The only way forward is through a simple door. It is deadly quiet. Phaedra examines it and when she doesn’t find any traps, the wizard opens it with a creak. Jharrath sees a small corridor, and another door at the end. The walls of the hallway are covered in very old, almost faded paintings, depicting scenes where humanoids die in the most horrible ways. Some are incinerated by fire, others impaled by spears; there’s lighting and knives. A horrific scenario.
I see six ways to die when we enter, so be warned!
Upon his brother’s words, Alvra hurls a chair into the middle of the corridor, and… nothing happens. Phaedra moves towards the door. The moment she steps over the threshold, she’s engulfed in flames. Only her magical abilities save her from being burned from head to toes. When the flames disappear, she stuffs pieces of the shattered chair into the cracks of the floor, so her siblings can safely follow her. Cautiously she takes another step, and another, when suddenly spears shoot from both sides of the wall. With a loud click and some rumbling the trap resets itself. Phaedra counts six spears, including the two that hit her. When she tries to disable this device too, another spear is driven into her leg. She grunts and moves ahead.
Holding a chair as protection, the fighter walks sideways through the doorway, back-to-back with Lilith. The cleric is shielding herself with Spider Bound. Again the flames roar up, incineration the pieces of wood that Phaedra had wedged into the openings, and burn Alvra in its wake. Lilith is unharmed. Alvra’s chair is reduced to ashes. He picks up the seat of the chair he has thrown in earlier and together with his sister moves past the spear section. The deadly bolts again flash forward, finding their target in the female drow. This time Alvra is saved by his wooden shield.
Opening the second door, the scout quickly climbs up towards the ceiling and investigates this new corridor. At first she sees nothing out of the ordinary, but when she focuses, two sets of feral eye become visible. They are filled with hatred. When one of the creatures charges, she drops to the ground. It is an emaciated humanoid with filthy long teeth and claws. The beast hisses, frustrated that its surprise attack didn’t succeed. Jharrath doesn’t waste any time and slams two rays of fire into the undead. The other one stares at Phaedra, mentally ordering her to walk away with an enchanting gaze, but – strong willed as she is – she doesn’t feel compelled to do that at all. Lilith steps closer and attacks the vampire spawn, for that is what it is. Her magic flail wounds it badly.
Then mist appears from both walls, and changes into two more vampire spawn. A total of four foes, and a welcome challenge for the fighter. Alvra attacks one of them with his sword, but doesn’t seem to do much damage. The scout’s spiked chain has the same limited effect. Seeing an opportunity, the original opponent jumps down from the ceiling and slams into Phaedra. Its cold touch fortunately has no effect on her. Jharrath counterattacks and a hail of stone rains down on the creatures. One of them desperately tries to grapple the cleric, and in a reflex she slams her weapon into its flesh. It dissolves into smoke. Lilith calls out to her deity and holds forth her holy symbol. She rebukes the undead creatures, which instantly cower before her. Together the siblings attack the vampire spawn, with sword, chain, magic missiles, Kellgore’s firebolts and flail. Again and again they strike out, until all vampires have dissolved. The remaining mist slowly trickles into the wall. How does one kill an already dead attacker? It seems like they are not totally destroyed yet. The wizard focuses and appears near the other drow. Would the three Principles be behind the next door?
Dungeon DuTchess 