Murland Beetlebrow
The Rescue: Turns into a bit of a slog...
After putting the tentacled troll to bed (damn it, Tuath!), we staggered back down the hall and up the stairs into the observatory. We shut the door at the bottom of the steps. Probably should have spiked that sucker shut--something to put on the growing checklist for Next Time.
Ermengard was still in the corner by the desk, and still out. Oz apparently packs quite the punch. We settled in for rest.
Just before our rest finished, a troll opened the door and climbed the steps, and breathed a frosty cone of doom on us. Did we not set a watch?
That was some intense cold! Everything started to go black there for a minute, and then Tuath was stuffing a goodberry in my mouth. I started blasting the troll with fire. One of my spells went a bit wobbly. This happens occassionally for reasons I don't yet understand. It is hard to describe to a non-magic user, but the feel of the spell is off as the spell launches. If I don't try and reshape it as it launches, something bad usually happens. Most of the time, I can fix it on launch, but sometimes that backfires as well, and usually worse. This did not seem to be the time to err on the side of caution, so I pushed a wee bit more power into fixing the spell, and was able to crisp the troll a bit. The dwarves tossed the troll towards the telescope, hoping the tentacles would hold it. They certainly tried, but the troll proved too strong. And another air elemental was summoned! It blasted Dash, and threw him across the room. Once again, we overcame the troll with fire, and beat the air elemental into non-existance.
Something very weird about this place. First, what are trolls doing wandering around in Emrics Hall, as Ermengard called it? Seems like a dangerous place to live if trolls are just wandering your hallways. I'd definitely ask for an reduction in rent. Second, who ever heard of a troll with tentacles? And third: cold breathing trolls? I'm beginning to think that Emric might have been performing some sort of sorcerous cross-breeding program. The berowls (owl bears?) might be evidence of this as well.
Also, whoever laid the spells down on the telescope must have been pretty powerful. Maybe he left some scrolls or a spellbook or two laying about.
We patched ourselves up after the battle, and voted to keep exploring. I'm out of spells, but waiting for another rest seems counterproductive, since we are supposed to be rescuing Solomon and my friends. Before leaving, we again checked Ermengard, and discovered she was no longer tied up. This seemed quite odd, given that she is still unconscious. Maybe she is faking? Anyway, we retied her, and Tuath took special care with the knots, even delivering a short lecture on the subject. There was some eye-rolling from the Dwarven contingent.
Tuath spotted a glow out the open end of the observatory, and everyone went down into the bird room to get a better view out the window. Some lights where seen in the forest. Tuath, Oz and Dash were able to make out that they appeared to be human, and where coming and going from the door below. Some voted to climb down and attack, I suggested we try speaking with them through the window, and others wanted to try to find a path to the front door and surprise them. While we dithered, they completed their mission and departed.
This explains the signs of heavy traffic we noted below, leading to what we presume is an winch or elevator of some sort. Were they making a delivery? Picking up cargo? Checking that Emric had left his door locked? And why at night? If we make it back to Phanlyn, we should ask around and see if anyone has gone missing. Got a bad feeling.
We proceeded back down the hallway, making a cursory examination of the rooms we had investigated before, just to make sure nothing flanked us. They all appeared empty. We did not tempt fate in the kitchen--there may be more fire elementals lurking in that fireplace.
West from the room of the Cthulu troll, as Baric has named it, there is a cave. It did not appear to have been tunneled into the built section. It appears the built section antedates the cave. Probably could have asked Oz or Dash for a definite appraisal of the situation.
In the center of the cave, there was a pit. At Baric's suggestion, I used my mage hand cantrip to lower a torch into the pit. Two reddish, mishappen lumps of flesh surged out and attacked us. They spit some disgusting spew which temporarily blinded Dash and I, but despite that we slew them quickly. Rummaging around in the bottom of the pit with mage hand, we found some coins. After we've found Solomon and friends, we can come back and do a proper search.
Several tunnels exited the cave. The one to the west ended in a staircase. The one to the east opened into a large room...and several trolls. One ran, and one attacked. With freezing breath. Again.
Once again, we struggled to get enough fire on the creature to kill it. Once again, we are standing over a smoldering troll corpse, breathing heavily, wounded, and low on spells.
This rescue is really turning into a depressing slog through a never-ending army of trolls.
The Rescue: Battling the elements
While we were taking a breather in the owlbear cave, Baric asked if anyone remembered where we parked the mule. Kind of an odd thing to misplace, right? Threw me for a loop--I'm not really sure where we left the damn animal. This question eventually lead to an argument about where the chest we found in Axeholm had been left. Things started to get pretty heated until Oz revealed he'd been lugging the damn thing about all this time. Somehow none of us geniuses noticed that.
For safe keeping, we buried the chest in one of the owlbear nests. Let's hope we don't forget it.
We spread back out into the forest, and investigated the cliff face from the shade of the trees, where we would hopefully not be seen. Tuath can't be seen in the woods---that elf just disappears everytime he's anywhere near something green. The rest of us just tried really hard to blend.
After poking our heads in a hole at the far end of the canyon, we determined that it was too small to fight in, and likely the lair of something with far too many legs. After that, we found a door near the middle of the cliff. It was near the icy overhang, and the door was iced up. Tuath fiddled with the lock, but was unable to open it. Rather than have the dwarves smash it to kindling, we decided on a more subtle approach.
There was a window nearby about 20 feet above us. Oz climbed up and peeked in. After a bit he came down and reported that there was a female dwarf up in a room with some caged birds. A plan was made to send Oz and Dash back up: Oz would enter the room and talk to the woman, and Dash would drop a rope for everyone to climb up. Simple, right? What could go wrong?
Things went wrong almost immediately. There was some delay in getting the rope down, so everyone just climbed up. I shrugged and followed. Dash was standing by the window with a rope when I climbed in, looking confused.
Inside the room, Oz had the female dwarf on the ground and was wrestling with her. She was putting up a bit of a struggle. I didn't know if we should be embarrased to be witnessing dwarvish affection, or if this was a real fight. One of the cages was open, and birds were flying about, some exiting through the window. I went over to see if I could help, and somehow ended up getting them tangled up in my rope.
Dash came over, said a few words to her in Dwarvish, and we tried to get some sense out of her. She told us her name was Ermangard, and that this was Emric's Hall. She also told us that she took care of the birds. Oh, and some warning about how our time here was short, and we should leave. She was either in a state of shock, or possibly mentally enfeebled in some way. Oz knocked her out and we tied her up.
In retrospect, entering through the window might be construed as breaking and entering. Can't help thinking Elspeth could've handled this with a wee bit more discretion.
Out the door, a hallway extended back into the mountain. Directly across from the door, a staircase led up. We went up, into a room that was only partially roofed. At the open end of the room, a telescope peered out at the sky.
Baric headed over to the telescope to investigate, and black tentacles sprouted from the floor and seized him. The air near the telescope became a whirling tornado. Oz rushed straight towards the cyclone, and tentacles sprouted and seized him as well. The cyclone started slamming people around. I hurled a flaming orb at it, but it missed. I tried again, and flubbed it, leaving just an odor of ozone. Having recently expanded my magical capacity, I knew I had one more shot in me, but for some reason the power was blocked. Very odd---that's never happened before. Unfortunately, the middle of a melee is not the time to be wondering about the mechanics of magic, so I was reduced to plinking at the elemental with my firebolt cantrip.
Dash and Oz and Baric took some damage, but managed to beat the cyclone into..well, non-existence. Staying well away from the telescope, we searched the room. The desk contained some papers with records of astronomical events, including some interesting information about meteors falling to earth. Knowing how to read has its benefits. Interesting---I wonder if that chest of metallic power we found in the owlbear nests is from a meteor? But what would it be doing out there in a cave with owlbears?
From the dust and other clues, this room looked to have been untouched for at least several months, and possibly longer.
We moved Ermengard to the corner of the observatory room by the desk. Hopefully we won't lose her like we did the mule.
Down the stairs and to the left we found the kitchen. Things looked normal. There was a pot bubbling away in the fireplace. Tuath went to investigate the pot, and a spout of flame surged into the room and attacked us. Since I still hadn't figured out what was blocking my magic, I had nothing to contribute other than throwing my waterskin at the flame creature, and then falling back to my crossbow. Tuath apparently took advantage of the melee to settle a score with Oz, but I'm not really sure what that was about. We beat the fire elemental into, well, ash.
Something odd about this place. It has a feeling of abandonment, but the elementals were surely put here to do work by someone with magical skill. Could that be this Emric? Or has the master of this place left? The dusty observatory would seem to indicate that he has at least found a new hobby.
Found some empty rooms. Oz found a stuffed owl. And then...
Another stinking troll! This one with tentacles on its face, which it used to squeeze the heads of Oz and Dash. And damn, it was a hard to put down, even though we knew what to do this time. Tuath disappeared during the fight for a bit. This would have been the time to use a flaming chromatic orb, but I still hadn't had time to resolve whatever issue was preventing my magic from flowing. Fortunately I could still plink away with firebolt. Unfortunately, I kept missing. Probably worrying about the other problem screwed up my aim. Tuath reappeared carrying a blanket or something, and hurled it on the troll. Eventually we got it lit and put the creature down. Tuath also attacked it with puns. Not sure how much damage that did, but they did get annoying after awhile.
I really wish I'd picked up more than two vials of oil before we left Phanlyn. Definately going to be carrying more in the future. Some Alchemist's fire would be useful as well.
So: a strangely empty hall, possibly belonging to one Emric. Or maybe taken over by Emric? That abandoned observatory seems odd.
And as yet, no sign of my friends Solomon, Elspeth and Dergal.
The Rescue continues, and things are looking up.
Where were we? Oh, yeah:
Things are looking grim for us. Maybe I'll be seeing Solomon, Dergal and Elspeth soon after all...
One of these creatures seems to finally be dead. Enough fire seems to prevent whatever regenerative powers they have. However, the other has just staggered back to its feet to swing at Dash and Oz. They promptly hack it back to pieces, but it begins struggling to its feet again.
I realize I'm mad. I'm mad at myself for letting Solomon, Dergal and Elspeth get taken, and probably killed. I'm at at these creatures for wasting valuable time. So without thinking about it, I summon a ball of fire and hurl it at the creature. Before I know it, I've hurled a second, and the creature is blasted to burning bits.
I should feel better about successfully managing the spell, but all I can really think about is why the hell didn't I use this spell the night the creatures attacked us.
Baric takes some time to heal the Dwarves, and attend to some lingering medical issues apparently related to diseased vermin they had encountered.
Afterwards, we cautiously entered the cave and searched it. It is tall and quite deep; the troll lair was 200' back in the cave. A decision was made to spend the night in the apparent safety of the cave.
All seemed well until the night was shattered by a screaming dwarvish voice. I jerk awake. Footsteps are heard in the cave: a fast patter of small feet, which must be Oz, and a steady thump thump of something much larger. Oz is screaming bloody murder.
It seems we are about to get into another fight. This seems an appropriate time for my harden skin spell, which may be of some use to Dash, who seems to attract a lot of damage. Even in this dire situation, there is some jocularity regarding the spells name, which will henceforth be called 'pebbleskin'.
As it turns out, Dash barely had time to close with the creature before it was slain.
In the morning, we set out to hike back to the camp. Tuath went ahead, sliding through the forest like a ghost, with the rest of us tramping a hopefully discreet distance behind. Our plan was based on the evidence we found yesterday morning: the smoldering remains of a campfire, and a heavily used wagon track. We planned to rise early and try and intercept any traffic through the camp, but we found it empty. Either we missed the morning traffic, or they do not run on a daily schedule. Once again, we backtracked to a spot on the cliff that seemed easier to ascend, and far enough from the camp not to alert anyone on the cliff above while we are ascending.
All this damn walking. Might be time to invest in some horses.
At the top of the cliff we find a forrested shelf. At the back of the shelf, the mountains continue their rise to the sky. While the rest of us wait at the edge, Tuath disappeared into the woods to scout. He reported back that there was ice, possibly a glacier, hanging over the shelf to the north, and a cave to the south. Wary now of caves, and not wanting to leave our flank or rear exposed to the unknown, and specifically trolls, we decide to proceed carefully along the cliff to the cave. Tuath went in first, and surprised a strange creature that was nesting there. We rushed in to the attack, and a second creature rushed at us.
Despite Tuath and Baric being out of order at the front, we managed to slay the creatures without the near death of half the party. I'd call that progress.
The creatures were an improbable hybrid of owls and bears, which really makes one wonder. How do these things come to be? Is this the result of some mad god having a joke at our expense? Or did these creatures escape from some crazed wizards menagerie? For that matter, how does one hybridize owls and bears? I mean, bears are mammals, and owls lay eggs, right? It just doesn't seem possible. And yet, there they lie. Hmmm.
In the nests, we found a sizeable amount of silver, some 400 pieces in all once we'd raked it all out. We also found some gemstones, a very nice chest full of some powered metal, and a silver wand tipped with a claw. Baric cast a ritual detect magic, and declared it non-magic, although perhaps the wand had the faintest hint of magical residue.
The Rescue Begins--and almost ends.
This crew is organized. Baric, in particular, seems very concerned about following procedure. While I can see the wisdom in most of his suggestins, it is slowing down the rescue quite a bit. Before leaving to find the rest of my party, we had to clear the fortress. Then it was necessary to find a new exit so we did not have to leave the portcullis up and the fortress open. Granted, I didn't help things in the case, as my blast collapsed a number of chimneys. Still, I'm worried about Solomon, Dergal and Elspeth. Time is precious.
After some searching, a likely open chimney was found on the upper level. Tuath and Oz volunteered to attempt a climb out of the chimney. They let the rest of us and the surviving pack animal out through the portcullis, which they then closed behind us.
While waiting for them to climb out and rejoin us, we took the opportunity to look at my pursuers more carefully. They are humanoid, wear no clothing, have claws, and no eyes. No eyes? How the hell did they follow me? Scent? Hearing?
Eventually Tuath and Oz rejoined us. I proceeded to lead them back down the mountain towards the camp where the attack occurred. Tuath was able to read the tracks the creatures and I had left, and noted that twice other creatures had joined the pursuit at various points along the way. I don't recall hearing the creatures making noise during the pursuit, but perhaps I couldn't hear it. How else could they have summoned reinforcements? Guess we should just be thankful no more have come looking for their buddies...yet.
About 7 miles down the track we came to the wooded area where my friends and I had camped. Further than I had thought; that was an epic retreat up the trail in the dark. Sometimes I surprise even myself!
Tuath nosed around the camp a bit, and then led us back along the track of the creatures and up another mountain valley. The valley ended in a steep box canyon. From the tree line, we could see a fissure in the cliff ahead of us, but the tracks continued along the edge of the forest towards a faint bit of smoke. Following the path towards the smoke, we arrived at what appeared to be a small camp.
The camp consisted of a shed, a couple hitching posts for horses, and some empty crates. The remains of a fire are smoldering, producing the thin stream of smoke we spied earlier. While searching the camp, we found a pile of armor, which certainly looked like the armor worn by Solomon and Dergal. There was some blood on the armor, but that might have been from fighting the creatures. Or so I told myself. Strange that they would willing shed their armor, and stranger yet that it would be abandoned in the woods. I fear we may be too late. Damn it, I should have circled back and helped them. But I was almost caught myself, and if I had stayed, I would have met the same fate as my comrades. I should have used my larger fire spell; maybe that would have made a difference. I ran a finger over the scarred flesh on my face. Most likely, I'd just have blown myself up.
The shed contained barrels of what appeared to be ale. Dash sampled some, and had a strange reaction. Baric used a spell to attempt to counter any effects of the ale.
A well-used wagon trail leads into the camp. A foot path leads out. We follow the footpath to a dead end against the cliff wall. It would appear that things are hauled up the cliff by a lift--why else would the trail end here?
After some discussion, we decided to backtrack to the fissure, where climbing might be easier. That's a couple miles back down the valley. Tuath seems at home in the woods, but all this trudging around and backtracking is tedious and frustrating to me. Tracking the creatures is taking way too long. Solomon, Dergal and Elspeth are probably dead. I've failed them again.
As we approach the fissure, we can see that it is a tall cave in the cliff. Just outside the cave are a couple of large, greenish creatures. They see see us and charge. And they are fast!
Before I realize what is happening, the dwarves are in a bad way. Baric is out of the action, and Dash is down. Tuath pulls Baric back and revives him. Baric is able to heal Dash.
These creatures seem to get back up after being slain. Fire is called for, and I fish my two flasks of oil out at lob them at the nearest creature using mage hand, and then fish out my torches.
Things are looking grim for us. Maybe I'll be seeing Solomon, Dergal and Elspeth soon after all...
And things where going so well!
After installing Don-Jon Raskin at the Moutain Toe Gold Mine, we were enjoying some well-earned downtime in Phanlyn. Dergal, Elspeth and I were drinking and swapping old lies when Solomon returned from settling accounts with Harbin.
"Pack it up, friends. Got a new job. Seems Harbin sent that other party to an old dwarven fortress. Place called Axeholm. He's worried they might need help, and we are the calvary."
Fortunately, Harbin had supplied us with a map, which cheered me up. I didn't relish the prospect of trudging around in the woods for days, swatting insects and getting rained on. I like my environs civilized--and although I still have my doubts about Phanlyn, one can at least find passable ale and a warm fire there. Not that I dislike the natural world--I find it fascinating and beautiful, but more so if I can step inside when it gets brisk or wet. Although I do like mountains. All that stone seems comforting. Stone is a proper building material, bones of the earth. Since I was little I've been fascinated with stones: the different types: layered, amorphous, soft to hard, damn near every color you can imagine. I suppose that's what first lead me to finding my ability to summon magical energy. An oddly lumpy but smooth greenish stone that I've carried ever since the day... Well, maybe some other time.
We'd been on the road for a couple of days, and according to the map, would probably reach Axeholm by mid-morning the next day. Elspeth spied a couple of large boulders near the edge of a woody area, and we decided to camp there for the night. We had a roaring fire going quickly. The boulders were a jumble of stones about the size of large wagons. All that heat reflecting off the stone was nice and toasty. Almost like being at the inn.
I drew the short straw and took first watch, which was uneventful. Dergal had next watch; I woke him and then wrapped myself in my cloak near the fire, leaned back against the warm stone, and was soon fast asleep.
Sometime in the night, I woke. Dergal was still sitting by the fire, his sword across his knees. The fire had burned down to a robust bed of coals and one log that Dergal has been feeding in slowly, which was sufficient to light the immediate camp. I had a pressing need to take a piss, and muttered something to that effect to Dergal as I stumbled out of the firelight. Another annoying thing about the out-of-doors: No chamber pots. So there I am, leaning up against a tree, watering the local flora, when something moves in the corner of my eye. Quiet, quick. More than one. Behind me I hear Dergal shout an alarm, and then the sound of his sword biting deep into some unfortunate.
I grip my focus and summon light.
There are a bunch of them. They appear humanoid, although there is something odd about their faces. Blank, or at least emotionless. Several of them have Solomon and Elspetch subdued, and a few more have surrounded Dergal, who is trying to keep them at a distance so he isn't buried while he hacks away. The rest, and it certainly seems to be a lot, are turning to look at *me*. I fire off a couple of fire bolts, and then they are almost on me. I can't fight them all, but maybe I can pick them off on the run, and circle back to help the others. Hopefully Dergal can hang on till then.
I recall the path not being far from camp, so I turn and sprint through the woods in that direction. It seems to be further than I recall, and I can hear my pursuers behind me. Suddenly I stumble clear of the trees--I'm on the path. Without slowing, I start charging uphill. I've outdistanced my pursuers, so I try my new trick: quaking the ground. This only works when there is sufficient stone present, and the path is rocky. I managed to throw a few off the path, but the rest are gaining on me, so I sprint uphill again. It seems this goes on for a long time, but suddenly I'm at Axeholm. I'm exhausted, and they are still pursuing me. My original plan seems ridiculously optimistic at this point. I'm backing up towards the entrance. I saw a portcullis back there, and it was down. No hope from the quarter. They've got me trapped. Despite the exhaustion and the fear, I'm angry. Really angry. These creatures need to pay for what they've done to Solomon, Dergal and Elspeth. I reach deep for the power, and try to make the earth shake them off its surface. There is a tremendous CRACK and a rumble, and then a whistling sound above me and I know this is the end. I've expended a huge amount of energy, and the darkness comes roaring in from the edges of my vision until everything is black.
I'm confused: I thought I died? Something must've bounced off my head, because I feel somewhat queasy, my ears are ringing, and I see a light. I get up on my hands and knees. I'm not in pain, in fact, I'm rapidly feeling much better. I should be dead. There seems to be a lot of rubble around. In fact, as I stand and look, there is quite a pile just in front of me.
Someone is shouting at me. The light is coming from an opening in the fortress above me, and it seems I'm being threatened. I obey the voice and raise my hands. I try to explain what just happened, but I'm still a bit confused about it myself. If this is Axeholm, are these the people we were coming to help? Huh. Well, the boot is clearly on the other foot now.
After some negotiations, the portcullis is opened and I meet the party face to face. I'd met them before at the Mountain Toe Gold Mine, which is useful, as I'm able to establish that I'm not a threat fairly quickly, despite the mess I've made at the front entrance. There is some evidence of cracking in the fortress itself near the entrance, and I've evidently collapsed the chimney they had used to enter the fortress. A collapse has also killed one of their pack animals, but their elven ranger simply set to work butchering the carcass.
They are reluctant to leave the portcullis up, so a search for a new exit ensues. In the search, we are beset by swarms of stinging flying insects (did I mention I hate swatting insects?). I crisp a few. Upstairs from the main hall, a terrifying visage of a elven woman assaults us, but we are able to overcome her. After another flurry of insects, we discover a unblocked chimney, and beyond it, a secret room with a chest. Baric produces a signet ring he found downstairs which matches an indentation on the chest. Fearing a trap, he wants me to use mage hand to open the chest. The signet ring opens the chest. There is no trap, but an nice helm and some gauntlets, which the dwarf Balderdash claims.
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