Conclusion of Game 7
At the conclusion of Game 7 we left our adventurers after just having defeating the Goblin ambush in the night and discovering that a Boggle had decided to steal all the bedrolls while you were fighting. Splug had been unable to stop the Boggle as it was using portals to jump around your sleeping area.

Start of Game 8
Lennie looks back and notices for the first time that there is a giant walking tiger standing in the doorway. He yell’s “Moonster!” and smashes the Tiger in the head with the flat of his Maul before the Tiger can react. The Tiger falls unconscious and transforms back into Thomas’s character Mathos. After waking back up Thomas explains that in his tribe the Tiger of Winter is revered as the Tribes god and that he has given some to shift into a feral shape. He has been gifted more for some reason and can transform into an aspect of the Tiger of Winter. Since Thomas was not there, I was a little sketchy on the details.

Encounter in the Crypts
After moving back into the Keep you see a skeleton down a hallway you missed before. Mathos rushes after it smashing it but activates a double row of Sarcophagi which spew undead out. After defeating many of the undead the Sarcophagi deactivate. The adventurers find some alters which have six totems of the Platinum Dragon Bahmut.

Sir Keegans Tomb
Beyond the Crypts you enter a room which holds a tomb with the carving of a Knight on it. After drawing close to the tomb the lid opens and an armored ghost steps out and identifies himself as Sir Keegan. He tells his story after speaking with you tells you the dragon totems will help you in some way in the upcoming fight. He also draws his sword Aecris and gives it to you and tells you to keep the rift to the Shadowfell shut at all costs.

Hidden Armory
Just before the stairs you notice a hidden door. After unlocking and opening it you discover a small room. You notice the wall is an illusion and Mathos runs into the room. A zombie attacks him in the dark and everyone else tries to enter the fight with several other zombies. After defeating the zombies you find a weapons rack but have to solve a riddle before you can take an item due a magical ward.

Conclusion of Game 8
At the conclusion of game eight you reach the stairs and shout out the password found on the Underpriest to the guards at the top.

Start of Game 9
The guards shout, “Underpriest Nelven is dead. RELEASE THE BEAST!” Apparently the password in the letter was a plant to confuse the adventurers if the Underpriest was defeated,

Release the Beast!
The adventurers run to the bottom of the stairs and see two Hobgoblin guards blocking the stairs while two others run to a room behind them. Other guards enter the battle from rooms to the left and right. Near the conclusion of the battle a Deathjump spider (the beast) as large as a man bounds into the room and continues the attack but is ultimately defeated.

Hobgoblin Barracks
Continuing on you hear some noises ahead. The group charges in and defeats a barracks full of Hobgoblins. The shield walls the Hobgoblins form make it difficult for most players to defeat but it puts them in perfect formation for burst attacks from Kitsune. You find two casks of ale and send Splug to take them to a safe place. If offers you some rat kabobs before departing but you decline.

Ambush from Behind
After departing the barracks the players rush towards where the ritual is taking place led by Kalarel Scion of Orcus. The players then are attacked in the rear by a group of Hobgoblins which were in an unexplored room. The goblins hit the rear of the group hard but are ultimately defeated.

During these adventures the players have amassed treasure which Philip has been tracking and has amassed weapons which the group has divided up as they found. I have not attempted to list all of it in the summary but I hope you are all tracking it on your character sheets.

Who is Paul Darr?

Paul Darr has lived in California, Oregon, Colorado, and currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. Paul is also an Army Veteran, who has deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. On the political spectrum Paul is a Libertarian that advocates fiscal responsibility and social tolerance. Paul is currently employed as an IT Manager and is a father of a handsome boy and beautiful daughter. In his free time Paul enjoys reading, using and modifying open source software, gaming, and several other geeky pursuits.