Date: 02/13/11

XP Awarded: 1,909 (Laurrens, Memnon, Nather, Taark, Tilan), 955 (Azaad)

Start: Aboard the Sea Wyvern in the Trackless Sea between Chult and Lantan, wet season (mid Flamerule), 1369 DR.

The Nightshark is in better shape than Purity's Prow, though it also needs significant repairs. Since it was captured by the Jade Ravens and Captain Redann's crew, it's his decision what to do with the ship. It's clear that he's in a hurry to leave the area before more pirates arrive, drawn by the smoke from the battles, and he doesn't want to waste any resources on trying to bring another ship with the expedition. First Mate Amella and Barlicc on the other hand are very keen to be in command of a ship of their own, and pool their funds to make an offer to purchase the Nightshark. Their pool is fairly small, and Amella is embarrased to have to ask the party for a loan to round out their offer - she promises to repay the borrowed money the next time the ships are in a sizeable port and she can raise some funds. The party supports her bid, and Nather and Taark help her negotiate a lower price with Captain Redann, who reluctantly agrees to give up some supplies and a few members of his crew to man it.

The Nightshark's new crew prepare the ship for sailing while the party loots the Purity's Prow of all supplies worth taking and set it aflame. The expedition - now three ships strong - quickly leave the burning caravel behind. Sailing south, Nather notes four ships on the horizon approaching the burning Purity's Prow as dusk falls. As the next morning dawns there is no sign of pursuit, and the ships continue to sail along a range of mist-covered peaks. At night fogs arise from the ocean and meet clouds of mist pouring down from the jungle-covered slopes, but the weather continues to be favourable and the sun soon burns off the morning fogbanks.

The cloudless skies turn the lower decks into a sauna filled with the smell of unwashed bodies mingled with that of horse manure. On the cramped and crowded ship, it's impossible to find privacy or silence. The unceasing sloshing of waves and creaking of the ship's hull and rigging combine with the seemingly endless hours of unchanging scenery to induce a listless boredom among all aboard. The fresh food and water from Port Nyanzaru have already spoiled, but repeated applications of purifying magic from Taark and Laurrens keeps it fit for consumption, though meals have very little variance.

After two more days of this, there is a flurry of excitement when Father Feres comes down with a desperate illness. His skin is flushed, he can't keep food or water down, and he groans deleriously, moaning and complaining that the world's grown too bright and fuzzy around the edges. Worried about the spread of a contagious disease aboard the crowded ship, Laurrens and Taark quickly move to investigate his symptoms. Laurrens discovers a pulsating growth in his belly, though he's never seen anything like it before. He asks Taark to use his priestly magic to heal the strange infection, but the priest of Moradin replies that he won't be able to until he prays for a new set of spells the next morning. Laurrens thinks that may be too late to help the suffering priest of Lathander, so he prepares his medical kit to carry out an emergency operation.

The short operation is successful and Laurrens discovers a humanoid growth that's been expanding in Father Feres' chest for some time. When Azaad sees what Laurrens has removed, he recalls hearing about some type of demonic infestation that sounds similar. Though the priest is far too weakened to converse, Laurrens predicts a full recovery and thinks that he should be able to answer the party's many questions the next day.

When the sun peeks through the heavy banks of fog the next morning, Father Feres is already sitting up and looking much better. When informed what Laurrens had removed from him, the man trembles and begins to weep. Sobbing, he confesses that his name is actually Conrad Horst and that he's no priest. He goes on to explain that he's actually a scribe from the city of Baldur's Gate far to the north, and fled to Tashluta to avoid arrest by the city guard. When agents from that city arrived in Tashluta, he hired himself out as a courier to carry a sealed package (which he claimed were the holy writings of Lathander) to the shrine of Lathander in Port Nyanzaru. Arranged a new identity by his shadowy employer, he joined Lavinia's expedition after convincing her that he was a clergyman. But when he met with his employer's contacts in Port Nyanzaru, he found they were some kind of cultists who beat him and forced him to swallow something before releasing him, and he rejoined the expedition. The man seems wretchedly sorrowful for his deception and the danger he put the crew in, and the party judges him no threat to the safety of the ship. After making him promise to act as an informant for the party and to keep his eyes and ears open for any stowaways, the party leaves him alone to continue recovery. Worried about the presence of an evil cult in Port Nyanzaru, Tilan makes notes in his lawkeeper's journal to send a warning to the local shrine of Anachtyr next time the expedition calls at a port.

After another couple of days sailing, the ships reach the point where the river Atikula cascades high off the Mistcliffs into the ocean more than 900 feet below. The greenery-covered cliffs surround the falls to form a narrow inlet that allows ships to sail in fairly close to the thunderous cascade, and Lavinia graciously allows the Sea Wyvern to refill while the Blue Nixie transfers additional supplies to the Nightshark. Captain Memnon carefully maneuvers the caravel into the narrow inlet and drops anchor. The shadows from the almost sheer cliffs and the enveloping clouds of mist make the temperatures very cool in the inlet, which is a very welcome change from the unescapable heat aboard the ship. Command of the ship is given to Azaad while Taark casts a water walking spell on the rest of the party. Loading Old Salty with several large but empty water barrels, the adventurers walk the large rowboat into the mists surrounding the cascades. With the ability to easily maneuver on the water's surface and use the entire capacity of the rowboat for water barrels, the refilling goes very quickly. After returning the first boatful of water to the Sea Wyvern, the party return to the falls with the second and last group of barrels.

Half of the barrels are filled when there is an explosive spray as an enormous serpentine head rises from the water behind Old Salty. Screams and cries from the Sea Wyvern almost two hundred feet away alert the party to additional heads rising from the water on all sides. Tilan stumbles back and draws his bow, noting that all heads seem to be connected to a massive body that's mostly submerged. Aiming carefully, he fires an arrow that strikes true, releasing a stream of crimson blood into the frothy water. Memnon, Nather, and Taark are much closer to where the creature's body floats, and they dodge the weaving heads to lunge at the body, dealing several heavy blows.

The group become aware of Azaad's yelling from the distant caravel, and can barely make out his instructions to attack the hydra's heads instead of the body. The wisdom of this becomes clear when the party watches the deep cuts they've inflicted upon the creature heal before their eyes. The creature's nine heads weave about and divide their attentions among the party members - Taark is able to deflect one of the heads with his shield, and a second head's fangs are blocked by the sturdy plates of his armor, but a third bites him painfully on his arm as he brings his hammer back for another strike. Nather dodges out of the way of one head that plunges straight at him, but he doesn't notice the two others coming from each side until it's too late, and he takes two heavy wounds from their bites. Meanwhile Memnon is only having a little more success in evading the multiple attacks coming from all directions and receives a serious bite as well. Azaad continues his work to prepare the ballista, since he's too far for his magic to reach the battle.

Nather dodges and weaves while withdrawing to a safer distance and manages to avoid all but one of the heads. Safely outside the reach of the hydra's long necks, Laurrens casts a spell to bless the party's attacks while he moves behind Old Salty for a better vantage point. Working together to focus their attacks on a single head, Taark's warhammer dazes it enough for Memnon to drive his doru deep into the oversized socket of one of the eyes. The head and neck go limp and drop into the water, but a curious, bulging blister forms at the base of the neck where it joins the body. It almost seems as if some kind of creature is moving inside the growing lump, and the adventurers can hear Azaad shouting a warning to sear the blister with flame before additional heads grow from it.

The creatures' eight remaining heads now focus on Taark and Memnon, and it's impossible for the fearless warriors to fight off so many simultaneous attacks. One of the heads strikes from behind to take a chunk out of Memnon, while Taark is also critically hit when he leaves himself vulnerable after a counter-strike. The two are suddenly looking badly wounded and cry out for reinforcements from the others. The blister at the root of the slain neck bursts and two miniature heads emerge, weaving side to side. Taark brings up his shield and warhammer in a defensive posture and begins a chant to summon the holy fire of Moradin's forge to sear the heads before they reach full size, but there are too many heads to focus on, and he isn't able to concentrate on the spell enough to complete it. Edging into combat in a defensive position, Tilan draws a flask of alchemist's fire tucked into his belt and hurls it at the tiny serpentine heads that are rapidly growing in size. It's a direct hit, and the blast of flame quickly cooks the vulnerable heads while spreading a burning slick across the water's surface.

Heartened, the adventurers press the attack. Memnon's darting spear kills another of the hydra's deadly heads while wounding a second. Laurrens charges through the waterfall's spray to sever the wounded head with Errant Fang, but almost immediately two more small heads begin to emerge from the jagged wound. Tilan is ready with his second and final flask of alchemist's fire, and it lands right on target. The stumps of the two slain heads are scorched by the burning alchemical liquid, and the newly sprouted heads wither and die. Azaad finally gets the Sea Wyvern's ballista loaded and takes careful aim, but the long bolt flies between two of the heads and disappears into the spray of the waterfall beyond.

With three of the nine heads destroyed, the party's situation looks a little less dire. Maddened by the flames licking its body, the hydra's heads whip about in an even greater frenzy. When one of the heads scores a lucky hit on Taark, the doughty priest is overcome by his wounds and drops to the water's surface, dying. With no more alchemist's fire to throw, and not yet within striking range of his longsword, Tilan cautiously moves forward in a defensive posture. He approaches within reach of Memnon, who hands the paladin his only vial of alchemist's fire. Shouting in rage, Laurrens lunges in to deal a deep gash to one of the heads as it opens its jaws to bite him. Memnon kills another head by piercing its skull with his doru's leaf-shaped blade. The greatly reduced number of heads aren't able to present nearly as much of a threat, but even so Laurrens and Tilan suffer brutal wounds from the jaws of the serpentine heads. Tilan the last alchemist's fire and again hits his target. The glass vial shatters, spreading the fiercely burning liquid across the stumps of the slain heads, roasting them.

Laurrens is standing over Taark's prone body when the dwarf recovers from his deadly wounds, revived by the mysterious healing aura that seems to follow the priest of Torm. Too weak to re-enter battle, Taark pulls himself away from the hydra's spitting and hissing heads. Sensing the creature's weakness and spying his opportunity, Nather somersaults over a snapping mouth full of fangs to slam his jambiya into the base of its skull, immediately killing it. A second head darts at him, and he dispatches this one with an underhanded blow that rips its exposed neck wide open.

The single remaining head also lunges at Nather, and this time he isn't nearly so lucky. The oversized teeth snap closed on his chest, and he falls to the surface of the water, critically wounded. At the base of the hydra's body, four young heads have emerged and are lengthening by the moment. Taark has just enough strength to hurl his own vial of alchemist's fire at the hydra, scoring a hit and charring the hydra's immature heads. With an overhead flourish, Laurrens swings Errant Fang in a broad arc and severs the last head completely. The hydra's body immediately begins thrashing wildly, but no more heads are emerging from the blackened and charred stumps. A loud cheering erupts from the Sea Wyvern where the colonists have gathered on deck to watch the epic battle. Laurrens runs over to where Nathy lies on the water's surface and is relieved to find that he's still alive and stabilizing. Tilan, Taark, and Memnon are busy taking souvenirs from the hydra heads that are still at the surface before the body finishes sinking. Finally the group dump out the barrels of bloodied water and refill them with fresh before returning to the ship.

After everyone has recovered, Memnon cautiously steers the Sea Wyvern out of the narrow inlet and warns Captain Redann about the hydra that the party just vanquished. Lavinia rushes to the railing, concerned but relieved to see Memnon survived. As the Blue Nixie slowly enters the inlet, Memnon brings the Sea Wyvern alongside the Nightshark to transfer additional supplies to Captain Amella's ship. By nightfall all ships have resupplied, and the expedition returns to open water, heading south along the Mistcliffs.

Two days later Nather is in the crow's nest when he notices the sheer seacliffs to port aren't wreathed in thin clouds as usual, but are instead covered in sheets of webbing. The jungle at the top of the cliffs are likewise draped in grey strands, and he notes several enormous, dark shapes moving on the webs. The expedition move further out to sea as a precaution, but soon the great web is receding in the distance behind. The next day dawns cool and grey, and by mid-morning sheets of drizzle hide the mountainous coast from view. The rainstorm doesn't get any heavier, and a day later the sun is shining in a cloudless blue sky again.

Laurrens is resting on deck in the shade of the sails after a four-hour shift adjusting the rigging when he idly notes that one of the ballistae hasn't been covered up after being oiled. He makes a mental note to mention it to Taark when the weapon suddenly swivels to point at him. Surprised, he has only a moment to note that it's loaded and cocked before the weapon fires, burying a 3-foot long bolt in his shoulder. At the same time, a scratchy female voice shrieks "You're the cause of my ruin! Die!" and the colonist resting in the shade next to him screams in fear. The shape of a human female appears behind the weapon out of thin air - the disheveled, red-haired figure casts a baleful, hate-filled look at Laurrens. The priest of Torm wrenches the ballista bolt from his shoulder, wincing in pain, and stumbles to his feet. Behind him, at the ship's wheel, Memnon hears the commotion and rushes down the stairs to the main deck. Above, Nather can hear an outcry but the billowing sails block his view of the deck below. Taark is in the hold carrying out maintenance on the ship's weaponry, and he drops the crossbow he's working on to bolt for the stairs. Tilan is in the rigging when this happens, and he runs along a spar to get a glimpse of what's happening.

Before anyone can reach the red-haired woman, she waves her hands and utters magical words, disappearing in a sparkle of lights. Memnon and Laurrens notice the rigging overhead moving as if someone were climbing it, and they leap up the ropes to follow. Tilan closes in, but the party isn't able to find anything. After a thorough search of the ship's rigging, the party regroups on deck to discuss options. Taark has been praying for spells useful for magically detecting hidden or disguised enemies, and he organizes another stern-to-prow search of the ship.

This one is a little more successful than the previous searches - in the Sea Wyvern's orlop deck, the party finds what almost seems to be a nest within a large coil of spare rope. Though some want to post a guard, others say that the stowaway is unlikely to return now that the hiding place has been found. Undeterred, Taark waits until the midpoint of his shift that night and returns to inspect the deck with his magical detection spells. Unfortunately, his doubting comrades are proved correct when he finds no sign of an intruder and all seems undisturbed since the party's earlier visit.

The next day the expedition rounds a cape and turns north into foggy Tath Bay. Two days later, the ships reach the murky mouth of the River Tath, and send a fleet of rowboats upstream to gather fresh water supplies. The refilling goes uneventfully, and by sunset the ships are underway again as mists again roll down from the jungle peaks on either side of the bay. A heavy fog rolls in and the crew grows silent as all ears strain to port, marking the distant sound of breakers on the shore as the only trustworthy means of navigation. The fog grows thicker, and soon the Blue Nixie and Nightshark are lost to vision. The voice of Captain Redann calling out to anchor is curiously muted, but heard easily enough. The colonists have already gone below deck to avoid the oppressive atmosphere, and Captain Memnon starts the night watch while the others head for an early bedtime.

After Tilan's early shift, Taark comes on duty for his usual night watch. The ship's sounds are muted in the heavy fog, even the lapping of water against the hull seems distant. Moisture collects on the rigging and beads on every wooden surface, producing a constant dripping. Taark gives a sigh and thinks about the hours of oiling and polishing his armor will require when the ship gives a sudden lurch as if it had struck something. The sounds of falling pots and other equipment below mingles with cries of alarm from colonists abruptly awakened. A creaking groan sounds from the Sea Wyvern as the entire ship tilts noticeably to starboard. Taark gives a shout below deck for the party to prepare and join him on deck, then moves over to the railing to peer over. Through the swirling fog he sees a large collection of flotsam pushed up against the ship's hull. Although he can see it just fine, he knows the humans won't be able to see a thing without light, so he uses a minor prayer to conjure a glowing orb to illuminate the area.

In the captain's cabin, Memnon had been sleeping in his chain shirt and pauses only to grab his doru before throwing the door open. Below deck, Tilan and Laurrens rapidly pull on their padded shirts in preparation for donning their chain shirts, while Nather and Azaad merely throw on robes before climbing up to the main deck, along the way telling several worried colonists to stay put.

Taark is leaning over the ship's railing to point out the flotsam below when Memnon sees a collection of that flotsam rise out of the swirling fogbank and strike down at Taark. In the dim lighting, the adventurers can barely make out the translucent outline of a pseudopod to which is stuck all manner of ocean-borne debris. The battlepriest of Moradin is surprised to suffer a powerful blow and is almost jerked off his feet when he becomes stuck to the amazingly powerful adhesive covering the tentacle-like protrusion. Nather rushes to the stowed ballista, rips the canvas cover off, and begins to prepare it for firing. Memnon brings his doru up into a defensive position and drinks his potion of fire breath, preparing to blast the creature with the flames he can feel building in his gut. The amoeba gives a mighty jerk and Taark loses his grip on the railing, sailing overboard to splash into the creature's massive floating bulk below. Another pseudopod emerges from the mists to strike at Memnon. Although he bats it away, his doru is ripped out of his hands when it becomes stuck to the deflected appendage. A line of flame bursts from his mouth, searing the practically invisible creature. Worried about the heavily armored dwarf in the water below, Azaad uses a quick magical spell to increase the dwarf's buoyancy so that he won't sink, extending the effects to the other nearby party members as well.

Below in the water, Taark calls upon the holy fires of Moradin's forge to burst into flame. Though he's too glued to the ooze to properly use his warhammer, he's able to wriggle his dagger free from the scabbard and jam it into the yielding flesh. He's rewarded with a hissing squelch and the flesh shudders as it withdraws from his blows. Above, Azaad calls another set of magical missiles that slam into the creature, and Nather finishes loading the ballista. It's almost impossible to aim at the transparent ooze in the dim light and tendrils of mist, and the shot goes wide to splash into the ocean behind the creature. Memnon is able to grasp his spear and wrench it free from the ooze's grip as he blasts a second gout of flame from his mouth, scorching the creature and leaving a darkened burn mark.

The massive amoeba-like creature is now thrashing angrily, and another huge pseudopod swings down through the mist to strike Memnon hard enough to make his teeth rattle. Stuck fast to the pseudopod, he's lifted from the deck and deposited into the centre of the creature in the water below, not far from where Taark continues to stab away with his flaming dagger. Thundering up the stairs from where they've finished armoring, Tilan and Laurrens charge out onto the deck to see what the commotion is about. After hearing Nather and Memnon calling out for burning oil, Tilan races back down the stairs to bring one of the casks of lamp oil from the hold.

While working to get the ballista reloaded for another shot, Nather is hit by another of the ooze's pseudopods and pulled overboard. Azaad fires off the last of his magic missiles, and the situation is looking very dire for the party. Taark and Memnon are badly wounded by the buffeting they're suffering within the creature's grasp, although they manage to damage the creature further with their weapons. Laurrens' isn't able to inflict any real damage against the creature himself, and moves to the ballista to finish preparing it for another shot.

Just as Memnon and Nather are about to go under, Tilan returns to the deck clutching a cask of lamp oil. He's ready to shatter it and pour the contents over the ooze's bulk when Azaad and Laurrens shout a warning not to, for fear of burning their badly hurt comrades to death. Frustrated, Tilan drops the cask and draws his longsword, lunging across the deck in a desperate charge. Plunging the sword deeply into the ooze's squelching body, he rips open a long gash from which spills the horrid internals of the creature. It shudders violently and thrashes the water, but the adventurers in the water can already feel the iron grasp of the adhesive loosening. Tearing himself free, Taark splashes over to where Nather's unconscious body is floating in the water and uses a fast healing spell and first aid to ensure he's alright. Laurrens dives into the water to pull Memnon loose from the sticky protoplasm and carries him up to the deck for further healing magic. Gradually the enormous mass pulls free from the ship's hull and the Sea Wyvern rights itself with a lurch.

The next morning the ships continue sailing along the eastern coast of Tath Bay, which soon rises into the Kobold Mountains. The expedition follows the shoreline for five days, rounding the southern tip while passing through a brief rainstorm. Sailing up towards the ruins of Shiliku, Nather calls the party's attention to a row of enormous, vine-clad remnants of humanoid statues watching over the bay from jungle-covered hilltops. The statues must be at least sixty feet tall each and have strong facial features that the strong weathering only partially disguises. Myterious and silent, they watch the expedition's ships disappear into the distance. At sunset the next day the ships reach a sandy beach at the mouth of a river that Ulrimm indicates is the starting point for his map that shows a path to the ruins.

That evening over dinner, Ulrimm explains that his desire to see the infamous ruins of Shiliku for himself arose only a week before the expedition left Tashluta, when he came into the possession of a tattered map. He purchased the map from a one-legged sailor who claimed to have been given the map by a dying elf fished from the sea. This nameless elf claimed to have been part of an expedition into the ruins, and to have found a previously unexplored section of the city. Unfortunately, his party was attacked by an eight-legged lizard - only he escaped back to his ship. On the way back to Tashluta to recruit a new party to explore the ruin, his ship sank in a storm. The elf died soon after and the sailor, having no wish to explore a dangerous ruin, sold the map to Ulrimm for a pretty penny. Ulrimm convinced Lavinia to allow him one day to explore the ruins as a condition of joining the expedition. The ruins are about two hours brisk walk into the jungle along a path and show an entrance hidden in the lee of a partially collapsed ziggurat. Ulrimm also mentions that it's crucial that the group has left the ruins before darkness falls, though he remains elusive as to why.

The next morning Lavinia gives the group one last warning about ensuring the gnome's safety, since he's the only member of the expedition who's been to the Isle of Dread before. Leaving Azaad in command of the Sea Wyvern, the party row Ulrimm ashore in Old Salty, with the rest of the colonists and crew choosing to stay aboard the safety of the ships. Pulling Old Salty well clear of the high tide mark, the adventurers are immediately beset by clouds of insects beneath the shady canopy. Although the undergrowth is thick, the group quickly finds the trail noted on Ulrimm's map and makes good time penetrating more deeply into the jungle. The path winds as it rises away from the coastal plain, and two hours later the first building comes into view - a ziggurat in surprisingly good condition. Ulrimm leads the group around the base and back down a hill into a maze of thicker jungle and crumbling ruins. The unmortared stone is covered in a layer of flaking stucco decorated with ancient images of men and animals. Brightly coloured tropical birds and a troupe of monkeys screech and chatter at the party from high up in the trees.

Descending into a swampy area, the foliage suddenly parts to reveal a multi-tiered building beyond a murky pool. Ulrimm's map guides the party through the swamp and between large piles of vine-draped rubble to a ravine where a stream of water leads down to a narrow waterfall that drops thirty feet. Opening up in front of the adventurers is a wide valley cloaked in jungle, with an almost-hidden ziggurat emerging from the trees. Descending the wall of the valley, the party hacks through an even thicker jungle to another group of ruined buildings. The map leads the group into the lee of a collapsed ziggurat, where the jungle opens to reveal the ruins of a large chamber. Once held within the root of the ziggurat above, now open to the elements, a thick layer of vines, mulch, and debris cover the ground. Images of pouncing and stalking cats grace what's left of the vine-strangled walls. Dozens of mouldering stuffed jungle cats lie scattered around the edge of the exposed chamber, along with several strangely unweathered statues of men in armor. Of the five passageways that once led further into the ziggurat's depths, only two remain uncollapsed.

Ulrimm's eyes grow round when he sees the intricate images peeking out from under the vines, and he pulls out his leather-bound journal as he rushes forward to investigate. Memnon moves to accompany him while the other adventurers spread out to guard against any threats that might lurk in one of the darkened passages hiding behind the lush vegetation. As Ulrimm plops onto the ground to sketch and take rubbings from the carvings, Tilan hears some kind of a slithering noise from one of the collapsed passages. Noticing Tilan's cautious approach, Taark quietly moves to the collapsed chamber's wall to flank the opening and Nather takes up his crossbow behind the cover of a large pile of rubble.

A thick-bodied reptile with eight legs ponderously lumbers out of the darkened recesses of a collapsed passage. Rows of bony spines jut from its back, and its eyes glow with an eerie green incandescence. When the party sees the lizard, a wave of magical energy washes through their bodies. Feeling their joints stiffen and become heavy, the adventurers resist the petrifying power of the creature's gaze. Ulrimm shrieks "It's a basilisk! Cover your eyes! Run for your lives!" before dropping his journal and fleeing from the collapsed chamber into the surrounding jungle.

Memnon closes his eyes and charges forward with his sword in front, striking wildly. On either side of the basilisk, Taark and Tilan close the visors on their helms and blindly attack. Laurrens closes more cautiously, listening carefully for the location of his allies. From a distance safe from the basilisk's deadly gaze, Nather fires bolts from his crossbow and scores a hit. The basilisk rears back on its hind six legs and lashes out with its curved claws and toothy maw, inflicting bloody wounds on several of the warriors. Seeing Ulrimm fleeing into the swampy jungle, Nather chases after him and calls out for him to stop before he runs into something even more deadly. The gnome comes up short, and when he sees a particularly poisonous viper swimming toward him, he backtracks to Nather's position. Remembering something, he rummages around in his backpack to pull out a large jar that he sets on the ground. He instructs Nather to slather the salve on his stony corpse in case he is petrified by the basilisk, then ducks behind a tall pile of rubble to hide from the battle.

The fierce melee between the basilisk and the adventurers rages on for what seems like minutes. With all eyes closed, not one of the party risks the stony fate of petrification, though it makes all easy targets for the basilisk's savage attacks. Finally, bloody and weary, the basilisk is killed and the eerie green glow fades from its lifeless eyes.