05.3 Dirt Pocket

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Carlton Blacks Mercenaries
Company members:-
Taran – Half Elf Fighter/Priest of Mannanan Mac Lir, cousin to Carinne and Galvish
Carinne Rhianne Talynnart – Half Elf Ranger/Mage, Cousin to Taran and Galvish
Galvish – Half Elf Fighter/Thief, Cousin to Taran and Carinne
Barrigan Stonebeak – Dwarf Fighter/Priest, Company Engineer.
Lanneus Tuard – Paladin of Manannan Mac Lir
Derek Summers – Squire to Taran

Gnome Today, Gnome Tomorrow

The  Djinn Shai'kira-larre we earlier rescued has asked for our help in rescuing some slaves the evil Dao had taken captive and forced to work for him in the demi elemental plane of earth.  We decide to undertake this mission, still not knowing the whereabouts of Krachtig or whether the ships are ready to take us and Kalan Ghents body back to Jans Landing.
We gird our loins and step through the gate.
A moment of uneasiness follows and we find ourselves in a cave with several large golem like creatures advancing toward us.  With the idea that attack is the best form of defense we charge at them.  Our swords reverberate in our hands as weapons seem to bounce off their bodies, some of us turn to blunt weapons to try and increase the puny damage we inflict on them.  Soon they come crashing down.
Moving around the caves we are assailed by Umber Hulks, these beasts emerge from hidden tunnels and surround us, soon the mighty swords of Taran cause one to flee and Barrigans axes makes short work of another one.  Carinne and Galvish beat theirs down and we lend a hand to Lanneus and Derek to kill the ones attacking them.
We move cautiously on and are shortly facing flaming salamanders with wickedly bright and sharp spears, their searing bodies also cause us pain, once again the fighting prowess of the party bring them through with a few wounds which call for some healing.  Carinne recalls something about these creatures ichor prove useful as a potion component for resisting fire, likewise their spears are the base material for a ring to resist fire, we take what we can salvage.
Every few steps we take down in this cursed plane brings us face to face with another enemy, around another corner we are swarmed by short metallic beasts with a sharp toothed maw at one end.  They bite us wickedly and try and devour any metal they latch onto.  Carinnes elven chain mail falls victim to their voracious appetites, these beasts bodies are incredibly hard metal and it is difficult to damage them.  Eventually we win through with no loss of life or more magic items to their hunger.  We gather up many scales, teeth and fins from these metal creatures.  The material is very hard and a gleam comes into Barrigans eye.  We should be able to trade these items or use them to create something.
Carinne casts a spell on herself to try and deflect some blows now she has lost her armor.
We loop around some caves we have investigated earlier before taking a new path.  We have not gone far before we hear a booming voice that we dare come here and this is where we shall die.  The roof of the cave partially collapses, injuring us somewhat before we are attacked by a group of earth elementals.  The fighting here becomes more spread out and desperate, several times members of the party are knocked down, either through their own actions or from the mighty blows from these creatures, it takes a long time before we gain the upper hand and triumph.  Large quantities of healing are needed before we venture further.
Rounding another corner we finally see a Dao, with a fire djinni chained to an anvil, also present are two more djinn, two earth elementals and two golems.  Our surrender is called for, which after a brief discussion, including the offer of a gnomes location who carries a huge bounty on his head, is rejected.  A wall of fire springs up before Taran and Lanneus and the golems and earth elementals close the range.  Galvish leaps forward with his frostbrand sword which he plunges into the wall of fire and extinguishes it but gets mercilessly pummeled to the ground by the assembled foe.  Barrigan creates a passwall which brings him directly behind the Dao.  Potions of speed are quaffed by several of the fighters and melee ensues.  The golems are once more very difficult to take down, Barrigan with help from Derek takes out the Dao and puzzle out how to break the enslaved djinns chains, Dereks axe does not cut through it.  Meanwhile Carinne gives a shout as two invisible djinn materialize next to her and attack, a quick sidestep and a lightning bolt back is her answer, followed by another and another – very quickly the battle swings our way as the last golem crashes to the floor.  Some healing gets Galvish back to his feet.  Carinnes shouts out again as a demon suddenly appears, Taran rushes over as does Galvish. Taran lashes out many times at the creature and is stunned by some fearful spell uttered by the demon, Galvish follows soon after.  The other get some solid hits in and send the creature back from whence it came, but not before some bony fiend was summoned by the first creature.  Carinne finds that this creatures hide is acidic and her magic morning star loses some of it efficacy. Again we beat down the foe and luckily no more seem to appear.
We gather up the baubles and trinkets the Dao had collected and free the Djinn which promises us some wishes but the party are skeptical as to his true intent.