So. We had slaughtered the wyverns without using our scrolls of Protection from Poison which I had bought specifically for this reason. Looks like we didn't need them since we were high enough level to summon multiple skeletons through Animate Dead.
What do I do with these scrolls of protection from poison now? Eh, maybe I'll find a use for them in the future.
The next issue we had to deal with was, "Where do we rest?". I'm almost certain that resting in the wyvern cave spawns wyverns to interrupt our rest. At least that was how it worked in the game. As for resting outside, uh, I can't remember if we can get interrupted by spiders or wyverns in this area. Maybe resting in the next area is better, near the actual mine? I recall that our rest could get interrupted by guards, which wasn't a real threat to us.
I had certain doubts if that was a good idea though. Sure, it works like that in the game, but it didn't really make sense in person. We risk a scout alerting the whole mine to our presence.
I discussed it with the party and they were of the same mind. We decided not to tempt fate and instead to rest further away from the mine. Going back to the Shadow Druid area was too far, so we were going to have to risk camping in the wild.
Funnily enough, we hadn't done much of camping in dungeons or in the wilds so far. The only other time we did was back in Peter of the North's cave and along the way to the gnoll fortress to save Dynaheir, if I recall correctly. We've been usually pushing through without risking our rest being interrupted by random encounters so far.
I and Imoen set up traps around the camp to defend us from encroaching creatures. In spite of our precautions, we rested peacefully throughout the night without interruption. We woke in the morning, prepared and ready for trouble.
Spotting the mines wasn't too difficult. It didn't just have a ring of wooden logs as a fence around it, it also had a moat. There were actually two islands with the main buildings, each encircled by the water, and only one bridge to the western island. We didn't fancy taking a dip in it to try and climb unnoticed, so we used the bridge.
Two guards immediately charged us with weapons drawn. These guards were well equipped in splint mail and shields, so had an impressive AC of 1. We didn't use any spells since it was 6 of us vs the 2 of them, but it was frustrating to miss so many times against them.
Further in, we saw a stables with actual horses, another large building few buildings and a main compound. There in the main compound of the western island, a group of men awaited us.
Oh, I remembered this group VERY well. This was Drasus and his company, a group of bounty hunters whose levels ranged from 7 to 9! Drasus was a powerhouse of a warrior (87 hp, AC 0, Thac0 9, APR 2.5) with GRANDMASTERY in his enchanted weapon, and wore Boots of Speed. It's pretty hard to forget seeing someone run at you in double speed! Genthore was also a fighter (90 hp, AC-2, Thac0 14, APR1.5) wielding throwing axes of all things.
Other than these two warriors, the company had two mages, Rezdan and Kysus. Rezdan and Kysus could both cast Horror, but Kysus also prepared two very potent spells, Confusion and FIREBALL. Kysus also had Shadow Door, which was basically Improved Invisibility that casts very fast. So chances were we would not be able to interrupt him before he turns invisible.
Our chance of inflicting Rezdan and Kysus's with Silence was 70% and 60% respectively. Not ideal but could work I suppose. Most of them are chaotic neutral, not evil, so Protection from Evil and Holy Smite were not good options.
You'd better believe these were potent opponents!
When the group of adventurers approached, Drasus did a quick assessment of his opposition. Five of them, mostly women. Drasus wasn't foolish enough to underestimate them for that reason, as they must have been seasoned adventurers to reach all the way here.
Satisfied, Drasus smiled to the rest of his party. They smiled back, eager. Everyone was looking forward to the battle.
To the approaching adventurers, Drasus shouted, "Draw your daggers and spells, and let's have at 'er! You've crossed-"
The man at the front put a hand to his ear. "Wh-whaaat? Hold on, I'll go there!"
Drasus frowned. It's not that he minded, what with he and Genthore at the front lines. He wasn't foolish enough to let this armed warrior reach Rezdan and Kysus in the back.
The man with mahogany skin walked up to Drasus and said, "G-g-good morning! I am from Calimshan!"
"…what?" Rezdan in the back exclaimed, confused. "It isn't morning."
Genthore shrugged. "Well, he does look like he's from Calimshan."
Drasus laughed aloud. "Ha! How stupid do you think we are? You're obviously that group who have crossed our employers," Drasus said accusingly. "Your trick may work on all those second-rate bounty hunters, but now you face the best!"
The Calishite hemed and hawed. "Ah, urm, I don't suppose you would care to talk this over? There's no need for bloodshed."
Drasus's whole group sniggered, and drew their weapons. "No need for bloodshed? There's an incredible need for bloodshed!" Drasus said, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "We've been looking forward to it all day! You fight very well, so we are here to stop you. You don't think they call us in to squash bugs, do you?"
"No, they called you in to burn," came a voice from the shadows. They turned to spot a halfling holding up a necklace, the amulet aimed at them.
The Calishite quickly pulled out a potion and chugged like his life depended on it. Because it probably did.
Many things happened at once. A young woman dressed in pink hurled an orange bottle towards the middle of Drasus's group. A bead of red magic flew out from the halfling's necklace. The others started incanting spells.
Naturally, Drasus's wasn't going to just stand still. Drasus moved in to strike the warrior, Genthore took aim with a throwing axe, while their own mages started incantations of their own, but not before the orange bottle hit the ground.
At that moment, Drasus's group and the Calishite were all engulfed in a conflagration of flames. Then the bead of magic reached them, and burst into flames as well. Another bead of fire emerged from the pink-haired woman's hands, and burst into flames. A triple pulse of purifying fire.
"AAAIIIEEE!!!" Rezdan and Kysus screamed, flailing about in agony before falling to the ground, still.
"AAAIIIEEE!!!" Drasus and Genthore screamed, even as they shielded themselves from the brunt of the inferno with their shields and armour.
"AAAIIIEEE!!!" Khalid screamed.
"Stop screaming, you're immune to fire!" I yelled at him.
"Another word and I club you!" Jaheira snarled at me, right after she finished incanting a Bless spell on us. She stepped forward to help engage with the remaining warriors.
I grit my teeth. "Engage the axe thrower!" I commanded Khalid and Jaheira both.
They both moved to attack Genthore, and Drasus moved in next to Genthore to support his ally. This proved to be a capital mistake on his part, because Branwen had just completed her spell, Hold Person.
Drasus and Genthore both froze in place.
I kept my sling, pulled out my staff, then stood before them. While the rest switched to melee weapons as well, I pointed at Drasus and Genthore. "You thought you were the best," I said, then gave them a thumbs down, "but it turns out you are only second rate after all."
The only person who took damage from that fight was Neera, whose 'improved' staff had both literally backfired onto herself, setting her hair aflame, as well as set Drasus on fire. I didn't even know it could do both at once.
Eh, I forgot to pre-buff my party with Remove Fear before the fight. Well, whatever. I guess we could have won using just Silence and Hold Person. Thing is, as I said earlier, Silence had a mere 70% and 60% chance of connecting. Hold Person had a 60% chance on Drasus and Genthore, so we got pretty lucky in connecting it on both. Drasus was a powerhouse, but in my opinion Kysus was the real problem because he would often turn invisible before we could interrupt him then start casting Confusion and Fireball. I had wanted to take Kysus out with a pre-emptive backstab, but even on enemy territory my party wanted us to talk first. Thankfully, turning invisible doesn't help one avoid carpet bombing.
Loot time! From Drasus's group we got;
A Morning star +1,
Plate Mail +1, Mage Robe of Cold Resistance, Traveler's Robe,
Potion of Frost Giant Strength,
Mage scroll of Fireshield (red),
Boots of Speed (score!),
and a letter.
The letter read:
"We have need of your services yet again, Drasus.
We are expecting an incursion at our mine location in the Cloakwood.
You are to accompany Davaeorn to the site and prevent entry or assault by anyone that is foolish enough to challenge you.
Your standard fee shall be doubled in this instance. If all goes well, you should look forward to more of the same.
Rieltar"
"Who's Rieltar? Is this the boss? Or another lackey down the line?" Imoen asked.
We compared this letter to the previous ones we had. No mention of Rieltar thus far. Only of Davaeorn giving Tazok orders in regards to shipments of ore to the Cloakwood base and hiring of bounty hunters.
Neera, the member of our group with the best memory, recounted, "Davaeron said he was giving Tazok instructions from their superiors, so Daveron and Tazok aren't in charge. We know that much. Davaeron also told Tazok that Sarevok would be displeased if we hadn't been killed yet, so Sarevok is their superior. Who's Rieltar then? Another superior?"
"No doubt the management structure of the Iron Throne is more complex than a single leader at the top," Jaheira said. She looked forward, towards the second island eastwards from our position. "Tazok did say he was leaving for the mines back at the camp. So we should expect to see the ogre again in the mines later."
"Eh, it's just another ogre," Neera said. "We've taken out a dime a dozen of those brutes so far."
I nearly sniggered to myself. I mean, their reasoning was sound. But boy, were they in for a surprise.
The barracks nearly had another two guards which we dispatched with a few bruises on our end. A nearby chest on the ground floor had a Potion of Magical Shielding, a rare find! Quaffing this potion would give +50% resistance to elemental and pure magical damage and +20 to all Saves. I had a few ideas where to use this, but I hadn't decided for sure yet. Nothing else of note from the guards' personal chests though, as one might expect.
Off we went across the bridge connecting us to the eastern island. There we found a building with a lift which would undoubtedly lead us into the mine.
Coming out from the lift, the first thing we met in the mines was a lone man in leather armour and armed with a longsword. He had a crisscross of terrible scars across his face. "You've come to the wrong place, kiddos. I'm one mean son of a bitch, and I'm gonna give you a world o'hurt," he said.
The scarred-face man stood with an open stance, his chest facing forwards and his blade held to his side in one hand. He had a cruel smile on his face, his expression promising a cruel fate for us all.
Khalid gave a tentative poke at the guard with Varscona +2, aimed between the folds of the guard's leather armour. The guard looked down at the sword stabbed into his chest, then fell over, dead.
Khalid scratched the back of his head. "I, uh, was that supposed to happened?"
Neera poked the guy with her staff. "Very dead. I guess he's just another blowhard," she said, while glancing towards me.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean! I didn't set my own hair on fire back there!"
Neera stuck out her tongue at me.