Post by LOKACollector on Nov 29, 2017 16:18:25 GMT
Was sadly unable to finish this due to various life issues, but wanted to preserve it.
Part 1
Intent on ruling the kingdom, a foul sorcerer has abducted the kings beloved daughter and now threatens to wed her to his patron daemon if the kingdom is not surrendered to him before the night of the new moon. The king has offered half his kingdom to anyone who rescues the princess and their weight in gold and treasures to any who bring him the wizard's head. Teams of adventurers and royal guards have scoured the country, but only now, with the new moon a mere two days away, has the lair of the sorcerer has been discovered. A party of eight intrepid and experienced adventurers has tracked one of the wizard's minions to this foreboding portal and even now seek the means to open it, but what dark horrors await them within the temple...
Arriving at the temple as the sun sets.
Better view of the party: Knight, Sorceress, Cleric,The Knight's Squire, Turkish Mercenary, The Cleric's Personal Guard and Acolyte, Two Brothers - who, though they both happen to be well acquainted with picking locks and disarming traps, are, for tax purposes, not in any way associated with the thieve's guild...
Close-up of the three leaders engaged in that age-old debate, "Should we smash, blast, or pray it open?"
Part 2
Where faith and magic fail, force must prevail!
Holy ****!!!
The good news is that they were only bats...
Part 3
The bad news - something worse than bats guards this entrance...
Half the party is buried in rubble while the rest, save the crestfallen archer, are engaged by tentacles. Meanwhile the cleric, stunned in the initial attack, is dragged toward the beast's gaping maw.
Let no one say that thieves lack bravery! At great risk to himself, he seizes the cleric's holy staff and turns to smite the foul beast...
...and is rewarded with a blast of power!
Writhing in agony, the beast hurls adventurers in all directions, but the thief has also suffered...
With a last, desperate act of will, he hurls the staff to the battered priestess...
In one smooth motion, she catches the staff and turns to invoke the power of her god with a Holy Word!
A flash of brilliant light...
...and the way is clear!
But are our heroes still capable of pursuing their quest?
Part 4
In the aftermath of the attack, the cleric takes charge, restoring the thief with simple blessing while the Turk assists her acolyte.
There is no time for questions - we must tend the gravely wounded!
She aids the fallen mage while the others work to extricate the trapped knight.
With darkness closing in, it appears that everyone will survive the encounter, but there is no longer any hope of continuing without time for rest and recovery. But at least there's fresh snake for dinner!
Part 5
By midmorning the party is ready to continue.
After a slight descent, the passage narrows markedly, forcing them to continue in single file. Hacking through the thick vegetation that manages to thrive here even in almost total darkness, they come upon an ancient bridge.
Finding the bridge to be safe, they begin to pick their way across a morass of foul slime that was no doubt home to the tentacled beast - but there is no sign of another...
They are soon safely across - only to face another portal like the first, its leering skull mocking their accomplishments thus far...
Part 6
Fearing a cave-in if they attempt to smash their way through, the task of opening the door is delegated to the brothers while the others take a brief rest.
A hidden lever!
What was that noise???
With a grinding squeal, the massive pendulum descends - severing the older brother's head and arm like a knife through butter before crashing into the door and falling to the ground in a shower of stones and loose earth!
Though stunned by the sudden demise of one party member, the survivors must immediately turn their attention to saving another, for the cleric is quickly sinking into the mire...
...But something is amiss, even if the surviving thief is too shocked to communicate its nature!
At last he masters his horror enough to shout a warning...
But it is too late - for huge spiders, disturbed by the minor collapse, are now descending upon the party!
Part 7
In a flash, the spiders are upon them!
A confused melee ensues...
It is over in moments, but nevertheless has claimed the lives of two more party members - the second thief...
...And the young acolyte.
Leaving their dead and crawling through the ruined portal, the party is confronted by an enormous stone idol. The feeling of evil is strong enough to stagger the cleric, but there is something wrong here...
[
Why would a sacrifice be left to rot in a corner? No altar! Hmm... and what is the purpose of those strange chimneys?? The sorceress takes a closer look and finds...
Oil... Stand back! At least we have more light.
...But what is that grinding noise!!!
It's the Idol!
It's moving!!! - To reveal a dark stairway leading down into the bowels of the earth.
Mike
Part 1
Intent on ruling the kingdom, a foul sorcerer has abducted the kings beloved daughter and now threatens to wed her to his patron daemon if the kingdom is not surrendered to him before the night of the new moon. The king has offered half his kingdom to anyone who rescues the princess and their weight in gold and treasures to any who bring him the wizard's head. Teams of adventurers and royal guards have scoured the country, but only now, with the new moon a mere two days away, has the lair of the sorcerer has been discovered. A party of eight intrepid and experienced adventurers has tracked one of the wizard's minions to this foreboding portal and even now seek the means to open it, but what dark horrors await them within the temple...
Arriving at the temple as the sun sets.
Better view of the party: Knight, Sorceress, Cleric,The Knight's Squire, Turkish Mercenary, The Cleric's Personal Guard and Acolyte, Two Brothers - who, though they both happen to be well acquainted with picking locks and disarming traps, are, for tax purposes, not in any way associated with the thieve's guild...
Close-up of the three leaders engaged in that age-old debate, "Should we smash, blast, or pray it open?"
Part 2
Where faith and magic fail, force must prevail!
Holy ****!!!
The good news is that they were only bats...
Part 3
The bad news - something worse than bats guards this entrance...
Half the party is buried in rubble while the rest, save the crestfallen archer, are engaged by tentacles. Meanwhile the cleric, stunned in the initial attack, is dragged toward the beast's gaping maw.
Let no one say that thieves lack bravery! At great risk to himself, he seizes the cleric's holy staff and turns to smite the foul beast...
...and is rewarded with a blast of power!
Writhing in agony, the beast hurls adventurers in all directions, but the thief has also suffered...
With a last, desperate act of will, he hurls the staff to the battered priestess...
In one smooth motion, she catches the staff and turns to invoke the power of her god with a Holy Word!
A flash of brilliant light...
...and the way is clear!
But are our heroes still capable of pursuing their quest?
Part 4
In the aftermath of the attack, the cleric takes charge, restoring the thief with simple blessing while the Turk assists her acolyte.
There is no time for questions - we must tend the gravely wounded!
She aids the fallen mage while the others work to extricate the trapped knight.
With darkness closing in, it appears that everyone will survive the encounter, but there is no longer any hope of continuing without time for rest and recovery. But at least there's fresh snake for dinner!
Part 5
By midmorning the party is ready to continue.
After a slight descent, the passage narrows markedly, forcing them to continue in single file. Hacking through the thick vegetation that manages to thrive here even in almost total darkness, they come upon an ancient bridge.
Finding the bridge to be safe, they begin to pick their way across a morass of foul slime that was no doubt home to the tentacled beast - but there is no sign of another...
They are soon safely across - only to face another portal like the first, its leering skull mocking their accomplishments thus far...
Part 6
Fearing a cave-in if they attempt to smash their way through, the task of opening the door is delegated to the brothers while the others take a brief rest.
A hidden lever!
What was that noise???
With a grinding squeal, the massive pendulum descends - severing the older brother's head and arm like a knife through butter before crashing into the door and falling to the ground in a shower of stones and loose earth!
Though stunned by the sudden demise of one party member, the survivors must immediately turn their attention to saving another, for the cleric is quickly sinking into the mire...
...But something is amiss, even if the surviving thief is too shocked to communicate its nature!
At last he masters his horror enough to shout a warning...
But it is too late - for huge spiders, disturbed by the minor collapse, are now descending upon the party!
Part 7
In a flash, the spiders are upon them!
A confused melee ensues...
It is over in moments, but nevertheless has claimed the lives of two more party members - the second thief...
...And the young acolyte.
Leaving their dead and crawling through the ruined portal, the party is confronted by an enormous stone idol. The feeling of evil is strong enough to stagger the cleric, but there is something wrong here...
[
Why would a sacrifice be left to rot in a corner? No altar! Hmm... and what is the purpose of those strange chimneys?? The sorceress takes a closer look and finds...
Oil... Stand back! At least we have more light.
...But what is that grinding noise!!!
It's the Idol!
It's moving!!! - To reveal a dark stairway leading down into the bowels of the earth.
Mike