User blog:Mdorlep/Clearing Out Hightower

A terrible storm rolled through the countryside. Four heroes, Serafina, Hank, Fiona, and Thranduil, sought shelter from the storm in the shadow of Hightower Tor. They discovered a tomb in the hillside where they took shelter.

A sudden lightning strike shook the tomb, knocking down three locked doors in the entry chamber. A swarm of rats ran into the room, but the heroes quickly slew them. The heroes ventured into a hallway where they discovered a strange creature; it was a head with wings--a vargouille. It was quickly killed, with the final blow a deadly shot from Serafina's crossbow. The party found a magical healing ring in the vargouille's lair.

Next, the heroes discovered a room that was empty except for a stone chest. Thranduil was the only one to notice a trap on the lid, but when Serafina tried to disarm it, it went off, injuring her slightly. The chest contained treasure, but more importantly the Cloak of Shadows, which will help Serafina to sneak around....

The party ventured down the main hallway of the tomb. Serafina saw torchlight ahead, and Hank recognized beastly voices ahead--goblins! The party snuck in and surprised them, slaying the foul creatures before they even had a chance to draw their weapons.

As the heroes went farther in, they met the leaders of the goblin gang, two hobgoblins. Hank killed the first with a single shot from his bow. The second one charged at Fiona, missing her. Fiona quickly cleaved the beast in two with her greatsword. The party found a corpse in the room with a magical bow that they could not identify, and a letter offering a reward for clearing the area of brigands based in the tomb.

Venturing even deeper into the tomb, the heroes discovered the lair of a giant spider. Fiona tried to clear the spider's web from the doorway with her sword, and the spider sprang out of hiding to attack her. While Fiona dodged the first attack, the spider eventually bit her, poisoning her with a strength-draining venom. In the spider's lair, a magical robe was found for Thranduil.

Finally, the party came to the final chamber--the tomb of Grizzek, a bugbear zombie. After a long battle, Grizzek was put to rest when Hank's magical bow suddenly show burning arrows, setting Grizzek on fire.

The party sat down for a well-earned rest. They will need to travel to Marston to speak with Josten the Sherriff. In order to claim the reward, they will need to bring proof from Josten to Belomar in Athos.