Here be the tale of Lugdush the Bold and Sam Herrick the Grim, two warriors who fought rising of the Age of Worms.
Lugdush the Bold was born of an Orc Father and a human mother. He studied in the Citadel of Strife, learning the way of Hextor, eventually promising his sword as a Paladin of the God of Tyranny.
Sam Herrick the Grim was born a farmer, of human heritage, in the lands outside Diamond Lake. After losing his family to the Red Plague, he joined the Cairn of the Green Lady, as a cleric of Wee Jas.
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Chapter 1 - Pre-history
2nd of Reaping - Sam Herrick was dispatched from the Caern of the Green Lady to take care of the bodies of a young couple, a miner named Gil Miner, who worked in the mines of the Dwarf Ragnolin Dourstone, and his new wife, Bitty. Both were killed in the night, their small dirt floor cabin’s walls splattered with blood from the obviously violent end they both met. Both of their bodies were found by Goodwoman Bull, the mother of Bitty, in the early pre-dawn morn. By the time that Sheriff Cubbin arrived at the scene at noon, the body of Gil Miner had disappeared.
Sam Herrick had come with a cart and loaded the body of Bitty Miner to take to the Caern of the Green Lady for washing and funeral preparations. Before arriving at the crime scene, he met his old childhood friend, the dwarf Gar Blitzhame. Gar invited Sam to meet him for an early lunch at the Rusty Bucket. After investigating the scene Sam arrived at the old green glass Bucket arriving just after Gar and Lugdush had sat down at a table off in the corner.
Lugdush had been living at the Fortress of Iron Tears in the Free City of Greyhawk, until recently. There he had been studying the ways of Hextor, battling lesser men in the arena and keeping the novices in line with fist and heel. This all changed when he was gifted with a meeting with the grand priests of Hextor in the Free City, Father Harlen & Lord Bishop Arl-Khan. In this rare meeting with the great hierachs of the Church of Hextor, Lugdush was given a secret mission. It had come to Father Harlen’s attention that a rot had begun in the church of Hextor, a heresy amongst the priests and flock. While many powerful agents were at work discovering and routing out this heresy in other, more important locals, Lord Bishop Arl-Khan ordered Lugdush to torture and slay any heretics he might find amongst a small but strong church of Hextor that was located in Diamond Lake. Their autocrat, a Priest of Hextor named Theldrick, has been rumored to have taken up with the heretical Ebon Triad. While Lugdush need know no more about the Triad, he was told that they are the foulest of heretics, and are working to bring down the entire structure of the church, and perhaps Hextor himself. If this is discovered to be the case, then Lugdush make all haste to wipe clean this heresy, separate the wheat from the chaff, and burn out the sacrilege.
Lugdush traveled to Diamond Lake by foot, taking a week on the roads. Upon arriving on the 1st of reaping, in the stinking mine fevered ceaspool of Diamond Lake, he took up residence at the same place that most coinless demi-humans do, Jalek’s Flophouse. This rancid and corrupt building houses hundreds of lost souls, all in some deep state of loss and failure. It is here that he blended in with the locals. In an effort to find work, to further his disguise and begin his investigation of the possible Heretics, he literally ran into a Dwarf named Gar while walking up the steps of the Rusty Bucket. After being invited for breakfast with the nervous and sweaty dwarf, Lugdush met his old-childhood friend, Sam Herrick, and agreed to be Gar & Sam’s Lug, as it were, for their investigation of the Whispering Caern.
Chapter 2 - The Whispering Cairn
3rd of Reaping - Sam Herrick & Lugdush, led by the Dwarf, Gar, traveled to the Whispering Caern. There they discovered that there was more to the Ancient Caern then had first met the eye. While Gar was busy making rubbings of the Ancient inscriptions, focusing on interesting sigils found on an ancient black stone remnants of a mirror-like frame, Sam & Lugdush investigated further into the windy corridors of the Caern. There they encountered a small Pack of Wolves, Killing two of them, with Sam taking the third as a pet. They discovered in the Wolves Den a Indigo Lantern of great craftsmanship as well as a Silver bracelet of Elven craftsmanship and the broken finger of a stone statue. Delving deeper into the Caern they discovered a room covered with ancient, cracked, yet beautiful frescos depicting a rainbow like scene and tall, elongated androgynous figures. Finally they discovered the great room of the Caern, a huge room with 40ft tall ceilings and seven passageways branching off from it. In the center was a great sarcophagus, upon which was carved a beautiful elongated Androgenous figure, a sigil, all upon an arrow like Dias. At the end of each hallway was a Lantern hanging from a chain above a 4 ft. diameter circle inscribed into the Stone floor. The red and blue lanterns were missing and the Green lantern was lit by a torch that seems to never need fuel. Upon turning the Sarcophagus Sam and Lugdush discovered the following:
Red, Orange, Blue, Violet – No reaction, the Blue shaft is taller, perhaps 50ft high
Yellow – The Stone Circle rises and a 5ft wide metal cylinder rises from the
stone. The doors open, and nothing happened to the corpse that went down in the tube
Green – A Horrible Grinding sound was heard just before the entire circle
collapsed. A Horde of Acid beetles followed by a terrible monstrosity, a massive Eye connected to long Spidery legs. Gar destroyed the horde while Lugdush and Sam slew the eye creature.
Indigo – A trapped tube rose from the floor
Upon Slaying the Eye creature and the Horde of Beetles, Lugdush, Gar, and Sam peered down the 60ft shaft into the Stone Floor. It was dark and deep and so they threw down a torch for light. Seeing an opening at the bottom of the shaft, they tied a rope to the Chain above and Lugdush climbed down the shaft, soon followed by Sam. Once at the bottom the two found a strange chamber full of disapproving statues, many of which had been damaged. In two rooms nearby they found a strange room with enchantments that made one sleep, and a Giant Beetle that sprayed forth Acid. While Battling the giant Beetle, another Giant Beetle arrived with a Horde of acid beetles behind her. Finally slaying the insects hordes, Sam and Lugdush narrowly escaped a deadly statue, searching both of the rooms and finding four dead bodies of Seekers. After looting the corpses, Lugdush tried in vain to explore a deeper, flooded passage, being knocked unconscious by an unseen enemy, only a fist of water to gauge it by.
4th of Reaping - Deciding to delve deeper at another time, Lugdush, Gar, and Sam returned to Diamond Lake, where Lugdush approached a Albino Half-Orc named Kullen, seeking employment as a Thug for Balabar Smenk. This fell through over a dog fight between Kullen’s dog Lobo and Sam’s wolf. Lugudhs did manage to save the life of an Orc named Pes, who now roams the streets looking for Orc blood folk for Hextor. Having lost 50 gold on the bet, they left the Feral Dog, with Kullen’s Curse on their backs, intent of delving deeper into the Whispering Caern the next day.
Chapter 3 - The Whispering Cairn (revisited)
Morning of the 5th of Reaping - Sam Herrick & Lugdush returned to the Whispering Cairn along with Gar intent on finally discovering the secret tomb of the Cairn and reaping the vast rewards they expected from the ancient grave. Travelling for the better part of the day, they eventually returned to the Cairn, hauling the wagon deep inside, this time bringing with them great deals of rope and other more climbing oriented materials. They first spent some time investigating the main chamber with it’s seven off shoots and the various lamps and turnings of the faux sarcophagus found there. Finally, while Gar was investigating the rubbings in the Green chambers, latter learned to be the chambers of the laborers, Sam and Lugdush descended into the metal cylinder that arose from the yellow lamp chamber. Deep below they discovered a more laviously decorated room, with fine carvings, and the path blocked by a massive block of stone, which was discovered to be holding in place a potent trap. Fearing the trap and seeing no way around the stone, they returned to the Green chambers and there battled with the creature of water that lived underneath in the dark. Finally slaying the elemental being, Lugdush cleared the stuffed drains and waited with Sam as the waters slowly lowered over a period of a few hours. Finally descending into the now dry chambers, they found the corpse of a further member of the ill-fated seeker group, looted the corpse for a few trinkets and a fine suit of chainmail, and battled with the last member of that faction that still yet moved, undead as he was, slaying him quickly and brutally. Upon his finger they discovered a gold ring of the seekers. Further investigation found that this lower complex was otherwise empty.
Sam and Lugdush joined together with Gar to try and get past the massive stone
slab that was blocking the doorway in the Yellow chambers. Eventually, Sam managed to block the nozzles in the Bas relief statues mouths and with a bit of trepidation they pulled the stone block aside, it crashing with a great tumult upon the stone floor. Beyond the found a long corridor, filled with six large statues, finally made with empty cupped hands, holding small cushions of air. At the far end, Lugdush ran afoul a patch of Brown Mold, the life fire almost being drained right out of him. Sam found a small ancient sprung trap, within which a ancient tomb robbers’ corpse was found along with three small carved statues of ancient architectural buildings and two long beautifully inlaid stone rods, all very ancient. It was then decided that Gar would return to Diamond Lake to investigate a way to overcome the Brown Mold while Lugdush and Sam would stay and guard the Cairn. During the night they discovered a passage way far above the Blue chamber, a passage way trapped with a powerful wind trap and a massive carved stone face, some 20ft tall.
Morning of the 6th of Reaping – Lugdush, Sam, and Gar all working together eventually discovered the means to bypass the wind trapped hallway, lighting each lantern, the red lantern having been discovered in the Chambers of the Architect, a title that they learned from a small Earth Elemental servant of an ancient Evil Elemental Prince, who described to them the short history and layout of the Cairn. Past the carved face they found a trapped hallway, full of metal spheres and a powerful and tough snake like monster. They also found the Ghost of Alastor Land, a boy who died, breaking his neck in the Cairn some 3 decades earlier. Alastor told them that he would be willing to help them past the inoperable metal door if they promised to bury his remains with those of his family. Agreeing to this task so in tune with his religions ideals, Sam took the bones to the Land farm, only to discover that the graves of the land family had been unrooted, the bodies of his father, mother, his sister, and his brother had all been stolen by some recent grave robber. Sam returned after burying Alastor and carving his death date on his headstone, and told Alastor of the defilement of his families grave. Alastor fell into a deep swoon at this, explaining that he was still cursed, unable to leave, as he was not buried with his family, and therefore he explained that he would not open the metal door until they found his body. And so Sam and Lugudsh left the Cairn again, early in the morning of the 7th, headed for the Land farmstead, intent on routing out the cause of these empty graves.
Chapter 4 - The Whispering Cairn (Triumphant)
Early morning of the 7th of Reaping. Both Sam and Lugdush awoke from terrible dreams, dreams that opened to them visions of the last great battle between the forces of the Queen of Chaos and the Vaati, the Wind Dukes of Aaqa. Rousting Gar, they traveled together to the Land farmstead on the far edge of Diamond Lake. There they discovered the remains of a man named Skutch and the wounded Owlbear that killed him. After nearly being eaten by the very same, Lugdush and Sam managed to slay the Owlbear and found it’s youngling, taking the infant Owlbear for their own. Not having much luck finding the skeletons of the Land family, they spent some time at their hideout, the old mansion of Ulgo Fant, a Mine Manager from over 50 years earlier. Just as the Sun begins to lay low on the horizon, Orcs, Half-Orcs, and even two hobgoblins flanked by Todrik, a fighter in the service of Balabar Smenk arrived at the fallen Mansion. What followed amazed all present, bringing to Sam a healthy respect for the worship of Hextor. Lugdush lead the gathered miners, warriors, and common folk in a fear inspired tribute to the wonder and power of Hextor, converting all of those attending to the worship of the bloody one. When the night ended, with the branding of the participants with the holy symbol of Hextor upon their chests, Lugdush lead the three warriors, one Orc, one half-Orc, and one Hobgoblin, to the basement of the mansion, showing them the power of Hextor’s chosen warriors.
Ending the proceedings and sending out the new worshipers of Hextor with 2 gold in hand, Lugdush and Sam caught up with Todrik on the road back to Diamond Lake. They forcibly questioned about the incident with the Owlbear. Todrik opened up to them, hoping to advert any unseemly attention from being attracted to Smenk, telling the two about a Necromancer named Filge, a old associate of Smenks, who they helped to recently move into the old Observatory on the Northern outskirts of town. It was for him that they raided the Land graves, digging up old bones for the Necromancers personal use. Deciding to take care of the Necromancer in the morning, hoping to catch him off guard, Sam and Lugdush returned to the Mansion and slept the rest of the night.
Morning of the 8th of Reaping : In the morning Lugdush, Sam, and Gar all snuck off to the North, taking back roads and crossing open fields to approach the Observatory unobserved. There Sam cast a series of spells on Gar, Lugdush, and himself to hide them from the mindless dead. Lugdush then climbed into the tower of the observatory, discovering a lavish if somewhat macabre bedroom. Motioning the others to follow up the rope he quickly tied off, Lugdush followed Sam in a quick overview of the contents of the room. Deciding not to push their luck, they prepared to go upstairs and deal with the necromancer before ransacking his furnishings. After being enchanted as both strong and large by Gar, Lugdush lead the charge, forcing Filge to flee as Sam followed up the stairs and turned the undead, destroying the foul magic that held together the one Land skeleton, and forcing the other zombies in the corner with Filge. Lugdush then charged forward, tearing Filge apart and slamming him into the outer wall of the observatory. Filge rose from the almost killing blow and cast a eldritch spell bringing great terror to both Gar and Sam forcing them to flee. At this Lugdush threw his enhanced strength behind his axe and felled filge in one great blow as the zombies arose from their terror. Lugdush was horribly beaten by the Zombies, but between his Axe and Sam’s holy power, they managed to put to rest the foul beasts. Ransacking the observatory they found a ghoulish feast of zombies on the 1st floor, a few magic potions, a jar with a green segmented worm of Kyuss within it, and a letter from Balabar Smenk to Filge. Clearing the rest of the observatory of Filge’s filth, they loaded up the skeletons of the Land family into sacks and returned them to their proper graves.
After burying the Land family and saying prayers over their graves, Sam, Lugdush, and Gar all traveled back to the Whispering Cairn for one final trial. Upon arriving, late on the eve of the 8th of Reaping, they discovered deep within the hidden chambers that the impassable door was now open, the Ghost of Alastor Land no where to be found. Beyond the doorway they found a massive room with a great abyssal hole in the middle over which a small platform hangs. Upon the walls are massive bas-reliefs depicting the history of the Vaati and their war with the Spider-Wolves. Discovering that the wind lords did not leave this last chamber unprotected, they battled the wind warriors, almost falling in battle against the powerful foes. Finally they approached the sarcophagus of Zosiel, finding within two demon horns, a silver diadem, and a adamantine hoop. And now rest.
Chapter 5 - The Darkness Below
Adventure #5
The morning of the 9th of Reaping came with little excitement or fanfare for the inhabitants of the tiny worn manses on the West hill overlooking Diamond Lake. Lugdush had the new followers of Hextor get to work rebuilding and repairing the ancient mansion into a suitable home for their worship. Sam Herrick returned to the Cairn of the Green Lady and sought an audience with her. Before he left however he traveled to the ancient garrison and spoke with the Master Cartographer for Diamond Lake, a meticulous middle aged man named Dietrik Cicaeda. Sam paid for Mr. Cicaeda to investigate the Land family’s estate and who their next of kin was. He learned that while the Land family never left an heir, the next of kin who stood for the notarization of the inheritance of the estate by the late Mr. Land from his then late father was a younger brother named Rios Land of the Free City of Greyhawk.
Sam then returned to the Cairn of the Green Lady and sought audience with Lady Amariss. He spoke with her about the adventures and successes that he and Lugdush had in clearing the Whispering Cairn, and of the troubling necromancer, Filge. Lady Amariss was disturbed by this although sought to keep the church from playing an overt role in the politics of the town and mine managers. She then related to Sam a tale, telling him how his coming to the faith had been foretold by a dream in which Lady Amariss had seen another seeking to kill Sam, a man by the name of Ilkin the Lord of Withering. It seems that it was Ilkin that brought the Red Pestilence upon the local lands and that he was seeking to slay Sam Herrick to avert him from living out his destiny, whatever it is. She explained that she had battled Ilkin and routed him, and that in his rout he left behind something she failed to notice, his scythe, the very scythe that Sam carries to this day. She agreed with him that he needed to travel to the Free City and seek more knowledge about his scythe and his destiny there.
Lugdush on the other hand was spending his week working on the new Manses of Hextor and expanding his role as a leader in the community. He decided to attempt to meet the followers of Heironeous on their own turf, a grave tactical error. He visited the Spinning Giant, the bar that the garrison soldiers frequent on the West side of town. While opening conversation with a traveling merchant, a seller of dry goods and pottery, he was approached by none other than the Bon vivant Paladin of Heironeous, Melinde. She called Lugdush’s bluff and named him a follower of Hextor, challenging him to leave town by the following nightfall or suffer the consequences. Lugdush made a quick retreat from the hateful stares and drawn daggers of the Spinning Giant and traveled directly to the office of Sheriff Cubin, only to run into Sam on the doorstep of the Sheriff’s stone office, as Sam himself was seeking to speak with the sheriff to tell of the young man killed on the 1st of Reaping.
Inside the office of Sheriff Cubin they discovered the lazy and lecherous man oozing with corruption who sees to the law in this rough mining town. Lugdush, with a donation of 25 gold crowns managed to interest the Sheriff in protecting his person from the Heironeians ire, while Sam was unable to rise so much as a nod of interest from the sheriff concerning his finding of the dead boy’s body. Realizing that they had come to the end of the usefulness of the sheriff, they left and took the back roads back to the old mansion.
As they approached the mansion, the half-orc Hig burst out the door, jabbering about Horknuth being eaten up by a “great black maw” in the cellar. It seemed that while clearing and expanding the cellar of the mansion Horknuth had come upon a sinkhole by accident and he had fallen into it. Investigating the hole Lugdush and Sam traveled down it’s 60ft length into a dark, abyssal room where they found Horknuth unconscious but otherwise alive. Healing the half-orc they soon assessed that they were in a dead end passage of a mine, a iron mine to be exact. Searching about they discovered that it was much more massive then they had at first assumed, with a rail and many side passageways. Investigating further, they discovered in a large open mined room, supported by dozens of pillars, the bodies of 13 dead miners, many having human like tooth marks on their bones. Amongst the dead they found the last page of a journal, it relating a terror filled tale of death and fear.
And then it came. A abomination made flesh, with firey spittle, amorphous flesh, and dozens of teeth and eyes, moaning in an inhuman and maddening way. It attacked them blinding Horknuth and eating at the bodies of all three of them. After a series of deadly attacks, Lugdush and Sam managed to escape, although poor Horknuth’s screams chilled the blood as he was eaten and absorbed by the monstrosity.
Chapter 6 - Death in a Mine Shaft
The morning of the 12th or Reaping saw Sam and Lugdush awake, rested and healed at the Cairn of the Green Lady. There they discussed a cunning plan that Sam had concocted for slaying the beast in the abyssal mine. Sam, being a farmer, was used to baiting wolves, and so came up with a plan to buy a pig, enchant it so that it was temporarily immune to poison, inject it with great masses of poisons and toxins through the use of the late foul Necromancer Filge’s siringe, and then drop the pig, alive and conscious into the mine for the dread beast to eat and be poisoned by.
They went about the town preparing their plans, with Sam Herrick visiting the Chief Cartographer, Mr. Cicaeda, to investigate the buying of the fallow mine as well as to price out real estate in the Free City proper, discovering that while the mine could be procured for about 1,000gp, 100gp going to set up the auction and surveyors maps set for the 22nd of Reaping, 500gp being the probable auction price, 200gp going in fees to setup a account with the Ore refinery, and a final 300gp to purchase the title of mine manager in the Free City. As to his investigation of the Real Estate prices in the Free City, Sam discovered that prime market side real estate was well beyond his means, in the range of over 5-10,000gp at a minimum, and that for a empty lot, not a established building.
Lugdush on the other hand, worked with Hig to procure a fine swine from the local brutal stable operator, Lanch Faraday, the portly aged drunk of a stable keep. Buying a decent pig, they returned to the Mine Mansion, to find that Sam Herrick had also returned, having bought some quart of wood alcohol and 10 vials of Kalamanthis extract. After clearing the hole of the debris they clogged it with the previous night, and clearing the room of followers who feared almost certain death, Sam enchanted the pig and followed through with his plan. Lugdush dropped the pig into the pit and then they waited, wax in ears to protect against the maddening moan of the aberration. After 10 minutes of silence, they descended into the mine, searching about for any trace of the pig or the gibbering beast. Eventually they found the beast amongst a second graveyard of ancient miner bones, dead from the poison that the pig had within it’s body. So ended the beast in the dark, the mine was now theirs, although only Lugdush seemed to take possession of it.
Lugdush and Sam also visited the mage Allustan learning from him more about the mysterious Ebon Triad, and the dealings and politics of Filge, the dwarf Dourstone, and finally the scion of curroption, Balabar Smenk. All the information pointed towards some sort of disturbance in the mines of Dourstone, mostly concerning cultists and a place found deep underground. As they were preparing to leave Lugdush happened to notice a engraving on the page of a book sitting on the ground. In it a man carrying an axe stands defiantly in front of a troll king, the axe he holds the same as Lugdush now carries. The book was a history of the Bright Lands written by Rary of Ket.
Completing their business in Diamond Lake by the morning of the 15th of reaping, the heroes of the mine joined up with a trapper, Fester Trollump and his son Tosser. They offered to travel with him to the Free City, only to learn that while happy to have the company, he already had a number of parties along with him. And so Sam and Lugdush joined a great caravan including the rival adventurers: Auric’s adventuring band from the Free City in their lavishly carved traveling wagon, and five wagons guarded heavily and loaded with pig iron fresh from the ore refinery on the shores of Diamond Lake.
They traveled the Vein towards the Free City, enjoying relative freedom from brigands or monsters as a large well armed group. On the first night Lugdush was challenged to a knife throwing contest against Tirra, of Auric’s band, losing to her superior skill. On the other hand Sam Herrick managed to trounce Khelleck at the game of Dragon Chess, winning a sizable amount of gold. Eventually on the 19th of Reaping they rolled into the city of Greyhawk, paying the taxes on their goods at the Iron gate and gaining access to the greatest city in the whole of Oerth.
Here the wagon train split up, with Lugdush paying a visit to the Citadel of Strife. There he met with Lord Arl-Khan and explained his success with building a congregation in Diamond Lake. For his efforts Arl-Khan rewarded Lugdush with a loan of 1,000 gold sovereigns to expand the church in Diamond Lake.
Sam on the other hand continued with Fester, putting his Owl Bear in training with Fester’s wealthy patron, a menagerie owning noble named Henway. Finally Sam traveled to the Basilica of the Ruby skull and there researched the history of Nerullites, their weapons, and the Ebon Triad.
Chapter 7 - The Horror of the One Eyed God
Just as the sun began to illuminate the clear waters of the Selitan river on the morning of the 20th of Reaping, Sam Herrick, Lugdush, Adven the Bastard, Karpe the Suel, and two of the half-Orcs of Diamond Lake, all saddled up their horses at the Citadel of Strife in Greyhawk city and prepared for the 2 day ride back to the small mining town. The ride home was relatively uneventful, with pleasant if a little hot weather, and moderate traffic on the road in the form of wagons and hurried messengers. On the early evening of the 21st of Reaping, they were just beginning to ride down into the outskirts of Diamond Lake, when the Orc Ug jumped out in front of them.
Ug told them that Lugdush was wanted for the murder of Filge and the theft of his property. A letter given to Lugdush by Ug and written by Farod, outlined chain of events from the previous few days. Sheriff Cubbin and his thugs had come and searched the Ugo Fant Manses, taking the stolen goods along with a few other trinkets, while Balabar Smenk and his thug Kullen’s crew, went up to the observatory and loaded up a wagon full of unknown objects, taking it away before Sheriff Cubbin went and investigated the observatory himself. Guards were posted all over the town watching for Lugdush while at the same time the gallows were hoisted in the town square and the noose was being boiled.
Realizing that they needed time to come up with a plan as well as a place to hide out for the night, Lugdush, Sam Herrick, and the rest of their followers all made their way cross country to the Whispering Cairn. There they posted a watch and slept little. In the middle of the night Farod was seen approaching, and when Lugdush went out to greet the Hobgoblin, he heard some movement from behind a rock, rushing over he discovered a dwarf, the mine manager Ragnolin Dourstone. Doustone told them his story in confidence, about how he had been blackmailed by a priest-cultist named the Faceless One, who discovered a hidden complex deep beneath Dourstone’s Iron Mine 2 years previous. Dourstone had to bring in Smenk to help supply the cultists without arousing undue attention, as Smenk owned a trade goods company and could bring in large amounts of supplies easily. Recently however, Dourstone has tried to end the blackmail and force the cultists out. This has not worked out so well, as he awoke the next morning to find the head of his chief guard in staring at him. He said that he could help bring evidence of Filge’s foul deeds to help fight the charges against Lugdush, as well as proof of Smenk’s less than honorable dealings with the cultists and the necromancer. In return he asks that Lugdush and Sam Herrick clear out the cultists from his mine.
Sam and Lugdush agreed, and after having Adven and Karpe buy some supplies in town, they descended into Dourstone’s mine. Following the shafts with warning barring entry, they discovered a rough wooden elevator, and descended into the dark. Arriving at the bottom they engaged two humans of distant fiendish blood slaying one and capturing the other before they could raise the alarm. Searching around, they found themselves in a large eldritch chamber with a huge domed ceiling, a platform high above, and a pool of gray black viscous fluid. There were three main exits, one to the north, one to the west, and one to the east, the last was the direction the Hextor worshipping guard ran towards. Deciding to leave the Hextorians for last, Lugdush, Sam Herrick, Adven, and Karpe all took the hallway to the north. This passage led for about 100 yards before ending in a marble door. Taking all precautions possible, Lugdush opened the doorway, only to find a further passage beyond. They soon discovered that they were within a maze. Just as they discovered this, they saw a part of the wall open and a creature dart out, shooting it’s crossbow at them, while at the same time from the opposite direction a small red bed of light shot at them, exploding in a huge ball of fire, charring them. Killing the first creature, Lugdush discovered that it was not a man as he first thought, but instead some sort of crow/bird-man. This was but the beginning of a terrible battle in which the crow-men or Kenku darted in and out of walls sniping Lugdush, Sam, Adven, and Karpe, while occasionally a fireball would explode, whenever they happened to be grouped together. Eventually, one by one they brought down the Kenku, with Lugdush killing many, while at the same time lighting on fire passages around them in an effort to limit the Kenku’s mobility. Finally, beat, burnt, and stuck with bolts, they brought down the last Kenku, and discovered that there were rooms beyond the maze itself.
Opening a hidden door in the far wall, Lugdush, Sam, Adven, and Karpe entered into a strange arcane galley. The columns here ran with bright green cracks, wavering and shifting at their own whim, while the walls were covered with various rounded objects, objects they would later learn were eyes. Here they discovered two cultists and an Allip, a fearful undead creature. A magic battle ensured with the Allip stunning Lugdush, Adven, and Karpe, and the cultists attacking with arcane power. They bested the Allip using a spiritual scythe of Wee Jas , yet the cultists escaped, trapping them in a arcane web. As they were struggling in the web, a marble door into the room opened, and in stepped the high occultist, the Faceless One. In his lisped and effete voice, he expressed his displeasure at your invasion of the sanctum of the most holy Vecna, and so decreed that you would die. He pointed his finger and blasted Lugdush, Sam, and Adven with a powerful lightning bolt, killing Adven as his flesh burst and burnt filling the room with a horrid stench. Lugdush managed to free a vial of alchemists fire, and crushing it on the ground, burnt the webbing around him and Sam. The cultists entered at this time and began attacking with their fiery hands, one of the falling to the first spiritual weapon that Sam conjured. The other cultist fell when the Faceless One read off a scroll and blasted a line of lightning through Sam, Lugdush, and the cultist, almost slaying both heroes. Finally the Faceless One fell to the Axe of Lugdush and the Spiritual Scythe of Sam Herrick, his head severed by the quite real Scythe that Sam carries.
Searching the complex, they found a whole alchemical laboratory, books, spellbooks, supplies, including many with the emblem of Smenk’s company on them, and small treasures such as golden goblets, offerings to the hidden god, and other fine trinkets.
They rested in the hidden rooms, having sent Dourstone to find Gar Blitzhame and have him come to help. Lugdush also brought in the tied up tiefling guard, his dead friend, and tried to clean up the evidence of the battle. And so, deep below the earth and in dark enemy territory, they rested and licked their wounds, preparing to do battle once more.
Chapter 8 - Siege of the Death God
The morning of the 22nd of Reaping, 495, 600ft below the surface of the town of Diamond Lake
After praying to their varied Gods, and blessing the timely arrival of Gar Blitzhame, Sam Herrick and Lugdush prepared for an early day of battle. Having secured the temple of Vecna at a high cost, they prepared to do battle against the most likely forewarned Temple of Nerull. After washing and preparing Adven’s burnt body for the hoped eventual resurrection, they locked him, the freshly unconscious body of the Hextorian guard, and the Faceless one’s loot, they slowly made their way to the Temple of Nerull.
Lugdush went in first, opening the white marble door of the sepulcher, followed by Sam Herrick, Gar Blitzhame, and finally Karpe as a rear guard. Lugdush did not get far however. He found himself in a small room, the walls rising to a great height, even for his enlarged form, a sickly greenish light illuminating three figures. Their bleached skin and black lips gave away their undead state, however they were not mindless but instead were very prepared for the assault on their sanctuary. One of the ghoulish warriors shot Lugdush with his crossbow as the other charged him and began a battle of blades, testing the enchanted muscle of the Half-Orc against the wiry dead flesh of the ghoul. The ghoul won, disarming Lugdush, his axe falling to the floor. At this point the third warrior, or warrioress entered the fray, slicing deeply into Lugdush’s flesh with her two blades as she bared her teeth, and prayed to her heretical God.
As Sam, Gar, and Karpe entered the battle, the mistress of the Ghouls retreated down the dark hall of the mausoleum while the two ghouls held Lugdush and Sam at bay for but a few precious seconds. With the ghouls dispatched, their dead flesh turning to fine white dust and ash, Lugdush and Sam began to investigate the vestibules of this foul crypt. They both slowly advanced into the darkness of the long halls where the lady ghoul had fled. Sam was the first to see the true horror that was the altar of Nerull. It was in a room a little longer than wide, with two great iron grill works running from ceiling to the floor blocking entrance save for a single staircase in the middle. At the top of the staircase was found two great silver candelabras, a massive bloodstone altar, and finally a foul statue in honor of Nerull made from the rotten corpse of a man held within a iron frame, it’s arms outstretched in benediction. Standing behind the altar was a ghoul priest of Nerull his foul prayers creating a cacophony of horror. In front of him, at the top of the stairs was the ghoul mistress, to her side another ghoul guard armed with crossbow and glaive.
Catching a crossbow bolt in the side, Sam charged into battle with Lugdush behind him, just as the priest threw a skull towards them which silenced all sound, forcing Sam to rely on his martial prowess. A great battle ensued, with Lugdush and Sam fighting for their lives against the powers of death itself. Behind them they saw Gar and Karpe battling giant rats and monstrous arachnids of the Nerullite rear guard. As Lugdush and the Ghoul mistress traded blows, the ghoul with a glaive would serve as a second rank, striking Lugdush and rending his flesh. The priest during this time was calling upon his foul magic’s, healing the dead flesh of his followers and eventually trading blows, scythe to scythe with Sam Herrick after the fall of his mistress and guard. By this time Lugdush was on death’s door, having been cut deeply, his flesh and blood splattered upon the tainted walls and ground. As the priest advanced, it became apparent that Sam could not harm him with his Scythe, for his magical defenses were to strong, and Lugdush could not stand against him in a fight as he almost felled the great Paladin with the touch of his desecrated finger. As Lugdush fell back, the Ghoul-Priest escaped, with Sam in hot pursuit. Sam was unable to stop him though, and he escaped up through the elevator shaft, following the path of the two Drow rear guards, as Sam and Lugdush would soon learn from Gar and Karpe. It seems the rear guard chose to flee with the treasures of the temple tied to the back of a giant spider rather than stand and fight.
And so bloodied and exhausted Sam and Lugdush began to search and sift through the polluted catacomb of Nerull.
Chapter 9 - Heresy
The Morning of the 23rd of Reaping, in the year 495, 600ft below the surface of the town of Diamond Lake.
Lugdush, Sam Herrick, Gar, and Karpe were all exhausted, bloodied, and cleared of any useful resources. Lugdush himself was only barely standing, covered in blood, his wounds only beginning to clot over. They knew that time was short, the heretical Hextorians sure to hear the harsh sounds of violence and send a party to invade the sepulcher of Nerull. Acting quickly, they searched the rooms and halls of the necromantic complex, finding that the dead needed few furnishings, the Dark Elves having taken the treasury and escaped. What they did find though was a number of rooms, each with 2, 3, or as many as 4 bodies, most being prepared for mummification or other such foul rites, others being used for studies, and even a few that had seemed to been fed upon. Returning to the entrance hall they heard a great crash and when they went out into the main hall, they found that the elevator shaft had seemingly collapsed. They also found that parts of the bodies of the tiefling guards and Adven were hung above the pool of dark grey liquid by chains, all showing signs of severe abuse. After a short fight with six of the guards almost led to their deaths, Lugdush and Sam barred the Marble entrance door to the Nerull complex and created a barricade behind it. They then took stock of their situation, finding it dire indeed. They decided to take a desperate last stand at the high altar of Nerull, where not even a hour before they had battled against the ghoul priests.
Lugdush showed some of his tactical shrewdness and along with the help of Sam, Gar, and Karpe, set up lines of defenses that would hopefully bleed the Hextorians white. They blocked one of the two passages to the Altar with furniture and bodies, covering the floor of the open passage with oil, setting a deadly trap. They then reinforced the Altar area, creating more cover and blocking entrances. And they sat and waited. Boom, Boom, Crack, Boom. The pounding on the door began. Chiseling could be heard, and the door shook but held. The pounding and chiseling continued, the nerves of the battle weary warriors frayed. A loud crash was heard, when one of the top corners of the door was broken off and fell into the rubble pile. Lugdush took advantage of this and rushed forward with the vials of Alchemist’s fire, stolen from the dead Vecnites. He tossed on vial, so that it broke right at the top of the door, spraying the area in front of the door with fiery death. He tossed the other three vials farther out, following the Hextorians as they made a mad dash for safety, managing to burn one of the guards to death.
These mad heroics won them a long stay, as the Hextorians seemingly backed off. Watches were set and a fitful sleep begun at the foot of the foul desecrated altar of Nerull. Lugdush was holding watch when a terrible crash was heard. The Marble door had, without warning, fallen. Sam, Karpe, and Gar all awoke, grabbing their weapons in hand, waiting for the attack that was sure to follow. Seconds, passed, then minutes, and still no attack. Sam was the first to shrug his shoulders, and go back to sleep, content that whatever the Hextorians were planning, it could wait until morning. The others followed suit, and Lugdush was left to finish his watch.
Towards the end of Karpe’s watch, early in the morning on the 23rd of Reaping, Karpe noticed something amiss. As the others awoke, they all came to same realization, they smelled smoke. In fact it had grown very difficult to breath in the halls, and as they were in the highest location in the whole temple, the air was rather quickly filling with ash. Lugdush volunteered to investigate, as Gar and Sam prepared their eldritch powers. He discovered that a group of Hexotirans had blocked the entrance hall with a large bonfire and were fanning the smoke into the halls of Nerull, in order to smoke them out as it were. Relaying the information to Sam, Gar, and Karpe, Sam mentioned that he could summon forth water, possibly enough to douse the flames, and so after healing their wounds, and steeling themselves, Sam and Lugdush went forward, and after a failed first attempt managed to douse the flames while at the same time slaying another of the Hextorian guards. The two of them then dashed back to the heretical altar, and made ready their weapons for the certain counterattack. Yet minutes passed and nothing was seen of the heretical followers of Hextor.
Then came the thump of hooves upon stone. Louder it became, and closer, closer and louder still, until a giant Dire boar was seen charging down the long hallway towards them! The barriers held off the giant boar, although it was bashing into them and threatening to destroy them, as Lugdush, Karpe, and Gar all stuck it full of crossbow bolts. Sam on the other hand was busy turning the armored skeletons being sent down the shadowy hall towards them. Lugdush finally managed to stick the Glaive deep into the chest of the boar, and then with a final act, show the entire head of the glaive down it’s throat. As it collapsed and bled out onto the floor, a looming figure was silhouetted at the end of the hall, Theldrick the Cleric of Hextor had arrived.
Realizing that their situation was dire, Sam’s quick thinking led him to challenge Theldrick to a duel, with Lugdush serving as their champion. Theldrick, full of himself, and eager to prove his superiority without endangering his troops, agreed to the duel on the terms that it be fought in his arena, that the losers body would not be given back, and that the losers followers could leave with what they could carry. And so Theldrick left two guards there and returned to his temple complex.
And so Lugdush, Sam, Karpe, and Gar all left their fortified Nerull Temple and traveled down the long halls, past the fallen mine shaft, to the complex of the Hextorians. There they were ushered through a few rooms and doors and into a huge arena room, with sand covering the floors, a huge statue of Hextor in the center, and a balcony high above for onlookers. Sam prepared Lugdush with a series of spells, before retiring to the balcony with Karpe and Gar.
Lugdush was left standing there, waiting, as the followers of Theldrick filled the balcony. Then the great doors of the arena opened and in walked Theldrick, ready for battle. After a quick prayer to Hextor both combatants began. The fight opened with Theldrick summoning a great fiendish ape to his side, although Lugdush was protected from it’s attacks by some eldritch power. The battle quickly progressed with Lugdush taking the lead, as Theldrick desperately tried to hold off his attacks and damage the seemingly unstoppable half-Orc. As Lugdush brought down the killing blow, Sam Herrick cast a quickly to ensure that the heritical cleric would be badly injured instead of killed outright. And so Theldrick cleric of the Ebon Triad was brought low.
The followers of Theldrick ran from the arena, taking their possessions and escaping as fast as possible. Following them, Sam, Karpe, and Gar ransacked the place, searching and finding treasures that they either did not take or were unable to do so in the limited time given them. The one thing of note they did find was a prisoner, a Shadar Kai woman, true follower of Hextor, who was imprisoned in a tiny iron cage. It seems she had been caught almost a year before, trying to infiltrate the complex on the orders of Lord Arl Khan, in order to discover what had happened to Theldrick, who had just recently disappeared. Freeing her, Lugdush forced Theldrick into the cage, and after abusing Theldrick more and gathering what they could carry, left to try and find an exit.
Sam was the first to notice, quite on accident, that the elevator was not in fact destroyed, but instead was covered with a powerful illusion. Elated by this, they prepared to leave, when the Shadar Kai woman turned and gasped in horror, looking towards the grey pool at the far end of the complex. As they turned they saw a massive horror climb out of the viscous waters, six armed, with a skull like face, it’s flesh yellow in pallor. The Ebon Aspect had arisen. A terrible beast, having characteristics of each of the ebon Triad, it roared and moved forward to attack. A great battle ensued, with Lugdush, Gar, and the Shadar-Kai all attacking the seemingly unstoppable beast in melee while Sam and Karpe supported them from afar. The battle seemed lost when the Aspect grew even more powerful, its body glowing with arcane runes, absorbing spells cast towards it, and healing it’s wounds with their power. However by combining their might, they were able to bring it down, and with one mighty blow, Lugdush beheaded the beast. The day was won.
After cleaning up from their battle, it was decided that the Shadar-Kai, Sam, and Gar would all travel to the surface and deal with the auctioning of the mine below Lugdush’s manses. Arriving just in time, as the auction was about to begin, Sam began a battle of the wills against Balabar Smenk, trying to both outbid him, as well as make him understand that the Ebon Triad wanted him dead. This seemed to upset Smenk who ended up turning his back on the auction at the heavenly sum of 3,000 gold sovereigns, upon which Sam won the mine. After a brief attempt on Smenks life by the Shadar-Kai, the proceedings broke up in chaos, Smenk believing that the Ebon Triad had made an attempt on his life, and Sam securing the purchase of the mine rights.
And so in them mid afternoon of the 23rd of Reaping, in the year 495, Sam Herrick and Lugdush were finally allowed to rest. Although not for long.
Chapter 10 - Celebrations and Travels
23rd of Reaping, Diamond Lake, in the year 595
After making arrangements to visit Dietrick Cicaeda at the Garrison the next day, Sam Herrick returned to the Cairn of the Green Lady, sending Vith to relay the events of the auction to Lugdush, still holed up in the foul temples beneath the Dourstone Mine. He spoke to the assistant abbottess, Lady Riga, explaining the harrowing events of the previous three days. He then slept peacefully, for the first time in almost a week, in his own Spartan cell.
24th of Reaping, Diamond Lake, in the year 595
Sam Herrick was woken by one of Sheriff Cubin’s men, a foul wretch named Kul, and told that he was to report for a meeting at the manor of Lord Governor-Mayor Lanod Neff at noon that day. He arrived promptly at noon at the sprawling mayoral manor, only to be verbally assaulted for his lateness. He was led into a packed conference room filled with the movers and shakers of Diamond Lake including: Governor-Mayor Lanod Neff, Allustan Neff, Colonel Tolliver Trask, Dietrik Cicaeda, Vulgan Durth, Ellival Moonmeadow, Chaum Gansworth, Gelch Tilgast, Luzane Parrin, Ragnolin Dourstone, Gar Blitzhame, and Sheriff Cubbin. Notably absent was Balabar Smenk.
The Lord Neff began by yelling about changes in the status quo, and how the changes are to be the last. He allowed Sherrif Cubbin to explain that Balabar Smenk had become a wanted man for his crimes and that he had escaped justice in the night. The sheriff also mentioned that Lugdush was no longer being charged with murder.
Ragnolin Dourstone then took the floor and explained that he was going into semi-retirement, and leaving the management and a 50% share of his mine to young Gar Blitzhame. Gar would latter confess to Lugdush and Sam, in a drunken stupor, that he had blackmailed Dourstone with not only his complicity in the Ebon Triad Cult, but also a seemingly accidental cave in that Dourstone had perpetrated on his own Dwarven people 50 years earlier, a event that led him to relocate to Diamond Lake.
Finally it was announced that Sam Herrick, and Lugdush, would be reopening and bringing back on line the old Ugo Fant Mine.
With this last bit of news out, Lord Neff ended the meeting by bellowing a battery of threats about future Peace and Order in Diamond Lake.
Sam then returned to the Dourstone Mine and met up with Lugdush, giving him the good news. Lugdush sent his followers on to the Manor of Hextor and along with Sam traveled to the Garrison to complete the paperwork on the Ugo Fant mine. While filling out the copious amount of paperwork for the transfer of ownership, Sam and Lugdush overheard two guards discussing the one guards tour at Blackwall Keep, specifically the arrival of a new guard a month earlier, a man by the name of Lan, who was working as a scout for the garrison there.
Later that evening Sam and Lugdush met up with Gar at Zalamandra’s Emporium, the high brow nightclub of Diamond Lake. There they walked among Professor Montague Marat’s Marvel’s of Science and even the more exclusive upper floor in which they gambled on the Rat Game, losing in good spirits, while Gar met a Dwarven lass named Soryan Truestone, a mine expert, who he hopes to hire to help him run the Dourstone mine. They also had a disturbing encounter with the fortune teller in which she foretold “The eternal watcher of the claw shall seek thee, Beware the Worm that Walks! Darkness, Darkness. The axis upon which the world now turned
Faster, faster gathered the clouds, Thunders rolled deafening, maddening, Then came a culminating crash whose power, Shook the land, sea, and sky alike, The darkened world torn asunder, To attain heaven for him, To attain heaven for him.”
25th of Reaping, Diamond Lake, in the year 595
Waking in the morning, tired and worn from a night of debauchery, Sam and Lugdush traveled to Allustan’s manses, and there dined with him in one of Allustan’s Eden like courtyards. There Allustan discussed their adventures, listening intently to their tales. After they had finished telling of their adventures, he related the reason for inviting them to his home, he needed good bodyguards for a journey to Blackstone Keep. It seems a old friend of his, a witch named Marzena, was stationed at the keep and he wanted to pay her a visit and give to her the alchemical laboratory from the Temple of Vecna. He also said that she had discovered an odd green segmented worm in a recently abandoned farmhouse, and so he wished to see this worm and determine whether or not it was related to the worm that the recovered from Filge. Allustan then gives Sam and Lugdush a copy of Marcena’s letter to ensure that they understood the situation at Blackwall keep better.
26th of Reaping, Diamond Lake, in the year 595
And so Lugdush, Sam, and Allustan packed the alchemical laboratory, and prepared for the two day journey into the Mistmarsh. Lugdush had the loot from the Ebon Triad loaded upon a wagon and Theldrick paraded as a prisoner through the town.
While waiting for Allustan to finish packing, Lugdush and Sam traveled to the Bronzewood lodge North of Diamond Lake and met with Nogweir, the head druid of the Lodge. Lugdush brought forth the head of Adven, and asked for him to be brought back through reincarnation, paying Nogweir over 1,200 gold sovereigns, and promising to collect certain rare herbs from the Mistmarsh. Nogweir also foretold that Sam and Lugdush were foretold to be responsible for the destruction of Diamond Lake, and so it pleased him to aid them in their journeys. He even sent along a young druidic initiate named Haven, who would accompany them and find the herbs in question.
3rd of Goldmonth, Mistmarsh, in the year 595
Sam, Lugdush, and Allustan were now all packed and so set out on their journey in the early morn. During the long march East on the Urnst road to the Mistmarsh, Allustan discussed his research into Lugdush’s axe, discovering that it’s history was veiled, and that the answers to it’s origins might only lie in the Bright Lands with Rary the traitor. He also discussed his own past as an apprentice of Tenser and Rary, and specifically the day of the Treaty signing, the day Rary slew Tenser and Otiluke in the Great Hall of Greyhawk City.
They camped that night at an old farmhouse named Shank’s Rest, after the farmer who left it fallow some 20 years earlier after he inherited a large amount of money. There they spent the night.
4th of Goldmonth, Mistmarsh, in the year 595
The following morning Lugdush, Sam, Haven, Vith, and Allustan made their way South along the Blackwall path. Towards the late part of the day, Lugdush smelt smoke and eventually caught whiff of the stench of battle. Coming around a bend in the road, they saw ahead of them, Blackwall Keep under siege! Eight groups of Lizardmen, each 5 strong had taken position around the keep, whose door appeared to have been hastily repaired.
Taking note of the strength of the lizardmen, Lugdush decided that they must try and rout the Lizardmen, while Allustan used magic to travel into the Keep proper to see to the strengthening of their fortifications. Lugdush and Sam supported by Vith took on a group of lizardmen in the outskirts of the encampments slaying them to a man after a quick battle.
As Lugdush and Sam cleaned their weapons of the black lizard blood they saw that the other groups of Swamp men had already begun their assault on the fortress in the dying light. Knowing that only 15 men held the fortress and there were three times that many lizardmen, they knew they had to stop the advance. Spotting the lead group, ordering the assault, they attacked them by the ruined stables, Lugdush blinding the leaders and Sam, Vith, and he slew their guard. Eventually Lugdush brought low the captain, bringing forth his dead body to the roof of the stables, and there, after yelling a battle call to the lizardman forces, he beheaded the captain, throwing his body aside. This act of terror daunted the Lizardmen’s courage and they fled into the night.
Upon entering the keep, Lugdush and Sam discovered that there were onoly few wounded, with almost half the guard forces already dead. They also discovered that Marzena, the witch, and two other guards had been taken captive in the last assault. Lizardmen are well known for eating their captives, and so it was imperative that a search and rescue operation be started immediately. Allustan said that he could bring reinforcements from Diamond Lake, as he had brought a scroll of teleport. Thus it was left up to Lugdush and Sam Herrick to rescue Allustan’s friend and the other soldiers from the hungry jaws of death.
Adventure #11 Synopsis – Age of Worms
4th of Goldmonth, Mistmarsh, in the year 595
Sam Herrick and Lugdush, having lifted the siege on Blackwall Keep, saw to the wounds of the soldiers, discovering that a small group of soldiers had become sick with some sort of stomach aliment, possibly a parasite, after drinking with the missing scout, a man named Lan. Sam sought to ease the soldier’s pains, while also praying with them, and seeing to their moral. After doing this, Sam collected one of Marzena’s old shirts, using this to give a scent for his wolf to track. Gathering their gear, and taking Haven along with them, they traveled in the quickening twilight into Mistmarsh Swamp.
As Lugdush, Sam Herrick, Bah’Ram Vith, and Haven’s endurance lagged, battered by the many hours of restless tracking of the Lizardmen, other plots were coming to fruition at the Blackwall Keep. Four guards, Duncan, Walton, Yerell, and Santos, were keeping watch over the ruined field about the keep, when, early, about morning, they heard a loud noise from the basement of the keep. Investigating the noise, they discovered that the sick soldier, Kegor, had been turned into an undead horror, a Spawn of Kyuss. Trying to battle the spawn, even as others rose from the depths, Walton and Yerell ran, fleeing into the night, while Duncan stood his ground, until Santos fell beneath the powerful blows of the evil undead. Retreating to the upper stories of the tower, Duncan bolted and blocked the hatch, waking the sleeping guards, who began preparations for holding off the infectious, intelligent, and seemingly inviolable zombies.
5th of Goldmonth, Mistmarch, in the year 595
Sam and Lugdush, meanwhile, had followed the Lizardmen back to their lair, a gigantic tight knit grove of ancient Mangrove trees, deep in the heart of the marsh. Discovering two pairs of sentries guarding the lair, Lugdush and Sam attacked one of the pairs while Vith attacked the other, with one of the guards that saw Sam almost managing to alert the colony, Sam and Lugdush finally killing him literally on the doorstep of the lair.
Sending Vith ahead as a scout, Lugdush and Sam entered the lair, leaving Haven the druidic apprentice in the outer swamps. Inside they discovered a maze of rooms, the walls and ceiling formed from twisted branches of the mangrove trees. Sam and his wolf took the lead, battling a pair of harpies who charmed the wolf and Vith. The harpies song evidently warned the Lizardmen to the invasion of their home. As Sam and Lugdush searched the recently evacuated rooms for the captives, they eventually encountered a Lizardman Shaman named Hiska. After Vith almost killed him/her, Hiska explained that she/he wished no ill upon their soft flesh, and instead sought to create peace between his/her and their peoples. He/she explained that a year earlier all of the eggs of the various Lizardmen tribes of the Mistmarsh had died of a mysterious plague of green worms. After this plague upon their younglings a Dragon named Ilthane arrived with a powerful Lizardman warrior named Shukak in her stead. Ilthane explained that the men of the Free City had created the vermin plague to destroy the Lizardman tribes. She further incited their anger and hatred and installed Shukak as the King of the Twisted Branch Tribe.
Over the next year the Lizardmen gathered their eggs in the protective hatchery, Ilthane promising to guard the eggs against the evil humans, leaving 8 draconic kobold guards and one of her own Eggs as proof of her trustworthiness. Hiska explained to Lugdush and Sam, that it was at this time that Shukak began preparations for war against the humans, beginning with the siege of Blackwall Keep. Hiska offered to protect the captives and hand them over to Lugdush and Sam if they would depose Shukak and aid him/her in negotiating a peace treaty with the Free City. Lugdush and Sam readily agreed to this and hatched a plan for Hiska to lead them into the King’s chamber as if they had been charmed by his magic.
Hiska led Sam and Lugdush through a series of rooms, including his/her druidic den, and into the audience of the Lizard King, Shukak. As Shukak rose and let out a powerful roar, his champion, a Lizardman named Kotabas saw through the ruse and yelled at his king that it was a trap.
The Lizardmen, Shukak, Kotabas, and five other Lizardman warriors all entered into mortal combat with Lugdush, Sam, and Vith, while Hiska fled. It was a terrible battle in which many powerful blows were traded. Lugdush found himself surrounded by Shukak, Kotabs and two other Lizardmen, while Sam battled a further three warriors. Vith was quickly felled by Kotabas who left her for dead as he and Shukak focused their attacks of Lugdush. Shukak’s trident dug deep into Lugdush’s flesh, almost killing him in a terrible blow that he sunk beneath the half-Orcs breastplate. The tide began to turn however with well Lugdush dealing several well placed blows while Sam brought forth his eldritch black fires to bear against Lizard flesh. Finally Lugdush knocked Shukak down, almost killing him, slew Kotabas, and scarred off the rest of the Lizardmen.
After securing Shukak, Lugdush and Sam spoke with Hiska, who informed them of a group of Kobolds, guards left by the Dragon Ilthane, who guard their eggs. After traveling down the flooded passage to the hatchery, Lugdush and Sam, with Vith, all now healed of their grievous wounds, discovered 8 black scaled kobolds. While Lugdush and Vith conferred, Sam walked into the room, and challenged the Kobolds, slaying each one of them, and reveling in the carnage, telling Lugdush that they were his.
After laying low the kobolds, Lugdush and Sam searched the hatchery, finding a massive black scaled egg standing like a monolith amongst the leathery Lizardman eggs. They also found two chests which contained potions, which upon further investigation, turned out to have small green worms floating within each, a trap left for the unwary. Taking these with them, they returned to the Lizard King’s hall, finding that Hiska had brought the two surviving captives, Marzena and Jules. Marzena had been beaten badly, her jaw and fingers broken, yet with some healing she revived well. The captives thanked Lugdush and Sam even while Marzena chided Allustan for not having the bravery to come and rescue her himself. Then the entire group set watch and camped in the hall of the Lizard King.
During the evening Lugdush and Sam interrogated Shukak. The lizard King explained that he knew nothing of the worm bottles, that they were left by Ilthane, adding that the only other who might know of them was a member of the garrison, a man named Lan. It seems that Lan had been present three nights earlier, and had left a letter for Ilthane after retrieving a few worm bottles. Lugdush forced Shukak to give them the letter, which turned out to be written by the Faceless one. It discussed the preparations in the Dourstone mine, a bid for power by a silver vampire, and finally how the dead would walk in the city soon.
6th of Goldmonth, Mistmarch, in the year 595
The return trek to Blackwall keep was quicker and rather uneventful as the party had a Lizardman guide to direct them through the marsh. Upon arriving on the edge of the clearing about the keep, they bid farewell to their guide and approached the fortification. As they reached the keep a soldier cried out for them not to come closer, for the keep was infested with dire creatures. The soldier explained that they had been assaulted by green worm bearing undead which had infected many of the guards. The soldiers had holed up in the upper floors of the tower when the scout, Lan had returned the night before. They let him up, and in the middle of the night he betrayed them, letting the creatures in, forcing the few remaining soldiers, 9 in all, up into the top level of the tower. Lan escaped into the night during the chaos.
Lugdush and Sam at first tried to convince the soldiers to flee from the tower, and set the structure afire, however the loyal soldiers would not abandon their post, especially with the prospect of reinforcements arriving from Diamond Lake soon. Thus they waited for a few hours until at first the scouts and then eventually the entire 60 man garrison arrived from Diamond Lake. Led by Commander Trask and his Paladins and Clerics of Heironeous, the soldier quickly took positions around the tower, while Commander Trask questioned Sam Herrick and Lugdush as to the situation. Deciding that he must take the Keep first before he dealt with the Lizardmen or any other threats, Commander Trask set up a perimeter and shield walls, along with crossbowmen around the entrance of the keep, while he formed two strike teams from the garrison officers and Lugdush and Sam Herrick. The first team, consisting of Sam Herrick, Lugdush, Marzena, and the paladin Melinde would attack from the second story, pushing down into the main floor while the second team, consisting of Commnader Trask, his captains, Varkus Dun, and Allustan would attack from the main entrance.
The plan worked out better than they had hoped with the invaders magically invisible to the undead creatures, and slaughtering them quickly and efficiently, without taking any casualties or worm infestations. Thus Lugdush and Sam twice came to the rescue of Blackwall Keep and halted a brewing war between the Lizardmen and the Free City. Rest for them was well deserved.
Adventure #12 Synopsis – Age of Worms
6th of Goldmonth, Mistmarsh, in the year 595
Sam Herrick and Lugdush both awoke from troubling dreams while taking a quick repose before an assembly with the Garrison commanders after the taking of Blackwall Keep. Sam dreamed of seeing his scythe turn into a snake and sink its fangs into him, destroying a skull symbol of Nerull, walking along a cemetery path, and finally arriving at a mausoleum covered in cryptic arcane symbols, some of which were blasphemous, with the name Takouhi written upon it’s surface.
Lugdush dreamed of speaking before the miners in Diamond Lake, then of entering a blasted desert, possibly the bright lands, and almost or possibly dying, finally confronting a man whose forehead was emblazoned with a symbol, a “M”, the insignia of the ancient Suel House of Maure.
As they both awoke from their restless respite, they took a moment to clear their heads, and then climbed to the top of the Blackwall Keep, where the Captains of the Garrison, Allustan, Marzena, the Bon-Vivant Paladin Melinde, the High Priest Valkus Dun, and Commander Trask were all assembled. As they were assembling Lugdush and Melinde continued to harrow each other with insults and haughty words, causing tensions to rise. At the meeting they discussed the possibility of a peace treaty between the Lizardmen tribes and the Free City, Trask giving the responsibility for seeing to this task to Sam and Lugdush, possibly to keep them from causing more trouble in Diamond Lake especially for his troops. Sam at this point told the assembly about the Black Dragon egg that they had found within the lair, bringing it forth for the assembly to gaze upon. Just after setting it upon the center of the table the black scaled egg hatched, pouring forth hundreds of tiny green worms from within its putrid shell. The assembled captains jumped back in horror as Marzena brought forth fire and burnt the worms while Lugdush smashed the few that escaped. Horrified by the scope of the invasion of the worms in the Mistmarsh, it was decided that this traitorous egg would help their case with the Lizardmen. Finally Trask outlined how he was arranging troops to defend the Keep and adjourned the meeting, saying that he was to return to Diamond Lake in the morning.
After the meeting, both Sam and Lugdush asked Allustan to interpret their dreams. His answers were fleeting however as he knew only a few of the important symbols, although he did identify the name Takouhi as being associated with a powerful magus who lived in the Hold of the Sea Princes some 400 years ago.
Lugdush and Sam set out for the Twisted Branch lair sending a mystic message to Hiska asking him/her to arrange a meeting of the various tribal leaders of the Lizardmen tribes. They arrived at the Twisted Branch lair, greeted by Hiska who was now the new King of the Tribe. She/he informed them that she had arranged a meeting in two days time at an auspicious location known as the Puy Dome, or great bald hill, the sacred heart of the Mistmarsh Lizardmen.
Passing two days at the lair, Lugdush and Sam finally traveled with Hiska to the Puy Dome on the morning of 10th of Goldmonth. There they witnessed the sacred rituals of the Lizardmen tribes, who met amongst 12 great mehirs each carved with the histories of the leaders and great acts of one of the 12 tribes. Finally Hiska aasked for them to come forward, and after Lugdush gave gifts of Platinum, gold, silver, and a magical torch to each tribal leader, Sam entered into a long and powerful speech espousing peace between the Lizardmen tribes and the Free City, culminating by bringing forth the worm bearing egg that Ilthane left in their midst, thus winning over even the most hostile of the tribes. The gathering closed with the leaders sending forth Hiska and two other Lizardmen leaders to the Free City to make peace with the soft skins.
Thus Lugdush and Sam returned to Blackwall Keep in the early evening of the 12th of Goldmonth with the Lizardmen contingent in tow, bearing gifts for the Free City elders. They returned to Diamond Lake on the 14th of Goldmonth, finding that their people had been busy working clearing the mine and working on the Ugo Fant Manse. Sam traveled to the Cairn of the Green Lady and ended up having a very deep conversation with Lady Amariss who ended up giving Sam the choice of returning fully to his monastic duties or renouncing his vows and becoming a traveling priest of Wee Jas. The next day, on the morning of the 15th, Sam gave his answer, he would renounce his vows and let destiny take him where it would. Lady Amariss understood and supported his decision, giving him three parting gifts, a scroll that would magically return him to the Cairn should he ever need to do so with great haste, a brooch that would defend him against mystic assaults, and finally she tasked him with the care of a new arrived follower of Wee Jas, a strange man from the far North named Marehamu Kuzimu.
After returning from the Cairn, Sam and Lugdush traveled North to the Bronzewood Lodge, in order to see if Adven had been successfully reincarnated. Arriving there, they spoke with the Druid, who informed them that nature had played out the hate that Adven had within his heart, and created him a suiting form. They found him hiding in a cave, in the body of a red haired Gnoll. He was both despondent at his state and angry at Lugdush for taking him from the hallowed halls of Hextor. He eventually conceded to travel with them to the Citadel of Strife, yet continued to sulk the entire way there.
Their final act of business in Diamond Lake was to see Allustan, as he had left a message for them with Lady Amariss. As they approached Allustan’s residence, they overheard an argument between Allustan and Marzena about Allustan’s cowardliness. Marzena stormed out of the manor, past them both, as Allustan meekly invited them in. After brooding for some time over his sorry state, Allustan eventually cleared his mind enough to discuss the various recent events with Sam and Lugdush. He had worked with the worm infested egg and produced two vials of Oil and two jars of salve for them, saying that these might aid in their fight against the worm infested zombies.
Allustan finally came around to the main reason he had invited them to his home. He said that the extent to which the worms had infested the swamp and the keep had pushed him into action. He decided that they must learn more about these creatures and events and so he was sending them to an old friend of sorts who lives in the Free City, a powerful Mage named Eligos. He gathered together his notes, research, and the artifacts that Lugdush and Sam had given him to look into and placed them in a rough travel chest to be given to Eligos.
Sam and Lugdush meanwhile had procured transportation for their loot, their prisoner, and themselves. They bought the flatbed wagon from Gar Blitzhame, who needed it no longer as he now had part ownership of all of Dourstone’s mining equipment. They also bought two mules and two heavy workhorses from the blasted stable owner, hitching the mules to the wagon and the heavy horses to the aged yet still graceful black and silver gilt carriage that they bought from the Mine Manager, Tilgast. On the Morning of the 16th, after loading these all with their looted goods, and hefting the caged Theldrick into a high place in full view of all, they wove their way in style through the main square of the vein and finally up into the hills.
The path to the Free City was relatively uneventful, taking but 4 days, 1 more because of an ancient oak tree that had fallen and blocked the path just past the Blackstone cutoff. It was there that Lugdush sent of a group of his miners to hire new workers for the Ugo Fant Mine.
And so it was that Lugdush and Sam Herrick arrived at the Iron Gate of the Free City, traveling in style in their new carriage, in the mid of the 20th day of Goldmonth. After paying the new taxes on their magical goods to the gate guards, Lugdush and Sam began to see to their business in this bustling metropolis. First on the order of business was to take the Lizardmen to the Garden district to both remove them from the streets as they made people nervous, but also to allow them to begin their negotiations. After making arrangements for their boarding at the Ruby spire, Sam and Lugdush gathered their loot and made their way to Maladin and Elenderi’s, the great stone vault-like magic shop. There they haggled and traded their accumulated booty for newer items of power. After completing their transactions they both returned to their particular haunts, agreeing to meet that night to see the sights in the city. Before ssplitting ways, they did encounter a mad street man named the “barrel man” by locals, who spoke of the coming Age of Worms and the terrors that would soon be.
Lugdush, upon arriving at the Citadel of Strife was greeted by Lord Arl Khan, and was lauded for successfully bringing the head of the faceless one and especially for bringing the caged Theldrick to be tried. Khan guided Lugdush to the great sacristy of Hextor and there beneath the massive 6 armed statue he promoted Lugdush to Low Hauptman or lesser Captain in the Grand Army of Hextor and also Knighted him, bringing Lugdush into the order of the Crimson Law, a powerful order of Hextor’s finest servants. After the insignia of the Crimson Law was burnt into Lugdush’s chest, he rose and greeted the assembled crowd of warriors, showing how Hextor had gifted him with 4 arms, to the cheers and celebration of the assembly.
All were not happy though, as Adven, the Gnoll, slinked out of the hall and went to drown his miseries in ale. Adven was still resisting returning to the warriors of Hextor, and was drinking more every day, spending hours in taverns and causing many brawls to break out from his spiteful rants.
While wandering the streets going from place to place, Sam and Lugdush, in their black carriage encountered a street parade of great beasts and performers in honor of the upcoming Champions Games. As Lugdush and Sam watched the parade, a pair of pickpockets worked them over, causing something of an incident, with Maremu and Vith taking off after the two pickpockets while a great incident was unfolding in the street. It seems a Chimera was amongst the beasts being shown in the parade. Its powerful claws and electrical blasts had weakened the bars on its cage and it escaped rushing into the terrified crowd. As Sam and Lugdush valiantly battled the Chimera, saving dozens of innocent bystanders, Maremu managed to regain the one lost purse, while Vith, in a back alley, slew the other thief, quietly leaving his body and returning with the other stolen purse.
Managing to knock out the Chimera, and not kill it, Sam and Lugdush gained the respect and great thanks of the animal handlers, who offered to give them free tickets to the Champions Games. Sam indicated that he would prefer to fight in the games and struck up conversation as to how one would go about entering the games. The handler said that there was only one manager left who had not registered a team to fight for him, a foreigner named Ekaym Smallcask. With this bit of information on hand, they left and returned to their errands.
Eventually they went and visited the mansion of the sage Eligos in the Garden District of the Free City. This posh region filled with the spaced out homes of the ultra rich, was bustling with fine carriages that put Sam and Lugdush’s transportation to shame, although they did manage to fit in generally. Arriving at the white marble mansion, they entered and were ushered into a meeting with the great sage. He met them in a posh study filled with books and paintings of far off places. Eligos himself was dressed in fine fiery orange robes, his strawberry blond hair cut short and just showing signs of retreating. He was somewhat cold and first although warmed somewhat with the mention of Allustan and the discussion of the various papers and objects that they brought for him to investigate. He told them that it would take some days for him to complete his research of the information that they brought him, and so they should enjoy the finery of the city and he would send word to them once he had completed his investigations.
After completing their many errands, Lugdush and Sam met up and traveled out to see the nightlife of the city, hoping to catch some of the low life knife fights that were bet upon by the lowly and mean of the city. Finally finding the fight in a back alley square, Lugdush fought in a few bouts, winning most and only losing one, until out of the blue Vith attacked the Goblin organizer, stabbing him in the back and almost killing him, before escaping into the night. The crowd turned against Lugdush and Sam and began to form a posse, eventually finding Vith and dragging her before the assembly, where a city guardsmen, who had been betting on the fights only moments before, charged her with attempted murder and put her in chains, intent as he was on bringing her to justice.
Lugdush almost came to blows with the crowd over this incident, yet he and Sam noticed one of the crowd, a man who was egging them on, seemed to have ulterior motives, and quickly ran when Lugdush pushed forward to confront him. Sam, Lugdush, and Maremu all gave chase, discovering that it was a shape shifter who they sought, one who take many forms, and who after a tense series of battles, managed to escape by turning invisible and running off into the night. As they retraced their steps back towards the now broken up knife fight, they found a small key that had been accidentally dropped in the alleyway. Upon it’s handle was the carved image of a giant squid dragging a ship below the waves, a key that they would learn led to a old decrepit warehouse known as Sodden Hold.
Lugdush and Sam gathered their wits about them and along with Maremu and went down to the docks, to investigate this aged warehouse covered in green moss and lichens. Finding but one entrance, and massive iron door, they tried the key and found that it opened the lock, and led them into the maddening interior of this house of hidden terrors.
Entering into the warehouse, they found it packed full of old crates and decrepit offices. After negotiating a few traps including a false door with a spiked pit in front of it, they found their way into a series of caged rooms containing Vith, a young Elven noblewoman, two young men, and an almost dead man who ranted and raved, once he was awoken. Releasing the two young men, they began discussing with them their various fates, while Maremu went to work on Vith’s cage. As his adamantine sword sliced through the bars, the two young men, sprung forward, swords in hand and attacked! It was an ambush and a bitterly fought on at that. Many terrible blows were landed before the two Dopplegangers were finally brought low. It turned out upon further investigation that the young woman was an Elf, and had been taken captive about a month earlier, mentally tortured by her captures for their pleasure during her imprisonment. Lugdush and Sam tested her blood, showing it to be red, as they tested Vith and Maremu as well. She gave them a gift for their saving her, and she fled with the mad man into the night.
And so Lugdush, Sam, Vith, and Maremu delved deeper into Sodden Hold, discovering a vast room whose floor had long since rotten, leaving the tepid waters of the river below, mixed with rusted spears and swords, over which the support beams loomed. Crossing these deadly waters gingerly, Lugdush reached the far side when two creatures, invisible to the eye attacked. These phantoms of the air pummeled the party, bashing their bodies and almost slaying them, before they were finally destroyed, their invisible bodies falling into the foul waters below.
In the final chamber beyond, Lugdush and Sam discovered a 30ft deep well in which floated a barrel. Taking time to rest and recover, Lugdush swam down into the well, and found a side passage that led, after a long journey to a large water filled room, in which a passage exited to the North and a door stood in the wall to the South. Investigating the Northern passage, they discovered that it led, after a fact, to the sewers of the Free City, and their maze like corridors beyond. Scrambling up to the platform and door to the South, Lugdush and Sam sent Vith forward to investigate the halls beyond. Inside the discovered a long corridor, flanked by two sets of double iron doors, with 4 small doors set into the long far wall, and another solitary door set into the other wall. Investigating the smaller five doors first, Lugdush and Sam discovered one to the door to a small lavatory, while the other four led to double bedrooms, full of clothes and jewelry of all sorts, from rags to riches. In the final room they investigated, they noticed that the far wall was in fact an illusion, and that beyond it lay a small chamber and a iron door, with blue light shining out from under it.
Preparing for the worst, Sam, Lugdush, Vith, and Maremu all drew their weapons and then charged into the bizarre chamber beyond, completely unprepared for what they would find there. What they found beyond was a hall of deception, unlike anything they had ever imagined. It was an octagonal chamber with mirrored walls and ghostly blue lighting, yet the in middle of it were four figures bound to chairs, the four figures being Lugdush, Sam, Vith, and Maremu! Suddenly each of the heroes backed themselves to the corner walls, and began to show, through their blood, that they were indeed who they said they were. And yet upon completion of this sanguine test, it was discovered that all eight of the figures in the room bleed true and so it became a test of wills.
Sam Herrick began to badger the two Lugdush, asking them questions that only Lugdush would know, and yet they both seemed to be able to answer the questions equally well, culminating in Sam asking a question that Lugdush should have remembered, although neither figure could answer correctly. In frustration Sam moved forward to coup de gras his bound doppelganger, while Lugdush warned him off, and then it happened. Vith lunged forward and attacked Lugdush while Maremu stabbed at Sam. Even while this occurred, the seemingly bound Lugdush and Sam both escaped their manacles, and entered into the fray with their doubles. The fight was on in the hall of harsh reflections!
Sam and Lugdush battled for their lives, as their assailants took on their own forms, leaving three Lugdush and three Sams in combat with each other, while the real Vith and Maremu tried to escape their manacles. The difficulty of determining the true nature of each figure was compounded by the mirrored walls, leaving not three Sams, but instead hundreds battling one another. Much blood was spilt and many curses given, as the tide of the battle was finally turned, with Vith and Maremu’s escape and aid. And so finally all bloodied, the real Sam, Lugdush, Vith, and Maremu stood over the fallen bodies of the four doppelgangers in this deadly hall of Deception.
Interrogating Vith and Maremu, Sam and Lugdush learned that Maremu was taken while parking the carriage at Eligos’ house, while Vith was replaced after she was taken from her jail cell in the city prison. And so they all took a moments breather in the deadly chambers, far below the seedy docks of the Free City.
Adventure #12 Synopsis – Age of Worms
23rd of Goldmonth, Mistmarsh, in the year 595
We find our star crossed warriors deep under the waterlogged streets of the Free City’s warehouse district, licking their wounds in the hall of harsh reflections. At their feet lay four bodies of the doppelgangers who they had so recently slain in mortal combat. Making good use of their wand of healing, they closed the most grievous of their wounds and prepared to delve deeper into the complex, discovering that one of thee mirrored walls was a keenly hid exit. Passing through this door of glass, the discovered a two rooms, one a conference room full of information about the city and it’s inhabitants, and another room full of even more elaborate clothing and costumes. Listening closely they heard a loud humming and other odd noises coming from a far set of double doors. Setting their wits about them, Sam, Lugdush, Vith, and Maremu burst through the doors and into the massive chamber beyond.
What they discovered beyond was a vast chamber whose walls were carved with wave like lines and from which hung great red velvet gonfalons. At the far end of the chamber, past a series of columns, were three sets of stairs and a grand stone throne. Behind them there stood a massive cyclopean machine of uncertain function and operation. Made of tube, vials, and precious metals, this terror hummed and cackled with a life of it’s own. At the top of either set of stairs stood a armored warrior, sword in hand, and upon the throne itself sat a familiar face, the Wizard Allustan!
Allustan verbally abused them for their naiveté and after a short crossfire of charges and insults culminating with Vith attacking the infernal machine angering Allustan so that he rose from the throne and called for their deaths, raising his finger as he did so and releasing the fires of the inferno into the chamber, blistering and charring the flesh of the errant heroes. Lugdush lunged forward after this attack, falling prey to a pit trap hidden beneath the stairs, allowing one of the doppelganger warriors to pick at him with his bow, all the while the others tried to engage the doppelgangers. Allustan then followed up fire with ice and cast forth a great freezing blast which nearly slew the remaining heroes. Finally Maremu flew up and engaged Allustan in combat even as Sam climbed around the stairwells to do likewise. While they engaged the wizard in close quarters, Vith lost a contest of strength and was disarmed by a doppelganger guard, forcing her to disengage from the battle.
As Maremu and Sam closed in on the wizard, he showed his true colors and shifted into the form of a massive half-Orc barbarian, armed with a great axe. He bellowed forth a battle cry and began to hack away at Maremu and Sam, following this up by slamming Sam back into Lugdush who had just managed to climb out of the pit, forcing them all into the deep, spike lined pit. The tide had turned however as Sam, Lugdush, and Maremu managed to lay low the barbarian through their combined attacks, tossing his body and those of the other doppelgangers into the pit from which they had just escaped.
Ransacking the chamber they discovered that upon the stone throne, was a hidden gem that when pressed opened a secret door, leading to the bedchamber of the greater Doppelganger who they now learned was named Telakin. Inside this luxurious sanctum they discovered notes and letters that indicated a massive, city wide conspiracy that Telakin was running, replacing key individuals with doppelgangers. They also discovered gold, gems, a magic mirror, and a odd mystic rug among other things. Most disturbingly they discovered a message written to Telakin that reads as follows: : “I have a task for you, thrall. Meet me at the sewer junction beneath the cold forge and I will give you the details. There are some troublesome small minds that must be removed.”
Realizing that they must inform the authorities as to the extent of the conspiracy, Sam and Lugdush traveled by carriage to the massive Greyhawk Garrison Fortress, speaking to the Captain of the Night Guard, Captain Oncer, and gave him all of the papers they found, and even one of the two magically enhanced sapphires that they discovered within Telakin’s engine. Receiving only minimal thanks, and a stern warning of silence on their part, for the sake of public safety of course, they were told to not leave the city, but also not visit Sodden Hold, until further notice is given by Captain Oncer. And so Sam, Lugdush, Vith, and Maremu all returned to their prospective homes, uncertain of their future and their enemies.