High Level Campaign Chronicles Book 2

After several weeks of enjoying the high life in Mitrik, the party was invited to stay at the chateau of the enigmatic Dame Gold. Zephyr, Godfrey, Karamel, Alent, Ramdale, Dundre, Wonnilon, Radroak and Arnie accepted. The journey took several days. At the chateau the characters were feasted and, when well satisfied, the Dame asked them to deliver a unique potion to her sick son, who lived an ocean voyage away and would die without it. The journey was a perilous one, hence her request. The PCs accepted, and the next day boarded ship.

Shortly after the departure, Wonnilon and Ramdale had the last of a series of arguments. The gnomish fighter-scout quit the party in disgust, and rowed ashore. A day or so after leaving, the PCs noted smoke rising from the direction of the chateau and returned to find empty ruins. There were few bodies and no valuables, but the attackers seemed to have departed by sea.

(5/2/89) Without clues, the PCs determine to fulfil the dame's wishes by delivering the elixir. That night, however, the PCs were attacked by boarders from another ship. Stealth permitted the slave traders to capture everyone and confiscate all equipment. The PCs never again saw the animals they'd brought aboard, or Radroak (who'd been on watch). Once the PCs were safely bound and guarded, their captors picked over their equipment, kicking the rest over the side (it fell into an unseen net, for later sale). Among the items purloined were Godfrey's prized sword, Ramdale's spellbooks, and the evil Yellowskull which Zephyr had warded. Their ship, with a prize crew, sailed away.

The ship they were confined to was the Ghoul, it's captain the ruthless elf Girana. Employing her shape-shifting powers, Zephyr slipped her bonds and spied on him, to discover that he communicated by magic with an individual whom Girana respectfully called Stalman Klim.

While still at sea, the PCs made a desperate unarmed attempt to overcome their guards. Unfortunately they failed, and most of them were grievously wounded.

Several days later, the Ghoul put into the ugly city of Highport. While the crew was occupied with docking, the PCs staged a successful breakout. While it seemed that perhaps the escape had been permitted - some of their equipment was found, very easily - no-one stopped to ruminate. Fighting their way to the upper deck, Arnie, Dundre and Ramdale gained the shore, while the other PCs attempted to break through to the aftercastle, where the balance of their gear was. The arrival of enemy reinforcements from the shore pinned the PCs between them and the well-armed ship's officers.

The trio of heroes on the shore charged back into the fray. This counterattack allowed the main body of the party to reach the wharf, and the group then fled into the city and temporary safety. The bodies of Dundre and Arnie, though, lay bloodied and limp on the gore-slicked decks of the well-named Ghoul.

In a rough tavern, the Broken Rudder, the group took refuge from the streets of the savage city - Sir Godfrey, Karamel, Zephyr, Alent and Ramdale. Seeking menial employment to pay for food and shelter, they rested up and licked their wounds. Meanwhile, they sought information.

The Slavers, whose red-sailed ships are a feared image in the region, apparently had a headquarters in the city, beneath the ruined great temple of Highport (sacked when the city was conquered by humanoid tribes a decade ago). The PCs determined to enter the stronghold in search of recompense and revenge. Entering the ruins, the adventurers sacked much of the upper level (killing the minor Slave Lord Solipse, and driving another, Sturm Blucholz the illusionist, from the place) before Sir Godfrey looked a basilisk in the eye and was made stone. The party retreated, and the following day Ramdale bargained for the paladin's restoration to flesh from a local magician, one Braksis. That mage demanded from the PCs most of what they'd taken from the ruins in return.

(12/5/90) While resting at the Broken Rudder, the PCs encountered two solitary adventurers - the necromancer Contajen, and the half-elf warrior-purloiner Hubert Dinklehoffen. Each was searching for loved ones taken by the Slave Lords, and common cause was made with them. But that night, the rooms occupied by sleeping PCs were broken into by a band of ant-men and ogres, led by the illusionist Sturm Blucholz. A brutal room-to-room melee broke out, and when it ended the PCs were bloodied and shaking, but the ogres and even the illusionist lay slain. One ogre, however, escaped to tell the tale.

The PCs returned to the slave pits, where Godfrey turned a wight and led the PCs slaughtering orc and ogre guards. Godfrey threw Alent in a killing blow to the orc witchdoctor. Zephyr, ringed by a wall of flame, immolated the orcs and ogres of the home caverns, and slew every last one including the chieftain. Victorious, but badly injured, the PCs retired.

(18/5/90) Entering the ruined Highport Temple for the third and last time, the PCs were ambushed by orcs, ant-men and ogres. The PCs counterattacked and left no ambusher alive. The found and killed the ant-queen, and entered the chambers of the late Sturm Blucholz. A half-orc, Ogrek, who had assumed his position, fled. But in the chambers the PCs found documents detailing the Slavers' activities. A curious letter hinted at some conspiracy between Sturm and a slave lord called Edralve, for some malign purpose. Directions also pinpointed the fortress-waystation of the Slave Lords on the road to their secret stronghold. Thus informed, the PCs left the dungeon.

The next morning, Zephyr employed magic to return to Verbobonc. In that city, she focussed the Mirror Of Mental Prowess which once had been the mage Senshock's on Highport, and through it the other PCs also entered Verbobonc.

In the central city of Veluna the PCs were revitalised, and their equipment much improved. Prepared, they returned to Highport for the march to the fortress in the wilderness. That journey was a perilous one, through rugged country home to powerful bands of humanoids, but a mixture of tough talk, violent assault carried them through. It was evident that the local tribes were accustomed to travellers, for most were prepared to grant passage in return for coin.

Chapter 10: Sacking the Fortress

(24/6/90) Having reached the Slavers' Stockade, the PCs disguised themselves magically as Sturm Blucholz and his minions. Entering they well-armed stockade in this guise, their ruse was penetrated by Ogrek the half-orc, who knew both of Sturm's death and recognised the PCs. Ogrek gave the alarm before he was killed by Zephyr and Karamel. The PCs penetrated the dungeons and defeated many creatures, but Contajen and Sir Godfrey fell in battle. The survivors (bearing the bodies of their fallen) captured Icar the blind warrior, and employed him as a hostage for their safe conduct out. Once free, they released him, and escaped magically to Verbobonc before their pursuers could catch them.

In Verbobonc the dead were restored. However, in the interval before Contajen was raised, Ramdale pilfered his spellbooks, and copied all of the spells he didn't have. Contajen did not discover the theft.

(30/6/90) Since the Mirror of Mental Prowess could be focussed to show places the owners had been, the party then used it to enter the Slaver's fortress directly. Liberating the 147 captive slaves, the PCs brought to bay the minor Slave Lord Markessa, and slew her. Other defeated enemies included Icar, Blackthorn the ogre mage, and a band of drow who were encamped by an entrance to dungeons still deeper - but which the PCs elected not to explore. The surviving hobgoblin guards, under the command of the unusually intelligent ogre Executioner, parleyed with the PCs, and eventually departed the fortress unmolested. Among the loot, the PCs found many documents, some of which revealed the location of the Slave Lord's ultimate stronghold - the hidden city of Suderham.

Chapter 11: Captured Again, and the Climactic Battle

(7/7/90) Returning to Verbobonc and S.M.A.R.T., the party discovered that Serten had temporarily departed, replaced by the bean-counter Peep, who made big and unpopular changes. Zephyr quit S.M.A.R.T. as a result, and travelled to the Eastern Protectorate, where she defeated a druid in single combat, to achieve name level. Shortly thereafter, she acquired as followers the initiate druids Althea, Mallow and Sphagnum.

The other PCs met Illum, a strange female illusionist, whom they enlisted to replace Contajen, who had departed following another lead to his lost loved ones. Prepared for their journey to Suderham, the PCs entered the magical mirror.

Shortly after their arrival near the abandoned wilderness fortress, it was found that the mirror's invisible doorway had vanished - something had evidently happened to the mirror. Angered, but unwilling to give up their current mission, they continued toward Suderham without their "back door". A series of caverns were found, which would seem to lead into the Slave Lords' secret valley. After defeating a number of odd creatures, they were confronted by horrific apparitions - phantoms created by the minor Slave Lord, illusionist Wimpell Frump. His illusions dispelled, the old man fled.

Beyond the caves lay the secret valley. In the valley was a lake, on the lake an island, and on the island - the city of Suderham. Zephyr, in bird's shape, flew over the city while the others stayed hidden in the caves. Assuming the guise once more of Sturm Blucholz and his minions, the group travelled to the city and walked its busy streets, gathering information (but carefully!). Clues led them into sewers beneath the streets, and thence into ancient catacombs. The party avoided fearful snares (Ramdale trusted to his Cloak of Survival, and was immolated; he lived, but the cloak became ash). They fought difficult battles, and at last arrived in the lair of the Council of Nine, the master Slaver Lords.

(21/7/90) The Slaver Lords were Eanwulf the barbarian, Nerelas the seductive assassin, Theg Narlot, orc-woman and killer, phantasmist Lamonsten the Lazy, Ajakstu the dark tribal-scarred magician, Edralve the drow, Slippery Ketta the master thief, Stalman Klim (priest of dark forces), and the inscrutable monk Milerjoi. But these Slavers were not taken unawares - for long anticipating the PCs' arrival, they were prepared. Springing their trap, the PCs were rendered helpless, and once more fell into humiliating bondage.

Stripped of their gear once more, bound and locked into secure cells, the PCs were visited over several days by the Slaver Lords, singly and in groups. The Slavers came to jeer. Many attempts to escape were made, and all were easily foiled. Then, without so much as a rusty dagger, they were released into the Slaver Lords' own dungeon, to perish helpless beneath the fangs and claws of its inhabitants. Was this the ignominious end of our heroes?

It was not. Improvising from a few scattered scraps and discards, the PCs explored. Surviving against the odds, they encountered a strange race of fungus-men, called Myconids. The Myconids also hated the Slaver Lords, and agreed to help the PCs. With their aid, a hidden exit from the caves was found and exploited.

The PCs found themselves on a hillside overlooking the city. Above, them, the top of the hill was exploding! The "hill", a volcano, was in full eruption. The earth shook, the air was filled with noxious vapours, and fire and rock rained down from above.

The heroes found the city of Suderham a chaotic mass of confusion, the streets jammed with the subjects of the Slaver Lords, all now desperate to escape. All were eager to reach the docks. The PCs, better able (if not better armed) than the common throng, pressed through toward the few ships. The scene on the docks was terrible: people were offering all their belongings, or committing murder, for the sake of a place on the ships. Meanwhile, ruthless men with drawn blades defended the boats against the swell of the crowd. Across the panic, the PCs saw the Slaver Lords boarding one vessel, taking with them many a casket filled with their profits from living flesh.

Immediately all thought of escape was replaced by one of attack. The PCs squared off, and the alert Slave Lords prepared themselves. The two groups met in a dirty-fighting free-for-all. Spells and blades flew, poison dripped and spattered, bodies groaned and fell or were clove asunder. Eanwulf, Theg Narlot and Milerjoi's martial skills could not withstand the righteous fury of Sir Godfrey, Karamel and Alent the dwarf. The treacherous tricks of Nerelas and Ketta were no match for the cold-blooded Hubert. And the incantations of Lamonsten, Ajakstu, and the deadly rivals Edralve and Stalman Klim could not resist the repeated spellfire of Ramdale, Zephyr, and Illum.

Lamonsten, grey with fear, cast Invisibility on himself and Fly to cross the lake, retreating out of range of missiles. Ajakstu changed into the shape of a lake gull and likewise flew off, leaving his fellow-Slave Lords to their fate. The remaining Slave Lords tasted death. Aboard the Slave Lords' barge, the PCs found chained in the hold their patroness, Dame Gold! Although Hubert's parents were not found, the barge also contained much of the villains' plunder, including all the PCs' stolen possessions. After rifling through this, Zehyr employed a magical feather token to create a Swan Boat, which carried them and their rescued friends to safety. From the far side of the lake, it was forty days afoot, plus five by boat, which saw them all safely returned to Verbobonc.

In Verbobonc, if was found that the wicked enchanter, Senshock, had stolen the PCs' mirror from S.M.A.R.T., aided by a monstrous dragon. Godfrey received a letter from his father, Baron Kerran of Irland, which told of troubles for his father, and Godfrey (with Karamel and his other followers, some of whom had been waiting in Verbobonc to join his banner) immediately departed for Irland.

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