Journal of Rollo Lavius 3

Entry #520 - The Witchwardens

(G520 15/04/2023 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT) YI3

[Griffolk Ethyn the Dragon-Shaman, Corhim Sparkledingle the Gnome Wizard and Fangorino the Barbarian have arrived on Yag Island and soon became friends with my family and other friends that were there setting up defences by the Barrow. In addition, a being that looks and acts like Fenrir has arrived. In reality it is a simulacrum created by the Vicar of Ghaunadaur. Just recently Corhim, Fangorino and "Fenrir" have arrived in Sasserine to help out at Vanderboren Manor.]

DAY 584 (7th Marpenoth) (October) cont ...

It seemed that there was no immediate hurry, so Fang and Fenrir went to explore the wine cellar. Sparkledingle went to look in the library where he found several books on Sasserine. The light-fingered little rascal would have probably stolen them, but for the fact one of the servants was keeping an eye on him.

After a while he grew bored of the library and it was not long before he left Vanderboren Manor to go and look around Sasserine a little bit.

He asked around and eventually ended up at the Witchwarden's Tower. Sasserine is tricky to get around. You either have to walk for ages to find a bridge or just use a boat to go from shore to shore. The city is a mass if islands, docks and waterways.

The Tower was the home to Sasserine's mage's guild and he was welcomed in and offered food and drink. He wanted to 'join up' and was offered a form of basic membership for 20 gold.
For this he was given a silver medallion (that had a picture of a chimpanzee on it) and free access to the less secret libraries and facilities.

After a while Corhim found the main notice board. He read a note that said; "Test subjects required. Well paid and free healing offered. Enquire in Dungeon 3B, Irel Brokenleaf."

When he got there, he saw that Dungeon 3B looked like a rather large tavern common room that had strange looking portals spaced around the room.

Brokenleaf was a male half-elf wizard and for reasons that could only be guessed at he had prepared the room to summon monsters into when certain actions were performed. He stood at the back of the room where he was pouring himself a drink.
'What do I do?' asked Corhim.
'Whatever you like. This is an early test, I just want to know how people react when they come into here completely cold,' replied the half-elf between swigs of his beer.

Corhim shrugged and had a look around. He saw a lever on one of the pillars so reached up and pulled it. A small demon materialised in one of the portals and ran to attack him!

Corhim tried a Colour Spray spell. The demon seemed more shiny. After a few more spells he then deduced that spell effects were being reversed on this creature. He cast Haste on it, which made it flop onto the floor. The demon seemed to have been dealt with so Corhim cast Magic Weapon on his crossbow and then went to pull another lever.

A Flaming Sphere appeared in one of the portals. Thinking quickly, Corhim ran over to the bar and picked up a jug of beer. He then threw it over the Sphere, which extinguished it.

Brokenleaf seemed sad at the loss of beer though so Corhim went over to a large barrel to refill the jug. When he turned the spigot though, a Swarm of Insects rushed out of it. He ran back a bit and cast Glitterdust. This seemed to do the trick and the Swarm dissipated.

Corhim had a vague feeling that these attacks were - in some way - adapting to his powers, to fully test his skills and abilities. The next lever summoned three ghouls and they came after him. Corhim almost always used non-violent magic though and while a Grease spell slowed them down, they were soon running after him again. One got its claws on him and he was badly hurt before pulling free and running off again.

With no way of really fighting them on the hoof he used a spell to fly up into the rafters of the dungeon-tavern and then attacked from there. He cast Blindness on two of them. The other one threw a chair at him.
The two blinded ghouls fumbled around the room - and started pulling levers! Corhim didn't know what to do as the dungeon started to fill up with other monsters! A small floating eye ball, some sort of troll or something. It was chaos and all Corhim could do was cower behind a rafter.

Brokenleaf sighed, put down his drink and walked down from the bar.
'They are not meant to pull the levers themselves,' he explained to Sparkledingle, before clearing the room with a few well placed Magic Missiles.

Corhim, rather shaken, walked up to the bar and poured himself a nice refreshing glass of lemonade to calm his nerves.