Session Fifty-Nine (Graveyard of Empires Summary)

Session 59 – June 3, 2015

As we prepared to return to the hidden rooms off the temple in Xen Khel, we were met by a lone explorer, Fitz, the lone survivor of his party. He is a human wizard with a cat. We determined that he was trustworthy and let him go with us to safety.

After resting and healing up, Recusin is back to consciousness and tells us that it was the dwarven bodyguards of the clerics that attacked them, as we supposed.

With most of us healed, we left the wounded with Brice and a couple of the hirelings, the mule and our supplies and go to check on my uncle and the known exit. Understandably, Fitz is concerned about a way out. He was heading out when one of the dwarves advised him to not go this way. He took the hint and was safe from the explosion.

Finkelmur had turned his owl, Sokrates, invisible and sent him ahead. From what he saw all the dwarves and two of the three nagas were dead. I feared this meant that my uncle was dead.

We found 20 adventurers waiting at the bottom of the spiral below the temple entrance. I informed them that my uncle happened to be among the dwarves and that my mother would never forgive me if I did not take card of her big brother. They told us that the entrance was blocked and that the bodies had been looted by the thieves guild. The thieves guild was also charging a steep price to show others the way out that they controlled.

We spiraled up and found the bodies, and I quickly found uncle Dolman, his face half burned away. As I verified it was him, I found a hastily scrawled note from him, that the looters had left. It admonished me to write my mother, now, I must tell her that her brother is dead. I can’t write her, I must go home and tell her myself. I fear that I can’t leave this place with all the things now set in motion.

We account for the 11 dwarves. The only body not looted was that of the ambassador, Thorri Carrow. He only had a bit of gold and silver, and a pack with a week of food, but his magic armor and battleaxe will come in handy.

Our newest member, Fitz heard the faint sound of work above, so we learned that they were digging us out.

The young ranger has an obsession with skinning things and taking trophies. He skinned up those two nagas. I fear what the other sister will do, if she lives.

I suggested that we move the nagas to one side and cover them out of respect, and move the dwarves to the other side and cover them also. I loaded my uncle’s body onto the cart.

We then go back down, where the half elf, Oliver Wells, who tried to get out attention when we were at Ghermin’s compound, definitely a member of the thieve’s guild. Before he spoke, I offered the week of rations off the ambassador to the leader of one group of ten. He took it, shook my hand, and suggested we meet for a drink when we get out of here. After he left, Oliver offered to show us out for 100 GP each. We declined that offer.

Oliver offered to lead out the remaining ten adventurers for 25% of future finds, since he knew they had no money. I spoke up and offered the ten men a gold piece each and food until the way was cleared if they stayed. Oliver was miffed and left. I suggested that Finklemur have the still invisible Sokrates follow him. We waited and followed and marking the way in chalk found the room with empty crates blocking a rough hole knocked in a wall that connected it to a smooth 5′ wide passage that we later learned led about 70 feet to a bend where they kept two guards.

Before we moved the crates, I put on the mask and it was clear. I saw over 100 dwarves, men, and others digging out the temple in an effort to open the passage. They were about 1/3 of the way. I then scanned and found two buildings one in the adventurers quarter that was lit by torches with some men out front by a fire. One of the men was one of the ones with the fellow who offered to help us avoid the nagas test for a fee. Another building on the other side of the wall between the adventurer’s quarter and an unused part of the city on the way to the temple was also lit up with guards outside. Both buildings were up against the mountain and on side streets, so not easily visible from the main road. Both seem good candidates for the entrance/exit controlled by the thieves.

We then sent the invisible Sokrates in the tunnel and learned there was firelight after a short distance. Finklemur then made Chuq invisible who then snuck in the tunnel and found that after 70 feet it turned and two guards were stationed in the narrow passage. Since he could not squeeze by or hope to overcome both without one getting reinforcements, Chuq came back and we put the crates back.

We then went back to the temple and took the cart back and found that Brice had healed the remaining wounded and that only Aris was still unconscious. We learned from Recusin that Pelgax bound many of his comrades, but the dressings on there wounds showed much more care than a hasty binding during a fight.

We gathered up the older meat, before it went bad and filled a large sack to take it to the men at the base of the spiral exit. We gave them the meat and told them that we had a way to know that the rescue party was large and nearly a third of the way finished. That encouraged them and I urged them to go up the spiral so that the 20 adventurers could deal with the thieves guild, if they came back for retribution. When we got to the top of the spiral, the sound of working rescuers was clear. I gave a gold piece to the ten at the top, as they left before I offered the gold to the others. I encouraged them to be friendly to me and my friends. I told them my name, but NOT that we are the Starchy Boyz or Baldric’s Boys. I feel that may mean something helpful to us, but perhaps not.

We let them know we found a room we could defend, but that it only had room for us, or we would invite them. When we left, Chuq, who was still invisible stayed behind to make sure no one followed us. Two men started to follow, but Chuq spooked them off.

We returned to the safety of the hidden room behind the thone and will wait until the exit is opened.

The only good thing about this catastrophe, is that no one else knows what we have found with the death of the dwarven archaeologists. Only we know of the phoenix egg device, and as Axel let it slip that we were the ones who found the dwarven tomb under Midmark, the difficulties that we would have otherwise had are removed.

How do we or anyone else explain the explosion? I don’t think we should tell anyone what we know.

Once the entrance is opened, will the dwarves be in control, and will we have free access as under the nagas? Is the third sister dead, or only wounded and driven off? With the loss of the ambassador and two important clerics, how long until replacements arrive to further complicate our efforts?

Now Brice tells us Xen Teler wants us to find a five foot sphere, and she does not think it is in this portion of the secret rooms. I am not so sure I want to go where this leads, even if it means riches. I am glad that I did not tell the others of the dreams I have had of Xen Teler speaking to me. He has not spoken to me since before the idol was destroyed, so it must have just been my imagination. I think this only confirms that I made a good decision not to follow my uncle into the clergy.

My poor mother! I can’t explain this. I can only say that I honored Dolman and cared for his body instead of leaving it trapped in the rubble.

I knew that my efforts to make my fortune to reclaim my birthright as head of the Ironhand clan would not be easy, this is an event I could never have imagined! It is so unfortunate that my father was denied his place after grandfather died. His one mistake, cost him and me so much. Mother doesn’t understand these things. She pretends that I don’t know about father’s troubles, the debts and the drinking.

Now that I’ve practically helped kill her brother, I fear that I can never return home!