The Wicked Spiral

Heading north down the tunnel, the party soon came to a small room, if you can call it that. It was really just a T-section in the tunnel with the corners dug out. From the eastern branch several dire rats greeted them, but were quickly dispatched when the group set up on either side of the tunnel and shredding them as they ran through.  Taking the same eastern branch, after a bit of winding back and forth, it ended in a large cavern. A single rust monster greeted them, but was quickly put down, only taking a common longsword of Froderick’s he was smart enough to employ instead of any of the good armor.

Having hit a dead end, they headed back and continued down the north tunnel, which winded around a bit and finally ended at a wooden door. Scoot picked the lock and soon the group was through… except for the cleric Johannes. Before he could make it through the door shut and a heavy beam fell across it, trapping the rest of the group on a ledge before a 100 ft. drop. The ledge was only 5 ft. so there was not enough room to get a running start to clear the 10 ft. span. This made them excellent targets for the Derro on the other side with their poisoned crossbows. After several futile attempts at trying to move the beam, Johannes finally gave in and got the fighters to break down the door. That gave the group enough room for a running start (though Scoot had already made it across by this point, Vorliss had failed – twice). Having depleted one cartridge of bolts and with Scoot and dog across the pit, the mad dwarves moved in to melee. Scoot held his own, taking down two by the time the fighters were across and finishing the others.

Gained:

• Experience (each): 150 (rats), 200 (rust monster), 1200 (derro)
• 100 gp, everburning torch, 2 flasks of holy water, 6 light repeating crossbows, 12 cartridges (6 empty, 5 full, 1 w/ 4 arrows), 5 vials of greenblood poison

The second day escorting the caravan went smoother. A couple of half-orcs were mending their broken wagon in the afternoon, and soon after the party arrived in Krismorel. After parting ways with the merchant, they were approached by Sheldon Cain who set the group and their mounts up for the night in hit stables.

Partway through the night a a few thugs visited the stables, but Sheldon, having been notified by his network of contacts, was able to whisk the group away quick enough. Unfortunately, Froderick’s horse was killed when the bandits found nothing.

The next day the party located Steelhand, a master armorsmith, and contracted him to create a light suit of small dragonhide armor and a pair of gloves. In exchange for the rest of the dragonhide he offered them half off.

With that settled the group asked around for any information about bandits, specifically ones with a fancy belt like the ones that attacked the little town north of the forest. One of the leatherworkers told them it looked like it might have been crafted by a friend of his, a dwarf in the underground city in the mountains to the east. So they set off.

Along the way the encountered a roving band of highwaymen. They warily passed two on the road, but were ambushed by another two wizards in the trees nearby, as well as 8 others, including 3 rangers. The party managed to put two to sleep and dispatch the rest. Once the fight was over Johannes charmed one and got him to lead them to a nearby camp in the woods.

Continuing on, the group reached an abandoned town at a crossroads in the foothills before the mountains. While looking around for anything magical or otherwise, Johannes fell when a tunnel collapsed. A swarm of rats immediately surged out of the darkness, but the group managed to clean them out.