moonbeam magic in his wand to light the way. Rutker and Grelin had no problem seeing because of their dwarven darkvision. This hallway soon came to an intersection also but the short branch to the left opened into a room. The Moonbeam light showed a couple beds in the room. Elwin was sent ahead to scout the room.
Elwin saw that the room was a sleeping chamber for it had several beds and two bed stands held low burning lamps. The lamps and Moonbeam light made a lot of shadows in the room. Elwin’s elven lowlight sight enabled him to make out two figures in the back of the room. They appeared to be slim humanoids with sharp angular features of an elf but as tall as a human. Elwin spoke a greeting to them in the elven language. The figures responded in elvish but with an old accent “Slay the trespassers.” They drew fine elven crafted weapons and approached Elwin. When they walked into the light Elwin saw that his foes were akin to elves but their skin was grayish and their eyes were all black with no pupils or irises. Elwin feared they had stumbled into a Drow lair. These elves also had piercing in their lips, cheeks, and foreheads. The elven scout thought it looked very painful. Elwin had no time for a bow shot so drew his short sword to defend himself.
The human swashbuckler Michael was the first to react to help their elven scout. Michael ran to Elwin’s side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him with sword and dagger ready. As the gray skinned elves engage Michael and Elwin it was obvious they wouldn’t be as easy to defeat as the orcs and goblins. These elves were trained warriors and they held Michael and Elwin in the room’s entrance to prevent other companions from entering.
Rutker called on the power of Tymora and cast her blessing on the party. Zed held the Moonbeam light so his friends could see there opponents and cast a Shield spell on himself for protection. Yen also cast a spell of dancing lights to add more light to the battle.
But these gray elves were not without friends of their own. From the corners of the room two more elves appeared from the shadows. One attacked Elwin from his side, the other attacked Michael. One of the grey elves threw a bottle on the floor. When it broke the room filled with a dark mist that absorb most of the light from the room. The elves seemed to disappear and blur in the shadows created.
Yen tried to help Michael but could not get into the room. Out in the hallway more gray elves arrived to help their friends. One came from the front and engaged Rutker. Grelin was soon by his side to help his fellow dwarf. But from the rear three grey elves came and pressed hard against Talek and Lothwen. Talek fought defensively hoping to buy enough time for help to arrive.
The elf fighting Rutker and Grelin was the most skilled opponent either dwarf had ever fought. He fought with two long knives at the same time and was able to fight both dwarves together. Dexter was able to get into the room pass Elwin and fight one of the elves on him. Yen was trying to help Michael against his two foes. Zed was able to help Talek and Lothwen. Seeing his two friends in dire trouble he called upon the reserves of his will power to recall the spell he had cast on the wolves. Deep in his mind he found the magic again and cast the Color Spray spell. Two of the elves covered their faces with their cloaks to avoid the dazzling lights but the third was blinded by the brilliant colors. Lothwen and Talek were now facing only two deadly warriors.
Michael was getting desperate in the room. Fighting two foes at the same time was wearing him out faster than he was wearing out his foes. So he tried something risky. Michael lowered his defenses leaving himself vulnerable. When the grey elf in front of him lunged at the opening Michael brought his blade up at the last moment and impaled his foe. This made room for Yen to get into the room and he and Michael were able to knock out their second foe with a blow to his head. Elwin and Dexter were able to gain the upper hand against their foes and soon three grey elves were dead.
In the hallway Rutker talked Grelin into tackling their opponent. Grelin objected to the idea but when he saw his priestly friend drop his mace and give the elf a bear hug he had no choice but to help. But when the two dwarves had the elf pinned on the ground it seemed to become a shadow and disappear into the darkness. A yell from Zed alerted the dwarves to where their foe had gone for the grey elf had appeared behind the human mage and stabbed him in the back. Fortunately Zed had also been trained as a warrior and when he felt the blade hit his back he turned with it to avoid must of the serious injury.
Talek and Lothwen were still fighting defensively against the skilled elven warriors in the rear.
Michael and Dexter ran back into the hallway and turned the tide of battle against the grey elves. Together the heroes were able to overwhelm the elf that had attacked Zed and they killed two of the elves who came from the rear. The last elf had his vision return in time to see all of his companions fall in battle. Being out numbered and alone he ran away. The heroes thought about pursuing but he disappeared into the darkness and they could not see well enough to follow. They also had two prisoners to secure.
Interrogation of the prisoners revealed that the elf who had fought with two long knives was the leader of this group. His name was Nrymm and he seemed complacent with talking to the heroes. He seemed depressed or like he didn’t care what happened. Lothwen spoke to him in the elven tongue and she believed he was answering her truthfully. Nrymm told them that his people were the Shadar-Kai, a civilization of fey whose souls had been trapped by the Shadow Plane. Zed and Dev had both read about these fey in their studies. The Shadar-Kai are also called the shadow fey. Centuries ago when the elves were fighting the Crown Wars among themselves and driving the Drow underground, the Shadar-Kai thought to preserve themselves against the rising humanoid races. Skilled in shadow magic, the Shadar-Kai made a pact with a dark power from the Plane of Shadow to cast the world in endless shadow. But the pact went awry and the Shadar-Kai were left bound to the Plane of Shadow, cursed to lose their souls in its depths. Nrymm told the heroes that his people are looking for a way out of the Shadow Plane and his group was a scouting party.
Zed had Lothwen ask him if he had seen the Purple Dragon scouts. Nrymm told them that the humans had last been seen near the cave of giant spiders. Then Nrymm watched as the heroes pillaged and looted his dead companions.
After the interrogation the heroes made Nrymm lead them to his chambers. He took them a short way down the hall where his quarters were. The Company of the Amber Flame pillaged his room also and took what they found of value. The heroes also found a secret door in the back wall of Nrymm’s room. He told them he never knew about the door and did not know where it led. Being adventurers the heroes entered the secret door.
Nrymm seemed to have told the truth for the dust and debris in the hall had not been disturbed in a long time. The party found several chambers. One appeared to be a torture chamber, another an embalming room, and another was a prison with skeletons still chained to the wall. One of the skeletons was that of a medusa. The heroes also came upon a door that was barred from the outside. They decided not to open that door yet. Eventually they climbed up some stairs and forced open a door that had been jammed shut by a spear. Dexter realized they were back in the cave of the Shar Temple and the Tomb of Blood Everflowing. So they returned to Nrymm’s room.
The final room in the Shadar-Kai cave was a supply room. The heroes had found a key and used it to unlock the supply room door. Among the regular supplies the heroes found a couple potions, a scroll, a wand, and an enchanted sword. The heroes asked Nrymm why the sword was just sitting in a locked room. He told them that an arcane master had created it before leaving to go elsewhere. Only their champions could wield its power so they awaited the arrival of a champion to give it to. He told them that the sword’s blade could ignite in a black flame. Michael took the sword and activated its magic. He felt his body temperature drop and a weakness go through him but the blade did ignite with a cold black flame. Michael gave the sword to Yen.
Zed wanted to find the Purple Dragon scouts so Elwin took the heroes to the area where he had seen giant spiders a few days before. They soon found a cave entrance with some areas of thick spider webs. The companions saw a sword belt and backpack in the tunnel. They prepared torches and their lantern and then entered. Grelin stayed outside with the two shadow fey prisoners. He had no problem with introducing his ax to them if they tried to escape.
The cave’s occupants were nightmare’s come to life for Michael, who has a bit of arachnophobia. Spider’s the size of cats were crawling across the walls and ceilings. The heroes had to burn through spider webs as thick as rope. When the party was deep into the cave, spiders as large as wolves started to draw near. Then when the heroes came to the end of the cave they saw a spider as large as a pony and a humanoid spider like Ettercap creature. At the Ettercap’s command the spiders attacked. The dog size spiders attacked from the rear, the cat size spiders were dropping down from the ceiling, and the pony size spider charged from the front.
Michael had a phobia of spiders from his child and arachnids this size had his heart pumping with terror rather than the rush of battle. He saw his friend Dev dart to his left to face the Ettercap. Before his friend ever got close the creature spit webbing on Dev that stuck him to the floor. The Hexblade was helplessly trapped in webbing. The large spider rushed towards Michael and he barely got his blades up in time to protect himself. But Talek and Elwin were by his side and drew some of the creature’s attention.
Dexter, Lothwen, and Zed battled the spiders in the rear and on the ceiling. Yen called for the magic of the shadow fey sword and he felt a chill in his spirit and some weakness in his muscles but the blade ignited with a cold flame and the halfelf spellsword cut through the spiders.
At the front of the battle Dev ripped out of his webbing and he and Rutker attacked the Ettercap. Michael gained control of his fears and managed some attacks against the large spider. Talek also fought the biggest spider and Elwin tried to get a clear shot with his arrows.
The ettercap spat his webbing on Rutker and trapped the cleric to the floor. Then it knocked Dev’s sword to the side and bit the hexblade in the chest. Dev’s hardened leather breastplate kept the beast’s fangs from biting to deep. As it pulled its head back from Dev’s chest, Dev brought his sword back in a mighty swing that severed the ettercap’s head from its shoulders.
Michael was able to cut one leg off of the large spider. As it reared up on its back legs in anger and pain to impale the swashbuckler for the grievous wound, Elwin found his opening and loosed a shot that ended the creature’s life.
The heroes survived the fight without serious injuries. Lothwen had been bitten by a spider but some antitoxin helped her to survive the poison. Yen had collapsed, not from any serious wound by a spider but from the sword draining his strength. Healing magic was able to get him up again.
The heroes used their torches to burn through a wall of webbing covering a short passage in the cave wall. Beyond the webs they found two of the Purple Dragon scouts incased in a cocoon of webbing. The heroes freed the soldiers but the spider poison made them to weak to walk so they had to be carried. The scouts were Allain and Garroway. Once they were strong enough they told the companions that ogres had come to the valley and helped the orcs and goblins carry all their supplies to the west. When the scouts had decided to recon the valley to make sure all of the creatures had left, the ettercap and his spiders had ambushed them. The other scouts had been eaten by the spiders.
The Company of the Amber Flame decided to take the rescued scouts back to Slingdyke Keep for medical aid. They also needed to turn the two Shadar-Kai prisoners over to the Purple Dragons. So off towards Slingdyke Keep they went. They arrived at the keep shortly after midnight. The wounded scouts and prisoners were taken by the garrison soldiers and the heroes went to the inn for some needed rest.
On the morning of the 16th of Mirtul, the heroes met with Lord Marliir, castellan of the keep. They described to him the events that had happened in the valley. The goblinoids had moved out to the west with some ogres, fey from the shadow plane were in one of the caves, and his scouts had been attacked by giant spider creatures. Dexter also told the lord that if the garrison healers could not heal the wounded scouts a pool of healing at the Monastery of the Eternal Lantern could help. The lord was amazed to hear that the monks had a healing pool. Dexter also told the lord that Dawnlord Bernadino had murdered a scribe from the monastery and had escaped the monks’ custody. Lord Marliir was saddened by this news because he had known Bernadino as a righteous knight.
The lord had the Company of the Amber Flame take his wounded scouts to the monastery for healing in the pool. He had a priest of Torm, Faithblade Darius accompany them. The heroes saw that the monks were changing the monastery’s purpose. It was no longer going to house a library and scribes but will become a hospital for healing. The heroes stayed over night with the monks and traveled back to the valley of the Caves of Chaos on the 17th of Mirtul.
At the valley the heroes rested in the Shadar-Kai’s cave. The next day they went back through the secret door and opened the door to the crypt. Dexter felt a presence of evil in the crypt and Boopoe would not enter. The heroes were on edge and cautious when descending the stairs that went down to the crypt. At the bottom of the stairs was a room with four sarcophagi. Lothwen cast a spell that produced a ball of fire in her palm to add light to the dark gloom. As Dexter went to enter the room two corpse like creatures with elongated fangs and claws came from behind the sarcophagi. Dexter prepared for their charge but Rutker stepped forward and called upon the holy power of Tymora. The dwarven priest was able to call forth enough holy energy to repel both undead wights. As they coward from the holy radiance Lothwen threw her fire spell to burn one and send it back to death. The heroes quickly killed the last creature. But who ever had boarded the door from the outside had probably looted the tomb for the heroes found nothing of value with the corpses.
After leaving the crypt the companions searched the valley to ensure all of the goblinoids had indeed left. They found another cave but it was empty. Except for the spiders and wild life, nothing else was in the valley. The heroes made camp and discussed what to do next.

3rd of Mirtul the Year of the Tankard, 1370
Dexter, Lothwen, Grelin, Rutker, and Yen emerged from the Tomb of Blood Everflowing when the sun was high in the sky. They reunited with the rear guard; Michael, Dev, Zed, Elwin, and Talek and showed them the Key of Abbadoor and what remained of the Netherese Tome. The end of their quest was near. All the heroes had to do now was return to Arabel and give the items back to whom they belong.
Elwin took the lead to guide the party back to their camp. He went north out of the valley avoiding the giant spiders he had seen earlier. The elf scout led his friends to the east to go around the valley. He was trying to avoid the orcs and goblins. Despite Elwin’s care, the party did come across an orc hunting party that had just killed a deer. Talek saw the orcs first and gave the heroes a warning. They lay prone in the underbrush and waited for the orcs to leave. Even Grelin, who the companions have started to call Klink because of the noise his armor makes, was able to stay quiet until the orcs departed. Elwin took his friends the rest of the way to their camp without any other encounters.
The heroes quickly packed their gear, secured their prisoner and started south that afternoon. They did not want to risk goblins finding them in camp. Several miles into the journey the heroes had to cross a creek bed and their wagon sunk into the mud. The heroes had to empty out the wagon and work on lifting the wheel out of the mud. As most of the companions worked on freeing the wagon, Lothwen was standing nearby contemplating the importance of her quest to find the druids of this area. Then out of the sky a small tree branch fell to the ground. Lothwen looked up and saw a large owl circling overhead.
Lothwen’s tribe had a friendship with a flock of Giant Owls in the forest of Cormanthor and she knew the nobility of such creatures. But at the time, with the horrors of evil, death, and undead she had seen these past days, her mind reeled with the stories of necromancers and sorcerers who used animals, including owls, as familiars. Lothwen’s thoughts raced with the idea that the dark forces of the valley had sent a spy to follow them. So, she took aim with her bow and let fly an arrow. Her shot was so close that it knocked some feathers off of the owl and caused it to fly off.
The other companions finished freeing the wagon from the mud and they continued south towards Slingdyke Keep. The late start from camp and the delay at the creek caused the heroes to find themselves still traveling in the wilderness as night approached. Elwin found a campsite in a copse of trees on a hilltop.
During the night while the elves Lothwen and Talek were on guard duty the mysterious owl returned. Lothwen noticed the large owl sitting on a tree branch watching her. Talek is an elf that has spent most of his life in human cities and doesn’t have the communion with nature that most elves have. Thinking that the owl was nothing but a wizard’s familiar Talek shot it with an arrow. The owl flew off wounded.
Within moments of the wounded owl flying off the heroes were attacked in their camp. It was as if nature awoke to avenge the owl. The vegetation in the camp began to grow. The grass became like green whips. Branches on bushes and trees grew long and reached out for the heroes. The plants entwined the heroes like rope and trapped them in their sleep. The companions awoke to being crushed by the plants around the camp. Dev and Talek were the only two able to avoid the reach of the trees. When Talek drew his blade to cut his friends free an owl that stood 6' tall with a wing span of about 10' flew at him and sunk talons as large as daggers into his shoulders. Talek passed out from the pain and lay bleeding on the ground.
The giant owl flew up and landed on the party’s wagon faced off with Dev. The Hexblade could hear the wood of the wagon splinter as the owl’s talons sunk into it. Dev’s hand started to burn as the metal of his sword heated to unbearable temperature. Dev had never heard of an owl as big as a bear but he was more overwhelmed when the creature actually spoke to him “Do you yield?” Not knowing what kind of creature he faced and seeing that even the trees were fighting for the giant owl, Dev dropped his sword, “Yes.”
The giant owl ceased his attack and introduced himself as Tyrll. He told Dev that he was a druid. He meant no harm to the companions but was angry because of the two unprovoked attacks on Boopoe, his smaller owl friend. Dev assured the druid that it was a misunderstanding and his companions meant no harm. Tyrll called for the plants to release the other heroes and he called upon the life giving power of nature to heal Talek before the elf bled to death.
Tyrll explained to the heroes that he was the last druid left from his circle. The others were gone. He had found no bodies and no signs of fighting. His fellow druids were just gone, their campsites abandoned. He had been following the party because some of the animals in the valley had told him of an elf traveling with a wolf and using nature magic. Tyrll sought this elf because it sounds to be a druid. He was not sure if they were the correct group because he did not see the wolf he had been told about. Dev told Tyrll that Lothwen was a druid but her wolf companion had been slain in the valley. Tyrll asked to speak with Lothwen.
Tyrll was concerned that if Lothwen was a druid why did she attack Boopoe? Lothwen ensured the giant owl that it was a mistake. She had let her fear of necromancy cloud her judgment. She promised she would use wisdom and Mielikki’s guidance rather than fear in the future. Tyrll was convinced the assault was a mistake. He told Lothwen that the reason he was seeking her out was for assistance in locating the druids of his circle. Lothwen told the giant owl that she was already aware of the missing druids and trying to find out what had happened to them. Tyrll was curious as to why she had been in the valley of the Caves of Chaos. He sensed a dark, shadowy presence in the valley and wanted to know if Lothwen knew about it.
Lothwen told Tyrll that she was in the valley to help her companions recover a stolen magical key and tome. She explained that in the course of completing their quest her party did find a cave of unnatural darkness. Tyrll guessed that the darkened cave could be the same shadow energy he sensed. Lothwen told the druid that she planned to continue to search for the missing druids and would explore the cave for any clues. Tyrll told her that would be very helpful. He planned to search north; close to the border of the Stonelands, and her help in the valley would be appreciated.
Tyrll asked Lothwen about how skilled she was in the nature magic of druids. He was disappointed and concerned when he learned that she could cast only simple spells and could not even change shape. He offered to teach her more advanced skills and she accepted.
Tyrll approached Yen and asked him about his heritage. Yen told the Giant Owl about his human father and elf mother. Tyrll asked if that was all. Yen was puzzled by what he meant. Tyrll explained himself by telling Yen that the magical energy that flowed through him would indicate something more in his blood. But it was an assumption so without proof the druid went off with Lothwen to teach her more of the way of the druids.
Tyrll had the forest animals keep watch over the camp for the remainder of the night and allowed the heroes to get some needed rest. In the morning the Giant Owl was already gone and Lothwen was meditating on what she had been taught. He had also given Boopoe to Lothwen as a companion in hopes that she would learn from his wisdom. The companions broke camp and finished the journey to Slingdyke Keep.
At the keep the companions ate a hot meal at the tavern then went to work cleaning and repairing their equipment. Lothwen tended to their wounds, keeping them clean and applying her herbs to help them heal. Michael, Dev, and Klink applied heavy doses of ale to relieve their aches. After a while a messenger arrived and told Dexter, Yen, and Elwin that Castellan Marliir requested them to have an audience with him. The three cleaned themselves up and went to the Castellan.
Lord Marliir greeted the heroes and welcomed them back. He also gave his condolences for the deaths of Embryn and Jax. The 3 companions debriefed the lord on what they had discovered.
1) Hobgoblins, goblins, and bugbears are working with orcs. The goblinoids are organized and use tactics. The orcs are berserk shock troops. The only banner found depicts a Red Dragon. They are living in caves throughout the valley. The caves are stocked with supplies.
2) A temple of Shar was being operated in a cave on the north slope of the valley. The priests had recently stolen an ancient Netherese Tome on Shadow Magic from Arabel. We are in the process of returning that tome.
3) There is a cave on the north western slope that is dark and under shadow even when the sun is high at noon.
Castellan Marliir thanked the heroes for their bravery and efforts to gain this information. He will dispatch his own Purple Dragon scouts now that there is a confirmed threat. As promised he issued the heroes a Mercenary’s charter to legally carry arms in the Kingdom of Cormyr. The companions chose to be named the Company of the Amber Flame. Lord Marliir also wrote a letter recommending leniency for Yen to present to the magistrate on his day in court.
At the inn the messenger who Dexter had sent to the priests of Ohgma in Arabel had returned with a reply. The priests sent word that there was no written account of any tunnels or ruins or monster lairs under the Monastery of the Eternal Lantern.

5th of Mirtul, 1370
The heroes rested well in beds at the inn that night. They bought what supplies they needed and prepared for the road again. With their new charter in hand the Company headed south towards the Monastery of the Eternal Lantern.
In route to the monastery the company saw a group of buzzards eating on a couple of humanoid corpses. When they approached the bodies they saw that it was two humans. Dexter and Lothwen examined the bodies. To Dexter’s horror and grief, he recognized both bodies. It was Mayth and Ryan, the two initiates of the Knights of Aster. They had been squires to Dawnlord Bernadino until the paladin had been charged with the murder of Awakened Abel, a scribe at the monastery.
Lothwen’s skills in healing and anatomy allowed her to determine how the squires had died. One had been choked to death by a chain around his neck. The other had been killed by a sword thrust into his chest. One of the squires was missing his armor and weapons while the second still wore his as he had died. Off to the side Dexter found their wooden holy symbols to Lathander, both had been chopped in half. The bodies were several days dead and decomposing. Both had been partially eaten by animals. But Dexter had them put on the wagon and the heroes took them to the monastery for a proper burial.
When the company of heroes arrived at the Monastery of the Eternal Lantern they told the monks the news about Mayth and Ryan. The monks took the bodies to their cemetery. Dexter, Rutker, and Lothwen went to see Abbot High Dawnlord Anselm. The other companions were taken to rooms to freshen up and eat a noon meal.
The Abbot told Dexter that the two squires had left several days ago to escort Bernadino to Slingdyke Keep to be presented to the lord of the keep and charged with Abel’s murder. Dexter told Abbot Anselm that there had been no sign of a third body. The abbot and Dexter prayed to Lathander for the souls of the two squires.
Dexter then asked the Abbot about Abel’s dreams of digging a well in the monastery. Abbot Anselm replied that they had dismissed them as just dreams based on Dexter’s own advice. Dexter told him that now he wanted to dig the well and see what they find. Abbot Anselm told him that he was very short on monks and could not provide anyone to help dig. He had only 15 monks to do the daily work for the monastery. Dexter assured the abbot that he had plenty of strong bodies to help him dig.
So with shovels and picks provided by the monks, the Company of the Amber Flame started their first adventure, they began to dig a hole. At the start the heroes had no idea what they were in for. A well has to go deep to find water. The abbot had already told them that the monks had never found water underneath the hill, which is why the monastery had a pool to collect rain water instead of a well. So the heroes planned on long days of digging ahead. Several of the companions were not happy with Dexter for volunteering them.
To their surprise they struck a spring of water after digging only 10’ down. The fresh water began to fill their hole. Word was raised throughout the monastery and all of the monks came to see the miracle. The abbot thanked the heroes. They had done so much for a monastery that they were not a part of and for Lathander, who all but one did not follow. If the monastery were not so poor he would pay them for their service. But alas they had no money to give. But the Company of the Amber Flame would always have friends at the Eternal Lantern.
Dexter took some time to talk with Abbot Anselm about his faith and service to the Morning Lord. Dexter mentioned to the High Dawnlord that his companion Rutker had been able to call upon the power of Tymora to turn a group of animated skeletons to dust and bones and to keep zombies at bay. He also mentioned the miraculous spells that Rutker was able to channel through Tymora. The young paladin asked if it was possible to do these things through Lathander. High Dawnlord Anselm knew that Dexter Sunric was a capable warrior who had a deep love to serve Lathander but he could see that Dexter lacked the spiritual knowledge of the faith. He told Dexter that the divine power Rutker wields is rare but it can be used by one who’s faith and devotion is strong enough. Anselm decided that the monastery could at least help the holy warrior understand their god and mature in his faith. The abbot assigned Dawngreeter Horatio to accompany Dexter for a time. While they traveled to Arabel and stayed in the city, Horatio will be a spiritual guide and mentor for the young paladin. He would teach Dexter how to draw close to Lathander’s embrace and draw power from the divinity of the Morning Lord.
That evening the abbot called for dinner to be a celebration instead of the usual quiet time for meditation. He did not know why Lathander had made the well for them but he had faith it would bring renewal. The abbot led a prayer thanking Lathander for the rebirth of the monastery and then the monks opened barrels of beer and wine. The heroes were treated as guests of honor even though more than a few of them didn’t understand why a well was such a big deal. In the morning they said their farewells and started the 3 day ride south to Arabel, they still had a key and book to return.
The ride to Arabel was almost uneventful, almost. The heroes passed a merchant caravan that was headed south towards Arabel. They had passed many travelers during their days on the road and there was nothing unusual about this caravan, except to Dev. The Hexblade recognized one of the guards as a soldier from his unit in the Zhentilar. His name was Tytman. Dev had served with him, gone on missions with him, and fought beside him. Tytman had been a sergeant in the unit of Hexblades and he mastered Netherese cursing magic as well as combat with arms. Dev was worried about why this elite soldier from Zhentil Keep was guarding a caravan going to a city in Cormyr. But what scared Dev the most was the thought that his old unit was looking for him. Dev was less at ease for the remainder of the ride. Michael could tell something was bothering his friend but Dev kept to himself and did not speak about it.

8th of Mirtul of the Year of the Tankard, 1370
The Company of the Amber Flame arrived in Arabel. They returned the Abbadoor Key to the locksmith Theldrat. He was disappointed that its magic was lost but relieved that the key would not be used for nefarious reasons. The heroes also returned what they had of the Netherese Tome to the royal library. The King’s librarian was surprised to see the book returned. He was also dismayed that the book was ripped apart and only half returned. He took a report from the heroes and would pass on the happenings to the Purple Dragons. The librarian thanked the heroes for their work in recovering the book. Dexter realized that the librarian had no idea what was written in that book, for if he had known it was a tome of Shadow Magic, Dexter suspects the scholar would be a little more panic about the missing half. The paladin thought it would be amusing to be a fly on the wall when the librarian read the book and realized what was missing.

It had been a long month. New friends had been made. Bandits had been routed from their hide out in time for merchant caravans to come through. Battles had been fought against goblins and orcs. Prisoners had been rescued from certain death. A monastery had been helped and a new paladin had been anointed. Gratitude had been earned from a noble lord. A cult to the evil goddess of darkness had been destroyed. And two friends had been slain. The heroes had completed their first quest together. But can they survive many more months like this past one?

With the task of recovering the stolen key finished the heroes had to decide what to do next. They were a group of strangers who had only known each other for a month or less. They had discovered some treasure and were wealthier than they were a month ago. But two companions had been violently killed to get that wealth. They had the Charter and could get jobs together as sellswords now. But did they want to stay together? Was this a group that could trust their lives with each other? Over an evening meal at the Blue Dragon Inn the companions discussed their future.
Lothwen had the greatest need for her new friends to stay together. She told them that she wanted to find what happened to the druid circle of northern Cormyr. And in searching for the druids she would investigate the shadow energy Tyrll mentioned. She is a nature priest more skilled in healing than battle and a lone elf far from home. She needed friends to help her. After discussing Lothwen’s plea the heroes all decided to help. They each had their own reasons, some stayed because it was a noble cause to fight for, some enjoyed the excitement and imagined bards singing songs about them, some wanted to serve their god, and others hoped there would be more riches to be found. But it was decided that the Company of the Amber Flame would stay together for another quest.
The heroes realized that if they were going back to the valley they should go more prepared. They had the money to buy more supplies and better equipment, Grelin even bought a better suit of armor. But, as Tyrll had told Lothwen, they needed better training. This was harder to come by than just buying equipment. The companions decided to take a few days to improve their skills before setting out for the valley again. Their lives may depend on it.
Dexter was tutored by Horatio. Whereas his old mentor Sir Sunric had taught him martial skills, horse riding, and the fundamentals of Lathander’s faith; Horatio showed him the mysteries of Lathander’s doctrine and insight into the will of their deity. Dexter did spend time sparing with Grelin to improve his swordsmanship. The holy warrior took Lothwen and visited some of the hospitals and houses of healing in the city to use their skills to help some of the city’s sick and injured. Dexter also visited the shrine to Lathander and recruited two carpenters to help the monks at the Monastery of the Eternal Lantern.
By sparing with Dexter, Grelin improved his technique a bit but also began to understand Dexter’s style. The dwarf warrior began to plan how he and the paladin could compliment each other in a fight. A little strategy and tactics could help them both fight better.
Rutker went back to the House of Lady Luck, which is the temple of Tymora at where he was anointed. He met with his elders and reported on the adventures he had been in and the luck he and his companions had trusted in. The elders could see that Rutkers faith had grown by risking death. Adventuring was good for his spirit. Though they wanted a priest of Rutker’s wisdom and talent to teach at the temple, they realized he was serving Tymora’s will outside of the temple. The elders revealed mysteries of their faith to Rutker, knowing that he was now wise enough to understand more. And they taught him how to pray for stronger spells and to harness stronger divine energy. Rutker’s adventures caught the attention of a Harper agent who was staying at the temple for awhile. The Harper asked Rutker to keep him informed about what he finds in the valley. Rutker had been taught lessons about Tymora’s blessing on the Harpers and agreed to providing information for this agent.
Lothwen was shocked and stunned by the crowds, filth, and stink that the humans lived in but she found a park grove in which she could meditate peacefully. She contemplated the lessons Tyrll had taught her and sought to understand them better. The ability to shapechange was a power only the elder druids of her village had been able to harness. But the giant owl said she had the potential to master it herself if she would be guided by Mielikki’s voice. Tyrll had also taught her the secrets of more powerful spells but she was having a hard time controlling the power to cast those spells. But she was persistent and would keep practicing. She needed to calm her emotions so she could better hear the goddess’s voice. Boopoe’s presence seemed to help her a little. His wide calm eyes seemed to hold their own wisdom and even seemed to encourage her.
Michael, Dev, and Talek sought entertainment with the Green Daggers. Michael and Dev took time from their socializing to practice the techniques of their master together. Talek was able to convince some of the guild members to show him how to improve some of his skills. Dev also asked the guild to help him locate Tytman in the city. After sometime of investigation and information gathering they were able to lead Dev to a tavern where followers of Bane typically went.
At the Heavy Gauntlet, Dev did confront his former comrade-in-arms. He and Michael waited outside of the tavern until they saw Tytman exit. Dev approached and asked the Zhent why he was in Arabel. Tytman told Dev that his presence in Cormyr had nothing to do with finding him. He did mention that the unit officers were very angry about Dev’s departure. The battle curse magic was expensive training and Dev left without paying his debt for it. The Zhentilar expected years of service for the skills they taught a Hexblade. But as far as Tytman knew there was no active search to find Dev. Dev was not reassured by Tytman’s disclosure but he could not ask anymore forcefully in the streets of Arabel. He had to let Tytman go. But Dev moved out of the Blue Dragon Inn that night and stayed elsewhere away from the Company of the Amber Flame.
Zed went back to his mentor Dalamar at his home in Arabel. Dalamar had retired from teaching arcane arts and took no new apprentices but still made time for his former student. Zed told the old mage about the troubles in the valley up north and the fights he had been in. Zed also told Dalamar about his new friends and the Company of the Amber Flame. Dalamar was glad to hear his student, although Zed was more of an adopted son to him, had put down his books and was out experiencing life. He was concerned about the danger Zed was getting into and if the young man was getting in over his head. Dalamar knew the young man was not ready to do battle with dark cults of Shar. He couldn’t stop Zed from going and wouldn’t want to now that he was out living life, but he could try to prepare him better. So for the next few days Dalamar taught Zed a few new spells that were more powerful than the cantrips Zed had already mastered. Dalamar also helped Zed learn the powers of the wand he had found on the elf corpse. It was a wand of Moonbeam. And he gave his student an item from his own days of adventuring. When Zed was ready to leave and reunited with his traveling companions; Dalamar prayed to Mystra that he was prepared enough now to survive his quest.
Elwin had been traveling in human lands for 5 years now but still was not used to their cities. Like Lothwen he found the crowds and smells to be offensive. But he had some coins now and wanted to buy better equipment. The elf scout looked in the market places but could not find what he was looking for. He wanted to replace his well worn bow and sword but the human craftsmen did not have the quality of work he was looking for. He hoped to find an elf weaponsmith soon.
Yen spent some time meditating and practicing his magical abilities. He had seen how hard Zed studied his spellbook to be able to cast simple cantrips yet Yen was able to simply will magic to become darts of energy without studying. It must be a gift of his elf heritage. After the slaughter of his mercenary company in Sembia and now with the monsters his new companions have faced in the valley, Yen wished he had paid more attention to his mother’s teachings. If he had a gift to use magic so easily he should try to understand that gift better. And Yen did not want to see what happened in Sembia repeat itself with his new friends. He would train harder to master this art to be ready to smite his foes. Yet, Yen’s mind was distracted by his impending trial.
Yen’s court date came and he went willingly to face his charge of aggravated assault. A cleric of Tyr met with Yen and read over the letter Lord Marliir had written on Yen’s behalf. With the letter, the priest recommended that Yen plea guilty to show responsibility and remorse for his actions and ask for mercy from the magistrate. So Yen plead guilty and presented the letter to the judge. The judge read it and ruled that Yen would be sentenced to pay restitution by paying the victim 5 years of salary. Yen did have the 180 gold lions to pay so he was sent free and the case closed. Yen could once again carry a weapon in Arabel.
When all this was done the heroes got some needed rest.

11th of Mirtul, 1370
The heroes, Horatio, and the two carpenters met at the northern gates of the city to begin their journey north again. The down time in the city was productive but too short. Yet, the druids up north may be in trouble and the heroes could not waist time relaxing. Their quest called.
The first stop was at the monastery to drop off Horatio and the carpenters. The companions saw that the monks were excited about something and soon found out that the water of the well that the heroes had dug had healing powers. Abbot Anselm rejoiced with Dexter for surely this would bring new life and a new calling to the monastery. Michael drank of the water and the acid burns in his throat were healed. Zed considered getting in the well to see if it would heal the burn scars on his body but he was too scared of the disappointed if it didn’t work. So he left the monastery without testing Lathander’s healing water.
The next stop was at Slingdyke Keep. The heroes were told that Purple Dragon scouts were sent out a few days prior but had not reported back yet. They were welcome to stay at the keep and await the scouts return so that they could talk with them about what they had learned. But the heroes decided to keep moving and hoped to encounter the scouts while they were traveling.

14th of Mirtul, 1370
When the heroes reached the valley again they were surprised by what they saw. The goblinoids had abandoned the caves and left the valley. The trail they left showed that the creatures had gone west. With nothing in their way, the Company of the Amber Flame went to the cave of shadows.
The entrance to the cave was home to a small pack of wolves. The wolves became aggressive at the party’s intrusion. Lothwen knew a lot about wolves from her years of raising Cujo. She tried to use her knowledge of wolf behavior to calm the beasts. They did not calm down. Lothwen could sense an unusual amount of aggression or anger in the wolves, almost like a beast mad with rabies. Zed used his wand of Moonbeam to shine some light into the cave to better see the wolves. However the beasts seemed to blend into the shadow and darkness of the cave. Even with the light it was hard to see the wolves.
When the heroes entered the cave the 5 wolves attacked. The fight was harder than expected because the wolves were so hard to see at times. When the heroes would swing a weapon at the beasts, the wolves would disappear into shadow. Then they attacked; fangs and claws leaping out of the darkness. Zed turned the battle in favor of his companions by using a spell his mentor had just taught him. The warrior-mage unleashed a dazzling display of colorful light that stunned several of the wolves. The other warriors had no problem slaying the stunned beasts.
Lothwen lead the party through a short tunnel into another chamber. The light from Zed’s Moonbeam wand illuminated 60’ down the tunnel. At the edge of the light Lothwen’s elven eyes caught the sight of a person with the slim angular features of an elf. It was only there an instant before it moved behind a bend in the tunnel.

What or who will the heroes find in the cave? Will they be friend or foe? And why is the cave so dark? The Company of the Amber Flame must continue their quest to find out.

I use one pantheon of gods for everyone. I don't even use racial gods. The god of war is the same for humans, dwarves, or orcs.

I thought the worms did their damage by burrowing through the host creature and eating its brain. Isn't it that Warforge don't have an organic brain. Aren't they constructs with a magical artifical intelligence. So there would be no organic brain for the worms to munch on, right?

During this session I took the party through the evil temple cave of the "Keep on the Borderland" module but I made it a temple of Shar. Then they finally near the end of the Dungeon adventure from issue 114 "Mad God's Key".

2nd of Mirtul 1370, Year of the Tankard
By the evening of Mirtul 2nd the elves Elwin and Talek returned to camp, their task of scouting the valley successfully completed. Elwin took a stick and drew a map of the valley in the dirt to show his friends where the caves were that they had found. From this sketch the heroes planned their next step.
The cave that Talek found on the western rise caused some concern because of the unnatural darkness that Talek reported. But after some discussion the heroes decided they should go to the cave with the two red obelisks in front. With their plans decided the companions set a watch and got some rest for the night.
In the morning Yen and Zed prepared their arcane energy and spells. Rutker prayed for Tymora’s wisdom and prepared her miraculous power for use. Lothwen sought her spiritual connection with the divine power of nature and Mielikki’s presence in the natural world. She dearly missed Cujo and the bond she shared with nature through her love of him. She knew her calling for another companion had not worked. Lothwen realized the reason for its failure was that she was still grieving for Cujo and was not ready to replace him. So she prepared spells she thought she would need for the caves and readied her healing herbs. Eventually her heart would find closer with Cujo.
After a breakfast of oatmeal and honey from their rations the party moved out toward the valley of the Caves of Chaos. Elwin led his companions to the east, skirting around the valley and headed north. His skills enabled the party to avoid orc and goblin sentries. When the elven scout had guided the companions to the northern ridge of the valley everyone could see the area of twisted plant growth that Elwin had described. And amidst the twisted vegetation they saw the red obelisks and a dark cave. The heroes mustered their courage and approached.
The heroes found no monster or guardians at the cave but Lothwen did notice that the ground at the entrance was well traveled. Dexter was worried because his friends had told him that they had been ambushed from behind twice when they came to the caves without him. He sensed another ambush. The heroes decided to set their own guards at the entrance. It was a task best suited for the elf scouts Elwin and Talek. Michael and Dev could stay quiet with their light armor and so were picked to help the scouts. Zed was also assigned to guard the entrance to provide some magical power.
So Dexter, Lothwen, Yen, Rutker, and Grelin entered the cave.
At the first intersection the tunnel widened into a 20' wide hallway that led into the darkness to the left and right. The heroes went to the left even against Grelin’s protest “Never go to the left”. When the tunnel came to the next intersection it split into three directions. The companions stopped to listen down the junction. What they heard made the hair on their necks stand up. From behind them came the echoes of monstrous howls and growls. And if that didn’t worry the heroes enough, echoes of an anguishing scream followed. Not wanting to leave the sources of those growls behind them the companions turned around and went to face the creature head on.
The right side passage soon turned 90 degrees to the left. At the bend there were two wooden reinforced doors set into the walls. One door was too their right and one was in front of them. The door on the right led to a set of stairs that descended deeper underground. The heroes opened the seconded door and saw only a short dark passage. They decided to just follow the main hall to the left.
They did not see the dark entity that they just released from that passage.
The hallway ended at a “T” intersection. To the right the new hall extended into more darkness. But to the left the heroes saw the flickering light of candle flames. Lothwen went ahead of the warriors in their noisy armor to scout the source of the light. She found a room made of dark purple stone. The floor was a mosaic checkerboard of black and purple. The south wall was covered by a huge tapestry depicting a black landscape, barren trees, and unidentifiable but horrible black shapes in silhouette - possibly demons of some sort - holding aloft a struggling human. It had a gray sky torn by wisps of purple clouds, and a purple full moon with a woman’s face watching the scene. The room also had 4 black pillars supporting its domed ceiling and an alter of purpled veined black rock. On the alter were 4 bronze vessels - a shallow bowl, a pair of goblets, and a vase shaped pitcher. The craftsmanship and engravings indicated the great value of the vessels but all 4 were bloodstained. The room was illuminated by large candles mounted on the walls.
Lothwen went back to her companions told them what she saw then scouted down the hall that went to their right. In the dark corridor Lothwen found a door on the right wall. When she listened at the door she heard voices speaking. Again she went back to her friends and told them what she had found.
While the companions discussed which way to explore first, the demonic growls echoed from the chapel to their left. The growls were soon followed by a scream of anguished terror. Dexter and the dwarves raced toward the chapel, Lothwen and Yen followed.
While searching for the monster and its victim the heroes discovered something interesting in the chapel. Rutker searched the room with a detect magic spell that revealed the tapestry was woven with an audible illusion that made the growling and screaming noises. Grelin saw the four vessels on the alter and remarked how valuable they looked. Rutker advised the dwarf to control his love of treasure because ceremonial vessels to a dark god could be cursed. Rutker and Yen went behind the tapestry to search the back wall for secret doors, Lothwen was examining the dark chapel, and Dexter took a post at the entrance to watch down the hall. “Cursed my hairy arse”, mumbled Grelin. “If these be cursed then I’m a bearded elf”, he continued as he stuffed the vessels in his backpack while no one was watching.
At that time Dexter was praying to Lathander as he watched down the hall they had entered from and though his eyes saw nothing but darkness he sensed a presence of evil just out of the room. The released entity had caught its prey. As the paladin warned his friends that something was approaching, the room went dark. The lantern emitted no light and the dwarves could not see through the darkness. Grelin felt his ears to make sure they hadn’t grown pointy. Rutker and Yen were still behind the tapestry. Lothwen reacted quickly; she channeled the power of nature through her spirit and cast a spell of light. To her surprise the room did not illuminated with a bright light. All that happened was the candle light reappeared.
By the flickering light of the candles Lothwen could see a mass of shifting shadow float into the room. It went pass Dexter but the paladin did not react to it being so close to him. Grelin could see the thing clearly for his dwarven eyes could distinguish the natural darkness from the shadow’s shifting form. As the shadow entity entered the chapel the room went dark again, even Grelin’s dwarven sight could not see through the darkness. Rutker and Yen worked their way out from the tapestry and Lothwen countered the darkness with another light spell.
Grelin could see the thing again and moved toward it. What he saw was a shifting cloud of unnatural darkness floating in the air. He reached out with his ax to touch the entity and his ax just moved through it. “Elf fart! How am I supposed to cut this thing?”
Part of the cloud of darkness reached out and touched Grelin and the dwarf felt a coldness that chilled his soul. Rutker was out from the tapestry and saw the entity with his dwarven sight also. The priest of Tymora believed the entity to be an undead creature made of shadow so he held up his holy symbol, the silver coin depicting Tymora’s face, and called forth the holy power of his goddess to destroy the creature of undeath. Rutker felt the power course through his body but the entity was unaffected. Rutker was surprised and a bit worried. Yen saw the shadowy form that Grelin had his ax in and when it struck the dwarf warrior the spellblade sent a dart of magical energy into the entity. The form seemed to flinch from the magic.
After being attacked by its numbing coldness Grelin lifted his ax and swung with all the might in his arms. The ax went harmlessly through the entity. Yen saw that his companion’s attacks were doing no good so he cast another dart of magical energy. When this second spell hit the creature its shadowy form dissipated into the darkness and the creature was gone.
The heroes moved down the hall away from the chapel and came to the doors where Lothwen had heard the voices. They opened the door and saw a 5' hallway that opened into a bedroom. At the end of the hallway stood a surprised person in priest vestments. Yen was first to advance on the evil priest and slew him with a thrust of his rapier. Now able to see fully into the room, Yen saw there were 2 more priests and one was casting a spell. As the others advanced into the room Yen’s heart filled with fear and he ran away back towards the chapel. The companions defeated a second priest but the third cast a spell that filled the room with a dark fog. Dexter, Rutker, and Grelin searched blindly for the last priest while Lothwen covered the door so he couldn’t escape.
Grelin found the third priest hiding in the fog and attacked to prevent him from casting more spells. Dexter yelled to take him alive so Grelin used the flat of his ax and knocked the priest senseless. They now had a prisoner to interrogate.
While Dexter, Lothwen, Rutker, Yen, and Grelin explored the cave; Michael, Elwin, Dev, Talek, and Zed were keeping a watch on the valley. Since Dev and Zed add some understanding of magic they were watching the cave on the west rise that stayed dark even when the sun was bright in the sky. Elwin and Talek were keeping watch on the orcs from the trees on the northeastern rise. Michael sat just in the cave entrance to relay messages to the 3 other groups.
During the time Elwin was watching the orcs in the valley he noticed their noise carried pretty well up from the valley. The elven scout came to realize that he could hear the orcs so well because there were no other noises in the copse of trees he sat in. He looked around and saw no birds in the trees, no squirrels running about, no deer in the foliage. Then he saw something. A raccoon was hanging between some tree branches suspended in midair by thick strands of a web. Elwin got a real bad feeling and with his eyes he followed the web to its source up in the higher branches. And he saw them. Large bulbous spiders crawled about the upper branches of the trees and their webs stretched from branch to branch. One was descending toward him. In one motion Elwin leaped out of the tree and in midair fired an arrow at the arachnid. He didn’t watch to see if his shot hit. He called for Talek to get out of the trees. The two elves ran to the cave entrance and pulled watch with Michael.
In the cave, the other heroes had awakened their prisoner and started questioning him. His name was Ethan and he was a priest of Shar. Ethan seemed forthright with the heroes. He told them they had more to fear from Shar for attacking her priests then he had reason to fear them. Ethan did answer the companion’s questions and they learned useful information from him. The stairs they had passed earlier apparently lead to a crypt that the priests don’t use. The shadow entity they fought was a darkness elemental. If they followed the hallway east they would find the main temple to Shar. And if they went down the hallway to the west they would come to an area that Ethan was not allowed to go in. Ethan also told the heroes that the head priest called the Darklord or Darkone had left a tenday ago and did not say when he would return. And he told them that the church of Shar was not leading the goblinoids. They like the chance to convert some of them to Shar but not many have converted.
The companions took their prisoner to the cave entrance and left him for Michael, Elwin, and Talek to watch. They told their friends what had happened so far then followed the eastern hallway that Ethan said would lead to a temple of Shar.
On the way down the hall Grelin noticed something on the wall. The stone in the wall didn’t seem to sit right at one area. When the dwarven warrior stopped to examine the area he found that it was a hidden door set into the wall. The heroes went through the secret door and followed a short hall until it opened into the head priest’s chambers. When the adventurers searched the chambers they found a dirty robe of a priest of Ohgma but little of value. They did find a hidden cubby in the wardrobe and in that cubby they discovered gems, gold, a purple cloak with arcane runes of protection sewn in it, some arcane spell scrolls and potions, and a pouch of magical dust. The discovery of this treasure temporarily made the companions forget the danger they were in.
On a desk in the chambers was a letter with a message written on it-
“I have left you the fundamental teachings of the Netherese Tome. By the time I return from delivering the advanced teachings you should have mastered these basics.” Dexter thought that their friends outside should be warned that this Darklord could return at anytime so he and Lothwen headed back towards the entrance.
Yen, Rutker, and Grelin saw that the priest’s chamber exited into the main temple. “I bet there’s more treasure in there and we’re just sittin here” grumble Grelin. “Fortune favors the bold” remarked Rutker. “Damn” replied Yen and he cast a dancing lights spell as the three adventurers entered the temple.
When the trio began searching the temple a stench of death filled the air. They heard heavy footsteps from the back of the temple and heard the rattle of bones. From the back of the temple came the walking dead, risen corpses and animated skeletons of orcs, goblins, wolves and humans stalked toward the heroes. Rutker again called on the divine purity of Tymora and called for these creatures to be banished back to death. The results stunned Grelin and Yen for all of the skeletons fell apart into piles of bones and dust. Even some of the zombies turned away from the holy power Rutker manifested. From down the hall Dexter and Lothwen heard the sounds of battle echo through the tunnel and they ran to assist their friends. With Tymora’s power aiding them the heroes were able to cut down the remaining zombies. Grelin did take a vicious bite from a zombie wolf.
After searching the temple the companions walked back to the entrance. They told Elwin that the leader might return at anytime and the outside guards should be cautious. They discussed what to do next. Some of them were wounded, Grelin more so than the others. And Lothwen, Rutker, and Yen had only a few spells left. They decided that they had explored the eastern hallways thoroughly so they should see what is down the western hall. Back into the caves they went.
They five companions returned to the intersection where they had first heard the growls and screams that had turned out to be illusions. This time Grelin insisted on going down the right passage. “Never go left” he stated. So his clan mate Rutker followed him down the passage. Dexter, Lothwen, and Yen stayed at the intersection to consider the other choices.
The right passage ended in a room littered with corpses. There were hobgoblin, orc, and bugbear bodies scattered on the floor. The two dwarves moved closer to examine the bodies and saw they all had wounds caused by weapons. And as they examined the cause of death more the corpses began to stir and rise. The dwarves yelled an alarm and the other 3 companions rushed into the room. Rutker had exhausted his holy power so this fight was not as easy as the previous. A bugbear zombie was especially hard to put down but in the end the heroes prevailed again. The corpses had nothing of value so the party returned to the intersection and went to the left.
The left passage ended at a large room that contained a throne at the far end. The throne had 4 large gems set in it. But the room also had a small army of skeletons sitting on the floor against the walls. The heroes guessed that the skeletons were guardians that would rise to attack if they touched the throne. So the companions went around the room taking weapons away from the skeletons and kicking their bones apart. When that was done Lothwen decided, to the horror of Dexter, to sit on the throne. Her friends saw one of the gems darken and crack as her muscles tightened. Lothwen felt an unearthly coldness stab at her heart and she jumped off of the throne. Dexter went to her and the druidess seemed alright. “She broke a gem,” grumbled Grelin.
Nothing else was in that room so they returned to the intersection. The heroes had one tunnel left to explore. This one went straight. The tunnel opened into a crypt after a few hundred feet. There were several sarcophagi around the chamber but all had been looted long ago. Graffiti was written on the walls left by past looters. There was a well in a circular chamber that held water so rich in iron that it looked red. The walls of the circular chamber had writing carved into them but it was an old language that the heroes could not read. In the central part of the crypt was a large pool of the red water. There was no other way out of the crypt.
The adventurers started searching the crypt in more detail. Lothwen got into the pool of red water and examined where the pool met the back wall. She found three peculiar indentations on the wall. When the others looked at it they realized the indentations matched the protrusions on the back of the talisman Elwin had found back in Arabel. They place the talisman against the indentations and were able to turn it. The back wall slid open and the water in the pool flowed down a set of stairs.
The companions descended the stairs and found themselves on a cliff edge overlooking a 100' drop. The red water cascading over the cliff looked like a waterfall of blood pouring into a pool far below. The floor of the ledge the party was standing on was covered with bones. The skeletons of all sort of creatures lay about on the floor. The companions made a lot of noise searching the ledge and the heard a voice echo up from the depths asking who was up there making all the noise. Yen tried to bluff the speaker by pretending to be Ethan and saying they need help against intruders. The voice said he would summon 3 more darkness elementals to help.
The heroes saw a set of stairs to their left that went into the cave wall and spiraled down. They took the stairs despite the threat that 3 elementals might be coming up. After several feet the stairs opened onto another small ledge that overlooked the chasm. Standing in the middle of the ledge was a warrior in a fine suit of banded mail armor and a shield depicting demonic faces. The warrior wielded a bastard sword in one hand as if it were as light as a shortsword.
Dexter approached the warrior but it attacked and wounded the paladin with a mighty blow. The warrior stepped over the fallen paladin and approached the others who were stuck single file on the stairs. Yen tried to get past the warrior. He dodged between the warrior and the edge in an attempt to get behind this enemy. The warrior tried to knock Yen off of the cliff ledge but Yen was quicker and made it pass. Yen stabbed at the warrior with his rapier and the blade found its way up through the armor’s neck guard and into the head. But instead of feeling the resistance of hitting skull and brain, the blade flowed all of the way through the helmet coming out the other end.
Lothwen was next on the stairs and she was in Grelin’s way of getting to the warrior so she tried to move pass the warrior as Yen did by going between it and the ledge. As she did the warrior hit her with its shield and pushed her footing over the ledge. Lothwen grabbed the shield and held on. The warrior didn’t seem to notice the extra weight on his arm and as he moved his shield back to a guard position he pulled Lothwen back onto the ledge. She moved back to Yen and Dexter.
While Yen and Grelin fought the warrior, Rutker, still on the steps, heard something behind him. He gave a warning and turned to meet whatever it was with his mace. He saw a large snake skeleton coming down the steps but it had the skull of a human where the snake skull should have been. As Rutker watched it the snake thing started swaying back and forth, its serpentine spine moving in a rhythmic pattern. The priest was held hypnotized by its movements.
The others had defeated the warrior and turned to see Rutker motionless in front of the dancing snake skeleton. Grelin rushed up to help his clan mate but the thing snapped out with the speed of a viper biting the dwarf warrior and leaving him weak with its venom. Lothwen too was hypnotized by its dance. Yen was able to free his friends from the hypnosis and they soon defeated that enemy also.
With some healing herbs to bandage Dexter’s wound and help his pain and some anti-toxin for Grelin, the heroes were back on their feet. They examined their newest foes and found that the warrior was an empty suit of armor. It was a finely crafted suit of banded mail but no one was wearing it. Not wanting to waste a lot of time the party headed further down the steps. They passed a few more chambers even a supply storage room but they encountered no further enemies until they reached the bottom of the chasm. The final chamber at the base of the stairs had numerous 3 inch holes through out the walls. As the heroes pondered what all the holes were for, they saw rats coming out of them. As the rats emerged from the holes the room filled with the smell of dead things. The heroes realized the rats were zombies. So many rats came out of the walls that the heroes could no longer see the floor.
The companions rushed out of the room through a short tunnel. The tunnel ended at a small beach looking over the pool of red water and the falls plummeting into the pool. Across the pool they saw the shore of another tunnel. Dexter, Yen, and Rutker went into the water and headed to the far tunnel. The water was only chest deep to Dexter but Rutker was in it almost to his chin. Grelin stopped at the water’s edge and turned to face the swarm of undead rats. “I ain’t gettin wet,” he exclaimed. Not surprised at a dwarf’s lack of sense, Lothwen grabbed him by his collar and pulled him in with her. The heroes made for the far tunnel as the rats pursued them into the water. However, the current from the waterfall carried the rats in different directions and broke up their swarm. The heroes were able to cut and stomp on them individually.
The 5 companions made it across the pool to a hallway lined with pillars. This hall led to a pair of double doors. The room on the other side of the door was lit by fires burning in several braziers. The flickering light left a lot of shadows in the room. To help him see in the darkness Dexter took a vial of alchemical light and poured the glowing liquid over his sword blade. This caused the blade to glow for a short time. In the center of the room was a book stand with a large tome sitting on it. When the heroes entered the room a dart of black magical energy, barely visible amongst all the shadows, hit Yen. It hurt the spellsword with a sharp coldness but he did not fall.
From the shadows a man dressed only in breeches and a tunic approached. He carried a longsword and there was no doubt he knew how to use it. He approached the party without fear even though he was out numbered 5 to 1. As soon as he got close to the heroes he attacked. Yen was the focus of his first attacks. The warrior was a blur of motion as not only did his sword stab in at Yen but he attacked with his fists and even kicks. Yen was able to parry the deadly blade away but he was bruised by a kick. Grelin and Dexter pressed their attacks on this warrior. They had never seen someone so fast, he seemed even quicker than Michael. Grelin put all his might behind his swings hoping to drop this warrior with his first hit.
Yen did not want to match his sword skills with this warrior again so he stepped back and cast a dart of energy of his own. The magic hit the warrior and caused him to go on the defense. The warrior seemed to focus on killing the sorcerer in the group but Dexter pressed in with his glowing sword and the warrior became concerned about the blade being magical. Dexter’s swordsmanship proved a match for the warrior and he held off the warrior’s attacks until Yen cast another magic missile that killed him.
The party found the stolen Key of Abbadoor and half of the stolen Netherese Tome. The warrior also had some items of value on him. Yen used his arcane abilities to see any magical auras these items might have. What he noticed was that the book and key had dissipating auras. The strong magic of both items must have dispelled each other. On the book stand there was also a letter that read, ”Veltargo, remain here and guard the temple. We shall return as soon as we gather the necessary components required by the book. Soon all of the unholy secrets will be with in our grasp.”
The party swam back across the red water pool, killing any zombie rats that came close, and headed back up the stairs. They gathered up the banded armor on their way out. At the secret door they had to use the talisman to open it again. They made it back to the cave entrance where Michael, Elwin, and Talek were watching the prisoner. The sun showed it was only noon though the 5 campaigns were ready for some deep sleep. They called Dev and Zed over from watching the dark cave and all 10 heroes discussed what to do next.

This session we had 2 more guys join us and Embryn's player had to make a new character. So our new characters are Grelin a dwarf fighter, Talek an elf fighter/rogue, and Zed a human fighter/wizard.

The Day of Greengrass of the year 1370
Our group of heroes return to their camp exhausted, wounded, and carrying their fallen friend, Embryn. The three hired sellswords that were guarding the camp are shocked to see the companions return covered in so much carnage and gore. Some of the heroes could hardly walk because of their injuries. Dexter laid the body of the fallen elf warrior in the group’s wagon and had the 3 sellswords and Elwin (for the elf scout was uninjured) pull guard while the rest of the heroes tended to their wounds and got some rest.
The heroes were so wounded that Lothwen, Rutker, and Dexter had to use all of their healing supplies and magic to make the group well. But with the help of the wand of healing everyone’s injuries were healed. Lothwen informed her companions that if they intended to return to the valley to fight the hobgoblins again then they would need to resupply with herbs of healing first.
Lothwen suggested that in the morning she take a fast horse and ride back to the keep to buy supplies. She would return by nightfall. Michael and Dev also volunteered to go to protect Lothwen on the ride. They would also take Embryn’s body to show Lord Marliir proof of his death. But Yen mentioned that Lord Marliir was not familiar with those three so he, Elwin, or Dexter should go. Since Dexter had been able to convince the good lord to give them healing potions and a wand, it was decided that the paladin had the best chance of getting the magical gifts again. And it was decided that the holy warrior could protect himself on the ride so Michael and Dev should stay and protect the camp.
So in the morning Dexter collected coins from his companions and rode off with Embryn’s body to buy supplies at Slingdyke Keep.
The rest of the heroes discussed what to do next. Gaining healing supplies was essential so Lothwen went into the forest and gathered what herbs she could find. Meanwhile the others were discussing their current situation. Although the plan was to wait until Dexter returned before going back to the caves, some of the companions realized that the delay would give the goblins time to organize a defense. So it was decided to go back to the caves once Lothwen had gathered the herbs.
The heroes realized that with their numbers reduced by Embryn’s death and Dexter’s errand, another journey to the caves could be disastrous. So, they renegotiated with their three hired camp guards. For a share of any treasure found Grelin the dwarven warrior, Talek the elven scout, and Zed the human spellsword agreed to fight with the companions.
Joined by their three new members, the band of heroes went back to the valley. They approached from the south again, as they had each time before. They tried to approach unnoticed but Grelin is as stealthy as a herd of bulettes. To the elf Elwin, the rattle of Grelin’s armor might as well have been a warning horn.
The heroes cautiously approached the entrance of the goblin lair, again. They entered the cave and followed Dev’s blood trail through the tunnels they had traveled through before. This time the goblins were waiting for the intruders.
Unknown to the group of heroes an ambush was prepared for them. A group of large goblins or Uldar, called bugbears in the tongue of men, had been hiding in the trees and watched the party approach from the south. When the heroes entered the cave entrance a runner was sent through a third cave entrance and alerted the hobgoblins to the approach of their enemy. The hobgoblins readied themselves for battle. Meanwhile, the other Uldar followed the party into the cave.
When the companions reached the room where they had fought the shield wall of hobgoblins, Elwin’s keen ears picked up a sound behind him. As he listed to determine what the sound was the hobgoblins sprang their ambush. From their front many hobgoblins charged down the tunnel toward them. The battle seasoned heroes were confident they could defeat this attack and met the goblin charge with their own steel. The heroes soon realized how much trouble they were in when the Uldar attacked from the rear.
Elwin, Jax, and Talek fought bravely against the large Uldar. They tried to give the warriors in the front rank enough time to slay the hobgoblins but their stand did not go well. Elwin took a powerful blow that dropped him to the ground. Dev tried to help hold the rear but he too fell, again. Jax and Talek were hard pressed to hold.
At the front Michael, Rutker, Yen, Grelin, and Cujo fought the hobgoblin charge to a halt. The heroes were turning the surprise attack into a victory. They were that is, until a secret door in the wall opened and more Uldar pressed the attack on Michael’s flank.
The heroes might have found their end in that battle but Jax’s voice rose in a song that inspired their courage and they fought on with all their strength. Then, Rutker’s and Lothwen’s magic turned the battle to their victory. One bugbear survived and retreated through the secret door he had come through.
After that battle Lothwen, Rutker, and Jax used magical and mundane means to heal their wounded friends. Then the heroes followed the last bugbear through the secret door and found that it led to a cave with an exit that opened out into the trees. While the companions searched the new cave Lothwen sent Cujo to chase down the last bugbear that had apparently run out of the cave.
In the new cave the heroes found property and furnishing that indicated this was the sleeping quarters for some of the Uldar. They also found the corpse of an elf. The elf’s equipment was found nearby also. The heroes took what they could use. Zed also detected the aura of magic in the boot of the corpse and found a wand there. The wand was etched with ruins and carvings that indicated elven moon magic.
The party also found a banner made of deer skin hanging on the wall. On the banner was a picture of a dragon drawn in red dye. The band of adventurers thought this might be important so they took it with them.
While most of the companions searched this new room, Rutker, Grelin, and Talek decide to explore further through the tunnels by themselves. And so the party separated.
The two dwarves and the elf made it to the chamber where Embryn had died and the heroes fought the goblin archers and champions. The trio went down the tunnel to the door where the last goblin had locked itself in. This time the door was unlocked and no goblins were around. The room was a storage room full of crates, barrels, and stacks of supplies. The three treasure hunters ripped into the supplies hungry to find anything of value. So consumed were they with finding treasure that none of them kept a watch to their rear. So they did not see the group of goblins setting an ambush for them.
When the trio was done sacking the supply room they walked back into the tunnel and right into the goblin ambush. It was a hard fight for the heroes were out numbered 3 to 6. However the two dwarves would not let 6 goblins stop them, they shrugged off their wounds and crushed goblins with ax and mace. Their elf companion held his own by slaying a few goblins with his sword.
The other heroes were getting concerned about their missing friends because they had been gone for so long. Cujo still had not returned but the heroes were anxious to go looking for their missing two legged friends. Lothwen wasn’t concerned; she said Cujo can take care of himself. So they left the hidden cave and went down the tunnel looking for their friends.
Shortly into their search the companions heard the sounds of battle and dwarves yelling curses at goblins. The heroes ran to the sounds and arrived at the goblin ambush site in time to see their friends slay the last goblin. Rutker, Grelin, and Talek showed the others the supply room they had found. Not satisfied with the treasure they found the heroes decide to continue exploring the goblin tunnels.
The next room they found was another supply room. The room was filled from floor to ceiling with crates, barrels, boxes, and sacks. Most of the containers contained foodstuff such as iron rations, dried and salted meat, fruits, flour, water, and beer. But the heroes also found other supplies such as tents, shovels, axes, alchemical fire, and smoke sticks.
While most of the party was sacking the supply room, the new dwarven warrior, Grelin, stood watch by the entry tunnel. But Grelin’s senses are not as sharp as Elwin’s and he did not hear the orcs sneaking up on their rear until they were charging. The two dwarves Grelin and Rutker tried to hold off the orcs but the beasts were in a battle rage and their mighty blows broke through the shields the dwarves were carrying and fractured their shield arms.
While the dwarves fought the orcs at the entrance, Elwin searched the rear of the room and found a secret door. Before he opened it though he put his ear to the door and listened. And he heard the clamor of armored warriors running toward the door. Elwin alerted his companions to the pending threat at their rear. Dev and Michael thought quickly and threw their bodies against the door. They could feel someone on the other side pushing on the door but they held it closed.
With the party’s two main warriors occupied keeping the door shut the others were hard pressed defending themselves against the orcs. Elwin, Lothwen, and Jax helped the wounded dwarves combat the orcs. Jed tried a spell meant to daze an orc but in their berserk rage the orcs were resistant to the spell.
At the secret door Michael lit a smoke stick and tried to throw it through the door opening. But when Dev opened the door just a little for Michael the hobgoblins tried to push through so Dev had to shut the door quickly causing the smoke stick to hit the door and fall at Dev’s feet. The room quickly filled with a 10' cloud of smoke that no one could see through. Then the hobgoblins pushed their way in.
Battle raged at the front door with the orcs and the rear secret door with the hobgoblins. Talek wounded several hobgoblins with a flask of alchemical fire but they kept coming through the secret door. Elwin added his combat skills to the fight with the orcs which helped Rutker, Grelin, Jax and Lothwen defeat the raging beasts.
Through the cloud of concealing smoke, Michael, Dev, Talek, Yen and Jed cut down each hobgoblin as it entered the room. Until out of the black cloud came a hobgoblin that stood as tall as a bugbear and wore splintmail armor engraved with hellish symbols. It emerged from the cloud of smoke, yelled a cry to the dark god Bane, and struck Michael with a tremendous blow that wounded the swashbuckler. Michael had never been hit so hard before. Before he could recover from the wound and ready a defense against this foe it smote Michael again. This time Michael fell from his wounds. Yen tried to help his friend. He took one of the vials they had found and hoping it was a healing potion he poured it down Michael’s throat. Curse Besheba’s luck! Yen smelled Michael’s flesh burning and realized he had just made Michael drink acid. He quickly made Michael vomit hoping to reduce the damage it would do. Michael’s vomit was heavily mixed with blood but he was still breathing.
The heroes tried to stand against this foe but each warrior who fought this unholy foe was defeated. One by one the unholy knight of Bane struck down Dev, Yen, and Jed. And when Jax tried to save his friends from this monster of a hobgoblin, the beast sliced off the bard’s arm. Before any friends could get to Jax’s aid, he bled to death on the field of battle.
The hardy dwarves tried to take down this dangerous enemy but with broken arms the hobgoblin knight was too much for them and Grelin feel to its sword. Rutker and Elwin were desperately fighting the hobgoblin knight. The lives of their friends depended on them defeating it. Elwin pressed the attack with his blade and scored a hit through the splintmail armor wounding the hobgoblin. The knight of Bane was hurt but kept fighting viciously. His dedication was much like Dexter’s devotion to Lathander.
Lothwen was able to revive Dev through her healing skills. Dev knew he was too hurt to fight the knight again so he went to where Yen lay. Dev used a potion to heal the spellsword’s wounds enough that Yen came to consciousness. Yen opened his eyes and saw how desperately his friends were fighting for their lives. Many of his friends lay on the ground and he saw Jax with a big pool of blood spilling from where his arm used to be. This hobgoblin knight had to die! Yen called forth magical energies from the weave and loosened a bolt of energy that hit the hobgoblin in its face. The heroes who were still up saw the hobgoblin’s nose explode in a shower of blood and it fell with a fractured skull. The fight was over.
The companions who were still standing gathered up what they could from the battle field then picked up their wounded friends and headed back to their camp. Rutker prayed the entire way and Tymora granted his prayers because they met no other enemies and made it to camp safely. At camp they collapsed from their exhaustion and the horror and grief of their last fight. It was hard to believe that they would never hear Jax tell one of his stories or sing a song again. Lothwen and Rutker put Jax to rest and began tending to the wounds of those who were still alive. It looked bad however, for the companions had so many wounds and so little healing supplies.
Late in the evening the party heard a horse approaching the camp. The heroes could barely raise their weapons to defend against another attack and so were relieved to see Dexter returning. The paladin was horrified when he saw the condition his friends were in. He assumed the camp had been attacked and was angry when he found out the party had changed the plan and went back to the valley without waiting for him. But his anger would not help anything. Dexter went to his saddle bag and unpacked the healing supplies he had purchased at the keep. He had fresh bandages, needle and thread for stitches, some herbs and ointment.
It rained heavily that night which added to the misery the heroes felt. Elwin pointed out that being wet may be unpleasant but the rain erased the tracks they had made walking back to the camp. The goblins would have a harder time finding them. And so the night went by without their camp being attacked.
In the morning Lothwen, Rutker, and Dexter were able to use their healing supplies and magic to heal everyone. Michael still talks in a hoarse voice but he can fight again. Even the dwarves had their broken arms mended by healing spells. The adventurers told Dexter about their battles in the cave and about the dragon banner they found. Dexter told them about his trip to Slingdyke Keep. Lord Marliir was unable to meet with Dexter because of business for the Crown. But a Swordcaptain of the Purple Dragons gave him a death certificate for Embryn. He bought what healing supplies he could with the 15 golden lions he had. The priests of Torm had not been able to restock on magical healing and so had none to give to Dexter. But seeing how beat up Dexter’s armor was they could not in good conscience let him go back to battle like that. So they gave him a wand of mending with 10 charges in it to help repair the party’s armor and weapons. They also traded a good horse for Dexter’s exhausted mount.
After they discussed what had happened they began to plan what to do next. Some of the heroes wanted to go back to Slingdyke Keep. Others did not want to give the goblins time to build defenses and thought they should go back to the valley. Dexter realized that they needed more time to rest and heal before going back into battle. He also knew that wandering the valley without knowing where to go would get them into more fights than need be. So he asked the elves Elwin and Talek if they would scout out the valley while the others rested at camp. The elves were willing.
After breakfast the scouts headed back to the valley. Lothwen tried to forage for more healing herbs but she had picked the area bare of useful herbs the day before and didn’t want to wander too far from the camp. Additionally she wanted to use her time to commune with nature to call for another wolf companion. So she found a quiet spot and reached out spiritually to the forest around her.
In the valley Elwin went to reconnoiter the western rise of the valley and Talek went to the eastern. On the eastern hillside Talek quietly moved pass the goblin and hobgoblin caves. He saw no activity at these caves. On the north eastern part of the hillside about 100' up the rise, Talek found another cave. He crept up cautiously to determine if the cave was occupied. The cave was unnaturally dark and made the hairs stand up on his neck. Talek backed away and went to tell the others about his discovery.
On the western rise Elwin spotted a cave 50' up the slope at the southern entrance. He saw no activity at that cave. Further north he saw another cave at 50' up the slope. But he also spotted orc sentries at the entrance. There was also a freshly skinned animal hide drying by the entrance. Elwin moved pass the orcs without being seen and passed through a copse of trees. On the other side of the trees Elwin could see the northern rise of the valley. About 75' up the hillside the plants became brown and sickly looking. The slope was also covered with more vines and thorn bushes than the trees and ferns the rest of the valley had growing in it. At the centered of the strange area Elwin spotted 2 obelisks. Vines were creeping up both obelisks but it did look like they were made from red stone. Elwin also spotted a cave opening between the 2 obelisks. He went back to the camp to tell the others what he had seen.

We had a new player join us this session. His character is Dev, a human Hexblade.

30th of Tarasakh 1370
The companions woke on this day in a comfortable bed in the inn at Slingdyke Keep. They had arrived last night after traveling all of that day from the valley of the Caves of Chaos. The swashbuckler Michael was the first one to arrive at the tavern for breakfast. After Michael had escorted the merchant and his wife to safety from the hobgoblin torture chamber, his friends had been in a tough fight with hobgoblins in another chamber. They were probably still sleeping off their fatigue and wounds.
However, Michael did not eat breakfast alone. In the tavern room were several caravan guards who had arrived last night with a caravan from the Dalelands. Michael saw among these guards an old friend of his, a man named Dev. Dev was a warrior with a scoundrel’s heart who Michael had met in Arabel. The two had trained together under the same master swordsman and had become good friends until Dev had left to make money guarding caravans. And here he was still guarding caravans.
Michael and Dev had a friend’s reunion over breakfast. Dev had stories about how boring it is to guard merchants and their wagons and how he hated working for such pompous fools. Michael told his friend how he was working for himself, raiding goblin caves, rescuing rich merchants, and finding treasure. Michael’s stories were so enticing for Dev that he asked if he could join Michael. When Dexter came in for breakfast, Michael discussed with him if Dev could join the group. Seeing the benefit of having an experienced warrior along, Dexter agreed that Dev could come with them.
Rutker prepared a letter for his father and ask Michael and Dexter to deliver it upon his death.
The companions also hired a human, a dwarf and an elf man-at-arms to come with them to be their camp guards. By midmorning the party was traveling northwest across country back towards the Caves of Chaos. Their elven scout, Elwin, had an excellent sense of direction and had them in a campsite 2 miles south of the valley before nightfall.
During the night, Lothwen and Rutker heard wolves howling to their north during their watch but nothing threatened their camp. In the morning the heroes tracked north toward the valley and left the 3 hired men-at-arms to guard their mounts, wagon, and camp. Elwin lead the party right to the southern mouth of the valley. Elwin, the druidess Lothwen, and her wolf Cujo went ahead into the valley to scout out the hobgoblin cave they had entered 3 days ago. Before they reached the original cave, Elwin spotted another cave on the valley floor close to the southern part of the valley. Elwin crawled to a spot near the new cave where he could remain hidden while observing the entrance. From his position, the elven scout saw 4 goblin archers in the entrance. He silently moved back to his companions and told them of his discovery.
The heroes decided to attack from 3 directions hoping to draw the goblins out of their cave. The left and right flanks moved into position undetected, but the center team was not as fortunate. Two arrows fell short of hitting Michael and Jax took an unlucky arrow in his chest. Fortunately for Jax, his hard boiled leather breastplate prevented the arrow from piercing him too deeply.
Realizing that they were discovered they heroes went into action. Dexter, Michael, Yen, and Dev charged for the entrance. Lothwen shot her longbow to keep the goblins’ heads down. Rutker summoned the blessing of Tymora on his friends and called on her to protect himself from arrows. Elwin was on top of the cave entrance and could not see the goblins. Jax dived behind some bushes to keep from getting hit by an arrow again. Embryn had the goblins in the sight of his bow but held his shot. The elf was feeling the excitement of battle and with that excitement came a bloodlust for the death of his prey. Embryn paused to control himself so that the rage of Malar did not take over.
Lothwen killed a goblin with her well honed archery skills. Michael and Dev reached the entrance and cut another goblin down but the others retreated into their dark hole. When all of the companions had moved up to the cave entrance Michael went into the cave to listen for the goblins presence. He heard nothing but by the light from the cave entrance he could tell that 20' into the cave the tunnel went in 3 directions; straight, left, and right. The half-elven sorcerer/warrior, Yen stepped into the 4 way intersection to get a better sense of where the goblins were. And he discovered their enemy when 2 arrows came from the left tunnel and two other arrows came from the right tunnel. The heroes next saw their friend Yen running out of the cave with his right wrist bleeding from a severe wound.
Rutker was able to mend Yen’s wrist with Tymora’s healing. The rest of the party waited for the goblins to follow Yen out of the cave but the creatures seemed content to let the heroes walk into their ambush. As Dev’s new companions tried to draw the goblins out of the cave, he began to grow suspicious. Working as a caravan guard had developed a concern for ambushes in Dev so as the others were watching the cave he turned towards the trees behind them. Dev looked toward the tree line just in time to see 3 hobgoblins close to 7 feet tall and just shy of 300 pounds emerge from the foliage. Dev saw that these beasts were ready to charge and his companions did not know about the danger at their backs. Dev had to decide quickly what to do; nobly charge the enemy, sacrificing himself to give his companions time to defend themselves, or find a position to protect himself. Dev is a warrior trained to react in combat against an enemy so with all the speed and strength his legs could give him he charged……….away from the bugbears.
The heroes saw their new companion run past them as they heard the battle cry of the bugbears charging at them. Embryn had no time to react as 2 of the brutes attacked him. He was wounded but not taken down. The heroes quickly reacted to the new threat. Steel rang against steel and the battle was pressed. But when the heroes thought it would be an easy fight against just 3 goblinoids, Elwin gave a yell that a squad of hobgoblins was charging down from their cave. As the hobgoblin ranks crashed into the defenses of the heroes, the goblins charged out of the cave to engage the heroes from behind. The companions considered a retreat but they were swarmed by their foe and had no open route to take.
This was a battle the bards will sing about. The heroes fought valiantly and with all their heart. They cut down the bugbear and hobgoblin ranks and caused the goblins to retreat back into their cave. One bugbear ran off into the woods and Lothwen sent Cujo to run him down. Cujo returned later wounded by the bugbears morningstar but with the beast’s throat in his jaw.
While the heroes tended to their wounds and searched the bodies of their foes for plunder, Dev had an idea. If Yen had drawn the goblinkin out of the caves by walking into the intersection, it might work again. So Dev and Michael went back into the cave and Dev walked out into the 4 way intersection. As expected arrows came shooting out of the side tunnels. Dev was hit twice and feel to the ground too wounded to move. And so Dev proved that he would fit in just fine with this group of heroes.
The heroes had to act quickly to save Dev while his body lay in the goblin kill zone. Lothwen caused a distraction by casting a spell of bursting light in the intersection and Michael raced across to drag his friend to safety. Goblin’s eyes do not adjust to light as quickly as a surface dweller’s and the heroes took advantage of that to attack the ambushing archers. The goblins that did not flee were slain.
The heroes were able to heal Dev with potions and spell. Then they decided to take the tunnel to the left after discovering the tunnel straight ahead was a dead-end. Embryn scattered some caltrops across the right tunnel as they started down the left tunnel.
The party came to a room that had apparently housed some of the goblin guards. They found nothing of interest in the room but a stairway exiting the room headed down. The odor of dead flesh drifted up from the stairway. The heroes through a torch down the steps to see what was there and to their fright saw several hobgoblin corpses sitting against the wall. As heroes must do, our companions fought back their fear and thought of the idea of burning the corpses. So they threw down a flask of oil and set the corpses on fire. To the complete surprise of our heroes the dead corpses did not move. Not able to believe that dead corpses would not move when set on fire they decided to throw a couple of goblin spears at them. And after being set on fire and impaled by a spear the dead hobgoblin still did not move. So Rutker warned the group that if they go down the steps the corpses would attack. Well, Michael could not resist that. He ran down the steps slapped a corpse and ran back up the steps. Apparently dead hobgoblins don’t play tag because they still did not move. So the heroes put cloths on their faces to protect them from all of the smoke they had created and went down they steps.
They stairway turned a corner then went back up to end at a door. Michael led the way up to the door. While the warriors prepared to open the door, Lothwen tried to loot the burned corpses. While she found no treasure on the bodies she did think the hobgoblins looked familiar. Then she noticed the wolf bites on a couple of them and she realized that these were the hobgoblins they had killed 3 days ago.
When Michael opened the door and entered the next room cautiously the rest of the heroes recognized the barracks room. They had fought in here 3 days ago and killed several hobgoblins and one that chanted. They even found that Dexter’s and Yen’s blood still stained the floor.
The heroes explored further finding the torture chamber from which they had rescued the merchant, his wife, and two guards. This area of the cave tunnels was familiar even to Michael. The party went all the way to the exit from the hobgoblin tunnels then decided to finish exploring the goblin tunnels first. So they back tracked past the dead hobgoblins (who still did not move) and back to the goblin cave entrance and readied to go down the right tunnel. They found that the caltrops that Embryn had scattered on the floor were gone. So cautiously they walked down the passage way.
The tunnel turned right and opened into a small room. The tunnel exited the room on the far side but the exit was blocked by a formation of hobgoblins. 4 hobgoblins stood shoulder to shoulder bearing tower shields with a rank of spearmen behind them. The heroes tried to break the ranks by throwing alchemist fire but the shield wall protected the hobgoblins. So Jax gave the bottle of alchemical shock to Elwin who through it at the shield wall. The electrical shock was too much for the hobgoblin holding the metal shield and it dropped dead from electrical burns. Michael tried to take advantage of the opening in the formation by running at the far wall, jumping up onto the wall, and kicking himself over the front ranks into the rank of spearmen. It didn’t work. But Michael managed to avoid being impaled by any of the spears during his attempt.
Dev tried to help Michael by charging at the shield wall attempting to frighten the hobgoblins holding the shields. But right in front of the first rank Dev’s foot found Embryn’s missing caltrops. The rest of the heroes rushed in to help there exposed companions. Jax sang an inspirational song to give his friend’s courage. The song worked on him also for he boldly entered the fray and used his whip to disarm and trip up the hobgoblins. Yen used his arcane powers to guide an arrow shot with true strike and pierce a hobgoblin behind the shield wall.
The heroes were able to break the hobgoblin formation and slay all but one, although Cujo was severely cut by a goblin rogue hiding in the shadows. The last hobgoblin fled down the tunnel. The heroes, tired and wounded, were enjoying their victory when tragedy struck. During the fight Embryn had drawn his rapier and met steel with steel against the goblinkin. His warrior spirit rejoiced with the slaying of his enemy. Was he killing the hobgoblins because it was justice to slay such evil creatures or was he enjoying the slaughter of caught prey? In the heat of battle Embryn didn’t care. He fought and hobgoblins died. Life was good. Then the last of the hobgoblins retreated down the hall. Embryn could not let his prey escape. In his lust for the kill Embryn chased his enemy down. In his sprint down the passage way Embryn didn’t realize he was leaving the light of the torches until he followed the hobgoblin around a turn and was blinded by the darkness. Though his eyes could not see, Embryn’s ears told him he had made a grave mistake. Ten bowstrings sang in unison from the darkness. Embryn’s great reflexes reacted to twist and turn and dive for cover but it was not enough. 4 arrows bit into his elven flesh and Embryn’s dive for cover became a fall into darkness. The last thing Embryn felt in this world was his prey breathing heavily on his face and the hobgoblin pushing its dagger into his elven heart.
The heroes were shocked when they saw Embryn’s body lying on the floor partially around the corner. Yen cast a spell of dancing lights to see better in the darkness and 10 arrows shot through the sudden illumination to hit on the wall of the tunnel. The companions realized that many archers were set up in a deadly ambush. Yen realized that the hobgoblin tower shields made an excellent defense against their own arrows so why not use them against the enemy archers. So Yen and Dexter took up tower shields to make a shield wall in the 10' wide hallway and the heroes lined up behind them.
When Yen and Dexter rounded the corner they saw a room occupied by 10 goblin archers and their shields were pounded with arrow after arrow. But the tower shields worked and the companions were unharmed.
When the shield wall cleared the room’s entrance and the heroes could run around Yen and Dexter, they charged the goblins cutting the distance before the archers could shoot again.
The battle was a fierce one for the 10 archers were helped by the escaped hobgoblin and 4 large goblin champions that entered the room from another passage. But the heroes did prevail. They were seriously fatigued and some were wounded but they all survived. One of the large goblins did retreat back through the tunnel it had come in from and the heroes chased him until he ran into a room and locked the door. When the goblin sounded an alarm by making loud banging noises the party decided not to push Tymora’s luck. With so many of them wounded and fatigue they picked up Embryn’ body and fell back to their camp 2 miles south of the valley.

I do not let players play evil characters in my campaigns. Character survival through a long campaign depends on characters working together and evil characters disrupt group coession. It is also harder to plan adventure hooks because you can't assume the character would do the adventure just because it is the right thing to do.
Even the neutral rogue in our party is causing problems. For example, when the party needed horses he went out and stole some from a stable instead of buying them. So when the party, including a paladin and good cleric, was spotted riding stolen horses and arrested the other players were not happy.
My other thought when I read the post is if this group plays at a high school (a college would be no problem). D&D has had a bad reputation for years and the last thing you want to do is get band from playing at school because some one over hears you all playing out evil acts and makes a complaint. These days even one person making a complaint can ruin the enjoyment of many.

Yet another character joined our group. The players are having so much fun that they keep inviting friends to join us. This time we were joined by a female elf druid.

27th of Tarasakh, the 4th month of the year 1370 Dale Reckoning

As Rutker lay on the ground unconscious from his wounds the other heroes became angry with Michael. Michael’s foolishness of blowing the alarm horn had brought these goblins right to the party before they were ready for another fight and Rutker lay dying for it. But yelling at Michael would not help the dwarf. Rutker’s injuries were too severe for herbs so the party forced a healing drought done his throat. The potion mended Rutker’s wounds enough to stop the bleeding but he still lay unconscious. The party did not know what else to do to help their companion and they feared that they would lose him, but Dexter had an idea. At the ceremony when he was anointed a paladin Dexter had called upon the power of Lathander to channel healing energies through his body. Maybe he could call on those energies again to heal Rutker. Praying to Lathander for the blessing of healing power, Dexter laid his hands on Rutker and to his relief and joy he felt Lathander’s power course through him and into the dwarf. Rutker’s wounds healed enough that the dwarf opened his eyes. Having little time to celebrate the miracle the heroes gathered their equipment and withdrew south out of the valley.
The party found a hill where they made camp just below the hilltop. Elwin climbed a tree to keep watch while the other’s sent up a camp. From his perch in the tree Elwin’s elven ears did hear the sound of goblins moving through the forest. But they did not come close to their campsite.
Yen took the next watch from up in the tree. No goblin patrols came close to where the party was camped but they could be heard moving in the forest further north. However, Yen’s watch was disturbed by a yell, “Well met at the camp. I come in peace. May I approach your camp?” Startled he looked west to where the voice had come from and saw a beautiful elf woman trying to get their attention. The yell had alerted the entire camp and Dexter and Michael grabbed their weapons and went to see who was there. Surprised to see such a beautiful elf out in the wilderness alone Dexter approached with caution calling upon the power of Lathander to detect the taint of evil. Michael told Dexter not to worry; they had just fought off goblins and hobgoblins so this lovely creature was no threat to them. Then they saw her companion, a large wolf was with the elf keeping a protective watch on her. Michael said “OK you go first.” Dexter felt no evil from this stranger and so greeted her.
The elf introduced herself as Lothwen Seragon, a traveler from the elven forest of Cormanthor. She was traveling alone except for her wolf companion, Cujo, and was wondering if they had room for her in their camp for the night. Dexter told Lothwen that she was welcome to join them and as a knight of Lathander he would ensure that she came to no harm in their camp. Then Cujo stood up alert as the elven archer Elwin came out of the woods like a shadow from behind her. “Welcome to our humble camp my lady”, he said as he walked past her.
When she entered the camp, Lothwen noticed the dwarf Rutker tending to a severe wound on his hand. When she asked what had happened Michael explained their encounter with the goblins. And although the hobgoblins were still about in these woods, Lothwen should feel safe because she was in the company of very capable warriors. Dexter assured her that she was safer with them then out alone; they had sword, bow and spell to do battle with against the goblins.
Lothwen told the heroes that she was a priest of nature, a druid of the goddess Mielikki, and that she was a healer. So Dexter asked her to look at Rutker. Lothwen noticed that a crossbow bolt had severely damaged the dwarf’s hand. First aid and herbs could mend the flesh but he may not ever be able to use the hand again. So Lothwen called upon the grace of Mielikki and drew energy from forest around her and cast a healing spell on the hand. The spell worked and Rutker’s hand was a lot better.
And just in time, for Lothwen’s yelling to greet the party had been heard by others also, and as Yen was watching their new guest a group of orcs had sneaked up to their camp. The orcs led their charge by throwing axes into the camp. Jax was taken down by an ax in his chest and Cujo was severely wounded by a thrown ax, the others scrambled to form a defense against the charging orcs. Dexter cursed himself for being distracted from his duty. And the fight was on.
The battle was fierce. The charging orcs were berserkers who fought with a fierce fury. And the heroes were flanked on the east by hobgoblins and on the west by goblins. Orcs and goblins working together was big trouble. Dexter tried to hold off the orcs with his sword skills but their rage was too fierce. Embryn’s rapier tried to hold back the hobgoblins but they had caught the party by surprise and he was hard pressed. Rutker tried to get to Jax to tend to his wound but he was too busy defending himself from the hobgoblins. Elwin was killing orcs and hobgoblins with his arrows. And Yen took down the enemy with his arrows and spells. Michael charged the goblins and slew a few of them before they organized against him. And the new druid proved herself with her bow skills as she used her longbow to slay the orcs who had wounded Cujo.
As the sun went down and darkness filled the woods Dexter realized the danger was increasing for his companions. He knew as his companions were losing visibility the goblin’s darkvision would give them another advantage. Dexter was thinking desperately of how he could gather his friends for a defensible position but they had been taken by surprise and were too spread out through the camp. But as the enemy pressed their attack, one of the hobgoblins yelled something in their language and the hobgoblins and goblins broke ranks in fear and ran back to the valley. The orcs were to blind in their rage to retreat and fought to the death against the heroes. The heroes were glad to oblige them.
After the battle the heroes found Jax severely wounded but still alive. Dexter was able to use some herbs to help the wounds but Jax was still in bad condition. The party could not stay here and tend to him properly. They must find another safe site to make a camp incase their enemy would return.
At the second camp site the heroes set up a watch order and also tended to their wounded. The night passed without any further attacks but Elwin and Lothwen both felt something unnatural in the darkness. Dexter tried to discern evil but felt nothing close to their camp.
At dawn Rutker and Lothwen were able to gain spells to heal Jax. Dexter readied the heroes to venture back to the valley of the Caves of Chaos. Lothwen was surprised that they were headed to the goblin lairs but Dexter explained that they were scouting the valley for the commander of Slingdyke Keep. Lothwen had no need to scout the valley for a human lord but in her travels in northern Comyr she had noticed empty druid camps and was wondering where the human druids were. She had a fear that the goblins may have done harm to the druids. So she decided to go with the companions and offer her healing skills to their mission.
Elwin led the group up the western ridge of the valley to the woods where they had fought the goblins. Further along the ridge only a few hundred yards from their first battle site Elwin spotted a cave opening. Not wanting to be taken by surprise again Jax and Embryn scouted further uphill above the cave opening and when they said it was clear, Elwin cautiously approached the cave.
In the cave the walls were covered from floor to ceiling with various skulls. The cave was only about 10' wide and 20' deep but there was a stout oak door on the back wall. The door was locked shut and Elwin could not find a way to open the door. Jax however is from big cities where everything gets locked up to keep thieves out. He found a cubby hidden behind some of the skulls with a sliding bar that unlocked the door.
When the party opened the door they saw corridors going right, left, and straight ahead. Lothwen suggested going left because she felt that was the best way. Not having any reason to disagree with her the party agreed. And so the heroes entered the Caves of Chaos. Lothwen’s intuition was fortunate for a group of prisoners. The first room the heroes came upon was a torture chamber. It was occupied by two hobgoblin guards which were quickly dispatched, although Embryn accidentally shot a prisoner when his arrow missed the hobgoblin he had been aiming at. Four prisoners were shackled to the wall, a fat merchant named Rethon Firman, his wife Rebecca Firman, and two of their man-at-arms Howland and Nigel. Rutker quickly used a healing spell to heal the wound on Rebecca caused by Embryn’s arrow. And then healed Rethon for he was near death from torture. After being healed Rethon promised a reward if the party could get them to the safety of Slingdyke Keep. Howland and Nigel were given weapons from the dead hobgoblins and Michael was chosen to lead the four rescued prisoners back to their camp. Michael was told he was the only one with enough swordsmanship skill to see them to safety alone.
The party then followed a corridor for over 100' before it ended at a door. Jax moved to the door and spent 2 minutes searching the door for traps. Finding none he then spent 2 more minutes searching the floor for traps. By this time Dexter was worried they would be attacked from behind and Yen was getting impatient just standing in the corridor. After listening to the door Jax told them he did hear something behind it. Getting anxious in the hall for this long himself, Rutker said open it and I’ll charge in. Always one to please, Jax opened the door but in a way that he was in between the wall and the door. And Rutker faced a room occupied by 6 hobgoblins.
Not wanting his friend to get hurt again, Dexter charged into the room to intercept the first hobgoblins. Steal rang against steal as Dexter faced four of the brutes at once. He fought valiantly but was cut down quickly. Elwin jumped on top of a bed and let fly his arrows as the other heroes charged in to help Dexter.
One of the hobgoblins started a chant that seemed to give the others exceptional courage and they fought more viciously. Soon Yen was cut down by a terrible blow and the other heroes were fatiguing while the hobgoblins had suffered only a few casualties. The chanting continued and the hobgoblins pressed on. Elwin, Jax, Embryn, and Rutker were in a hopeless position. But then Lothwen entered the room and a furry ball of fury darted passed her. Cujo leaped and ripped out the throat of the nearest hobgoblin, then, as his paws touched the ground, he sprang to his left to attack the chanter. After taking down the chanter he turned around and leaped at the last hobgoblin putting an end to the fight.
With too many wounded and Dexter and Yen unable to walk, the party was in bad shape. Embryn and Jax wanted to barricade themselves in that room, but with Dexter down Rutker took charge and said they would take their wounded back to camp and meet up with Michael and the rescued prisoners. They did a search of the room and hobgoblins and after finding a few interesting things on the chanter, they made stretchers out of the hobgoblin beds and carried their wounded out.
At the camp site Rutker and Lothwen tended to the wounded while the others kept a vigil all night. Luckily no other attacks came at night and in the morning Rutker and Lothwen prayed for spells. Their healing magic was enough to get Yen and Dexter back on their feet but the party was still in no condition to head back to the valley. The decision was made to escort the merchant back to Slingdyke Keep and heal up and purchase some supplies.
The trip back took all of that day because the heroes’ wounds slowed them down. But by nightfall of Taraskh 29th, they were safe behind the walls of the keep.
Dexter, Yen, and Elwin went to see Castellon Ferec Marliir. The lord was pleased that they had survived the valley and returned with a scouting report but he was deeply troubled by the report that goblins and orcs were working together. He asked Dexter to go back and find out what leader has united the humanoids while he sent word to Castle Crag that trouble was brewing in the north. The heroes agreed to go back; they still needed to find the Abbadoor Key anyway. The Tomb of Blood Everflowing was supposed to be in that valley somewhere. Lord Marliir helped the party restock on supplies and equipped them with healing from the keep’s temple of Torm.
True to his word, Rethon gave the heroes 100 gold lions, a heavy mace of masterwork quality, and a masterwork rapier.
So the party was able to rest on comfortable beds at the inn and not have to worry about a goblin ambush that night.

In this session a new player joined our group, his character is a human bard. We went through the Dungeon adventure "Unhallowed Ground" and started the clasic "Caves of Chaos" from the "Keep on the Borderlands".

On the 20th day of Tarasakh in the kingdom of Cormyr of the realm of Faerun, the tale of a group of heroes continued.

After being anointed a paladin of the Morninglord Lathander, Dexter Sunric led his companions Elwin and Yen back to Arabel to find their missing companions. They left the Monastery of the Eternal Lantern and followed Calantar’s Way south to the city of Arabel.
The holy warrior Dexter, the elven archer Elwin, and the half-elven spellblade Yen arrived at Arabel on the evening of Tarasakh the 22nd. They made their way to the Blue Dragon Inn and found their swashbuckler friend Michael having his evening meal with two rogues from the Green Dagger Guild, the lovely Delta Gwyn and the orphan Jax. Embryn also came down from his room and joined his companions for evening meal. And Tymora’s luck guided Rutker to the inn that night so he too rejoined the companions.
Michael informed Dexter that the cure disease potions had arrived and the Green Daggers were grateful for them. Jax himself had been saved by their donation. When Dexter explained how expensive it was for the monastery to donate the potions Michael told him that the Green Daggers had given him 25 gold lions for the cures. Dexter could not believe that was all a thieves’ guild could come up with for saving their lives and he felt Michael was holding something back. Dexter confronted Michael about the money and Michael eventually admitted he had received 150 gold lions from the Green Daggers.
Dexter informed the rest of his companions that the Abbadoor key may have been taken to a cairn in the hills of northern Cormyr, called the Tomb of Blood Everflowing. The information that he, Elwin, and Yen had learned indicates that the tomb is in a valley that the Purple Dragons call the Caves of Chaos. And after helping the lord and military commander of Slingdyke Keep apprehend some bandits, the lord Castellon Ferec Marliir has offered to give them a company charter to carry arms in Cormyr if they investigated the valley for goblinoid and orc sightings.
It took little convincing to get this group of heroes to accept such a challenge so they made plans to leave the next morning. The rogue Jax asked if he could come on their adventure and the party agreed he could come.
To help with traveling the distance to Slingdyke, Michael bought a wagon to carry the groups gear and Jax stole a horse and pony. As if the heroes didn’t have enough trouble with Cormyrian authorities, the new guy is already risking having the group hung as horse thieves.
In the morning the group of heroes set out north for Slingdyke Keep. The current members are:
Dexter Sunric, Paladin of Lathander
Michael Kincaid, Swashbuckler from Cormyr
Embryn, elven Fighter from the Dales
Elwin, elven Rogue from Evereska
Rutker, dwarven Cleric of Tymora
Yen, ½ elven Spellsword
Jax, orphan Rogue from Cormyr.

After 3 days on the road Dexter told his companions that he needed to make a stop by the Monastery of the Eternal Lantern to deliver the 150 gold lions to the monks. As they approached the monastery the heroes saw a fresh grave just off the side of the road. Dexter, Elwin, and Yen were shocked to see the grave marked as Abel’s. The heroes made haste to find the abbot and learn what had happened. They were told that Abel had committed suicide by jumping off of the monastery wall down the cliff side. Because the monks considered suicide a sin Abel could not be buried on consecrated ground so his grave was outside of the monastery.
Dexter, Elwin, and Yen could not believe the Abel they new, with his strong faith in the god of hope, would throw away his life. So they investigated the situation. The heroes soon learned that circumstances of a suicide seemed a bit false. And after Michael, Jax, and Embryn dug a pit in the monastery yard, (where Abel’s dream had said to dig a well), the investigation developed a twist. During the darkest part of the night 2 other monks were found murdered. And witnesses to the second murder swear they saw Abel strangling the victim. The heroes organized the monks and searched the entire monastery for the murderer. Michael went to Abel’s grave and found that it was empty; the grave had been dug up from the inside.
Near dawn the heroes met the abbot and Dawnlord Bernandino in the temple where the two monks were praying. While Dexter went to the abbot to discuss the search, Michael and Jax went into the small chapel of the temple. To their horror they found Abel, or what was once Abel. The young scribe had come back from the grave as a revenant, an undead creature seeking revenge for its murder.
The heroes could not stop it. Abel’s undead body felt no pain from their attacks. Abel went straight after Bernandino tossing aside anyone who got in its way. Rutker even called on the holy power of Tymora to stop the undead creature, but the revenant’s thirst for revenge made it immune to such attempts. As the creature approached Bernandino, the holy warrior seemed paralyzed with dread. But he was able to plead for forgiveness just before the revenant closed its hands around his throat.
The heroes redoubled their efforts to defeat the creature. They were running out of time as Bernandino was running out of air. Finally a powerful blow from Dexter’s sword dropped Abel. But as the undead creature lay on the floor its dead flesh began to mend around its wounds. Quickly Dexter asked Bernandino what was going on. The Dawnlord gasped “I was jealous”. Bernandino admitted that Abel’s visions from Lathander should have been given to him. He wanted to teach the scribe a lesson for being so arrogant. Bernandino made the other two monks help him whip Abel. It was only met to teach him a lesson not kill him. When Bernandino finished his confession Abel’s body lay still, finally at peace. The abbot promised to bury him on monastery grounds.
Bernandino was taken away by the monks and the heroes got some much needed rest.

After solving the murders at the monastery the heroes slept until the afternoon then left for Slingdyke Keep. During the 5 mile ride to the keep Dexter pondered his faith and wondered how such sins could take hold of a holy warrior of Lathander such as Dawnlord Bernandino. His thoughts gave him the resolve to guard his heart even more and to stay on the path of Lathander’s light. Dexter did wonder if his new companions were a wise choice for him. Would they lead him on the path to darkness or would he lead them to the light?
They arrived at the keep in time for a hot evening feast instead of travel rations. The heroes met with Lord Marliir and told him they agreed to explore the valley of the Caves of Chaos and see how strong the orc presence was. The keep was able to supply the party with basic supplies. On the morning of the 27th of Tarasakh the heroes set out for the valley. The Caves of Chaos are about 15 miles northwest of Slingdyke keep. The party arrived at the valley during the mid afternoon.
It did not take long for the heroes to find trouble. Near the valley entrance a group of goblins were keeping watch from up in some trees. The heroes exchanged bow fire with the lookouts and Michael, Rutker, and Dexter were wounded by goblin arrows. Before Elwin’s expert marksmanship killed off the goblin snipers, one sounded a warning call from a horn it carried.
After the quick skirmish Rutker used Tymora’s grace to heal Dexter and Michael. He did not have enough magic energy to heal himself. Elwin had moved into some trees to keep a watch for more goblins, and Jax, Embryn, and Yen moved deeper into the trees. Not one of much patience and thinking it would be better to bring the enemies out into the open, Michael blew the goblin’s warning horn to bring the enemy to them, and come they did.
The reinforcements caught the heroes split up in three groups. Embryn, Jax, and Yen were deep into the tree line. Elwin met Dexter just in the tree line and told him he spotted 5 hobgoblins approaching from the north. Michael and the wounded Rutker were caught in the open by 5 more goblins.
Two of the goblins shot crossbows at Michael and Rutker to distract them as the other 3 goblins charged the two heroes. But Michael’s skill with his blades and Rutker’s might with his mace defeated the goblin charge. As the vile creatures retreated Michael attacked with a counter charge of his own. Meanwhile, Rutker’s shoulder piece had come loose when he bashed the goblins head and as he moved his hand up to adjust his armor a quarrel took him in his hand. The pain was terrible and with the blood loss from his previous wounds the sturdy dwarf fell. As he passed out Rutker thanked Tymora that his armor had come loose for if he had not moved his hand up to fix it, the bolt would have pierced his heart. In his charge against the goblins Michael did not see his friend fall.
The two other groups of heroes met up and with blade, arrow, and spell they defeated the 5 hobgoblins by killing 3 and causing the other two to run back to where they had come from. Dexter and Yen then ran back to Michael to finish routing the goblins that Michael was battling. After the fight they found their dwarven friend lying on the ground in his own blood but he was alive, just barely. They decided to move back out of the valley to tend to their friend’s wounds before more enemies found them.

After Lord Marliir offered the heroes a job of hunting orcs in the Caves of Chaos, Dexter, Elwin, and Yen decided to go back to Arabel and get some help. They were hoping Michael, Rutker, and Embryn would be willing to join them on this dangerous adventure. The three heroes had obtained horses from the bandit camp so they would make good time to Arabel. On the way Dexter led his companions back to the Monastery of the Eternal Lantern. He wanted to check if Tulen had sent healing potions to Michael at the Blue Dragon Inn and if not he would take them himself. In any case, Dexter wanted to give some of his recently earned coins to the monks as a partial payment for the potions.
When the heroes arrived at the monastery they found out from Tulen that he had sent a novice Awakened to Arabel with the potions. Dexter, Elwin, and Yen each gave some coins as a partial payment for the potions. Although the potions were sent without a problem, Dexter did sense some tension among the monks. He tried to find out from Gugliemo if there was something wrong. But the hunch backed servant was to dim witted to tell Dexter anything useful. But Dexter did learn from Horatio that Dawnlord Bernadino was exceptionally angry with the young scribe Abel.
Dexter went to see the old Knight of Aster, Bernadino. He wanted to tell the holy warrior about his experience fighting the bandits and also check into the problem with Abel. All Bernadino would say about Abel was that the boy was being foolish because of a dream he had. Bernadino did seem hopeful about Dexter’s experience in combat. He noted that Dexter seemed to have more confidence born of trust in the Morninglord and Dexter had more insight into the purpose of a holy warrior of Lathander. The Dawnlord also saw that Dexter had a better understanding of the divine power in which Lathander blesses his knights.
Because of the growth and potential he saw in Dexter, Bernadino asked him if he was ready for the Trial of the Dawn to be anointed a paladin of Lathander. Dexter could hardly hold his excitement and accepted. Bernadino told Dexter to rest and fast for the trial and he would get the priest to prepare for the ceremony. Dexter was to meet Bernadino again before sunset.
Dexter did seek out Abel during the day and found the boy scribing a book but looking very distraught. Abel told Dexter that Bernadino was upset with him for being so foolish about thinking his dream was a vision from Lathander. The monks had a lot of work to do to rebuild a library and the destroyed books and Bernadino said Abel was trying to distract them with a tale of digging another well. Dexter gave the boy some words of encouragement and let him get back to his work.
At sunset Dexter met Bernadino and some of the priests at the outside alter. The priests prayed for blessings upon Dexter and anointed him with oil. While Dexter watched the sun sink below the horizon the priests prayed; as this part of Dexter’s life is setting let him arise with the sunrise reborn like the phoenix, a new man, a paladin of the Morninglord.
Dexter spent the night in vigilant prayer, meditating on Lathander’s teachings and the paladin’s code. When the sun was raising Dexter’s fatigue melted away and he felt rejuvenated, this is what he has wanted all his life. This day he would be anointed a paladin. As the sun brought light into the world once again the priests and Bernadino returned to the sanctuary. As they started the final prayers the hands of the abbot started to glow and a bright light came forth and hit Dexter in the chest. The sensation was amazing. Dexter felt the holy light like a sun burn on his chest and it touched his spirit. He was humbled by the power of Lathander. When the light subsided Dexter realized he was on his knees with the priests praying over him. Dawnlord Bernadino was whispering in his ear, “embrace Lathander’s divine might and arise a new man”. Dexter prayed and felt his god’s power through him. Power of healing moved through Dexter and the burn on his chest healed itself. Dexter knew Lathander was with him, he arose to his feet, reborn, a paladin. The priests anointed their new holy warrior with more oil and Dexter went off to break his fast and get some sleep.

In my campaigns I like to have the feeling that a lot of things are happening in the world so I have plots and subplots going on and I throw in elements or clues for our next adventure in the current one. In our second game session the group visits a monastery. This is the monastery from Dungeon Magazine adventure "Unhallowed Ground" in issue 54. Things will happen here later. For now the group has to find the Tomb of Blood Everflowing and I expanded on its location by putting it in the old adventure "Keep on the Borderland". Now the valley with the Caves of Chaos are occupied by orcs and goblins who are the advance units of Nalavarauthatoryl the Red who will invade Cormyr next year.
A few of our players could not make it to this session so we did our best without them.

The 7th day of Tarasakh of the year 1370

After returning to the Blue Dragon Inn the group of heroes discussed what they should do next. But this group of diverse strangers could not agree on what their plan should be. So they each took time for their own plans. Rutker went to his temple to explain to the senior priests the circumstances of his arrest. Embryn was so disturbed by his lust to kill Irontusk that he sought time to reverie on what was in his heart and how he wanted to live his life. Michael had an idea that might have upset some of his companions so he worked on it privately. Yen was disappointed in the failure of his spell at the warehouse so took time to meditate and study his developing arcane skills. Dexter sought penance at the shrine of Lathander for his failure to live up to the paladin’s code. And Elwin was driven to find the Abbadoor key.
The idea of a key that could open any lock kept drawing Elwin to search for it. He thought over and over about the information they had so far. Elwin decided that the best lead they had was that the priest who bought the key from Cyrathas was from the church of Oghma. Unable to find any of his companions to go with him, Elwin went to the temple of Oghma by himself. On his way he stopped by a weapon smith’s shop and traded his fine rapier for a short sword. A shorter blade fit his style of fighting better.
At the temple of Oghma Elwin saw several city guards searching the temple and questioning the priests. When the guards left, Elwin did a little questioning of his own and found out that the royal library had been robbed of a book and the thief had been dressed in the robes of a cleric of Oghma. Elwin went back to the Blue Dragon to share what he had learned with his companions.
At the Blue Dragon, Dexter was the only person Elwin could find. He told Dexter what he had found out and the two decided to get some rest and investigate the matter in the morning.
In the morning, Dexter said his prayers to Lathander then set out with Elwin to the temple of Oghma. Michael and Rutker still had not returned to the inn and Yen and Embryn seemed to have something on their mind. At the temple the two investigators met with loremaster Altamaic. He informed the two that there was no chance that a priest of Oghma would steel a book from the library. Loremasters share knowledge not steel it. He was able to tell the two heroes that the missing book was from the ancient Netherese kingdom. It was a large tome with a black leather cover which was locked tight by a magical lock. The royal librarians had contacted mages and priests of Oghma over the years to unlock the book but no one has been successful. What is written in the book is still unknown.
Elwin and Dexter spent the rest of the day trying ideas that didn’t work. They thought they could enlist a local street gang to find the book thief but the gangs wanted nothing to do with them. Elwin and Dexter also thought they might find a secret evil cult in the sewers but that didn’t work out for them either. Finally, in the evening Elwin had the idea to investigate the library from where the tome was stolen.
The two heroes learned that the thief had taken the book from a storage room and jumped out of a first floor window to escape with it. Elwin searched around the window the thief had jumped out of but found no trail that could be tracked. He did however find something in the bushes underneath the window. Elwin found a medallion made of red marble that looked like a closed fist squeezing out a drop of blood. The medallion’s gold chain was broken.
After finding this they went back to the Blue Dragon Inn. Most of their companions were still not around but Yen was there and agreed to help Elwin and Dexter in the morning.
In the morning the three heroes now went back to the temple of Oghma. They showed Altamaic the medallion but he did not know what it was. However, with a small donation to the church for his time he promised to research it for them.
Then the heroes decided to visit the Green Daggers again to see if Cyrathas had anymore information about this imposter cleric. They were let in to the hide out by Dalta Gwyn, the female rogue that escaped earlier by jumping off of the roof. She led the heroes upstairs to the office of Cyrathas where they were surprised to see Michael was already there talking with the guild leader. Dexter asked Cyrathas about the medallion. Cyrathas said he had never seen Veltargo with the medallion but Veltargo had been wearing a necklace like the one that the medallion hung from. Cyrathas also told Dexter that he knew of no secret cults in the sewers, just wandering rogues and rats. Cyrathas still offers his help if the heroes can find a cure for his guild brothers. As they were leaving, Michael said he had to finish something but would see them later.
In the evening Dexter, Elwin, and Yen went back to the temple of Oghma to see what Altamaic had learn about the medallion. The loremaster told the heroes that he had found some information in a history book that predated the first king of Cormyr. During that ancient time the noble families had cairns located in the foot hills of the Stormhorn mountains. They would entomb their ancestors in these cairns and protect their spirits with symbols and talismans. The red fist medallion looked like a talisman from the Tomb of Blood Ever Flowing. The tomb was so named because it was said to have a spring of blood that fed a pool in the tomb. Altamaic told the heroes that the story of the blood spring made him think the tomb was near the Cormyrian town of Redspring. In those foothills there is so much iron in the ground that it turns the water red. The temple of Oghma did not have any maps of those ancient cairn sites but Altamaic told the heroes that there was a monastery of Lathander to the north near the hills and they may have maps of the area.
The 3 heroes went back to the Blue Dragon Inn to rest for the night. In the morning they still could not find their other 3 companions so they left a note and headed to the Monastery of the Eternal Lantern without them. The heroes were lucky enough to purchase a ride with a caravan heading out because it rained the first two days out but they stayed dry in the covered wagons.
On the evening of Tarasakh 12 of the year 1370, the three companions arrived at the Eternal Lantern. Dexter was surprised to see a monastery of the god of renewal in such poor condition. The walls were in disrepair and even had gaps in areas, and the gate portcullis was rusted. The heroes were met at the gate by a warm and friendly monk named Dawngreeter Horatio. Dexter explained to the monk that he and his friends were looking for an old cairn called the Tomb of Blood Ever Flowing and that he was also seeking atonement for transgressions he made against the Morning Lord.
Horatio took them to see the monastery’s abbot. High Dawnlord Anselm was a kind elderly priest who was happy to help Awaken Dexter. However, the monastery’s library had burnt down a few days ago and they had few books left. It was a tragic blow for the monks and scribes at the monastery but Abbot Anselm had hope that Lathander would give the monastery a rebirth from the ashes. The High Dawnlord promised to have his monks see if they had any information remaining on the old cairns. And he would have the retired Knight of Aster Dawnlord Bernadino meet with Dexter for his atonement. But for the night he gave them humble priest chambers to rest in.
The next day Dexter joined the monks for their dawn prayers and then met with Bernadino. The dawnlord was a no nonsense holy warrior. He instructed Dexter on the importance of following Lathander’s code for his holy warriors because it nurtured spiritual growth and strength. He explained that trying to bend or break the code was weakness of the flesh and weakness must be purged if one means to serve as a holy warrior. Bernadino prayed with Dexter for his forgiveness and strength.
Dexter met one of the monastery’s young scribes, a teenager named Awakened Abel. Abel was excited about a dream he had that he believes was a vision from the Morninglord. He told Dexter that he was told to have the monks dig a well near the library and prosperity would come back to the monastery. Dexter advised Abel to be cautious; forces of evil can also give us dreams and visions and we wouldn’t want to release something from the Underdark that needs to stay down there. Abel promised to discuss the dream with High Dawnlord Anselm.
In the evening High Dawnlord Anselm told Dexter that the only information they had left of the tomb was that it was to the north in a valley. This valley has many caves and opened cairns that have been used by bandits and monsters over the years. The valley caves have been called the Caves of Chaos because of the dangers that reside there. The monastery’s maps were lost in the fire but Anselm suggested that the Purple Dragon fort to the north may have maps to the valley. So the heroes planned to rest another night at the monastery and travel to Slingdyke Keep in the morning.
During his evening prayers Dexter was reminded by Lathander that there were sick people in Arabel who had their hope in him for a cure. So Dexter sought out the monastery’s apothecary to inquiry about medicine to help the disease. Dawngreeter Tulen did have some potions but he was hoping to sell them to raise money to rebuild the library. Dexter convinced Tulen that sick people were in need of the potions now and that he would help get money for the monastery later. Tulen agreed. Dexter arranged to have one of the monks run the potions to a guy named Michael at the Blue Dragon Inn in Arabel.
In the morning, Dexter, Elwin, and Yen traveled to Slingdyke Keep. It only took one day to travel through the hills from the monastery to the keep. The companions were able to get a room at an inn in the keep’s courtyard. While they were settling into their room they heard a ruckus outside. The Purple Dragon cavalry was galloping out of the keep in a hurry and the keep residents were heading to the walls to have a look. So the companions climbed to the wall battlements to watch the cavalry charge down the road. From the top of the wall they saw a merchant caravan being attacked by bandits just a mile south of the keep. When the bandits saw the cavalry coming they stopped their attack and looting and ran off into the forest on the east side of the road. The cavalry could only escort the caravan the last mile to the keep; the bandits had escaped their charge.
When the caravan arrived at the keep there were casualties among the guards, so Dexter went to the gate to give what aid he could. Dexter found a guard who was bleeding profusely from a wound so he grabbed some bandages and put a dressing on the wound. As he did this he said a prayer to Lathander for the wound to stay clean and heal quickly. A Purple Dragon soldier overheard Dexter’s prayer and commented about his faith. Dexter explained that he was an Awakened of Lathander and a holy warrior initiate.
On the morning of the 15th of Tarasakh, the 3 heroes were surprised to get a summons to appear before the keeps commander, Castellon Ferec Marliir. At the meeting Lord Marliir explained to the heroes that he had been made aware of the presence of a holy warrior of the Morninglord in his keep. Lord Marliir said he wanted to meet such a brave and dedicated warrior who fights so selflessly to defend the weak. Lord Marliir then told the heroes about the problem with bandits on the road, highwaymen attacking innocent travelers. His garrison is too small to patrol the road and search the forest for these robbers. Castle Crag to the east gets all of the funds and soldiers from the Crown leaving his modest keep with little. Furthermore, the bandits must have spies or lookouts about the keep because whenever a patrol is sent out of the gates the bandits know about it and go into hiding. The good lord ended his talk by asking if the fine warrior of Lathander would be willing to help capture the bandits.
Dexter accepted the lord’s offer and drafted Elwin and Yen to help him. The 3 heroes received equipment and volunteers from the keep. At two in the morning the 3 heroes and the 8 volunteers they picked to go with them went over the keep’s back wall by ropes to avoid any lookouts who may be watching the front gates. The hunting party was able to find the bandit’s camp in the forest about half of a mile east of the road.
Perimeter guards were taken out with extreme stealth and sniper shots by archers. The party from the keep surrounded the bandit camp and attacked by surprise. Those bandits who did not surrender were slain for their crimes against the king. The warriors from the keep returned victoriously with prisoners and recovered merchandise without a wound amongst them.
The heroes were so successful that Lord Marliir held a banquet to celebrate their victory. A great feast was held to honor Dexter, Elwin, and Yen. After the feast, Lord Marliir spoke with the 3 heroes in private. The lord offered them another job, since they were so successful against the bandits. His patrols were having problems with orcs. These orcs were attacking in the foothills to the northwest and his scouts believe they have their lair in a cave complex commonly called the Caves of Chaos. His soldiers are needed to guard the road and he doesn’t have the men to go look for the orcs. If the heroes were interested in the job the lord would pay them by giving them a free adventurer’s charter. The 3 heroes agreed to help but needed to go back to Arabel to get several friends.

My gaming group's latest campaign is set in the Kingdom of Cormyr in Faerun. We started the campaign in the year 1370, one year before Nalavarauthatoryl the Red and her goblins invaded the kingdom and one year before the city of Shade returned. I started before these events because we have played in the Forgotten Realms since it first came out and I did not want to say that all of a sudden some major changes have happened. So I plan to have the players play through these events.

We began at first level with the following characters:
Dexter Sunric, LG human paladin of Lathander
Michael Kincaid, CG human swashbuckler
Rutker, CG dwarf cleric of Tymora
Elwin, NG elf rogue (when we got complete adventurer I let the player change him to a scout)
Yen, NG half-elf fighter/sorcerer (we used the half level rules to multi-class at first level)
Embryn, CG elf fighter

Character backgrounds are posted on our group web site at Yahoogroups.com. We are the group Laughingdragon.

Our first adventure and campaign starter was the Dungeon Magazine adventure "Mad God's Key" from issue 114. The adventure was modified for our campaign. So here is how the first adventure went:

History of Heroes of Cormyr as researched by Robert the Silent, sage of Mistledale, and Harper mage

It was the month of Tarasakh of the Year of the Tankard, 1370 DR, in the kingdom of Cormyr. The winter snows were gone so the people of Cormyr were getting ready for the trade and planting seasons. In the city of Arabel a small group of unknown street thieves were about to be the beginning of events that would forever be apart of Cormyr’s history. This group of thieves would bring together a group of would be heroes that would fight for Cormyr in its darkest hour.
In the city of Arabel there is something for every traveler, merchant, and hero alike. Adventure waits around every corner and danger lurks down every ally. Morning in the city of Arabel is much like all other times of the day- hectic. The 4th day of Tarasakh 1370 was no exception. The city had not fully woken up except for a few of the lesser folk. And in the early morning sunrise a group of filthy thugs started to burglarize a locksmith’s shop.
While the thieves were still in the shop, Michael Kincaid, a swashbuckler from Eveningstar, saw the break-in and decided to evict the criminals himself. Dexter Sunric, a novice paladin of Lathander, also saw the burglary and took action to help Michael remove the burglars. When the two warriors entered the shop they saw 3 thieves looting through the locksmith’s property. Michael yelled at them to stop their plundering or he would use force to stop them. One of the thieves returned a rude comment to Michael saying he didn’t look like the city guard. And the fight was on.
Dexter lead the charge against the thieves and Michael followed. Michael tried to dive across the shop’s counter to the thug standing behind it. Michael’s leap wasn’t quite high enough and he fell face first at the thug’s feet giving the burglar a chance to stump on his head. Another passerby, a half elf battle sorcerer named Yen, saw Michael fall as he tried to leap at the bandit and so threw a frost ray spell at the thug stomping on Michael’s head. After being hit by the cold spell the burglar gave a yell about war wizards arriving. Having set the burglar up and offering his head as a distraction, Michael had the thief right where he wanted him. When the thief paused from stomping on Michael’s head to yell a warning about war wizards, Michael drove his dagger threw the thief’s foot and into the floor.
As 3 of the heroes fought the thieves in the shop another passerby saw the ruckus at the locksmith shop and decided to make it an opportunity for himself. Elwin, a moon elf traveling from Evereska, went to the back door only to find it locked, and him without any lock picks. He’d have to fix that once he got inside. With no other option, Elwin ran around to the front door.
Inside the fight continued. Two more thieves, who were looting upstairs, heard the warning that Cormyr’s mighty war wizards had arrived. In a panic they rushed down the stairs trying to get out of the front door. The first was stopped by Yen and the threatening use of his rapier. The second simply leaped off of the stairs landing on Dexter then darted out of the door. Elwin’s arrival at the front door almost stopped his escape but a right hook got him pass the moon elf.
But on this day Tymora sent her blessing to the heroes in the guise of one of her priests. Rutker Ironfoot was a dwarf hardened by life in the Stormhorn Mountains who had given himself to Lady Luck and she had guided him to be at the right place at the right time. For as the thief rushed pass Elwin to make his get away he ran right into the solid dwarf who easily disabled the thief until the city guard arrived.
The city guard did arrive soon enough and put an end to the fighting. They took witness reports and found the heroes to be without fault then took the 5 burglars into custody. Theldrat the locksmith also arrived and was in great stress about his shop being robbed. His coins were recovered from one of the thieves but 3 sets of his locks picks remained unaccounted for, although Elwin’s problem was remedied.
When the guards had taken the thieves away Theldrat asked the heroes if he could talk with them. Theldrat told the group that the lock picks were a minor problem but there was a bigger problem. He confided in his shop’s rescuers that he had developed his reputation as “the locksmith who could open any lock” because of a magic key. Theldrat explained that he had found the key in an old trunk of his father’s after his father had passed away and that the key had been able to open any lock. He said the key was called Abbadoor, meaning father of doors, and that it had a black onyx stone in the handle. It worried him that the thieves might have it because they would be able to steal anything. But he was also too scared to tell the guards because he did not want to be investigated by war wizards for having such a magic item unregistered. Theldrat offered to pay the party if they could get the key back for him.
Dexter knew without a doubt that such criminals could not be allowed to posses such a key and readily agreed to help. Michael imagined all the chastity belts he could open with such a key and agreed to find the key. Yen thought this was not the most glamorous work for a mercenary spellsword but it was a paying job and he needed to start somewhere. Elwin considered all the places he could go if locks could never stop him and agreed that those thieves should not have such a key. And Rutker knew in his heart that this group was lucky he had come along and offered to bring Tymora’s blessing to the group.
The group was able to catch up with the guards and their prisoner’s rather quickly. Michael explained to the city guards that lock picks were still missing and if he could search the prisoners for them. The guards agreed, after all they didn’t want a prisoner sneaking lock picks into the stockade. As the warriors searched the prisoners, Yen cast a simple spell that would allow him to sense any magic aura near him. He told the group that there was no magic on the thieves. So Michael asked the thief that he had stabbed in the foot where the key was. This thief admitted to Michael that he had found no key but that a person nicknamed Irontusk had told them that the shop was unlocked and easy pickings. The guard corporal informed the heroes that Irontusk was a street thug who considered himself something of a leader on the streets.
The heroes went back to Theldrat to inform him of what they had learned. He asked them not to give up. Someone like Irontusk could not be allowed to keep that key. For their own reasons, the group agreed. And so it would have been 5 heroes who set out to find Irontusk except for an eavesdropper who had been standing by the shop’s door. Embryn Talloak, an elven warrior from Deepingdale, had overheard the plans to go after a street thug and possibly a gang. Seeing a chance to add some excitement to his travels and do a noble deed, he offered his sword and bow to the team. Considering that they may be out numbered by a street gang the 5 heroes agreed to let Embryn join them. And so it was six heroes who sought the Abbadoor key.

As an indication of the future of this group, they took to following the leadership of the young swashbuckler Michael Kincaid. With such a brash young man leading them, the heroes would find more trouble then they could handle at times. But maybe Tymora has placed her blessings on them.

Following the suggestion from Michael Kincaid, the group went to some of the taverns by Arabel’s south gate hoping to find some street worker who knew of someone called “Irontusk”. After spending all morning searching around the south gate the heroes found no one who knew of Irontusk. Feeling a bit frustrated the group tried to discuss what to do. Being a group of strangers trying to work together this band of heroes had a difficult time agreeing with a plan. But it was the young swordsman Michael who finally became decisive.
Michael told his new companions that he was going to go check taverns over by the east gate, the rest could come with him or go check where ever else they wanted. As Michael walked toward the east gate, the others began to follow him. Michael’s choice paid off. After some brief negotiations with a worker having lunch in a tavern, Michael learned that Irontusk was working at the Ten Coasters Trading Company out of the east gate.
Michael led the band of heroes out of the east gate and toward the trading company’s warehouse yard. Michael, Embryn, and Yen went ahead and Dexter, Rutker, and Elwin followed a distance behind.

Often it is recorded in tale and song about heroes who were the epitome of virtue, courage, selflessness, etc. Heroes are all we should hope and strive to be. Heroes are perfect. Well, meet the exceptions.

Michael and his group entered the warehouse grounds by telling the guard at the gate that they just need to see Irontusk. The guard gave them no problems and told them in which warehouse Irontusk was working. Then Dexter, the up and coming paladin who follows truth, the light, and righteousness, leads his group up to the yard gate and lies to the guard.
Dexter Sunric told the warehouse yard guards that he, Rutker, and Elwin were after that first group who entered a few minutes earlier. The human, elf, and half-elf were wanted for criminal charges. Wanting no trouble makers in their yard, the guards went after Michael’s group themselves with Dexter’s group following.

In the warehouse, Michael saw a hobbit working just inside the door and asked her where Irontusk was working. In response to Michael’s inquiry the hobbit worker yelled “Irontusk, some guys are here to see you”. Luckily Michael came armed with a sharp mind and keen intellect, for he was able to deduce that the guy who started to run for the back door was probably Irontusk. Without hesitation Michael ran after him, negotiating the many obstacles in the warehouse, and yelling that he just wanted to talk.
Yen saw that the guards were approaching with Dexter, Rutker, and Elwin and that they looked angry. Trying to buy some time he closed the warehouse door and locked it. Yen turned to see Michael chasing Irontusk and tried to help by casting a flare spell that should have dazed the thief. But Yen had misjudged the distance he was from Irontusk and the spell fell short of its target.
Embryn Talloak, the elven warrior, was feeling the thrill of a successful hunt. Adrenaline rushed through his blood as he realized they had found their prey. But anger filled his heart when he saw the prey was getting away. He could not allow a human to escape from him. Before Embryn realized what he was doing his hand had reached into his quiver for an arrow and let it fly. The arrow hit into a partition and vibrated. Only concerned that his prey was escaping and not thinking about what he was doing, Embryn let fly a second arrow, and this one hit Irontusk in the back.
When the other warehouse workers saw that these strangers had just shot one of their own they exploded in outrage. Grabbing whatever object or tool that would make the best weapon, the workers attacked Embryn. Surprised by the assault Embryn was unprepared to protect himself and took a good beating from the first attackers.
Realizing that his spells could not help Michael, Yen drew his rapier to help Embryn. Yen is a sellsword trained for the battlefield and has been drilled relentlessly that you cover your fellow soldiers at all cost. So when he saw his companion being beaten, Yen’s training and instincts took control. He moved towards Embryn’s attackers and thrust his rapier into the worker’s chest. The rest of the workers saw their fellow fall and retreated from the armed assailants yelling “MURDER”.
Outside some guards had been pounding on the door while half of them ran around to the back entrance. Dexter, Rutker, and Elwin also ran to the back.
Michael caught Irontusk near the back door as the guards came through it. He thought about fighting them but thought better of it and surrendered. Yen was trying to give aid to the man he had stabbed and called for a priest. Dexter tried to explain that Irontusk was a thief and that they were hired to find him. The guard corporal didn’t really care. Two of his employees had been wounded by attackers. He confiscated their weapons and sent for the city guard. Seeing that his companions were in big trouble, Elwin blended into the crowd and disappeared to the rear. Soon enough, 5 of the companions were under arrest by Arabel’s city watch.
In their jail cell the group told Irontusk that they wanted the key he had taken from the locksmith’s shop. Irontusk told them he had been hired to get that key and had already sold it to the person who had hired him. The heroes wanted to know who that was so with a little persuasion Irontusk revealed that a small street gang called the Green Daggers had paid him for the key. He even gave the heroes a sketch of where their hideout was.
In court before the magistrate, Michael and Dexter were charged with disorderly conduct and mayhem and were fined 5 gold lions. Rutker was charged with disorderly conduct as well but, because his temple often helps Arabel, he was turned over to his temple for punishment. By Tymora’s luck Rutker was able to heal the stabbed worker and so he did not die. Therefore Yen and Embryn were charged with assault with intent to kill. They were given a bond of 75 gold lions and ordered not to carry weapons in Arabel until their trials were resolved. The group was able to pay the 150gp to get both companions out of jail. But Yen and Embryn must return for trial.
On the 7th of Tarasakh the group of key hunters followed Irontusk’s sketch to the hideout of the Green Dagger gang. The hideout was an abandoned boarded up mansion located down in an ally courtyard. The companions forced their way in through a side door that was blocked by piled up furniture. Once inside of the hideout the companions gave Yen and Embryn weapons that they were carrying for them. Dexter knew this was against the just order of the magistrate but he did not fight the group about it. They encountered little resistance from the gang members because most of the thieves were dying from Blindness disease. Elwin did have to slay a dwarven thief who shot at the party with his crossbow. Apparently his dwarven constitution had prevented him from catching the disease and he was the guard near the front entrance.
The other point of resistance was at the stairway up to the second floor. When the heroes tried to cross the room to get to the stairs a sentry on the second floor balcony dropped a chandelier on them. Michael ran up the right set of steps to get to the attacker but when Elwin ran up the left set of steps they collapsed underneath his weight dropping the elven rogue and the stairs on top of Rutker. The trap caused enough of a diversion to allow the attacker to escape to a walkway between two balconies on the second floor. The heroes pursued the thug and trapped her on the walkway between them and a locked door. In desperation she leapt off of the walkway, slid down the roof, and fell to the ground.
Since the thug was no longer a threat to them, and no one wanted to jump of off the roof to chase her, the party let her go and began to search some rooms they had passed when chasing her. In a study they found a journal that had entries about the gang getting sick and some members even dying from the disease. It also mentioned a healer who offered droughts that would cure the illness if the gang would steal a key from local locksmith. The journal’s author wrote that the gang did not have enough well members to do the job so he hired someone else to get the key for them.
Now one of the other companions found another door that had towels and rags stuff around it. Wondering what was behind the door he opened it to see a swarm of spiders, thousands of the arachnids filled the room. Reacting quickly Michael threw a flask of alchemical fire into the room and they shut the door. As they heard the flames crackling in the room and smelled the smoke the group realized their mistake, they were in an abandoned run down house made of wood and they had just set it on fire. Quickly they opened the door and began stomping out the fire stepping on spiders and flames alike. Again by Tymora’s grace no one fell through the old floor boards.
All of the noise the heroes were making attracted the attention of the gang leader, a rogue named Cyrathas. He was quite upset that the party had broken into his home, attacked his guild brothers, and set fire to their home. Michael told him that they would gladly leave if he would give them the Abbadoor key. Cyrathas informed Michael that he would give up the key but had already done so. He said that he had given the key to a priest of Oghma named Veltargo in exchange for elixirs that were supposed to cure his guild brothers. He further explained that the elixirs did nothing to cure the disease and twice be cursed Veltargo. Cyrathas would be willing to help the heroes get the key back if they could find a cure for his guild members.
Cyrathas described Veltargo as a thin bald man with black painted fingernails and dirty clerical robes with a deep hood that kept his face in shadow. He also noted that Veltargo carried a large book when he came to get the key. The heroes believe Veltargo is a cleric of Talona, the goddess of plague and famine, rather than a priest of Oghma, the god of knowledge and wisdom.
Michael believed Cyrathas and had no desire to fight him. Michael even felt a degree of respect for the guild leader and saw him as a man who made his own life on the streets. He told Cyrathas that they would come back with a cure if they found one. Without any further trouble the heroes left the guild hideout and went to the Blue Dragon Inn to plan their next step.