Descent into the Depths of the Gold Star Anime Part I

Cast of Characters
Bob – The Wizard, 3rd level Human Thothian Mage
Seth – Dunnigan, 4th level Dwarven FighterJohn – Hazar, 6th level Human Thug
John (“the other John”)– Alaghazar, 3rd level Human Thothian Mage
Jerry (“big Jerry”) – Janus, 4th level Elven Cleric (female)
Jerry (“little Jerry”) – Hunter, 4th Level Halfling Fighter

Ted and two sons could not make but we picked up two new players Bob and Seth. We spend a few minutes rolling up their characters and we were ready to go. Little Jerry and the Other John returned as well providing much need manpower.

Note: Some portion of the maps below have been eliminated as not to reveal unexplored areas.

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The game picked up where last left it, the part staring down a flight of stairs leading into darkness. After lighting some lanterns the descent began. First they ran into a short hallway with six doors, three on either side.

Janus immediately cast a Find Traps which revealed that the entire roof of Room #4 was unstable. The players poked around each room and finding in most nothing more than molded remains of casks, and crate. In Room 2 there were various frescoes of the god Silvanus in his healing aspect and a 20 foot by 10 foot spring fed pool filled the back. After careful examination Janus determined that the pool was slightly magical and was able to draw 4 bottles of healing potions from it. While poking around in Room #6 Dunnigan, the dwarf fighter, uncovered a dug out passaway leading deeper into the dungeon.

They passed through a large room 40' by 40' that was dug out and before them they saw the magnificence of a temple of Silvanus. At the temple's nave the party saw an altar. Caring little for the glories around him Dunnigan immediately made for the altar however a unstable pillar fell over nearly crushing him. After that the party proceeded much more cautiously with Hunter carefully checking each pillar.

Alagazar wandered the room looking at the various frescos including a series depicting Silvanus marrying one of the four handmaiden of Dannu, goddess of healing, crops, and the hearth, each season. He was heard saying, "He is a lucky guy."
While Janus and other party member examined the altar, the Wizard (Bob) decides to open the door to the southwest and take a look around. After finding a four way intersection he came back. Bored with looking at Janus praying at the altar, Hazar, Janus, and Dunnigan decide to look beyond the Southeast door.

There they found the remains of the Vestry but the over powering stench of thousands of rat droppings nearly caused them keel over in nausea. Before they could leave the room they heard the chittering of rats coming from the tunnels. Reacting instantly Hunter and Hazar exited the room and slammed the door.

Only to realize a minute later that Dunnigan was still on the other side of the door. When ten Giant Rats emerged Dunnigan bellowed and attack. However even his vaunted fighting skill could not defend against so many and he took many wounds. The party hearing the commotion came down and rushed in to help Dunnigan. However the next wave of Giant Rats emerged from the tunnels and after hacking them down still more came including some Rats of Unusual Size (Monstrously Huge Rats). The party thought discretion was the better part of valor and retreated spiking the door shut.

After regrouping and some healing the party headed out the southwest door and went to the intersection that the Wizard discovered.

The party tried the door to room #9 first and after opening they found the remains of the high priest's bedroom. After a careful search all they could find was a chest filled with the high priest's vestments and ritual items used in the ceremonies in the temple. While the rest of the party groused at the lack of treasure, Janus was very happy with the find.

Meanwhile the Wizard gets bored and wandered over to Room #10 and opens the door. In there he finds the remains of the Wizards Bedroom. Spying an intact cabinet he rushes over and opens it, while looking through it's content two Giant Ticks attack him both scoring at hit. Staggering to the door the Wizard manages to kill one with an iron spike but the other one continued suck his life blood causing to fall at the doorway. The rest of the party rushes over and kills the last Giant Tick before he dies.

After Janus' heals the Wizard with some rituals (and no encounters as they take ten minutes each). The cleric searches the room. In a pile of broken bottles he finds an intact potion of polymorph self, and under an over turned table he finds a single bottle with Vis infused water in it. Vis is magic in a pure form and allows a caster to use one of his memorized spells without losing it.

While the searching and healing is going on, Alagazar, the other mage in the party, decides to search to the south. He finds a strange circular hallway and a door in front of him.

He opens the door and see before him a circle with unique arcane symbols. After careful examination Alagazar realizes that this is a teleport circle. A mage memorizing this could use this as a target of the 4th level spell Limited Teleport. Every teleport circle has a unique design to allow the use of this spell.

Excited he calls over the party and shows the circle to the Wizard and Janus. The rest of the party decided not hang around. Dunnigan and Hunter circle counter clockwise to check the door to the west, while Hazar goes clockwise to check the door to the east.

Hunter and Dunnigan open the door after checking for traps and finds a short hallway that ends in the back of a secret door. Before they can do anything they hears the screams of terror from Hazar.

Hazar likewise checks his door and when he opened it he saw a tableau of horror, a pack of ten ghoul gnawing on the remains of humans and humanoids. He quickly shuts the door and attempts to spike it closed. But the pack of ghouls rip the door to shreds in their hunger. Alagazar quickly orders the door to Room 11 shut as Hazar come barreling in with seven Ghouls behind him.

The other three ghouls go in the opposite direction only to run into Dunnigan and Hunter leaving their hallway. Despite a valiant fight the two were brought down by the ghouls paralyzing touch. Over in Room #11, Janus order the door opened and Alagazar quickly complies. Janus presents the symbol of Silvanus and orders the Ghouls to begone. They howled and started to rush in. Dumbfounded Janus stood there slack jawed as Hazar quickly reacted to shut the door.

After a few minutes of "What the hell were you doing." and some "But, but, it should have worked." The foursome came up with a new plan. The door opened again and the Alagazar cast web binding the ghouls in the hallway. Some oil and a torch caused a small inferno the killed several of the ghouls. Maddened the remainder rushed into the room.

Even burned the remaining Ghouls nearly proved the party's undoing. After several rounds only Hazar was left standing and his agility and deftness with a dagger kept him away from the Ghoul's paralyzing touch. The last ghouls fell under his blades. Hazar retrieved Dunnigan and Hunter from where the Ghoul took them to feasted on them and shut the door.

Continued in Part II.