While I had obtained a "meat lovers" pizza with the pepperoni on one side. Apparently early arrivals didn't get the memo and "ate" the side without the pepperoni, leaving the Player who hates the pepperoni to suffer with it. I should probably go back to getting sausage only or just cheese.

Next game is on Tuesday 11 November at 5PM at World's Best Comics, 9714 Warwick Blvd Newport News, Virginia 23601.

++++ START OF SESSION ++++

I spoke too soon last week, the party didn't actually arrive at the castle they were sent to, they arrived within sight of it. Thus allowing me to run the beginning encounters.

To begin Kmaregh played a "Read Languages card for this game session" so he could read Gnomish. He was then able t read the last surviving book taken from the House (Volume III of Gnomish History) to discover several clues about their long term goal of operating and finding the Freedom Bells.

They had been pulling a wagon using Phantasmal Steed mounts conjured by Weasel since their horses were dead. Also in the wagon was Arnold's body killed from from last game session but we had no idea when his Player would return. So the party simply tossed him in the wagon. The Player returned this week but I had not printed Arnold's sheet for him to use, so I had him roll up a new character (a Gnome Assassin) instead. Arnold will be considered raised and returned to play next session but for purposes of this session he was out of sight, out of mind.

First encounter were with a pair of Sasquatch, or Bigfeet if you will. One came in from the front and got the party's attention while the other attacked the "easy pickins" (new guys) in the middle of the party from brush at the side of the path. A few combat rounds and they were done away with.

Next appeared two silhouettes in the middle of the fog as it was getting dark. Our resident Cleric took a guess and used his Turning ability to rid the path of undead. They turned out to be Wild Spirits and thus the correct guess.

Next they were almost attacked by a pair of Assassins contracted out by the local Goblin tribes to kill the Mage that ran the castle. Finding the party too much for them, they parleyed to find out the party wasn't their target, (no harm no foul). Since a new character was just being rolled up and coincidentally he manufactured an Assassin, they were allowed to join the party, contingent with an ongoing non-aggression pact with the party.

Coming to the castle which was sadly in need of repair although they couldn't tell if the large holes in the sides were from battle or from the recent earthquakes. In any case they found the portcullis down, so several members (needing a combined strength of 45 or more) lifted it up and they entered the courtyard. Once inside they found the smooth walls of a round keep that had no openings to speak of. So they opted to enter one of the side towers at the corner of the castle walls.

The tower they entered had nothing but collapsed rubble on the remains of a staircase going up and a working staircase going down. Reaching the bottom after a minute or two they found what appeared to be a laboratory. There were bottles of chemicals, potions, and elixirs lining the shelves. Some tables with various instruments, notably a large pair of tongs and a soft naugahyde upholstered reclining chair with a built-in footrest. There was an exit opposite the stairwell.

Kmaregh decided to sit in the chair.

Before anyone could explore the room further there was another major earthquake. All the bottles crashed from the shelves, there was a mixture of noxious gas and everyone passed out.

Sometime later they all woke up. Elefus was found in the chair (not Kmaregh) and he was in pain. Next to him on the table were a pair of bloody tongs and his Artifact Tooth of Matea Kar was missing from his mouth. As a matter of fact, all the party members were missing one major item from their inventories. Weasel was missing his Rod of Security. Huang was missing his Light Saber. Honda, Numrendir, and Kmaregh were missing Blasters.

Additionally due to continued effects of inhaled gasses and the problem of potion miscibility, each party member was now deemed insane and given a secret protocol with which to behave accordingly.

Numrendir at this point decided to conjure up some monsters and acquired two Bottomland Orcs to do his bidding. After asking one Orc to punch him in the face, Numrendir sent the Orcs down the hallway past the "T" intersection and report back whetever they could find.

After a few short minutes there were some short Orcish screams (in stereo) from coming either end of the "T" hallway, then silence.

Gathering their collective wits, the party went down the hall and turned right at the "T", and about 60 feet later they entered this cavern with water trickling on the far side with Orcish footprints leading to a pool of water. Taking the lead one of the new Assassins, a Gnome with the name of "Lucky" went in to take a closer look. Suddenly several of the boulders lining the walls of the cavern rolled forth to crush him. (Which they did.)

The party fought back valiantly to save him, some of those using sharp weapons had them blunted on the boulders. While Elefus using a Mace had better success. Huang on the other hand being a Monk used his Open Hand damage (like a Karate demo on stage) to destroy most of them. In the end however Lucky was not so lucky and Elefus had to use one of his Raise Dead spells to bring him back.

++++ OUT OF CHEESE ERROR ++++

++++ CHARACTER ROSTER ++++

(Double spaced in the eMail version, due to webmail eating carriage returns.)

PLAYERS

Count Elefus, Human Male Deacon
Sir Weasel, Human Guild Soldier, Enchanter, & Myrmidon
Sir Kmaregh Dismal, Human Evoker
Sir Huang - Human Monk Sub-Master
Dame Honda - Human Samurai Bushi
Numrendir - Human Coercer
Arnold - Human Rutterkin (deceased).
Krazzek Thunderkeg - Dwarf Tracker (new).
"Lucky" Seamus McFitzpatrick - A Gnome Rutterkin


NPCs:

Slim, an Elf Presdigitator/Apprentice.
Special Ed - A Human Risk Mage
An unnamed nondescript Human Rutterkin (paired with Lucky).


MISSING CHARACTERS (captured)

Junkbot Jackson - Tracker/Adept
Gerry Castagere, Human Fingersmith, and ever loving devotee of Elefus
Fundisha - Half-Elf Swordsperson

Correction to prior post. When one valuable Magic Item from each character was taken, Honda did not lose her blaster (she did not have a blaster to take).

Her +5 Full Plate armor was taken instead, thus changing her Armor Class from negative 8 to positive 6, (no armor with dexterity bonuses only and a small shield).