MAIN PAGE     FULL STORY (Word Doc)

Meeting     Into the Crypt     Umber Hulks    Stone Heart    Vampire    Beryn     Keep     Sand Giant
City-Between-Places     Beryn's Farm     Bog Serpent     Stronghold     2 Parties     Dog & Horn     The Cells
Escape!     Calrhuvianne     Souls     Hawker Bag     Kin's Tale     Mayor & Shopping     Dhunok Grael
Karubiat Elesis     Underground Sun     Lizardmen     The Boat     Akkenophon     Shurudien!     Ghurzak!
To Karnak     Dice     Oracle     Mogradjinn     Battle     The Hilt     Exit     Strange Allies     Ghorak Lan
Farigon     Calrhuvianne2     Wraithking     Columns     Last Column     Galent     Zeres-kai     Eyrie
Elementals!     Golem

Kin uses his new item to identify the remaining booty and then questions the mayor regarding other discovered details and cocnerns. Eben as Jiriki produces his two trophies.

The mayor smiles at the production of two Ceredophilus' teeth, "As I said, 'curtailed of detail'. Well played, my friends - I will get these to the Greyhammers post-haste and work shall begin tomorrow on the fashioning of the hammers."

The smile fades a little as Kin menrtions the Ghull, however, and the mayor pauses thoughtfully before continuing.

"There are many tales that come downriver from the hardened miners of Rin Duras. Many become folklore and myth, some are true, others the merest shadow of something that was once true. But even words spoken of shadows can unsettle some folk.

"One such tale tells of a race of dwarves that were here long before Baltharak the Munificent, Master Stonemason and Lord of Mines led dwarves from across the sea. They were an old race and passed beyond the mountains long ago for unknown reasons. I happen to know that this is true, but it does not serve to make facts of whisperings and rumour.

"Like all races, they had their good and their bad. The Ghull was one of the worst, though, bent on evil and destruction a worshipper of the vilest evils. From your description, Morin, this must certainly be one of the High Dwarves. Whether it is the Ghull I have read of, however, I doubt – unless the longevity of the High Dwarves is greater than anyone could know. If it
is he, then I have work to do because surely this will mean war: whatever he is doing, he would want to retake Dhurghumlund such is his ego and resolve.

"I must speak with my, erm, informants on the morrow.

"As long as Hawksmoor hasn't returned with him, that at least is something."

Morin points out with a cough that he had heard the Ghull speak of Hawksmoor as clearly being his ally. The mayor’s mood instantly darkens as he ruminates on Hawksmoor.

“He's trouble. Large scale, all-encompassing trouble. I know little detail of him but the Ghull bows to him as master and
death and pestilence have only ever followed in his wake. He's a necromancer and a death-worshipper, a dabbler in the darkest of magicks, an architect of travesty with no ounce of pity or compassion within. A ruthless, violent bastard. Bugger.”

"Leave me now, I fear I have work to do and some of my contacts are late to report.......if you need to see me again before you depart, ask for me by name - H'ronmeer - and the guards will not quibble."

With the jubilant mood slightly soured, the party retire to rest for the evening and set about purchasing a range of useful items the next morning before gathering to head out on a boat journey towards the next adventure – finding the hilt of the Sword of Names.

20th Kanos

Suva spends time in prayer with another priest of St Cuthbert and Morin has discovered from the mayor that someone in the House of Magrothir has strongs powers over water including scrying ability and urges the party to ‘dress down’. This is unfortunately too late for Jiriki, sporting a new, fiercely spiky haircut and a loose top intermittently revealing an imposing tattoo of a greatsword, symbol of Kord, taking up most of his muscular back.

A number of dwarves have gathered to see off the famous party and the mayor and Calrhuvianne are also here – the latter taking the chance to pass on a spellbook he had offered for purchase.

The boat is slow and the journey to Rin Duras long - but the party are not going quite that far; the captain of the ship has been instructed to drop the party off in a rowing boat about three days along the river where they should then row to the east shore.

There are a couple of cabins to share (to Dalrylshana's slight dismay!) and an easy chance to rest - the weather has unexpectedly improved and although not especially warm, it's bright and dry. But the wind slowly increases as the afternoon passes and the boat tumbles casually in the broad river. As daylight dims, the water foams about the edges of the bow and stern. Are there glimpses of faces here and there or is it a trick of the light matching paranoia of enemies...........?

The journey is uneventful and quite relaxing, except that a number of the sailors are getting spooked by the behaviour of the water: nothing happens other than curious swirling that lends the idea of shapes and faces to the eyes, but superstitions fan the flames of fear and there are soon whispers of serpents and leviathans. Concerned, but experienced enough to realise that there is little they can do but wait it out, the party stay out of trouble, praying, learning spells, helping with minor tasks, cleaning and sharpening weapons and such.

After three days in the boat the party is dropped off as promised, into a small rowing boat - to be safe, two trips are needed to get everybody and their belongings from the boat across the broad river to the north-eastern shore. Three days out from Galent, there are no signs of habitation obvious, although the rough terrain is a little hilly and dotted with enough trees to limit viewing distance.

23rd Kanos

Off to the north, the mountains of Lhandroth Yar beckon, whilst to the east the vast range of mountains that separate Dhurghumlund from whatever is beyond them fill the horizon, a delicate plume of smoke just visible from a distant volcano. It's a cold, clear day. A good day to adventure.

The quiet is only spoiled by a surprised yelp from Jiriki who feels the ring on his finger momentarily burn hot as he steps out of the boat on to land. Morin also spots something leaving the water – invisible but not spotted again. The party’s level of alertness is increased.

You have been told that from the point where you are, you need to track inland (north) about a mile - after barely a couple of hundred yards, though, grim Hogun, Beryn's companion that most of you met in the Inn of the Wyrm in Pen Duras, appears, almost from out of nowhere, and indicates silently that you should follow him west for a couple of miles to where Beryn waits.

Hogun silently leads the party onwards west, parallel to the river - silence is happily accepted as there is some concern over possible enemies at the moment! Jiriki removes his 7-rubied ring and pockets it for now, happy to go along with party fears but unhappy to no longer be using an item that has already been very useful.

After half a mile over slightly hilly terrain, something quite odd happens: the ground slopes steeply downwards to an area that must surely be below the river's level but which also gets very warm. The vegetation changes rapidly, creepers spiralling up the lengths of trees which have huge leaves, sprouting out like canopies. Lizards skitter here and there and Hogun warns you to watch your footing in some of the nearby areas as the soft earth is water-saturated and can swallow you up.

Impossibly, this is a small, self-contained, tropical area.

A very large clearing opens, dotted loosely with curious shrubs, languishing vines and small pools of warm water, to reveal Beryn and Karnak, sitting on some large rocks. It is clear that these rocks are not natural and a moment to take in the perspective shows that here are ruins of something that was once quite grand, now fallen and draped with elements of tropical greenery. An arch stands here, remains of a wide wall there.

Beryn looks in excellent mood and smiles heartily as you approach, clapping his hands together before wiping a sweaty brow.

"My friends, well met! Our quest goes well, for I have confidence you have another elemental gem and I believe I have found the resting place of the hilt!"