Demons Gate - Sellswords Campaign Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Into the Chaos Cavern.

The passageway opens out into a large natural cavern, lit by the eerie red chaos light. The centre of the cavern is divided by two large rock pillars and through the gaps the party can see a flickering portal. As the watched a huge chaos creature emerged through the portal.
“The madman’s open a gateway to the Chaos Realm!” Christos exclaimed indignantly.
“It is our moral duty to smite the vile servant of Chaos and close that abomination!”
“Does that smiting include that big beastie that’s just come through the gate?” Gunnar asked.
“Of course!”
“I thought so, let's get this done."
"What’s the plan?” Sintamo asked.
“Follow him I suppose” Eldarondo said, pointing at Gunnar's rapidly retreating figure as he charged across the cavern and into the nearest armoured cultist, splitting the warrior's helm with a single blow of his axe.

The High Priest has opened a gateway into the chaos realm of Xichtul so that a demon army can pass through into the mortal plane. A chaos champion has already passed through.

Set Up.
A large open cavern, lit by an eerie, reddish glow. The cavern is broken up by rock piles and stalactites and the occasional strange, glowing fungi. In the middle of the western edge stands the opened portal.
The PCs enter from a passageway at the centre of the Eastern edge.

Traps: There are no traps.

Foes:
The High Priest (Warlock) standing by the portal (if the High Priest is reduced to 1 HP he will attempt to flee through the portal).
A Chaos Champion in front of the Portal
2 hordes of 4 imps
2 hordes of 6 Cultists.
4 Cult Warriors.

When the AMBUSH! card is drawn, a cultist leaps out from the nearest cover and charges the closest PC.
Reinforcements: 1d6 Cultists enter from a random edge

They Are At Our Back: 1d6 cultists enter from the PC’s starting point.

Complications: Another Chaos Demon enters through the portal. Roll 1d6 for type.
1-2 = Souldrinker
3-4 = Chaos Champion
5-6 = Minotaur

Scenario Event: A random Cult Warrior draws a Chaos mutation card (return card to deck).

Wandering Monster:
1-3 = 1d3 Imps
4-5 = A Cult Warrior
6 = A winged lessor demon

Victory Conditions: The PCs must close the portal by killing the High Priest or forcing him to flee the table via the portal (which will close behind him). Then they must exit the cavern through the passageway on the Eastern edge.

Other individual rewards: A PC carrying an out-of-action PC off the table gains 1 XP. Killing the High Priest or a demon etc earns 1XP.

The table layout, the PC's enter from a stairway in the big rock at the bottom of the picture.

A Chaos Champion enters through the open portal.

Gunnar starts as he means to go on!

Sintamo tries to pick off some of an approaching horde of cultists, but multiple activation fails mean that they charge him. Fortunately, the ranger has been taking lessons from Sir Robin.

Eddie hangs around the stairwell and sees a likely target. FIREBALL! Now you see him....

...now you don't!

With a horde of imps rapidly approaching, Eldarondo carefully takes aim, draws a arrow back to his ear and SNAP! (He rolls a 1 - broken bowstring). Unfortunately that's the third he's broken since the party came underground and without an opportunity to replenish, that was his last one. Sintamo has also used all his spares so can't even give him one of his.

In the meantime Sir Robin gets stuck in to a bunch of cultists.

Eldarondo gets charged by the imps. He hits the first with his sword, but the little beast just dances back out of reach (Imps are only DL6, but in melee they avoid a hit on 4+ and move 3" back).

Eddie is startled by the sound of running feet on the stairs and turns as 4 cultists charge out from the passageway.

With his usual tactic of closing his eyes and shouting "GETOUTOFITLEAVEMEALONE!", the sword makes short work of the first 3 cultists. Eddie risked opening one eye, then panicked at the sight of the last cultist and took a shallow cut across his arm.
"STOP TRYING TO MOVE ME AND LET ME DO MY JOB!" the sword instructed angrily, as he stabbed the last cultist through the throat.

As more cultists and chaos creatures started closing in, Christos rushed forward to help Robin dispose of the first wave of foes.

As the killed the last of those and armoured cultist warrior attacked from the flank. Christos wounded the fanatic, then just caught his riposte on this shield.

Gunnar charged in and finished the warrior with a blow from his axe, just as the chaos champion closed in on Sir Robin and Christos. With the fist blow of it's flail, the creature pushed Robin's shield aside and struck him on the side. Robin grunted in pain as he felt his armour buckle and a plate was driven into his flesh, but he struck back, cutting deeply into the beast's leg.

Christos landed  two hard blows on the creature's other front leg, causing the beast to stumble and allowing Robin to thrust his sword deep into the chaos creature's chest. With a final roar, the great beast collapsed to the floor.

Eddie rushed up to Gunnar, panicked by his recent experience, whilst Eldarondo was still battling the frustrating imps inconclusively. Sintamo took aim, to shoot one of the little monsters, but a cultist leapt out from a group of stalagmites in ambush. Sintamo swiftly dispatched his assailant,then shot one of the elf's opponents through the chest.
"Dodge that, you little beast!" he muttered in satisfaction.

Three more armoured cultist warriors were now racing towards the party, as the High Priest sent a forked lightning bolt across the cavern. Sir Robin dodged one point of the blue lightning, but the other struck Christos in the chest, knocking him off his feet.

Having recovered his composure, Eddie took action against the oncoming warriors, FIREBALL!

"Tee hee!"
"Eddie, stop giggling".

"Eddie, fly me!" Gunnar shouted, and Eddie obliged with a gesture, landing Gunnar at the steps of the portal. At that moment a minotaur burst through the portal and, seeing the dwarf, charged him.
Almost casually, the dwarf swung his axe across the creatures legs, bringing it to the ground. Then with his back swing, buried the blade deep in the minster's head.
As Robin raced to his side, Gunnar leapt onto the High priest, hacking with his axe and cutting the magician down before he could loose another lightning bolt.
With a flash of red light, the portal closed!

Time for the return journey! Most of the party had suffered a wound at this point.

"The gate's blocked!"

"But I've got a key. FIREBALL!"

"Tee hee, tee hee!"
"Eddie, we've told you to stop giggling".
"Sorry!"

"More cultists, where are they all coming from?"
"Well Laddie, it's a chaos cavern, run by a chaos magician, opening a gateway to the chaos realm and you are wondering why every chaos devotee in the region is coming along to the party?"
"Shut up Gunnar. Eddie, do your stuff."
"Another FIREBALL!"
"Tee hee".
"EDDIE!"
"Sorry, I can't help it. Tee hee".

At this point Eddie was giggling so much he fell over!

A flying demon arrives.

And a minor demon blocks the escape route.

 As the PCs get closer, it looks even bigger. Oh, it is!"

Sintamo sticks the demon full of arrows, then Eldarondo charges in.

The demon swipes at him with it's sword, but the elf parries with his buckler and stabs the monster through the eye with his sword.

As Sintamo rushes forward to congratulate Eldarondo, he trips over a rock!

As yet more foes close in from behind, Gunnar drags Eddie away.
"Just one little fireball, tee hee".
"No! It's gone to your head and you're just getting silly".

With the demon dead there was nothing else to stop the party from escaping.
A couple of hours later the weary group emerged into the city streets above, to face the gratitude of the High Guildsmaster.

After collecting their fee, the group spent a few days in the best tavern in town (at the city council's expense), recuperating from their wounds. The High Guildsmaster was doubly grateful to the group, because by exposing the Tallas cult members as being chaos minions, they had allowed him to remove several council members who had become associated with the religion and replace them with men loyal to him.

Whilst most of the group relaxed and enjoyed themselves, Brother Christos and Eddie took advantage of the promised access to the city's renowned library. Gunnar and Sir Robin had both looted interesting articles from some of the chaos demons they had slain, which Eddie had confirmed as radiating magical energy. The pair had spend days researching the items and were sure they had been able to identify their purpose.

Gunnar’s Magic Items
Ring of Teleportation – once per game may teleport self to anywhere in LOS
Amulet of Longsight – if shooting add +1 if target is over 8” range.

Sir Robin’s Magic Items
Gloves of Strength – If a foe is hit in melee, roll DL11 to inflict an addition point of damage.

The following morning, Gunnar, Eldarondo, Eduardo, Sir Robin, Sintamo and Christos were siting in the bar, having just eaten a hearty breakfast.
Gunnar sat lost in thought, fiddling with his new ring.
Eddie sidled up the bench next to him.
"That's a pretty ring Gunnar." he observed.
"You can't have this time, it it's mine."
Eddie pouted.
"But it's a magic ring and I'm a wizard." he whined.
"I'd look after it, it's precious."
The rest of the party leapt to their feet.
"Eddie, no!"
Sintamo poked Eddie in the chest with his finger.
"Do...not...go...there!"
Eddie looked around in bewilderment, "What?" he stuttered.
Sintamo sat back down with a sigh.
"We need a holiday!"
Suddenly he smiled.
"Hey guys, I've had an idea. How about a trip to the seaside?"