One of the players had a holy symbol taken from him at a bad wandering monster check with a dragon in the first 10 sessions with this group back in 2017. Today, he revisited that dragon and arranged to get his symbol back. :)
Follows:
By 5 Am the party was up. The weather was dry, but cold. Wind was coming up from the southwest promising a biting chill for us. Gryg referred to the map often as we left the main road and made our way into the wild mountains of the Moratian Range. We travelled up and down various paths and stretches, the sun climbing higher into the sky. The dwarves in the party occasionally called out the various heights we were above sea level and many times we were trudging up and down rough terrain, 3, 4 thousand feet up but still staying on what roadways the Thakian dwarves had carved into the hinterlands.
By the time 12:30 came and we stopped to rest, Eoghan’s legs had been cramping up. The ranger was curt, rubbing his shins and thighs. Connal tried to help him out, coaxing him to get up and stretch but was rudely rebuffed, Eoghan grumbling as he sat with Grin and ate his rations in poor peace. By 1 PM we were up and pressing on. Gryg was feeling pretty good, guiding us around places where the paths split. Eventually we found ourselves subject to much of the mountains winds. Connal refilled the skein again and the group linked up to cross a pass of stone some 300’ or so in length between two adjoining cliffs.
Once safely across we were on the north end of that mountain and out of the wind. Our reserves were spent and it was time to find somewhere to rest. Gryg and Wilhelm managed to find a cave for us to stay in. It was a hollow in the rock with more than enough of an overhang to keep the weather out as well as gird whatever light we had. We got more than enough dried brush and fallen branches to keep a fire going, and Dizzy supplied a 5# base of the coal we had gotten from House Darbeard as the heart of the fire.
We were tired, Eoghan the most. We laid out bedrolls and blankets. Dizzy heated up a shirt and had the ranger wrap his legs with it. Watches were set and the party drifted off to sleep. At some point there might have been dwarven voices in the ranges above where we were camped, but the distance and obscured cave made sure that they didn’t find us and moved on.
The morning moved on, more cold air. A few Endure Elements were handed out to make the travel less overwhelming. Somewhere after 9 AM, Wilhelm’s mountain lion grew anxious at something ahead. A Speak with animals followed and Wilhelm gave Frontari (yes, he named his mountain lion after Dizzy’s mother’s boyfriend) orders to go and take a look and then come back. Grin went with him, the two of them doing their best to stay out of sight.
We waited and then heard a roaring and calling. Giant voices. And coming fast. Frontari and Grin were first and we gathered that we had company. We ran back down the path around the next turn and then raced up the side of the mountain to the trees there. Once in place, Dizzy called out a summoning and a hobgoblin appeared. He ordered it to run back and it took off – just ahead of 2..3..5 fomorian giants! Damn. They chased after the hobgoblin and eventually knocked it off the mountain with some thrown stones. They then argued a bit and decided to go into the ravine to find it and eat it.
We moved on from here. The day moved to after noon and later in the day arrived at Fingelt…Stoutbelly mine. The guards waited for us and then they got Wharen Stoutbelly. We came in (they were sad we had no mail) and looked around. Dizzy and Connal had been here over a year ago and could see some changes and fixes to the place. Money has been spent here. We explained we were passing through and Wharen confirmed kobolds were pretty heavy around the area, but they were safe enough here.
Welcome to stay, everyone works. They could either shovel the slag pile of peel potatoes. We split the duties and fit in. Dinner came and we ate, sharing with the locals working here some of our stories, trying not to go into the dangers we faced under the kobold attacks. Resting that night we were up early enough on the 26th and Wharen led us through the mines, down 5 levels, and then eventually out of the blast doors they had installed at the bottom to the ravine we had travelled though so long ago. We thanked him and wished him well.
It took us 3 or so hours of walking the uneven ground and steep deep ravine until we came to the cave maybe 30’ above the ravine floor. We climbed up – 14’ tall, 30’ tall – odd smell from within. We proceeded with care. The dwarves could tell there was a faint slope (5 degrees), going in. It was almost 100’ to the 1st split and we listened, opting to go west. Then another 100’ feet in the dark to another split and we went right this time. Then it was over 100’ to a huge cavern.
A few hundred feet in diameter, 60 to 80’ tall. Crystals and gypsum abounded. Pools of hot steaming burning water. A 70’ long copper dragon was sleeping on a loose hoard of treasure. A wall was behind him with 2 or 3 dozen assorted busts, necklaces, and symbols upon it. We tried to attract the dragon’s attention and it took a few calls before it awoke. Gems, coins, and rocks fell from its huge horse sized head as it turned to look at us. “Who are you and what do you want?”
Heroditis (as its name it had given to us) talked to us for a while. He remembered Dizzy and was willing to be entertained at our request to get the holy symbol back. He offered up the earrings, eventually the dragon agreeing. We talked about its time, getting a brief glimpse on what dragons do and their place in the scheme of things. He did not know of the Terror dungeon and was dismayed to learn about Grues – he and his other dragons eradicated them over a century earlier – they have no place here and if left unchecked can wipe out a decent sized province in a short while.
Then we talked about the dungeon, showed it a copy of the rune stone, and were surprised when it transformed itself into a human with an inrushing of exploding air. He suspected that mountain dwarves, the Gorokian empire, might be involved in the dungeon as it doesn’t make any sense. Also, where was it? And more importantly – when was it. Heroditis let us know that the amulet didn’t just let them into the terror dungeon, but it also brought them to a particular time. Some 200 years ago.
They gave us a bit of concern and answered a few questions about our thoughts of the cosmology of the dungeon. Heroditis wanted a little something from everyone, as a token of appreciation of his time. Something interesting, religious even. One by one we traded various items to the dragon and it came up in casual conversation about the Sovereign Lands and the kings there.
And then we mention Lord Emberwine and how the dragon was a sovereign as well. And was most likely still there and stuck in his kingdom/prison. And this got Heroditis very interested. He transformed back to a dragon, told the group thanks, and wished them well. Then he went to the cave entrance and flew up and away.
Most likely to go to Emberwine’s 4 or 5 year abandoned dragon’s lair hidden somewhere – and now open to another dragon who might know exactly where to go.
We felt pretty good and made our way towards the entrance, it was 11:15 Am on the 26th and we were a good 2 days or so from Thak at least.
No comments:
Post a Comment