06.3 The Swamp Again and Again

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Kalans Revenge Mercenaries
Company members:-
Taran – Half Elf Fighter/Priest of Mannanan Mac Lir, cousin to Carinne and Galvish
Carinne Rhianne Talynnart – Half Elf Ranger/Mage, Cousin to Taran and Galvish
Galvish – Half Elf Fighter/Thief, Cousin to Taran and Carinne
Krachtig – A wanted Gnome
Barrigan Stonebeak – Dwarf Fighter/Priest, Company Engineer.
Lanneus Tuard – Paladin of Manannan Mac Lir
Saeryn Ghent – Fighter – (Kalans Sister)

Redux

We return to the swamp once more.  We arrive in two groups, one on the pyramid to take out the archers and the other by the assistant druids’ tent.  The battle sways back and forth; the end result is Taran dies from a Finger of Death spell and the group folds out.
Taran is wished back and the group quickly rests for four hours before heading back to the swamp, this time we arrive as a group invisibly on the steps of the pyramid.  Corinne has to quickly kill one of the guards, she and Galvish then go scouting around to try and find the location of the head druid.  Corinne reports back that she has found him in a tent and we go to attack.  Unfortunately what we find is a programmed illusion and a delayed blast fireball, we are then attacked by the big ferocious lizard men and trolls as well as a mage.  The mage has some mighty spells and the feeling is that this might well be the black dragon.
After taking a lot of damage we fold out of there once more, but with no loss of life this time.  We then start scrying the area from afar and discover the location of the head druid, in a tent away from the area we have been returning to each time.  With little rest we fold back into the swamp, directly into the tent.  There are many bodyguards and two high level druids inside. We immediately enter combat with Lanneus and Saeryn getting within touching distance of the head druid before two shambling mounds get in the way.
Suddenly an insect swarm appears in the tent and Saeryn gets out of there quickly, Lanneus moves into the corner and has to cut his way through the tent to escape.  Out in the main portion of the tent things are looking grim, a bunch of trolls have appeared and Galvish has dropped once, Barrigan is stunned and Taran and Saeryn are both low on hit points.  Taran announces he is going to fold out of there the next round and that someone should grab Barrigan.
As soon as he is able Taran casts the spell and runs through, he is surprised to hear Corinne casting a fireball.

Taran, Saeryn, and Galvish escape via the fold spell.  Although, at the same time the trolls follow through that are within the area of the fold.  Galvish is able to quickly drop one of the trolls as they come through the door.  The melee is quickly upon the three with Saeryn and Galvish in direct melee with the trolls while Taran uses the last of his healing spells to keep the three alive.
Meanwhile back in the druids’ tent, Corrine’s fireball destroys the insect swarm rampaging around the high druid.  As Barrigan is coming around, Corrine releases a flurry of arrows at the druid in the main section of the tent, finally dropping this one.  Corrine then realizes there is an invisible mage in the tent with us and casts a spell to reveal his location.  Barrigan, now fully recovered, moves to take out this threat as Corrine blasts the mage with several spells, one of which is a lightning bolt.  Lanneas moves around to another side of the tent and cuts his way back in near the high druid, although the druid seems to have made himself scarce.  Thinking that the druid may still be lurking about, Lanneas uses his gem of true seeing and locates the high druid looking out into the main area, and moves into a position to attack.  Krachtig, moving around the outside (quaffing a couple potions of the tent, notices Lanneas looking around the tent with the gem.  Assuming that there must be an invisible person lurking around somewhere, Krachtig casts glitterdust in the area.  The person must have been just out of range or has some sort of protection, as there is nobody revealed.  At the same time the high druid casts some sort of spell that fills the entire area with all manner of flying insects, which makes the area difficult to fight in and impossible to cast spells.  Krachtig moves onto another section of the tent and cuts his way in just as Corrine casts her bolt of lightning and is blasted back out the hole he just came in.  The high druid realizing he is again under attack from Lanneas calls forth several more shambling mounds of vegetation.  As the mage falls to the concentrated attacks of Corrine and Barrigan, they hear the combat coming from the curtained off section of the tent and move that direction.  Entering that area of the tent Barrigan is immediately set upon by the shambling mounds, while Lanneas continues to engage the high druid.  Corrine recognizes that the high druid is likely calling forth more allies and casts a wall of fire around the tent to hopefully keep these allies at bay long enough for us to organize and escape.  Krachtig, dazed but alive, quaffs another potion and cautiously enters the main section of the tent.  Krachtig, recognizing that Lanneas is fighting something invisible directly in from on him, now focusing his glitterdust spell in the general area of Lanneas and this time revealing the high druid.  Just as we are able to see the high druid’s actions, Lanneas hear’s the druid mutter something about needing a little extra help, the druid yanks something from around his neck (appears to be a small animal skull), crushes it, and throws it to the ground.  Corrine and Barrigan dispatch the shambling mounds and just as everybody turns their attention to the high druid we hear a loud roar outside.  The high druid lands a mighty blow on Lanneas, removing his left arm just above the protection of his shield.  The top of the test starts to tear apart as we land a couple mighty blows of our own on the high druid, Barrigan mentions something about over staying our welcome and casts a fold spell.  Krachtig is the first to agree, grabs the high druid, and jumps through the door.  Lanneas grabs his shield (with his severed arm attached) and scrambles through the portal, while trying to staunch the flow of blood from the stump of his arm.  Corrine recognizing the body of the dead wizard at her feet, grabs the body, and bolts through the portal.  Barrigan, wasting no time, is fast on the heels of Corrine.  The portal closes just as a large black snout forces its way through the top of the tent and exhales a black cloud of noxious fluid.  We realize how lucky we are as we notice several drops of this black fluid burning thru the ground at our feet.