Session #168 – Ice-trapped Wasps Exterminated

During the week of 11/24, a party traveled to Doukreg and back, exploring levels two and seven. They battled a giant ice spider, a giant rhinoceros beetle and giant wasps. One of Saul’s lions ran off in fear, and the other fell to a wasp sting. It was revived by anti-toxin, as was Hocuspo. The party returned home with valuable gems, some coins and a mysterious metal rod.

Urgesh, the half-orc barbarian, returned to the homestead on about the 24th of Cricket (11/24) and related a dream about the golden-haired woman in the glass capsule. It was similar to the visions seen by many with details altered to be appealing to the dreamer. A magic-user among the crowd of hangers-on that camped on the homestead overhead the tale, took notes, and composed a florid text that became a performance repeated nightly for at least week. The goblin spellcaster recited Urgesh’s Dream to the campers, earning some tolerance from the would-be adventurers who might have otherwise slain any member of a monstrous race. Tienarth’s Raiders only learned of this when they returned a week later.

The Source of Ice

Without delay, the party set off for Doukreg by way of the Ruined Tower and the River Camp. They met no resistence nor any interesting strangers. They arrived at Doukreg when the sun was high on 11/26, and they descended down to the first level of the tunnels. Walking around the west side of that level, they traveled onward to Level 2 and to the room filled with ice.

Aderian, bringing a pickaxe along, made for one of the passages clogged with ice. Midway across the large chamber, an ice spider surprised him with a blast of freezing cold that rolled off the back of his armor. The next moment, Ollie rushed in and between the two of them, the spider was dead.

With ease, the former pirate knocked away the ice from the western passage, revealing a wide tunnel, the kind they’d seen connecting the different levels of complex. Meanwhile, Ollie examined what appeared to be a bucket embedded in an ice column. As fiddled with it, the illusion of the bucket faded out to reveal a metal case. Presently, a giant rhinoceros beetle charged into the room, setting off a battle.

Ferris, Ollie and Aderian attacked it. Ferris was gored, but not severely. Saul and his two lions hung back. The rest just observed an efficient dispatching of the enormous beast. Ferris reminded them of how these beetles often kept gems in their bellies, and this one was typical. They pulled out a black opal, plus three other gemstones.

Ollie opened the case to find it filled with 600 gold rings. Among the rings was a rod one inch in diameter and six inches long. Its purpose was unknown. Ollie, being typically suspicious, insisted on putting it away into Aderian’s magical pouch. The case of rings went into his backpack.

Wasps

The tunnel out of the icy chamber descended for more than a mile and ended at the first room of Level 7. Walking somewhat casually, they came face to face with 17 giant wasps who flew at them to attack. Saul’s lion called Aderian Junior turned and ran back up the tunnel into the darkness. She never returned, and they never saw her again.

Wasps swarmed all round the wide tunnel. By this time, Tienarth had once again assumed the form of a golden dragon along with mirror images of himself. The wasps launched themselves harmlessly at the images, dispelling their illusion. The remaining lion and Hocuspo, magical apprentice to Tienarth, suffered wasp stings and keeled over due the effects of the poison. A few others were stung as well but shrugged off the effects. Ferris rushed to Hocuspo’s side and administered anti-toxin.

Suddenly, the well-known and chaotic form of Azrak the dwarf launched himself out of the darkness and into the fray, crushing four wasps with his hammer. A few moments later, all of the wasps were dead. Ferris gave his last dose of anti-toxin to the lion which recovered after a few minutes, as did Hocuspo.

They moved into the former wasp next and found an iron trunk. Ferris detected no traps, so the trunk was flipped open and inside were many coins, fancy stones and a map. The trunk also contained an alembic bowl, a cloak bearing the manat symbol and broken bottle, all of which were left as they were. An examination of the map proved to show some recognizable landmarks, notably the lake near the ruined tower. A mark on the map seemed to indicate treasure at the southwestern end of the Tosasth valley (Hex 0108).

The Portal and more Wasps

They moved cautiously to room 2, recognizing the cauldron and branding irons. They had come up into this room previous via a hole in the floor that lead back to room 1 on level 2. Next, they went to room 4 where Aderian severed the tip of Ollie’s finger which was stuck in a steel hoop filled with red fire. The sack, previously left alone, was now snatched up an examined. It contained coal dust. Ollie poured some out on either side of the portal with the idea that anything coming through would disturb the dust. He stuffed the sack with the remaining coal dust in his backpack.

Azrak picked up a fist-sized device on the floor without hesitation. It bore a single knob, which he pushed. A glowing rune appeared on the device. He could not read it, nor could anyone else. He pushed the knob several times, and each time the rune changed shape. He pocketed the device for later analysis.

Then, they retreated back to Level 2 where Urgesh made ready to clear the ice from the passage on the eastern wall. He first chipped away several chunks and used them to chill a tankard of ale. Having satisfied his thirst, the returned to the ice and opened up a head-sized hole. Out streamed several giant wasps. Hocuspo responded with a slowing spell, which only affected a few of the wasps. Urgesh grimaced and prepared to give himself over to savage rage.

Tienarth produced a wall of fire that filled the passage from the ice room into the wasp nest. The ice melted and several wasps were burned. Through the purple flames, they saw twenty wasps, perhaps a dire danger with no anti-toxin left. Presently, Tienarth cast a spell that created a large cloud of poison gas on the other side of the wall of fire. Many of the wasp fell down dead. The few wasps surviving the fire emerged to be cut down, except one that Saul charmed.

Tienarth concentrated on the cloud, moving it around to envelope the living wasps. Before long, all were dead but the charmed wasp. Saul directed it into cloud and it died. Urgesh managed to get control of his rage, calming down and feeling exhausted.

This work was deemed enough and the resolved to return home. They made it to the surface without encountering any other threats and spent the night at Grubbycheek’s mine. The next day, they made the three day journey home, arriving on 11/29.

End Notes

• Days
  • 11/24 – Ollie, Saul, Urgesh, Aderian, Tienarth, Hocuspo, Nate, Ferris to the Ruined Tower
  • 11/25 – Walking to The River Camp
  • 11/26 – Walking to Doukreg, exploring, resting in the mine
  • 11/27 – 11/29 Walking home via the River Camp and Ruined Tower
• Treasure
  • Black Opal 2,000 gp
  • Chalcedony 100 gp
  • Hematite 10 gp
  • Rhodochrosite 10 gp
  • 600 golden rings, each worth 1 gp
  • Rod, 1″ diameter, 6″ long
  • 1,700 cp
  • 1,000 gp
  • 19 fancy stones, each worth 100gp
  • Map to Hex 0108
  • Fist-sized device with one knob and glowing rune
  • Bag of coal dust
• Combat 12,215 xp
  • Giant Ice Spider 555 xp
  • Giant Rhinoceros Beetle 1,300 xp
  • 37 Giant Wasps 280 xp each
• Characters 1,286 each (9.5 shares)
  • Aderian (fight, strength) 1,440
  • Azrak (fight) 1,299
  • Ferris (skills) 1,427
  • Hocuspo (avoid combat) 1,427
  • Nate (fight) 1,427
  • Ollie (suspicious, underground, fight) 1,325
  • Saul and Lion 1,415
  • Tienarth 1,286
  • Urgesh (impulsive, simple pleasures, fight, rage) 1,337