Entry 12

Kobolds here and there and everywhere. Then, wait for it...wait...wait....aaaaaaaa dragon! Alas poor Veocyn...dragon food. A TPK, almost, if Angus hadn't run from the fight from the beginning...with all the healing potions! Kukla trying to distract the beast flashing a staff pulled from his treasure, but the dragon was busy killing the dwarf and elf (and of course the cleric paying his debt to the long-eared rogue).

Kukla soon caught up with the magus, but Angus had no desire to part with a potion, "They're dead, if not dragon food already. We're on our own." But Kukla was determined, hoping the magic user wrong. And the more he thought of it, he remembered the cleric had a healing potion in his belt pouch. So hours later he slowly crept back to the lair, his own heartbeat pounding loudly in his head. And lo the dragon was sleeping. Veocyn and Garith all but bones, yet Geno and Oleg's bodies undisturbed. Carefully, slowly the gnome crept forward to the cleric, watching the dragon eyelids for any movement. Too focused on the eyes to notice the dragon tail moving toward him.

Kukla lifted the potion from the belt about the same time he was lifted, as the eyes greeted him, "It was so nice of you to bring back my staff and jewelry you stole. And I can't remember when I last feasted on gnome."

If anyone should enter these caverns, beware the mad magus. The feral man fighting for his life and scrap of food within these damn passages owned by kobolds spawning like rabbits. Rich with treasure he'll never be able to spend!

Entry 11

Morning and we continue searching the passages...for a way out? Have to evade the cube, luring it out of a new passage that leads to a new octagon room. 8 new doors. 8 meandering passages, most connected (door 2 leads to door 4, door 3 to 5). A side passage ending in a steam vent that rises to maybe the crevasse we saw in the monastery courtyard days ago. A monitor lizard basking in the heat, a swarm of fire-stinging gnats tasting Geno. A hasty exit before the vent blows.

Upon opening door 6, we can hear the crashing of a waterfall ahead. Phosphorous lichen lights the stream as we walk the shallow river coming upon a kobold outpost. So much for an exit from this hell-hole!

 

Entry 10

As we continue to explore this underground labyrinth of cavernous passages, it becomes obvious other creatures have fallen down the trap chute over the decades. Many feral/starving foe who attack what they see as food. Surprised to question why these creatures don't camp in the octagonal room under the trap-chute awaiting food delivery. Emaciated BugBears, a swarm of large mosquitoes (i.e. Stirges), and a treat for the cleric...frenzied undead hobgoblins. But most alarming and deadly, a strange gelatinous cube that threatens to devour man and his weapons with acid.

 

Entry 9

Recognizing familiar hallways and rooms, Garith led the group to the goblin throne room. A pitched battle against a horde of hobgoblins defending their king. Garith going all out, leaving one fight to charge the king only to be stopped short. Raging power-blows, near exhaustion and death (2 HP) yet still he fought. Slew the king and a few more hobgoblins before he collapsed unconscious (loss of raging HP). A night of rest to then triumphantly carry the king's severed head upon a spear. A show of intimidation. A short-lived show when all lost their footing, sliding down a ramp trap. Into an underground world so far void of goblins and their kin.

Entry 8

It's tough to break contact with the enemy when the gnome keeps blasting away with that loud pistol. Wave after wave of hobgoblin patrols rounded the corners drawn to the sound. It took Veocyn setting fire to a barricade and Angus casting "Obscuring Mist" to give us chance to make a tactical retreat. And what the hell was the dwarf thinking charging into the hobgoblin ranks to begin with?!

Entry 7

More wandering the passages beneath the monastery. More hobgoblin patrols with at least one escaping to continue the alarm of our presence. And then our stumble upon a mad cleric...Moray (as the dwarf names him), who begins to cast.

Our rush to attack him and pummel him to death. No chance to interrogate, to find out the purpose, plans, and leadership of the goblin army somewhere around here.

Maybe that's the purpose behind Angus' roasting torture of a goblin...a ritual sacrifice for a devining spell?

Entry 6

Finally,3 successful pistol shots by the gnome. Although his silencer was a dud. Luck that we rescued a dwarf who knows a thing-or-two about firearms. But I get ahead of myself...

We've cleared the main floor after dealing with another hobgoblin patrol almost caught off-guard. Our stealthy approach foiled by noisy armor. Geno tried to bluff,calling out orders in goblinese but they were not fooled by the unique sounds of Oleg's armor. Archers trading shots over the dieing bodies of Angus and Kukla. Oleg hesitant to channel healing concerned he's raise some foe too. Only when the last foe retreated to the ogre room, did Oleg channel for his allies gathered away from the battle scene. Which gave the foe the chance to come out and escape to raise the alarm.

We made our way to the stairs to begin exploring the lower area. A hobgoblin nest. But a forge when we rescued the dwarven smithy laboring to craft weapons for a growing army. Of course we had to get past the bugbear first!

Entry 5

Day 4: OK, so they weren't giants. But 10 ft tall and 600 lbs each, two Ogres arguing over knuckbones was menacing. Until Geno's rapid fire arrows dropped one, pissing the other off such that it charged grabbing the elf by his throat and crushing him to the ground. But Oleg killed that one allowing Veocyn to ransack the treasure chest in the corner.

A pushover encounter. Yeah, we're cocky bastards. Until the squad of hobgoblins knocked that shit out of us. Their critical hits answered by our fumbles. Kukla's pistol jams/misfires, Veocyn is down and bleeding, Angus slowed from a pulled muscle, while Geno's leaf armor slips from cut straps, and even Oleg's armor slacks from cut straps.

It's time to regroup in the fountain courtyard and heal for the night. A little craftsmanship repairs to armor and the pistol.

Entry 4

Day 3: Veocyn activates a trap releasing 6 skeletons from the outer rooms that attack. Kukla's pistol shot takes the head clean off one but the sounds reverberate thru the statue room. Geno calls for him to stop shooting before he attracts more, but the gnome is fighting for his life as Veocyn's arrows continue to miss their mark. As the last skeleton falls Geno moves behind the gnome swinging to knock some sense into him. But Kukla mistakes the blade as a deadly swing and takes aim with his pistol...another booming shot that just misses the rogue surprised by such retaliation. Oleg swings to protect his master also trying to stun the gnome. Tense moments in a standoff that simmers for the rest of the day. The gnome reduced to his rapier as he tries to fend off more skeletons, goblins, and hobgoblins.

Entry 3

Day 2: more meandering paths...our map not making sense. A grotesque statue (fat, squatting humanoid) guards a large clearing. More trails before we stumble upon the rumored cemetery. And ghouls. Two waves and a third before we retreat, back to the statue clearing, taking an easterly path.
Ruins hidden by heavy overgrowth. Could this be the rumored monastery? We’ve made our presence known with pistol fire, and a smoking fire as we deal with goblins and more hobgoblins attracted to the noise and smoldering fire. Barely mid-day and we already seek sanctuary to allow our cleric to rest and recover the few spells he knows…Cure Wounds our top priority.

Sunrise to explore the area. Poisonous centipedes to slow us and drain us, before we break into the building decorated with carvings that match the grotesque statue found yesterday.  A more detailed statue inside. Red gems embedded in the eye sockets attract our rogue Veocyn who scales the tall statue to pluck the gems. Trapped! A dozen doors swing open. Crap!

Entry 2

Day 1 Evening: so much for the escort of soldiers scouting the lands. We're on our own and not doing so well. We've claimed the land if wetting it with our blood counts, as we faced LARGE mosquitoes and packs of hobgoblins.

Entry 1

Day 1: seems we're all headed north to the borderland frontier to checkout the realm beyond the fallen barriers. Is it the lure of treasure, adventure facing the unknown, or just escape?

............................................................................................ Kukla gazed at the wanted posted high on the tavern wall, "Sure is a queer looking elf. Wonder what he did to get such a high price on his head?" It never dawned on the gnome, the picture was himself! At least BEFORE he singed off his eyebrows and burnt most of the hair top his head from all his alchemy flareups as he created his gunpower. Which might explain why others didn't see the likeness either.