Tauster's Journal Entry #1595

Trust a cleric to get into a Life or Death struggle over the idea that another person simply kept on breathing! Sten refused to relent and let the Cleric of Bane go in exchange for his life, and the other was not about to lie down and die, so single combat ensued.  Tho the Banite used stealth and guile  (and creative use of an Imp familiar) Sten, through strength of arms persevered and triumphed over his foe.

True to their word, the remaining Slavers told what they had promised, and took their leave of the party with only normal equipment. The Rogue followed and made his own deal, finding out some valuable information on a possible entry point to the City of the Glass Pool.

After resting and journeying further, the party came upon a Watch Point manned by Derro and Illithid!  A furious battle commenced with the party using its magics to their fullest extent, only to see most of their magic shatter against their foe's innate resistance to the Art. And all the while, the foul Mind Flayers used their awesome mental powers to stun members of the party senseless. But, yet again, creative use of spell and unrelenting use of steel won the day. It twas not a complete victory tho, with one Illithid plane shifting to safety and one Derro unintentionally got away (Confusion, a useful and pussant spell, is somewhat unpredictable, and in this case caused one Derro to run off, unfortunately out of the party's sight.) While searching the bodies, the party came across some unusual brooches, the significance of unknown so far.

As the party followed the fleeing Derro, they were beset upon by rocks and burning pitch! Due to some quick thinking by Skothe, the party found out that the ceiling was riddled in murder holes covered by illusion to mask their presence. In trying to avoid this trap the party ran into one just as deadly, Derro manning a barricade with quickloading heavy crossbows. Beset from above and ahead, the party's options are limited. I just hope the party can come through again and think their way out of this apparent death trap!