The Duel

The session started after the players had hacked and slashed their way through the upper level of the Lost Temple of Demogorgon. This is a Dungeon Magazine adventure from the D20 era repurposed for Swords & Wizardry - I made a lot of changes. After a brief fight, the rest of the session was negotiation. The adventurers are fairly mercenary and once they negotiated for the return of their captured friend (the hook) they went on their way. Except, for one player (the Knight) who demanded a duel with a Chaos Knight (SW equivalent of a Death Knight).

We were on hiatus during the holidays and this allowed me to do a lot of writing. I had several adventures prepared and I was able to foreshadow some possible opportunities.

Session 147: The Lost Temple of Demogorgon

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Aldus (human cavalier), Grasshopper (human monk), Domago (human cleric, NPC), Brovin (human thief, NPC), Ian (human cavalier, NPC), August (human magic-user, NPC), Anja Maki (human ranger, NPC).

The Company of the Black Dragon are in search of their former comrade Dusig Greatstone who appears to have been abducted by some strange troglodytes and their bestial servants. After battling a ferocious behir they rest in the ruins of an underground city.

Meanwhile, Grasshopper, a monk of the order of Wanderers has recently left Thornwall Abbey an enclave of the Keeper of Light. Grasshopper travels to the village of Grimstone which he has heard is in need.

In Grimstone Grasshopper speaks to an innkeeper who tells him he just missed meeting the Company of the Black Dragon. A group of adventurers who travel about in a flying ship have agreed to investigate the troubles around Grimstone. Following a faint trail through the mountain passes, Grasshopper makes his way to a cave on the side of a cliff. The cave was recently uncovered from beneath an ancient rockslide. In the caves, Grasshopper comes across the corpses of troglodytes and ape creatures. He realizes the adventurers must be nearby. Descending a large pit, he finds the ruins of an underground city lit with a purple glow caused by fungus. Here he first encounters the Company of the Black Dragon.

Eathwund and Ian are on watch while the rest of the members of the company get their rest. Eathwund who is at the open doorway of the building they chose to rest in sees the approaching light from Grasshopper’s torch (a torch he took down from the wall on the upper level).

“Who goes there – declare yourself!” Eathwund shouts.

“A humble wanderer looking to join some adventurers,” Grasshopper replies.

Eathwund bids him to come forward seeing that Grasshopper’s sword is sheathed and he is not wearing armor. Lakima gets up and greets Grasshopper.

“We are the Company of the Black Dragon, and I am the Lakima the Grey,” Lakima says emphatically.

Not having heard of Lakima or the company Grasshopper nods politely. Lakima explains the situation. They are looking for a dwarven comrade they suspect has been captured and taken below by the troglodytes.

“These are no ordinary troglodytes,” Lakima explains, “they are far more intelligent, use modern weapons, and can cast spells.”

Some of the members of the company greet Grasshopper.

“I am Aldus the confident,” a tall man clad in heavy armor says, giving Grasshopper a firm forearm shake.

“Eathwund,” nods the man who first challenged him.

“Domago of the Church of St. Aleena,” a middle-aged priest says, “What monastery do you belong to”?

“Anja Maki, ranger of the northern tribes,” says a young woman with fierce eyes.

The introductions complete, Domago checks on Aldus’ wounds from the fight with the demons and the behir. He casts a few healing spells on Aldus to speed his recovery. Once everyone has grabbed their packs the group sets out to investigate the ruined town.

“Wait, let’s not waste our time,” Lakima says. He removes the Arrow of Direction from his pouch and asks for the location of Dusig Greatstone. The arrow points directly down. Lakima tells everyone to look for a stair down. Brovin immediately points in the doorway of a building he is standing nearby.

“A stair in here”

Brovin checks the stairs for traps and finds none so the entire group moves into formation and heads down the stairs. Once Brovin reaches the mid-point down the 30-foot stair there is a bell-like chime that proceeds a stunning blast of sound. All of the party slumps to the ground stunned. The stunning blast also attracts the attention of some of the undead troglodytes of the dead city. A few minutes later 5 ghoulish troglodytes approach slowly. They grab August and Ian and begin dragging them away to eat. Luckily, Eathwund, Grasshopper, and Domago can fight off the stunning effect. Domago holds up his holy symbol and turns the undead creatures who run away back into the caves in the cliff walls.

The three adventurers who have recovered drag their comrades back into the house they had earlier cleared and rested in. While waiting for everyone to recover, more undead creep up on the resting adventurers but Domago turns them as well.

(DM’s Note: the symbol of stunning in Swords & Wizardry stuns for 1d6 or 2d6 turns based on the number of hit points a victim has. But it only affects 150 hit points total. It should only have stunned most of the party not all of them (total hp was over 200). Once I realized my error, I decided to give the strongest party members a save to recover).

Once everyone has recovered the group hastily moves on to the stairs again. Brovin asks if Lakima can check it but Lakima assures him it is safe now. They move down the stairs and enter another level of the ruins. Here wide hallways are dimly lit by magical torches. Grasshopper is sent ahead to scout. Keeping in the shadows as best he can, Grasshopper spots a pair of troglodytes waiting in ambush in a cave entrance. Both parties spot each other at about the same time. Grasshopper shouts a warning and then leaps at one troglodyte striking it a hard blow with each of his fists. Eathwund and Aldus also quickly join the fight and Anja hurls a spear at it but misses. From another cave mouth, another troglodyte appears along with a war ape. Aldus turns to fight them. Two of the troglodytes cast spells. One tries to grasp Aldus in a hold person spell but it fails. Another casts a decaying ray striking Grasshopper in the shoulder. Grasshopper feels strength ebbing from his arm and sees a rotting wound form in his flesh. Another threat appears in the form of a baboon-like creature who attempts to cast a hold person spell on Lakima but fails. The creature then vanishes.

The fighting continues, Grasshopper breaks the neck of one troglodyte with a blow, Eathwund aids Aldus against the war ape. Anja spears a troglodyte that was stunned by Grasshopper. The baboon appears suddenly near Aldus and attacks with a war mace. Once Aldus strikes the baboon he vanishes again. Grasshopper leaps off the wall and back-flips over Eathwund to attack the war ape. The ape does manage to bite Grasshopper on the shoulder before being killed. The baboon tries to flee but Grasshopper spots his footsteps on the sandy stone floor and fires two arrows into him. The Baboon tries to drag himself away but Anja spears him finishing him off.

With the fight over Lakima directs Brovin to check the bodies. Brovin finds some demon-cursed armor and spears, four silver rings, and a potion. Lakima has him drop everything in their bag of holding. Domago moves through the group casting his last healing spells and then using his staff of healing.

“We should move on immediately,” Lakima says.

“What about these caves,” Grasshopper questions, looking at the five cave entrances off of this tunnel.

“Getting off track just weakens us,” Lakima says, “remember our mission is to rescue Dusig.”

“But also, we want to find treasure,” Aldus argues.

Lakima wins the argument and the group moves down the tunnel to a stone door lit by magic torches. While Brovin examines the door, Grasshopper slips off to check a nearby cave. He finds a large sleeping area that smells of fur and sweat. An iron ring is embedded in the wall, perhaps to hold chains.

Brovin states the door is safe and Eathwund pushes it open. A shrill shriek is emitted by a triggered ward as the door opens injuring all of the adventurers. The sound continues to echo off the walls of the caves for a minute afterward.

“Everyone knows we are coming now,” Brovin mutters.

Past the door, the tunnel narrows and they see more side tunnels and then another stone door. One of the cave entrances near the stone door is partially blocked by a curtain. While Brovin examines the stone door Grasshopper says he will check the chamber hidden by the curtain. As soon as he pulls the curtain aside, he triggers another ward. This time there is a thunderclap and a bolt of lightning strikes the monk staggering him. Domago comes over to help and uses the staff of healing on him. Beyond the curtain, they see a small living quarters with some robes hanging on the wall and a pile of furs and blankets for a bed.

Brovin finally finishes with the door and shoves it open – triggering another ward that lets out a loud shriek. Beyond the door, they spot a temple chamber where several creatures await them ready to fight.

The room is lit by torches that burn with a reddish light. An enormous war ape, twelve feet tall stands near a collection of ancient armor and a glowing red forge. A few open treasure chests full of gems sit nearby. Three stone benches face a stone altar. Behind the altar stands a stone statue of a strange creature they assume is a demon. It has two ape-like heads on an enormous body but its arms are tentacles. Lying on the altar covered in blood is a dwarf stripped of his clothes to his waist. Standing in front of the altar is a troglodyte in fine regalia. Near the stone benches standing ready but at ease is a tall knight dressed in ancient armor. Cold mist pours from the armor to the floor. A helmet rests on his head which is revealed to only be a skull. He holds a greatsword from which cold mist also pours.

In a moment the group takes in the scene. The three creatures were clearly ready and waiting for them. Lakima reacts first and conjures an earth elemental in the center of the temple. The conjured elemental attacks the great war ape grappling it with its enormous arms. The war ape fights back pummeling the elemental. Another baboon appears suddenly beside the treasure chests. The baboon begins casting a spell. Seeing this from across the room, Lakima quickly tries to cast Wall of Ice but a fireball goes off before he can and it lands in the center of the adventurers with a huge blast. August is almost killed instantly but manages to stand upright.

Lakima sees August reaching for his wand of fireballs and warns him that if he uses the wand Dusig will be killed. Eathwund and Aldus advance into the chamber. Grasshopper strikes the troglodyte with an arrow. The statue of the demon then steps down from its platform and begins to move slowly toward the group. Aldus moves to attack the knight but the knight makes no threatening moves. Instead, he speaks.

“Halt. I have no quarrel with you humans. Leave now and I will not attack you!”

Lakima dismisses the wall of ice and questions the knight. He asks the knight what his reasons are for being here. While the fight between the earth elemental and the great ape rages the knight replies that he has come here to break a terrible curse laid upon him. As Eathwund and Aldus edge closer to the stone statue. Lakima tells the knight that if they turn over the dwarf, they will be willing to talk. The knight agrees and Aldus rushes to the altar and grabs the dwarf carrying him to Domago near the door. Domago immediately carries the dwarf who he recognizes as Dusig, into the hallway outside the door and he casts healing magic on him.

The knight explains that he was cursed by the demon Demogorgon to be a Death Knight. He has existed under this curse for two millennia. Tired of this undeath he has come to the temple of Demogorgon to have the curse removed. Lakima tells the Death Knight who calls himself Lord Kraven of Rex that if they (the troglodyte and the Death Knight) agree to leave this area they will go without attacking them. He also warns that an army of dwarves will soon descend upon this forgotten temple now that its existence is known. The Death Knight agrees to the terms and tells them to go.

Everyone turns to leave, but Aldus has a change of heart.

“Wait, I would challenge you to a contest of arms,” he says to the Death Knight, “I wish to measure myself against you”.

The Death Knight hesitates.

Aldus duels the Death Knight

“Let’s see if you are truly worthy of becoming a mortal man again,” Aldus adds.

The Death Knight then nods and accepts. With a gesture, he raises a wall of ice across the doorway trapping Aldus in the chamber and the rest of the party without.

“We fight until one of us yields,” Aldus says.

The Death Knight and Aldus slowly circle one another. Aldus makes the first strike, hitting the death knight in the abdomen. Then the Death Knight strikes Aldus with two grievous blows with his sword. Aldus also feels his strength ebbing from the tremendous cold aura about the Death Knight. Aldus manages to strike the Death Knight once more but soon it is clear he is losing. Aldus kneels and plants his sword point first in the dirt.

“I yield,” Aldus says.

The Death Knight raises his sword to strike the killing blow but then stays his hand. Instead, he reaches out to Aldus as if to help him up but instead grasps his wrist tightly. Aldus feels a searing cold on his wrist. As he gets to his feet, he sees the impression of bony fingers branded onto his wrist.

“My mark is upon you now,” the Death Knight says.

The Wall of Ice is dismissed and Aldus quickly backs away and makes it to the stone doorway. With a gesture, the Death Knight closes the stone door behind him.

In the hallway behind the group agrees that they need to get out of these caves quickly. Domago has healed Dusig enough that he can walk. The confused dwarf does not remember what happened to him after he picked up the trail of what he thought were ogres near Grimstone.

Lakima explains to Dusig that he was captured and was going to be sacrificed to a demon lord when the Company rescued him just in time. They continue to fill Dusig in on what happened as they make their way back out into the sunlight. Dusig expresses concern about the Death Knight and the Demogorgon worshippers keeping their part of the deal and moving from the dwarven lands. Lakima assures him that they decimated the troglodytes and only one remained.

The adventurers make their way back to the airship they left near the small homestead and mine. When they arrive, they see a pair of wyverns feasting on the dead ogres they killed a day ago. Avoiding the creatures, they make their way to the flying ship. This is the first time Grasshopper has seen the flying ship and he marvels at it.

“We call it Cloudstealer,” Lakima says proudly.

Anja Maki asks the group for her share of the treasure. She lives not far from here and has no interest in traveling with the adventurers. A generous Lakima suggests they give her the four large gems they found the day before. Anja says her goodbyes, waves, and walks off northward. Grasshopper asks to join the adventurers; he is keen to see the lands from this flying ship.

The group heads to Grimstone to drop off Dusig. Dusig insists on buying them dinner at the local dwarven inn. The food is only fair but the dwarven ale is excellent. Grasshopper heads off to explore the trading post. Sensing a kind soul in the village nurse Gwynn – he hands her his share of the treasure. He then returns to the Inn.

In a hurry to get back to Edgerton, Lakima suggests they set sail immediately before anyone has even had a chance to rest or heal wounds. The ship ascends and they wave goodbye to a rapidly diminishing Dusig below.

The Cloudstealer heads directly southwest towards Edgerton a few day's travel away. The weather is clear and sunny and warm so they have no need to raise the shelter on the ship. A few hours out from Grimstone, August who is on the blow calls out a warning.

“Golden object ahead and above and moving our way!”

Just to be safe the group prepares. Grasshopper readies his longbow while Eathwund and Aldus begin cranking the ballista on the bow of the ship. As the golden object comes closer, they realize it is a small dragon.

“Gold dragons are powerful but not usually evil,” Lakima calls out.

As the dragon gets closer, they realize that its movements are odd almost stilted. The wings move mechanically. When it is within 100 feet, they realize it is a construct.

“Domago try to dispel it!” Lakima yells.

Domago tries but tells everyone that it is not evil, it has no soul and only a simple mind.

Lakima summons a wraith and sends it out to meet the dragon. He also summons Mikda-Err’s guardian sphere. The wraith tries to attack the dragon but is brushed aside. The dragon lets loose a lightning bolt that strikes the ship and injures several of the adventurers. It swoops around to attack again. Aldus fires the ballista at it but he misses. Grasshopper hits it several times with arrows. They see oil leaking from the construct. August uses the wand to hit it with a fireball. The dragon swoops down and smashes into the mast knocking the mast and sheets overboard. As it swoops away Lakima casts a fireball and hits it. This does a lot of damage and the smoking and leaking dragon flies away to the northeast.

The crippled Cloudstealer slows to a halt and they continue to descend until they reach a stretch of forest in a mountain valley. Halting the ship near the ground, the crew leaps off and goes into the trees to search for a tree that will make a good replacement mast. Eathwund goes with them to protect them. Dagmar and Cowan (the crew) work into the evening and start up again the next day. By this time they have constructed a temporary mast and have raised a replacement sail. The Cloudstealer is ordered up into the air again and they continue to Edgerton. There are no further encounters and the ship reaches Edgerton two days later.

The Hook

How to hook players into an adventure when the player leader who heavily influences the party decisions plays a character who is more interested in researching magic and selling magic items. A few treasure maps they found have been ignored, and they will not take on adventures to save threatened villages unless there is a big payday. Try a hook from a former companion who asks for help. It worked.

Session 146: Danger at Grimstone

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Aldus (human cavalier), Domago (human cleric, NPC), Brovin (human thief, NPC), Ian (human cavalier, NPC), August (human magic-user, NPC), Anja Maki (human ranger, NPC).

The main group of the Company of the Black Dragon are in the complex of Hirward the magic-user having just removed a hostile air elemental from his home. Hirward is of course famous for creating or enchanting magic items and as a reward allows each member of the company to choose a single magic item from his “museum” of items.

Hirward brings Lakima, Eathwund, Aldus, Domago, and Brovin to a hall where the unsold items he has created rest in display cases. Although reluctant to part with any of the items he is a mage of his word.

Lakima chooses Bracers of defense. Eathwund chooses a magical shield (shield+2). Aldus chooses a Medusa Shield. Domago chooses a Decanter of Holy Water. Finally, Brovin takes the Compass of Trap Detection.

With the selections complete. Hirward teleports everyone except Lakima back to Edgerton. Lakima teleports himself. Everyone arrives in Edgerton in the very early morning. Everyone except the butler Huntley is asleep. Alayna is awakened when her husband climbs into their bed.

“Back so soon,” Alayna says.

“It turned out to be a simple task for us,” Lakima tells her.

The next morning the group gathers at the dining table and tells their apprentices and squires about the adventure. Aldus calls for everyone’s attention and tells them that he would like to get married to Norine as soon as possible. Domago tells him that the end of the week would be enough time to prepare the Church of St. Aleena.

“Could I borrow one of the portals you can create Lakima and bring my family over from Guideland?” Aldus asks.

Lakima explains to him that this is not how the teleport spell works. Lakima suggests that they take the Cloudstealer to the Bridgeway and find out if there is a portal to a bridge near his home. The next day Lakima, Eathwund, and Aldus take the flying ship to the Bridgeway. The custodian of the bridgeway, Ezmeralden confirms that he has a control rod that will open a portal in a town near Vallen where Aldus’ family lives. The group passes through and travels on to Vallen. Aldus introduces Lakima and Eathwund to his family and convinces them all to take the bridgeway back rather than a long and dangerous sea voyage. His parents, brother, sister, and several retainers are brought back through the bridgeway. Then on the Cloudstealer to Edgerton. Several extra beds need to be made up but they manage to accommodate everyone in the Manor House.

The day of the wedding arrives. Domago is to deliver the ceremony. Lakima walks Norine down the aisle. There were no incidents during the ceremony and the entire entourage retired to the Manor House for a reception. Aldus’ mother Linnet continues to ask when he is coming home and taking his place as his father’s heir. His sister Lysandra has brought Aldus’ old love interest Dawn to the wedding just to give him grief. But aside from a few remarks everything goes smoothly. After staying for 2 days, Aldus’ family is returned to Guildeland by the Bridgeway.

A message arrives at the Manor from the messenger’s guild. Sent by crow from distant Gundamark. Lakima opens and reads it. It is from their old companion Dusig Greatstone. He pleads for their aid in dealing with some ogres near the village of Grimstone. Apparently, these ogres are equipped with strange, ancient, heavy armor. He asks for them to meet him in Grimstone. A map is consulted and they find Grimstone is a small village in the Callaheim mountains. About 3 days away by flying ship. Lakima puts it to the rest of the group whether they want to get involved in another adventure. The rest of the group are up for it. Plans are made to leave the next morning.

The entire company boards the Cloudstealer. Ian and August are brought along. They head northeast following the Dolm River. In a few days, the ship reaches the mountains and flies through the pass from Wolford. Spotting the village, really just a collection of five stone buildings and a mine, they set the ship down in a nearby meadow. The arrival of the flying ship has not gone unnoticed and soon they are greeted by dwarves and some humans from the village. After turning aside some aggressive shopkeepers looking to sell them equipment, they start a conversation with Ermig Glon the owner of the only tavern. He tells them that Dusig was here in Grimstone for 3 days but left 2 days ago. He went to check on the Dwarves working a nearby mine. Supplies ordered by the dwarven miners had not been picked up in a week and he was concerned. Ermig also tells them about some of the reports local miners had made about the mysterious armored ogres. There have not been any incidents yet – but for the overdue miners, Dusig went to check on them.

After getting directions from the tavern keeper, they stay for some free food and drink offered to the “heroes who slew the white worm”. During the meal, they meet a human ranger from the north and invite her to join them.

“How much pay do you expect?” Aldus asks her.

“I expect an equal share as I will pull my weight,” Anja tells him.

Anja is amazed by the flying ship they show her. She is welcomed on board. The ship sets out following the path to Durguard Mine. The path would have taken a day to follow by foot but in their flying ship, they make the trip in under 2 hours. They land near the mine entrance where there is a small wood cabin.

Immediately, Anja spots tracks in the dirt. She tells everyone that a group of armored creatures with a lizard creature with them came upon the mine and then left dragging prisoners.

“Then let’s follow them right away,” Lakima says and points south in the direction the tracks head.

“What about checking the cabin?” Brovin asks.

Lakima is uninterested but Brovin is concerned that Dusig could be in the cabin injured. They check but find the cabin empty. As they set out following the tracks, Lakima spots ogres tracking them from trees atop a ridge. He warns everyone. The group of eight ogres attack but are quickly all killed. These ogres are just normal ones. They wear dirty animal skins and carry clubs. Lakima does find some gems in a pouch carried by their leader.

The trail takes 2 hours to follow on foot. It leads to a hillside where a landslide of rock clearly happened many years ago. A number of boulders have been recently pulled aside to reveal a large cave. Lakima sends Brovin and Anja in first.

Brovin takes the opportunity to try out his Compass of Trap detection. It points to a trap ahead but he is unsure how far ahead. The group enters a cave with a rise at the far end. A red glow from torches lights the area atop the rise. They see three stone pillars atop the rise looming over them and stone steps cut into the wall leading up to the ledge. Anja points out ancient pictures drawn on the stone below the ledge. They depict humans sacrificing other humans to reptile overlords.

Lakima discovers a Symbol of Warding on the stone steps and is able to dispel it. Once this is done the group climbs the stairs to the ledge. Here they see what is clearly a wall created by a Wall of Stone spell. An opening has been knocked out of the wall to allow passage. Lakima points Brovin onward.

As soon as Brovin passes through the opening there is a high-pitched noise and Aldus, Eathwund, and Brovin are magically struck blind, and deaf. Brovin makes his way by touching back to the group. Lakima asks Domago if he can cast Remove Curse. He has prepared two and he casts them on Aldus and Eathwund. Lakima casts Remove Curse on Brovin. With everyone able to see again Lakima cautions everyone that anything waiting for them has now been alerted.

Everyone passes the wall of stone into a large cave beyond. In the center of this cave is a stone wall. A passage enters from the north, south, and west. As the group spreads out, they are not surprised when four ape-like creatures charge into the chamber from the northern passage. The creatures look like huge apes but they also wear clothes. Lakima tells everyone to not get in front of him as he casts Lightning Bolt blasting the creatures who try to leap out of the way. Aldus blows the Horn of Valhalla summoning four berserkers. Eathwund and Anja move to fight the apes. During the battle, a horrible tentacled monster climbs up out of the well and grabs Anja with a tentacle pulling her off her feet and toward its mouth. Aldus uses the power of the Medusa Shield to try and petrify the creature but it is unaffected. Lakima casts a charm monster on it successfully. The confused fiendish creature drops Anja on the ground and scuttles back down into the well.

“No! Come back,” Lakima yells after it in vain.

The apes are finally all killed and Domago uses up most of his healing spells on Anja and Aldus who have both been injured. Lakima suggests they head north next, but just as the decision is made, they hear heavy footsteps from the south and two beasts appear wearing ancient-looking armor and carrying long swords. Clearly, these creatures match the description of the creatures spotted by the dwarves. Aldus blows the Horn of Valhalla again making five berserkers appear behind the apes. Then Aldus and Eathwund wade into combat with the apes. These two apes are much tougher than the apes they just dispatched and it is a tough fight. Aldus is hit several times. As Anja and the rest of the group move to help, they hear noise from the north. Lakima spots another armored ape leading what appears to be seven Troglodytes. But these Troglodytes are smaller, less primitive than the ones the adventurers have fought in the past. These are wearing clothes and holding weapons.

“Stand back!” Lakima yells and unleashes a fireball in the midst of the troglodytes. Several of them go down screeching. Then August uses the necklace of fireballs to throw another fireball at the survivors. Only three troglodytes and the armored ape remain standing. One troglodyte casts a spell on Lakima inflicting him with a rotting disease on his right forearm. In anger, he blasts the troglodytes with a lightning bolt and only one survives. Anja chases after the surviving troglodyte who runs for the west tunnel.

Aldus and Eathwund with help from the berserkers finally manage to kill the two armored apes. They turn their attention to the third who is already badly injured by fireball spells and kill it. Anja throws a spear hitting the fleeing troglodyte in the back and it tumbles down a pit.

With all of the monsters killed the group rests briefly. Domago is out of healing spells so he has to use the staff of healing to aid his injured companions. They check the bodies and find armor and weapons on the apes and a pair of wands on the troglodytes. Domago tells them that he senses that the weapons and armor are tainted with evil somehow. He argues that they should destroy them. Lakima takes the wands and puts them in the bag of holding. He suggests Anja take the spears but she refuses. Aldus argues that there is nothing wrong with the weapons they could at least sell them. Anja tells him that she cares not what they do with them but she will not touch them. Domago settles things by gathering up the weapons and throwing them down the well.

The group heads down the south tunnel and finds only a sleeping area for the apes. They then head down the northern tunnel and find old, uncomfortable-looking stone pallets covered in rags. The sleeping places of the troglodytes? They also find some simple food and jars of water. The tunnels do not lead anywhere so they turn to the pit to the west. It drops down 40 feet and they can see a tunnel enters it at the bottom. A dead troglodyte lies at the bottom of the pit. The walls have a winding ledge that leads down and a pair of ladders.

The entire group makes their way down the pit. At the bottom, Anja recovers her spear from the corpse of the troglodyte. They find they have entered a large cavern with stone buildings built into the sides of the cave. The cavern is lit in a dim purple and blue light. Looking up they see glowing lichen on the ceiling. The group heads down the tunnel toward the buildings. As they do, they hear scratching noises coming from a narrow crack in the wall. Soon a troglodyte peers out at them but this one is different. Its eyes glow red and it appears to be a walking corpse. Rotted flesh hangs from its limbs and bones are visible in its chest. Domago steps forward and tells the creature to begone as he shows it the light from his holy symbol. The undead thing and several more in the tunnel in the wall turn and flee before the glowing holy symbol.

After the encounter with the dead troglodytes, the group continues on into the area of ancient buildings. Brovin uses the compass, again and again, it detects a trap within range. Lakima cautions that it is likely another warding symbol like the two previously encountered. Looking into some of the buildings they see they are empty except for debris. Domago sees a building with a red tiled floor and walls. At the far end is a stone statue of a demon on a platform. He tells everyone to come over and look. Aldus, Anja, and Brovin enter this chamber which appears to be a shrine, and approach the statue. The statue depicts a two-headed ape-like demon with tentacles for arms. A feeling of unquiet begins to wash over the three and they find themselves hurriedly leaving the temple. Lakima enters the chamber and seems unaffected. He walks up and studies the statue but does not recognize the demon depicted. Then Lakima smashes the statue with his staff of striking. The statue is blasted off of its base and crashes to the stone floor where it breaks into pieces. Satisfied, Lakima joins the others.

“I took care of that,” Lakima tells companions who now no longer feel the sense of dread that overcame their senses.

In the distance, they spot a raised dais with a stone roof held up by pillars. They decide to make their way toward it. As they walk nearer, they see that another statue of the same demon stands on the dais. Lakima suggests they smash this one as well. Before they can act, they hear ground-shaking footsteps coming from a building near them. It sounds like three or four large beasts. A moment later a 40-foot-long serpentine beast with eight legs walks into view. The creature has a crocodile-like head on a serpentine body.

“A behir!” Anja yells, “Beware it breathes lightning!”

Aldus blows the Horn of Valhalla and summons seven berserkers who appear in the building behind the behir. The creature seemingly does not even notice them as the berserkers try in vain to pierce its scaly skin. Aldus strikes with his scimitar but it bounces off the scales. Then Eathwund strikes the creature's less protected belly and cuts open a huge wound. The creature bellows in rage or perhaps fear. The behir opens its mouth and a blast of lightning arcs out striking Aldus, Eathwund, Anja, and Ian. The adventurers are knocked back but quickly get up. That is except for Ian who is badly injured. Lakima yells at Ian to come to his side far from the melee. Ian struggles to join him.

Despite the creature’s thick hide and eight clawed feet, Eathwund and Aldus manage several damaging strikes. Hemmed in from behind by the berserkers, the behir flails about with increasing desperation until one of the berserkers delivers the killing blow. The remaining berserkers vanish back to Valhalla. Brovin emerges from his hiding place once the behir dies. He climbs over the corpse makes his way to its nest and starts picking up gold, electrum, and gems. Lakima arrives and directs him to put the treasure in the bag of holding. Brovin then suggests they check the behir’s gullet. He cuts it open and finds some undigested lizard bones and an enormous sapphire.

“I’ll take this as my share,” Brovin says. Lakima disagrees and makes sure the gem goes into the bag of holding. Domago sets about with his staff of healing again using up many of its charges. Aldus and Ian in particular are badly injured.

“Let’s destroy this statue now,” Lakima says and advances toward the demon statue. Anja picks up a rock and throws it hard at the statue. It pings off the statue chipping it. Instantly, a gate to the abyss opens and two crocodile demons step through (type III demons). The demons move to attack immediately. The aura of fear they project overcomes Brovin, August, and Anja who flee back toward the ladder leaving the cave.

Aldus blows the Horn of Valhalla yet again and five berserkers appear to aid them. Eathwund and Aldus join the battle. Lakima summons an Earth elemental who squares off against one demon aided by Aldus. Eathwund takes on the second demon alone and kills it. The elemental delivers the killing blow to the other demon.

After the demons are gone, they push over the demon statue shattering it. Nothing else is summoned by this action. Domago looks over his exhausted and bleeding companions and suggests they rest. Lakima objects but Domago points out that he needs to prepare a remove curse to cure Lakima’s arm that has been inflicted with a rotting curse.

The group picks one of the cleaner buildings with a defensible doorway and set up a camp to get some rest.