Players: Tre/Tienarth, Henry/Ferris, Nick/Azrak, Jeff/Ghevont, Oliver/Globo, Audrey/Nebula, Jared/Jed
The session picked up immediately after the defeat of the giant lizards. Tienarth wanted out of the dungeon. They knew of stairs going up, so they made their way back up. They found no traps on the stairs and went up.
They marched down a hallway and a trap door opened up. Globo managed to jump back, but Azrak fell down 20 feet. He was right back in the cell they’d previously teleported into. Tienarth used his magic rope to pull him up. Ferris used his rogue skills to deactivate the trap.
The party rested in room with the big face they busted up. They spiked the door closed. In the morning, they awoke to quiet knocking on the door. It was Jed! He’d followed them to the dungeon a day behind. He told them he was chased into the dungeon by bugbears.
The party checked out the main entrance and heard bugbear voices. They went to the former ant lair and heard bugbears there, too. This lead to a long deliberation and a plan for ambush. At some point, Globo lost patience and yelled a taunt at the bugbears. Soon, an ugly bugbear face peeked around the corner. Ferris let fly an arrow that struck the wall harmlessly. Then, from behind, a bugbear warrior yelled, “Attack!”
A long battle commenced with bugbears coming in from the north and the south. Tienarth cast sleep on one group and web on the other. Eventually, he also cast Hold Person on the leader and promptly slew him.
The group got out of the dungeon and camped at the crossroads. During the first watch, 15 gnolls came out of the forest. This seemed like a dire situation. The party was hurt and mostly out of spells. Ghevont tried a Hold Person that failed. Much flaming oil was thrown that slowly wore down the gnolls. Nebula fell, but was only knocked out. Azrak rushed to her aid and applied healing salve. He then helped himself to two other salves.
Reduced in numbers, the gnolls backed off and then fled. The party did not pursue. They waited out the night and made their way back to the fort without incident. Once inside, the party arranged for training to bring Jed up a level. Meanwhile, Azrak bought himself a warhorse and special saddle that allows him to ride it.