May 29th

Naturally the group decided to ignore my brilliant plan to defeat the bandits. In fact, I was lucky that I was even able to convince them to stay and fight at all. In the end I won out, but rather than a sneaky infiltration the group decided to go charge in, weapons drawn, and screw the consequences. Granted, it's not a strategy I have much objection to, as it had been my strategy for myself from the beginning, but I wasn't sure it was the best idea.

We charged in like mad men, and that seemed to startle the bandits enough that we were actually able to slice through a good number of them immediately. As soon as they recovered from their shock the bandit King immediately ran away. Figuring the others could handle the lieutenants, I chased after him, as did Dread Pirate Roberts. We managed to follow the Bandit King back into a corner of the cavern and had him up against the wall, but just as I was about to step in for a killing blow he reached into his pocket and suddenly disappeared, leaving his clothing, armor, and belongings behind in a pile. The idea that he teleported somewhere naked intrigues me, although I'm also suspicious that perhaps he simply changed into a rat or other small creature that I didn't notice.

When we returned to the rest of the group we found that they had managed to kill the other bandits and we'd gathered a nice pile of loot. Foxface, with his two bags of holding, offered to hold onto the items and money. I have little desire for riches, but I wonder if it was an act of stupidity on the side of those who care about money to agree with his offer. There were some nice magical items and I claimed some hide armor for myself. Two magical golden scimitars inlaid with gems were particularly intriguing and I can't wait to find out what they can do. I let Foxface keep them for now though.

We set up camp outside of the cave, and passed an uneventful night. In the morning we piled and burned the bandit bodies before heading out to continue our quest. Ariella informed us that Zog, an orc wizard who is an old friend of hers, lived in the next town. He would know the most about the artifact that we were seeking. The axe that I got from Kough speaks to me again, promising that I can rely on him to help me if I need it. I try not to let everyone else know that I have a talking weapon.

When we reach the town the gated are closed and white flags are flying. We bang on the gate and try to gain admittance. The guards say that they are closed up because there have been goblin attacks and they aren't allowing anyone in. We show the Mayor's Seal, and convince them to change their mind. After we get in Milk almost blows it all by saying some truly rude things, but they agree to let him stay when Ariella offers to keep watch on him. The guards apologize for keeping us outside, but say that the goblins have stopped so many of their supply runs that they barely have enough food for their own people. Remembering the stilts and crude weapons at the bandit camp I ask the guards if anyone has actually seen a goblin. They say no, the goblins usually attack at night.

I offer to deal with their "goblin" problem and Dread Pirate Roberts offers to help (for a price). The leader of the town agrees and offers us a cart and a farmer to drive it. We head back to the bandit camp to get the supplies while everyone else heads off to meet with Zog. We find the camp ransacked and the body of one of the lieutenants missing. It appears that whoever ransacked the camp (the Bandit King perhaps?), was looking for something. I follow his trail, but it goes in the opposite direction, back the way we originally came. Dread Pirate Roberts eventually convinces me to leave that and just take the supplies back to town. We return, get out reward, and then meet with the others who are waiting for us outside of Zog's tower.

It turns out that they had a rougher time that we did. When they went to Zog's tower they found blood leaking from under the door and the ground floor was filled with dead and dismembered goblin servants. Zog's voice boomed out "You've invaded my home", and he seemed quite upset. On the second floor they found his two apprentices brutally killed and displayed. Ariella realizes that something is really wrong and when they find a summoning circle on the third floor she puts two and two together and realizes that there's a succubus loose in the tower. That was the point that they all decided to leave the tower and wait for us to return.

We travel through the tower again. It's even more gruesome than they described it. It appears that the succubus not only ripped the goblins to shreds, but she might be feasting on them as well. One apprentice has his skull cut open and his brain scooped out and the other is disemboweled, hung from the ceiling, and arranged into strange shapes. When we finally reach the third floor Ariella, Rouge, and Dread Pirate Roberts band together to deactivate the summoning circle, meaning that if we can banish the succubus she can't come back. Then we head up to the fourth floor.