30 Erathisway 4520 - Shrines, Rescues, Markets & Visions

Arkomir Phinan writes...

We wake early to get a good start on the day and the search for the Hobgoblin threat. Breakfast is had and then we head to the stables to gather horses and get moving. I get Blackstar and Fringey ready to move and everyone assembles and we head off as per directions from Varruk. Brom Coppervein leads the way out of town and then Dharra Boulderfoot and I take over. We make good time and get to the point of the original ambush.

Brom points out where the trail lead off into the bush. We struggle to find any discernible tracks as the trail is quiet a bit old now. Brom then points out a ridge line and we head that way. As we make our way up toward the trail, we see the body of a dead gnome hanging from a tree. We move forward a little bit, and I notice along the ridge line, some movement. We are surprised, and enter into battle with a number of hobgoblins and goblins, some of whom are wielding magic, but we manage to overcome them. Looking at the fallen, they do not have any specific sigils, except a tribal marking of sorts. Brom confirms that these hobgoblins have similar markings to ones that have been encountered previously. We decide to head up on to the ridge line to find where the runaways fled to. Dharra has a look around and sees some fresh tracks heading away from the ridge line. The ones that were fleeing made it back to a point and then mounted some wargs. We mount our horses and follow along this trail.

I have Blackstar follow along this trail and ask him to keep me appraised if he gets a whiff of anything. We continue to follow along the trail until Dharra tells us to stop so she can discern the trail again. Brom says we are not very far from Darin's Fall but people don't generally come out this way. Blackstar tells me that there is smoke on the wind, ahead and to the right. We dismount, and start to walk the horses ahead so as to be a bit more stealthy. I take a position near the front with Dharra whilst Kugulex is in the second rank next to Esward Moulton. I start to smell the smoke on the wind as well. We find ourselves high above a valley with a stream running through. There are some ruins on either bank but nothing much really. Below us are some steps carved into the cliff face, which were carved long ago according to Dharra. They are not Dwarven in nature but more elven or human. Dharra and i sneak forward a bit to have a look around.

We see movement on the other side of the stream. We create a diversion to our left and immediately end up in a battle with a bunch of goblins, bugbears and wargs. We also are beset with a number of hobgoblins. The battle rages far and wide across the valley. Toward the end of the battle the bugbear magic user disappears into a tunnel. He directs the remainder of these forces to do the same. We heal ourselves up a bit and investigate the bodies, finding some coin and some formally dwarven weapons. One of the bugbears has a small pouch that contains three shards of Dweomatite, as well as: 1500 gold worth of gold, 750 silver worth of silver, lumps of platinum to the value of 225 platinum, 1400 copper worth of copper and 600 electrum worth of electrum. After our rest we gather at the cave mouth on advice from Brom and Dharra as they can feel creatures moving below us. We lay our trap and get ourselves ready.

This next fight is hard and during it Kugulux, Brom and Esabel Chantry all fall at various times. Brom is stabilised and Kugulux is revived. As I kill the Bugbear Commander, he spits at me that 'they will die if I don't return'. He says that the the tunnel rats will die by his command. The last two bugbears are dealt with and we plan our assault on the tunnel. We loot the bodies and gather a potion of stone giant strength, a potion of fly, a small pouch that contains 7 similar sized slivers of Dweomatite, platinum pieces to the value of 18 platinum and gold pieces to the value of 180 gold. The commander is also adorned with the tribal symbol we saw on the others. The plate armour on the commander is magical but loses its magical ability once removed. On one of the other bugbears we find four more slivers of dweomotite. Healed up, we head into the caves.

Kugulux and I lead on, followed by Dharra and Moulton. Dharra looks at the cave system and again it doesn't look Dwarven. We try to listen for sound deeper into the caves, but don't hear anything yet. As we move further in we try again to listen for sounds. We get the sense that there is some light further in the cave system and some walls in the cave system have been sealed magically, barring entry to certain areas. Certain sections of the walls have an arched look to them that reminds us of the meeting place near Oxenhalt. Ahead of us we see an alcove that is a shrine. There is a small statue of a female figure, quiet worn, in the shrine, holding tools. Away to the right at one point, there is a long hallway that leads off into the dark. Looking at the second alcove, again there is a worn statue, this time of a male figure. This figure had outstretched arms at one point (now missing) and there is a circle on its back like a halo of flame coming off it. There are two friezes on the central walls, one of which depicts a woman holding out something and there is writing over the background, but nothing that seems like it is meant to be read (more of a depiction of writing). This could be Ioun. The other freeze depicts a man holding a weapon like a halberd. Behind him is a mountain setting - this could be Kord. In the alcoves are a shrine to Bahamut and to Corellon.

Having checked all of the other chambers, we head down the main tunnel toward the light. As we head down this corridor, toward the end we see a wide opening that leads into a room. This is the room that the light is emanating from. This room has a large ornate central Dias and at the top we see Corellon's star. The pillars on either side are almost shrines themselves. The one on the left is a depiction to Bane and the one on the right is a depiction of Moradin. In the centre is a large and very old bowl resting on the central section of the floor. It is a very particular type of stone that has this particular hue of blue. The bowl looks ancient and is a very thick bronze and is designed to sit here - quite purposefully. Dharra sits in front of the gateway and casts mystic conflux.

...She sees elves the same as those that created the Bowshot Bridge. They are cutting and placing the stone to form this gateway arch. Time appears to move and the elves now appear older, having laboured to create the arch. The older one places the Corellon star at the top. The stones are being placed and held in place with magical script. She sees an elf with a long curved sword, slung over his back in a strange and loose fashion. There seems to be a contingent of these elves behind him and he is a warrior of note. He is a protector. He has a gold and green plume on his helmet, which he takes off. He kneels and the landscape is sandy and hot - a wasteland. He bows his head as does his gryphon steed. She hears an impossibly deep rumble and as he looks up and a bronze dragon that fills the space in front of him holds out a claw. In the palm of the claw, is one thick, round, bronze scale (almost circular). This is a gift from the dragon to the warrior. This scale looks like the bowl. This bowl, with the price of a piece of magic, can transport you to the other gateway...

We decide to go through the gate. We send a quick message to Essa to tell us what we are doing and with that done - we head through the gate. Dharra drops a piece of dweomatite into the bowl, and the gate opens. We head through. We find ourselves in a small underground space - a cave or cavern of sorts. It has been made ornate and nice by elves, in a similar style to the place we have just left. The stone here is very different though - like a reddish sandstone. This is a small cave that has an opening ahead and to the right of us. We look outside the cave entrance and we are looking down on a vast sea of scrubland and here and there are outcroppings of reddish stone. Outside we see, in front of us here, and off to the horizon, there are large spikes that appear to have been driven into the ground. One of these spikes have fallen and are lying on the ground. We can also see a small camp of tents, which is quite well established. There are a number of wargs wandering about the camp. To the other side of us, there are a number of dwarves and gnomes are using scaffolding to mine parts of the fallen spike. There are some ogres and hobgoblins guarding these workers.

We again set a trap, Dharra casts a major illusion to lure them up to us. A large gryphon image is created and roars and heads back in to gateway room and once again, we head in to battle. Once again, we prevail.

Taking stock of our surrounds, there is a smell I don't recognise on the wind. It is sweet but not all that pleasant and I am unsure as to what it is. I investigate this smell I am perceiving and it is coming from the north a little. We meet up again at the mine site once Dharra lands from flying about. We have a chat to the captives and see if everyone is ok. We have a chat with a dwarf and a gnome who seem to represent the group. The gnome says where we are looks like The Unclaimed Lands. They were being used to mine the spikes for dweomatite and other precious metals. These spikes don't seem completely natural to them and he points off to the south. He says that over the dunes in that direction, is another cluster of these spikes. We investigate the spike closest to us. Dharra sees that the centre looks more like a bundle of wires of the material being mined. I use Divine Sense as well to try and discern something of these spikes. It strikes me that this thing has forgotten what it is. There is the sense of the divine and the profane around it, like an echo of the past. Dharra casts detect magic on these spikes as well. A bunch of stuff lights up as magic, the axe that Kugulux picked up and is using along with the dweomatite core of the spikes.

We loot the bodies of the fallen enemies but there is not much loot to be had of the goblins and hobgoblins and once they are picked over, they are pilled up and set alight. I ask Grimble and Kelda about the smell of this place, over past the camp. One of the older dwarves in the group speaks up and says that what we are smelling is the sea as we are close enough to the coast to be able to smell it from here. Dharra asks if they have seen any dragons and they have seen things off in the distance, large things in the sky but not noticeably discernible as a dragon. We head back to the camp and have a look around.

With help from some of the gnomes and dwarves we find a potion of fly, a potion of superior healing, a mask hanging on a hook that looks like it is made from the cut off face of an orc and is enchanted and a chest full ore, precious metals, semi precious stone and maybe some more dweomatite. The dwarves pick this up to carry it back to Darin's Fall. In what appears to be there supply tent we find some dead creatures hanging up. They are eyeless and have been caught and hung up. They have a four part segmented mouth with a barbed tongue. They have no legs and the largest is about 30cm in diameter. The hobgoblins eat them and they come from underground. We also find some bags of spices, a satchel of a light coloured leather, a sizeable basket of berries on small stalks that seem local to this location, a bunch of forging tools and leather working tools.

The satchel of leather is actually a bag of holding. and contains three or four pieces of scrimshaw depicting battles and some large chunks of meat (mostly well preserved). In one of the tents that the magic users used we find a staff (magical), a potion of fly, 2 potions of greater healing, a lightning ball totem, a fireball totem, a sort of fan totem and a hemisphere of crystal (the black material from the spikes) (divination and enchantment). Embedded in this hemisphere is a sliver of dweomotite and the whole thing has been encased in glass. At the back of the tent is a cleared space where this hemisphere has been pressed int the ground. Dharra casts detect magic on a bunch of this stuff to discern the school of magic used. As she holds the hemisphere it pulls as she moves it around. The section of dweomotite wants to point south. We also find a thin piece of leather being used as a parchment. It has symbols on it but no language we have ever seen. We also find a small case that has some things in it that are emanating magic. Dharra finds a long necked musical instrument the body of which is wooden but with inlays of lapis. The design on the body depicts moon over sands.

We take a potion of fly and head up above the mountain above the gate to have a look around. Looking back in the direction of the water it is roughly NW. From here it would be a days ride to get to the sea. Looking to the south there is a ravine with some greenery that would be about a day and a half's ride from here. Having satisfied that we have looted enough things, we gather up everyone and our loot and head back through the gate and back to Brom and Essa. From here we head back to Darin's Fall for a well earned rest.

Dharra messages back to Darin's Fall for some folks to meet us on the way back. About an hour out of Darin's Fall, we meet the entourage sent to meet us. They have some carts and other things to aid in transporting folks and loot back to the town as well as some water and food to replenish folks as well. We are told that the Twilight Market will be on tonight. Dharra has a chat with Venrik about playing at the market and which stalls to look out for and he says that sometimes people do play at some of common areas. He also recommends a couple of stalls to us, one of which is a bar that sells exotic drinks. He also mentions an older dwarf called Aldrin who may know more of the local history. As we travel I have a chat with Essa and Moulton is checking in on folks as is Brom.

As we meet this entourage, we assist Moulten as he heads our caravan by casting light and some pleasing smells. We head back to town, now making slightly better time with the wagons and such. We head back to our lodgings and Dharra continues doing her drawings. Folks tend to stop by to stay thanks and I try to downplay our role and push the Belhaimcontingents role. After all this hullaballoo, we find out that there are steps behind the bar that lead down to the twilight market which makes it very easy for us to enter the market. We tidy ourselves up and head down and it sems to be in full swing. We head down what feels like about two floors which opens into a larger chamber at the bottom.

The market smells wonderful, full of exotic alcohols, meats and other smells joining in a glorious cacophony of sights, sounds and smells. The full diversity of Darin's Fall is on display at the market and there are tieflings, dragonborn and halfling wondering about amidst all the gnomes and dwarves. A number of stalls are doing some low level smelting of sorts. A dragonborn selling leather goods. Esme from Esme's Trinkets has a stall here as well as well as a dwarf selling all types of gems, stones and crystals. A halfling has a stall selling all manner of drinks and exotic alcoholic beverages. I purchase some leather gauntlets from the Dragonborn named Kobrak and ask for some augmentations to be done.

On her way to Esme's, Dharra runs in to Bryndis and Arven. They want to introduce us to someone they mentioned to us yesterday. As I finish up with my purchase, I join them as we cross to another stall in the market and we end up at a stall with a very old dwarf, with a long grey beard. He has boxes of tools and toolboxes and chests and his name is Ulgren Deepvein. Dharra starts a conversation with him about some of the history of the area. They have a good chat about Brak , The Cleansing Wave , Darin Argentdelver and the starting of the forge here. Dharra buys some tool sets from him whilst she is here. As part of the conversation, Ulgren decides that he will like to settle on Verdant Isle as well. He will travel there with Bryndis and Arven. After settling up with Ulgren, we wander back to Esme's shop for a look about. Dharra has a look around for some candle holders that will aid her displays as she plays. I find a pair of small statuettes, one depicting Corellon in both their forms, in a loving embrace with Melora. The other is just of Corellon and depending on which side, determines whether male or female. This one is in a grey marble with veins of green running through it and I purchase this one. Dharra finds some things to her liking and purchases those as well.

Nearby there is a tiefling selling some amazing fabrics. Dharra has a look through her goods, and purchases some red reflective type material to make some performing clothes. She also talks to Esme about her dragon carving and converting it to a gold statue. Esme is happy to help Dharra with this enterprise. We wander past the Endurance Pit, but I decide against competing. Dharra heads over to a performance area and sets up to start to play. Her set is well thought out and really gets the crowd on her side - even more than they were already. As I watch her play, I notice Arven is even more interested in Dharra. The evening is starting to wind down and I am more than a few drinks down. With a full day under our belt and the market starting to wind down a bit, we start heading back to our rooms for a rest.

As we head upstairs, Dharra sidles up to Moulton and thanks him for being the hope these people need. We head into our room and fall asleep, finally. As she sleeps, Dharra dreams and finds herself back in the hall of shrines, and I am here as well - it seems that we are having a shared vision/dream. In our vision, we have made camp in this hall of shrines. There is a dwarf sitting opposite us, and Dharra thinks this is Darin. She speaks to him and his eyes look like lava and this could also be Moradin. He addresses us both, as another figure walks in behind us, dressed for travel, but with a long flowing elegance. They sit together and look to us. This figure us clearly recognizeable to me as Corellon. Corellon says, apart from this, your dreams will be safe and uninterrupted tonight. They say that we have uncovered something long lost here, for which they are grateful. They can guide us, but can not tell us what to do. Moradin tells Dharra that more is to be shown to her and she should keep delving for stories and for forgotten lore. She has Moradin's blessing to do this work.

Corellon says that I have seen the edges of things, and that we have been caught at the tip of a blade. I will soon see a little more of how big the blade is and who wields it. There are still challenges ahead, and they will try to be with us when they can. As they speak to us, they tell that we are not alone and they show us all those who stand with us. The last figure he places is one of Lukas, but they say that not all things are sure. He is in a difficult situation, and may need our help but he is still faithful to the cause. There are difficult choices ahead for us to make. Corellon bids me to keep in mind that I have already denied one presence but there is more and to keep that in mind when next I am tested. I try to stay awake, but I start to fall back asleep. My last vision is of Darin guarding our campfire, and Corellon gives me a small kiss on my temple.

Dharra shows Moradin her dragon picture as an image in the flames. He says that it is good, but moves his hand and the image changes slightly, with more nuanced details. Dharra asks who this dragon is, and Moradin says it is an old friend. He bids her to keep delving and keep helping. He reaches out and brushes the side of her neck , and the dragon scales on her neck feel more smooth and metallic. He bids her to be a good friend and to be on time. As I start to fall asleep I have a memory of Corellon holding my hand, linking their fingers with mine. They gently touched each of my fingers and thumb, as if counting them. With that, we get a long rest.