Castle Whiterock 28 November 2022: Whirlwind

The murderhoboes

Garreth, half-orc swordsman
    Bleu, droning elf wizard
Zaber, suave and debonaire man
    Logan, wolverine
Polly, cute and deadly elf archer

What they did

Garreth concentrates on getting faster. The two big djinn start whirling, tornadoes springing up around them. The wind hammers me but I stay up. Bleu casts Great Haste on Garreth. Polly says, "Hey, these tornados are discriminating against the Elven Way of Life!" She steps and switches from her bow to her rapier and shield. The djinn in back vanishes. I put on my ring and step back.

Garreth surges forward to do violence, and two of his blows land. The djinn says, "You have amazing skill! So fast! But it only tickles!" The other djinn tries to move, but it bonks into me and stops. It looks around, confused. Logan claws it twice. The djinn by Garreth steps forward and lashes out at him with flashing flaming steel, but Garreth parries. Polly smacks away with her rapier the other djinn. Something happens and it sweeps up. I try to slip under its legs, but cannot get through.

Logan claws it twice.

Garreth keeps swinging Scalemar, and another four of his blows land. Bleu casts Great Haste on Polly. Polly steps and attackw, and keeps shredding the djinn. It looks like it is still hurt a bit and only looks mostly happy and healthy. Garreth asks what is happening and Bleu says, "It appears that the smaller one which vanished earlier cast Major Healing." Garreth swears in three languages. I get past the djinn, and Logan waits for one to come in reach.

Garreth remembers the awesome Ghost Touch Long Knife. He growls and spins suddenly, shoving his hand into the handy haversack. The djinn looks puzzled. "What's that? A knife?"

Garreth spins around and greatly wounds it. It drops its falchion and looks greatly wounded. Garreth grins wickedly. "I can murder you now." Garreth's blade somehow turns aside just moments before it connects, but the djinn now seems bereft of protection. Garreth glares. "Deprived of my rightful prey."

The other djinn says, "Awww, I wanted to squash the stupid green blonde elf." Garreth yells, stunning the djinn hear him. It pounds Garreth, knocking him to the ground. Polly whacks away at the other djinn, and only nicks it. The wounds on the djinn by Garreth suddenly heal. I step and look for the invisible foe.

Garreth digs into his potion belt to fast draw and quaffs two healing potions, and kips up. The djinn sneers. "I hit you once I can hit you again! Hiding behind the elfy welfy? I guess I'll smash her first! It tries to smash Polly, who looks like she is about to fall as she steps back, but somehow takes no wounds. The other one tries to slam Polly. She blocks, and then it tries to whack at her skill twice with a fist of air and flame but misses. She whacks back at it, hitting five times. Logan likewise claws at the djinn, and I keep looking for the invisible djinn.

Garreth slashes up the djinn, and it poofs back to its home. Garreth roars in defiance the other djinn and stabs, but it parries his knife. Bleu steps and casts See Invisible on herself. The djinn starts to move, and Garreth roars in defiance at it again. It again parries his knife. It starts to move again just as Polly hits it before going off balance. I keep looking.

Logan gets between Bleu and any foes. She steps and casts See Invisible on me, and I see the caster a couple of yards in front of me. It doesn't look like it sees me. Garreth roars in defiance at the djinn he can see and stabs but misses. He roars again and again, stunning it. Polly whacks away and hits it four times. The caster says, "He's beat up and he's stunned? I could cast Major Healing or Awaken, but  … So long and thanks for all the mermaid skeletons!" And it poofs.

I say, "Oh, heck with it, I'll stab this guy in the eye," and I do that to the last djinn, but it doesn't hurt it much.

Garreth asks, "Bleu, can this thing grant wishes if we spare it?"

Bleu shakes her head. "No, only the stronger ones can do that"

Garreth shrugs and chooses to murder it. He drops his knife, then grumbles and switches back to Scalemar. He yells again, and takes it down.

I feel a twinge, and move down a small tunnel. Atop the frozen lavafall, I find a small recess – clearly part of a large lava tube that has been sealed off. A natural flow ledge makes a passable bench along the right wall, and the djinn were playing a game of cards on it when we came. A few thousand gold and several gems are stacked neatly in three piles.