“We be dealing with hobgoblins now?” Kildo bemoaned pointing his chin at the female leader.
“I prefer Akri the Dagger of the 501st Legion.”
“Alright, hobgoblin, the woman Yarsha is not to be harmed. Not one hair,” Kildo stepped forward and looked up at the 6’ tall Akri. “Or else ye be dealing with that one.”
Akri towered over the 4’3” dwarf and glanced up. She saw the wood elf Guo Gan standing, like a stork on one leg meditating.
“The elf?” Akri questioned.
Kildo turned, scoffed, and pointed, “No, not the elf. That one.”
Looking up again, Scomatch came from around the Guo Gan, growling. The even smaller halfling walked towards and stood next to Kildo coming up to his shoulders. The mage then cracked his knuckles, loudly, on both hands. A hint of fire burned in his eyes.
Kildo and Scomatch stared up at Akri, as the cleric said, “Not one hair. Ye get me?”
“Yes, not one hair,” Akri sighed and rolled her eyes in understanding. As Kildo nodded, the two began to walk away back towards the entrance of the Sacred Stone Monastery, Akri called out, “Dwarf, why do you care so much about that cultist, Yarsha?”
“Because I can be changing her,” Kildo replied.
Snorting as she folded her arms, Akri moved toward Kai, who was finishing wrapping a cord of hemp rope around his front. “Is the dwarf always grumpy like that?”
His eyes regarded the departing cleric, as Kai said, “Kildo? He’s actually in a good mood today.”
* * *
“I thought today was going to be a good day until I needed to use my AK-”
“Quite, Kai!” Kildo harshly whispered to the paladin. “There could be gargoyles about.” The dwarf said scanning the ceiling above. The party finished trekking back down the 1,576 stairs to the Temple of Ogremach. They had just begun to cross the stone bridge extending over the chasm.
They reentered the magnificent receiving hall with a soaring ceiling and a set of six marble pillars. The walls were covered in stone murals of prosperous farmland, but all had fallen into ruin. The entire underground area had been the victim of a tectonic earthquake a thousand or more years in the past. Continuing south, they passed the statue room where they fought Miraj Vizann, the Cult of the Black Earth leader; who escaped. They entered a 70’ by 130’ foot great hall with three pairs of 10’ wide pillars with a large chain, with links the size of a warrior’s hand, wrapped around. However, in the middle was a massive 100’ deep chasm where a pair of pillars once stood had collapsed to the bottom. The ancient seismic event devastated the entire area. Most of the tiles were cracked by either the earthquake or by the weight of massive creatures. To the east of the chasm were two decent-sized stepping stones, supported by bedrock. On the southern side of the chasm, a corridor continued west.
Guo Gan easily hopped to the other side, carrying Kai’s rope. Using it as a makeshift railing, the others crossed to the far side.
On the southern side, a hint of scat wafted through the air. Droppings were seen in the far corners of the room. Deciding it was beneath the group to examine the excrement, the party continued west through a 30’ long corridor out of the great hall. It ended in a stone double door. Approaching, there was crude writing on each. The message on the southern entrance read, ‘NORBS RUM, KEEP OWT BROOG.’ The northern door had, ‘BROOGS RUM, NORB IS STOOPID.’
“Norb and Broog? Does anyone know what race would use the dialect for a name?” Guo Gan asked.
Scomatch peered closer and studied it for a moment before saying, “It was written less than a year ago. I’m pretty sure they aren’t elfish.”
“What?” Kai questioned incredulously. “It’s more likely from an orc vernacular.”
“The door isn’t locked, so one way to find out,” Guo Gan said as he raised a latch and pushed open the door. Dust fell from the hinges and frame. Inside was a 70’ by 40’ room with the western end’s walls broken and covered in rubble. It was once a kitchen, maybe a thousand years ago with four 10’ long stone tables in the middle. The furthest two were damaged by falling rocks. A door to the north led out.
From behind one of the tables, a creature stirred and rose. Rising to 13’ tall, the most distinguishing feature about the giant is that it had two heads. It was a powerfully muscled ettin. It was unkempt, brutish, and despite having two brains, had a dull expression of surprise as the party entered, as its jaw dropped, which revealed long tusks coming from their bottom jaw and a mouthful of rotten, yellowing teeth. Unarmored, other than thick hair, likely vermin-infested, was around its nether region and on top of their heads. The right head was painted in red, while the other in blue. Its body was caked in dirt and grime, disgusting, and reeking of body odor. In its right hand it held a spiked make, and in the left, a crude battle axe.
Spotting the party, the ettin spoke to each other. The right said, “Broog, it looks like long pig is back on the menu.” The left, Broog, then replied, “That we can agree on. I always liked long pig, Norb.”
“Wow! You two stink! I don’t have any water on me, but how about a little fire,” Scomatch called out as a chromatic orb flew and struck the right head, Norb.
“Har…Har…Har! Norb, your head is on fire!” Broog laughed.
To which Norb replied, “Arrgghh!”
“Hello, Norb and Broog! I believe in sharing, so here’s a glaive!” Kai called out, as he slashed striking the ettin’s belly, but the Broog, whose head wasn’t on fire, took control and dodged the second slash. However, its 13’ height failed to notice the butt end of the paladin’s glaive come up and smashed into its nether regions. The blow was softened by a mass of hair, but the strike garnered both of the head’s attention. Likely coming together in one of the rarer moments in the ettin’s life, Norb whipped his morning star downward in a remorseless arch! Broog’s brought the left-handed battle axe hurtling down with devastating force! The party cringed as both blows struck Kai with horrific power.
Kildo cast, Toll the Dead, as dolorous bells rang throughout Norb’s and Broog’s heads.
“Bells hurt!” Norb shouted.
“Stop yelling in my ear Norb! It makes it worse!” Broog yelled.
Leaping on one of the stone kitchen tables, Guo Gan thrust his spear into the ettin’s stomach. The end became entangled in the creature’s hair and was unable to get in a good second strike. However, the monk leaped into the air and performed a perfect roundhouse kick. The blow knocked Norb’s head into Broog’s.
“Ouch!” Norb shouted
“Stop it!” Broog yelled back.
As the two heads bickered, a Thunderwave spell sent forth a wave of force into the ettin, knocking it back into the corner of a stone table behind it, hard.
“Ow!” Norb and Broog bellowed. “Our back!”
Taking quick advantage, Kai slashed with his glaive and easily struck the creature’s legs as it lay prone. A follow-up butt from the end smashed into Broog’s face.
Bracing a hand on a knee, the giant ettin rose. Each head tried to move in a different direction causing its body to remain in place.
“Stop it Broog! I blame the elf. He kicked us in the head!” Norb howled.
“You stop it Norb! I blame the dwarf. The runt cause both our ears to ring!” Broog shouted back.
“How about ye be having a little more of me music!” Kildo yelled as he cast Toll the Bells again.
The ettin instantly covered its ears with its fists, ignoring its effect. “Har…har…har!” We know your trick runt!”
Still on top of one of the kitchen tables, Guo Gan thrust with his spear, but the ettin moved out of reach.
“Har…har...har! We know your trick too, leaf licker!”
“Do you know my trick!?” Scomatch called out as a chromatic orb of acid splashed on both of their faces!
“Arrgghh! We don’t like that trick!” Norb and Broog shrieked trying to wipe the sizzling acid from their faces, causing it to spread to their fingers. As they wiped their hands across their chest, it too began to melt flesh. Screeching in pain, the ettin then began to run blindly forward at full speed. The party got out of their way, as their two foreheads crunched into the wall’s unyielding stone. The giant body slid down, leaving a 13’ long bloody skid mark.
Kildo moved towards Kai who was holding onto his breastplate, which absorbed most of the damage from the ettin’s two massive attacks. Each side was dented severely.
“Hold on lad. I can’t be fixing yer plate without proper tools, but the Rigga the Mother Goddess, be having what ya need,” Kildo said as he laid his hands on either side of Kai’s chest. A wave of healing energy entered the paladin’s body.
“That thing was filthy!” Scomatch commented glancing around the room.
“And stupid,” Kildo added rising from Kai. The cleric pointed to a matted brown pelt, that may have come from a bear. “Just be looking at where that creature be sleeping, on a lumpy carcass. Not be smart enough to move the rocks underneath it.”
At hearing the dwarf’s words, Guo Gan went over and using his spear tip, lifted the ends of the pelt. Underneath, the cheerful sounds of coins moving were heard. Throwing the rest back, a few thousand coins were revealed. Mostly copper, but a few electrum pieces were scattered within. Mixed in was an ivory statue of an elephant and two golden bracelets.
Laying hands on himself, additional healing energy coursed through Kai’s body. “Pack in into the hat of holding and let’s get moving.”
Moving to the northern door exiting the kitchen area, Guo Gan pressed his ear towards the door. “I’m not hearing anything. I think it’s fine to…wait. I hear breathing.” The monk then turned his head to find Kai also listening at the door. The paladin’s breath was heavy.
Rolling his eyes, Guo Gan flung open the door, as Kai had to catch himself from falling. The corridor continued north for 40’ before turning west. It led into a long 70’ by 40’ room with walls decorated with ancient paintings of hunting scenes, but most were ruined as tiles had broken off and smashed to the ground. There were three doors. One was to the north, south, and west with another corridor heading northwards. In the middle of the room was a large marble basin. Carefully approaching, the water looked fresh, but still.
The party moved around it until there was a sound of a ‘ploop’ of something hitting the water. Turning, Kildo had a handful of copper coins in his hand and was about to toss another one in.
“Don’t disturb the water,” Kai cautioned and moved towards the north door. Opening it, a 50’ by 30’ room held the remains of a smithy. The eastern part of the room was gone and had fallen into a deep chasm. Two anvils were dangerously close to the edge and without railing using them would be perilous work indeed. A forge was in the center with a pile of stacked wood on the northern wall. Tools were also arranged on three workbenches on the western and south walls.
Kildo approached the unlit forge and place his hand on top and ran it along the length. “This forge be active, but shut down within the last day or two.”
Not finding anything of interest and the proper tools weren’t present to repair Kai’s breastplate, the party moved to the southern door with the water basin room. It was much heavier and thicker. Pushing it open, a putrid smell with the tang of iron was in the air. A 50’ by 30 torture chamber greeted them. A large table with wrist and ankle clamps was in the middle of the room with two wracks in the southeastern section with an unlit brazier with iron pokers. In the western part of the room and the cause of the smell were four cramped cages with deceased prisoners. Slowly approaching there were two humans, a dwarf, and an elf. All recently butchered. Blood was throughout the cells.
Kildo walked towards the compartments. There was nothing the cleric could do. Touching his holy ankh of Rigga the Mother Goddess, the dwarf said, “Your torment be at an end. Be at peace.” Turning to leave, he saw Scomatch searching the room. “Come halfling, this be no place for us. There be nothing of use in here.”
“Wait, I found something behind this torch. It’s a piece of paper, but just a scrap,” Scomatch said straining as he reached, pulled it free, and opened it. “Hum, I don’t quite understand. Maybe it’s cryptic or codes?” Scomatch inferred scratching his head.
“What does it say?” Kai asked excitedly.
“It’s just four words,” Scomatch replied as he read the inscription. “Inspected by inspector 14.”
Rolling his eyes, Kai left and proceeded to the western and last door in the water basin room. Partially opened, a musty smell emanated. Peeking inside, it was a 70’ by 50’ room with a single 10’ circular pillar in the middle. The floor was littered with broken racks and rusted scraps of metal. It appeared to be an armory, but over a thousand years ago and this was all that remained. Five, filthy fur pelts were scattered throughout the room. From their poor matted condition, this was used as sleeping quarters for large creatures, probably the ogres. The southwest section of the room was used as their waste receptacle.
The remaining exit in the water base room was the corridor north. Following it, it led to a 20’ by 40’ landing area that continued north, but to the west were two stone double doors. These appeared to be better maintained and cleaner than the rest of the surrounding area. There wasn’t even dust on the entranceway. However, the faint hint of chanting could be heard from inside. A cry of a child came from within.
Not wasting any time, Kai and Guo Gan pushed open the unlocked door. The room was 60’ by 60’ with a set of 5 stairs down into a small, irregular pit. On the far side was an obelisk of black stone with pure white pones scattered around it. At the foot was a stone that held a young dwarven boy, no older than eleven in chains. Next to him was a Black Earth Cultists Priest wearing pottery-brown caster robes, his chest was covered with splint armor with a pointed stone mask covering his nose and forehead. Three other cultists were in the room chanting but stopped as the party entered.
“Ha, you must be the ones Yarsha warned us about,” the Black Earth Priest snarled.
“That’s lies, Yarsha wouldn’t betray us!” Kildo spat back gripping his shield strap and war hammer tighter. He thought it must have been a trick. Something she had to say to get away from them.
“Yarsha…Yarsha…Yarsha. It seems both of us have underestimated her ambition to become leader,” the Black Earth Priest spoke. “Just by looking in your eyes dwarf, I see you’ve become enchanted by the sweet nectar of her words.” the Black Earth Priest cooed. He then licked his lips vulgarly and continued, “I can’t blame you, as I can attest, her nectar continues well beyond her words.”
Snarling, Kildo stepped into the room to end his existence.
“Kill them, slowly,” the priest waved his hands to the other cultist. “They will not stop the sacrifice to the blood of our god.”
From the obelisk, black ooze bubbled from the rocks. The black sludge began to churn, as if in excitement. It wasn’t blood from some god, but a black pudding and it was moving towards its next meal.
“Ye all daft! That not be the blood of some goo god. That be a black pudding that is!” Kildo yelled pointing.
“No it isn’t!” the Black Earth priest shouted back insulted.
“Yes, it is!”
“They insult our god! Kill them!”
The three cultists with weapons drawn advanced.
Kai slashed downward with his glaive, but all three pulled back causing the blade to land striking nothing and pinged the stone.
“Oh, and dwarf, Yarsha also warned us about the reach of your friend’s glaive too,” the Black Earth priest wheezed in laughter.
“Life is death. Death is rebirth. Rebirth is life. He dies first!” Kildo snarled pointing to the priest, as Kai, Guo Gan, and Scomatch’s body briefly glowed and then faded from the Bless spell.
Kai lunged with his glaive. The blade sunk into the cultist’s abdomen. He screamed in agony as the paladin ripped it out and charged past the other two. The two cultists slashed with their scimitars. One struck the triton’s breastplate but didn’t stop his momentum.
Guo Gan followed on the heels of the paladin. Glancing at the dwarf boy, he was restrained with iron manacles to the altar. The chain rattled as he tugged at them, but they held fast. Turning back to the Black Earth priest, he stabbed at him, but the point was mostly stopped by his own split mail armor. Changing tactics the monk followed up with a solid punch to the jaw. The priest’s head was immediately knocked to the side, a blow that would have stunned any normal person. Unyielding to the flurry of blows, he righted his head back and smiled at the monk as he spat blood to the side. Blinking in disbelief, he kicked outward. The ball of the elf’s foot slammed into his chest. While it didn’t knock the priest back, he still felt the impact.
A tiny ball of flame arched into the room. As it began to fall, the room became fire, as Scomatch Fireball spell detonated. Within the flames, a cultist at the edge of the blast, along with the priest was seen withering in agony as the inferno consumed them. Save, Kai, Guo Gan, and the dwarven boy watched as flesh melted from the cultist’s bodies, as the halfling mage sculpted the spell around them.
There was a piercing scream, which was quickly muffled, as the black pudding engulfed the dwarf boy in its sticky tar-like mass.
A ghost-like blue, spectral weapon of a war hammer appeared next to the slime and slammed into it, as Kildo cast Healing Word. Rejuvenating energy penetrated the pudding to reach the boy. The healing magic fought against the black mass’s corrosive acid.
Kai brought his glaive down executioner-style from overhead. With pinpoint accuracy, the blade sliced through the chain in a single blow. Unconcerned for his own safety, the paladin reached in and grabbed the dwarf lad and pulled him free from the sticky muck. His hands sizzling, he yelled, “Let’s get the nine hells out of here! Everyone out of the room!”
As the triton fled with the boy in the lead, the black pudding formed a pseudopod and lashed out. Missing, it ‘splooshed’ into the ground.
Guo Gan disengaged from the pile of black goo. Running east, he saw the dwarf boy run to a corner of the room and shriveling up into a ball. Grabbing him, the monk said, “Kid, that’s not the best spot to be!”
“The blood god will not be denied!” the last remaining cultist, who was bald with a great, white bushy beard, yelled as he stood in front of the doorway to prevent Kai, Guo Gan, and the boy from escaping.
A chromatic orb appeared over the cultist’s head. He glanced up. It was sickly green in color. It cracked. A torrent of acid was released. There was a horrid sizzling and gargling screams as the cultist was melted like a candle. The only thing that remained was his impressive, shaggy beard, which miraculously remained intact. Scomatch was in the doorway brushing his hands clean of the mess. “Do I have to do all the work here?”
“Guo Gan! Get the boy out of here!” Kai shouted as the gigantic black pudding rose up behind him. Like a wave, it crashed into the paladin, engulfing him.
The party reacted in horror, as they saw the form of Kai bulged within the body of the creature.
Kildo’s spiritual war hammer smashed into the black pudding’s mass, as dolorous bells from the Toll of the Dead spell reverberated, like a wave through its gooey form. “Elf be getting him out of there!”
Guo Gan glanced at Kildo and then the boy. “Get ready to fly!” The monk dropped his spear. Grabbing the dwarf by the seat of his britches, the elf tossed him out of the room. The boy’s pants dissolved in the monk’s hands from the acid. Kicking the spear shaft with the top of his foot up, he caught it and faced the black pudding.
The goo was swollen with the mass of Kai inside. It went calm for a moment, then like paper being cut, the paladin’s glaive sliced it in two. Kai emerged gasping franticly for breath. He was covered with a tar-like substance. His entire body sizzled, as what appeared to be steam rose throughout.
The black pudding fell to either side of Kai. However, the creature wasn’t dead, but now the two halves formed their own pudding. The first lashed out with a club-like pseudopod smashing into Kai’s leg causing him to trip. He fell hard to the stone floor. The second mass also rose up and slammed an appendage into Kai’s side sending him across the floor, scattering white bones of previous victims in his wake.
Guo Gan reached out and frantically helped Kai to his feet. The monk cursed, as his hands were burned by the black pudding’s acid covering the paladin’s body. “You said something about getting the nine hells out of here?” Guo Gan echoed Kai’s words back to him as he supported the triton. They made a mad dash eastwards towards the door.
“It’s coming! Don’t look back!” Scomatch screamed urging the two fighters on.
A wave of healing energy rushed out from Kildo’s ankh blasting much of the black pudding’s slime from Kai’s body.
Kai and Guo Gan dove through the door, as Kildo and Scomatch, slammed it shut. Turning, their bodies tensed, as they readied their weapons waiting for the black pudding to ooze through cracks and under the door.
Several heartbeats passed, but nothing appeared.
“I know it’s not dead,” Guo Gan said.
“Probably be feasting on them cultists,” Kildo reasoned.
Examining his glaive, the blade appeared rusted and blunt. The shaft’s wood had started to warp as long cracks stretched down its length. It was all but worthless. Laying it down respectfully he could no longer use it as a weapon. Drawing his magical longsword, Kai said, “We can not suffer that black pudding to live. It must be destroyed.”
“I’m not opening that door,” Scomatch informed folding his arms and backing away. “I slew all of those cultists. Now, there are two of those blobs in there, so if you want to go in and kill them, be my guest.”
“I’ll be doing it,” Kildo said and spat into his hands, and approached the door.
“No, you’re our healer. You can’t be put in harm’s way,” Kai said. “I’ll do it.
Snorting in bewilderment, Scomatch flung his hand towards the door.
Kicking it open, Kai raised his long sword to strike, but the black pudding was nowhere to be seen.
“Where’d it go?” Kai questioned.
“Maybe it be going back in that obelisk?” Kildo replied. “Throw a fire bolt at it Scomatch.”
Sighing, a molt of fire appeared in the mage’s hand. Winding up, he lobbed it. It struck dead center blasting the stone, but nothing happened. The halfling shrugged his shoulders.
Kai began to move towards the entrance, but Kildo grabbed his arm. “Careful, lad. Those slime things like to be hanging upside down. It could be waiting right inside.”
Stopping and nodding to the dwarf, Kai said, “Right, we need something to test to see if that black pudding is waiting for us.”
“I have just the thing,” Guo Gan replied as he pulled out his Gray Bag of tricks. Reaching in, the monk pulled out a handful of lint, and carefully placed it on the ground. It instantly transformed into a giant honey badger. Twice the size of a normal badger, it had a distinctive white stripe from the tip of its long nose to the back of its head and white cheeks.
“Alright Honey Boo-Boo, go in there and see if you can sniff out a black pudding,” Guo Gan instructed.
Sniffing, the giant badger moved into the room. Instantly, two black pudding masses plunged on top of it. The summoned creature squealed and writhed in terrible pain as it was consumed alive.
“Holy hells!” Kai exclaimed afraid as the black puddings fell less than a foot from him. Reacting, the paladin scampered back, swinging his long sword wildly as it ‘pinged’ on the stone, clearly missing, and almost striking Guo Gan.
A fire bolt slammed into one of the masses, and the fire was quickly extinguished by the muck. In what seemed like retaliation, the black pudding spat out the bones of the giant badger, consumed by acid.
“Disgusting!” Scomatch exclaimed.
“See, we be telling you halfling. Melting people by acid be gross,” Kildo informed.
Scomatch was about to respond, as a black pseudopod from the second black pudding smashed into the halfling sending him flying backward.
“Woit?! No one be doing that to our mage!” Kildo bellowed and sent his spectral war hammer crashing into the second pudding.
“I’m putting an end to these things!” Kai roared as he raised his sharp, long sword high into the air.
“No!” screamed Guo Gan. However, the monk’s warning was too late, as Kai leaped into an incredible flesh-splitting slash with his long sword. The blade cut through and split the black pudding into two, so there were now three. Confused, he slashed again and split the creature, again.
“What are you doing!” the party bemoaned.
There were now four black puddings, but three were smaller than the first, which hadn’t been touched. Two pseudopods lashed out at Kai, one of which slammed into the paladin’s chest. Black tar splashed across his armor, which sizzled from the creature’s acid. Kai screamed as it burned through as he frantically unbuckled and removed it. The armor collapsed in on itself, as the metal hissed like an angry snake.
“Move!” Scomatch yelled as a pea-sized ball of fire appeared in his hands. He tossed it into the room as fire ignited the four black puddings. The three smaller tar balls withered under the intense flames. As the magical fire died, the first and larger pudding remained, though diminished.
Kildo’s spectral war hammer smashed into the slime, which splatted a small porting of the blob.
“Let this be the end!” Kai roared and slashed with his long sword. The black pudding was again cut into two pieces. Both halves formed their own creature.
“You’re making it worse!” Scomatch complained.
Guo Gan stabbed one with his spear twice. It seemed to cause damage to the creature, but retracting the weapon, the tip began to corrode from the acid and melt. Dropping the shaft, he pulled out his magical green staff.
“Do I have to kill everything?!” Scomatch grumbled as the room erupted again in flame. One of the black puddings shriveled into ash. The last remaining pile of goo was a shadow of its former self, no bigger than a hand.
Kildo stepped over it and looked down at the pathetic thing. Gravely wounded, the last portion of the black pudding attempted to crawl away.
‘WHAM!’
The cleric’s spectral hammer smote the remains into the stone floor. Kildo then turned to the dwarf boy, who was huddled against the wall, nude as the day he was born, shivering, likely equal measure chill, and the primordial fear of being eaten alive. Approaching and bending down, he asked, “Lad, what be yer name and how ye be getting here?”
“Roc Glitterstone. I be on a boat with me family and be abducted by these pirates and dragged down a thousand stairs to this pit. Have you been seeing my parents? ”
Kai emerged from the sacrifice room and held a charred, but still seemingly functional suit of splint mail armor the Black Earth priest had been wearing. It was made up of several vertical strips of metal that were riveted to a backing of leather. The joints were protected with chainmail. He handed the dwarf boy a set of clothing from the cultists. It was too big, a bit bloody, but would give him some protection. Donning his newly acquired armor, Kai said, “We’ll keep an eye out for anyone else down here, including your parents, but it’s not safe for you Glitterstone. After we rest, we’ll get you an escort up to the hobgoblins.”
“Hobgoblins?” Roc hesitantly questioned.
“A valid concern to be sure, but these particular hobgoblins are guarding the place and will escort you out. Ask for Akri the Dagger and say Kai sent you.”
“We should take him ourselves,” Scomatch said.
“Oi, I’m not climbing those stairs more than once a day,” Kildo stated folding his arms across his chest.
“We’ve cleared out this section of the Temple. It’ll be safe. I have a feeling this place hasn’t revealed all of its secrets. Besides, from what the priest said, Yarsha is still down here. Her presence, for good or ill, has yet to be determined,” Kai said.
“Aye, we be needing to find Yarsha,” Kildo agreed nodding his head enthusiastically.
* * *
Resting in a nearby barracks with plenty of beds, the following morning, or night, or afternoon, as it was difficult to tell this far deep underground, the party rose and ate a meal of dried rations of nuts, dried meat, and fruit, and light beer.
“How do you dwarves live underground for years without the sun to tell you the time of day,” Guo Gan asked.
“Bah, we don’t be needed a ball of fire in the sky to be telling us anything,” Kildo scoffed. “We eat when we be hungry, sleep when we be tired and work until it be done.”
“We about ready to escort Roc up?” Scomatch asked.
“Oi, I said I’m not climbing those stairs more than once a day,” Kildo reminded the halfling.
“We just woke up. It’s the next day.”
“Nope. It’s only been eight hours. Last time I be counting, a day be having twenty-four,” Kildo clarified.
“We aren’t escorting Roc up,” Kai said and then continued. “Guo Gan, summon a creature from your Grey Bags of tricks. It’ll accompany the lad up.”
Shrugging his shoulders at the suggestion, Guo Gan reached in his bag and a badger transformed from the grey lint. “There you go.”
“A single badger? Don’t be stingy elf, pull out something useful,” Kildo ridiculed.
“Alright, alright,” Guo Gan said and pulled out another handful of lint. Setting it down, it also transformed into a badger.
“More badgers? Yer bag be broken, elf,” Kildo stated waving off the two creatures.
“It’ll have to do,” Kai sighed. “We’ll bring Roc to the stairs leading up. Then, Guo Gan, instruct Kodo and Podo here to bring him up to the surface.”
Ensuring that Roc and the two badgers were well on their way, the party returned to the summoning room and headed north. The corridors turned west and in the distance, another set of stairs going down revealed themselves in the darkness.
“So many stairs!” Kildo bemoaned.
“At least we won’t have to do leg day for the next couple of weeks,” Kai said slapping the dwarf on the back and began descending.
The stairs continued for several hundred feet when a purplish hue emanated from far below. Also, the slight echoes of voices were heard coming from the depths. They were not alone. Proceeding more carefully, the light grew as the stairway ended in a naturally occurring cavern. The glow emanated from large glowing crystals, as well as phosphorus rocks. Plants sparsely grew throughout the cavern, but unlike anything from the surface world, they used the purple light given off by the quartz as their food source. The voices continued but further in the cavern.
Kai motioned towards Guo Gan, who nodded back and melted into the shadows. Creeping closer, the monk couldn’t go much further as the area began to open up and would be seen by whoever was there. Settling down behind a large boulder, he listened. Still, too far away, the monk could tell the conversation was relaxed but didn’t seem to be passing guards. They’d be there for some time. Every once in a while, he heard a snippet of muddled conversation.
“…you seen that new VT-16…”
“…yeah, some of the other guys were telling me about it. They say it’s quite a thing to see…”
After several more minutes, Guo Gan returned to the rest of the party. “There are about six to twelve people. They don’t seem to be going anywhere and there is no way around them without being spotted.”
“Any idea if they are friend or foe?” Kai asked.
Shrugging, Guo Gan shook his head.
“Well, we might as well be walking up to them. If they be friends great, if foes, we be knowing what to do,” Kildo said.
Nodding to the dwarf’s logic, the party didn’t make any attempt at stealth and approached. Entering open ground, the other group was in the distance. There were a total of nine humans in brown robes of the Black Earth cult. Also, there were two 9’ ogres with them that rose as the party approached.
Realizing this would not be a friendly visit, the two groups readied themselves for battle.
“It’s about time you showed up. I’ve been waiting for so long for you to come down, I was starting to think you all left,” called out the voice of Yarsha. She was on top of a rocky cliff about 10’ about the ground.
“Nay lass. I wouldn’t be leaving without ya,” Kildo called back. “Join us. We’ll take care of these cultists. They won’t be keeping ye trapped here fer much longer. I have a lot I can be teaching ye. As the wisest and most profound words Rigga the Mother goddess gave to the world was when she said-”
“Kildo, I’m going stop you right there,” Yarsha interrupted. “Rigga is a false idol and will bring you nothing but ruin. Come with me and I’ll show you the might of Ogremach. He has the true power of the earth behind him. He is immovable and unyielding and he will live again. You and your halfling friend would be most welcomed with us down here in the Drowned Continent.”
“Drowned Continent? I see, so what about Kai and Guo Gan?”
“A paladin and a devote monk? Their minds have already hardened. There is no changing them,” Yarsha replied.
“She’s right about that,” Kai confirmed.
Kildo motioned with his hands towards Kai for calm.
“Kildo, stand by me. Together we’d be powerful allies and we who give him life will stand by his right side and rule the world with him.”
“You will die in the great evil that will come from Ogremach’s rebirth,” Kildo blasted.
“We will control him,” Yarsha countered.
“No one will be able to control him,” Kildo riposted. “The power and evil will be too great. This be where the might of Ogremach falters and Rigga the Mother Goddess prevails. Including, those who be led astray. She rescues all.”
“Rescue? Rescue!?” Yarsha retorted. “I don’t need to be rescued. Do I look like I need to be rescued, especially by a male living out some fantasy-like game? I’m on the cusp of power. If you will not join me, join Ogremach, then the only use of you to me is an item in your group’s possession.”
“What be that?” Kildo asked.
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that dwarf, as I’ll pick it off your corpse,” Yarsha explained. “Now, kill them all and we will rejoice in the conquest that is about to come.”
“Wait!” Kai bellowed.
The cultists and the two ogres stopped and looked toward Yarsha.
“Yes, what is it?” Yarsha called back, placing her hands on her hips.
“Yarsha has asked you to kill us, but there is something you should know first,” Kai said and then drew his long sword. “I’m the dread pirate Kai and my wrath is as massive and treacherous as the sea. My power is great and my mercy is deep. Yarsha is your true enemy. Kill her or be buried in the depths of Davy Jone’s locker!”
Intimidated by the triton, the group hesitated at the paladin’s words of warning.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Attack!” Yarsha bellowed.
“Life is death. Death is rebirth. Rebirth is life. Time to fight!” Kildo chanted as he cast Bless. Kai, Guo Gan, and Scomatch briefly glowed as the protective spell took effect. Moving closer to the battlefield, he cast Spiritual Weapon. A spectral blue war hammer appeared next to Yarsha and swiped, but missed by several feet.
“Neat spell, but it seems like your strike intentionally missed. Are you thinking that I’d be interested in converting to Rigga? How sentimental of you, dwarf,” Yarsha said.
As Kildo and Yarsha bantered, Guo Gan used his Boots of Springing and Leaping to run up the rock face. She was surprised at the appearance of the monk but ready. The elf’s two quick strikes with his green quarterstaff were parried. He then unleashed a bone-crushing kick of incredible power striking Yarsha in the neck, stunning her. While it was a devastating attack, Guo Gan’s foot stung, as it was like he had just struck stone. A spell was protecting her.
Meanwhile, in the valley below, Kai charged forward. His blade glowed from Kildo’s bless spell as two quick strikes, ended the first cultist.
A small pebble of flame arched into the air and landed in the middle of the packed cultists. The area erupted in flames, as two cultists were immediately engulfed, as others dived for cover. One of the ogres was badly singed, as he was too slow to understand the concept of Scomatch’s Fireball spell.
Recovering from the blast, three cultists converged on their nearest target, Kai. Three scimitars slashed at the paladin from different angles. He parried two, but one slipped through and struck his splint mail. The two ogres then pushed through the cultist. Bashing with their large club, Kai dodged one but was clipped by the second and he moved into its arching path.
Two cultists ran toward Kildo. Their two scimitars slashed, but the dwarf easily parried both. Steadying himself, the cleric swung down with his war hammer into the chest of the first cultist. Ribs snapped and broke piercing the interior of his lungs. Blood spat out his nose and mouth breathing his last. He collapsed dead. Placing his feet, Kildo slammed his shield into the other, but the cultist held his ground. Glancing up on the ridge, he saw Guo Gan engaging the downed Yarsha, smashing his quarterstaff into her and kicking her while she was down.
A trail of fire, charred the cavern floor as it raced out from Scomatch towards the cultists. A great, humanoid comprised entirely of flame began to form. The fire within swirled tighter and tighter and moved with purpose. Reaching out, its hands burned one of the ogres. It roared in pain.
The three cultists continued to swing at Kai with two penetrating his defenses. The splint mail continued to help dampen the blows. One ogre also lashed out at the paladin but missed as Kai dodged the blow. The other ogre thrust his club in an unorthodox manner at the fire elemental, missing. Even its primitive brain learned not to draw too close.
The fire elemental commanded the battlefield, as the cultist grew fearful of the creature of flame. However, nature adores an imbalance. Yarsha stretched out her hand casting. A great eruption of the earth began next to the fire elemental. A collection of rock, stone, and dirt, the size of a small hillside came to life. It sprouted arms of connected stone and dirt with hands made of boulders. It attacked and struck the fire elemental. The earth elemental’s hands burned, but its magical consistency was strong enough to keep the fire from destroying the dirt bindings.
Along with the earth elemental’s rise, there was another disturbance on the cliff with Yarsha and Guo Gan. The ground shook as a monstrous bulette rumbled its way out of the ground. Standing 9’ tall and at least 12’ long, its body was covered in thick, layered plates from head to toe. Its head was bullet-shaped, similar to a shark, with a powerful jaw filled with multiple rows of razor-sharp teeth and an ideal mechanism for snapping up prey. Around the head and rear, its armor was a blue-brown color, while in-between the hue ranged from gray-blue to blue-green. The area around the eyes was slightly darkened, with the eyes themselves being a yellow color with blue-green pupils. A dark-skinned human rider was already on its back. He snorted haughtily at Guo Gan bringing forth a long spear.
Realizing the most pressing danger was on the cliff now, Kildo raised his shield and charged south. The blades of the cultist pinged off his barrier as he ran. Casting, Guardian of Faith, a large spectral guardian appeared next to the bulette, its rider, and Yarsha. The manifestation comprised of a long sword and shield with the blazing ankh symbol of Rigga the Mother Goddess. The guardian did a sweeping motion as the magical weapon blasted all three with its radiant damage. He then commanded his spiritual weapon to attack Yarsha, but the mystical war hammer hesitated and fell short.
Recovering from the erupting earth from the bulette, Guo Gan twirled his quarterstaff as its lower half smashed into Yarsha’s leg and then the upper crashed down. Yarsha threw up her Black Earth Rod to deflect the blow. The quarterstaff glowed briefly from Kildo’s bless spell and smashed through the parry. She was struck on the right shoulder.
In the valley, Kai thrust his long sword into the abdomen of a cultist driving him to the ground, and killing him. A second charged in. Wrenching the blade free, the paladin slashed. The blade went under the scimitar’s defense and sliced into his stomach. He screamed as he fell with a mortal wound.
“Incoming!” Scomatch yelled a moment before a massive fireball exploded around Kai. In the flames, he saw the last cultist, as well as the two ogres, burn to ash in the span of a heartbeat. The earth elemental was engulfed too, its frame scorched, but its structural integrity held.
The fireball did nothing to slow the summoned mound of earth, as it punched with both boulder-like fists into the swirling inferno of the fire elemental. A roar of flames gave a voice to the creature as he howled. It was hurt and diminished by the massive blows.
Back above, the guardian of faith gave one last sweep of its sword blasting radiant damage into Yarsha, the bulette, and, its rider, before fading out of existence.
Partially blinded, the bulette snapped at Guo Gan, but the monk spun away at the last second. However, it was a planned rouse, as the rider thrust his spear. While dodging the first thrust, two additional ones struck home. Blood shot from the wounds.
Yarsha’s gaze followed from her earth elemental to a cliff to the northeast of her position. She saw Scomatch preparing another spell. Casting herself, a hand made from compacted soil rose next to the halfling. However, the mage saw it bubble from the earth and ‘yelped’ as he danced out of its reach.
The spectral war hammer from Kildo danced around Yarsha, more like a pest than any real threat, as it again swung, but missed. She then met the eyes of the dwarven cleric across the battlefield. “Why fight me, when you can join me. The pleasurable wonders I can show you, personally. There is still time to unite with my forces, with me. Turn your talents to aid the rise of Ogremach.”
“To what end? Be joining the Black Earth cult? It’s evil. I’ll not be abandoning the good of Rigga,” Kildo replied.
“There are some very bad people in both groups, but you also had people that were very fine people…on both sides.”
There was a sound of a swishing of a blade, before a loud ‘clang’ against Kildo’s helm. Turning, the dwarf saw one of the Black Earth cultists smile wirily, as the blade deflected off harmlessly. Yarsha was distracting him!
“Yah!” Kildo bellowed as his war hammer came crashing down with all of his might into the cultist’s forehead. The blunt weapon crushed his skull, killing him.
“Yarsha, turn-about is fair play!” Guo Gan grunted as he brought his green quarterstaff smashing ferociously downward, which glowed from Kildo’s bless spell. It was a devastating attack, as it smashed into the back of her head. Yarsha crumpled to the ground like strings had been cut from a marionette puppet.
The bulette ‘screeched’ in protest at the monk.
“Quiet you!” Guo Gan yelled as he side-kicked the snout of the land-shark.
Taken back by the blow, the bulette recovered a moment later. It leaped and bit Guo Gan, tearing into the monk. It shook the elf viciously, like a chew toy, and once he stopped moving, spat him to the ground.
“Come on we’re getting out of here!” Kai ordered as he disengaged from the earth elemental battling the fire elemental. The paladin ran towards Kildo. However, the triton was stopped, as a massive bulette landed right in front of him. The ground shook as the beast landed, knocking Kai off balance. He was at the rider’s mercy, as he was stabbed by three quick jabs. The splint held, but due to prior damage, it was rapidly failing and would soon be useless.
Scomatch lobbed a chromatic orb towards the earth elemental, but the two creatures were too engaged and missed. A nearby crystal melted, as it was struck by the acid. The fire elemental continued to burn the animated mound of dirt and while it was burning and taking damage, its form still held. Drawing the fire creature in, the earth elemental rose up and engulfed the smaller form. There was a loud hissing sound as the flames were smothered, destroying the creature.
Realizing Guo Gan was in trouble and lightly bleeding out and Kai was looking worse for wear, Kildo touched his holy ankh of Rigga. A wave of healing energy swept out encompassing Kai and Guo Gan. He then commanded his spiritual hammer towards the bulette. No longer doubting his actions, the blue, spectral weapon smashed into the side of the cultist’s mount.
Thrusting at the latest threat, Kai’s long sword penetrated the bulette’s thick hide. A massive blast of radiant damage exploded into the mount.
The battlefield erupted in flame as Scomatch threw another fireball raining death from above. The last brown-robed cultist screams were immediately cut off by the magical fire. The bulette’s thick skin helped protect it from most of the damage, as its rider hid behind its neck shielding and avoiding most of the spell’s effect.
Its sight affected by the bright blast snapped at Kai but its jaws missed. The Burrowshark rider was also having difficulty, as his quick jabs at Kai only nicked the paladin’s armor once. However, two protective splint metal pieces fell off.
Scomatch was readying another spell when he saw a glow to the southwest. He saw Guo Gan sitting cross-legged. The monk’s entire body glowed in yellow energy, similar to Kildo’s healing spell. The ground shook under the mage’s feet and the form of the earth elemental pulled itself from the ground to tower over him.
“Eep!”
Kicking, the earth elemental’s foot punted the halfling like a ball.
Rising, Guo Gan sprinted across the cliff and dove off. His arms spread wide as if diving into the water. The monk landed into a roll and to his feet next to the bulette. His green quarterstaff came crashing down into the mount’s head. Thick scales cracked as the reverberation and force traveled into the creature’s brain. It stumbled for a moment before collapsing, dead.
The Burrowshark rider attempted to stay mounted but was thrown to the ground. He went into a control roll and was stopped. Glancing up, he saw the triton paladin raise his sword a moment before it came thrusting down with tremendous force. The cultist’s world went black.
“Guys!” Scomatch cried out in panic, as he ran in circles, being chased by the earth elemental. The mage dropped another fireball. It engulfed the mound of earth. Its entire form was alight in the fire. Now, not only was a small hill after him but one covered in flames. It caught up to the mage and kicked again, sending the halfling flying forward. The earth elemental stomped towards Scomatch. The ground shook with each step. The flaming mound rose up before him. Scomatch threw up his hands instinctively. A green shaft blew through the elemental’s chest. The summoned creature looked down to see the gaping hole. The monk could be seen straight through it. Rocks, dirt, and compacted debris then began to fall. It was then like an avalanche, as the form of the earth elemental fell apart and returned to inert material.
Scomatch lay on the ground, thankful to be alive as Guo Gan stood over him and reached out his hand to help him up. The halfling then breathed out, “It’s about damn time.”
Ensuring everyone was up and not too worse for wear, Kildo climbed up the cliff and walked over to the body of Yarsha. She lay in a twisted, unnatural position. Almost unrecognizable by Guo Gan’s crushing quarterstaff attack, he at least was glad her death was quick. Moving her arms and legs into a sleeping position on her back, he began to collect rocks. Rising with a handful, he then noticed a large treasure chest partially covered in some foliage. Returning to Yarsha’s body, he then began to cover her with the material.
“Why are you doing that?” Scomatch questioned as he climbed up on the cliff, but seeing the dwarf’s eyes snap to him, decided to drop the subject.
“Do you want any help?” Kai asked.
Shaking his head no, Kildo pointed with his chin, “The cultist’s treasure be over there.”
“Now, we’re talking,” Scomatch commented rubbing his hands together. “I wonder if it has any rings?”
“Be at peace,” Kildo prayed as he laid the last rock covering Yarsha’s body. Rising, the rest of the party was finished counting the coins in the chest and examining a couple of items.
“Do you hear that?” Guo Gan asked.
The party stopped and rose to turn in one direction and then the next.
“Elves and their blasted hearing,” Kildo snorted.
“Wait, I hear it too,” Scomatch said, as his ears wiggled. “It’s to the south.”
Moving in that direction, Kildo then heard the low hum. A white glow emanated from around a large cliff. Weapons at the ready, they turned the corner. Not far ahead of them, a perfectly rectangular doorway hovered in mid-air large enough to allow a large creature to pass through. It hummed with massive energy.
It was a portal.
05/28/2022 – Ettins Treasure Room
· 130 ep
· 2,900 cp
· Ivory statue of an elephant 80 gp
· X2 Golden Bracelets 30 gp each – Total = 60 gp
Black Earth’s Cult’s Treasure Chest in the Portal Room
· 900 gp
· 230 sp
· Gold necklace 750 gp
· X12 gems – 25 gp each – Total = 300 gp
· Wand of Magic Missile
· Necklace of Water Breathing
· Plate mail armor – Burrowshark rider
Party Split:
· 2,090 gp / 4 = 522 gp
· 130 ep / 4 = 32 ep
· 230 sp / 4 = 57 sp
· 2,900 cp / 4 = 725 cp
Welcome to Level 8!
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