The group started in a dwarven hall, long abandoned, having recently held the presence of a large Blue Drake – Charonatar the Dread – who departed after they opened the gate for it (while torching Parallax & [Name Unconfirmed]).
Things found:
The Runes on the Gate, Arcana showed that the runes were tuned to go off in the event of not using the pass phrase
Further Inspection showed that they are also tuned specifically towards a few species of enmity of the dwarves, Dragons, Orcs, and the like.
Nest of Charonatar the Dread‘s nest, really nothing more than a large circle of dust in the back corner of the hall.
Insight – The rats and other random beast carcasses near the door seem to have been placed more for blocking of drafts than for actual waste or feeding, as nearly all are fully intact.
History / Animal Handling – Dragons don’t need to eat to survive.
Dwarven Halls,
Elsewhere in the keep, we didn’t find a large of amount of goods or anything of interest to loot. The Keep itself is quite small, with little else apart from a few dormitories, offices and a small forge.
There was a ledger left on a desk in an office, someone’s attempt at leaving behind an account for anyone coming after them, but apart from messages about dwindling rates of ore coming from the nearby mines, and plans to relocate, there is little of interest to be found within.
Except, upon further review by Senko, there was a small coded message on one of the last panels, it seemed to refer to a location in the main Hall, nearby to one of the pillars.
Finding a stone on the wall that is loose. When pushed further, the stone starts to slide across to reveal a small chamber chiselled out from it.
Senko felt a small wire pull tight as he opened the panel, and was able to unlatch the trigger and open the chamber fully. Combining their Arcana skills later, the guys would determine that was a Chain Lightning Spell Trap, that probably would have finished off the party.
Within was revealed a small treasure trove for an adventurer, a small dagger with a silvery edge, three arrows with bright yellow fletching, a vial of some silvery liquid, a bottle of Grease, and what appears to be 2x potions of healing from their labels
The party was able to identify every item via detection rolls, as below.
Cache Loot:
- A small dagger with a silvery edge – great for managing undead with resistance to normal damages.
- Three arrows with bright yellow fletching, the feathers of the Callipis Canary is known to be used for the crafting of simple arrows beyond that of mundane means. (3x Arrows +1)
- A vial of some silvery liquid, known to be a Potion of Speed
- A bottle of Grease,
- What appears to be 2x potions of healing (labelled)
The Dwarven Way Entrance, noted in several locations in both Dwarven and Undercommon on signs, the Entrance to the ways can be found at the back of the halls, near the mines.
The Entrance has been partially collapsed by a cave in, but has plenty of room at the top for a humanoid figure to fit through.
The Dwarven Way
On the other side of the cave in, they find what is effectively a rest stop.
On one wall is a large rectangular map, carved onto a plate of bronze that is probably 8ft across by 4ft tall.
On it, are shown a number of settlements, and the paths that cross the earth between them, along with notations near certain landmarks and cautions.
Unfortunately, most of these notations are written in dwarvish, however the major towns do have their names also noted in undercommon in brackets and italics. Some of those shown in the local region are SkyShaft, Hammercrack, and luckily, the next destination, Kharak Lohdar.
The Way Ahead shows a small Underfort on the way, although it is set away from the main pass and could probably be bypassed if they wanted to. The Keep seems to be the connecting point of 3 converging paths, the keep you’re in, the one you’re headed to, and one from out to the west somewhere.
The only thing out west is the Waxing Wastes, and the Blood Raiders of Slerikek, so you can’t think of a good reason for there to be a tunnel going that way on the map…
But it could take us to Tangor…
The Cavern Bridge
A long, dimly lit, 60ft long, 5ft wide, stone bridge of terror lied before us. It was great!
The solution was simple: Use Senko as bait.
Parallax tied a rope to him, sent him on his way with a lantern. The Lantern’s light spooked a number of bats, which Senko dodged.
Realizing more must be coming, he dropped down to drive a piton into the ground, while Labrador sized Giant Bats sailed through the space he had just been in, just giving him a bit of a jostle.
Secured, the guys headed on wards, back into the tunnels of the Ways for two days of nervous
The UnderKarak
*A small Kharak, a guardhouse or way station, lies before you.*
*A once solid stone door lays on it side, open to all comers, from within the door you can see a flickering of fire or torchlight emerging. Perhaps an ancient flame, enchanted to stay lit, or perhaps a new friend to meet?*
We had the option to go around, but we wanted to see what was inside.
First Room
The first room was taken to be where a party was sleeping, as per the journal of Helmvor of the Flames, a local wizard.
He notes in recent entries that he was hired by another wizard along with a few other adventurers and local goblins to help defend him while a ritual was cast to reveal and unlock some ancient treasure.
With some deep Insight, Parallax proposed that Helmvor’s prose does suggest that he doesn’t quite believe this wizard, but some references to debts and ‘those looking for me’, which may suggest he doesn’t have a lot of options.
Some Flour and Booze and Bedrolls were found, determined roughly by species by the odor pouring from some.
- 5 Goblins
- 2 Bugbears
- 3 Humans
In one of the packs, some Oil of Sharpness was found, and applied to 5 of Senko’s arrows, making them +3 Magic Weapons for an hour
Second Room
The next room was a hero moment for Senko, sneaking open a door to an old shrine of some old forgotten deity, he saw four goblins.
Three seated and facing opposite towards the alter, the final gobbo is standing behind the altar, arms wide, as he proselytizes to those before him about the glory of the great god “Kallok, Oldest Flame of the Flamey Ones”, with his eyes shut tightly.
Senko snuck into the room, and started surgically taking Goblins out one by one, with rapier sneak attacks to the brain stem.
As the preacher finished his sermon, he opened his eyed to sight of Senko, ten feet away, aiming a hand crossbow at his face. As he died, the Goblin claimed he would have served Senko if he had asked.
Room Three – The Blood Wizard
Moments after the door is cracked open, you can hear a loud inhale of breath from across the room, followed by the words “I smell Scales, Silvered Steel and the blood of a Sennite. Ware the doorway, trouble arrives before us“
*In font of you is an ancient burial chamber, centered around a single large, latched, sarcophagus. Beyond it, is a man dressed in dripping red robes, standing between two altars covered in items and tomes. To either side of the room is three other humanoid figures, one in robes, and the other two wearing armour and bearing weapons and looking ready for a fight”
A sound of movement and snuffling is heard to one side of the door, revealing there might be more to this room than first expected (2 Bugbears)
The figure in the dripping red robes appears to be slightly hazy, as if something is either messing with the air or vision between you two.*
Within, a blood wizard was attempting to resurrect and free an ancient Vampire Lord of the Night Council of old. The fight begins as the whole party takes some form of Haste.
Parallax struck first, and Senko took put the flame wizard Helmvor down to 0hp on the first round, before pulling back and dropping grease in the doorway.
The lady barbarian charges headlong, as does a bugbear, the grease is ignited, and it got messy from thereon out. The Blood Wizard is nearly finished as the guys clean up the room, and some lightning breaths burn him out from the inside to clear the room.
Session was ended there prior to any looting or discovery, and Parallax and Senko push up to Level 5.