Discoveries

August 20, 2020

The group leaves the camp of the Sisters, heading toward Westhold for a bit before heading west.  As they are traveling, the group talks about what happens and Dio says that he can't attack them for doing what they do with no other proof.  It's not that the group doesn't understand that but they worry what they are doing.  

"Moradin will provide," responds Dio.  

"Maybe, but Kossuth's flames cleanse now," declares Kaji.  

They keep traveling and come across some tracks that they eventually realize to be ogres.  They discuss options but when the tracks turn out to be heading toward Westhold, they follow them.  They find the ogres and take them out, getting some gold and satisfaction at taking out the evil creatures.  

The group keeps heading toward the first orc camp.  There was talk about going to the goblin camp and bypassing this but curiosity about what the Sisters did when they were there brings them back to the camp.  They find it deserted.  A few tents are still there but in shambles.  The rest are gone.  There is a lot of debris in the camp and around.  They go into the cave and the top level looks the same.  

The second level is not the same.  They know this when the traps that had been setup are gone.  When the zombie Ogres attacked, that also helped realize a difference.  They are still attacking them, and they have some ability to shift through shadows, when they hear the marching of skeletons.  Out of the darkness from the northern passage, more and more skeletons keep walking toward them.  Armed with short swords, the skeletons attack.  Most are taken down easily and then the skeletal champion appears and attacks!  He blasts the group with a cone of cold, dropping Dio and hurting the rest.  Rickard is able to heal them all and keep them going and they take out this skeleton.  They rest enough to catch their breath and keep going.  The way down they tried to hide is uncovered and they keep going.  

They go down to the teleport circle area and the door and find it locked.  And trapped!  They manage to avoid most damage and then fatigue hits them.  They don't have a way to unlock the door.  Rickard can with rest, so they decide to go rest in their overwatch area.  Nothing happens in the night.  The next morning, they find themselves again in front of the door.  Rickard casts a spell and the door opens.  

The blood is still on the ground but no bodies.  They go forward and find another locked door and Rickard is able to open that with the spell.  They find the hallways with trails of blood still.  When they finally get to the door where the ghosts were, there are no ghosts.  They then decide to leave.  

Nearly.  It's discussed but they keep going forward.  

The hallway leads to a room with weird lights.  As the light hits them, spells are suppressed, magic is gone.  It's concerning but they keep going and find in the room a portcullis showing jail cells.  There is a lever and pulling it opens the portcullis.  The jail cells have a portcullis with glass between the bars.  The first occupant talks and they all think noble.  Strong aquiline features and a haughty bearing but he does introduce himself as Tiberius and asks for their own introductions.  Tiberius than talks about his crimes, trying to rule as a tyrant.  Galerius, another prisoner derides him for it and they snipe at each other.  Tiberius does tell them another group came through, describes the Sisters, and that they left after an hour or so.  He couldn't tell if they had something but assumed it.  There are other prisoners as they keep walking through the jail but none speak to the group.  

At the opposite end, there is no lever on this side to open the door.  Some searching by Gorstag revels it's there as it was in the other area but he can't reach it.  Rolen tries to reach it but while he can reach the lever, doesn't have the strength or leverage on it needed to pull it.  Dio and Gorstag work together and lift up the portcullis.  It squeals and squeeks in protest but they manage to lift it up a foot and a half.   Rolen puts Dio's shield under the door, hoping that it will stop the portcullis from dropping all the way back down.  Rolen tries to slip under but slams into Dio's shins and Dio falters.  The portcullis comes down to crush Rolen!  He scrambles to get out of the way and were it not for Dio's shield crumpling and causing the portcullis to pause, the portcullis would have crushed his legs.  

He gets up and pulls the lever easily from this side.  Dio is as crushed as his shield.  He's only able to stare at it.  The room has more lights that suppress magic and Dio can't heal, so they keep going.  This room has a bunch of what look like cells but no furniture.  They find a hallway with stairs heading up and follow it.  It opens up into a room with tables and chairs, several doors, and some lights that are more yellow in color.  They felt magic slowly return as they headed up the stairs.  Rolen is trying to figure out what type of wood it is as it's not something he's seen before.  

2100 xp

GM Notes

• I really liked the ogre fight as it did show how much better they are and how much more than can handle.  
• It does show that a lot can be bad, as they probably should be, but small groups can be handled. 
• We were on old d20Pro, 3.7.8, and had tech problems. 
• Had to restart twice
• Only by giving it less memory did it work better.  Ish.
• We are going to try 3.9 next time and I need to get the campaign copied over and checked.   
• The undead ogres and skeletons were a good fight.  The skeletal warrior was a bit of a shock.  Well, more chilling.   

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