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…
That bad news includes the theft of about 1/2 of Thud’s operating reserves and the news that there are orcs harassing the merchant trade. The Killers pay Max a visit and declare that Orthan is not on this plane, and they quiz him at length about past associates.
Max tells all, and the Killers and their mercenary brethren leave fro greener pastures. The trio of Greenleaf, Max and Thud recruit some additional cannon fodd – companions – and embark on a punitive raid to try and squash the rebellious orc tribes.
Along the way they happen across an unusual sight, a castle mounted on a huge chunk of rock is hurtling through the sky, on a collision course for Waterdeep. The group ascends to the castle and begins to look about…
Da’Nog not sure he like being called “Cannon fodder” by the High One.
Strong he is! Da’Nog
Fight he will! Da’Nog
Some call him a Barbarian.
Most have known him as Death!
Da’Nog!
Spinning rock is not what I like. Prefer steady ground neath my feet.
Why spinning rock? Da’Nog wanted to fight orcs. Da’Nog not like no way off of rock. Forget treasure or fights until we know how escape.
All it took was some shared combat and the monk of the saffron robe joins the group on a madcap skyward adventure. Pteryons? What are they? Who cares, they die like everything else!
On the castle proper, spinning through the sky, vague vestiges of vertigo remain. The keep keeper has departed to the open air, and the archers have been gutted. Still, who knows what dangers await before the gate?
Funions or not, this is where they are at and that is how it is gonna be, whether they save Waterdeep or not…
Stop this rock, I want to get off! All it takes is a Cubic Gate and a Big Fireball and you too can go ethereal! Not so much danger except for vaporization and I hear barbarians love the ether!
Tony the Tiger didn’t look too pleased about it though, but the grudge scroll returns the group to home..or heim as the case may be.
And so, the orcses are still begging for a beating. Drudical weather leads to gale force winds and a really big bolt. KA-BLAM! The only downside is that whatever treasure there might be is scattered across the Lurkwood…the woodcutters will be pleased at least.
Half my????!!!!! GRABSCAKA GLOPSKUNT KITISTBUGGERNUTS!!!!
huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! where’s that slave girl?