Stonehell: Getting The Shaft

Session 22 was played on 12/2.
Wilhelm, drunk Dwarf 4 (Julia)
-Heinrich, war dog
Tobias, Human-Cat, Cleric 3 of Persephone (Mollie)
Leroy, human fighter 3 (Mike)
Nilbog Dracon, human wizard 1
Burdock, human fighter 1 (Josh)
N'Yashi Sempai, human wizard 1 (Laurel)
2 torch bearers/linkmen (Xerxis & Y)
3 men at arms (O, R, Q)

Stayed in town
Tink, a pretentious Elf (but I repeat myself) and former barkeep (Hanna)
Shelly, a vegetarian recovering alcoholic halfling Thief 3 (Nadia)
Frank, halfling 1 (Emily)
Yaqen, elf 1 (Shaun)

The party spent some time recovering from their encounter with the Bro'gres, but their supply of torches and food was quickly running low. Another way out of the dungeon would be needed if they were going to survive. Packing up, they departed their safe room and began to explore. Mere moments after opening the door, a large gargoyle was spotted sitting patiently waiting for them. Burdock charges it, chipping his sword in its stony hide. It smiles in reply, and then demands "shiny things" for allowing them to pass/live. 70gp, a dagger, a gem, and Heinrich the dog are all sacrificed to the gargoyle.

They return to the bottom of the well, and concoct an insane/insanely brilliant plan to scale the shaft. Wilhelm and Burdock will press themselves back to back and walk up the 60' shaft to the top. Everyone else shakily makes a human pyramid and pushes the pair up into the shaft. Slowly and painfully they get themselves into position, feet braced against either side of the shaft, and begin to climb. Shaky step by shaky step they inch up the shaft, making it nearly 3/4 of the way up before Wilhelm's legs give out.

Bouncing down the well shaft he tries to catch hold, but out he falls. O tries to catch him, but only serves to to provide Wilhelm a softer landing. N'Yashi unfortunately catches Wilhelm's pick ax with her head. Why he refused to leave any of his stuff behind is a question that can only be answered by "dwarvish greed".

In the shaft, Burdock does manage to catch himself. Braced spread eagle, bent backward in the shaft looking up, arms and legs shaking from the effort, he knows he can't take it for very long, and soon enough his sweaty hands fail him, and he goes all the way down the shaft, landing hard on the pick ax embedded in head of the woman he was charged to protect.

Sitting around looking at the gore, the gargoyle is remembered. Wilhelm backtracks to find him, and tries really hard not to look at the limp body of his former dog. A quick negotiation is completed, and the gargoyle agrees to bring the rope up to the top of the well for them. The party begins to climb up, only to face yet another demand for payment from the gargoyle to allow them to exit the well.

Near the dungeon exit, a troop of half a dozen skeletons stands in their way. Tobias is having none of it, and with a wave causes them to crumble to dust.

Gains:
Kills: 6 skeletons
Losses: N'Yashi, Burdock, Hainrich, 175gp, dagger, gem