Timbervale and Stonefang Pass

Monk (5th lvl Monk)      Ezhelyn (5th lvl Avenger)  Ryswynn (5th lvl Cleric)
Wyndham (5th lvl Sorcerer)      Dora (5th lvl Wizard)

The group decided to stay in Fellstar for a few days while both Ryswynn and Ezhelyn recovered from the lingering effects of Filth Fever.  In the meantime, while the rest of the party tended to the ailing adventurers, Dora went out to acquire several ritual components for their next journey.  After everyone was feeling up to traveling, the group acquired horses from Uthor and began the two day journey to Timbervale. 

Although the first day passed without incident, during their first night on the road, they were ambushed by a trio of Wights and their zombie minions.  Although the battle wasn't lethal for anyone, they were pushed to their limits several times but were able to do away with the wandering undead.

They arrived in Timbervale at midmorning and noticed how the once thriving town was a relic of its former self with essentially just one road cuttting through the middle of the town.  The imposing view of the Ironwall Mountains loomed in the background, while the group headed for the small inn known as the Knot Hole.  Surprised as they entered the room, the group couldn't help but notice a small group of frightened looking dwarves huddled in the corner of the Inn's Common Room.  A black-bearded dwarf wearing a silver crown cautiously approached them and introduced himself as Rangrim, son of Thorvil, son of Thane Harvak of Clam Glintshield.  He told the group about the Clan's reemergence and their effort to reclaim the citadel but they were attacked by the Severed Eyes Orcs.  He begged them to go back into the pass and save the remaining members of his tribe and kill as many orcs as they can.  He did tell them that he was asked to escort the elderly and weak members of his tribe out of the Pass and he was forced to lower a large stone slab to block the Pass off but believes it can be raised by some means in the guard house in the Pass. 

After receiving confirmation that Rogvir's writings have survived and are inside the citadel, they agreed to head out immediately.  Before they could leave though, they were approached by a female dwarf named Hadarra.  She told them she witnessed her cousin Flinka killed by the orcs as she was being pulled away byt he Shadowed Chain guards who initially escorted the dwarfs through the Pass.  She tells the the "weird cult" of dwarfs are responsible for letting her cousin die and the group should beware their intentions and asks them to recover a matching "sending stone"  She offers them the matching sending stone to help them locate its match. 

Journeying into the foot of the mountains the road heads up at a casual slope as the remnants of the once-thriving town are evident with abandoned buildings and other vestiges of the past.  Arriving at the first river crossing, they were attacked by two hippogriffs and several deadly archerfish that harried the party until they could successfully cross the river and avoid the fish.  On the other side of the river, the sight of the huge tunnel that bores into the Stonefang Mountain stood before them.  Impressive huge stone carvings of giants flank the opening as if holding up the mountain itself.  Weary of heading into the mountain, the group began their first steps into the darkness hoping to survive.