The cavernous hallway branched to the southwest and north. They found the northern passage blocked by a massive set of iron doors with a triple-ascending lock mechanism. Spider webs clogged the passage the other way. They put themselves on guard while Chopper began picking the lock. After his fifth or so failure, three panic-stricken orcs burst from the webbed stalagmites. There were four giant scarlet funnel spiders in pursuit from behind them. Without much trouble, they put down the red skull masked orcs somewhat mercifully and dispatched the spiders quickly as well.
Back to the locks, Chopper picked them less than an hour later. The hallways beyond appeared lifeless and abandoned. Probably for years. With the immediate area seemingly secure, the party re-locked the doors and investigated the next immediate threat: the spiders.
The webbed passage continued farther than any of them could see. In front of them, they saw a steel bridge ripped and melted in some areas but still intact about 20 feet above. Spider webs draped the whole thing. There were passageways on both sides of the bridge – each was web-filled. An epic battle followed. Ten more giant funnel spiders destroyed along with a gigantic mother spider. Spider goo dripped from everywhere. Not a single spider bite amongst them thanks to well-used sleep spells.
The gigantic spider came from the southern way, so that is where they investigated next. The next room bathed in a dull blue light emanating from the pillars that surround the map scribed on the floor.
There is a matching light at locations on the floor next to each pillar seemingly matching sets. The map rendering is accurate though rough. It is 50 x 15 feet in an oval.
The center dot is the Keep they can plainly see. The wizards read the dwarven scripted labels for the others:
• The southwest dot reads “Harhassan’s Tower”. It is glowing.
• The southeast dot reads “Falon Castle”. It is glowing.
• The northeast dot says “Sulzannarg Lighthouse”. It is glowing.
• The northwest reads “Gnomeport Dock” but is not glowing.
• The last is in the middle of the maps and reads: “The Keep”. It glows as well.
One of the party members touches the pillar representing the keep. Indeed, they find the device teleports one to the open rooftop above the Castellan’s chamber. Back to the group they made their way out of the teleportation chamber and back to the triple-locked doors.
Beyond the doors, they found the secret underground base for the original Keep’s creator: Castellan Ogden. The base was ghostly quiet. Many discoveries and quiet rooms waited: an armory and training area, bedrooms, a privy, a meeting room, treasure room, and, oh yeah, an evil temple with an active gate to the abyss and a trapped Xolotl demon that slaughtered Ogden and two others in his party. However, we get ahead of ourselves.
Before the party moved on the evil temple to confront the demon, two important events occurred: The party discovered the bones Ogden’s Curate: Theseus. There found a poisoned dagger in his back. Then the spirit of Theseus spoke to Nilbog. He explained what this place was and how a band of dwarves help build it and the keep. He told of their wizard Shang Macrobius’ treachery. The gate built and demon summon while Ogden’s party fault against an invasion of giants from the southern hills. Ogden and band never had a chance in melee with the demon. Nilbog saw that the bones were properly laid to rest in the keep boneyard. He feels Theseus will speak to him again.
The second important event is they told the entire story to the current Castellan. There was no hesitation; he offered his personal services in battle. Along with four of his sergeants, they all took to the deep to engage this demon. They burst through the sealed door alerting who knows who and entered Shang’s secret place. They saw the thing, a ten-foot humanoid monstrosity with emerald skin. It was a muscular nightmare with claws of jade, his neck ended in a glistening orifice ringed with razor-sharp teeth and four pale blue tentacles. Droplets of lavender-scented saliva clung to his neck and dripped down his chest. The demon diseased all the humans right off; they all began bleeding from every orifice. If not for epic the wizard’s epic magic missiles and a thunderous holy bolt summoned by Nilbog, the battle could have been much worse for them. The only one who had a chance to be hit was the Castellan who tripped and fell face first 20 feet away in front of it.
After slaying the thing, Nilbog had to lay hands on all the bleeding humans. Blood was everywhere. He did not make it to the sergeants in time. All four perished. After the battle, they searched the odd cavern and wondered how Ogden could not have known. The found powerful magic items belonging to the former Keep leaders. The current Castellan offered the underground base and any treasure found in it for the party’s allegiance. The keep now needs protection from below and fears what might be waiting.
The names of the originators of the keep are:
Castellan Ogden - Paladin
Curate Theseus - Cleric of Mitra
Shang Macrobius – The Corrupted Wizard
Captain Jeddak - Ogden’s right-hand
Dugar the Delver – Security…
3/15/14
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