After a fierce battle with gray dwarves, the heroes are trapped in the depths of Khundrukar. They make a daring escape and face their foes once more. Just when they think they are safe, they are faced with an apparition from beyond the grave. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Player Characters
Dax, human ranger 5
Gydean, human rogue 2 warlock 2
Kane, human fighter 1
Dan, human fighter 1
Syrus, drow rogue 1
Sondrick, halfling rogue 2
Part 5. Grey Dwarves
1.
Anna retreated to a corner of the kitchen, but three new faces appeared. They were the survivors of previous expeditions to Khundrukar. They were Dan the human fighter, Sondrick the halfling rogue, and Syrus the drow rogue. They had befriended the gray dwarves who allowed them to reside in the kitchens. They were startled by the sudden arrival of these new guests, but they grew alarmed when they saw that the adventurers were being pursued by their gray dwarf hosts.
A sinister voice called through the door. Syrus recognized it as belonging to a gray dwarf named Snurrevin.
“Syrus, Sondrick, and Dan… I know you can hear me. Hand over the intruders that have fled into the kitchen, and I shall allow you to continue drawing breath. Otherwise, you can your companions will share their fate.”
Syrus tried to trick the gray dwarf into believing that the party had escaped through another exit, but the dwarf knew that there was no other way out of the kitchen. He was not convinced.
“You disappoint me, Syrus. Very well, you have chosen your fate.”
The party listened to the sounds of hammers banging upon the door. It slowly dawned on them with horror that the sound of hammers was that of nails being driven into the stone doorframes. Red sparks came through the edges of the door as fire magic was used to weld the door shut. They heard Snurrevin’s voice one more time as the dwarf gloated:
“If you will not come out, enjoy your long stay. This place will be your tomb.”
The heroes found that there was enough food in the storage rooms beyond the kitchen to last for a few days. They decided to rest as they came up with a plan.
Inside the kitchen, there was a stone hearth where the Syrus, Sondrick and Dan had been cooking a bland mushroom stew. Dax dug through the crates in the storage room and produced a few handfuls of dried meat and rations and used them to cook up a much more palatable soup. It was the most nourishing meal that the three survivors had had in a long time.
While the party recovered their strength, Gydean summoned his up familiar and sent him up through the chimney of the hearth to see where it might lead. It was too small for even Sondrick the halfling to fit in but just large enough for the imp to pass through.
The chimney led to the kitchen just beyond the mountain door where Varrick had dropped a flask of alchemical fire. The orc had now finished putting out the flames caused by Varrick’s flask. Now, they were mustering a warband to go in search of the adventurers that were trespassing on the ruins. At least a dozen orcs were assembled, and they were led by Great Ulfe the ogre himself.
The heroes realized that time was against them. They considered trying to dig their way out, but quickly realized that was an impossible task. At last, they decided to shatter the door with magic and burst through the opening in a frontal assault. Gydean would use his magic to burst open the door. Dax and Sondrick would cover the opening with their arrows while Kane led Dan and Syrus in a charge up the steps.
Their magic succeeded in shattering the door into pieces, but the opening was immediately engulfed in magical flames. Over the flames, javelins and thunderous spells were hurled into the room, striking those who stood just in front of the flames. But strangely, the heroes felt no heat emanating from the flames on the stairs. They realized that the flames were an illusion. But they had little time to warn the others, for a giant gray dwarf strode through the illusionary fire and swung his mighty war pick at the heroes.
The battle was joined, and though the dwarf had the elements of shock and surprise, he was overmatched by the heroes. Soon, the gray dwarves that were standing guard outside the kitchen were routed, and the gray dwarf mage called Snurrevin had been put to flight. But not before be had shouted a warning to another unseen gray dwarf.
“Flee, master! The foul intruders are too many! Flee while you can!”
When the party emerged at last from the kitchen, the great hall appeared empty but for the two slain gray dwarves. Snurrevin was nowhere to be seen. The heroes saw that the southern doors was ajar and passed through the great doors. They found the ancient foundry made by Durgeddin and his people, which was now being used by the gray dwarves who wished to learn all that they could of Durgeddin’s craft.
Behind then, they heard a door to the north of the great hall opening and closing. Then the laughing voice of Surrevin echoed through the hall as he mocked them.
“Ha! You will never catch me! Snurrevin lives!”
Realizing that their enemy had fled, the party explored the rest of the foundry. It was divided by a subterranean river that flowed east toward a great chasm where the water crash into the distant abyss like a waterfall.
Returning to the great hall, they found a secret door behind the throne which led to a private chamber, possibly the old residence of Durgeddin the Lord of Khundrukar himself. The room had been recently occupied, but jt was empty now. Whoever had been here had fled before the party arrived.
Fearful of a reprisal from the gray dwarves, the party carefully passed through the north door from the great hall. Beyond the door, they found the ancient city of Khundrukar whose ruins were filled with bones. The skeletons of the dwarven defenders and orc invaders lay where they fell in battle a century ago. In the center of a large courtyard, there was a large well. The heroes peered inside and saw their own reflection. But a moment later, the reflection became the twisted visage of an old dwarf with a grim expression. Then the dwarf reached out to them from the well and attempted to possess them.
The heroes threw off their spectral foe, and now the battle was joined. But their weapons seemed to have little effect on the apparition. Then Sondrick, biding his time, found an opening. Thrusting his arrow through a faerie flame summoned by one of his allies, he plunged it into the ghost where it found home and caused the specter to dissipate with a terrible wail.
At last, the party was safe. For the time being…
Session #5 Rewards
3 Advancement Checkpoints
3 Treasure Checkpoints
7.5 downtime Days
Character Advancement
Dax, human ranger 5
Gydean, human rogue 2 warlock 2
Kane, human fighter 2
Dan, human fighter 1
Syrus, drow rogue 1
Sondrick, halfling rogue 2