The Sidewinder Pass, Part 2

About the Saga

The young adventurers continue their quest down the Sidewinder Pass, and find something unexpected ... and exceedingly dangerous.

Timeframe

• Greyhawk Date: Goodmonth 28, CY 591
• Real World Date: January 14, 2005
• Read other Dark City Sagas

Cast of Characters

• Prug, Half-Orc Monk 1 (Bob), a refuge from the Wild Coast with a shameful past, Prug seeks the path to enlightenment.
• Gruffudd Castlemaine, Half-Elf Paladin 1 (Jon), a paladin of Lendor and former resident of Urnst out to see the world, and to conquer his despised elven heritage.
• Largo Leftpocket, Halfling Rogue 1 (Lance), a former locksmith on the run from the Blue Thieves Guild and eager to start a new life.
• Vargas of Ralsend, Human Aristocraft 1 (Nate), a young aristocrat, late of Greyhawk College, who comes to the city seeking apprentice himself to a powerful shadow mage.
• Corash, Elven Wizard 1 (Damon), Celenese seeker of arcane knowledge and cultural awareness.

Accompanying them were:

• Salsar, Human Fighter 1, a retainer hired by Vargas to provide much-needed martial support during his expedition into the UnderOerth. The fighter is a member of the Sellsword Guild.
• Grünhorn, Dwarf Expert 1, a hireling of Vargas, brought on to provide much-needed engineering and dungeoneering knowledge.

Notable Quotes

"Where are we going to get a healer?" – Corash

"Maybe that big city above us?" -- Prug

What Has Come Before

The young adventurers have entered the Sidewinder Pass, a long-abandoned passage into the UnderOerth, in search of a piece of coal that has never seen the light of day. They have not been unchallenged in this endevour; the pass was guarded by kobolds and other, fiercer creatures.

• Read the previous saga, The Sidewinder Pass, Part 1

The Saga

Goodmonth 28, 591

The party heads down the Dragon's Bend, within the Sidewinder Pass, and Gruffudd Castlemaine stumbles into spider webs and is immediately attacked by a monstrous large spider which bites him. The paladin fends off poison and tries to break free, aided by Prug, but fails.

Prug gives up trying to pull the paladin free, and instead tries to hack at the web. Barely damages it. Spider attacks again, ripping at the paladin's flesh brutally. The paladin Gruffud attempts to hit back, but misses feebly. Corash steps up, and hits spider with 'magic missile'. Spider misses with its own attack.

Gruffud strikes the spider with his greatsword, wounding it, but not critically. Corash lights a torch and passes it to Prug, who burns the web, almost destroying it. The spider overcomes its fear of fire, and bites the paladin, dropping the noble fighter.

Corash fires off a ray of cold, hitting the spider for a minute point of damage. Prug burns the last of the web, and steps forward to protect his companion.

The fire gleaming in its eyes, the infuriated spider lashes out at the monk, wounding him but failing to poison him. Salsar steps up, fires his crossbow, and pierces one of the spider's eyes, hitting it critically. The wizards runs up, grabs the paladin, and pulls him back to safety.

Prug lashes out with a flurry of blows, punching through the creature's skull and pulling out its brains, dropping them onto the floor in a pile of goo.

Meanwhile, the wizard Corash admisters a healing potion to the paladin in an attempt to return him awaken him, but the paladin stubbornly refused to return to consciousness. The party choose to fall back to the Weeping Room to rest and hopefully give the paladin time to heal.

Prug hears kobolds trying to sneak up, and failing. He tries to sneak himself, but fails, alerting kobolds. They demand to know who it is, dwarf bluffs them into thinking that they are other kobolds, and that he is a cleric of their god. They enthusiastically run forward, and are exceptionally surprised when Salsar and the dwarf fire their crossbow bolts, catching both in the chest and killing them instantly.

A few minutes pass, and another kobold voices calls out asking what happened to Bulber. Dwarf tries to bluff, saying that he has come to replace the chieftan, who has not done his job well.

The kobold balks, saying they have served the "Empire of Shadow" well and the "the Shadow Lords" who rule it as well.

Kobolds advance, and are surprised when the voices turn out not to be kobolds. The dwarf and aristocrat slay one of the kobolds with crossbow bolts. Prug then runs forward, and kills one with an open fist. The remaining kobolds see this, and run. Monk follows, and orders them to surrender. One immediately falls to his knees and begs for his life, while the other tries to run, and is dropped by the monk, who knocks him unconscious.

Kobold says that dark masters tell them to mine crystal, looking for a particular kind without imperfections and multifaceted crystals. Transport mined crystals to far off location, where representatives of the masters take the crystals.

Kobold claims he will die if exposed to the sun, based on what his chieftan said. Krup and Drun. Rest for the night, and the following morning, the paladin awakens.

Harvester 1, 591

The party starts walking out of the dungeon the next morning, and spend a good portion of the day walking back the surface, debating the merits of finding a cleric to aid their party.

Debate their next course of action. Vargas decides to go speak with his would-be master after checking on Largo.

Speaks with Saheed, who explains that rumors have been circulating of armed war parties circulating through the underoerth, seeking magic items and such. Also notes that currency has been showing up in the strange quarter. Agrees to help smuggle kobolds into the city

Then go to fire-eaters and hook up with Tom who sings. Then go to meet up with the Shadowmancer, who cloaks the kobolds in the illusion of young kids and takes them to his place for later interrogation. Tells them of factions in the underdark seeking out crystals and such, possibly of psionic nature.

Vargas offers Salsar a full share of adventuring GP to join his group. The mercenary accepts.

Meanwhile, the monk changes his gold for silver, buys food and goes to distribute it amongst the city. He's confronted by four bullies, who demand he turn over his silver. He refuses, and they attack, missing. Monk responds, trying to stun an opponent and subdue him, but fails.

The bullies surround him, and pound him badly. Monk strikes back, killing one of the bullies. The bullies then beat him down into unconscousness.

Later that night, after Gruffud returns to Fire-Eaters, he is roused out of bed by a street urchin, who tells him that the monk has been beaten to the edge of death and needs help. Paladin goes to help, finds the monk is so near death that moving him would kill him.

Goes to the Temple of Zodal, where he finds a priest named Lachlan willing to help. Once there, priest is amazed that it was the good and noble monk who was waylaid while on a mission of mercy. He quickly lays hands on the fallen half-orc, and Zodal's grace floods the half-orc, healing him to near full strength.

Vargas moves to a boarding house in the Strange Quarter.

Experience

Not available.