They decide that moving through the castle seems like certain death, with several massive trolls inside as well as possibly a beholder. So they decide to follow where the few gazers had fled in retreat. Each find their way up the mountain side. Rook, in the form of an aarakocra. Smallfang atop his griffon. Hope casts fly upon herself and the cleric. Katya simply scales the side of the mountain as though simply strolling along a garden path.
Into The Mountain
Nearer the top of the mountain, Rook stops them where he had discovered the small hole that descends into the mountain. Much to small to fit any of the party, Rook sends his raven, Allan, down into the tunnel. The tunnel, smooth as glass and nearly perfectly circular, descends straight down several tens of feet, turns a few times until it finally descends straight down into a massive cavern.
While they wait, the group moves over the mountain looking for more of the tunnels, as Smallfang had also discovered others. They finally discover near the mountains top, a massive tunnel over 15 feet across and glassy smooth all the way down which extends down into darkness.
Rook descends while Hope descends by rope. She looses grip and lands on Rook. Together they land at the bottom of the tunnel which turns horizontal for, again about 70 feet. Then descends straight down again. At the bottom is a pitch black large space. One by one the others arrive and they descend into the large cavern below. This cavern too has a few statues too. There are also hidden in the darkness several large cages. As the group moves about exploring, they discover the statue form of Lirath. They also discover that within the cages scattered about the vast cavern, are an odd assortment of rare creatures. A drakkon, a massive snake like creature whose head resembles a dragon. A massive dinosaur as well as smaller creatures such as cows and a collection of dozens of kittens.
As the group examines the ornately decorated cave, its floors and walls are finished with a glossy sheen and intricate patterns carved within, a voice comes from above. Alien and severe sounding. It asks who dares intrude upon its private realm. Its sanctuary. Creatures of such baser quality. They do not deserve to be witness to its greatness.
Thech The Beholder
13,600 XP
Thetch, the beholder is angered at their intrusion and their audacity. To think they have, without permission or grovelling, they have entered its private chambers. Hope is hit again and again with damaging spells until she falls dying. Rook, casts greater invisibility upon himself and flies up into the air, making sure to stay out of the gaze of its main eye, as wherever the eye turns magic fails.
Katya and Smallfang, still upon the ground end up fighting the creatures released from their cages. Smallfang is finally able to frighten the drakkon enough that it flees down a tunnel, while Katya climbs upon and brutally claws the dinosaur until it lies dead upon the glassy floor of the cavern.
Meanwhile, Tithe, the cleric sees Lirath, standing across the room in statue form. She runs to him and casts a greater restoration and his flesh returns to normal. He is shocked and surprised at the situation but quickly comes to the realization of the battle and begins to cast damaging spells. Unfortunately, the first thing he saw was the stampeding kittens running towards him, their only thought is escape from the fierce creature which snacks upon their brethren. He kills kitten after fluffy kitten until there is only a mass of fur and gore upon the floor.
DM Note: Not nice Lirath. Not Nice.
Finally, Smallfang, flying upon his griffon, casts banishment upon the beholder and is able to hold his concentration long enough for the spell to take permanent effect. The beholder wont be returning anytime soon. They heal Hope and move about the cavern looking for loot. And loot there is.
DM Note: Totally screwed up on this one. First the beholder was looking in the wrong direction and not focused on the flying dragonborn. This would have negated ANY spell. Second, I didn't read the component costs of the spell. It would seem you would have needed to find or craft an item that was "distasteful to the creature". I should have made it so you would have to look for or make something after figuring out what that item was. But......poof.....beholder banished!
The Eye of Falazure
Among the gold, silver, silk, rare art pieces, an a rod of security, they find a smooth orb almost a foot across. It is dark Eye Of Falazure. A crystal orb said to have been the eye of the god dragon Falazure, sibling to Bahamut. Falazure is said to have been tricked out of his eye by a powerful mortal seeking to become a god. The eye Falazure exchanged for is said to have slowly made him made insane. Being the god of undeath and decay he is worshiped by shadow dragons and undead dragons.but an orange glow emanates softy from within. The orange flair of a vertical pupil glows very slightly inside. After everyone carefully inspects it they believe it is the
The group now moves through the various tunnels and caves that have been carved out of the mountain by the beholder's disintegrate rays. They discover the cavern that Rook had left his illusionary dragon in. There are many more statues here. Many of them look ancient and weathered. They examine many until they discover one that does not look as old as the others. They have magically restore the creature back to life.
Abigail Alebottom
2,000 XP
The group quickly invites her along to leave with them. They find her a suitable weapon, after she admits that battle was not in her training. She is a proud tailor. She is the one who creates the colors of her clan, the banners and ceremonial costumes. She thanks them though with gifts of her own to give.
A Bronze Egg
Rook looks through the treasure they have newly acquired and hands her a substantial amount of wonderfully colored silks. This impresses her very much and she in return gives him a item she retrieves from her satchel. A large bronze egg. Is This a dragon's egg. She is unsure. It has been in her family for generations. But seeing as she is the last of her clan. She feels she can honor them best with her skills as a tailor and the silks will aid her in that.Moving through this cavern they find other tunnels leading down as well as a couple of staircases, one going up the other going down but blocked by a massive slab of rock. This rock is a different color and texture from the surrounding mountain rock. But there is nothing anyone can find to open the passage or even with everyone pushing, can even budge it.
Sounds of Battle
The group makes camp by moving several statues making a makeshift barricade on one side of the cavern. They settle into the cramped space and set Rook's raven companion, Allan, to watch through the night. Several hours in the voice of Allan inside Rook's head awakens the changeling. Allan says he can hear the sounds of battle beyond the odd massive stone slab at the bottom of the staircase. Sounds of yells, grunts and metal clanging. Rook tells the raven to continue to monitor it but to let him sleep otherwise.
In the morning, Allan reports that the sounds went on for some time but eventually died out.
A Brittle Floor
4,600 XP
After everyone makes preparations, the group moves out. They choose the tunnel that leads down. At the bottom of the tunnel is a small cave about 40 feet around. As they cross it the floor beneath crumbles as if it was only thin slabs of rock made to look like floor. Most of them plummet down. The rest watch as the ones in the water far below now fend off leech like creatures with long thick tentacles. The tentacles grab hold of Lirath and Hope. They are soon being pulled under the water towards what looks like a gaping maw lined with jagged and sharp teeth.
Spell after spell and several spears later, the creatures are defeated while Smallfang's griffon is used to swoop down and retrieve the near dying adventurers.
Signs Of A Viny Battle
After drying themselves off they continue down the tunnels until they arrive at a long corridor a couple hundred feet long. The walls are lined with hundreds of dwarves are turned to stone. These statues are ancient, their stone worn and eroded by time. As they approach the end of the tunnel they find themselves back in the dwarven carved castle. There are signs of battle here. Bodies of trolls lie scattered and torn apart. Many still with thorny vine growths holding the pieces of body lining the floors and walls.
The group follows the vines as they seem to grow thicker as they leave the castle down another circular tunnel. They follow until the vines become almost unpassable. Katya stops pulling and cutting the vines when she hears a groan from just ahead. A face turns to her. It is Jabir. He is being held in the middle of the tunnel by his vines which protrude from his body and cling to the walls of the tunnel. He is in pain. Massive damage can be seen all over his body. He speaks, with great effort, to the group. It would seem that he is still trying to be a hero. He has heard the trolls speak of killing off the intruders.
Lirath turns into ethereal form and flows through to the next cavern. There are several trolls here and many more dead ones. Bodies litter the floor as they have through the rest of the tunnels and castle. The remaining trolls yell out to Jabir. They don't want to kill him. He was their leader. If he walks away they will leave him be. They look to be reading for a charge. Jabir does not look like he can fend off another charge. Lirath returns to the group and tells them of what he saw.
The Song Of Jabir
5,000 XP
Hope approaches Jabir. She holds his bleeding and injured face in her hands. She tells him that he can still be a hero. Songs will be sung of his deeds. She will sing them herself, as she begins a song speaking of the noble troll who overcame so much to become what he always wanted to be. A Hero.
The song moves many to have damp eyes, if not outright tears. Jabirs gives a pained smile and then charges into the far cavern. The group waits with pained expressions. No one moves or speaks as they listen to the sounds of pain and death ahead. When all is silent they finally move in.
They can see all the trolls are dead, including Jabir. Jabir hangs lifelessly held only by his vines which spread out before him. He hangs arms held out from his body, messiah-like. His life given to save others.
The group moves solemnly onward. At the end of the cavern, they find a massive stone slab. It is a different texture and color than the surrounding mountain rock. This is the stone slab that had blocked their path before. This is the other side of it.
Blocked By A Magic Stone Slab
1,000 XP
Again, they investigate the stone but cannot find anything to move it. Rook prestidigitates the dust and muck from the stone. The now cleaned stoned reveals words carved into it.
I've little strength, but mighty powers;
I guard small hovels and great towers.
But if perchance my master leaves,
He must ensure he safeguards me
The group ponders this puzzle for a bit before they begin shouting command words at it. Finally, Lirath says the word "Key" in common and then when nothing happens he says the same word, this time in deep speech. The stone wall rises, disappearing into the recess above. The group moves through and moves about. It would seem they have been here already.
DM Note: That's what you get for going in through the hidden back door.
The Befouled Pool Of Restoration
DM Note: notice how I stopped using the word taint
Finally, they move back through IceThorn castle looking for the restoration pool. They eventually find it in a long wide corridor. This was obviously a revered part of the castle long long ago. The corridor is constructed to bring the occupants focus to the radiant pool at the end which is raised upon a dais.
The pool emits a magical glow. Long ago it probably radiated a healthy magical color. Now though is gives off a sickly green color that seems to churn the stomach just gazing upon it. The group debates how to handle this dangerous site.
But not before some of them attempt to collect some of its foul waters.
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