Session+45


 * 5-3-2014**
 * Enter Castle Scarwall and The First Anchor Set Free!**

"Fate of steel—Serithtial Her cage for years sustained Four enthralled in lost Scarwall; Undead to keep her chained. A spirit first, red war his thirst Still stands at post of old; A second foe, infernal soul Waits high in tower cold. In kennel’s grime third bides his time Then vents his killing breath. And on a stone ’mid ash and bone, The final dreams of death. The spirits worn and battletorn And locked in their damnation, The chained one’s hold at last grows old And ushers in salvation. Yet hope remains amid the chains When blade’s stone cage has crumbled, Friends to dread and the death of the dead, Keys to Kazavon humbled."

Having rushed across the rest of the bridge, we came to the door of the castle...a dark and foreboding hallway with a strange star-shaped spire in the back... Yuki clutched Erevin's arm and backed up a few steps, shaking her head, "No! You can't make me go in there! ...it reeks of evil and undeath..." Wren and Mali turned to calm her, "Yuki... we need you... and we need this sword... think of Uther... and Posy."

Thorn and Posy moved ahead of the others. The gnome watched everything closely with her axe ready while Thorn started looking for traps, leading us through the door. Arrows fired into the room from the slits in the walls, one managing to stick into each of them! The clattering of dusty bones came from behind the holes. Thorn called back to the others, "Skeletal sharp shooters! Run!" Posy shielded Thorn as he got the door open. As soon as they stepped through the open door, Erevin pushed the others forward, "Go!" Wren and Yuki led them through with Mali and Erevin right behind them... everyone rushed through the door, pushing Thorn and Posy forward into the next room.

The room was horrific... carpeted by piles of corpses of orcs and humans... leaving an overwhelming stench of death and decay. While the blood on the walls and ceiling seemed ancient, the corpses seemed fresh... showing brutal deaths with various weapons still embedded in them. Wren's face looked a little green as she realized what they were walking on. Yuki gasped in and out shaking her hands as though she could fling the disgust off of her, "Ereviiiin! This is so gross!" "Shall I get you a shovel, my lady?" Erevin looked around the room, "Or would you prefer a pitchfork?" Yuki's eyes went wide, "Errrrrreviiiiiin! ...We need to... cleanse them with fire... or... or SOMETHING... This is an abomination!" Thorn gently nudged one of the corpses ahead and blood oozed out of it, "Still squishy!" Wren wrinkled her nose, "Ewwww!" "It's like a bouncy castle!" Thorn leapt on one of the bodies with glee, spurting out blood and goo! "It's getting all over me!" Bits of blood sprayed out onto everyone else much to their disgust.

Thorn stopped and pointed to the door across the room among an even much larger pile of bodies, "We still have to get across the room..." Wren nodded to him, "I could fly you over... and that way I don't have to touch... that." She pointed to the goo and corpse covered floor. Yuki quickly clung to Wren, excited at the opportunity to avoid stepping on the bodies altogether, "I'm going with Wren!" Posy picked up Thorn, "I'll just throw you." "Wait! Wait! She's going to fly me! I choose the witch!" Thorn flailed for a moment. "Too late..." Posy flung him across the room to land on a large pile of corpses by the door. "...but... I was going to..." Wren shrugged casually, "eh, nevermind."

A battle from hundreds of years ago... and yet... the corpses were fresh? Erevin looked skeptically around the room, something was wrong. Yuki glanced up at Erevin, "What if they come to life?" Erevin drew his blade and nodded to Posy, "Shall we?" She nodded, drawing her axe, and the two of them waded through the bodies ahead of the others toward Thorn who was looking over the locked door.

Thorn unlocked the door, glancing in to see rotted tapestries on the walls, and ancient bones scattered on the floor... only one skeleton seemed to be intact, caked with dust, and wearing shiny armor in a corner of the room. Thorn called back to the others what he seen and pushed on Posy, trying to shove her into the room first... to kindly repay her for throwing him across the room... but the stout little gnome casually raised an eyebrow, refusing to budge.

The extra large pile of corpses began to move and shift into a Corpse Orgy - a horrific aberration of body parts. It moved quickly toward us on dozens of legs and arms and screamed simultaneously from its dozens of mouths! So loud, it's sonic scream shattered eardrums throughout the group! Wren fell to her knees on the ground, hands over her bleeding ears... barely clinging to life. Yuki covered her eyes, "It's so ugly! It's so ugly!"

Erevin sent in Mari and slashed into the fleshy monster with both hands on his moonblade, spraying out fleshy bits! Yuki squealed and threw up her shield to protect her and Wren from more flying ooze, peeking out in horror as the Orgy reached out with its many hands to grab Erevin and Posy, pulling them towards it ! Thorn pulled out his daggers and stabbed into the creature repeatedly, spattering goo and blood and fleshy bits everywhere! Posy struggled against the many arms grabbing her, jerking free of one grasping hand only to have another clutch her! It groped and grabbed onto her everywhere it could, still trying to pull her closer... Mali and Melleron leapt in with claws and teeth, chunks of bits and giblets flying outward! Yuki sent out a powerful wave of healing, peeking out from behind her shield to cheer on the ranger fighting not to get pulled in, "You can do it, Erevin! Erevin, Erevin, he's our man... If he can't do it.. No one can!" Wren piped up, clinging close to Yuki to hide behind the shield with her, "I...I hope everyone else can too."

The aberration sucked Posy inside of it's body, and latched onto Thorn, drawing him toward it too! Yuki peeked back out, "Use the soap, Thorn! Use the soap! Posy, trapped inside with the flesh trying to absorb her, released her axe from her hands and ripped into the flesh with her acid claws! Thorn watched the body of the fleshy creature bulge out as the gnome ripped her way out of it's body! It fell to the ground in a heap behind her, oozing goo on the floor.

Thorn and Posy led us into the next room with the shiny armored skeleton. Thorn looked up at Posy and pointed to the skeleton, "Keep an eye on that..." She nodded, standing guard as the others slowly filtered into the room and Thorn continued on, unlocking doors and scouting through hallways. Erevin glanced back from the door, "We might need Wren's flight later... Can't you just ribbon up some galoshes?" He moved ahead to follow after Thorn, the two of them hearing strange ghostly sounds of battle. Mali, in lion form, and Melleron gently nudged a reluctant Yuki and Wren ahead of them to walk over the gooey carpet of corpses. As everyone filtered into the room, they could also hear the sounds of battle growing louder... and louder into a cacophony of dying screams, battle cries, and clanging weapons... angry black spirits wafted up from the bones, wailing and adding to the noise making it almost overwhelming and maddening! Melleron fell over on the floor, losing all will to do anything. Posy and Mari managed to stay up, but felt the heavy weight of a loss of will.

The armored skeleton rose up in the corner, dressed in shiny plate armor, "You shall not have Serithtial! She is mine and no other's!" With a barbarian accent to his speech... it would seem that this would be the ghostly remains of Mandrob, Uthgarte's great grandfather. Erevin who was guarding the hall ahead, rushed back with his blade in hand to slash into him, but his sword passed through the ethereal barbarian spirit! Mandrob sliced through Erevin with his own sword passing ethereally through the ranger to weaken him with a ghostly cold touch. Yuki cast pink, sparkly light over the barbarian, solidifying his shadowed form! Mandrob turned toward the priestess, "What foul magic is this?" Posy seized the moment of opportunity and raged forward, heavily gashing her axe into his now solid body, much to the barbarian's surprise. Erevin followed her in, slashing into him with his moonblade! Coming back down the hall past Mari, Thorn splashed holy water all over the phantom only to be retaliated by the sting of the ghostly cold blade of Mandrob. Mali quickly sank her claws and teeth into him to bring him down!

Yuki restored Melleron back up to his normal self, rubbing his big furry face, "You big SWEETIE!". The shiny armor from Mandrob seemed cellestial and Yuki was assured she could have it once it was checked more thoroughly. The pathways through the hall led up to where skeletal minotaurs were pacing with their crossbows watching through the slits of the first room where they had shot us... we opt to leave them and go back...

We find a soot and ancient grime-covered kitchen, lingering with the scent of burning meat where two charred outlines on the wall depict what surely was an agonizing death. Across the room, ovens are still warm as though used recently. Thorn crept carefully through the room, very wary of the ovens, heading to the stairs on the other side. Posy followed behind him after a moment, her metal booted steps clanging against the stone floor. Thorn glanced back at her and gestured slightly to the other side of the room, "Go check out the ovens." Still feeling rather unwise from our phantom encounter, the barbarian gnome nodded, "Okay." and headed for the ovens. He grinned with glee!

Smoke tendrils wafted up from all three ovens as Posy grew closer... she started to back away, but it was too late... heat rose and fiery spirits burst from the ovens with a wave of fire through the whole room over both Posy and Thorn! After the burst, it faded away, leaving it clear for the others to follow. Everyone was careful to avoid the ovens further. A couple of dining rooms and some sort of chains-on-the-wall prisoner holding room (the pantry), and one of the doors led to a courtyard...

Erevin stealthed ever quietly out into the courtyard to investigate and looked up to see four 4-armed gargoyles stretch and shake off their rubble as they noticed Maliumpkin walk through the courtyard as a lion. Thorn and Yuki stepped into the courtyard, following Erevin's gaze upward to see the gargoyles coming down. The priestess blinked wide eyes and cast out a blessing of fervor. Two of the gargoyles descended on the lions... one of them slashed into Mali with it's 4 clawed hands, goring into her while the other clawed into Melleron! The other pair landed near the door, one grabbed onto thorn's arms and legs and the other pulled Yuki's arms behind her and grabbed her body! The priestess cried, "Kiiiiyaaahh! Let go! Let go!"

Erevin sent in Mari on one and launched an amazing barrage of arrows from the shadows into 2 of the others! The thick stone-like hide of the gargoyles stood up to Mali and Melleron's sharp claws, only taking scratches where others would have been shredded. Posy charged through the door and gashed into the gargoyle holding Thorn with her powerful magic axe! Wren cast defensive hexes stuck inside the kitchen outside of the courtyard.

Yuki batted her beautiful eyes charmingly up at the UGLY gargoyle and suggested, "Release me and protect us!" It's four hands let go of her, and it stood there... looking a little conflicted and confused. The other ripped and tore into Thorn while the other pair continued their battle with Mali and Melleron. Erevin launched more arrows killing the gargoyle that let go of Yuki and then noticed a shadowy dragon come up and circle into the air above the courtyard. Posy again gashed into the gargoyle on Thorn with a powerful strike! With the door more cleared, Wren stepped into the courtyard, firing Cirdan into the gargoyle battling Mali. Yuki sent out another wave of healing and Thorn, freed from the gargoyle, slashed into it with his daggers.

The gargoyles shredded Melleron and Mali with their stone claws and teeth, the two lions dripped in blood! The shadow dragon landed heavily, looking over the group, "Adventurers? ...it's been so long since anyone has made it this far into the castle." He breathed out smokey black breath, blinding and weakening everyone except Mali and Melleron who were just out of the way of it's breath. Wren raised up crossed-hands over her blinded face and spoke in draconic, "Are you a follower of Melar? We didn't come for you... we came for a sword." "A sword?" he looked her over, interested, "...but you have such delicious looking shinies on you. And no... I'm not a follower of Melar." Wren nodded, "I have many more delicious things than shinies..." she lowered her arms slowly, still blinded but feeling most of his attention was now on her, "My name is Wren Dreamspinner."

Thorn fought with the gargoyle, swinging blind and managing to strike into it's stony skin. Erevin listened to the draconic conversation in the room and and turned his attention back to the gargoyle on Mali, sending a double-strike of arrows into it blind, finally dropping it to the ground! Mali and Melleron, still able to see, double teamed the last gargoyle on them, taking it to the ground! Posy raged forward with her axe, blind, and slaughtered the last of the gargoyles! All that remained... was the dragon... and us.

The shadow dragon took in a breath, smelling the young witch talking to him, "You smell delicious... but I smell... dragon... on you." He sounded a little surprised. Wren laughed softly, "Wellll... there's multiple reasons for that... but I do have just a little." "I suppose if you give me shinies I would leave you alone..." he offered. Wren pondered for a moment, "Well we did pick up some shiny greataxes and breastplates..." "Ohhh..." The dragon sounded disappointed. She patted into her knapsack blind... grateful that it always brought what she wanted to the top, "I have a pretty amulet..." "Oh, that's a nice start..." he nodded, looking it over, "What about your friends?" "No... You can't have them. They're not for sale," Wren shook her head firmly. "No..." He shook his head, "Shinies! Shinies from them." "Oh..." She nodded. "Unless there's something else you want to offer me?"

"Hmm... something else..." Wren smiled, "Like an invitation to the Dragon Council? I'm one of their agents... there are no primal dragons yet... you could be the first." She nodded, "Think of the delicious power." He looked her over, "Well that does sound interesting... I've heard of this Dragon Council." He nodded. "There's only one minor problem..." Wren tilted her head curiously, "What's the problem?" "I can not leave the castle..."

The witch looked confused recalling that Z'larra had told them that the castle kept spirits, "Are you dead?" "No, I am quite alive." "Then... why can you not leave?" She asked, still confused. Erevin piped up, also in draconic, "How are you bound to this place?" Wren waited, her vision clearing, but the dragon didn't respond... finally it occurred to her that there was a magic preventing him from being able to speak about it. She nodded to him, "So you can't tell us..." She went on to recite the poem from Z'larra "In kennel’s grime third bides his time... then vents his killing breath." He nodded to her, "That sounds like me." "Well... do you mind if I take a look in your home to see if there's some clue to free you?" He narrowed his eyes slightly,"Don't touch anything..." Wren laughed softly and shook her head, "Relax, treasure hoarder... I'm just going to look."

Everyone able to see again, Yuki worked on healing the others and restoring Posy's strength while Wren and Erevin went into the next room to investigate. Once perhaps a stables area for horses and kennels for dogs...the floor of the room was now heaped in piles of weapons, armor, and skulls... with the center of the room filled with chests overflowing with gold, silver, gems, and copper. Thorn crept quietly into the shadows in attempt to follow the elves into the piles of treasure, but the large shadow dragon's head swiveled to peer down at him, "And where do you think you're going, little bite-sized morsel?" "I'm just looking..." Thorn nodded up to him, a little surprised that the dragon noticed him... but it was a shadow dragon afterall. The dragon raised an eyebrow, "Do you normally walk like you're sneaking off somewhere?" Thorn nodded confidently, "Yes! Just ask them." He gestured around the room to everyone else.

Having found no further clue to the dragon's capture in the room, Wren and Yuki stepped forward, weaving a spell together to dispell the evil magic that bound the dragon to the castle... they heard a chain break, and the dragon looked down at them in surprise! "You did it! I didn't think you could actually do it! I'm free!" His laughter was big and darkening as he realized he was really free, but he interrupted himself as remembered the people still standing around him, "I'm free! I'm getting out of here..." Wren looked up at him, remembering he was a primal dragon... like the magma dragons hunting them, "Wait, wait! Did you happen to get an invitation to a dragon wedding?"

He looked at her for a moment and then pulled a scroll out of his hoard and handed it to her... the invitation! Wren beamed at him, "Thank you!" and unrolled it quickly to see the information. Yuki blinked, "You mean they sent you an invitation to the wedding, but they didn't free you? What bastards! I-I mean..." "Yes," he nodded to her, growling, "She's a bitch! Sent me an invitation to her wedding... knowing that I was trapped and couldn't get out..." Wren nodded, "Wow... I'm so sorry. I'm hunting her if it makes you feel better." Erevin looked up at the dragon, "What is your name, if I may ask?" The dragon turned to him, "Bellasham." He looked around the room once more, barely glancing at his hoard, "I'm getting out of here before the castle reclaims it's own... I'll look into this Council you speak of. Good luck." Wren bowed her farewell, "Good luck to you as well, Bellasham. And thank you." She slipped the scroll into her pack and he flew off, leaving his treasure behind.

Thorn bolted into the treasure room with Yuki chasing him, "Wait! not all of the sparklies! Those gems are MINE!" "Come and get them!" the halfling shoved some of them into his pants, jiggling them lewdly and grinning tauntingly at her. "Thorrrn!! That's just...!!" Everyone helped pick up magic items, gems, and coins, packing all that we could away... the feel of the castle seemed a little weakened as one of the anchors was gone.

Mid-afternoon... we moved toward the tower. Wren looked over the special armor Mandrob had worn again, handing it to Yuki telling her about it's cellestial angel-like nature with wings. Giddy with excitement, Yuki changed into the shimmery new armor, "Axton's going to be soooooo JEALOUS! I can't wait to show him!" She giggled wickedly to herself. Thorn led us through the halls to the tower that smelled of sulfur... three horse-sized demon wolves prowled inside with fire ember eyes. Yuki waited off to the side as Wren stepped in the doorway and blew her frost breath over the room, the icy cold washing over the fiery demons before Mali, Melleron, and Posy rushed past her into the room to lock up each of the three hounds into battle! The three demons turned in surprise to their attackers and each blew a cone of fire out over the room! Mali, Melleron, and Posy were covered in instant burns as a wave washed over each of them, but two of the waves washed through the doorway dropping Wren in a smoldering heap!

"WREEEENN!" Yuki screamed from the side and pulled the witch out of the doorway, healing her just back to conscious. Posy and Thorn teamed up to slaughter one of the demons, dropping it to the ground! Wren coughed up smoke rings and stumbled in pain behind Yuki, casting out a hex of luck over the ranger before Erevin stepped into the room, launching his arrows to help Melleron. The demon bit and clawed into the lion, dropping him to the ground unconscious! Mari charged in to double team the last with Maliumpkin, taking the vicious bite in place of the lioness halfling who side stepped over to take the attention of the demon who was on Melleron. Yuki stepped in through the doorway and sent out a powerful wave of much needed healing! Melleron got up and listened to Mali's command to retreat out beside the witch.

Posy charged across the field to gash into the infernal beast fighting Mali while Thorn ported across the room to join her. Erevin stepped beside Yuki and fired more arrows into the demon on Mari, finishing it off when a deep voice thundered from the stairway, "Who's fucking with my dogs?!" A large ruin armored barbarian with pale greenish zombie-like skin came around the corner and smashed into Posy with his hammer with a sonic thundering BOOM! Yuki raised up her ribboned hand toward the zombie, "Die you foul beast!" A bright searing light shot out from her into the once living barbarian with hot searing pain! He turned his full attention to the priestess...

Posy slashed into the barbarian while Thorn dispatched the last of the fiery hounds. Erevin backed up Posy with arrows and the zombie smashed into Posy with his hammer, cracking the ground beneath her feet with his mighty swings as he tried to bash the little gnome out of his way to Yuki. Yuki stepped closer to the doorway and sent out another powerful wave of healing. Mali slashed her claws into him and Thorn stepped up to strike the zombie's back, taking him down! We collected the magic armor and hammer and healed everyone up to full0.

The first floor of the tower cleared... we took the time to set up a rest spot with watches for the night. Fitful sleep of horrible dreams of what happened in the castle... but sleep none the less was welcomed.

Wren sat down and looked over the piles of magical things, carefully identifying everything before sleeping.

Mithril Shirt +1 Greatsword +1 with Dragon Bane and Frost Amulet +1 natural armor Gauntlets +2 strength 6 Breastplates +1 6 Great Axes +1 Necklace of silver plated red wormling skulls valued at 2k gold Full Plate +1 Lance +2 (Yuki) Celestial Armor +3 with once per day wings of flight for 11 rounds (Posy) Mithril Full Plate +2 Thundering Warhammer +2 Belt of Giant Strength +2 Ring of Protection +2 Evil Staff of Necromancy (ghoul touch, circle of death, wave of fatigue, and other spells) Mithril Breastplate Adamantite Battleaxe Lawful Greatsword +1 with Outsider Bane

gems valued at 8k gold 10k gold 20k silver (10 silver per gold = 2k gold equivalent) 40k copper (10 copper per silver = 4k silver = 400 gold) ...so if my calculations are correct... that's 20,400 gold divided by 6... that's 3,400 gold each. :-)

LEVEL 10!!!!! YAY!!!