Continuing deeper into the Black Cave, Xoon and company discover a strange lab being operated by spider-like creatures made of stone. Flying above them is some sort of winged earth creature with a long beard.

Without much discussion, a fight ensues. Dandalv slings some spells before one of the stone spiders bites him, causing his skin to stiffen and render him unable to move. The rest of the party finishes off the spider while LaLa teleports to the creature’s back and renders it unconscious with a mighty blow to the head from her flail. The two crash to the ground.
The group ties up the creature and tries to interrogate it. It reveals that the ancient library they seek is on this very level, hidden behind a secret door. After they loosen his arm, the creature attempts to escape by creating illusionary duplicates of itself and shrinking out of its bonds. Brother Jon brains it with Root and that’s the end of the earth creature.
Searching the area, the company finds a magic ring, a magic cloak, magic bracers and a scroll with three spells on it!

The party rests undisturbed in the dungeon once controlled by the White Roc tribe of beastmen. (level 3)

The next day Dantalv summons the ghost of one of the dead toadmen. it is uncooperative and ultimately attacks the wizard. Xoon dismisses it with a single blow of Mourngrummel.
The party returns to Benthoc’s caverns. Using the corpse of the toadmen, Brother Jon commands their spirits to speak. They learn of the toadmen’s leader Sossank, who dwells deep in the Black Cave in a hidden pool. They also learn of the meaning of the crowned stalactite symbol found on the toadmen’s weapons. It is the symbol of the Thane of Narlborg, the lord of a dwarven kingdom in the the Underdeep.
Brother Jon also learns that beneath the Black Cave lies the Watery Way, and subterranean river system. Below that is something called the Immense Cavern.
Brother Jon casts protection spells on the company and they return to the Black Cave. They find a rope that leads down through a hole into a deeper part of the cave system.
There they are ambushed by toadmen hunters. Without the effects of the Toad Fiend’s curse, the company strikes them down with hammer and fire!

After spending the night in the comfort of the Red Keep, the company returns to Whiterock. They travel down the strange unnaturally smooth tunnel leading down from the troglodytes cave into the foul smelling darkness. Finally, the passageway opens into a cave.
The adventurers feel an oppressive spiritual power pressing down on them, making them feel weak. A familiar bubbling voice whispers in the back of their minds. As Dantalv seeks to dispel the heavy darkness, acidic spittle hits him in the face from out of the blackness. Huge toadfolk lumber out of the dark and attack with clubs.

With them are strange lizards with human faces and bulging eyes, the sight of which attacks the very minds of the heroes.
The spiritual power that weakens the heroes causes Dantalv’s spells to fail. The Treemoot appears deaf to Brother Jon’s entreaties. Even the might Xoon feels his mighty muscles fail. The company retreats back to the troglodyte caves to rest and recuperate.
But the toadfolk, with a toadpriest bearing a might spear, follow them and attack again.

However, outside of the cursed oppressiveness, the company wages mighty battle and fells the toad warriors. Their priest leader disappears during the battle.
Brother Jon realizes that the black cave must be a unholy sanctuary dedicated to the Toad Fiend itself, Bobugbubilz!
Armed with that knowledge, the druid prepares protection magicks to counter the curse of the Black Cave!

Xoon and Brother Jon clear out the underwater dungeon after encountering two jelly slimes. They find a shaft that leads up to the well on the dungeon’s third level.
Returning to the submerged court yard, they find the hydra’s treasure hoard in the ruins of the guard’s tower. A trove of coins, some valuable art objects and two magical items: a returning arrow and the Obsidian Ring of the Weird. Finally, Dandalv has found found the object of his quest!
In the days it takes to remove the treasure, the company is confronted by a war band of nixies.

When their leader discovers that Xoon rescued his sister Nissa and now bears her ring, they become friendly. They lead Xoon and Brother Jon to Sygnathus, who is hiding in a bladderwort field. Brother Jon charms the giant pike who lives in the field, and in turn the pike slays Syg and drags its corpse to Brother Jon. With that, the underwater level of the dungeon is cleared!
The party returns to Castle Whiterock with its treasure.

Xoon and Brother Jon returned to the depths of Lake Whiterock. At the bottom of the descending staircase, the duo find an ancient grave yard. Investigating glinting metals, Xoon is attacked by ghouls.

The war chief and druid slay many of the undead creatures, and the rest flee.
After the battle, the two are confronted by Sygnathus a gargoyle.

The creature offers to guide Xoon through the underwater ruin. Xoon refuses, and he and Brother Jon returned to exploring the ruined underwater fortress. They open one of the doors they discovered in their earlier explorations. They are immediately attacked by a water giant, Trossk, and its eel companion.

Syg and its brother Lyg attacked from the rear, and Xoon and Brother Jon found themselves in an ambush. Xoon struck down Trossk with Mourngrummle and then finished off Lyg. Syg and the eel manage to escape.

Seeking a legendary library to find information on Xaroth the Undying, Xoon and company head back to Whiterock via the Green pathways.
Before they even enter the dungeons, Xoon sees a shadowy figure on the shore of the lake. The group finds a set of stairs leading down into the depths of the water. The barbarian and Brother Jon descend into the water; Xoon uses the nixie’s magic ring, and Brother John uses the mended bottle of air. The two find a giant clam bed and manage to liberate some valuable giant pearls. They also find a secret door that leads into a section of the castle. They find some treasure (including some magic arrows!) and some giant beetles, which are hastily dispatched after mistaking our adventurers for food.
Peering out ancient arrow slits, Xoon catches a glimpse of something massive and serpentine swimming in the water. Returning to the surface, the company goes fishing! Brother John summons a horse, the company ties a rope to the poor beast and sends it swimming. In a moments, the adventurers hooks something massive. A great seven headed water hydra bursts from the lake’s depths and swallows the horse. Battle is joined.

http://animal-dream.com/data_images/hydra/hydra6.html
With surprising easy, the company defeat the monster with a combination of powerful fireballs, mighty curses and flying hammers. La La helped too!

https://jonhodgson.deviantart.com/art/Nazgul-428312770

Exploring the forests north of the Red Keep, the company is attacked by dark spirits from someone called the Dark Lord. Remembering the warrior Ashoka’s mention of battling the death knights of the Dark Lord, the party travels the Green Paths back to the elder’s cottage, where they find him training Asefeh. They learn that the Dark Lord is Zaroth the Undying, a necromancer who rules a desert kingdom to the south. While Ashoka has never encountered Zaroth himself, he did face the necromancer’s greatest servant, the Lord of Iron and Shadow, a powerful death knight. Ashoka barely escaped with his life.
At this point, a pale-faced Asefeh makes a confession. She knows the Lord of Iron and Shadow; she had escaped from his fortress. She knows little of the Dark Lord, only that the death knight was keeping her for Zaroth. While the Lord of Iron and Shadow was absent on the necromancer’s business, Asefeh escaped from the fortress and fled north to the Red Keep.
Xoon and company return to the Red Keep. Dantalv summons the spirit of long-dead wizard named Kesh. Dantalv learns that Zaroth is an undead creature called a lich. He also learns that more information about the Dark Lord might be found in an ancient library rumored to be in . . . Castle Whiterock.

The company stays in the hunters camp for the night. The snows begin to fall before sun up, and Xoon and his allies buy appropriate weather gear from the now friendly hunters.
The group heads east in the morning, following the smoke of a chimney. They come upon a quite clearing and find a small hut. There they meet the legendary warrior Ashoka. Xoon and Asefa ask to be trained, but Ashoka claims he is interested in only pursuing peace. After much discussion, the old warrior agrees that if either Xoon or Asefa can touch him before he strikes them in combat, he will agree to train that person.
In the first combat, Xoon is stunned at how fast the old man moves, and the fight is quickly over. However, Asefah turns the tables on Ashoka, who finds himself lying flat on his back. Stunned, the warrior agrees to honor the challenge and train Asefah. She stays behind as the others return via the Green Way to the keep.
The next day, Xoon and his now smaller company heads north. They are attacked by a giant swarm of wasps. but Dantalv’s fire meteors make short work of the insects.

https://art.alphacoders.com/arts/view/5864

Dandalv retreats again into his tower. There, using the bone from the dragon skull of Cinderalis, he creates a powerful magical staff to replace Vesuvian. He emerges six weeks later, and winter is coming to the Red Keep.
Xoon and company had busied themselves with their duties. Rumors had arrived at the Keep that the legendary warrior Ashoka, long thought dead, had settled to the south. Xoon fitted his company for cold weather travel and headed out to find him.
On the way, they dispatch a small nest of stirges. They also discover a ragged company of hunters and fur trappers. The two groups talk, and the ornery hunters agree to pledge loyalty to Xoon if he kills the giant scorpions that had been plaguing them recently. The warrior and his allies find the scorpions’ lair and dispatch them quickly enough.
Then, hearing tales from the hunters of a mighty giant boar dubbed Goretooth, the company tracks the beast down and subdue it. Brother Jon returns everyone to the Red Keep, and he takes the mighty boar back to his shrine to heal and perhaps join the druid.

elephant_warrior_by_secondsoul90-d68i661
Xoon and his allies set out from Silvercliff to clear more of the vast wilderness around the Red Keep. In the first wooded area, they find a powerful fey spirit, Bathustra. This strange being, a giant with an elephants head with the wings of an insect, demands homage from the barbarian warrior. After some negotiations, the company challenges Bathustra to combat and quickly defeat the fey. They find a large cache of silver coins buried where the fey being stood.
After traveling to the keep via the Green to sleep, the company returns to the wilderness.

This time they discover an Elder Owl, a mighty and ancient animal. Brother Jon tries to negotiate it, but the creature does not appreciate Xoon’s brash nature and attacks. Xoon injures the giant owl’s wings, bringing it to the ground, and Dandalv puts it into an enchanted sleep. Brother Jon carries the great animal back to his shrine via the Green, and the others return to the Red Keep for the night.

It is fall when Dandalv emerges from the Black Tower. The wizard immediately calls a meeting. He tells the group of his discovery of a powerful spell to summon Azi Dahaka, Demon Prince of Storms and Serpents. He argues that the demon would be a powerful ally for them. Brother Jon argues against contacting this evil being. Xoon is neutral. Ultimately, Dandalv decides not to use the spell . . . for now.
The others inform Dandalv of what he has missed over the last three months. Xoon has been working with his guards and overseeing the building of three ballistas on the towers of the keep. Brother Jon has been tending his shrine. Asefeh spent the months riding with the road patrols and teaching them horseman ship; the men all seem to idolize her. La La informs the group that someone snuck into the keep and stole her snake charm bracelet, an item of some magical power. The group searches the keep and the surrounding village. Dandalv even walks the area using his ability to detect magic, but he only manages to terrify the villagers who all think he is half demon.
A guard brings to the group’s attention that the village graveyard appears to be haunted as zombies have arisen over the past several nights and have had to be put down. The company visits the graveyard and Brother Jon discovers a wicked spirit hiding among the graves.
With a wave of his holy symbol, the priest dismisses the foul creature. The villagers are greatly relieved, and their love of the wise old druid increases along with visits to Brother Jon’s shrine out in the woods.
The company readies their adventuring gear and heads out into the forest where Brother Jon opens the Green Way, taking them to Silvercliff. They appear in a small copse of trees in the town and make their way to the Inn of the Slumbering Drake. There they meet Chauntessa and sell her the gnomish books they found in the Clockwork Academy. After taking some refreshment, they ride out into the wild to clear the land for more settlers . . . but not before Asefeh makes a quick stop to give a gift of 1000 gold to the master of the local thieves guild, whom she had offended during their last visit to town.

GM NOTES
Using the Kingmaker events table (modified) on a monthly basis now for events that happen to the Red Keep. Results for the three months:
2.6-Sensational Crime: someone stole La La’s charm bracelet!
2.7: Good Weather!
2.8: The Dead Rise: a wicked ghost in the town graveyard is raising zombies

Bearing several wagons loaded with treasure liberated from depths of Castle Whiterock, the company returns to the Red Keep to find a summer festival going on. The crowd cheers Xoon and his allies as they enter the growing town. The heroes spend the day enjoying the festivities.
In the morning, Aurik invites the company to the counsel room in the keep to discuss their loot. He hands out bags of gold to all members of the company. Then he asks about several items. The head of Cinderallis the dragon is to be cleaned and the skull mounted in Xoon’s hall. The claws of the dragon and the eyes of the xorn are taken by Dandalv for use in his arcane studies, along with the scrolls of magic and the nixie’s ring for examination. There is heated discussion over what to do with the wand of Benthoc, but ultimately Brother Jon convinces Xoon that it is best destroyed. Xoon decides to take the holy book of Justicia to the Blue Shrine in the hopes of making peace with the abbey.

The next morning, the company (sans Dandalv deep in study) heads to the Blue Shrine. That evening they are greeted warmly by the Abbot and his brethren, despite a scowling Brother Caleb standing by. They enjoy a meal and when they give the book to the abbot, he is delighted. In private they discuss the problem of Dandalv and the Demon’s head. Xoon convinces the Abbot that he can be trusted and will vouch for Dandalv, and the priest agrees. Brother Caleb storms out, but not before Xoon warns him never to return to the keep.
The next day the company rides for home.
For three months, Dandalv holes up in his tower, learning powerful magicks and studying various items. He learns that the nixie’s ring is actually a mighty artifact, one that needs a specific ritual to activate it. The wizard calls upon the power of the Demon’s Head to repair the magical bottle of air, and while he is successful, the process leaves its mark: Dandalv’s eye are now black pits of darkness.

He also casts powerful spells on good old Oinker the magic pig, transforming the animal into a winged arcane creature with a quick tongue and spells of its own.
For some time, Dandalv had become more and more concerned about the powerful staff of Vesuvius he carried with him. It’s voracious hunger for magic items was growing more desperate. Oinker was openly terrified of the staff and warned the wizard to get rid of it. Finally Dandalv agreed. At that very moment, the staff transformed into a dark, robed figure. It laughed loudly as it pulled back its hood to reveal a twisted version of Dandalv’s face. As smoke begins to whirl about it, the creature points a finger at Dandalv and croaks, “You think you will destroy me, fool? It is I who will destroy you!” With that, the dark figure disappears.

Down a long winding, smoke-filled tunnel off of the worship chamber of Benthoc, Xoon and company find a demented red dragon with crippled wings sitting upon a pile of treasure and warming a clutch of eggs. Nearby sways the skeletal dragon the group had chased off during the previous night. Calling herself Cinderallis, the dragon tells the group that she is the wife of Benthoc and wants to know where her husband is. She seems confused. In a fit of honesty, the barbarian hero tells Cinderallis that they have slain her husband. The dragon doesn’t seem to be that bothered and repeatedly refers to Benthoc as an “idiot”. It’s only when she starts asking for her children, the red troglodytes of the cavern, that Xoon realizes the danger. He tries to exit the room but she grows more agitated, finally breathing fire on the group. La La, Dandalv and poor Oinker are caught full in the blast and are burnt to charred husks! Then Cinderallis cries out in a unknown language. As the dragon roars, Asefeh fires two arrows into the it’s smoking maw, causing the beast to choke and cough. Xoon charges the dragon, smashing it’s skull into pulp with the power of Mourngrummel!

https://cthulhuburger.deviantart.com/favourites/39909172/Badass-Monsters
At that moment, the mighty troglodyte champion Grzzlk appears in the tunnel behind the party to answer his mother’s call. The warrior brings a cadre of warriors with him. Seeing Cinderallis dead, the champion backs up and studies the heroes with cold reptillian eyes. Angry at being burned by the dragon, Kolash the Cave Bear charges and mortally wounds the trog. Asefeh puts the champion down with two well placed arrows, one for each eye. The band of troglodytes runs in fear. Meanwhile, Brother Jon heals Dandalv, Oinker and LaLa. The power of the Treemoot is mighty! The risen Dandalv hurls a terrible fireball at the fleeing trogs, incinerating them before they escaped.
In the dragon’s humble hoard, the party finds much gold, platinum and jewels, along with some magic harp strings (the Sorrowsong Harp!), a silver scroll tube containing the arcane runes of the spells of Ekim’s Mystical Mask, Consult Spirit, Magic Mouth, and a powerful incantation to communicate with the Demon Prince of Storms and Waste! Dandalv is intrigued; he has heard whispers about the power of Azi Dahaka.
Xoon severs the dragon’s head, a trophy for his keep. Then he takes the dragon’s heart, performs an ancient ritual he learned from his tribe, and eats it. In seconds, the barbarian’s faces contorts, growing huge teeth. His hands morph into terrifying red claws. He transforms into a bestial terror that can barely restrain itself from attack its allies.

The party explores another chamber, this one east of Benthoc’s great cave. This one is filled with webs and the bones and carcasses of unlucky victims. Dragon Xoon narrowly avoids a pit trap, leaping back into the tunnel he came from. La La uses her magic cape to teleport across the pit and explore, but she is immediately attacked by a giant spider. The halfling avoids the spider’s webbing and the battle is on! Xoon leaps at the creature, striking it a mighty blow with his dragon claws. Asefeh rendering one leg useless with a piercing arrow. The spider screeches in rage and retreats back up into its webs. A flying hammer, deadly arrows, and a magical fireball end the threat quickly. Amongst the bones and offal, La La finds a copper scroll tube with a dragonskin parchment inside containing the spell Control Fire. Meanwhile, Xoon returns to his normal, human form, much to the relief of his companions.
Next the party finds itself in a strange labyrinth filled with numerous cave eels attacking from their hidey holes. It takes awhile, but Asefeh and Xoon handle the problem with hammer and bow. They discover a long passage leading down into the next level of this endless dungeon.
The company decides to return to the Red Keep with its newfound treasure. Exiting the castle without incident, the company travels down the mountainside and into the forest. Brother Jon opens the pathway to the Green, and the party is instantly teleported to a tree near the Red Keep.

Xoon & Co. seek to bed down and rest so that Dandalv can study Mend from his spellbook to fix the Sorrowsong flute.

while on watch, Xoon hears a fluttering noise and wakes up the party. Dandalv discovers his bag of gold is missing.
They search the cavern and find nothing . . . but Kolash senses something hovering above them.
fireballs don’t work.
detect magic reveals an imp flying above them; Dandalv magic missiles it. Kolash sits on it. BJ heals it.
it wakes up but isn’t cooperative. it does mention the Impressario, a name Dandalv recognizes as the dwarf master of the Bleak Theater in the Dark World. They return the imp to its native plane.

Then they are assaulted by two large dragon skeletons but they make quick work of one and the other runs away.

the company defeats a great number of troglodyte warriors
they discover the living quarters of the female and child trogs and leave them be
They return to the dead warriors; BJ casts Speak With Dead. They discover that the Trog leader is called Benthoc and that he is the Priest of the Red Doom and apparently a bad ass. The dead trog tells them which way to go so they can get their asses kicked.
The party follows directions and finds themselves in a great chamber, marked by a smoking pit, the statue of a dragon, some creepy trog acolytes and some half-dragon abomination that is apparently Benthoc.
Battle insues—

The acolytes turn out to be weird cold trog-wights.

by rocketworm
Dandalv turns several to stone-in the process, he tears the fabric between planes and something old and horrible slithers out and eats a spell from his brain (Levitation). He feels he got off lucky.
BJ turns the trog-wights, destroying one in the process. they flee.
Asefeh feathers Benthoc in the brain with several arrows, slowing him down. He tries to cast Silence, blindness and hold on Dandalv, but the wizard fights off his attempts.
Xoon closes with Benthoc, who covers himself in the red glow of his god. Dandalv fireballs Benthoc, which only heals the abomination. In a fit of rage, Dandalv magic missiles Benthoc into ashes.

GM NOTES
_The BG was appropriately terrified of Benthoc, which made the combat fun.
5+ level warriors and mighty deeds are show stoppers.
weird magic makes things fun; I should figure out a way to add weird magic to every combat

I so enjoyed BG rolling planar schism or whatever and losing a spell to an Elder Thingy—I think it is a great balance to all the crap I dole out to him in our adventures. I need to find more ways to take things away . . . I think it builds a healthy attitude of “you get cool stuff and you lose cool stuff” . . . that’s how I want this game world to work. And I’ve always told him, you want something (back)? Just go quest for it.

should be some good loot from this fight: a healing potion which the BG has learned you hang around the cleric’s neck in case of emergency; a wand of Paralysis (not sure what he is going to do with that . . . might allow him to turn it in the spell fodder for Dandalv or let BJ destroy it for XP). Plus some dragonhide armor that would be great for BJ._

Cleaning Room
Destruction goes down the chute to confront six water elementals.
Asefeh follows…
Dandalv follows
Xoon, Asefah & Dandalv gets dropped
Brother Jon steps out of chute in time to heal him
La La drops down.
La La gets dropped.
BJ gets dropped
Xoon goes berserk and kills all the elementals.
-rolls BJ’s body: he’s alive!
BJ heals everyone.
They find awesome treasure: rust bag of tricks, elven cloak, gloves of arrow snaring, halfling jump cape

Faculty Rooms: search, find “nothing” of interest.
Faculty Lounge: smashing down the door summons a metal wasp/wolf demon, which Dandalv & Xoon slay.
-discover secret vault in lounge, use code phrase to bypass phantasmal killer

Vault
four constructs attack and are defeated; one is paralyzed for later study
when PCs destroy the bodies, the heads pop off and fly around shooting lasers; he got smart and started destroying heads first. I’ve got my hands full with this guy.
while investigating the room, party is attacked by animated table (transformer style), which is destroyed.
party discovers secret vault door & construct book (learn animate object with MM-powerful caster! OR sell for $50K gp—Dandalv convinces party to let him have it)

The Stacks
LL crawls up a shaft to discover library room filled with weird menacing blue lizards (who must clump together to max attacks)
Dandalv launches massive fireball up the shaft, frying the lizards who had clumped together to get anyone coming up shaft
-they find some stuff, the spyglass being only of real value (goes to Asefeh)

Party Returns to Organ room to rest & Dandalv needs to memorize Mend to repair the magic flute.

GM NOTES
BJ & Kolash leveled after this session
BJ got the + 1 AC vs. ranged attacks from table
-Kolash got: 40. You do d6+str damage unarmed: There’s nothing wrong with them that you can’t fix with your hands… You go up one die each time you re-roll this.→I think I’ll just +1d each of his attacks so d12 for bite & d7 for claws.
-need to bump Kolash to level 6

-party almost TPK’d. I fudged one dice roll to keep him in the fight, but he ultimately took all the monsters down himself which was impressive. It was a close thing. I was already planning the adventure in which his followers stormed Castle Whiterock to recover his body. What would have happened next? I have no idea.

The company moved deeper into the foul-smelling cavern complex. They find an immense chamber arranged like an amphitheater around an ornate magical pipe organ. A voice emanates from the organ, and the company discovers that an ancient elemental spirit has been trapped in the instrument for hundreds of years by an evil elven sorceress. It begs Destruction and his allies to free it and asks them to find the Sorrowsong instruments: the pipe, the harp and the drum. Dandalv produces the charred remains of a pipe the group found in Drugilla’s exploding treasure chest. Realizing that he must use his mending spell to restore the pipe, Dandalv insists the party rest so that he can learn the proper incantations. But before they can bed down, the elemental warns them of a magic “wall” at the rear of the cabin.
Upon investigation, the company discovers the wall is an illusion. Passing through it, our heroes discover themselves in an low-ceilinged, ornately decorated hallway ending in a small iron door bearing a sign in Gnomish. A few minutes later, Xoon had smashed the door down with his magic hammer Mourngrummel.

The company finds themselves in a four way intersection. They follow the passage to the left to find a large work room filled with dusty tools. As they move to investigate, the party is attacked by a small, animated cart. The cart is easiliy dispatched, but the ruckus awakens an alien creature: a xorn! Battle ensues, and the creature appears immune to much of the company’s attacks . . . until Xoon strikes it a mighty blow with his hammer, killing it instantly. The battle does little to lessen the barbarian’s confidence.

Moving back to the intersection, the party heads down the right passage. They find themselves in some sort of dormitory, complete with a common area and individual cells. They are immediately set upon by strange constructs that appear to be a mixture of gnome statue and three-wheeled vehicles. The party triumphs quickly, Xoon with his mighty hammer, Brother John with his divine curses, Asefeh with her bow, and Dandalv with arcane fire. La La is content to watch her friends succeed.
After the fight, the halfling finds a small chute that leads down into darkness. She creeps down and finds a room filled with water. As she moves to exit the chute, six watery forms rise up and move towards her. She wisely returns to her friends above.

*GM NOTES
*-Dandalv leveled to 6: picked up Runic Alphabet, Mortal and + 2 on saves vs. spells.
-realized that Xoon was already level 7 (?!): picked up Swashbuckler (leave combat w/out incurring attack), Mourngrummel goes to + 2 & thunderclap on crits (Fort Save or dazed w/in 10’)
-if the party frees the elemental, it will offer to help activiate the magic water ring gift from the nixie which is a magical artifact.

https://theroomfillswithwater.wordpress.com/tag/dd-monster/

The company leaves Castle Whiterock and, traveling the Green Path, magically teleport back to the Red Keep.
Brother John returns to his shrine, but sends Destruction several ravens as a manner to contact him in an emergency.
Dandalv disappears into the Black Spire.
Destruction tends to business at the keep. He orders Aurik to transplant a tree from the forest into the keep as an avenue to the Green Path. He inspects the guard. Zeb has used the horses captured at Whiterock to institute patrols of the road, thus encouraging travel and trade on the Hunter’s Path and the Old Road.
More folks have settled around the fort, including a blacksmith, a tanner, a weaver and a potter. Market days have begun every Saturday, drawing many of the local farmers.
The Red Keep grows rapidly.

That night, Destruction is attacked by assassins sent by the Cult of Bobugbubilz but he defeats them easily by himself. His legend grows among his soldiers.
That day the company sets out to travel back to Silvercliff. Along the way they explore an area of hills off the Old Road and near the pass to the Broken Land. They discover a next of giant, horrific spiders, and they destroy them, thus making the area safe for settlement.
They journey on to Silvercliff and stay at the Inn of the Slumbering Drake. They speak to Lady Chauntessa and play with her little dragon companion.

The next day they travel to Castle Whiterock. Near the site, they are attacked by Cultists of Jubilex. These assassins, covered in foul slime, are quickly defeated. Destruction unwisely tastes the slime and is struck by horrific visions of the Great Slime, its horrific will bent to his destruction. He is nearly struck mad, and Brother Jon has to heal his broken mind.
The company continues to into Whiterock. Traveling down into the depths of the fourth level, they are confronted by a horrific stench that makes Dandalv physically ill. In the first cave, they are attacked by weird octopus spider creatures that spring on them from their perches on the ceiling. The battle ends decisively as Destruction enters a battle rage and slays all the creatures, to the wonder and fear of his comrades.

Finally Destruction confronts Drugilla in the buried tower of her cloud giant ancestors.

After dispatching her giant-sized henchman (made-so by the power of the White Roc artifact), the company chases her through the tower, as she flies in the air above them. After a lengthy battle, Drugilla is brought low as Dandalv turns her to stone. Her fall from high above destroys her stone body along with the powerful artifact she carried.
At the top of the tower, the party is confronted by a cloud giant skeleton! The conflict is blody, but ultimately Destruction and his allies bring the undead death machine down. In the ruins of the tower, La La finds a legendary halfling magical item: a bag of unerring stones!
Still looking to clean out the third level of this dungeon, the company explores the various tunnels around the sunken tower. They stumble upon a massive green slime, one that fills an entire section of the dungeon.

With Destruction’s hammer and Dandalv’s fireballs, the party vanquishes this horror.
The company continues deeper into the tunnels, finding an underground lake. They are approached by a small nixie with a tale of woe; she is trapped in this cave by a great beast. Could the company save her? Destruction and his allies swim through an underground tunnel and confront a monstrous crawfish. After a brief skirmish, Brother John charms the giant beast and sends it on its way. In appreciation, the nixie gives them a magical ring, which Dandalv quickly discerns is a powerful artifact!
And with that, Level three of Castle Whiterock is cleared!

http://texahol.deviantart.com/art/zombie-orc-horde-593137008

In exploring the third level of the dungeon under Castle Whiterock, Destruction finds an ancient beastman crypt filled with the undead. In a heated battle in which Kolash is once again brought down, Brother John calls upon the holy might of the Treemoot to turn the zombie horde. Asefah calls upon the power of the Helm of the Hill Giant Chieftain and grows to the size of a giant herself! Unfortunately, she immediately goes into a berserker rage and attacks everyone around her. Again Brother John saves the day, seizing control of her mind with the power of his Lotus Stare.
Next the company finds the living quarters of the beastman’s leader, Drugilla. Along with an exploding treasure chest, they also discover a map, annotated by the beastwoman herself. This leads them directly to the excavated tower and Drugilla. The battle begins. Through the power of the mighty artifact the tribe of the White Roc came to the dungeon to find, Drugilla transforms her four warriors into giants. Will Destruction and his allies survive?

The company continues to delve deeper into the dungeon, this time seeking out a beastwoman named Drugilla, reputed to be the leader of the White Roc tribe. They discover an ancient temple that has been used as a training room for the beastmen, finding a secret cache of treasure in the altar.
Next they find a barracks filled with a group of beastman and battle ensues! As Destruction and his allies fight, another group of beastmen join the fray. It was a mighty confrontation, one that saw both LaLa and Kolash brought low by their foes only to be revived by the healing magicks of Brother Jon. After dispatching their foes, the company rests for only a second before they are discovered by another patrol of beastmen. Finally, with no enemies in sight and Brother Jon feeling the disapproval of the Treemoot, the party hunkers down in the beastmen barracks for the night. After a remarkably quiet rest, they awake to a new day and a continued search for the beastmen’s mistress.

NOTES
I added a new twist to wandering monsters in Whiterock, including an entry for “Enemy”. If I get this result, then I roll randomly for one of the party’s enemies from a past adventures shows up in the dungeon looking for them. He’s made quite a few, and I thought it might keep his past deeds fresh in his mind. For example, he has the cultists of Bobugbubulz after him, along with the followers of Jubilex, the Nightmen of the Lord of Iron and Shadow . . . just to name a few.

Destruction and Company launched their assault on the third level of the great ruin that is Castle Whiterock.
They quickly discovered more beastmen up to no good and, with the aid of Dandalv’s knew fire magic, began slaughtering their way through the dungeons. After one battle, Brother John questioned the corpse of a beastman, learning some valuable information about Drugila and her quest for some “artifact”.
The group encountered a group of extra-dimensional apemen mercenaries, tough as nails and ready to battle.

After some tense negotiations, Dandalv paid off the apemen and the mercs left, seeking to return to their own dimension. In this way, the party learned that extra-dimensional travel does not seem to work in the Whiterock ruins.
Next the group encountered two beastmen dragging a stunned lizard creature through the corridors. After dispatching its captors, they questioned the lizard man, learning that it had been captured in the level below, which was the home of its people. The lizard men are ruled by something known as Mighty Benthoc.

NOTES
-I’m going to have to come up with a way to counter the BM’s tendency to fireball everything in sight before asking questions.

-completed level 2 after defeating and mentally enthralling Kaernga the Beastman Warlord in a mighty, bloody battle.
-found stairs down to level three
-heard about the White Roc tribe and their leader Drugila (Kaernga’s sister!)
-avoided the natural caves of Level 2 after hearing tales of a ghost!
-returned to Silvercliff and had a huge party that lasted for three days! And destruction spent all his money! And all of the party’s loot from the dungeon delve. It was glorious!
-met with Lady Chauntessa, proprietor of the Sleeping Drake Inn, who rewarded their work with free lodgings at the inn. She also asked the party to keep a lookout for any books in the ruins, and she offers to pay handsomely for them.

Carousing!
Destruction: A True Warrior’s Life. As “Heroic Carousing” (Carousing like Conan! Wine, women, song, and all worldly pleasures are yours, won with coin looted from Skull Mountain. You may trade gold for XPs on a 100 gp to 1 XP basis (maximum 50 XP may be gained this way per month), plus the following. Your brawling, drinking, carousing, and fighting has taught you a bit more about the world and yourself, and made you an even more formidable warrior than before! Gain a +1 to all melee damage rolls.
Brother John: During the party, Brother John won many converts to the worship of the Treemoot. The Treemoot was pleased, and blessed Brother John’s weapon Root!
[In the Service of the Gods. Your time proselytizing and serving with your order in the Bazaar of the Gods/Street of the Gods has strengthened your faith. Gain 5 XP. You may also donate up to 5,000 gp to your order, gaining +1 XP per 100 gp of treasure donated (50 XP max), and 10 XP for each magical item donated. Additionally, your god has deemed you worthy of serving as his/her/its holy avenger, bestowing a measure of divine favor upon your weapon: +2 to hit and damage, Demon Binding, outerplanar creatures hit must make DC 20 Will save or be bound in exact location for 1d4 turns.]
Dandalv: Disgusted by the partying, Dandalv holes up in the Sleeping Drake and pours over his magical tomes and communicates with extra-dimensional entities.
A Magical Breakthrough! Through your arcane researches and experiments, you have made a significant magical breakthrough!: Gain 1 additional spell slot of any level you can currently cast, and pick 1 spell of your choice to immediately learn.
Asefeh: During the party, Asefeh drunkenly insulted a mysterious stranger, who she finds out is a deadly assassin!
[This object of your public insulsts is now a deadly enemy, who will actively try to make your life difficult and, if appropriate, even slay you! Gain 15 XP. The insulted person may be amendable to some form of recompense, however…]
LaLa: Rogue’s Reward. Ah, profit! Through a series of burglaries, cut purses, and various swindles, you have scratched together a bit of gold. Gain 1d10x10 gp, and gain 10 XP.

NOTES
Holy smokes, but the BM rolled well on his carousing checks first time out of the gate. He rolled a 28+ on a d30 for all three mains! These tables are super fun and serve for great fodder for in game developments and storytelling.
Lotus Stare is stupid powerful for a 2nd level spell, or feels that way to me. The BM nerfed all three of the main big bads of Level 2 with that thing.

The adventurers faced a beastman champion bearing a whip and a greatsword but they made quick work of the foe.

Destruction and company then found a secret area in the dungeon. Inside this complex, La La scouted ahead and sees a dark clad, gray-skinned dwarf writing in a journal.

http://qualitydoodles.blogspot.com/2011/04/duergar.html

When the company returned to the room in force, this being had disappeared. They traveled further into the complex and discovered an ogre operating some sort of lift. When they moved to attack, the dark clad dwarf appeared as if by magic. The battle had barely begun when Brother Jon ensnared the minds of these two mighty foes, rendering them his zombie-like slaves.
The company avoided the elevator and returned to the mining caverns with their new minions. They attacked the beastmen overseers and a mighty conflict ensued, during which both Destruction and Kolash were brought low and then revived by the healing power of Brother Jon. Finally, as the tide had clearly turned, two beastmen fled deeper into the caverns.
Destruction freed the last of the slaves and sent them to the surface camp.

Poor healing and disapproval forces the company to leave the dungeon with the freed slaves in tow. They set up camp in the “monk’s” tents. During the night, something sneaks into their camp and steals Brother John’s bag of jewels.
In the morning Destruction and company leave the villagers behind and return to the dungeon, only to find a beastmen ambush waiting for them. Destruction notices that Mourngrummel reacts strangely to their foes, which he thinks means that these beastmen have giant blood. After dealing with the ambush, the adventurers find a wizard’s lab and make short work of its occupant, freeing the gnome Findle Glimmer in the process. He asks them to look for his sister while they explore the rest of the dungeon, and then he heads topside.
Next, the company finds a beastman and his trolldogs, which leads to a nasty fight. Brother John curses their foes in the name of the Treemoot, and Dandalf burns the trolldogs down.

Image: https://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?724064-Mutant-Monster-Art-Gallery

Destruction and company delve deeper into the catacombs beneath the ruins of Castle Whiterock, finding an abandoned torture chamber, some secret hallways and store room. Finally, they discover a vast underground chamber where more of the albino beastmen were overseeing human slaves mining gold. After a short but bloody battle, the adventurers slew eight more of the slavers.

As more and more commonfolk settle around the Red Keep, the company hears many rumors. Some tell stories of the ghostly Night Boats, black longships that float upon sorcerous fog, manned by tall, gaunt warriors with ghostly weapons. Others tell stories of missing neighbors and family members. A few have even escaped attacks by black clad warriors bearing a chain tattoo who seek to capture and enslave. Finally, a story circulated about a group of monks excavating an old ruin near Silvercliff called Castle Whiterock. Destruction and his allies set out to make contact with the monks in the ruins. Kid Tiger, the company’s young protege, asks to come along.
After several days travel, the adventurers arrive at Silvercliff and receive a hero’s welcome. The city council holds a feast in their honor, and Destruction and company are pleased to hear of the silver pouring into the Red Keep’s coffers.
The next morning, the party travels to the ruins of the ancient Castle Whiterock, which sits next to a lake in an extinct volcano. They approach the keep and are met by monks, who take them to some tents erected in the ruins to await their master, Ikvenvar. But it was all a trap, and they are set upon by villainous slavers. Worse, Kid Tiger himself reveals himself to be a member of this terrible group and attacks his former allies. Destruction lays the young man low, Dandalf’s magicks turn Ikenvar to stone, and several of the warrior monks are killed.
The company explores the ruins, flushing out another monk, this one a short, fat man who flees at an incredible speed. Ultimately, the adventurers uncover stairs that descend to a complex beneath the castle. There they confront and defeat a group of armed albino beast men and their minotaur ally. Later they find a number of enslaved humanoids, whom they free.

Destruction and company journey back to Red Keep using Brother Jon’s newfound ability to travel through the Green. Entering a tree near Silvercliff, the group emerges from a tree outside of Red Keep. Brother Jon and Kolash travel on to the priest’s shrine while the others return to the fort.
That night, the keep is attacked by a dark spirit . . . a wraith! It makes its way through the fort and into Asefeh’s room. Destruction, La La and Dandalf narrowly prevent the undead thing from kidnapping their friend. Calling upon the power of the Demon’s Head, the artifact that exists below Red Keep, Dandalf destroys the wraith with hellfire, only to find himself corrupted in the bargain. He now has the pointed ears of a hellspawn!

In attempt to pacify the country between Red Keep and Silvercliff, Destruction and company discover a terrifying tiger spirit that is plaguing the countryside. Confronting the creature in it’s human form, the barbarian lord slays it with a mighty blow of his hammer.

The company enters the Great Hall of the Hill Giant Chieftain Hugglbugg. They defeat his two bodyguards and his dire wolf pets. The chief himself, rising from a drug induced stupor, does battle with Destruction and his allies but is ultimately brought low by the hammer Mourngrumml.

2.5.12
envoy from Silvertown asks for help with hill giants in exchange for joining Destruction’s domain

2.5.13
Brother Caleb, priest of the Lords of Light arrives, demanding they destroy the Demon’s Head and Dandalf be purified by fire.
accepted the Silvertown envoy’s offer, travelled NW to the mountain mining town, spent the night in the inn

2.5.14
from there tracked the hill giants back to their fort.
waited for a hunting party to come out, tracked them and killed them
used invisibility magic from Dandalf to sneak into the fort, attacked and killed the guards in the gate house
entered the mead hall and rendered unconscious the hill giants there.

Held up in the keep tower, Dandalf tries to master some of the spells he has found on his journeys with the barbarian Destruction. Meanwhile, Destruction trains his soldiers and Brother John returns to his grove in the woods. After weeks of study, the wizard emerges having mastered two mighty incantations: a spell to turn his enemies into stone and another to grant his allies magical strength.
The company sets out into the wilderness to hunt giants. They discover a small valley plagued by a horrible, shambling hillock plant creature. After a terrible battle in which both Destruction and Kolash are swallowed hole by the dread thing, the plant monster is destroyed through the fire magicks of Dandalf.

For several weeks, Dandalf is haunted by a voice calling out for help in his head. Finally Dandalf traces the source of the message to underneath the Red Keep itself. The company answers the call of adventure and, with some excavation, finds a great door marked by magical glyphs deep under the fort. Opening the door summons a celestial guardian that attacks the party. After overcoming this challenge, Destruction and his allies tear through a subterranean complex filled with celestial beings, all of whom fall to our “heroes.” Finally, the group confronts an old man sitting in a room in front of a locked door.
The old man claims to be a mighty warrior placed here a thousand years ago to guard the remains of a powerful devil. He pleads with the group to leave; meanwhile, Dandalf is assaulted by the voice in his head calling the old man and a liar and promising the wizard great powerful in return for its freedom. The company hesitates, torn by indecision. Finally, convinced that he cannot persuade them to leave, the old man transforms into a shining paladin and attacks. After a terrible battle, the party defeats the old man, who with his last words pleads once more for them to leave.
Dandalf opens the door and enters, finding a giant skull half submerged in a great stone. After placing his hands on the skull, Dandalf fights a mighty battle of egos with the evil spirit, ultimately bending the devil ghost to his will. Once more Dandalf is faced with a choice: maintain his grip on the spirit and keep it as a slave or destroy it once and for all. Fearing the creature’s power, Dandalf shatters the ghost.
Now the wizard finds himself the master of the Demon’s Head, a mighty relic that can embue his spells with great power.

Destruction and company leave the young warrior Kid Tiger at the keep and head west into the hills hunting hill giants. While they don’t find any giants, they are attacked by the horrible troll champion Grubsnoot. After a bloody battle that nearly killed Kolash, Destruction and Dandalf wear able to bring the vile creature down.

cleared out a nest of man-bats

tracked down and captured a mountain lion

discovered the crypt of an ancient barbarian king who happened to be a vampire; after surprising the creature in its resting place, the company beat the foul thing into helplessness and dragged it into the sun. They then stripped the place of of its treasures: magical leather armor, potions of healing and speed, and a scroll of magic containing the ruins of paralysis and the secret of creating powerful magic staves.

The band discovers four ogres living among the ruins of an ancient tire. After a bloody battle, Destruction and his allies emerged triumphant.

Dandalf spent two weeks studying and ultimately mastering the powerful of the Wizard Staff spell. Three more weeks spent on the paralysis spell, but the wizard was unable to learn it.

Continuing to explore the area around the keep, the company finds a forest of giant redwood trees . . . and signs a large winged predator. They track the creature back to its nest just as night falls. A great white owl emerges, circles the party and then flies off. Destruction and his allies return to the keep for the night.
The next morning, the group returns to the owl’s lair, high up in a giant redwood. Dandalf summons an invisible spirit that carries all of them up to the nest. There they fight off some cave crickets and confront the owl. Dandalf uses his magic to speak to the great bird, and the two sides come to an accord. The company returns to the keep.
The next day, Destruction and his allies discover a valley to the southwest of the keep that has fallen under a dark enchantment. Danalf senses two powerful fey creatures wandering down in the forest of the valley. The party confronts the first of the two, a great four-legged flying beast named Bogroot. It swallows LaLa, but Brother John is able to bind the creature to his will. They then seek out and attack the second, more powerful fey, a dark robed humanoid with a skull-like visage, a bone tail and ghostly sword. They surprise the creature, and Dandalf casts a mighty spell (aided by the luck of La La) that destroys the evil being before it can even respond. Feeling his power, the wizard turns and destroys Bogroot as well.
The party uncovers the fey’s treasure trove, a hoard of gold, electrum and jewelry.

After barely surviving the battle with the mighty chimera, Brother John heals himself and his compatriots. In calling upon the Treemoot, he finds himself in a strange quandry. He has both ascended in power, gaining the official title of ‘Druid’, while also offending the power he serves. Perhaps slaying this grade primal beast was against the Treemoot’s wishes. This will take time and reflection to unravel, but Brother John swears an oath to travel the untamed forests of the valley to uncover this mystery.
Upon climbing up on to the piles of rocks from which the chimera emerged, Destruction and company find an entrance on the top that leads down into the beast’s lair. Once inside, the group finds great treasure! Thousands of gold and platinum coins litter the floor of the cave. A dusty shield that appears to made from a great black scale is discovered. The adventurers also find a ragged old pack that contains a scroll and two potions. Finally, Dandalf the wizard discovers ancient writing on the very walls of the lair, arcane sigils that map out a powerful spell. Dandalf casts a spell to discern the power of the magic of this place and discovers the shield is named Wyrmscale and bears strong protections against dragons. One potion conveys the strength of a giant on the imbiber while the other give temporary invulnerability. Finally, the scroll contains a spell to conjure and control ropes. The wall’s writing reveals an even more inticing spell, one to bestow great strength. The mage jots down notes in his spellbook while his companions gather the treasure, and then the company hastens back to the Red Keep.
While Dandalf sequesters himself away to attempt to wrest control over the newly discovered spells, Destruction and his companions all busy themselves with their own activities. Destruction and Asefeh train the garrison of the Red Keep, and are pleased to see the warriors progress. Brother John and his bear companion embark on a walkabout, traveling the green paths of the wild lands around them so that the druid might make peace with the Treemoot. And La La, well, La La remains busy being La La.
During this period, there are two significant sightings. First, one of the barbarians points a giant bird, flying high in the sky many miles distant. Second, Destruction himself notices a shadowy humanoid figure watching the keep from the woods.
After three weeks, Brother John and Kolash return with several acolytes in tow. The druid has founded a shrine nearby, one that will remain a holy place to the trees. And Dandalf emerges, tired, disheveled, and furious. He has failed to learn the new spells, despite his hard work and dedication!!
To shake the wizard out of his funk, Destruction immediately leads the party out to continue taming the wild lands around the keep. After much travel, they come up on the great bird, a giant hawk. While the bird flies lower to investigate, Destruction orders Asefeh to shoot it down. The enraged bird attacks, but one mystic bolt from Dandalf and a single mighty blow from Destruction bring the bird down. Brother John feels a stinging in his mind. The Treemoot is again angry!! The company returns to the Red Keep, another “threat” dealt with.

Destruction and Company continue to explore and settle the countryside around the Red Keep. They are joined by a new companion, a young female archer named Asefeh. The party travels southeast and discover signs of a major predator. They ultimately the creature’s lair in a great pile of boulders in a small valley. There they confront a mighty chimera. Through spells and might, our heroes bring the terrible beast down, but Dandalf and La La lay horribly burned. Both appear dead, though miraculously Brother John hangs on to life. Although in horrible pain, he calls upon the Treemoot to heal him, and he in turn is able to bring back LaLa from death’s very door. A great beast is defeated, but Brother John will carry its mark until the end of his days, his left leg burned and withered.

The day after the group returns to the Red Keep, a company of dwarves arrive. They claim to have been sent by the King of Elfland, and they begin restoring and reinforcing the fortifications of the keep. They tell Destruction that, if he were to retrieve the bones of any giants, they could add them to the keep walls, thus making the walls magically powerful. The company goes out hunting in the area of the keep. They find panther tracks as well as the signs of a large company of monstrous humanoids. The company is even set upon by a clan of bandits. After much discussion and a short skirmish, the bandit’s leader, Robin, is convinced to join Destruction rather than die horribly at the claws of Kolash. Ultimately the group finds and slays three hill giants. They return to the keep and hand over the giant corpses to the dwarves, who note that three more will be needed to cover all the walls of the keep.

The following day Destruction and company begin to claim the territory surrounding the Red Keep. For the most part, this process is initially a quiet one until the group comes across the a mighty pack of eleven trolls. The company quickly retreats to the keep with the trolls in hot pursuit. They make it to the walls and a bloody fight follows. Ultimately, Destruction and his companions are triumphant, though the barbarian himself, Zeb, and Kolash the bear all fall the claws of the trolls. Brother John’s healing magicks are able to revive Destruction and Zeb, but the bear seems lost. Only the use of the might Horn of Kings brings the bear back from the land of death, and then the ancient artifact crumbles to dust. The band tracks down the trolls’ lair, and discovers a great hoard of copper and silver, along with a potion of giant power, a scroll with three might spells enscribed, and a mysterious magical ring.

Destruction and his allies have rid the area of a great horror! For two weeks, the group recuperates, Destruction trains both his barbarian followers and his newfound ex-bandit archers, and Dandalf studies the magical spells from the scroll. During the band’s “vacation,” they are first attacked by a pack of hell hounds. Who could have sent these evil demonic creatures? Even worse, a great ooze 100 feet across comes out of the Broken Lands, burning a path in its acidic wake. A mighty battle ensues, and our heroes emerge triumphant! Finally, a party of young adventurers arrive at the fort. They gather information, are warned away from traveling into the deadly Broken Lands, and head north towards the Briar, the halfling homeland.

Upon returning to the floating city of Alfheim, the company reports its success to the King of Elf Land. The king absorbs the mystical energies of the magical toad idol from the Croaking Fane, the elf blade from the Orb Widow’s lair, and the blackened shard of the God Seed and uses the power to awaken Lore!
The king gifts Destruction with a mighty hammer called Mourngrummel. He promises Brother John the companionship of Krulg the Cave Bear, and he cures Dandalf of his corruptions. In addition, the king gives them a great hoard of gold. Finally, he returns the companions to the Red Keep on the wings of giant ghost owls.
As if waking from a deep sleep, the band finds themselves standing in front of the Red Keep. They enter the compound as returning heroes only to discover that the place empty and with a strange arcane eye painted on the gates of the keep. The company has been lost in the mists of the Elder Wood for six months, and some calamity has befallen the Red Keep!

Keyros the Elf guides Destruction to the Mount Welwood to destroy the God Seed, an evil entity seeking domination of this dimension. Traveling deep into the mountain, the company battles the God Seed’s mutated followers before facing the being itself. After a mighty battle, our heroes destroy the God Seed.

Destruction and the Company rest in the gnomkin village of Redcap. They meet Sister Zasha, the priestess of the Treemoot. They also buy a choko-bird named Bob, Jr. and they hired a choko-trainer to help take care of the thing. The gnomkin’s name is Smebulock . . . and he talks a lot.

Fought the transformed cultists
fought the Toad Thing
fought the mummified toads
destroyed the cursed tablet
rested in the chapel
tried to leave the temple, triggering the toad idol attack-defeat the toad idol and escape the collapsing temple

The company continues to explore the lower levels of the Temple of the Croaking Fane. They stumble into a deep cavern and do battle with a host of giant frogs. Wave upon wave crash against Destruction and his companions until the gore piles up around them. Several of the heroes fall, only to be healed by Brother John.
After the battle, the group finds a trove of platinum pieces and a prisoner, a slightly unhinged cult member locked in a cell. Once freed, he leads the party deeper into the caves where they fight off some horrible flying vampiric frogs. Again Brother John calls on the healing energies of his masters. But his repeated requests for aid draw the ire of the Treemoot, who punish their priest by stripping him of his clerical powers! What will be the cost of this terrible judgement?
Lacking Brother John’s healing, the company uses the might Horn of Kings to heal themselves, Following the freed lunatic, Destruction and his allies discover a horrible scene. A deep bubbling pool of mystical fluids, floating upon which is the cult of the Croaking Fane. Each of the cultists is transforming into toad-like fiends. The lunatic screams in joy and dives into the pool, disturbing his brethen who rise to destroy the interlopers.

After Brother John communes with the Trees to determine the cave’s safety (Second Sight), the group spends the remainder of the day and an evening resting and recuperating in the Mistress’s former lair. The next day they return to the Temple of the Croaking Fane. Destruction and Company finish their search of the temple’s upper level, destroying a swarm of killer frogs as well as a primeval slime. They also desecrate a great idol, stealing its gemstone eyes (classic move!). Then they move down into the subterranean level of the temple.
There they loot the head priest’s room and Dandalf smokes some bad witchweed from a water pipe (permanent -1 Intelligence!). Still they uncover the priest’s treasure stash and score some serious gold.

Destruction tracks the trolls back out of the swamp and into a mist-shrouded forest of tamarack trees. There he discovers a nest of orb weavers. The party destroys six of warrior males before facing and defeating the Stygian Widow herself, Mistress Dralnibulla, in her extradimensional lair. Afterwards the group discovers a powerful magic item: the Staff of Vesuvian.
In defeating this terrible foe, Destruction has completed the first of the Elf King’s Great Labors.

As the group rests and Brother John heals the bloody mage, their barbarian leader hears whispering in the darkness back the way they came. When they investigate, they discover a group of satyrs setting up an ambush. A battle ensues and the party makes quick work of the savage goatmen. No sooner have they cleaned their weapons than a voice calls them outside.
There they find a giant, bent-back, green form who tells them that “the Mistress” wants them dead. Another lurking troll pounces from above, and Destruction and Company find themselves in a terrible battle. Both the barbarian and Zeb are struck down, but Brother John’s healing saves both men from death. Only the fiery spells of the battered Dandalf save the group, burning the trolls down. All feel lucky to escape the encounter alive. Who is the “Mistress”?

[OOC: Playing with my eldest while out of town. I brought everything we needed . . . except for the module “The Croaking Fane.” I scrambled and created this encounter to “pause” the adventure. Holy *(&% DCC trolls are nasty. Now I’ve got to figure out who “the Mistress” is . . . ]

The company enters the toad temple. They explore a strange fountain, desecrate a sarcophagus filled with mummified giant toads, and avoid tampering with votary candles. Finally, moving into the nave of the temple, Destruction and his allies are attacked by flying toad gargoyles. The party triumphs and Brother John even bends one of the creatures to his will using his powerful lotus stare, but Dandalf the Faceless is struck down. The party assumes the wizard is dead, but Lucky La La turns him over to find him barely alive!

Finally the company arrives at the Elder Wood, the vast forest home of the elves. They camp at its edge and spend the night fighting horrific fey creatures. The next day the band enters the wood and are met by an elven hunting band that takes Lore’s body and leads the company through the Grey Gates and into the mystical realm of Elfland. Griffin mounts take them to the Floating City, and Destruction and Company finally meet the King of Elfland. The Fey Lord thanks the party for returning his son Lore to him but then informs them of their debt to him. He commands that Destruction and his allies perform eight labors.
The first is to stope the malignant swamps from encroaching upon the Elder Wood. The company immediately embarks upon their first quest. They are led by Keyros, an elven hunter, to the marshy area at the forest’s edge. There the company finds a half-sunken stone temple, shaped like a great squatting toad.

After looting the serpent man’s private chamber and discovering his alien spellbook, the company flees a strange fungus that begins to rot the tower from the inside out. They escape just before the tower collapses, emerging into the light of day in time to see the comet Serbok roar across the sky and crash somewhere back beyond the Shudder Mountains.
The group returns as heroes to Gator Hide, earning much deserved awards. After resting for a night, the party moves on, now with a new member, a donkey named Bob. But the journey is not a peaceful one; at midday they are attacked by a behemoth frog, an amphibious monster the size of an inn! The company proves triumphant and continues, stopping to camp at a yurt aside the causeway that night. They are awoken by a horrific sound, the roaring challenge of a water dragon racing toward them. Vandaraxx, the terrifying lord of the Fetid Plain, demands tribute from the travelers in the form of Dandalf’s spellbook. When his demands are not immediately met, the dragon attacks the arrogant humans. In a terrible battle that sees many of the company sorely wounded, Destruction ultimately slays the dragon with a mighty blow from his hammer. The heroes have freed the inhabitants of the Fetid Plains from Vandaraxx’s terrible rule! Huzzah!

Traveling through the Fetid Plain along the Old Road, the company arrives at Gator Hide, a town sat up on stilts above the great swamp. They are able to rest and recuperate, and Brother John is able to heal the afflicted members’ zombie fever. While there, they are asked to investigate a pillar of light that appeared several days ago. Ferried out on flat boats, Destruction and his allies find a strange tower made out of living hide. Inside the group fights ape men controlled by strange parasites, one of which Brother John is able to dominate with his priestly powers. After making their way to the top of the tower, a snake man wizard and his ape allies. During a horrific battle, both Destruction and Brother John are struck down by the snake mage’s evil magics, but the group, led by Dandalf, are able to overcome their enemies.
Miracle of miracles, both Destruction and Brother John are found to be (barely) alive, though both bear horrible wounds from the battle.

Destruction and Company climb up through the Highwind Pass only to run into its guardian, a mighty, ruby-eyed stone giant! When the creature’s demand for gems was refused, a mighty battle took place. After both Brother John and the giant were both brought to death’s very door, the two parties struck a truce, and the company was allowed to pass on unmolested.

Reaching the eastern base of the Shudder Mountains, the group camped on the edges of the Fetid Plain, a great swampy area rumored to inhabited by many evil and terrible beasts. That night, the group was attacked by swamp dead, the animated corpses of those who had perished in the swamps of the Fetid Plain. The dead were defeated, but unbeknownst to our crew, several of its members (Dandalf, La La and Aurik) have contracted zombie fever and will themselves become the walking dead within a week unless cured!!

In the depths of the Woeful Caves, the heroes confront Shrod the Hungry and his evil axe Reaver. After a mighty battle, Destruction and company defeat the corrupted creature. Leaving Reaver where it lay, they exit the caves and continue on their journey.
Camped in the high passes of the Shudder Mountains, the company is set upon by Under-slavers, foul creatures from deep in the earth looking to capture “toppers” to sale in the Deepworld. Destruction and his allies make quick work of these small, gray-skinned humanoids.

[from The Chained Coffin boxed set]

Upon reaching Yonder Mountain, the fairie dragon Moonglum tells Destruction that the Wrigglers dwell in the caves on the mountain. Destruction and company enter the Woeful Caves to seek vengeance for their fallen comrade, Morgaine.
Upon entering the caves, the group encounters a number of creatures: more Wrigglers, a hungry mountain lion, and a giant spider. All the time, several of the heroes sense something stalking them, something that takes many forms. Sometimes it is a pale green glow, other times it is the sound of flapping wings overhead. But the unknown force does not yet reveal itself.
Finally, deep down in a cave lined with black eldritch fire, the group is attacked by some undead dwarven miners. The heroes defeat the foul creatures, though Destruction and Zeb both suffer broken limbs from the dwarves’ mighty hammers. After the battle, Brother John calls upon the blessed energies of the Trees to trees to heal his comrades, and the party moves deeper into the caverns.

After a week’s recovery, our heroes are back on the road. Their first night out, they meet a strange creature, a cat-sized dragon that calls itself Moonglom, who decides to tag along for the journey to the Elder Wood.
The company travels for several uneventful days until they reach Turtle Crossing. There they are ferried across the Mistwater by . . . a giant turtle! A half day’s travel on the other side brings the party to Husk, a trading post for the people of the Shudder Mountains. After a quick stop (and a few ignored warnings), the heroes travel the Old Road along Yander Mountain. There they are attacked by wrigglers, horrific albino humanoids. They repel the attack at great cost; Morgayne dies in the battle, and one of the creatures escapes. After burying their friend, the company moves on.

Emerging from the ladder that apparently rises several hundred feet, our heroes find themselves in a guard tower over looking the wilderness. They are attacked by a swarm of bats; Destruction splatters many with his mighty hammer while Kong uses his psychic powers to blow the remaining creatures out the window.
The group find a rickety drawbridge across a massive chasm. The bridge leads to a ruined fortress. Bravely leading the way, Destruction unfortunately falls through the rotted planks down hundreds of feet to the forest below, apparently to his death. His comrades make there way back down through the tunnels. After hours of searching for their leader’s body, they find him . . . miraculously (if barely) alive! Apparently the lucky barbarian had fallen into the river pouring out of the mountain and was washed up on the shores of the lake. The group decides to camp for the night, and Brother Jon calls on the blessings of the trees to heal Destruction. The next morning the group makes it’s way back up to the mountain top fortress.
Avoiding several traps, the group finally confronts the Bull God. The creature, already wounded by its battle with the priestess of Justicia, fell quickly (and surprisingly) before the might of our heroes, with Destruction landing a mighty blow and Dandalf finishing the beast off with blasts of fire.
The company returns to Upper Hook as conquering heroes, and the locals throw a wild feast in celebration.

Destruction and his allies defeat the Bat Man Witchdoctor and destroy the Evil Dragon Totem. After traverse a web-filled chasm, the company follows a trail of blood that leads them through an wizard’s laboratory (in which they fight a mad homonculus and experiment with some magical pools) and into a chimney, where they find a ladder leading up into the spire. Is this where the minotaur lives?

Destruction and his allies fight there way through the Dragon Door, the entrance to the Bull God’s mountain lair. Joined by a mysterious gorilla psychic monk from another dimension, the party march into the darkness. They are accosted at every turn by strange humanoid bat creatures. In the throne room of the King Bat, our heroes slay the giant spider-riding ruler of the bat people.

Wasn’t there supposed to be a minotaur in this mountain?

The party spends a day resting in the centipedes cave. While most of the group feels slightly better, no amount of resting is going to solve Brother John’s paralysis. As they consider their options, the Champion Morgaine mentions the the rumors of a holy shrine a day’s travel from here, near the village of Upper Hook. Perhaps they could find a cure for their druid’s condition there? Girding their loins, the group sallies forth.

Their first day of travel passes without event. However, during the night, a terrible beast buzzes the group’s campsite. Destruction climbs up a tree; breaking the canopy, the barbarian sees a great dragon wheeling back around. Only by the luck of La La Farfoot is the party able to find a hiding spot, and the mighty wyrm flies past and on into the night.

By noon the next day, the company arrives at the village of Upper Hook. The place seems deserted, but eventually the group is approached by Mother Derva, an old crone who claims to speak for the townsfolk. She says that they have been under attack by a minotaur calling itself the Bull God. When asked about the shrine, she says it is very near the hill the creature calls its lair. She warns the party to be careful; a cleric of Justicia rode off a week before to end the minotaur’s foul reign but never returned. With a shrug, Destruction the Berzerker heads off to destroy the beast.

After an hour traveling through the woods, the party comes upon a pack of wild dogs feasting on the remains of a war horse. Though the pathetic creatures attack, they are quickly overcome by our adventurers. The group moves on, traversing a trapped bridge and ultimately making their way to a mysterious lake, shrouding in a heavy mist that constantly forms strange shapes and images. The company finds an ancient stone dock, lit by two ghostly braziers. The barbarian discovers a magical, invisible bridge that leads to an small, wooded island. As the party joins him, Destruction investigates the island. Everyone but the warrior succumbs to the island’s magical powers, falling into a deep sleep. Unable to awaken them, the Berserker continues to search the area. After four hours, his comrades awake, refreshed and healed. As the sun goes down, the company hears the noise of elfish flutes and singing, and a shimmering bridge appears, leading them to the Shrine of the Druids.

Once there, the company discovers ancient statues of a robed woman and a unicorn and a small stone basin filled with a sparkling liquid. Feeding the liquid to the paralyzed druid, Destruction is delighted to see Brother John healed! The company spends the night in peace at the shrine.

The next day, the group returns to their adventure, now actively hunting the Bull God. Searching the woods, the company is set upon by a flock of ravens, many with poisoned talons! The beasts try to force them to take a path to the east, but Destruction and his allies refuse and ultimately slay the birds. After the battle, they stop to take a breath and enjoy the ministrations of their newly restored druid companion.

The party continues the journey on the Old Road. Early morning on the third day, the group encounters a mysterious cyclops seeking knowledge. After much enigmatic talk, the being offers to trade a spell with Dandalf. Our wizard studies for two days with the strange giant, ultimately learning Edvarg’s Energy Enchantment, allowing him to manipulate the mystic forces of the cosmos into simple forms. The party continues on.
The next day, Destruction and his allies discover a large pile of boulders near the road. Upon investigation, the group is attacked by a giant centipede, but Destruction makes quick work of the great beast. The crew strides confidently into the cave lair of the vermin, only to discover a next of fourteen other giant centipedes. Things go horribly awry! Destruction watches as, one-by-one, his companions fall to the poison of the horrible insects. Finally, the mighty warrior is forced to flee. The barbarian returns to the site of the group’s meeting with the cyclops, but finds nothing—not even a trace of the strange creature. Girding his wounds, Destruction returns to the scene of the battle, determined to save his companions, or die trying!
Centipedes rush out, but the barbarian is able to defeat them. As he prepares to enter the cave-nest, Destruction hears voices from the road. La La has returned, and she brings with her Morgaine the Champion, a sword-wielding warrior. At the same time, the crazed dwarf known only as the Skeleton Man rushes out of the woods. The group is able to clear the nest and recover the bodies of their friends. Miraculously, Brother John, Aurik, Zeb and Dandalf are all found alive. Only poor Bumble the Dwarf and Clara the Archer died.
Exhausted, the group hunkers down in the now quite comfortable cave to rest and heal their wounds. Only one problem remains: Brother John appears to be paralyzed by the centipede venom. What will Destruction do?

After visiting the Blue Shrine’s library to research the journey to the Elder Wood, the company sets out for the east on the Old Road. On the first day, the group is set upon by a company of hobgoblins in a botched robbery.

Destruction and his allies make short work of them.

Near the end of the first day, our heroes come upon a group of hungry ape-men. Dandalf casts a spell that allows him to communicate with the beasts. The creatures were planning on attacking the small village nearby; the company offers the ape-men food and they all part ways peacefully. That night the group sleeps on the floor of the village tavern.

On the second day, the company is ambushed by a giant lizard in the ruins of an old way station. After defeating the creature, the company travels on. At nightfall, they encounter a trio of bugbears who ask for a toll.

A quick refusal results in a tough fight, but Destruction and his allies are triumphant. Afterwards, they hunker down for the night, sleeping at the side of the road.

Destruction, Brother John and Dandalf (now most fouly corrupted by the magic of the Pit Beast) lead twelve villagers up out of the pit. Unfortunately, the arduous trek leads to the death of the majority of the poor commoners. The three survivors, Aurik, Zeb, and Clara, pledge themselves to the service of Destruction and Company.
After resting in the now nearly empty village of Hilltop, the adventures, with the body of the poor Lore, head back north. Along the way, they face a mighty band of trog warriors escaped out of the Broken Lands in the west. After defeating the savages, our party finally returns to the Red Keep. Already they begin to plan their next expedition. Fearing the curse of the King of Elfland, Destruction and his allies plan to take the corpse of their fallen comrade back to his homeland in the Elder Wood.

Clambering down a secret passage, Destruction and his allies, along with a mad dwarf who calls himself the Skeleton Man, interrupt a terrible rite in which cultists and their subhuman servants attempt to sacrifice villagers to a colossal beast of a hundred mouths and a thousand tentacles.
After a mighty battle in which Lore the Wanderer is cruelly struck down, the company is able to slay the head priest, causing the pit god to go mad and pull the walls down upon itself and its cult. Our friends, and the rescued villagers, flee back into the caverns. When the dust settles, they find themselves trapped, and now must begin the arduous journey back to the surface.

The company travels deeper into the pits by way of mysterious eggs that magical transport those who lie inside them. Upon arrival, Destruction and his brethren fight their way through more cultiests and several foul toans, ultimately discovering a secret passage beneath a statue of a foul tentacled beast from beyond the stars.