THE BEAST WITH TEN HEADS

Alcar paced back and forth, clearly agitated. His stocky companion, Baldon sat quietly on the bridge deck, stout legs dangling over as he turned the brittle pages of his sacred clerical tome.

"What's taking him so long? He should have been here hours ago. Maybe he's not coming." Stopping for a moment, he placed his fingertips to his temples and telepathically sent a message.

Iago, we're waiting at the bridge to South Karanas
I'll be there in few minutes, a kindly shaman has agreed to imbue me with the spirit of the wolf. The extra speed will help me make it there more quickly

At the gates of the bustling seaport of Qeynos, Iago spied a great lumbering Troll, hurrying to meet him. At a heavily trafficked area like the south gate, there are always craftsmen and casters wishing to exchange their goods and services for coin.

Just as the shaman was almost close enough to speak and Iago was reaching for his coinpurse, a meddling passerby took offense at the sight of the troll, and struck him down where he stood.

Iago shrugged off his guilt, and with a silent petition to Quellious to watch over the body of this singular troll until it was reunited with its soul, he began the long run to the bridge.

Not much later, the group was reunited and heading to their destination, the darkened cave which the gnolls refer to as Splitpaw.

Along the way, each caught the others up on their recent perils and achievements, and the group engaged in good-natured ribbing as old friends may do.

The merry band sobered as they caught sight of the lightless pit. On all sides, giant spires rose up from the ground -- indeed it looked like a giant outstretched claw waiting to close upon anyone who stepped inside.

Below the surface, the air was musty and thick with the foul smells of a hundred squalid dog-beasts. There was no doubt this was the unclean place they had come in search of.

The group immediately laid into the first few Gnoll guards they found, but none put up so much as a fight. Most turned tail and ran when engaged, but Baldon muttered dwarvish curses and ensnared their feet so they could not escape.

As the party ventured deeper into the lair, they came to realize that very little in this place could challenge them. Happening upon a lone halfling, they made inquiry into the customs of this new place, and learned how to find the deepest core of this den of evil.

Before long, word came from above that the druid Tenasi would join them. Threading their way back up the convoluted labyrinth of passages, they rejoined their old companion and made a side trip to unload treasures found thus far.

Returning to Splitpaw, it became evident that not many others had the stamina to stay long in this reeking abyss. Several times there was no one within the caves to hear their battlecries other than the party itself. Camping in one of the deepest corners, they awaited the appearance of a High Shaman by name of Phido, rumored to have slain a much beloved monk.

It was not long before a fresh-faced adventurer by name of Shimmerin came bounding through, quite lost and in need of direction. The group, hesitant to miss the apperance of their quary, pointed him in the right direction. He thanked them and went on his way, noting that if he ran into trouble he might come back for help.

The group laughed this comment off, believing that nothing in this lair was much of a challenge, but also certain that Shimmerin would find trouble.

Quite soon after he left, trouble found Shimmerin:

There was a glorious battle, during which ten or more gnolls fell. A lesser group would not have survived. Sadly, Shim was a lesser man. Despite the best efforts of the adventurers, he fell. Later they were able to guide him back to his corpse and escort him safely out of the dungeon, for which he was greatly appreciative.

Although the cursed high shaman never showed his vile dogface, the party came away from Splitpaw with a number of pieces of snakeskin armor, yet another runed totem staff and a reasonable number of decent items which sold for several gold each.

- Iago, Emerald Templars archivist