Dark Master defeated!

Our brave adventurers fear the last supper with the Dark Master and decide to go back to the temple where the casket labeled with a age-worn "H" is written on the heavy stone lid. Only the wizard and the ranger are able to move around invisible while the rest of the party becomes a loud distraction. The ranger and wizard make it into the temple and begin to make sharpened stakes worthy of a vampire. The wizard flips the latch releasing a poison dart sending the wizard to the floor for a dirt nap. The ranger decides to open the coffin only to find an old man in rags lying below! She stabs the old man with a stake at which time he awakes. The ranger then attacks with her scimitar using all attempts to destroy the evil intity in all haste. The old man returns the favor with choking fingers of fury. The rest of the party arrives to see a bunch of guards and a summoned storm giant surrounding the poor outnumbered ranger. The dark master begins his descent down a flight of stairs as he prepares to enter the fray. In a last ditch attempt the ranger strikes with her scimitar and a lucky "20" to finally send the old man in rags back into his coffin. The Dark Master never makes it to the battle as he succumbs to the icy embraces of death and stumbles down the stairs. The storm giant flees as the magic that held him is released. A massive battle ensues with many of the masters minions that remain and not a few of our heroes bite the dust and are revived throughout the carnage. Slowly our heroes turn the odds in their favor and begin to dispatch the nastiest of the dark master's minions and work their way to a final victory. The battle won and the temple of death defeated our heroes gather what treasure is available and flee before the bewildered inhabitants arrive to start asking questions. The long journey is finally over and the quest is at an end.

The Temple of Death

Our heroes continue downriver and hear a hunting horn in the distance. Soon they are surrounded by spectral hounds that materialize on the raft. The cleric summons a protection circle and keeps the beasts at bay. The battle is grand and a few are bit only to find their bodies slowly fading away. They dispel the effects and heal their wounds. Soon they are met by a sky ship with a skeleton crew who drop a rope latter, our heroes climb aboard and are flown to the Temple of Death where the master is waiting. After a lengthy monologue our heroes show some interest in joining The Master's cause.  They accept a dinner invitation where the Master's plans will be discussed further. They are taken to a room where they can rest, but instead of resting they quickly resort to spying. Their companion from the Great Pass reveals he is a doppelgänger, they hatch a plan to kill an acolyte in order for the doppelgänger to have the appropriate clothing. The doppelgänger and our invisible ranger with a squirrel in her pocket go spying. The going is rough because guards are everywhere. The encounter an old temple filled with coffins; they later find 3 radiate magic. They also encounter a massive statue in the perfect likeness of a storm giant also radiates magic. They believe The Master stays in the tower which is heavily guarded. The adventure continues.

The town of Magden and the Darkwood

Our heroes don't find a welcome mat in Magden, the local thieves guild pick a few pockets and enrage our heroes with the holy vengeance of crazy. They encounter a statue to man named: Hosadus and discover he is still being worshipped after 400 years. The murals at the shrine depict Hosadus during his lifetime. They then stock up at the marketplace and happen to view a puppet show depicting "The Master" defeating a bronze colored giant. They acquire a longboat and sail toward lake tros. Eventually they arrive at the borders of the Darkwood Forest. Our heroes explore a massive obelisk hidden in a clearing, our brave wizard touches the obelisk with the intent to identify it. The obelisk sends a bolt of light into the heavens and the heavens return a bolt of lightning tossing the wizard like a cheap salad. They receive for their troubles a poem or riddle glowing upon the obelisk.  Finally, they explore a black stone in another forest clearing, all of our heroes are immune to the effects of a spirit that inhabits the stone, all except our brave wizard who becomes possessed. The wizard decides to skip town and must answer a quick call of nature. The dwarf follows only to find the wizard dissapear. Our heroes rush to the boat to find the boat preparing to leave. The decide to shoot their teammate and brother-in-arms injuring him badly. The ranger decides to swim to the boat only to trade her hands for a pair of hooves - deer hooves that is! The cleric gets luck and casts hold person on the wizard holding him fast. They bind the wizard and return to the stone only to find they are unable to exorcise the possessing spirit. Finally, They trigger a powerful protection from undead scroll that drives the foul horror back into the stone; returning the wizard's spirit back into his body. They flee the area and continue down the river... The quest continues.

Journey through the Great Pass has come to an end, next stop the kingdom of Hule

Our brave adventurers rendezvous with the cyclops trio and find their way to the massive gate that seals the entrance. The gate can only be opened by a gargantuan chain that raises and lowers the gate. The storm giant on the other side is interested in treasure and the party coughs up a healthy pile of treasure to buy their freedom. They found out the head of the leader of the Great Pass a general Forquot wasn't worth much to the giant, but treasure and magical weapons go a long way. After buying freedom the party with their mysterious companion Mel venture out of the mountains into the Kingdom of Hule. They have learned that the Master of the Temple of Death owns an entire kingdom; a kingdom of chaotic holy fanatics that have many ways to convert an unbeliever. Half the party in Orc disguises they venture into the city of Magden; tired and hungry they find a large inn filled with stranded merchants and fill up with food and ale. (And a little wine) they discover but a single room available to rent for the night and decide to to take it. The party slumbers into a drug filled sleep, except for the dwarf who manages to shrug off the effects of the spiked wine. The dwarf finds the door of the room quietly opening and a battle with gnolls begins and ends with victory for the dwarf. The inns keeper is shaken down in the morning with revenge taken by multiple slap downs and a raid on the till. Magden has more to offer as the story continues...

Coming soon! Ochimo - the Spirit Warrior (Oriental Adventures)

'Your family and those of your friends are deeply indebted to the Ko family, a clan of merchants from distant and alien Shou Lung. The Ko have been instructed by their emperor to develop an island possession to extend the Glorious Empire of the Shou Lung. The colony there is failing because of fell spirits and dire hauntings. The Ko family is calling in old favors to discover who is responsible for these evil sendings. And if the Ko have a problem, you have a problem...

So you and your companions and bound for the island of Akari, a small pebble in the Celestial Sea. There you will find a land rich in ancient lore and guarded by the sword of the spectral samaurai - Ochimo, the spirit warrior. Yet this is only the first taste of the adventures that await you.

Our group of adventurers meet an inferno of fire....

Having been cursed by a roving band of cyclops, our adventuring party set out to find "the well of the moon". It is rumored that this artifact has the power to transport by way of moonbeams an individual to the moon. Our cursed dwarf and paladin of the cloth must bring back a cup of water or they will never leave the Great Pass. After multiple encounters they arrive at a cavern designed to funnel the party into a narrow passage.  Surprise! A massive red dragon greets the party with a bout of hot flame. The wizard succumbed to the embrace of the fiery inferno, while the charred thief rattled on death's door and the others licking their wounds.  The dwarf and cleric decide to attack while the others attended to the dying and wounded. Against all odds the dwarf rolls a natural twenty followed by 0-00 on the critical hit chart and fell the  mighty dragon with a single blow. The ranger receives a premonition by the mysterious benefactor urging her to use a magic cloak to bring the charcoal wizard back to the living. With cup of water in hand they plan to return to the wretched cyclops to end the curse. It continues....

You have found the place where our history is recorded and tall tales become legend !

Welcome to the Arkenstone Gaming Group !