A bloody confrontation with the cultists ensued and the Band was able to defeat their enemies just as the elves arrived for backup. It quickly became clear that the Elves had assumed the Band was going to break the ward with the help of the cultists, but that hadn't been done yet. (when you read this)In the midst of battle, one of the cultists lunged towards the door, opened it and shattered into pieces - the door slamming shut behind him! After the battle, the Half-Orc decided to test the door and also opened it, meeting the same fate.
After some backtracking they learned that with the help of the pirate group, The Red Sails, they could use a key to unlock the door safely. They made a deal with Vicktor the Bold to turn over the knowledge of the location of the door in return for using his key to open the door safely. They all headed to the door, Vicktor opened it, and the Band went into the darkness. Once inside, Vicktor laughed aloud and shut the door, trapping the Band in blackness. After feeling their way around, they (blog, text me) encountered a bone devil, who seemed trapped in this halfway area - he said he would show them the way to the lost city if they reopened the door to the material plane. When pressed, he told them that the secret of the mirror that Vicktor wanted was that at a certain time, the door would open to a lost sanctuary - a repository of great artifacts and limitless treasure. If they agreed to unleash the devil and his brethren on the material plane, they would stop Vicktor and give them access to the limitless riches. Unwilling to do so, they tricked the devil into letting them through a portal to the City of Amon Sur.
Once through, Caelya used a magical map that showed them the location of the access portal to the Isle of Morgantis. Sneaking their way through the city infested with shadow magic and aberrant beholders, they located the other door but were attacked by a dragon made of (the word "dolphin vagina")shadow itself. The battle tested the limits of the Band, but they were able to push past the creature and open the portal - lunging through to the other side - into a dense jungle.
After some investigation, they cut through the jungle to the waterline to find a very old dock. From their, they followed a path cut through the jungles to a watch post, helmed by a handful of stone giants. After battling their way past the creatures, they discovered they were all wearing necklaces with a dragon pendant-like key. They lit the outpost on fire to draw out any other alllies, then snuck past a patrol deeper into the jungle to discover a large temple. Around the back of the temple, they discovered a way in using the pendant key. After unlocking a door while battling (and add) a protective stone golem, they found themselves in a large room with a desk containing a ledger. Upon investigation, the ledger contained detailed dates and arrivals of groups of prisoners. The most recent arrival was two weeks past. Two side passages revealed only the arrival of torch bearers - who upon torture revealed only that they were responsible for the lighting of torches. Without questioning them further, they let them go.
They followed the passages into a larger chamber with several guard cultists. While fighting the guards, one rushed up a set of stairs in the rear of the room. After killing the remaining guards, the sound of screaming children echoed down the stairs. Unable to take the time needed to search two large chests, the Band rushed up the stairs to a room with small prison cells on the sides. (two potions of vitality to your sheets) Children were being dragged out of the cells towards a large alter covered in blood. A cultist and his lackeys were wildly slashing the throats of the children, funneling the blood into a siphon beneath the alter. As the blood flowed, flecks of a large dragon statue were falling off as the statue slowly animated. A summoned demon charged at the party while they worked their way to stop the cultist from killing the children. After a drawn out battle the cultists were destroyed, leaving several cells of prisoners, and a large elevator-type room beneath the now-frozen statue of the dragon in the back of the room.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Mirror of Unmaking
After briefly awaiting clearance to dock their boat, the group found themselves greeted by a dockworker asking for a boat storage fee. “Welcome to Windjammer” provided them with the name of their location but they knew little more than that. Many of the ships in the docking area were adorned with red sails with a familiar symbol but the details were vague in their memory. They decided to head into the city proper, first through the lower reaches of the town, past rundown buildings, shops and residences into the town square. From here, to the north large warehouses stretched across their field of vision. To the east, more affluent buildings lay, dominated by a temple to Pelor. The west seemed dominated by public buildings and perhaps more affluence. They suspected government buildings lay in that direction.
Thorn suggested the group head to the temple. Although the temple seemed closed up, their knocking prompted a gnome in robes to answer the door. After bribing him, he opened the door and introduced himself as Glim Shleppin. The real head priest of Pelor emerged from the back and greeted them. When the priest learned that Wyndham (when you read this)also worshipped Pelor, he took him aside to ask if he had become aware of the god’s silence. Apparently, their prayers and blessings have gone unanswered now for a weeks. This after a brief period of attunement, it seems something is awry with the behaviors and plans of the gods. They asked about the entrance to the lost city of Amon Sur but the priest seemed to know nothing about it. He referred them to the Council of Three – the ruling council of Windjammer.
They departed and headed to a tavern to learn more. While inside, talking to the barkeep, they learned that the real power behind the city lay with the pirate group “Red Sails”. Their leader, Vicktor the Bold, could likely supply them with information. In the meantime, Caelyn sat down with a group of reclusive elves and learned that they too were on the hunt for missing children of their own race. Agreeing to meet again that night after midnight, they were hopeful to have found allies.
Next the group headed to the Council of Three, requesting audience. While waiting, the half-orc rudely opened an adjoining door, to find members "text me the word Imix)of the council readying themselves. Guards emerged from all sides and brusquely pushed the Band of Jenkins out onto the street. Disgusted with the Half-Orcs’ behavior, and resigned that they have failed to learn anything useful, they began heading back towards the tavern. They were confronted by a hooded man that offered an alliance. He escorted them into the western part of the city to his home. Once their, several more men joined them. Religious symbols of the Primordial Demigod, Imix, adorned the villa. Not deterred, the group learned that the entrance to the lost city was beneath the Temple to Pelor in the catacombs. The entranceway is guarded however by an artifact called the Mirror of Unmaking – the area around it is guarded by wards that require balance to enter – hence their need to use the heroes to create that balance. Once past, the cultists claimed to be able to unlock the Mirror’s secrets and permit them access to the lost city. They agreed to join the cultists and head to the temple but first wanted to follow up with the pirates.
They headed to the port, met with Vicktor, were offered a job on one of the other ships, but did little else there.
They headed to the port, met with Vicktor, were offered a job on one of the other ships, but did little else there.
They returned to the elves, agreed to have the elves follow them and the cultists into the catacombs and when the moment was right to help (and add 2 potions of vitality)them destroy the cultists. They all went to the temple, were given clearance to enter but one of the cultists burned Glim Shleppin alive. Although they wanted to kill the head priest, they were dissuaded from the action by Thorm. They all headed down into the catacombs, followed the lead of the cultists and ended the path looking into a large chamber with a strangely framed wooden doorway. Unable to cross the warded area, the heroes and cultists stood ready to break the ward and open the door.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
First View of Triton's Keep
After the last drow fell, the party immediately realized that the entire Drow city seemed alive with sounds...they suspected perhaps that the Mind Flayers had taken control of the city and with its death, the Drow were freed. Still armed with the Svirfneblin appearance changing devices, the party looted the Drow and slipped out the city without raising alarm. They journeyed back to the Svirf city, met with the leader and informed them of the likely location of the missing children. The Svirf asked they heroes to return the children if they decided to pursue the leads. They returned to the surface and resolved to head towards the water.
Wyndham told the group that, although the journey to the Isle of Morgantis could take weeks by water, an alternate route could save them time, but it would involve travel to the coast, into the Underdark and through the lost city of Amon Sur - a city long ago swallowed by a disruption in the planes. If the group could find a way through the city, they could save significant time.
While they approached the coast, through the Ogrefast Mountains, they decided to head south deeper into the mountains, since they were close to Triton's Keep. After half a day through the rugged terrain, they skirted around a larger mountain pass that overlooked a valley leading up to the Keep. Along the curtain wall, the group could clearly see Ettins patrolling. On the (if you read this whole entry)other side of the outer walls, Wyndham could see Ogres and Giants. Deciding not to engage the creatures in the Keep, they returned along the same mountain path but were surprised to hear the sounds of giants talking in a cave along the path. Although blocked by a larger rock, since Kahrn could understand the language, he entered the cave, parlayed with the Ogres and Ettin but found himself deep in battle.
While the Ogres pinned down the defenders, Edhas was nearly knocked off the edge of the mountainside - saved only by the quick thinking of Caelynn. The brutal strike of Dreidel felled one of the Ogres while Wyndham blasted away at the supporting Ogres. Thorn pounded the Ettin until it dropped its weapons, pleading for its life. He told the group that there is a division in the ranks in the Keep and he would be willing to help them exploit that division. He also told (text me the word) them that he is aware of a secret way into the Keep. Kharn overheard the Ogres saying that they hadn't heard anything since Vestapalk came weeks ago. The group learned then that Vestapalk, the same being mentioned in previous clues they have uncovered, was in fact a large Green Dragon.
Armed with this evidence, they decided to bargain with the Ettin so that he could get them a boat to hit the open seas. They went with him to his Clan, acquired a river-worthy boat and rowed to the coast. Unable to brave the deeper waters, they rowed north (chasm)back to a settlement they had seen from the mountains. As they approached, it became clear that this settlement was larger than expected. An inner harbor filled with ships was guarded by a curtain wall just beneath the surface of the water with a narrow entrance. As they awaited their clearance to row in, the (and add two potions of vitality)possibilities of what they could learn in this new settlement seemed limitless.
Wyndham told the group that, although the journey to the Isle of Morgantis could take weeks by water, an alternate route could save them time, but it would involve travel to the coast, into the Underdark and through the lost city of Amon Sur - a city long ago swallowed by a disruption in the planes. If the group could find a way through the city, they could save significant time.
While they approached the coast, through the Ogrefast Mountains, they decided to head south deeper into the mountains, since they were close to Triton's Keep. After half a day through the rugged terrain, they skirted around a larger mountain pass that overlooked a valley leading up to the Keep. Along the curtain wall, the group could clearly see Ettins patrolling. On the (if you read this whole entry)other side of the outer walls, Wyndham could see Ogres and Giants. Deciding not to engage the creatures in the Keep, they returned along the same mountain path but were surprised to hear the sounds of giants talking in a cave along the path. Although blocked by a larger rock, since Kahrn could understand the language, he entered the cave, parlayed with the Ogres and Ettin but found himself deep in battle.
While the Ogres pinned down the defenders, Edhas was nearly knocked off the edge of the mountainside - saved only by the quick thinking of Caelynn. The brutal strike of Dreidel felled one of the Ogres while Wyndham blasted away at the supporting Ogres. Thorn pounded the Ettin until it dropped its weapons, pleading for its life. He told the group that there is a division in the ranks in the Keep and he would be willing to help them exploit that division. He also told (text me the word) them that he is aware of a secret way into the Keep. Kharn overheard the Ogres saying that they hadn't heard anything since Vestapalk came weeks ago. The group learned then that Vestapalk, the same being mentioned in previous clues they have uncovered, was in fact a large Green Dragon.
Armed with this evidence, they decided to bargain with the Ettin so that he could get them a boat to hit the open seas. They went with him to his Clan, acquired a river-worthy boat and rowed to the coast. Unable to brave the deeper waters, they rowed north (chasm)back to a settlement they had seen from the mountains. As they approached, it became clear that this settlement was larger than expected. An inner harbor filled with ships was guarded by a curtain wall just beneath the surface of the water with a narrow entrance. As they awaited their clearance to row in, the (and add two potions of vitality)possibilities of what they could learn in this new settlement seemed limitless.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Svirfneblin and Drow
After being encountering an Elf Assassin, Caelynn, the party searched further through the lower level of the dwarven fortress, after she confirmed the dwarven skulls showed evidence of a mind flayer attack. Then joined by Mehrunes Cameran, Changeling Swordmage, the party advanced to the catwalk that spanned a 100' chasm leading to a large set of double doors at the end. While crossing the catwalk, they all heard the distinct sound of a low growl that Thorn identified as something abyssal. Off to the right, roughly 80' in the distance another catwalk of similar design led in the same direction. they were able to see strange creatures clawing their way along the bottom of the catwalk towards the opposite wall. Edhas lowered herself with a rope to look beneath their catwalk. Beneath them, attached to the bottom, a large demonic creature appeared to be clutching the stone, emanating extreme cold. Rushing across the catwalk, Mehrunes observed Dwarven runes along the door, that Thorn read as "Here contains the Clan Glittershield lode" Excited, they picked their way through the doors, closed them behind them and found themselves in a large chanber with mine cart tracks leading off into the darkness.
They followed the tracks until they caught sight of what seemed a human sleeping off in the distance. They snuck up on the unsuspecting adventurer, woke her up and found her to be Camalyn, a human cleric of Pelor. Camalyn explained that she was adventuring with her friends on the Abyssal plane in the city of Freeport, was attacked, turned around and found herself separated from her group and returned to this material plane. She has been here for a few days hoping her party would find its way to her. Camalyn offered to help them travel to a destination of their choice. She confirmed the existence of the Staff of Chaos and suspected the item was one of mere legend. In the end, the party decided to to have her return them to the area where Dora was killed by the hook horrors. Concerned they were getting bogged down in the fortress, while forgetting their desire to pursue the missing children, she teleported them back to that sport and then disappeared.
They followed the trail of the drow down a passageway for several miles until reaching a crossroads. Edhas identified Drow signs pointing towards the west to the city of Braeburn but from the east they spied a small gnomelike creature approaching them cautiously. When the confronted the creature, they learned it was a Svirneblin , named Peck. Peck warned them that Braeburn was a dangerous place. They were once prosperous and traded with the Drow but almost a decade ago, the Drow Matron Mother became silent and the Drow turned aggressive. Peck confirmed that the Svirneblin had also had children kidnapped, but unlike the Drow, have never rescued those children. Peck led the group to the east towards the Svirfneblin city of DarkHallow. They met with the leader of the Svirfneblin, who confirmed the information Peck gave them and asked that if they learn the location of the lost children, they return them to DarkHallow. In return for this agreement, the Svirf gave the party three shapechanging illusory devices that would allow them to travel into Braevburn without obvious detection.
Days later, the party discovered the Drow city, made their way to the center of the city, met with the matron mother, t'Riss Hael of House Fre'tlar. While the party expected t'Riss Hael to be dead, they were surprised when she greeted them under the guise of learning more about the musical legend of Edhas. Hael confirmed that the Drow children had been kidnapped but rescued by a party of warrior scouts. She directed them to visit the warrior school to meet those heroes. While traveling across the city to the school, Wyndham and Edhas suspected they were being followed by something invisible. When they arrived at the school, the warriors in question confirmed that they had rescued the children from a group of ogres and giants who were taking the children to the Isle of Morgantis. While happy to confirm this, the Drow drew swords and informed the party that they could not let the party leave. Appearing from the shadows, a purple-skinned creature with tentacles on its face directed the attacks of the Drow.
They followed the tracks until they caught sight of what seemed a human sleeping off in the distance. They snuck up on the unsuspecting adventurer, woke her up and found her to be Camalyn, a human cleric of Pelor. Camalyn explained that she was adventuring with her friends on the Abyssal plane in the city of Freeport, was attacked, turned around and found herself separated from her group and returned to this material plane. She has been here for a few days hoping her party would find its way to her. Camalyn offered to help them travel to a destination of their choice. She confirmed the existence of the Staff of Chaos and suspected the item was one of mere legend. In the end, the party decided to to have her return them to the area where Dora was killed by the hook horrors. Concerned they were getting bogged down in the fortress, while forgetting their desire to pursue the missing children, she teleported them back to that sport and then disappeared.
They followed the trail of the drow down a passageway for several miles until reaching a crossroads. Edhas identified Drow signs pointing towards the west to the city of Braeburn but from the east they spied a small gnomelike creature approaching them cautiously. When the confronted the creature, they learned it was a Svirneblin , named Peck. Peck warned them that Braeburn was a dangerous place. They were once prosperous and traded with the Drow but almost a decade ago, the Drow Matron Mother became silent and the Drow turned aggressive. Peck confirmed that the Svirneblin had also had children kidnapped, but unlike the Drow, have never rescued those children. Peck led the group to the east towards the Svirfneblin city of DarkHallow. They met with the leader of the Svirfneblin, who confirmed the information Peck gave them and asked that if they learn the location of the lost children, they return them to DarkHallow. In return for this agreement, the Svirf gave the party three shapechanging illusory devices that would allow them to travel into Braevburn without obvious detection.
Days later, the party discovered the Drow city, made their way to the center of the city, met with the matron mother, t'Riss Hael of House Fre'tlar. While the party expected t'Riss Hael to be dead, they were surprised when she greeted them under the guise of learning more about the musical legend of Edhas. Hael confirmed that the Drow children had been kidnapped but rescued by a party of warrior scouts. She directed them to visit the warrior school to meet those heroes. While traveling across the city to the school, Wyndham and Edhas suspected they were being followed by something invisible. When they arrived at the school, the warriors in question confirmed that they had rescued the children from a group of ogres and giants who were taking the children to the Isle of Morgantis. While happy to confirm this, the Drow drew swords and informed the party that they could not let the party leave. Appearing from the shadows, a purple-skinned creature with tentacles on its face directed the attacks of the Drow.
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Exploring the Dwarven Ruins
Leaving behind the body of Sir Loin, the party decided to explore the shrine area. They moved through a door on the north wall into a small after you antechamber with benches on the sides of the room and cubbyholes on the northern wall. The cubbyholes had cleric robes and other mundane items for rituals, otherwise the room was absent of anything significant. The only door out of the room led further north, into a set of hallways.
Lower Level of RuinsThe first door on the right was blocked off with bars and heavy wooden beams but directly behind them to the west a narrow hallway led to a 35X35 read this distillery room with barrels of Dwarven ale and whiskey stacked up along the western wall. Behind that wall, a set of stairs led up to a loft landing with steps down several dozen feet before it turned. The group cautiously made their way down the stairs to a lower level room with a door to the south. More significantly, a text or email me handful of skeletal bodies lay dead, apparently trying to escape the room, although the door was locked. They searched the body, turning up a small amount of gold, and, undeterred, picked the lock on the door.
A wide hallway lay east to west with a door at either end. They chose to head West into an oddly shaped room with several exits. Murder holes, etched into the northeastern portion of the room. A southern door, when opened, revealed a room filled with spider webs, the word complete with a webbed body and what appeared to be a large hole in the ceiling. The room also had two exits (one to the south and one to the west). Rather than confront the threat, the group backtracked to the distillery and lugged a barrel of whiskey to the room, lit a rag and used it as a bomb crank in the spider room. A thundering and add explosion rocked the room, nearly ripping the door off the hinges. When torn off, the room was burnt out, although no spider carcass was present. The doors to the two potions of south and west were likewise severely damaged and a careful inspection of the hole seemed to indicate it went up and vitality to the west. They returned to the oddly shaped room and looked in a to your sheet small closet space and into a room that held several skeletal warriors, but the group closed the door quickly and looked into another room.
This room was a large chamber with several dozen well armed skeletons and dread warriors. From here, Soveliss, Wyndham and Dreidel the Dragoon stood their ground and attacked the warriors, destroying the creatures.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Sir Loin becomes shredded beef
After looking over Dora's body one last time, the party decided that in case a raise dead ritual was possible, they ought to remove a body part for the ritual. From there, they determined that, although the area didn't see fully secure, they would try and rest on the ledge next to the water. Through ten hours of rest and a series of watches, the party was alerted only to the sounds of the rushing water and open caverns of the Underdark.
After sharing a meal, the party decided its best option would be to examine the pile of bedrock that seems to have collapsed from above. After several hours of grueling hard labor, the moved enough of the shards of bedrock to cause the top of the pillar of rock to collapse revealing what was perhaps a tube leading up into the mountain. Using the rock pillar as a ladder they climbed up to the tube and found themselves in what seemed like a very deep well (at least that was their idea) with a partial floor created from the remainder of the pillar beneath them. Notched into the sides of the tube were metal rungs that they used to climb for two more hours. At midday, Thorm came up over the top of the tube hole.
The back of the hole opening was actually part of the wall, allowing only a small crawl point to squeeze through into an even smaller room. A room wasn't even the right description as the space was more of a 5x5 area with layed stone for the floor and the only wall was also heavy stone directly in front of him. A quick examination of the stone and Thorm knew clearly that the stone was Dwarven-carved. In order to make room for the rest of the group still on the ladder, Thorm searched fruitlessly for a lever or pressure plate to move the wall. Brute strength ended up his ally, pushing enough stones down to reveal a larger chamber. He cracked a sunrod and tossed it through the hole, noting it dropped far enough to down to figure on a 40-50' drop. He pushed the remainder of the stones down to find himself on a catwalk of stone that surrounded the room below it. To the left, the catwalk wrapped to a lower landing with stairs to the main chamber, while to the right it led up to a landing with a set of double doors. In the chamber below, a small iron door was set in the opposite wall. They made their way down to the lower level, noting the walls were the same stone used to block in that hole. They thought perhaps someone blocked that off but were still unclear why. The lower level of the room appeared to be a forge, with a half finished sword sitting in what was once the firepit. Bits of metal atop the anvil were loose bits of mithril. They entered the door on the opposite wall and found a small antechamber with a half dozen skeletal Dwarven remains. Most had apparently died from several crossbow bolts, all of which were sized for hand crossbows. One however had distinct holes on its skull, bored directly and smoothly through the skull in the spot where horns would be. Scratches also marked the sides and back of the skull. A small iron door off of this antechamber was locked, but Thorm's dungeoneering skill allowed him to rig a lock pick. Although they could hear movement in the room beyond, they decided to return to the forge room and inspect the double doors at the top.
While the larger doors appeared locked, Thorm again unlocked them but found them blocked from the inside. Unwilling to be detered, Wyndham blasted the iron doors with cold spells until they were brittle enough to be hammered in with forging tools. They exposed a small flap on the bottom right door and crawled through. It was clear immediately that a very large statue of Moradin had fallen from its perch to the East and blocked the door with its upraised arm. The sound and smell of undead filled the chamber. Thorm moved to the left to the base of the statue to get a better looked, tossed the sunrod into the very large memorial chamber and noted a very wide, very long chamber with fallen statues from both sides, blocking most of the room. Several green-skinned undead dwarves lurked about the chamber and shrieked at the sight of the Thorm, closing in immediately. Sir Loin ran in for backup while Wyndham lurked back blasting the undead dwarves with his spells. While the stench of the dead slowed the party's movement, their claw attacks literally paralyzed them! While holding off the dead, a deadlier threat shambled into the battle zone - a mummified dwarf, blasting Thorm with a spell but Sir Loin imposed himself between the mummy and Thorm. While Thorm and Wyndham waded through the undead, Sir Loin destroyed the mummy without any serious damage to himself, but was cut down immediately after trying to move past two of the remaining undead. The first crippled him with a claw attack, while the others leapt on him chewing through the flesh of his neck with devastating effect. He fell proudly within seconds. With a surge of anger, Thorm cut down the remaining undead.
In less that 24 hours, the Band of Jenkins had lost two of its core members and only Edhas, Thorm and Wyndham remained in the large shrine of Moradin, deep within the mountains.
After sharing a meal, the party decided its best option would be to examine the pile of bedrock that seems to have collapsed from above. After several hours of grueling hard labor, the moved enough of the shards of bedrock to cause the top of the pillar of rock to collapse revealing what was perhaps a tube leading up into the mountain. Using the rock pillar as a ladder they climbed up to the tube and found themselves in what seemed like a very deep well (at least that was their idea) with a partial floor created from the remainder of the pillar beneath them. Notched into the sides of the tube were metal rungs that they used to climb for two more hours. At midday, Thorm came up over the top of the tube hole.
The back of the hole opening was actually part of the wall, allowing only a small crawl point to squeeze through into an even smaller room. A room wasn't even the right description as the space was more of a 5x5 area with layed stone for the floor and the only wall was also heavy stone directly in front of him. A quick examination of the stone and Thorm knew clearly that the stone was Dwarven-carved. In order to make room for the rest of the group still on the ladder, Thorm searched fruitlessly for a lever or pressure plate to move the wall. Brute strength ended up his ally, pushing enough stones down to reveal a larger chamber. He cracked a sunrod and tossed it through the hole, noting it dropped far enough to down to figure on a 40-50' drop. He pushed the remainder of the stones down to find himself on a catwalk of stone that surrounded the room below it. To the left, the catwalk wrapped to a lower landing with stairs to the main chamber, while to the right it led up to a landing with a set of double doors. In the chamber below, a small iron door was set in the opposite wall. They made their way down to the lower level, noting the walls were the same stone used to block in that hole. They thought perhaps someone blocked that off but were still unclear why. The lower level of the room appeared to be a forge, with a half finished sword sitting in what was once the firepit. Bits of metal atop the anvil were loose bits of mithril. They entered the door on the opposite wall and found a small antechamber with a half dozen skeletal Dwarven remains. Most had apparently died from several crossbow bolts, all of which were sized for hand crossbows. One however had distinct holes on its skull, bored directly and smoothly through the skull in the spot where horns would be. Scratches also marked the sides and back of the skull. A small iron door off of this antechamber was locked, but Thorm's dungeoneering skill allowed him to rig a lock pick. Although they could hear movement in the room beyond, they decided to return to the forge room and inspect the double doors at the top.
While the larger doors appeared locked, Thorm again unlocked them but found them blocked from the inside. Unwilling to be detered, Wyndham blasted the iron doors with cold spells until they were brittle enough to be hammered in with forging tools. They exposed a small flap on the bottom right door and crawled through. It was clear immediately that a very large statue of Moradin had fallen from its perch to the East and blocked the door with its upraised arm. The sound and smell of undead filled the chamber. Thorm moved to the left to the base of the statue to get a better looked, tossed the sunrod into the very large memorial chamber and noted a very wide, very long chamber with fallen statues from both sides, blocking most of the room. Several green-skinned undead dwarves lurked about the chamber and shrieked at the sight of the Thorm, closing in immediately. Sir Loin ran in for backup while Wyndham lurked back blasting the undead dwarves with his spells. While the stench of the dead slowed the party's movement, their claw attacks literally paralyzed them! While holding off the dead, a deadlier threat shambled into the battle zone - a mummified dwarf, blasting Thorm with a spell but Sir Loin imposed himself between the mummy and Thorm. While Thorm and Wyndham waded through the undead, Sir Loin destroyed the mummy without any serious damage to himself, but was cut down immediately after trying to move past two of the remaining undead. The first crippled him with a claw attack, while the others leapt on him chewing through the flesh of his neck with devastating effect. He fell proudly within seconds. With a surge of anger, Thorm cut down the remaining undead.
In less that 24 hours, the Band of Jenkins had lost two of its core members and only Edhas, Thorm and Wyndham remained in the large shrine of Moradin, deep within the mountains.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Dora, Dora, Dora is no-mora
After committing to the hidden passageway, the party headed down the natural bedrock corridor. Thorm estimated that they dipped roughly 20' lower into the earth. Fifty feet into the cavern, a ten foot natural bedrock hole blocked the path. Unclear what led to the collapse, the party leaped over the hole then used rope to lower Edhas down the hole. Twenty feet into the hole, it opened into a lower chamber with a forty-fifty foot drop to a rushing water. To the south, a ledge ran along the shore of the river. They pulled her back up the hole then proceeded further down the corridor. Near some rubble fallen from above, they found a dead dwarven body, several years removed from death. They bundled the bones and buried him beneath the rubble for a proper burial. He was adorned with armor that Dora recognized as part of the Glintshield Clan. Further down the corridor, the party found a complete drop down to the ledge that Edhas could see.
They decided to use rope to anchor the party as they made their way down the wall. Edhas led the way followed by Sir Loin. As Sir Loin reached roughly ten feet from the corridor, a giant creature scurried across the wall and cut the rope, dropping Sir Loin and Edhas forty feet to the rocky ledge below. Wyndham leaped from the corridor and used his feather fall ring to safely land below. Meanwhile the creature, a hook horror isolated Thorm and Dora above. From below, three grimlocks emerged from hiding and attacked the fallen characters. The hook horror lashed at Thorm, tossing him out the ledge and isolating Dora even further. Although she turned invisible, the creature used its echolocation to "see" Dora, grabbing her with both claws and tossing her across the chasm to the far wall, from where she fell the full distance to the ledge below, crushing her limbs and insides.
Once all the party was on the ledge below, the hook horror joined the grimlocks in attacking the party. While both Edhas and Sir Loin collapsed in combat, Thorm was able to Lay on Hands and revive each of them while cutting down the Hook Horror. Meanwhile, as the party increasingly was beaten down by the the grimlocks, their beserking attacks pushed them to the limits. As Thorm killed the first grimlock, Sir Loin destroyed the second followed by Wyndham's final lightening strike to drop the last of them.
A quick check of Dora revealed not only her broken remains, which Sir Loin committed to burying properly, but also a substantial amount of hidden treasures, which the party distributed, while diviing up her magic items. Further down the ledge, the party observed that the ledge ended with a small cave mouth on the north wall. Further up river, it seemed the river reached a waterfall about twenty feet further. Additionally a large pile of debris and rock seems to have caved in from above. The debris reaches all the way up the forty feet to a spot on the cavern roof that now seems blocked.
Unsure of their next step, the party decided that rest was sorely needed but wasn't sure if the ledge would provide them with the security they would need to get that rest. With no other immediate option, and no way back up to the hole above, this ledge provided them with their only option for now.
They decided to use rope to anchor the party as they made their way down the wall. Edhas led the way followed by Sir Loin. As Sir Loin reached roughly ten feet from the corridor, a giant creature scurried across the wall and cut the rope, dropping Sir Loin and Edhas forty feet to the rocky ledge below. Wyndham leaped from the corridor and used his feather fall ring to safely land below. Meanwhile the creature, a hook horror isolated Thorm and Dora above. From below, three grimlocks emerged from hiding and attacked the fallen characters. The hook horror lashed at Thorm, tossing him out the ledge and isolating Dora even further. Although she turned invisible, the creature used its echolocation to "see" Dora, grabbing her with both claws and tossing her across the chasm to the far wall, from where she fell the full distance to the ledge below, crushing her limbs and insides.
Once all the party was on the ledge below, the hook horror joined the grimlocks in attacking the party. While both Edhas and Sir Loin collapsed in combat, Thorm was able to Lay on Hands and revive each of them while cutting down the Hook Horror. Meanwhile, as the party increasingly was beaten down by the the grimlocks, their beserking attacks pushed them to the limits. As Thorm killed the first grimlock, Sir Loin destroyed the second followed by Wyndham's final lightening strike to drop the last of them.
A quick check of Dora revealed not only her broken remains, which Sir Loin committed to burying properly, but also a substantial amount of hidden treasures, which the party distributed, while diviing up her magic items. Further down the ledge, the party observed that the ledge ended with a small cave mouth on the north wall. Further up river, it seemed the river reached a waterfall about twenty feet further. Additionally a large pile of debris and rock seems to have caved in from above. The debris reaches all the way up the forty feet to a spot on the cavern roof that now seems blocked.
Unsure of their next step, the party decided that rest was sorely needed but wasn't sure if the ledge would provide them with the security they would need to get that rest. With no other immediate option, and no way back up to the hole above, this ledge provided them with their only option for now.
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