Ready'Reat 12:  Beldwyn and Ahb have gone into a partnership for the purpose of owning the Keep.  They are putting 3,000gp down against a 1,500 monthly rent-to-own payment.  When she retires, Ahb will return to the Keep, pay an appropriate amount to reflect the remainder of her share of the costs, and live here with Beldwyn.  The Stone Reaver Clan will purchase most of Beldwyn's output; making it possible for her to make her monthly payments, not only for the Keep, but also for the staff.  She is hiring a group of thirteen guards: one captain, two sergeants, and ten men at arms.  Some of the at arms dwarves will also double as cook and assistant, armorer, two animal handlers, and a farmer.

As part of the transition, several other members of the Stone Reavers Clan came back to the Keep with us.

Ready'Reat 13:  Ahb casts Divination and discovers that someone in the group has lycanthropy.  She asked if any of the six members of the group had been infected, and received this reply:

    The hardy folk will see their bane
    When Luna's eye shines bright

Rowan and Tarva, following Taizu's advice and lead, are keeping both flasks of Alchemist Fire, all three Thunder Stones, and all four Tanglefoot Bags.  Also the two of them are keeping two Sunrods each (Taizu already has several of these).  Ahb purchases the other alchemical products from the three of them and gives it all to Beldwyn, as part of her share of the Keep, for Beldwyn to use as products to sell while still getting started.  Ahb pays Rowan and Tarva 134gp each, and Taizu 136gp.

Ahb consults with the clerics of Morrigan who have come from the Stone Reavers Clan to help with the transitions.  Their advice is that to be effective at alleviating lycanthropy, a Remove Curse spell must be cast during the time of the Full Moon, but that it can be cast during the day; and also that the castor will know both whether the person had been afflicted, and also whether or not the Remove Curse was effective at alleviating the lycanthropy if the person had been afflicted.  But, for any afflicted person who has not yet been turned by a full moon for the first time, the vague range around the full moon will not apply: only the full moon itself, at night, will cause the first turning.  

With all that in mind, we stay here until the eighteenth.   The Morrigan clerics will stay also.

Ready'Reat 18:  
Ahb casts Remove Curse on herself, detects that the spell worked, but she was not afflicted.
Ahb casts Remove Curse on Beldwyn, detects that the spell worked, and that Beldwyn had been afflicted but was now safe.
Ahb casts Remove Curse on Arvee, detects that the spell did not work, and that Arvee is afflicted.
One of the Morrigan clerics casts Remove Curse on Arvee, the spell worked, and Arvee is no longer afflicted.
One of the Morrigan clerics casts Remove Curse on Rowan, the spell worked, showing that Rowan had not been afflicted.
One of the Morrigan clerics casts Remove Curse on Tarva, the spell worked, showing that Tarva had not been afflicted.

Ready'Reat 19:  Dawns to a clear, crisp day.  We leave Beldwyn and the Keep.  Day Passes.  Night passes.

Ready'Reat 20:  At dawn, it looks like it will start raining soon and keep it up all day.  Yuck.  And the high only gets to 46.  Day passes.  Taizu casts Leomund's Tiny Hut that night, so those not on guard each round can sleep dry and warm.  

Second watch, Arvee hears heavy tramping in the distance, wakes everyone else.  Rowan and Tarva also hear the tramping.  Arvee goes to investigate, accompanied by Taizu and Rowan.  Tarva stays on watch by the hut and horses; Ahb goes back to sleep.  After about 500' through the woods, Rowan sees a head and bag of a giant.

1: Rowan heads towards the back of X1;  Arvee sees Rowan changing course, hustles in roughly the same direction, 20' later sees X1 himself, moves to within 20'; Taizu also heads towards X1, swinging wide of the other two.

2: Rowan shoots and misses; Arvee charges and hits for 17; Taizu moves closer, shoots, hits for 10; X1 misses Arvee.

3: Rowan moves to flank X1, X1 AoO misses Rowan, Rowan misses, yells, "Help! Help!"; Arvee hits for 16, misses; Taizu casts Shatter on X1's axe, it saves; X1 hits Arvee for 21, 27.

4: Rowan hits for 13, misses; Arvee hits for 19, miss; Taizu casts Shatter on axe and destroys it; X1 hits Arvee for 13 subdual.

5: Rowan hits for 9, 11; Arvee hits for 18, 19; Taizu shoots, misses, yells, "Tarva get your ass up here!"; X1 misses, hits Arvee for 17 subdual.

6: Rowan hits, kills.

Arvee, Rowan, Taizu each receive 1,400 ep.

Taizu Heals Arvee for 11 and for 11.

On the giant, a bunch of typical giant junk plus: 900gp, hairpin, potion: black (transmutation), scroll: Inflict Light Wounds, and Invisibility For Animals, second scroll: unknown spell, chain shirt.  They return to the camp with these items.  Ahb Heals Arvee for 11, 15.

Ready'Reat 21:  Raining hard.  In the afternoon Rowan notices giant tracks.  Multiple giants' tracks going off to the left, with possibly some wagon wheel ruts.  It's hard to tell because the rain has been wiping everything away.  We decline to investigate immediately, but only because several people are down on spells.  Rowan finds a protected place to set up camp.  Night passes.

Ready'Reat 22:  Heavy storm.  Rowan determines the direction that the giants all seem to be heading in.  As we follow them, more tracks converge with these.  As it becomes obvious that there will be many (or at any rate more than one) giant to contend with up ahead, we stop and discuss what to do.  Or, Ahb, Taizu, and Rowan are discussing possible actions, options, choices; and Tarva says quietly to Arvee, "What if we just sneak up to the top of that ridge and look?"  Arvee, always bored with planning ahead, agrees.  The two of them leave their horse and pony tied to the others', and quietly slip through the trees and storm, unnoticed by the other three.

From the top of the rise Arvee and Tarva see an opening in the mountain side, not far away, 20'x20' with worked stone going back into the mountain.  Arvee wants to get closer; not so much, as Tarva thinks, to observe it better, but rather to be the right distance for a charge against anything (e.g., a giant) appearing in the mouth.  Tarva stays with Arvee for a minute, then goes back to tell the others where we are and what we've found.

Meanwhile, the others have finally noticed that Arvee and Tarva are missing.  They conclude, from the draped reins, that they've gone off voluntarily.  Taizu is cursing something about bloody-minded independent human females.  Ahb asks Rowan which way the 'lost children' went.  With all the mud and rain, Rowan ends up only able to guess, and is telling Ahb her guess when Tarva returns from a full 90° different direction.

Leaving the horses here, all four now join Arvee where he has been watching the mouth.  Another discussion ensues, during which Rowan hears loud (?large?) footsteps coming from our left and heading towards the opening.

1: Rowan tells the group what she hears.

2: Ahb hides (relative to newcomer) behind a tree; Taizu ditto; X2 arrives, sees Tarva and throws a rock at her for 16; Tarva shoots and hits for 9, miss; Rowan hits for 13, 7; Arvee charges, hits for 18.

3: Ahb casts Bless (+1 to hit); Taizu casts Shatter on ax, saves; X2 hits Arvee for 72, miss; Tarva shoots for 7, miss; Rowan criticals for 27, miss; Arvee hits for 21, miss.

4: Ahb does a full run to reach Arvee, X2 AoO on Ahb misses; Taizu goes to Arvee and casts Blur on him; X2 hits Arvee for 11, misses; Tarva shoots for 10, 11; Rowan shoots for 6, kills.

840 ep.
Arvee made 7th level!
Rowan made 7th level!

We drag the body, etc., some ways off into the woods, to get it out of immediate sight from anyone in the mouth of the (whatever it is).  We then search the body and keep the following:
large chain shirt; 100' x3 rope; 500 gp; 10 red gems; 2 banded agates.

Arvee circles to the left edge of the mouth, peers in: it's dark, looks like a flat, circular room.  Taizu circles around to the opposite corner, hears a shuffling noise somewhere inside.  Ahb joins Arvee.  Arvee goes in a little: foyer is a 60' circle with openings to both sides (if this entrance way is the front) and rumble along the wall to the back, and a giant (X3) leaning against the wall.  Arvee tries hiding, doing his best to look like a rock.  When Ahb comes up beside him again, he motions her to freeze.  After watching a while, Arvee realizes that X3 is asleep.  Motioning Ahb to stay put, he moves up beside X3 and delivers a coup-de-grace for 77 points, kills.  Giant falls with a thud.

Arvee and Ahb receive some number of ep.

Arvee and Ahb are discussing, in whispers, what to do next.  Darred [Jennifer Lyman] Correth and Glendon [Patrick Hogan] think they hear voices, carefully crack open the door of the room they are hiding in, determine that indeed they are hearing voices, and ones speaking Dwarven at that.  Darred says, also in Dwarven, "Dwarves, we need help."  "Where are you?"  "We're over here."  Arvee and Ahb to towards the hallway the voices seem to be coming down; Arvee can see that it has two doors, one closed and one cracked open; Ahb hears mumbling through the closed door.  The cracked door opens wider and Arvee sees two humans; he gestures for them to come out; one of them gestures back in turn for them to come in.  Ahb and Arvee go in, and after the door has been closed they are told that these two were working for a caravan which was attacked and taken off by giants; that they and others from the caravan had been held captive; that the two of them had managed to get out of their cell, but not out of the cave complex; that they've seen at least six different giants, one of which was noticeably larger than the others.  They open the door again and Arvee leads everyone out.

There is a quick round of greetings with the rest of the group.  In the light, we can see that Darred is a male human, 5'8", bronze skin coloring, who says he was a scout with a now wiped-out specialist unit.  He worships Pelor and is delighted to meet Ahb.  Glendon tells us that his mother had dragon blood, and that after his wizard father concluded Glendon would never abide by the disciplines of wizardry, recommended that he become a sorcerer.  He is also a Hand of Hieroneous (a monk), and is himself lawful good.  Perhaps because she is the only human female in the group, Glendon tried to strike up a conversation with Tarva: "Do you tan under that?"  Tarva, looking in disgust at the water falling out of the sky, "Not in this weather."

There is some discussion about concluding that there are too many giants to deal with, and splitting.  Darred objects that other members of their caravan were also captured, and are likely still in the lair.  A suggestion of trying to close the opening with a rockslide met the same rejection.  Taizu loans Darred a bow and we go back in.  

At the other, closed, door down the same hallway, Darred and Tarva hear a kinda sniffling.  Taizu opens the door, quietly, and those who can see - Arvee, as a dwarf, well, Ahb, Rowan, and Taizu somewhat - observe a 40'x40' room with three cots, two occupied with sleeping giants.  Arvee wants to go in and try more coup-de-grace-s, but Ahb tosses her orb, Taizu closes the door again, there is a muffled boom, followed by irate voices (complaining in giant about what the hell just happened?).

1: Tarva throws her light stone to beside the door; Darred reserves for a target; Arvee reserves for a target; X4 opens door, with X5 just behind him; Darred shoots X4 for 8; Arvee hits X4 for 20, misses X5; X4 hits Arvee for 27; Ahb casts Prayer (+1 hit & +1 damage for us, -1 hit & -1 damage for them); Rowan hits X4 for 9, 10; Taizu casts Shatter on X4's great axe, saves; X5 hits Arvee for 21; Glendon casts Daze on X4.

2: Tarva hits X4 for 9, 7; Darred misses; Arvee hits X4, kill, cleaves X5 and criticals for 74, kills.

1,200 ep. 
Arvee made 8th level!

We drag the (ex-) sleeping giant into the cot room also, bring in the light stone, and close the door.  Ahb Heals Arvee while Taizu searches the bodies.  Then he and Glendon search the room.  Aside from the usual giant junk, we find: 30 more red gems and three kelly green potions.  Notably: no gold coins.  More importantly, we also find, under one of the cots, a bag containing all the belongings of Glendon and Darred.  Nobody else's, which is ominous.  

Ahb wants to keep going, while we still retain the element of surprise.  A couple of people express concern about the horses, left outside by themselves not far from the lair mouth, but Ahb rules that its more important to keep going.  It is now about noon, so everyone grabs a quick snack before we proceed.  Glendon dons goggles which let him see in the dark; Darred casts Darkvision on himself.

Down the other hallway we come to a room with a couple of everlasting torches lighting it.  By their light we can see that this is a lunchroom, with long (and high) tables and benches.  The tables are about five feet high, and even the benches are three feet off the ground.  We also see three ogres apparently busy cleaning up the room.

1: Taizu starts singing for Inspire Courage.

2: Ahb opens the door and steps into the room; Arvee charges O1 and hits for 17; Taizu steps into the room, shoots at O1 and hits for 8; Rowan steps into the room, shoots at O2 and hits for 11; Glendon shoots at O2, misses, then bloopers to fall and knock himself unconscious; O1 misses Arvee; O2 charges Rowan but misses; O3 charges Taizu and hits for 14; Tarva steps to the doorway and shoots O3 to hit for 5; Darred flies to the roof (!) hangs upside down, and shoots at O3, hitting for 4.

3: Arvee hits O1, kills, moves to O2, O2 AoO hits Arvee for 16; Taizu switches to sword, hits O3 for 9; Rowan switches to sword, hits O2 for 9; Ahb charges O3, hits for 10, kills; O2 misses Rowan; Tarva shoots O2 for 6, kills.

300 ep. 

We find 37gp, 39gp, and 31gp on the bodies.  Ahb Heals Arvee, Taizu.  We wake Glendon up and make sure he's not suffering from anything more than a hurt dignity.  Listening at the other doors and the passageway that lead from this room, some hear kitchen-like noises through one door.  Throwing open the door, we see - courtesy of another everlasting torch - a standard, if very large, kitchen, with a female giant and two ogres.
1: Ahb steps into the room; Rowan reserves to follow Arvee; Taizu steps into the room, casts Flare on X6; Glendon guards the passageway into the lunchroom; Arvee charges O4, hits for 20; Rowan steps into the room, shoots X6, hits for 8; X6 attacks Rowan, Arvee AoO on X6 for 18, X6 hits Rowan for 19; O5 throws a skewer at Ahb, but misses; Darred yell, "They could use some help," casts Choke on X6 for 2hp, and X6 is -2 to hit; Tarva charges X6 and hits for 11.

2: Ahb charges O4, X6 AoO on Ahb misses, Ahb criticals on O4 for 15, kills; Taizu throws a tanglefoot bag on X6, hits, X6 is now 'glued' to the floor, suffers various minuses; Glendon hears something down passageway: yipping, barking, growling, all mixed together, he moves over to Darred to tell him more quietly, then moves back; Arvee flanks X6 with Tarva, hits for 18, 17; Rowan switches to sword, hits X6 for 10, 16; X6 hits Rowan for 18; O5 charges Ahb, misses; a small pack of large white wolves comes into Glendon's view; Darred's Choke causes another 2 hp damage to X6, while he moves to beside Glendon and also sees the wolf pack, then casts Lesser Electric Globe, for two strikes on W1 for a total of 11; Tarva hits X6 for 12, 12.

3: Ahb hits O5 for 9, misses; Taizu goes total defense and backs away; Glendon casts Grease on a section of passageway floor in front of the wolves; Arvee hits X6 for 17, kills, moves to O5, hits for 20; Rowan drinks a Cure Moderate potion for 16; O5 misses Ahb; W1 wipes out, slams into wall; W2 wipes out, slides across and out of grease; W3 saves, bites Glendon for 8; W4 jumps over grease spot, bites Darred for 13; W5 saves, but is in the middle of the patch; Darred casts on W4, W4 AoO on Darred for 10, Darred casts Magic Missile on W4 for 8; Tarva charges W4, hits for 9.

4: Ahb misses O5, hits for 12, kills; Taizu turns, recognizes winter wolves, says "they have frost breath weapon", moves forward and throws a flask of alchemist fire for 1 each to W1, W2 and W5;  Glendon directs a flurry of blows at W3, misses and misses; Arvee runs to beside Glendon, W3 takes an AoO on Arvee for 14; Rowan drops her sword, picks up her bow, shoots at W4, misses; W5 fails save, is fallen down in middle of grease; W1 bites Arvee for 10; W2 breathes on Glendon, but he evades; W3 bites Darred for 13; W4 misses Tarva; Darred switches to rapier, goes total defense, withdraws; Tarva hits W4 for 11, 10.

5: Ahb goes through doorway into lunchroom (and under a table); Taizu goes to the doorway to retrieve his dropped bow; Glendon bloopers, falls into Arvee, both fall down; Arvee gets back up, hits W1 for 20; Rowan shoots W3 and criticals for 20; W5 fails save, still down in middle of grease patch; W1 breathes on Arvee for 14; W2 bites Glendon for 8; W3 moves to Glendon, Arvee takes AoO to hit for 13, W3 bites Darred for 9, Darred falls down;  breathes on Tarva for 5; Darred does not stableize, takes 1 hp blood loss; Tarva hits W4 for 9, 12.

6: Ahb moves to Darred, W3 takes an AoO on Ahb but misses, Ahb casts Cure Critical on Darred for 29; Taizu jumps to the top of the table, shoots at W3, kills; Glendon gets up, misses, hits W2 for 8; Arvee hits W1 for 18, 17, kills, cleaves W2 for 18; Rowan shoots W4 for 6, miss; W5 saves, gets out, attacks Arvee, misses;W2 misses Glendon; Darred gets up, flies to ceiling, casts Magic Missile on W5 for 4; Tarva hits W4 for 13, kills.

7: Ahb hits W2 for 8, kills; Taizu shoots W5 for 9; Glendon on W5 misses, misses; Arvee hits W5 for 21, 18, kills.

1,200 ep.

It is now 2:00 pm. Ahb Heals on everyone hurt.  The ogres have 39gp and 39gp; there is nothing on the Giantess; each wolf has a leather collar studded with ten red stones (five of these).  

We check out the other doors in these two (lunchroom and kitchen) rooms.  Listening at the other door off the lunchroom, Taizu and Darred hear nothing; Arvee opens the door: storage room with crates, tools, non-perishables filling about 1/3 of the space.   Listening at the door off the kitchen, again Taizu and Darred hear nothing; Arvee opens it: pantry with grain (some spilled), casks of ale, hanging carcases; as cold as the rest of the lair has been, this room is noticeably colder.

Being low on spells, we reluctantly withdraw, knowing that our element of surprise will go away, but deeming it suicidal to take on more giants with no source of healing.  We exit, go back to the horses, move about 1,000 yards away to a sheltered dell, and set up camp.  

Rest of day passes.  During 2nd watch that night those on guard duty hear loud stomping off in the distance, but do not go to investigate.

Ready'Reat 23:  Still raining (but not as heavily), chilly: about 46°.  We set off for the lair, leaving the horses here.

As we get close, Rowan says that there is at least one new set of tracks going into the lair.

Taizu casts Invisibility on Glendon; with his goggles and boots of striding he can move silently and still fairly quickly.  He goes up to the opening and into the foyer, where he finds two giants on guard, both awake this time, one by each hallway entrance, waiting as if to jump on anyone coming in.  He comes back out to tell the rest of us.  Taizu casts Invisibility on the rest of us, Tarva holding Taizu's hand because she won't be able to see once we're inside.  On the way in, Tarva stumbles slightly.  This brings the giants to alert.

1: Arvee runs to behind X7; X7 and X8 throw rocks, randomly, hitting nobody; Ahb edges along left wall 20'; Taizu pulls Tarva along left (from entrance) wall; Darred flies to the top of the room, at the back (over the rubble); Glendon, who was already at the back of the room (although on the floor) readies his crossbow to shoot X8; Rowan edges along right wall.

2: Arvee turns visible as he hits X7 from behind for 20, 20; Ahb moves 20'; Taizu and Tarva move 15'; Darred turns visible as he casts Choke on X7 for 1 hp and minuses; X7 on Arvee misses and misses; Glendon reserves; Rowan moves to the other side of X7 (but is not flanking because she is invisible and not dividing his attention); X8 moves to flank Arvee, Arvee takes an AoO on X8 for 21.

3: Arvee is fighting defensively, hits X7 for 16, criticals for 77, kills, cleaves X8 for 16; Ahb runs 40' towards Arvee and giants; Taizu tosses light stone mostly towards X8, begins to move, Tarva squeezes his hand, lets go, Taizu moves towards X8, runs into Ahb, becomes visible; Tarva tosses her light stone at the other hallway, puts her back to the wall; Darred casts Melf's Acid Arrow at X8 for 7; Glendon becomes visible as he fires his crossbow at X8, but misses; Rowan becomes visible as she shoots X8 for 14, misses; X8 criticals on Arvee for 74, miss.

4: Arvee hits X8 for 18, 18; Ahb moves 40'; Taizu starts singing, moves 20', shoots X8 for 8; Tarva watches the other hallway; Darred's Melf's Acid Arrow does 4 more on X8, Darred casts Magic Missile on X8 for 8; Rowan shoots X8 for 12, kills.

1,200 ep.

Ahb Heals Arvee for 34, 18, 16 to (nearly) full.  Giants have, between them, 25 red gems, 2 kelly green potions.

While Rowan watches the entrance and Tarva watches the other (kitchen) hallway, the rest of the party check out the rooms we've been in before: the one where Glendon and Darred were hiding, and the cot room.  Rubble room is empty, cot room has been cleaned up.  The party picks Rowan and Tarva back up and heads for the lunchroom.  This time that room is dark, but those that can, see that it has also been cleaned up.  Darred hears kitchen-type noises coming from the kitchen.

1: Ahb opens the door: there is an everlasting torch in the kitchen, by which everyone can see there are two ogres here; Tarva, still invisible, steps to the side of the doorway, still on the lunchroom side, to act as a strategic reserve yet out of everyone's way; Glendon shoots O7 for 11; Ahb charges O7 for 5; Arvee hits O6 for 18; Taizu moves to inside kitchen and shoots O7 for 10; Rowan shoots O6 for 7; Darred watches our backs; O6 hits Arvee for 15; O7 misses Ahb.

2: Tarva stays where she is; Glendon shoots O6 for 7;   Ahb on O7 misses, misses; Arvee hits O6, kills, moves to flank O7; Taizu shoots O7 for 11; Rowan shoots O7 for 12, kills; Darred moves to the top of a table, looking down the passageway sees and yells, "Two giants coming down the hall."

3: Tarva moves into the corner; Glendon doesn't hear Darred, but turns to guard our backs; Ahb moves 20' towards kitchen door; Arvee also; X9 charges Darred, hits for 21; X10 is on Glendon, hits for 23; Taizu shoots X9 for 6; Rowan grabs the everlasting torch and runs to the kitchen doorway; Darred casts Burning Hands on X9 for 19.

4: Tarva tosses her light stone into the room; Glendon drops his crossbow, pulls his nunchaku for a flurry of blows on X10, miss, miss; Ahb moves under the table centrally between both giants, casts Magic Circle Against Evil for 6 to X9, 7 to X10; Arvee charges X10 for 19; X9 moves 5 feet, Ahb's AoO criticals for 26, X9 hits Darred for 27, Darred falls down to top of table, X9 smashes table trying to get to Ahb, Ahb takes 4 points splinter damage, Darred falls to floor; X10 criticals on Arvee for 66, hits Arvee for 20; Taizu moves to Darred and casts Cure Moderate for 17; Rowan drops torch, shoots X9 for 10, miss; Darred recovers consciousness, but sensibly lies still.

5: Tarva charges X9 across the table splinters and becomes visible as she hits for 16; Glendon bloopers and stumbles; Ahb's Magic Circle Against Evil does 7 to X9, 5 to X10, Ahb ducks under the bench and smites X9 for 11, kills; Arvee starts to fight defensively, hits X10  for 20, miss; X10 on Arvee misses, misses; Taizu casts Shatter on X10 's axe, destroys it; Rowan shoots X10 for 13, misses; Darred gets up, flies to far corner ceiling.

6: Tarva flanks X10, X10 AoO on Tarva for 12 subdual, Tarva hits X10 for 16; Glendon goes total defensive and retreats; Ahb moves to Arvee and casts Cure Critical for 27; Arvee misses X10, hits for 20; X10 hits Arvee for 20 subdual; Taizu shoots X10 for 10; Rowan shoots X10 for 8, miss; Darred flies back to pick up his crossbow.

7: Tarva misses, hits for 10, kills.

1,471 ep. 
Taizu made 8th level!
Tarva made 8th level!

On the giants we find 29 red gems and 2 kelly green potions; on the ogres 73gp.  Ahb does a tremendous amount of healing and declares that it is unsafe to venture further without more spells.  We pick up the light stones, the everlasting torch, and hustle on out.  Get back to the horses and Taizu casts Leomund's Tiny Hut (now good for 16 hours).  Rest of day passes.  Glendon generously agrees to share his goggles with whomever is on watch when he isn't (and needs them).  Night passes.

Ready'Reat 24:  The rain has stopped, it is a bright, sunny, slightly brisk day.

Once again, Taizu casts Invisibility on Glendon, who goes off to check out the foyer.  Rowan announces that she thinks yet another giant has gone into the lair.  Glendon comes back to say that he didn't see anything suspicious in the foyer, and that he went on to check out all the rooms we'd already been into, and seen nothing in them, also.  We go in, all the rest of us visible, with an attempt at minimal light usage: just enough to keep from stumbling.  When we enter as-yet unexplored parts of the lair, Glendon ranges ahead and periodically comes back to us.  He reports that he thinks he has found the wolves' den, off to the left.  Taizu wants to map it, so Tarva goes with him to guard and hold a light.  Shortly after that some of the party hear a hissing noise off to the right.

1: Taizu says, "Something is coming down the hall - it hisses and has claws"; Hydra comes in range and all seven heads blow Cold: 11(5), 6(3), 16(8), 13(6), 16(8), 11(5), 8(4):  Ahb takes 66, Arvee 53, Rowan 68, Darred 0 [by evading], Glendon 0 [not in range], Taizu 39, Tarva 45; Rowan tries to retreat and in the dark runs straight into wall; Darred runs, grabs Rowan, drags her along.

2: Taizu completely hides his light stone, and runs 60'; Arvee reserves to follow Ahb's lead; Hydra advances upon group, all heads try for Arvee, one hits for 7; Rowan runs 80'; Darred moves to 30' away, casts Melf's Acid Arrow for 2; Glendon is reserving for an opening to get past the Hydra and group; Ahb casts Protection From Elements (Cold) [96] on Arvee; Arvee, fighting defensively, moves in, Hydra AoO on Arvee for a total of 16, Arvee hits Hydra for 19, 17; Glendon runs through gap Arvee's move has created, Hydra AoO (based on scent) but misses Glendon; Tarva drops her light stone, moves in on Hydra, Hydra AoO on Tarva for 26, Tarva hits for 14, says "Heart's Reach I really need some healing now please".

3: Taizu stops running, drinks potion of Healing; Hydra hits Arvee for 4, Tarva for 3; Rowan drinks a Cure Light for 5; Darred's Melf's Acid Arrow does 6 more points of damage, Darred moves to 25', casts Choke on the nearest head for 3 points, etc.; Ahb casts Searing Light for 20, kills.

250 ep.

 Glendon watches our back; HR cures Tarva for 58; Darred flies to tell Rowan to come back so Ahb can heal her, then flies beyond group to watch our front; Ahb does lots of healing.

Each of the Hydra's seven necks has a silver collar.  We've probably annoyed someone by killing their pet.

Darred, still flying and still guarding our front, hears voices down a slightly-choked (with rubble) corridor.  He flies back to tell us, then flies further along to investigate.

0: X11 throws a rock but misses Darred; X12 throws a rock and hits Darred for 18, Darred yells, "There are two giants here, could use some help".

1: Tarva runs 60 feet and tosses her light stone; Taizu runs 30', shoots X12 for 8, starts singing Inspire Courage; Glendon continues to watch our back; Arvee runs 70', not quite to them; X12 moves to Arvee, hits for 22; X11 throws rock at Tarva, hits for 15; Darred casts Magic Missile on X11 for 2, X12 for 3; Rowan runs forward, shoots X11 for 10; Ahb yells, "Glendon, come on!  They're all running that way!", moves 40'.

2: Tarva fights defensively for -4 hit, +2 AC, uses Expertise for -5 hit, +5 AC, charges X11, misses; Taizu shoots X12 for 11,12; Glendon moves 80', casts Magic Missile on X11 for 2, X12 for 2; Arvee, fighting defensively, hits X12 for 22, misses; X12 on Arvee misses, hits for 28; X11 criticals on Tarva for 68, puts her at -16: dead, falls down; there is a bright, stunning flash of light from HR, from which everyone in the chamber must save against being Dazed for one round, and Tarva is fully healed (but still lying down), and HR loses one enhancement; Taizu thinks there is something moving off to our left (but is understandably too distracted to mention it); Darred shoots at X11 for 7; Rowan shoots X11 for 12, 7; Ahb moves up near Arvee.

3: Tarva gets up, fighting defensively and with Expertise, hits at X11 misses; Taizu moves up closer, shoots at X12, misses; Glendon casts Magic Missile on X11 for 2, X12 for 3; Arvee hits X12 for 21, 21; X12 misses, hits Arvee for 18; X11 hits Tarva for 24; a Club Of Force just barely misses Glendon; Darred flies further into the room, looks to the left, sees a huge throne-like chair, shoots X11 for 6; Rowan shoots X11 for 8, misses; Ahb hits X12 for 11, 12.

4: Tarva on X11 misses, misses; Taizu yells, "There's another down the hall", casts Shatter on X11's axe, destroys it; Glendon dodges against Force, replies "Which hall?", casts Magic Missile on X11 for 4, on X12 for 4; Arvee kills X12, moves to X11; X11 hits Tarva for 18 subdual; X13 (much larger) charges Glendon and hits for 24; Darred casts Lesser Electrical Orb on X13 for 13; Rowan shoots X13 for 9, criticals for 33; Ahb moves on X13, misses.

5: Tarva on X11 misses, misses; Taizu casts Shatter on X13's ax, but it saves; Glendon goes total defensive and withdraws; Arvee hits X11 for18, 18; X11 on Tarva misses, misses; X13 hits Ahb for 21, then bloopers and drives his axe into the ground where it sticks; Darred casts Lesser Electrical Orb on X13 for 14; Rowan shoots X13 for 11, miss; Ahb bloopers, gets dust in her eyes, is -4 to hit.

6: Tarva hits at X11, bloopers and falls down;  Taizu shoots X13 for 14, 8; Glendon casts Magic Missile on X13 for10; Arvee criticals on X11 for 79, kills, moves to X13; X13 hits Arvee for 20 subdual, gets his axe back, hits Ahb for 20; Darred casts ??? on X13, but it saves; Rowan criticals on X13 for 32, hits for 8; Ahb misses, misses.

7: Tarva gets up, switches to her bow; Taizu starts singing Inspire Courage again, shoots X13 for 8, misses; Glendon shoots X13 for 10; Arvee hits X13 for 18, misses; X13 hits Arvee for 29, 22, Arvee is knocked unconscious, falls down, X13 's third attack misses; Darred shoots X13 for 4; Rowan shoots X13 for 15, misses; Ahb hits X13 for 10, kills.

4,629 ep. 
Arvee made 9th level!
Ahb made 9th level!
Rowan made 8th level!
Darred made 8th level!
Glendon made 8th level!

We find: 1 really good huge great axe; 1 huge great axe, 2 chain shirts, 3 kelly green potions, X13 was wearing: a circlet; bracers; a broach; also three pairs of boots and three belts.