Session 9: Baldohr's End

The session begins with the party resting in Baldohr's Cavern. The final watch ends uneventfully and the dawn of the new day comes.   Those paying attention continue to hear sounds in the cavern that lead them to believe that they are not alone within the mine. They investigate a cave-in deeper in the mine but Arlox finds nothing. Laz continues to hear odd sounds and investigates more closely. He finds a slight draft coming through an opening that further investigation identifies as the narrow slit between the wall and a hidden door. Arlox climbs on Thark's shoulders and locates the horizontal slit at the top of the door. Laz uses Shatter to destroy the rail stop in front of the faux cave-in and finds a lever that pops the door open. Inside they find three dwarves.   A battle ensues in which one of the dwarves is killed, one of the dwarves vanishes along with Thark, and the remaining one concedes. It turns out that this is Baldohr Karkyl himself. Xenik intimidates him into talking.   Baldohr explains that an outsider has convinced King Theldur Bloodmantle in Gogh Ulum that now is the time to attack Burimm and find a home on the surface. Guerilla tactics would be needed as the clan doesn't have the manpower for a direct confrontation with the dwarves above. Baldohr's job was to disrupt the supply lines and travel between Burimm and Mendhalia/Anra in order to weaken the dwarves. He offers information as to their stash if the party lets him go.   The party agrees and is able to obtain 1600gp (400 each as Thark is missing) and an ornately carved magical rod.   They spend the next two days traveling, arriving in Half-Hill around noon of the second day. The city is packed with people, many seeking protection from Baldohr's raids. The northern platform of this strange city is currently listing at a 20 degree angle and looks distinctly not right.   The group finds a pub, The Sour Lily Pub on the ground level of the city, and meets the bartender, Leeni. They question her and learn that teamsters are refusing to go west due to the raids. The northern platform is listing due to the loss of one of the air elementals that the city uses to support it.   The group heads to the city commissioner's office and meets the man himself, Armo. He is a halfling that has lived here all of his life. He says that the authorities believe a mage came through town and enslaved one of the elementals and absconded with it to the northeast. The city is not receiving supplies to the east as the airship platform on the northern platform is unusable in its current state.   Armo sends them to the Tinkerers platform in the southwest and instructs them to give a card to the proprietor at The Blushing Beard. They travel up to the top of the platform where they look across to the tilting northern platform on which they can now make out some figures moving around. They make their way to the Blushing Beard where they meet an elderly Gnome woman named Nyleen. They take a room for each of them at a rather extravagant 1gp/night and have dinner in the lavish and full dining room.   The party retires for a restful and safe evening. Upon awakening Zalista receives a sending from an unknown man. The party heads to the northern platform to meet with Mornic, head of the Teamsters' Guild. They learn more about the mage that stole the elemental, finding out that it was a tiefling woman in dark blue robes.   Mornic wants the group to recover the elemental or, at least, find out what happened to it. They also need to re-open the travel between here and Anra which requires restoring the platform as well.   They leave Half-Hill and travel northeast for 4 days to the Black Burrow Mine.