Post by venger on Sept 4, 2008 8:33:37 GMT -5
Under the guidance of Crommard, the scholars started their archeological excavation of the ruins of Jarwal Avignon. Since things seemed quiet at the dig site, the party decided to explore the bottom of the cliffs and left Holmar and Twix behind to watch the scholars. It was thought that there might be a cave entrance along the shore. It took several hours of walking back up the path towards Awad before a path was found down to the shoreline. Fortunately, the tide was going out so it was possible to go along the cliffs in the soft sand. After another several hours, the party reached the base of the cliff. Twix had been watching their progress from above and taunted “What took you so long?”
Adair and Draegos spotted a terra cotta pipe jutting out from the cliff face. "Must be for sewage," commented Adair.
Staring at the pipe with their backs to the sea, the three were almost surprised by the appearance of a strange humanoid, with large claws for hands and possessed of an armored, platemail-like shell, emerging from the water The alarm was raised and combat ensued. Baldric unwilling to go deeper into the water set himself for the creature's charge in case it advanced. Draegos did likewise, drawing his broadsword, while Adair backed away, readying his bow. "What ungodly manner of beast is this?" Draegos asked with horror.
"It looks like half-man, half-crab," answered Baldric.
"A crabman!" Adair chimed in, helpfully. "I wonder if it's friendly."
With that the creature advanced to engage the party clacking its large claws and gurgling strangely. Baldric and Draegos leapt to attack, striking it with their swords. Twix took a shot with his bow from sixty feet up at the top of the cliff, barely missing Baldric. The crabman lashed out with its claw, missing. With a solid blow from his gauntled fist, Draegos dented the creature's carapace. From high above, Twix fired again and with his keen Elven bowmanship struck out the creature's eyes. With the crabman slain there was a short discussion as to whether a crabman would make good eating. Even though rations were short the idea was quickly passed upon.
The excitement of combat over their attention was returned to curiosity of the pipe. A long discussion took place about what could be gained from further investigation and Adair volunteered to use his climbing skill to scale the twenty feet to get a better look. Adair carefully set about making his way up to the pipe. Dreagos offered his encouragement yelling “Don’t worry the sand here is pretty soft and should break your fall.” Muttering under his breath about about that helpful thought, Adair examined the pipe. It turned out to be exactly what it seemed a two foot wide pipe. Adair guessed that a hobbit or gnome probably could fit inside it. Not having a member of the small folk in the party there was no way to see where the pipe might lead to. Adair decided that it certainly wasn’t a secret entrance and from the lingering smell seemed to be more likely a sewage outlet. Adair related his findings to those below and said that he was coming down. Holmar yelled down that he had a rope and that perhaps Adair could climb up to the top of the cliff, so the party could then climb up rather than walking all the way back. Adair immediately rejected that idea “There is no way I’m climbing all the way up! The sand at the bottom isn’t that soft. Never mind those rocks.” With that final comment he carefully descended from the pipe.
With the pipe seeming to be a dead end, the search was then extended to exploring further up the beach. After some time, their searching yielding nothing, it was decided that there wasn’t an entrance at the base of the cliffs and that they should return to the camp before the tide returns and darkness falls. As they started to hike back, another of the crabmen rose out of the water and attacked. Without the element of surprise, it was quickly defeated. The rest of the journey back to camp was uneventful. Crommard and the archeologists were completely oblivious to their absence. After the sun set they chattered away about the various shards of pottery and other items they had found. There was an ongoing argument as to whether the items were elvish or orcish. Twix found enjoyment in sparking these arguments.
Many uneventful days went by while the dig went on. While on watch one evening Draegos heard sounds at the edge of camp. After getting the attention of the other watch member the two cautiously investigated the disturbance. A pack of wild dogs was found to be digging in the trash pile that had accumulated over their days there. The two decided that since the dogs weren’t bothering them that they would not bother the dogs. They kept a close ear to the dogs until they finally went away. Holmar spoke with Crommard the next day about the trash pile attracting creatures. Crommard agreed that that was not good and that the refuse should be buried. He had several of scholars take care of it immediately.
During the next day's excavation, Twix noticed a mighty spear on the cart with all of the archeological equpment. "Finally, something other than pottery shards!" he exclaimed.
"No, no, no," Crommard corrected him. "This is a replica I constructed of the great orc-general Mondru's spear, so I can identify it when I see it. He was thought to have been made invicible with the assistance of this spear, and it was said to have allowed him the power to control flame, but that can't be right, it must either be a translation error or maybe legendary exaggeration, it probably just ignites anyone stabbed with it, I wonder if he started the rumors himself to amplify his fame or... oh, are you still here?"
"If you knew enough about the spear to construct a replica wouldn't you just recognize it anyway if you found it?" asked Adair.
"Shouldn't you be guarding something?" Crommard angrily retorted.
To fend off the boredom, the party once took a trip into the surrounding woods to see if there was anything of interest. On one of these ventures they came upon a group of woodsman. The woodsman were hailed and approached. Greetings and introductions were made and they said that they were just out hunting boars and were surprised to find a group such as the party in this area of the woods. Baldric explained they were protecting the group of archeologists digging at the site of the citadel. The hunters were shocked that anyone would dare face the curse of the plague. Having gained no new information from the woodman, the party made their way back to camp and the daily routine.
As time went on, it became clear that Sethus Maximus did not really assist with the dig. He would confer with Crommard about various items found but did very little digging himself. After only a bit of work, Sethus needed a lengthy break and would take a walk into the woods and be gone for several hours. Everyone found this very curious behavior, except for Crommard and the scholars, who were oblivious to anything not related to archeology. Adair wanted someone to follow him and see where he goes, but Holmar noted that no one has any ability in tracking. Twix said “I’ll do it. I can stay hidden. We elves have ways to conceal ourselves from sight.” So once Sethus departed, Twix trailed him. After many hours Sethus eventually returned with Twix showing up shortly after. Twix finally related that “I followed him for long time. He climbed this hill and walked around in a small circle for a long time. Then he walked straight back here. I’m certain that he didn’t see me. I am after all an elf and I am one with the woods.” The other party members looked at each other skeptically, since it was obviously the middle of the desert and not the woods. While no one knew what abilities elves posessed, it was doubtful that Twix could have concealed himself in the middle of the desert. No one in the party could make sense of the behavior of Sethus. It was presumed that walking in the circle was a rite of worship for his god Mushurg of the Ring.
That night when Baldric was on watch he heard something digging where the trash was buried. Baldric was very uncertain what to do. Wake everyone up? Leave it was alone? Attack? He had been bored the past few days, so he charged. The creature reacted by emitting a gas which enveloped Baldric. Baldric inhaled the gas deeply and was immediately incapacitated by the smell. Draegos, alerted by Baldric's gasping cry, came to help as the creature ran off. Draegos stopped short, some distance from Baldric, unwilling to get near his companion “Oh man, does that stink!” The rest of the camp was roused by the noise and the lingering smell. It was quickly agreed that the intruder was a giant skunk. Twix praised Baldric and his wonderful new cologne. Baldric was made to stay downwind of the camp.
Crommard and Sethus immediately presented Baldric with some gold to pay for cleaning. "Tomatoes will clear that up. Go back to town. NOW." It was a leisurely trip back to the town of Awad, with Baldric a fair bit from the rest of group, who accompanied Baldric out of boredom and pity towards his plight. Baldric waited on the outskirts of town, while the rest searched to find enough tomatoes to rid Baldric of his skunky perfume. Baldric's clothes were a total loss and had to be replaced.
After everyone returned to the campsite refreshed, Twix asked Crommard and Sethus about how wages were to be dispersed. After all, guard duty has lasted several days and no one had been paid. Crommard explained that we didn't need money, since we were guarding the camp and all of our food was provided for. Twix had other ideas. "We're adventurers. We need money. You know. For drinking. And wenching." Crommard was displeased. "You need money for 'wenching?' I'll think about it."
The next day Sethus approached the party and said “We are almost in. We have cleared out the courtyard and will soon clear the entrance. Crommard is heading back to town because we are in need of more provisions. Will you provide an escort?” Crommard added "This seems to be an appropriate time for - what was it you wanted to do? 'Wenching'?" The party then discussed whether they all should go or if some should stay. In the end, against Draegos' better judgement, everyone decided to go back to town since nothing bad had happened in the camp since they arrived.
Once in town Crommard was left to get the provisions. After a time, there was a loud commotion in the center of the small town. Approaching the speaker’s rock, they were surprised to find a large number of villagers armed with various weapons surrounding Crommard and his cart. The angry villagers yelled at Crommard accusing him of bring down the elven curse upon them and loosing the plague. Advancing quickly and surrounding Crommard and the cart, they struggled to keep the crowd at bay. Then the party saw what the fuss was about. Sethus appeared at the edge of town yelling “The plague! The plague! It has struck down the scholars!” His face was covered with horrid blotches and the crowd howled in fear. Sethus staggered back from the town, heading toward the citadel ruins.
Feeling the crowd's fear and terror Adair yells “We will leave the town and investigate this! Make way! Make way! We will defeat this or will not return!” The villagers still shouting made a path for the cart and party to leave on the road to the ruins. The party tries to make the best speed possible to try and catch up to Sethus. Hoping that Sethus would be able to provide better information as to what happened in the camp. As sick and afflicted as Sethus appeared to be, the party could not catch up to him.
As the party neared the ruins there was a long discussion as to what should be done. Aidar was very suspicious. "It's awfully odd that as soon as we left the outpost was struck with the plague. If Sethus was really that sick, how did he travel all the way to town and back so fast. I sense foul play." Draegos commented. "Sethus was extremely ugly and interested in orcs; maybe he is a half-orc? He does wear leather armor, which is unusual for a cleric..." The rest of the party stared at him in confusion as Draegos, a devotee of Kord, was himself clad in leather armor. "Perhaps he is one of those dreaded half-orc cleric-assassins I've heard about, which would explain his ability to convincingly cover his face with boils." Crommard mentioned that though he didn't know Sethus all that well, it would be ludicrous to think that he was an orc and that Crommard wouldn't have recognized that fact.
With their imaginations running wild, everyone wondered how to proceed to the dig site. Basil suggested leaving the cart at the edge of the woods and approaching on foot. The consensus was that it was best to go right up to the camp so any potential ambushers would think the group unprepared. When they reached camp, everyone was surprised to find nothing out of the ordinary. No bodies, or anything else, for that matter. Looking over the edge of the cliff, Holmar noticed that there were two bodies at the bottom that looked to be scholars. Several crabmen were pulling them under the water. "Disposing of the evidence, eh?"
Cautiously everyone, with Crommard in tow, approached the now-cleared entrance to the ruins. Before them stood an open archway and a long corridor. With Baldric and Holmar in front, Adair, Draegos following and Twix with Crommard trailing the party entered the corridor. Crommard warned about murder holes lining the right hand wall down the corridor, and Holmar raised his shield to protect against them. The party was surprised by some crossbow bolts coming out of the murder holes directly in front at the end of the corridor. In an effort to evade the trap, Basil charged forward with the rest following behind. Holmar and Draegos took fire as Basil turned the corner and came face to face with an ogrillion that had been waiting. The creature had two huge, spiked gloves which it used to pummel Basil, who suffered two wounds from the ferocity of the ogrillion’s attack. Holmar's preparations paid off, as his shield deflected the bolts, but Draegos was struck in the chest. Draegos quickly recovered and called forth Kord's might to blind the ogrillion with light in its eyes. Baldric then dealt it a mortal blow. While engaged in the combat the rest of the party raced past hoping to escape the gauntlet as quickly as possible and get beyond the hidden crossbowmen. The party raced to the end of the long u-shaped entryway and emerged into a large courtyard. In the courtyard, directly before them was a large covered well, and on the opposite end a crumbling wall, three feet in height. In the middle of the stood a ruined fifteen foot statue. Many doors led from the courtyard and as the group emerged at a run from the corridor they took more crossbow fire from two orcs taking cover behind the the low wall. Charging to attack, Draegos was struck again, and fell to the ground. His last thoughts, strangely, were of how Mushurg, Sethus' bizarre deity was an anagram for Gruumsh, the fell orcish god. Holmar and Baldric, eager to get at the hidden crossbowmen that had fired upon the group from the murder holes, turned and opened the door to their right, entering a passageway - leaving Adair, Twix and Crommard to face the two orcish crossbowmen in the courtyard. Adair took cover behind the well and returned fire with his shortbow. Twix, fleet of foot, closed the distance between the orcs and drew his sword and attacked, killing one of the crossbowmen. Crommard nervously clutched his staff, hoping that his guards were worth their pay. From the closed door behind the remaining orc crossbowman came two large, ogrillons armed with spiked gloves who took up position on either side of the door. From another door, opposite the entryway the group had come, a large armored orc captain entered the courtyard.
Meanwhile, Baldric and Holmar came face-to-face with the crossbowmen who had attacked the party as they entered the citadel. Two orcs which drew broadswords and attacked. These proved particularly skilled opponents, which Holmar and Baldric had some difficulty dispatching. One struck Holmar a solid blow, leaving him sorely wounded, before they were slain.
Realizing he was outnumbered, Twix slowly retreated, careful not to expose himself to an attack. Adair continued to rain arrows upon the orcish crossbowman and it fell dead, shot through the eye. The sound of spellcasting was heard from beyond the two ogrillon guards and through the open door giant rats leapt forth to attack Twix. The armored orc, grunting, moved to attack Adair. With a solid blow from his broadsword, Adair was laid low. Baldric and a grievously wounded Holmar re-entered the courtyard, having at last defeated the two orcs. Shocked, they discovered their allies were not faring well.
"It's about time!" shouted Twix, before barking the words to a spell. A blue nimbus formed before him, a shield against physical attack. With his sword he deftly skewered a giant rat, then another.
Crommard, realizing the gravity of the situation, stepped over the still form of Draegos and pointed his staff at the orc captain standing over Adair. With a look of surprise, the orc's weapon fell from its hands. Ungracefully, the orc fumbled to recover it. With effort, Crommard began to drag the prone Draegos back toward the citadel's entrance.
More spellcasting came from behind the ogrillon guards, and with it an aged, decrepit orc, armored in black platemail, clearly a shaman or priest of some sort. Upon the arrival of their leader, the ogrillons began to advance. Shrieking in fear, Crommard abandoned his guards and ran from the citadel.
The ogrillon laughed and with a sweep of one spiked glove, Twix was knocked to the ground, the magical shield in front of him vanishing into sparkling blue motes of light.
"You'll pay for that," announced Holmar, parrying, and dealing the creature a killing blow in return while Baldric engaged the fumbling orc captain.
Unfortunately for Holmar, the dire wound sustained earlier, coupled by a glancing strike from the other ogrillon's spiked glove proved his undoing. Staggering to the ground and into unconsciousness, Holmar feared all was lost.
Brave Baldric, against all odds, rushed the orc shaman hoping that Holmar and Twix could survive a couple more minutes against the ogrillons. The shaman held his ground and after striking Baldric with his staff, reached out with a malevolent glowing hand to touch Baldric. Baldric felt a surge of pain cascade thorugh his body and he faded into darkness as his heart stopped beating.
Crommard, fleeing for his life, ran down the gauntlet of murder holes and around the bend toward the open archway. The sound of orcs behind him spurred his steps. In his haste he failed to notice the shadowy figure of Sethis Maximi step forth and block his path...
THE END
Adair and Draegos spotted a terra cotta pipe jutting out from the cliff face. "Must be for sewage," commented Adair.
Staring at the pipe with their backs to the sea, the three were almost surprised by the appearance of a strange humanoid, with large claws for hands and possessed of an armored, platemail-like shell, emerging from the water The alarm was raised and combat ensued. Baldric unwilling to go deeper into the water set himself for the creature's charge in case it advanced. Draegos did likewise, drawing his broadsword, while Adair backed away, readying his bow. "What ungodly manner of beast is this?" Draegos asked with horror.
"It looks like half-man, half-crab," answered Baldric.
"A crabman!" Adair chimed in, helpfully. "I wonder if it's friendly."
With that the creature advanced to engage the party clacking its large claws and gurgling strangely. Baldric and Draegos leapt to attack, striking it with their swords. Twix took a shot with his bow from sixty feet up at the top of the cliff, barely missing Baldric. The crabman lashed out with its claw, missing. With a solid blow from his gauntled fist, Draegos dented the creature's carapace. From high above, Twix fired again and with his keen Elven bowmanship struck out the creature's eyes. With the crabman slain there was a short discussion as to whether a crabman would make good eating. Even though rations were short the idea was quickly passed upon.
The excitement of combat over their attention was returned to curiosity of the pipe. A long discussion took place about what could be gained from further investigation and Adair volunteered to use his climbing skill to scale the twenty feet to get a better look. Adair carefully set about making his way up to the pipe. Dreagos offered his encouragement yelling “Don’t worry the sand here is pretty soft and should break your fall.” Muttering under his breath about about that helpful thought, Adair examined the pipe. It turned out to be exactly what it seemed a two foot wide pipe. Adair guessed that a hobbit or gnome probably could fit inside it. Not having a member of the small folk in the party there was no way to see where the pipe might lead to. Adair decided that it certainly wasn’t a secret entrance and from the lingering smell seemed to be more likely a sewage outlet. Adair related his findings to those below and said that he was coming down. Holmar yelled down that he had a rope and that perhaps Adair could climb up to the top of the cliff, so the party could then climb up rather than walking all the way back. Adair immediately rejected that idea “There is no way I’m climbing all the way up! The sand at the bottom isn’t that soft. Never mind those rocks.” With that final comment he carefully descended from the pipe.
With the pipe seeming to be a dead end, the search was then extended to exploring further up the beach. After some time, their searching yielding nothing, it was decided that there wasn’t an entrance at the base of the cliffs and that they should return to the camp before the tide returns and darkness falls. As they started to hike back, another of the crabmen rose out of the water and attacked. Without the element of surprise, it was quickly defeated. The rest of the journey back to camp was uneventful. Crommard and the archeologists were completely oblivious to their absence. After the sun set they chattered away about the various shards of pottery and other items they had found. There was an ongoing argument as to whether the items were elvish or orcish. Twix found enjoyment in sparking these arguments.
Many uneventful days went by while the dig went on. While on watch one evening Draegos heard sounds at the edge of camp. After getting the attention of the other watch member the two cautiously investigated the disturbance. A pack of wild dogs was found to be digging in the trash pile that had accumulated over their days there. The two decided that since the dogs weren’t bothering them that they would not bother the dogs. They kept a close ear to the dogs until they finally went away. Holmar spoke with Crommard the next day about the trash pile attracting creatures. Crommard agreed that that was not good and that the refuse should be buried. He had several of scholars take care of it immediately.
During the next day's excavation, Twix noticed a mighty spear on the cart with all of the archeological equpment. "Finally, something other than pottery shards!" he exclaimed.
"No, no, no," Crommard corrected him. "This is a replica I constructed of the great orc-general Mondru's spear, so I can identify it when I see it. He was thought to have been made invicible with the assistance of this spear, and it was said to have allowed him the power to control flame, but that can't be right, it must either be a translation error or maybe legendary exaggeration, it probably just ignites anyone stabbed with it, I wonder if he started the rumors himself to amplify his fame or... oh, are you still here?"
"If you knew enough about the spear to construct a replica wouldn't you just recognize it anyway if you found it?" asked Adair.
"Shouldn't you be guarding something?" Crommard angrily retorted.
To fend off the boredom, the party once took a trip into the surrounding woods to see if there was anything of interest. On one of these ventures they came upon a group of woodsman. The woodsman were hailed and approached. Greetings and introductions were made and they said that they were just out hunting boars and were surprised to find a group such as the party in this area of the woods. Baldric explained they were protecting the group of archeologists digging at the site of the citadel. The hunters were shocked that anyone would dare face the curse of the plague. Having gained no new information from the woodman, the party made their way back to camp and the daily routine.
As time went on, it became clear that Sethus Maximus did not really assist with the dig. He would confer with Crommard about various items found but did very little digging himself. After only a bit of work, Sethus needed a lengthy break and would take a walk into the woods and be gone for several hours. Everyone found this very curious behavior, except for Crommard and the scholars, who were oblivious to anything not related to archeology. Adair wanted someone to follow him and see where he goes, but Holmar noted that no one has any ability in tracking. Twix said “I’ll do it. I can stay hidden. We elves have ways to conceal ourselves from sight.” So once Sethus departed, Twix trailed him. After many hours Sethus eventually returned with Twix showing up shortly after. Twix finally related that “I followed him for long time. He climbed this hill and walked around in a small circle for a long time. Then he walked straight back here. I’m certain that he didn’t see me. I am after all an elf and I am one with the woods.” The other party members looked at each other skeptically, since it was obviously the middle of the desert and not the woods. While no one knew what abilities elves posessed, it was doubtful that Twix could have concealed himself in the middle of the desert. No one in the party could make sense of the behavior of Sethus. It was presumed that walking in the circle was a rite of worship for his god Mushurg of the Ring.
That night when Baldric was on watch he heard something digging where the trash was buried. Baldric was very uncertain what to do. Wake everyone up? Leave it was alone? Attack? He had been bored the past few days, so he charged. The creature reacted by emitting a gas which enveloped Baldric. Baldric inhaled the gas deeply and was immediately incapacitated by the smell. Draegos, alerted by Baldric's gasping cry, came to help as the creature ran off. Draegos stopped short, some distance from Baldric, unwilling to get near his companion “Oh man, does that stink!” The rest of the camp was roused by the noise and the lingering smell. It was quickly agreed that the intruder was a giant skunk. Twix praised Baldric and his wonderful new cologne. Baldric was made to stay downwind of the camp.
Crommard and Sethus immediately presented Baldric with some gold to pay for cleaning. "Tomatoes will clear that up. Go back to town. NOW." It was a leisurely trip back to the town of Awad, with Baldric a fair bit from the rest of group, who accompanied Baldric out of boredom and pity towards his plight. Baldric waited on the outskirts of town, while the rest searched to find enough tomatoes to rid Baldric of his skunky perfume. Baldric's clothes were a total loss and had to be replaced.
After everyone returned to the campsite refreshed, Twix asked Crommard and Sethus about how wages were to be dispersed. After all, guard duty has lasted several days and no one had been paid. Crommard explained that we didn't need money, since we were guarding the camp and all of our food was provided for. Twix had other ideas. "We're adventurers. We need money. You know. For drinking. And wenching." Crommard was displeased. "You need money for 'wenching?' I'll think about it."
The next day Sethus approached the party and said “We are almost in. We have cleared out the courtyard and will soon clear the entrance. Crommard is heading back to town because we are in need of more provisions. Will you provide an escort?” Crommard added "This seems to be an appropriate time for - what was it you wanted to do? 'Wenching'?" The party then discussed whether they all should go or if some should stay. In the end, against Draegos' better judgement, everyone decided to go back to town since nothing bad had happened in the camp since they arrived.
Once in town Crommard was left to get the provisions. After a time, there was a loud commotion in the center of the small town. Approaching the speaker’s rock, they were surprised to find a large number of villagers armed with various weapons surrounding Crommard and his cart. The angry villagers yelled at Crommard accusing him of bring down the elven curse upon them and loosing the plague. Advancing quickly and surrounding Crommard and the cart, they struggled to keep the crowd at bay. Then the party saw what the fuss was about. Sethus appeared at the edge of town yelling “The plague! The plague! It has struck down the scholars!” His face was covered with horrid blotches and the crowd howled in fear. Sethus staggered back from the town, heading toward the citadel ruins.
Feeling the crowd's fear and terror Adair yells “We will leave the town and investigate this! Make way! Make way! We will defeat this or will not return!” The villagers still shouting made a path for the cart and party to leave on the road to the ruins. The party tries to make the best speed possible to try and catch up to Sethus. Hoping that Sethus would be able to provide better information as to what happened in the camp. As sick and afflicted as Sethus appeared to be, the party could not catch up to him.
As the party neared the ruins there was a long discussion as to what should be done. Aidar was very suspicious. "It's awfully odd that as soon as we left the outpost was struck with the plague. If Sethus was really that sick, how did he travel all the way to town and back so fast. I sense foul play." Draegos commented. "Sethus was extremely ugly and interested in orcs; maybe he is a half-orc? He does wear leather armor, which is unusual for a cleric..." The rest of the party stared at him in confusion as Draegos, a devotee of Kord, was himself clad in leather armor. "Perhaps he is one of those dreaded half-orc cleric-assassins I've heard about, which would explain his ability to convincingly cover his face with boils." Crommard mentioned that though he didn't know Sethus all that well, it would be ludicrous to think that he was an orc and that Crommard wouldn't have recognized that fact.
With their imaginations running wild, everyone wondered how to proceed to the dig site. Basil suggested leaving the cart at the edge of the woods and approaching on foot. The consensus was that it was best to go right up to the camp so any potential ambushers would think the group unprepared. When they reached camp, everyone was surprised to find nothing out of the ordinary. No bodies, or anything else, for that matter. Looking over the edge of the cliff, Holmar noticed that there were two bodies at the bottom that looked to be scholars. Several crabmen were pulling them under the water. "Disposing of the evidence, eh?"
Cautiously everyone, with Crommard in tow, approached the now-cleared entrance to the ruins. Before them stood an open archway and a long corridor. With Baldric and Holmar in front, Adair, Draegos following and Twix with Crommard trailing the party entered the corridor. Crommard warned about murder holes lining the right hand wall down the corridor, and Holmar raised his shield to protect against them. The party was surprised by some crossbow bolts coming out of the murder holes directly in front at the end of the corridor. In an effort to evade the trap, Basil charged forward with the rest following behind. Holmar and Draegos took fire as Basil turned the corner and came face to face with an ogrillion that had been waiting. The creature had two huge, spiked gloves which it used to pummel Basil, who suffered two wounds from the ferocity of the ogrillion’s attack. Holmar's preparations paid off, as his shield deflected the bolts, but Draegos was struck in the chest. Draegos quickly recovered and called forth Kord's might to blind the ogrillion with light in its eyes. Baldric then dealt it a mortal blow. While engaged in the combat the rest of the party raced past hoping to escape the gauntlet as quickly as possible and get beyond the hidden crossbowmen. The party raced to the end of the long u-shaped entryway and emerged into a large courtyard. In the courtyard, directly before them was a large covered well, and on the opposite end a crumbling wall, three feet in height. In the middle of the stood a ruined fifteen foot statue. Many doors led from the courtyard and as the group emerged at a run from the corridor they took more crossbow fire from two orcs taking cover behind the the low wall. Charging to attack, Draegos was struck again, and fell to the ground. His last thoughts, strangely, were of how Mushurg, Sethus' bizarre deity was an anagram for Gruumsh, the fell orcish god. Holmar and Baldric, eager to get at the hidden crossbowmen that had fired upon the group from the murder holes, turned and opened the door to their right, entering a passageway - leaving Adair, Twix and Crommard to face the two orcish crossbowmen in the courtyard. Adair took cover behind the well and returned fire with his shortbow. Twix, fleet of foot, closed the distance between the orcs and drew his sword and attacked, killing one of the crossbowmen. Crommard nervously clutched his staff, hoping that his guards were worth their pay. From the closed door behind the remaining orc crossbowman came two large, ogrillons armed with spiked gloves who took up position on either side of the door. From another door, opposite the entryway the group had come, a large armored orc captain entered the courtyard.
Meanwhile, Baldric and Holmar came face-to-face with the crossbowmen who had attacked the party as they entered the citadel. Two orcs which drew broadswords and attacked. These proved particularly skilled opponents, which Holmar and Baldric had some difficulty dispatching. One struck Holmar a solid blow, leaving him sorely wounded, before they were slain.
Realizing he was outnumbered, Twix slowly retreated, careful not to expose himself to an attack. Adair continued to rain arrows upon the orcish crossbowman and it fell dead, shot through the eye. The sound of spellcasting was heard from beyond the two ogrillon guards and through the open door giant rats leapt forth to attack Twix. The armored orc, grunting, moved to attack Adair. With a solid blow from his broadsword, Adair was laid low. Baldric and a grievously wounded Holmar re-entered the courtyard, having at last defeated the two orcs. Shocked, they discovered their allies were not faring well.
"It's about time!" shouted Twix, before barking the words to a spell. A blue nimbus formed before him, a shield against physical attack. With his sword he deftly skewered a giant rat, then another.
Crommard, realizing the gravity of the situation, stepped over the still form of Draegos and pointed his staff at the orc captain standing over Adair. With a look of surprise, the orc's weapon fell from its hands. Ungracefully, the orc fumbled to recover it. With effort, Crommard began to drag the prone Draegos back toward the citadel's entrance.
More spellcasting came from behind the ogrillon guards, and with it an aged, decrepit orc, armored in black platemail, clearly a shaman or priest of some sort. Upon the arrival of their leader, the ogrillons began to advance. Shrieking in fear, Crommard abandoned his guards and ran from the citadel.
The ogrillon laughed and with a sweep of one spiked glove, Twix was knocked to the ground, the magical shield in front of him vanishing into sparkling blue motes of light.
"You'll pay for that," announced Holmar, parrying, and dealing the creature a killing blow in return while Baldric engaged the fumbling orc captain.
Unfortunately for Holmar, the dire wound sustained earlier, coupled by a glancing strike from the other ogrillon's spiked glove proved his undoing. Staggering to the ground and into unconsciousness, Holmar feared all was lost.
Brave Baldric, against all odds, rushed the orc shaman hoping that Holmar and Twix could survive a couple more minutes against the ogrillons. The shaman held his ground and after striking Baldric with his staff, reached out with a malevolent glowing hand to touch Baldric. Baldric felt a surge of pain cascade thorugh his body and he faded into darkness as his heart stopped beating.
Crommard, fleeing for his life, ran down the gauntlet of murder holes and around the bend toward the open archway. The sound of orcs behind him spurred his steps. In his haste he failed to notice the shadowy figure of Sethis Maximi step forth and block his path...
THE END