Temple of Elemental Evil, A Second Attempt: The Death of Hawk

Initially a band of three adventures, Adriana a human priest of Paylor, Roygers Flint an overly confident Paladin, and the half-orc fighter Hawk set off to investigate rumors of evil stirrings in a nearby town.  When they arrived everything seemed fairly normal.  There were rumors whoever that a long dead cult were once again active.  There was also significant brigand activity in the area.  The adventures sought more information and determined and evil presence was surrounding the equipment store manager's hired help.  Also they found out that a Taylor had in months passed sown some garments for a customer that unbeknownst to the kind woman had the symbol of the ancient cult embedded in the garments.

The adventures encountered a group of elves (well two elves and a half elf) in a tavern and struck up a conversation.  The elves turned out to have been drawn to the area for the same reasons the adventures came, and decided (for half of any loot found) to throw in their lot with the adventuring party.

So after a few more days poking around, the adventuring party met with the town council and asked for it's blessing to go off and both clear out the brigand threat and investigate the old cult's re-emergence.  The town council was skeptical at first, but agreed to provision the part with two weeks food to search out for the brigands and anything else they might find.

The band set off, and after a day or so the found a trail leading through a swamp to an abandoned keep that in former days was under the sway of the dark cult.  While navigating the trail the group encountered a group of giant frogs that they quickly put down.  Adventuring on they found the ruins and entered.

Hawk was attacked by a giant spider while exploring a partially crumbled tower and almost poisoned to death.  Luckily quick action by Adriana healed Hawk.  The party then encountered another powerful cleric, Raycor of St. Cuthbert, who on his own had ventured into the keep to vanquish evil.  He joined the party making a party of seven.

The brave band of adventures began clearing rooms in the abandoned keep.  They encountered a giant snake, ticks, giant rats, and some but little treasure.  Hawk and others were taking a beating but through the powerful Holy spells of Adriana and Raycor, who was also valiant in battle as well as in the miraculous powers of his god, healed many wounds to keep the party going.

The party ventured onward towards an opening in the battlements.  Hawk approached and looked out.  He turned to say something obnoxious to the Paladin when a giant snake of immense size came out of the opening and bit Hawk in half.

There was no time to morn.  The elves, enraged, leaped upon the serpent and quickly dispatched it.  The friends laid to rest what remained of Hawk in pile of rubble near a collapsed archway.  Sometimes those who take the quest's lives are ended suddenly.  It is the way of things.  The party moved on, albeit more cautiously.

The party soon found a bared door with voices behind it.  Roygers tried to push the door down but failed, so  righteous Raycor set the door on fire.  The party stepped back and waited until the door was breech-able, but those behind the door acted first.  Brigands poured out past the door and engaged the party.  The party was ready for them and quickly dispatched three of the brigands.  Roygers the Paladin, seeing their fear, offered them the opportunity to yield or die, and the brigands decided to live to fight another day and yielded.  The brigands were disarmed, interrogated, and then allowed to leave with a few light weapons under the pain of death that they would never be seen in the area again.

After some searching a large amount of brigand treasure was found buried in rubble.  The party divided up the spoils and decided to whole up for the night.  The adventure continues another day...