20170303 Recap Against the Slave Lords - The Slave Pits of the Undercity - Temple Level Part 1

Against the Slave Lords – Slave Pits of the Undercity – Temple Level Part 1 20170303

Cyrano (Drow Rogue – Kenji) , Raistlin (Elf Wizard – Arthur), Man-Tis (Tri-Kreen Barbarian – Ross), Gird (Human Monk – Art), Bannor (Human Fighter – Brenden), Souldun (Human Warlord – Vic), and Walster (Mul Warden) find themselves near the city of Highpoint, outside a ruined temple.  Although they are there to identify the leaders of the slave lords and locate the remainder of the slave lord’s bases, the heroes hope to find the missing friends and family members taken by the slavers; including Bannor’s sister Breeda, Souldun’s nephew Jacob, and Raistlin’s friends Tuvock and Jadzela.    

The party uses Raistlin’s ship to get to the coast near Highpoint and Cyrano poses as Romp, a Drow Slave merchant representing House Banneer from Causaborran.  Raistlin, Gird, Bannor, and Souldun pose as Cyrano’s guards and the group eats a fresh meal at a shabby dive in the town before hiking toward the ruined temple.  Man-Tis and Walster follow the rest of the party at a short distance to make sure the main part of the group isn’t followed.    In the large fields around the temple complex are many encampments of goblins, orcs and half orcs.  Surrounding the ruined temple itself is a low stone wall with a rampart behind it.  At intervals along the wall are groups of zombies and skeletons standing ready with spears and some mixed weapons.  Small groups of humans, merchants, and other humanoids wander freely about the area.  Occasional fights break out between various groups and many fights are just ignored.  The main entrance is a well-guarded gate house on the northern wall.   In the northwestern corner of the complex is the stone cutter’s shed and it is guarded by a small group of half orcs.  On the western wall of the complex is the stables and the party can see groups of mounted humans and half orcs coming and going at occasional random intervals and being services by a few guards.  From the intelligence gathered by Baron Baltic’s men, there is a secret door along the southern wall.  By crawling along a dry creek bed, the party remains below the line of sight of guards in the area.  At the end of the creek bed is a small grove of trees that is within twenty feet of the secret door.

Under Cyrano’s leadership, the group attempts to bluff their way into the complex by going through the main gate.  They are allowed into the inner courtyard but Cyrano’s clever bluff somehow easily tipped off the soldier on duty that something was amiss.  After studying the group intently, without their knowledge, one of the slave lords orders the guards to attack the imposters.  In the courtyard there were three groups of orc and half orc guards, on each flank were three orcs partly sheltered behind some tables.  In the center of the courtyard were four half orcs standing behind a small two wheeled cart.  Upon being ordered to attack the party, the orcs near the cart pull some levers and a large blast of fire sprays many of the party members, catching several of the party on fire.  Raistlin blasts some of the orcs near the cart.  Bannor downs one near the closest table.  Walster attacks the ones near the cart.  Driving the guards back, Walster strikes the cart in an attempt to disable it and the cart explodes in a huge blast of fire.  Souldun and Mantis appear at the barred gate and provide what support they can.  Singed but still in the fight, the group pushes forward and downs all the remaining guards.

The group quickly opens a door near the gate and find an orc holding a sword on Souldun’s nephew.  After a few attempts to get the orc to surrender fail, the group easily dispatch the lone orc and free Jacob who joins the party.  Bannor spies the wheel in the same room and raises the gate to let Mantis and Souldun join the party.
 
The group moves toward the newer annex of the temple and come upon a garden.  Mantis and the Raistlin quickly figure out that the bowl of wax near the door is meant for the group to plug their ears and protect them from the harpie’s songs.  The party also correctly figures out that straying from the garden path is very hazardous as the living trees and other plants in the garden are enchanted to attack any who leave the path as all guards know not to leave the path and all authorized guests will be escorted and instructed not to leave the path.  At the other end of the garden, the group discovers a marble room showing the glory of orcs.  A search of the room reveals nothing.

The group continues on and come to a long hall, full of about twenty slaves.  The shadow of a huge Ogre can be seen in a nearby alcove.  As Mantis moves in he is ambushed by a pair of guards who were posing as orcs.  Other party members move in and all the rest of the twenty slaves also attack, revealing that they were all orcs.  Although the guards vastly out-number the party, the party clearly has superior fighting skill and quickly dispatches the half orcs.

After a quick rest, the party moves on and discovers a very unsafe looking room that they decide to avoid.  Having reached the end of the annex area, the group turns around and similarly, the group discovers a very unsafe looking hallway on the way back.  As the hall seems to connect to the hall the party used to access the garden, the party avoids the unsafe hall and despoils the orc glory room on their way back.  Being careful to use the wax again, the party sees the harpies but when the party stays on the path, the harpies retreat.  The entire group then leaves the compound by going out the main gate.

The group then approaches the secret door on the south end of the complex and Gird is hit full force by the trap guarding the door.  In a nearby room, Mantis persuades Souldun and Bannor to bash their way through a recently repaired wall and the party sees a large ruined and burnt out area with many statues which the group sense are caused by some stone turning creature or creatures.  The party wisely avoids the area and turns around.

The group passes by the secret passage again and move north and enter a room where ghouls drop down upon the party.  Gird, putting on a burst of energy, starts at one end of the room and does a round kick followed by a hook kick on the entire front line of monsters, pushing them all back and allowing the entire party to enter the unblocked doorway and join in the fight.  Bannor is temporarily immobilized but uses his throwing axe to good effect.  After a pitched battle, all the undead are downed.

End of Session One…