Down the staircase from the surface, the group stops on the second level and proceed down a hallway that is partially collapsed. The magicians and clerics cast spells of detect magic and detect traps and the group begins checking many doors. At the far corner of the hallway magic is detected buried in the rubble. Greenleaf casts a spell of stone shape and digs out a small box containing a pair of magical earrings that depict a glimmering pool with a leaping trout. Rounding the corner the group proceeds down another hall and discover a secret door. Inside Thud finds a partially buried skeleton with a magical ring on its finger. Thud retrieves the ring and proceeds on through another secret door.
The next room is partially collapsed. Magic is detected at the far end of the room, Moving into the room Thud, Skilver, Max and Greenleaf are caught in a cave-in and buried in the rubble. The druids use their shape changing ability to escape and begin to help the others. Another cave in brings critical injuries to Skilver and Thud.
After digging out the injured, the group heals and brainstorms on retrieving the item.
Max decides to drink a potion of diminution to decrease his size and tries to make his way through the unstable room. He discovers a buried desk and using stone shape he is able to move enough rubble to open the top drawer. Inside there is a shrunken burned head with diamond teeth that has an emanation of evil. Max reports back and after much discussion, Orthan successfully retrieves the item. The group becomes uneasy…
Wow! What a trip that potion of diminution was. I figured they would come in handy sometime. I only wish the item in the drawer could have been something a little less slanted. A shrunken evil head? Great… Good thing I didn’t touch it… I might have become some sort of evil bug… Gonna have to keep an eye on Orthan.
Hmm lucky Orthan has found an item of great power. Others worry but I feel that he will be able to handle the magic. I do feel as though the piece was left there for me by my god but I was to comatose to retrieve it. Ah well perhaps this will be what finally brings Orthan into Belial’s fold.
Must be more careful. Can’t shake the feeling that the powers that be hold a grudge still for my donation to the Church of Lothander.
Grudge cave-ins and angry bugs are indeed the stuff of fevered dreams. Detect slant? Is that like detect slope? Hmm. Slanty slope.
The percentile dice have spoken, and the results will not amuse most group members. Head games are rarely funny for the recipients…
The shrunken head causes Orthan to lose his and flee with a spellbook belonging to the comatoasty Beliailan. Happy to be rid of the ‘pesky elf, the remaining members return to the deeper reaches of Hellgate Keep…or the ruins formerly known as Hellgate Keep in any event.
The sneak and snoop around, descending to the deepest depths of the complex and seeing many odd and interesting areas, but eventually decide to storm a room used to house troops.
In bestest wild west fashion, the group enters with Lightning Bolts a-blazing behind a duo of conjured Fire Elementals. Alas, the bolters become the boltees as the electrical energy is repelled by the breastplates of the onrushing honor guard. The Belialian and Schwag are felled by their own magic and run through repeatedly until they die a messy and agonizing death.
The rest of the group exercises the various escape plans they have – Max shapechanges and flees through the dungeon shafts until he arrives at the surface. Thud and Greenleaf quaff potions of gaseous form and ride the thermals through the rubble to reemerge at the base of the explosion crater.
Somewhat crestfallen, the group heads back to Thudheim, only to find more bad news awaits them…