The Vanguard sees the Redshield’s off and then says their goodbyes to Dugobras.
They venture out of the second entrance to Dugobras’s stronghold into the harsh reality that is the Deamonskar. Sharp cutting rocks that shred normal boots are the norm. What is considered a nice flat surface here is the equivalent of a rugged, pock-marked terrain with random one foot potholes. A mere glance away from the ground leads to trips and cut knees and hands.
To make matters worse, the environment looks like some giant knife sliced canyons and fissures. These range from 10’ across to 30’ across, requiring a cautious climb down into the darkness and then up the other side.
To make matters worse, not a plant in site and with the tropical sun, armor turns into walking ovens. The travel is slow, painful and trying on ones patience.
At the end of the first long day of travel, they Vanguard only traveled 5 miles. Luckily, the edge of the jungle is in site and the very beginnings of weeds and small brush cling precariously to the tortured rocks.
That night the group has a fitful but undisturbed sleep.
The next day, after two more exhausting hours of walking bits of mettle tubing, and other evidence of the Spellweaver’s domain begin to jut at odd angles up into the air. The question is, where is the entrance to Karran-Kural?
With no other method at their disposal, the group begins the search for the proverbial needle. For hours the group enters caves that dead end, or tunnels that are collapsed or branch off into multiple smaller tunnels far too small for travel.
Again the Vanguard sleep undisturbed in the harsh environments. At least now they have shelter from the daily deluge of rain.
Mid-afternoon of the next day Barrette spots some worn bits of stone… no sharp slicing rock. It is faint, but notable enough… following the path in one direction leads strait towards the beckoning jungle. The other leads back into the Demon Scar.
The party quickly follows the path in single-file. The first chasm even has some boards on each side to make some make-shift bridges to cross back and forth easily. Shortly after the chasm the path lead strait into an old steam vent. It is huge, 12 or so feet in diameter.
The party quickly enters the vent and sighs of relief go all around. The temperature quickly cools, the sun is no longer hammer its rays and the ground is smooth and easy to walk on.
Light sources are brought forth, and everyone descends, walking quickly and efficiently down the steep decline of the steam vent. It doesn’t take more than an hour when Bolgrim predicts the depth underground at being about ¾ of a mile. Additionally, the air temperature is slowly getting cooler. The very stable 58 or so degrees is dropping every fifty or so feet. The heavy moisture in the cave is condensing to the walls in wet drips forming a small 1” stream down the center of the steam vent.
Moving a bit more cautiously, the group notices the temperature is dropping and now people are seeing their breath. It takes only another 100 or so feet when at the far reaches of their vision there is frost and ice clinging to one wall of the steam vent.
As everyone approaches there are two icicle strewn openings in the steam vent. One of the openings looks like it is used often given the number of icicle shards littering the ground. The steam vent continues down into the depths, but it is quite obvious where others have gone before.
It takes but a sweep of an arm to clear the newly formed icicles from the entrance of the side cave. Cold air, well below freezing, emanates from within the ice coated cave. Stepping through the threshold into the icy air Churchkey leads the group to a once large cave that is also fed by the second tube. Unfortunately, this room is blocked by a huge naturally occurring wall of ice. The southern most portion of the ice wall has been chiseled through, making a sort of ice cave/tunnel. A very thin sheen of ice has formed over the tunnel enterence.
Again, Churchkey shatters the ice, chunks falling to the ground like glass. Air, easily in the single digits Fahrenheit assaults Churchkey. The blue fingers and rose colored cheeks has Conall and Bolgrim casting spells that will endure the cold. Everyone, stomps their feet to knock the cold out of their extremities and then make their way through the 18’ of ice tunnel. Someone was very determined to get through this wall of ice.
Beyond the tunnel of ice is the other side of the cavern. On the far side is a beautifully sculpted and designed portcullis. The stonework is astounding. However, the portcullis itself is twisted and fully removed from its frame and sitting in a heap… frozen to the ground and the side of the cave wall.
Stepping through the former defense of Karren Kural the Vanguard steps into a 10’ wide meticulously and perfectly built corridor. The last defense o Karren Kural stairs at them. Two huge doors, carved of mettle and stone with art never before seen illuminate the doors.
Barrette searches for traps and finds none. In fact he even determines that the doors are unlocked. Churchkey again moves to the front and opens the doors. They glide open as if they weighed nothing. As the motion of the
door opens, pale blue lights set flush in the ceiling turn on in rapid succession until in a matter of about three seconds the 60 foot corridor is lit. The walls have a subtle curve, and the entire length is etched with disturbing images and symbols. What is most disturbing are the ten, strange glassy circles, each a few inches shy of five feet in diameter, checker the length of the hallway’s floor. Above each disc, a six-armed humanoid figure hangs motionless as if suspended in fluid or encased in glass.
The group cautiously makes there way through the room. Each adventurer lost in thought and wonder as they stare curiously at the suspended creatures. Churchkey detects no evil and Bolgrim detects vast amounts of magic. Concentrating he determines the disc’s are artifact like powerful in their magic, and that the pale blue light tiles in the ceiling are also the tiles emanating the cold.
Then upon the examination of one of the tubes the creature contained within twitches violently and then settles. The whole of the Vanguard jump back startled. The sing of mettle being drawn from shaft fill the hall. Poised, everyone intensely watches the tube. Nothing moves and with a few hard swallows, lowers their weapons.
The group weaves through the suspended creatures and is now standing at a pair of mettle doors. Again, these doors are carved with beautiful but odd illuminations. While Barrette examines the doors and Donner listens, Pepper is examining one of the tubes when the body inside jerks and drags its hand down the inside of the “glass” surface. Pepper drops a hot pocket and leaps back.
Up ahead, the coast is clear and the doors are opened. The chamber beyond is nearly circular, although two sides are made flat by think walls of ice. The entire room is filled with a lattice of thin icy strands, each flickering with faint magical energies.
Donner yells, “Creature, hiding back of the room!”
At the same time Barrette calls out, “There is some form of sigil surrounding the room”
At this, a blast of air so cold ice instantly seals eyelids temporarily shut and knocks the breath out of your lungs. The cold seems to find you like a skeletal claw nipping and biting. Barrette leaps out of the way. Others dive for cover and others are caught off guard by the damaging blast of air.
Pepper retaliates, an explosion of flames and heat fill the back of the room. A magical barrio seems to keep the creature safe from the explosion but the walls of ice have large melted holes in them. However, a magical force of energy can be seen sustaining the wall.
Decisions abound, we need to fight the creature, but what of these strands that fill the room? Barrette does the experiment. He steps forward breaking a strand, cold and necrotic energy shock his system causing Barrette to yelp. That alone tells the rest of the party what not to do.
Conall gingerly enters the room ducking and weaving around the strands.
Churchkey quickly sizes up the chances to dodge the fibers in the room and charges into the room at the eight foot tall ice insect. The fibers snap and lash at Churchkey leaving frostbite and blood and then quickly reconnect making the filament whole again.
Bolgrim, following in Peppers concept of fighting cold with heat calls down a pillar of flame. The creature flexes its magical muscles and repels the fire with not a scratch. However a larger whole is carved into the walls of ice.
Donner pulls in his energy and disappears only to reappear a fraction of a second later next to the huge insect devil. Unfortunately, Donner appeared within the force of the new melted ice wall. The magic energies of cold arc through his body like electricity, leaving Donner weakened.
Another blast of arctic air emanates from this terrifying foe. Churchkey takes the brunt of the blast while Barrette effectively leaps out of the way. When a moment later an arc of lightening slams into the devil. The lightening penetrates but doesn’t seem to do much damage to the beast.
Barrette threads his way through the dangerous filaments when he realizes he is next to a beast far larger and rank than he thought. Barrette swallows hard and rethinks his plan. Uncharacteristically, Barrette retreats, obviously under some magical influence from the devil.
Conell, quickly casts a spell to remove the effects on Barrette and bolster himself and companions against the inherent magical effects on the devil. Then Conell plunges into the room ending up at Churchkey’s side
Churchkey steps forward and at this, the slug fest begins. Blow after blow is traded and yet the devil doesn’t seem to want to go down. Bolgrim is doing everything in his power to keep everyone up and alive, yet the devil just won’t drop. Blood is dripping from Churchkey. Conell is an enraged beast hacking and slashing, ignoring his multiple open wounds. Barrette’s lash is cutting through the chitin armor of the devil but the devils wicked tail and deadly spear are as equally deadly in return.
Then, a ray from Pepper penetrates the magical barrier on the devil and the ice fiend, although quick and lithe, is not moving quite as able as before. Donner begins pounding on the devil, not for damage, but as a means of distraction to help the others hit.
Barrette yells, “We need good aligned weapons!”
Bolgrim continues throwing out healings and Pepper joins Bolgrim in his task. The two are barely keeping up. When the heavily damaged devil casts and winks out of existence.
There are a few moments of ineffective weapon blows arcing into the air when Churchkey begins to take command, “Lets draw up position here. Barrette check those doors. Pepper, any way to dimension door to the other side of the ice wall?”
Bolgrim casts a true seeing… the sigils on the walls become very apparent, magical forces in the ice walls become visible, but no invisible creatures, no scrying. For now, everyone seems safe.
A few moments later, Pepper transports the party to the other side of the ice wall. Everyone rests and some final healing spells are cast. The searched doors are opened.
The doors open into an “L” shaped corridor with more of the suspended spellweavers inside the tubes. It doesn’t take long to realize that one part of the corridor has collapsed forcing the group to move in the following direction.
At the end of the corridor it comes to a four way intersection. Across there are some collapsed stairs going down. To the right are some double doors and to the left are two ice walls with some large shadowy figure behind them.
Conell begins blasting dispel magic’s on the walls. Meanwhile, the rest of the Vanguard is around the corners out of site of the creature behind the walls. Churchkey bolsters himself with extra strength and resistance to cold.
Then, after multiple attempts the walls of ice collapses followed instantly by another arctic blast of air. Conell is nearly bowled over by the force of the blast but charges the devil swinging hard. The sword bounces off the devils armor while the scorpion like tail plunges into Conell’s abdomen.
Churchkey quickly runs to Conell’s side touching him with holy power healing some of the damage done by the ice fiend. Bolgrim blesses the party while Pepper protects Barrette from cold attacks.
Barrette hastes himself and runs into place while behind him Donner hits the devil with an unexpected Ki blast.
Another arctic blast of cold shoots down the hall to little effect. Conell’s sword finds its mark tearing into the devil. Alakast is licking his lips crushing into the devil. Bolgrim again heals the combat group from afar. When the final whip of the “good” enchanted chain of Barrette finds its mark and the devil falls.
Now, quite prevalent in the dead-end wall behind the devil is a tangled lattice of icy strands that flicker and writhe with cold blue tendrils of light.
The corridor they were fighting is also lined with three pairs of doors across from each other.
The group examines the first door and opens in a bizarre room. It is under lit compared to the halls. In this 10x15 foot room is a single tube. However the liquid inside is slightly grey.
There room across the hall is an exact duplicate, complete with under lit room and single grey tube.
Further search of the remaining four rooms brings a shock. The remaining 10 x 10 rooms have four tubes in each room. In two of the rooms each tube is filled with a dwarf and in two of the rooms each tube is filled with an elf.
At this news, Barrette begins attacking the force tube while Bolgrim and others begin trying to figure out what is happening. After a 3-4 good solid hits by Barrette the tube shatters, liquid hits the ground knocking people off their feet. The dwarf hits the ground and turns into a gelatinous mass and then begins to reform, distorted and misshapen. It wanders without direction or purpose. Bolgrim calls upon the power of Pelor and reaches into the creature and with effort severs the tortured soul of the dwarf from the body. Bolgrim then releases the soul to return to the gods.
With this news, Churchkey and Bolgrim begin doing everything they can to help the trapped beings in the tubes. Once their resources are exhausted the group beds for the night in the dimly lit rooms with the single tube.
Thus ends this chapter of the story. Stay tuned for more adventures of the Vanguard of Cauldron!
They venture out of the second entrance to Dugobras’s stronghold into the harsh reality that is the Deamonskar. Sharp cutting rocks that shred normal boots are the norm. What is considered a nice flat surface here is the equivalent of a rugged, pock-marked terrain with random one foot potholes. A mere glance away from the ground leads to trips and cut knees and hands.
To make matters worse, the environment looks like some giant knife sliced canyons and fissures. These range from 10’ across to 30’ across, requiring a cautious climb down into the darkness and then up the other side.
To make matters worse, not a plant in site and with the tropical sun, armor turns into walking ovens. The travel is slow, painful and trying on ones patience.
At the end of the first long day of travel, they Vanguard only traveled 5 miles. Luckily, the edge of the jungle is in site and the very beginnings of weeds and small brush cling precariously to the tortured rocks.
That night the group has a fitful but undisturbed sleep.
The next day, after two more exhausting hours of walking bits of mettle tubing, and other evidence of the Spellweaver’s domain begin to jut at odd angles up into the air. The question is, where is the entrance to Karran-Kural?
With no other method at their disposal, the group begins the search for the proverbial needle. For hours the group enters caves that dead end, or tunnels that are collapsed or branch off into multiple smaller tunnels far too small for travel.
Again the Vanguard sleep undisturbed in the harsh environments. At least now they have shelter from the daily deluge of rain.
Mid-afternoon of the next day Barrette spots some worn bits of stone… no sharp slicing rock. It is faint, but notable enough… following the path in one direction leads strait towards the beckoning jungle. The other leads back into the Demon Scar.
The party quickly follows the path in single-file. The first chasm even has some boards on each side to make some make-shift bridges to cross back and forth easily. Shortly after the chasm the path lead strait into an old steam vent. It is huge, 12 or so feet in diameter.
The party quickly enters the vent and sighs of relief go all around. The temperature quickly cools, the sun is no longer hammer its rays and the ground is smooth and easy to walk on.
Light sources are brought forth, and everyone descends, walking quickly and efficiently down the steep decline of the steam vent. It doesn’t take more than an hour when Bolgrim predicts the depth underground at being about ¾ of a mile. Additionally, the air temperature is slowly getting cooler. The very stable 58 or so degrees is dropping every fifty or so feet. The heavy moisture in the cave is condensing to the walls in wet drips forming a small 1” stream down the center of the steam vent.
Moving a bit more cautiously, the group notices the temperature is dropping and now people are seeing their breath. It takes only another 100 or so feet when at the far reaches of their vision there is frost and ice clinging to one wall of the steam vent.
As everyone approaches there are two icicle strewn openings in the steam vent. One of the openings looks like it is used often given the number of icicle shards littering the ground. The steam vent continues down into the depths, but it is quite obvious where others have gone before.
It takes but a sweep of an arm to clear the newly formed icicles from the entrance of the side cave. Cold air, well below freezing, emanates from within the ice coated cave. Stepping through the threshold into the icy air Churchkey leads the group to a once large cave that is also fed by the second tube. Unfortunately, this room is blocked by a huge naturally occurring wall of ice. The southern most portion of the ice wall has been chiseled through, making a sort of ice cave/tunnel. A very thin sheen of ice has formed over the tunnel enterence.Again, Churchkey shatters the ice, chunks falling to the ground like glass. Air, easily in the single digits Fahrenheit assaults Churchkey. The blue fingers and rose colored cheeks has Conall and Bolgrim casting spells that will endure the cold. Everyone, stomps their feet to knock the cold out of their extremities and then make their way through the 18’ of ice tunnel. Someone was very determined to get through this wall of ice.
Beyond the tunnel of ice is the other side of the cavern. On the far side is a beautifully sculpted and designed portcullis. The stonework is astounding. However, the portcullis itself is twisted and fully removed from its frame and sitting in a heap… frozen to the ground and the side of the cave wall.
Stepping through the former defense of Karren Kural the Vanguard steps into a 10’ wide meticulously and perfectly built corridor. The last defense o Karren Kural stairs at them. Two huge doors, carved of mettle and stone with art never before seen illuminate the doors.
Barrette searches for traps and finds none. In fact he even determines that the doors are unlocked. Churchkey again moves to the front and opens the doors. They glide open as if they weighed nothing. As the motion of the
door opens, pale blue lights set flush in the ceiling turn on in rapid succession until in a matter of about three seconds the 60 foot corridor is lit. The walls have a subtle curve, and the entire length is etched with disturbing images and symbols. What is most disturbing are the ten, strange glassy circles, each a few inches shy of five feet in diameter, checker the length of the hallway’s floor. Above each disc, a six-armed humanoid figure hangs motionless as if suspended in fluid or encased in glass.The group cautiously makes there way through the room. Each adventurer lost in thought and wonder as they stare curiously at the suspended creatures. Churchkey detects no evil and Bolgrim detects vast amounts of magic. Concentrating he determines the disc’s are artifact like powerful in their magic, and that the pale blue light tiles in the ceiling are also the tiles emanating the cold.
Then upon the examination of one of the tubes the creature contained within twitches violently and then settles. The whole of the Vanguard jump back startled. The sing of mettle being drawn from shaft fill the hall. Poised, everyone intensely watches the tube. Nothing moves and with a few hard swallows, lowers their weapons.
The group weaves through the suspended creatures and is now standing at a pair of mettle doors. Again, these doors are carved with beautiful but odd illuminations. While Barrette examines the doors and Donner listens, Pepper is examining one of the tubes when the body inside jerks and drags its hand down the inside of the “glass” surface. Pepper drops a hot pocket and leaps back.
Up ahead, the coast is clear and the doors are opened. The chamber beyond is nearly circular, although two sides are made flat by think walls of ice. The entire room is filled with a lattice of thin icy strands, each flickering with faint magical energies.
Donner yells, “Creature, hiding back of the room!”
At the same time Barrette calls out, “There is some form of sigil surrounding the room”
At this, a blast of air so cold ice instantly seals eyelids temporarily shut and knocks the breath out of your lungs. The cold seems to find you like a skeletal claw nipping and biting. Barrette leaps out of the way. Others dive for cover and others are caught off guard by the damaging blast of air.Pepper retaliates, an explosion of flames and heat fill the back of the room. A magical barrio seems to keep the creature safe from the explosion but the walls of ice have large melted holes in them. However, a magical force of energy can be seen sustaining the wall.
Decisions abound, we need to fight the creature, but what of these strands that fill the room? Barrette does the experiment. He steps forward breaking a strand, cold and necrotic energy shock his system causing Barrette to yelp. That alone tells the rest of the party what not to do.
Conall gingerly enters the room ducking and weaving around the strands.
Churchkey quickly sizes up the chances to dodge the fibers in the room and charges into the room at the eight foot tall ice insect. The fibers snap and lash at Churchkey leaving frostbite and blood and then quickly reconnect making the filament whole again.
Bolgrim, following in Peppers concept of fighting cold with heat calls down a pillar of flame. The creature flexes its magical muscles and repels the fire with not a scratch. However a larger whole is carved into the walls of ice.
Donner pulls in his energy and disappears only to reappear a fraction of a second later next to the huge insect devil. Unfortunately, Donner appeared within the force of the new melted ice wall. The magic energies of cold arc through his body like electricity, leaving Donner weakened.
Another blast of arctic air emanates from this terrifying foe. Churchkey takes the brunt of the blast while Barrette effectively leaps out of the way. When a moment later an arc of lightening slams into the devil. The lightening penetrates but doesn’t seem to do much damage to the beast.
Barrette threads his way through the dangerous filaments when he realizes he is next to a beast far larger and rank than he thought. Barrette swallows hard and rethinks his plan. Uncharacteristically, Barrette retreats, obviously under some magical influence from the devil.
Conell, quickly casts a spell to remove the effects on Barrette and bolster himself and companions against the inherent magical effects on the devil. Then Conell plunges into the room ending up at Churchkey’s side
Churchkey steps forward and at this, the slug fest begins. Blow after blow is traded and yet the devil doesn’t seem to want to go down. Bolgrim is doing everything in his power to keep everyone up and alive, yet the devil just won’t drop. Blood is dripping from Churchkey. Conell is an enraged beast hacking and slashing, ignoring his multiple open wounds. Barrette’s lash is cutting through the chitin armor of the devil but the devils wicked tail and deadly spear are as equally deadly in return.
Then, a ray from Pepper penetrates the magical barrier on the devil and the ice fiend, although quick and lithe, is not moving quite as able as before. Donner begins pounding on the devil, not for damage, but as a means of distraction to help the others hit.
Barrette yells, “We need good aligned weapons!”
Bolgrim continues throwing out healings and Pepper joins Bolgrim in his task. The two are barely keeping up. When the heavily damaged devil casts and winks out of existence.
There are a few moments of ineffective weapon blows arcing into the air when Churchkey begins to take command, “Lets draw up position here. Barrette check those doors. Pepper, any way to dimension door to the other side of the ice wall?”
Bolgrim casts a true seeing… the sigils on the walls become very apparent, magical forces in the ice walls become visible, but no invisible creatures, no scrying. For now, everyone seems safe.
A few moments later, Pepper transports the party to the other side of the ice wall. Everyone rests and some final healing spells are cast. The searched doors are opened.
The doors open into an “L” shaped corridor with more of the suspended spellweavers inside the tubes. It doesn’t take long to realize that one part of the corridor has collapsed forcing the group to move in the following direction.
At the end of the corridor it comes to a four way intersection. Across there are some collapsed stairs going down. To the right are some double doors and to the left are two ice walls with some large shadowy figure behind them.
Conell begins blasting dispel magic’s on the walls. Meanwhile, the rest of the Vanguard is around the corners out of site of the creature behind the walls. Churchkey bolsters himself with extra strength and resistance to cold.
Then, after multiple attempts the walls of ice collapses followed instantly by another arctic blast of air. Conell is nearly bowled over by the force of the blast but charges the devil swinging hard. The sword bounces off the devils armor while the scorpion like tail plunges into Conell’s abdomen.
Churchkey quickly runs to Conell’s side touching him with holy power healing some of the damage done by the ice fiend. Bolgrim blesses the party while Pepper protects Barrette from cold attacks.
Barrette hastes himself and runs into place while behind him Donner hits the devil with an unexpected Ki blast.
Another arctic blast of cold shoots down the hall to little effect. Conell’s sword finds its mark tearing into the devil. Alakast is licking his lips crushing into the devil. Bolgrim again heals the combat group from afar. When the final whip of the “good” enchanted chain of Barrette finds its mark and the devil falls.
Now, quite prevalent in the dead-end wall behind the devil is a tangled lattice of icy strands that flicker and writhe with cold blue tendrils of light.
The corridor they were fighting is also lined with three pairs of doors across from each other.
The group examines the first door and opens in a bizarre room. It is under lit compared to the halls. In this 10x15 foot room is a single tube. However the liquid inside is slightly grey.
There room across the hall is an exact duplicate, complete with under lit room and single grey tube.
Further search of the remaining four rooms brings a shock. The remaining 10 x 10 rooms have four tubes in each room. In two of the rooms each tube is filled with a dwarf and in two of the rooms each tube is filled with an elf.
At this news, Barrette begins attacking the force tube while Bolgrim and others begin trying to figure out what is happening. After a 3-4 good solid hits by Barrette the tube shatters, liquid hits the ground knocking people off their feet. The dwarf hits the ground and turns into a gelatinous mass and then begins to reform, distorted and misshapen. It wanders without direction or purpose. Bolgrim calls upon the power of Pelor and reaches into the creature and with effort severs the tortured soul of the dwarf from the body. Bolgrim then releases the soul to return to the gods.
With this news, Churchkey and Bolgrim begin doing everything they can to help the trapped beings in the tubes. Once their resources are exhausted the group beds for the night in the dimly lit rooms with the single tube.
Thus ends this chapter of the story. Stay tuned for more adventures of the Vanguard of Cauldron!
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