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

Darius and Balin are dazed from the encounter and the whole party feels the anticlimax of a battle sought and missed but they check the crypt over the bridge anyway and Morin discovers two gems in a secret compartment; the body of the mage killed by the vampire has long since been taken by the river current. The gems turn out to be elemental gems and are crucial to the operation of the Sword of Names: although Ghurzak may have recovered the scabbard, it is quite possible that he does not know the gems are also needed. A victory of sorts has been achieved!

After Rhadogan has blessed the crypt with spell and holy water, the party take some uninterrupted rest before beginning the ascent back out of the catacombs. Kin takes the time to identify the vampire's ring as a Ring of Freedom of Movement, which is pleasing to Jiriki.

The curious nature of this seemingly infinite room is ignored and after a rest away from the crypt, good time is made using spells to get back across the water and up the ladder in the 'chimney' and passage is uninhibited across the curious alchemical water sign in the corridor, even though Balin was more keen to investigate the large wheel he had discovered behind the previously unchecked door.

Returning to the cavernous area where the umber hulks were encountered, the party contact Beryn, who is a little annoyed they had bothered to rest, and find out how to use the caged golden bull's horn that Jiriki and Rhadogan had used to plot their course through the maze of tunnels upon entry. Concentrating on Beryn and navigating the maze, the magical item leads the party without fail upwards, upwards for four hours trek and finally starlight and freedom from the crypt!

Morin uses the horn, Darius the Illuminatus and Balin at the front with darkvision. No cavewights, zombies or skeletons encountered.

Although the journey upwards is essentially uneventful, Kin, Darius and Balin all feel as though something has been following - to the extent of glimpsing perhaps the ghostly apparition of an elf. It passes as daylight is reached; an explanation would only come much later....

Upon meeting the party, Beryn warns that there are militia and "others" in Stetterick, which is why he had moved away from his previous position by the mine entrance. He leads the party a distance west into the hills for a safer resting place; his cart is gone but he has the agreed 50GP for each member of the party.

7th Kanos

Gathering around a fire that Karnak has prepared, Beryn, in a better mood now, offers his congratulations and gives up some clarification. Shurudien El-Haroush disappeared into legend long ago and the items you have found are certainly is, three in particular - even if the skeleton wasn't. Dalrylshana's orb is identified as an Illuminatus - apparently the Mayor of Galent has one, too.

More importantly, it is revealed for definite for the first time that the scabbard is the scabbard from the Sword of Names; it relies on true names for its destructive power. The elemental gems acquired are the means of imparting said name, for every name of power is bound in the elements of the world. The scabbard would transmit the name to the reunited blade and hilt but, Beryn adds, that would require something else, probably still on the scabbard.

So Ghurzak has no complete victory.

[Neither Jiriki's ring from the vampire's hand, nor the gem that Morin secretly held at this point were revealed, which had later ramifications]

The elemental gems are not unique, so Beryn requests that the party head to the City-Between-Places to warn one of the potential owners. Since the werewolf (or rather his master) is also likely to realise the gems are not with the scabbard at some point, it is feasible it will also go there - this is enough to keep Morin's fierce search for the beast with the party. For now.

A number of conversations are had - notably between Morin and Beryn and Rhadogan and Jarek - then the party rest a little and are ready to move on. There is a rough path a mile further on into the hills which leads up to the partial ruins of an old castle. Here in one of the rooms is a Wayfarer's mirror ("you'll recognise it when you see it") which will take you to the City Between Places to warn a gnomish gem-maker of the likely danger he is in. From there to Galent where Beryn will hopefully meet you and check the second place where an elemental gem might be found. Beryn has great faith in your abilities but warns you to beware of others who are searching for the same item for their own dangerous reasons.

The horses are to be left behind as they are not suitable for the next journey. Each party member has 10 days' rations each from Beryn but there is no more healing salve after this last usage (everybody bar Rhadogan are back to full hit points; Rhadogan will need a "neutralise poison" spell - that Beryn is not privy to, unfortunately - to allow the wound on his shoulder to heal properly. For now he has clean bandages only).

Karnak and Beryn set of East after a couple of goodbyes (and a large ferocious hug for Jiriki from his brother) and, gathering their belongings, the party start to move out west, slowly taking advantage of the darkness as anybody in Stetterick will doubtless be otherwise occupied to see the light of the Illuminatus so far away as Dalryshana lights the way with Morin just ahead and Darius close by.

It's still an hour or more before dawn when the party come out of a narrow walled valley and see the castle ruins, a few hundred yards away atop a hill lit by the half moon. It's small and more dilapidated than you were led to believe. And two rather large figures can be seen - it looks like they're partaking of food from a baking carcass set over a rough fire.

Balin bristles slightly and Darius moves to block him from charging past. Just in case.

"Hill Giants" he hisses.

Morin and Jarek set out on quiet recon, returning 20 minutes later; the giants look as though they are temporarily resting so the party decide to rest properly and see if they move on. Balin and Jiriki notice a large hawk circling during their watch (the last one) - tethers hanging from its feet indicating it is not wild. The giants have gone come morning, but rain has arrived. The party head up towards the ruined keep, Jarek hanging back with bow to keep watch for the hawk.

Amongst the ruins, stairs head down into a stone room with a couple of doors and a large broken mirror. Jarek joins the party as the last man descends, indicating no luck with the hawk.
.