The octopins led the attack with a powerfull numbing gaze and then moved in with their long reaching snapping claws . Valiantly the party defended and eventually defeated these monsters but not without suffering a loss of their own. The valient paladin fell victim to the claws and their additional rending asskicking !!! Miracuously, he regained his form and conciousness once the battle was over..Funny that.

Eventually the Orc smashed his way through the locked door and the party poured into another large domed chamber... In here was what looked like a large brain comprised of more of the white marbled and pulsating purple veined rock. Not seeing any immediate threats, the rogue and paladin moved forward towards the left wall where they saw some stairs leading out and up from this room... As they crossed the floor to the stairs, the brain pulsed sharply but seemingly with no effect. The paladin continued along his route, was joined by the orc and ranger at the top of the stairs where they saw themsleves in a smaller room, with a little pool and some large jars. They were obvioulsy in some sort of lbratory room. The rogue meawhile had turned his back on the stairs and returned to the mage where he promptly grabbed and started to subdue him. The Cleric know realising that his roguy comrade was not feeeling quite himself in turn tried to subdue his companion.<\p>

While the 3 friends fought, the other heroes wee wondering what was going on when they were pounced apon by another, much weirder looking and fercious version of Octopin...Battles on both front ensued, with the heroes bairely making it out by there lives...The brain also pulsed again taking over th mind and body of the mage but was destroyed by combined attacks of the orc and ranger.<\p>

pausing to rest, the party then continued their path further in to the darkening depths of their unknown foe. The next room had 3 book cases along the circular walls with a large statue of a Vrock in the midle of the floor. Displaying great restraint, the party touched nothing in this room, even after the mage had cast a detect magic spells and most, if not all, the romm and its items glowed. The corridor leading out of this room led then in a circular downward manner and they then emerged in a dome cathedral room where they were spoken to by a levitating Mindflayer<\p>

A huge battle ensued...The mindflayer quickly dispatched of the advancing rogue by mindblasting him for an ammount of time. Knowing the magic users would be able to get through his defences right away, he concentrated on attacking the fighters. An empowered lighting bolt here, tentacle slam attacks there, it did not look good for the part's survival. The Orc dropped first after the Mindflayer came into melee with him and managed to attack all 4 of his tentacles into the Orcs head. The party looked in sickening fascination as a loud CRACK reverbarated throughout the chamber followed by a sickening squelch as the Orc brain was removed. The Mindflayer then looked towards the Paladin for further fun. Evnetually the buffs wore out on the Zxyrog and the mage started hitting him where it hurt. Combining this and the archers now hurting arrows, after successfully bypassing the displacement and constequenting 50-50% miss chance, the Mindflayer was knwoing it was his last hurrah. But he took down the Paladin with him.

The party gathered much treasure as well as more proof of the Mindflayers workings in FreeCity. He had teamed up with a Lord Raknian to kill the party as well as take over certain influencial posts...Lord Raknian seems familiar somehow, mused some of the heroes... Once you return to the city and talk to Tarkin the guard and Eligos, the surviving heroes are rewarded with $4000 gp each, on top of whatever treasure they found. It is here that they remember that Lord Rakian is also the authority that put together the upcoming Champions Games..Definitley somethign to look into .... no ?<\p>

We are now on a AoW break and will be starting Nik's 4e campaign...For those that dies , you are to make an 8th lvl character and can use the DMG's rules of character wealth to reequip yourselves