The Stone House

For once things were going our way. We were looking forward to some real answers and some real help for that matter. Zaneska's friend seemed to just the person to hand all this over to and make a break for the first biggest town in the area.

But as it turns out, luck was just teaching me a lesson, don’t think you’re lucky until the loot is sold...

The message that we captured from our sleeping Captain was a note to Blue company to inform them that the amulets, both the one here and the one that Zaneska had, hed been located. It bade them to make all haste to these places and lay their hands on the amulets by any means necessary.

After some discussion we decided to send Crosby and the other two smart magic types to the libraries of the dwarves to try and find some information about the amulets. The rest of us decided to go to the fellow that was mentioned to us living on the outskirts of some forest to the west, I forget the name, that damn tree hugger would know...

After a boring trek through the mountains, we made it to the wide open plains, where by some act of fate, the Captain managed to get himself stabbed with some shoe spikes that were rolling around on the wagon. No doubt the druid will have something to say. I miss my friend Crosby, being watched by the druid, and the Barbarian blaming me for the unwanted sex change.......

We reached a small but extremely well crafted town just before sunset of the, 2nd day of travel. The place was called the Stone House, and was mentioned to us as a landmark. We stabled the horse in a barracks by the main gate and had a look around town. The town was utterly deserted for some reason. Tara noticed some humanoid boot prints on the ground. These eventually lead to a temple of some kind.

After very carefully examining the doors and floors, I managed to miss a trap set just in the doorway. Needless to say, Arnelia wasn’t too happy about me missing the trap, as it was her that got hurt when it went off. After some quick reassurances that it wouldn’t happen again, we continued our exploration.

We found some stairs down to a basement level of the temple. Two openings, one barred from the other side by a crude wooden door, the other leading to an altar room of some kind. We decided to explore the altar room and found some clever stone doors, concealing....... NOTHING.

Yes that is what was behind the door, nothing, who sets up a temple with no valuables in it ? Damn religious fools, at least my God has some style.

While I was sulking about this fact, Tara asked me to have a look at the altar in the centre of the room. Climbing up onto it to make sure that I don’t miss anything, I saw her coming closer to me with a wild look in her eyes, holding a torch. Thoughts of being burned at the stake flickered through my mind, but at that moment we were attacked by Drow !!

4 Of them burst into the room, I got shot by a dart of some kind. We put up a good fight, Tara positively ripped them to pieces with her lightning, it was spectacular, and then I fell asleep...
I woke up to Arnelia slapping me, telling me that there are two more Drow coming and I had to help. We set up an ambush, in the dark (I know, not the brightest idea) and was not disappointed when 2 more Drow and a Drider showed up. I must confess, the Drider was not expected and we had a terrible fright, I would go so far as to say it was terrifying!

I was still groggy from my nap and so was not much use to the others, I’ll make it up to them someday. They managed to rip the attackers apart, flames, lightning, swords slashing, it was quite a show. One good thing that came from this was the huge sack the Drider dropped. It contained, wait for it, 5000 copper pieces !

Damn useless underground idiots. Who collects copper ? We also found a map with a few areas circled. We decided to sleep in the barracks that night and continue on our way the next morning. Before we set out we decided to explore the old mansion house in the centre of the village.

After going through all the rooms, we found a chest full of silver bars at the top of one of the derelict towers. That also went on the wagon. At this point I should mention that I was brutally and viciously attacked by leeches. The little monster nearly killed me !

We continued on to the forest after that, no further excitement, except when we got to the hut of the person we were sent to see, the place was a ruin. Marks from fire, broken doors, no signs of life at all. We entered the house and saw something sitting in a chair by the fire. As we were getting ready to fight once more, a very strange lady rose from the chair. She had wings of fire and purple skin !!!

She spoke to us “Finally you come, I have been waiting for you”

I will continue the story when I know more.

Malagar the Hand