Rise of the Runelords

With the latest apparition having faded, you decided to orient yourselves.  You all moved out onto the porch to be safe and Henrik cast a protective spell or two and asked for directions to the ledger Pirozzi and D'Argo had seen.  He waded into the cabin, returning quickly with the ledger in hand.  D'Argo started pouring over it and Edwin reminded all that there was still something out there.  The ledger was tucked away and you formed up loosely and headed into the blowing snow.  Jest as the front of the group lost sight of the cabin (but not the others of the group) you all heard the howl-on-the-wind some of you had heard a few days earlier.  Instead of being merely shaken, more than half of you dropped what you had in hand and scattered in panic into the storm.  Edwin, Henrik and Pirozzi stood together debating what to do.  Thirty seconds or so later, Wolfgar came into view and then veered off again.  Henrik took chase eventually catching him and wrestling him to the ground for the duration of the effect.  Golian showed up a few seconds later.  Soon there was a scream off in the snow - Balros.  Those who could started making their way in that direction.  Malloric, also not longer panicked, made his way from another direction.  Soon most of the group converged on the sound of Balros's screams.  He was in the clutches of a monster never before seen or imagined by any of you.  It had him grappled and was goring him to pieces.

You started throwing everything you had against it.  Malloric's arrows bounced mostly bounced off, but the special damage often took hold.  Fire seemed to be its weakness even with it's uncanny ability to heal quickly.  Edwin and Pirozzi had their hands full keeping Balros alive. Nearly a minute later it was wounded enough that it dropped Balros and howled again.  Many fled in panic, giving the creature enough space to fly up and into the wind driven snow.  You soon able to collect yourselves and find your dropped equipment and returned to the shelter of the cabin - not the inside, but next to away from the wind.  The wind died down within a half hour of the end of the fight making for a relatively relaxing night.

During the night, Wolfgar awakes screaming.  He is visibly shaken and dripping in sweat.  He says he had a horrible night mare, but can not remember anything.  He soon curls over with hunger pangs.  Edwin tries a break enchantment and heal to no avail.  He thinks about it and confers with D'Argo. They come to the conclusion that this is no "normal" or even magical disease, but more likely something supernatural.  Wolfgar may need a limited or full wish to be rid of it before he succumbs to whatever ails him.

D'Argo studies the ledger and locates the route to the lost Vekker brother.  The group heads out the next day. It is a long day's trek.  You often came to ledges where people would have to be hoisted or hand off D'Argo's slippers (of spider climb) to keep moving.  Eventually you come to a narrow ledge with sheer walls on both sides.  Ahead the path is covered in fog. Golian steps up to take the lead and guides people into a large recess in the mountain.  On the far side he can see several stone sticking up through the fog.  In the back is a tunnel opening.  The group heads to the stones where you find several grave markers.  You head toward the opening when Golain yells for everyone to stop.  He informs you that through the fog he can see a preserved corpse of a dwarf still wearing armor.  The group cautiously approaches when an apparition of the dwarf rises out of the fog and wails.  No on is affected thanks to Edwin's breakfast.  The group attacks.  The ghost tries to bite and claw and in one moment, focused all its energy and flung Balros off the cliff.  He fell into darkness.

While it was hard to tell, the group was getting the upper hand on the ghost when Balros' "friend" flew down onto the ledge and said "YOU CAN NOT HAVE HIM!"  The final battle with the Wendigo began.  You were immune to teh effects of its howl so were all able to attack it at once.  With that focused fire, it fell.  D'Argo clambored down the mountain to find Balros badly bruised with a few broken bones, but alive.  He dimension door'd back up and everyone's wound were tended too.  D'Argo poured over the ledger that evening and told everyone that the way to Xin Shalast is 'coded' in the book.  The bad nes is there appear to be several pages missing - key pages.  You camped the evening and made your way back to the cabin with the bones of the Vekker brother. With the brothers reunited, an air lifted from the cabin and 'things felt better.'  Silas's ghost reappears and says that you will find the way to Xin Shalast in the ledger and says, "You will need these." As he fades from view for the final time, several leaves of paper appear and float to the floor.  You pause a few seconds before picking them up.  They are the missing pages you need.

Wolfgar did not fare too badly that day.  The next day was a different matter.  He again wakes after a barely restful night's sleep and mentions ho does not feel well.  He says he is incredibly hungry and longs for fresh meat.  He does not have the faculties to pray for spells.  A restoration returns enough lost wisdom for him to complete his prayers.  The group watches him as much as you do the road in front of you as you head out for the city of greed.  After a few days, you come to the source of the tributary.  The ledger mentions something cryptic about following the water through the stone.  Malloric and D'Argo notice something odd.  With a little searching they are able to 'reveal' an illusion.  The tributary does not start here, but flows 'through' a rack face.  You move onward.  Toward the end of the day you reach a vast ice marsh.  sheer cliffs on all sides make a round about path impossible.  You start moving through and quickly realize the ice is treacherous.  Malloric and Golian take the lead and with each off to one side prod at the ice, pointing out the safest path. After about 30 minutes, a crack of lighting streaks down from the sky, striking Edwin and shattering the ice he is standing on.  It breaks and he disappears into the dark, freezing water.  Some start fetching rope, others look for the source.  Soon another bolt strikes Balros, who manages to avoid falling into the hole under his feet.  Golian draws your attention to spot some distance away.  Stil no one can see anything.  Balros, Malloric, Golian and Pirozzi start making their way in that direction.  Soon all spot some movement.  As you approach, you are taken unaware by a thin fey-like creature with blue-hued skin flowing silver hair.  And naked.  Balros approaches first and is rebuffed before he can even reach the creature.  She pauses and looks quizzically at Malloric as she motion for him to come forward and for the others to stay away.  Malloric shields his vision and slowly approaches. "I know you?", she says. 

"I don't think so." is Malloric reply. 

"Sure I do.  You are Malloric and they are Edwin, Wolfgar, Henrik, Pirozzi, and Golian.  I do not know the others."

"I am afraid you have me at a loss." Malloric looks back at the group and shrugs.

"You knew my sister, Myriana. I'm sure of it."

The proverbial lights started flickering and soon you all remembered the ghost you you 'rescued' near Fort Ranik.  All hostilities ceased and you share your stories.  [long story short - may too late] This is her home and the long entrance to the realm that holds Xin Shalast.  She will extend her safety to you here (but it is still cold) and tells you some about what lies beyond.  [write up to follow]

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[the session title is in reference to the Algonquian Wendigo myth.]

It was slow going up the tributary. Between the very difficult terrain - made slippery by the recent snow - and thin air the group only managed a few miles at best.  Another summer snow squall started toward the end of the day forcing you to make camp.  In the relative warmth of hut created by D'Argo you rested out the night.  Early in the evening, those on watch and a few who were sleeping heard a howl carried on the winds.  You first chalked it up to wolves, but soon realized there was something more to the noise.  It seemed to be carried by and even be part of the wind itself.  You were on edge for hours after.

You broke camp and went about your morning routine.  Henrik noticed Wolfgar was dragging a bit.  He asked Wolfgar if he thought he might be having some altitude sickness.  Wolfgar said he didn't think so.  He said he slept poorly and was just really hungry.  He grumbled throughout the day and commented at meals that he would really like some fresh meat for a change.  Henrik consulted Edwin and that nights' watches were reconfigured.  Edwin, now on Wolfgar's watch kept and eye on him and talked.  Wolfgar mentioned that his sleep was so poor that he was unable to concentrate enough to meditate for spells from Moradin.  And he was still really hungry.  Edwin convinced him to allow a break enchantment.  After casting, Wolfgar felt less hungry but was still craving fresh meat.

Travel the next day was nice.  The sun was out which lifted everyone's spirits a little. That didn't last.  Mid afternoon brought another snow squall form over a nearby peak and the temperature dropped. Just as you were contemplating finding a place to camp, Balros spotted a structure in the distance.  It was built at the bottom of a cliff with an enclosed structure that hugged the cliff all the way to the top some 60' plus.  He could make out a large pine, perhaps dead, near the structure.  Deciding inside an actual building would be better than another night in the hut you headed along an old road that led the direction of the cabin.  When you were about 100' away, Balros yelled for everyone to stop. The snow was whipping around making seeing beyond even 20' very difficult.  "What is it?".  Balros replied, "I'm not sure, but I could swear that tree moved."

In just a few seconds, he was proven correct.  Out of the wind driven snow the rest could finally see the tree. It was scrambling over the rocks toward you.  Arrows, magic missiles, and scorching rays flew.  Several of you set up a line of defense to meet the creature head on only to be pummeled as the tree trampled the front line and stopped in the middle of the group.  Even this close, the snow made is difficult to see specific locations for area spells.  People resorted to melee and target specific spell casting.  Henrik moved up and smote the beast.  It returned the favor with a heavy blow from one its branches.  Henrick was covered in a cloud of fungus that was dislodged from the dead tree as it attacked.  He was coughing but otherwise seemed alright. Pirozzi was dishing out massive damage as his fire spells seemed to be the creatures vulnerability.  D'Argo sprayed the thing with acid.  The tree seemed to want to attack Pirozzi, who was just out of reach, so it turned its fury on D'Argo who crumpled under two massive blows.  More fire damage from Pirozzi and Edwin destroyed the tree.  D'Argo was Healed and the group went on to examine the location from whence the tree came. Malloric hung back and found some magic bolts stuck in the  tree's craggy bark and a potion vial in a rotting knothole.

The first foray into the building was short as you had to break the rusted lock and chain off what turned out to be a storage room with no further access to the interior.  The second door, also locked, led into the heart of the small cabin.  As Henrik and Pirozzi tended to the pack animals, the rest wound your way further in.  You opened doors of an ore processing room.  The front few of the party saw a dwarf, hunched over with he back to you. He appeared to be shoveling something into his mouth.  He turned toward you and you saw he was reaching into the dust around him -  that now looked like piles of gold dust - and shoveling it into his mouth.  His long beard was soaked with saliva and glittered with the dust.  "You HAVE to try this!  It is DELICIOUS!"  The front of the group looked at each other quizzically as Balros headed into the room and began filling his mouth with gold dust, which had reverted back the ore pile originally seen.  He quickly shook off the image and started to spit out what dust he didn't already swallow.  D'Argo mentioned the gold ore can be full of some nasty stuff and maybe a cure disease might be a good precaution at some point.

You continued and after exploring a few small rooms, came to the central feature of the cabin.  A tall shaft rose along the cliff face with a chain loop hanging in the middle and a wooden stair winding its way to the top.  D'Argo said this was probably on ore drop from the mine up top to the processing here.  You started up the stair.  Near the top, the stair collapsed under Balros, Wolfgar and Malloric.  Each jumped for the chain. Balros missed and fell 40' to the floor. Malloric and Wolfgar were hanging on the chain with the rest trying to figure out how to get them back to the stairs when the chain started to thrash and spin.  It started to loop itself around Malloric while Wolfgar used hi free hand to smack it with his hammer.  Others cast spells at it.  When Malloric was grappled, the chain moved on a pulley, hauling both to the top where it proceeded to drop Malloric to the floor 60' below.  Golian flew toward it and said with realization to the rest of the group, "You do realize this place was locked from the OUTSIDE."  With numerous adamantine blows and more spells, the chain fell 'lifeless.' A little bit of curing and the team moved on.

The upper part of the cabin had numerous rooms which were explored one by one.  The group soon found the front door and stood for a moment on the porch looking out into the blowing snow.  Some of you could have sworn you saw a dwarf in rags in the snow.  It turned to face you and you heard it yell, "RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! THEY"RE GOING TO EAT YOU!"  Balros froze in panic and started yelling at the rest of you to not come any closer.  Henrik, realizing the these were probably haunts called for Edwin to come forward and try to dispel them as he had at the old mansion outside Ardrinn.  Edwin moved forward while other looked into other rooms.  In one room, Golian found am activation lever for a trap or door.  When he pulled it you all heard a scrape and thud from somewhere in the cabin. Pirozzi found a small office with several sacks and a ledger on the desk. Henrik, looking in the last room found it empty save for a pile of bones in a far corner.  He was soon overcome with a vision of nearly a dozen or so dwarves scrambling over one another each trying to eat another. They soon saw Henrik and attacked.  All the rest  of the group saw was Henrik violently trying to fend of some invisible attacker while scratched and larger cuts appeared on his exposed skin.  Poirozzi and Edwin tried to keep Henrik cured while others attacked the pile of bones.  Soon the haunting stopped.

Less than a minute later, some of you heard a knocking from somewhere in the lower part of the cabin.  It lasted only  a few seconds and stopped. Then there was a loud cracking sound followed by sounds of mighty hammering as the cabin itself started to shake.  The shaking become worse, almost as if the cabin were being knocked off the cliff. Many of the group were knocked off their feet or had to grab hold of something.  Soon Wolfgar was the first to have that familiar look that you had seen days earlier.  He looked famished and grabbed his stomach in pain. "By the Gods am I hungry!" he yelled.  Several others were writhing with pangs of hunger as well.  The shaking continued as they regained their composure.  However, when they did, they no longer seemed affected by the shaking and started attacking the others of the group.  Edwin, still out on the porch was keeping eyes on the group and helping and curing when he could.  After a very chaotic 30 seconds or so, Edwin noticed the snow itself coalesce and quickly move toward him.  A shape flew past as it attacked doing both physical and cold damage.  "There's something out here!" he yelled as he cast a mass protection from cold and tried to force his way into the cabin.

[this is where we stopped. what follows is some narrative leading up to next session.]

As Edwin forced himself into the room and pulled the door closed behind him, the shaking suddenly stops.  The cabin shows no signs of damage from the shaking aside from a few tipped chairs. You assess the situation, cast a cure or two and start deciding what to do when another vision starts to coalesce in the middle of the room.  Some grab your weapons, others look for the nearest exit as a a figure of a balding dwarf with no eyes forms from the mist. He speaks though his lips barely move and bit-sized bits of him tear loose with each word and fade before they it the floor.  By the time he finishes, there is little left of him and soon even that fades away.

You… you are alive? You do not hunger? Ah… that is what I sense in your blood. Greed. You seek the City of Greed. You should abandon your quest, lest you end up like me. Cold. Dead. Eaten. But I suspect you cannot be swayed. Know then that I know the way to Xin-Shalast. I can show you the way, but only if you bring me my brother. He died on a ledge high above our final mine. I can feel his soul out there, still hungry, still insane. Bring his bones to me so that I might reconcile with him. Once he is at rest, I will show you the way so that I might rest as well…

 [we'll pick up from here next time....]

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After about a months worth of travel and crafting, the party set out for the northern Tenh by teleporting to Nevond Nevend where you equipped and readied for the trip up the Karazon.  The first days of travel were uneventful. You passed a few mostly abandoned farmsteads and scared off a few orcs and wolves.  It wasn't until you reached the foothills of the Griffs that things became more difficult. 

One night the party was awoken by the sound of something large making its way toward camp. It was not making any attempt to sneak.  About the same time most of the party was awake, the creature came into view.  It was a very big giant.  No, it was gargantuan.  Malloric let loose with arrows as it charged.  It reached Malloric after being hit by a couple spells and some more arrows.  None of which seemed to give it pause.  It nearly sliced Malloric in two.  With the beast closer, those with melee weapons were able to surround it and it didn't last long.

The next few days of travel brought the group into some higher elevations where some started to succumb to altitude sickness.  Lesser and regular restorations were temporary help.  Heals helped greatly but only guauranteed people got through the day.  They did not offer any long term protection.

On evening as the group was breaking for camp, Balros noticed some large flying creatures making their way closer.  They started shooting arrows.  D'Argo placed a cloud kill in the air which had some effect and made them scatter.  They never got within melee range, so it was up to the casters and bows to fend them off.  Most were killed and only one or two flew away.

Another few days and more people began to succumb to altitude sickness keeping Edwin busy.  The group also had to deal with daily snow squalls making travel even more difficult.  Keeping track of the tributaries, you eventually passed two to the south and then one to the north.  This is what you were directed to look for.  You bundled up and headed upstream in the snow.

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