Session 9 4/4/717 Raiding Tanheim #3

Group is joined that morning by Albert Markelhay, a Cleric of the Silver Falcons and younger brother of Lord Faren, who has been sent by Baron Stockmer of Harkenwold with word of an Iron Circle incursion. Go back through secret door, kill 10 orcs. Go south, kill hobgoblin, 1 goblin & 2 orc berserkers on the stairs, then fall back through secret door again.

At Tanheim
Messoria Dorimant Tiefling Paladin-3 (Judith)
Aelar, Elf Ranger-3 (Philippe)
Ghesh, Dragonborn Warlord-2 (John)
Leleth Snow, Knight. Half-Elf Blackguard-3 (Tiffany)
Mirabelle Markelhay Human Wizard-2 (Jelly) - resting
Andraste, Eladrin Rogue-2 (Jelena)

Arriving
Albert Markelhay, Cleric-2 (Sid)

& the body of Arjhen the Dragonborn (RIP)



Once More to Tannheim - Messoria

We rest overnight in the hidden room. Early the next day we are disturbed when we hear someone approaching from along the river. It’s an armoured human that Messoria and Leleth both recognise as Albert Markelhay, Lord Markelhay’s brother who for a long time has been away in the south. He tells us that he has come from Baron John Stockmer, Lord of Harkenwold, whose domain has been recently attacked by raiders from the Iron Circle.
We discuss the matter, and though we want to rush immediately to Harkenwold’s aid, our concern over rooting out the rumoured demon worship in Tannheim wins out, though we promise Albert that we will go to Harkenwold as soon as we can. In the meantime, Albert agrees to join our attacks on the soldiers of the Temple and we are all heartened to have a Warpriest of Sehanine fighting alongside us.
Once we are fully rested we go through the secret door but are startled to find a patrol of orcs who had been searching for us. A brisk fight ensues and ten orcs fall before us. Leleth and Andraste search the corpses and the eladrin finds a pair of magical gloves which are determined to be Gloves of Piercing.
Following our plan to defeat the High Priest’s forces individually, we eschew the route to the Temple and instead follow the tunnel next to the Trapmaster’s room. This leads us to a large room with double doors at one end, and at the other a broad stairway flanked by large statues. At the top of the stair we spot three goblins and a much larger hobgoblin. They throw javelins at us, but as we close on their position, the hobgoblin calls for aid.
By the time three orc berserkers arrive we have fought our way to the room at the top of the stairs. The way forward is punctuated by gargoyle statues so Leleth and Messoria take position between the statues to hold the line against the berserkers’ attack. One after another the berserkers fall to our blades but despite Aelar’s efforts, a goblin sneaks past us, shouting for help from dwarves who must be further down the tunnel. He pursues but finds the way blocked by a portcullis so returns to the rest of the party.
With our foes finally defeated we quickly search the room and discover a fragment of a fine dwarven tapestry, a pair of damaged silver candlesticks. The hobgoblin leader was also wearing a decorated belt. After so tough a fight we once more retreat to the hidden room to catch our breath.

Session 8 3-4/4/717 Tannheim #2 - Evil Dwarves

PC Groups

At Tanheim
Messoria Dorimant Tiefling Paladin-3 (Judith)
Aelar, Elf Ranger-3 (Philippe)
Ghesh, Dragonborn Warlord-2 (John)
Leleth Snow Half-Elf Blackguard-2 (Tiffany)

Arriving
Mirabelle Markelhay Human Wizard-2 (Jelly)
Andraste, Eladrin Rogue-2 (Jelena)

Group attacked by two aquatic dwarf ghouls. Attack and defeat dwarf Blackhammer soldiers, then flee as an alarm gong sounds. Hole up overnight in caves.



The Dead of Tannheim - Messoria Account
As we retreat from the Dwarven Trapmaster’s room we failed to notice that Ghesh had taken a glancing blow from falling rock until he stumbled and collapsed. For safety we take him back through the secret door to where Draco was guarding Arjhan’s body, knowing the drake would be able to guard the other dragonborn until he recovered.
Outside Tannheim Leleth finally meets up with her sister Mirabelle who has travelled to the mountain lake in company with an eladrin called Andraste. Her family had long ago owned land in the Vale and Andraste had decided to return to investigate and perhaps seek to reclaim her inheritance. Following the instructions left by Aelar they are able to enter the caves avoiding the trap of the Fire Beetle pit and they take the same route as we did, soon meeting up with Messoria and Aelar in the caves.
We spend a few minutes catching up with what everyone has been doing and hear from Andraste that various bands of raiders have been gathering under the banner of the evil Mountain King, amongst them renegade dwarves and even a group of gnolls.
With the added strength of Leleth, Mirabelle and Andraste we decide to try the sodden door we had previously avoided. After much effort we force it open and it leads to a flight of stairs going downwards. The air is warm and damp with a distinctive sulphurous tinge. The stairs descend into a room whose suspended wooden floor has collapsed into the flooded void below. At the far end of the room a small chest floats on some of the broken timbers.
Using the Everburning Torch Leleth tries to determine the depth of the water, Aelar at her side with a nocked arrow in case of ambush. Leleth has time to report that the water is about 4’ deep when grey hands reach up and pull her below the surface. As they are below the surface Aelar had not been able to see the two dwarf ghouls before they attacked.
Leleth is paralysed below the surface of the water, but she’s able to hold her breath. Before we’re able to act both Aelar and Mirabelle are immobilised by the ghouls’ attacks. Shocked by the speed of the undead attack, we nevertheless rally and, aided by Mirabelle using her magic to push the ghouls away from us, are able to manoeuvre so Messoria is able to strike at the undead using the holy light of Sehanine. Aelar’s arrows daze the ghouls and Andraste is able to take full advantage of their distraction.
Once the ghouls are finally defeated Leleth searches under the water and finds an ornate dwarf-made axe that bursts into flame on command. Andraste retrieves the chest but all that is within are the rotting heads of humans and elves.
We take a few minutes to catch our breath and then climb up the stairs at the far side of the room, Messoria in the lead. Unfortunately she fails to hear the sound of chanting from the room beyond and walks in on eight praying dwarves dressed in the colours of the fanatical Black Hammer sect. She orders them to surrender but instead they attack.
Mirabelle sets off a Fountain of Flame in the centre of the room while the rest of us close ranks against the dwarf warriors. Acting quickly Aelar is able to shower the close-packed dwarves with arrows before they can move and several fall dead, struck down by the power of the elven Great Bow. The remainder don’t last much longer but they are soon reinforced by two dwarven initiates from the adjacent Temple. We hear a gong sounding the alarm and the initiates speak of their High Priest Gimbolge before they too are defeated.
Not feeling ourselves strong enough to face the combined forces hurrying to the call of the High Priest we pull back, relying on Mirabelle’s Fountain of Flame to deter pursuers. We fort up in the caves near to where Arjhan’s body rested, using pitons to wedge the secret door into the room while keeping watch on the narrow cave leading to the river. The night passes uneventfully and we plan our next foray into Tannheim with a plan to try to find the individual bands who support the Mountain King and defeat them one at a time.

[Don't think it's really worth doing a seperate Inventory update as the only thing we found was the Flaming Dwarven Waraxe.]

Session 7 2-3/4/717 Tannheim #1 - The Fall of Arjen

2/4/717
At nightfall group encounters a dragonborn, Ghesh, at the mountain lake, who joins the party.

3/4/717
Group enters Tanheim. Ambushed by earwig-infected zombie ogre who kills Arjen. Ambush and wipe out a group of goblins, then kill the goblin king and his worgs. Encounter a dwarven trapmaster, whose trap collapses his chamber. He retreats after an exchange of shots as rubble fills the room.

The Forges at Tannheim - Messoria Account
Only minutes after we arrive at the mountain lake next to the newly revealed entrance to Tannheim, we see a heavily armoured dragonborn step out to meet us. Arjhan greets him as an old friend and introduces him as the warlord Ghesh Stormbringer. It seems that he too has been drawn by the rumours surrounding Tannheim so we invite him to join us in our exploration. We also receive a message that Mirabelle is hurrying to catch up with us so her sister Leleth offers to wait outside for her. The rest of us agree to leave markers along our route for them to follow us.
Before we rest for the night Aelar spends a few minutes searching the area for any recent tracks. He finds signs that dwarves and even two ogres have been going in and out of Tannheim though he can see nothing from the past couple of days. We go to sleep to the sound of strange dwarven chanting being carried on the wind.
The next morning we approach the gate. Aelar’s preternatural senses soon locate the trap created by wedging a collapsed door across a pit where fire beetles live. Knowing it’s there we are able to avoid it and enter the gatehouse. In each corner of the gatehouse is a statue of a dwarf from which the chanting seems to emanate, rising and falling in tune with the wind. We inform Leleth of the route past the fire beetle trap and then enter Tannheim itself.
Beyond the gatehouse the route skirts a fast flowing stream and we spot the remains of a bridge crossing the stream leading to a similar but narrower path on the far side. Rather than try to vault the gap, we remain on our side of the stream where the path quickly rises. A narrow stairway is cut into the rock in the side of the path leading into the mountain, and as it looks too small for an ogre to use we decide to take that route.
After about ten minutes wandering through tunnels cut into the rock we find the way blocked by a crude hide panel and there’s the unmistakeable stench of rotting meat. Aelar proceeds cautiously but is ambushed by the enormous zombie ogre who had managed to elude his senses. A single mighty blow sends Aelar crashing unconscious into the stone wall. Messoria dashes forward to cover Aelar, calling upon Sehanine’s power to strike the foul undead who turns out to be vulnerable to Sehanine’s searing moonlight.
Ghesh shouts encouragement at Aelar who is able to gather his wits and get back on his feet while he, Arjhan and Messoria tag team the ogre. It falls under their combined assault, but wise to the ways of the undead Messoria knows it is not yet finished. With a roar it gets back to its feet and strikes at Arjhan who had just dealt the blow that felled it. Already wounded, the dragonborn warrior is unable to block the ogre’s crushing fist and falls to the ground, his neck broken.
The ogre does not long survive our rage at seeing our comrade cut down and it is somehow only fitting that Arjhan’s pet drake Draco lands the fatal blow. We take Arjhan’s body down one of the tunnels and commend his spirit to Bahamut, leaving him wrapped in a blanket until we can return his body to Fallcrest for an honourable burial.
We cut off the ogre’s head to make sure it’s not coming back again, and while we do Aelar notices a worm crawl out from its ear. He identifies it as a Dread Earwig, a parasite that eats its way into a creature’s brain, eventually killing it and turning it into a zombie under its control. Knowing to avoid the corpse we search the ogre’s lair and find a huge wooden cudgel studded with bloodied spikes in amongst the debris that we think was perhaps the ogre’s favoured weapon while it was alive. Ghesh is the only one strong enough to wield it and is able to determine that the Bloody Cudgel is magical.
From the next room Aelar hears the sound of goblin chatter so with Messoria in the lead we go in. The goblins are armed as archers so we quickly close to melee range and are able to easily defeat them. Having gone through the ogre zombie’s lair has enabled us to come in to the rear of the goblins’ killing zone. Searching their room we find a potion of healing, a few coins and an ornate scroll case worth 75gp.
The adjoining room is the stable for the goblins’ wargs and the throne of their chief who surprises Messoria as she enters the room to fight the wargs. She kills the leader and the wargs soon fall. At the far end of the room is a throne surrounded by a pile of gold coins that Aelar is quick to spot are no more than painted copper coins. In amongst the hoard are a Thundering Longsword of Eladrin manufacture, a magical crossbow, and a silver chain worth 5gp. Inside a painted skull are two eldritch candles shot through with lines of crimson and silver that we take with us. A loose flagstone under the throne reveals two potions of healing, 250sp, 55gp, 3pp, 2 silver ingots worth 10gp each, a cat’s eye gem worth 50gp and a small plank of wood with “Oz-reax” marked on it.
As the door leading onward is water soaked and riddled with Dread Earwigs we backtrack to where we fought the goblins and take the other passage. This leads to a room lined with tapestries in which is a muttering dwarf of apparently dubious sanity armed with a fearsome crossbow. The ceiling of this room appears to be rigged as a deadfall and Aelar spots a well-hidden cord leading from the dwarf’s belt to the trigger mechanism – a dead man’s switch to set off the deadfall should the dwarf fall to the ground.
Even as he decides to use his formidable skill with the bow to cause the dwarf to stumble and thus fall victim to his own trap, Aelar is shot by a poisoned crossbow bolt and the dwarf’s raven allies flap around him in an attempt to distract him. It doesn’t work and Aelar’s arrow strikes the dwarf in the leg causing him to lose his balance and stumble, setting off the deadfall trap. Falling rocks kill three of the four ravens but the dwarf manages to escape through the opposite tunnel with only a few glancing blows from the falling rocks. To give the rocks time to settle we pull back to the goblins’ room for a rest.