Conquering the Barbarian Altanis: Session 71
Adventurers
| Character | Class | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Hagar the Hewer | Dwarf level 1 | Imagine Conan as dwarf. |
| Celeborn of Revelshire | Elf level 1 | Hails from a distant community led by an Ent. Also potentially the ugliest elf you've ever met. |
| Nolmbork | Dwarf level 1 | Portly, bald, red bearded, with an epic nose. On a mission to have a drink in every settlement in Wilderlands. |
Coldrain 6th, Airday
Leaving Derennan to take care of dead Barad, Hagar and Nolmbork took their orc prisoner to their two-story house. Into the cellar of course. There they were joined by Celeborn of Revelshire, an elf fluent in orcish.
Applying well know motivational techniques resulted in new intelligence. Alas, it was not information these adventurers were looking for!
The orc in questions was a war-priest whom has brought his clan to claim the dungeon they've captured him in. They arrived just before winter, and have been fighting the other “weaker” clan whom had allied with goblins. Supposedly there is a giant ruling on the lower levels, whom they wanted to impress and ally with.
The trio rested and returned to the den. They were committed to finding the source of Red Dragon.
Coldrain 8th, Earthday
Although Barbarian Alatanis is nowhere as cold as Valon, shorter days make it difficult to get far. Still, the party reached the familiar tree with poorly concealed pit next to it. Judging it might be safer to sleep in the dungeon, and that goblinoids surely sleep at night as well, the party pressed on.
The trio acted as a special force team, rapidly clearing room by room; listening at the doors whilst one would watch their back. West they went, west. First to the chamber where they left a mountain of rotting corpses. Then through the westernmost doors.
From there they kept exploring corridors, tiptoeing and paying special attention to any possible traps. The furthest corridor terminated in a t-shaped junction splitting in two long passageways. Nolmbork could smell wet soil coming from the south.
Exploring corridors they passed before, the party found staircase leading down as well as a set of double doors they decided to leave alone. Then they backtracked and explored a spiralling corridor. That one lead them to a plinth atop which two stone legs stood. It was obviously a demolished statue, bereft of anything else. Something was written on the plinth, but everything was scratched except first letter: S.
Hearing a distant tinkle sent the party packing. Once again the backtracked to the room with corpses. This time they went for easternmost doors. This led them to another sleeping chamber, if it was to judge from all the improvised bedrolls.
Pressing on, the trio forced they way through doors reinforced with iron bars, finding themselves in a long room with pillars. The floor was littered with bones, which in turn were caked with dust.
“I better check that one skeleton...” Hagar announced.
The dead lifted its hand to protect itself against the dwarf's hammer, but in vain. Four more skeletons joined the fray. Celeborn was brutally humiliated when one of them backhanded him like a small child. Party soon laid the dead to a more permanent form of rest.
Exploring the chamber further revealed a simple stone throne on the north side. Celeborn also picked up on one pillar having different patterns than others. Closer examination revealed a depression. Pressing it with a ten foot pole opened a secret chamber with scroll case and small metal box.
Elf took the scroll case, opened it with haste, and then unfurled three scrolls found within. He couldn't read any of them, even after casting Read Languages. Hagar the Curious took the small box, inspected it, and then pressed the latch. He instantly felt two pricks, one in each thumb. It hurt; it hurt a lot. Inside was a nice looking gold ring. Was it worth it? Only time will tell.
Bursting through north-west doors led into another corridor. Inching forward to the doors on the left wall, the party heard angry muttering sounds coming from west.
The dwarves decided to head south, through the door, while the elf really wanted to check what the muttering sounds were.
Stench of rot and decay: they found prison cells. Four of them to be exact. A naked, mutilated elven corpse; a corpse of fat man in late stages of decomposition; a beheaded goblin; and a corpse lying face down underneath soiled cot.
Investigating—and by that we mean smashing open—the nearby desk produced iron ring with four large keys. Nolmbork took them and unlocked the cell with facing down corpse. He strolled right in to check on it. The corpse leaped at him with surprising agility and force. It clawed and bit him, sending the dwarf straight to the ground. Hagar and Celeborn rushed to Nolmbork's aid, hacking the undead to death.
“He is still breathing! We must get out of here!”
Pushing south revealed a torture chamber; pushing further south led them into known territory; from there they went straight to exit. Dragging half-dead Nolmbork.
By now it was pitch-black outside. They carried the fallen dwarf to safety, rested, and headed to Hara with first ray of sun. Nolmbork regained his facilities, but was still badly hurt. In other words, he was hardly in marching condition.
In a rare flash of luck, the party stumbled on patrol from Hara whom had recognised Hagar. They offer to escort the bloodied trio to Hara; an offer which the party gladly accepted.
Discuss at Dragonsfoot forum.
Subscribe to get the latest post in your inbox. No spam.