Comparing versions of The Trial of the Champions
Showing changes between February 28, 2023 at 8:56:53 pm (crossed out) and February 28, 2023 at 8:57:58 pm (underlined)
* Grimgor a barbarian out of the Valkoth Wastes. He has steel gray eyes and rippling muscles. He speaks little.
* Dirk, a short fellow with beady eyes, from Fosnak by accent.
Memories come flooding back to the companions... They had been visiting at Blackrock during Festival Week, staying at a less than salubrious establishment called the Swaying Donkey Inn. The Trail of Champions, a deadly challenge beneath the city, was much discussed by the patrons and considered the highlight of the celebrations. The ruler, BaronHukhumvit, offered a purse of 2,000 gold crowns to anyone to survive his dungeon. That same evening Vahlok the innkeeper, a mean pig faced man, was uncharacteristically generous with his sweet wine. Our party concludes foul play has lead them to play the Baron's deadly game.
Sir Hugh a friendly, if guileless, knight naturally concludes he must command and our elderly wizards are happy for him to lead. He follows a helpful white arrow painted on the floor, pointing north, ignoring exits to the east and west. Grimgor pads silently behind the group. Meanwhile, Dirk and Zorba seem to have slipped away.
Evil. Fagen reads the other, itother and is a cursed scroll,cursed. The magic conversely making the wizard laughter at his misfortune echoing from above. Sir Hugh
Next is a wide room, perhaps once a great dining hall. 6 small chests sit on 6 large stone tables. The chests appear new, while the tables are from a long forgotten age. The knight casually opens a container and is rewarded with handfuls of silver coins. Everyone else stands well back but gives no word of caution to the oblivious Sir Hugh. Unfortunately for the brave man, as he reaches inside the 5th chest vicious teeth spring out from the wood and chop his hands in two. The thing scuttles off to the west unmolested by our heroes. Poor Sir Hugh stumbles about spraying blood and screaming in agony before collapsing dead. Fagen quickly loots his corpse for the silver andKethran orders <his man> to wear the nobles plate armour, a task done without complaint.
Keen to avoid the creature the eastern route is taken, down a narrow,steepflight of steps. Fagen throws the corpse of Sir Hugh down the stairs, the body tumbles down into the darkness out of sight. This route is soon revealed to be into a catacomb, with skulls and mouldy bones piled into stacks in various alcoves. The troops overhears the grizzly sound of rending of flesh up ahead andSteff the Unbeaten is ordered in front. He reveals a low ceilinged room and two sets of blood red eyes. The heroes quickly pile in and dispatch the ghoulish creatures with sword and bow.
It is determined the southern exit has a slight whiff of wholesome air, and the company take that path up out of the graveyard. After 20 minutes of trudging a t-junction is reached, from the east a man, possibly Dirk the thief, is crying in agony. Keen to avoid his ugly fate the mages take the western path which leads them into a circular room with a sandy floor. The floor has odd S shaped marks all over and the ceiling has 4 metal trapdoors. Fagen sends Steff to investigate and observes some small movement in the roof. A light spell reveals a pair of eyes peering from above. <Kethrans man> also enters and at that point the trapdoors are thrown open, blasting light and noise into the dungeon, and 4 baskets are tossed down. From out of the baskets slither dozens of snakes, Steff is bitten and dies writhing in agony. In angry Fagen shoots a toothless old man who is grinning from the skylight above. He tumbles into the pit, wounded but alive, only to be horribly killed by the serpents. The crowd is much amused and there are occasional shouts of "Go Codgers!" <Kethrans man>'s new plate armour protects him from the snakes for a little while until one slides up the unfortunate man's legs. Flaming brands are applied to force the snakes back and now successfully corralled are shot with arrow and dart.
Being annoyed by Grimgor's insistence staying at the back of the pair demand he lead. The barbarian shrugs, nods and immediately walks towards where Dirk's cries ones emanated. The rogue is found slowly dying, some acid having sprayed onto his face after falling victim to a trap. He splutters out knowledge of hidden secrets he alone is party too. Reluctantly healing potions are applied and as Dirk recovers he explains the Baron will never pay the prize, the competition is impossible, however there is a secret door that the animal handlers and guards use which can be accessed to freedom. The thief explains he is a freedom fighter and plans to escape show the baron for the fraud he is and win over the restive crowds with the help of his organisation.
