Orid 12-17, 653 DR: Having led the miners of Kelamir to the escarpment, the group continues alone to secure the ruins of Krysurgörnn and uncover the fate of the Ezmìri soldiers stationed there this passed winter. Inspecting the Dwürden keep. Evidence of Or Dnur. Tressta falls into the bowels of the Keep and is rescued from an Ice Gaunt. Introduction of Aroán of Drāūn. Return to the Keep. The inevitable death of Flender Orgh. The Shield of Argum the White. The battle of Bones and Scythes in the basement of Krysurgörnn.

Continued from Descent into Ezmir.

Bærídor, 12 Orid 653

While the slaves and miners waited by the campfires, the adventurers continued down the road toward the ancient Dwürden keep. As they neared the back of the cliff-side structure they could see it was composed of two rectangular buildings that narrowly flanked the old road. Each half of the Keep was built around a large dark courtyard which hinted at interior floors far below. The road continued between these two halves, dropping steeply to the top of an elevated ramp at the “front” of the keep. The ramp at the Keep’s front continued its steep descent into a bog within the Tor’n Gorgyn foothills beyond. The mountain crossing would be complete when they reached the bottom of the ramp.

Krysurgörnn itself was built against the escarpment’s edge, a cliff that ran the margin between the Tor’n Gorgyn and the Ezmiri lowlands. As they drew close to the keep it became obvious that the edifice was a ruin. Large holes yawned across its roofs where ancient timbers had collapsed into the levels below. The dentition that wound around the top of each structure resembled broken teeth, jutting from the cliff like the mandibles of two ancient Jotun. From the front the Keep was defended by towering walls set high atop a rocky foundation; from the rear the Keep was bordered by a canal, fed by an underground spring. The sluicing canals wrapped around each side the structure, cascading downward through masoned channels until they deposited into the bogs below.

Stopping near the edge of the keep, Dammon sent his familiar forward to explore the structure. Reluctantly, the creature went forward to investigate the Dwürden ruin. It turned upon a small path that strayed from the main road, and wound downward to a small corner tower that was erected at the canal’s turn. Entering the tower, the familiar wandered down the spiral staircase until its “master” recalled it. With the pressing night, the group continued toward the Keep proper, passing two side paths as they approached the rear barbican. The roar of the canals was audible here. Peering over the sides of the road, they observed how the Dwürden had managed to engineer the Keep’s canals. Due to the pressure of the water spewing out from beneath the barbican, they guessed that an underground river had been diverted for the purpose of defending the Keep.

Exploring a barbican tower, the group descended into the darkness. Not twenty steps down, the stairs became wet, and then covered with a treacherous layer of ice. Retreating to the surface, Dammon reported a curious a finding on the West building. When the group moved there they found the withered remains of six soldiers and their shredded tents. Dammon reported that the area detected of Weaving and that an invisible ritual circle had been etched into the southeast corner of the roof. Inspecting the circle he found crudely rendered symbols of Or Dnur. Careful to not step on the symbols, he walked around its perimeter trying to determine is purpose. On the circle’s far side, the magician noticed a campfire in the bogs below the Keep. Near the fire was a tent and a figure moving back and forth. After some time, his familiar reported back that the camper wore ragged clothes and wove bones into his hair.

While Dammon investigated the symbols, the others investigated the northwest tower. The doors to the tower were intact, and despite their best efforts could not be opened. Tressta, spotting a tower balcony overlooking the west courtyard, climbed up the tower’s wall and across to the balcony while clinging to the ancient stones. Once inside the tower, she circled back and opened the barred doors. While looking around inside the ruined tower, some stones gave way and Tressta plummeted into the dark. Hearing her scream, Dammon shifted into an Owler to fly to her aid. Below, the battered and bruised Tressta, picked herself up from the rubble pile she’d landed on. As she stood in the freezing blackness, trying to see in the unyielding darkness, an unearthly chattering rose from the unseen recesses around her. She called her help. Jak tied a rope to the tower doors and began climbing down. Dammon soon swooped down into the tower’s interior, reassuming his Yrūn shape upon landing. The chattering grew closer. Weaving an Orádra, Dammon saw that the room was filled with ghostly figures closing in on the three. Before he could warn the others, teeth and claws emerged from the shadows and slashed at the Taládan rogue. As the claws ripped into her, she did not feel the warm welling of blood, but rather an astringent cold that chilled her veins and slowed her responses. The magician Weaved a ray at the closing monster, causing it to stumble backward, flailing its ice blue claws. As Jak reached the rope’s bottom, he drew his spear and charged Tressta’s attacker. Despite running the thing through with his spear, an an arrow from Flender above, the chattering creature managed to strike Tressta once more. As Tressta collapsed, the monster turned on the magician, cutting through his clothes and skin with its chilling claws. Saldus was the second to slide down the rope. Together, Jak and Saldus were able to fell the Ice Haunt.
The thing destroyed, the group returned up the frosty rope, pulling the unconscious body of Tressta behind them. By nightfall, they returned to the miners’ camp. Laying her body near a campfire, the miners and slaves gathered around whispering to one another. All wondered what would befall them in the night. Others were making plans to retreat to the mountain village. As Ezíkus tended to Tressta’s wounds, Dammon watched a figure approaching up the road from the Keep. It would be a few minutes before the others noticed. As he drew closer, Dammon could see that the man held a long weapon and was dressed in rags. His Conscience reported that he bore familiar symbols. Getting the attention of the others, Dammon, Jak, and Saldus gathered their things and went to meet the stranger. The man bowed slightly as he introduced himself in the Old Tongue, “I am Aroán, Soldier of Drāūn, Hunter of the Undying.” Dammon spoke with the foreigner at length and learned that he was answering a summons to Oð, where his skills were required in the pursuit of Drāūn’s will. After inviting Aroán into their camp, the Drāūn Ðardor healed wounds of Tressta and Dammon.

Virídor, 13 Orid 653

After a nervous night on the southern edge of the Tor’n Gorgyn, the group again returned to Krysurgörnn. Aroán agreed to accompany the group provided that they aided him in the destruction of whatever Undying menaces might reside in the Keep. Returning to the western tower, they dropped ropes into its shadowy interior. Climbing down passed layers and layers of the Dwürden keep, they entered a cold cavernous room with soaring columns and an expansive vaulted stone ceiling. Frozen mold covered the walls, glistening in the torchlight. Moving among the columns and archways they opened doors and explored hallways leading back into the escarpment. After much exploring they found a set of doors that were heavier than the others. Though unadorned, it was obvious that they held something of importance. Tressta worked the lock for some time until it clicked. Hearing a faint bubbling sound, the rogue dodged to avoid a jet of acid that sprayed to the floor, and boiled the tiles into soup. Moving backward, Tressta made way for Saldus and Jak to push the heavy doors inward. Beyond the doors they found another set. As they examined the inner doors, Flender shouted, “Here they come!” Rushing back to their rear guard, they saw two Undying monsters shuffling forward, their teeth chattering madly. The monsters were engaged, but not before one was able to sink its claws into Flender, splitting his chest open and freezing his insides. With the help of Aroán’s trident, they were able to dispatch the Ice Gaunts and continue their exploration.

The second set of doors were inscribed with strange runes that Aroán identified as Dwürden symbols of death. When asked his stance on opening the tomb, the Hunter only shrugged explaining that it was not consecrated to Drāūn. Again Tressta picked the lock and Jak and Saldus struggled to push the door open. Inside, they found a small round room with a large sarcophagus surrounded by Dwürden statuary. Aroán translated the runes on the sarcophagus lid as “Here lies Argum the White, Father of Gurm, Commander of this Keep, Died 888 HK”. The tomb, the Ðardor explained, was over a thousand years old. Dammon inspected the container and found a magic aura emanating from within. After much pushing, the group was unable to move the heavy stone lid. Tressta examined the lid closer discovered that it was a cap, not a lid. Using wedges and other implements, the group was able to lift and slide the top to one side. Inside the sarcophagus they found a lead coffin that was fastened with metal bands fitted with iron bolts. After Tressta removed the bolts and threw aside the bands, the coffin was opened to reveal the remains of a Dwürden. Clad in maille, the bearded corpse clung to large shield that covered its body from chin to calves. Brushing dust from the shield, they found it to be emblazoned with two rampant bears. Dammon lifted the shield from the dead lord’s bony fingers and handed it to Saldus.

As the group was leaving, the leaden glass windows of the intermediary levels began to shake. As Jak reached the top, the courtyard windows below him shattered, raining shards of heavy glass into the lowest levels. From the shadows beyond the broken windows, more of the clawed icy horrors floated forward upon luminous tendrils of light that snaked from the darkness. Sliding quickly and painfully back down the rope, Jak rejoined the group and the fight. As the last Ice Haunts was being dispatched,Dammon heard strange rattling and scraping sounds drawing nearer from the level above. Before they could tend to their wounds, branches of shifting bone were lowered from the shattered windows, onto the basement floor. Aroán and Jak wasted no time engaging the construct, cutting at its skeletal form even as it assembled itself. Despite their efforts, the giant skeletal construct soon stood before them with four giant rusted scythes for arms and a baleful red glow in its eye-sockets. As it stepped ungainly forward, its blades slashed out with terrifying speed and strength, cutting through armor, shields, and flesh. Tressta retreated from the onslaught, suffering several chilling cuts in the process. Together, Dammon, Jak, Saldus, and Aroán were able to bring the thing down. As the monstrous thing collapsed into a pile of bones and metal, the group stood dumbly, staring at their cuts, and wondering what could happen next. Dammon examined the bone construct and removed a small ruby from each eye-socket. Gathering the body of Flender, they started back up the ropes. Once the last of them crawled up onto the roof of the Keep, they made their way with due haste back up the mountainside.

Aroán gave Flender a proper burial near the camp as the slaves and miners watched.

Palídor, 14 Orid 653

Convalescing on the slopes of the Tor’n Gorgyn.

Alídor, 15 Orid 653

Convalescing on the slopes of the Tor’n Gorgyn.

Kændor, 16 Orid 653

On the third morning since returning to camp, the group decides to enter the Keep again. Aroán explains that he had “sensed” another entity while in Krysurgörnn, possibly the source of the undead activity they’d witnessed. Back at the Keep, Dammon’s Conscience explored the eastern wing of the Keep. After some time, the creature reported another ritual circle and a man within the eastern half. Entering the Keep, the group used ropes to again lower themselves into the interior. After searching the frosty lower levels, they found a large chamber with an intricate ritual circle and an Yrūn figure glowing with the tell-tale blue radiance. The figure did not turn as it spoke, “Who dares disturb me?” Tressta tried to converse with the man, but he answered no questions. At the rear of the group, the Hunter of the Undying whispered that the man was a Necromancer, and must be destroyed. When it became obvious that Tressta’s questions were getting nowhere, Aroán readied his trident and charged across the room. Running across the ritual circle, a shower of sparks and magical discharge exploded around Aroán. A horrific scream rose from the Ðardor as ghostly images formed around him, reaching through his body with their vaporous hands. Saldus rushed forward to help, but his sword passed through the images like smoke. Jak and Tressta tried running around the circle but the phantoms roamed outward, touching each one and filling their heads with horrid images. Dammon stood his ground, Weaving spells that lanced across the room at the Necromancer’s back. Finally, the figure of Inkor Gnar turned, revealing his terrible face. At the sight of him, a weighty wave of fatigue passed through the room, sapping their strength and dulling their focus. Aroán pushed forward, stabbing with his trident. He was soon joined by the others, and together they cut the old man to the ground. With the Necromancer dead, the apparitions faded, and with them the horrible visions. Their weakness however, remained.

Aroán knelt and prayed. After several minutes he stood and announced that the Keep was cleansed. After searching the East wing, they returned to the roof and hiked back to the mountainside camp. A cheer rose among the miners as they explained that the undead threat was gone.

Malídor, 17 Orid 653

Though the miners were antsy to move down the road, the group decided to rest the morning, hoping that their strength would return. While sitting around camp, Aroán spoke some of his journey from the South. Each shared with him the perils they had faced along the Old Taldàni Road and asked him to keep-an-eye-out for the Anàhlāe Eylfārehl named Mishara. He promised that he would. In the early afternoon, the Hunter bid them farewell and walked up the mountain road. Despite their weary state, the adventurers then gathered their own things and escorted the ore-laden wagon caravan down the road toward Krysurgörnn. They passed quietly through the Keep itself, staring into the dark recesses beyond the giant arches. Soon, they emerged into the sunlight of the passage’s far side and continued down into the bogs beyond.

Continued in The Road to Boronon.

Characters

• Dammon Shroudson
• Jak of Cænden
• Tressta Drynsval
• Argum the White: dead
• Aroán of Drāūn
• Ezíkus of Roð
• Familiar
• Flender Orgh: killed
• Inkor Gnar: destroyed
• Saldus Greymane
• Valus ur Saldus

Played: 03 Aug 2001