Retro Story Hour: (Contact's) Temple of Elemental Evil 2!

YES!

Must...have...cake!

The moral of the story is "stay out of the underwear drawer".

Eight: What Mirror Shall Not Prove the Lie?
(or, "Et tu, Bitchae?")

As the group is sifting through the wreckage of Kelanen's Rest, a new companion arrives. A high-born Lady of Mitrik. From the court of Lady Anne herself comes Lady Amyryth, a Paladin and swordswoman, sent to congratulate the party on their victory over Sir Willam, and aid them in all future endeavors.

Further, Heydricus recruits a wandering mystic by the name of Ren Qi to join the group. Ren Qi, an elven lady of indeterminate age serenely accepts the challenge set before her.

Lady Amyryth has gifts for Lord Henri and Lady Marie, from Anne of Mitrik. The party decides this would be a good opportunity to do a little investigative work and determine who the leak is in Henri's court. After Lucius crafts disguises for Rose, Ren Qi, and himself (the three PCs that have never shown face in Henri's court), Amyryth presents herself to the Lord of Knulb. Lucius is disguised as Amyryth's valet, and the other two are playing ladies-in-waiting.

The four PCs discover immediately that there are spy-holes throughout the Court, a bit strange for the home of a Paladin, but not entirely unheard of. The PCs craft a plan to use the banquet as an excuse to search Lady Marie's room. Their search reveals a secret door leading to a 'behind the scenes' passage that allows a view of all the guests' rooms. When a quick search turns up nothing further, the PCs leave the passage to return to their appointed places at the feast. Hurrying back to his role as a squire, Neither Lucius nor his 'master' Lady Amyryth are present when Rose and Ren Qi decide to go back to Marie's room.

They search the bed and find a hidden dagger that seems otherworldly and disturbingly vile. Startled by the voices of Marie's ladies-in-waiting entering the antechamber, Ren Qi's response is to search the wardrobe. The ladies-in-waiting open the door to find Ren Qi and Rose up to their elbows in the Lady's unmentionables.

Just as Lucius was really starting to get the creeps from the dirty looks Marie kept giving him, the banquet is disturbed by the frantic shrieking of five women. "Thief! Thief! Oh, help us! Thieves in the Lady's room!" The Lord looks embarrassed, and rises to investigate. The entire gathering follows him. Marie whispers malevolently directly into Lucius' mind: "I'll get you for this, Gutter Rat". Caught red-handed, completely unarmed, and surrounded by men-at-arms and Knights, the PCs realize that the Lord's beautiful young wife is the leak.

Henri angrily confronts the PCs with a tone of righteous indignation (as only a Paladin can). The party spits back their accusations about Marie. Marie calls for a champion to defend her honor. Two of the Lord's Paladins, however, back the PCs, and accuse Marie of being a seductress, and Henri of being a cuckold. Obviously, there has been some dissent in the Manor.

Lady Amyryth demonstrates her Paladin abilities, and challenges Henri to do the same. Henri, surprisingly enough, refuses. It comes clear that Henri and his court are Fallen Knights. The Lord's men fall upon the unarmed PCs and their Paladin allies, but the outcome is clear from the beginning. Both Paladins are swiftly rendered unconscious. Lucius flees, running deeper into the Lord's Manse, followed by Ren Qi. After a few rounds of ineffectual fighting, Rose surrenders, as does Lady Amyryth.

A desperate manhunt ensues, with the two Rogues evading their pursuers long enough to arm themselves. Ren Qi drinks her potion of invisibility and slips weapons to her companions. Some clever distractions provide the PCs with an avenue of flight, and they take it, only to be met at the door by a teleporting Lady Marie, who reveals her true form: A beautiful woman of demonic visage, bat wings protruding from her back.. A succubus.

The fleeing PCs rush past the Lady, all save Amyryth, who cannot back down from a fight with a demon. Amyryth is cut down by Marie's men-at-arms.

The party splits up outside the Manor, and flees into the dubious safety of Knulb, which, they realize with a sinking dread, is wrapped quite snugly around Marie's little finger. Ren Qi and Rose narrowly avoid capture, making their way into the woods. Lucius heads to the Orphanage, run by Priests of St. Cuthbert and Pelor, to appeal for aid. He is immediately followed by the Lord Henri, and the remaining Knulb militia.

As the confused High Priestess tries to sort out the truth, Lord Henri and his men attack. The battle is pitched, and just as Henri seems to have won the day, a rag-tag army of Shieldlanders surrounds the orphanage. Directed by the Thieves' Guild, the refugees enter the fray and butcher the Lord of Knulb.

Lucius, never one to stand on honor, tries to sneak out the back way, only to spot a sizeable force of Rogues and wererats (and were-rogues!) slipping up to the Orphanage. He flees, but not before he witnesses their murderous intent.

That night, Knulb is burned to the ground by the forces of Evil. Marie and her demonic brethren are victorious.

Re: The moral of the story is "stay out of the underwear drawer".

(contact) said:

Eight: What Mirror Shall Not Prove the Lie?
(or, "Et tu, Bitchae?")

....That night, Knulb is burned to the ground by the forces of Evil. Marie and her demonic brethren are victorious.

Click to expand...

Yay! The bad guys are victo....what? Hey, wait a minute.......

Re: The moral of the story is "stay out of the underwear drawer".

(contact) said:

The ladies-in-waiting open the door to find Ren Qi and Rose up to their elbows in the Lady's unmentionables.

That night, Knulb is burned to the ground by the forces of Evil. Marie and her demonic brethren are victorious.

Click to expand...

The term "Keystone Adventurers" from a previous episode springs back to mind. I had forgotten how funny the antics of well-meaning players with no regard for their character's/community's safety can be.

Okay, plan B. Kill everything, then move on.

Nine: Alone and Outnumbered, Only the Will to War Remains.
(or, If you thought you had it bad before . . .)

Sneaking around Knulb, and sheltered from Marie's wrath by his amulet of proof against detection and location, Lucius is discouraged and directionless. He feels the game has been lost, and if the party doesn't agree with his methods, he'll go on a killing spree all by himself. In his first order of business, he burns the Waterside in revenge for the Orphanage.

Through kind fortune, Lucius chances across another woman from Lady Anne's court. Anne, through magical means, was aware of Amyryth's death, and teleported one of her personal bodyguards to investigate. Daniere is welcomed, albeit rather wearily, by the despondent Rogue. The duo overhear a rumor that the Shieldlanders plan to attack Verbobonc. They manage to assassinate Dick Rentch before they are forced to flee the burning town.

Returning to the tower to regroup, the two brief their companions on the night's happenings. Shortly thereafter, the PCs' guards warn of a large band of Orcs, humans and worse preparing to assault their base. Irony rears its ugly head, when the PCs are forced to retreat into the only safe place left to them: the backdoor into the Temple of Elemental Evil.

After a sleepless night of paranoid watching, the PCs flee to Hommlet, only to discover that the Cannon was called into council by the Lady Marie the night before, and has gone missing. Lucius cynically informs Calmiir that he should just bury the coffin, as he won't find the body. The PCs council with Andras, and set about fortifying the town against looters from Knulb. Fortunately, fireballs do tend to discourage angry mobs, and other than the burning of outlying farmhouses, Hommlet passes the night relatively unscathed. What few orphans and Good folk survived the Night Knulb Burned find their way to Hommlet.

Aelniir stirs restlessly in his shallow grave, as his initial call to arm all able bodied Hommlet Folk against the growing Evil is finally heeded.

The next morning, the heroes travel to Knulb to assess the damage. The town is mostly burned, and what little remains is being picked over by members of Knulb's Thieves' Guild, the only power group left in town. The party jumps a small gang of thieves, and after questioning a captive determines the following: the Shieldlanders have indeed been marched on Verbobonc, and the Thieves' Guild is almost entirely composed of lycanthropic rogues. Wererats, to be exact.

Re: Okay, plan B. Kill everything, then move on.

(contact) said:

Lucius is discouraged and directionless. He feels the game has been lost, and if the party doesn't agree with his methods, he'll go on a killing spree all by himself. In his first order of business, he burns the Waterside in revenge for the Orphanage.

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This is exactly why Lucius is my favorite character in this game. After having read this story hour entirely, I purposefully modeled a character after this man and had one of the funnest times roleplaying through Undermountain...

This campaign really rejuvinated my love for the game. Encore!

(contact) said:

... Lucius is discouraged and directionless. He feels the game has been lost, and if the party doesn't agree with his methods, he'll go on a killing spree all by himself.

Click to expand...

Yeah! Hell yeah! Whip out that runesword and let Stormbringer feast on the souls of your enemies. Hack people apart until you're drunk with power, then ride off leaving a charnelhouse in your wake.

Oh wait. This isn't the Elric of Melnibone story hour? Er, sorry. My mistake.

All joking aside, this is great stuff. I like that the party is spending only about 50% of its time dungeon-crawling, and the other 50% of its time getting involved in the local plots. Great job, (contact)!

Re: The moral of the story is "stay out of the underwear drawer".

(contact) said:

They search the bed and find a hidden dagger that seems otherworldly and disturbingly vile. Startled by the voices of Marie's ladies-in-waiting entering the antechamber, Ren Qi's response is to search the wardrobe. The ladies-in-waiting open the door to find Ren Qi and Rose up to their elbows in the Lady's unmentionables.

Click to expand...

Yeah! Hell yeah! Whip out that runestaff and bury yourself up to your elbows in ladies' unmentionables! Steal and soil as many as you can until you're drunk with power, then ride off leaving a sorority house in your wake!

Re: Re: The moral of the story is "stay out of the underwear drawer".

(contact) said:

They search the bed and find a hidden dagger that seems otherworldly and disturbingly vile. Startled by the voices of Marie's ladies-in-waiting entering the antechamber, Ren Qi's response is to search the wardrobe. The ladies-in-waiting open the door to find Ren Qi and Rose up to their elbows in the Lady's unmentionables.

Click to expand...

JERandall[/i] Yeah! [u]Hell yeah![/u] Whip out that runesword and let Stormbringer feast on the souls of your enemies. Hack people apart until you're drunk with power said:

Yeah! Hell yeah! Whip out that runestaff and bury yourself up to your elbows in ladies' unmentionables! Steal and soil as many as you can until you're drunk with power, then ride off leaving a sorority house in your wake!

Click to expand...

LOL!

You're a bad, bad man, Wulf.......Good stuff! That's not the past rearing it's ugly head, is it?......

Eeeeeverybody huuuuuuuurts . . . sometimes.

Ten: “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,”
(or, Can’t we just move to Nyrond?)

After several frantic days and sleepless nights, the party determines that they have done all that can be done to help Hommlet protect itself. Heydricus capitalizes on the unfortunate murder of the irascible Canon Turgeon, and re-instates the Town Council, a collection of elders and wise ones disbanded by Turgeon during his rise to power.

During this time, news from abroad filters back to Hommlet. According to travelers, the night after the burning of Knulb, the Lady Marie made an appearance at the gates of Verbobonc. Wounded and bloody, she tearfully told of the sacking of Knulb by the Sheildland refugees, and warned that they were marching on Verbobonc. Then, in full view of many witnesses, the Lady Marie died. Fully prepared, and with a much stronger force, the Verbobonc army marched out to meet the rag-tag refugee band. The Shieldlanders, led to believe that they would be joining the main army of Furyondy, were utterly crushed.

The Lord Mayor’s response to this chain of events was to blame Butrain, and swear that he would never sit the throne of Verbobonc. The claim of Lady Anne was put through, and she now rules the city-state.

As disturbing as this news is, the party’s spirits are lifted by a reunion of sorts. Sweet Pea and Little Leaf return from the forest, ready to once again join the PCs in their struggle against Evil.

Our heroes waste no further time, and against all reason decide to once again assault the Temple through the back door. Some people just don’t learn. Those are usually the ones who don’t make it to 5th level.

They enter an oddly shaped room, with a huge gong in the center, some stairs leading up (to the second level, presumably), and four doors. Listening at one of the doors reveals voices. Loud, booming voices speaking Giantish. Lucius realizes suddenly what this room is, and starts to disable the gong.

Before he can finish, however, one of the doors is opened, and a very startled giant steps out. Ten feet tall, the brute has just enough time to drool and scratch his head before the combined attacks of seven PCs cut him down. His three friends come charging out through the open door, and knock Keriann to the floor. The fighting grows heated, but still seems to be going the PCs’ way, until . . . WHAM! Lucius is reduced to one Hit Point from full strength by one mighty blow. The PCs are getting their first taste of what fighting giants is really like.

Unfortunately, the giants manage to ring the gong, and what should come out of a door but the strangest looking giant yet: 15’ tall, this giant’s facial features are hideously deformed. The beast has several thumbs on one hand, and its nose protrudes from its neck. The party smells ‘leader’ but before they can act, two more of the smaller giants emerge from the third door.

Things get ugly. Lucius has enough time left in his young life to hit a giant with a poisoned crossbow bolt, weakening the hulking wretch greatly, before the giant makes the party wish they had used dog tags to identify the dead. There is not enough left of Lucius for his mother to recognize.

Keriann fights valiantly, exhausting Suhi’s Staff of Striking before she too, is killed by a sword blow from one of the Giants. There is a brief glimmer of hope that fades as the fourth and final door opens, revealing four more of the giants coming out to play. As the party’s hit points start falling into the “one-more-hit-and-I’m-fertilizer” range, PCs begin looking to flee.

Little Leaf uses an invisibility spell from a ring, and Sweet Pea hides behind an obscurement spell. Ren Qi, Daniere and Heydricus fall back into the hallway, and pepper the confused monsters with missile fire. This strategy proves so effective, with four of the beasts fixated on finding Sweet Pea, that by the time the obscurement spell fades, only two giants remain alive. The three heroes down the corridor lure the formorian leader away from the room, and the two wood elves finish off the other giant.

A titanic game of cat and mouse ensues, with the mice playing the role of the cat. The formorian, stupid to its core, waffles confused between the two groups of archers at either end of the corridor. By the time it decides to just go ahead and pulverize Daniere, Heydricus and Ren Qi have escaped. The formorian is severely wounded, and on returning to its room, the wood elves decide to try and finish the discourse once and for all. Little Leaf bravely stands up to the thing, and hopefully will have secured a fine place in Arborea for himself with his last act. Sweet Pea would want to put silver coins on the eyes of her dead comrade, but the eyes were vaporized along with the rest of Little Leaf’s head.

But Little Leaf is the last PC to die that day, as Sweet Pea delivers the Coup de Grace with her bow, Solaniir Thalendera’s sacred weapon. The wounded PCs take stock, search the giant’s quarters, and retreat to the surface.

As a last, spiteful act, Heydricus empties all of Lucius’ poison vials into the giant’s stewpot, then leaves it out at the entrance of their lair. “Here wandering monster! Here boy!”