A Bold Plan
The Gang decided to leave the Hidden Garden and they revisited the Portal Room. The Portal is a well that's filled with blood, ten feet across, and allows Abyssal creatures to pass into this world. In fact, three Flayed Zombies just emerged from the Portal as they entered the room. These undead were quickly dispatched.
The rest of the Gang began to quibble over what to do next. Orn opened up his backpack, pushed the golden chalice aside, and looked for some rope. The gang prattled on about Abbotts and Cthulhus and moral obligations and whatnots. Ned and Eni were having a particularly animated discussion. Wuzra was just staring off into space, waiting for them to stop. It was the same old thing.
"All talk and no action," thought Orn. He tied the rope around his waist, making sure that the knot was a good one. He expected that his life would depend on it. He double-checked that his waterskin, filled with Saint Brynned's Tears, was secured on his belt. His life might depend on that too.
The rest of the Gang resolved to retrieve the magic item from the sarcophagus, kill the Abbott, and preserve the Portal. Ned wasn't fully satisfied with this outcome, but he could bide his time
.
"Enough talk. I'm gonna find out what's on the other side of that Portal and you're gonna help me," Orn announced. Too confused to effectively argue against his bold plan, the other four members complied, and took up the rope.
The Gang lowered Orn into the pool of blood that was the Abyssal Portal. As soon as he was completely submerged, the rope went slack. They pulled the rope back and there was nothing but a knotted loop. Orn had ceased to be in this plane of existence.
The Warrior was indeed transported to another world. A land of fire and sulfur. He was on one of the layers of The Abyss within The Elemental Chaos. Pony-sized frog creatures, with teeth and claws for rending, bounded towards Orn. Four of them hopped on him before he could draw out his waterskin of holy water. Their curved claws and needle teeth tore into his flesh.
Orn is presumed dead. The Golden Chalice and Saint Brynned's Tears destroyed.
Losing Orn, The Tears, and The Chalice was disheartening, but it only slightly disrupted their plans.The Gang had a "wow, so that just happened" moment, decided to travel back to Jora's Emporium, and get Abboud the Thief. They returned to the Abbey two days later without incident.
Magic weapon
The Gang returned to the room with the partially collapsed ceiling on top of the standing sarcophagus. Mizzcleo knew that there was a magic item within them sarcophagus, but feared that the ceiling might collapse when trying to retrieve it. The gang used some equipment to prop up the ceiling. Ned pried open the sarcophagus. They found plate mail, shield, and a morning star. The weapon was magical and particularly effective vs undead.
Ned took the plate mail and shield.
Eni took the morning star.
Abbot fight
The Gang entered the room where the Abbott sat on his stone throne with his staff across his legs and a key dangling from his neck. The Gang tried to renegotiate their agreement with the Abbott. It didn't go well. Negotiations ended when the Abbott split his staff and threw the two pieces on the ground. One piece transformed into an ice viper and the other piece just clattered to the ground. With a grunt of annoyance, the Abbott attacked.
The Gang soundly beat the Abbott and the ice viper, but the old wight managed to land its cursed attack on Eni. Some of the Cleric's mojo was consumed by the undead's cold grasp (50 xp level drain). They collected the Abbott's gold nose prosthetic, the remaining silver staff piece, and brass key.
Their goal achieved, the Gang did not explore the place further, and left the Abbey.
Decision at Jora's
The Gang spent a week at Jora's Emporium, allowig their wounds to heal. They decided to go west of the Dawnforge Mountains and explore the Nentir Vale. Their first stop would be Hammerfast and who knows where thing could go from there?
They left Lune Valley on March 1st.
Gate Ward
They arrived in Hammerfast on March 5th. After having their stuff inspected and taxed at Revenue Hall, the Gang hung out in the Gate Ward for five days. They also picked up some new members:
Ida Ho the handsy Wizard and potato farmer
Palis the dumb but lucky feral Halfling. (16 Luck, 4 Intelligence, +1 melee damage birth augur).
They found that there was 100gp bounty out for a group of bandits holed up near Lake Dunmere. The bandits were led by Wild Tom, a beserker who has robbed and killed folks travelling between Hammerfast and Fallcrest. The bandits were recently spotted by some fishermen near the village of Cryll.
Wild Tom
After two days travel, the Gang arrived in Cryll. The villagers gave them directions to the cave where Wild Tom and Company were located. The Gang waited until evening to spring their attack.
Ned, decked out in his shiny new plate mail, lumbered forward into the cave, and led the charge. The bandits rushed forward two different passages. Ida The Handsy rushed forward, reached around, and he cast Enlarge on Ned (player insisted on phrasing).
Ned grew to over eight feet tall. He spotted Wild Tom and charged towards him. The Warrior was trying to land an overhead strike but his two-handed flail hit the cave ceiling and splintered to useless pieces (2nd flail destroyed for Ned).
Eventually the Gang wiped Wild Tom and his bandit friends. They returned to Hammerfast and collected the 100gp bounty.
Current Experience Points
B. Mizzcleo 122. Bob 6
T. Ned 111. Wiblo 110
J. Eni 165. Turmus 178
D. Abboud 87. Palis 9
A. Wuzra 84. Ida Ho 9
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