13 Eleint (Late in the afternoon)

The Tuesday night session began with Pheldas recording the runes and Talia investigating the secret door she spotted, joined by Pimm. Xalen and Calin kept guard near the passage leading out. Talia found the door to be a simple pivoting wall, which opened up easily. Behind it was a small chamber containing an Elf and an arched portal, which shimmered with magic. The introductions were cut short, as Xalen witnessed the formation of a ball of flame which appeared in the passage and headed his way. The group scattered, running around the cavern to avoid the flames. Xalen backtracked, and decided to duck back into the passage, running into a drow mage and knocking the elf down and falling to the ground himself. Xalen immediately began to grapple with the drow. Hearing the scuffle, the party went to investigate. Xalen gained the upper hand right away, but the drow proved to be more elusive than he first thought, breaking away from his grasp. Meanwhile, three drow guards fired crossbow bolts at the two entangled grapplers. Two bolts struck Xalen’s armor, doing no harm, but one hit the Drow mage, wounding him. The others rushed to the attack, taking on the guards, while Xalen continued to grapple with the drow mage. During the ensuing battle, Calin managed to kill two of the guards, one with a critical. Nockien, after first fumbling his bow and dropping it, fired an amazing shot which killed the last guard instantly. (He rolled two natural 20’s in a row, followed by a successful hit total with bonuses of 20. Wow) During the battle, Pimm and Talia were wounded by the drow guards. Once the guards were finished, Pimm joined Xalen in the grapple, and the drow mage was rendered unconscious. While checking out the mages armor, the drow began to awaken, at which time Pimm bashed him in the head his mace, breaking the drow’s neck.

After gathering up the valuables from the drow, the party decided to head back to the sewer complex. At the intersection leading toward the passages occupied by the drow, three of the party members caught a fleeting glimpse of some movement, but could not discern what it was. Upon reaching the sewer complex, Xalen noticed that the crates that they had setup as a barricade had been moved. The main chamber was now empty, no crates or bodies. Xalen decided to remain in the passage room. Nockien stepped forward and offered to scout out the chamber. Hidden in the shadows and moving as silently as possible, he forgot just one thing, traps, remembering only after he had triggered one. The Dart struck him in the back of the neck and he went down, unconscious. Pimm, using a scroll from his pack, cast lesser restoration on Nockien, restoring him to almost full strength. Deciding to continue to what may be a safer place to rest, the party headed back toward the Vergence. They were about halfway there, when they were confronted by two skeleton-like figures, identified by Pimm as baneguards. Nockien decided to use stealth to move up on the pair, while Xalen, Calin, and Talia rushed forward. Pimm cast Spiritual Weapon, attacking one of the baneguards and damaging it. The baneguards then revealed their power, firing off two magic missiles each, striking Talia and Calin with one each, and Xalen with two. Nockien decided to keep his distance, pulling out his bow and dropping the quarterstaff. Xalen and Calin closed with the two baneguards, and the battle was on. The battle raged on for several rounds, during which Calin was injured badly, but the baneguards finally succumbed to the relentless attacks of the party.

OoC: Each party member received 500 experience points. Each of the drow soldiers had 20 gold, a chain shirt, a large steel shield, a light crossbow, and a long sword. While the drow mage had a scroll case with 5 scrolls in it, two masterwork rapiers, a pouch, and a fine mesh metal shirt (Elven Mage armor) made from adamantine. At the current time, the following party members are injured; Xalen - 9 damage, Pimm - 3 damage, Talia - 3 damage, and Calin - 19 damage.

[As a side note, Calin pointed out that Critical hits double the strength bonus of the attacker. We had been playing that no bonuses were doubled, but the rule specifies that any additional bonus in the form of dice are not doubled (i.e.. sneak attack bonus). The strength modifiers and the magical weapon bonuses are doubled (or trippled/quadruppled). In the future we will deal with critical hits in this manner.]

[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited November 08, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited November 08, 2001).]

Pimm frowns, looking at the skeletal remains at his feet.

"These... can only be created by a very powerful priest, probably a Bane worshipper or possibly Cyric. I sincerely hope we do not meet the person responsible for leaving these here for us."

Pimm shifts the bones around with his feet staring at them for a minute, then leans in closer and tries to determine what species the skeletons were taken from.

Looking up he addresses the group, "I only have a little healing power left, so I can only tend to whoever needs it the most, also, given the trap that Nockien tripped back there, and the severity of the injury, I suggest that we pull Phineous from Calin's pack and revive him with one of those fancy potions."

While waiting for a response, Pimm goes back to examining the bones in front of him.

Nockien, who was staring at the skeleton as Pimm frisked it, starts. "I'm fine, Pimm. Might I take a gander at one of those rapiers you liberated from the drow wizard?"

"Which way did you say leads to the surface?"

Nockien looks rather eager to be out of the area.

[This message has been edited by Shralp (edited November 07, 2001).]

"Human... well that doesn't tell me anything,' Pimm mutters to himself.

Standing up he says to Nockien, "Well we know for a fact that the corridor leading west from here will take you to the surface, and out of the ruins, good luck to you on getting past the giants that have taken residence there though."

Pimm produces one of the wizards rapiers from his pack, and hands it to Nockien. "Nice shot on that drow swordsman by the way."

"Giants. Great. That hydra back there is starting to look better and better.

Thanks, holy man. Might I suggest that your healing be spent on Calin? The damage done to him by that undead thing almost made him a Calin-kabob, and from what I've seen he's pretty useful to have around."

Nockien pointedly refrains from making any more jokes about Calin's sister.

"Indeed, it would be good to revive Phineous, by any means..."
Pheldas hung his crossbow on the belt and sat against the wall, observing the surroundings. He then retrieved the drow chain and observed it carefully for some time, concluding:
"This chain shirt is a fine piece of armorcraft. I cannot say that I like drow very much, but they suren know how to make a great suit of armor. Any of you would be protected well, wearing that chain."
The mage put the chain aside, conjured a magical lantern using the trinkets from his countless pockets and extracted the scrolls from the scrollcase.

"Pimm, please see to our fallen halfling friend. Afterwards, if it is possible, please tend to my wounds. They are severe, but I will survive for now."

Xalen heads to the wall and slumps down beside the mage, taking a moment to catch his breath. "Well, I will hopefully find some use for it soon. After months of study, unfortunately some of which was under my own guidance, I beleive I am ready to begin spell casting in earnest. That armor would likely keep me alive on the front lines and seems to be light enough to give me a good chance of getting a spell off. I'll definately find it usefull soon enough. Until then, if you wish to hand onto it, by all means do so. But as my research has shown, even the lighest of armors may ruin a spell. That's a chance you will have to ponder quite seriously I suppose." Xalen leans back against the wall and closes his eyes, wincing as his fingers find the magical burns in his flesh from the skeltons spells. "Ahhhhhrg...their swords I can deal with. Their spells, aparently I cannot. And speaking of spells," Xalen says and he leans over and whipsers to Pheldas. "I've noticed you've managed to find quite a few, including the ones I gave you. If luck is on my side, perhaps I can rummage Sorcery Hall and find a spell book of some sort. If so, I might find some of those scrolls you've been carrying useful." Xalen nods at the mage and begrudgingly gets to his feet. "Certainly no reason to remain here in the open. I suggest we keep heading west to the vergence and then back northeast toward Sorcery Hall. Hopefully we'll be able to find some sort of information on this "vergence" and whatever ritual their might be to tap it's power. Until then, we may well just be working our way towards a slow death in these sewers."

Addressing Pimm, Talia says "Perhaps you should tend to the halfling now. We're not certain how long we will be safe here without any more... encounters. I will tend to Calin's wounds in the meantime. Best to get him healed as soon as possible so that we might continue."
I do have a couple of cure minor wound spells left, if anyone else is in need of healing. That will give the cleric time to concentrate on reviving the halfling."

Flashing Talia a thankful smile, Calin said, "That would be welcome, thank you." Calin carefully removed the kadaver from his bag and spread Phineous out on his cloak.
That task completed, Calin was starting to get dizzy from the combination of blood loss and fatigue. Carefully removing his armor, Calin sat and tried to elax.

Nockien sees Calin pull a halfling out of his backpack.

"Oh, yum. You guys brought some halfling jerky."

Nockien doesn't look like he's about to give Pimm the rapier back. He puts his short sword into his backpack and hangs the rapier on his belt in its place.

Pimm scowls at the groups strange new addition... earlier he had offered the rapiers for anyone to take, evidently Nockien only feels comfortable taking something if he's stealing...

Shrugging, Pimm turns to the unconcious halfling, placed gently on Calin's cloak. Good thing for Phineous too, Pimm had been planning on just pulling him out of the pack by his ankles and dropping him on the ground.

Producing one of the unidentified potions found in the spiders nest, Pimm tilts Phineous's head back and pours the chemical down. After a though, Pimm pick up Phineous under the arms like a doll, gives him a good shake, and places him back on the cloak.

(ooc: I don't remember who was carrying the potions, so if anyone has a problem with me just "conjuring" one up let me know and I'll edit.)

As the potion surges through him, Phineous begins to awaken. Still groggy from being out for so long he opens his eyes slightly. Seeing the familiar face of his new friend Pimm, a small smile appears on his face. "You don't know how glad I am to see you. I was having the strangest dream. I dreamed that I was a package being caried by pack mule all over Faerun. Does that sound insane or what?" Phineous sits up and surveys his surroundings. "Where are we?"

OoC: When they were found, no one took the potions, so Phineous had them in his pack.

"Hmph...middle of nowhere at the moment, though I do suggest we get moving towards somewhere. I personally don't like waiting around in the middle of the sewers for monstrous vermin or undead to find me. I'm quite happy you're awake though. At least you have no objections to scouting and looking for traps. Anyway, once everyone is healed, we really should get moving I'd think. Unless you all wish to wait for whatever evils that infest this wretched sewer to find us?"

Pheldas sighs with relief as Phineous wakes up. I never expected that I'd miss the little odd halfling, thought the mage, surprised.
"I agree with Xalen. Although I'd like to stay and rest, moving away from here might be a wiser decision now..."

Hearing the talk of Phineous and searching for traps, Nockien draws the obvious conclusion and makes sure his pack is securely closed, no gold is jangling aloud, etc.

Then walks over and peers at the halfling. "Welcome back. I'm Nockien. I'll sing you a song about my battle with a hydra once I get it written."

Nockien whispers to Pimm, "Nice potion there -- to restore halfling jerky to life. Can you do the same thing with beef?"

As Pimm revives Phineous, Talia casts Cure Light Wounds on Calin redeeming him 7 of his missing 19 hit points.
"I know it isn't much, but I hope this will be enough to hold you over until we stop to rest, Calin"

ooc: I rolled the clw with Baldak earlier today.



[This message has been edited by Xenecor (edited November 09, 2001).]

ooc: if the next round is on Sunday, I will not be able to make it, If it is on Tuesday, no problem.

Calin spoke with a grin, "Well, Phineous, you were carried, but I'd like to avoid thinking of myself as a mule." Turning to Talia, Calin thanked her, agreeing that what had been healed would be enough for now. Calin sat down on his newly evacuated cloak and slipped into trance.

[This message has been edited by The Word (edited November 11, 2001).]

Phineous got up form Calin's cloak, and staggered slightly before regaining his composure. "Well, if we are going to move to safer location to rest, we better do it befor Calin gets too far into his trance state. Nockien eh, Well where did you come from, and what were you doing wandering around in here. Oh, and I am Phineous Fingers, pleased to meet you, I think."

Phineous then rumbles around in his pack. Pulling out some trail rations, he begins to eat, waiting to see where the group will be heading. "Perhaps the room at the bottom of the stairs where we first entered the sewers would be the safest location to rest."

[This message has been edited by Baldak Oakfist (edited November 11, 2001).]