(Feb 27, 2005) Chronicler: Isaku
Month 11, Day 13, Year 1562 –
We returned to the desmodu enclave with the folks we rescued from the salamanders. The desmodu think it’s time to remove the walls of force that are affecting the magma flows and causing the buildup of pressure. The tremors are getting worse, and they are concerned about the threat to the surface world. Noku offered to help with some of his spells, which they will start in a few days.
Month 11, Day 15 –
We rested a couple of days, then took a party of desmodu back to the ruined city to gather up the remaining treasure, before it all gets buried by the magma when the walls of force are removed. The salamanders had already vacated the ruined city.
Month 11, Day 23 –
We went to the reported stronghold of the beholders, deeper in the spider cave. Til’k scouted ahead as usual, and saw what looked like a large lobster in the water around the entrance. As Til’k hit the lobster, a desmodu swooped down and attacked. Zenako ran up and whacked the desmodu, and Isaku finished it off with a flying kick. Noku flew further along the side over the water, and disintegrated an undead creature in what looked like a torture chamber. Two more desmodu flew in to join the battle.
We finished off the three desmodu, then Mulan, Birkat, Zenako and Isaku bashed the main doors down. We found a chain gang of desmodu, water trolls and some lizard type creatures being forced to sort through a pile of rubble by two desmodu mercenaries.
Isaku ran up and booted one mercenary to the head, and Mulan finished it off with arrows. Abu and Zim flew in, and Abu cast an Ice Storm on the pit in the middle of the room. Til’k flew into the room and dove into the pit. Noku cast a Fireball on the pit, killing two creatures (a beholder and a squid-head). Two barbed devils suddenly appeared beside Til’k at the pit. The second desmodu mercenary ran to the stairs to call for help, and Birkat soon killed it.
Birkat and Hatori flew up to look at some holes in the wall above the pit. Inside they found two beholders and two desmodu in an anti-magic area. One of the beholders came down and engulfed us all in an anti-magic area, causing several of our party to fall to the ground. The beholder cast a spell on Birkat, who fell to the floor. Isaku ran out of the anti-magic area and flew up to attack the beholder from behind. Ashiko cast Holy Word on the barbed devils to send them back to the spirit world (or wherever they came from). She then cast Holy Smite on the beholder to finish it off.
Abu, Hatori, Til’k and Noku flew up to the holes to fight the other beholder and four desmodu. Noku dropped out of one of the holes, looking a bit fried (from his own Fireball spell). Mulan woke up Birkat, while Isaku cast Cure Serious Wounds on Noku. Isaku then flew up through the other hole, and tumbled through in back of the remaining beholder. Isaku saw what looked like a stone statue of Abu nearby. Til’k and Hatori finished off the beholder.
The desmodu leader surrendered after the beholder died, and offered us any treasure in the stronghold. Hatori accepted their surrender. They called off the other desmodu behind the doors downstairs, and described the other areas we hadn’t seen yet. One room was a forge, where some salamanders were melting the ore that the slaves were mining. Hatori used a salve on Abu that turned him back to normal. The healers then fixed up everyone else.
We explored the rest of the area collecting treasure, including some moldy books and scrolls, a set of keys and various other items:
1 Chime of Interruption
1 pouch of four flasks (1 super-glue, 3 glue solvent)
70 smoke sticks
28 flasks of Frostfire
14 breathing masks
14 flasks of Protection from Elements (Fire)
12 silver bars
50 platinum coins
1 obsidian spider pendant on a necklace
2 Metal boxes containing:
1 potion of Dark Vision,
1 divine scroll of Dispel Magic (5th level caster),
1 divine scroll of Doom, Silence, Inflict Moderate Wounds (3rd level caster),
1 divine wand of Silence,
Various gems
We freed all the slaves, which had been separated into two work shifts. We then opened the door of the hot room. Those of us who opened the doors (Zenako and Isaku) were blasted with a wave of heat, but survived. Ashiko moved into the room to cast Holy Word, sending the salamanders back to the elemental plane of fire, and temporarily deafening Zenako and Isaku.
We found more treasure in the room next to the forge:
116 silver bars
105 gold bars
2 platinum bars
Several iron, steel and bronze ingots (of minimal value)
There was a ruined library beyond the treasure room. The books were moldy, and there was a bronze statue with a spell of Continual Flame on it. Eight blurry demons suddenly appeared in the room. One of them screeched, stunning Abu. We engaged battle with the demons, which turned out to be one real demon and seven mirror-images that disappeared when hit. Ashiko cast Holy Word and failed to hurt the demon, but deafened most of our party. Noku cast Greater Dispelling and removed the rest of the mirror images, making it easier for the rest of us to corner and kill the demon.
We found more treasure in a secret study beyond the library:
1 potion of Blur
1 potion of Heroism
1 magic rock (sustain creature with food/water)
Hatori divined that searching the water for loot could be good or bad. Mulan spoke with one of the sharks, who told her that he didn’t know about any treasure under water. The shark warned her that the big master (maybe a kraken?) would eat anyone who ventured into the water.