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The Troll mess was cleaned up, and we continued to the north.
Navero, male human cleric, 5th level
Dania, female 1/2-elf MU, 4th level
Kortul, male human fighter, 5th level
Kory, male elf bard, 4th level
Topash, male elf druid, 4th level
Meth, male ? thief, 3rd level
Norrin, male 1/2-elf ranger, 6th level
There was a ledge on the northern side of the bridge, widened to
permit safe travel. The ledge ran east from the bridge. There was a
large entrance there before us, and a door at the far estern end. The
door seemed the best place to start, so we quietly walked down to it
and listened. No sound came from beyond, so we opened it a crack to
reveal a small dark tunnel leading downwards. Navero lit a lantern
and we went down, Norrin in the lead.
The tunnel went sharply downwards, occasionally so sharply that
steps had been carved out of the stone. We surmised that this
probably led down into the mines themselves; there were many noises
echoing up from down below, most of them shouting and clanking. It
sounded like a large battle was taking place.
Norrin: "Very strange. Do you think they're under attack from below?"
Dania: "They should worry about attack from above."
Topash: "They may not, if they think the dwarves are helpless."
Navero: "But they aren't, they called for help from us. Oh, I heard
that the races who live down there don't, uh, cooperate much."
Dania: "Yeah. They may not think the dwarves would get any help."
Kory: "Now how much do you think we can count on that?"
Kortul: "Hmph."
Norrin: "Well, whoever has the charming item won't be down there.
They'll be up here, where it would be useful. Let us go back and
look elsewhere."
We went back west, then continued north from the bridge. This
led to a large, natural-looking cavern with a flattened-out floor.
There had once been a storeroom here, but it was mostly cleaned out.
Several entrances branched off in all directions. We went north.
The northern tunnel wound irregularly, obviously a natural gap that
had been widened some. Also, the ceiling was only 6 feet high, so most of
us had to stoop. We went generally northwards for about 40 feet, until the
tunnel opened out into a room. Inside, we saw several small humanoids lying
peacefully on the floor; they looked like Kobolds or Goblins, and looked
dead. We shot one with an arrow; they were indeed dead. We decided they
weren't worth looking at, and went back.
The other enterances from the storeroom led to other looted
rooms; a couple had Gnolls or Bugbears or things camped in them
asleep, but we didn't bother them. We decided to go look back south
in the Dwarvish town. We walked back to the bridge and southwards
into the town. As we passed the first building, we saw two dwarves
sitting in the doorway; they were armed with a knife and a hand axe,
respectably. They did not leap to attack, but just sat there with
blank looks on their faces.
Dania: "Watch it, they'll surround us."
Kory: "Right. All both of them."
Dania: "There are more down here, idiot! And they're charmed slaves.
They'll all do exactly as they're told."
Topash: "Oh, you dwarves there; were you told to attack elves?"
Dwarf 1: "Nope. Said, 'Capture dwarves, kill goblins and hobgolins.'
they did. Nothing about elves or humans."
Dwarf 2: "And we do everything they tell us, we do."
Norrin: "There are goblinoids coming up from below?"
Dwarf 2: "I guess so."
Dania: "Who are 'they', and where are they right now?"
Dwarf 1: "Can we tell them that?"
Dwarf 2: "Never said we couldn't. Maybe they'll get the charm stick
away."
Dwarf 1: "Ok. Orgar and Hirisk are in the old meeting hall at the
west end. Hirisk has the charm stick. He's a priest, and can
make zombies. Made some from our dead."
Kory: "Yuck! How tasteless. We have to get that thing."
Dania: "Yea, yea. Have they looted your treasury?"
Dwarf 2: "Ain't tellin!"
Topash: "Right. I suggest that we not walk up main street, but
approach in a slightly more subtle way."
Kory: "No! Let's charge right up main street, singing and cheering
and dodging lightning bolts."
Norrin: "We can go through some of these buildings and sneak in a back
way. I most humbly reccomend it."
Dania: "Right. Let's go."
Navero cast a Silence 15' on himself, so we were absolutely
quiet. We moved into a building; it seemed to have been someone's
house, but it had been looted and stripped. We went from house to
house, going west to the two-story building we assumed was the town
hall. There were a lot of dwarves around, but they did not stop us.
Our progress was good, until we got to a house right next to the hall.
Inside, there were seven dwarves in bloody plate mail. Navero turned
off the Silence so we could discuss what to do.
Norrin: "They are probably undead. Dispelling them would not be a
good idea; they will run out and their maker will notice."
Navero: "They must be put out of their misery. They cannot be allowed
to go on in this way."
Topash: "Yes, I agree. They must be returned to their earth, but
silently."
Kortul: "Right."
Navero cast Silence again, and the party moved in and stomped
them all into the earth. The one with glasses proved exceptionally
tough, but they weren't much trouble. Everyone got a Cure Light, and
went to a window in the side of the hall. Inside was a corridor going
northwards, with doors on the sides; we could faintly hear some
arguing at the other end. We went in the window, went down to the end
of the corridor, and looked out. Inside was the main meeting hall,
with a big table and some chairs. There was a gigantic ape in a cage,
lots of stuff spread out on the table, and two people standing and
arguing. One was a big man in full plate, with a gigantic broadsword,
and the other a robed, clericly type of great ugliness. Navero
cancelled the Silence.
Navero: (Casts Hold Person on the fighter in plate.)
Dania: "Bolt!" (Lightning bolt on the priest.)
Kortul: (Moves into room, shoots priest.)
Kory: (Sings battle song.)
Norrin: (Moves into room, pulls out bag of dust.)
Meth: (Is at the back of the party.)
Topash: (Draws his scimitar and tries to move up front.)
Fighter: (Urk!)
Priest: "What is this?" (Casts Flame Strike in corridor entrance.
Gets Navero, Dania, and Kory.)
Navero: "OW!" (Casts Hold Person on Priest; it doesn't work.)
Dania: (Drops.)
Kory: "You bastard! Prepare to suck steel!" (Leaps into the room.)
Topash: "Ah-ha!" (Casts Heat Metal on the fighters plate.)
Kortul: (Draws Sun Sword, charges foreward.)
Meth: "This is not going at all well, is it?"
Topash: "Well, I think one of them is out already, and the other
should follow fairly soon. I hope."
Norrin: (Throws bag at priest; misses, and dust sprays over the wall
behind him.) "Damn it!"
Fighter: "Urk!" (Plate mail is growing very warm.)
Priest: "Die!" (To Kortul. Kortul drops.)
Meth: "Uh-oh." (Smears something on a dagger and throws it; it
misses.)
Navero: (Cure Serious on Dania.)
Topash: (Casts Heat Metal again.) "Hadn't someone better try to take
him out?"
Norrin: "This may take a little time." (Shoots priest twice.)
Dania: "Ow..."
Kory: "HI-YEEEAAH!" (Leaps over table to attack priest.)
Fighter: "URK!" (Plate mail is very hot. Burning smell fills room.)
Priest: (Waves his hand at Kory, who takes 18 hit points damage.)
Kory: "ow!" (thud.)
Navero: (Casts Hold Person on Priest, it doesn't work again.)
Meth: (Throws another smeared up dagger; this one hits.) "I'd say
we'll have nothing to worry about in a few minutes, boys and
girls."
Dania: "Fuck a few minutes! STORM!" (Great crackling out of staff,
huge forks of lightning strike priest.)
Priest: (Wobbles, then falls.)
Fighter: "Aggg..." (Toasted smell fills the room.)
Dania: "Check on everybody."
Kortul was not dead; he had made his saving throw and a wisdom
check and was merely stunned. The fighter was dead; roasted inside
his plate mail. After everyone was bandaged up and healed, we
searched the room for interesting things. The fighter had a cloak,
his sword and armor, and a ring; the priest had bracers, boots and a
pair of rings, along with a wand which we suspected was the "charm
stick." A few things were scattered about the table, along with maps
of the complex and other stuff dealing with the dwarves. Kory and
Meth found an entrance down to a vault, with a great deal of gold;
Navero insisted that none of it was to be taken.
The gorilla in the cage was identified as a carniverous ape; it
was probably trained to attack. Topash had trouble communicting with
it, as it was almost intelligent enough not to be an animal, but he
eventually got the message across that we weren't going to hurt it.
We then let it out and it went running away.
The main entrance to the mines was north of the town hall; we
went up to the door and knocked, and were greeted by about 60 armored
dwarves with big crossbows aimed at us. After we revealed that the
attackers were dead and we had the charming device, they asked us to
go down and try to un-charm the dwarves. Neither Navero nor Dania
could figure out how the wand worked, but a dwarf told us the priest
renewed the charm every day, so we assumed it would wear off of its
own. Korgurindin took possession of the wand himself, and
congradulated us on our success.
Korgurindin: "Impressive, if I do say so myself. Not a single one of
the people killed, and all of our wealth still in the vaults.
You impress us with your honesty, and have our gratitude."
Dania: "Fine. Can we have our money?"
Korgurindin: "Ah, yes. 200 each,"
Dania: "300."
Korgurindin: "300 each, as agreed upon. I hope you will feel free to
stay and rest from your labors for a little while, there should
be rooms for people your size in Stranger's hall. My servant
will show you there."
Dania: "Nah, lets just get"
Topash: "We would be delighted to accept your hospitality, of course.
Come along, Dania."
We rested for a while in Dwarf town, healing and identifying and
dividing up treasures. We didn't get too much money, but enough to
make us happier than before. The dwarves destroyed the wand.
Magic items:
Unidentifiable Silver Ring (went to Topash)
Unidentifiable Gold Ring (to Kory)
Ring of Warmth (to Navero)
Boots of Elvenkind (to Norrin)
Bracers of Defence, AC: 6 (to Dania)
Broadsword, +3 (Nobody had proficiency in broadsword. Sold to
the dwarves and divided up.)
Plate mail, +1 (to Kortul)
Cloak of Flying (to Kortul)
Candle of Invocation (Chaotic Evil. Destroyed by Navero.)
Potion of Vitality (to Meth)
Philther of Love (to Meth)
Scroll of Create Food & Water (to Navero)
Scroll of Entangle, Shillelagh (to Topash)
Scroll - protection from Cold (to Norrin)
We rode out again the next day. As we got to the road, a subtle
change came over the land again; the blue grass and snow cats
vanished, and snow began to gently fall once more. Norrin left to
return to his forest, and Razuli appeared.
Razuli: "Hey, where the hell have you all been? I got teleported into
King Mangit-tun's harem and had myself a good ol' time. Wizzerd,
nice bracelets! I thought of you often. Hey, where do we go
now, kids?"
Kory: "Good to see you again, sir! Now everything is the way it
should be."
Dania: "I liked it better the other way. Let's go."
Daniel Parsons "Do we still have all that money and stuff we got?"