Session 12: "Yaggle Daggle is no More" (8 Flamerule, DR 1372)

Quick Summary

• Party retrace steps to the campfire room

• Eastern passage is defended by goblins; party secure the door shut

• Western passage is explored; party finds a planetarium

• SIgns of goblin activity are found in the planetarium

• A grand room is explored, with a mushroom farm and statues

• An ettin is found sleeping in the depths of the chamber

• Ascending some stairs, a sacrophagus and two ward statues are found

• The party find a goblin trapped under the etting -- they free it

• The party pursue the goblin and make a pact to kill the ettin

• Ettin is eventually dispatched

The party begin in the throne room of the abandoned dwarven fortress, having exited the fey segment of the complex that was guarded by illusory magics.

To make their way forward, the party decides to backtrack they way the came into the throne room -- descending from the throne room balcony over the balustrade with the help of their trusty ropes. Swiftly they find themselves back in one of the complex's reception rooms -- the one with a goblin campfire, barricades, trickling water, and dwarven statues.

Gaerfinas is the one to bravely attempt the eastern door. As he carefully moves in, he hears goblins from somewhere above. Apparently, they hear him too as a chaos of rolling barrels and firebolts come racing down the stairs at him. The party abandon the idea of heading eastward for the time-being, and instead secure that doorway -- closing it firmly by propping barrels up against it, and with the assistance of Kellan's locking spell.

Identifying that westward is the only way to go, the party pick their way through the barricade with the help of Kelnor's crowbar. As they do so, they notice a rope tethered to a hook, which appears to be a trap of some form.

Kelnor sends his newly-acquired driftglobe past the barricade to illuminate the other side. The group see only stairs leading upward, and with a steady stream of water trickling down.

As the group ascend, they find rotting goblin corpses lying in the trickling water, armored in spider-plate and ornamented with spider fangs. At the very top of the stairs they find a heaped pile of dung from what is likely a large creature. Also at the top of the steps, are a galleyway of doors leading north, a submerged passageway, and an ornate-looking door with the icons of the dwarven god, Moradin.

Using his magic hand, Kelnor opens the doorway with the icon of Moradin - presumably selecting this way first as the richness of the decoration hints at some kind of prize beyond. Beyond, the group find a circular room with a domed roof. Around on concentric tracks are spherical marble icons representing celestial objects including the suns and moons. Around the perimeter of the room are fourteen dwarven altars -- tallying with the dwarven pantheon.

Streamers of rope cross the ceiling, and Kelnor inspects these, finding little glass jars tied at intervals filled with dead insects he suspects to be dark offerings. Also in the room are found to be goblin etchings, and which Rania reads: a succession of dates are recorded, but also the name of the goblin deity, "Magubliyet". A pattern cannot be found with the dates -- it all appears to be nonsense.

Having made no progress with the dome, the party return to the prior room with the corpses and dung and head through the doorways north. They enter a room that seems to have been repurposed as a mushroom farm, but with statues of dwarves betraying its former grandeur. Kelnor sneaks around the room and finds a sleeping giant with a goblin trapped under it, as well as a promising staircase upward.

Kelnor diligently explores the staircase first-and-foremost, ascending upward some 60 feet and finding a burial chamber complete with a sarcophagus and dwarven statues -- one of these statues is knocked over. It becomes quickly clear that the water trickling through the abandoned complex originates from the sarcophagus.

Retreating back down the stairs, Kelnor shares his reconnaissance and the party approach the sleeping etting. Kelnor hides in a thicket of mushrooms nearby, while Rio holds a defensive position between the staircase upward and the mushroom farm. As they get into position, Rio slips in the water and attracts the attention of the goblin. Trying also not to wake the ettin, the goblin explains he is stuck and desperate for help. Rio strikes a quick bargain, promising reciprocal help.

The party frees the goblin, who immediately runs for it. The party pursue swiftly and reach an impasse back at the stairs, where Kelnor leans over the balustrade and aims his crossbow squarely at the goblin as he descends.

A quick interrogation happens, with the party asking for information about the chalice. The goblin indicates he has no knowledge of this, but promises that the "goblin king" will help if the ettin is killed. With that promise, he reveals his name as "Ristaki", and that he is the goblin king's left-hand man. The party pledge to bring both of the ettin's heads as evidence.

The party (mainly Rio) make the decision to let the goblin flee, and then make a strategy for how to neutralize the ettin. Kelnor is swift to suggest they test his immovable rods as a way to trap the sleeping giant against the floor, or else obfuscate it as it rises out of its slumber. The group agree, and sneak back into the room.

Unfortunately, the plan does not go well and Rio's clanking awakens the giant. A long battle of blood ensues, with the party flanking the ettin as it swung alternately with a large cudgel and a long wooden bench. During the combat, Artus is massively wounded and has to disengage. Kelnor, clearly intimidated by the beast, makes successive attempts to sneak attack, but misses each time. Rio attacks with his longsword, Gaerfinas and Kellon stay at range.

In the end, it is Kelnor who is able to strike the final - somewhat cheeky - blow, and the ettin drops to the floor, its lower half lacerated and leaking bloodily.

Experience:

• Artus (200)

• Gaerfinas (200+50) - session log

• Kelnor (200)

• Rania

• Rio (200)