NORVIK: SESSION FOUR

Session Four: Alturiak 1474

Chapter One: Hello Chester.

After resting the night in the crypt following the mummy encounter, the group felt they were close to exploring the limits of the Keep….only the southern end was left to be searched before dealing with the woman in stasis and the kobolds up the shaft at the top of the keep. Moving south, the party entered a long hall of pillars, with what looked like rubble surrounding them….the site of a large battle? There were several doors in the slanted hallway, but the more immediate concern was a large group of eyeless, axe wielding humanoids bent on slaughter…grimlocks, as the bard remembered them from ancient tales! The creatures swarmed the party, but the bulk of them were bottled up in a corridor thanks to Arcus’ Grease spell, which they were not able to pass. Some poured oil and the application of Vaerlon’s flaming sword spelled the end for many of the helpless grimlocks, while the rest were hacked to pieces by the remainder of the adventurers. A few grimlocks escaped down the corridor, so the party quickly followed at their heels, which led farther south to a large, rough hewn cavern containing more of the slavering humanoids. Battle was joined, and soon the grimlocks and their leader lay dead. Nothing was found of treasure or interest in the area, except perhaps for bodies of orcs and kobolds that looked like they had died setting off traps in that part of the stronghold.
On their way back to the main corridor, the adventurers found an alternate way to the west, and then a passage hidden by an illusionary wall. As the party entered the hidden room, the door made a great noise, and soon a voice yelling for help was heard through a secret door in the far wall. Unwilling to go into what appeared to be a trap, the party engaged in a long yelling conversation with someone who identified themselves as “Chester”, who said he was being held hostage by something called a Flaming Skull in the next room….with lots of treasure the creature was guarding! After warning them of the dangers they faced, the party came up with a plan to distract the floating, burning skull. Unfortunately, the skull caught the bard with a Sleep spell, then half the party with a Color Spray, and very quickly the battle was getting out of control. Since the only power of the skull seemed to be fire breath, arrows were fired from a distance by Vaerlon and Ephros while Galgadayle used his spear to finally bring the creature down…..per instructions by Chester, Arcus then used a Remove Curse spell from a scroll to forever lay the regenerating creature to rest.
The room did indeed have treasure, but the most disconcerting thing was that Chester’s voice seemed to be coming from a locked steel chest…..after much questioning Chester admitted he was also a Flaming Skull, one that had failed his duties and been locked up the last 100 years or so as punishment. Desperately wishing to get out of the chest, Chester told the story of his life which seemed to consist of little more than telling the party he once was a young, foolish acolyte who fell in with the wrong crowd, and agreed to be turned into a guardian creature (who failed in his task) and that having decades to think it over while locked in the chest as punishment he realized he made a pretty stupid choice. After spending many years in a kind of somnolent state, he had been awakened by the recent activities in the complex and was overjoyed to find someone who might rescue him from his imprisonment. Unwilling to let Chester loose being depleted of spells as they were (in case it was a trap/trick), the party members promised to return to him before leaving the complex.


Chapter Two: More Traps

Traveling back to the main corridor, the party investigated several doors, but found them all to be traps…some of these were avoided and some caused damage (particularly a pit trap that caught both Korgaard and Ephros flat footed). One door, intriguingly, contained a spirit who called herself “Ruthvan” and said she could answer any question about the complex that encompassed the last 100 years. The party then peppered Ruthvan with questions, learning quite a bit about the complex, Horvor’s party, and several of the monsters they had faced. They learned that the girl they had found trapped in stasis was Rivior’s consort, and that it was Rivior himself who lay dead buried beneath the bookcase in the adjoining room. They also learned a large group of kobolds inhabited the top level of the structure, and the locations of a couple of areas they had not yet explored.
One area to the SW yielded a couple of locked and hidden chambers that contained remnants of what looked like a worship area to some demon lord. They battled a sandling, an elemental creature composed of sand, and found an interesting small glass prism with a strange blackness inside, as well as various treasures and a couple of what looked like magical rings. Traveling to the opposite side of the complex to the northeast, the adventurers found a unsafe passage that led to a pillared room with a pool of black water. Stepping into the room caused the pillars to open, and four negative energy zombies to emerge from the pillars, unholy light gleaming in their eyes. Retreating to the corridor where they could hold off the zombies, Ephros threw the glass prism, which broke and released a guardian yugoloth, a minor demon that was typically used to guard treasure. The yugoloth and the zombies immediately began combat, and to the party’s surprise, the zombies made short work of the demon only losing one of their number. Putting on one of the magical rings they had found, Ephros found it was a Ring of Shooting Stars, and as other party members peppered the zombies with missile weapons (ineffective, as only magical items would damage them), he used the spark shower to hurt them as they crawled across the trapped corridor. A battle followed, and the zombies were taken care of. Inspecting the chamber more closely, the party wanted to investigate a black pool of water, but didn’t wish to enter it. They ended up taking a shaft up to the complex atop them, and kidnapping an unwilling kobold. The druid Galgadayle charmed him, and despite the language barrier, got him to enter the water and drag out handfuls of gold and another magical ring. After this, the party rested for the evening in the well-protected room.

Chapter Three: Miior and more

The next morning, it was decided to explore the room filled with swarms of crawling claws the party had located days earlier, and use fire spells to clear it out. They came to the door and cruelly used the charmed kobold as bait, tossing him in and waiting until he was covered with crawling claws before Korgaard and Arcus used Flaming Ray spells to burn off and destroy several of the claws (Galgadayle had no pity for the kobold, for as he said “These creatures are unnatural abominations and don’t deserve to live”. Ephros used the Ring of Shooting Stars to burn many more, and soon the room was cleared out. Inside, a valuable spell tube was found containing many high level priest spells including Regenerate, Restoration and Raise Dead. This in hand, next stop was to remove Chester from his steel chest.
Carefully releasing Chester, the party found he was so overjoyed at finally being free, he would accompany him throughout the rest of the dungeon and help as he could. He was quite the non stop talker after being trapped “buried alive” for almost 100 years, and soon the party knew far, far more about him than they ever really cared to know. The floating, flaming skull had quite a personality, if not perhaps a tiny bit insane from his long imprisonment.
Coming next to the room which held the stasis trapped woman, the party released her, and knowing what the spirit of Ruthvan had told them (about her being the consort of Rivior), they allowed her an attempt to tell them the truth about who she was. Unfortunately she glibly lied, telling them she was but a poor slave girl and a prisoner of Rivior. Further questioning, and use of an ESP potion, found her full of lies and plans to cast spells to affect her release (she was a minor mage it also turned out). Having satisfied their curiosity, the signal was given, and the party restrained her and removed all her clothes and bracers (in case they be used against them) and told her that they knew she was lying, and that 80 years had passed since she had been placed in the hidden closet……that Rivior was dead, and her spellbooks gone…and that she was about five minutes from lying dead herself if she didn’t give them a good reason to keep her around.
Knowing the jig was up, the woman introduced herself as Miior, saying she was a low level mage and the consort of the now dead Rivior. She told them a bit of background about helping Rivior establish his bandit empire, but was not forthcoming on some things, such as who put her in the closet in suspended animation, and why. She bargained for her life saying she had no spells or spellbook, but she could help them as she had little chance to escape back to civilization in her present state, and no means to help herself even if she did. She also promised to lead the party to several hidden caches of treasure that she and Rivior had placed prior to their complex being attacked, hidden areas that may still be untouched after the last 8 decades. At this, and seeing as she had no chance to hurt them or get away, the party agreed to take her in and keep her around as long as they needed her. However, they did not trust her, knowing she was evil, and had been Rivior’s consort, so they vowed to watch her closely. Arcus was allowed to claim her magical bracers, and Miior was given an old robe to cover herself. If she chafed at being so destitute as to have no possessions or spellbooks, she said nothing, but instead began ingratiating herself with Arcus perhaps thinking she could befriend or even seduce the young naïve magician.
The last thing left to do before leaving the complex was to clear out the kobolds atop the fortress in a hidden cavern. Using a secret way to the top located earlier, the main group of the party created a diversion at the shaft entrance, while the others snuck up the rope and began attacking from surprise. Caught between the now well experienced group, very little damage was taken as they (with the help of the fire breathing, floating Chester) cut through the 70 or so kobolds fairly quickly, taking little damage. The chief kobold attempted to escape down another hidden shaft, but instead became the victim of another monster, a grey ooze hidden at the bottom, and thus he was left as the kobold treasure (mostly copper and silver) was gathered, along with the rest that had been found, and loaded into one of the hand carts for taking back to the monastery.
At the end of the battle, seven kobolds were left alive, and they were taken prisoner to use as servants hauling the treasure and to fix up the monastery. Day by day Galgadayle charmed them so they would remain loyal, although finally one had to be killed as charm did not take with him and he was unruly. The six remaining kobolds were housed in the barn, and tasked with all the many chores needed around the monastery to keep it up.

Chapter Four: Time to go
In the weeks that followed, Arcus identified all the treasure found, and it was divided up among the party members. Ephros continued his reading and writing studies, and many other party members did likewise. Galgadayle found a book on brewing procedures and proceeded to spend the rest of the time learning how to brew up various beers, as well as poisons and potions made from natural substances. His owl was now completely healthy and he taught it many tricks. Chester, who missed reading most of all during his incarceration, busied himself with working his way through every book in the library (turning the pages with his teeth….). He indicated he was not looking forward to traveling out of the wilderness and offered to stay at the monastery, guarding it, watching the kobolds, and also reading the books…but finally curiousity about the “real” world he had left overtook him, and he agreed to accompany the adventurers to civilization. Miior played the part of the resigned captive, trying to find out what had changed in the world during the last 80 years, and making herself busy around the monastery with “women’s” chores, perhaps waiting for an opportunity to present itself...

NORVIK: SESSION THREE

Session Three: Midwinter 1474

Chapter One: Further Exploration.

The next day, with everyone healed up, it was decided to head north and find the parameters of the underground lair, as well as the path the faint footprints led that the ranger brothers had found. Soon, the party was in conflict with a small group of half-ogres, who seem to be guarding a horizontal hallway at the northern edge of the complex. They were quickly dealt with, leading the party to what appeared to be an occupied lair…full of boxes, crates, sacks, a cart and a steaming pot full of mule meat. Immediately upon entering, the adventurers were in deadly pitched combat with a priest of Taranthus (Horvor), his giant ogre leader, and another of the deadly Baneguards! The battle was furious, and soon Vaerlon lay unconscious and bleeding to death from the ogre’s attack, while Argois and Angles desperately held their own against the priest who had summoned a magical “Whip of Pain” to batter them again and again. The Baneguard was also attacking, and things for awhile looked quite precarious. However, the battle songs of the bard helped strengthen the party, and the druid, bard and thief wore down the ogre and undead creature with hit and run tactics. Meanwhile, Vaerlon was ministered to by the mage with a potion of healing, and cured enough to manage rising to help his brother dispose of the evil priest. It was a tough battle, but at last they triumphed, with everyone taking minor injuries.
Afterwards, searching the priest’s lair brought forth a journal that detailed the reason this small group of evil beings was in the dungeon: they had become separated from a caravan of Taranthian slavers in a blizzard, and had to take up camp here until the snow stopped falling. They had been the ones to sacrifice the girl (a nameless slave) earlier in the dungeon, to consecrate the area, and had left the other Baneguard to watch their extra supplies. With the priest and his minions dead, searching the northern part of the complex was finished. A magical glowing globe was also found, which followed the party’s commands to follow and light the area, all the while floating just behind them. A short sword called a “Chill Blade” that had been wielded by the Baneguard was claimed by Ephros, and several other items that might or might not have been magical were taken by the party for identification later.
The next area to be was the dining room, the globe was sent in to illuminate the stirges that had nested in the rafters, which were then quickly disposed of with missile weapons and Arcus’ Sleep spell. A large, magical shield with symbol of the Cult of the White Wyrm visible on it’s surface was found on the wall and taken. Next, a return to the throne room yielded a potentially deadly foe, a mimic, in the shape of a treasure chest behind the throne….it entrapped the thief with his sticky glue and battered him near unconciousness. The mimic was taken care of by the party, who by this time had become a well-disciplined fighting force when facing the dangers of the dungeon. A long hallway led them to what appeared to be Rivior’s office and bedroom, in which an ancient skeleton was found that might have been the bandit lord himself, buried under a fallen bookcase. Spellbooks and mage scrolls were found on the shelves, as well as a bedroom with a surprise in one of the closets: What appeared to be a living woman chained inside a small 10x10 room! After it was determined she was not dead but in a state of suspended animation, (perhaps even since time the keep fell) it was decided that the woman be left here until the party was ready to leave the complex…just in case she was not what she appeared to be! The door was resealed and the party resolved to return and try to release her later…

Chapter Two: Even MORE Undead Foes
Searching north of the throne room, the party came upon an unusual sight even in this strange place: a skeleton of a frost giant on a stone table, with what appeared to be a magical spear buried in it’s ribs. After removing the spear, the druid found it spoke to him and told him it’s name, Shimmering, and noted it was a giant slayer who also spoke Frost Giant. At this, the monster skeleton arose and attacked, but was quickly destroyed by the party.
The party then went to another room right off the throne room, a hidden chamber that had a set of stairs going down. After negotiating a few traps, Ephros (Runt) triggered one that released two Bonebats at the bottom of the stairs. A pitched battle in the narrow confines led to the entire party eventually destroying the undead flying creatures. After the door was carefully examined and opened, it was found to lead to a hidden crypt! Three stone coffins lay within; one was opened, and had disgorged a skeletal warrior that kept regenerating and attacking, even after destruction. After holy water was finally poured on its bones, it stopped rising, but the party’s nerves were on edge at the presence of the other two sealed coffins. Finally, after making a plan and setting themselves up around the room, the center coffin was opened. Within was a corpse of what appeared to be a worshipper of Rualt (Goddess of Cold) holding a book sacred to her religion, White’s Codicil. The book has taken, and found to have much lore concerning the religion as well as unique spells. The third coffin was carefully opened, but unfortunately it released a mummy, which seemed to be above the party’s level of expertise to destroy. Argois, Arcus and Angles found themselves collapsed with fear and useless; Korgaard, Vaerlon, Galgadayle and Ephros by themselves had a valiant combat with the undead creature, and managed to destroy it only after Korgaard and Vaerlon had been infected with mummy rot. After the battle, a Cure Disease scroll was used on the both of them to eliminate the mummy rot, and a large treasure of rubies was found around the neck of the mummy.
A small, narrow passage behind one coffin lead to another room filled with treasure, but it was guarded by three iron cobras, which gave Galgadayle, Ephros, Korgaard and Argois fits in the narrow confines of the chamber (only 4 feet high!). Finally, after a difficult battle in the dark and tight area, the metal guardians were defeated. After their defeat, more treasure and magic was found, and the party decided to rest overnight in the tomb (although reluctantly, it was easily defendable and secure, but a dark and depressing place).

NORVIK: SESSION TWO

Session Two: Midwinter 1474

Chapter One: Rivior’s Keep

Through the next six weeks, the snows continued, and temperatures hovered near zero but never above. Outdoors was a silent, white, frozen landscape. The head priest of the temple and his servants never returned; if because of bad weather, or perhaps they had met their death through the giants or dragons, who knew? Through the month of Nightall and into the month of Hammer in the new year, the seven inhabitants of the Nythiirian temple found many ways to while away the long winter weeks. Due to the supplies in the monastery, there was no need for additional food or drink. There were short forages into the nearby woods for fuel in the form of firewood, or ice to be melted for water, but there was no exploring more than a mile from the monastery due to the intense cold and snow. In their long time together, the seven shared their life stories and whatever else that might interest others; six weeks snowed in, in a confined space, is enough to make even the least talkative open up completely. Arcus spent the time teaching Runt and Korgaard the rudiments of reading and writing. Korgaard proved so adept, he began to learn the use of magic, slowly at first, but some unknown talent taking over until he had actually mastered the spells as a mage would! The brothers Argois and Vaerlon got to know one another, practicing sparring and their archery outside in the courtyard; Korgaard regaled the party with bardic tales of warriors and battles long ago. Angles studied the holy books of Nythiir, learning more of his chosen path. Perhaps only the druid Galgadayle kept apart from the others; all the time away from the forest where he had lived his entire life made him homesick, and he preferred open spaces to the interior of the monastery. He spent the time tending his wounded owl, and teaching it several commands. Meanwhile, Arcus also continued to study the history books of the high priest, and was able to pinpoint the location of Rivior’s Keep on an accurate map in the one book he had located.
Finally, during the week of Midwinter, the coldest part of the season, the temperature took a sudden upswing into the teens, and the snows stopped. Cabin fever had begun to set in; even a trek into the frigid mountains was preferable to sitting inside another day! Plans were made to head for the keep and possibly stay there while exploring it, but all depended on reaching it before the blizzard began again. Properly equipped against the cold with bearskin fur cloaks (and Angles with a magical cloak he had taken from his master’s study that kept the wearer warm in any cold weather), the small group left early in the day for Rivior’s Keep. Snowshoes kept the party members above the unpacked snow, which was several feet deep, and the party took enough rations and supplies for many days.
Although hidden well, the location of the bandit fortress was but a few miles into the nearby mountains, actually quite easy to find, and surprisingly little effort was used to reach it. A low overhang led to two entrances, one leading to a large door, the other to a dank smelly cavern. While the cavern side was being explored, a pair of hibernating owlbears was awakened and dealt with by the rangers, druid and halfling thief A small bit of treasure was found but no entrance….through the door seemed to be the only way in, so the party took it with much eagerness after noticing it was not locked….and looked recently breached. A short hallway led to a room with a pile of weapons in the center, and a locked metal gate. The most intriguing item was the presence of fresh tracks, not several days old, consisting of humans, an ogre, and possibly half ogres! Others had found the halls before the group, and might not be inclined to be friendly….! Due to the unexpected warmth inside the ruins (the temperatures hovered above freezing!) the bearskin cloaks were set aside for the duration of the adventure.
By the light of a torch held by Angles, the exploration began. Secret entrances around the rusty portcullis were found, and each led to guardrooms. In one was found the petrified form of a goblin; caution was taken in case some creature be found that could turn one to stone! Inside a privy, the bard Korgaard came upon a nicely forged and surely magical sword; he had to battle a hidden giant spider with the help of a fear stricken Angles, who managed to somehow help the bard dispatch the arachnid. In the other guardroom, tragedy was narrowly averted as a large Green Slime blob was burned off Runt by an alert Angles (Ephros did, however, lose half his hair in the incident…). In this privy, a small hidden treasure chamber held several useful potions and a deadly Lock Lurker.
Down a narrow hallway, a trap was triggered and several heavy crossbow bolts fired at the party from a device. Throwing caution to the winds, the party rushed a door, kicking it in to find several kobolds with hand crossbows manning a well-protected room with firing holes. Through this room, then another, then in a secret passage, the battle raged and 18 of the foul reptilian creatures were destroyed by Korgaard and Arcus’ spells, as well as the sword arms of the ranger brothers. Through one door, a long, dark shaft led upwards by a ladder….it was avoided for now. In another room, a recently half eaten mule showed that once again someone from the outside had entered the fortress.
Refusing to enter the shaft, the party returned to the main pathway, which led to a room with large statues that shot electric bolts from their hands. A secret door led to an intriguing mystery: a room with a recent sacrifice, a young woman laying on the floor with a dagger thrust in her mouth. Angles recognized both the dagger and the method of sacrifice as belonging to the priesthood of Taranthus, evil slavers who travel the world trading in human misery. More cautious now, the party entered the adjoining room and were set upon by a undead horror: A Baneguard, guardians summoned by evil priests to defend or guard their persons or treasures. A deadly battle ensued; the Baneguard had the power to fire magic missiles and blink; it used the first application to deadly result as a barrage of missiles caught Runt squarely and knocked him near death. The room cleared out leaving Korgaard, Argois and Vaerlon to battle the horror. Luck was with the trio, and after a hard fought battle the creature was destroyed. However, surprisingly the Baneguard was not watching over “treasure”, but a cart full of ale, potatoes, arrows and a lantern! Water dripping off the handcart meant it had been recently placed. Needing rest, the party took over the room to spend the night (it was the most easily defensible position they had found) as Angles wrapped the unfortunate sacrificial victim in cloths and said the prayers of Nythiir over her body, placing it in the cart and promising to retrieve it on the way out…..

Chapter Two: More Undead

The night spent in the cold, dark, dank fortress put everyone on edge for the next day. Explorations past the electricity throwing statues led to an empty room with a giant bat, and an abandoned bedroom with a trap that sent a flood of crawling claws down on the adventurer’s heads. Unwisely, the door to the next room was bashed down by the bard, and it was found to contain dozens and dozens of claws…then the door was secured before they could swarm the party! A trapdoor in the ceiling kept disgorging claws one by one, so that door was also sealed and the rooms abandoned, perhaps for later investigation.
The next room was a large throne room, but before it could be thoroughly searched, a secret passage was found that led to another part of the complex. A large dining hall was found, but seeing there were hibernating stirges in the high, darkened ceiling led the party in another direction. A hallway of many granite statues was found, they were barely examined before the party went off to another direction. A mysterious room with a red scarf on the floor that changed into a giant centipede when touched, which then turned out to be an illusion, frustrated the group as they began to wonder aloud what kind of deviltry was going on? In a further alcove, another secret door was found, leading to a corridor and another inexplicable riddle, a large chain hanging from the ceiling.
Exhausted and exasperated, the group turned to leave the dead end room. His curiosity getting the best of him, Vaerlon yanked the chain….which proceeded to open five secret doors. Out of four of them stepped giant Ogre skeletons, which mindlessly attacked!
Before the combat, the druid had wandered off, disgusted at the lack of progress and uneasy with the underground area that was lifeless of both plant and animals. Considering undead an abomination, he and Angles (who was guarding the end of the corridor) found themselves cut off from the party by the giant undead monsters. Suddenly, death seemed very likely as the party was overwhelmed….Angles wasn’t even powerful enough to attempt a turning of the creatures! A pitched battled ensued, which went back and forth. Desperate, Arcus cast a Stoneskin spell from a scroll upon himself, and began battering one skeleton with his staff. The others were overwhelmed….Vaerlon in particular found himself swinging clumsily and badly missing his foes. Whether through fear of undead, or guilt at being the one who had summoned their doom, Vaerlon was unable to do anything to stop the monsters. At the other end of the corridor, Angles and Galgadayle took turns bashing the giant skeleton then healing themselves, perilously close to disaster. For awhile, the survival of the party teetered in the balance.
However, as the battle wore on and both sides took hits, slowly the party began to one by one destroy the skeletons. Arcus’ spell allowed him to survive several strikes, and many vials of holy water and healing potions were used by everyone as the battle continued….the party would have to pull out all the stops to survive this encounter! Soon, Argois and Vaerlon battled side by side, with Argois asking his little brother if he required assistance as he appeared to be fighting like a virgin elf maiden instead of a warrior…bolstered by his brother’s presence, Vaerlon soon found his stride and began battling in earnest, scoring several telling blows on the undead. After a short period, the area was cleared of walking evil, and despite grave injuries all had survived and the skeletons lay in piles of bones throughout the room and corridor. A quick search of the rooms turned up a small amount of treasure, along with a carved horn wrapped in wolfskin. Examined, writing on it’s side revealed the horn would summon nearby wolves to help the owner….Vaerlon, as the summoner of the undead, was chosen to take the horn since it had been his recklessness that led to the prize! Once again in a defensible chamber, the group decided to spend the night and search further then the next day. Watch was set up, especially on the door to the secret passage that had discharged no skeleton and was yet unexplored….

NORVIK: SESSION ONE

Session One: The month of Nightall (1473)

Chapter One: The Meeting

The small village of Westpoint, about 100 miles north of Norvik, was the meeting place for a diverse group of adventurers thrown together by fate. In the Inn of the Laughing Dragon, their fates would all come together one horrific day and lead them to greater things. For the young human mage Arcus Stoneward, it was a resting spot for him and his father, the mage Demetrius, on their way from the dwarfhold The Citadel to the city of Norvik where Arcus was to apprentice to the mage Delfin Yellowknife. For the human skald Korgaard Skolsun, it was a place to perform his songs and ballads after escaping the clutches of the dreaded Cult of the White Wyrm, who had taken over his village and converted all within to the worship of Cold. For the elven druid Galgadayle Icemmon and his owl, it was a place to find allies after an attack by a Dark Druid and his minions had destroyed his mentor and their cottage in the Dark Forest weeks before. For the elven ranger Argois, it was a place where he was to meet his half elven brother for the first time, who it turned out was the son of his ranger mentor. For the half-elven ranger Vaerlon Starfinder, it was a destination he and his father, Vortigern, had chosen to meet his elven brother and for important information about the death of their mother was to be relayed. For the halfling thief Ephros (or “Runt” as he was known in his family), it was a warm spot to spend time after escaping the authorities in another village and waiting for one of his brothers to perhaps find him so he could return to his home in the woods.
In the warm, smokey tavern, the talk was of many things: how the village elders had rejected the offer of the priesthood of Rualt, goddess of cold, to set up a temple in the town; how in days the first large blizzard of the year would hit, making it almost impossible to travel or do anything outdoors for weeks if not months; of how fast the miners returning to their homes from the mountains would be able to spend their end of the year bonuses on ale, food and women. As Korgaard performed a lusty drinking song to the crowd, the lost and bitter Ephros scoped out the area for prospects; he found one in a drunken miner whose purse was bulging with gold, and gratefully took it so as to provide for him until his brothers arrived to take him back home.
In the back of the tavern, the two half brothers were meeting for the first time. Sharing an elven mother, Argois and Vaerlon sized each other up as Vortigern (Vaerlon’s father and Argois mentor) explained the circumstances of their births, and of their long-lost mother, who they learned was dead. Their mother Elias had been a mage and had joined Vortigern and others in adventuring in the Thunderspire Mountains many years ago. Argois had been born many years before, his father an elven man named Darfen who resided in Norvik. Vaerlon was conceived and born during this time, but was left by Elias to be raised by Vortigern. Elias then afterward was killed, but the brothers had never learned their mother’s fate…
One table over, Arcus and his father discussed the son’s coming apprenticeship with Delfin Yellowknife, a mage of power who lived within Norvik. Demetrius indicated he would have several objects to give Arcus when they parted, to help him in his studies.
Suddenly, as he emerged from the toilet, Runt was greeted by one of his drunken brothers who hailed him with disconcerting loudness. Clearly drunk as a coot, Runt’s brother proceeded to loudly proclaim he’s been robbing people in the tavern all night, and even worse, he offered the disturbing statement “Until you’ve had an orc woman, you’ve never been to heaven”. Unfortunately, at that moment he was cut short by a supporting beam of the tavern striking him in the skull, killing him instantly. For at that moment, a white dragon being ridden by a frost giant had landed on the tavern, destroying it and burying everyone within underneath the rubble!

Chapter Two: Escape from Westpoint

There was stunned silence, then screams of pain and agony as the patrons still living in the Inn of the Laughing Dragon realized there were THREE white dragons, all being ridden by frost giants, sweeping through the town destroying everything in sight. The voice of an imperious female cut through the snow and blood: “You have refused the offer of the priestesses of Rualt to protect your town; you have not let us erect a temple to our goddess; therefore, the Cult of the White Worm will make an example of your foolishness and wipe Westpoint from the minds of men forever!” Two figures clad only in white cloaks stood at the edge of town, directing a group of barbarian warriors to kill, rape and destroy everything in sight.
As the dragon atop the Laughing Dragon took flight, the survivors started stirring in the rubble. Runt used the panic to gather his dead sibling’s purse, feeling he had no longer any use for the wealth within. Vortigern gathered his son and Argois, telling them to get the other survivors to safety, that he would delay the pursuit as long as possible. Seeing Arcus’ father and recognizing him as a mage, he told him that they would have to do their best together to battle the Cult of the White Wyrm, even though their deaths were certain, if it would allow their children to escape. Agreeing, Demetrius shoved a bag of scrolls into his son’s hands and told him to follow the others out of town. “One of the scrolls is a Fireball, son, use it if you have to!” The small group, joined by the skald, druid and Runt, begin heading for the forest and hopefully escape. Vortigern, knowing he was doomed, muttered under his breath “What a lousy way to die!”
Vortigern then drew his sword, leaped impossibly upward and forward using what must have been boots of striding and springing, and landed squarely on the back of a dragon riding giant. Two quick swings decapitated the giant, and Vortigern let his body tumble from the back of the white dragon. Acting deliberately, Vortigern jammed his bastard sword into the neck of the surprised dragon and began sawing into the flesh. The pain maddened dragon dropped from the sky, crashing into a building and out of sight, Vortigern hanging on desperately.
Meanwhile, Demetrius chanted words of power and a fireball flew through the air to engulf a dragon/giant combination. They also fell from the sky with flames licking off them. The giant rolled to his feet, burned but alive, and began advancing on the mage. The mage fired off a lightning bolt, which crashed into the giant and knocked him off his feet. Before Demetrius could cast another spell, however, he was hit by twin Cones of Cold from the priestess of Rualt and her magess companion, who was one of the Frost Witches (mages worshipping Rualt) who also served the Goddess of Cold. The pair then hammered the mage with an Ice Storm and Frost Strike, and before he could counter attack the burning, pain maddened giant struck Demetrius a deadly blow from behind, then began hammering the mage into the ground with his bare fists.
As the doomed heroes did what they could, the fledgling adventurers headed for the forest. In their way was a small group of barbarian warriors, who Korgaard could see were his former villagers and friends. As he tried to talk to them and reason with them, he could see the light of madness in their eyes…there would be no intelligent discourse, merely ferocious attacking and battle, from his former comrades. The druid quickly cast an Entangle, which held most of the screaming warriors, enough that the rangers and Runt could pepper them with arrows, quickly finishing them off. That obstacle eliminated, they quickly lost themselves in the snow covered pine trees, the sounds of death and destruction still ringing in their ears from the razed village…

Chapter Three: The Last Obstacle

The motley group quickly ran through the thick woods, heading in an eastern direction, away from the doomed village. They quickly introduced themselves, but before they had headed too far, a hurtling meteor-like missile hit the ground ahead of them, gouging up trees, tundra and rocks for several hundred yards before coming to a tumbling stop. The missile turned out to be a wounded and near death dragon and frost giant, obviously injured in battle. The frost giant had fallen off the dragon, which bled from many wounds to its neck, and who had a broken wing hanging battered from it’s shoulder. The giant did not look much better, obviously having been on the receiving end of fire spells and sword thrusts. He unsteadily began loping the 100 yds or so to the shocked and frightened group of characters, screaming their doom. They hit him with missile fire as he advanced, and Arcus noticed with dismay the white dragon slowly stirring and moving around….he was near death, but not yet dead. He frantically dug into this father’s sack and dug out the Fireball scroll. Steadying himself, he read the words of power and cast his first ever spell from a scroll. The fireball streaked to the dragon, engulfed him, and exploded him into pieces that rained across the forest. The giant screamed in rage, and the adventurers began a cat and mouse game of missile weapons, staying out of his deadly reach, as Vaerlon attacked him with his sword. Arcus hit the giant with a Burning Hands, and Runt ran at a giant sized ankle, nearly severing it with a well thrust blow. The giant fell to his knees and squinted at the advancing Vaerlon. “You look familiar” he croaked in human tongue, “I think I kill one of your family back in town”. With this, Vaerlon struck his head from his shoulders, causing a fountain of giantish blood to spill on the white snow.
Very quickly, as wounds were bound, the druid, mage and Runt began rummaging through the snow for the valuable dragon parts such as fangs, claws, and blood. The others searched the giant’s body and came away with a sack full of broken potion bottles (of which they managed to salvage a few), and some gold. They also found a symbol being worn around the giant’s neck… a circle of stone with the head of a white dragon within, which the bard identified as being of the Cult of the White Wyrm. At that point, a blood covered trio joined the party with white dragon teeth, claws and blood. Runt was carrying a fang as big as a dagger. At this point, it was decided to head east, as quickly as possible, in case more trouble came behind.
Ten miles later, the group found a small rock overhang to spend the night…a miserable night, with temperatures hovering at five degrees, and only a small fire to keep them warm, and a handful of berries and some cooked porcupine meat to warm their bellies. Whatever lay ahead couldn’t be worse….could it?

Chapter Four: The Monastary

The group started out early the next morning, hopeful of finding some sort of protection from the coming bad weather. The druid had read the signs and predicted heavy snowfall by the evening, and it would be death to remain out on the trail with no shelter at that point. They quickly found a small trail, with footprints the rangers identified as both human and orc. With no other hope to find a place to stay, they began carefully paralleling the trail in case orcs were sighted. A band of hungry wolves caused a brief commotion, but the pack leader was killed by the party, and his blood caused the other starving wolves to tear him limb from limb and ignore the travelers. After a few miles, orcish voices began to be heard ahead about half a mile.
The party set up an ambush, not knowing how many of the humanoids might be ahead. Luck was with them. They saw a party of about 30 orcs heading west, but most appeared injured, and some were even being carried in carts. The orcs were careless and not scouting ahead, making the odds look good, so the silent hand signals were given from party member to party member. Suddenly, the first group was hit with Entangle from Galgadayle, and he proceeded to then pick off the helpless orcs with his sling. The second group fell from Arcus’ sleep spell, and Runt and the mage disposed of the unconscious orcs with blows and cuts. The rangers and the bard attacked the rest, who fell quickly to the savage assault. Soon, all the orcs but one lay dead around the trail. Luckily the one wounded survivor could croak a bit of human tongue, and relayed the reason the orcs were traveling so hurriedly through the woods. They had attacked a religious monastery in the woods, losing many of their number before gaining entrance and slaughtering the priests. However, as they began looting, several white furred forms rose from the snow and began killing the humanoids, starting with the war chief! At that point a hasty retreat occurred. With no further useful information, the orc went to join his dead tribe by a swift slice of the druid’s knife “I hate orcs…they are an unnatural abomination in this world and in the forest” was all he said.
A bit futher up the trail, the monastery was found in a clearing, in the middle of a scene of devastation. Dead orcs, perhaps 30 in number, lay strewn across the courtyard, and even inside the open front door near a crude ramming device. Debating their next move, the nearby presence of shelter overtook their fears, and they entered the religious sanctuary (which, by the religious symbols inside, looked to be a temple to Nythiir, God of Healing). They were greeted by the grisly sight of five butchered and beheaded humans laying in a pile, and the signs of struggle and looting inside. At this point, however, the delayed blizzard began falling, and the party counted their blessings to finally be out of the cold…

Chapter Five: Angles

As the rest of the party secured the door and carefully began to search the small building, the halfling thief got busy. He helped himself to several gold holy objects on the altar, and finding bread, porridge and cider in the main room, climbed atop the table and began stuffing his face. As he filled his halfling belly with food, the rest of the party slowly made their way through the structure. They found it uninhabited, with slight damage, but much food and supplies….apparently, fully stocked for the cold winter months that were now here! Searching the priest quarters brought a few clues to what might have happened, but the mystery was solved as the adventurers looked inside the root cellar. There hid an acolyte of Nythiir, the last surviving member of the monestary. His name was Angles and he told of the attack by the orcs, of the defense by the underpriest, two other priests and two soldiers, and how he was told to hide in the cellar until the battle was over. Then, the sounds of the looting orcs was overcome by their screams of fear and pain as something else took advantage of them, chasing them away, and leaving Angles alone in the dark. He also told how the day earlier the high priest had left with a small party to try and assist the village of Westpoint, as a traveling ranger had said he witnessed flying dragons heading down from the Thunderspire mountains towards that location. His final fate was unknown, the party thought that perhaps they had just missed him in their flight from the same village, but perhaps something more sinister had befallen the priest upon reaching the destroyed Westpoint. After curing the wounded party members, so thankful was he for rescue, Angles began cooking a giant meal from the supplies for all the grateful party members.
By this time, research by the mage in the high priest’s room, as well as simple deduction, led the party to believe yetis had been the opponent that destroyed the orcish war chief and chased the others off. They prepared for a possible return of the furred creatures by locking the doors, readying heavy crossbows in murder holes in the entrance, and getting fire-type items ready. A Fire Breath potion, discovered in the high priest’s room, was taken by the bard in case it was needed. Meanwhile, the rangers began pulling the orcish bodies into a pile for immolation, hopefully before the yetis came back for more food.
But it was too late. Despite a ring of fiery torches, several yetis responded to the “food” all around by skulking near the entrance of the monastery. As they began feeding, one of their number attempted to gain entrance. The trigger-happy adventurers manning the crossbows began firing, and soon the yeti was down. This, however, attracted the others….the Fire breath potion accounted for two, but the last gained entrance and was confronted by the two armed and ready rangers. Argois was crushed by the yeti, almost losing his life, but his brother struck true with sword and flaming brand, bringing down the snowman. After stripping the yetis of pelts, teeth and claws, the bodies were burned, and finally, after the past two long, awful days, the party began to relax. Later that day the rangers backtracked to the yeti’s lair, and found a small amount of treasure and what appeared to be a magic knife. Once they returned, the doors were shut tight, a large hearty dinner was served, and the small group began to plan ahead for what might be many weeks snowed into the isolated place. Angles resolved that he would leave with the party when they did, for he would be unable to tend to the monastery himself, and could search for other priests of Nythiir to advise him. The skald and the halfling thief decided this would be a good time to begin lessons into learning how to read and write, as Korgaard decided he wanted to learn the art of spellcasting. Runt also returned the golden altar items to Angles, but whether from guilt, a fear of retribution, or as thanks for being cured by Angles, no one can say. The mage Arcus started working his way through the small library of books on herbalism, religion, philosophy, and monsters of the north in the high priest’s library. He found a long ago written account of a place called “Illefarn”, a forgotten dwarfhold in the Thunderspires, which he filed away for future reference. Of more immediate use was the high priest’s journal and assorted old writings referring to a place called “Rivior’s Keep”, a bandit hideout in the mountains a few miles north. That night after dinner, he presented his findings to the group, and had a suggestion:
“Apparently, the high priest of Nythiir found an old history book that mentioned Rivior’s Keep, the headquarters of a bandit who wandered the north almost 100 years ago” Arcus said. “Rivior, and another bandit named Falcon, were the scourge of the mountains on the edge of the Dark Forest about 80 years ago, striking caravans, merchant groups, and nearby villages for loot, slaves, and gold. The attacks began to occur with more and more frequency as their success grew. They killed, robbed, raped and looted with no opposition being able to stop them. Finally, Duke Conan of Norvik had enough, and led them into an ambush by planting information of a caravan from The Citadel to Norvik loaded with gems….it was actually loaded with dwarven and human fighters, mages and clerics looking to put an end to the bandit’s depredations. At this point, Falcon split off from his partner, fearing a trap, and went to ground in a fortress somewhere to the south. However, Rivior’s greed got the better of him, and he fell for the bait. His band of villains was nearly destroyed in the ambush, but Rivior and his consort escaped. Nothing was ever heard of him again, leading many to believe he must have died of his wounds. No one was left alive to tell of where the bandit’s stronghold was located, and it has been undiscovered these long decades. ” Arcus motioned to the book he held open. “I believe in this book is an accurate map to the stronghold, and the high priest was planning an expedition to find out the secrets of Rivior’s Keep. If we wish, we ourselves can follow the map and perhaps solve the mystery of Rivior’s disappearance!”
Runt, reflecting that his alignment was “Chaotic Gold”, thought a short trip through the snow to the long-abandoned Rivior’s Keep seemed a great idea to keep the party busy in the winter, and the rest of the group enthusiastically agreed…but it would be weeks yet before the opportunity arose.