May 15th Session 21

May 15th Session 21
Blackstone Keep
Blackstone Keep and nearby marshes
Septimius Flavius Perfectus (Mike) Human Fighter-5
Rollo Mojo (Josh) Human Warlock-5
Sandreus III (Ben) Human Bard-4 Fighter-1
Appius Umbrius Laurentius (Michael) Human Cleric of Ixion-5
Miles O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-4
Crag Skullbugger (Greg) Dwarf Barbarian-4

Tiberius (Jeff) Human Scout-2 Fighter-1 (Deceased)
Shamus O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-3 (Deceased)
Kioska (Lewis) Human Druid-2 (Retired)
Primus Ironius Perfectus (Steve) Human Cleric-2 (Deceased)
Slyver (Mark) Human Rouge-1/Monk-1 (Retired)
Drake (Jeff) Human Rogue-2 (Deceased?)
Agustus (Michael) Human Cleric-1 (Deceased)

The adventures kept careful watch throughout the night ready for another lizardman assault. During the night the group found that three people were captured during the first assault. Most importantly was that Marzena the mage was one of the three prisoners taken back into the swamp. When first light broke the group ventured outside and found that the remaining lizardmen retreated back into the swamp during the night. It was decided the adventures would go into the swamps and try and rescue the prisoners as the remaining eight {now fully healed} soldiers would hold the fort until reinforcements arrived in a couple days.
The group gathered their items and headed out into the swamps. The trial to follow the lizardmen was not difficult to follow. They followed the trail for close to 6 hours when they came to large tightly packed grove of Mangaroo trees. Searching they found the entrance hidden behind weaved roots and dirt. The tunnels were nothing more the paths between the giant trees and everything was wet and musty. Between the constant dripping of water and buzzing of hundreds of insects the group had a hard time hearing each other from more than 10 feet away.
The group ventured in and after a 20 foot tunnel they came to a four-way intersection. Left and right continued on while the passage straight ahead ended in a alcove. Investigating the alcove they found a supply of clubs, cheap wooden javelins and a covered bucket of water. Following the alcove the party choose to travel down the left passage. The left passage spilt into two directions one going right and down some stairs and the other went even further left. Rather than go down the stairs the group chose to stay on the same level. Twenty feet further they entered a room covered in bird crap and bird perches everywhere. The room was occupied by three harpies, who immediately began singing. Luckily for the group one of the few people who were not charmed by the harpy songs was Sandreus. Sandreus began a counter song and negated the effects of the harpies. Once the harpies singing ability was removed from the equation the warriors took over and laid pain upon the ugly birds quickly dispatching them. The group searched the room and where displeased to find no treasure of any sorts. Rollo spider climbed to search the peaches but he also came up empty handed. The exit from the bird room also lead down some stairs, again rather than head down to a lower level the group choose to head back to the four-way intersection by the entrance and try their luck heading right. The passage wound its way about forty feet before it broke hard left and hard to the right. The passage left lead down some stair so the group chose the right passage and entered a living chamber of five lizardmen who were dropped before they even had a chance to make a single attack.

May 8th Session 20

May 8th Session 20
Diamond Lake
Diamond Lake and the road to Blackstone Keep
Septimius Flavius Perfectus (Mike) Human Fighter-5
Rollo Mojo (Josh) Human Warlock-5
Sandreus III (Ben) Human Bard-4 Fighter-1
Appius Umbrius Laurentius (Michael) Human Cleric of Ixion-5
Miles O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-4
Crag Skullbugger (Greg) Dwarf Barbarian-4

Tiberius (Jeff) Human Scout-2 Fighter-1 (Deceased)
Shamus O’Flannagan (Steve) Human Ranger-3 (Deceased)
Kioska (Lewis) Human Druid-2 (Retired)
Primus Ironius Perfectus (Steve) Human Cleric-2 (Deceased)
Slyver (Mark) Human Rouge-1/Monk-1 (Retired)
Drake (Jeff) Human Rogue-2 (Deceased?)
Agustus (Michael) Human Cleric-1 (Deceased)

After a week of resting and recouperating after an exhausting, costly and rewarding adventure under the Dourstone mines. The group of adventures were ready when Allustan declaired he was ready to head to Blackstone Keep to meet with a friend of his. Allustan figured Manzena might be able to discover some information about the cult of the Ebon Triad and sort out some of the odds notes and tid bits the group found.

While Allustan road a horse the rest of the party walked along. The trip would take about two days all told and should be an easy trip, not to many muraders roaming the roads and hills. Around noon of the second day the group came upon a group of religious pilgrams. Followers of Petra and definitely part of the self-flaggationists. They were friendly and looking for new recruits. Luckily Appius had most of the group either following the teachings of Ixion or at least favoring Ixion over all other religions. The pilgrims once realizing they had no chance of gaining any new recuits moved on. It was early the second day they encountered a group of gnomes. These gnomes were traders returning from the free city with rare nd exotic goods for their fellows gnomes back home. The gnomes seemed friendly and were interesrted in any gems the adventures would be willing to part with. Again, once they found nothing to trade or bargin over the gnomes went on their merry way.

The adventurers where approaching the hills just before Blackstone Keep when they began to smell smoke and death in the air. As they cleared the last hill they saw that Blackstone keep was under assault by a large group of Lizardmen. Fortunately, the lizardmen were so involved with the assault that they never noticed the adventures arrival. Allustan having a scroll of teleport decided it would be a good idea if he went back to Diamond Lake and gather the soldiers from the garrison to return as quickly as possible to either help defend the keep or to retake the keep if nessicary. The group choose to hide themselves and observe the attack before rushing to any quick decisions. From their side they could see four groups of five to six lizardmen evenly spaced around the keep. Miles decided to investigate around the keep and see how the other side of the keep looked. About an hour later he returned with the information that the lizardmen had about 10 groups evenly spaced all around the keep and that the leaders of the lizardmen were probably on the side nearest the swamps. The group decided it might be best if they wait until dark and try and kill a group of the lizardmen or two and return to hiding.

The group made ready to attack the lizardmen when the lizardmen began their assault upon the keep again. This time every other group of lizardmen charged up the hill and attacked the keep. The remaining groups of lizardmen waited at the bottom of the hill to see how the kin did. The adventures see their opportunity charged the groups that waited at the bottom of the hill. Septimius, Crag, Sandrius and Miles attacked in force while Appius casts spells and Rollo used his eldritch blast and darknessto damage and distract the enemies. With surprise on their side they quickly dispatched the lizardmen in the first group they attacked. The two adjacent groups of lizardmen quickly charged the would-be heroes. The battle was on, the group formed a circle and attacked the incoming lizardmen they lizardmen that had to run out of the darkness were disorganized and slower to attack. The group used this time to finish the second group of lizardmen and began their assault on the third group. The last two survivors of the second group of lizardmen made a run for reinforcements as the heroes defeated the disorganized third group. It was at this time they decided maybe they should retreat when they noticed the lizardmen had breached the keep. Instead of retreating they choose to charge up the hill and help their comrades in arms. First thing they did was launch a fireball into the keep main entrance where they spotted some lizardmen. They severally damaged the lizardmen in the first room and were able to quickly finish them off. Hearing battle down below they changed down the stair to see eight humans fighting off an equal number of lizardmen. With the group arriving the battle shifted against the lizardmen and soon all lizardmen lay dead or dying. Gathering the remaining soldier they went back upstair and did the best to reinforce the front door and set up a watch in case the lizardmen made another attack.