The party had successfully infiltrated the Lotus Dragons' secret hideout despite the deadly ambush awaiting them. After spending some time exploring the circular domed chambers surrounding the flooded cavern, the group realized that they were woefully low on resources. They required someplace safe to recuperate before besieging the remainder of the complex. Though they may have discovered a possible exit from the hideout through the trapdoors in the ceilings of the domed chambers, somebody (I cannot remember who) at some point raised the notion of retiring to the great pipe that was used to fill the entry cavern with water. It was some distance above the surface of the water and just wide enough to accommodate a person (or a Tumblebelly).
Perhaps the party did not wish to leave the dungeon that they had gone through such a gauntlet to get into. But, whatever the rationale, love for the idea began to spread like a warm, fluffy, bacony fire. The adventurers could not clamber up that pipe fast enough. The hiding place was brilliant in its simplicity. It was out of the way, relatively dry, nobody would ever look for them there in a million years, and -- best of all -- if some idiot were to turn the water valve on, they would just get spit out into the pool below. The latter part might actually be fun.
The companions slept amazingly soundly in their cylindrical womb. When they awoke one by one, they found that they didn't wish to leave. However, the pull of finding, torturing, humiliating, and then killing Vanthus called to them. They began to drop into the pool below the pipe, but then came to a nasty realization. Members of the Lotus Dragons guild could not find whoever it was that invaded their headquarters, but they certainly found their handiwork. The dead bodies everywhere put the complex on high alert and another ambush was waiting for the heroes as they emerged from the pipe. Crossbow bolts flew from every direction and a large, black wolf was in the western passage to replace the guard crocodile.
Another great battle ensued, but while most of the group sought refuge through the secret door just beyond the blood-thirsty canine, Cosimo remembered the illusory wall to the north of the pool. He swam very otter-like to the lip of the observation room and climbed up. The guild thieves stationed there were not expecting an attack coming from that way, but when they recovered from the surprise, they had the swashbuckler outnumbered three-to-one. Meanwhile, the rest of the group had to fight their way through the wolf and another ambush awaiting them past the secret door.
Cosimo held on as best he could, using every trick of swordplay that he knew to keep his ememies occupied. He even managed to drop one before his friends arrived at the proper door into the room. The party quickly dispatched any thieves they could find. However, they knew that there were some guards unaccounted for. But where did they run off to? Did they escape up one of the ladders in the domed rooms? Everyone had a sinking feeling that there was much more to the thieves' base than the ambush cavern and the corridor encircling it... now, where is that secret door?
DM Notes: Quotes of the session...
"You hear a delicious pot pie."
"One thing about this plan..." - referring to sleeping in the pipe.
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