The Dwarven Stronghold In The Mountains#

The dwarves were not part of the training fiesta, so they did what bored dwarves do. Drink. And drink some more. The Halfmoon Inn barkeep just fed them breakfast and ale when they awoke and came down, lunch and ale a few hours later, and dinner and ale 5 or 6 hours after that.

Flint had been asked by Ulland to train him. Flint shrugged, agreed, and ordered another ale. A night or two in, Ulland joined them at the bar and had an ale. Flint and Gonchar had seven. After his ale Ulland told the dwarves that he was taking his share and returning to the northlands. His cousin was lost to evil, and while he appreciated the party, he wanted to return home, learn how to play the lute, do some hunting in the snowy woods. The dreams he’d been having about some of the things they encountered at the monastery had been horrible, and he wasn’t sleeping well.

He’d had enough and was getting out of the adventuring game. And he was sorry about shooting Gonchar. He seemed sincere and offered to pick up the drinks as a parting apology. Gonchar looked at him, shrugged and asked the barkeep for a cask of their finest brandy, “and HE’S paying”. Ulland gave his magical quiver (from the vampire’s coffin) and all his magic arrows to Flint ^{[What happened to the ***Bracers of Archery***?]} .

By the time Gonchar and Flint recovered from their blackout a few days later, Ulland was gone.

In the second week, they drank with a local mining dwarf named Bryth Melarkin. He was quite old and equally battered, missing an eye, and a couple of fingers (“damn dire wolves”). He passed some tales of his time adventuring as a youth and said that he settled here “to be near home, where he grew up”. Gonchar shrugged, uninterested.

Flint asked Bryth where home was. Bryth said that some years back his clan held a mining keep and stronghold in the mountains “just up the tunnel in the mountains beyond”. The mining and the trade were good, praise Dumathoin, and the people thrived for many centuries. But then some miners came across something frozen in the rock, something which awoke, something horrid and ruthless. The Clan rallied, many died, and some sacrificed themselves by collapsing tunnels to trap it in the rock. King Melair himself died in the battle.

The frozen thing was defeated, but the Clan’s stronghold was befouled. Whatever had been freed, although temporarily, had attracted evil men, evil beings and … things … from below the earth and from the heart of the mountains. The mines dried up. It became too dangerous to dig there. The Clan left to strongholds in distant mountains, and his home has lain empty since that day. Only one priest of Dumathoin remained to hold the tombs of their fathers and places sacred to Dumathoin, guarded by traps and secure beneath the earth, praise Dumathoin. The old dwarf wept for his lost home, finished his drink, bought theirs and staggered away.

Indeed, Kyril at one point (while training) was in the forest at night, communing with nature, alone. Late at night he became aware that something huge was roaming the nearby forest, near the mountain, and it sounded like great trees were being felled. The temperature plummeted. Whatever it was, it must have been enormous. In the a.m., the bone-chilling cold had passed - slightly - but Kyril observed that whatever it had been had toppled 50’ trees and had evidently frozen everything it touched, evidenced by a path of destruction and melting ice. Whatever it was, it was gone, mercifully.

On his way back to the Hall, Kyril sought and found the traps being laid for the wolves by the giants in the area. The wolves were being trapped and eaten. No way for a wolf to end its life. Kyril found and disabled a bunch of those traps, hopefully turning the tide in the wolves’ favor.

  Sheds light only when its possessor speaks a command word or phrase, and this flame illuminates
  the area as brightly as a torch. Note that the flame from this sword easily ignites oil, burns
  webs, or sets fire to paper, parchment, dry wood, etc. Cold-using creatures are those whose
  attack mode involves cold (ice toads, white dragons, winter wolves, yeti, etc.)

    **Hammer +3, Dwarven Thrower** <br>

  Appears to be a standard +2 hammer but, if in the hands of a dwarven fighter, and a special
  command word is spoken, its full potential is realized. The +3 bonus is gained and the
  following characteristics: The hammer has a 6” range and it will return to its wielder's
  hand in much the same manner as a boomerang would. It has +3 bonus “to hit” and on damage.
  When so hurled, the hammer does double damage against all opponents save giants (including
  ogres, ogre magi, trolls and ettins), against which it causes triple damage (plus bonus of 3).

The Identify Parade#

The party had 6 black and 21 white pearls ^{[The best line in the notes so far: "fail, fail, fail, fail, fail, Lycovyne"]} .

• Flame Tongue (DMG III.G, pg. 165).
• Staff of the Woodlands has 15 charges
• Potion of Fire Resistance
• Leather armor +2 (the elvish vampire-lite Kyril encased in stone, pg. 252)
• Elvish chain mail - nice but not magical, given to Flint
• a short sword was not magical
• +2 Flame Blade (what??? that’s a spell, not a sword)
• elvish dagger - nice, but not magic
• onyx gargoyle statue from Groog radiates magic but has no usable properties
• Hammer +3, Dwarven Thrower ^{[Isn't that *Dwarven Tosser*? Password is "Dumathoin Dumathoin".]}
• Kopesh Sword +3
• Ephraims’ gloves: Gloves of Missile Snaring (UA pg. 100)
• Ephraim’s pouch: Zagyg’s Spell Component Case (UA pg. 104)
• Elixir of Life (UW pg. 90)
• Potion of Fire Breath, 4 draughts (UW pg. 90)
• Potion of Speed (DMG pg. 127)
• Potion of Invisibility (DMG pg. 126)
• Potion of Deep One Control
• Elixir of Health (UA pg. 90)
• Potion of Poison
• Evard’s Hardy Backpack, pg. 225 (UA pg. 101)
• 2 ea +1 arrows

We have 300 gp left, as well as 15 pearls (??).

The list above is saved as-is for recordkeeping purposes. The gear disposition was as follows:

• Flame Tongue (DMG III.G, pg. 165). (Flint)
• Staff of the Woodlands has 15 charges (Kyril)
• Potion of Fire Resistance (Menka)
• Leather armor +2 (Kyril)
• Elvish chain mail - nice but not magical (Flint)
• +2 Flame Blade (what??? that’s a spell, not a sword)
• Hammer +3, Dwarven Thrower[1] (Gonchar)
• Kopesh Sword +3 (Kyril)
• Ephraims’ gloves: Gloves of Missile Snaring (UA pg. 100) (Menka)
• Ephraim’s pouch: Zagyg’s Spell Component Case (UA pg. 104) (Tim)
• Elixir of Life (UA pg. 90, found with the dwarven hammer) (Menka)
• Potion of Fire Breath, 4 draughts (UW pg. 90) (Kyril)
• Potion of Speed (Gonchar)
• Potion of Invisibility (Menka)
• Potion of Deep One Control (Kyril)
• Elixir of Health (UA pg. 90) (Cathal)
• Potion of Poison
• Heward’s Handy Backpack, pg. 225 (UA pg. 101)
• 2 ea +1 arrows (Flint?)
• Ring of Spell Storing (Grease, Duo Dimension) (Tim)

A Drunk Monk Walks Into A Bar#

A monk of Cathal’s faith walked into the bar, carrying a small keg of some sort of liquor. The proprietress of the Inn yelled at him for bringing in a keg. Seamus O’Malley laughed off her complaint and ordered a drink at the bar. He then wandered over to the party and introduced himself. Pleasantries were exchanged, pints were quaffed, and morals discussed. Finding the party to be colorful in that respect but heartened by Cathal’s presence, the monk offered to travel with the party. We accepted.

Gonchar wanted to peddle some extraneous gear while we were in the Hall. He ambled over to Gendar’s shop and managed to get 1000 pieces of gold for a +1 sword and a +1 two-handed sword in our inventory. Gold and items were distributed round the party back at the Inn. Quite quickly Gonchar was forced by Groog to pay a 500 gp tax on the sale of the weapons. Gonchar was not happy, to say the least, but it did not come to blows. We were told both times we entered the Hall that all sales were taxed by the wizards in charge, but Gonchar was convinced a large part of that 500 gp was extortion money.

Cathal provided 500 gp to the church in tithe. He received 3 flasks of holy water in return.

While on the surface Kyril met the Cosmic Satyr. That excellent personage handed the druid a sack of money (500 pp), telling him to keep the sigil as our paths may cross again. He did not fail to make mention of the chaos boiling up out of the old dwarven mine. Also, the wizard who trained Tim ( as well as Lycovyne?) told Tim that she had also trained a female wizard, recently, who was interested in any and all information she could get about that same old mine. She was curious as to why the dwarves had left.

Our last night at the Inn, quaffing a pint (or 7, in the case of the dwarves and O’Mickey) we discussed our next steps. The dwarven mine was relatively close. We were in the same hemisphere at the Hall, at least. Cathal had duties to fulfil at the Monastery (from one end or the other). Far to the south, a dark power was flaring up in a demon-haunted temple in the desert. That desert was best reached via Guldar Heel’s mirror, if possible. Menka also had a pressing need to speak with Anu Sekar at The Friendly Arm Inn.

We therefore decided upon the following path forward:

• Hit the dwarven mines and find out what’s up. Kick ass and take names.
• ( Possibly visit the Hall of Seven Pillars on the way back. )
• Return to the Monastery and work our way back to the surface. Secure the entrance.
• Head to The Friendly Arm (Menka needed to speak with Anu Sekar).

From The Friendly Arm we could choose our path toward the coast with Cathal or into the desert far to the south. We decided to burn that bridge when we got to it.

Having decided to head into the frigid air near the mines we each spent 2 gp each on appropriate cold-weather gear.

Kyril gave the Ring of Spell Storing to Tim. It contained Grease and Duo Dimension.

We gathered our gear and left the Inn, saying our farewells to Ara and Pippen. As we left the Hall and entered the long hallway Groog laughed at Gonchar. The dwarf hurled insults at the creature in its own tongue, spoiling for a fight. Cathal reminded Gonchar that he needed to get back into the Hall and didn’t need the hassle. Hostilities remained, vengeance was sworn. We entered the Road of Lanterns.

Not long after leaving the sunny countenance of Broog and his playmates behind we were set upon by 4 Minions of Set, 2 of which were in snake form.

• initiative loss
• the snakes turned into humanoids
• Flint got hit with a scimitar for 5 points
• they missed Kyril
• Gonchar got hit for 10
• Kyril killed one with help from Lycovyne
• these guys are glass cannons
• Cathal killed one
• when they die, they hit the deck and dissolve into an amorphous heap of foul smelling pus
• Menka nailed one for 9 points, creating another horrifying gut pile
• Gonchar clobbered one again for 11 points, killing it
• Seamus nailed the last beastie bare-fisted for 8 points, killing it

Cathal, frisky as ever, laid hands upon several party members, getting Gonchar 1 more point and Flint and himself 2, each. We picked up the pieces and made it to the surface without further incident.

Where The Vanir Roam#

We expected to exit the Road of Lanterns into a surface world of Summer, only to find it quite cold in the area. Nearing winter. We were glad we clad ourselves in furs for the journey. Seamus marched forth in his wifebeater, unaffected by the cold. We did make it to the Westkeep by the end of the day, planning to stay a night at the Tinker’s Guild. On our way to that vaunted establishment Auntie T. approached Kyril and talked with him. She walked with us into the Tinker’s Guild and we got rooms at 1 gp each, 4 rooms.

“I’m not dead, I just gotta pee.” - Seamus O’Brien

Seamus and Gonchar repaired to the Tinker’s Guild barroom and laid into brandy and ale. Gonchar drank with some denizens of the bar, while Seamus just DRANK. Gonchar at one point saw the eccentric monk talking animatedly to no one at the table, where he was sitting alone.

Seamus remembers it differently. While he was alone at the table, enjoying a strong brandy, a well- spoken, smirking, friendly man in expensive merchant garb - and the slightest hint of satyr-like horns on his head? - sat at the table with him. The man was smoking a strange, strong-smelling herb wrapped in what appeared to be paper, on the end of a long stick, instead of from a pipe like normal folk would. Somehow, this man knew Seamus’ name. More importantly, he asked “let’s make a deal - have a drink of some of this great brandy with me, and I’ll give you some important advice about a mystery one of your companions may have encountered, oh Disciple of Mysteries”.

Seamus agreed, and the man poured him some astoundingly good brandy. They made small talk, exchanged pleasantries, the strange man’s most bombastic and formal, and drank. Seamus isn’t exactly sure of everything said, but he does remember this: the man good-naturedly warned that the lord of the air, the wind-walker, it which is known by many names including Wen-di-go, was loose in the valley and surrounding mountains. It was summoned here by use of an idol built by his worshippers, with sacrifices most foul to summon him forth. Without that idol most objectionable, his link to the valley is severed. “Here, have another drink!”

We rested well for a night, then continued toward the mountains. It was one day’s travel to the foothills. We saw signs of ogres and the occasional wolf, but wildlife in general seemed to be staying out of view. It was mid-September, but it felt like late December, as it were. Seamus, barefoot and unadorned, was unaffected by the cold. Filled with anti-freeze, he was.

As we marched north Kyril saw creatures from the cold, far north roaming the area, far from their homes. Tim noticed them as well. We made camp and started a fire. We had seen satyr roaming the area at a distance. One of them approached Kyril and they chatted for a bit. The satyr gave Kyril directions on how to climb the mountain pass. We need to climb and then follow an escarpment from the foothills, then pass behind a rock outcropping that looks like a human. The satyrs believed that the cold gods were calling upon them to rise.

We rested in this place without incident. On the first watch Cathal and Menka saw eyes off in the woods, watching the party, only to disappear a bit later. The rest of the watches passed quietly. And then they didn’t.

• initiative loss
• attacked by 8’ tall white-furred ape-men, 6 of them, right after dawn
• even with the initiative loss Kyril got off an entangle and Lycovyne nailed one of the beasties with a magic missile for 20 points of damage
• Seamus, bare-fisted, hit an ape man twice, for 10 and then 11 points of damage
• they missed Cathal
• one hit Lycovyne twice for 9 points, then grabbed him and hugged him for 9 more points
• yeti?
• Cathal nailed one twice for 27 points total, splattering guts all over the combatants
• initiative win
• Flint nailed one with the “cold creature sword” and a natural 20 for 16 points, killing it
• Cathal hit one for 8 points, while Menka missed, badly
• Cathal hit one for 14 points with his second attack
• they all missed
• initiative win
• Tim whipped out his burning hands and killed two of the beasties, leaving their charred remains to smoke under the winter sky
• Flint hit twice for 13 points
• Seamus hit twice for 8, then 9 points
• Menka hit one for 8 points of damage, praise Thoth!
• Gonchar nailed one for 25 points, killing it
• Lycovyne killed the last one
• yeti 35, 33, 31, 29, 27, 25

Cathal attended to Lycovyne, getting him back 15 hit points. We broke camp and headed into the foothills. We found an old, long unused trading trail and followed it up the mountain. It got colder and colder the farther we marched. Out of nowhere we heard something large go crashing into the mountain and boulders rained down upon is. The temperature continued to drop and the winds picked up so Kyril changed the weather with Control Winds and Control Temperature.

We found ourselves in front of a massive dwarf’s face carved into the living rock of the mountain, with a door in the mouth. 2 caverns loomed 200’ above, once the eyes of the massive head, now fallen into ruin and frozen over.

Cathal levitated up to the eyes and nose, using his detect evil. (No results provided)

• initiative win
• attacked by massive wolves, much larger than dire wolves, 4 - 2 of which are huge
• Seamus tried to talk to one for some reason and got attacked by its breath weapon
• the same breath weapon hit Flint as well
• Seamus saved so he took 4 points of cold damage
• Flit saved as well, taking 8 points
• Seamus, with a natural 20, hit a large wolf for 16, then 8 points
• Flint missed twice, with charisma
• Kyril charmed them and they made peace with us

The wolves allowed us to enter the plug-ugly edifice. They said a small, cold lizard worked with the ogres, while a big one lay underground.