Chp. 1: The Adventure Begins.....

[Grognardsw]

The strige flying about Boddin’s head continues its attack, going for the hobbit’s eyes. Boddin tries to dodge. While the stirge doesn’t get his eyes, it does scrape the side of his head for 1 HP of damage. Then Niles slices sideways at it with his sword, cutting deeply and battering it against the wall. It is alive, but cannot get aloft. Fingal advances and deals the death blow.

Meanwhile three stirges swoop in from the ceiling hole. Brother Bayard slings another stone bullet at one, but the avian atrocity swoops too unpredictably. Luna lunges with his longsword at it, but with surprising quickness it lifts above the blade. The angry bird attacks Luna but the elf deflects it with his sword.

Albertus swings his warhammer at the second stirge, but the winged horror veers up and then down behind him. The cleric feels a thump on his upper back then a piercing pain in the back of his neck for 2 HP damage. The stirge remains there sucking Albertus’ blood.

Foracor swings again with his bastard sword at the third stirge. He connects this time, the spider-envenomed blade biting deeply. The bird beast veers wildly about, then its wings slow and it drops to the floor dead.

One stirge continues its aerial attack, another is on Albertus’ back, and two are dead.

Actions!

[Zhym]

Boddin fires again at the stirge attacking aerially.

[NJWilliam]

Brother Bayard (8/8)

Horrified that yet another creature is on Albertus's back, Bayard tucks his sling away and smashes the stirge on Albertus's back with his quarterstaff.

[MrHemlocks]

***Albertus, Cleric, Ruins***

Howling, from the burning pain of the beast's needle in his back, Albertus waits to see if the staff attack of Bayard does its trick. If not, Albertus will slam his body against the wall...crushing the flying terror.

[mordrene]

Niles, Fighter

Niles will attack the still flying stirge

[Fearghus]

Fingal, Thief

Not wishing to press his luck, Fingal refrains from further melee. "Blood worthless cretins!", he curses. "Smash it!"

He has the decency to observe the outcome of the combat before looking for the shiny object in the nest.

[Grognardsw]

Horrified that yet another creature is on Albertus' back, Bayard tucks his sling away and smashes the stirge on the cleric’s back with his quarterstaff. He connects, though the stirge still grasps Albertus’ back. Albertus then slams his body against the stone wall, which crushes the vile flying vermin. Albertus takes another 1 point of damage from the stirge and the beating on his back.

Meanwhile, Boddin’s bow moves about wildly trying to get a bead on the bird. Foracor ducks, thinking the hobbit is going to shoot his head. The hobbit finally lets loose – the arrow grazes the stirge which squawks angrily. Niles thrusts his sword and pierces a wing. It collides into a wall.

Not wishing to press his luck, Fingal refrains from further melee. "Bloody worthless cretins!" he curses. "Smash it!"

Luna hacks the final stirge, now on the floor, in half.

All is quiet now. A refreshing breeze blows in from the ceiling hole.

In the nest, Fingal finds a silver buckle connected to a rotting leather belt, 20 silver pieces and 10 gold pieces.

[NJWilliam]

Brother Bayard, Cleric

"Brother Albertus, you really need to watch your back better.
"Do you think an alchemist or mage might have an interest in bits of these, uh, birds?"

[Fearghus]

Fingal, Thief

"Now this is what we came here to get, lads!", exclaims the thief as he reveals the treasure to his companions. "We'll make a name for ourselves. Just you wait and see."

Fingal tucks the treasure away into his pack so it can be properly shared later. Once done, he looks about at the hole leading to the second floor. "Anyone with a length of rope want to take a peek?"

[Zhym]

"Yech," says Boddin. "Ugly, nasty things! And not very sporting at all, attaching on a person's back like that. It's as if a mosquito and a vampire bat had an unholy union, and the less I think about that, the better. I am sorry I brought it up, I am!"

"I'm no help with the rope, alas, good Fingal. Well, I say 'good' in the general sense. I don't mean to presume about your worldview. I know it's considered impolite to talk about such...um. Sorry."

[Grognardsw]

"Aye, I have a rope," says Foracor the Fleet to Fingal's inquiry. The elf gets out his rope, ties a small grappling hook to the end, and manages to secure it to a stable edge. He climbs nimbly up and glances quickly about.

"It's just collapsed rubble and stirge shyte up here, open to the outside," calls Foracor from the top of the hole. "Much like we saw when we first sighted the tower. Something destroyed the floors above the first, and collapsed this section of the floor, creating the hole. Hold! I see smoke rising far off to the East, where the skull is on our map."

Foracor climbs back down the rope. "There was one more door we've yet to open. Shall we check it out then leave this ruin?"

[Fearghus]

Fingal, Thief

"By the gods, man, yes! Let us finish our inspection of this ruin and make with hast to the smoking skull!"

Fingal leads the exit of this room to the remaining door. He approaches cautiously, looking for traps around the door before in it.

[MrHemlocks]

***Albertus, Cleric, Ruins***

Standing in the hallway with numerous dead bugs around him, Albertus prays to his god and ask the he be granted healing for his injuries.

[Grognardsw]

Albertus prays for healing, but none happens. The cleric realizes he expended his divine cure earlier after the green slime wounds. He will need rest and prayer to recover his spiritual first aid. Brother Bayard has not expended his own healing power.

Fingal examines the final door. It is unlocked, appears clear of traps, and is silent beyond.

Current HP:
Niles - fighter: 7/7
Foracor (NPC) - elf MU/F: 6/6
Fingal - thief: 5/5
Bayard - cleric: 5/8 (from goblins)
Boddin - hobbit: 4/5 (from strige)
Luna - elf MU/F: 6/6
Albertus - cleric: 3/6 (from stirges)

[jdluna]

Luna will take point through the next door. He slowly nudges it open and......

[Grognardsw]

Luna the elf opens the door and is greeted with an ornate, albeit grimy, room. Through the dirt you can make out a checkerboard-patterned stone floor. The walls are carved with human faces in all manner of expression - smiling, leering, laughing, crying, sleeping, yelling. The ceiling is a faded starscape.

Lying in the middle of the floor is an unconscious human female in partial, torn clothes. She possesses great beauty under the bruises and cuts on her face and exposed body. The room is otherwise empty.

Actions?

Albertus is still heavily wounded.

[Zhym]

Boddin looks at the scene and exclaims with glee. "Oh! Wait! I think I've heard about this one! This is one of those clever puzzle trap type situations, isn't it! I bet we're supposed to learn the right path from the facial expressions on the wall. Maybe it's a chessboard, and each of us has to move like a chess piece! Someone remind me—how do the horse-shaped ones move? Or is it a checkerboard, and we have to hop over each other and reach the other end, where we'll all become kings!"

Boddin racks his brain for other games played on checkerboards. "Though it is a shame, I think, that backgammon ends up being underrepresented in puzzles such as this. Always have enjoyed a good game of backgammon over a pint."

[mordrene]

Niles, fighter

"A game and a pint does sound good, but I think this lovely needs rescuing." with that, Niles will enter the room to check on the welfare of the lovely lady. (what can I say, he's young, dumb and full of .......)

[MrHemlocks]

***Albertus, Cleric, Ruins***

"Guys, my wounds are painful and my spirit weak. I will have to wait this one out."Albertus backs away from the room and leans against the wall. He takes out some cloth and coats it with wine. Than carefully he cleans his wounds. All the while watching what is going on, with the rest of the party, in the room and listening for noises that might come from down the hall.

[NJWilliam]

Bayard, Cleric (hp 8/8)

Bayard remains with Albertus and watches Niles with anticipation.

"Brother Albertus needs healing. Once, hopefully, none of you are more seriously injured by this bruised beauty, I will heal him. For now I will wait here, since I will surely need to heal someone. But I believe that will be the last of our divine, or other, healing for the day, so we should work on a place to rest . . ."