Session 23 - A Sleeping Dragon?

General Summary

We decide to couch a hogshead since we need to heal up and for that we need Lilrie to recover her hit points. Digby generously gives the ring with the +15 OB to Brovar since this will help the party overall, and his performance recently belies his multiple patches. After waking we all feel refreshed and Lilrie heals Tripp several times.
After much debate about the DM’s twisted mental processes, we decide to try pattern number 7 again and as Digby steps on to it, it turns blue and we know we have got it right. Stepping on the last one releases everyone from the force fields, and in the center of the room a spiral staircase is revealed which leads downwards into darkness.
Baka takes out the Sun gem to light our way and we descend 500 feet into the rock into a room 30-foot across, and find a simple wooden door at the bottom. We are not yet at sea level, so should be safe from water. Tripp detects traps and as he puts a hand on it, the door moves, so he pushes it further. Going thru the doorway we enter a very large chamber and can see that the stone staircase is the central shaft of a dome cavern with the same dimensions as the dome above. This cavern has been hollowed out of solid rock to an almost mirror-smooth finish, a feat which is beyond our understanding. The walls are covered by an elaborate mosaic design which we will need to explore thoroughly. However, our attention is caught by the huge sculpture of a dragon which circles the whole room, its body length the circumference of the room, maybe 600 foot long with incisors over 8 foot long. The dragon sculpture was carved at the same time as the room, and the details of the scales are remarkable. The sockets of the eyes are empty and it looks like the gems that we found in Gulumi would fit them. But then what happens?
Looking at the mosaics, we can see that they must be by the same artist as those in Gulumi. In this case, instead of two different scenes, there is one huge scene, showing a barren desert with undulating dunes and rocky outcrops. There is one small area of detail, showing six humanoid figures approaching an unusual structure with two tall, slender towers, perhaps 200 feet apart, 80 to 100 foot tall, and at the midpoint between the towers is a smaller pyramid. Each tower has three doors facing the pyramid, one door at the bottom, one in the middle and one at the top, with no obvious way to reach them, even by climbing. At the top of the pyramid, balanced at the midpoint is a long platform, one end at the bottom of one tower, the other at the top of the other. There is no indication of the location, but given the scale of the desert, it is probably somewhere in The Waste. The figures in this mosaic are not wearing black cloaks with hoods as they were in the other dome with the giant. And there are no facial characteristics which help us identify them.
We search the room, but find no other details, and no other exits. Returning to the dragon, there is no indication as to which gem would fit which eye. So, who puts the gems into the dragon’s eyes? Tripp volunteers and enters the Sun gem into one of the eyes which glows slightly. Nothing else has changed in the room. He takes the Sun gem out and puts it into the other socket with the same result. He takes it out again and returns it to the first socket and then puts the Moon gem into the second socket. With baited breath we wait and after a little while the dragon’s mouth opens and we can see in the mouth an Oharith tablet and a brass coin. Digby is carrying coins and tablets 3 and 4. Sai Kyo is carrying 2, Brovar 1, so Baka picks up these. With one more location to go, and this Oharith tablet having 6 scratches, we believe that the full set of tablets is 6. We have almost completed our goal!
Just in case, we spend a couple of hours searching for secret locations, but find nothing, and so we head back up the stairs to the dome above. At the top we can see thru all the doors to the outside and can see it is a bright, sunny day. Avoiding all the patterns we leave the dome and Baka links with Riele who is circling the dome, asking her to see what is happening with The Cinder. As we reach the bridge it becomes clear that The Cinder is only 15 minutes out, sailing in our direction, pursued by two Soa’n ships with another sinking below the waves. The Cinder looks damaged, with one sail burned and in tatters. The other thing we see is two or three dozen Soa’n’s hiding in the vegetation on the other side of the bridge, many of them with bows. Looking down the stairs there do not seem to be any Soa’ns down there so we think we need to avoid a fight and head down that way quickly.
Digby and Baka cast Shield and Blur on themselves and Digby leads us across at a fast walking pace. A hail of arrows comes for Digby as Tripp stumbles, luckily saved from a fall by Baka. We can see The Cinder heading for the stairs – obviously some sharp-eyed elf has seen us. Brovar is hit by an arrow, taking minor damage, the same for Baka. Baka stumbles herself, clutching a vine, arresting her fall, and starts pulling herself back on the bridge. Tripp turns to help her as the chunk of stone to which the vine is attached gives way. As Tripp watches in horror, Baka tumbles off the bridge, her arms flailing, a scream coming on her lips. As she falls thru the air Riele transforms into giant form with a 60-foot wingspan, and swoops down towards her, wings tucked into her body. With perfect timing and coordination, she catches Baka mid-air, screeching in victory. Baka is terrified at first, but then swings her legs astride Riele’s neck, grabbing a fistful of feathers. This suddenly all feels so natural, as if she were born to ride the air. Seeing her friends in trouble below, she guides Riele at the Soa’ns near the bridge, forcing many to flee, as the rest realize their fate is sealed.
As the remaining members of the party reach the far side of the bridge, they feel the rush of wind as Riele swoops in to attack, picking up Soa’ns and hurling them into the sea below. They hurry down the stairs and are just in time to jump onto The Cinder as it closes in, with the two Soa’n ships in pursuit. As it turns out to sea again, we see two large elven ships coming towards us, and Ayla flies signals telling them to attack the Soa’ns, as she slips The Cinder between them. We are safe and Riele deposits Baka on The Cinder, who is a little disappointed as the feeling of flying was wondrous and felt completely natural to her. Riele then returns to normal size and settles on one of the masts.
So, where next? We remember Vassar talking about Baldar, his father, who served Sazmok IV. We also remember the half-complete mosaic designs, a dwarven smith at a forge, four cages with their doors open, an elven ship sailing with a giant hawk and a single figure on the deck, and a mechanical device, which looks like the machine we are searching for, labelled Sazmok’s device. Was it made by one of the current King’s ancestors?
After some discussion, Baka takes out the mirror and asks to be shown the sword of the Twins. After a moment, the mirror shows a throne room, with steps leading up to a dais, upon which is a large throne made of Ekrum, and a smaller one beside it. Behind the throne is a cabinet and we can see the broken pieces of a long sword, four in total. Baka cannot reach thru the mirror to take the sword as there are four pieces and it is behind glass. It is obvious from the size and the runes that this is a dwarven throne, and this is confirmed when we see a dwarven figure walking in front of it. This must be in the dwarven capital, Gorn Tharum, but why have they not fixed the sword?
We remember that Vassar told us about mosaics in the Iron Palace, showing a dwarven smith using the Forge of Vagamir. He doesn’t know where it is, but his father might. We definitely need to go there, to see all this, get the sword, reforge the Twins, and maybe find the Sazmok device.
Ayla tells us that an Orcish fleet has invaded Paleran, so it is probably not a good idea to go there, which is disappointing as we want to re-equip. We wonder what is driving the Orcs to band together at both Sunom and Paleran – it is a worrying sign. Instead, we ask Ayla to sail us to Akdzakd, the last location indicated by the parchment which Ecaeris gave us. She is willing to take us there and believes she can minimize the risks of sailing into the Gulf of Galash.

Kitty

• Session start – minus 80 gold!
• Income – none
• Expenses – none
• Session end – minus 80 gold!

Report Date

18 Jun 2021