The area beyond the door shows the bloodstains from the recent battle, but the bodies of the fallen have been removed. THe situation is dynamic and evolving as the days go by. They explore one of Bayga’s hunches and travel away from the structure – out into the sewer lines. In that direction they find traps, gelatinous pseudopods and signs of passage, as there is a ladder in a shaft that connects to another, smaller pipe. Eventually they return to their initial entry point and decide to follow stairs that lead deeper into the underground.
These are followed and lead to a large underground cavern, a remnant of a previous civilization upon which the city has been built. Therein, a tower spans floor to ceiling, flanked on either side by curtain walls. An observation box is attached to the cavern ceiling. Not much seems to be happening, so while bard and clerics stay atop the stairs, the rest of the party moves towards a curtain wall to see if it can be scaled. At the bottom of the stairs, they find a cultist, slain fry a single knife in the back. Hoom. Infighting? No – stay on target. Scaling the wall. That is the plan and it remains the plan until it is no longer the plan.
A Colorful pattern of lights distracts and entrances some of the party, and a lightning bolt hits the trio on the stairs. A lightning bolt? Yes, lightning! No one can see where it came from excepot Zaal, but he only manages to wound it. More colorful lights slow the party’s actions and a second lightning bolt deals more damage. Somewhere in the mix, a dwarf cultist of some sort appears and starts attacking from behind, aided by creatures made from air and fire. Fun!
The retreat is sounded and the group departs the area as quickly as possible. They retreat past the gelatinous pseudopods and set up camp in a partially flooded section of sewer. They rest, heal and examine any loot collected before returning to the descending stairs. In preparation, they all are made invisible by Zaal. It won’t fool everyone, but maybe it’ll fool enough of ’em.
A new tripwire has been fastened atop the stairs, buyt the nimble Mister Fingers removes any danger. The plan is to rush the stairs, cross to the tower door and have Zaal’s magic open it. That is the plan and it remains the plan until it is no longer the plan.
The plan goes well. The door is opened and the party surprises a person napping on a straw mattress, Krusty stabs them in the aorta and finishes them. Zaal shoots at an invisible familiar that tries to flee upstairs but he finishes it off with magic missiles. Some plundering and searching is undertaken. Krusty opens a door to the outside of the tower and comes under missile fire. That occupies a good portion of the party’s discussion until the party becomes aware of a spy…a brightly colored centipede that retreats up the stairs. THe group follows and enters a room that is suspected to be the lair of the lightning-bolt-hurling spider person. The group eventually leaves after finding no practical way to deal with a large room full of webs that do not easily catch fire.
No matter, there is another door and they know it leads to a large cavern, so out they go, into the cavern – which precipitates a fight with some of the transformed apartment dwellers they encountered much earlier. They slay the bomb-tossing creatures and enter the building, only to get attacked by a pair of rat lords that do their level best to kill Sniffles with sword and pistol and escape. One dies inside the building, the other flees towards an exit, only to be taken by Zaal’s arrow. Phew…never a dull moment!
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