6th to 7th of Wealsun, 591 CY (low summer)

The bespectacled man came into the tavern and looked around at the few mercenaries and assorted riff-raff that sat nursing their pints. In the corner, one dwarves and three humans, looking weathered but oddly happy, sat watching another dwarf chug down a jug of rich, foamy ale.

He approached them and introduced himself as Halisham, a scholar, historian and keeper of records, looking for a company of adventurers to escort and protect him on a short journey into the Dim Forest, to investigate a ruined temple. As the foursome were already planning on heading into the forest, they agreed and accepted his payment of 100 gold ahead.

Soon afterwards, with a barrel of ale mounted on their mule, the party of adventurers and their scholar, headed off into the Dim Forest. After an uneventful day hiking through the shadowy, thick forest, Ungrid the dwarf drinking copious amounts of ale and getting heavily drunk– much singing and brotherly hugs accompanied them, but thankfully attracted nothing– they camped and stood watch over the night. Ungrid managed to work out a way to satisfy his thirst, but maintain a sober (or at least a light drunkenness), and in the morning when they continued on, the dwarf was feeling much better.

By the afternoon, partly thanks to Idni’s tracking skill, they reached a clearing of sparse vegetation, twisted trees and dead soil. A vine-covered ziggurat stood in the centre, the very one Halisham had been hoping to find.

Leaving their mule tied to a tree at the bottom, the party climbed the large steps to an entrance at the top. Inside, stairs going down, and a skeleton of some poor soul. Behind it, scratched into the surface of the stone, Zarkov spotted a jagged spiral, and identified it as the symbol of the Chained God, the Nameless and Evil god, Tharizdun!

The descended to the next level, exploring several empty rooms. Idni and Corvin discovered a patch of yellow mould in one room, which didn’t respond to Idni prodding it with his spear, nor when he poured oil on it; but as soon as he set it alight, spores exploded from it, and Idni breathed some in, and staggered back, trying to breath. As the fire burned the mould away, Halmary and Corvin held Idni down while Zarkov used his herbs and healing expertise to make Idni cough up the spores, thus saving his life from a suffocating death!

They descended another flight of stairs, and came to a room in which they could see something roosting on the rafters, through the door hanging off its hinges. Halmary kicked the door open, and a flock of Stirges awoke and flew to feed on their blood…

The fight was lengthy [9 round], fraught with danger as the creatures kept latching on to the adventurers, trying to suck their blood through the needle-like proboscis.  Zarkov shot one out of the air with his crossbow; Halmary took two out in a hefty swing of his mace [cleave]; Zarkov found himself with one on his back, but crushed it against the wall. Idni stabbed one, then swung the haft of his spear and crushed another; and soon the flying pests were scattered around the floor, crushed, sliced and diced. As the clerics tended to the wounded, Halmary and Corvin searched the room and found several gemstones amongst the nests.

The stairs carried on down.

End of Session

Kills: 12 Stirges; 1 yellow mould.
Levels Up: Zarkov (now level 2); Halmary (now level 3).

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