3rd Day of the Claw of Sunsets (March) 1363 DR:
Firehammer Hold – Chapter Eleven
Drider in the Chapel of the Watcher: (23:55 pm):
Balock the Drider: “Now we will see what enter as I know it not to be that Devil Nalifarn.”
Elsewhere in Firehammer Hold the half Devil, half Duergar, Nalifarn waits for his offerings.
Nalifarn: “Where are those interlopers, I will make sure they all pay and become a sacrifice to him.”
Utter Darkness envelops the party as the 2 Dwarves see a fleeting glimpse of the Drider creature scurrying across the columns.
Jekk: “It moves having cast a Spell; innate abilities form the Drow race and this abomination.”
Sigune announces that she will take out Her Personal Dagger which has ‘Continual Light’ cast upon it.
Mirafir stays ‘Flying’ above the stairs near the open double doors.
Thora chooses to move into the Chapel of the Watcher and confront the Drider.
Frimly stands and tries to Detects Noise within the Chapel of the Watcher.
Jekk stands at the bottom of the stairs waiting for the ‘Continual Light’ to be cancelled by the Paladin.
Sigune’s Dagger with ‘Continual Light’ cancels the ‘Continual Darkness’ and the room is in Darkness but the Adventures can see into the chamber, except for Sigune and Mirafir who can only see some 10’–15’ feet in being at the top of the stairs.
Thora cannot see the Drider as her sight is obstructed by the many columns in the Chapel of the Watcher and instead is distracted by 2 Giant Spiders that are up at the top of 2 columns on the west of the chamber. Thora moves in and along the western wall Mace and Shield in hand.
Jekk holds his ground waiting for the inevitable attack. Mirafir holds his ground and prepares to cast ‘Magic Missile’ Sigune stands Guard by the ‘Flying’ Wizard.
Both Giant Spiders lift their thorax and spray Webbing at the Dwarf who is fleet of foot enough to avoid both attacks and nimbly trots into the central path. Thora’s intension was to look for the Drider in the northern area.
The 2 Giant Spiders descend from the Columns and stand in the central aisle of the chamber.
Frimly fumbles in his backpack, takes out a small flask and consumes half of its contents.
The Adventures are then all surrounded by ‘Silence’ and the Wizard is unable to cast his ‘Magic Missile’ at the Giant Spiders.
Jekk: “Silence is a Clerical Spell if I know my magic, curse the creature, no one can hear me.”
Another Giant Spider appears on one of the columns to the east and Jekk plants his feet and awaits the creature. Sigune takes out her Longbow, knocks a ‘+2 Magical Arrow’ and moves down to the bottom of the stairs.
Mirafir instead prepares his ‘Ring of Spell Storing’ and intends to cast ‘Magic Missile’ at one of the Spiders to the East as he step down a few of the steps to the bottom of the stairs.
Thora advances forward with her intension being to fit the Face of Gorm/the Delimbiyr Bloke into the stylised Dwarf warrior with a rectangular recess where its face should be.
Jekk advances, attempting to Aid Thora, and engages with the Giant Spiders to the west and Mirafir dispatches his 5 Bolts of ‘Magic Missiles’ at the last Giant Spider to descend from the western columns.
Frimly moves out from the stairs, now that the eastern Giant Spider had been dispatched and moves west and northwards looking for the Drider.
Chapel of the Watcher:
From the doors, a set of steps leads down to a 30’ foot high chapel divided into three aisles by two rows of three pillars. A 20’ foot wide niche in the northern part of the room is walled in dark stone, carved with stylized mountains, and has a floor of gravel. In the niche stands the statue of a stylised Dwarf warrior with a rectangular recess where its face should be.
Thora places the Face of Gorm/the Delimbiyr Bloke into the stylised Dwarf warrior with a rectangular recess where its face should be.
On the statue, in Dwarfish, is the phrase:
“Greetings, Friends and Allies of the Watchers”
“Greetings, Friends and Allies of the Watchers”
When Thora takes the true Bloke and she inserts it into the recess in the statue’s head, the statue and Bloke glow slightly. The roared battle cry of a Dwarven Army can be heard as if from a great distance. The Bloke’s eyes ignite in spectral flame as bright as a candle, and it then radiates conjuration magic if a ‘Detect Magic’ spell is used on it. It has become the Face of Gorm. Those who properly charge the item learn its story and function.
Thora then turns and she exempts to find the Drider in the ceiling and among the Columns. Thora is confronted but another Giant Spider that appears from the north-eastern column. Sigune take the opportunity to fire upon, the aforementioned, Giant Spider but instead hisses the Arachnid and strikes Thora instead. Fortunately her Dwarven made Chain Mail protects her from harm.
Thora hears corrupted Elven muttering from above and believes she is about to be Spelled.
Mirafir has been quite and not just because of the ‘Silence Spell’, but because he is scrolling though all his Spells thinking of one that would not need to be verbalised. The Wizard finds and casts ‘Hypnotic pattern’ catching only the Giant Spider about to be hit by Jekk, with the one fighting Thora is not effected.
Thora feels here Chain Mail get warmer and know exactly what Spell has been cast at her. The Cleric Spell ‘Heat Metal’.
Jekk sees the effects of the Spell and the frozen Giant Spider and so hold his blow. Mirafir remains concentrating on keeping the Giant Spider engaged.
Frimly uses his ‘Slippers of Spider Climbing’ and move up the side of the wall to Aid Thora.
Balock the Drider: “The Thief has failed to see me in the Darkness but I need to hide within the stone itself. These are the Adventures that the Underdark speaks of and I am ill equipped to battle them here in this small area.”
Thora takes out a Potion from her Backpack knowing that she will leave herself open to an attack from the Giant Spider. Sigune is unsure if she should fire at the Giant Spider think she would hit her friend again.
Thora: “Do it Paladin, fear not hitting me.”
Sigune cannot hear but can see the female Dwarf nodding and so she fired and hit the Giant Spider, Jekk rushes forward and hit the Giant Spider too, it fall down dead.
Thora gulps down her ‘Potion of Fire Resistance’.
Frimly also fails to hear Thor but. Frimly can see another, the forth, Giant Spider in the north-eastern area but no sigh of the Drider. Frimly releases his mouthful of Potion at the Giant Spider. The ‘Potion of Fire Breath’ is an orange-flickering liquid that gives off smoke when uncorked. Frimly then may use the liquid to exhale Fire at a target within 30’ feet, the Giant Spider who is engulfed in flames.
Thora takes damage from her Chain Mail which was beginning to glow orange.
Jekk: “The Face of Gorm or Delimbiyr Bloke is glowing brighter than it did a minute ago.
Thora motions to the Sigune to close the double doors. As Sigune turns she can now see 2 levers lower from the walls flanking the doors as the doors close. The function of the levers depends on how the room was entered. The door is sealed more tightly on the inside, making access to the locks more difficult from the inside the Paladin also notices. Mirafir remains concentrating on the last Giant Spider standing.
Balock the Drider: “Into the column I shall go and wait for these grave robbers to leave and then I will hunt my pray.”
Thora looks about the northern area of the Chapel of the Watcher as does the Thief.
Jekk: “The Face of Gorm or Delimbiyr Bloke is glowing brighter than it did a minute ago. Ah, I can hear myself.”
Thora: “So can I Jekk, I think the glowing is to show enemies are close.”
Jekk: “It that how it was when you found it?”
Thora: “No, come let us finish off the last Giant Spider.”
Jekk: “Aye, we can leave it charging.”
Thora takes damage from her Chain Mail which was beginning to glow dark orange.
Thora and Jekk kill the last Giant Spider and Mirafir decides to continue concentrating on his ‘Hypnotic pattern’ just in case the Drider was in the area of effect or if it entered it. Sigune drops her ‘Magical Elven Longbow’ and draws her Shield and ‘Magical Longsword’ and stands defending the Wizard.
Frimly moves about the ceiling looking for any sign of the Drider. The Thief finds nothing and heads back to the double doors.
Jekk moves back towards the Dwarven Statue and states:
Jekk: “The Face of Gorm or Delimbiyr Bloke is glowing brighter than it did a minute ago.
Thora looks about the chamber for the Drider; Frimly investigates the 2 leavers and can see that they unlock the 10 Bolts of the double doors. Mirafir moves towards the Face of Gorm/the Delimbiyr Bloke and the stylised Dwarf warrior with a rectangular recess where its face should be. Sigune follows as his protector.
Thora: I can see nothing and Frimly said there are only his scorch marks on the ceiling. I think you need to search for Nalifarn Wizard.”
Mirafir: “I have little power left Thora but what would you have me do?”
Thora: “Either ‘Detect Magic’ or another ‘Continual Light’.”
Mirafir: “’Detects Magic’ is of a short duration where would you have me look?”
Thora: “Then you should cast ‘Continual Light’ as the Spell will last a lot longer and we can all see in the light.”
Thora takes damage from her Chain Mail which was beginning to glow bright red.
Jekk: “The Face of Gorm or Delimbiyr Bloke has now stopped glowing brighter than it did a minute ago and is now blinking, as if it was fully charged.
Thora pulls out the unfamiliar Crossbow she took and loads it with one of the ‘Filigreed Lightning Arrows’.
Mirafir cast ‘Continual Light’ from one of his ‘Pearls of power’. Thora, Mirafir and Sigune look about the chamber hoping to find the Drider.
Jekk takes out the Original Face of Gorm/the Delimbiyr Bloke, replaces it with his copy, sees that the Statue stops glowing and puts back the original Face of Gorm/the Delimbiyr Bloke.
Mirafir: “Nothing I think I will look for Secret Doors, here either side of the statue.”
The Adventures wait for the Wizard to check both areas, fairly quickly, and then decide to move onwards and back to the Iron Mines and to Aid the Julkoun Villagers.
Jekk: “I think we should take the Face of Gorm/the Delimbiyr Bloke with us, do you mind if I carry it.”
Thora does not trust Jekk and will not let him carry it. Jekk asks for the Adventurers to tell him all they know of the Face of Gorm/the Delimbiyr Bloke, where did they find it, who had it, what the situation that they found it, Etc.
The Adventurers tell as much as they could remember and Jekk feels he needs to earn the trust of the Female Dwarf and returns to his oath of protecting the Wizard until he is safely returned to Daggerford.
The Heroes then discuss what their next plan of action was.
- The Paladin insists on returning to free the Julkoun Villagers.
- The Wizard is unsure and worried about his Magical Power, or lack of.
- Thora Believes that both Nalifarn and the Drider have escaped.
- Frimly stays silent.
- Jekk also offer no opinion and stands by the Wizard ready to Aid the Wizard.
Mirafir: “I can use one of the many Spells on my plentiful Scrolls, ‘Clairaudience’, and that way I can attempt to hear what is occurring in the Iron Mines. We may hear the 4 Julkoun Villagers that we left.
Sigune: “Yes, I asked them to lay prone on the floor and play dead.”
Mirafir can faintly hear the sound of Male speaking in common, assuring someone that the Heroes of Runedardath had not forgotten them and they will be saved.
Frimly opens one of the double door and check what was behind it. The Thief sees nothing and the Adventurers, and Jekk, all of them exit by walking across the Slabs one by one.
The Adventures leave the double doors to Chapel of the Watcher open and unlocked.
Thora leads the way followed by Jekk, Mirafir, Frimly and Sigune at the rear.
The Adventures return to Shrine to the Dwarf, with the ‘Wizard Locked’ door back out to the Mine Cart Rails, and Thora bashes it down with her mighty Strength rather than have the Wizard use more Magical Power.
The thundering boom reverberates about the lower area of Firehammer Hold.
Jekk looks at the carving is of a Dwarf with a crystalline body, a mattock in hand, and eyes made of green jewels once more, while Frimly checks the door to the north.
Frimly: “The door has not lock and it appears that it can be opened.”
Jekk: “I know who this is. The relief is of Dumathoin (DOO-muh-THOE-in). Dumathoin is the Dwarven Deity of buried wealth and exploration, and he is the guardian of the dead.”
Frimly: “You will not like what is behind the door.”
The Thief closes the door.
Ossuary:
This room, lined with slabs of fine marble, has square niches for storing the bones of the dead. Half the niches have been sealed with slabs inscribed with the names of dead Dwarves, although some of these sealed niches have been broken open. A circle of infernal symbols has been drawn in dark ink or blood in the centre of the floor, with a corresponding line of runes over the threshold to both doorways, one to the north and the other to the south.
Frimly feels uneasy and suspects that there will be untold Undead within the room or released as a result of the incantation.
Jekk: “Should the Wizard not look at these Magical Symbols; are they Wizard Power or that of a God or Demon?”
Mirafir: “Yes indeed, let me take a look.”
The arcane circle is studied from the doorway by the Wizard as he uses Spellcraft. Mirafir can tell the circle is one of Summoning, the circle calls to the Nine Hells.
Mirafir: “The runes over the threshold must trigger the summoning circle.”
Frimly: “Let us leave as there is nothing but undead here.”
Jekk: “Even if Nalifarn is a Devil Wizard and not a Cleric?”
Sigune: “Yes, let us leave the Undead and Devil and go and Aid the Julkoun Villagers.”
They all make their way back to the Iron Mine and find the 4 Julkoun Villagers alive and as well as can be considering.
Julkoun Villagers: “Aid us. Help and release our friends.”
Much time is spent talking what they should do next.
Thora: “Julkoun Villagers, tell me what lies beyond the western corridor?”
The Julkoun Villagers explain that the next cavern to the west is of similar size, has 3 corridors north and west are where the Steeder’s and their Riders live and the southern corridor leads to a larger cavern with a pool to the south, a worked corridor and door to the east and 2 further corridors to the west. North-west to out Cells and another south-west, which we think is the way up and out.
Thora: What are we to do next Lady and Gentlemen. Nalifarn, The Drider or the Villagers?”