Moradin Soul Forger’s Temple – Chapter Thirteen
Moradin Soul Forger’s Temple
28th Day Of The Drawning Down (December)
The Chapel Of Moradin:
Father Tobias, Mirafir, Galan and Thora remained in the Secret Treasure Room behind the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger.
Sigune and Sir Ly kept watch at the Door at the far end Western end of the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger. Frimly came across to try to lock this Door. However he was confounded by the intricate Dwarven Craftsmanship and could not relock the Mechanism, even after 4 attempts. the call of Gold is too strong for young Frimly, or Moradin Soul Forger protects the Gold.
So the Door was closed, without being locked, with Sir Ly and Segune posted as sentries within the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger on either side of the Door.
Then Frimly returned to the Treasure Room. With Galan first, then with Thora, they all examine the shaft with the ladder going down. The ladder goes down at least 60′ feet, certainly beyond the range of their Infravision. Dust was everywhere confirmed that the Ladder had clearly not been used in countless centuries. However the structure looked strong without corrosion so it was judged safe to climb down from the Chaple of Moradin Soul Forger.
Frimly and Galan had just started to climb down, with Frimly checking for traps as he went down, when Sigune and Sir Ly heard noises beyond the door. They signalled across the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger to Tobias who was keeping watch at the doorway of the Treasure Room.
Then Sir Ly covered the light and placed it at his feet so he could employ both sword and shield. Sigune prepared herself also.
Sir Ly then heard rhythmic chanting in Orcish from beyond the door. It lasted only a few seconds.
While the Paladins prepared for battle Tobias signalled to the others in the treasure room to ready themselves. Mirafir, still drained from his ordeal at the hands of Kelthuss, was instructed to stay under cover but to warn Frimly and Galan in the shaft that we were under attack. Thora left the treasure room to take position half way across the Chapel of Moradin between the far door and the altar, along the Southern wall. In her mind she muttered the mighty battle oath of her kin then waited for the combat to unfold.
Father Tobias exited the treasure room, closing the door behind him. He was relieved to see it meld back into the wall as he did so. This made the door barely discernible from within the Chapel of moradinand so would help keep Mirafir safe within.
Leaving The Trasure Of Moradin:
Suddenly the area of the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger in front of the Double Doors was plunged into impenetrable “Darkness”. Both Paladins heard the Doors open but could see nothing.
Father Tobias knew this Spell. From his vantage point behind the altar at the West end of the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger he casts a “Light” Spell to counteract the ‘Darkness’.
As he did so, 4 Orcs rushed through the Door. Both Paladins were ready and attacked the Orcs from either side of the Double Door. Sigune, caught one of the Orcs by Surprise, and cleaved through bone and sinew leaving the first Orc a lifeless corpse on the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger’s floor. Sir Ly hacked at another but managed only a glancing blow.
From behind the Orcs, Goblins fired a volley of Short Bow Arrows at the altar before ducking back out of sight.
Amazingly one Arrow hit Father Tobias grazing his shoulder. He tensed waiting for the tell tale sign of an envenomed Arrowhead but there was no burning sensation. Much relieved he ducked back behind the altar thanking St Cuthbert that his foes were under resourced.
Then a Large Creature burst through the Doorway. Nearly ten feet tall, it was a fearsome Troll wielding 2 Mighty Balls of Rock , thrown Weapons of stione in the hands of a Troll, extramly dangerous.
The Troll hurled one of the balls at the altar behind which Father Tobias was taking cover. It smashed into the wood shattering much of it but missed Father Tobias.
Meanwhile inside the Treasure Room Frimly and Galan climbed back up the Ladder. With some alarm they heard the crash of the Troll Weapon from beyond the closed Door as it smashed through the Altar.
Unable to affect the Troll, Father Tobias elected instead to cast “Hold Person” on the Orcs fighting Sigune and Sir Ly. He cast his Spell but only managed to affect 1 of the Orcs. Alas his piety was clearly in question.
Scrolls showed that the most diligent of Priests could affect up to 4 beings with such a Spell but Father Tobias’ paltry effort had claimed only one victim. Before he could dwell further on this unfortunate state of affairs, Father Tobias felt the infernal power of the same Spell grip him. Too late he realised he had been drawn into removing the ‘Darkness’ to give away his position. He was held motionless. Thankfully there remained cover behind the broken altar but Father Tobias was now out of the fight.
The Troll had noticed the motionless Father Tobias so it hastened over to smash him while he was unable to defend himself. However before the Troll could attack Thora rushed out, from her hioding place, to engage it.
She swung her Battle Axe and it crunched powerfully into the Trolls left side. In return the Troll tried to smite her but its great size worked against it. It swung its vile Scabrous Claws or tried to Bite the heroic Dwarf but all was to no avail.
Having heard the fighting, Mirafir opened the Treasure Room Door to look out. He was pulled back. Galan told him to stay back as he was in a weakened state and would not stand up to combat. Galan used his ‘Cloak of Elvenkind’ to conceal himself as he sneaked out into the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger towards Thora.
At the Doorway Sigune hewed down another Orc with one deadly stroke of her Longsword. Sir Ly swung but slipped on the blood drenched floor so that his blade arced harmlessly through empty air.
Behind the Troll an additional 4 Orcs rushed into the room. They backed up their comrades and took the fight to the beleaguered Paladins.
2 Orcs had now been killed and one held by Father Tobias’ ‘Hold Person’ Spell..
The Troll bent down but missed with its rock and fist, but managed to Bite Thora on the shoulder. At the Door Sir Ly slipped again. More training was definitely required.
On the other side of the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger’s entrance the fight went better. Sigune killed another Orc. At least one Paladin was proving their worth.
As the 2 Orcs moved towards Thora, who was still in Melee with the Troll, Galan advanced, fighting in the Ranger’s way with a Sword in each hand, fighting one of the Orcs that was attacking Thora.
Thora smarting from her Bite renewed her efforts to again hit the Troll with her Battle Axe. It left a deep gash in its huge thigh, but still it came on, seemingly oblivious to the pain.
Sir Ly, unable to land his own blows, was then cut in the midriff by an Orcish Scimitar.
Then 4 Goblins, with Short Bows, ran into the center of the Chaple of Moradin Soul Forger and aimed thier Weapons at Sir Ly and Sigune.
Then the Troll smote Thora in the head with its great rock flail. Thora stoically took the blow, barely reacted to its impact; she then heaved her Battle Axe again as if nothing had happened. Bloodlust welled up inside her.
Sigune cut the head off a fourth Orc. Sir Ly finally kept to his feet, swung his Longsword and buried its blade deep in the heart of an Orc. He had finally joined the fray in an effectual way.
He turned to the final motionless foe, but missed in his over eagerness. So many failures.
It would have to be a hair shirt and self flagellation for a week at least. He must purge such self – aggrandisement and arrogance from his mind to be at one with his father’s Longsword.
As he yelled in his frustration, two Short Bow Arrows shot past his nose releasing him from his moment of selfish introspection. The 4 Goblin Archers were firing while another two stayed outside the chapel; one went to the Doorway, while the last guarded the Orc Cleric.
In the centre of the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger Thora finally downed her foe. It had been a truly epic contest but in the end she had triumphed. Galan, next to her killed his Orc, then moved forward to confront the Goblins fire Short Bows. He managed to wounded one of them, but his Sword play had been terrible.
Sir Ly stabbed the motionless Orc in the throat which he had previously missed so badly.
Thora, standing on the body of the dead Troll, cut down the one remaining Orc in a single stroke. Frimly then ran along the Southern Wall of the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger intent on provide assistance to Galan in fighting the Goblins.
Just outside the doorway, beyond the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger the remaining Goblin Archer and the Orc Cleric, having seen their extra large patrol with Troll muscle decimated, fled in different directions.
As they did so, 4 Dwarven Fighters and a Gnome Wizard named Morri, of King Korin’s band arrived.
Unable to run down the corridor to the stairs which were blocked by the oncoming Dwarves and the Gnome, the Orc Cleric ran full pelt Northwards down a Corridor, but in his haste he set off a trap which engulfed him in burning oil. He perished in flames, squealing horribly.
Back at the Altar, Father Tobias could finally move. He gathered his Oil and rushed to the Troll body which was quivering. Galan had taken soaked rags in oil of his own, taken from tourches, and then forced them in the Troll’s Mouth. Thora began to dismember the Trolls body.
Father Tobias then struck sparks from his tinder box and the Troll body burned before it could regenerate. Its severed limbs were placed on top of its torso creating a foul stench as it burned.
The last Goblin ran South down a Corridor in the opposing direction. It was pursued by Sigune who caught it up and swiftly despatched it. Beyond the Door it had tried to flee through were three further chambers connected by two short corridors (Rooms 91, 92 and 93).
However, the battle continued and 2 Goblins remained in the Chapel of Moradin Soul Forger. From out of nowhere a Giant Golden Eagle appeared. It flew straight at them with its talons outstretched. Sir Ly attacked the Goblins but was as ineffectual against them as he had been against the Orcs. Frimly appeared from the Shadows and suddenly ducked to the ground as the Eagle attacked.
Frimly then stabbed the Goblin in the neck killing it. Frimly then had killed the last Goblin.
The Eagle disappeared as suddenly as it had arrived. The Dwarves later explained it was completely illusory, but had served them well in previous fights with the Orcs and Goblins.
The Dwarves celebrate the death of a Troll. Then they saw the Treasure Room. They rushed into it and were greeted by Mirafir.
The Dwarves Of Moradin Soul Forger:
They told us not stay long, as once the Orcs realised the extent of their losses they would probably send their entire force to overwhelm us with sheer numbers.
Also Kelthas the Dread would soon have seen that the balance of power had changed. While he was around we had to behead all the Orcs and Goblins to ensure he could not create more Undead Slaves with the ‘Evil Dagger’ he obtained from Frimly and/or Mirafir.
The 3 Chambers beyond the door were swiftly explored by Sigune. She found nothing of note in them, Room dedicated to Moradin Soul Forger.
The Door beyond the Oil Trap which so effectively killed the Orc Cleric was also checked.
It was an Empty Room. So why was a Trap set there if there was nothing to Guard?
The Dwarves explained that as it was a Dead End leading to Rooms into which the Dwarves did not need to enter it was a good place to set a Trap for the unwary enemy.
So it proved to admirable effect.
The Dwarves agreed that they could not move the Statues or all the Treasure from the Secret Room. However they insisted on taking the “Magic Shovel”, the “Stone of Elemental Control” and the “Magic Mirror” and back to their area. Father Tobias suggested that, as Mirafir thought it was a ‘Magical Scrying item’, they should cover the up Mirror to ensure no one could see anything of their lair through it. Maybe he was being too careful but he had no idea how it worked. He did not want to take the risk that it would be used against our Dwarven allies.
The Dwarves then left with the Magical Items.
Father Tobias cleared up the Chapel as much as he could. It might not be his God, but he hated to see a place of worship to be left with blood, gore and dead bodies all over it. He was saddened by the smashed altar but could do nothing about it so he joined the others for a quick meeting in the Treasure Room.
We cleared as much of the debris as we could. We then covered up as many of the tracks as possible so there wasn’t anything too obvious to lead enemies to the Secret Door to the Treasure Room. We then closed the Treasure Room Door.
We decided to all descend the Ladder. Galan and Frimly went down first.
It was slow going as we stopped, examined, listened, then moved on again, every 30′ feet or so.
However we did not notice anything. As our findings had shown before, this was long unused.
At the bottom we noticed the stench of the Noxious Green Liquid. It also stung our eyes. We were clearly closer to its source. We surmised that we had now descended as far as the entrance Level 3 at least.
We believed that Kelthas the Dread was based on this Level 3 area and so we needed to be very cautious.
The Ladder ended in a small chamber (Room 98). There was the back of a Secret Door in the Southern wall. Frimly listened at the Secret Door but could hear nothing. He opens the Secret Door.
Beyond the Door was a Room with a Stone Statue of a Dwarvern Fighter in full Platemail Armour wielding a Large Battle Axe. The style of the Dwarf was very ancient. It could have been 1000s of years old.
Beyond the Stone Statue was another opening in the Southern wall. This reeked with the concentrated Stench of the Green Pollutant we had discovered earlier.
Father Tobias cast “Detect Magic” on the Stone Statue and found that it radiated Very Powerful Magic.
Father Tobias entered the Stone Statue room briefly showing the Amulet of the Hammer to denote he was a Dwarf friend. However as he entered the statue moved Menacingly. It became still again when he exited but its position changed. Now it looked poised ready to strike its Battle Axe instead of standing to attention.
Father Tobias suggested using a Lasso to ensnare it but when Galan tried that, the Stone Statue Animated and cut his Rope.
Perhaps it was only Dwarves that can enter.
Thora tried entering but again the statue moved menacingly toward her. She left again. Thora began to call out Dwarven word to see if a password would turn off the Animated Dwarven Statue.
Thora: “Friend, Stop, Halt…..”
We couldn’t think how to get past it. Frimly wanted to use Father Tobias “Necklace of Adaptation” again. This was so he could breathe in the Chamber beyond without getting sick from the Foul Gas. However Father Tobias was unwilling to give up the ‘Necklace of Adaptation’. It been given to him for a specific purpose by the Cleric Maerovyna, the head of his order in Daggerford.
Maerovyna had fortold that he would need this item to protect the life of Sir Ly.
He could not just lend it to all and sundry. It was Holy Item, which he needed to return and it should be revered.
By now Mirafir had begun to recover.
He confirms that he puts us on the Entrance Level 3, North of the Chamber of the Fountains from which all the Water flowed.