Session Twenty-Seven Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)

Session 27, January 13 2021

Introduction

We continue at 10:30AM on the 18th of Tenrilden with the party having just avoided some large toads while following the Winter Wolves to the Winter King's Seneschal ...

'Rallion's Tale:

We evaded the giant toads. We came to a large room with a large pile of bones.

A male drow of House Thule who was separated from a patrol seeking any breaches of the lower catacombs.

Velkin sent him south, where we had heard the sound of a toad and soon heard a scream.

Simultaneously, a horn sounded and the wolves told Rallion it was the Winter King calling the troops for a fight.

Skeletons were getting up, the clerics Lambertus and Felix turned them, but when the horn sounded again, the bones started moving.

We cross an area where we had to jump to a landing to get to the other side of a gap filled with mist below.

We came to another statue with a large axe and fancy helmet, but not on a horse.

Inscription at base of statue:

The Resting Place of Vils,
Seneschal of the Winter King and Founder of Vilgrim.
He Sleeps Now Until the Horns of His Master Summon Him to the Final Battle.

There was a door on the other side that Gath broke down and the other leaped across and the skeletons got up in answer to the horn.

We just ignored them and came to a large area that Lungmold recognized and it was flowing water when he came, but is now frozen and below us is frozen in mist.

The wolves told Rallion that a skeletal figure on a dais in ancient armor was the seneschal. His mount, a Remorhaz kept popping its head up. We climbed down and moved across to the now frozen waterfall where Lungmold came in.

Many levels of niches with skeletons rose up and climbed down. They ignored us as we went by.

Most of us climbed up and then the mount of the seneschal peeked and was with the last four, Ezra and Timon climbing, and Aubry and Bortham on the ground.

The creature bit Aubry in half. We threw oil and the rest of the party ran.

It hurt Bortham, but he made it up after Azra and Timon. The four winter wolves fought with us, and they allowed the last of us to get away.

Druul wrote on the cave wall:
Aubrey who fought with his fist
He died walking in the mist
A worm jumped out
We heard a shout
Left behind his insides untwist

We walked on a frozen river and came to a larger river and went upstream the way Lungmold came.

After about a half hour, we came to a sizeable sandy area. We elected to dry off and then took a passage rather than continuing up the river. Lungmold said he took a passage before the river.

We went up the passage for ten minutes and heard loud steps/stomping perhaps ten minutes ahead of us.

Velkin scouted ahead relying on his dark vision, Lungmold followed so he could bridge the gap.

Velking reaches a chamber that is a crossroads and hears a grinding and stomping. Several passages. Something stomps out and is about the size of the passage, and is about 9 feet high with stubby legs. Quadruped.

We picked one of the passages leading North and ended up in the passage where we fought the black pudding and Brendil joined us.

Brendil didn't want to stay in that room, so we go to the passage just off the Dwarven mine tunnel between Vilgram and the trading post.

We elect to rest for 8 hours about 2:40 PM. "Something" showed up at the end of Rallion's watch c. 4:40 PM.

Lungmold's Recollection

LungMold Knows he came south for most of his journey. He has got to get this party back. he made a promise. thank the God, we found that passage. those frogs were very hungry,but we tricked them. So many Dead in the walls. now they are coming to life. for this winter king. i'm sorry I suggested for that drow to go south,I will not let them know he was eaten. now I don't know how Rallion can talk to the wolves, I have tried but get no response,but they seem to know the way out.we just need to go North. after the drow was eaten and the dead coming to life. we jumped across that broken bridge. I do remember that. it surprised me when the dead did not react to us,that must have another purpose ,like I do. either way.we came to that really big room with the waterfall,but I don't remember it being Frozen or all the mist and more Dead walking.......we got across the room and Climbed the area where the dead lay,since the waterfall was frozen now. it must be because of the winter king. We were all almost up the waterfall, when that blue bug attacked. i mean wandering around down here is more dangerous than i thought it would be.but my god asked me to do this and i am getting it done. and almost loosing Borthan was pretty scary. he is a good fighter and i have come to like him.

Whew i am so glad we made it to the river. i know i cane from the north and I am sure glad these guys are hearing me. Going North on the river was a hard Fight up river. but we made it to an alcove. and there's a tunnel there,I am pretty sure I came from further north on this river,But I don't think we can make it that far up. so I told the party this was the way. I will keep moving us in a northern direction ,we surly haver to come out somewhere close to my home.and now there's more trouble. som beast that Lambertus says eats the rock was ahead of us, but went down another path.now that's luck. when I was told what direction is came from. I was sure that was the way. so I told everyone "Yes this is the way" as long as were heading north it will be fine.i will get us home. so we made our way to a room that at least Brendil has been in before.he is so afraid, I do feel the same with all these dangers. i think i need to rest now. before we move forward and get home.........................