(8) Goodmonth 21, 582

• After a short exploration of the cave the group found their true ghoul. He was there with two spawns of Kyuss seemingly looking for something. As the group approached he turned his attention to them, and settled the skeletons as they seemed to be ready to attack. Barnin figured it best to try and find a solution with out fighting. But after a short conversation with the undead caster, Barnin learned that he was interested in bringing about the age of worms. This would remove the living from the surface world and allow his kind to claim it for their own. This really didn’t sit that well with the group, so after a short fight, the true ghoul and his minions where no more. Surprisingly, Barnin didn’t run like a girl when dealing with the spawn of Kyuss this time.
• With the true ghoul dead they search his belongings, and body finding a crystal disc. No more had Barnin picked up the disc to inspect it when 4 djinn appeared intent on keeping the disc from those unworthy. Barnin tried to reason with the creatures, but he was finding that there wasn’t going to be much reasoning taking place down in these caverns. After a cone of cold from Eligos and a flame strike from Donnor, it only took a few swings of the sword to end the djinn. And once again the group studied the crystal disc. Moving to begin making their accent up through the caverns.
  

(8) Goodmonth 21, 582

• The group stepped to the edge of the first drop inspecting the area to see what was the best approach. They all agreed that flying would be in their best interest. Eligos had enough fly spells prepared just in case such an instance arose. So after quickly casting the fly spells and getting a short practice with their “wings” they were off over the first drop. Making good time diving downward the group didn’t even notice another group of the air warriors waiting in ambush.
• The air warriors quickly moved in behind the group to attack. Two of the elementals attacked Barnin while the other two flew at Donnor and Eligos, one each. Eligos was able to charm one of the creatures so that it stopped its attack on us, evening the odds slightly. When one of the other elementals saw this he attacked his own, not knowing why he was defending these interlopers. After a short but fierce battle they elementals fell, and the one charmed one returned to his duties, not to be seen again.
• After just a couple more minutes the group safely made the rest of the decent to the bottom of the lowest chamber where they could see the red water pooling and flowing away into another cavern. There was an eerie pale green light reflecting off the walls deeper in the cave. They readied themselves for conflict by casting death ward on the party, along with spell immunity. They weren’t sure what they were facing in a true ghoul, but they were as ready as they thought they could be.
  

(8) Goodmonth 21, 582

• After returning to the upper levels of the cairn to rest the group returned to the room in which they had been ambushed by the spider to finalize their agreement. They walked through the shadowy spiderwebs in the room knowing this would let the spider know we had entered the room. The shadow spider arrived in short order. The group reconfirmed the agreement that if they were to kill the mage that dwelt in the caverns below the cairn, Allistun would be returned to them. The group knew that had little choice because none of them had the ability to walk in the shadow realm yet.
• The shadow spider then led them toward the river that fed down into the lower caverns. As they were approaching the spider told the group that there were earth dwelling creatures ahead. He said he would “deal with them,” if the group wished it. Looking over the situation, and not sure what he was talking about, the group agreed that the spider should “deal” with them. The group watched as the spider crept up and ripped the creatures to pieces. After seeing the beasts the group thought it was for the best that they didn’t try to fight the creatures on such a dangerously small bridge with a long plunge below.
• After following the red river a short distance farther, the group came to the first of what they were told were many drops leading to the bottom. This is where the spider believed we would find his mage. With that the spider vanished back to the shadow realm.
  

(8) Goodmonth 20, 582

• So the group pushed forward coming to a slop the headed down. As they decended the realized that the floor had been coated with something and started loosing their traction and slid down the slope. Once in the room where the slope ended, looking around it looked as though all of the walls had images of shadows on them. Suddenly a giant spider came out of no where, literally, and snatched Barnin up were he stood, Barnin got an attack off, but it wasn’t enough to deter the beast from disappearing with him.
• Barnin continued to struggle, but in his current state, he was little more than a child in the arms of the Shadow Spider. They seemed to be traveling incredibly quickly through what looked somewhat like the cairn they entered, then they weren’t there anymore, and he was be unceremoniously dumped in what looked like the spiders nest. Before Barnin could protest the spider was gone, leaving him alone to ponder what to do next.
• In less than a minute the spider returned to Eligos and Donner. And attempted to make an accord with them. If they dealt with the Mage that was pestering him, we could have our friend back. They explained that they were just here for Allustan, and described him, the spider told them that Allustan was just in the next room trapped. The quickly hurried to help Allustan.
• As they entered the next room the saw that Allistan was indeed trapped, in what seemed to be a giant sphere of lightning. After a short brain storming, Donnor came up with the idea to cast spell immunity on himself so that the lightning wouldn’t harm him. As he entered the sphere, he did so very cautiously, still not sure that the lightning was a spell effect, in which case the spell he cast to protect himself would have been of little use. But he entered the sphere and wasn’t harmed, and as soon as he touched Allistan to pull him out of the sphere the globe disapated. And Allustan began to regain his ability to move. Barnin healed him just incase he was injured from the lightning globe, but after a few minutes he seemed to be fine. After being updated on their current situation, he agreed to stay behind with the spider while the group left the cairne to recover their strength, and to get Barnin back into good health before they would be able to help the spider deal with this undead wizard.
  

(8) Goodmonth 20, 582

• Once Eligos and Donnor described the Abyssal Ghoul that was inside the portal, Barnin was loathe to have to return there to get out of this cairne. He pushed the creature from his mind so that the could focus at the task at hand.
• As they entered the next room the felt a strong head wind coming from seemingly nowhere. Yet there were what appeared to be some odd puffs of smoke or vapor that hung in the air. Suddenly the vapors attacked. They were Belkers.
• The belkers proved to be a little more than pests as the group dealt with them, and they were happy to get out of the deafening wind.
• The next room had traps a plenty, so after discovering some of them the group thought it better to carry on, and not try to mess with too much down here.
• Unfortunately the gems in the eyes of the statue in the next room were too much for Barnin to pass up, and as he attempted to pry them from the statue, he triggered a trap that made him feel weaker than he ever had before in his life. And after a short examination Donnor knew that he didn’t have the right spells prepared to help his friend, and let him know that this effect would have to stay with him for the rest of the day.
• Having only been down here for a short time, as a group they decided to carry on even with Barnin in his debilitated state.
  

(8) Goodmonth 20, 582

• Awakening the next morning rested, if nothing else, the group talked to Tilgast to see about barrowing another group of horses. He insisted we didn’t pay for the steeds that had perished the day before, as we had dealt with the towns dragon infestation. The group assured him these ones would be safe as we didn’t forsee an outcome where they would die this night.
• An uneventful ride to the cairne was just what the group had hoped for that evening, and were blessed with at least that. Upon their arrival they tied off the steeds and prepared to travel back underground and through the portal to an untold place.
• Everything was as it had been on the previous evening. They arrived in front of the portal, after only a moments hesitation Barnin tumbled through the doorway ready to avoid any tentacle like thing that would try to attack him. He went through without anything attempting to attack him, and laughed slightly at the notion that they were frightened of the door. The area on the other side of the portal seemed much like the hallway he had just left on the other side of the door. All he had to do now was stand and wait.
• When Eligos attempted to do the same that he had just witnessed Barnin do. As he approached though, a tentacle flared out and attempted to grab him. Not being as agile as Barnin, Eligos was hit by the tentacle, and felt the creature he now faced inside the portal try to pull him in. He was able to just barely pull himself away from the Abyssal Ghoul to just make it out the other side of the portal. He tumbled out land on the floor in a heap in front of Barnin visibly shaken, saying what in the world was that?
• As Donnor approached the portal to tumble through the tentacle reached through at him. He deftly avoided it and tumbled into the portal. As he passed through he saw the horrific beast. He came through unscathed, and met the other 2 waiting for him on the other side.
  

(8) Goodmonth 19, 582

• After a brief conversation with Tilgast, the group was able to get the steeds they need and head out to the Cairne that same morning.
• The group made good time to the Cairne as they knew the way, and didn’t stop to invesitgate the mining house, because that was destroyed.
• They arrived at the Cairne to find everything silent. After dismounting and prepairing to enter the Cairne, Donnor caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He noticed, and warned the others just in time to avoid the acid spray from the Black Dragon.
• After a short battle the group was victorious. But it wasn’t with out setback. Barnin fell during the battle. And only through Kords grace and Donnors link with his god, Barnin was healed. Elistan also felt the Dragons power being drained of his strength.
• The group adventured on looking to see what was different in the Cairne. It didn’t take long to find what used to be a dead end had been dug out to see a new portal that was revealed. The group approached the portal only to have black tentacles flair out at them. As a group they didn’t know where the portal lead or what it was that was attacking them out of the door. So they decided that it would be best to be complete recouperated and ready to face anything before they entered this doorway.
• The group have still found no trace of Allustan down here. And now they will have to put off finding their old friend for another day.
  

(8) Goodmonth 19, 582

• The group returned to the surface, and told the gaurds that the Alkilith had been dealt with. And to relay the message the group was now heading to Diamond Lake again to attempt to end the Age Of Worms.
• So with no delay Eligos cast teleport and the group was wisked away to Diamond Lake, to arrive in front of Allustan’s house. Sadly when the group arrived at Diamond Lake they found that Allistans house, along with a large portion of the town had been destroyed. As the group stood and surveyed the area, Eligos was the one that surmised this was the work of a dragon, a black dragon to be specific.
• The group moved through out the city trying to find out what happened. They got answers from Venelle’s. Her shop was one of the buildings still standing in Diamond Lake so they headed there. After a question and answer session the group learned that a Black Dragon had indeed attacked the village but no one knows why. They would most certainly be appreciative to have the dragon dealt with.
• So the group headed to Tilgast’s to get some horses to head out to the Whispering Carine to see if they could find Allistan or at least get to the bottom of what was going on in Diamond Lake.
  

(8) Goodmonth 19, 582

• After praying to Kord, and having a quick breakfast, Barnin and Donor head to Eligos’s house. Once there they get right to business. And raise Eligos’ man servant.
• Once the servant was awake Donnor healed him. Once Eligos made him a cup of tea, and started feeling normal again he recited what had happened. He said that several men entered the home looking for items involved in the age of worms. And then they attacked and killed him. He also relayed that there was a letter that came in the day before from Eligos’s old friend Allustan.
• After retrieving the missive, Eligos reads the letter. Allustan is summoning us back to Diamond Lake. He said that there was a previously undiscovered passage in the Whispering Cairn.
• So being that the group had already promised the Lord Mayor that they would deal with the Alkilith that was under the arena.
• So the group returned to the Arena after Eligos’ affairs were in order. After a short conversation with the gaurds on duty, the group headed down into the Coenoby. Once down they used the rope to climb back down into the hidden catacombs they had found. And headed straight for the Alkilith.
• Donnor cast Banishment when arriving in the area, and the demon was sent back to the abyss from where it came. They explored on, only to find that there wasn’t anything left to find.
  

(8) Goodmonth 18, 582

• Moving on into the next room the group came upon a demon non of them had ever faced before. Eligos later figured out that the beast was an Alkilith. For lack of a better description, the creature resembles a pile of garbage. After what seemed like and eternity facing the monster the group decided that discretion would be the better part of valor.
• When leaving the new found lair and reaching the surface the group was faced with Greyhawks militia attempting to restore order in the area. Donnor seeing that there were many wounded people in the arena took to the stands in an attempt to help as many people as he could. Mean while Barnin and Eligos talked with the Lord Mayor in an attempt to figure out what Raknian was up to.
• They came to the conclusion that they needed to rest and regroup to face the demon. Eligos said it would be a good idea to head to his house so that they could research the demon to get any information they could on defeating it. When we arrived at Eligos’s, we find that his house has been ransacked. And his man servant has been killed.
• So Barnin and Donnor help Eligos straighten up his house and prepare the body to be raised. They decide to meet again tomorrow morning at Eligos’s how when Donnor will raise the man servant so that they can find out what happened.
  

(8) Goodmonth 18, 582

• Both groups immediately turned on the Giant Worm. Donnor summoned another creature to attack while Barnin attack head on, and Eligos started firing fireballs at the beast. The fireballs seemed to be very effective because of the rod of empowerment that Eligos picked up in our adventure before the games.
• Thankfully we got the best of the creature before it did too much damage. Once the worm was down we attempted to pursue Raknian who fled amidst the chaos that ensued in the arena.
• The groups first thought was that he would go to his palace for safety, but a quick search there yielded no results. So back to the Coenoby the group went. Searching high and low ending up in the center where they found the large glass dome shattered, coming to the only logical conclusion the group looked over the edge to find that there was what looked like the worms home with tunnels leading away from the chamber.
• So with little fan fare the group threw a rope over the edge and climbed down into the pit. And started exploring. The were quickly greeted by an undead woman, (or as best they could tell, was a woman) Barnin quickly dispatched the fiend. Once it was down, the group attempted to search the corpse thinking that this my be Ekaym’s sister finally found. The group found no hard evidence, but the thought is still lingering that it was her.
• Moving on from that room the group found more undead. These were Spawn of Kyuss that we had encountered before at Blackwell Keep. Having dealt with these before still didn’t stop Barnin from stopping the magical fear from overcoming him and sending him into a terrible panic fleeing. But the group quickly dealt with the fiends, and Barnin overcame his irrational fear of these undead, and they moved on.
  

(8) Goodmonth 18, 582

• The next morning when Ekaym arrived, Barnin relayed what happened the previous night, and begrudgingly gave him the Haversack filled with everything he had found. Barnin also let him know in no uncertain terms that he was to have that bag returned to him. They also gave him a list of items the group would need for that afternoon’s match against Auric’s Warband.
• The rest of the morning was filled with plotting how to take down Auric’s Warband. The flesh golems, according to Eligos, would be a handful. In the end, we decided that straight-forward confrontation would be the best avenue of approach, as it had worked up to now, and if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.
• So the groups were escorted into the arena just shy of noon. Wishing each other luck on the trip up, each group began making its final preparations before the battle would begin. As the group entered, Barnin noticed Raknian looked very relaxed, smug even. “Not the usual reaction for someone that will soon be led to the gallows”, was Barnin’s next thought, but he figured he had better focus on the matters at hand.
• The battle began as others had; Eligos cast Stoneskin on Barnin, knowing he would be the first to run into the fray. And each member of the team drank a potion of Bull’s Strength and Barkskin to assist them. Once the match began, Eligos cast Haste on Barnin while he sprinted forward, and Donnor brought a celestial dire lion into the arena to battle their foes.
• Suddenly, a massive worm burst through the ground. The entire arena shook with its coming, and the cheers turned to screams as the creature had to span more than 20 feet across and stood well above the ground. Studying the body of the beast, you could tell that most of the creature was still below the surface.
  

(8) Goodmonth 17, 582

• After the battle, the group was ushered back underground. They stood by and waited for the other two groups to face each other in the arena. Not to too many’s surprise, but the fans’ displeasure, One of Us withdrew from the tourney in front of the crowd. Coming back down the lift, One of Us headed directly to their room.
• Now that the match for the championship had been decided, it was time for the group to head to their room and make preparations for that evening. Ekaym joined the group in their room, and after pats on the back, the group got down to business. They decided that the best course of action would be for Barnin to go into Raknian’s palace alone. Ekaym would pick up some supplies, two potions of invisibility, and two vials of powder that would throw the dogs off his scent once he was inside.
• So after resting and recouping energy spent in the arena, midnight came and Barnin set out on his mission. The plan was to go it much the same as the group had just a few nights earlier. Donnor cast a symbol of sleep on a small stone that Barnin would use to render the guards unconscious. After knocking out the guards, and picking the door locks to get in, Barnin used an invisibility potion. When the dogs came near he began using the vial of powder to confuse them. Everything went as planned. Barnin got passed the dogs and began exploring.
• There wasn’t much to be seen until Barnin found Raknian’s study. After picking the door’s lock and the desks’ locks, Barnin found a treasure trove of documents and ledgers pertaining to Raknian’s evil dealings. Thankful for his Heward’s Handy Haversack, he cleaned the desk out. He knew that he had everything he needed to incriminate Raknian, but he still wanted to find Ekaym’s sister. As he was creeping through the rest of the palace he came face to face with Raknian.
• He was torn between breaking this illusion and throttling him, and just standing aside and remaining invisible. His better judgement won out, and he remained hidden, and looked for another way out. As luck would have it, he found stairs leading down to what he found was an armory stocked with everything from ceremonial weapons to what he could only assume were fantastic weapons built for destruction. After the quick appraisal he grabbed what looked to be a prized dagger, as he needed one, that should be easily recognizable.
• He found a barred door to the rear of the armory, beyond was a dusty hallway that lead to another barred door. After unbarring the second door, and a quick study found that Barnin had made his way back to the original cellar that leads back under the arena. Still wanting to find Ekaym’s sister he crept back up the stairs. But he found that Raknian was suspicious of someone being in the house, and was actively searching with the dogs. So again using his better judgment he returned to the Coenoby. Leaving Raknian’s palace, he found the guards as he left them.
• Arriving back in his room, he and his companions went through all the paperwork and journals Barnin collected. Without question there was more than enough information here to implicate Raknian in his unholy deeds involving the sinister plot the group had been investigating.
  

(8) Goodmonth 17, 582

• Not letting their surprise be known, the group took action. Eligos caste Haste and Stoneskin on Barnin, who immediately ran into the fray, while Donnor summoned a celestial dire lion to battle the beast. Barnin struck true when attacking the beast, but was immediately wrapped up in one of its many tentacles. Donnor also summoned a griffon to join the battle as the lion was taking a beating. Eligos sent a fireball at the beast, only to see it was completely ineffective.
• Barnin struggled against the beasts arm for only seconds before realizing that was a lost cause, so he focused completely on inflicting as much damage to the beast as possible with his fists, as he had learned from Donnor. As he was pounding the beast with his fists he watched it attempt to devour the lion. When the lion’s form stopped struggling, it disappeared. Eligos summoned another griffon to attack, while Donnor, watching his companion get pummeled by tentacles, figured he was in need of healing. So while beginning a prayer to Kord, Donnor ran and jumped, grabbing Barnin’s boot to heal him. Donnor was quickly shaken loose, but not until the deed was done. Sadly, that was the last he saw of Barnin, as the beast swallowed him whole.
• Donnor began to attack the behemoth after Barnin was swallowed. Eligos was attempting many spells to get the beast on the ground. Barnin attacked the insides of the beast with enough ferocity to make a barbarian proud; he didn’t have enough room to move around and attack with his long sword while inside the creature, but he had enough room to do mighty damage with his fists. And he kept punching until he felt the beast fall with him still inside of it.
• As soon as the beast fell, and was no longer moving, Donnor jumped into its mouth in an attempt to find and drag his friend to freedom. It took some doing as the beast weighed tons, and was now dead weight. But after about 30 seconds, Donnor managed to help Barnin find his way out of the animals insides.
• Barnin’s first action after exiting the froghemoth’s mouth was to stare down Loris Raknian. Sadly, Raknian was nowhere to be seen, and only the announcer was left to give the victors their reward and trophy.

(8) Goodmonth 17, 582

• The group was to face the beast before the other gladiators were to face off. So they were up early and ready to do battle after a light breakfast.
• When the time arrived the group took the well-traveled path up the lift into the arena. Drinking their typical Bull’s Strength and Barkskin potions on the way in, Donnor also cast Resist Energy on the group, choosing cold as the energy type. The arena shook with the cheers from the roaring crowd.
• The companions seemed to be waiting ages for the beast to arrive. In fact, they had waited so long, even the crowd started to grow impatient. Eligos and Donnor quickly surmised that Raknian was playing for time so that some of the helpful spells the group cast and the potions drank would have time to fade away before the match began, making it easier for them to be slain.
• After what seemed like an eternity, the arena doors were drawn open and a crate nearly 20 feet tall, and just as wide and deep, was pulled into the middle of the arena. The announcer again thanked Lord Henway for supplying the beast this year, as he always had, and shared with the crowd that the beast would be on display at Lord Henway’s Menagerie in the future. The heroes took exception to that comment.
• Once the exits were secure, guards grabbed the ends of long chains and stood ready to flee as they pulled the crate’s sides down. Unfortunately for the group, what was revealed was not a frost salamander. What was revealed would later be named a froghemoth.

(8) Goodmonth 16, 582

• After the bout with Pitch Blade, it was late afternooon, so the group decided to rest and see who they would face, as they would be right back in the arena the next day.
• That evening, when one of the arena wardens posted the next day’s contest, the group was none too surprised to see that they would be facing whatever surprise magical beast the arena held for them, and Auric’s Warband was facing One of Us. Auric’s Warband was upset because as the current reigning Champions, they should have been the ones that the honor of facing the beast were bestowed upon. They stomped off pouting something along the lines that they would take this up with whoever was in charge.
• As the group ate dinner they overheard some of the guards discussing the supposed beast we would be facing the next day. They spoke in hushed voices, but were still overheard speaking of a frost salamander. Eligos, being the learned mage he was, knew that these beasts are weak against fire damage. After dinner, the group went to their room to prepare ice defense and fire offense against this beast of ice.

(8) Goodmonth 16, 582

• The party awoke on Day 3 to see the match-ups had been posted for that day. Auric’s Warband was scheduled to fight Draconic Brood in the first match at 10:00 am. Drunken Devilry was scheduled to fight One of Us in the second match at noon. And lastly, Iron Fist was scheduled to fight Pitch Blade at 2:00 pm.
• The party also learned that due to there being three victors at the end of Day 3’s matches, two of them will pair off for a semi-final match, while the third will battle some form of exotic beast. If the team battling the beast prevails, there will be a final match against the victor of the semi-final match. Conversely, if the team battling the beast loses, the winner of the Champions’ Games will be the victor of the semi-final match.
• As expected, Auric’s Warband defeated Draconic Brood. In a surprise turn of events, Drunken Devilry was eliminated by disqualification leaving One of Us as the victor.
• The group had to face Pitch Blade which consisted of a pair of angry dwarves. As the match started, the two dwarves each drank a potion and were able to run on air. Donnor pleased the crowd by casting his Righteous Might spell, while Eligos began casting both fire and ice spells. Unfortunately, Barnin wasn’t very effective for his part as he wasn’t able to reach the dwarves except for an occational swat at a boot. But that didn’t stop the team from pulling out another victory behind Eligos’s magic, and Donnor’s flurry of blows.
• It was apparent that Loris Raknian was surprised and maybe even a bit angered, that Pitch Blade did not prevail. It has become evident that Raknian is hoping that one of the gladiatorial teams will bring down our party and save him from doing the dirty work himself. The party, obviously, hopes to see otherwise, and is praying that Raknian will make some misstep along the way.

(8) Goodmonth 15, 582

• Day 2 of the Champions’ Games is scheduled to be a light one. There are no battles scheduled, as it is intended for the teams to rest and recuperate. In lieu of any gladiatorial bouts, the arena above is used for games, demonstrations of magic, and non-tournament mock battles.
• Again, Ekaym came for a visit. As expected, he was hoping for any information about his sister. As the party had nothing to share, Ekaym encouraged them to continue searching. What’s more, when Ekaym heard of the prisoner being held captive in the Arena Understructure, he pleaded that the group interrogate the prisoner for any information that he may have pertaining to his sister. The party agreed to do that very thing that evening.
• Late in the evening, when most everybody had gone to bed, and the guard patrols were lessened, the party again explored the Understructure. The party used a cleverly placed Symbol of Sleep to get past Raknian’s guards. After picking two very difficult locks, they entered Raknian’s palace. A brief search ended with them being chased off by Raknian’s guard dogs.
• The party then decided to speak with the prisoner. At first, the prisoner appeared dead. It wasn’t until Barnin unlocked the cell door and entered that the prisoner exhibited any signs of life. In fact, it took a gentle nudging of the prisoner before he actually sprang up and scrambled to the corner of the cell in complete terror. He had a wild-eyed look in his eyes, and it appeared that he didn’t understand anything that the party said. All he could scream was, “No worms, no worms!” Donnor cast a remove fear spell on him which worked beautifully. He calmed down and quit screaming, but he still didn’t seem to hear or understand anything. So the party surrendered in defeat, again, and headed back to their room in the Coenoby empty-handed. They decided to write a letter to the Lord Mayor explaining this rather significant revelation. The group gave the letter to Ekaym to be delivered to Sgt Priel.

(8) Goodmonth 14, 582

• After the battle, Ekaym visited the party to congratulate them on their decisive victory. He also decided to share with them the real reason for sponsoring them in the Champions’ Games. As it turns out, Ekaym has a sister, Lahaka, who came to Greyhawk to pursue a performing career. She met Loris Raknian. The two hit it off very well, at least according to Lahaka’s letters. She was smitten by the wealthy and influential manager of the Free City Arena. Then she went missing. Her letters stopped abruptly about one year ago. Naturally, Ekaym became worried. So he recruited the party to investigate the whereabouts of his sister by choosing to sponsor them in the Champions’ Games. As a reward for anything that they may find regarding his sister, Ekaym has offered to pay his entire share of the winnings to the party.
• So that very evening, the party agreed to explore the Arena Understructure. They discovered an old abandoned area of The Coenoby called The Titan’s House. It is rumored that The Titan’s House is the remains of an old demon-worshiping cult that predates the Free City itself. There is no evidence to substantiate this claim, however. Also, at least according to the gladiator gossip, there is a submerged tunnel that leads from The Titan’s House to an old, underground network of ghoul warrens. There might be some truth to this claim, however, given that Loris Raknian had a stone plug installed to block that tunnel.
• Unfortunately, a thorough exploration of The Titan’s House yielded no clues about Lahaka. So the group explored the rest of the Arena Understructure. This also proved fruitless, despite becoming familiar with all of the areas down there. Two interesting points of note, however, are the underground entrance to Raknian’s palace (which was guarded), and the Understructure prison (which, curiously, was not). The prison held one captive, probably scheduled for execution. The party retired for the evening with nothing to report back to Ekaym.

(8) Goodmonth 14, 582

• This morning the festivities were to begin, there were a couple of matches up before ours, so we had time to relax and have breakfast before entering the arena.
• The matches that day were more or less set as free-for-all style match-ups, each turn in the arena would have four groups pitted against one another. Looking at the scheduled bouts (and according to odds set before the tourney started), we were pitted against the groups that were the next highest ranked after previous years’ top contenders. We should only assume this will be the way of it as Loris Raknian is running the games, and wants us dead.
• We were put up against Arcane Auriga, a group a elven archers, with their leader being a mage. Badlands Revenge, a druid named Joren with group of gnoll mercenaries. And Sapphire Squad, a group of mounted warriors, fighting from horseback.
• The crowd quickly found out that we wouldn’t stand around and wait to see how things turned out; we charged straight into the thick of things trying to get to what we considered to be the toughest of opponents, Arcane Auriga. We had an agreement with Korush, the leader of Sapphire Squad, that we would attack the others first, then deal with one another after.
• It seemed all of the combatants felt the same as us, because all three groups converged on the archers and mage. They didn’t stand long against the onslaught. The gnolls fell next quickly so that only left the druid and Sapphire Squad. Eligos was locked up with Joren, so Donnor and Barnin dealt with the mounted warriors.
• With the strength provided by Kord, Donnor felt invincible. Using his monk speed and leaping ability, he jumped onto one of the horses and thrashed the rider. Barnin made short work of the other, and that left only Korush. After having his hired hands dealt with so quickly, it only took a couple quick serious blows, he quickly surrendered.
• All that was left then was the druid Joren, and he had shape-shifted into a giant alligator. When Barnin attempted to help Eligos and Donnor attack the alligator, he was bit and siezed in the giant creature’s mouth. Remembering that Donnor had cast the Glyph of Sleep on his shield, he hit the alligator in the head with his shield, and uttered the safe word. Withing seconds the beast lay in a deep slumber leaving the group as the victor of their heat of the first round.

(8) Goodmonth 13, 582

• The afternoon before the Champions’ Games’ big reception dinner was to take place, we met with Ekaym to go over the battle rules, and to see if there were any other last-minute preparations that needed to take place. We sent Ekaym to pick up a few potions for us.
• That night, we attended the festivities that took place the evening before the commencement of the games. All of the other gladiators were in attendance, including the sitting champions, Auric’s Warband. Tirra was there and she said that she didn’t take part in the games. But she did help us out with a couple tips if we go up against the warband, and she also said that the Thieves’ Guild here in Greyhawk was very interested in seeing us win the tourney.
• There was much fanfare the rest of the evening, and many people stopped to talk to us, trying to get some insight from our group to see if we were worthy of a wager on the opening day of the tourney.
• As a group, we were cordial enough, but for the most part we kept to ourselves. We really didn’t want to get Loris’s attention off the party and on us too quickly.