The party heads into the woods and quickly finds the track. A pair of roaming shocker lizards provides a few moments of excitement but Tamar, Tharvil and Thiessa kill one and drive off the other. A couple of well placed shots from Tharvil and Angel drop the last beast as it was crawling back into its lair. The party finds a smattering of coins and is off once more.

March 19 987 A.C.

Angel heads off the hunter’s track and moves through the woods. She locates the temple as evening comes. The light is dim but she can just make out at least 20 or so humanoids, large humanoids, at least orc or gnoll large. The party decides to wait till morning to decide what to do next figuring it to be unwise to move while they’re tired and the temple residents are rested.

Session 6 05/30/01

March 20 987 A.C.

Rested and healed, the party heads back to the temple to see what goes on during the day. Tharvil, Angel, and Thiessa move right to the edge of the trees about 25 feet from the temple and see 2 of the creatures walking a guard shift and 3 more sleeping in a crude lean-to near the front of the building. These humanoids stand over 7 feet tall and look remarkably like canines with an attitude (the party later learns they are gnolls), wearing scale mail and carrying battle-axes. While the rest of the party moves in to help, with Dun circling around to come from behind, one of the guards notices movement where the 3 party members are hiding. It calls one of the sleeping 3 to come help it search. The 2^nd guard rounds the corner and joins them. As they are about to reach where Angel and Thiessa are, Tharvil lets loose with his bow. One of the three stops to try and pull the arrow out and the other two charge straight at Thiessa and Angel. FIGHT!!

Cogs rushes in and casts CATS’S GRACE on Thiessa. Tamar and Thiessa take the fight to the gnolls, with Tharvil helping Angel with his bow. Dun shows up behind the gnolls as the other 2 sleeping ones wake up and join the fight. It only takes a minute or two for the party to finish up with their opponents as most of them weren’t wearing any armor and the group moves inside the temple.

The building is empty save for a large dais along the far wall and 3 doors leading out of the main hall. A search of the dais reveals a spiral stairway leading down into darkness. The party takes the time to investigate the entire upper level but find nothing but ruined and decayed tapestries and books; the original residents are long since gone and others have already found anything of value remaining. They do come across a heavy mace radiating faint magic (after Angel narrowly avoids being poisoned by the trap on the door). With nothing more to do on this level, the party heads downstairs.

At the bottom they enter into a large room, dimly lit from the light coming down the stairs. Dun sparks a torch, which Cogs then carries providing enough light for all to see, especially Tharvil’s elven eyes. Other than a large pile of dead kobolds, this room is empty. Angel picks the lock on the only door out of the room and the group moves through with Tharvil and Dun in the lead. A long hall with large alcoves along each wall greets them as they enter. Once the group is about halfway through the hall, Cogs notices movement in the alcove beside him. He cries out a warning as a group of 4 gnolls leaps out in ambush (been a long time since it happened to them instead). The fight is brief, but long enough for a 5^th gnoll to escape through the door at the end of the hallway. After the battle the party gives chase.

Opening the door, the find themselves in another long hall with alcoves (to small to hide a gnoll this time) and a door immediately to the left. With a snap decision, the party heads through the door and Tharvil falls prey to a crossbow trap but there is no sign of the fleeing gnoll. The group moves down a narrow hall but both it and the 2 rooms it leads to are empty. Back where the trap was, they find 2 more doors. One room is empty but the 2^nd holds 5 gnolls. The party makes short work of them, the fight ending with 1 surrendering. After tying up their prisoner, the party tries to figure out what happened to the other gnoll when Tharvil finds a concealed door along the south wall.

Session 7 06/06/01

March 20 987 A.C.

Deciding to see what lies beyond the secret door before moving further into the complex, the party readies themselves (after Dun uses the last of his spells to heal them up) and heads inside with Tharvil leading. The door opens into a large and seemingly empty room, this changes as they move further in and Tharvil is able to see a line of 8 gnolls with battle axes and one with a great sword. Caught off guard the party is rushed by the gnolls minus the one with the sword. Though surprised, the party makes short work of the gnolls, not even their leader is able to make much of a dent in the party’s defenses, though Tamar takes a few good blows.

With the room cleared of enemies, the party searches the area and finds a pile of treasure, a pile of equipment, and a pile of human tied up in a cage in the far corner of the room. Once freed he introduces himself as Kurath. He came here at the request of some elves to hunt down the kobolds that attacked them since they needed to return the elven city. He agreed and soon found himself in the lower level of the complex. After killing a number of the small creatures he was on his way back out to rest when he ran into the gnolls and was captured. He thanks the party for freeing him as the gnolls were planning on having him for supper come morning; not an especially enjoyable prospect. The party rests for the rest of the day in order for the spell casters to regain their magic.

Treasure Found: 2000gp, 120pp, golden chalice, silver bracelet, silver-plated rapier (masterwork), 2 potions of cure mod, jade, black pearl, bracers AC+2

March 21 987 A.C.

Since it took most of Dun’s spells to heal the party and there were 2 gnolls being kept prisoner, he decided to remain behind to guard the newfound treasure. Fortunately, Kurath agreed to join the others in investigating the lower level since he came to the temple to kill kobolds anyway. After Cogs casts CAT’S GRACE on Thiessa, BULL’S STRENGTH on Tamar and MAGE ARMOR on himself, the party is off.

They move down the unexplored hallway (with Cogs keeping a VERY close eye on the alcoves) and come upon some stairs. Heading down quietly, they find a group of 5 gnolls guarding the entrance to the tunnels. Surprised, the gnolls are no match for the party and they press on after the short diversion, coming to a split in the tunnel. Choosing the left fork, they continue to move quietly and come to another fork. Once again they go left. This tunnel eventually leads to a mid-sized chamber. Upon entering it, a portcullis slams down, trapping the party inside. Angel searches the room for a release for the gate only to find that once sprung it can’t be opened by anything but sheer force. Tamar and Thiessa attempt using force and do manage to budge the gate, proving they can get out that way, it will just take time. Another exit presents itself when a secret panel on the far wall opens and 3 giant lizards rush in. Though much tougher than anything they’ve faced so far (except maybe the ogres during the caravan raid), the party does quite well and kills the beasts with only minor injuries to themselves. A good thing as Dun is not with them at the moment.

Session 8 06/13/01

March 21 987 A.C.

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