Here is the second part of my solo Rangers of Shadow Deep campaign, Burning Bright. The Burning Bright adventure is found at the end of the main rule book - if you plan on running it yourself, there are spoilers ahead, you may not want to read further.
The story thus far: Our heroes, the barbarians, Bogdan and Kyra, the Wood Elf Hanali, and the hill priestess Bayarma are searching the ruined convent of St Emilia, searching for the Decanter of Light, which will help in the fight against the Shadow Deep. Having previously broken into the convent courtyard and clearing the ruined chapel, the party moved back to the large gate house.
Entering stealthily, they discover several dead bodies hung in cages or tied to post, obviously having died horrible deaths at the hands of the minions of the Shadow Deep. These minions, numerous ghouls still lurked about the dark interior. They also caught glimpse of a large Ogre shuffling about a side room.
Bayarma's Burning Light spell again proved destructive to the mass of the ghouls.
Hanali confronted the Ogre and planted an arrow firmly in its chest.
Bogdan, Lyra, and the newly-acquired hound then launched themselves onto the Ogre, killing it.
Hanali fumbled with the lock on the other side room door while the rest of the party examined the strung-up corpses.
One of these proved to be not so lifeless. Now a zombie, it sprung at Bayarma but was quickly put down by Bogdan's saber.
Hanali having no luck in picking the lock the side room, Bogdan used his massive strength to break down the door. He was swarmed by more ghouls for his effort.
A desperate fight followed with Bogdan being severely wounded and the poor hound slain as payment for its loyalty. Ultimately, the party was able to destroy the ghouls and retrieved a treasure found in the room.
Finding nothing more, the party moved on to the Library, skirting the courtyard which teemed now with more undead.
They found the ground floor flooded with two giant snakes and a crumbling stairway leading to a second floor.
Being the better swimmers, the two barbarians went after the snakes while Hanali and Bayarma headed toward the stairs.
With a deep rumble, the stairway collapse, with several stones striking the unlucky pair.
Hanali managed to climb onto the second floor. She saw two large Blood Bats pecking at a dead body lying near a desk in the center of the library room. Uncertain of what other dangers lay within, she stood back into the shadows to await her companions.
Waiting may not have been the best course of action as the flock of Blood Bats increased by another pair descending from the broken roof.
However, once the rest of the party joined her, they flung themselves onto the creatures and cut them down rapidly.
They began searching the room, finding several helpful books, including one on the arcane origins of the Shadow Deep. Bayarma, narrowly avoiding a trap, found a very usefull spell book. Kyra went to investigate one of the locked side rooms.
Although she spotted a storage chest there, she failed to notice the three Blood Bats in the rafters.
They descended to attack her but proved no match for her flashing sword.
As they rest of the party investigated the room, another loathsome vulture descended upon them. It was quickly dispatched with disgust. They discovered on the body of the murdered librarian a scroll giving another clue to the whereabouts of the Decanter, which had been removed from the library .
In the remaining side room, the discovered a young novice, Sister Wilmette, who had been in hiding for several days since the convent's fall.
As they prepared to leave, two animated skeletons rattled into the room, having somehow made the difficult climb from the lower floor. For once, Bayarma's fire spells proved less than effective, only setting the librarian's desk on fire.
The barbarians engaged the two skeletons and soon struck them down.
With treasure, ancient tomes, and a new companion in tow, the party moved on.
They hastily crossed a corner of the courtyard to the large hospital/dormatory.
The lower floor, the hospital was infested with giant spiders, their webs covering all of the beds.
With grim determination, the party set about clearing out the infestation.
As more spiders joined the battle, the party tried to clear the webs covering what may have been survivors.
While the battle was successfully concluded, little of value was found once they cleared the webs from the bed; a few personal mementos of dead patients and nest of smaller but equally ghastly spiders. They did find a bow and quiver which they gave to Sister Wilmette, she having been taught the bow as a child. They also found three healing potions which were much needed by the battered party.
Ascending to the second floor, they found the Abbess' chambers, infested with ghouls and giant hopping ants.
In short order, these were all dispatched.
As Bogdan examined the body of the Abbess, it suddenly sprang at him - a zombie!
They began examining the side rooms, filled with foul infestations. Bayarma looked to the Abbess' table.
Two of the hopping ants sprung from beneath it. These were soon killed and the party proceeded upward to the dormatory.
They found it far more damaged than the rest of the building. (Note: the black sections here represent open spaces which the party had to avoid.) It was also teeming with giant spiders.
Fire ball dispatched several of the creatures.
Bogdan nimbly sprang over the gaping holes in the floor and killed the remaining spiders. They all began to examine the several chests that remained in the room. They found a spell book containing much needed healing spells and little else of value.
In the last chest, however, they found an icon to St. Doneera, a warrior priestess. As Wilmette examined it in reverence, a great light burst forth and a golden apparition of the Saint herself appeared.
The spirit swirled into a substantial form, the Saint's avatar manifest. She would accompany the party on the remainder of their holy mission.
Reinforced and inspired, the party set off to the final building in the convent, the Herb Store. Surely there they would discover the resting place of the Decanter of Light.
