April 2018 (327 U.C., Nituun, 1st Ride, Spring's Light) by Jurou
Nothing attacked us last night while we rested. The “new day” brought with it the smells of Ardel’s cooking. Not for nothing, but the hairy lout can fix some decent meals. I tried to converse with Tarun, the Earth Genasi we had revived the previous night, but unfortunately the spell placed upon me by the Halfling had worn off. It was going to be slow going with him. Thorgrim, the ancient dwarf we had revived did not wish to travel any lower with us and remained within the main chamber while our party decided on our course of action. We needed to finish clearing the ziggurat of any further denizens of evil.
Making our way to the stairs which led below, we entered a chamber of rotted death and decay. Several bodies strewn on the floor, in separate alcoves, were obviously from long past. A human, orc, troll, ogre and others lie motionless in the musty darkness. In one alcove rested a gleaming crystal skull. While Ardel and I came closer to it, I began to hear a “breathing sound” emanating from all around. The skull began to glow and rise from its resting place.
A voice like a hollow breeze, rose around us, “Why do you disturb my slumber?” Instinctually, I attempted to loose an arrow on what I thought would be another undead thing attacking us. The skulls eyes flared and my bow fell from my hands. I was powerless to grasp it and my feet became like stone, as if I was carved from the very floor. Everyone who had stepped into the crypt became frozen to the floor, unable to advance or retreat. Only Tiewaz and Demitrri’s ape Lancelot, who were still on the stairs, remained free from this immobilizing supernatural force. In what is a normal lapse of judgement for Ardel, he attempted to throw his spear at it. As with I, the skulls eyes flared and Ardels spear fell to the floor before he could even complete his throw. I attempted to dissuade the “thing” by stating we were lost and merely trying to clear the area of dangers. The ethereal voice mentioned something of us not being of the “rock people”. Demitrri quickly thought to mention the name of Grumbar, his god, and the skull floated past Ardel and I to confront him directly. Ardel, again of simple mind and stratagem, attempted to punch the skull as it floated between us to Demitrri. Had this not been an undead or other such powerful being, it would have likely been felled on contact. Instead, the blow barely shifted the skulls path. Ardel drew back his fist, wincing with pain, as the flesh of his fist paled as if he had placed it in a freezing lake for hours. Demitrri explained that the rock people were all dead and gone, except for one in the chamber above us. The skull directed Tiewaz to retrieve the rock person, Tarun, which he did quickly.
When Tarun arrived, he spoke his language with the skull for a short period. This apparently satisfied the being, as it floated back to its resting place and we were no longer immobilized. Quickly removing ourselves from the chamber, we continued to search the upper level because Demitrri’s clan father told him that an item he needed was near. We were uncertain where it could be, so we again searched the statue chamber. After searching the room extensively and finding nothing of note, we resorted to reviving the last intact statue. The Gnoll.
For the record, I found no interest or reasoning with reviving this despicable creature. I have no doubt that such a creature would have smashed our remains had it ever found it, but I am like the river and flow with the current. Upon reviving the Gnoll, we learned exactly what I thought we would. Nothing. Demitrri and Tiewaz seemed genuinely indifferent as to its presence and let it leave freely. Again, a choice that makes no practical sense to me, but as I said, I flow. Thorgrim on the other hand, seeing things as I did, left shortly after the Gnoll. Let’s just say, I knew when I saw him leave after the gnoll, he would rectify what was a tactical error in my eyes.
With no other options or resources for checking what was, for all intents a cleared area, we decided to leave the ziggurat and continue our mission. When we exited the ziggurat, I had to chuckle inwardly because Thorgrim had made good on my assumptions and ended the Gnolls existence. Proceeding Southeast, with both Tarun and Thorgrum in tow, we came upon a waterfall with magically renewing waters and what had been Taruns town. Most all of town, like the valley before, lay in rubble and ruin. The outlooking towers all crumbled and destroyed, the pass to the grasslands in the East blocked and unpassable. The only structure left in any form of access was what could best be described as Taruns former home. Either that or his place of employment, when his kind still walked Aver. Though, out of his time, Tarun seemed content (or at least sadly accepting) with this and chose to stay in his town as we left back to the valley.
From the valley we chose to pursue what was basically our last option, the gated path to the Southwest. Passing through the gate and down the pathway we came upon five more beings, fellow dwarven clansmen to Thorgrim, who had been frozen in stone like the statues at the ziggurat. Freeing them from their immovable state, we left them in the care of Thorgrim as we pressed onward.
Another gate presented itself to the North, which upon entering, led to a garden of rare vegetation and an immaculate stone tower. The door to the tower was magical in nature and transported us inside without need of opening a door at all. Very powerful and strange magic indeed. Inside, we traveled upwards through seven floors, all of which held no threat or reward. Of note, everything within the tower itself was under a spell which would repair or clean anything broken or dirty. We found this out because Tiewaz, and his normal impetuous self, smashed a chair for no other reason than…well for no real reason actually, and it reformed before our eyes. Pretty handy I must say. After we had cleared the building, we decided it would be a good place to rest and camped for the night in the tower.
UC 327, Shetuun in the 1st Ride of Spring’s Light. (Still Jurou)
After the customary Ardel breakfast, we left the tower and continued West. A short distance later we came upon what we determined to be a mining camp in a small basin. Two buildings lie to the South; the smaller building built into the face of the mountain, with the larger building in front of it facing to the North. To the North and West of the basin lay three main cuts, leading to the mouths of multiple mining caves. From each of these trails stretched a minecart track which led to the larger building.
The first building housed simple ore, unrefined, for multiple simple metals, while the second building housed the same, but its contents were the simple metals in ingot form. While passing into the second building, one of the rock outcroppings had fell on poor Tiewaz, bruising him. Since nothing else of note was visible or found when searched, we decided to return to the tower to rest as most of the day had already passed. Returning to the Tower, we found Thorgrim and the dwarves had either purposefully or accidentally made their way inside but were unable to find the exit.
UC 327, Shetuun in the 1st Ride of Spring’s Light. By Ardel.
Westreach Bard's Notes: Ardel, Called of Ellana, fancies himself a storyteller, I have taken artistic license to smooth out my patron's attempts at verse, but kept true to his intent, and his quaint mistakes/attempts at the fine art of torytelling. Any embellishments are purely my patrons, but I believe his tale, and know that the Moonstone Dragons are and will be heroes of the age. As way of explanation, Ardel uses his own dialect and barbarian names for his companions.
Fadh Chat (Wild CatNoble Cat): Dimetrri the Felian servant of Grumbar. Shellen (Wasp/or Stinger): Dragon Islander, Ryukane Jurou, Pawn of Dragon's Den. Nathir (Wyrm/Dragon): Tie Waz, Half-Dragon, Sorcerer. Ardel (Bear of Valor): Ardel, Bear Clan Barbarian, priest of Ellana.
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Add wood to the fire! Fill your mugs, praise the Silver Lady! Settle in and listen to the tales of the Moonstone Dragons! As you know, these mighty men had cleared and cleanse an ancient city of great evil that belongs not in Solinar! The servant of Gumbar, Fadh Chat and his noble great ape, Lancelot, drew strength from the mighty mountains where we were. Nathir, the half-human, half-wyrm slowly progressed in his magical abilities, Shellen the archer increased in skill and ability. Finally Ardel, Called of Ellana, perfected his shapeshifting forms from Man, to Bear.
Their exploration discovered ancient heroes of the Bear Clan and the Dunia Clan. They also discovered many dwarves who were turned to stone by the hideous Serpent Queen, a fiendish Medusa of great size and power! The Moonstone Dragons freed many victims of their stone sleep. Among those released from unliving stone were many ancient dwarves from Stone Home, among them were the ancient dwarf, King Callun and his general, Thorgrim. For their heroic services the Moonstone Dragons were named Dwarf Friends. In their gratitude, the King, extended an alliance to the Moonstone Dragons. If they would occupy the ruins and bring it back to a thriving city and a bulwark of the Good Folk against the forces of Evil, they the Dwarves of Stone Home would share in the prosperity and safety created. The Moonstone Dragons agreed and dubbed the area West Reach.
King Callun warned of a nest of evil serpents that were responsible for many of those who were petri, petryf, ..turned to stone. Proof of their nef, nefari... bad, evil was given as a large viper approached the group and was spying. The Moonstone Dragons, and the dwarf general, Thorgrim tracked down the creature back to its nest. At the nest, Ardel felt the righteous rage of Ellana and transformed into a great Werebear. Shellen started his sniping, Nathir used his sorcerous abilities to cast jets of eldritch energy to strike a huge nasty snake, causing it great damage and pain. Thorgrim charged and began smiting the reptilian horrors. Fadh Chat and Lancelot stood ready to aid those in need. ll the while Nathir's wee bird (a hummingbird) kept watch from above. More of the creepy crawlies issued out of cave to harry our heroes. These were dispatched with skill and vigor!
As the Moonstone Dragons entered the snakes began ambushing our heroes (trying to at least). Ardel sealed their holes with blows from his mighty mace. The ringing blows sang throughout the caverns as a warning to the rest, that their doom had come! The Moonstone Dragons found their main cavern that had monstrous constrictors, and vile vipers. Ardel showed the strength of the Bear Clan by shaking off the venom of one. Fadh Chat called the Blessings of Grumbar upon the marauding reptiles (not Nathir, he is draconic) with a hail of stones; all the while Shellen loosed arrows upon them with a strumming sound of his bow. Contemptuously, Nathir used his claws and draconic magic to lay the beasts low. After clearing the room and taking trophies of teeth (Nathir also collected copious samples of the venom), a din arose from the deep pit at the back of the cave. The dour Dwarf general, Throgrim, stood forth and pitched two flasks liquid fire into the pit. The din turned to pitiful cries of that made whatever was at the bottom of the pit burn in a conflag., infern.... Burn up.
The troop proceeded down and noted many charred remains. Their path led to an ornate door, and so powerful were its enchantments, that even the skills of Shellen could not overcome them. Most would expect that Ardel, Called of Ellana, would have simply bashed the doors in, but Thorgrim smashed it (albeit most likely moments before Ardel) open and was rewarded by being turned, once again to stone. Shellen freed him from the curse while Nathir leapt in and began to wrestle with a right massive constrictor. Several other serpents also infested the large throne room. But upon the dais of the room, upon folded coils was. The Serpent Queen, a medusa! She rained arrows upon the Moonstone Dragons. Fadh Chat called pillars of lightning down upon the vile medusa while Thorgrim charged her. Nathir finished his beast with help from Shellen who "Black Arrowed" the beast.
Ardel changed form and charged the last great snake and swatted it down, but in his zeal, Ardel charged the medusa; which promptly turned him to stone. This allowed Thorgrim to charge the distracted abomination, while Fadh Chat called down more lightening on foul Serpent Queen, ending her foul existence.
The Moonstone Dragons took a moment to gather themselves (Ardel was freed from the stone), and licked the battle scars and prepare to clear the rest of the area. Shellen took the medusas bow as prize while Nathir took the medusa's head as symbol to dishearten the last of her followers. While our heroes prepare for the next round, you should have another round of Mead! Tuck in and eat your meal! Drink deep and ready yours hearts, minds, and imaginations for more of the grand exploits of the Moonstone Dragons!