Pre-Session Notes:
1. The previous adventure into the Mount claimed 3 spell scrolls (Clairvoyance, Haste, and Flight), Dravin gladly took these into his possession to later copy into his spellbook.Session Notes:
1. The party ventured down to the deepest, mostly-explored, level of the Mount and entered a room with a statue of a minotaur with wings. Nevus, feeling overcome with the urge to defile the statue, carved “My dad can beat up your dad” into the base of the statue and also removed the head from the statue - no effect.2. The next room had been previously discovered on the last delve, and contained 10 bodies lying on the floor with grey, leathery skin and wearing peasant clothes, and a large statue on the north wall of a creature with a rooster-looking head, a human torso, and a snake-like lower portion. The party decided to begin removing the heads from the dead bodies, in case they come back to life as zombies, but as they touch the first body all 10 bodies spring to life and begin rising and attacking the party. Alkanos summoned a Ray of Frost and hits his target, but to no effect. The group was quickly surrounded, and Milo became severely wounded (less than 5 HP). Seeing the struggle, Nevus acted quickly and called upon the powers of his deity to help him deal massive radiant damage to the undead, and in time, all 10 zombies are slain. Just as the last zombie is struck down, the statue on the north wall activated, and took on its demonic form and called out “I say, I say… What’s goin’ on hear?” (Probably not cannon, but Mike played an audio clip of Foghorn Leghorn saying that phrase, so we went with it) – the demon began attacking the party. Milo got the jump on the demon, and charmed it using Hypnotic Pattern, to buy the party time to get in position for an onslaught – which, sort of, worked. The demon survived the assault (which amounted to a laughably low amount of damage dealt by the party), and began casting Confusion on party members to debilitate them in combat. It also summoned tentacles at Milo’s feet to lash out and immobilize him. Nevus rushed in for an attack, but his body stopped – without attacking, and against his will. The demon counterattacked Nevus with a flurry of pecks from its beak and attacks from its hands dealing incredible damage (53 points) to him, dropping him to the ground. Halitrax, in a fit of rage, charged the demon, but also stopped in his tracks. Alkanos, Cathar and Dravin weakened, and eventually defeated, the demon. With the demon dead, the party searched the room for traps or secret passages – nothing found.
3. After resting, the group decided to see if they can figure out the purpose of the caduceus symbols. They remembered there were 3 pillars at the entrance to this level of the Mount, and decide to investigate. The pillars each had a cut-out in them which fit the overall shape and size of the symbols. Once all 3 caduceus symbols were inserted, there was a flash of blue light and small vibrations felt in the floor and walls for the next minute – the party determined this light would invigorate them for about 1 minute (This actually heals any who stand within the pillars for 4d10 HP, for 1 minute). After 1 minute, the light dissipated, and the caduceus symbols disappeared.
4. The party decided to venture down the southern-most staircase to a new level of the dungeon. As they descended, the first door they encountered was made of frosted glass. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all perfectly smooth, and the floor was coated in a glossy resin. The first room the group entered contained a dead Dwarven caretaker lying in the corner. They left the body alone and ventured on, going up a small set of stairs (this is a multi-level floor, which has rooms higher and lower than the room they entered), they entered a room which contained an adamantine table, a machine, and another dead Dwarven caretaker. The machine had 2 levers and a cylinder-shaped intake tube about 3 inches in diameter and 1 foot deep. They left the room and crept down the hallways and faintly heard clanking of swords and armor – a battle. They party rushed down the hallway and into a room with 9 dwarves – 3 Dwarven caretakers and 6 dark skinned (Duergar) Dwarven soldiers wearing heavy armor and brandishing shields. The party quickly sided with the caretakers, and surround the soldiers. Battle commenced, but was quickly over – not before one of the caretakers was slain. The party talked with the 2 remaining caretakers, Trax and Forzak, to glean information, they find out the Tarbaxians (the cult worshipping Vork) have created the Duergar for their cause. The party asked to speak with the leader of the caretakers, Erdak, to see if they can offer any assistance to them.
5. The caretakers lead the party through a series of shortcuts and secret doors to meet Erdak, the group also found out this level of the Mount is the called the “manufacturing level”. They eventually end in a large room with a pool of Azoth (silvery liquid), machines, and light panels on the ceiling, the room also has a set of black blast doors. The group was ushered through the blast doors, where 12 Dwarves were gathered, one of them being Erdak. The group talked with Erdak, and learned he is the leader of maintenance on this floor only, and recently (within the past 2 months) there have been disturbances due to a rare event (once every 58 years) of planets/moons (not sure which) aligning. He names off the planets/moons as Ion, Uerin, and Corethian. During this rare event, secret passages within the Mount open, and the Tarbaxians have taken advantage of the situation and have seized control of the Foundry and the “Great Machine”. The party talked over the situation and agreed to help by first taking back the Foundry, and halting the further production of Duergar. Once captured, they would then push forward to take back control of the “Great Machine”. Erdak agreed to take the help, and in return, allowed the party to loot anything from the Duergar soldiers and Tarbaxians.
6. The party prepared for battle, then were lead to the Foundry by the 2 caretakers they rescued earlier. On the way to the Foundry, they found a triangular-shaped lock on one of the doors, when asked, the caretakers said it required a “master Tarbaxian key”. The party cautiously entered the Foundry, inside were 5 Duergar soldiers and 2 pale-skinned Humans (1 Tarbaxian wizard, 1 Tarbaxian warrior), and in the middle of the room was a large machine which could be used to produce more Duergar. Battle commenced, and the party split into attack groups. Nevus and Halitrax struggled to keep the Duergar at bay due to them being able to Enlarge themselves. The Tarbaxian wizard unleashed a spell dealing an incredible amount of damage to Dravin (leaving him at 1 HP). Milo casted Crown of Madness on the Tarbaxian warrior, who became confused and then attacked the Duergar. The Tarbaxian wizard attempted to escape by becoming invisible, but Cathar cleverly reached into his Bag of Holding, pulled out a bottle of fine wine, shook it up, and uncorked the bottle – spraying wine in an area where he believed the wizard was hiding. To his surprise (and everyone else’s) he managed to pinpoint the wizard, who was then captured and brought back to Erdak for questioning. After resting and planning the next phase of strategy with Erdak, it was decided to move the makeshift barracks to the Foundry to help hold its position. The caretakers had mapped a significant portion of this level of the Mount, and was able to lead the group south and west to locate the “Great Machine”. The party arrived at a massive room containing the “Great Machine” on a raised dais. The room itself was supported by 4 large columns with etchings carved into the column faces. It was also housing 10 Duergar soldiers, 2 Tarbaxian spellcasters, and 2 earth elementals. The party snuck in and Dravin and Alkanos delivered a simultaneous Fireball and Frostball into the room, while Milo casted Sleep on one of the Tarbaxian spellcasters near the “Great Machine” and out of harm’s way. Another volley of Fire and Frostballs were launched into the room, clearing out most of the enemies, but the group still had to face the Elementals, and a handful of the Duergar soldiers not in the blast radius. The enemy was overthrown, and the “Great Machine” was recaptured. The Tarbaxian wizard Milo put to sleep, awoke at the end of the fight to see the battle over, and he was also captured and brought back to Erdak for further questioning.
7. The party regrouped, and went back to Karlsburg for some training, supplies, and much needed rest.
