The cultists bid you farewell and turn back to their meal. You head to the door to Yimraan's study and open it. The hinges squeak as the stone door swings open.
This quiet study might be considered lavish for a reading room constructed from an old crypt. A threadbare rug lays before the stone door to the north, while a moth-eaten velvet couch stands in front of a broad fireplace on the southern wall, complete with giant bat-skin rug. The roaring flame illuminates various bookshelves recessed into alcoves in the walls.
A ghoul sits on the velvet couch reading a book while chewing on a meaty femur. A rakish hat adorns his head. Hearing the door open, he growls but doesn't look up. "Get out, unless you’ve come to tell me that you wish to behave like proper ghouls and stop this 'Haute Cuisine' foolishness."
"Oh, sorry to disturb you, but the ghouls out front told us that you were quite the scholar, and we came to see you collection," Gig begins. "Do you have much of an interest in history? We are currently doing some hands-on research."
The ghoul looks up from his book and snarls. "Bah! Uplanders! I'll perform some research of my own when I find out how the marrow in your bones taste!"
He stands up, tossing the book onto the couch and reaching for a rapier at his belt!
"Ah, beans!" Unsurprised, but disappointed, Gig begins performing for the group. "You never even saw us!" he tries to convince the ghoul.
Uhe turns his bearded face, nods in gratitude and then turns his blue eyes to the Jaraxle Wannabe.
Smiling broadly (a bit giddy even), the Investigator turns his Intimidating Glare at Yimraan!
The determined dwarf then Strides and Strikes!
Dips on the hat!
Yimraan cries out in anger as Gig's spell blinds him! Uhe moves in to slash the ghoul with his dagger. Yimraan draws his rapier and stabs blindly at the investigator, missing both times!
Gig continues to perform and fires pins of sharp metal at the ghoul.
for
Mal roars, surging forward to provide Uhe an ursine udvantage in the fray.
Uhe stares hard at the tricksy undead, but currently blinded ghoul!
Uhe scratches his beard
Be looking like da same spot be good enough.
The Investigator Strikes!
The dwarf then Activates Word of Faith!
HP 84/84
AC 23
Fort +14, Ref +13, Will +12; sonic resistance 3
Hero points: 3
Infused regents: 5
Thermal nimbus: fire resistance 6 in kinetic aura (10-foot emanation); enemies take 3 fire damage
Effects:
"We don't really want to be eaten," Brijetta notes, gesturing as she summons molten wire to wrap around the ghoul. She follows it up with a brutal blast of fire. "See? It's not nice being cooked."
As Mal moves to flank the ghoul, Brijetta lashes out with her molten wire, trapping him in the burning metal! She then scores a critical hit with her flame blast. Gig impales the ghoul with darts and Uhe delivers another well-placed strike with Skysunder.
The ghoul blindly attacks again, managing a lucky hit on his third strike. He stabs Uhe and dances back a few paces, his rapier raised to parry!
Gig continues his encouragement and magical attacks: "Why does everything down here attack us? I'm sure we don't even taste that good!"
for
Mal follows on the ghoul's heels, stepping back into the flank and tearing a huge chunk from its flesh!
It got me! Oh Elizabeth! I'm coming!
Uhe stares hard at the tricksy undead, but currently blinded ghoul!
Uhe giggles. And he Steps into melee.
Be looking like da same spot be good enough.
The Investigator Strikes the Ghoul for a third time in the same spot!
HP 84/84
AC 23
Fort +14, Ref +13, Will +12; sonic resistance 3
Hero points: 3
Infused regents: 5
Thermal nimbus: fire resistance 6 in kinetic aura (10-foot emanation); enemies take 3 fire damage
Effects:
"Who's Elizabeth?" Brijetta wonders aloud as she sends a blast of fire and spikes of metal toward the ghoul.
The ghoul shrieks in pain as Mal delivers a vicious bite! He manages to narrowly dodge Uhe's needle darts and completely evade Brijetta's shard strike!
As the molten wire sears his flesh, the ghoul grimaces. "Alright, I yield! Just... take what you want and leave us be!"
"Much more reasonable, thank you!" Gig hurries to the shelves and begins rifling through them before the ghoul changes his mind.
"Maybe he shouldn't try to eat people who don't want to be eaten!" Brijetta exclaims (quietly) as she looks around.
Mal cocks her head and looks at Brij in utter perplexity. "Wrrooaaaar- Rrr..." **ptoo**
She spits, sheds, and shifts. "Who under earth would want to be- Never mind, I don't think I wanna know."
Uhe is seen looking curiously at Skysunder.
Who be call'n ye Needle Darts? Me did hit Dat foul ghoul twice plus Dat last one.
The Investigator puffs out his chest.
Me Devise A Stratagem be working now.
The happy dwarf then turn his blue eyes to said stinky ghoul.
Be yer own fault fur being stupid. Now we be taking everything.
Uhe then helps with gathering anything useful while also watching the stinky ghoul.
Uhe does spare a curious glance at Brijetta's comment though....
Most of Yimraan’s books are mundane, but quite old and rare. The collection as a whole is far to big to carry, alas. But amid this collection is a Festrem Mortu grimoire containing the following spells: animate dead (1st and 2nd), create food, cup of dust, fear, feast of ashes, grim tendrils, invisibility, negate aroma, noxious vapors, telekinetic maneuver. He also has pages 8 and 9 of Kalmaug’s Journal.
***
Leaving the ghouls behind, you continue through the Darklands tunnels for several more days. You are getting closer to your destination now, but a collapse up ahead forces you to detour through some previously unexplored tunnels.
As the tunnel rounds a bend, the cavern walls transition suddenly from rough stone to heavily worked carvings, with square pillars and archways holding up a high ceiling over a well-set stone road. A thirty-foot-long stone bridge leads over a dark chasm, ending in two massive, reinforced stone doors in a twenty-foot high outpost wall. This wall is complete with battlements and towers. Flanking the gate, two statues of grim dwarves stand twenty feet tall, their shields forming the sides of the gateway.
Uhe stares up in awe at such fine accomplishments having been tested by time of his forebears.
The Investigator does begin to rifle through his mental Rolodex for any spare bits of Knowledge.
+1 circumstance bonus to Recall Knowledge about ancient history, peoples, and cultures
He grins.
Uhe's amazing recollection allows him to identify this place as the ruins of the ancient dwarven outpost of Kheth Soldur! It was built by Kalmaug himself during the Quest for Sky. Once Taargick and his forces reached the surface, this fortress became one of the lowest maintained points along the Road to Sky, occupied by a token force of Kalmaug and his followers to guard the lower flank of Taargick’s new kingdom. The outpost remained in dwarven hands for a century until a few decades after Kalmaug’s death. A legion of ghouls spreading the teachings of Kabriri overran the outpost, and the dwarves pulled back toward the surface, leaving this portion of Nar-Voth behind.
The ghouls used the outpost to nip at the heels of the dwarves for decades before finding themselves between the hammers of the expanding hryngar society and the anvil of surface dwarves. They eventually left for other regions with easier prey. Kheth Soldur passed between many hands. Who knows what lurks within now...
"This is a suprisingly fruitful research expedition," Gig comments as he looks over the journal pages at the side of the cookfire one night. "Of course, it would be more comfortable to learn all of these things in a quiet archive in Highhelm."
When the group reaches the outpost, he exclaims, "Great Magrim's mittens! It's like we're living in a museum. We must check out what's inside."
The Investigator smiles, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of exploring the old ruins.
This should be fun!
Uhe begins shuffling through his backpack, belt pouches and pockets, making certain his equipment, arms and doodads are available for any shananagins.
Arcana(E)+14, Crafting(E)+14, Occultism(E)+14, Society(E)+14, Survival(T)+10 (+1 Underground), Cave Lore(T)+12, Court of Ether Lore(E)+14
+1 circumstance bonus to Recall Knowledge about ancient history, peoples, and cultures
The Investigator does take a bit of time to Pursue a Lead on Kheth Soldur!
"Do we think it will be more ghouls that are trying to eat people who don't want to be eaten? Maybe we should have brought them a snack." Brijetta wonders. She gazes at the statues, wondering what might still be inside.
Mal trusts Uhe to keep a good eye out, so she makes sure to check for any hinky magic stuff that he might miss.
"I don't reckon I wanna be carryin' around anything ghouls like as a snack though, Brij..."
A battlemented walkway passes over a deep moat, beyond which two squat towers, each thirty-feet high, flank the massive stone gate into the fortress. Each tower bears relief carvings in the likenesses of dwarven warriors, each carrying a massive tower shield of reinforced stone that serves as the doors into the outpost. The shields now hang slightly askew, leaving a narrow entrance between them into the gatehouse tunnel beyond.
Searching carefully, Uhe notices that the carved shield-doors hide a cylinder of stone suspended between the walls. The cylinder is rigged to fall and roll down the walkway towards intruders should anybody get too close!
Recalling lessons she learned from her uncle, Brijetta tries to help Uhe secure the column.
Uhe begins to cry for joy at actually finding a trap! The Archeologist weeps openly in gratitude.
Tis not even me Burpday.
Whistling while he works, the Trapper begins his duty!
The dwarf shrugs.
Uhe disables the trap, allowing you to safely enter the outpost. Geometric stone blocks interlock to form a pathway through this open courtyard. Ruined buildings and collapsed rubble ring the edges of the yard, as if this cavern was struck by a mighty earthquake in the distant past and never fully recovered. The air is even heavier here than it was outside the gate, and it carries the pungent scent of rotting refuse and decay.
Passing by a ruined keep and dry, crumbling fountain, you come upon wide stone steps in remarkable shape, leading up to a carved set of stone doors adorned with glyphs of hammers, anvils and other dwarven symbols.
As you draw near, Uhe again spots a hidden danger, ghostly dwarven faces briefly appearing in the stone, their features twisted in anger. The stairs are haunted!
Gig calls out in Dwarven, "Sleep spirits! Quiet as stone, unmoving like the earth!"
Gig's soothing tones settle the spirits, allowing them to finally move on. You are able to safely ascend the stairs and enter the building. Once a grand entrance hall, this room collapsed into ruin long ago. The eastern and northern ends are covered in piles of rubble from collapsed upper floors. The arched ceiling overhead holds the remnants of iron chandeliers and faint signs of once-beautiful bas-reliefs on the ceiling. On the west wall stands a worn stone throne surrounded by carved runes and images of a dwarf with a short beard. Above the throne is an empty alcove in the wall with a small stone plinth. Intact stone doors stand in the west and south walls of the southern corridor.
The stone throne and associated images as belonging to Trudd, the Mighty. Trudd is the youngest son of Torag, and is the dwarven god of bravery, strength, and defense. He’s often left behind to guard his father’s halls while Torag is absent, and his shrines are oft found in remote outposts and fortifications.
Gig takes note of all of the bas reliefs and fallen grandeur, "Excellent setting for a dramatic show!" the bard remarks.
"I wonder if anything useful or interesting survived the collapse?" He detects magic and pokes around.
Uhe stands up from disarming the tricky trap. He takes out a clean handkerchief to wipe his beaded forehead.
Dat wuz tight.
Blue eyes wide staring at the spooky stairs, the Investigator takes out that same not as clean handkerchief, wipes the buckets of perspiration from his matted hair, and sighs
Me more ov da regular traps kinda dwarf.
Happily stepping aside for Gig, Uhe applauds the Bard!
Bravo, my good dwarf! Dat wuz great!
The Investigator begins to Pursue a Lead of this chamber, as he begins to Investigate....
"Oh, it was so pretty when we all lived here," Brijetta breathes. "But now it's all ruined."
Gig does not detect any magic in the area. Searching doesn't find anything of value. Whatever might have once been here was likely removed long ago.
Moving on, you open the next door. Whatever this room once was, it’s now dedicated to death. Bones lay strewn around the chamber, many collected into a vast basin, like a nest for a massive bird.
Coiled up on the bones is a massive, black-scaled serpent with a craven woman's head. Having thus far been unaware of your presence, she hisses in irritation and raises her head. "What's this? It seems my latest meal has come to me!"
Before you can react, the creature casts a spell, enveloping you all in cloud of foul, blood-sucking fog!
"Ouch, that's my blood, and it belongs on the inside," Gig objects.
He feels his way outside the cloud of blood, starts to channel power for the plane of metal, and encourages his party-mates.
HP 73/84
AC 23
Fort +14, Ref +13, Will +12; sonic resistance 3
Hero points: 3
Infused regents: 5
Thermal nimbus: fire resistance 6 in kinetic aura (10-foot emanation); enemies take 3 fire damage
Effects:
"So much for being pretty," Brijetta laments as she flees from the blood-sucking smoke.
Uhe sneezes!
The jumpy dwarf begins scratching his everywhere!
Dis be bad fer me complexion!
The hyperventilating dwarf Strides out of the disgusting new age skin treatment area!
The Investigator then frowns up at the...
Uhe Shares Stratagem with Mal!
Go fer da head.
The Investigator then takes his own advice!
Me be needing Dat back.
Mal rushes forward as Uhe suggests, crashing fire into the naga from up close and personal!
The naga evades Brijetta's shard strike. Uhe devises an excellent stratagem, scoring a critical hit with Skysunder and distracting the creature so that Mal's fiery attack strikes true!
The naga casts a fear spell and sinks its fangs into Uhe!
Gig is only slightly shaken by the naga's spell. He continues his own anthem and attempts to blind the snake-like creature.
Mal hunkers down, distracting the naga for Uhe while she tries to recover from the fear that's taken hold in her mind. Clutching at a grim reminder of another defeated necromancer, she drains away the naga's life force.
Uhe makes noises not from his trembling lips!
The shaking like a leaf dwarf screams as the venom begins comfortably moving in!
Uhe sluggish and Frightened wonders about his extra underwear situation.
Looking at his Skysunder lying just underneath the mean snake lady, the Investigator considers sputtering out an apology....
The Investigator shakily mixes up a Numbing Tonic, drinks it and takes out his shortbow.
Be too late ta discuss terms?
HP 73/84
AC 23
Fort +14, Ref +13, Will +12; sonic resistance 3
Hero points: 3
Infused regents: 5
Thermal nimbus: fire resistance 6 in kinetic aura (10-foot emanation); enemies take 3 fire damage
Effects:
Brijetta lets out a little squeak of fear, though it quickly passes .
She moves close to the naga, catching it in her burning aura as she blasts it with a spray of metal, her terror giving her focus before the ease of the blow dissipates any lingering dread.
The naga cries out as Brijetta scorches it and impales it with metal shards, leaving bleeding wounds behind. It resists Gig's blindness spell, only becoming momentarily blinded, and it ignores Mal's void spell.
"Curse you!" the naga hisses, casting a powerful spell. She summons a dwarven wight which appears behind Brijetta, slashing at the kineticist!
"Ick! Raising dwarven undead?! That's totally uncalled for," Gig scolds the creature. He continues to encourage the party, tries to remember what he knows about wights, and blasts the summoned undead.
for
Mal rears up, growing furious and furry as she smashes her jaws into the evil serpent!