Chapter Two: The North - Session 14 - Down with the River

Last session was held on Friday, May 1st. We decided to play on free holiday, due to personal plans and it war first session Adrian was absent.

Heroes returned to the frozen temple of Ilmater to find, ice was cracking and pools of water stained the floor. They went down to well and quickly found it was filled with cold water as well. Xandos took deep breath and dived only to find something strange: he emerged from water in cave full of fluorescent fungi. He returned to rest of party and made report. Heroes suspected it was uppermost level of Underdark and decided not to explore cave. Instead they returned to druid's burial groove to explore three portals. Key to opening gates was small "T" puzzles which the had to lay in right pattern. Task was challenging but in about half hour they mastered puzzles and opened one portal after another. Behind the first door the found small rock floating in the air in little but hardy crystal of ice. After short troubles, blessing weapons Connal destroyed it, smashing it to pieces. Next door lead to very hot and tight cave, which was plagued by the same crystal. Third one was passageway to underwater realm which was toughest challenge for heroes. with a little help of divine spells, Xandos was able to dive in to deep and destroy last of crystals and break the spell of ice witch.

After completing this task, heroes were approached by village leaders, who asked them to check, what is going on with mage living nearby in an old tower. He was said to be an working wizard of high skill, who was helping with wood transport. Heroes set off next day and travelled through mountains, gradually descending into great valley. At the end of fourth day of journey (they get lost once) the found themselves in small, but thick and pleasant woods.

Soon heroes came upon an abandoned loggers camp. Equipment was scattered and it was looking, as if workers ran away in hurry. Suspicious and expecting troubles, heroes pressed on only to meet an earth mephit, transporting logs down the waterfall. The learned from creature, that it was servant of wizard, who lived in tower. Soon after party found it and signs of battle. It was clear that wizard and lumberjacks was slain by orc marauders, who raided and pillaged camp and later returned in to mountain highs. Poking around, Xandos came upon water mephits, hostile and wary, who predicted that humans soon will drown. Heroes decided to spend night in tower. The moved rest of food to the upper levels and made temporary camp there. With good perspective on mountains, waterfall and lowland below, the felt secure, but this night a flood came, besieging them in tower.

Behind the Curtain
Connal reached 7th level.