Past Meet Present - Wait, the Treasure Map is Real?

After a week off because of a busy work schedule the "Karameikan Fist" adventuring company was back at it again last night.  A good deal happened last night and we saw our first in party disagreements, and by the end of the night they discovered that there may be more to Temeris's treasure map than they initially gave credit for.  Here is what happened...


Our group had just found a hallway where at one end stairs went further down into the ground when we left off last time.  Karath, not feeling well, stayed up above with the horses as the rest of the group decided to venture downward into the earth continuing on their way to discover the secrets held below.  As they traveled down the stairs they noticed a pair of Chitine clinging to the wall of the cavern above the stairs.  They debated briefly about what they should do before Shadow decided that they would have to attack to get past and fired a pair of arrows at the nearest one. 

They found that the Chitine that were here must have been some of the worst fighters they had as the first while pulling a javelin from his pack knocked his pack loose and they all clattered to the ground.  Shadow then placed a pair of arrows into him and he fell to the stairway.  The second charging forward also dropped his javelins but pulled his swords and closed on the ranger as the rest of the party had went down the stairs to the fallen Chitine.  Shadow continued to fire away at the Chitine and was caught with one brutal slash, but combined with efforts from Crispin who used mage hand to dump oil on the Chitine and then move a torch to him, along with Daisy pressing her advantage, the second Chitine was soon defeated as well and he fell to the cavern floor below.

Shadow then moved forward to finish off the fallen Chitine, however Temeris adamantly argued against it and Crispin stepped between them as well.  The group stood on the stairway with Shadow arguing that such creatures should be ended, while Temeris, Crispin, and to a smaller extent Daisy argued that they shouldn't be killing senselessly.  Temeris put his foot down and stated they wouldn't be going any further until they came to an understanding, and that they couldn't just go around attacking and killing everyone because they were supposed to be the heroes.  Crispin found himself a bit in the middle, his hard life on the streets letting him see Shadow's points but not feeling as Shadow did, however not feeling as if they could just wait to be attacked first all the time either.  The argument went on for some time before it was agreed upon that they would not kill needlessly and do their best to avoid confrontation whenever possible.

Having reached that agreement they left the fallen but bandaged Chitine upon the landing and continued down the stairs.  Before long they reached the bottom of the stairs and found that they were in a large cavern.  They could see down a passageway a huge ball of webs suspended in the middle of a larger cavern and it appeared to have buildings upon the top of it and Chitine and spiders of all sizes crawling about it.  There was enough light that it illuminated the main portion of the cavern, but not the side sections that they were in.

Intent on avoiding the city the party chose a direction and headed down the passage.  They entered into an area that appeared to have mining carts and later investigating a pair of side passages off this "room" they found that the Chitine have been mining salt here, however in one of the side passages it appeared that they had uncovered someone who had been buried here many, many years ago and whose body had been mummified and encrusted by the salt.  They continued on and found a room with a ceiling covered in webs and crawling around in those webs were what appeared to be winged arachnids.  Seeing the creatures becoming more and more agitated by their presence they moved quickly and found that there were no other routes except to enter the main cavern of the city if they continued this direction.

The party backtracked and went the opposite way, with Temeris sitting back at an intersection to watch their backs.  The rest of the party entered into a cavern area covered with luminescent fungus, mushrooms, and other underworldly growth.  In yet another offshoot from this area they found more such plants but they also noticed a large stone protruding from the center of the room that appeared as if a giant's fist with a single finger upraised.  There were also small balls of fungus emitting a high pitched screeching noise upon the fist.  As Crispin and Shadow entered the fungus shriek increased in volume greatly to the point where it could be heard easily by Temeris down the passageway and further on.

As the party continued to search Temeris noticed a pair of shapes move through the cavern from the direction they had come, but having only been very briefly illuminated by the light from the city he was unable to make out details of these figures.  He also noticed a trio of Chitine making their way from the city towards the crossroads he sat at however.  He tucked himself into a crevice in the wall after throwing a rock in the direction of Daisy and the group hoping to get their attention and put out his torch and waited.

Daisy, having heard the rock skip past her alerted the rest of this and as they gathered saw that Temeris no longer had his torch and began heading that way.  As the Chitine and the party reached the intersection at nearly the same time, Temeris picked up a rock and threw it in the direction of the other figures he had seen.  Shadow stepped out and fired a pair of arrows, missing with each.  As Crispin and Daisy stepped out with weapons drawn they did not attack however, instead choosing to wait to see what the Chitine would do.  The Chitine seemed unsure of what they were going to do because while two drew weapons and stepped forward they didn't attack the third took a step down the hallway towards the sound of the noise.

Just then a pair of small crossbow bolts struck two of the Chitine and while they didn't appear that they should be killing blows they fell to the ground none the less.  Temeris then jumped from his hiding spot announcing "we're under attack from all sides! retreat!" and moved back towards the stairs.  The rest of the party did likewise as the last Chitine looked towards his fallen comrades before also taking a pair of bolts in the chest and falling to the ground.

Shadow, believing that they may be able to speak with these attackers under the belief that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, stepped forward but was nearly hit with a pair of crossbows as well.  As they retreated to the stairs they saw the area where the Chitine had fallen suddenly go from being lit by flickering torchlight to being pitch black.  Feeling they were over matched they went into full retreat.  They ran up the stairs and as they neared the top Shadow noticed the darkness disappear and could see light from the city beyond once again, however the Chitine were no longer there on the ground either.  They decided to retreat and speak with the Chitine they had agreed to help before continuing any further.

They made their way back to the Chitine renegades and soon after found themselves speaking with Vald again.  They spoke of what had just occurred and Vald looked visibly shaken and worried.  He didn't offer any ideas as to what it was but said that they would send one of their own back despite the risks to speak with the city of this matter.  The party then asked again how they could find the door they were seeking as all caverns they had found led to dead ends and the only routes left would lead them through the main cavern and past the city.  Vald confirmed what Crispin had thought in that they would have to skirt the city to the south to find what they were looking for.

Vald directed one of the Chitine to go with them below when they went, however the party decided they should head above ground to check on Karath and the horses before continuing.  They went above ground again, leaving the Chitine behind, and found Karath sleeping next to a small campfire.  Where they had gone down early in the morning, they had come back up in the pitch black of night.  They quickly decided that a bit of rest before continuing on would be a good idea and before they could even discuss watches Shadow was asleep.

As Crispin sat around the campfire serving his time as guard he noticed a campfire a couple hundred yards away through the trees.  He kept an eye on it but little was happening and at the end of his watch he alerted Daisy of it after waking her and went to sleep himself.

Daisy, curiosity getting the best of her, wandered off to the camp.  She saw a figure moving around in the camp and decided to bolding just walk in and say hello.  It caught the man off guard but quickly after recovering himself he asked what she was doing out here and awoke another of the men.  They spoke for a short time in a language she did not know and the newly awoken man asked her to tell her story and speak with him while the other man went off into the woods.  She began telling her story of losing her brother and her travels since as the man awoke his two other traveling companions.

Meanwhile the man who left the camp had wandered around and found the party's camp, and found them all asleep.  However walking forward with dagger drawn he didn't take care to move quietly and Crispin, having just fallen asleep and still being in a light sleep heard him.  Without a second thought he turned and cast burning hands above the sleeping Temeris and while it did singe him some it caught the man flush burning him badly.  Before Temeris or the man could do anything further Crispin sprung forward with morning star in hand and caught the man square in the face dropping him in his tracks.

Temeris exclaimed how great and exciting the act was but soon they realized that Daisy was gone and immediately came to the conclusion the other camp must have made off with her.  Temeris charged forth towards the other camp while Crispin rushed behind dragging the fallen would-be assassin.

As Temeris neared the camp he yelled out to Daisy that it was a trap but Daisy being the trusting self that she is questioned them until they all jumped up pulling weapons.  Crispin told them to flee showing that he held the fallen in one hand still but the man who appeared to lead them again spoke in a language they didn't understand and they moved to attack.

One rushed off towards Crispin, another stepped forward between the party and the leader of these men, and the leader began casting and soon Daisy felt herself becoming rigid but through strength of will she shrugged off whatever magics this man had cast at her.  She stepped forward and with one mighty swing of her weapon fell the man before her with a great swipe across his chest.  Back behind them a short ways Crispin's opponent swung wildly but the attack was easily sidestepped and Crispin's morning star caught the man in the next bring about a loud snapping sound.

Temeris threw a dagger and caught the priest in the pectoral muscle, and the man staggered back raising his hands in surrender.  Daisy thought there was something odd about the way he was flailing his arms and there were strange words mixed in with his mumbling.  Crispin knew from far away that he was casting but the mere oddity of it was enough for Daisy to act and she stepped forward to swing upon the man.  However as she stepped forward she slipped and stumbled on one of the bedrolls that laid about the campfire.  Soon she felt a rush of fear run through her but determined as she was it had little effect on her.

Temeris once again struck the man, and Crispin rushed forward charging the man as Daisy regained her feet.  However Cripsin's blow was averted as the man stepped to the side but in doing so he also went to one knee and raised his hands while stating "I know when I have been bested.  I surrender."  The party quickly tied his hands behind his back and gagged him.  Crispin then took some of his fingers in his hand and Daisy, realizing that Crispin was about to break his fingers, spoke up.  She argued that such an act was evil and torturous, and Temeris soon chimed in agreeing with her.  A debate began about if such an act is evil or not, and if such an act is warranted or not, with Crispin determined that it was just a way to ensure he couldn't cast any more and that it was not an evil act ... and it could be reversed by priests ... but Temeris and Daisy maintained that it would cause great pain, was torturous, and was indeed an evil act.

The look of fear grew on the priest's face as this took place and he began mumbling into the gag, bring a bonk on the head from Daisy.  The party then agreed to try binding his fingers instead of breaking them, and after winding his fingers about with some rope they were satisfied with the result.  They removed his gag and demanded to know why he was there and what they were doing, and at first the man refused to give them any information.  Soon however his tone changed.  He agreed that if they spared him and let him go that he would tell them everything he knew.  They debated a bit but the man ensured them that if they instead took him to the authorities they would never find out anything.  After some further party deliberation they agreed.

The captive priest informed them that he was a member of the Zhentarim and a priest of Cyric, and that Semmemon had instructed him to find and scout out some old ruins and that it has something to do with the "Earth Blood".  He produced the orders from Semmemon himself.  Temeris recognized the description in the letters as being eerily familiar to the area on his own treasure map.  He knew little more beyond that and true to their word the party freed him from his binds, however before they did Crispin put on a little act to attempt to convince the priest that he was casting a Geas upon him to seek out a good god and repent his ways.

As the priest mounted his horse he turned back to the party.  "If you intend to go there be aware that likely we are not the only ones that were sent so go quickly and watch your backs."  He then rode off into the night leaving the party to sort through the remains of this chaos and also knowing that the treasure map that was purchased off some random traveler and was the butt of some jokes now not only held some validity but also was of interest to the Black Network as well.

Where does the Karameikan Fist go from here.  Shadow is burning through arrows at a good rate suddenly, injuries are piling up, supplies are still good but for how much longer, the Chitine city and the unknown adversary below poses a problem, and now the Zhentarim have an interest in the location on Temeris's treasure map.  Do our heroes continue to explore below and try to determine just what is going on below the Shattered Circle, do the return to town to regroup and discuss things, or do they choose to continue on their way to the location on the map?  We'll find out next week..............