"and then there were seven" -- Delve #15

After learning of the Quest of the "Twelve Delvers" (now down to eight), the blind healer, Agnar, decided to stay on at The Laughing Owl and to minister to the Delvers.

Today's Delvers:

• Ragnorf  --  male 3rd lvl Dwarf; AC-2; HP- 26-1=> 25; mace
• Dleps  --  male 2nd lvl Dwarf; AC- 1; HP- 20; battle axe
• Sperl  --  female 2nd lvl Halfling; AC- 4; HP- 11; short bow, dagger

After obtaining healing, the party decided to return to Entrance E, go past the doors to rooms 32/33 and explore the corridor that turned south.  They then came to a "T" intersection.  The western corridor looked like it might join up with the room with the mysterious glowing statues . . . so the party tried the east door.

It opened easily as the party surprised a half-dozen Orcs apparently gambling (well they were crouched in a circle throwing bones, with a bunch of coins on the floor) . . . so the Dwarves charged and Sperl loosed an arrow, wounding one.

Dleps' battle axe cleaved one in two, although Ragnorf's mace was deflected . . . but when the party won the initiative his next blow killed his orc; and Sperl's second arrow finished off the one she'd wounded.  Unfortunately other orcs hit Dleps for 5 points of damage and Sperl for 6!

But the rest of the fight went the party's way as they finished off the orcs with only Sperl taking any more damage and that only a single point.  First aid was applied and it game the Hobbit a bit of relief (one hp back) although it did nothing noticeable for Dleps.  The coins the orcs were gambling over were mostly small stuff . . . but they amounted to some 8 gp in value.  In addition, Sperl picked up a rune-covered dagger that she liked the looks of.

Proceeding through the south door, the next room (#36) was empty of occupants . . . but the floor was a huge mosaic depicting Lizardfolk apparently torturing Goblins.  In addition there was a great bell hanging from the ceiling and the wall appeared to be dripping blood.

 Exiting through the western door, the delvers found a long corridor that ended in a "T" with doors both north and south.  Opting for the north door, they surprised more orcs . . . five of them, but quickly only four as Sperl put an arrow where it would do the most good.

Oh oh . . . one of the orcs (who won initiative) appeared to be casting some sort of spell. . . . fortunately it had no effect (the Hobbit and both Dwarves made their saving throws vs Sleep).

The party fended off the orcs physical attacks with Ragnorf killing one only to take 5 points of damage from a Magic Missile (that orc magic-user wasn't nice).  Sperl thought that she missed with her new dagger, but the orc seemed to die anyway just as Dleps killed the last orc fighter.  The magic-user pulled a scroll but Sperl's thrown dagger took him in the throat before he could read it.

First aid gave Ragnorf one hit back; and the orc magician had two scrolls and 19 gp while the rest had a total of 8 gp amongst them.  Both scrolls were in orcish, which Sperl can read fairly well (at level 9).  She tells the party that the one he'd pulled was Invisibility and the other is Lightning Bolt. 

They then tried the north door (room 38) but closed it when they saw a swarm of Stirges . . . so they then proceeded south to the door that opened only room 39.  It contained a trio of Zombies.

Dleps hit one for 8 and Sperl another for 3.  The following round Ragnorf got a hit on the third for 3 points and Sperl's dagger did an additional 5 to hers, but Dleps slipped and fell (a fumble) and took a couple of points of damage.

Then Dleps hit his for another 5 but took an 8-point hit in return.  Sperl killed hers and Dleps managed to regain his feet.  Eventually the Dwarves took care of the last two.  After first aid, the party took stock.  Dleps had 14 hp left, Ragnorf 13 and Sperl only 5 . . . so they decided to head back.

When the got to the mosaic room, the bell started to chime so they hurried through the door to room 35 right into an orc ambush.  While technically wandering monsters, the orcs surprised the party completely (and indeed then won initiative every single round of combat). 

Dleps took two hits for a total of 5 points before he could even muster a miss with his battle axe.  Ragnorf suffered but a single hit before killing his orc and Sperl hit hers for 4 points (seemingly a bit more damage than she expected). 

The following round was nasty.  Ragnorf took another 6-point his and Sperl got hit for 5 as well . . . dropping her.  Then Ragnorf got hit for 4 and Dleps for six before both managed to kill their attackers.  Then Dleps took another hit for two . . . and finally they finished off the last two orcs.

Sperl was dead.  Ragnorf down to 2 hp and Dleps to a single hit point . . . and they still had a long way to go (and the bell behind them was still chiming).  What was their reward?  A measly 8 gp . . . but first aid did bring Ragnorf up to 5 hp.

It was time to boogie.  Carrying Sperl's body with them, the dwarves successfully survived a number of "wandering monster" tests and made it safely, if sorrowfully, back to The Laughing Owl.

Delve Results:

• Party member killed -- Sperl
• Injured party members -- Ragnorf 5 left of his 26; Dleps 1 left of his 20
• 16 Orcs slain (one a mage)
• 3 Zombies destroyed
• 8 Stirges avoided
• Treasure -- 43 gp, 2 scrolls in orcish (Invisibility & Lightning Bolt), +1 dagger (also, but unknown, +2 vs "bugs")  

-- Jeff