The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC) Jaron - Paladin 6th Level (PC) Rheaphlyndar - Thief 8th Level (PC) Nicola - Cleric 6th Level (PC) Dollin - Druid 6th Level (PC) Wed - Mage 5th Level (NPC) Little John - Fighter 6th Level (NPC)
Locale	Critwall
Date	5th day of Wealsun, 585 CY (Common Year)
Time	late evening

The children and half the Biscuits soon met up with the rest of the Biscuits, fresh from the Snake Pit.

Dollin	Kanjii, how ya doin' you little weasel.
Nicola	Hey, how was the Snake Pit?
Gimar	Not bad -- for a spell. I remember a mage called Soronrandier that used to cast this spell called Secure Shelter or something like that. Anyhow, that's what the Snake Pit is.
Wed	(musing) It would be quite stable in bad weather.
Little John	We left the wagon parked outside of it.

The group then headed back underground, slogging through more tunnels. Jorell led the way, saying the Temple was just ahead. Whenever the party paused, they heard the faint shouting of men behind them, indicating that Rehmat's "sweeping" of the tunnels was well underway.

Jorell	(indicating an opening ahead) The children and I will wait here. The entrance to the high priest's chamber is around the curve ahead, no more than twenty feet ahead.
Gimar	I take it we aren't looking for a door.
Jorell	No, it will be a hole in the wall, perhaps caused by the magical battle.
Nicola	Great.

Jorell and the crossbow wielding teens took up a defensive position in the storage area, while Nicola carefully peeked around the corner. Little John borrowed a dagger from Rheaphlyndar and secured it to the back of his armor with leather straps.

Nicola

All clear.

The party advanced, single file, towards the hole. The silence of their creep was broken only once by Jaron, who accidentally booted a broken helm.

Jaron	Sorry.
Little John	The opening looks like it was blasted out with some sort of fire.
Nicola	It gets better and better.

Gimar started to move up to peer into the dark hole, but his night vision was spoiled by the priestess who pulled out a chunk of Pelor's radiance.

Gimar	Thanks.
Nicola	I am not sure a frog would show up well with infravision, anyhow.
Gimar	(lighting his axe) True.

The room was not terribly large, and the party entered quickly. On the near wall was a mid-sized wardrobe, and on the far wall a mirror and a door. Nicola moved over to examine the mirror, and Rheaphlyndar to search for any hidden doors.

Nicola

This closely resembles the one in Barmanos' office, and I don't think that's necessarily a coincidence.

Little John started clearing away the rubble, stepping on some glass in the process.

Little John

Should've worn shoes!

Rheaphlyndar, finding no secret doors, went over to help Nicola examine the mirror.

Rheaphlyndar	I think we could probably take that with us. It would be kind of bulky, but Gimar . . .
Little John	(looking over his shoulder) We could also break it so the bad guys can't use it. Oh ho, what have we here?

The warrior had managed to prise open the wardrobe, and the glint of gold was visible to all in the room. Wrenching the doors open, he revealed a golden basin with a two foot pole in the middle. Twisted around the pole was a golden slide, and the basin was full of water, or some other liquid.

Little John	(lifting the basin) It's heavy, but not too heavy. Probably around sixty or seventy pounds.
Rheaphlyndar	(recalling a spell) Would Tenser's Floating Disc handle this?
Gimar	More importantly, can Wed cast Tenser's Floating Disc?
Wed	(pulling out a notepad) Affirmative, and it should hold that easily.
Gimar	How long will each casting last?
Wed	About ninety minutes.
Rheaphlyndar	We'll have to stop frequently anyhow, with the kids. I'd say it's worth it -- that fountain is worth at least twenty thousand.

Little John bent down and tried some of the water, and after that Gimar attempted to heft the golden relic.

Nicola	What's it taste like?
Little John	Tastes good. Healing potion?
Nicola	(looking back) Uh, guys, something weird is happening with the mirror . . . Maybe we should go get the kids!

Indeed, the mirror started to glow a bit, but tinged with red. Gimar dropped the fountain outside the cabinet and grabbed his weapon. As Little John grabbed his staff and strode over to smash the mirror, the figure in the mirror resolved itself to a humanoid creature with a frog-like head. Just as the Warrior's staff came down to strike the mirror, it appeared to shatter on it's own and the frog-man stepped through.

Nicola	Ah, so that's where the thing's been hiding.
Jaron	(readying Scather) We should always believe children. We should even believe their lies.

 * Little John   :13: just miss
 2 Hezrou        :15,11,15: d3=1 4d4=11 = 12 to Little John
 2 Hezrou        :11: d3=1 to Nicola
 2 Gimar         :1: way off balance, +5 to be hit next round
 2 Rheaphlyndar  Sneaks around behind the creature
 8 Wed           :5: 3d4+3=11
 8 Dollin        Retching
10 Nicola        :6: miss
** Jaron         :12: just miss

 * Little John   :14: d6+4=7 to the Hezrou
 1 Rheaphlyndar  :6: miss
 4 Gimar         :17,7: d8+d2+7=14 to the Hezrou
 5 Nicola        :12: 3d4+3=12 to the Hezrou
 5 Hezrou        Fear effect
 5 Hezrou        :11,2,15: d3=2 4d4=11 = 13 to Gimar
 9 Wed           :4: 3d4+3=13 to the Hezrou

Nicola	Well, isn't this a fine kettle of fish.
Little_John	C'mon, let's kick some frog booty.

 * Little John   :4: miss
 6 Hezrou        :17: d3=1 to Little John
 6 Hezrou        :10,18: 4d4=9 to Gimar
 7 Gimar         :3,12: d8+d2+7=10 to the Hezrou
 8 Wed           :1: 3d4+3=11 to the Hezrou
 9 Nicola        :14: 3d4+3=7 to the Hezrou

The dwarven warrior headed for the unknown door, while the rest of the party made for the exit. Nicola grabbed the (now normal) mirror, and Little John made a grab for the golden fountain. In a moment of indecision, he also rushed through the unknown door.

Behind the door was a short hallway section, collapsed at both ends. It was much cooler without the flames. Jaron was just recovering from the fear effect of the demon. Gimar quickly checked for other exits but found none.

After a moment or two of discussing whether to brave the flames again, Nicola came in with her protection from fire.

Nicola	I'll take the fountain, and I can cast the spell on one of you, too.
Gimar	Why not just use the decanter?
Nicola	I'll cast it on you so you can help, then.
Gimar	Rheaphlyndar's got the jug, last I checked.
Nicola	Yes, but you are the engineer. We wouldn't want to collapse what's left of this hallway.
Gimar	True, true.

So Nicola (carrying the fountain) and Gimar returned through the burning room. The dwarven warrior filled Rheaphlyndar in on the plan and they worked together to douse a path through the flames, then reuniting the party.

From there, the Biscuits and the kids made their way out of the city, just as the morning sun was lighting the horizon. There were a few close calls, but Rehmat's forces never found them. Once outside the city walls, Dollin found an unused bear cave to hole up in. The plan was to make their way to the boat rendezvous after dark.

The Biscuits	Gimar - Fighter 8th Level (PC) Jaron - Paladin 6th Level (PC) Rheaphlyndar - Thief 8th Level (PC) Nicola - Cleric 6th Level (PC) Dollin - Druid 6th Level (PC) Wed - Mage 5th Level (NPC) Little John - Fighter 6th Level (NPC)
Locale	Dyvers
Date	9th day of Wealsun, 585 CY (Common Year)
Time	morning

The kids and Biscuits were unmolested in their cave hideaway. The Pirates Bane arrived right on schedule and they all managed to squeeze on board. After a few days sailing, they arrived back home in Dyvers.

The majority of the healing had been accomplished on board the ship, but the Biscuits all agreed it was good to have solid land underfoot again. Once they arrived at the church of Pelor, Barmanos was most pleased to see the fountain and the mirror, and was able to arrange a temporary home for the children.

Barmanos	I know you to be on a major quest, but pray please return here before you leave town.
Jorell	(bowing low) I must take care of my charges, but if you ever return this way I pledge my full support to your endeavors, by the holy light of Pelor.

Disclaimer

This is not an authorized site for material relating to AD&D (© TSR).
AD&D (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons) used to be a trademark of TSR, which held exclusive rights on the material associated with the game.