GM: Jerry McCoy
Players: Laura, Tom, Tully, Tracy, Jeff, Sean Nittner
System: Labyrinth Lord
The companions, in Finean’s absence, learned that the source of the curse on Iwatani’s gem was cast when the gem had log ago been stolen from a dwarven hall. With great effort of mind and body, the adventurers found the great hall and returned the gem, lifting the curse. In doing so, however, they realized the once great dwarven hall had been abandoned and was now infested with infernal drenches. As they had many times before, the dwarves dug too deep and welcomed evil into the world.
Preparing for Adventure
The nearby dwarves were grateful we had restored the gem and already slain many beasts within. When Finean the Sage caught up with the group from Helix, he quickly learned of their plans and then consulted with a the dwarf Khargo to learn more of the Dwarven lore. The dretches his companions had slain were most likely soldiers in an army of infernals. Simple brute who serve more devious masters.
Khargo asked that we look for dwarven artifacts in the Hall. Yes, those might be great magical items, but more likely they would be mundane items of cultural and historical significance.
Baghet, the fighter, presented Finean her Moon Shooting Star Sage necklace, and while he could not tell it’s magical properties (if any) he was familiar with the order of astronomical sages who spread throughout the land. He offered to wear the necklace to see if it had any magical properties.
Sea Shells, the magic user, presented the pendant of the sun and anvil, but neither Finean or the dwarves recognized it.
Iwatani gave a magical warhammerer to Finean so he would have a magical armament as we entered a dungeon full of demon spawn.
Lawrence and Otis drunk heavily the night before and could not be roused. We heard Boris departed at first light to gather firewood, his hate turned towards smoking the kobolds out of the forest they used for their ambush tactics and assaults on travelers.
So there were were assembled:
- Yardel, the Elf (Tully)
- Jerard, the Cleric (Tom)
- Sea Shells, the Magic User (Tracy)
- Baghet, the Fighter (Laura)
- Iwatani, the Elf (Jeff)
- Finean, the Elf (Sean)
A lot of elves, and once halfling magic user on a giant pug!
Our journey to the halls
We took the deer path through the woods, which was thankfully free of assailment from kobolds in the woods. Sea Shells and Finean climbed a tree as lookout, and confirmed the path was clear (Sea Shells did most of the work, Finean was overwhelmed by the beauty of wind passing through the threes) so we set out to the cave entrance of Logan’s Hall.
At the entrance were many giant statues of dwarven warriors. Finean etched a sketch on the way in. We made our way to the first unexplored room in the Hall.
The room had furniture that had long ago been torn apart, and in the northwest wall there was a door that was long ago sundered. As we inspected the remails first one, then two more enraged dretches charged in and violence ensued. Iwatani was flung against the wall by the first wielding and invisible force, Baghet’s courage was broken by a spell of fear from the second, and the room was cloaked in darkness by the third. They also tore at my companions with slashing claws and gnashing teeth. When darkness prevented us from seeing our foes, Finean and Sea Shells cast twin spells of slumber and sent everyone in the room to sleep!
We carefully found our companions and roused them, and even more carefully found the two remaining dretches and dispatched them with fell blades.
Finean sought his terrified companion and Baghet and offered her back the sage’s necklace. “Wearing this gave me courage to fight these creatures, maybe it will grant you the same.” Though the spell surely ended when the creature that cast it was killed, the ritual had nevertheless imbued the necklace with a totemic power to face your fears with your friends beside you.
Jerard recognized a symbol on one of the dretches that indicated it was a servant of a creature called a Rutterkin, a more dangerous infernal still!
Into the Throne Room
From there we ventured into a vast room with pillars that had carefully carved dragon motifs extending the length of them. Between the adornment here and all the secret doors and portcullises that had stood between the entrance and this place, Finean believed it was once very important to the dwarves.
But as we entered the gloom sat heavy in this great hall. Our torches flickered despite there being no wind and even our magically glowing weapons only cast a feeble light. With a spell to detect magic, Yardell noticed there was magic emanating from the ceiling in the center of the hall. In the dark gloom however, even with torches, most of our party could not see the ceiling. The elves, with infravision and keen eyes, saw a roiling fog what we estimated was thirty feet in the air.
Iwatani used his gloves of climbing and swimming to climb one of the great pillars, but found as he entered the fog that his long hair began to fall upwards around his head. He fished a copper out of his purse and let it go. It fell up! He found when he climbed entirely into the fog he was pulled upward as well. When he called down from his “floor” we soon realized terms like “up” and “down” would no longer suffice. We decided that “skyward” and “earthward” would have to do for now.
However, when he was up there, he heard something, and soon realized he was not alone. A massive creature, perhaps eight feet tall, but stooped over with protruding bones and grotesque features face him. Like our brave Baghet, Iwatani’s will was broken by the magical fear and he fled along the ceiling.
We followed what we could see of his head sticking out of the fog but could not see the creature concealed within. Sea Shells used her gloves of dexterity to climb another pillar and offer the sages necklace to Iwatani, but as he tried to don it, the shifting gravity interfered and it fell to the floor below. That’s when Sea Shells suddenly disappeared and reappeared somewhere in the fog.
We heard her cry and followed. And then finally saw the terrible creautre, the Rutterkin, a demon that only devours and grows.
Luring it below the fog, we fought the creature with magical sword and arrow, blessings from the god of flowing evil, circles of protection from evil, and pyrotechnics that spewed chocking smoke. Once violence was done and the creature defeated, Yardel took it’s head as an offering to the dwarves, as well as it’s magical sword, though it’s aura had a sickly grey glow unlike the green glow that most magic items had.
Jerard discovered three large gold coins on the creature as well. Internal coins used to bind supernatural contract. He gingerly collected them in a sack, making sure never to touch them himself.
Skyward, on the ceiling, we also found the creatures horde
- A purple velvet sack with 270ep and 125gp
- A large silvery gold chest with 2000sp
- A small bronze chest with three gems (100 gp, 125gp, and 1200gp ruby)
- A long rod that looked martial in nature. This was the item that glowed with a magical aura. In Finean’s hands it felt well balanced and well suited for striking, perhaps smashing an apple one had flung into the air.
Throne of Mordkhaz
Further in the room we found steps up to a great throne with 10 diamond inset in it. Behind the throne was a massive statue of a dwarf holding a sun and anvil. At the base, carved in Dwarven was the word “Mordkhaz”. Finean took sketches of each of these as well.
Finean examined the diamonds set int he throne and found that one set in the left arm could be depressed, but the mechanism did not seem to activate. There as a divot for another item to be placed, but none thing we had fit the items we possesed.
Return to the Dwarves
The dwarves cheered the death of the Rutterkin and granted us a great celebration and 500gp reward. They were wary of everything that came from it, however, including the coin, swords, and head.
When shown Finean’s sketches they told us that Mordkhaz was their god of Sun and the Forge. If we had found his scepter and crown and pressed the diamond on the throne, it would deactivate the alarms elsewhere in the dungeon!
Finean’s Sketches
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Pics from the game
