Saved by the bell

Lord Tindross again halted battle and allowed the group an opportunity for closure.  He demanded that the party sacrifice one of their own.  In return he would revert back to his previous declaration.  His brood would leave never to return and give our adventurers the spoils of Lord Tindross' treasure chest, with the stipulation that anyone who attacked after the "cease fire" would not be allowed to benefit from the loot.
     The group spend a grueling hour or so deliberating on their choice.  At first they drafted up a spreadsheet that depicted everyones good qualities versus their bad.  They toyed with the idea of sneaking back for 3Dub and hoping he would pass as a party member.  Finally they put all of their names on pieces of paper and dropped them into the portable hole.  Groth reached in 'shoulder deep' and pulled out a shred of paper bearing the name of Pas.  Luckily he had already been mind controlled so the decision made sense. 
     They took turns congratulating him and patting him on the shoulder.  His eyes were fixed ahead.  Due to his trance state, he had no idea what was taking place. 
     "We will need 24 hours for the transformation to take place, then we will leave."  Lord Tindross called out.  "As for you all, I suggest you leave immediately."  He smiled and pointed to the large stone doors behind them.

12 Damage!!!

"If you heed in your attacks we will leave these premises."  Lord Tindross stood in front of the group gaunt and bleeding. 
     "How do we know?" Fox shouted out with heavy breath.
     "My spawn will stand down," he replied, "I have a chest full of treasure behind the throne."  He eyed Fox.  "It will be yours to take."
     "What is your affiliation with the Werewolves on this mountain?" Auren asked.
     "I am not in league with those filthy beasts.  We are at odds with their kind." he sneered.
     "Who is their leader?" 
     "They answer to Mordechai.  He is very dishonorable and serves Chium.  That group disgusts me."
     Sensing the anger Auren decided to switch his line of questioning.  "What do you know of Kateria and Lord Kincep?"
     "She also answers to Chium.  Her desire is to become a Lich." 
     As the questioning moved on the group as well as the vampire began to lower their guard. 
     "Where does this shaft entrance lead to?"  Auren's voice became more relaxed.
     "You will find yourself in the under dark if you continue down it." he replied.
     As Auren opened his mouth to speak the room lit up with.  A ball of fire arched over his head and landed on Lord Tindross.  He convulsed with anger and fear as his attempts at achieving an agreement with the vampires went up in smoke.


Fox and Friends find themselves in a pickle yet again.  How will they ever make it out?

Who Dat Vampire?

The Vampire rose from his throne and surveyed the group before him.  Raising his left hand a pillar of violet smoke swirled to the floor.  A sea of spawn gnashed and leaned into the adventurers.  They were surrounded.  The only possible escape route would be back down the tunnel.  The pillar of smoke grew thicker and began to take shape.  Nera knew that any escape down the tunnel would end with a quick fall to their death.  There was no way that they could outrun this large of a mob.  She gritted her teeth as the smoke pillar settled into the form of a large Mastiff.  It glared with red eyes and white teeth. 
     "I understand what will happen here today."  The Vampire addressed the party.
     "Lord Kincep wishes that you remove yourself from his property."  Auren stepped forward.
     "We must fight until one of us is no more." he smiled.  At this the surrounding spawn began to howl with excitement. 
     "Who are you?" Auren inquired.
     "That is not important, but if you must know I have been known as Lord Tindross." he bared his fangs.  "The only way we will leave is through defeat.  Only one of us will leave alive today."
     "If we win you are to leave this area and not return." Auren commanded.   
     "I can agree to those terms but I must warn you, if you attempt to leave through those doors before we are finished, it will be fatal."  Again the spawn danced with pleasure.
     "Things would be much better were it a fair fight." Auren claimed as he looked around him.
     "Not to worry, this will be between your group and me.  They will not attack before we are done."  The Mastiff shoots his gaze to the ceiling and bays.  A tingling tears through Foxes brain followed by a ringing.  Screams ring out behind him as Phae and Pas frantically scramble through the army of spawn.  They appear to be scared beyond reason.  He turns back to the throne as the Mastiff disappears in a puff of smoke.
     At once Auren and Groth lunge at Lord Tindross missing with their attacks.  The Vampire's fury turns to Auren, who sustains a hefty blow, then Tindross vanishes.  The group takes turns swinging at the air.  Fox could sense his presence but not his exact location. 
     In a flurry the Mastiff appears in front of Raddick, ready to attack, he slices the beast and brings it to the ground.  The group readied themselves for Trindross to reappear.  Torch light flickered and danced throughout the chamber casting hundreds of shadows.  The effect caused the mob of spawn to look more than double it's size.
     In a flash of smoke Tindross appeared next to Groth drawing an attack from nearly every member of the party.  Groth landed a heavy blow on the fiend as Fox nimbly slipped up behind.  As Auren loosed an arrow Fox unfurled the portable hole and slapped it on the ground under Tindross' feet.  All attempts failed as Tindross blinked out of sight again. 
     On their guard the party waited.  At intervals the crunching of bones could be heard above the murmur of spawn. 
     In a far corner Phae comes to.  His breath was quick and deep.  Garments soaked in sweat.  A feeling of complete terror still resonated within him.  He looked across the chamber as Lord Tinross emerged near Groth.  On instinct he loosed a volley of missiles which made contact with the creature.  Groth complemented the attack with a direct set of blows from his sword of speed.  Lord Tindross leaned back on his heels.  Thick black infected blood oozed from his wounds.  Sick puddles formed below him.
     "Oh, the glory of battle," he grinned, "to receive such a challenge from mere children."  He seemed smug about the beating that he had received.  His grin grew wider as his eyes affixed on to the green monster.  Groth tilted his head and furrowed his brow at the vampire.  The grin quickly faded into pure anger as his attempts to control the giant were unsuccessful.  With the blink of an eye he is again invisible. 
     After overcoming his fears Pas wanders back into the battle.  Looking quite stunned he stared at the floor.  A pile of bones rested near the far wall.  A femur rolled to the floor and Pas looses an arrow.  A howl rang out as the arrow hit.  Following the momentum Phae launches fire on the same pile of bones. 
     "Yield!" cried Lord Tindross. 
     Readied in action the group hold their weapons tight.
    "I ask you to yield and we will leave here." whimpered the beaten Vampire.  Making himself again visible he stepped down from the pile.

WILL THEY  YIELD?  WILL THE MANSION BE HEALED?  WILL FOX ASK HIS SWEETHEART OUT TO THE BIG DANCE?  Tune in next time to find out...