12/6/22 - The Treasure Cave and the Council Room of the King
General Summary
The Treasure Cave of King Snurre?
The chamber to the west of the hydra’s lair is filled with stuff -- a pile of 2,800 cp, three mounds of worthless tapestries and furs, several dozen bales of valueless cloth, scores of various vessels and containers, and urns and vases of pewter and brass and bronze, plus ten urns of silver (worth 50 gp each) and two of gold (worth 500 gp each).
As the group moves further into the cavern, perhaps the real wealth in the room comes into view. Nearly twenty different containers—eight iron trunks, six smaller chests, and five even smaller coffers.
Liana's mage hand begins to open anything not locked. Locked, and Carth tries his skill with lock-picking, with some success. Where he doesn't succeed, there is the hammer of Bahgras.
A trap with a needle coated in the poison of a Purple Worm is avoided. A Clock and Boots of Elvinkind are found! A Coffer filled with six small, highly crafted, carved statues of unknown mineral and workmanship is opened. All register as desecrated objects to the scrutiny of Drop. Bahgras moves to smash one against the cavern wall, invoking a curse that makes him feel weak. After all containers are opened and treasure inventoried, Drop proceeds to use his connection with the divine to remove the curse on her friend.
<placeholder for Pic of idol>To the Hall!
Leaving the cave of treasures, the group find themselves in a dead end passage. Looking where the passage ends, Drop finds the outline of the door that King Snurre must have used to escape. But where did he go after that?
The heroes take the time to investigate the throne room. Two steps of white-veined black marble lead up to an area where the floor is of deep red polished stone, Between two pillars of polished obsidian sits a massive throne made of jet and black-and-white-banded onyx, the whole inlaid with various large gems. The walls are inlaid with colored stone laid out to show various scenes of victory by King Snurre over his foes. On the wall directly behind the throne is depicted the flaming skull which is Snurre’s own device, flanked by fire giants with clubs over their shoulders. The gems embedded in Snurre’s throne include twelve pieces of sard (worth 100 gp each), twelve fire opals (worth 250 gp each), and twelve rubies (500 gp each).
<placeholder for pic of King Snurre's skull symbol> Moving to a long hall running first northwest, then straight north, 20 feet in width, the fellows try to be stealthy. Magaruk takes a place behind a large pillar. Bahgras flattens against a wall. What's that coming from down the hall. First one, then two additional Fire Giants on patrol. The party makes ready, and the game is on!
Liana with Spells Ready
Magaruk fights the Fire Giant
As the group starts to feel confident, a group of eight gnolls swarm out of a side passage and attempt to overwhelm the front line.
Eight Gnolls Join the Battle
Obmi the Dwarf is rescued
After the battle, a sound is heard behind what appears to be a locked door. Once opened a dwarf standing by the door is revealed. He tells the group his name is Obmi and that the giants have held him for many years, trying to trick information out of him and to attempt to subvert hs loyalty to his clan. He further claims that several humans in black robes aided the giants in their questioning. He asks to be allowed his armor and weapons in order to gain sweet revenge upon Snurre, and the party aid him in this.
<placeholder for image of Obmi>Our champions ask him what is behind the only other door in the passage, to which he states that it is the Council Room of the King. When the doors are investigated, the back of a tapestry is seen. Behind this tapestry is indeed what looks to be a meeting room. A long table near the center of the room has five great chairs around it. Hides cover parts of the polished black floor. Rude tapestries adorn the walls and are also hung across the openings around the perimeter of the room. There are several torches in the place, but none are lit. Behind several of the tapestries, more hidden areas are found.
Within the alcove to the west is a table with a flat chest on it, locked. A map of the area around the stronghold hangs on the western wall. Two locked chests rest against the north and south walls. After unlocking, Liana's mage hand does the honors. Six poisoned arrows to shoot out. With none of the group in the alcove, the arrows strike the south wall and shatter. Unfortunately only rocks are found inside.
<placeholder for a pic of the box of rocks>Within the two additional chest more luck is to be had—the northern one filled is with 850 sp, the southern one holding 500 gp and six bone batons with Dwarvish runes upon them.
Six Bone Batons with Dwarvish Runes
When asked, Obmi reveals the runes say “Official Business on Behalf of King Snurre the Fearsome.”
Four extra chairs for the council table are stored in the alcove to the south, and a huge cabinet holds eighty-three scrolls and three hundred sixty-seven pieces of paper or parchment. Magaruk, the only party member who speaks Giant, looks through a sample of the scrolls. Most are general records of meetings, but one strangely reads “The fire giant of stone left and left elbow.” All look at each other wondering what this strange phrase might mean....
Rewards Granted
6 batons made of bone with dwarvish runes
Boots of Elven Kind
Cloak of Elven Kind
Ring of Protection
Potion of Supreme Healing
Character(s) interacted with
A Hydra
3 Fire Giants
A plethora of gnolls
Obmi the Dwarf
