As I write these words, it is with a certain tightness in my chest, as I truly thought that we would not survive for me to put pen to parchment.
We mulled how to get out of this mess, mulled and mulled and mulled… hastily, in the dank dark. Rarder and Alf came up with the plan we tried. We would pretend to be replacements for the Cult Master we had killed and seek to blufff our way out brazenly.
Alf challenged the guards, repeatedly, and in the end they decided to test our story by checking with their king. We hoped they had backed off and I readily agreed to scout ahead. Donning the maroon cloak of a cultist and carrying my Battleaxe, I strode forth to scout ahead. Alas they were still awaiting us. I sought to throw my best bluster at them, but to no avail. Arrows flew at me. The Battleaxe stopped one, but another arrow wounded me sorely. I dropped back annoyed with my failure.
Knuckles and Rarder went past me. Spying a cauldon of burning oil in their midst, Knuckles cast Dragon Breath from his armor. To our delight, the cauldron exploded killing most of the guards. We took light damage too, but rushed forth eager for a chance to escape.
Rarder and Alf took the lead, surging up the corridor unitl it branched North and West. To our shock, a veritable phalanx of hairy spearmen ( a baker’s dozen) was rushing in our direction from the West, while coming to block our exit, to the North, 3 hairies and a mail clad hairless monstrosity assailed us. We threw flasks of oil, but Ibar threw ill, splashing the wall to the West. Luckily Rarder’s oil flask, thrown to the North fared better, yet a hairy and and the abomination still crossed through to engage us. I hastened up next to Rarder to take on the creature, but my blows missed.
I was fearing the worst, when Koko and Knuckles spells echoed through the corridor and inapacitated most of our opponents. We hastily dispatched them.
While I kept watch to the North, Rarder brazenly went down the West corridor and discovered a forge and armoury complex. The blacksmith was a captive dwarf, Gref Ironbeard, who has since joined our merry band.
So now we are bak in Redwood, regrowing facial hair and enjoying a hard earned respite.