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Part XIII.

Last time Thanos the Berserker had leapt into the midst of a dozen or so
Norkers in the Upper Temple while the rest of the party had either been
caught under the net trap or sidestepped it on the outside of the entrance.

Resuming the previous session, the proxy-Player for Thanos declares a
challege to the Norkers without his armor (having previously been
removed, this is an attempt by the proxy player to regain his honor.
Thanos makes his first swing and rolls a "1". Using the old quick and
dirty rule of a second 1 being self-inflicted death, the proxy-Player
rolls a second "1".

About this time the real player for Thanos picks up his ears and takes
notice. He had been sitting in someone else's Cyberpunk game at the
next table. (It's amazing how someone who has taken disinterest resumes
interest when his Character is about to die.)

"What?" I ask. "You weren't even playing. Do you want a (slow pause
here,) Mulligan?"

"Yes of course." The Player says. "Well then," I respond, "you'll
have to commit to Playing your Character instead sitting in someone
else's game."

That settled, the challenge continues into desultory combat with the
Norkers. The Ogres, Hill Giants, and the Mountain Giant all come to
watch, awaiting their turn.

Meanwhile Montague while the battle is going on. The mage makes an
attempt at communication with the inhabitants of the Temple and
succeeds. He negotiates a treaty at about the time the last Norker is
defeated and Thanos is down to a few hit points. The Gnolls were about
take their turn.

Seems Montague convinces the current inhabitants of the Temple that a
Priest of Tharizdun was making his way towards this place to awaken the
dark god with some artifact. All they have to do is allow them to wait
here and stop this Priest, as it is in their best interest to NOT have
the multiverse come to an end. And besides, if there is any treasure
where the priest goes we'll share it.

The Mountain Giant and crew thinks that is a fair deal and strikes a
treaty with the party.

On the side the party is given the grand tour of the Mountain Giant's
areas of occupation. Including the prisoners in the Cells "A" and "I".
they go to the Lower Temple Chapel area where the Mountian Giant and
subordinates do not go, but do not explore it thoroughly.

They should have.

What follows is a week or so of waiting for the Priest of Tharizdun to
show up. Several days go by and nothing happens. They have set
elaborate traps at the main gate and have also set watches during the
night with as many magical wards as they can.

The only arrival was a band of replacement Norkers.

Finally the party asks their Teleport Mage what whould be a good
indicator that the Priest of Tharizdun is nearby. "Well," he responds,
"I can't scry everything, but you'll know he's already reached his goal
when the earthquakes start."

I punctuate his statement with a minor earthquake.

I also have several members of the party make a wisdom check. After a
successful result, I inform the lucky rollers that it occurs to them
there "may" have been a back door that the Priest of Tharizdun may have
used.

At this point, the Mountain Giant and his followers fail their morale
check and flee the Temple. Saying, "If the world is coming to an end,
we're going to cash in and have a good time while it lasts! Ciao!"

They grab their gold hand head for the nearest settlement with an Inn
and House of Ill Repute.

So, the party heads to the Lower Temple by themselves.

---- Week Long Break Here ----

Session resumes.

They negotiate past the Chapel area and manage NOT to touch the walls.
The Gnome thief discovers the trap in the 3 foot rail, but cannot disarm
it (due to the nature of the trap.) They casually pass through the
altar area and discover the secret doors to the left and right of the altar.

(Why are secret doors ALWAYS behind the altar area? In any case they
are not marked on the original WG4 map so I put them on the far left and
right squares of the curving wall.)

Next thing you know the Jim the Gnome thief and Thanos the Half-Ogre
Berserker are behind the secret door on the right. Draden the other
thief goes into the room on the left.

In the right hand room, Thanos orders Jim to do something (I forget
what, it isn’t important anymore,) and the Gnome takes insult and they
begin to fight. To make a long story short, the Gnome manages to
stumble directly in the pile of Brown Mold and takes umpteen points of
cold damage. Not caring about more self-inflicted damage, Jim scoops up
the mold and tosses some at Thanos, also causing significant amount of
damage.

Thereupon Thanos picks up Jim and tosses him into the pile of Brown
Mold, killing him. Thanos decides to leave the party behind along with
his sidekick, Sable.

What follows becomes less clear. The rest of the party knows what
happened but cannot act upon it due since they were in still in the
altar area. Draden who was in the left hand secret room and finding
nothing but old robes, enters the right hand secret room via the
connecting door and discovers dead Jim as Thanos is leaving.

Draden guessing what happened, leaves immediately behind Thanos and
yells at Montague the Mage about what Thanos did. Meanwhile Thanos is
attempting to make his getaway. Meanwhile Draden pulls dead Jim out of
the mold to steal his magical boots.

Montague the Theurgist casts a Spell Raised Magic Missile at fleeing
Thanos’ back, also killing him.

Having two self-inflicted dead party members, the Players lose their
morale, quit and decide to run start over in the old Blackmoor campaign
with new characters.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The following two weekends were spent rolling up new characters.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Party Update cast of Characters:

Thanos: (Dead) Level 2 Berserker Half-Ogre, munchkinized. He once was
level 3 but got level drained back to 1 and has now raised back to level 2.

Sable: Level 3rd level Cleric of Iuz, sidekick of Thanos.

Montague: Level 4 Mage

Jim: (Dead) Level 2 Gnome Thief

Draden: 2nd Level Half-Elf Thief

Ivan: 1st Level Water Elementalist.
--

Tracy Johnson
Justin Thyme Productions
http://hp3000.empireclassic.com/
BT

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