Honorbound: Episode 14

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==Recap==
===Searching the Black Fortress===
The party starts in the Black Fortress, having just convinced several Duergar to abandon their post and leave the fortress. Bowen observes the Half-Dragon they have just defeated, looking for an indication of where he came from. They find that his greatsword and plate mail are exquisitely made. Bowen puts the plate mail on and takes the greatsword with him. The party takes a short rest and recovers health. They continue to explore the fortress, finding several empty rooms and a secret door. Bowen opens a door and gets hit by a poison dart, but shakes off the effect. He finds another armory and a heavy locked iron chest. Therin finds a latrine, and checks all the latrine holes for items. He sees a coin in one of the holes, and gets Martur to lower him down. He finds the coin, as well as a bag that had blended into the wall. Martur pulls him up, and he finds marbles in the bag that are worth 50 gold each.  
Finished with his poop spelunking, Therin and Martur gather back with Bowen to attempt to open the chest. Bowen breaks the chest open, and they find 12 small garnets worth 10 gold pieces each, 150 gold pieces, and an emerald necklace worth 200 gold pieces. They continue to explore, finding a small watchtower and a large bridge leading over a river. They see a platform halfway across the bridge, with some huts and shadowy figures moving about it. They continue exploring the first half of the castle, and after busting down a door they find a Ghost. Bowen steps into the room and Turns Undead, driving the creature back. It goes through a wall and disappears. The party tries to speak to it. They hear a wail and the cry of a child, but no words. The party opens several doors in the hallway, finding a massive group of skeletons and a non-decayed corpse that is similar to the Ghost in the first room.
The next room is full of torture implements. Therin investigate the body, and finds a pendant with the picture of a mother and child. Therin takes the body to the front door. Martur opens the last door, and finds the Ghost huddling over the edge of a ornate crib. Martur asks if he should bury the child and sees no change. He then asks if they should murder the one who killed her, and the Ghost nods. She shows Martur an image of Xial. Therin takes a second look at the pendant, and the child looks very similar to Xial. The party buries the body of the woman and child, and promise they will kill Xial. The Ghost gives the party a vision of a man draped in grey with his hands shining in a silver light. He carries a staff that contains carving of a silver hand crushing a heart, a body, and a mind. He thumps his staff on the ground, and the party sees Xial and hundreds of undead appear behind him. The party then sees Xial stab the woman who is the Ghost, and sees Xial sacrifice the child to the man in grey. The Ghost vanishes. The party resumes their exploration of the fortress. 
The party finds a Minotaur guarding food supplies, and talks their way past him. Martur finds some maps of the area around the fortress and takes them. The party gathers around the bridge, and sees several cage doors along the center of the bridge. They see green scaled creatures on the platform by the bridge. They are lizard like and are about 10 in number. There is also a very large Troll by one of the bridge columns, and it climbs up onto the bridge.
===Troll Bridge===
The party immediately enters into combat, as Therin fires an arrow into the troll. The wound closes over and heals as the troll charges forward. The troll tries to push Therin off the bridge, and Therin grabs onto the trolls club to avoid falling. Bowen casts Shield of Faith and threatens the troll. Therin runs down the trolls arm and stabs him in the neck as Martur and Bowen start raining blows on him. The troll bites and claws at Therin, dealing significant damage. Bowen and Martur smack the creature while his wounds continue to heal over. The troll hits Therin and knocks him unconscious, and Martur grabs him before his falls off the bridge. Bowen casts Healing Word on Therin and brings him back to his feet. He tries to shove the troll off the bridge, but fails. Therin tries to trip the troll and fails as well. The trolls wounds heal over as he pummels Bowen and knocks him unconscious. Martur offers to pay the troll to cross the bridge, and the troll agrees. As Martur steps up to pay the troll, he surprises the troll by shoving him off the bridge. Therin stabilises Bowen, and the party takes a moment to recover.
The party moves back into the fortress and barricades themselves in a room. They take a long rest to recover health and spells.
==Experience and Level ups==
They party gains 1016 XP, and all three heroes level to 5. Therin gains 10 HP (31 total), Martur gains 7 HP (32 total), and Bowen gains 5 HP (28 total). 
==Recap==
===Lizardfolk Trap===
The party returns to the bridge to find that the creatures on the platform below the bridge are nowhere to be found. They move halfway across the bridge before the lizardfolk spring their trap. Five creatures attack on both sides of the party. Martur casts Fireball on the group behind the party, injuring one and killing the rest.
A Lizardfolk Shaman casts Heat Metal on Bowen, causes his armor to burn. Therin steps away and kills the last Lizardfolk behind the party, and then fires two more arrows at those in front of the party. The Shaman takes a hit and loses concentration on his spell. Bowen and Martur smack the Lizardfolk in front of them as the Shaman once again heats Bowen's armor. Therin kills the Shaman, ending the spell, and then fires more arrows into the line of Lizardfolk.
The remaining enemies run back inside the other part of the fortress. The party pursues as Bowen casts Healing Word on himself.
Bowen sees three shadowy figures hanging onto the wall in the entrance hallway. The creatures advance on Bowen as Therin fires arrows through the doorway. Bowen casts Spirit Guardians, and attractive tall female Nordic spirits descend on the creatures, slicing into them. Bowen takes a hit from a Ghast, but shakes off the feeling of stiffness in his muscles. Therin fires two more arrows and kills the two remaining Lizardfolk. Bowen crushes the last Ghast and heals himself while advancing down the hallway.
The party halts while Martur casts Animate Dead and raises two skeletons.
Category:Honorbound Episodes