The Descent

Eyre 18th, Wir, 998 Y.K.

2.00 a.m.

As the group are sleeping, except for Anvil and Kapek who are on watch, the first few heavy drops of rain begin to fall from the sky outside.

The entire group are suddenly awoken by a deep groaning creak like the headland itself is trying to split in two, followed by a booming resonant thud coming from far below them, it rings through the ground beneath their feet for a few moments before fading to silence once more. The rain outside begins fall heavier and distant storm clouds crack with thunder and flashes of lighting. Ajax takes a moment to check the cellar before the group go back to their beds.

The following morning the clouds are still dark and a heavy rain falls outside the warmth of the lighthouse. By mid afternoon the group are finally prepared to head back into the tunnels beneath the them.

*Anvil comments
With the completion of Anvil's weapon familiar, Guardian has been created and given instruction to protect the weak and to destroy Anvil's enemies.

They head down, after a brief foray down the rails on the winch level, where thy find that the tunnels have long sinced collapsed, they continue past the Merchants level and into a once well decorated wide and heavily travelled stairway that winds down some 75 feet before they come across a door, above it in dwarven is the word "Stables". The stairs continue down but the group decide to investigate beyond the door.

Some 50 feet down these stairs the darkness that suffuses every inch of the environment takes on a more sinister and substantial feel.
(All players are now at -2 attack/damage/AC, movement is reduced by 5ft., light sources are one half as effective. Thoughts become distracted, concentration is difficult. Any activity that requires any kind of coherent thought requires a Concentration check DC 15 to even attempt.)

The door opens to reveal a wide avenue thick with dust and rock debris. There are rooms down each side that appear to have been large stables, each entrance adorned with ornately carved stone jambs, the doors themselves have fallen from their hinges in places. There are no marks or track and it is determined that this are has not been touched in centuries. The party push on down the avenue, some 200 feet ahead it begins to slope downwards, they continue. Further along the tunnel they come across a section that doubles back upon itself and heads back in the direction they have just come from, but on a level. Above the avenue a section of the ceiling hangs a little lower, carved into this, in splendid Dwarven runes is:

Clan Thuldark

Stables          Temple

The group continue in the direction they were going until they find that their path is blocked by a long forgotten cave-in.

The double-back on themselves, this time heading along the tunnel sign-posted as the Temple.

This grand terrace is lined with statues of warrior dwarves, obviously once adorned with precious metals and jewels which have since been stripped from the stone. The ground seems to have once been painted with pure gold.

About 150 feet along this avenue the party are faced with a huge set of stone doors, one of which stands open about 6 inches.

The group try to heave the door open but they are simply not strong enough, Kapek decides to squeeze through the gap and take a look around.

As his eyes become accustomed to what he is seeing he can make out through the thick darkness two braziers burning on large stone pillars to either side of a raised dais, beyond which is an altater and a massive statue.

The Royal/Temple Level

The Temple (43)

This huge room was a temple, that much is clear, 2 rows of 8 ornately carved pillars frame a great plinth with two pools of water behind and two huge ever-burning braziers in front. This plinth houses a great statue of a scarred and mutilated figure, behind an altar.

Alcoves line every wall of the room at 5 foot intervals, with which can be seen skeletal remains, some of which are still standing.

In front of each brazier he can make out the large forms of 2 creatures, they fix their gazes upon him their incredibly long claws twitching.

These large skeletal humanoids claw-like fingers are at least two feet long. Worse, the slender, knife-sharp claws contract and extend in length from moment to moment, sometimes instantly reaching a length of ten or more feet, before slowly contracting.

He sneaks out again, a little more quickly than he entered.

After some discussion and further attempts to open the door they decide that Kapek should search for some kind of mechanism that may open the doors, so once more he heads in. In the first alcove by the door he finds a winch and begins to turn it, with each ratchet click the door opens another inch, once the door is fully opened the two creatures snap into life and the sounds of rattling bones emanate from the alcoves.

Seven skeletons form into rank and file on either side of the door awaiting intruders.

The fight is long and at times difficult as the skeleton warriors seem to be working as units, defend each other and distracting their opponents to leave gaps in their defense, meanwhile the other creatures, that Katerina identifies as Boneclaws, stab at the group from a distance using their huge claws.

*Anvil comments
Anvil felt no real great effort in crushing the animated remains of these crude creations. Anvil fought with deep resolve fortified by his new ally Guardian infused with a Bane against undead.

Towards the end of the battle it becomes apparent that the altar is surrouded with negative energy that seeks to sap the life from any living creature that ventures too close.

As the last skeleton clatters to the ground the room falls into silence once more. The door on the far side is examined and seems to be barricaded from the other side, with a group effort they all charge the door, and with a creak and a sharp crack they hear the planks that have been nailed across snapping and the door opens.

*Ajax comments
Ajax is disgusted to discover that once again the enemies have no ears to take and complains bitterly. This leads to a short debate as his companions suggest he should take fingers or teeth instead. Ajax decides to take a tooth each but only when they don't have ears.

The group enter the next room.

Entrance Hall (42)
Two stone benches sit facing south in this chamber, towards a fountain that was once quite beautiful, now decayed, it occasionally gouts a grotesque bubble through the viscous green liquid that fills it. Vivid murals and curtains once depicted the glories of the Duergar race, now the paint has peeled from the murals and the once bright curtains hang tattered and faded from their rails, the air is fetid with the smell of stagnancy (like the mulch at the bottom of a pond).
Once this room was where guests awaiting an audience with the Priests would sit upon the benches and contemplate their reasons for being here under the watchful eyes of the Royal Guard. A fountain bubbled gently in the centre of the room and brightly coloured murals and curtains danced in the lamplight.
The party head down the first tunnel on their left, some 20 feet along it opens out into another room.
Anvil, at the head of the group, peers through the darkness, he can make out several forms moving through the shadows between the bunks, an occasional tentacle drifts into view, others in the party can hear scuttling feet from the darkness beyond.

*Anvil comments
Anvil moves to position Guardian to cover his companions as the familiars unseen eyes pierce the darkness searching and scanning, silent communication pass back and forth about the shadowy movements in the room ahead.

Royal Guard Bunk Hall (44)
In this room there are 14 bunks, each with the remains of a thin straw (or similar material) mattress. 2 small chests lie at the foot of each bed most have been smashed open and lie empty save for the odd few playing cards or dice, a couple are still intact but are open and empty.
This is where the Royal Guard would rest, and relax if they were allowed a few moments by the priests.
Anvil is the first into the room and he heads for the closest figure he can see. Combat is initiated and the black blood begins to flow like some vile wine. Eleven of the strange tentacled goblinoids move out of their hiding places in the room and as the party move forward to attack they are quickly surrounded. The creatures ability to strike true is devastating to the group, although luckily for them the monsters seem limited in their use of this power.
As the combat fades and they resign themselves to mopping up the last couple, the group assess their situation and realise once again just how low their resourses have fallen. As they begin to relax, feeling little threat from the last pair of goblinoids, more of the tentacular aberrations begin to pour into the room from the two other exits.
The party make a tacticle withdrawl and find that their retreat has made fighting the creatures more favourable to them due to the fact that they have headed down the way they came thus funneling the blue monsters into their assault one at a time.

Towards the end of the battle Ajax reaches his sword towards the hostiles and spontaneously his arm becomes a single tentacle. This throws much concern into the party as they feel that he has been somehow tainted by their surroundings. He claims that he is fine but the others are not so sure....

*Ajax comments
Ajax was suprised that his hand had unconciously shaped itself into a tentacle during the fight. He is however much more suprised, and a little shocked, to discover as the fight ends with his comrades wepons pointing at his throat.
He holds up a tooth on a string at his neck and explains it was taken from an old foe, Ragnar. Ragnar's spirit spoke to him in the Fallen and told him of a way of fighting he called the 'War-Shaper'. Ajax has been practicing all his life and has now it seems started to master its secrets.
His comrades put away their weapons but Ajax notices they are still watching him out of the corner of their eyes.

*Anvil comments
Anvil watches the reactions of his friends closely, noting their dislike of Ajax's change, and agrees that in this place where we have had word of things changing in the depths of this disquieting place that Ajax shouldn't use anything that would cause the rest of the party to distrust him.

The group search the next few rooms.

Guard Mess Hall (45)
Several broken tables and chairs lie scattered about the room and a rancid stench arises from a pile of offal, food waste and faeces.

*Anvil comments
Anvil is once again pleased that he doesn't have to do any of the eating, drinking and waste process of the rest of the party

Guard Kitchens (46)
This room was once a kitchen; it is now a ruined, decayed tip, everything that was once a tool or utensil is bent broken or smashed. The only thing that is still functional is the fireplace and the large pot hanging over it.
This is where once the Guard would prepare the meals for the Royal troops.

Royal Hall (47)
This exquisite hall has been carved with utmost care and precision. 2 rows of 5 pillars run down each side of the hall and a narrow bridge crosses a river of about 10 feet wide. On the other side of the bridge is a pair of intricately carved thrones standing on a raised plinth, behind which is a beautifully embroidered curtain.
Once more Anvil enters the room first, as the group acclimatise to their surroundings, they can make out several small figures hiding around the room, more of the strange goblinoids. Anvil begins to cast an infusion and the rest of the group watch as several of the creatures slip away into the river.

Once the group are ready for battle they begin to move forward and engage the enemy. The battle is swift and deadly, although as it begins some of the group experience strange memories or hallucinations.

*Ajax comments
As the group rest after the brief battle. Ajax decides to tell his comrades about the vision that hit him before the fight started.
He tells of how his mind was flooded with images of his childhood in the Fallen. How pieces of memory slowly threaded together to form a sentence in his mind. How the various memories of his tribe's shaman became a message warning him that one of his comrades was not what they seemed. That one of them was spying on them and reporting back to one of the DragonMarked houses.
Ajax had briefly considered not sharing his vision with the rest of the Crimson Fist but had quickly decided he trusted the comrades he had fought and bled with more than any vision he received in this dark and corrupt place.
He also felt that one of his comrades reporting to a Dragonmarked house is not that big a deal, he is more concerned with Kapek's vision of Darkness in the sky and blue eyes. This is particularly because he has blue eyes and his comrades still seemed strangely worried by the whole tentacle thing.

*Kapex comments

After Ajax speaks, Kapek relates his own strange experience. He too had visions of his childhood, when his mother was teaching him how to understand the beasts his tribe herded out on the eastern plains. This idyllic vision was shattered by an ominous darkness rising in the east, with tumult and thunder. Through it, a pair of blue eyes can be seen peering out over the land. His mother hastened to escape with him, saying that something was trying to escape and that they had an imposter in their midst.
In view of Ajax's recent . . . . changes . . . Kapek is suspicious again. The cloying darkness and the strangeness of these experiences is making the halfling increasingly edgy and irritable. He even starts suspecting the stoic Anvil of dark designs, especially after Ajax's references to a traitor working secretly for a Dragonmarked House.

*Lorric comments
Lorric listens to Ajax and Kapek relating their visions, and becomes more suspicious of his own experience, which he had initially thought to be a memory. But if it was a memory, why did it come to mind now, and with such force? And why did others have a similar experience? Also he could not remember this memory from before, altho, in all fairness, flashbacks were nothing new to Lorric, he frequently could not remember events, due to penchant for all things alcoholic.
Lorric explains his own 'experience' also of a childhood memory, of coming to in the gladiatorial arena, covered in blood and sweat and watching as the sky turned from day to night, the twelve moons racing across the heavens as though time was passing quickly, an almost imperceptible black shape moving nearer in the night sky, as the crowds age, die, rot and then rise again as undead.
Having related his own tale, Lorric wonders why there was no mention of an impostor in his experience, and wonders if he is unwittingly reporting back to someone, he is after all a good talker, particularly after a few dozen jugs of ale.
He goes on to mention to the others that there were rumours of the Order of the Long Arm having ties to some of the Dragonmarked houses, he also explains that he had asked the master in Sharm if he knew anything about this, (someone had asked Lorric previously, "Don't you know who you're working for?" or something like that - but Lorric had been drinking, of course) but the chapter master had refuted any knowledge of such claims.
Noting the distrust evident between the companions, and still curious about how and why this memory/vision had come to him, and why some of the others had had a similar revelation, Lorric asks Katerina if she has any way of divining if they have been bewitched. Alas, she is unable to do so that day, and they are forced to wait til the morning to ascertain that there are no lingering magics in effect.
Lorric is still puzzled however, and tries to remember more of this fleeting vision, which seems to evaporate in the cold light of day, like a dream upon waking. He is sure the master of the gladiator pit was saying something but he could not quite remember what.

One of the doors is daubed with several marks and is wedged tightly shut with pitons, the marks are quickly daubed and depict a spider with a skull and cross-bones beneath. Below this is a rough picture of a candle, the letters "LB" and the words "Great Danger". Lorric recognises the symbol as the mark of the "Lightbearers" adventuring company of Sharn. The group decide that they should probably leave this exit alone.
Fearful of what is happening, and with limited resources the group decide to return to the surface and recuperate. They spend the night in the lighthouse before returning and exploring the rest of the level.

*Anvil comments
As the rest of the party sleeps Anvil carefully crafts a weapon crystal to infuse his familiar Guardian with the burning touch of flame, as he does so he considers the strange visions or dreams that the others had while down in the bowels of the Duergar ruins. He wonders why he and Katerina didn't see anything, maybe he ponders it is because neither he nor the Elven kind truly sleep and dream in the same way as the rest of his friends.

Eyre 19th, Zor, 998 Y.K.

8.30 a.m.
The party begin their long descent back into the blackness

10.15 a.m.
By mid-morning the group reach the temple level once more and decide to press on through the double doors behind the thrones rather than risk unnecessary danger

Robing Chamber (48)
This area is a series of empty stalls has a pair of hooks in each one as though clothing was kept here.
This room was where the Duergar Priests kept their ceremonial robes and prepared themselves to enter the temple or inner sanctum.

Royal Temple (49)
An altar directly faces you as you enter from the Robing Chamber where 2 huge candles each bearing a symbol of The Mockery gently burn, illuminating the wondrous murals on the walls of the room. The paintings seem to dance in the flickering candle-light, moving with a will of their own, grey skinned dwarves work at glowing forges, cut and mount sparkling gems on fantastic weapons and towering above them all stands a wiry dwarf, skin so dark as to almost be black is flayed to the bone in places and silver hair blowing in the breeze of a forge, an expression crosses his face that at first would appear to be pleasure but a sliced lipped sneer betrays malice.

*Anvil comments
The faces of the Mockery once again make Anvil agree that his masters were wise not to teach the Warforged about religion, it would appear to be a confusing and dangerous thing to mess with, in an already bewildering world.

Inner Sanctum (50)
A plain oval room. One well used exit leads out to the left. The slight scent of sea air drifts up from the tunnel.
The group search this room and soon discover a secret door in one wall, activating the mechanism they enter the tunnel ahead. it turns sharply right and they discover a dead-end that conceals a second secret door.
Upon opening the door they are faced with a corridor filled with masses of sticky webs.

*Anvil comments
Anvil is pleased that his extra training is being of use to the group

Servants Quarters (51)
These rooms are now just damp empty chambers, a simple bed lies in the room with a chest at the foot, thick cobwebs hang like gossamer curtains from the corners of the room and it’s these cobwebs that provide the food for the creatures that hunt here. A thin layer of slime covers nearly everything within each room and a small drainage ditch runs along the edge of each wall and down through a small borehole. These rooms were the damp and leaky ones of the complex.
These rooms used to be where the servants to the Priests lived and slept.

As anvil approaches the junction to the first of the rooms he sees a pair of humanoid fugures shambling towards him, their skin rippling as if they are home to thousands of smaller creatures. He moves forward to block the creatures advance, as he does so the warforged can see into the room where a huge spider paces back and forth spinning a wall of webbing.

The rest of the group move to back Anvil up, they find that the main problem with these creatures is that they are covered in webbing and upon impact these webs seek to wrest the weapons from their hands. In short order the first is killed by Anvil's wand of Shocking Grasp, and upon the final blow the creature explodes into a swarm of fist sized spiders that proceed to engulf the rest of the party. The second humanoid and the swarms are swiftly killed before the group moive intot he room fully to face the spider. After several disappointing attacks and subsequent attempts to try and pull weapons free from the webbing, Ajax finally strikes the killing blow.

Further discussion between Anvil and Katerina concludes that these creatures are Tomb Spiders and their Broodswarm, which in turn create Web Mummies as part of their life-cycle.

*Anvil comments
Given the added success using his crystal of burning touch, Anvil resolves to make more weapon crystal for himself and his friends to prepare them to fight a wide range of enemies in the most effective way possible.

Treasury (52)
A heavy steel bound door made of Rich black wood is locked in this doorway.
Anvil finds a series of traps that surround this door, first a paralysis poison dart is triggered by tampering with the lock, then sharpened steel bars come down to either side, five from the door, and there is also a magical component although it is difficult to discern the effect.
Once inside there are several large but empty chests, lids open, with nought but rotting fabrics and a few copper pieces now going green in the damp (25 in all). A couple of well rusted daggers and short swords lie in one corner and damp rotting leather armour lies by them.
Anvil searches the room and in short order he locates a secret compartment, quickly bypassing the trap that is associated with it, he opens it revealing a shining short sword that hums with electrical energy. Kapek gladly takes the sword as a welcome addition to his armoury.

Royal Kitchen (53)

A large table stands in the centre of the room and a large blackened fireplace holds a huge cauldron. Little of value can be found in here, small jars of old herbs, dull cutlery and crockery and a selection of urns that would have once.

This was where once the Priests had their food prepared.

Two Web Mummies are here with one broodswarm. The empty husks of the tentacled goblin-creatures scatter the floors, some of which are larger and more hobgoblin in appearance than any the group have encountered this far.

*Ajax comments

As hordes of spiders crawl all over Ajax.......yet again, he realises his irrational fear of the creatures seems to be lessening as it is burned away by constant exposure to them (though his perfectly rational fear of the giant versions remains).

As the fight commences Kapek notices that the wall ahead has many fist-sized holes in it, all perfectly clean with no rough edges. As the battle commences his attention is drawn to the wall near his head which begins to glow, gently at first, but rapidly becoming white-hot before the face of the wall melts away and a strange worm-like creature bursts forth to attack.

As more of these creatures appear the battle is fought on two fronts, but it is quickly over as the group over-power their foes with ease.

*Anvil comments
Anvil watches with an odd feeling of delight as Embattle throws a bottle of Alchemists Frost onto one of the creatures before it has had a chance to fully burst out of the wall freezing it instantly it then dissolves away.

Royal Chambers (54)
This once lavish bedroom is now dulled and dusty. A large stone bed dominates the room opposed only by a fireplace of intricate design. All other items are gone from this room, just a thick layer of dust and cobwebs.

Royal Living Quarters (55)
This room is cold and dusty, the chests are empty and the weapon racks only bear the scuff marks where axes and swords once stood. The floor is rough and bears chisel marks, the floor appears to be about 2 inches lower than it should be indicating that the original floor has been removed.
This was the room where the royals went about their daily business, looking over mining reports and merchant details. Of course they wanted to do this in the utmost comfort, surrounded by the things they love so this room was the centre of the Thuldark opulence.

When inhabited the walls were lined with gems and the floor was paved with gold. Weapon racks held the finest enchanted weapons that the clan had possession of, and chests held the most perfect gems and mineral.

Now this room is home to a Tomb Spider with three Web Mummies and two Broodswarm.
The Remains of  adventurers can be seen behind thick webbing in one corner of the room.
The battle is tough and the group sustain some severe injuries but they prevail in the end.

The remains of the adventurers bear papers that identify themselves as “The Lightbearers”, an adventuring company from Sharn. There were four party members, a warforged rogue (Picks), a human artificer (Brugan Jerela), a halfling fighter (Kean Tallgrass) and a human cleric of Dol Dorn (Prulith Lareit). Although only three of the bodies are here, it can be assumed that the fourth (Brugan) was the corpse behind the thrones in the Royal Hall (47).

*Kapek comments
Kapek reflects that this is no way for a warrior to die. He wonders what should be done for their desecrated bodies.

*Ajax comments
Ajax is filled with conflicting emotions about the Lightbearers. On one hand the gear they carried is excellent (a pair of sandals he finds is particulalry fine making him feel as is if his feet are hovering on the air) on the other he feels that being consumed by spiders is a poor end for anyone (who isn't part of the Blood of Vol).
He feels that something should be done to give them a more dignified rest than being consumed by spiders and suggests improvising a pyre from beds and spider webs to give them a proper send off.
He also consoles himself that they have been avenged as their slayers have met their own end at the hands of the Crimson Fist.

*Anvil comments
Although Anvil had never before met Picks, he feels a sadness at the Warforged death and with careful hands removes his Ghulra to return it to Sharn and the warforged community there, to mark his death.

A Return to Gullsnest

Eyre 16th-17th, 998 Y.K.

Eyre 16th, Mol

Shortly after sunrise the group venture back into the tunnels beneath the lighthouse. After some time they reach the Merchants Level once more and decide to try their luck down the stairs.

After some 50 feet or so they feel the darkness coalescing about them, thickening, becoming almost tangible. The pervasive feeling of being observed fills their senses and their worst nightmares sit on the peripheries of their consciousness.

Feeling somewhat under prepared due to the drained resources from the fight in the Lurker's lair, the party decide to head back out and perhaps head to Gullsnest to report their findings, sending word to Sharn so that should they not return then all they have done is not in vain.

It is decided that Ajax and Loric should run back to Gullsnest as they are the fastest members of the party and if they push themselves they can travel the 40 miles each way in a couple of days. And so a couple of hours before midday they begin to run back west along the coast, leaving Anvil, Katerina and Kapek on the imposing headland.

Gullsnest Revisited

The unlikely pair stagger into Gullsnest in the late afternoon after pushing themselves to the limit.

The pair head to the "Empty Nest" to secure a room for the night and to find out how to get a message to Sharn. They are informed that an Orien caravan comes to the town every 2 weeks and the next will be visiting in eight days, however thay are told that should they wish to pay a little more there is a gnome of House Sivis located in the Wayhouse who works primarily for the security of the southern coast, but is willing to sends messages for a few gold.

They head to the Wayhouse where a warrior unit of House Deneith's Defenders guild are stationed at the request of the Brelish crown. Due to the strategic importance of the location they have installed a sending stone and Hilbert d'Sivis sits by it day after day waiting for it to activate.

The pair have a letter that Anvil wrote, addressed to Aleal d'Lyrander, the elf that hired them. They are informed that the letter will take about three hours to arrive in Sharn and should the recipient choose to reply it will obviously take three hours for a return message. They inform the gnome of where they are staying so that he may deliver any reply.

The letter reads:

"Dear Aleal D'Lyrander,

We are the Crimson Fist sent to investigate the troubles at the lighthouse of Bluescar. The town has been wiped out and many of the bodies are missing. There were some signs of zombie creatures, we killed all we found.
The gem of the lighthouse is missing, the family that were there appear to have been scared to death, we have buried the bodies and marked the site.
We uncovered a vast tunnel complex under the lighthouse that appears to desend more than 1500 ft. We met with a non-hostile tribe of kobolds about 100 to 400 ft down, they helped to confirm that some kind of tentacular aberration had come to the surface, we guess that they may have taken the gem. We have fought and killed some of these blue-faced goblin like tentacular creatures.
We found the other adventuring group they are all dead.
We have killed a spider creature called the Lurker and a web golem said to be a great threat by the kobolds. We have also seen Volts in great number.
Magical darkness and an evil feeling has grown stronger the deeper we have gone down, the darkness seems now almost tangible.

Kindly direct any replies orfuther instructions to Lorric the Iron Fist care of the Gullsnest waystation."

Once the letter is sent the pair ask where they can buy Healing potions in the town. They are informed that Saulira d'Jorasco is comissioned by the crown to serve as healer and advisor to the patrols along this stretch of the coast and she divides her time between here and the outpost, luckily this week she is here. She sells the pair several potions, all stamped with the Jorasco Griffon. They ask if she has any repair potions for Anvil and they are directed to Harvath Brell the smith in the forge, they are told that if anyone has anything of that nature it will be him as he is licensed by House Cannith. So they head there before the sky begins to grow dim. They have a letter from Anvil to deliver to the smith with regards to his shield that he had set an unseen crafter to work on before he left.

The pair deliver the message to Harvath and in return he hands them a heavy shield, covered in spikes and an associated strange mechanism attached to the rear of the main body. He can sell them a few dusty old potions of repair oils but there is little demand for them here so he doesn't have many, the ones he does have are several years old. They ask where they can purchase some more obscure items such as alchemists fire and the like and they are directed to Grimshaw the alchemist. As the sun falls past the horizon they finalise their dealings with the grumpy old man, buying several alchemical flasks and items.

Lorric decides it is time for ale and the two head to the inn for the night. He also takes the opportunity to restock his own supplies of ale and spirits

As the ale flows Lorric begins his usual drunken antics and Ajax shows off his collection of ears. The locals are concerned that the group are here and not at the lighthouse so the drunken adventurers begin to recount their tale thus far.

They inform the locals of the growing darkness that is nestled beneath the headland and the strange tentacled goblin creatures that lurk within the nightmarish shadows, they tell them of the web golem and the giant tentacled spider that they slaughtered. The townsfolk show obvious concern as Lorric tries to allay their fears by letting them know that they seem to like the dark. Nervously glancing out into the night the locals begin to head home. He continues to try and ease their fears reminding them that it is forty miles away, Ajax helps by letting them know that they managed the journey in just a few hours and that there is every possibility that there are tunnels stretching this far, and if not then the depths of the sea can be quite dark. The bar soon empties as the terrified locals head to their beds.

Eyre 17th, Zol

The drunken duo head to their beds after some serious beer drinking and awaken the following morning to a knock on their door. Hilbert d'Sivis hands Lorric a message and bids them good day.

The letter reads:

"For the Attention of Lorric the Iron Fist,

Many thanks for your status report, it is most concerning.
I feel that perhaps it is associated someow with the curse of Yarhum Draal.
It pains me to inform you that in the last 3 weeks there have been five more vessels lost in the vicinity and I must therefore stress the imperative nature of the situation.

The Dragonshard from the lighthouse is practically one of a kind, making it almost impossible to replace with any kind of facsimile.
With your undoubted successful return I have been authorised to re-nogatiate your fee.

There are many people anticipating your safe return.

Kind regards,
Aleal d'Lyrander"

Shipping co-ordinater for Brelands southern coast.

As the sun is still low in the sky they set out on their run back to the lighthouse. By early afternoon they arrive at the lighthouse and distribute the goods they have acquired and let everyone read the note, Ajax seems reluctant to let Katerina read it as she has expressed deep concerns for the lives of those lost at sea and feels huge a responsibility to stop the deaths.

Anvil informs the group that he can not travel for the next day as he has to complete the work on his new shield and for the next 24 hours he concentrates soley on his new equipment, imbuing it with sentience and infusing it with a part of his own life essence.

The rest of the group take the time to spar and relax. Lorric in particular finds something inside himself that seems to surface after a few early ales, his movements and actions as he practises his daily kata find a new direction, the ale intensifies his ability and in a moment of pure alcohol induced clarity he turns the weaknesses of the drunk into the seemingly random, yet perfectly calculated motions of the martial master.

Katerina takes some time to bathe, using the softly scented soaps and oils that Ajax brought her back from Gullsnest, her suspicions about his motives ease as the hot water and sweet scents infuse her senses and temporarily wash her troubles away.

Kapek takes the time to tend his mounts and watches with unconcerned tedium as Ajax fixes his clawfoots gaze and begins to speak with it, as the dinosaur looks to it master Kapek asks Ajax, "Let me guess.... He's hungry."

*Ajax comments
Ajax has dreamed all his life of being able to talk to animals like his tribal shaman, Yulunga. So he is slightly disappointed when he uses it on Reaver only to discover the clawfoot mostly thinks about food.