Forgotten Realms Campaign Log Chapter 1

Episode 1 [Wednesday 11 February 1998]

01 Spring 01 Evening: Waterdeep: Nifft leaves his small house and wanders towards the wealthy section of Waterdeep.  He is flat broke, and therefore a bit desperate.  He soon comes across a darkened house.  After carefully casing the joint he finally determines that no-one is home and decides to try to gain entry.  The front door is locked, so he wanders around to the back, but finds there is no back door.  He eventually finds an unlocked window and easily climbs into the house.  Quickly making his way upstairs, he finds two doors.  He cautiously opens the first door and finds a bedroom with two windows.  After quickly searching the room, he discovers a key under some clothes in a chest of drawers.  He leaves the bedroom and carefully opens the second door revealing a small room with a desk (but no windows).  The desk top is closed and locked, but Nifft finds that his newly acquired key fits.  As he unlocks the desk, Nifft is suddenly interrupted by a man ascending the stairs and calling out to someone.  Nifft quickly hides behind the open door.  The man [Benion] enters and looks about, but finding no-one he then exits the room and crosses the hallway.  Nifft hears man rummaging through the chest in the other room and takes the opportunity to quickly descend the stairs and exit through the front door.  Once outside, however, he sees a carriage in the street just beyond the gate.  Someone sits inside the carriage, apparently waiting for the man inside the house.  Nifft swiftly hides in the bushes beside the front door.  Benion soon exits the house in a state of panic claiming that he can't find his key.  He climbs into carriage and they speed away!  Nifft soon finds that in the man's haste he has left the front door wide open.  He re-enters the house and quickly returns to the unlocked desk.  Within the desk he finds a small sack containing some kind of white powder.  He snatches the sack and exits the house through the front door.  Once beyond the front gate, he calmly walks home.

02 Spring 01: Khozho arrives in Waterdeep by ship and wanders through the city.  He eventually secures employment for himself at "The Brown Spittoon Tavern".  Outside of the tavern he spies a strange tattooed man (Hafaeveraal) shaving his head in the public fountain.

Episode 2 [Wednesday 04 March 1998]

02 Spring 01: Waterdeep (cont.): Galadried tries to explain to his friend Haf that he shouldn't shave his head in the public fountains.  Nifft wanders though the same square (disguised as a beggar) and decides to beg from passerby near the Brown Spittoon.  Soon, everyone goes their separate ways.  Galad and Haf return to the temple of Tempus (where they are staying), while Nifft returns home.

Night: Nifft is awakened by a pounding on the front door.  He has been sleeping in an abandoned building and is not expecting company!  Peeking out through an upstairs window, he sees a strange man pounding on the door.  After hailing the man, but receiving no response, he spies yet another slow moving man approaching.  Without a word spoken, the second man joins the first in pounding upon the door!  Nifft is spooked now, so he gathers up his most valuable belongings (including the strange sack of white powder) and escapes through a back window.  Not quite knowing where to go, he wanders to the square where he had been begging and sits on the edge of the fountain.  Soon, though the two strange men approach the square, apparently having followed him!  Nifft attempts to talk to them as they slowly advance upon him, but again receives no response.  He panics and begins banging on the door of the Brown Spittoon, yelling for help, until Khozho finally opens the door.  Nifft quickly slips inside the tavern and retreats to the other side of the room, convincing Khozho to close the door.  Unconcerned by these strange happenings, Khozho returns to his sleeping spot on the floor, leaving  Nifft to wonder just what the hell is going on!
    Meanwhile, just up the street, Galad is awakened by strange sounds in the street outside of the temple.  He steps outside to find three zombies shuffling by, headed toward the square.  Galad swiftly cuts them down one by one.  Then, hearing the commotion down the street he advances toward the square.  Upon arriving at the Brown Spittoon, Galad finds two more zombies banging upon the front door of the tavern.  He easily cuts them down also.
    Nifft, sensing that the threat is over, opens the front door and thanks the tall Paladin for his assistance.  Galad explains to Nifft that these zombies represent a serious threat that is not likely to go away on it's own.  Someone has animated them and they seem to have a specific purpose.  Nifft shows the sack of powder to the Paladin, explaining that he found it in an alleyway.  Galad can't identify the strange powder, but he decides that the priests of Tempus may be able to help.  He explains that they will be safer at the temple anyway, should more undead appear.  Nifft follows Galad to the temple where they meet Haf and several priests.  Galad hands the mysterious sack over to the priests, explaining the strange happenings of the night.  A priest searches through the entire contents of the sack and finds a strange sphere [Sphere of the Kellman].  He suggests that they all get some rest, but would like to gather everyone involved (including Khozho) for questioning in the morning.  Nifft is given a room at the temple where he tries to catch up on his sleep.

03 Spring 01: Galad and Nifft return to the Brown Spittoon and convince Khozho to return to the temple with them.  They meet Haf back at the temple and everyone gathers before the priests.  The high priest explains that they have discovered a powerful enchantment upon the sphere that allows it to attract the undead, but for what purpose they cannot determine.  Nifft again explains the details leading up to the situation at the tavern, but he maintains his story of having found the sack in an alleyway.  The priests seem somewhat doubtful, but ultimately decide to keep the sphere for safe keeping (which is fine with Nifft...he's had enough of it, anyway!).  The questioning finally ends and the four men are dismissed.
    Galad and Haf agree that it is time to leave this accursed city and head back north to their homeland.  Galad invites Nifft and Khozho to join them on the journey north.  He then secures some provisions from the temple for the journey.

04  Spring 01 Morning: The four adventurers meet and leave Waterdeep, heading north on the coastal road towards Neverwinter.

Night: Camp is made, watches are set, and everyone settles in.  In the middle of the night, during Haf's watch, a group of five skeletons attacks the camp!  Haf lets out a war-cry that immediately wakes everyone.  Galad and Khozho rush to the attack, while Nifft heads for the nearest tree!  He has no intention of throwing any of his daggers at these fleshless men!  However, before he can even climb the tree the battle is over.  Khozho has shattered three of the skeletons and Galad has smashed the other two!  Galad and Khozho prepare to return to their resting spots, but Haf and Nifft don't feel comfortable in this campsite any longer.  So the whole group moves on a bit further up the road and the rest of the night passes uneventfully.

05 Spring 01: Travel onward.  A slaver's wagon approaches from ahead.  There are two guards and a teamster sitting atop the enclosed wagon.  Galad and Haf want to free the slaves, so the group moves off of the road to plan their attack.  As the wagon passes by, Haf charges forward yelling, "Throw down your weapons, or drown in your own blood!"  He and Khozho both manage to avoid the guard's crossbow bolts and then climb quickly on top of the wagon.  Meanwhile, Galad charges at the back of the wagon and smashes in the door with his axe.  There are indeed several slaves inside.  The wagon has stopped, so Nifft runs to the front and unhooks the team of four horses to prevent the teamster from driving away.  On top of the wagon, Haf demands that his opponent surrender.  To his surprise, the man (obviously intimidated by the oversized, tattooed barbarian) immediately throws down his weapon.  Khozho's opponent also suddenly drops his weapon and the battle ends.  Nifft thrusts a dagger towards the driver and demands that the man climb down.  The man quickly obeys and Nifft questions him.  The driver claims that he was just hired to drive the wagon, but didn't know what he was transporting.  However, upon surrendering, both of the guards quickly drank small potions that apparently affected their memories.  They are unable to remember any useful information.  Meanwhile, Galad has freed the slaves, which include some humans, dwarves and elves.  The elves head for the forests, while the dwarves and humans head northward towards their homes.  Nifft is interested in taking the guard's weapons, but realizes that each weapon is marked with a symbol (of the slaver's organization?).

Episode 3 [Wednesday 11 March 1998]

05 Spring 01 (cont.): Nifft decides to take one of the slaver's swords.  Haf finds that he recognizes the symbol upon the weapon!  It is the symbol of Melridge, the master slaver that enslaved Haf years ago.  Melridge is also a sorcerer and is the head of a College of Magic called Zool-Kreeth.  Upon enslaving Haf, Melridge personally confiscated the barbarian's most valued possession: his gold necklace.  The necklace is actually a status symbol in Haf's tribe.  It identifies the wearer as the clanhead of Haf's clan.
    The group continues on the road a bit before setting up camp in the evening.

06 Spring 01 Morning: A cloud of dust is seen to the south.  Soon a merchant caravan approaches.  The merchants offer the group a ride northward.  The caravan is headed north to Icewind Dale.  Galad, Khozho, Nifft, and Haf all climb into a small covered cart.  Nifft mingles with the other folks already on board...He learns that there are large fires on the Moonshae Isles and that the clans of Dennik Isle are fighting over land.  After mingling, Nifft talks with Haf about the IceWind Dale, intending to learn a bit about the area that he's heading into.  There are some settlements in the Icewind Dale, but these small towns consist mainly of "outsiders" who are not originally native to the area.  The native tribesfolk (Haf and Galad's people) generally live outside of the settlements and occasionally raid the towns.
    Meanwhile, Galad also mingles a bit and learns some very disturbing news.  Last season, a Priest of Tempus [Rubalt] was found dead outside of a temple of Tempus in Luskan.  The man's body had been mutilated...there was a wound on his face, one of his arms was missing, and he had a horrible scorch mark through his chest.  In his hand he clutched a cloth with Melridge's now familiar symbol painted upon it.
    The group has an animated discussion on what to do and where to go next.  Should they abandon their journey to the Icewind Dale to go investigate this strange apparent murder?  Ultimately, they decide to continue on with the caravan to the northlands.

07-08 Spring 01: Ride with caravan.

09 Spring 01: Arrive at Neverwinter.  More discussion!  The party plans to ride north to Luskan with the caravan and then onward to the Icewind Dale.  The very generous caravan master surprises everyone by paying out 20gp each for protecting the merchants.  The group promptly heads for the nearest tavern to buy food and secure lodging.  In the tavern, Nifft juggles a bit and then eats his dinner while Haf games with the locals.  Galad watches all from the corner.  Everyone sleeps in the common room that night (1sp each).
 
 

10 Spring 01: Nifft speaks to Galad about the slaver's sword and they agree that he should ditch it.  Nifft discreetly leaves the sword in the tavern as they leave.  The group prepares to depart with the caravan.

Midday: The caravan comes under sudden attack by men dressed in chainmail and wielding clubs!  Galad, Khozho, and Haf jump from the wagon and quickly engage the raiders.  Nifft decides to stay in the wagon until the coast is clear.  Galad strikes his first opponent hard [19 points!], but the man doesn't fall!  Khozho strikes his opponent twice.  Haf swiftly puts his opponent down and then finishes Khozho's enemy.  Galad kills his opponent and then goes on to kill another with one mighty blow!  Haf kills yet another with two swift strokes.  Galad kills another raider.  Haf jumps onto another, killing him but is also struck.  Galad finishes Khozho's opponent and the fighting ends...
    But no!  The battle is not really over!  There are about twenty more raiders chaining up the caravan folk.  The "raiders" are actually slavers!  Three of the four wagons are destroyed and the last is burning out of control.  Nifft, finally realizing that the wagon he's been hiding in is burning, grabs the group's possessions and quickly gets out to the "safety" of the battlefield.  He circles around the area hoping to help free the chained merchants while his companions keep the slavers busy in combat.  However, he suddenly spies four skeletons emerging from the nearby forest.  As the fighting continues, the merchants also see the approaching skeletons and begin to flee in panic, foiling Nifft's plans to help them.
    Galad takes some heavy hits.  Khozho knocks out one of the slavers!  Nifft, realizing that he is not currently in much danger finally decides to help out.  He throws a dagger at one of Haf's opponents, but misses.  Galad strikes Haf's opponent and Khozho strikes his opponent.  Khozho finally defeats the last slaver.
    The skeletons slowly close in.  Galad quickly destroys one and Nifft throws two daggers at another and hits it once!  Khozho and Haf each quickly destroy their opponents and Haf kills the last one as Nifft runs toward a nearby tree!  The battle finally ends.

Episode 4 [Wednesday 18 March 1998]

10 Spring 01 (cont.): Haf runs after the fleeing merchant folk.  He finds eleven (out of twenty) of them hiding in a cave and leads them back to the battleground.
    Meanwhile, Khozho attempts to free the horses from the burning wagon.  He is able to save three of them.
    Galad finds one of the caravan guards is still alive, but severely hurt.  He tends to the man's wounds and then joins Nifft in questioning one of the surviving slavers.  The wounded slaver confirms that they attacked for the sole purpose of obtaining slaves for the "master".  When pressed to name his master, however, the man cannot seem to form the words.  Galad draws the circular slaver's symbol in the dirt and asks if that is the symbol of the slave master.  The man is able to answer "yes", but then dies.  Suddenly, the nearby caravan guard [Balrift] grabs Galad's arm and states that he knows what is going on.  He is too weak to explain further, though.
    Nifft spends some time poking through the smoldering wreckage, looking for anything valuable that may have survived, but finds nothing.
    Haf decides to look for more lost merchant folk.  Khozho mounts up and follows the barbarian.  After about five minutes of searching, they discover a couple of folk high in a tree.  They claim that the others they were with were "taken".  Haf and Khozho help the folk down and direct them back towards the battleground.  They then continue on, but halt their search when they come upon the disturbing sight of a freshly severed hand on the ground before them.  They decide to head back.
    Upon returning, Haf and Khozho explain their discovery in an amusing jumble of foreign accents.  The companions discuss their plans.  The next town, Luskan, is about a day away.  They decide to set up a camp further up the road and then lead the merchant folk to Luskan on the following day.
    Khozho first directs some of the folk in skinning and prepping some of the dead horses for meat, while Haf and Nifft take a few folk and direct them in digging a mass grave for the dead.  When all of this is done they move up the road a ways and set up camp.

11 Spring 01 Morning: The injured guard, Balrift, awakens and is now well enough to tell his story.
    Being a soldier, Balrift was once forced into the ranks of Melridge's troops and found that the wizard has cast an extremely powerful mind-numbing spell over the entire army of Zool-Kreeth.  The spell inexplicably had no effect on Balrift though, and he managed to escape enslavement.  Melridge knows that Balrift has fled and is aware of how much the soldier knows....he never leaves a mistake like this unanswered.  Balrift also claims that Melridge has the ability to see people and places far beyond a normal man's range of sight.
    Recently, Balrift witnessed the murder of a priest of Tempus in Luskan.  The priest, Rubalt, was struck dead by a man dressed in the robes of Zool-Kreeth.  Rubalt was attempting to prevent the mage from doing something (against the church of Tempus?).  The mage's men first mutilated the priest, by cutting off his right arm and scarring his face.  Then, as Rubalt continued to defy them, the mage unleashed a mighty lighting bolt, striking the priest in the chest.
    Zool-Kreeth was previously an establishment of the church, called Grand Hearth, but it was seized by a power hungry and sacrilegious mage named Melridge.  Melridge has been enlisting troops with the intention of invading each of the Moonshae Isles, one by one.  The church of Tempus, outraged by the betrayal, are doing their best against the school, but they appear to be losing.  The church has been watching Zool-Kreeth closely.
    Balrift knows much of Melridge's plans.  The wizard obtained a device that can raise the bodies of the dead, animating them with a false-life.  This device was entrusted to a man named Silus, who was to transport it secretly by caravan through Waterdeep and up to the church of Tempus in Longsaddle.  Once there, the device was to be smuggled into the temple, where it's full power would be unleashed to raise from the dead a powerful eastern warlord called Kellman.  Once raised, Kellman will be controlled by an artifact that is held by Melridge.  This works by restoring part of Kellman's spirit back into his body.  Only part though...if too much is restored, Kellman will regain full consciousness.

12 Spring 01: Travel and arrive at Luskan.  Galad goes straight to the temple of Tempus and informs them of everything he has learned.  He also convinces the priest to lend them a cleric to help them combat Melridge's undead.  Galad obtains some holy water as he leaves the temple.
    Meanwhile, Nifft juggles while Haf shaves his head in the public fountain.  Then Khozho, Nifft, and Haf all head for the nearest tavern, the Flailing Dragon to eat and wait for Galad.
    When Galad and Balrift arrive they all sit down to discuss plans.  Balrift describes the layout of Melridge's stronghold.  They eventually form a plan to enter the fortress through a cave in the forest, thus gaining access to tunnels that lead to the underground slave quarters beneath the fortress.
    Sleep in the common room of the tavern.

13 Spring 01: Nifft buys a throwing dagger from a local weaponcrafter.  He is pleased now to have four daggers.  He also buys a torch and a tinderbox in preparation of exploring a darkened cave.  Meet Kyrid, the cleric of Tempus, and travel south.

14 Spring 01: Travel

15 Spring 01: Travel and arrive at the site of the caravan battle.  Following Balrift the group leaves the road and heads eastwards into the forest.  They pass the severed hand that Khozho and Haf previously found on 10 Spring 01 [Episode 4] and continue on.

Evening: Arrive at cave entrance.  After a bit of discussion everyone agrees to camp outside for the night and enter the cave in the morning.  During the first watch, however, Haf hears strange noises emanating from the cave.  He screams and charges towards the cave!  Everyone awakens, leaping to their feet and grabbing their weapons.  Khozho and Galad quickly follow Haf into the cave, while Nifft pauses at the entrance only long enough to light his torch.
    Inside the cave they discover a Giant Drider!  As Haf charges recklessly forward the Drider bites him hard, poisoning him!  The barbarian falls to the ground in a daze.  The Drider then thrusts its head forward at Khozho attempting to bite the half-elf, but instead painfully smacks its head!  Nifft advances and strikes the Drider with a thrown dagger.  Haf recovers, regaining his feet and rejoining the battle.  Galad strikes, then Khozho strikes [13 points!] and the Giant Drider thankfully expires.

Episode 5 [Wednesday 01 April 1998]

15 Spring 01 (cont.): Khozho finds that the Drider was carrying some treasure.  A staff and some coins.  Kyrid is able to identify the staff as a Staff of Striking.  Khozho hangs onto the coins and hands the staff over to Nifft for safe-keeping.   There is more discussion on whether to continue into the cave or rest 'til morning.  Ultimately the group decides to continue on, but first Khozho and Balrift will scout ahead.  Though it is pitch dark, Balrift is familiar with the route ahead and Khozho has infravision.  The two scouts come upon a fork in the tunnel.  Balrift instructs Khozho to take the right passage.  However, they soon find that the tunnel is collapsed and they are forced to return with the bad news.  The group decides to explore the left passage, seeking an alternate route into the fortress.
    Kyrid casts a light spell and Nifft snuffs out the torch, preferring to save it for an emergency.  The entire group proceeds down the left passage.  Soon, voices are heard ahead and Khozho is sent forward to scout ahead.  He spies five short men in the passage ahead speaking in gruff voices.  They have sensed the light ahead and are debating whether or not they should approach since they are injured, having just recently survived a battle.  Khozho returns with this information and then he and Galad advance together to make contact with the strangers.  At Khozho's urging, Galad tries to talk to them, though he cannot see.   They discover that the leader's name is Baldori.  He is in charge of a mining operation.  Baldori asks who is intruding in the cave of the Dwarven people.  Galad, unsure of the Dwarves alignment towards Melridge, explains simply that they have come to kill the Drider threat in the caves.  During the conversation, Baldori explains that the Drider are sorcerous creations of the Drow priestesses and he explains the nature of the Drow Elves for Khozho's benefit.  Khozho reveals the story of Melridge's misdeeds and asks if the Dwarves can help, perhaps by guiding the party through the tunnels.  Baldori doesn't know of Melridge, but agrees to help.  The Dwarves lead the party to their home tunnels.  Sleep in private guest chambers.

16 Spring 01 Morning: Awaken.  Khozho practices his typical morning routine of meditation and exercise.
 The group is brought to the clanhead's meeting chamber to meet the clanhead, Dygor, second only to the King himself.  Dygor promises to lend his support to their cause.  After the meeting, an older dwarf provides the group with a map and describes the three to four day route that they must follow through the caves.  This route takes them through the unavoidable "Hook Horror" territory.  The "Hook Horrors" are a particularly nasty giant beetle type of creature living within the caves.
    Without any warning or provocation, the old dwarf also explains the past history of their clan and their King, Midor.  The King himself is never seen.  He lives alone in his own separate part of the mountains.  Only Dygor is allowed to speak with his majesty, and even then, not face to face.  The story begins eighty years earlier when the King's wife, Claris, was kidnapped by a Drow Elf called Torhl.  Midor and his army of three hundred dwarven warriors pursued the fleeing Drow and an epic battle ensued.  During the battle, Midor saw Torhl and another Drow carrying a chest across a suspension bridge high above a deep chasm.  Midor called out to the Drow and then cut the lines, destroying the bridge and sending the two Drow and the chest plummeting out of sight into the chasm.  In order to satisfy his bloodthirstiness, the King descended into the chasm to search for the Drow bodies.  At the bottom, to his horror, he found no sign of the Drow...only the remains of his beloved wife, who had been locked inside the now shattered chest!  The clan retreated with their grief stricken King.  Midor requested that Dygor take over the clan and began his long self-imposed exile.  Therefore, only Dygor knows the whereabouts of the King.  The dwarves now know how Torhl survived the fall from the cut bridge...it seems that each and every Drow has the ability to levitate.  So, the dwarves know that Torhl is alive and the search for him continues.
    After listening to the old dwarf's ranting story the group makes their way to the quartermasters to resupply.  Buy a lantern and ten flasks of oil which are distributed among the group.  The quartermaster reveals a lodestone, and Nifft quickly snatches it up before anyone else can claim it!  The group returns to their chambers to rest and prepare for their departure on the following morning.

17 Spring 01: The group begins their journey through the caverns.  They soon find that the smooth tunnels are only five feet high, making travel somewhat slow and uncomfortable even for Khozho, the shortest in the group.

18 Spring 01: Travel onward through tunnels.  That "night" as the group rests, Balrift explains that he expects them to pass through "Hook Horror" territory on the following day.  He suggests that they carry as much light as possible in an attempt to ward off the creatures.  Sleep.

19 Spring 01: Travel onward.  Marching order:  Haf, Galad, Khoz, Kyrid, Bal, Nifft.  The tunnel gradually gets bigger (about 12' high).  The torch and lantern are both lit and Kyrid casts a couple of Light spells.  The group continues on, cautiously, until Haf hears scuffling from ahead.  He suddenly charges forward, screaming and yelling!  Khozho quickly follows.  They end up charging straight through, past three Hook Horrors!  Nifft hesitates, unsure of what to do, until he sees Balrift and Kyrid both run forward, following the others past the creatures!  Nifft quickly decides to follow and also runs straight through, leaving Galad alone in the dark.  Galad reluctantly follows.  He had wanted to fight the creatures, but is not prepared to do it alone while the others are continuing on.
    The group moves away from the Hook Horrors and then stops to rest.  The torch and lantern are snuffed out and Balrift describes the tunnel ahead to the rest of the group.  Apparently, at the end of the tunnel, a heavy stone blocks a small hole into the slave pit.  There is only one door connecting the slave's chamber to Melridge's stronghold.  The slaves are kept in a constant trance by a gas that is periodically released into the slave's chamber, thus, only one guard is required to be stationed outside of the door.  Khozho will scout ahead to investigate the situation.
    Khozho leaves his weapons with Haf and proceeds to the end of the tunnel.  He finds the stone and removes it, revealing a hole leading into the slave pit.  Within the chamber are rows of slaves just staring vacantly ahead.  All are standing and facing a large iron bound door.
 Khozho slips quietly through the hole and into the room.  He crosses the chamber and approaches the large door.  He opens the door a crack...just enough to see a large man standing guard in the corridor beyond.  The guard is about six feet tall and carries a bola, a net, and a flail.  Khozho quietly closes the door and then returns to the group still waiting in the tunnels.
    Khozho describes the situation and then he and Haf hatch a plan to take out the lone guard.  Khozho will open the door and Haf will kill the guard.  Haf will then disguise himself as the guard (Haf can easily wear the guard's uniform, since they are both about the same size.)  The others in the group will disguise themselves as slaves and join the ranks.
    The plan goes very smoothly.  The door is opened and Haf attacks!  He quickly grabs the unsuspecting guard with a wrestling move and easily slices his throat!  Haf swiftly dons the man's garb and takes his position.  Soon, a man [Melridge] approaches.  He briefly looks Haf up and down and tells him to straighten his shirt.  Haf complies and the man salutes him (fist to chest).  Haf returns the salute and the man, apparently satisfied, walks away.
    After much discussion on the next move, it is finally decided that Balrift and Haf will scout ahead to Melridge's chamber, attempting to determine how much resistance the group can expect.  Meanwhile, Khozho will act as guard, while the others remain in the pit.  Haf and Balrift follow the corridors all the way to Melridge's chamber, but encounter no one at all!  All of the corridors appear to be deserted!  They swiftly return to the others.  The whole group removes their disguises and prepares for a full frontal assault on Melridge's seemingly unguarded chamber.  They leave one entranced slave disguised as a guard outside of the pit and then proceed onward to Melridge's door.
    The group enters the room, but finds only one Drow elf sitting at a desk.  Quickly taking in his new surroundings, Haf immediately notices a tapestry hanging on the wall.  A man's face is clearly evident and recognizable in the picture on the tapestry and Haf recognizes the face as that of the man that saluted him in the corridor earlier!  Haf surmises that it must have been Melridge himself!
    The Drow invites the whole group in as if they were expected.  Introducing himself as Torhl, he apologizes for Melridge's absence and explains that Melridge cannot be here himself to greet them, as he is currently on his way to the Moonshae Isles to take care of business there.  Torhl goes on to state that the group is actually meaningless in the grand scheme of things and that they can do nothing to stop Melridge's plans.  As he is talking, he rises and moves towards a nearby window.  Suddenly, he jumps out through the window in what seems like a rather desperate attempt to escape!  As the Drow leaps however, Balrift pegs him with a dagger.  The dagger apparently has a fast-acting sleeping potion on it's blade and Torhl is already unconscious as he passes through the window.  Instead of falling, however, his cloak transforms into a pair of giant bat wings [modified Wings of Flying] and, though asleep, he begins to swiftly fly away!
    Acting quickly, Nifft throws a dagger at the "cloak", hoping to puncture it and cause Torhl to fall.  The dagger strikes, but it apparently has little effect as the wings continue to flap and the Drow moves further away.  Nifft then  quickly pulls out his rope and grappling hook and makes another attempt to stop the Drow, but fails.  As he misses, though, Khozho flies past him making a dangerous leap of his own!  The half-elf jumps from the window and succeeds in grabbing onto the Drow!  As they both fly further away, Khozho grabs Nifft's dagger and slits Torhl's throat.  The Drow dies instantly causing the wings to  suddenly transform back into the cloak.  Both the half-elf and the dead Drow then plummet sixty feet to the ground below.  Khozho deftly twists in the air and uses Torhl to cushion his impact.  He manages to suffer minimal damage [5 points] after landing and tumbling.

Episode 6 [Wednesday 15 April 1998]

19 Spring 01 (cont.): Nifft quickly checks over the room for valuables, but finds only a crystal ball on the desk.  He wraps it up and then stows it into his sack.  Suddenly, the door opens and the slave disguised as a guard pops his head in to take a look.  Haf, who is standing guard next to the door, tries to grab the man, but the slave somehow eludes him and runs off down the corridor.  Haf and Galad give chase...They are concerned that he'll run into guards or wizards and bring trouble.
    Meanwhile, Khozho checks over Torhl's corpse and finds 8 GP.  He also takes the Wings of Flying, but unfortunately doesn't know how to work their magic.  Now he needs to find a way back up to Melridge's chamber.  Up in the chamber, Nifft decides to fashion a rope for Khozho (since his is not long enough), so he begins collecting the tapestries and the sheets from the bed.  As he removes a tapestry from the wall he finds a lever hidden in a recessed compartment.  He pulls the lever, but cannot determine it's purpose, so he leaves this for later and finishes the makeshift rope.  Khozho climbs up Nifft's makeshift rope and returns Nifft's dagger to him.  Nifft takes a moment to show Khozho the lever.  Khozho flips the lever up and down a number of times, but also cannot determine it's purpose...they leave it.
    Haf and Galad catch the wandering slave and attempt to explain everything to him.  They direct him back to the slave chamber and tell him to wait there.  They then return to Melridge's chamber where the entire group gathers together to discuss their next move.  They agree that since Melridge apparently knew of their coming, it is unlikely that they will still be able to find him here.  He has probably already made his escape and is possibly on his way to the Moonshae Isles.  Eventually they agree on a plan.  Balrift will guide the group as they escort the slaves out through the front gate to freedom.
    The group returns to the slave pit where they find that the thirty slaves are actually awakening from their entrancement.  The situation is explained and the now ex-slaves follow as Balrift leads everyone downstairs.  They encounter no-one at all as they approach the front gate.  They find that a lever on the wall controls the gate and easily exit the castle.
    Once outside, Balrift quietly tells Nifft that during his previous time in the castle he saw guards carrying chests down another passageway near the gate.  Treasure maybe?  Hmmmmmm...Nifft immediately reports this to the others and there follows more discussion.  Haf's primary concern is the safety (and freedom) of the former slaves.  He is not interested in personal gain and will not rest 'til they have been safely delivered to the nearby town of Neverwinter (two days away).  Nifft explains that he understands perfectly, but he believes since the castle seems deserted, this will be a fairly quick job, so yet another plan is hatched.  Haf, Khozho, and Kyrid will continue on toward Neverwinter with the ex-slaves, ultimately breaking for camp when darkness approaches.  Meanwhile, Nifft, Galad, and Balrift will re-enter the stronghold, grab the treasure, and then catch up to the others later.
    So, the group splits up.  Nifft, Galad, and Balrift return to the gate and turn into the unexplored passageway.  They soon come to an iron bound door and a stairway down.  Nifft listens at the door, but can detect no sounds from the other side.  They decide to open it, but find that it is locked.  Nifft picks the lock and then opens the door, while Galad stands at the ready with his weapon drawn.  The door opens easily to reveal a treasure room!  5 huge chests are lined up along one wall and 4 large sacks hang on the opposite wall!
    Balrift stands guard at the door while Galad and Nifft enter the room.  As Nifft approaches one the huge chests it suddenly reaches out and tries to strike him!  It is a Mimic!  Nifft quickly backs off and throws a pair of daggers striking it once, while Galad battles it with his axe eventually killing it.  The fight ends, but Balrift reports approaching guards...many by the sounds of it.  Damn!  The chests are far too big to carry, so Nifft and Galad each grab two sacks and race past Balrift for the front gate!  Balrift follows, swiftly hitting the lever as he exits, causing the gate to fall and thus slowing their pursuers.  They run on and eventually catch up to the others at the camp.

Night: Second watch (Galad): Everyone is awakened by a scream!  They rush over to the source and find that one of the former slave folks has been struck in the throat by a dart!  Haf quickly checks him over finding that he is not dead, but unconscious.  Suddenly, another scream is heard!  Khozho quickly runs over to find that another person has been struck by a dart!  He quickly determines the direction of the attack and charges toward the unseen enemy!  At Haf's request, Nifft pulls out the torch and lights it.  Haf pauses only long enough to receive the lit torch from Nifft and then he and Galad follow Khozho.  Khozho sees that there are Drow hiding in the trees firing darts, but before he can act any further he is struck by a dart and falls unconscious.  Haf arrives and begins jabbing at the Drow with his spear.  The scene is very chaotic as some ex-slaves begin to panic and flee!  Meanwhile, Nifft hangs back seeking cover from the darts, while Kyrid tends to the dart victims.  Haf manages to kill a Drow and the remaining slaves rally and swarm forward pulling the dark-elves from the trees.  The Drow are finally defeated!  In the end there are six drow bodies on the ground.  Nifft checks them over, but finds no valuables.  Khozho awakens and the party regroups.  A head count is taken of the ex-slaves.  Eight are missing and one is dead.  Haf is determined to bring back as many ex-slaves as humanly possible...he will go into the woods to find as many as he can!

Episode 7 [Wednesday 27 September 2000]

19 Spring 01 Night (cont.):
-Haf and Khozho search the woods for the ex-slaves
-Haf's torch suddenly blows out as he encounters an apparition of a familiar looking man.
-apparition: "Forget the others, they're already dead.  Why must you interfere?  You've brought your own doom!"
-As the apparition disappears, Haf finally recognizes the voice
-it is that of Melridge, the evil wizard!

-Haf and Khozho fail to find any of the ex-slaves
-they finally return to camp and rest

20 Spring 01 Morning:
-Galad leaves to escort the remaining ex-slave back to Neverwinter
-Balrift guides Haf, Khozho, Nifft and Kyrid back towards the drider's cave
-Khozho intends to present the severed head of Torhl to the dwarven folk (perhaps even to King Midor himself) and thus gain their trust and allegiance

-as the party continues on, Balrift notices a pair of booted feet sticking into the path ahead
-they carefully advance to check it out and discover a dead drow on the edge of the path
-Nifft checks the body over
-he finds a gold medallion (on a gold chain) with Melridge's slaver symbol on it
-oddly, the medallion is warm to the touch
-Nifft checks out the boots also
-Kyrid confirms that they are Boots of Elvenkind (move silently)

-continue on
-enter cave
-follow caves
-encounter dwarf/talk
-dwarf takes them to Dygor
-Khozho shows Torhl's severed head to Dygor (in private chambers)
-Dygor acts strange, leaves
-party waits for Dygor to return
-food is brought
-Khozho eats, but Haf and Nifft are suspicious (after Dygor's odd behaviour)
-Haf avoids eating
-Nifft only eats after observing that Khozho seems to be suffering no ill effects

-Dygor finally returns and agrees to lead the party to the King's secret chamber
-travel and camp in tunnel

21 Spring 01:
-Arrive at King Midor's secret cavern
-Khozho alone is adimtted into King's chamber with head
-Khozho meets King Midor himself
-Khozho presents Torhl's severed head to the King of the dwarves
-Midor is somewhat speechless, but he eventually promises compensation
-leave and begin return journey to dwarf city
-camp in tunnel again

22 Spring 01:
-arrive back at dwarf-city/ eat and rest
-Dygor brings party to the armory where they discuss the reward/compensation
-Haf and Nifft: two dwarven daggers each [+1 non-magic]
-Khozho: dwarven halberd and waizashi (short sword) [both are +1 non-magic weapons]
-also: a locket for each member of the party (Khozho plans to have Kyrid cast Continual Light on the inside of each locket)
-they are also promised enough money to pay for travel to their next destination
-as party discusses details with Dygor they hear murmering from outside armory
-the King is approaching!
-King Midor enters and speaks with Khozho (barely acknowledging the others)
-Midor is very grateful
-Khozho is considered "blood" now!
-King wishes to accompany Khozho on his journey!
-discuss plans

Episode 8 [Wednesday 11 October 2000] [intro Griswald (Andrew S.)]

Meanwhile:
-Ranger Griswald [Andy S.] travels around the realms (making a map)
-As Griswald roasts a deer for dinner [in the bottom part of the same forest that the drow attack happened in (Spring 19 01 [Episode 6]) he encounters Galadried [now NPC] and the slave, and invites them to dinner.
-Galadried introduces himself and the topic of the bags (stolen from Melridge's castle) comes up.
-Galad reveals that they only contain bones and that he has decided that upon arrival at Waterdeep he was planning to turn them over to the local church of Tempus.
-Griswald suggests that perhaps the bones ought to be buried and forgotten.
-Galad agrees. They then part ways, and Griswald realizes that his clothes are wearing
thin.  He has an irresistable urge to visit Neverwinter and perhaps stay for a while.

23 Spring 01:
-Khozho, Haf & Nifft rest while their reward is prepared

24 Spring 01:
-Khozho, Haf & Nifft decide to return to Waterdeep
-Khozho wants to warn the priests (of Tempus) of Melridge's intentions and perhaps destroy the sphere thereby making it useless to Melridge
-Balrift and Kyrid decide to leave party

-dwarves present the Continual Light lockets to Khozho, Haf & Nifft (dwarven priests enchanted the lockets)
-Nifft discovers that his bags (stolen from Melridge's castle) contain only bones!  No valuables!
-Khozho, Haf, Nifft and King Midor leave dwarf-city and travel on foot towards Waterdeep

25 Spring 01:
Khozho, Haf, Nifft and King Midor travel towards Waterdeep

26 Spring 01:
-arrive at Waterdeep
-Khozho warns the High-priest of Melridge's intentions
-High-priest doesn't believe the Sphere of the Kellman is powerful enough for what Melridge wants to use it for
-High-priest informs them that the sphere was sent northward [to where?] the day after the party turned it over to the temple (03 Spring 01 [Episode 2])
-there has been no word from those that carried it northward
-a search/scout party was sent off a week ago - no word from them either

-party intends to set out after the sphere
-Khozho trades the Staff of Striking (after easily wrestling it from Nifft's grasp and them beating the thief over the head with it (Nifft was reluctant to part with a potentially valuable magic weapon!)) for five (shabby) riding horses
-Khozho sells off his old weapons (since he now has the nice new dwarf-made weapons!)
-buy two weeks of traveling rations each (for Khozho, Haf & Nifft; King Midor is on his own!)
-party decides to travel to Luskan first to get their original 3 horses (which were left at the temple of Tempus when they left to break into Melridge's castle through the caves)

Episode 9 [Friday 12 January 2001] [intro Kadran (Eric W.)]

26 Spring 01 (cont.):
-travel towards Neverwinter
-Haf & dwarven King Midor walk along side Khozho & Nifft who ride on horseback (leading 3 extra horses)
-Midor warns Nifft that his boots will not last because they are Drow boots that have now been exposed to daylight
-Midor talks incessantly about Drow and whatnot as party travels on

Night:
-set up camp
-Haf's first watch: Midor excuses himself from campsite
-suddenly, Haf is surrounded by complete darkness - he can't even see campfire
-something brushes against his spear in the unnatural darkness
-he calls out to Khozho and Nifft who awaken to find their own vision normal
-Khozho and Nifft cannot see Haf, only a large sphere of darkness
-they urge him to move around
-Haf moves out of the darkness, turns and levels his spear
-a Drow elf appears!
-Haf engages with the Drow, while Khozho and Nifft move in
-Nifft throws all four daggers at the Drow but misses every time
-Haf & Khozho beat up on the mysterious Drow [100+ points of dam]
-the Drow finally flees into the night
-Nifft retrieves his weapons and searches just outside of the campsite for Midor - he finds nothing
-Khozho checks to see if his light locket cancels out the sphere of darkness - it does!
-rest

27 Spring 01 Morning:
-brief search for King Midor or signs of struggle - nothing
-travel on towards Neverwinter

28-29 Spring 01:
-travel on towards Neverwinter

30 Spring 01:
-arrive in Neverwinter
-Haf & Nifft want to stay overnight and resupply
-go to the Griznuq Inn!
-Khozho gives Nifft & Haf 5 days of food each, from the group fund
-Khozho pays 3 gp for room, food & stabling

-Meanwhile, Kadran & Rölth arrive in Neverwinter after walking 2 days thru forest from Longsaddle
-Kadran & Rölth go to the Griznuq Inn
-innkeeper charges them 5 gp for room (without food, even!)
-Nifft intros himself to Kadran
-talk about murdered priest, Rubalt, in Luskan [first mentioned in Episode 3]
-Kadran and Rölth agree to join party on journey north to Luskan

31 Spring 01:
-Nifft buys new boots (his Drow boots have disintegrated)
-sell one horse for 32 gp (4 horses left)
-travel north towards Luskan all day
-spot smoke on horizon late in day
-approach in evening
-guttural voices can be heard
-Haf & Khozho sneak up to look
-Haf stops and Khozho sneaks closer
-large 6' tall ugly, furry humanoids with dog faces [hobgoblins]
-as party backs off a loud grunt is heard!  They have been spotted!
-flee!
-Khozho & Nifft are each struck in the leg by an arrow!
-ride far off and rest
-Nifft complains about his injury
-Khozho treats it, but Nifft continues to complain

32 Spring 01:
-awaken - Haf watched all night!
-angry armed mob is approaching!
-they plan to attack the camp of approximately 20 hobgoblins!
-Haf is concerned and intends to help them
-entire party goes along (including a reluctant Nifft!)
-mob charges into hobgoblin camp
-party dismounts and also attacks
-Haf and Khozho separate and flank hobgoblins from opposite sides
-Nifft follows in rear of mob with throwing daggers drawn
-hobgoblins are armed with various weapons
-Haf misses
-Khozho injures one - Kadran kills it with Magic Missile
-Nifft hurts himself with a dagger!  Ouch! [crit miss, 2 dam]
-Nifft kills a wounded hobgoblin! [crit 2x max dam!]
-fight continues as Nifft retreats to horse
-Kadran strikes again with another Magic Missile
-Haf kills one!
-Khozho misses and then kills one!  He then misses again
-Kadran takes a hit and then misses
-Haf is hit and then misses
-Khozho strikes and kills one of Kadran's opponents with shuriken
-Khozho then moves in to help with Kadran's last opponent
-Kadran misses
-Haf misses
-Khozho kills Kadran's opponent
-one of Haf's opponents kills self with crit miss
-Haf misses again while others hold back
-Haf misses again
-Haf finally kills last hobgoblin

-25% of villages are dead or injured
-villagers help their wounded
-Khozho helps with cleanup
-Nifft returns to loot dead hobgoblins (18 gp - given to group fund)
-investigate hobgoblin tents
-villagers find a chest full of 3000 gp!
-village leader agrees to split it evenly (120 gp for each person - including shares given to families of the deceased)
-Nifft & Khozho retrieve their thrown weapons

04 Dec 04 Unpublished work © 1998-2001 fraz