The Stony Lands - Session #6

Leaving Kalidor to guard the cart of wooden objects, the group entered the inn. Therein they met Captain Tane - a shipwrecked sailor - Vlad the Magnificent - a tall wizard from the land of fence sitting, sick of the cold and yearning for home - and Gotte - his mute bodyguard. Tane wanted them to retrieve his lost Storm Stone from his wreck, and Vlad had heard tales of a magical beard ring supposed to be able to control water, buried somewhere along the way, so the party decided to head west.

The next day they rose with good intentions, but Charles had finally finished reading his spellbook and discovered how to read minds, and so he decided to spend the day deciphering the intentions of their erstwhile employers.

The following morning, the group departed, replacing Kalidor and Brod, who had remained behind to guard the wooden items, with Floris and Goin, a pair of battle hardened mercenaries who would never see Red Port again.

Despite the obvious landmark of the sea, the group managed to get turned completely around on their first day of travel, finding the sun setting behind them, not in front as they expected. The next morning was spent searching for the coast, which they eventually found, and choosing to stick closer to the shoreline this time, they shortly found the burial mound they sought.

Despite the setting sun, the group decided to investigate the entrance to the tomb, and were ambushed by a band of hobgoblins. Twice. Despite attempts to parlay, the monsters struck down both Harold and Charles, the longest lived of the group, who despite all odds had survived attacks by kobolds, statues, goblins and ghouls, but this battle proved to be his last. Maurak and Ruarc led the funeral, igniting the corpses of the fallen in a great pyre, which conveniently served as a campfire for the night. They decided this was not the time for marshmallows, but Goin greased the tunnel entrance and left his ass hanging out, wrapped around his ten foot pole. The other animals were similarly tethered.

In the morning, emboldened by their comrades’ sacrifices, the remaining members of the group ventured into the tunnel. Goin led the way, to narrowly avoid the axe of a skeletal hobgoblin, lying in wait. Maurak called down the power of Pyros and the foul creature fled into the darkness.

After constructing a ten foot torch, Goin led the way deeper into the darkness, prodding the ground with the flaming end. As they approached a set of stairs, descending into the gloom, one more vigourous poke with the pole caused the light to go out. A moment later, Goin found his pole to have lost most of its length. Bringing another light to bear, the group spotted the remains of the skeleton which had fled moments before and wondered why they hadn’t heard it trigger the obvious blade trap.

Taking great care, the group passed the trap unscathed, only to open a door and find themselves blinded by a flash of light. Stumbling about in the darkness, Maurak managed to heal himself, and after a few minutes of allowing the others to suffer, he also restored their sight. Behind the door lay a room with three shovels and a pickaxe of a primitive nature. The next half hour was spent searching the room carefully, but finding nothing, the group moved on.

Ahead lay a staircase leading down and a small dais with a stagnant font at the top. Goin took it upon himself to taste the water, and in doing so, sprayed the group with oil which ignited on the naked flames of the group’s lantern, scorching them all. Despite this, Goin tasted the water and immediately regretted his action.

Down the stairs, the group found another door, and learning from last time, stood back and covered their eyes, opening the door with the remains of the ten foot pole Goin had used earlier. Blinded by themselves as they were, they were unprepared for the horde of skeletons that emerged and cut the two mercenaries down. Maurak and Ruarc made a fine attempt at turning the undead, but they were too numerous, and the party decided to flee.

On the way back to town, the group got lost once again, but thankfully, they encountered William the Elf, who lead them safely back to town. Returning to the inn, the group decided to seek out Vlad, hoping to have strong words with him. It was Sunday the 54th of Frosshar and a light snowfall covered the ground.