Maran 14-15, 653 DR: The group secures the mushroom cavern. An outpost of Ortor are killed as the gate is assaulted by Wargs and Cruss’s soldiers. The gate bursts open and the wolves pour in, all but erasing the last defensive line of Saldus’s men. Norgus charges into combat and is slain by Ortòri hunters. Group hides and rests in the slave cave but are ushered out into a final combat with Grazzad’s command.
Continued from The Colossus of Ort Sorbur.
Palídor, 14 Maran 653
Following a brief exploration of the Ortòri outpost, the group returned to the expedition party to rest and tend their wounds.
Alídor, 15 Maran 653
On the next morning, Almus dealt what healing he could muster and an edgy Norgus led the party back into the tunnels. Swimming back along the line through the short underwater cave, Norgus emerged into the black space beyond to hear blades whistling by his head. Blindly, the barbarian swung back with his own sword, dropping one of his attackers. Saldus emerged near him as the last Ortor fled back down the tunnel screaming.
Soon, all the of expedition party had moved through the flooded tunnel. After drying, they continued along the cave paths that they had chosen before. Reaching the Ortòri outpost they noticed the Ortor corpses and the body of Huddrum laying where they’d fallen, but their armor and weapons had been stripped. Continuing passed the outpost cave they pushed into unknown areas, finally reaching a constructed wall and gate sealing off further passage. Norgus entered first but dodged toward the center when an archer fired from one of two arrow slits. Flender followed Norgus into the chamber when a second arrow struck his shoulder. Leaping behind Norgus at the gate’s center, a third arrow pierced him sending strange and ominous shivers through his body.
Norgus shouted back, describing the situation. Jak, Saldus, and Elidir came forward. Mishara pulled his crooked bow and began firing into the far arrow slit from the mouth of the entering cave. Jak crossed the room and readied his spear against the archer. When an arrow-point next peeked through the slit, he thrust his spear-point into the bowstave, splintering the Ortòri weapon. Meanwhile, Saldus loaded his crossbow and fired two bolts into the first arrow slit, knocking the Ortor archer to the ground. Jak, Norgus and Saldus then shouldered the large wooden gate open. Flender complained bitterly about the shivers wracking his body. Almus and Ezíkus saw to the soldier, but there was nothing to be done to stop the Ortòri poison.
With the Ortor gate open, Norgus and Saldus rushed forward. A click and swooping sound sent Norgus jumping backward, but Saldus fell into the opened pit on the door’s far side. In response to Saldus’s yelp, Dammon Wove a spell arresting Saldus’s fall. Saldus fell and fell and fell, slowly coming to rest on some sharpened blades at the pit’s bottom, a hundred feet below. Mishara tossed down a length of spider’s silk rope, but Saldus could only hear it slapping against the pit wall far above. Saldus then heard a scurrying down the pit’s side. Climbing off of the spikes, he carefully withdrew into a corner. Something brushed against his foot and then scurried back up the pit wall. Above, Tarpun opened his backpack of mountaineering equipment and tied a longer rope to Mishara’s. Saldus tied himself to the rope’s end and was eventually pulled from the pit.
Beyond the gate was a vast cavern filled with hanging smoke. Throughout the haze could be seen glowing spots of light. Mishara stowed his crooked bow, and with long bow in hand stalked out into the smoky cavern. After gathering their things, the rest of the group followed, turning left. Tressta veered from this group, deeper into the giant mushrooms that grew like small trees from the cave floor. Tressta happened upon a hulking Ortor figure with a three-headed whip standing against a far wall. She tried to sneak up on the creature but it turned to fight her. Deftly, the young woman slipped her rapier into the soft gut of the creature, and with a groan it slipped dead to the floor.
Mishara walked quietly through the smoky cave, avoiding the Yrūn slaves with their pails of gray water, and sniping Ortor slave-masters as their heads appeared. The rest of the group engaged a group of Ortòri soldiers. Norgus and Jak made short work of most of their contingent, but Saldus faced off with a larger more determined soldier wielding an Ortòri chagkra. The monstrous soldier cut heavily into the old captain but he stood his ground with the weakened Flender beside him. As Jak and Norgus turned their attentions to the large Ortor warrior, its wounds doubled and its blood began flowing pouring through the rows of its scale mail. In its last moments, it desperately struck out with its strange axe-sword and cut down both Saldus and Flender, before the others were able to finish him.
When Saldus opened his eyes, the young face of Almus looking down at him gravely. It had been close, but he was awake and able to move. Next to him, Flender looked like death, bound in bloodied rags and breathing shallowly. The mushroom cavern complex was searched by Tressta and Mishara who could only report that there were a few dozen Yrūn slaves present and one Dwürden.
Freed from his fetters, the Dwürden came forward to thank his rescuers and introduce himself. He told Ezíkus that his named was Kehen, and explained that he had been enslaved by the Ort Bragnar Bar for three Ortor generations. Though expressing worry about the Eylfāe, he explained to Ezíkus that the Ortor clan was not from this area, but had marched here over the last year from the Kændàlan Coast. He could not say why. He further explained that these caves opened into an old Dwürden stronghold now occupied by Grazzad, the high wizard of the Ort Bragnar Bar and his command. Kehen said that the clan’s army was camped outside the fortress on the dawn’s light mountain slope. He emphasized that the Ortor were strong, arriving from fertile raiding lands, and more intelligent than many believed. Only a handful of the drugged slaves were part of the Tolvor’s caravan, but Kehen believed more could be found in the stronghold, among Grazzad’s forces.
Continued in Grazzad’s Command.
Characters
- Dammon Shroudson
- Jak of Cænden
- Mishara Mythdaras
- Saldus Greymane
- Tressta Drynsval
- Cr. Almus of Roð
- Amog: killed
- Barug: killed
- Bolash
- Borzub: killed
- Bôrzub: killed
- Bûrmak: killed
- Familiar
- Elidir ur Saldagir
- Ettegus Tolvor: unknown
- Cr. Ezíkus of Roð
- Flender Orgh: poisoned
- Gællus ur Gallon
- Ghashârn: killed
- Gholub
- Glukbr: killed
- Kehen Churbul
- Kerq
- Logar: killed
- Magruk: killed
- Moglakh: killed
- Moghorz: killed
- Muzgûk: killed
- Muzuk: killed
- Nâshuk: killed
- Norgus of Calsàdor
- Ogdûrz: killed
- Olfish: killed
- Prek Gnar: killed
- Rag
- Shagluk: killed
- Snârgum: killed
- Tarpun
- Ugdûra: killed
- Urul: killed
- Valus ur Saldus
- Yash: killed
- Yazgûl: killed
Played: 27 Oct 2000