Assault on the Bell Tower

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After Verna checked the entry door for traps and finding none, Olanth opened the door and stepped into the entry hall of the tower. Verna hid in the shadows and followed him in. To the right, a stairway led up into the tower and there was a door opposite the entrance door. As the rest of the party was entering the narrow hall, Verna began to check the door for traps. While she was doing so, an elderly dwarf opened the door a crack and peered out. He asked them what they wanted and it was soon learned that this dwarf was Turvin, the Bell Ringer. He agreed to answer some questions, and invited them into his room. When the conversation turned to the party looking around the rest of the tower, Turvin became noticeably nervous and asked them to leave the tower at once. When it seemed that they would not leave, He jumped up and yelled a warning toward the ceiling. At this time, he transformed into the form of a Dire Rat and began to climb the ropes leading up into the tower. With one swing, Olanth killed the escaping Wererat. The others quickly loaded silvered arrows and bolts or took out magical weapons. They then proceeded to ascend the stairs.

The stairs wound around until when they were again on the west side, they came upon another door. After Verna listened at the door and heard nothing, Olanth kicked in the door, and rushed into the room. He was immediately attacked by three Wererats in hybrid form that dropped down from above the door. Olanth was hit once by a rapier. He proceeded to kill two of the creatures While a combined attack from Nyora and Raiwen took out the third. A quick search of the four rooms on this floor revealed a scattering of silver coins that totaled 1500. Again heading toward the stairs, the party ascended for a short distance when Olanth and Nyora were struck by a magical strength reducing trap. At that point, Verna began to again check the stairway for traps.

When the party again reached the western side of the tower, another door was there, this one locked. Verna failed to pick the lock, and Olanth decided to kick it in rather than wait for her to try again. The noise awoke the sleeping dire rats, and they swarmed toward the party. After the first round, four out of ten rats were dead, and several members of the group took minor damage. The second round found the rest of the rats slain, with two being taken out with critical hits including the Wererat that was tending the pets.

Following a short break to search this area, they continued up the stairs which again would around the outside of the tower. This time when they reached the western side, the stairs ended in a door. Not finding any traps, Verna tried to open the lock, and was nearly struck by a poisoned dart. When she again attempted to unlock the door, it opened up while she was trying. A Wererat in human form attacked her, missing the diminutive party member with a rapier blow. Quick attacks from Raiwen and Naffin forced the guard to attempt to close the door. Olanth managed to keep it opened with his foot, but took some minor damage to his foot, slowing the barbarian down. Going into rage, Olanth burst into the room and began to scour the room for any more foes. In the rafters, they found two more Wererats, these in hybrid form. The two began to move around the rafters, trying to confuse the group. After some quick arrow firing, the two were brought down. The last one was still alive, so they decided to question him. They were only able to find out he was called Squim when a magical bolt of energy took his life. As the party looked upwards, they could see a gargoyle descending from the bell tower while a mage vanished from sight in a flash of magic.

The silvered arrows fired by Nyora failed to do any permanent damage to the Gargoyle as the wounds healed up as fast as they were made. Seeing this, Naffin decided to attempt to jump onto the Gargoyle, pinning its wings and causing it to fall to the floor. On the creatures next pass, it struck Nyora with one of its claws, and Naffin successfully grabbed onto the Gargoyle. Olanth managed to strike the beast with his magical sword which cut deeply into its hide causing it to cry out in pain. Verna managed to also strike the beast with a magical arrow. As the creature soared up, Naffin was able to pin its wings its wings, causing the two to fall to the floor. Olanth used the opportunity to run the creature through with his Bastard Sword, killing it. A quick search of the Wererat bodies yielded four potions, one scroll, and three pouches of coins. The scroll was discovered to be a scroll of Cause Serious Wounds, the scroll was signed at the bottom, “The Cabal”.

Continuing on to the roof, the party found 5 Gargoyle statues. Not trusting the situation, Naffin fired crossbow bolts at three of the statues. They turned out to indeed be statues. Olanth struck another with his sword, and as he was approaching the last, it sprang to life and flew away toward the north west. A note was attached to the final pedestal. It read: To the would be hero's - Leave this place before you perish. I offer 300 gold to compensate you for your trouble. You will find it inside this pedestal in a secret cache. After Verna checked for traps, she opened the secret compartment and found a sack of 300 gold pieces as stated in the note.

(Each party member receives 2000 XP for the Tower Encounters)

With the alarming events of the day still fresh on their minds, the party decided to return to the office of Captain Merdick Forrun. Following a quick search of the remaining areas of the tower, they headed into the tower square where a crowd had gathered. One of the townsfolk asked a few questions and the crowd then began to disperse. The party headed straight to the barracks where Captain Forrun would be. Showing the amulet he gave to them, the guard took them to his office where he was waiting. They explained the sequence of events, and He told them that another of his informants had heard about this Cabal and was at the Shrine of Heironeous checking on it. The captain gave Olanth a charm that would prevent his transformation into a Wererat as he may have been infected during the battles in the tower. The party then headed toward the shrine.

As they moved westward, they noticed a dark mist forming, and as they moved closer to the shrine it became thicker, until when they were 80 feet from the shrine they could only see 4o feet ahead. At that point, they heard a cry for help, and Olanth immediately charged into the mist. He moved forward 60 feet and could see two robed figures dragging a body. He called out to his companions what he saw, drawing the attention of the robed figures also. Olanth managed to resist the sleep spell cast at him While the others moved into position. Naffin reached the figures first, taking an attack of opportunity, but striking one of the figures. Olanth finished that one off with a blow from his sword. Naffin was not as lucky as Olanth, and he succumbed to the effects of the sleep spell. Nyora cast Doom on the figure and Bless on the party as the others failed to strike the remaining robed spell caster, Olanth managed to drop his sword during the scuffle. The mage was able to blind Olanth who then tried to awaken Naffin by kicking him. He failed to wake him on the first try, but did manage to lose his balance on the second, falling on top of Naffin. Nyora then also fell victim to a sleep spell. The mage was about to apply the coup-de-grace to Olanth when Verna, having hidden in the shadows, struck a fatal sneak attack, rendering the mage unconscious.

Verna performed a quick search of the bodies After waking up Naffin and Nyora. She discovered a total of 7 potions, 3scrolls, and two wands. Verna, using her use magic device ability was able to determine that one of the scrolls was a Sleep spell and the two wands were Color Spray and Burning Hands. Nyora was able to determine that the other two scrolls were Enlarge and Change Self-Color Spray-Shield. She was also to determine that 4 of the seven potions were Cat’s Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Blur, and Invisibility. Olanth’s Vision was returning to him, and he noticed, along with Naffin, that the victim of Verna’s sneak attack was still alive, barely but alive. Olanth Tied him up, Nyora gagged him, and Verna checked the victim of the two mages. The Dwarven paladin was alive, but unconscious so Nyora used her healing skill to awaken her. Torea, the Dwarven Paladin of Heironeous explained to the party that she and her mistress, Alein, had heard a cry for help. Alein told her to wait while she investigated. When she did not return, Torea went to check for herself, she was knocked out from behind. When she saw the mage they had tied up, she remembered seeing him entering a house that was located next to the magic shop, The Reality Wrinkle. They asked her if she spoke with The Captain’s informant. She had, he asked her if she had heard of a group called the Cabal of the Gibbering Madness, she hadn’t. For saving her life and promising to search for her mistress, Torea used her Remove Disease ability on Olanth, curing him of the lycanthropy. The party then turned their attention to their captive.

(Each party member receives 600 experience for the Mage encounter, Verna gets a Bonus 500 for saving the party from almost certain death)


[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited July 23, 2002).]

 

Verna wanders around the yard searching for clues they might have overlooked from the would be kidnappers. Not finding anything, she askes the others, "What are we gonna do now?"

 

Following their scuffle with the spell casters, the party, having captured one of their two assailants, decided to question him. Nyora used her healing skill to revive the unconscious mage, and the questioning began. As they asked their questions, the mage seemed to answer in a completely random manner. His answers did not match the questions and additionally, they did not seem to even make sense. Nyora determined that this particular mage was under the influence of some sort of insanity induced by either arcane or divine means.

They decided to return to Captain Merdick’s office to leave him with the prisoner, and see if he knew how to return the mage to some sanity, even temporary. The only suggestion that the captain had was to put the mage in a cell and wait to see if he returned from his trip into madness. The party also informed him of the abduction of Alein and that Torea had seen this mage entering the house next to the magic shop. Captain Merdick urged the party to investigate this house.

Arriving in the vicinity of the Reality Wrinkle, the party approached the house in question. Verna casually checked the front door for traps and finding none determined that the door was unlocked. Verna and Naffin then discretely checked out the house for other entrances. There was a back door, and Verna returned to tell the others, while Naffin decided to check out the back door.

After picking the lock, and investigating the first floor, Naffin returned to the group and reported his findings. There was one person on the first floor reading, and drooling, and there was a strange humming coming from a door in the back room. The party then entered the house using the back door. Not wanting to disturb the reader in the front portion of the house, they decided to climb the stairs up to the second floor. Seeing two more readers on this floor sitting at a table, they decided to approach. One of the two asked them to return to the first floor, and became quite agitated when they pressed on with questions. After casting a spell on himself, the reader again asked the party to return to the first floor, and not wanting to force a confrontation at this time, they complied.

Opening one of the doors in the back room of the first floor revealed a stairway leading to the basement. A strange babbling could be heard coming from below, and all of the party except Nyora were overcome by confusion. When Nyora closed the door, the effect wore off, and the others returned to normal. The other door, the one with the humming coming from behind it, was locked, and when Verna was trying to pick the lock, the humming stopped. When Naffin knocked on the door, they all could hear the strange babbling again, sending all into a state of confusion except for Nyora, again. After several minutes, the babbling stopped, and the others again returned to normal. At this point, they exited the house through the back door, to discuss their next move.

[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited July 24, 2002).]

 

Feeling primarily responsible for the lack of productivity going into that house proved to be, Nyora pondered on a more fruitful approach.

"As I see it, there are only a few options open to us right now. We could either wait a day, rest ourselves, and hopefully ascend the stairs undetected, or we could attempt to get rid of the two men on the second floor quickly and hope to draw no attention to ourselves. I foresee no other alternative than using force at this point anyway."

[This message has been edited by Xenecor (edited July 23, 2002).]

 

For a map of the Cult House, you can go to

http://home.attbi.com/%7Ebaldak/LowResImages/The_Cult_House.GIF

This view shows what the party has seen already. There is more.

Sunday's Session:

Standing in front of the cult house, the party was considering what to do next when a short human female approached them. Vaeli was looking for a relative of hers that had disappeared in the vicinity of this house, his name was James. They had not. Verna piped up that they were also investigating a recent kidnapping. Olanth thought that Vaeli should join with them since they had similar goals, and the five returned to The Laughing Halfling Inn. Early in the morning, they returned to the cult house.

The Sun hadn’t risen over the horizon, but there was light enough for them to find their way back. Again entering through the back door, the party noticed a distinct lack of activity in the house. Moving up to the second floor, they discovered two cult members still asleep in their beds. After a brief period of preparation, they captured the two sleeping cultists, holding daggers and swords to their throats. Olanth took position on top of the one they recognized from the day before and the questioning began. After agreeing to co-operate, the Cultist Olanth was sitting on, screamed out in alarm, and Nyora immediately silenced him with a quick thrust of her sword. As the other one awoke, Verna (She has an itchy dagger hand) slit his throat before Naffin could stop her. A quick search of the two rooms yielded 2 sets of magical Bracers, a Brooch, a Wand, a Ring of Jumping , 2 Crossbows (One that looked exceptional), 20 Bolts, and two sets of Robes.

Having no one else to question, the party decided to head up to the third floor. As they approached the stairway, they could see a fog like mist rolling down the stairs. Someone knew they were there. Verna and Naffin immediately hid in the plentiful shadows, and they again ascended the stairs. The hall on the third floor had four curtain covered doorways. Verna checked each one out, while the others waited for her report. In each of the first three rooms, she found only a tapestry-like rug on the floor depicting strange creatures. The first was a worm-like creature with tentacles surrounding a toothy maw, the second depicted an amorphous blob with multiple eyes and mouths, and the last depicted a humanoid creature with a head that looked similar to a squid.

As Verna moved the last curtain to the side so she could peer into the room, she was met by the sight of the creature depicted on the first rug. Returning to the party, she described a worm probably about 25ft long, coiled around the room. “It is a purple color and you can see thru this purple flesh to it's organs. In the center of the room I see the head, which has a circular mouth with lots of teeth. Around this mouth are 7 tentacle like things that appear to have beaks.” She could also see another curtained doorway leading to another room.

For a view of the Worm try this: http://home.attbi.com/~baldak/LowResImages/Wyste.JPG
Wasting no time, the party decided to attack the beast. Olanth led off the attack and during their initial assault, they managed to damage the creature a little. Just as they were beginning to launch their second assault, the curtain of the last room was thrust aside and a female human appeared and began to cast a spell. Olanth scored a critical on the beast as he began to hack his way toward the spell caster. Nyora then scored a critical strike with one of two arrows fired at the spell caster. Having retained her concentration, the spell caster launched four Magic Missiles at Olanth while the worm again missed him. Verna, using her newly found Ring of Jumping, Jumped over the worm, and attacked the spell caster with a savage dagger attack bringing the human near death. Naffin finished off the worm with a flurry of blows while Nyora fired two more arrows into the spell caster killing her also. The body of the worm disappeared in a flash of magical energy as the summoning spell was broken. Immediately following the death of the female spell caster, the party heard a loud shriek followed by a scream, both coming from the stairs. Among her possessions, the party found a ring of Protection +1, Boots of Spider Climb, a magical morning star, a crossbow, 50 Bolts (each with magical markings on it), a wand of Magic Missiles (unknown caster level and charges), 3 potions of Cure Moderate Wounds, and a fancy necklace that Verna estimated to be worth 1000 gold unless it was magical.

Each party member receives 1440 XP

[ August 12, 2002, 03:57: Message edited by: Baldak Oakfist ]

 

Verna glances down at her new ring. Sure, now I can jump; but what good is a jumping rogue? There’s no way to sneak up on a victim-er evil doer when I’m jumping 13 or so feet to attack. She glances up at the rest of the party. Hmm, it would suit the monk very well.
“Hey Naffin, catch.” She flips the ring over to the monk. “So guys, are we going to investigate that screaming?”

 

"It's a shame you are as small as you are Verna, or these boots would have suited your purpose marvelously."