Game Report # 2

Suddenly, a vortex of swirling air appeared near the group. Through it stepped another group of adventurers. Reinforcements had arrived! The recruitment drive was continuing in New Greyhawk. After assembling another group, La Mirada del Sur cast a locating ways and an air tunnel spell to locate and then open a magical portal directly to the present party. Intelligence was passed along and the first group of weary and wounded adventurers took their leave and returned to New Greyhawk through the air tunnel. It was now approximately 34 hours to destruction.

The new group consisted of the following:

Yunlar was a slave who had become a well-known gladiator in The Stadium of New Greyhawk. He became so well known that he was dispatched to New Greyhawk to help train the Knightly Order of the Platinum Legion in hand-to-hand combat.

Khor Galmaw was a Gnoll from the Red Eye Tribe of the Valendil Forest. Over a year ago, Khor was part of the Gnoll band that attacked The Monastery for the Demon Lord Yeenoghu. He was captured, beaten, tortured for information, and thrown into the dungeons of Baervan Castle.

Bered Straka was a Battlemage from Hollickshore who was presently an affiliate of both La Mirada del Sur and the Platinum Legion.

Elwin Salvorro was an assassin from Tigone who plied the trade routes with a band of pirates along the coasts of southern Shemar, from Port Titan in the east to Port Augusto in the west. Dubbed “the Snake” for his cunning and ruthless nature, recently he had been captured on the seas by the Shemarian authorities and taken to face justice in New Greyhawk.

Ku-karo (no last name) was a half-orc half-Zinculan from western Shemar. He was an assassin of the Dripping Talisman who had traveled to New Greyhawk with the leader of his guild undertake “business.”

Tanvemar Sindo was a half-elven half-Shemarian bard from Port Ticonga. He was serving as an ambassador between the Anoraranian Elves and Shemar, and was in New Greyhawk to help negotiations for a trade deal.

The (more nefarious) group took over the mission and continued to travel north. They were increasing in altitude and moving toward an area that the locals called “the Basin” (an upper vale surrounded by three prominent peaks).

It did not take long for the warbands of the Black Mountain Boys to show up. A single drum began to beat, its booming sound echoing off the walls of the mountain trail. The drum was followed up by a chant “Black Mountain Boys! Black Mountain Boys”. But the small party was now ready for the orcs. The bard Tanvemar had already sung a few ballads to enhance the prowess of his party. The Gnoll warrior, Khor Galmaw, proved particularly effective and vicious in slaying orcs! While “the snake” was more intent on saving his own hide, the Battlemage and the slave gladiator managed to kill several orcs as well. The Half-Orc also proved particularly deadly form the shadows. The orcs were soon killed.

Once again, prisoners were taken. This time, two orcs surrendered after attempting to flee. One of them had his skull smashed in by the Gnoll to serve as incentive for the other more talkative one. With the half-orc translating, the party learned again of the “hooded man” who had come to the Black Mountain Boy tribe and made some sort of deal with the Chieftain and Shaman. Orc warbands would prevent residents of New Greyhawk moving north through the mountains. But the party also learned that while the Black Mountain village was located to the northwest, the hooded man had come from the northeast, from the Basin. “The Snake” tied the orc to a tree and told the group that he had given his word and did not want him killed. But as the group moved on, the Gnoll lagged behind. He moved toward the whining orc and slit its throat.

With the light of day ending, the party continued into the Basin. They came upon a small human settlement of only a handful of thatch-roofed buildings. “The Snake” was scouting ahead of the group and noticed that the half-dozen residents he could see were not moving. He quickly realized that they had been petrified (turned to stone). The pirate assassin remained hidden watching the area. Soon enough, he was movement in the foliage in the middle of the farmstead. A basilisk emerged. It moved toward one of the petrified villagers, bit off its hand, and began chewing on the stone!

“The Snake” returned to his party and reported what he had observed. The group very carefully moved into position around the settlement. They launched a surprise attack on the basilisk. With “The Snake” mounted on its back, the half-elven bard singing, Bered Straka the Battlemage engaging it in combat, and the half-orc assassinating from the trees, the basilisk was destroyed before it could turn any of them to stone. They did receive grievous wounds from its multiple claws however. Meanwhile, Yunlar and Ghor had entered the village and were already searching the buildings.

The group learned that the tiny settlement had been attacked by the basilisk over two weeks previous. The creature’s treasure was located in the foliage where it was constructing a lair. A large amount of platinum coins were discovered and a few potions but the group became suspicious that “the Snake” had possibly taken some of the treasure for himself. They decided to make camp in the settlement.

The rain ceased on the following morning and the sun was shining. There were now only 18 hours until the prophecied destruction of New Greyhawk. With coins filling his pockets, “The Snake” seemed much less interested in the mission and more inclined to think about abandoning the mission.

The party left the settlement and continued into the Basin. Within a few hours, they heard voices ahead. They carefully moved forward and came upon more of the Black Mountain Boy Tribe. This time they observed an orc shaman discussing strategy with five massive orc warriors. With Tanvemar singing the Ballad of Lomion Half-Elven, the group unleased a very effective ambush. While the shaman was able to unleash an energy ball on the group, the Battlemage, Gnoll, and Gladiator fell upon the group. It soon became apparent that “The Snake” had abandoned the group with most of the treasure! But the Ballad led to most of the orcish warriors and the shaman being disintegrated.