Unapproachable
Chapter 1 - A Hope and a Dream
Grimlock and Trinity arrived in a province of Thay only to be ambushed one night by a party of Teifling guards. Demanding that they come to see...er..Longhorn..or Hormra, or someone.. Grimlock and Trinity were about to agree (despite the unpleasant nature of the demand), when an angel and a dark man came to their "rescue". A brief battle erupted ending with the angel concealing the four with magic while they retreated from the reinforcements.
The angel escorted them out of town and on a two day journey to a nearby city where his master, a red wizard, wanted to see them. Explaining that they were sought after by several powerful groups, he suggested they stick with him until he could find out more. He offered Trinity, Grimlock, and the dark man named Taichlok a job. They were to capture a Mulhorand ambassador and his daughter who would be arriving at a castle in this very city in four days. Apparently he would then randsom these two for an agent of his who had been captured in Mulhorand.
The group agreed and went south looking for a dwarf who knew something about this castle's design, being one of the original engineers several decades ago. On the way south, during one of the nights, the party was attacked by a group of Formian's, but managed to defeat the insectoid creatures.
Chapter 2 - Ankeg's 1, Angel's 0
The group continued on and eventually arrived at a small town. Here all the people were gathered in the middle apparently watching a dwarf and some other dig. The party snooped around and heard that they were digging for a girl that had been captured by some creatures that had pulled her under the earth. They promptly stroad forward and began helping, using their horses to pull loose dirt from the area. The village was awed by the presence of Ta'tao, the angel.
After a small earthquake of sorts, the villages mostly fled except for the dwarf, and the group helped him dig. During this time, Trinity realized this was the dwarf they were looking for and began to kiss ass a little more to soften him up. Eventually they broke through to large tunnels below and the dwarf, Ta'tau, Grimlock, Trinity, and Trinity's dog (using scent to track), began exploring the tunnels. Taichlok stayed above to watch the horses.
They were promptly ambushed by some Ankeg's that came through the walls at them. Grimlock and the dwarf were nearly killed, and Trinity's dog was killed, but the group eventually defeated them and continued on. A while later they found a queen Ankeg. The group spent a short time preparing and then attacked the queen. During the battle, Ta'tao was slain and the dwarf was nearly also killed. Grimlock and Trinity again managed to survive the battle, this time unscathed.
They then found the girl, alive, and returned her to the surface. The death of the angel was a bad omen to everyone, but the girl alive was a miracle. The party was rewarded with a magical cloak from the girl's daughter, which Grimlock donned, and the dwarf then shared any information he had with Trinity concerning the castle.
A couple days later they were back at the city with the Angel's dead body and reported their findings.
Chapter 3 - Into the darkness
Grimlock and Trinity returned to the Red Wizard later that day after doing some purchasing and wandering about the city. When they did, it was to find Tae'tao alive with him as well as a new companion, a man named...um...did they bother to ask?Anyway, the red wizard said this new guy was going with them, so they all took off and headed towards the copper mines outside of town. At the horses Tae pushed his own dead body off of the horse and climbed on. At the copper mine they noticed a man skulking about in the woods who Grimlock nearly killed before questioning. They talked to him and found out there was a giant of some sort seeking gold within copper mines. The cleric of darkness quickly strode into the mine leaving the others to catch up.
They followed the cleric (who didn't have a map) until Trinity (who did have a map) indicated they had gone the wrong way and led them onwards. They entered came to a tunnel submerged in water. The Cleric went first followed by the angel and eventually the rest of the party.
The explored some more until coming upon a large cavern with a broken bridge and a small river running through it. It was occupied by a giant and some earth elemental like creatures. The party spoke for a while before eventually just attacking for no apparent reason. A very extended battle ensued. Several stone elementals fought with the party, and the large giant guy turned out to be an illusion. A small hidden gnome meanwhile was orchestrating everything, but the party eventually found him out and a running battle ensued down the tunnels.
Ending at another well leading deeper down, the battle began again here as the small guy used magic to combat the party.
Chapter 4 - Truth and Shadows
The battle continued with the small gnome who managed to evade the party and flee down the well. The chase continued there before he attempted to use invisibility to escape. Trinity and the Thrikreen found him out that and chased him in a circle back to the bottom of the well where the gnome attempted to surrender. While the Thrikreen attempted to grapple, Trinity fired arrows into the gnome and was bashed around by the gnomes ring of the ram. Eventually the outmatched gnome was felled, and Trinity was sure to make sure he was dead.
The group played dice for first pick of the gnomes belongings.
Continuing on, they found the anti-magic area begin as they came to a room beneath the castle. Resting here, Te' took the time to tell the party that he was always being monitored by Yaphil, and that Gamoin was most likely working for Yaphil. He told Taichlok not to trust his dreams, and for none of the party to trust Gamoin or Yaphil. They had plans for the whole group that Te didn't yet understand. As well, Te was bound to Yaphil both for bringing him back to life, and because she was holding his father hostage. With this new information, the party set camp and with thoughtful minds, rested.
In the middle of the night, the broke through the ceiling of the cave and into the old armory of the castle. They group explored thoroughly the dungeon beneath the castle finding some old cells, summoning circles, old supplies, and a demon encased in some sort of magical shell. In that same room were six magical levers. Leaving there, the group contined towards the stairs but were stopped short by a quick attack by undead. Flaming arrows, Te's sword, Taichlok's divine power, and the Thrikreen's battle prowess beat them back soundly.
During the battle however, Grimlock had run off...and unbeknownst to the party was playing with levers back in the demon room...
Chapter 5 - The Long Kiss Goodnight
The group quickly walked back down the hall looking for Grimlock, only to find him fleeing the demon room followed closely by...of course...the demon. He looked at the group meandering along in extreme anger and frustration as if somehow something were their fault. He then made a quick glance further off into the ruins but decided to stay here...having already been seen by the group and any attempt to raise more chaos without them noticing was blown.
So the battle with the demon began. It was a somewhat running battle, having the group force the creature to the stairs before continuing to fight. It seemed that Te' would finish him until the demon used magic and commanded Te' to flee the battle. Then it evened out to a stale mate as the demon was regenerating too quickly for the party to kill it and the party was too skilled and bolstered by healing for the demon to hurt us.
It wasn't until a guard appeared on the stairs above that Trinity thought to use his summoning wand to summon help. Asking for an elemental and any "bird" creature he summoned two creatures. The bird creature he summoned turned out to be very powerful, letting loose blasts of lightning from it's mouth and flying around extremely quickly and with perfect agility. The bird thing managed to finish off the guard and then come back to finish off the demon.
The party regrouped and covered up the demise of the guard and then headed upstairs. Using the map they had been provided, they snuck about the halls finding a few secret rooms and eventually using invisiblity to move around more easily. They reached a hallway blocked by a portcullis however and had to consider their options.
Copyright 2002