Khûm – Chapter 14

“Spring of 68, Second Age. Snowperch.
Damn good to see the Queen again. Reminds me why we’re even here in the first place. What the job is.
You see a woman like that – powerful woman, no mistake, the kind I wouldn’t mind sharing a drink and maybe a bed with – and you gotta ask yourself a question. What’s she got that five dragons couldn’t kill? How’re five dragons dead but she’s alive and eyein’ a sixth.
Nothing quite kills your stiffness than the realization that she’s alive because countless others died to make it so. Every step that one takes, queen or no, is on a mountain of the dead.
No different than us, I suppose, come to think on it.
Gotta hope the math works out on that, that one end of that dreadful scale – six dead dragons and hundreds of dead dwarves – don’t outweigh the other.”
– Beholder's Log, Hemson 55 68 2A

Dûnya Dragonbane was a statue – and not the only one. In a matter of moments, a fascinated Khosava Bracebow joined her. While Chimera staved away her petrification, Umber quite nearly succumbed, were it not for his mother's encouragement. Thanks to the quick thinking of Remorhaz, Nolqa Axebite was spared this fate too, vomiting up the poison thanks to a timely lesser restoration.
The Commander's Tent sensed foul play immediately. Griffon investigated the drinks, the cask and the vomit but found nothing amiss. Mouse snooped around the kitchen and beer cellar but, once again, found nothing out of the ordinary. Remorhaz spoke to the brewmaster, Qemral, who insisted the brew was simply pulled from the store and that none but he interacted with it.
Enter Brother Sorav. Umber lunged at him, his immediate suspicions confirmed by Remorhaz. The Mystriarchy priest was aghast and demanded to cast a spell, to check for poison. The mercenaries allowed him to but the spell revealed nothing. Before Brother Sorav would pontificate more about how the gods struck down Dûnya, Griffon seized him by the collar and dragged him from the room, headed for the courtyard.
While Umber and Chimera restrained the clanguard and Remorhaz conferred with Zazav Bracebow, Griffon – with Mouse trailing behind – dangled the cleric over the courtyard's dap – 100 feet to the mountain below. Here, scrabbling for his life, Griffon compelled the confession from him. He poisoned the queen, on orders from the Mystriarchy, and cast purify food and drink to remove the evidence. Hearing a sinister voice in his mind, Griffon dropped Brother Sorav to his death but was surprised when the cleric caught and dragged him with.
Only a quick thinking Mouse, rope at the ready, saved Griffon from a bloody end. Brother Sorav was not so fortunate, tumbling to the mountain below. Before Mouse could pull him to safety, a trio of clanguard burst into the chamber – followed by Griffon's companions. After a moment of tension, Remorhaz convinced Khevbor to summon the Warmaster while they retired to the Commons again. As they go, Griffon and Umber exploded into an argument, Griffon ready to receive judgment, Umber vowing to fight every dwarf in Snowperch before he'd let that happen.
While Remorhaz sought Gargoyle for a cure, the thane arrived, flanked by more clanguard, and quailed at the sight of his wife. Before anyone could stop him, he fled the Commons and headed for his chambers, pursued by Griffon. There was a cure, he declared, that Brother Sorav kept, claiming it would restore Zazav – but now he must use it on Khosava. Before he can locate it, Griffon found the vial first and, pursued by the clanguard, raced back to the Commons and Dûnya.
Remorhaz was disappointed to learn that Gargoyle was not capable to the task of restoring Dûnya but, according to Harpy, Yorgos of Nyre might have a solution. Back in the Commons, Chimer and Umber argued again – this time about Griffon's decision to take the fall for Brother's Sorav's murder. At that moment, Griffon dashed into the room, threw the cure – a vial of cocktrice antivenom – onto Dûnya and was feathered by the pursuant clanguard for his trouble.
The confrontation was quick but decisive. Umber lunged for a clanguard, seizing one by the throat and driving them to the ground. Remorhaz appeared behind the frantic thane, dagger at the throat, and suggested their surrender. It was Dûnya's, recovered from her petrification, that soothed Umber's rage. Mouse filled in the queen on everything that happened and she shared a doomful moment with the thane, warning him about what awaited him in three days time. Only the matter of Khosava remained and, against Chimera's wishes, Griffon and Umber agreed to speak with Yorgos about a cure.
Once all the excitement died down, Mouse made another attempt at the dwarven lock on their strongbox. This time successful, they opened the lid to reveal a blue dragon's egg.

Campaign: The Menagerie
Game Date: Hemson 55, 68 2A
Starting Point: Snowperch
Characters Present:

• Griffon
• Mouse
• Remorhaz
• Umber