I was so looking forwards to my silvery locks and beard regrowing after the severe singeing it took, alas it was not meant to be.
Healed by my colleagues, I joined them in sallying forth against the estate once more. We hoped to catch them by surprise, before they could prepare defences. On arrival we were met by a solid, if hastily placed door – much to our surprise. Unable to sense any construction trickery, Rarder and Chortles booted it down. Sadly, Chortles was struck by falling masonry and so I replaced him in the front rank. A fateful decision!!!
As we entered the now familiar corridor, I felt a gooey drip striking my head and armour. Rarder had light footedly avoided it. Within moments it began to burn my scalp and eat away at my chainmail. It was green and Rarder immediately recognised the threat it posed. He quickly explained that only cauterisation could eventually destroy it and I had little choice but to accept horrific pain or become one with the slime. I fled to the top of the stairs. My colleagues burned me again and again, to no avail. I consumed a healing potion to save my life, but it was not enough. I was touched by Koko’s staff of healing as I agonised through more burns and it was a very close-run thing. In the end I came through, alive but much injured and greenish in tinge.
While this was happening, our party took on 8 hairy ones at the bottom of the stairs. They were quickly dispatched in spite of their best efforts and one was even captured. Interrogating it taught us a few things: that there was an Alliance between cultists and hobgoblins, that the Hobgoblin’s master was further south in the dungeon complex, expecting us and that he somehow controlled a dragon, or similar.
We have returned to Redwood Keep. Gref will make me plate mail and a good helmet. I will also need a new shield.
Meanwhile, I am constantly harassed by children referring to me as Mandras the Mangled… I can hardly blame them…