Chapter #24
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*****
*
* The 8 player characters contained in this writing are copyright
* 1992 by Thomas Miller...copying and distribution of these stories
* is permissible only under the condition that no part of them will
* be used or sold for profit. In that case, I hope you enjoy them.
* The dungeons and non-player characters contained herein are from
* TSR's module, A2, and are copyright 1980 by TSR, Inc. Although
* they are reprinted after a fashion in this story writeup, they
* are not being used for profit or personal gain in any way. In
* this spirit, verbatim text and maps from the module have been
* avoided. I would encourage anyone who does not own the Slaver
* series, that is, TSR modules A1-A4, to buy them, as much more
* enjoyment will come from actually playing them rather than from
* reading about one party's experiences within.
*
*****
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THE PARTY:
Alindyar, 6th level drow elf mage (N)
Belphanior, 4th/4rd/5th level high elf fighter/mage/thief (CN)
Ged, 5th/5th level grey elf priest/mage of Boccob (NG)
Halbarad, 6th level human ranger (NG)
Mongo Thunderhead, 6th level dwarf fighter (CG)
Peldor, 7th level human thief (N)
Peyote, 5th/5th level half-elf fighter/druid of Obad-Hai (N)
Rob, 6th level human priest of Trithereon (LG)
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XXIV. Battle Royal
The party entered a room containing numerous opponents, some more
dangerous than others...
.------------ door the party entered by
| (party members not shown are
| still outside the room,
v except for Peyote who is
_____==_____ inside but invisible)
| xB M 33 | B = Belphanior
| 33 H 3 | M = Mongo (rolled over by barrel)
| 1 222 | H = Halbarad
| ## _| 1 = tall black warrior
| 4 4 | 2 = three wereboars
|__________| 3 = hobgoblins w/swords (x=dead one)
4 = hobgoblins w/flaming oil flasks
##= firepit
(This is a 60' by 60' room with the southeast 10' by 20'
section cut out. There are several doors but they
are not shown above, for reasons of simplicity.)
Belphanior: (chops another hobgoblin, downing it) Hah! (turns around
to check out the rest of the battle) Uh-oh.
hobgoblin: (slices at Belphanior but misses) Curses!
Halbarad: (steps forth to meet the tall black warrior who is obviously
the leader in this room)
tall man: (slashes Halbarad, wounding him)
Halbarad: Ah! What manner of warrior needs no eyeholes in his helm?
(chops the man with his axe, nicking him)
tall man: (no response)
Peyote: (invisible, trying to get around behind the wereboars)
Alindyar: (enters the room) Who is to be the recipient of my spell?
wereboars: (headed for Alindyar, and the others coming through the
doorway, and the prone Mongo) Snarl! Growl! Slobber!
DM: (to Alindyar) They snarl, growl, and slobber at you.
Alindyar: Hmm. They are volunteering, then. (casts a huge web at
the oncoming lycanthropes, catching two firmly and the other loosely)
Peyote: (still invisible, but almost snagged by the web; decides to
go elsewhere)
hobgoblins to east: (one of them is also webbed) Get them mages!
(one slices the drow) Har har!
Alindyar: You...you swine. You shall pay for that.
Peldor: (leaps into the room, sword drawn) Who dares to face Peldor?
hobgoblin: (the third one to the east) I does! (stabs at the thief
but misses by a long shot) oops.
Mongo: (overrun by the huge barrel earlier, lying on the floor) Uhh...
Peldor: (chops his hobgoblin, wounding it badly) Those who face the
might of Peldor never live long enough to tell of it!
hobgoblin: (back to the south, hurls flaming oil at the main party
but misses. This could be because he might have hit his leader if
he aimed badly.)
Ged: (steps into the room, noting a puddle of flaming oil nearby)
What chaos! What glory! Boccob would be pleased if I demonstrated
his power here! (launches magic missiles at the webbed opponents)
wereboars: Agh! Snarl! (they try but fail to break free of the
webbing)
Peldor: Well, THAT was real useful, mage. Thanks a whole lot.
Ged: Quiet, fool. (thinking about which spell to use next)
hobgoblin: (also back to the south, prepares to hurl flaming oil at
someone; suddenly, his head splits in half messily) ...
Peyote: (becomes visible) Gross. (grabs the lit oil, which didn't
shatter when the hobgoblin dropped, and runs for the webbed were-
boars and hobgoblin)
Halbarad: (attacks the tall leader with his dagger, but misses)
Leader: (slashes at the ranger again, hitting)
Halbarad: Agh! (now seriously wounded)
Rob: (casts spiritual hammer, and bashes the hobgoblin Peldor had
wounded, slaying it) Take that, evil slaver!
Peldor: Thanks a lot, priest.
Rob: No problem. (stumbles over Mongo's armored body) Oof.
Peyote: (hurls the flaming oil at the webbed ones; it shatters
and they burst into flame) Sorry, dudes.
two wereboars: AAAAAAARRGH!!! (aflame)
third wereboar: (partially webbed, bursts free and runs around while
on fire, screaming) YEAAAAARGH!!
Mongo: UHH...(sits up groggily) Wuzzat? Huh?!? Battle! (looks
around, then bashes the hobgoblin who attacked Alindyar, felling
it; then he finds his potion of speed, and slurps it down with
great haste) Yum! (catches hammer)
flaming wereboar: (runs into a wall) OOF! YEAAAAARGH!!
Peyote: (slips ring off and on again, going invisible, and wanders
away)
flaming hobgoblin: (dies quickly)
other flaming wereboars: (break free and run for Peldor and those
near him)
Peldor: (slashes a burning wereboar) Too much heat! Get away!
Ged: (casts resist fire on himself and finds his morningstar)
I'll help you, fool!
Peldor: Oh thank you. What would I ever have done without YOU to
back me up in combat? (dodges a flaming claw)
Belphanior: (slashes the last of his hobgoblins, killing it) Heh.
Now for something more exciting. (heads for the flaming opponents)
Peyote: (slashes the other hobgoblin with oil, slaying it and turning
visible) Who's that helmeted dude, Halbarad?
Halbarad: I don't know, but he's a damn good swordsman! (gets hit
again) Ugh! (to DM) I retreat a bit.
Peyote: I'll help you out. (moves closer)
Leader: (swings at the half-elf, wounding him)
Peyote: Damn!
flaming wereboar: (slams Peldor, smashing and burning him) AAAARGH!
Peldor: (swatted aside) Uhh...
Mongo: Enough! (hurls his hammer, having been hasted heartily by the
potion)
flaming wereboar#1: (hit by the hammer) YEAAARGH!!
Mongo: (catches hammer, hurls it again)
F.W.#1: (hit, dies) YEaar... <THUMP>
Mongo: (catches hammer, hurls it at another foe)
F.W.#2: (hit) BLEAAARGH!!
Mongo: (catches hammer, which is now slightly aflame, hurls it again)
F.W.#2: (hit again! Its flaming head is caved in by the flaming hammer
and it dies) ...<THUMP>
Mongo: (catches hammer) Hahahahahah! Triumph! (dances in glee)
Ged: (bashes the other flaming wereboar) For Boccob!
F.W.#3: (hit) AAAGH! (claws Ged)
Ged: (takes claw damage but not fire damage, due to his spell) Hah!
Rob: (bashes the burning monster with his hammer, finishing it)
Halbarad: (hits leader with dagger, misses with axe) Damn!
Leader: (dodging well, starts to back away)
Peyote: Whew!
Alindyar: (not sure which spell to cast) Hmm.
Belphanior: (heads for the leader and Halbarad and Peyote) Damn.
No more fiery, screaming enemies to slay.
Leader: (retreats into firepit, hides behind cooking lizard)
Halbarad: What in the hell's he doing?
Peyote: Beats me.
Leader: (now with good cover, hurls some flaming grease at them)
Halbarad: Wha...?! (almost hit)
Peyote: Guess that answers your question. (they both back up)
Belphanior: (trotting up) He must be immune to fire, somehow.
Halbarad: Obviously. Any bright ideas?
Belphanior: Sure. Mongo!
Mongo: (nearby) What?!?!?
Peyote: We need that hammer of yours.
Mongo: What do I look like, a cannon? Geez!
After that, it didn't take long for the hasted dwarf to decimate
the leader, who stayed in the firepit and hurled handfuls of burning
grease at the party. The room was aflame in several places (and
perhaps the ceiling as well, for someone remembered that there was
still a fireball burning up above somewhere), so they quickly started
checking the five doors at its periphery, after the priests healed
Halbarad and Mongo. Ged noticed a strange letter on a table and
appropriated it.
The northeast door led to a room that was obviously the quarters
of the wereboars, based on the boar inside and the smell...the animal
attacked but was slain quickly, thanks to the still-speedy Mongo and
his wonderful hammer. The northwest room had a half-orc or orc with
a chef's hat and a knife; he got dusted immediately when he tried to
stab Belphanior. The next door was to the southwest and led to the
apparent quarters of somebody important.
Halbarad: Maybe 'twas that leader-type we fought.
Peldor: Nice room he's got here.
Mongo: Let's search it and get the hell out of here. I want to do
more fighting while I've still got this potion in my system.
Belphanior: Well, there's a bed, a table, some wine, a wooden chest...
Peldor: (goes for the chest)
Alindyar: (examining an odd chessboard)
Rob: (listening at a closet door) I hear something...
Halbarad: What?
Rob: Hissing.
Peyote: Snakes?
Belphanior: Maybe. (starts picking the sizable lock)
voice: (from behind door) Icar, you snakes-belly! Release me!
Halbarad: A prisoner?
Alindyar: A naga?
Rob: A talking snake?
Peldor: There's just clothes in this chest! Damn!
Belphanior: Well, so much for the lock. Someone get ready with a
heavy weapon or spell.
Mongo: Check.
Ged: (backs up a bit, curious)
Alindyar: (loses interest, checks the bed area)
Peldor: (also checking the other parts of the room, in hopes of
finding something useful)
Rob: (drinks some wine from a bottle on the table) Mmm.
Belphanior: (opens the door and gets out of the way)
Halbarad: Who goes there?
voice: (coming closer) aaaAAAAA!
Mongo: Fuck this. (hurls hammer, meeting the onrushing source of
the voice - a woman with snakes on her head - and knocking her
back a good bit)
Belphanior: Oh shit! Medusa! (saves, successfully)
Mongo: Huh? (saves, barely)
DM: Since Mongo and Belphanior were right there, and the medusa
was only out for an instant, only you two had to save.
Halbarad: Good.
Mongo: (catches his hammer) Whew.
Peyote: Seems fair.
Belphanior: (slams the door) Fuck! What now?
medusa: (beating on door, screaming)
Halbarad: Uh...(moves to one side of door and draws back his axe,
motioning to Belphanior to open the door again) (to DM) I don't
look at her, I just chop her good.
Mongo: (prepares hammer) (to DM) Me neither. As soon as that
door opens, I hurl!
Peyote: (averts his eyes) Watch out, everybody!
Ged: (turns away)
Rob: Huh?
Peyote: (grabs Rob and propels him out of harm's way)
Belphanior: (opens the door)
Medusa: (runs partially out, dragging a chain from her neck)
Halbarad: (chops her legs)
Mongo: (tosses hammer at her)
medusa: Ugh. (dies)
Ged: So much for that. What brave warriors you all are.
Peyote: (grabs a blanket and covers the body)
Belphanior: I want the head! I want the head!
DM: Err...It's crushed beyond hope by Mongo's hammer.
Belphanior: Oh. How big is the closet?
DM: About ten feet by ten feet.
Ged: Treasure chest. (pointing at one inside the medusa's room)
Peldor: Huh? (wanders into the closet and picks the lock)
Belphanior: What's inside? Gold! Gems! Bracelets! Oh my!
Peldor: Here's a scroll, and a coffer too. Oh wait, it's locked.
(goes to work on the coffer)
Belphanior: (reading scroll) I can't make diddly-squat out of this.
Ged: Give me that! (swipes it) Eh?
Alindyar: Let me see. Hmm. Strange script indeed. Raised dots.
Peldor: Got it! Now what's inside?
Halbarad: (to Peldor) I'm watching you.
Peldor: Of course. Watching the master at work.
Peyote: What'd we get?
Peldor: Hmm. Two potions, a scroll, a ring, and a token.
Mongo: Here, let me take those off your hands. (puts the loot into
his sack)
Alindyar: All of this furniture is bolted securely to the floor, but
for the bed, and I have found a trapdoor under that.
Halbarad: Good work.
Ged: Let's go, then. Down into some slavers' dungeon, no doubt.
Mongo: (realizes that his potion is wearing off) Damn!
DM: The roof caves in, and you see that it's on fire. All of it.
Peyote: Let's coast.
The party opened the trapdoor and descended about forty feet into an
L-shaped corridor, about sixty feet total length. Belphanior went in
first...
Belphanior: I'll climb down first.
DM: As you grab the rungs, you notice that the top two are sharp, and
they cut your hands.
Belphanior: Okay. Watch out guys. (continues climbing)
They all reached the bottom, and shortly thereafter Belphanior fell
asleep from the poison on the rungs...
The party decided that this would be a good time to camp. They
found a secret door to the northwest, but left it for now and set up
camp. The magi studied their spell books, the priests healed all
remaining wounds and prayed, and the warriors rested. Also Peldor
went back up (carefully) and ensured that the hatch would not open
easily from above (he also re-poisoned the rungs with some _real_
poison from Belphanior's jar...)
next time: Slaver dungeons
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NOTES: Mongo sure did have a time with that potion of speed. Not only
did he hit all four times, but one of his rolls was a 20 if my memory
serves me right. Otherwise, they entered that room in trouble, but in
the space of a minute, they had the situation well in hand. They had
a lot of good dice rolls too.
Everybody has been asking about the great ring that Ged used last
time. It is a ring of shooting stars. Truth to tell, I F@$#&% up. I
let the meteor swarm power work underground, when it wasn't supposed
to...since this actually happened, I decided to let it go in the
writing too. At the time, all those 1 and 2 HD types were charging
for the party and no one really wanted such a boring battle anyway. I
never let the ring do that underground again.
So far, A1 has taken 4 postings, and A2 has taken 5 (it may be done
at #25, maybe not). At this rate, the Slaver series will have used
more postings than the previous adventures. Not to worry, there are
many more adventures after the Slavers...MANY more.
I'm hunting for an ftp site...maybe tybalt...
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