Death of Fenris

 A beloved NPC thief who has been the party's trap finder for the past 46 adventures or 90 or so sessions died (permanently this time) in this session. Fenris (the filch) was meant to be a member of an opposing adventuring party but through circumstances ended up joining the player's party. Fenris tripped many traps over the years but the players had, in the past, been able to revive him. They also gave him every trap-avoiding magical item that they came across. In session 128 Fenris fell into a pit and was killed but his body was stuffed in a Bag of Holding until the party could find time to use Raise Dead upon him. Fenris had other plans (failed his raise dead roll) and his spirit did not return to his body.

In this session, the leader of the team once more showed incredible common sense and insisted the party leave the dungeon once the goal was accomplished. Leaving me with half a dungeon written up that never got explored. Once they returned home I had to wrap things up early because I had not expected this evening to end so quickly.

Session 131: Rescue

Lakima (human magic-user), Eathwund (human fighter), Alrix (couatl sorcerer), Aldus (human cavalier), Domago (human cleric NPC), Ian of Darkhollow (human cavalier NPC), Apprentice August (human magic-user NPC)

In their search for the missing explorers from Valnwall, the trail has led to the ruins of Muhatia on a desolate plane. The adventurers approach a 100-foot square black monolith rising out of the sand. Near its base, they spot a pair of tattered tents.

The company approaches the black monolith and stands in its shadow. A giant red glowing rune lights the side of the black stone looming over them. They move about the two abandoned tents and find crates of spoiled rations and an empty barrel. It is clear that the camp was set up by the missing explorers. A few traces of footprints are still visible in the sand leading about the camp and up to the stone wall. Lakima uses the wand of secret door detection and finds the outline of a massive 10-foot square doorway on the side of the monolith. A trigger is also visible. He triggers the door and a stone block moves to one side grinding sand out of the way. A dark passage leads down steps inside the monolith. After a brief discussion with Lakima, Alrix instructs the woolly mammoth to follow them into the monolith.

Ian the squire lights a lantern and Aldus and Eathwund lead the way down into the stone vault. Domago pauses to cast detect traps. As they near the bottom of the debris-covered steps Domago shouts out a warning of a pit trap at the bottom. Aldus and Eathwund step around the area Domago warns is a trap. They find themselves in a chamber of grey stone. There is a metal door in the wall before them flanked by two tall stone statues. One is of some forgotten lord or king and the other depicts the familiar camel-headed human god they have seen before. The statues have shining gold adornments on their heads and each holds gold items in their stony grasps. The king holds a golden rod while the statue of the god holds a golden ankh. Eathwund examines the door and finds that there are no locks, handles, or hinges. The rest of the group makes their way into the chamber avoiding the trapped floor. Alrix uses hand signals and pushes the mammoth until it is convinced to step around the trapped floor. Lakima instructs August, who is still wearing the Cursed Helm of Free Action, to use a knock spell on the door. The spell works and the door slides to one side revealing a narrow hallway leading to another metal door. Domago checks using his magically enhanced perception and declares the hallway safe.

The door at the end of the hall also proves to be locked. August uses another knock spell to open it. The door slides open revealing an octagonal chamber with no other exits. The chamber is empty. Aldus steps inside the chamber and Ian shines the lantern inside. The walls are covered with painted murals that are only slightly faded. Footprints are visible in the dust and sand on the floor. The adventurers all move through the doorway into the chamber. Domago is intrigued by the murals and examines them. The murals chronicle a war between two peoples. One is depicted as wise and noble and one is shown as primitive and brutish. Clearly, the architects of the structure have depicted themselves in the best light. The murals show the enemy people praying and receiving aid from an avatar of a god who is shown as a giant human with the head of a hippopotamus. The builders of this structure are shown trapping the avatar in a metal coffin that leads to their victory.

Lakima uses the wand of secret door detection and finds that each of the walls has a secret door – seven in all. There is no sign of a trigger to open the doors. Lakima steps up to one of the walls that the footprints lead to and he places his hand on the stone. Immediately a glowing portal opens in the wall showing a stone passage. An elderly woman dressed in robes stands in the passage not 15 feet away. She looks up startled and starts to back away.

“Windmaster!” she yells.

Lakima tries to calm the woman telling her that they are here to rescue her. A few seconds later Windmaster Bryan Sturlaker comes running around a corner and enters the hall at the far end.

“Lakima?” he says, “Quick, Meika jump through the portal!”

The woman (Meika) and Bryan quickly run forward and leap through the opening into the chamber. They stand panting. Bryan looks about puzzled as he spots the mammoth towering in the chamber. He greets Eathwund and Aldus. Once he has caught his breath, he tells them he has been trapped in the hallway for 3 days. He asks about the other explorers from Valnwall but is told they have not been found.

Lakima explains to Bryan that Ezmeralden and Nissa asked them to find him. Now that they have found them, he wishes to leave this realm as quickly as possible. It takes some convincing from Bryan to get Lakima to agree to look for the other explorers. Bryan explains that the corridor he was in led to a chamber where he had to destroy clay constructs. There was a door in the chamber but he could not get it open. The structure they are in is warded against dimensional magic. A knock spell also did not work on the door. When they went back to try another secret door, they found that the passage had closed behind them. He suspects that each of the seven doors leads to another challenge that must be overcome but he has not divined the purpose of the structure.

Now that they have decided to continue the search, they pick another door. Lakima opens it and they see another stone passage. This one has a stair leading down. To avoid getting trapped on the other side of the portal, Meika is left behind in the chamber to open the door if it closes. The mammoth is left behind with instructions to protect her. Domago casts Detect traps again.

With Domago in the lead warning of any dangers, they move down the stone steps and enter a hall that enters from the left. They see a metal door that is partially ajar with a dim flickering light shining through the gap.

“Baris?” Bryan calls out.

The door soon swings completely open and they meet six of the missing explorers from Valnwall. They appear hungry and thirsty and three of their number are injured. Domago moves forward and begins to tend to the injured. Bryan walks over to Baris and grabs him by the shoulders for a hug.

Baris explains that the explorers made their way to this structure which he calls “the god prison”. They explored three of the secret doors and two of their number were killed and two injured. He points to a pit in the center of the chamber. A pillar in the middle of the pit has a crown upon it. Four pillars extend from floor to ceiling. Baris tells them that the pit is blocked by an invisible barrier. Once they found they could not get past it they headed back to the octagonal chamber but found the door had closed behind them. This had not happened in the other two chambers they checked previously. The doors stayed open for several days. They found they were trapped and Baris was unable to pass the door because the structure is warded to prevent spells like dimension door or passwall from working.

“Do you know what this is, Windmaster!” Baris tells Bryan excitedly.

Bryan indicates he has not discerned the purpose of the structure. Baris tells them that from the writings he has deciphered the mages of Muhatia imprisoned the god Menepta here or at least its avatar. They then used the god's power to destroy their enemies. Baris tells Bryan that the knowledge and power in the structure must be immeasurable. He is eager to explore it more now that Bryan has brought more mercenaries.

“Hold on!”, Lakima exclaims, “we are not hired mercenaries.”

Lakima explains the interest of the Company of the Black Dragon in being here. They have only come on a rescue mission and they feel that they have accomplished their mission.

“You are welcome to stay, but we,” Lakima points to the company, “are leaving.”

Baris and Bryan try arguing with Lakima about the merits of exploring, promising magic knowledge and treasure but their arguments are not persuasive enough. Eventually, even Bryan agrees that they should head back to the portal to Valnwall. The group heads back to the chamber where Meika waits. Some of the explorers are startled by the presence of the mammoth in the chamber but Alrix sets them at ease. The entire group makes their way back outside into the desert. Baris and his company pack up the tents and they set out following the stone markers of the ancient road.

They pass the palace of the undead a few hours later. Baris tells them that his team decided to avoid it as they had heard it was populated by many of the undead. Lakima tells them of some of the company's adventures in the ruins. Later that evening they set up their camp with the mercenaries providing a watch. Despite this, the adventurers decide to set their own watch. Overnight a sandstorm buffets the camp for several hours before subsiding. They find that the winds have transformed the desert landmarks but the road markers are still visible. It takes another day for them to reach the village of Zentrium.

In Zentrium they are greeted warmly and again Jabari offers them the hospitality of his home. Over a meager dinner, Lakima tells his hosts about the Tomb of Zoser. Jabari tells him that Zoser was a legendary king who united their tribes. Lakima suggests that the destruction of Zoser’s mummy might bring water back to the land. His hosts are skeptical.

The next day the group reaches the bridge in the desert. Lakima explains that they left a crystal ball with Ezmeralden. As he is explaining this the bridgeway hums to life revealing a portal back to their world. They cross and arrive back in the Kings’ wood.

Lakima is eager to get back to Edgerton so they say their goodbyes. Bryan thanks each member of the company and promises to repay them someday. Lakima suggests that he find a good keeper for Nissa. 

The rotting corpse of Fenris is removed from the bag of holding and placed on a grass-covered hill. Domago attempts to raise Fenris from the dead. After a few hours of praying Domago gives up and admits defeat.

“I could not reach him,” he says dejectedly.

A grave is dug and Fenris is buried on the hillside near the bridge. A simple wood marker over the grave. The adventurers lift their flying ship and fly back to Edgerton.

In Edgerton, the group settles in at the Manor. Alayna learns of Fenris’ death. Lakima pays for flyers to be sent out advertising a new trap finder for the Company of the Black Dragon. Potential recruits to inquire at the Sign of the Purple Bugbear tavern. He and Eathwund go to a locksmith and purchase his most secure lock. The locksmith proudly shows them a lock worth 150 gold which he proclaims cannot be opened without the key. Lakima purchases it. They bring the lock to the tavern and ask applicants to pick the lock to show their skills. Over a dozen “locksmiths” try without success. Old Pete, the owner of the Bronze Key tavern, is able to open it. He requests the 500-gold prize that was offered. Lakima pays him but also asks if Pete would like to join the Company of the Black Dragon. Pete, who is a portly man in his fifties declines the offer. But he does recommend a “specialist” called Brovin Laughingman. He tells them that he will inform the Laughingman of the offer of employment. Later that day Lakima uses magic to identify the items they found in Zoser’s tomb. The scimitar that Zoser is found to be a foul device that steals souls. It is given to Domago so he can arrange for its safekeeping in the church vaults.

Aldus finds that he cannot approach any horses. Any horse he comes near to try to move away from him. Some horses kick out at him or try to bite him. He realizes he is suffering from a curse from the tomb of Zoser. Once he tells the others, Lakima casts remove curse on him and the issue is solved.

The next day a hooded man appears in the manor house main hall having bypassed the locks on the front door.

“Are you Brovin Laughingman?” Lakima asks him.

The man answers in a flat voice that he is Brovin. He does not answer to Laughingman. He is a man of few words and a taciturn manner. Lakima offers him Fenris’ former room and all of the gear Fenris had on him when he died to join the company. Brovin takes a little convincing but he agrees.