LXXXVII. The Dryad's Warning

The next morning, the party continued into the Dreadwood, heading roughly ESE. The forest was sparse, growing gradually to medium density. The party expected to make about twenty miles a day.

A few hours went by. The forest grew thicker, and the adventurers warily looked around as they proceeded.

Adam spotted movement. A vine had extended itself toward them.

"Assassin vines!" the barbarian shouted a warning to the party.

Before any of the adventurers could act on Adam’s warning, a vine with a fibrous stem, dark stringy bark, and leaves disturbingly like human hands reached out from the surrounding vegetation. It struck at Zzyggy, but hit his horse instead. The vine slammed the beast and established a grapple.

LXXXVI. A Flower for Chantal

The adventurers arranged for transportation by boat from Westkeep to Longspear. The total fare was a bargain: ninety gold pieces for the adventurers and any freed captives who desired to accompany them.  Those who came from Westkeep remained in the town. "We can never thank you enough," said Tovar, on behalf of the Westkeep contingent. "There’ll be songs sung about your deeds for years to come." The other locals nodded and called out their agreement.

Hamlost chose to go with the adventurers back to Longspear. "Nothing in particular to keep me in Hokar," he explained. "Change o’ scenery’ll do me good." "Especially after our recent scenery!" said Garn, to the amusement of all.

The two lizardmen decided to make their way back to their homes in the Hool Marshes, since they were in the opposite direction from the route to Longspear. "Lizardmen always friends of Adam and his tribe," said Sskaa. "We meet again, we help!" he promised.

Azod had disappeared shortly after the group’s arrival in Westkeep. "Well, how’s that for gratitude?" Troy had observed at the time. "Scarlet Brotherhood," Zzyggy said. "We’re best rid of him anyway. Nothing but trouble."

The drow (whose name the adventurers learned was Laelqos) also decided to leave Westkeep on his own. "Sunlight hurts," he said. "Although not as much as the acid caress of a black pudding. Or Areg’s lash," the drow added, referring to the cult leader whose initiation ceremony the group had interrupted. He had been captured in the vicinity of Lake Spendlowe, where he had been hunting, alone as was his wont, being an outcast from his place of origin in the Underdark. When Zzyggy asked where that was, Laelqos replied, "Best if you didn’t know."

He mentioned "the priestesses," who had taught that non-drow were fit only to be slaves or sacrifices to the Spider Queen. "They would be surprised, I think," he said, "to learn that humans, and gnomes, and especially a halfling and a half-elf, had rescued one of us. As was I, I must admit." He nodded to Tovar and Hamlost. "Most likely, they would consider them foolish for doing so, and doubly foolish for not requiring a tremendous sum for their efforts."

The drow paused a moment in thought. "That opinion I do not share," he admitted. "But then, since essentially being driven out of my home by those same priestesses, I have come to question much of what I was taught by them." Laelqos would say no more on the subject after that.

Plong, Alca, Bolin and Liriel decided to accompany the adventurers on their journey back to Longspear as far as they could; they would disembark near the Tors, the Little Hills, and the Dreadwood, respectively. "I will always be at your service," said the grateful Liriel, "should you ever need me. You will be welcome in the Dreadwood wherever we rangers are present."

At length, the reduced group departed Westkeep. After about eight days, having stopped ad several points to drop off those lining along the way, the group arrived safely at Longspear.

Almost as soon as they got off the boat, the adventurers sought out some of the local citizens who had provided them with information about the missing individuals. All were thrilled to learn of the party’s successful rescue operation. A number of prominent citizens offered to reward them for their efforts, and their offers were happily accepted. The freed captives themselves missed no opportunity to sing the praises of adventurers, at length and, more often than not, wildly exaggerated! All of the adventures saw their reputations improve significantly.

About a month later, the adventurers were once again gathered at the Gargoyle Tavern, quaffing a few cold ones. Someone approached their table: a beautiful young woman, in wizard’s garb.  Human female. Tall, about five foot nine. Well-built, especially where it counted. Long, full black hair, brown eyes, fair complexion. Overall, quite attractive.　

Zzyggy waved to his fellow spell-caster. "What brings you to the Gargoyle Tavern, young miss?"

The woman responded, "Are you Zzyggy, by any chance?"

"I am the mighty Zzyggy!" boasted the gnome, "known throughout the land, slayer of the orc priest, slayer of the calzone, slayer of every monster known to man, elf, dwarf or gnome! Green slimes, gray oozes, ochre jellies too!"

Adam rolled his eyes as the gnome bragged of his deeds, real or imagined. Troy threw down his necklace of monster teeth. "Yes, and I’m the man with the big weapon," he winked at the woman. "Troy’s the name."

"You call that a weapon?" exclaimed Adam, pointing at Troy’s mace. He drew his sword and laid it on the table. "That’s a weapon!" The barbarian then turned to the woman and introduced himself. "Adam, at your service," he said, in his most polite tone. The woman was very attractive.

"Wonderful!" squealed the woman, "I’ve found all three of you. My name is Chantal. I hear you’ve had some experience crossing the Hool Marshes."

"Yes we have," Zzyggy responded, "and we have no desire to return to that wretched place, vilest on Oerth!"

"Really?" said Chantal, surprised by the boastful gnome’s view. "Do you all share that opinion?"

"Why would we want to go back to that marsh?" asked Adam. Troy nodded his agreement with the barbarian.

"Perhaps I can make it worth your while," the woman offered. "I have a mission that requires a venture into the Hool Marshes. Your experience in crossing the marshes would serve you well in this endeavor."

Zzyggy pondered the woman’s proposal. "We’d need the services of a cleric with remove disease, to deal with the vile illnesses that fester in that marsh," he said at last.

Chantal smiled at the gnome’s more positive response. "That can be arranged, if you are interested in my mission," she answered.

The three adventurers conferred briefly. Then Zzyggy continued. "OK, what is this mission that requires a return to those vile swamps?"

"I have a wizard colleague who is researching a new spell," Chantal explained. "The spell is a new defense against undead. He tells me that he needs a special ingredient: the corpse flower.

"The corpse flower only blooms a brief time each year. It only occurs in a few swampy and tropical areas. One such area is known to be the Hool Marshes," Chantal said. "Along the southern edge of the Dreadwood. About 175 miles as the crow flies from Longspear to the area where the flowers might occur."

"What does this spell do?" asked Adam, curious to know what it was that would justify a return to the Hook Marshes.

"Not your concern," Chantal answered curtly. "It defends against undead. That’s all you need to know."

"And what’s in it for us?" Adam asked.

"An ample reward, in gold and magic," replied Chantal. "If you prove worthy of the mission, there may be further rewards."

After an at times vigorous discussion, the adventurers decided to accept the mission. "Splendid!" exclaimed Chantal excitedly, almost girlishly. "I will arrange to provide a cleric for you. She’ll have access to curing magic and remove disease. She will also be able to cast gentle repose on the flower, to keep it from spoiling."

Having taken on Chantal’s mission, the adventurers prepared for the long and dangerous journey. They stocked up on potions, rations and other gear. They then returned to their quarters for the night.

Before dawn the next morning, Chantal met the party and introduced them to her cleric friend. "This is Chani," said Chantal. "I am happy to meet you," said Chani graciously. "I have heard so much about you. I’m sure our mission will be successful." The three adventurers likewise introduced themselves, and asked Chani about herself.

The young cleric was 22 years old, shorter than Chantal at about five foot five, slim, green eyed, long red hair tied back in a ponytail. Armed with a longsword and longbow, wearing studded leather armor. She was a fourth-level cleric of Hieroneous.

After the introductions, the augmented party boarded a boat from Longspear to the southern end of the Little Hills, about 75 miles down the Javan River. Having embarked about 5 am, they arrived at their destination at about 8pm, and promptly headed east into the Dreadwood.

About two hours and five miles later, the party made camp. Adam and Zzyggy took the watches. Nothing disturbed the party overnight.

LXXXV. Escape from the Marshes

It was the end of the day when the adventurers emergrd from the underground cult complex. The adventurers all wanted to get away from the hill above the complex.

"Let’s get back to Longspear," urged Troy. "It took days to get through these marshes, so the sooner we leave, the better."

Tovar suggested making for Westkeep. "It’s closer than Longspear," the half-elf explained. "I’m from there."

"How long to get there?" Troy asked. "Two-three days to get to the river," Tovar replied. "Ferryman there might have a barge to rent. Then about a day to Westkeep. We’d head southwest from here through the Marshes."

The adventurers began to speak among themselves, until Tovar suggested a moment of silence in memory of Willis, who gave his life so they could escape.  All observed the moment.

Having paid silent tribute to Willis, Adam and Zzyggy quaffed healing potions. The adventurers then began to assess the state of the freed captives.

The sick and wounded were in the wagon. The male drow, who had been provided with clothes found in the cult complex, was still unconscious, but did not appear to show signs of disease. Senna, the tavern girl from Longspear, and Bolin, the blind dwarf beggar from the Lost Hills, were suffering from a malady that left them with a bluish complexion, most pronounced in the abdominal area. Both had lost much of their strength. Thecla, the Longspear cook, and Alca the woodsman, although having normal color, had also lost strength. Alca’s illness had also stricken him blind. Binnie the thief, and Azod of Monmurg showed infected scratches on their bodies and were very clumsy and sluggish, as were the lizardmen Sskaa and Fftiik. Alois, the blacksmith’s assistant from Longspear, lay in a delirious stupor, suffering from terrible head pain.

Worse off was the young elven woman. She alternated between screaming fits and uncontrollable crying. Nothing the adventurers or the other liberated captives said or did had any effect; it was as if the woman didn’t know they were there, as if they were invisible.

But the worst was Zane, the Westkeep bartender. The poor man seemed to be afflicted by some hideous degeneration that was corroding him from the inside out. Open wounds were leaking a slimy substance, almost like the oozes that had roamed about the marshes and the cult complex.

The other surviving escapees--Festus, Garn, Hedric, Wilf, Tovar, Hamlost, and Plong the goblin–although recovering from injuries inflicted during their captivity, were well enough to ride, and had been given horses (Hamlost and Plong rode with Garn and Hedric, respectively), leaving four more horses as spare mounts.

The five adventurers seemed to be asymptomatic. So far.

Having set their course, the group headed southwest about five miles. Fiora and Graves stayed about one hundred yards behind, as the group’s rear guard.

Still in the marshes, the group camped for the night. They set guards for the wagon. Then all sat down to eat a miserable dinner, consisting of the captured food they’d taken from the cult complex.

"Mmmm, stale bread!" mumbled Zzyggy. "My favorite!" Graves examined the cured meat found by Adam. "Are you sure we should be eating mystery meat from a cult of ooze-lovers?" asked Graves skeptically. Adam just chomped away. "You get a bellyache, we’ll deal with it," he grunted. "This stuff is pretty lousy tasting, though."

That night, many of the sick captives worsened. Alois went into a coma. Poor Zane finally succumbed to the slimy disease, and was given a proper burial in the morning.　

Zzyggy and Fiora both suffered from fierce headaches, while Adam and Graves became clumsier and weaker like Binnie and Azod.  Troy, however, felt tougher than ever.

Despite his symptoms, Adam foraged for food, along with Troy and four of the healthiest survivors (Festus, Wilf, Tovar and Hamlost). Together they found food enough for fourteen people. "Better to eat light than depend on that cultist rubbish," said Hamlost.

Later in the day, still heading southwest through the marshes, the group came to an area with several large fallen trees. A large, scummy green of algae was next to the fallen trees.

Adam paused and signaled to Troy. Both of them spotted a bizarre creature hiding among the fallen trees: Standing on two legs, it was about five feet tall and seven feet from snout to tail-tip. It had no arms, but above its tube-like snout was an orifice of unknown function.

The creature attacked instantly. It sprang out of cover and raced around Troy. From its forehead orifice, a spray of acid caught both Troy and Adam. Neither adventurer could get out of the way. The acid burned both of them severely.

Troy and Adam bellowed at the beast and charged. Troy succeeded in wounding the creature.

Zzyggy saw the battle commence, and joined in with a magic missile barrage. Plong, with more courage than wisdom, entered the fight also.

Then creature stepped back, then slashed at Plong with a vicious clawed foot. The hapless goblin fell, almost eviscerated.

"Ho!" cried Troy as he saw Plong fall. He stepped up and swung at the digester. His mace severely wounded the monster. As did more magic missiles from Zzyggy and a massive blow from Adam. The creature knew it was beaten. It withdrew and fled!

Zzyggy recognized the creature: "It was a digester. Ugh!" he said, while he administered two healing potions to the dying Plong, returning him to active status. Zzyggy also gave a healing potion to the drow, speeding his recovery as well. Troy quaffed a potion of cure moderate wounds, having suffered additional, residual acid burns.

The group continued southwest, and by the end of the day covered another ten miles. The land was becoming less swampy, but was still damp. At camp, the adventurers spoke with the freed captives and learned more about them and their experiences. One of the escapees had made the acquaintance of the young elf woman, who now lay exhausted and silent. Her name was Liriel, and she was a ranger from the Dreadwood. All had similar stories of their capture; some remembered being handed off before reaching the cult’s lair. 

More foraging located enough food for seventeen persons, almost enough to satisfy the entire group. But in the night time, more disease indicators manifested. Most of group was now turning blue. And Troy was starting to become stiff.

"Maybe we shouldn’t have eaten that meat you guys found," several of the escapees mentioned the next morning. "Sorry," Adam apologized. "It got me too, if that’s any comfort."

"Not really," replied Graves. Now, real food–aye, that would be a comfort!" With little real food apparent in the vicinity, the adventurers made the hard decision to slaughter one of the horses for food. The roasted meat was enough to last several days.

Another day’s travel, another ten miles through the marshes, another camp at the end of the day.

In the morning, some of the group had recovered from their afflictions. All of the adventurers except Troy were back in health. Most of the escapees, however, were still suffering from the blue illness.

Toward the end of the day, Zzyggy spotted what looked like a glint of light on water! "I’d say about three miles away," the gnome estimated. "Should reach the river before dusk," Fiora observed, hopefully. The group pressed on to reach the river. At about sundown, they made it. They found themselves a couple of miles upriver from the ferry.

"I think that’s enough for now," suggested Troy. "I’m so stiff now I hurt to move." All agreed to make camp for the night. Adam took the first watch. He heard and saw nothing.

A sudden slam jolted the barbarian. Acid burned him. A large ochre jelly had snuck up on Adam! He shouted an alarm, rousing Troy and Zzyggy, then swung with his torch. The flaming brand scorched the ooze. It slammed Adam again, and tried to grapple him. The powerful barbarian avoided the grasp of the ooze.

Alert now, Zzyggy cast magic missiles at the ochre jelly, battering it with force. Adam’s torch struck again. Troy rushed up, sans armor, and smacked the jelly with his mace, badly wounding it. "Haven’t we seen enough of these things?" the fighter exclaimed to no one in particular.

Heedless of Troy’s exasperation, the ooze slammed Adam again for serious damage. A pseudopod reached out, and finally got hold of the barbarian. Adam was grappled! Constriction and acid did further damage.

A scorching ray from Zzyggy scorched the jelly. As it did so, Adam raged and, exerting all his strength, broke the grapple! Troy followed with a heavy blow from his mace.

Now the ooze slammed Troy. The blow staggered the fighter. Another pseudopod lashed out and seized Troy. Constriction and acid damage followed.

"No, you don’t!" exclaimed Zzyggy. The gnome directed another magic missile barrage at the jelly. With a hiss, the jelly collapsed into a goopy pool!

"That was too close," said Troy as the ooze lost its grip on him.

The group attempted to get whatever additional rest they could. Some finally shook off their afflictions. Others continued to lose strength to the blue disease.

At last, next morning, the valiant group reached the ferryman, who agreed to rent a barge to them. And that afternoon, they finally reached Westkeep! Days of rest and recovery followed. Diseases were identified and cured: filth fever, mindfire, blinding sickness, vile rigidity (Troy’s malady), life blindness that afflicted Liriel, and the ubiquitous blue guts, brought about by the consumption of Adam’s "cured meat," which turned out to be grey ooze flesh. Graves did not resist the urge to tell Adam, "Told you so."

The adventurers saw to the expenses of the rescued captives as well as their own. Zzyggy proved adept at negotiating price reductions! For the next week they rested, discussed what they had seen and learned, and gained from their experiences.

LXXXIV. The Slime Lords

The adventurers and their new allies left the first prison area and turned left, heading back down the main corridor. After about thirty feet, they spotted an iron door to their right. 

Hamlost scurried to the door and listened, but heard nothing. "Let me check this door," said the rogue, now thankfully sober. "May be trapped." He found no traps, and reached out to turn the doorknob. "Ouch!" he gasped, shaking his hand. "You’ve been doing this how long?" jibed Adam.

Hamlost examined his sore hand, then took a sniff. "Oh no," he exclaimed. "Netharit!" He managed to shake off the initial effects of the contact poison. When the sting wore off, he managed to open the lock on the door, and the party entered. They spotted three wooden doors on either side of hallway about thirty-five feet long.

The rogue checked all three doors for traps, but again found none. "You sure?" asked Zzyggy. "Give the poor fellow a break, Zzyggy," urged Troy, sympathetically. "Remember what he’s been through." Hamlost nodded thanks to the fighter.

The first door on the right opened onto a room filled with gems, weapons and shields. "Combined treasury and armory," observed Adam. "Nice!" The others looked around, and took arms and armor as needed. In a wooden chest were stack of personal items. Garn recognized some of them. "Hey, those were Ezzard’s!" he cried. He took them from the chest. "I’ll bring these back for him," Garn offered. "If we get back," said Tovar.

Across the hallway, the first door on the left led to a storage room. Two barrels stood against the far wall of the room. One contained cheap wine, the other, smoked meat. Troy took a sack full of the meat. The second door on left opened on another storage room, again with two barrels. Garn opened the first barrel. "Stale bread," he sniffed. "Better than nothing."

"Better than anything I had here!" added Hamlost, as he took his share.

The second barrel held some kind of cured meat product. Adam grabbed a sackful. "Doesn’t look very appetizing," he said, "but there’s a lot of marsh between here and home."

Hamlost shivered as the doorknob poison’s secondary effect made itself felt. He managed to resist this effect as well. "Got to be more careful," he said to himself.

The adventurers and their allies exited the hall through the iron door. Turning right, they proceeded to a right bend in the corridor that led to a relatively straight, dimly torch-lit section about fifty feet long. The corridor ended at a large stone door. Adam halted in front of the door and listened.

From the other side of the door, he heard screaming.

"Hamlost, can you open this door?" Adam whispered to the halfling rogue. "If it’s locked, I’ll unlock it!" Hamlost replied, somewhat overconfidently. He found no traps (at which point Zzyggy suppressed the urge to ask, "Are you sure?"). A moment later, he was able to open the lock on the stone door. The door opened remarkably quietly, and the party silently entered.

They entered into a chamber of abomination.

A huge cavern, forty feet wide, sixty feet long, with a ten-foot ceiling, dimly torch-lit. Trails of slime everywhere. A ten-foot-wide pit in the middle of the room, acidic vapors fuming from the pit. Suspended over the pit, tied to a rope that ran over a pulley and was secured to a cleat on the far wall of the chamber, allowing vertical movement, an object of some kind. Zzyggy’s gnome eyes could tell that the object was . . . a naked male humanoid, severely injured. A drow!

To their right, on the other side of the acid pit at the end of the cavern, two large braziers gave off sulfurous smoke. Two figures, apparently human males, were engaged in some sort of ritual. One figure, presenting a barbaric appearance, wore studded leather armor under a cloak. He was armed with a heavy flail. He was facing the second figure, the celebrant, who wore ceremonial garb over studded leather armor and bore a heavy mace. Both of the men were marked with horrible facial scars.

Even more horrible were the other participants in the ceremony, hulking cetween the far wall and the humans: two large grey oozes, and between them, a huge black pudding!

When the party entered the chamber, the celebrant looked up and immediately screamed, "Ranulf! Kill them!!!"

Instantly recognizing a fellow prisoner of the cult, Tovar raced to the cleat to untie the rope and rescue the suspended captive. Plong the goblin rushed to help Tovar. Together, they untied the rope and swung the prisoner away from the acid pit. After he was safely lowered to the floor of the cavern, the half-elf and the goblin untied the helpless drow and dragged him away from the incipient battle.

Ignoring Tovar and Plong, Ranulf raged! The furious barbarian raced toward Adam and swung his heavy flail. The flail battered Adam, but only made his own rage even more extreme! Perhaps too extreme: his counterattack missed the cultist.

"Right behind you, Adam!" cried Troy. The fighter’s mace slammed Ranulf, who reeled back under the attack but quickly repositioned himself. Too slowly to evade the mace of Willis, who ran up to aid Adam and Troy, and to satisfy his own need for revenge against the fiends who had imprisoned him for a horrible fate.

From the end of the cavern, the celebrant raised his hands and uttered sinister syllables. Zzyggy reacted by casting mirror image on himself. Two images appeared. Garn reacted more directly. He charged the celebrant, wielding his spear, and inflicted a vicious wound.

While the melee continued, Hamlost looked around the cavern. To his left, at the back of the cavern, he spotted a secret door. He went to investigate.

Ranulf swung at Adam again, but almost fumbled his weapon. Not so Adam, who swung his mighty sword at Ranulf and slashed his left leg almost to the bone.

With a powerful leap, the celebrant jumped over the acid pit, landing behind Adam! He slanned his mace into the barbarian’s left arm. As the blow fell, Adam felt a malevolent force assail him. With a valiant effort, he resisted the assault.

In the rear of the cavern a new foe appeared: a gelatinous cube, previously summoned by the cult leader. At the same time, the two grey oozed advanced into the melee. The first grey ooze slammed Garn and burned him with its acidic touch. It attempted to grapple the man, but failed. The second grey ooze moved toward Adam and Troy. As it slithered, Willis beat it with his weapon, damaging the amorphous creature, then stepped back. Behind the oozes, the black pudding flowed toward the acid pit.

Magic missiles from Zzyggy blasted the celebrant, and he shrieked in anger. Garn, meanwhile, turned his attention to the gelatinous cube and battered the creature, damaging it slightly.

The two raging barbarians continued their battle. Ranulf swung at Adam again and critical wounded him. Then he stepped toward the cult leader as Adam swung back, causing him to miss. Troy in turn swung at Ranulf, and hit him for minor damage.

Plong had no intention of confronting something as large and dangerous as a gelatinous cube. He needed something he could throw. Looking around, he spotted a torch on the near wall. Sp the goblin grabbed the torch and threw it at the cube! The torch sizzled as it burned into the cube. Mindlessly, the cube turned away from the direction of the torch attack, and bumped into Zzyggy! The agile gnome was able to evade the cube’s slam attack, and withdrew speedily.　

As the summoned cube battled Plong and Zzyggy, the evil celebrant reached out and touched Adam. His grip on the barbarian inflicted a corrosive, burning wound! "Strength of the shapeless is mine!!!" the cult leader shrieked.

The black pudding flowed around the acid pit and slammed at Adam. The dauntless barbarian danced out of its reach. The two grey oozes mindlessly pursued Garn, and also Ranulf, their supposed friend, but each missed its target.

Zzyggy saw an oppportunity, and tumbled between the pudding and the cube, lining up a shot with his scorching ray. "Rats!" exclaimed the gnome, as his ray went wide.

While the others battled the cultists and their amorphous allies, Hamlost tried to pick the lock on the secret door. Success! The lock opened, and he looked into a hidden room. It appeared to be private quarters of some kind. "Must be the big shot’s room," he whispered to Tovar. The half-elf nodded, then dragged the inert form of the drow into the quarters. Then he came back out and took up a defensive stance.

Hamlost also stood defensively, but before doing so, he pocketed a few juicy items from the cult leader’s quarters (including a coin pouch, and another of the strange tentacle-symbols).

Back in the melee, Willis turned to attack the second ooze, splattering slime all about. Then he stepped back. Garn moved around the gelatinous cube and toward the stone doorway to the entrance corridor. "Let us leave this hellish place!" he cried. Tovar had a similar idea. He ran to the stone door in the entrance, and pushed it all the way back, creating a gap between the wall and the cube. "Come on!" he called to his battling companions.

Still raging, Ranulf swung at Adam again. Blood spurted from another deep wound. The cult initiate then stepped toward Zzyggy. He felt the approaching ooze.

Adam knew it was time to clear out! He fled melee, passing by the first grey ooze. The amorphous creature slammed the fleeing barbarian, and burned the man with its acid. Adam was barely alive as he approached the cavern’s entrance.

Troy ran the gauntlet and fled out the doorway. Plong fled also.

The cult leader swung his heavy mace at the Zzyggys. Thud! The weapon struck the real Zzyggy! The gnome’s right hand was broken by the blow. Even worse, he suffered a malicious magical assault from the weapon. Zzyggy could feel it draining his fighting skill, as well as his ability to resist further magical attacks.

Fortunately, the gnome avoided further attacks from the gelatinous cube and the grey oozes.

But now the black pudding slammed at Willis. The huge ooze devastated the unlucky gambler. The man fell screaming under the monster’s acid attack, and the creature rolled over him and dissolved him into bloody goo!

Hamlost witnessed the horrible sight. Quickly, he recovered, and dragged the wounded drow around the cube (quite a feat for a halfling!) and toward the door. Garn followed.

Tovar and Plong continued fleeing, followed by Adam. Ranulf rushed at Zzyggy and hit one of his mirror images. "I have him!" cried Troy, who stood his ground to protect Zzyggy’s withdrawal. "Follow the others!"

The evil celebrant pointed a finger at Troy. Melf’s acid arrow struck the brave fighter as he protected his fleeing companions. Meanwhile, the gelatinous cube disappeared into a crack in the wall of the cavern. One of the grey oozes vanished into another crack. The other grey ooze slammed at Troy, but missed.

As Troy guarded the door of the cavern, he watched in horror as the black pudding kept on consuming the remains of Willis.

Zzyggy kept fleeing. As he reached the doorway, he turned back and fired magic missiles at Ranulf. The evil barbarian staggered, but remained on his feet.

Hamlost and Garn made their escape, dragging the drow with them. Finally, Troy fell back through the doorway. He slammed the stone door shut. As he secured the party’s escape, from the cavern the cult leader screamed, "The shapeless will consume you!!!"

The fleeing adventurers and the surviving freed captives made it out of the complex without further attack. On the surface, the rest of the party, with the other wounded survivors, the horses and the cart were waiting to flee.

LXXXIII. The Missing

Adam and Zzyggy were both hit by falling blocks. They shook off most of the damage. "It’ll take more than rocks to get through your hard head!" teased Zzyggy.

The adventurers looked to their right and left. The corridor extended in either direction. Torches provided dim light.

To their right, the adventurers could see a wooden door in the corridor wall on the right side, about twenty-five feet from the tunnel entrance. Adam moved quietly to the door, listened, heard nothing, then tried to open the door. It was locked, but yielded on the barbarian’s third attempt to force it.

The door opened into a small cell, about ten by ten feet, that appeared to br some kind of sleeping quarters. Nothing of value was in the cell, only a rough sleeping pallet and an empty wooden chest.

Several more doors were farther down the corridor. Adam broke down the next door, and found another empty quarters. The next room was also empty, except for one item: a small metal object that looked like some kind of tentacle. Adam picked it up and took it, then left the cell and returned to the corridor.

Suddenly, the sound of running feet were heard, The adventurers turned around and saw four angry figures coming at them!

Adam quickly drank a potion of haste, then positioned himself in the bend of the corridor, positioning himself for the enemy charge. Graves took his place next to the barbarian. His shot went wide.

Before the other adventurers could act, two of the onrushing foes charged into Adam and Graves. The warriors both hit their targets with their swords. The other two enemies ran up behind them.

Roaring his warcry, Adam raged! He swung with full power at the second warrior. A second, hasted blow felled the warrior, and Adam cleaved into the remaining warrior. A huge, bloody gash scored the warrior’s chest. Graves and Fiora tried to bring down the bleeding warrior, but failed to connect.

The warrior, undaunted, swung at Adam again, and did critical damage to the barbarian! Meanwhile, the other two enemies backed up the warrior. The second advanced on Adam and uttered mystical syllables. Adam suddenly felt sleepy, but shook off the assault, as did Fiora. Graves’ elvish blood made him immune to magical sleep!

"Enough toying!!" roared Adam. He swung at the remaining warrior and dropped him in bloody ruin. Then he cleaved into the first adept, killed him, and followed up with another mighty blow that killed the second adept. Exhausted, he paused to quaff healing potions, while the others searched the bodies, finding two cure light wounds potions as well as low-grade weapons and armor.

Before the party could do anything else, another door, on the left of the corridor around the bend, opened. Three more guards appeared!

The warriors all rushed at Adam. Two of them hit, slashing the barbarian. Fiora stepped up behind Adam and swung at the first of the warriors, wounding him severely. Adam’s sword finished the guard off, then cleaved into the second guard. A heavy blow from Troy’s greatsword slew the second guard.

The third guard saw his fellow guards fall and turned to flee!

While Fiora, Zzyggy and Troy went on the defensive, Adam pursued the fleeing guard and landed a brutal slash. Now the guard forgot all thought of combat, and desperately tried to escape from Adam’s wrath. Unsuccessfully. The barbarian swung again, and brought down the hapless guard.

Meanwhile, Fiora looked into the open door from which the dead guards had emerged. It appeared to lead to some kind of prison!

The adventurers unlocked the shackles binding the prisoners within their cells, then began to attend to them. All of the prisoners were emaciated and barely alive. Most were suffering from diseases. Of these, some had taken on a distinctly bluish tint in the abdominal area.

Questioning revealed that the prisoners came from many other locations besides Longspear, which seemed to represent an expansion of the area targeted for kidnappings. The prisoners included Senna and Garn, from Longspear, and also a woman named Thecla, who was a cook from the same town whose disappearance had apparently gone unnoticed. Four prisoners were from the town of Westkeep, in the midst of the Hool Marshes on the south bank of the Javan River: Wilf, a beggar; Willis, a gambler; Binnie, a petty thief; and Zane, a bartender. All were humans. Two prisoners came from the area of The Tors, a small spur of hills to the west of the Hool Marshes: Alca, a woodsman from the town of Melkot, who was suffering from some kind of blindness; and Plong, a male goblin. Two lizardmen, Sskaa and Fftiik, had been taken in the Hool Marshes. The last prisoner was a young female elf, apparently a ranger, who was suffering from an unknown illness that left her totally unresponsive to those around her.

All of the prisoners who could speak told similar stories. Most lived or worked in low-class or dangerous areas. All had been going about their business late at night or early in the morning. None remembered how they had arrived in this place. They also had grim tales to report. "From time to time," related Willis, "the guards would let someone in who would pick a prisoner out. The guards would drag the bloke from his cell and out of the prison, never to return."

"Yeah, and we’d hear screaming coming from somewhere in the area," added Garn. "I thinks that’s what happened to poor ol’ Ezzard. I can still hear them cultists, or whatever they are. "Little puddings’ve gotta eat, y’know! This’ll only hurt . . . oh, a whole lot!" they laughed.  I wanna get ‘em!" he snarled, clearly eager for revenge.

"Are there any other captives here?" asked Fiora. The prisoners confirmed that there was another prison, in the area Adam had located.

Garn, Willis, and Plong were able to fightm and volunteered to join the party. "We could go along with you, while some of you take these ‘ere sick ones out of this place."

"I like that plan!" said Adam, and the others agreed. The adventures gave the three fit prisoners some of the equipment they’d recovered from the dead guards--crowbars, hammers, picks, swords, and chain shirts. They decided to spring the captives in the other prison first, before evacuating. Troy, Zzyggy and Adam went to get the other captives. Fiora and Graves tended to the prisoners that had already been freed.

Adam entered the second corridor and quietly approached the door to the prison door, followed by Troy and Zzyggy. He put his ear to the door. There was movement audible.

Signaling to the others to be ready, the barbarian quaffed a healing potion to recover some of his expended vigor.

The prison door swung open and three guards emerged.

Troy swung first. One hit, one dead guard! Adam slashed a second guard, wounding him severely. The third guard slashed back at Adam, doing similar damage to the barbarian.

With Troy providing flanking coverage, Adam swung again, and dropped the second guard, then cleaved into the third guard. The surviving guard tried to grapple Adam, but failed to get a hold on the barbarian. His failed attempt left him open to attack from Troy, who promptly slew him.

One of the dead guards had a key ring. Adam grabbed it, then scouted the second prison. To the left, around the corner from the guard room, he found three more prison cells holding eight more prisoners.

The captives were promptly liberated, and proved even more diverse than the first group. The first cell held a half-elf drifter from Westkeep, named Tovar; an old, blind dwarf beggar from the Little Hills, Bolin; and a man who was unable to speak but who met the description of Alois, the assistant blacksmith from Longspear. The second cell held Festus, the town drunk from Longspear, inebriated no more; a stable boy from Westkeep, named Hedric; and Hamlost, an alcoholic Halfling rogue from the town of Hokar, to the south of the Hool Marshes in the realm of the Sea Princes.

In the third cell, the party made a disturbing discovery: two half-orcs. One, a petty thief by looks, lay stretched out rigidly and apparently was recently deceased. The other, delirious with fever, wore garb unfamiliar to Adam and Troy. Zzyggy, however, recognized it. "Scarlet Brotherhood!" he hissed. "These two are from Monmurg, by the looks of it. Better keep an eye on the live one, especially if he recovers."

Quickly, the adventurers tended to the newly-freed captives.  Tovar and Hamlost volunteered to fight along with Adam and his companions; like Garn, they too craved vengeance. The adventurers, with the captives, quietly but expeditiously rejoined the others. After a short discussion, they agreed to a plan of action. Fiora and Graves, assisted by Hedric and Festus, would evacuate the sick and wounded back to the surface. Adam, Troy and Zzyggy, together with Garn, Tovar, Willis, Plong the goblin, and Hamlost, would find and destroy the cultists who were responsible for the kidnappings and murders.

"Yeah! That’ll hurt . . . oh, a whole lot!" gloated Garn.

LXXXII. The Eyot

Behind obscuring brush, a hewn stone tunnel led inward and downward into the eyot, bending first right, then left before darkness obscured it. The sloping floor appeared to be somewhat slippery, and the adventurers had to exert considerable effort to keep their balance as they proceeded. Adam led the way, followed by Troy, Zzyggy, Fiora and Graves.

About thirty feet inward, Troy, Zzyggy and Graves suddenly felt as if their courage and combat abilities were under attack from some unknown source. "What was that?" whispered Zzyggy timidly. "Nothing," said Adam. "Shake it off."

The tunnel veered right after about sixty feet, then bent back to the left and entered a relatively straight section. On the left, the adventurers spotted a simple wooden door. Troy watched down the tunnel for possible attackers, and the rest of the party readied themselves to open the door.

Adam pressed his ear to the door. He heard nothing. "Clear," he whispered, then turned the knob. It was stuck. One kick from the barbarian and the door flew open. Adam led the way in, followed by Zzyggy and the others.

The gnome shone his lantern into the room. The room was a storage room, stocked with various buckets, shovels, crowbars, and other useful implements.

Suddenly Adam cried out. Down from the ceiling, a sickly greenish blob dripped onto the barbarian’s arm. "Green slime!" Zzyggy recognized the foul creature and knew how to handle it: with fire. He cast flaming sphere on Adam and the slime. The barbarian’s arm was singed, but the slime was burned off and destroyed. "I hope this place isn’t full of slimes," said Adam. "I hate slimes!"

The adventurers left the storage room and turned left to continue down the tunnel. Only Adam heard the faint scratching sound. Instantly he flew into a rage.

Just as three monstrous scorpions attacked!

The furious barbarian focused his full power against the nearest vermin, shattering its carapace. Weakly it struck at Fiora, drawing blood from a minor wound. The other two scorpions scuttled toward Troy and Zzyggy. Troy swung at one of the advancing arachnids, but missed.

Graves loosed an arrow at the scorpion Adam had previously wounded. The arrow pricked deep. Fiora struck back at the creature as well, and one final blow from Adam’s sword dispatched it.

Another scorpion attacked Fiora, then tried to seize her in its claws, but she escaped the grapple.

Zzyggy blasted it with magic missiles, and Fiora finished it off. Finally, Graves and Adam slew the remaining vermin. Troy cut off the scorpions’ stingers, managing not to poison himself in the process. "Never know when you’ll need one of these things," he explained.

Fiora and Graves decided to ransack the storage room and guard the tunnel entrance, while the rest of the party proceeded into the tunnel. The tunnel had begun to spiral sharply downward to the left, and Adam, Troy and Zzggy all found it difficult going.

Just past the storage room door, the adventurers noticed cracks in the floor, ceiling, and walls of the tunnel. As they walked over the cracks in the floor, a gust of wind blew at them. Entrained in the wind was some kind of noxious dust. "A trap!" cried Troy. He sped down the tunnel as fas as he could, followede by Adam and Zzyggy, all of them coughing due to the dust.

After a minute, the adventurers reached clear air. "What was that, some kind of poison?" inquired Adam. He looked at Zzyggy, who was still coughing. "You certainly look worse for wear," the barbarian observed. "I do?" gasped the gnome. He thought for a moment. "Must’ve been ungol dust," he concluded. "Only poison I’ve heard of has that effect. Not good."

Behind the three adventurers, Fiora and Graves appeared. "Seems you need guarding more than the tunnel entrance," said Fiora. "Ha, ha," responded Zzyggy.

The tunnel continued to spiral downward and to the left. After another fifty or sixty feet, Zzyggy noticed a small opening in the right wall. It was about four feet high led down and away.

"This is about my size!" said Zzyggy. He took out a rope from his pack and tied it around his waist. "Pull me out if I yank on this," he told Troy. Then he bent over and entered the opening, holding his lamp before him.

The passage was more like crawlspace. After about thirty feet, it widened into a chamber about fifteen by twenty feet. Zzyggy peered into the chamber . . . .

And immediately yanked hard on the rope! Instantly Troy pulled the foolhardy gnome back into the relative safety of the main tunnel.

"Cockatrices," the gnome gasped to the rest of the party. "Two of them!" Fortunately, the creatures had not pursued him. "Let’s keep moving," Adam urged. Zzyggy heartily agreed, and also readied magic missile.

Continuing down the steep, slippery tunnel, none of the adventurers heard anything amiss.

Until, emerging from cracks in the tunnel wall, an ochre jelly slammed into Graves, burning the fighter with its acidic slime!

"Let’s get out of here!" cried Adam. He saw Zzyggy preparing a spell and held up while the gnome cast scorching ray at jelly. The ray struck home, burning the jelly for serious damage.

Graves backed away from the jelly. Fiora took a step toward the oozy monster, then pulled out a torch and lit it. The jelly flowed toward Zzyggy and Fiora. A pseudopod slammed at Fiora, but missed. Troy rushed at the ooze and struck at it with his magical mace, but almost fumbled the weapon. He tossed a torch to Adam.

The barbarian held back, guarding against possible reinforcements from below. Magic missiles from Zzyggy blasted the ooze. Fiora battered the creature with her torch.

The damaged ooze flowed at Troy. A pseudopod slammed the fighter, then grabbed hold of him! Troy tried to break the slimy grapple, but failed, sustaining acid burns in the process. "Need some help here!" the fighter exclaimed. Quickly, Adam struck the ooze, using only the flat of his sword.

A flaming sphere from Zzyggy struck the jelly, but had no effect! "What the . . . ?" exclaimed the gnome. Fiora’s flaming attack was more successful. Then Graves drew his bow and loosed an arrow at the jelly. "No, Graves! Don’t shoot!" Adam tried to warn him, but too late. The arrow pierced the ochre jelly

And the ooze split into two jellies, each half the size of the original!

One of the jellies still grappled Troy, and continued battering the fighter and burning him with acid. But now, the fighter exerted his maximum effort against the diminished ooze. And freed himself!

Troy quickly stepped back as Adam flew into a rage and launched himself at the first ooze, battering the slimy creature. Magic missiles from Zzyggy finished the first ooze off.

Fiora beat the second ooze with her torch, inflicting more damage. The ooze in turn slammed at Zzyggy, seriously wounding the gnome but failing to grapple him. "Duck, Zzyggy!" cried Troy. The fighter jumped over the gnome and shield bashed the jelly. "Adam! Finish it off!" Troy urged the raging barbarian. And Adam did just that. Under the barbarian’s onslaught, the second jelly collapsed in a pile of slime.

The injured adventurers quaffed healing potions before continuing down the spiraling tunnel. They spotted another side branch to their left, but this time ignored it. The tunnel was still sufficiently steep and slippery that the party’s speed was reduced.

Suddenly, Adam and Fiora fell through the tunnel floor and into a deep pit trap!

Troy sped to the edge of the pit and looked down into it. "Lucky for you spiders don’t know about pit traps!" the fighter noted. His companions’ falls had been broken by several large, and apparently abandoned, spider webs. "Here, grab this," said the fighter, as he threw a rope down into the pit. Adam and Fiora were able to climb out using the rope.

"That was close!" said Adam. "Maybe one of us should learn something about traps," added Fiora. "This place seems to be full of them."

Continuing down the tunnel, now straightened but still descending, the party came to a wooden door on the right. "Any guesses what’s in here?" said Adam. He listened at the door, but again heard nothing. None of the others saw or heard anything either. So Adam forced the door open. Inside the room, the adventurers found various crates, barrels and tools. Troy took a crowbar and a hammer. "Might come in handy," he said.

At last, the party noticed that the tunnel had begun to level off. Ahead of them stood a locked wooden door. Without hesitation, Adam tried to break down the door. He succeeded on the second attempt.

The tunnel opened into a cross-corridor with hewn stone walls and an even floor. Quickly, the adventurers emerged into the corridor.

And Adam, Zzyggy and Troy set off another trap! Heavy stone blocks fell from the ceiling!

LXXXI. The Hool Marshes

For two more days the adventurers continued tracking the cart. At the end of the second day, they found that the track appeared to cross the Javan River at the site of a ferry. The ferryman was back on the west side of the river, so they queried him about recent crossings.

"Could you tell us if our friend has passed this way?" bluffed Fiora in her best bluffing manner. "Little fellow. Hunchback, poor dear." She gave the ferryman the description of the hunchback’s appearance.

The bluff worked. The ferryman replied, "Well, I haven’t seen anyone who looks like that. Are you sure that’s what he looked like?"

"He had a horse and a cart," added Fiora.

The ferryman thought for a moment. "Hmmm, nobody like that," he continued, "but there was a horse and cart that crossed last night." Fiora and the other adventurers looked at one another, but said nothing. The ferryman described the driver of the cart in more detail. The adventurers didn’t recognize the description.

"How much to cross the river?" Fiora and Troy both asked.

"That’ll be one gold piece per person," he replied. "Horses included."  The adventurers grumbled, but paid up.

The Javan River was about a quarter mile wide at the ferry’s location. The party prepared for any surprise attacks, but nothing unexpected happened and they made it across safely. Once on the east bank of the Javan, the party disembarked and looked around. To their left, they could make out a forest in the distance: the Dreadwood. To the south, open space, but misty. There were many tracks in the area around the eastern ferry dock, but only one recent cart track was apparent. It led south.

"This way," Adam indicated. He mounted up and headed south. The rest of the party, and the extra horses, followed.

By the end of the day, the party had gone about fifteen miles from the ferry dock. They decided to camp for the night. Sitting around their campfire, the adventurers conferred.

"A stranger crossed the river," observed Troy. "And the hunchback was not seen by the ferryman."

"Yet we have tracked the wagon from Longspear," Adam pointed out. "How shall we read this riddle?"

Zzyggy pondered the barbarian’s question. "There were other tracks beside the wagon’s at one point, before we were ambushed in the canyon," the gnome noted.  "A horse approached, then left." After a moment, he cried, "I’ve got it!" He jumped up and announced, "Someone on horseback came up to the wagon. He got in the wagon, and the hunchback got on the horse. Then the hunchback went back to Longspear, while the wagon, with a new driver, continued south."

"But who’s driving the wagon?" asked Fiora.

"I’d say it’s either the person behind all the disappearances, or his agent," Zzyggy conjectured.

"Either way, we have to stop that wagon!" urged Adam. The rest of the party agreed, and with that, retired for the night. No problems occurred, and everyone got adequate rest.

The party foraged for food the next day. Adam bagged lots of game. Zzyggy also found food and water.

The party covered about five miles the next morning, when the terrain began changing to a marshy environment. At the edge of a large bog, the adventurers spotted a wagon in a nearby thicket.

Troy and Graves went to investigate the wagon. "This looks like the hunchback’s wagon alright," said Troy. "It looks abandoned," added Graves.

The party investigated the area around the wagon. They spotted a trail leading into the marsh.

"Looks like the horse was let loose, or taken away, into the marsh," said Adam. He rode in the direction of the trail, waving to the others to follow him.

It was a warm, muggy, hazy day. Visibility was decent, about one hundred yards. "Where are we now?" Fiora asked. "North-central Hool Marshes." answered Zzyggy. "A dangerous area!"

Adam and Troy went hunting again, and came back with provisions enough for the rest of the day. The party ate their fill of roast rabbit and wild onions, then mounted up and continued on their way. Forward, Marsh!" said Fiora. The other adventurers groaned.

As they followed the trail further into the marsh, footprints became readily visible. It looked like someone was carrying something heavy. The ground grew progressively soggier. Soon Adam dismounted. "Better walk the horses," advised the barbarian, "so they wouldn’t sink too far into this wet ground." The others followed his suggestion.

Toward the end of the day, the party found a thicket of trees. They tethered the horses, then climbed into the trees. After an uneventful night, they resumed tracking their quarry, then camped for the night. That night, Zzyggy had a throbbing headache. He lay in a stupor until dawn, and woke in serious pain.

On the following day, the party was marching through a very boggy aream when Adam, Troy and Fiora noticed things rising from the bog. Before they could react, a crocodile surfaced and bit Adam! The creature severely mangled his leg, and he cried out in pain. The pain quickly turned to rage, as the angry barbarian swung back at the attacking reptile. The creature managed to avoid Adam’s blow.

Fiora repositioned herself to set up a flank against the crocodile. As she moved into place, Troy swung his mace at the reptile. The creature hissed as the mace drew blood. It opened its jaws wide, bit Adam again, then clamped down on the barbarian’s leg and tried to drag him under the water! Adam struck back at the reptile with his dagger, as Fiora tried to skewer the thrashing creature with her rapier. But she missed badly, then fumbled her rapier and slashed her own wrist instead!

Troy rushed to the crocodile’s side and swung with his mace, battering the reptile. Zzyggy’s magic missiles blasted the crocodile. But the damage inflicted was not enough to stop the reptile from submerging, with Adam in its jaws!

After futile attacks from the adventurers, which did nothing to prevent the crocodile from further savaging the barbarian, Fiora and Troy finally managed to strike the creature. When Zzyggy ran up to the crocodile and cast shocking grasp, the reptile at last released Adam from its jaws and sank, dead, into the swamp.

"Not so fast!" Troy roared at the sinking corpse. He pulled it back out of the water and recovered a handful of the crocodile’s teeth, as trophies of the struggle. "Now you can go," the fighter said, releasing the creature’s remains back into the water.

Onward slogged the adventurers, still following the wagon track. As the day ended, the land starting to rise and dry a bit (although the ground was still soggy). A thicket nearby provided a convenient campsite. Adam took the opportunity to quaff four cure light wounds potions. After eating some of their trail rations, the adventurers retired, exhausted.

During that night, Graves and Zzyggy were stricken with severe headaches. Adam became nauseous. Troy, however, felt fine, even a little tougher!

In the morning, most of the party felt worse than they had the day before. "What . . . what happen?" mumbled Graves, almost incoherently. "No know," said Zzyggy, also groggy. "Maybe this foul swamp water, diseased," the gnome guessed.

Bad as they felt, at least the adventurers’ wounds had healed up a bit. After morning rations, the party resumed their journey into the hostile marsh.

After about an hour, the adventurers approached a sizeable eyot emerging from the surrounding marsh. "Let’s stop here a bit," Troy suggested. "Might find something." Zzyggy added, "At least a few trees to rest under. My head still hurts."

So, the party paused when they reached the dry ground surrounding the eyot. Troy looked around the area, and climbed up the near side of the little hill. Part way up the side, the fighter called out, "Here! Come on up!"

He had found the entrance to an underground tunnel!

LXXX. The Hunchback

"Let’s head back to the inn," Troy suggested. "Maybe more’s been going on the last few months." The rest of the party agreed, and they left the tavern for the inn.

Early in the wee hours of the next day, the adventurers met up with one of the local shopkeepers who dropped in for a nightcap. The man had an item of interest. "There was this hunchback," he related. "Seen him loading a wagon, I did." He took a swig of ale and continued. "Dumped a long sack into the wagon. Then he left town."

The adventurers learned that others had seen the hunchback also. He did not appear in any specific location; he was observed mostly near dark alleys on the south side of town.

"Sounds suspicious, for certain," said Zzyggy. "I say we try to find him, see what he’s up to," suggested Troy. The party agreed to begin a stake-out the following night.

Next day, the adventurers stocked up on potions, rations and other goods. They identified locations in town to observe: run-down streets, dark alleys, seedy taverns. After dark they began the stake-out.

For two nights, nothing unusual happened. On the third night, about 3am, Troy spotted their quarry: a small hunchback with a long tied-up object over his shoulder. The hunchback headed toward a cart, into which he deposited the object. Then he climbed aboard and began to head out of town.  Heading south.

The party decided to follow. The cart left easily followed tracks, which the adventurers followed throughout the day, for about 24 miles, following the Javan River and into the Little Hills. They then camped for the night.

The next day, the party continued tracking the cart south. Toward the end of the day, in the Little Hills, Adam found a spot where the cart seemed to have stopped. A horse had approached, then left, and the cart had then continued south through the Little Hills, proceeding into a narrow canyon. 

As dusk fell, the party paused. Adam thought he heard something. He dismounted and began to look around. Zzyggy also heard something. The gnome remained mounted. Troy heard nothing.

Adam looked up toward the western side of the canyon.

Boulders headed toward the party! Adam and Troy were struck by falling rocks. Ahead of the party, a large rockslide blocked the road. As the adventurers tried to back away from the slide, from behind them there emerge seven disreputable-looking warriors on horseback. A voice from above called out.

"Well well, lookie here, me friends!" laughed the voice. To the party, the voice continued, "If you’ll just be handing over your goods, you can be on your way!"

Adam’s reply was to rage and charge at the thieves!

The furious barbarian reached the nearest thief and brought his sword down in a savage blow. The defenseless thief fell with cloven head.

"‘E got Pepin!" cried one of the remaining bandits. The mounted outlaw raced to Troy, scimitar out, and slashed the fighter as he passed by, then wheeled around while another bandit on horseback rushed at the fighter and slashed at him. This time, Troy dodged the assault.

A mounted thief advanced on Adam, wielding a warhammer, but missed his target. An arrow flew through the air and struck the barbarian. "Good shot, Meginhard!" one of bandits cried. He drew and fired another arrow, but his shot sailed high. "Not so good, Werinbert!" laughed another thief, as he rode up to Adam, swinging another warhammer. He too missed.

They’re overconfident, this bunch, thought Zzyggy. Not even hiding their names.

A third hammer-wielding thief connecter, jolting the barbarian.

Now Troy swung his greatsword on the second scimitar-wielding thief. The blow devastated the hapless bandit, who was almost dismounted by it. As Troy was dealing with his foe, Zzyggy blasted the first bandit with barrage of magic missiles, severely wounding him. The thief desperately tried to withdraw from the melee.

"Quittin’ already, Otker? Not like you, mate," chided the second scimitar-armed bandit. The fleeing brigand ignored his fellow wounded thief. The second bandit then turned his attention to Troy. He tried to swing at the fighter. The scimitar caught on his saddle, and he fumbled the weapon! Before he could recover his weapon, Troy cut him down. "Bero!" cried one of the remaining thieves as his companion fell from the saddle.

Two more arrows whizzed past Adam and Troy’s heads from somewhere above the canyon floor. Zzyggy and Troy heard movement from above, to the west.

Adam ignored the arrows and stepped up to the two hammer-wielding bandits. He swung at the nearer one (the one who had missed him), but he also missed.

The two archers the party could see both shot at Adam, but missed, as did the first of the hammer-armed brigands. The second battered Adam, seriously wounding him.

Zzyggy shot three magic missiles at the first hammer-wielder attacking Adam. The brigand screamed in pain and fell dead from his mount.

Two more bandits came down from the canyon to replace the fallen.

Adam’s next swing eviscerated the second hammer-armed brigand. Then Meginhard and Werinbert targeted the barbarian. Meginhard shot at Adam again, piercing his arm. Werinbert rode up to the raging barbarian, drew a warhammer and swung. The barbarian ducked the blow. But Werinbert’s horse hit Adam, drawing blood from a nasty forehead wound!

The two reinforcements flanked Zzyggy and Adam, respectively. Zzyggy suffered a deep scimitar wound. Adam dodged a warhammer. Troy in turn slashed Adam’s attacker.

Two more Zzyggys suddenly appeared: mirror images.

From above came voices. "If you want something done right, Tassilo," said the first, "you have to do it yourself, Waltgaud!" said the second. Two new brigands came on down. Both looked better-equipped than the other bandits. Waltgaud stepped up to Troy, pulled out a whip and tried to disarm him. But Troy managed to wriggle free from the whip’s attack.

Adam, despite still being flanked, slashed at the first new bandit. One hit, one kill! Then the raging barbarian cleaved into Meginhard. Another hit, and Meginhard staggered. The bandit was almost dead! His weak retaliatory attack missed Adam badly.

The second bandit reinforcer rushed Zzyggy, swinging a vicious scimitar. He landed a brutal blow on . . . the real Zzyggy! The gnome fell, mortally wounded. Blood kept flowing.

Tassilo, wielding a rapier, bore down on Troy and pierced the beleaguered fighter. Troy repositioned to attack Waltgaud–and provoked an attack from the brigand leader’s whip which disarmed him! Having lost his blade, Troy instead quaffed a potion of cure moderate wounds, which exposed him to another attack, this time from the rapier of Tassilo. The fighter barely avoided another piercing wound.

The inert form of the gnome continued to bleed.

Waltgaud pulled out his longsword and swung at Troy. "You should have yielded, you fool!" the brigand taunted as his blade slashed the fighter, inflicting another severe wound.

Adam approached toward Tassilo and the first reinforcing bandit. "Adalbert! Ware!" cried Waltgaud. In moving on the two brigands, the barbarian had left himself open to opportunistic attack from Waltgaud. The brigand leader tripped him! But Adam proved sure-footed enough to remain standing. His attack, however, missed–he was still slightly off-balance.

The remaining bandits continued their attacks. Meginhard shot at Troy, grazing him; Troy ignored the pinprick, drew his greatsword, and slashed Waltgaud across the abdomen. Adalbert moved to flank Adam, then swung his warhammer, but missed. "Ha!" gloated Adam. "Ha!" exclaimed Tassilo as he flanked the barbarian and, roguishly, landed a sneak attack with his rapier. "Ahhh!" cried Adam as the rapier pierced his left shoulder, severely injuring him.

"Now you die!" Waltgaud shouted at Troy. He landed a huge blow, and the fighter went down. Adam was now left to confront the bandits by himself. He attacked Adalbert, but missed. Meginhart’s shot missed the barbarian, due to the confusion of melee.

Adalbert and Tassilo flanked Adam. Both swung at the barbarian. Scimitar and rapier both found their mark. Adam was obviously near to falling! Meanwhile, neither Troy nor Zzyggy stabilized; both continued to bleed, nearing death.

Suddenly, Graves and Fiora showed up! "Adam! Zzyggy! Troy! We’re here!" Graves shouted above the din of melee. Waldgaud spotted the two adventurers approaching.

Energized by the unexpected appearance of his allies, Adam shook off his many wounds and renewed his attack on Adalbert. The raging barbarian brought down the bandit with a mighty swing, then cleaved at Tassilo. The rogue staggered under the attack, suffering a critical wound!

Meginhart shot at Adam again, but missed again.

Fiora entered the battle, on horseback, taking up a defensive position. Graves followed, then loosed an arrow at Meginhart. The bandit ducked as the arrow grazed his arm.

"Take the barbarian!" Waltgaud ordered Meginhart. "I’ll handle the newcomers!" Immediately, the bandit leader charged at Graves. A ferocious blow devastated the adventurer. Fiora galloped to Graves’ aid, rapier drawn, but missed the brigand.

Adam turned his attention to the dying gnome. A potion of cure light wounds quickly stabilized him. But Meginhart’s next shot wounded the barbarian again. Adam staggered, and with his last strength tried to leave the battle. Graves stepped into the gap, shooting at Waltgaud and piercing the bandit leader’s leg. Blood gushed from the wound, and the brigand realized the battle had turned. He tried to flee back toward Meginhart, who had likewise opted for retreat.

As the two bandits ran off, fleeing into a side canyon, Adam quaffed a cure moderate wounds potion. "That’s better!" he called out to the other adventurers. "Now Zzyggy and Troy need help!" Fiora and Graves sped to their fallen friends and administered healing potions.

Leaving Troy and Zzyggy to rest, Adam, Fiora and Graves searched the bodies of the bandits. They found a number of masterwork weapons, some magic armor, and a few potions, as well as a goodly amount of gold and silver pieces. They also took charge of the dead bandits’ mounts.

After burying the dead bandits, the party continued south for a few hundred yards, until they were out of sight of the battleground. They then made camp for the night, and prepared themselves for the next stage of the pursuit.

LXXIX. Mysterious Disappearances

The party returned up the stairs to the kitchen. Adam and Troy quaffed Healing potions, while Fiora, Graves and Zzyggy related the tale of Battle Calzone to Gendrew.

Suddenly, Andolyn appeared, with a big bag of groceries!

Gendrew rushed to take her in his arms and explained what had happened, including his rescue by the adventurers. "If I had only known," said Andolyn, "I would have put off shopping!"

She turned to the party and thanked them profusely for rescuing Gendrew. "And I’m sorry for the attacks by my little servants," she continued. "Quite alright," said Troy. "No real harm done," added Zzyggy. Adam just grunted his agreement.

"You deserve a reward," Andolyn insisted. She went to the bedroom and returned with a box of potions: bull’s strength, cat’s grace, cure moderate wounds, endure elements (fire), jump, and vision. She also offered to teach Zzyggy a new spell. After a few moments’ thought, he chose arcane lock.

"And I’ll throw in a free feast after the festival, no charge," added Gendrew. The party readily accepted his offer. "As long as it doesn’t fight back!" laughed Fiora.

So the five companions, together with Gendrew and Andolyn, proceeded to Cryllor, where the man and wife got the festival catering going. And after the Festival of Tomatoes and Meat had concluded, and the party had eaten their fill, they rode back to Longspear.

Nothing of interest occurred during the first day of travel.  On the following day, the adventurers were riding through a forested area along the path back to Longspear. Suddenly, Troy held up. "Listen!" he whispered. The others heard nothing.

"Stay here," Troy told the party. He then turned to face the woods in the direction of the sound.

Out of the woods, a mass of fur, feathers ands claws rushed to attack Troy. An owlbear!

The beast slashed Troy and grappled the fighter, pulling him off his horse. But Troy managed to break the grapple, and stepped away from the creature.

Adam, Fiora and Graves all dismounted and advanced on the owlbear. Adam flew into a rage and slashed at the creature. The beast screeched as the barbarian’s sword pierced its vulnerable underbelly. But the owlbear’s claws ripped at Adam in return, severely wounding him. He barely managed to escape the creature’s grapple. Graves’ arrow missed the creature. Zzyggy was more successful with a scorching ray attack. The monster screeched again, now badly wounded.

A blow from Troy’s mace battered the owlbear. Adam did even more damage. The monster was now barely alive. But it retained enough vitality to rip into Adam and then grapple him!

"I’ll get it, Adam!" shouted Graves as he drew his bow. Unfortunately, his shot hit Adam instead!

Again, Zzyggy was more accurate, and his magic missile attack struck the beast. "Good shot, Zzyggy!" cried Troy. The fighter landed a heavy blow with his mace. Fiora added to the assault. The monster bled profusely and staggered, but still maintained its hold on Adam and inflicted more damage. The raging barbarian was visibly weakening.

"Leave this to me," said Zzyggy. The gnome fired another round of magic missiles at the owlbear. The creature let out a final shriek and fell dead to the ground, releasing Adam as it fell.

But Adam fell too, as his rage subsided and the massive injuries inflicted by the owlbear took their toll. Luckily for him, his companions supplied sufficient healing potions to restore the barbarian to vigor enough to mount up again.

In the meantime, Troy skinned the owlbear’s hide. "An owlbear-skin rug will look great in my house," he observed. He took the creature’s claws and beak also.

"Must be a lair around here somewhere," said Graves. He searched the surrounding area with Troy and Fiora, but found nothing. "Probably didn’t have any booty anyway," the disappointed Graves remarked.

And with that, the adventurers resumed their ride to Longspear. On the third day of their journey, they reached the city.

Three days later, at the Gargoyle Tavern, the adventurers were having a few rounds and enjoying the company. Their ears were alert to any interesting news items that might be mentioned by other guests. An hour went by, but they heard nothing. 

"Let’s see what I can find out," said Troy. He got up from the party’s table and began circulating around the common room for a while. Soon he found what he was looking for.

He returned to the rest of the party. "It seems a number of citizens have disappeared over the last week or so," Troy reported.  The missing included a blacksmith’s assistant named Alois; a tavern girl, Senna; a farm hand, Ezzard; the miller’s assistant Garn; and Festus, the town drunk. Two local toughs had also vanished; perhaps not coincidentally, there had been a slight dip in the crime rate.  "And the missing citizens all came from the southern parts of town, or were known to travel south frequently."

"I think a journey south may be in order," said Zzyggy.

LXXVIII. Sauce for the Golem

"We created a calzone golem," repeated Gendrew to the astonished barbarian. "Andolyn and I."

"You made a golem out of dough and tomato sauce?!" cried Adam. "Why on Oerth would you do such a thing??"

"We wanted to create something new," Gendrew explained, "something that would combine Andolyn’s magical talents for animation with my cooking skills."

"Yes, we’ve seen the results of her animations," observed Troy. "Oh, don’t worry about them," said Gendrew. "They’re easily replaced. Anyway," he continued, "we wanted something to guard the kitchen and the pantry when we were out."

"How did you end up tied to the bed," Zzyggy asked. "And what about those imps?"

"I think the imps were minions of a devil named Woganpuck," replied Gendrew. "Andolyn humiliated him some years ago, and he’s hated her ever since. He sent his imps to cause trouble for us. They got to me first."

"What about the golem?" inquired Adam, recalling the tomato sauce stains on Gendrew.

"The imps got to me while I was in the kitchen," said Gendrew. "First they attacked the golem. Drove it berserk. It clobbered me, then wrecked the kitchen. Then it went downstairs to the pantry. When I woke up, I was tied to the bed. Imps must’ve dragged me here. They’ve been tormenting me for two days."

Adam gave the injured man a cure light wounds potion, then told his companions, "I think we need re-inforcements!" Troy and Zzyggy agreed. "We’ll go back to the Moose," said Troy. "Fetch Fiora and Graves."

Gendrew wanted to stay at his home in case his wife returned, so Adam stayed with him.

Back in Cryllor, Troy and Zzyggy went back to the Home of the Moose. From inside the inn, they heard uproarious drunken laughter, but as it was late in the day they entered the inn and went to their quarters without investigating.

Next morning, having recovered from battle and prepared spells, Troy and Zzyggy left their quarters. Passing the common room, they spotted Fiora and Graves in the room eating breakfast!

"Hey, you two!" Troy called out. He went to their table and told them about the problem at the wizards’ home. "Come along, we need your help!" he urged. They readily agreed to join up.

Back at the house, Adam had continued speaking with Gendrew. He realized that he had looted the couple’s silver, and promptly gave them back. "Sorry, wasn’t thinking," he admitted. When the four other adventurers arrived, they joined with Adam and Gendrew and promptly proceeded to the kitchen.

What was once a well-appointed kitchen was now a disaster area. Pots and pans were strewn all over the room. Broken crockery lay on the floor. Foodstuffs and cooking ingredients splattered the walls and even the ceiling. There was a door to the right of the main entrance. A chair was propped against it, keeping it shut.

"The golem is downstairs in the pantry," advised Gendrew. "Be careful! It’s hot!"

Adam didn’t wait for further comment, but shoved the chair out of the way and ran down the stairs, shouting his war cry! Troy followed, then Zzyggy, then Fiora and Graves. "I’ll be in the kitchen!" Gendrew called out, as he started to clean up the wreckage.

The adventurers found that every shelf and container in the basement had been smashed. Standing in the middle of the room was a six-foot-tall creature that appeared to be made out of – baked dough, with traces of tomato sauce!

Instantly, the creature advanced toward Adam. Then it exhaled, and a cloud of nauseating, garlicky vapor surrounded the golem in a five-foot radius.

As Fiora rushed into the basement and took up a defensive position, Adam raged, then attacked the golem. He managed to shake off the stinking cloud effect of the vapors and launched a full attack upon the golem. The flaky foe, however, was unharmed, to Adam’s dismay.

Next down the stairs was Graves. Advancing into the pantry, he shot at the golem. An arrow pierced the crispy crust of the golem for heavy damage. Hot juices squirted from the wound, burning Adam in the process. "Watch out for that sauce!" cried the barbarian.

Troy ran up to the golem and tried to attack. The fighter inhaled the vapors as he advanced, but unlike Adam, was overcome by the cloud and became nauseated!

From the stairway, Zzyggy cast magic missile at the golem. The spell had no effect.

Th golem slammed Adam, scorching the barbarian. Adam resisted the effects of the golem’s fumes, but failed to hit the crunchy construct, even while flanking with Fiora, who had climbed over some wrecked crates and landed a stout blow in the meantime. Graves’ arrow went wide. Troy, still nauseated, moved back away from the melee.

A scorching ray from Zzyggy struck the golem. Unfortunately, not only was the golem not harmed, but it appeared to gain a thicker crust and become more heavily armored! "Arrrrgh!" groaned Zzyggy. "That’s twice now." He thought for a moment. "Of course," the gnome exclaimed, slapping his forehead. "Golem. Construct. Immune to magic!"

While Zzyggy was consulting his knowledge of golems, the golem was continuing its assault on Adam, slamming and burning him. Adam was beginning to show serious damage. His return attacks missed, as did those of the rest of the party. Troy, still nauseated, ran back toward some wrecked shelves.

Again Adam was pummeled and burned by the golem. Fiora, now outside the cloud of steamy vapors emitted by the golem, circled to flank the construct, then re-entered the cloud, intending to flank it. She resisted the noxious fumes, but failed to hit the crusty golem. Adam, however, was able to leave the cloud and quaff a cure moderate wounds potion, which was desperately needed.

Graves swung on the golem, but missed. Troy, still nauseous, remained in the corner he had retreated to.

Suddenly, a squad of four Zzyggy’s appeared, as the gnome cast mirror image on himself!

"Let’s see if this helps," he thought to himself.

Again the golem slammed Adam. Fiora stepped to the golem. She resisted the noxious vapors surrounding it, saw through it, and pierced its hard-baked hide. Hot tomato sauce squirted out, burning her and Adam, whose counterattack went wide. Then the cloud dissipated!

"Finally!" exclaimed Troy, as he recovered his senses. Unfortunately, not enough to shoot accurately.

Zzyggy, still trying to find an effective magical attack, cast ray of frost at the golem. The spell did no apparent damage. However, the construct seemed suddenly to move much slower than before. "Finally!" cried the gnome, echoing Troy.

The gnome’s satisfaction was short-lived: the golem stepped toward Graves, then breathed another gas cloud. Fiora bravely stepped up to the golem, shook off the vapor, and landed a heavy blow. Zzyggy shot an arrow that struck home as well. Again, Graves and the other adjacent adventurers took hot tomato sauce damage.

As the golem directed its attacks back to Adam, Fiora began choking on the construct’s noxious fumes and was forced to back away. Graves hopped onto a group of wrecked barrels, then shot at the golem but missed. Troy and Zzyggy likewise shot and missed.

Another attack on Adam by the golem landed heavily. The barbarian was nauseated and driven back out of the fumes. Fiora, herself nauseated, ran into the stairwell. Graves and Troy fumbled their weapons and struggled to recover them. The golem took advantage of the situation and slammed Troy. But Graves managed to retrieve his bow. His shot pierced the crust of the construct, which burned Troy with another stream of sauce. Fortunately, Troy avoided further sauce damage when Zzyggy’s arrow also found its mark. The golem was now heavily damaged and leaking sauce, mushrooms and bits of meatballs from multiple wounds.

The golem and Troy traded ineffective blows. But now Troy and Zzyggy were also nauseated by the golem’s vapors and forced to pull back!

The last adventurer standing, Graves, was slammed and seriously burned by the golem. He too was nauseated and forced to step away from the berserk pastry. The rest of the party continued to cough and retch, Zzyggy from the stairway, Troy from among wrecked shelves.

Another vicious slam sent Graves staggering. But finally, Fiora recovered enough to return to combat. She overcame the golem’s toxic fumes and flanked the construct, but missed with her attack.

At last, the noxious cloud about the golem dissipated again. The golem battered Fiora again, but now she saw her chance. A devastating blow slashed through the crusty armor of the golem, and finally it collapsed into a pile of burnt crust, tomato sauce, mushrooms and meatballs! Fiora picked up a slice of the crust, topped it with a few meatballs and held it up.

"Dinner is served!" cried the weary fighter.

LXXVII. What’s Cooking?

Next morning, fully refreshed, the adventurers went to the common room and ordered breakfast. As they ate, Troy overheard some of the other guests talking about the local "Festival of Meat and Tomatoes".

"Can’t wait for this year’s!" said one guest. "Looks to be the biggest ever!"

"Yes," someone else at the table said, "but haven’t seen Andolyn and Gendrew in town for two days now. If they don’t show up, who’s going to do all the cooking?"

"Well, there’s still two days," someone else said. "Maybe they’ll turn up."

Troy was intrigued. He approached the table and said, "We couldn’t help but overhear. Where were Andolyn and Gendrew last seen?"

"Here in Cryllor," one of the locals answered. "Last I saw, they were heading home. Live in their own house on the outskirts of town."

Troy thanked the guests for the information and returned to his table. He told Zzyggy and Adam what he had learned. "I say we find them," Troy suggested. "If they’re the chefs, maybe we’ll get some free samples."

"Say no more!" exclaimed Zzyggy. "I’m in," Adam agreed. And with that, the three adventurers finished up and set out to investigate.

The house was a quarter mile outside of town, to the northeast, in a little grove of maple trees. The party rode up to the grove and hitched the horses to a convenient tree. A gate in the grove led to the house: a tidy, unassuming half-timber structure.

The adventurers moved cautiously toward the door of the house. At the door, Troy checked the door for traps, with Zzyggy and Adam standing by. He found no traps, then listened at the door but didn’t hear anything either. The door was unlocked.

"Clear," Troy reported as he opened the door, sword and shield readied. Zzyggy readied his magic missile. Adam followed.

The door opened on a hallway leading into the house. To the right, an archway led to a cozy sitting room, with a large sofa and an overstuffed chair facing a fireplace in one corner. There was a small reading table next to a curtained window, on which a small book lay open. A statue stood nearby. To the left were two closed doors.

"Let’s check out this sitting room," Troy suggested. He entered the room, Adam following along. The barbarian passed in front of the reading table.

The book attempted to slam shut on Adam’s passing hand!

Swiftly reacting, Adam pulled his hand away from the hostile tome, then shredded it with his sword. But no sooner had he defeated the book than the draw cord of the curtain animated and attacked! It wrapped itself around the barbarian and attempted to constrict, but Adam managed to escape.

"Die, cord, die!" shouted Troy, as he slashed at the draw cord and sliced it to quivering threads.

Adam scarcely had time to thank Troy before he was struck yet again. The fireplace poker had animated and attacked, drawing blood. The barbarian swung back but missed, as did Troy.

Zzyggy watched the humans fighting the animated objects with amusement. "Need help?" he called out, as the poker slammed Adam again. "Enough of this nonsense!" the barbarian cried. A mighty blow finally sundered the hostile implement.

Without warning, the statue then animated and attacked Troy. The surprised fighter’s return blow chipped the statue. The statue continued to exchange blows with Adam and Troy. Zzyggy fired magic missiles at the statue, scorching its marble body. The gnome failed, however, to connect with his shocking grasp.

The battle continued, both the statue and the humans exchanging hits. Adam landed a massive blow that cracked the statue in several places. The statue was obviously almost destroyed. At last, Zzyggy’s shocking grasp shattered the statue, and the party could catch their breath.

"Have to hand it to whoever came up with this," said Adam, as he picked up a broken arm. "Very funny," Zzyggy replied to the barbarian’s attempt at humor.

Opposite the window, an archway led to the home’s dining room. A table was set for two. There was a silver candlestick on the table, and silverware in a cabinet to the side. The barbarian grabbed them all, almost automatically.

As the adventurers entered the dining room, Adam heard a muffled cry from across the hallway to his left. Immediately, the party hurried to investigate.

The two doors on the left side of the hall were closed. Another cry was heard, coming from the door adjacent to the front door of the house.

"This way!" urged Adam as he made for the source of the cry. Reaching the door, he heard a cry of pain. The barbarian kicked in the door and rushed into the bedroom of the house, followed by Troy and Zzyggy.

Bookshelves lined one wall of the bedroom, below which was a writing desk. A large bed occupied most of the remaining floor space.

On the bed, a battered, bloody man was tied, wrists and ankles. Perched atop the headboard of the bed was a small, bat-winged humanoid creature, with a tail ending in a nasty stinget. A second winged humanoid was sitting on the writing desk, tearing up a book.

"Imps!" cried Zzyggy, recognizing the fiendish creatures, who instantly flew at the adventurers, eager for combat!

Adam swiftly attacked the first imp. The devilish creature evaded the blow, then landed back on the desk and disappeared. The second imp flew at Troy, and stung the fighter. The painful sting made Troy fumble clumsily, but not clumsily enough to keep him from battering his impish antagonist. The damage inflicted, to Troy’s dismay, seemed to be much less than he expected.

Zzyggy’s crossbow shot missed the second imp. Adam’s raging assault was far more effective. The imp, severely wounded, used its power of invisibility to disappear. Not good enough: Troy managed to kill the creature with a final blow of his mace.

Suddenly, a fierce boar burst into the room! It attacked Zzyggy and gored the gnome, wounding him severely. Zzyggy retaliated with a scorching ray. The damage, although severe, appeared to begin to heal almost immediately.

"Fire resistant?" shouted Adam at the boar. "Are you sword resistant too?" A devastating slash gutted the boar, and it fell dead. As it fell, its appearance suddenly changed.

"The other imp!" Zzyggy exclaimed. "And I was looking forward to roast pork," sighed the disappointed barbarian.

While Troy and Zzyggy quaffed healing potions, Adam untied the man on the bed and began to tend to his wounds. The man was very weak and clumsym as well as bloody. But Adam noticed something odd: some of the "bloodstains" were actually tomato sauce!

Once untied, the man thanked his rescuers profusely, and introduced himself as Gendrew, one of the missing chefs the party was searching for. Adam asked the man what had happened. He began to relate the recent events. Then Adam interrupted him.

"You did WHAT?!"

LXXVI. Little Boy Lost

It was a few days later, after treasure had been divided, and professional development achieved. Adam, Troy and Zzyggy were again at the Gargoyle Tavern in Longspear. Adam was listening to the crowd’s various conversations, when he overheard an interesting bit of information.

"Well," said Adam to his companions, "it looks like there’s going to be a festival up in Cryllor." 

"I know where that is," said Troy. "Up the Davish River, in Keoland. Not all that far from here. About a hundred miles."

"Sounds interesting to me," said Adam. "How about we check it out?"

"Let’s check it out!" exclaimed Zzyggy. Troy agreed with the voluble gnome. And so, after making appropriate preparations, the three adventurers mounted up (Zzyggy riding with Troy) and set off north to Cryllor. They figured it would take about three days to get there.

The party proceeded roughly north by northwest, parallel to the eastern bank of the Javan River. At the end of the day, they made camp in a glade in the nearby woods. Zzyggy took the first watch, while Troy and Adam doffed their armor and slept.

It was around midnight when Zzyggy heard noises from the surrounding woods. He tried to wake Troy and Adam. Not soon enough. Four giant spiders appeared as if out of nowhere, and skittered toward the gnome!

But suddenly, four more Zzyggys appeared. The gnome wizard cast mirror image to confuse the attacking spiders. Two of the spiders attacked two of the figments, which immediately disappeared.

"Wake up, sleepy-heads!" Zzyggy shouted. Adam and Troy sprang up. Troy drew his mace. As he drew, one of the spiders bit him. He shrugged off the poisonous bite of the spider, then swung back, smashing the body of the arachnid. Zzyggy moved back, then sent a scorching ray at another spider. The ray went wide. Adam attacked a spider while still prone. His mighty sword skewered the spider, killing it. He then leapt to his feet, assuming a battle-ready posture.

But one of the surviving spiders sped toward Troy and sank its mandibles into the fighter’s arm! Troy managed to shake off the spider’s venom again. Another attacked one of Zzyggy’s remaining figments, and it too disappeared.

The fighter now grabbed his shield off the ground, then attacked the spider that had bitten Troy, slicing off two legs. A magic missile from Zzyggy killed the spider. A second magic missile hit the other spider. Adam charged the spider and slashed the vermin with a vicious blow. But the spider bit back. Spider venom weakened Adam severely!

Troy, Zzyggy and Adam all pressed their attacks against the spider, but the creature avoided their blow. Adam in turn evaded the spider’s bite. Troy swung again with his mace, but almost fumbled the weapon. Finally, Zzyggy ran up to the spider and delivered a shocking grasp attack, which dispatched the vermin.

"That was close!" said Zzyggy. The adventurers searched the nearby area, looking for any valuable items the spiders might have accumulated. They found a small number of coins, along with a nice piece of jade, a potion, and other items.

Troy shivered. The spider’s poison continued to deplete his strength. "Have to sleep this off," the fighter groaned. He tried to go back to sleep, while Adam took the watch. A few hours later, the barbarian awakened him to take watch, and he reluctantly took over.
 Daylight finally came. The party continued to rest until they felt strong enough to continue. Zzyggy prepared his spells. Then the party rode off, continuing toward Cryllor.

Late in the afternoon, the party was almost ready to stop. They came to a cross-road. Sitting in the middle of the cross-road was an unexpected sight: a wounded little boy, begging for help!

Zzyggy walked up to the child, because he was short (!) "Do you need help?" asked the gnome, with a firm grasp on the obvious.

"Bug grabbed my dad, dragged him into a hole!" sobbed the boy. "Please help!" He pointed out where the hole was. "He’s a farmer," the boy further explained.

The adventurers conferred briefly and agreed to help the little boy. The party headed for the hole, about twenty yards away. "I want to go too!" the little boy demanded. The adventurers couldn’t get him to stay behind, so they allowed him to accompany them.

The hole was six feet wide and about eight feet deep. It opened into a tunnel about eight feet high by five feet wide. A sickly sweet smell pervaded the tunnel.

Zzyggy quickly cast dancing lights into the hole to provide illumination. Adam then went down into the hole. "Wait here with the horses," Troy told the little boy. "This could be dangerous." He gave the boy some rations, feed for the horses, and some water also. The boy pouted but eventually agreed to wait. Troy and Zzyggy then followed Adam down the hole.

After about thirty feet, the adventurers came to a large pit, about fifteen feet deep. A hideous sight greeted them: a monstrous insect, ten feet long, with sharp claws and huge mandibles, was chomping on a human corpse. The corpse appeared to be that of the missing farmer.

The insect roared. Spotting the adventurers, it dropped the corpse and burrowed into the floor!

"What was that thing?" asked Troy.

"Ankheg," Zzyggy answered. "Very dangerous."

The party moved back slowly into the tunnel.

Suddenly the creature emerged foom the tunnel floor!

Instantly, Adam flew into a rage and charged at the creature. His attack did heavy damage. But the ankheg’s attack did equal damage to the barbarian, and burned him with an acid spray! The monster then grappled Adam, readying a deadly bite.

With a mighty battle cry, Troy ran up to attack the ankheg with his mace. Foul ichor splashed as the mace crushed chitin. Zzyggy’s magic missile barrage did more damage. The monster was heavily wounded, but still on its legs.

Adam struggled to break the ankheg’s grapple, but the creature was too strong. It withdrew to the tunnel entrance, with Adam still grappled! "Get this thing off me!" cried the desperate barbarian. Troy ran up to attack the creature, but missed.

"Let me handle this," said Zzyggy. From the gnome’s extended finger, a scorching ray seared the monstrous insect into oblivion. "Crispy critter!" exclaimed the gnome, as Adam was released from the charred corpse of the ankheg.

"Thanks, Zzyggy," said Adam. He stopped raging and quaffed a potion of cure moderate wounds. The others went to recover the body and search the creature’s lair. They retrieved the unfortunate farmer’s corpse, and also recovered a magic chainmail, a potion of healing, and a hunk of partly melted gold pieces.

Meanwhile, Adam went back up to the surface to rest and stay with the boy. Soon, Troy and Zzyggy returned with the corpse.

"We’re so sorry about your father," Zzyggy said to the little boy. He told him what had happened to his father, and offered to help bury him.

"Oh well, he wasn’t very nice anyway," the boy replied. "Perhaps I’ll play with you!" Before the adventurers could reflect on this odd response, the "boy" suddenly changed – into a doppelganger!

"It’s trap!" shouted Troy. Without hesitation, he attacked the doppelganger with his mace. The doppleganger laughed off the minor damage, then stepped to Zzyggy and tried to grapple the gnome. Zzyggy managed to evade the grapple, but his shocking grasp failed to connect.

Not so Adam, whose raging assault seriously wounded the shape-changer.

Troy stepped up to the doppleganger, but his mace missed its target. But the doppleganger nnow realized that was outnumbered and outmatched. It dropped a small bag, then withdrew and fled the area.

"Well, that put him to flight," said Troy. "So much for trusting strange little boys," grumbled Zzyggy.

Adam grabbed the bag dropped by the doppleganger. The bag held many coins, two fine gems, and a vial of some liquid. "At least we got something for our trouble!" the satisfied barbarian observed. On further examination, the vial proved to contain an elixir of love. "You need this more than I do," Adam teased the gnome.

The party then continued on its way. They camped for an uneventful night, then resumed their journey in the morning.
 On the third day of their journey, the party arrived in the town of Cryllor. While Troy and Zzyggy went to look for quarters, Adam looked for healing potions and other needed supplies.

Eventually Troy and Zzyggy found an inn called "The Home of the Moose". It was a good quality inn, so they checked in, then went to their rooms to rest. In the meantime, Adam had found a magic shop having healing potions for sale. The party obtained a good supply of the potions.

After a hearty dinner, the party retired for the night.