The party are in Tyros once more. First order of business is to return to the spot where the Kistin foundered. Paradoxides deploys his arts to summon Elementals to aid him in raising the ship and sailing it to Lyra. Whilst repairs are made in the harbour there, the party venture inland to explore the cave of Varts they found in D15, which they believed might be the entrance to the famous Wizard’s Maze.
Deep in the cave they discover a Demon Door. Tilissiril borrows the Master of Fire – Grettir’s Helm – to speak to the Demon that is a Door and persuades it to admit them. They begin to explore the strange underground passageways beyond, encountering more varts, green slime, a water weird and finally a grove of nightmare trees. Here the Druidic element of the party their worth. Larna calls forth her power to command the evil trees to bend to her will and clear a way for the party. However, as the trees begin to obey, Girindor follows his usual modus operandi with vegetation and casts a Wall of Fire into midst of them just where they were clearing a path. The trees are utterly consumed in the raging inferno that results. Surprisingly, despite the conflagration, much loot is gathered from the blood-soaked roots (though who knows what was consumed by the fire). One item of particular note was a magician’s Cloak of Many Pockets – a miraculous survival that Paradoxides found of particular interest.
The party decide that they have as much as they and easily carry, and start to reverse their footsteps. Grettir has to hold off a powerful wraith, possibly one of the Ten Guardians left by the Wizard, while the party makes good its escape, plunder intact.
D-16
OE Date: April 688
Characters: Grettir, Salrod, Paradoxides, Girindor, Larna, Banthil, Tilissiril NPCs:
Real World: When – 1992; Where – Harrogate
See also Salrod’s Diaries