AD&D Session 23: The Floor Is on Fire

Since the last session Kai and Ellea have returned from their training a level higher, while Timukel has left to begin his training. After chilling in Porto Oro for a while, the group (Archie, Kai, Gaia and Ellea) go to the mayor Andrea to ask for permission to use Russel for a lift to Estato again. During this they have some conversation about Estato. Andrea tell them that the White Crab Inn is a very lively place always with music and dancing, while Hewitt the crab fisherman always welcomes newcomers to the island and is very happy to tell them all about the village. Andrea again gives them permission to go to Estato with Russel, who again agrees to collect them at the end of the day, or after two nights.

In Estato the group decide to visit a grove of stately elm trees to the south of the village. Here they find a small ramshackle cottage and they go to knock on the door. After hearing some scrambling inside and a man shouting ‘just a moment’ the door flies open and they see an old thin man with a weasel perched on his shoulder hastily tidying the messy cottage. The man asks them what they want and Archie decides to tell him that they would like to join the cult. The man replies ‘Join the cult? How curious. This is contrary to your previous actions on this island. Was that a lie or are you merely stupid?’ The conversation continues with both parties eventually convincing the other that they are in fact against the cult and would like to take it down. After convincing Ramne of the groups credentials in taking down cults, he agrees that they should team up. He will tell them what he knows in exchange for their strength in fighting the cult and raiding the HQ.

The old man’s name in Ramne and his pet weasel is called Whiskers. He has been gathering information but lacks the strength to destroy them himself. He tells them that the temple was one of the first places to be infected and that the dungeon from the previous session is their HQ. He also tells them that there is some unknown evil power at play and he believes that once this evil power is removed, the people of Estato might return to normal. While there are a few people in the village that he trusts are not under the influence of the cult, he does not know for certain who has been infected. The effect of the cult in the village has generally led to the village being less friendly and more sinister than before, and there have also been a few people disappearing from the village - the children of the village carpenter, a travelling merchant and the wife of a local dock worker.

Ramne gathers some belongings and the group leave his cottage. Ramne is quite frail and moves slowly. Most of the group go to the Inn of the Slumbering Serpent and talk to the owners who Ramne trusts. They don’t have any extra information and it seems Ramne just wanted them to go here so he could have their lavish breakfast before leaving on the adventure. Meanwhile Gaia decides to try to sneak in to the Temple of Merikka. She is confused about the conflicting information she received from Ramne and from the children last session about the temple. Gaia successfully enters the temple without being seen and goes through one of the doors from the main central sanctuary. In here she finds a meeting room with some wooden benches, a few chairs and a shelf with some bottles of wine and glasses. Fearing being discovered by the priestess, Gaia leaves the temple.

The group again travel to the dungeon, this time significantly slowed by Ramne, but make it there mostly without incident. Near the dungeon entrance they encounter a giant snapping turtle, but luckily notice it early and manage to avoid it. Archie charges down the staircase to the dungeon, and nimbly keeps his feet before warning the others to be careful because it is slippery. They set up a rope mechanism and descend. Again there are four guards at the entrance and Archie tries the same trick of saying they are there to take over the guard duty. Despite being warned about this ruse, the guards surprisingly fall for it again which leaves Gaia scratching her forehead in confusion.

The group follow the same path as last time in the dungeon, scaring away a few giant rats with fire and arriving at the corridor leading to the place of the previous encounter with the three men. Along this corridor, Gaia is scraping her hand along the wall and where the corridor turns north, one of the bricks of the south wall comes loose revealing a hidden passageway. Inside this hidden passage is an alcove with a small rowing boat and the edge of a body of water within a cave. The water is shallow near the edge but quickly gets deeper. It extends in all directions but with the lack of light they can’t see where the water ends. They get in the boat and set off towards the south. They see similar alcoves and edges to the water to the west and to the south. To the east the water extends further. To the north east there is a mud shelf on which they can make out some silhouettes of crocodiles. They decide to land the boat on the south alcove and continue.

They move south through another small corridor and arrive at a crossroads - west is a short muddy corridor, south is a longer muddy corridor and east is a longer corridor, but without mud. They take the cleaner east corridor and arrive at a door going south. Archie and Gaia slowly force the door open and are greeted on the other side by two humanoid lizard creatures carrying stone battle axes. One is knocking on another door while the other is releasing a horrible odour. Archie and Ellea are able to cover their noses in time to not be effected by the stench, but Kai and Gaia feel its effects sapping their strength. Ellea casts phantasmal force, making the room appear to be on fire. Both creatures believe this illusion, taking fire damage and Archie goes to attack while Kai casts Faerie Fire and Gaia hangs back protecting Ramne and Whiskers. Archie’s magical sword is tingling in his hand (+2 against these monsters) and he takes down the first creature, but receives a hit in return. The other creature continues taking fire damage and also exchanges blows with Archie. Again Archie takes it down but not before receiving another hit. At this time the other door to the room bursts open revealing 4 more humanoid lizards. They also fall for the fire illusion and so hang back in the doorway. Archie takes some shots with his bow, hitting the creature in the doorway while Kai heals him with cure light wounds. Seeing the adventurers walking in the flames, the illusion is broken for the creatures, but Archie and Gaia close in on the doorway before they can enter the room creating a choke point. Another hit with Archies sword as well as a hit from Gaia take the creature in the doorway down and the other three drop their weapons and surrender. The group tie them up and kill any unconscious creatures.

After the fight, they look around a bit. The first room they entered from the north side is a small room with three wooden benches. The other door to the room leads west into a slightly larger but empty room. Further west is a small cave like area with fish bones scattered on the floor and some sleeping pallets. They find some pouches with 20 gp. To the south side of the room is another exit with a staircase that leads down to the east. The group decide to peak their heads down this staircase. At the bottom they find a large mud pit with some stepping stones forking in two different directions. Their curiosity satisfied, they go back up the stairs. While the others discuss what to do with the captured creatures, Kai slits their throats. Then the group all leave the dungeon.

On the way to the exit, they come across an aggressive snake. Kai summons some insects and Ellea uses phantasmal force to make the insects appear giant. These seemingly giant insect bites, as well as sword attacks from Archie and Gaia are enough to annihilate the snake without it managing to land its fangs in any of our adventurers. They exit the dungeon and return to the village without further trouble.

Back at the village, Archie, Gaia and Ellea will stay in the Inn of the Slumbering Serpent to continue working with Ramne and investigating the village, while Kai returns with Russel to Porto Oro with the 20 gp to try to hire some reinforcements.