20170106 Recap Against the Slave Lords - The Granite and Limestone Mines Part 2

Against the Slave Lords – The Granite and Limestone Mines 20170106

Previously, Baron Baltic is very thankful for the party’s efforts but was disappointed that no clue of Kwon/ Hulio’s where abouts was found. As such, the party returns to the mines to explore deeper. Also, the party seeks to discover any information regarding what is killing the people of the area, leaving shredded bodies near the shoreline of the coast, the shores of rivers and lakes and on occasion a short distance in land.

Nero, Cyrano, Jae-Don and Baldin choose to investigate the hidden dock further, while Raistlin (Elf Wizard – Arthur), Man-Tis (Tri-Kreen Barbarian – Ross), Gird (Human Monk – Art), Bannor (Human Fighter – Brenden) and Souldun (Human Warlord – Vic) think that returning to the ventilation shaft on the hillside seems like the most direct route to the deeper mines. The group set out at once and has no trouble re-entering the mines. Bannor and Man-Tis bend the (repaired) bars and the team climbs down the shaft. Rather than heading directly toward where the guards were stationed last time, the group takes a side tunnel, dresses themselves as miners and heads deeper into the mines with Souldun being the rear guard.

It is not long before they find a ramp to one of the lower levels and come across two paths, one leading to an odd temple and the other to a foul smelling pit. Exploring the temple first, they are attacked by a fierce creature with the claws of a tiger, the teeth of a shark, and body of an armored turtle like shark. The creature releases blasts of electricity like an electric eel as well as being a fierce fighter. The voice of a priest can be heard in the background demanding to know who the party is during the battle. After a few furious exchanges, the wounded beast sinks back into the mud pool and its companion attacks. Gird takes a heavy blow to the jaw and is knocked back against the wall before Bannor and Man-Tis can strike the creature a mortal blow. Man-Tis takes the creature’s body with him and Gird decides to retreat back up the shaft to find Baldin the priest. Souldun arrives at the temple just as the battle is ending.

After a short rest, the group continues on and surprises a group of guards. They quickly reduce the guard’s numbers but a large squad of orc reinforcements arrives from behind the party. After a swirling melee, all of the orcs are down. By questioning one of the guards, the party learns that there are prisoners being held in the mines and they decide to see if one of them might be Hulio.

Again, posing as miners, the party convinces a gigantic Rock Troll to open a barred gate leading to the prison area. Raistlin looks down one passage and is turned back by a huge Bugbear guard. The rest go down the other passage and quickly find Hulio and rescue him. Again posing as miners, the group passes by the Rock Troll on the way out and they quickly head back toward the surface.

After exiting the air shaft, the team is heading back toward the Baron’s estate when they are intercepted by a large reaction force. After a pitched battle, the group drives off the reaction force and arrives at the Barron’s manor.

The Barron is very pleased with the much higher level of information gathered. The Mud Tigers clearly appears to be the creatures killing his people. Also, it is clear to the Barron that the mines are connected to the slavers. In order to confront Bazili Erak the mine operator, the Barron will need the party to go back into the mines and free as many of the other slaves as possible. Also, Nero and the others confirmed the party’s information regarding the Mud Tigers. It appears there are only a half dozen or so adult mud tigers, but there are many eggs that are about to hatch soon. The Barron asks the party to act quickly to return to the deeper potion of the mines to free the slaves, kill at least three more of the adult mud tigers, and destroy all the eggs before they hatch.

Wow that is quite the mission to complete.