Session 13 - Cunning Grimlocks

18th of Marpenoth, 1371 DR
I don’t quite know how to explain what’s happened.

Right after the fight with the Krensher and the Grimlocks, Dolgun found a hidden cache of “the finest brew to be had in this horrid settlement.” He then proceeded to drink himself senseless in a staggeringly short period of time. While we were tryin’ to cajole Dolgun back to the fight he said (at least this is what I believe he said), “Nope. I’m done withsh alllllll that. I’m takin’ thish booozzze back to the guild houshe and sleepin’ wit it. Then, maybe I’ll stay on and help Eldron watch over the place. All this pukin’ has wrecked me throat and I think I’m lossin’ me teeth!”

As that was goin’ on, Valcrist returned to inform us that Mojdeh was cleaned, fed, and restin’. He also showed up with a new recruit! A hulkin’ Half-Orc with arms like trees and a surprisingly un-sloped forehead. He carried a smaller version of Storn’s falchion that looked like a child’s toy in his massive hands. Valcrist had informed him of what was goin’ on and the beast (named Alabron) seemed ready to dispense justice. Valcrist then escorted/carried Dolgun up the elevator and (hopefully) back home. Dolgun also found 'Demon Boy' lurking about in the caves and was bragging how he was going to claim the reward from Zalamandra.

Alabron got his first taste of what we were up against when he charged a lone Grimlock at the end of a hall. Alabron plunged straight into a hidden pit just in front of the Grimlock and the Grimlock then leaped in after him swingin’ a stone mornin’ star! Whe heard a kind of splortchin; sound and a grunt. The Alabron came climbin’ out of the pit covered in Grimlock blood.

Yuck!

At a “t” intersection, we were ambushed by seven more Grimlocks. Hine killed three. Alabron killed two (despite trying to push past one, getting knocked down, and nearly taking Sparrow with him). Justice and I each killed one (mine with a Magic Missile of course). While Sparrow didn’t land any killin’ blows, she kept tumblin’ in behind them setting up flanking positions for Alabron. At one point, Hine nearly killed me with an arrow in the back of the head. Scared the hell outtta me, but my Mage Armor deflected most of the damage.

The passage ended in a large kennel with a ledge that dropped off to another level maybe 50’ below us. There was a ladder of sorts built into the left side of the wall going down, but it didn’t seem trustworthy, so Alabron and Justice set up a rope around a stalagmite to assist climbers. As Sparrow was headin’ down, archer Grimlocks from across the chamber (on a slightly lower ledge) began shootin’ at her! Hine’s archery skills really came in handy here. He killed two of the archers unassisted and he and I teamed up on the last one (Magic Missiles) to kill it.

The Sparrow coordinated this really amazing move. She used the rope to run back and forth across the cave wall (while Alabron kept the rope slack or taut as needed) until she could leap across onto the other ledge! Justice was takin’ bets that she couldn’t pull it off. To be honest, I thought the coordination was too complicated and had my own doubts, but I thought it was in poor taste to bet against a fellow party member. So I took his bet at 3:1. I made 30 gold!

Unfortunately, just because you can do a thing, doesn’t mean you should do a thing. Sparrow found herself alone on the opposite ledge with a pair of dagger-wielding Grimlock barbarians!

The Grimlock’s flew into a frothin’ rage as they came at Sparrow, slashing her repeatedly with their knives. Hine managed to graze one from our perch on the highest ledge. Sparrow started tappin’ the floor and wall next to her to distract the blind Grimlock. The ploy didn’t work as planned. Oh, it distracted the Grimlock, but the thing had cat-like reflexes that allowed it to recover from the distraction instantly. Alabron started climin’ down the ladder intent on helpin’ Sparrow (although how he planned to clime up to the other ledge I have no idea). I could see that Sparrow was in trouble, but I also could tell she needed more help than a simple Magic Missile was gonna provide. So, I grabbed hold of some of that dark energy that these caves had filled me with and blasted the pair of Barbarians with some jet black Magic Missiles that hurt them, but also seemed to leech a little of the life force away! Next to me, Carenthal hit one of the Grmlocks with a light ray.

Hine continued firin’ arrows, but cuoldn’t get a clean shot. Sparrow, realisin’ she was out of her league, did this amazin’ back flip off the ledge and somehow managed to not impale herself on any of the stalagmites on the ground. The Grimlocks leapt off the ledge after her. One of them was nearly impaled on a stalagmite and the other sliced another wound into Sparrow’s flesh. Alabron made it to the floor and I reached for more dark energy and blasted the Grimlocks with more Fel Magic Missiles. They seemed to slump after that barrage. Carenthal hit again with the last bit of his Light of Lunia, but Trogdor’s crossbow bolt flew wide right.

Hine managed to drop the one we had all be concentratin’ on with an arrow right in the forehead. Sparrow shifted into full defense, using her combat expertise to make herself a difficult target. And between her active defense and his weakened condition, the Grimlock could not manage to land another hit with his daggers. A quick exchange later, Alabron managed to close with the Barbarian and kill him.

So, this evil I feel is usable. While we rested (and exhausted the last charge in our wand of healin’) I checked myself to see if I was sufferin’ any ill effects. I didn’t have any abnormal desires all of a sudden. I didn’t feel compelled to channel that dark energy again. All things being equal, I felt exactly the same.

I can’t imagine I can channel that power too often without it bitin’ me in the ass, but for now it seems to be just another extension of my amazin’ Magic Missiles.

Down a rubble-choked passage, we were ambushed by chokers (2 from the front and 2 from behind). They injured us a bit, but we dispatched them easily enough. Of course, now we were goin’ through out healin’ potions.

Another large room with a ramp made of rocks and skulls leadin’ up to a ledge. A Grimlock was positioned to throw boulders down on us. I knocked him down with a Blast of Force and Alabron was able to climb up and finish him off.

After narrowly avoidin’ death beneath a round boulder rolled down crude stairs by a Grimlock, Sparrow had to hold off another one all by herself while we rolled the boulder out of the hall and off the ledge so that Hine could shoot the thing in the eye and kill it.

We are now approachin’ a larger cavern. I sure hope we’re getting’ close to this Grallak character. I’d like to kill the last of these cultists, deal with whatever is in the black pool, and get a hot meal and a bath. Besides, the Monks are expectin’ me soon.