AtD 021: Enter, the Goblins' Lair

The party discussed their next move. Bodrum seemed strangely obsessed with how much rope the party had and what lay at the bottom of the waterfalls. However, the rest of the party now decided they wanted to assault the main building. The majority view prevailed, after a short discussion and the party sallied forth.

They approached cautiously and, after checking the tangled garden for lurking foes, approached the monastery’s main doors. Decorated with a skull sigil virtually identical to that on the mausoleum’s doors, these doors were far easier to open. Beyond lay a vast room, with five tall skeleton figures holding the 20-foot-high ceiling aloft.

The party’s lights could barely reach the far wall, the room was so immense. Advancing inside, they began to investigate. Muddy tracks on the floor led to two far corners, but as they were about to explore this in more depth, the party were ambushed by a small band of goblins creeping up behind them.

The goblins stood no chance against the characters, however. Before they could attack, Saeldur annihilated over half of them with a special, and hitherto unused, type of exploding arrow. Bravely (and incomprehensively), the surviving goblins continued the fight, but within moments all lay dead.

With this minor inconvenience dealt with, the heroes returned to searching the vast room. Gromm quickly found two secret doors—even though some of his inept friends wandered about and got in the way.

The northern secret door seemed to be used mainly by large creatures of a size similar to ogres, and the party decided to face this threat first. Beyond the door lay several corridors and two doors. Picking a door at random, the party burst into the room beyond. Two hulking ogres sat at a table playing dice. Completely surprised by the party, the ogres were quickly slain; only one of the two managed to pick up a weapon, but such was the ferocity of the party’s assault he didn’t manage to attack any of the intruders.

Taking stock, the party spotted another door at the rear of the chamber. This was barred from the outside, and the victorious heroes could hear cries for help emanating from beyond. Quickly, the bar was cast aside and the door flung open. Four orogs languished inside the filthy makeshift cell.

The orogs were friends with Gark, who the party had met several weeks earlier. The primitive orogs lived in the woods to the west and were grateful for their rescue. They warned the party of two powerful witches living in the vicinity and strongly suggested the heroes avoid the two old crones (one of whom could slay her enemies with great balls of fire). At this news, which confirmed a rumour the party had heard in Dunstone weeks ago, several heroes wondered aloud if Kildrak had been right after all to slay Mari Parvianien in the town’s marketplace. Thonn, in particular, seemed to think this news might exonerate the mad dwarf. However, there was nothing the party could now do about the dwarf—he had chosen his fate when he slew a half-dozen guardsmen during his escape…