09: Assault on the Temple of Chaos

Real World Info

This session was played on June 20, 2009.

Featuring Twindle Dwelf (Jr.), Tyrel (Pthffft)nus(tweet)stle, big-rock plus the retainers Chas Moustiques, K-k-k-ken, Buzzard Bait the berserker, the charmed Kobold King, charmed Bugbear King and a half dozen of their gullible followers.


Summary

The party enter the Temple of Chaos undetected, kill several acolytes, a torturer, free numerous prisoners (and slay numerous imprisoned monsters) and forge a tentative alliance with a medusa before alerting the undead guardians of the temple and fleeing with nothing but the treasure on their backs!

I. Zombie flambé & Acolyte surprise

The retainers and monsters are decidedly uneasy at the evil vibes and foul stench coming out of the cave, but a rousing speech by Tyrel goads them on. Just inside, they run into a slow moving patrol of zombies, which they burn effortlessly with oil and move on. They explore a wide corridor, heading for an intersection and surprise a group of acolytes coming out of a door.

Tyrel charms one acolyte, who immediately lays into his buddies with a mace. Big Rock and the bugbears kill the rest quickly.

II. Freeing (and slaying) slaves

The acolyte tells them everything he knows of the layout of the complex and the party decides to visit "the torturer" before attacking the Master.

III. Dungeons of the torturer

They head to the torture chamber, where they can hear someone being whipped. Inside they find a huge human beating a fat merchant tied to a rack. Buzzard and the bugbears make short work of the torturer, but then the crazed berserker picks up an axe and lays into the bugbears! Only the calm heads of Tyrel and Big Rock manage to defuse the situation and calm Buzzard down.

IV. Why you always put a retainer in the back row.

While this drama is unfolding, the two elves are discussing their next move when Chas, the retainer on rear guard duty, drops his torch and says something along the lines of "urk!". Tyrel sees nothing, but the sharp eyes of Twindle spot a giant cube of gelatin sliding down the stairs towards them. Tyrel thrusts the torch into the creature and they both run.

The party chops and burns it to bits, but it is too late for their delicious friend Chas Moustiques.

V. "Shit! She's a medusa."

They explore a guest room and Twindle breaks a mirror hidden under a fine piece of black velvet. Then the acolyte leads them to another cell for special prisoners, where they see a woman in profile. She is hidden in shadow, but even in the low light, they can tell she has some nice gams! The party approaches cautiously.

Suddenly, Tyrel's ancestral memories warn him of the danger… but it's too late. The medusa turns Buzzard, the acolyte and two bugbears to stone. They negotiate with the medusa, agreeing to free her from captivity if she leads them to her lair where she promises she has an elixir to turn their friends back to flesh. Everyone averts their eyes and she joins their party… in the front.

VI. Dissension in the ranks

K-k-k-ken complains yet again to Twindle about the eerie cave and the need to head home while they still can. Twindle's rough words seem to cow his retainer again, but a short while later they discover that he has run off. Twindle is upset… about losing a sword to the cowardly retainer.

They set the Kobold King and his followers as guards at the cave entrance, but the kobolds revolt. The King kills two, but the two others escape into the forest.

VI. Take the money and run

The party continues on, discovering a chapel to Orcus. Twindle grabs a set of relics from a bloodstained altar and feels a sense of overwhelming evil. He nevertheless puts them in a sack and warns everyone not to touch them because they might be cursed.

Disturbing the chapel rings a gong elsewhere in the complex, and the party runs into the hallway. They see four adepts of the Frog God heading their way. Twindle casts his Sleep spell and Tyrel lobs flaming oil, while a legion of skeletons appear a short distance behind the burning adepts and charge!

VII. Everyone gets away! Well, everyone important…

The party runs smack into another gang of skeletons right at the exit, and now they are surrounded on both sides. To make matters worse, three of the adepts survived and are heading to the fight. The front rank of fighters cuts through skeleton after skeleton, clearing a path for the rest of the party to slip away.

The Kobold King, the Bugbear King and his followers are not so lucky, and are cut down by the rampaging horde of bony minions, who stream out of the cave in pursuit of the relics. Twindle, Tyrel and Big Rock strip off their plate armor and run back to town, laden with gold.

VII. Total losses/loot

Eight zombies, four acolytes, one adept, a torturer, a gelatinous cube and a dozen or so skeletons were destroyed, along with Chas Moustiques, the Bugbear King, the Kobold King and all remaining bugbear followers. K-k-k-ken and two kobolds deserted the party mid-way through the adventure. Buzzard the Berserker was turned to stone.

The party recovered 175 gold pieces, an amulet worn by one of the acolytes, a bracelet (700gp), a handful of lesser coins and a set of unholy relics worth a staggering 8,000gp!

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