The Temple Beckons
Once Again...
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Rumors spread around Greyhawk that tremors of evil still reverberate within the halls of the once dreaded Temple of Elemental Evil. Of course most people hear the rumors, they read the history, and they treat the rumors as just that: rumors. There are some, usually up and coming adventurers, not yet heroes, who hear the stories and the following whispers, and decide that the Temple holds for them the induction into legend. One can do no better than to ride into fame on the coattails of infamy. It is with this in mind that these wanderers have traveled west to the town of Homlet to delve into the evil that may yet remain.
The Campaign
eroes begin gathering in the Town of Homlet. Most of Hommlet's residents balk at the rumors. While the tales are just now spreading to the farther reaches of Greyhawk, in Homlet they have been murmured for the past twenty years, ever since the Temple's final devastation. Many locals stare in confusion as these "New Brave Adventurers" arrive in their town and begin to ask questions that have been unasked for two decades. Foremost in this new line of inquiry is a band of young travelers seemingly made up of strangers.
- Roland Steelwill, a stout dwarf, is direct to approach some of the heroes of the past that never left their home, even when the night was darkest.
- Tarsheva Longreach, as attractive as she is deadly, seeks adventure more than answers.
- Milo Taproot, boisterous Halfling, rides high on his wardog into town with his traveling companion...
- Sheeva, the hooded mystic. Little is known about these two.
- Andern, with his brown bear companion, arrives from the fields with a swift sword and a fiery outlook.
- Jorge Velasquez, a representative of St. Cuthbert, appears only to want to assure that the Evil in the depths of the temple is truly defeated.
- "Tex" Arcane, his face tells a story no man may know, seeks to further his arcane knowledge in the remains.
- Corbus, with his arrows that fly straighter than the crow, only travels for glory, and seeks it in a new era of an ancient evil.
In their attempts to find out what remains below the moathouse, talking to the local residents of Homlet, they hear an alarm of fire. The local mill has burst into flames. After aiding the miller to save his livelihood they start to get an odd feeling off him when he refuses to answer many of their questions. Night falls and they go back to investigate the abandoned mill (short one dwarf), finding below a secret room. From the room they are attacked by a Half Orc and a Female Mage. Collectively they kill the mage, defeat the half orc, and take the bodies to the local militia. Clues in the mill point to trouble from the moathouse.
- Enter Mathis, necromancer humanitus, searching for the power of the dead to aide the living.
On the road to the moathouse, Andern's animal companion tangles with an Ankheg and makes a meal of it. At the drawbridge a Giant Frog eyes Milo for a snack, but Andern's animal companion makes a meal of it. Once in the moathouse, they are confronted with tension and trepidation. Rightly earned as a young blue dragon screams out of his haven and attacks the party. The battle is fierce, all the adventurers making their marks on the dragon. Battered and outnumbered, the dragon maneuvers and lets leash a blast of electricity. All but three are blown to the ground. Unfortunately "Tex" and Mathis are fried beyond unconsciousness. The survivors flee the Moathouse, Corbus trying to lead the dragon away. A fierce shot to the neck of the dragon enrages him to follow. While the others tend to the wounded at the moathouse, Corbus and Sheeva lead the dragon away with a flurry of arrows and fists. The dragon realizes the ploy and circles back to the Moathouse, but not until everyone has escaped, alive and dead alike. Not willing to accept defeat, the newly healed warriors return to pick a final fight and, with little effort this time around, slay the dragon.
ur surviving heroes, Andern, Corbus, and Jorge Velasquez, collect the remains of their dead and return to Homlet before something else goes wrong. Unfortunately they are only able to return with "Tex" while all that was left of Mathis was his shoes. On their way to the Church of St. Cuthbert they pass the Inn of the Welcome Wench and decide their forces are a little thin. Stopping inside they see Tarsheva again, talking to a halfling whom she thinks is Milo, but no one else seems to recognize him. After some chatter in the tavern they recruit three new members to the party.
- Gorm Tellinen, 3 foot powder-keg, ready to blow at any moment, but silent and deadly when necessary.
- Aurora Lionstorm, follower of Pelor ready to right the wrongs of the clerics of evil, and half sister to...
- Torog Skullbasher, raging Half-Human of fury and blades (and cousin to Mantu Orcpiercer).
The seven take the remains of "Tex" to the Church of St. Cuthbert and negotiate for his return (Jorge promises 12 converts as part of the payment). "Look Out! He's got a Breath Weapon!" screams "Tex" from the back room as he returns to the living. Payments made, life restored, scrolls scribed, potions filled, the party is ready to head back out to the moathouse.
At the moathouse, a week after the death of the dragon, the body is gone. Investigating the ground floor, the group routs some Gnoll Guards and run into a very irate Grey Ooze, leaving both Gorm and Torog lacking for armor. All they find are the bodies of a cleric and a thief. A secret set of stairs gives them the drop on yet another group of Gnolls and their leader, a human cleric, wearing robes identical to those of the body upstairs. The Gnolls play a decent distraction while the cleric flees into another room. Skeletons flowing from the room in dozens block their entry but with some work they defeat the Skeletons and eventually the cleric as well. They find a number of objects on a blanket that they assume to be part of a ritual of some sort. Included in the pile are a bead of force, an iron torch with three ashen cones, a black scepter, and a scroll case. Pocketing them all, they explore on to find yet more Gnolls (the count is now up to 16). While battling the Gnolls they are attacked by Ghasts. Aside from the vomiting and paralysis, they do indeed defeat the Gnolls and Ghasts. Worn, beaten, and hearing groans of the undead from the next room, they return to town.
Another few days of rest (for scroll scribing), the party heads out again. Picking up where they left off, they discover the groaning was some mindless Ghouls, wandering aimlessly in the dungeons. An easy dispatch. Unfortunately, upon their return to the moathouse, Gorm was unable to return with them and they are now thief-less. After defeating the ghouls, they realize they are now out of options. There are no more doors to be found so they start searching rabidly for any secrets but without a thief this turns out to be difficult. Eventually, Torog stumbles across a secret passage right next to the secret stairs they started from. Down the hall, Andern notices a spiked strip in the ceiling and after much deliberation, Tarsheva trips the trap by running blindly beneath it. A portcullis drops behind her separating her from the group. While she scouts ahead a little, hearing some gruff mumbling, Torog, with a little help, raises the portcullis. Reunited, the group charges into the next room, confronted by nine Gnolls, two of which seem to be larger and more in command over the others. A bloody battle ensues with all Gnolls dead and only the Paladin, Jorge, crashing to the ground unconscious. They now stand poised to search deeper into the ruins of the moathouse and rout what evil may be hiding within.
ith the end of another day deep in the catacombs below the moathouse, the party decides to head home for another evening, loot in tow. The next two days are spent in rest as half the group travels to Verbobonc to sell off some more expensive equipment and the rest try to round out the party again as some heroes will not be returning right away. Waiting only for an opportunely to prove himself, they recruit...
- Etrigan, rogue of various skills and talents and the drive to survive.
Returning to the moathouse the party, now consisting of Torog, Aurora, "Tex," Jorge, Tarsheva, Gorm and Etrigan, picks up where they left off, heading down a long narrow hallway. Gorm heads up the party sneaking and searching while Etrigan brings up the rear watching for an attack from behind. As Gorm comes to the end of a hallway he is stricken sick by a stench that is altogether overwhelming and three Ghasts that were lying in wait attack the party. No one is seriously injured in the battle, which is good since while they investigate the strange hole in the floor they are jumped from behind by a Cleric and a Troglodyte. The Troglodyte puts up a valiant fight but is quickly surrounded and overcome from all sides while the Cleric tries to clear him an opening to escape. Once the Troglodyte is taken care of the Cleric, and two other acolytes are taken down with very little effort. Giving a parting thought to the mysterious hole, the party passes and decides to complete it's investigations of the last, unexplored hallway. Within the crypt at the end of the hall, they find a hoard of Ghouls that pose to be quite a challenge as both Jorge the Paladin and Torog Skullbasher, the two biggest hitters, are paralyzed. However victorious, the party returns once again to Homlet to restock and resupply.
After another two days of preparation, the party heads back into the depths of evil, with a slightly different party. Torog, Aurora, Etrigan, and "Tex" reunite with Andern who has found a new companion, a nameless rogue, and head off to solve the mysteries of the moathouse. Torog and Aurora consult on the return and realize that there was a wall they could not pass before that Andern's stoneshaping skills should be able to pass. Once past the wall, they find that it is a back entrance into the dungeon below the moathouse, exiting about a quarter mile to the east. Not only that, but it is also the haven of a nest of Cockatrices. Again, the monsters put up a sad fight, though they succeed at turning the nameless rogue to stone on their way down. Within a back room of this passage, Aurora and Corbus, who has recently caught up with the group again, notice the body of what is most likely Lareth the Beautiful, last commander of this now disposed outpost. Legend has it that he was slain by a group of adventurers who destroyed the moathouse and The Temple twenty years ago. Aurora notices however, that this body died of disease, not combat and thus Lareth may still be alive somewhere.
Corbus did not arrive alone in his tardiness. With him he brought a new young adventurer,
- Oog Ley, Half-Orc barbarian whose rage is more frightening and more frequent than even Torog.
From the wall and the back exit, they move on to the crypt and the final passage away from it, a rough carved winding tunnel. In the center of a maddening maze they discover a statue and an altar. After much searching and experimentation they manage to find four objects within the statue: a bead of force, a set of silver chimes, a small drum and an incense brazier. Andern, wise in his foolishness tries to warp the altar to destroy it's evil, which results in its transmutation into a more translucent stone and his paralysis. They notice within the center of the altar is a black mass. Desperate and confused, they first try to view the statue and the altar with what they now know is the Torch of Revealing, which unfortunately reveals nothing. They then try to put the new items to use, playing the drum, ringing the chimes, and burning the incense(no one thinks it wise to use the bead of force in this experiment). Upon the activation of the three items, the black mass extends upward and reveals a golden eye above the altar. All who view it feel cursed in some way, many are sapped of their strength, some are paralyzed, and still few become amazingly sickly. Under current conditions, they find it advisable to take anther day or two off.
Another long walk leads them once again through the fields to the moathouse. All of them hoping for the final time. All that is left for them there is the hole. "Tex" had found a journal entry of one of the Clerics at an earlier point and refers back to it and it's reference to a dark obelisk. He knows that the obelisk must be in the hole. At the hole they find an elevator made up of some rope, pulleys and a wooden platform. Inspecting the set up they're not sure if it will hold all of their weight. Torog, a mere 400+ pounds of meat and equipment, drinks a levitation potion to guarantee that the system will hold them up. As they reach the cavern floor "Tex" notices that the floor is a different color than the walls and is significantly smaller than the cavern itself. Aurora exclaims that "the floor is the obelisk!" Landing on the top of the obelisk the party notices a second elevator and heads directly for it. Not only is it cold down here, cold enough to suffer from hypothermia, but purple veins in the stone of the obelisk is drawn to their feet and starts draining their strength. A race to the second elevator allows them to breathe a very short sigh of relief as Torog, levitating harmlessly above the stone, notices a giant brain like creature floating above the second elevator.
It turns out that the creature, the Grell, is only out for food. As it paralyzes and grabs Etrigan it recedes back into the highest heights of the cavern as the elevator goes down at Andern's hands. Arrows fell the Grell and the party as a whole realizes that Etrigan, if not already dead, will be killed by the 150+ foot fall to the cavern floor. Torog puts forth a great effort to save him but he is would too tightly in the Grell's tentacles. Once at the ground they are still drained of strength and suffering near frostbite. Grabbing what remains of Etrigan they hurry back out of the cavern and return to town. Again.
Cold weather gear in hand, levitation potions and a greater strength drives them with determination back into the cavern (this was a really long session). Etrigan, still recovering does not return with them. Bothered less by the cold, and taking a makeshift rope bridge from the first elevator to the second they are much better off as the reach the floor of the cavern again. They are able to notice the two large carvings in the floor, an artistic archway to nowhere, a pool of water and another Cleric. Surprisingly, they do not immediately attack. He cowers in the corner babbling madness. He tells them that one of the carvings on the floor will give them knowledge of the dark lord, while the other will strip it away again. Corbus, willing to take the risk, steps upon the indicated carving and shouts the name of the dark lord. He falls unconscious and slowly slides toward death. Aurora heals him immediately and he sits up with no new knowledge, feeling like the answers were there, he just didn't have time to find them. After a debate he again stands on the carving and shouts the name of the dark lord. Falling unconscious and slipping toward death Aurora waits the agreed thirty seconds before healing him. In that time the dark lord comes to him and asks him "Do you seek to save me from my prison?" Before he can truly answer, he is awakened once again by Aurora's healing power. Another debate ensues and "Tex" volunteers to be the next test subject. They are not to heal him until the ultimate last second, 55 seconds into death they are to wake him and bring him back. "Tex" stands on the carving and shouts the name of the dark lord. He is approached and asked the same question, but refuses to answer and asks a question of his own. The dark lord repeats his question and again "Tex" repeats his. A third time passes and the dark lord informs him that "Tex" is now serving him "whether you like it or not" and heals him to full just as Andern is stabilizing him on the other side.
As "Tex" and Corbus relay their experiences, Torog decides to find out what the archway does and accidentally summons another Grell. This one, without height and surprise, loses any advantage it had and dies helplessly. Also in the room, of course, is the bottom of the obelisk which seems to be between 150 and 200 feet tall. Here it stands balanced on a narrow stone pillar thirty feet tall. In turn the party climbs the rungs built into the pillar to the point where the obelisk balances. Andern notices that the point is out of focus, some how obscured from vision. "Tex" pulls out the Torch of Revealing again and heads up to the junction. The union becomes more clear and each in turn stares into the swirling purple balance point. Oog Ley is drawn to it so much so that she reaches out and touches the point and disappears. Only the torch falls to the ground. Corbus climbs up to save her and ends up disappearing as well. As Andern goes to follow he can hear Oog Ley calling from above, far above saying that it's a way out. Andern follows and soon after "Tex." Torog chooses to follow them because it's faster than the elevator. Aurora, the only one with a purely good heart, takes the slow way out.
Each person who took the quick way to the top was drawn, in turn, within the majestic obelisk and offered a piece of black fruit. Everyone who ate of it was given strength, health or knowledge, whichever the dark lord felt they needed and was teleported to the original room at the top of the cavern. As Aurora finally rejoins them, they all show her the fruit except Oog Ley who makes a fine paste out of it, having already taken her bite from it. As they are about to leave, Andern, Corbus and Oog Ley remember the pool of water and, to avoid ever having to come back to this forsaken place, return to the bottom of the cavern as the rest find a place to get warm and wait. The trio finds nothing of interest in the pool and head out, satisfied that there are no more mysteries within the walls or catacombs of the moathouse. Any answers they may need from here must lie within The Temple itself.
eturning to the simple town of Hommlet, our brave adventurers - "Tex" Arcane, Corbus, Aurora, Torog, Andern, and Oog - walk into the Inn of the Welcome Wench looking for more "cannon fodd..." er, adventurers. Still wearing their winter gear in late Wealsun they draw more than a little attention, especially from a pair of adventurers recently arrived in Hommlet:
- Seryth, Elven cleric of the holiest of orders, force of good; and his companion
- Boris, strong armed and strong willed independent.
Having completed their last trip to the moathouse with very little conflict in the end, they move on to the next logical step in their adventure with little additional preparation. In fact, they leave for the haunted village of Nulb almost immediately.
The trek to Nulb is long and dangerous, but the Temple itself resides right outside of the village. Nulb is a logical stop since it may make at least a better campground than the wilderness around a hub of ancient evil. Given the choice between a two day road trip or a day and a half by trail, they chose the shorter route. A risky choice results in an attack by Ankhegs early out, but they prove very little challenge (though this time the bear didn't quite do all the work). In the middle of the night, while they are camped out, they are awoken by a rain of javelins. Hobgoblin raiders attack the sleeping party, but within minutes the enemy is routed, killed, and the party is asleep again.
Nulb, upon entering, is a dismal place. They all feel a looming aura of pain and suffering over the town itself. More nature oriented souls notice the ever-present lack of sunshine as the entire town and surrounding area is covered in an ominous gloom. The group decides it best to explore the town before heading on to the Temple in case there are clues to be found. This too turns out to be a risky venture as they enter an abandoned tavern and inn. The troupe spreads out to search the downstairs and Torog grumbles off looking for left over liquor. From seemingly out of nowhere a longsword is driven through Torog's back as a spectral being of some sort appears behind him. A quick but fruitless scuffle ensues with Corbus slamming a couple of arrows into the wall directly behind the spirit and many other surprisingly effectiveless attacks. Torog, raging, is even more enraged when the spirit vanishes again. He besets to destroying anything that wasn't already destroyed in this tavern hall. As the rest of the party tries their best to avoid Torog, "Tex" shouts out as he is run through in a like manner and falls to the ground limp. Torog redirects his anger and attacks the spirit again, doing at least a little damage. Andern joins him and the two of them drive the spirit to another, more wretched place. With a moment to rest, they examine "Tex" and, yes, he is again slain. The attack was so brutal and well placed he looks as if he was killed instantly.
Intent on accomplishing at least a little of something, they hold off on returning to Hommlet until they have at least searched the rest of the inn. Upstairs they find a number of empty rooms and one locked room. Torog opens the door and within they are confronted with various items flying wildly around the room. Oog notices a figure in the corner and steps in to talk to it, and is immediately struck by a flying chair. Realizing it is a spirit, Aurora calls out to Pelor and commands the figure to flee from her. The spirit cowers even more in the corner of the room and the rest of the party proceed to annihilate her. Upon her death all the objects flying around the room fall to the floor. After searching they find a pair of earrings and a potion, but they don't have "Tex" to identify it for them.
Taking the longer, safer road, they return to Hommlet again to get "Tex" raised again. Just as he is returning to life, "Tex" hears a familiar voice deem in his mind say "That's One..." Talking to the clerics after a couple of days around town, they confide in him that he came back much easier than they had expected and that Serra had felt a kind of static shock upon his resurrection. Before he has a chance to speak with Serra, he is whisked away back to Nulb to continue the adventure. To be on the safe side they decide to take the longer route which proves to be much wiser until they camp right across the river from Nulb. Just before dawn, during the last watch, a couple of Skrags (water Trolls) climb up out of the river in search of treasure and food. A fight brings down the two skrags and Oog. Fortunately Oog is only unconscious and before breaking camp, everyone is fully healed and restored.
Determined to bypass the town and head straight on to the Temple, they walk quickly through town, taking a wide turn away from the tavern and inn. Unfortunately, in passing one of the buildings, Andern notices recent footprints around one of the doors. Heading in to investigate they discover a lone figure who appears to be weeping (but at least doesn't appear to be a ghost) in a back room of an old herbists shop. While they try to question him and search his room he firsts casts a number of protective and non-offensive spells. As they persist, he starts casting spells that, at the very least, drive Corbus away. Finally as the party continues to bother him he turns violent and the group is forced to kill him. Unfortunately they are also forced to knock Oog out to save her and themselves.
Once again, bound and determined to simply move on to the Temple of Elemental Evil and get the hell out of Nulb, the party sets forth. Someone, however, notices that a boat in the harbor is close enough to be boarded and may merit investigation. Becoming wise of the nature of this town, they send Torog and Oog in front, backed up with two clerics. When they spot a couple of wraiths, it's very little work for Aurora and Seryth to turn them away. It is only then that the Ochre Jelly attacks. After Torog and Oog splorch it a couple of times they realize they are only making the situation worse by forcing it to divide. "Tex," the ever reluctant hero, steps up and teaches the jelly a lesson. Unfortunately, they decide that it would be best to head back to Hommlet - and further Verbobonc - one final time before tackling the Temple of Elemental Evil, the goal of their ill fated adventure.
he Temple lay before them at the end of a desolate road after a long return journey from Verbobonc, via Hommlet. They assess the situation, a gaping maw of a gate before them or a quickly deteriorating guard tower at the farthest corner of a relatively unsurpassable wall. Deciding to take things one at a time, the circle the outer wall and head for the tower. A familiar party of "Tex," Aurora, Torog, and Andern are accompanied by Boris, Tarsheva, Corbus, and Oog as they begin a new day of adventure (not to say that the latter four players are any less dedicated, they just aren't as frequently obsessive).
A barren tower stands before the party and they decide to split up and take the tower from two directions. Noticing the roof has collapsed, Andern and "Tex" decide to climb the tower and come in from the top while the rest of the party settles to take a round about trek to a lower section of wall and rush the door. As the larger force heads off away from the tower, Andern takes a minute to peek through an arrow slit. Inside he spies some large humanoid shapes huddled in the shadows. Eventually they all get up and head into a back room in the tower. When the larger force finally breaches the wall, they smell an odor not unlike wet dog, and hear barking. The longer they take to get over the wall, the more the barking seems to rise. Finally, all of them within the outer wall, they charge the tower in an effort to surprise the inhabitants in spite of the dogs barking.
From atop the tower, Andern and "Tex" can see the first couple party members, Torog and Tarsheva, come around a corner, racing toward the door. Both tuck to smash through the worn looking door, and both are caught off guard as they bounce off leaving a rather large crack in the still standing door. "Tex," keeping an eye on the happenings inside the tower from the open air staircase above, notices movement and spider climbs into the tower and begins to dispatch goblins - small, frail and sickly looking goblins. The goblins, who were at first approaching the door to peek out the windows on either side, quickly run toward the stairs making "Tex's" job even easier and getting into view of Andern's crossbow.
Outside, Torog and Tarsheva pull themselves up and consider shouldering the door again, but Torog shakes his head and decides that smashing it with his axe will be much more effective. As the door splinters, an all-out, one-sided battle ensues as the party rips a family of Hobgoblins and Goblins to shreds. As the last Hobgoblin cowers in the corner in fear, "Tex" realizes that maybe they weren't as much of a threat as he originally suspected. He breaks off the combat and talks to the last hobgoblin. The monster informs them that he and his family were living in the tower for shelter and were constantly in fear of the beings in the temple. They meant no one any harm and only wanted to live in the tower. "Tex" and Aurora take pity on him and apologize for their vicious attack. "Tex" helps him to put a long table in place of the door and they leave him in peace.
The party circles back around the temple to the front and prepare for an attack on the temple itself. No more avoiding the main course. As they pass through the gates of the outer wall, a group of much hardier looking hobgoblins attacks with ranged weapons from on top of and behind the walls. A well placed briar-web spell pretty much eliminates the lot of them. After the spell fades away Andern decides that his services will not be needed as much in the tainted nature of the temple and wanders off into the wilderness. The rest of the party enters the courtyard of the Temple of Elemental Evil to see what the big deal is all about.
As they approach the main entrance, the sounds of dogs approaching becomes evident again so they hurry through the main doors to be surprised by a band of hobgoblins guarding the entryway. As the heavy fighters are taking on the hobgoblins, a pack of dogs attacks the rest of the party on the stairs into the temple. There is a twinge of regret as they realize they are going to have to slaughter these dogs or get ripped apart by them. The fight is long, bloody, but won by the party.
Once inside the temple, they notice that beyond the main entrance, the temple seems mysteriously empty. Tex, taking to the ceiling and scouts ahead. Eventually, they come to the end of the temple, a grand staircase leading up thirty feet to an enormous alcove in which the Hobgoblin Warlord has withdrawn all his troops to deal with this threat to his raiders' hideout. Faced by insurmountable odds - two dire apes, forty hobgoblins, twenty more hobgoblin warriors, and a handful of goblins slaves - the group attacks with blind confidence. The day is won but at the cost of Oog who died valiantly in battle.
- Artin Strakeln, a dwarf as sturdy as one would expect a dwarf to be, and yet with a special glint in her eye;
- Parn, Grey-Elf rogue with the guts to run in faster than his endurance would normally suggest;
- Nevin Longstrike, the woodsman that is just at home indoors as out.
The last man turns out to be a sole survivor of a small village raided by the hobgoblins weeks earlier. He thanks them for the rescue and stays with them for safety. The more hearty individuals have been stripped of their equipment and ask if maybe anyone had seen it anywhere. There are still a few doors left to investigate so they all set off, a newer fuller group of hearty adventurers. After finding a large horde, the missing adventuring equipment, and a complete lack of other adventuring options, the party sets to leave the temple, having very little idea as to where to go next.
As the group leaves the temple, they are jumped by a band of would be attackers, but they are dealt with in ruthelessly efficient time. They take the leader alive as she is carrying a map with both The Temple of Elemental Evil on it as well as a second temple, The Temple of All Consumption.* After a trip to Verbobonc to exchange goods for cash (and more goods) they question their captive and learn that the Temple of All Comsumption is sending people to the Temple of Elemental Evil for investigation, but to what end she does not know. She tells them how to get to the Temple of All Consumption, or at least how to get to the nearest town.
The nearest town is barely that, it's generally a mud puddle with some buildings around it. They meet a HalfOrc on the edge of town and tells them that there are two paths out of town to the north, one that goes to the temple and another that goes to an Orc settlement. He informs them that while Torog may be welcomed in the Orc settlement, none of the others are advised to go within even sight of the Orcs. He also tells Torog that if he is really serious about going to the temple, they should go and see Tal Chammish, the local herbalist. Maybe Tal would have something that can kill them faster and less painfully than the temple.
Tal's shop is one of the nicer buildings in town, which isn't saying much. Tal seems surprised that anyone would suggest that people visit him for information on the temple, he knows very little about it other than that occasionally clerics come down from the temple and purchase herbs from him. He does confirm, without a doubt, the route to take to the mountain that houses the temple. They thank him for his time and head off.
As they approach the temple, er mountain, the realize how big of an effort they may be making. The end of the path leads to a towering mountain with a small opening in the side about a quarter of the way up the side. As they get closer to the entrance some notice a couple of arrow slits in the walls. They manage to sneak up quietly and assess the situation. Given the opportunity, Nevin leaps up to peak in an arrow slit to see that the guards are not paying attention. He lands hard and decides that they should move away from the entrance to discuss possible options.
When they next approach the entrance, they are not as lucky and arrows start flying out of the slits at them. They make a break for the entrance and, with some careful shielding, manage to get through the main doors to the new temple. Inside they are confronted by amassing hordes of human warriors and gnoll guards. A huge (and long winded) combat ensues with them making a little headway in to the temple only to be confronted by the sound of two large doors slamming open. The doors reveal an Ogre, a Howler and two (that's two) ballista! Scattering they all start fighting out of the reach of the ballista while "Tex" webs the entire area, rendering the ballista useless. Meanwhile, Torog and Aurora are up to their armpits in zombies, but that last only as long as it takes for Aurora to turn undead a couple of times.
Eventually the battle is whittled down to the party - battered, beaten and bruised - vs. the ogre and his howler. The alarm bell that had been ringing since the beginning but deafened by the silence spell has finally silenced of it own accord. They defeat the last two foes and consider going back to Rastor, the small mud puddle of a town they started out from. However, they then realize that the sheer size of this temple would only repopulate the entrance in the days that they were gone. They decide to close off some entrances, spike some doors and stay within the temple, taking a very quick rest to heal and renew spells.
*An aside, on their way off the temple grounds, before the long journey back to Verbobonc, "Tex" and Aurora manage to sneak a suit of armor and some weapons off to the sole surviving hobgoblin in the ruined guard tower.
nd when the bard did return to his tale of the ill fated group and their adventure into the depths of The Temple of Elemental Evil, he realized that the trip was to be filled with more combat than could choke even the stoutest of horses.
Awaking early they hear the sounds of scuffling feet outside the room. Someone or something was waiting for them outside the door so they get to the ready and open the door. Confronted with a pack of gnolls led by some other humanoid lurking in the shadows. After dispatching the gnolls with no challenge, they lay chase to the leader who ends up getting away in the darkness.
Ready to move on, they make a quick trip backwards to investigate any rooms they were not prepared to deal with the night before. In one room they find:
- Tage, a human warrior with a taste for blood after capture and abuse.
They gladly welcome Tage into their party to replace the bold but daring Parn, who valiantly gave his life to the better of the party. Regrouped and rested, the group - now consisting of Torg SkullBasher, "Tex" Arcane, Tarsheva Longreach, Artin Strakeln, Nevin Longstrike, Corbus, and of course, Aurora Lionstorm - head off into the unknown depths of the Temple of All Consumption.
They soon find that the unknown is plagued with troglodites of all manner, and as the stench fills the air beyond human capacity, they begin to weigh into the lizard-like forces with a hell bent ferocity. They begin to suspect a theme as they face troglodites with powers over the very earth itself, the least of which is displayed in the awesome power of a large earth elemental (which proves to be very little challenge to a Half Orc with a axe).
To sum up the day, the party faced a great settlement of troglodites, the last of which didn't know what hit her.* And as the party felt they were on a roll, they came to a room with stone spikes throughout making the room nearly intraverseable. At the far end of the room, Torog could make out a large, crouched winged beast. As he charged in, the manticore reared up and took off to fight. Upon cornering it in a niche in the cave, "Tex" finds that it is a bad idea to provoke a cornered manticore by throwing webs at it. The manticore retaliates by throwing tail spikes at "Tex" until his is no longer a threat at which time it begins to concentrate on Corbus, the other ranged attacker. However, as usual, the party takes care of the manticore in due time and decides it is yet again, time to rest and rejuvenate before heading onward into the dark.
*The book description of one Troglodite is as follows: "Greshta...sits here munching on cooked meat chunks held over hot coals." In this adventure, the next line would be: "She is killed almost instantly when Artin Strakeln charges and strikes her for more damage than she could wish to endure."
