Somehow I overwrote this post with the next one. I don’t recall my previous comments, so it’s just the adventure summary to follow.
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12th Patchwall: They continue exploring carefully. The layout of the level is a large four-quartered square, with smaller chambers of the passageways. Seldrel believes that doors with a prime number have other exits, while non-prime numbers have no way out. An undead bat, various skeletons, zombies and some shadows that slow rather than drain strength are encountered and destroyed. A floating jewelled skull that surrounds itself with dust gives them quite a scare (some had heard rumours of a demi-lich) but it does little more than try to bite them and is smashed. It’s gem eyes and teeth turn out to be painted glass, although it did guard many silver and copper coins and some minor gems and magic items. A number of traps are also found in different chambers, many in dead ends. The group gets used to having someone hold a door open while others explore. A large translucent statue of a woman in one room with a scorpion symbol attacks them – the glass golem inflicts nasty wounds that continue to bleed. Seldrel casts haste on the group and they focus on melee combat, while Merxif heals those wounded. The next room holds a chest of gold coins and the symbol of a wolf.
A second black pudding attacks them in one of the main passages. Alchemists fire, flame spells and bludgeoning weapons again win the day. A trapdoor is found that has a tunnel leading to the north-west, and they elect to come back to it later. Another tunnel leads back to the entrance, and near it Lanliss notes “13WN167” scratched into the wall. Seldrel consults his map, and finds a door marked ‘13’. The passage beyond it goes west then south. They return to that point and Lanliss finds an illusionary wall hiding a northern passage, and a pit. Collapsible planks get them to door ‘167’, which opens both ways and has stairs leading down. They return to a room found with a black gate, and Seldrel activates this, taking them to the tiled room just off the fungi caves. They walk up to the Hall of the Gods and camp in gate room. Seldrel notes that the green gem key used in the gate now has a flaw. He rechecks all the gem keys. He surmises that each has a limited number of uses before shattering. He also thinks that given good quality coloured gems he could craft his own keys.
13th: Refreshed, the group activates the Statue of Berronar, the Dwarven deity of safety, home and healing. They obtain a wand of Cure Light Wounds, which Merxif is very happy to have. (Their previous wand is nearly out of charges.) Lanliss suggests retracing some of their steps in pursuit of their quest to defeat Gregern. Returning to the great stair, they head up to the tomb found. All is as they left it, and they search the stone coffin and chamber again. They head all the way back to the Hold, and head out to the graveyard, calling for Robann. He appears, and tells them that they have not destroyed his grandson. Robann suspects a number of false tombs under the mountain. While he can’t tell them where to look, he states that he will be aware when he is no more. Robann tells them that the geas will draw them back to the mountain if they make plans not to return. If they spend longer under the mountain they may be able to stay away for longer, as long as they do intend returning. While he never explored much under the mountain, he knows others in the family did. He has heard of the great stair, and knows of hidden chambers accessed from it, including a forge and crafting hall. If they can locate that, they have a way to spend time crafting items and enchanting them without the geas interfering.
Back down the great stair, they cross the hall of numbered doors and take the stairs down. Lanliss leads them on a “left-wall-hug” through a number of small rooms with multiple doors. One metal plated door is hard to open, a second is trapped. A small humanoid figure approaches, crying like a child. It has an animal skull for a head and its sobs are quite distracting. Seldrel and Merxif confirm the creature is undead, but they know nothing more. Lanliss feels tired when bitten. After a few dusty rooms, there is a hall with three alcoves. Each alcoves has a four-foot deep hole that appears empty, and there is writing low on the opposite wall – patience, tolerance, respect. Seldrel detects nothing magical and most of the group move on to the next room – marked with charcoal lines across the floor. Lanliss finds a hidden compartment with some gems and Bacon decides to have a better look at the holes they have passed. He returns and climbs into one. After watching him for a while without any comment or movement, Seldrel and Hardaz realise that something is wrong. They pull him out with difficulty – he is paralysed! A thin transparent film slides out of the hole after him – a near invisible ooze that immobilises it’s prey and drains them of blood. It is battered and blasted until dead. Merxif heals Bacon.
Dragons of Lancasm 