Comparing versions of The Trial of the Champions
Showing changes between February 28, 2023 at 8:57:58 pm (crossed out) and February 28, 2023 at 8:59:09 pm (underlined)
* 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.
They encounter a room with an archaic statue, similar in appearance to Isabella, Goddess of Love. In her outstretched palms are two scrolls of similar appearance. There is a grating in the ceiling and sunlight floods down along with the sounds of laughter and the chink of money changing hands.Kethran knocks off one scroll with a pole and reads it carefully, it is a scroll of Protection from Evil. Fagen reads the other and is cursed. The magic conversely making the wizard more vulnerable to the wicked. There is much laughter at his misfortune echoing from above. Sir Hugh leads on to the north.
chest vicious teeth spring out from the wood and chop his hands in two.off. The thing scuttles offaway to the westwest, unmolested by our horrified heroes. Poor Sir Hugh quickly loots his corpse for the silver andKethran orders <his man> to wear the noblesnoble's plate armour, a task
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.
The now blind Dirk leads them to an ancient thrown room where a seated rotting corpse wears a golden crown. Our heroes remain excessively suspicious and refuse to touch the treasure. To the east they can hear the crowds chanting "Codgers! Codgers! Codgers!" Dirk fumbles with his fingers but finds a small switch behind the chair and opens a secret door with stairs leading upwards. There is an empty barracks and the sound of guards at their leisure beyond. The watchmen are ambushed, but appear to be a gang of champion body builders, such is their constitutions, and are not easily overcome. Grimgor holds the warriors off while the scholars, now without any magic and badly wounded flee. Dirk is left to his fate as he stumbles about in the barracks room. 2 guards sent down to chase are ambushed with lucky shots back in the throne room.
