Reign of Winter #41: The boy is actually a what?? Another building another daemon, undead giving a tongue lashing to a ghost in conference room A, headless riders, yeti, MelaDaemons and other strange stuff.

Diary of Zaaz Bloodfortune:

Blocked by my friends from visiting the wonderous music, I do my best to hex them and put them to sleep. Still, their wills are strong and Dalomar tackles me and pushes my face to the ground. Such rude behavior.

Tauvum speaks to the lady of the well. Her concern seems to be if we are to bring harm to the children, which we do not mean. As he goes closer he sees all the bodies floating in her well and asks if her can have them as he is lonely.

Sadobras warns the lady of the well that he will kill Anastasia if she doesn’t stop her singing. She stops and so we begin headed back into the house. Tauvum, a bit drunk and upset, decides to seal the well, but his spell is insufficient. Angered by this, the singing starts again and again I am drawn to it. Sadobras takes no changes with me and tackles me quickly to the floor, again quite rudely. The siren also summons a large elemental while the boy, Alexi, turns into some kind of three headed dragon.

Somehow Tauvum manages to negotiate again with the siren and she leaves us alone. Not ready to fight a three headed dragon the party decides to gather and leave. With a final cloud-kill cast over the nearby soldiers for a bit of spite, we teleport back to the hut and rest.

Where to go next is a difficult decision. In the end, we decide that our best course is to investigate the body of Victor and see if we can learn more about what is going on. Appearing in the long building, we are quickly attacked by several Baycock Zombies while a MelaDaemon is beginning to consume what’s left of Victor’s body. In moments I’m once again shot by the strange weapons of this world, though I manage to use my Evil Eye on the Demon. Tauvum and the MelaDaemon disappear and we fear for the worst. When he comes back we manage to escape. We learn that Tauvum had taken the Demon to a plane of good and threatened to leave it there unless it gave him the body. Not willing to stay in such a place, the Demon quickly made the deal.

Tauvum casts speak with dead and we learn some more from Victors corpse, yet not all we would like as his soul is not in the body. Still, we do learn that the world engine is based on Tesla’s design. It is a trap from Baba Yaga and for Rasputin to rule. Rasputin killed Victor to keep secret how to stop the world engine. We learn that destroying the towers won’t stop it, only knowing how to work the control panel will. The chapel comes in and out because it is often between worlds.

Needing to find Victor’s soul we decide to go to Rasputin’s house again. This time though, we quickly encountered Rasputin himself. This is our first time to see the mad monk in person and there is a definite strangeness to him. Sitting there stroking a doll, he looks at us as if we are amusing playthings, fare beneath him. He tells us, “Too late. Her thrice tenth kingdom is almost mine. Look up on the hill, even her hut is saddened.”

With that he laughed at us, broke the doll, and released several animate dreams at us. Strong they were and some of us had to retreat for a time to one of the towers, but eventually Tauvum’s word of Chaos dealt with them. Back in the house, we found books on demonology, alchemy, magic, and more. Dalomar also found a strange room where 8 withered corpses with parchment like skin surround a woman floating above the table in their center, holder her in place with their long surreal tongues. This we decide better to leave for later. In another room, seemingly a bedroom, Victors notes on Tesla’s machine and the world engine awaited us.

Where else could Baba Yaga await? This question still drives us. Giving up for now on Rasputin’s house, we teleport to the graveyard so Tauvum can talk with the spirit there. A weird fey spirit it was, a tombstone fairy that seems like a little girl. A little girl she may look like, but a powerful one with the ability to call back evil ones from the dead. Tauvum made friends with the creature, so hopefully she will be of use. I imagine when we finally find Victor’s soul, she can help.

The Garage was our next stop. Filled with strange and broken vehicles, but not much else there.

Next, we journeyed to a building with a tree growing out of the center.

At first, we were filled with joy at seeing the piles of treasure waiting by the tree. However, soon we found that the tree was a lightning bolt throwing Treant. As we fought it, Alexi made an appearance in his dragon form. Still, we managed to take the treasure and chase him off. As we were readying to leave with our loot, once again Rasputin made an appearance, bringing us some of his friends. Yetis, fearsome, but we held our own. Held our own till Rasputin came back. Seeing our success against his minions he called forth a spell of blasphemy to aid them. Many of us were paralyzed and I was weak beyond measure. One of the Yeti’s managed to knock Sadobras down, another missed his target due to misfortune I called upon him. Frantic with desperation, I split my next hex and managed to put two of them to slumber.

In time we finished off the remaining Yeti and retreat once again to the hut. With him, Tauvum has brought one of the Yeti which he asks the Fey to raise. After we interrogate the Yeti and lay a geus upon him, we use the epidemic spell to try to even the odds in the compound a bit. Sending the Yeti back we hope it will disable some of its friends.

When all is in doubt, sometimes it is right to call upon a higher power. After rest, I cast the bones in hope of divining some guidance. Asking, “If we go to the camp to look for Victor’s soul, where should we look?” I am told to look where the headless horsemen are. Thinking the soul must be with the head Dulahan, we set an ambush in the woods for him the next time he rode out. Fearsome he and his companions were. He rode upon a Nightmare and was covered in fire. His companions blistered us with cold. Chain lightning cast by me was enough to take out many of their mounts and damage most of them. They responded with Deaths Calling, which managed to stagger some of us. Their leader did also shoot Yoska in the arm, forcing him to drop his weapon. Yet in moments, Dalomar used a spring attack to critically wound the lead Dullahan. Tauvum channeled positive energy at them. Yoska then picked up his weapon again and imbuing it with holy power sent the leader to his final rest. Once the rest are finished, we searched, but find no evidence of Victors soul, just some strange dimensional grenades.

Thinking this meant the Soul was back at the camp, we teleported into a partially collapsed Yurt near the remaining headless Kazaks. Gold, treasure, more grenades and a picture of Alexi and Anastasia we did find, yet no soul of victor. Dalomar searched the surrounding buildings but no luck. All we find besides the headless warriors is a strange undead Lantern Goat.

Moving on to one of the other remaining buildings, we find what seems to be a place of healing that has gone horribly wrong. Inside the place is an Interlocutor Kyton. A creature of nightmare and horror stands in a room surrounded by bodies of soldiers in pain and dismemberment. Though alive, their organs and flesh had been twisted and hung from the walls. Massive and fearsome with claws and otherworldly gaze, I felt my flesh crawl. In one attack it almost killed Tauvum, but luckily Snori manages to wound it heavily as well. Still, Snori had moved into danger and if not for his forthought and preparation, would be dead. The Interlocutor quickly rips him to shreads and destroys his astral body. As all seems desperate, Yoska lunges forward, grasping the creature and sending a massive blast of shock through it, killing it instantly. The remaining soldiers are beyond sanity and repair so we light the building on fire and retreat once again to the hut for rest.

The next day, we decided to change tactics. The plight of the prisoners has been weighing on our mind and especially as it has taken days to do what we have, we decided the time was ripe to free them. Teleporting in to where they had been tied to the beds, we find that there are unfortunately only about 20 prisoners left. Freeing all of them and taking them to the hut, we begin to help them recover.

As there are less prisoners than expected, we decide to also investigate the snipers tower by the church. Within we expect to once again use the tactic of mass suggestion of neutralize the soldiers. However, we find that this tower is different than the others. Within are undead snipers that attack us with not only weapons, but fear and madness. Yoska is so struck with fear he attempts to flee the tower, but luckily is unable to escape. Snori is struck by one rifle three times. Tauvum bursts positive energy towards the undead, damaging them. Dalomar moves up and with a mighty blow kills one. Tauvum removes Yoska’s fear allowing him to move up to the attack. Little Snori manages to kill one as well. Yoska is sore wounded and his lifeblood splatters out onto the floor. Calling upon my most powerful spell of healing, he is quickly brought back to full strength. In moments the battle is over and once again we control one of the towers.

Reign of Winter #40: New frozen lands... Russia!! Rasputin! Tanks and guns!! WTF!!!!

Diary of Zaaz Bloodfortune:

I feel our journey has entered its third and final stage. As any witch knows, maiden, mother, crone, so go the stages of life. Now, we enter what must surely be the final stage of our quest. My power and that of my companions has grown again, but so have the challenges. Looking back, I am amazed in how much we have progressed since we first came to Heldren, as simple travelers, so very long ago.

Once we finish with the corpse and lair of the dragon, divide up the loot. Divination Sticks, a Scepter of Suzain, gold, gems, scrolls, etc., all in all, it is wealth a few months earlier I would have felt beyond measure. We take the Warrior of Ning back to her home and do a bit of trading for items of import to each of us, then go back to the Skyfire Mandate and Spurhorn to meet with the General and receive what was promised.

News of our victory throws Spurhorn into a great celebration and we spend a few days drinking, carousing, and partaking of the earthly pleasures. Still, even with every door and celebration open to us, I and my companions know more is to come, so we temper to celebrations with training. Were it by my wishes, we would have stayed long in that place, but the curse of that black rider still is upon us. After a day, it was a restlessness. After four I found myself constantly drawn to look to the road.

Taking the two headed eagle we head back to the hut, new companion joining us. For the days we stayed in Spurhorn, Sadobras and Nevrah talked long of her going with us, and so she had. Her might will be greatly appreciated I feel in the days ahead. Once at the hut we used the keys obtained to journey again to where the hut would take us.

Little Otik room

Vasilisa Doll room

After a few moments, the room transformed and we found ourselves in a room surrounded by golden bird cages. Within were not birds, but Demovoi, some live and some dead, most muttering incoherently. Tauvum cleaned and cured one, I passed it a bit of dried meat and we bade it to tell us its story. These house spirits had evidently heard of Baba Yaga and come to work for her. She agreed yet something they did must have annoyed the great witch for soon they were in cages. Her disappearance left none to feed them and so they have been starving since. Dalomar and Yoska noticed that their muttering seemed to be the same thing, over and over, and cast Tongues to understand them.

From distant world to distant world, at last we come home. many huts for many worlds, but all start here. Vasilisa and her little doll. Hungry children in a house of gingerbread. Little Otik, the forsaken son come to claim his birthright. Grandmothers breadcrumbs, all snatched up. What little birds pecked them up.

None of us is sure what if any meaning their words hold, but I try to remember them should their meaning come clearer. We convince the one we are talking to once again to work in the hut and ask it to free his brethren once we let it out. We also noticed that three of the cages were not merely painted gold but are gold in truth. That should help pay for things we need.

Looking outside from a window, I can see a bone fence in disrepair and overgrown gardens. An old metal wagon rusts away. Tall trees of an ancient forest are in the distance and it appears to be spring.

Spreading out we explore the hut. As before, it is filled with traps and tests. Snori finds a room made of candy and cake and eats some before he sees through the illusion. The garbage and rot he consume put him to sleep. Sadobras notices that the back of the fireplace seems strangely deep and discovers that portals of magic are cunningly hidden to take us different places within the hut.

In the room with the candy and cake, we fight three Boogiemen, battling creatures of fear. Tauvum keeps two of their bodies to turn into fearsome zombies. Dalomar finds a room filled with skulls, their jawbones clacking and repeating Vasalisa over and over. On a table in the room is a small doll held by four rusty nails. I try to examine it and learn the hard way that it is trapped. After Yoska put me out, we find a soul focus ruby where the doll had been. Another room contains a single candle and when we enter our shadows come to life attacking us. A room filled with vines and overgrown ivy hides assassin vines and a Mandragora, calling for its mama. We feed the Mandragora and move to the strangest room of all.

Yeah, you blew her up.

Within the room seems to be a derelict cottage with a single window. When we look out, we see a strange spider like creature approaching. As Tauvum looks out, we see he is spirited out into the icy landscape and stands naked and unmoving. The window seems to be seething with the magic of abjuration. As we try to figure out what magic this is, swarms of wasps come streaming from within. Recognizing this as Creeping Doom, I call forth a cone of cold and kill the swarms. Without warning the window breaks and out steps the giant spider like creature. Tauvum returns, but is no longer wearing his clothes and gear. The creature is tremendously resistant to magic and its strong will fights against my hexes. Tavum summons a Djin to fight with us and Yoska casts haste. It helps, but we our attacks are failing to hurt it. Finally, a hex of agony manages to take effect and in its nauseated condition we manage to finish it off.

The Coffin Man

After more exploration, we find that one of the rooms contains wine barrels that conceal another portal within. In the room there is a black shadowy creature with a crooked scythe sitting in front of a door. Spread throughout the room are coffins. He gestures to us and bids us forward. Expecting battle, we are wary, but in the end manage to converse with the being. He tells us that he is the coffin man, cousin to Baba Yaga, and he is surprised we have made it so far. Still, he warns us against the world outside.

The world is a world decimated by war. Brother and Sister, separated by the vastness of the stars have lured Baba Yaga. One is the mad monk and her son, thought murdered long ago. The other is Baba’s daughter, Queen Elvana. This world, the world beyond this door, is a strange one with odd magics.

Still we tell him, the curse upon us gives us no choice and we must go on. He stands to let us through, but Dalomar notices the coffin he sits upon is filled with powerful magics. We urge him to give us what assistance he can, but he will not give us what lies within. Finally, Tauvum manages to convince him to trade for his new Scepter. Within the coffin we find many powerful items. A sword of flame-tongue, sword of the planes, elixir of hiding, a scroll of chain lightning, a scroll of mages sword, a scroll of hold person, a scroll of reincarnate, a scroll of wall of stone, plus gold.

Once Tauvum graciously allows us some of the items which he has bought, we debate if we should go out now or wait till we can be back at full strength, having used some of our spells earlier. Frustrated with the talk, Yoska opens the door and it is not the spring we expected. A cold morning greets us with the smell of cinders and burning. The hut is perched upon a hill overlooking the remains of a burned out village set within a forest. Little remains of the buildings, but a few walls here and there. Beyond there is a wide, ice chocked river.

Dalomar and Yoska go out to explore the village, while Tauvum and I head up to the roof of the hut to watch. As Dalomar advances, he is invisible, but from above we can see his progress in the snow. After a few steps down the hill, there is a massive explosion that he just manages to avoid taking great damage from. More explosions begin and we can see puffs of smoke coming from the village. The enemy are using some kind of strange ranged weapons and are firing them towards us. Hard to say for sure, but they seem similar to gnomish pistols, yet they fire quite quickly. Wanting to be of assistance to our friends who have taken shelter behind some kind of wagon, I grab ahold of Tauvum and use Dimension Door to take us to a spot behind those using the weapons. I had thought we would be out of view of what we soon saw to be soldiers, but alas we were not. Shifting long tubes on the ground, men drop things into them. The tubes spit the strange eggs out and soon I’m struck by two of them. Groups of the men turn their strange long pistols towards me and I am struck by four different groups, killing me instantly.

I was dead. Floating within the void and staring at the light of the next life. As I floated closer to the light, I heard mother once again. “Wait, Zaaz. Have faith in your companions. They will need your help. As we give, we also receive,” she told me. It seemed to be for quite a long time, yet soon I heard Tauvum’s voice calling to me. “Will you return to us, Zaaz?” he asked. When I agreed, I heard him call again, “Then behold the power of the shadows. And next time, ASK before you touch me with those filthy human hands.”

Light filled me and I woke once again to the pain of life. Resting I heal and prepare to fight again.

Once night has fallen, Yoska goes out to scout again with Dalomar. When he returns, he brings one of the soldiers and we learn a bit of what is beyond the huts door. The soldier has been dominated and says he gets orders from Gregory Rasputin. Not far from where we are is an encampment at a prison in a strange land called Russia. Within they are working on something called a World Anchor. At times the World Anchor shines a heavenly light and all can see the church there as it once stood. He describes the camp as being in the center of a vast cleared area, with towers and guards, plus armored wagons called Tanks. We also learn more about the rifle weapons the soldiers wield.

We think to rest a bit more, but suddenly the hut begins to run towards the encampment. It stops in the woods near it after a time. Dalomar, thinking to scout more, flys over the encampment while invisible, but quickly learns that their searchlights seem able to unmask his invisibility. Still, he is able to get a good look and sees it has large 30’ towers, barbed wire, a 15’ fence, and more. During his scouting he also uses the mirror I gave him so that I can also see the camp and towers. From time to time horses go out, which we learn latter are actually Dulahans, led by Commander Poklvic Levente. He is also a Dulahan, but one covered with flames. He also spots a goat, pegged in front of one of the buildings.

After discussing the matter, we decide on a plan and wait till late in the night. We ready ourselves and teleport into one of the towers. Immediately we put the four guards under suggestion. Two are ordered to go to sleep, one to continue moving the search light as expected, and the last to have a friendly conversation with us. Within the tower we see a more powerful version of the rifle that had killed me. Also, some control panel of the World Anchor device. Interrogating the guard we learn that the house near the graveyard is the house of Rasputin. Another large building there is a prisoner barracks. Giving another suggestion to the guard, we sneak down into the prison barracks and interrogate one of the prisoners. We find they are emaciated and strapped to their beds. The one we speak to tells us that some come by each night and drink the blood of the prisoners.

Using Dimension door we transport ourselves into Rasputin’s house next door and find ourselves in the kitchen with a young man and little girl. Talking with them, we learn that the girl is Anastasia and the boy is Alexi. They seem also dominated and somewhat befuddled, but believe they were saved by Rasputin when they were to be executed. It was then that I made another mistake. One that hopefully won’t be as great as the one that led to my death the day before, but still serious. Frustrated with the pace of events, though my companions were talking in a friendly manner with the boy and girl, I decided it was safer for us to simply put them to sleep. Warriors they did not appear to be and in their already somewhat befuddled state I assumed they would quickly go to sleep. Casting a sleep hex upon them, the girl quickly succumbed, but the boy did not. I tried a second time, yet again he was able to resist. At a yell from him, we suddenly heard a powerful singing coming from the well next to the house. As Alexi and I struggled to go to visit the source to the magnificent singing, my companions mostly tried to stop us. Sadobras tossed a pit under the boy and an iron door before me.

Still, I knew I could not let that stop me and I struggle to reach the source of that music….

Reign of Winter #38: The Dragon is dead and the key to the next destination is acquired!

Diary of Zaaz Bloodfortune:

Our magic and strength at low ebb, we take the only way open to us.  We barricade ourselves into a room and hope the forces against us won’t attack and waste our rest.  The powers of magic come to one only when one has prepared to receive them.  Rest, communion, a centering of the mind, all of these things are as important to one calling on the energies I do as a beer and a hearty meal are to a dwarven warrior.  

Dalomar and Sadobras offered to take watch while the rest of us rest and we gladly took them up on their offer.  When we woke, we learned what happened as we slept.

As Sadobras was on watch, he heard a Triaxian come out of a room and go to the door we heard something odd behind.  It sounds like he opened the door, then ran.  Sadobras, concerned for what might be loose, went out into the hall and found a hiding spot.  From where he sequestered himself, he unfortunately hears Snori’s prospective wife get eaten.  Soon enough he hears it wandering the hall for a time but is unsure what it was.  As his watch came to an end, he hears it coming closer.  Eventually it came to our room and realizing we were inside, it broke down the door.

Finishing my communion with Grr, I was shocked by the creature before me.   A brief image of four insectile legs with a humanoid body and the monster lunged into the room.   It’s skin, or perhaps carapace would be a better description, flowed and changed trying to match the room around it.  Huge in front of us, yet my eyes were having trouble following its path.  On its hands were deadly looking claws and its mouth filled with razor sharp teeth.  Later, I would learn this monstrous creature was called a StormGhost.

In moments it called forth a storm of plague that blinded Sadobras and the monk.  Knowing that to fight it we must better see it, I cast a spell of Glitterdust on the creature.  The great weapon of it’s stealth broken, it quickly escaped out into the hall.  Knowing that should it have the opportunity to strike at us later with its stealth restored, the outcome of the fight might be in question, we all gave chase.  All of us fought it, but with its electrical aura, even getting close enough to attack it would wound us.  Finally, gathering my power, I encased it within a tomb of ice.  Though it will eventually be free, in this cold place it will hopefully be long after we have gone.

After defeating the creature, Snori went and verified that indeed his new prospective wife was indeed deceased. Bracing our courage, we moved forward into the dragon’s lair.  The Antechamber was massive with two giant ice pillers.  Predictably, as we passed the pillars, and prepared to go within, the pillars showed their true form, huge Ice Elementals.  Snori moves up to attack them as Tauvum summed a Djinn. The Djinn was killed quickly, so powerful the ice elements were.   I moved up and threw a hex of retribution upon one so that at least it took some damage in return.  The two of them moved towards us and both attack Sadobras.  One cleanly missed, while the other looked to be able to score a hit, but Sadobras twisted his mount at the last moment.  Soon enough we finish off the elementals and once again prepare to enter the dragons lair.

Tauvum brings forth some strange shadow elf creature, while I down a potion then use dimension door to move Sadobras, Nevrah, and Snori into the room.  Within, two strongly build Barbarians and a Dragon are within on a massive platform at the center of the pentagonal chamber.  Tauvum casts a greater dispel magic on the Dragon to remove some of its defenses, while Sabobras charges and takes a chunk out of one of the dragon’s guards.  The other barbarian moves up and with his weapon slices deep into me.  Soon, a cold and icy fog spread throughout the room, emanating from the dragon and limiting our ability to see.  Before the fog covers everything though, Dalomar manages to finish off one of the guards.  Knowing that waiting for the Dragon would be the height of folly, I jumped up into the air, flying above and trying to get rid of the fog with dispel magic, but to no success.  Soon, I’m joined in the sky by the Dragon itself, as it breathes down frost and ice at our party.  I manage to avoid getting caught in it and the rest of my friends fare well due to our preparations.  Down on the ground, Dalomar finishes off the other barbarian guard as Snori and Tauvum trade ranged attacks with the wyrm.  Moving around, Sadobras uses his slink to sneak attack the beast as well.  

Previous to entering the lair of the beast, I had drunk a potion I thought might be of help against Yrax, a Truefrost Elixer.  This potion would let even a white dragon suffer from cold.  So, casting again I struck it with a cone of cold, causing it to scream in pain.  Yoska then flew over the Dragon and somehow attacked it by elongating his arm.  Tauvum’s creature of shadow, some kind of strange angel, also attacked the Dragon with a beam of light.  The Dragon struck back at the Angel wounding it.  Sensing we needed more heat to kill the beast, I brought forth a Cuestodaemon to blast it with fire.  The Angel also struck and wounded and managed to blind the dragon, but was soon killed.  Yoska, making a bladed dash finished off the last of the dragons Mirror Images, then damaged him as well.  With all of us attacking, soon the dragon was defeated, and we stood there panting.

Exploring the room, we found the bear skin we had been looking for, a bag filled with special dice, and a variety of other treasure.

The dragon now dead and our mission essentially complete, I wonder how much more we will need to do to return to our own world.  

Reign of Winter #37: Inside the Ivoryglass to confront Yrax, Lord of the Howling Storm!

Diary of Zaaz Bloodfortune

Finally, we are within the fortress, but I wonder if we have made the right choice.   Immediately, after we charge in Dalomar locks them, yet in moments we can hear the doors clang and crash as the Hydras outside try to follow.  Without, there is enough to give us pause, and yet we know little of what waits within.  We’ve no way to seal the doors effectively, so soon we may be pressed on both fronts.

In the brief respite we take the time to renew protective magics and heal.  Dalomar scouts ahead and soon warns us something large is approaching.  Ahead, he tells us, there are several paths and a room that opens up and has several bone statues arranged.  Before anything can get to us from the front, a crash from behind shows us that my fears were well founded.  The hydras break in and move towards us.   Sadobras casts plant growth on some shoots he brought with and manages to slow them down.   Tauvum, once again draws a scroll and begins to read.  As they seem to have matters in hand, I move forward to see what approaches from the right, only to start back at the sight of some kind of dragon bone golem creature.

Back at the Hydras, Yoska strikes at one and a flurry of elemental magics all seem to spark at once.  Tauvum finishes his scroll with a shout and a strange black lantern appears.  Flying around it, five large Escorite Death Moths come forth, shooting black rays at the hydras.  A palpable aura of inevitability shines from them, shaking our enemies.   Their end approaches and the Moths are the harbingers.

Sadobras moves up to engage one of the golems and manages to drop a 10’ pit in its way, hampering it’s ability to retaliate.   Slicing quickly on my arm to coat my dagger in blood, I quickly draw a symbol on the ground and begin summoning a Cuestodaemon.  Once the daemon comes forth into our world, I command it to attack the golem and it blasts at it with its fiery breath.  The construct strikes it back and suddenly a bone cage flies from one of the pedestals and surrounds me. 

The next few minutes are mostly a blur.   One moment Sadobras is hard pressed, the next the Cuestodaemon dimension doors him to safety.  The moths fly in and one of the constructs turns to dust.   Freed of my prison, I jump to Nevrah and dimension door us both to safety.  Dalomar moves like an acrobat, springing in and out of the fray.  Snori exploring and bringing more to attack us.  More golems, these made of glass, that inflict terrible wounds that bleed profusely.  One by one we manage to smash the enemies in our way, yet my magic wanes.  My hexes have no real effect on constructs and so I must needs use my spells, which are quickly running out. 

Somehow, we manage to finish off the hydras and golems, yet more dragonkin are headed in from outside.  White, Copper, and red dragonkin move to attack us.  Luckily for me, these are no immune to my special magics and I call forth retribution on my enemies.   Each attack made by the white only serves to damage itself.  I use enervation to remove even more of his life. 

Dalomar moves up and strikes several times at the red dragonkin, killing it as Snori harasses the copper.  Yoska finishes off the white dragonkin and we all turn towards the remaining foe.  Combining our attacks, Dalomar moves up with a disorienting strike, a hex of agony lashes it with pain, as Yoska moves in and finishes him off. 

All immediate opponents finished, we quickly heal again and start to move forward.  Snori warns us not to go into a Kitchen area he has found as his wife is in there.  I would ask more details, but I fear Snori would drag me into whatever realm of insanity he dwells within.  Continuing to explore, we find a shrine to Dahak, evil god of chromatic dragons.  Dalomar continues to scout and finds a room with the sound of something within.  Another door he unlocks and finds a magnificently decorated room.  Another door has a dining area.  In another he finds a figuring of wonderous power that summons a bronze dragon.

Snori, who has been exploring as well finds prison cells and then a training room with a woman and he chats with her a bit.

Having looked at the other doors, Dalomar opens the door that he had heard something within.  A Huge 8-legged white bear is within.  Dalomar recognizing it as a Kokogiak, a magical beast of high intelligence and very dangerous, closes the door.  Soon though it comes out into the hall and begins to attack us.  Yoska pushes me out of the way.  Casting tongues on myself, I try to negotiate with it, but either it still doesn’t understand or it ignores me.   I try to stop it or slow it down with a web, but it breathes cod in attack.  Snori pulls out a wasps nest from somewhere and throws it at the bear’s feet.   The swarm of wasps does come out and attack the bear, but it does so little damage the bear just ignores the swarm.  Yoska moves in and strikes at the creature several times.  I try to use an Agony hex, but the bear just shakes it off.  The Kokogiak bites Yoska and strikes at him with six of his claws.   Poor yoska is wounded but fights on.   I call forth a sleep hex, but again it shakes it off.  Snori somehow makes his weapon a bane weapon vs Kokogiaks and strikes at it surprisingly hard.  Tauvum tries to support with his bow, but misses as the creature breaks cold on Snori, Yoska, and I.  Yoska lets out a yell and moves forward, hitting and killing the creature.

We continue exploring and find a library with dragon size books, the dragons toilet, and a work room for making golems.   In the work room, we find several scrolls and reagents worth much gold.  Unable to understand the woman who had been in the training room, Snori brings me over to talk with her.  I learn that her name is Cesser of Ning and is a Quigong monk and Yukara warrior from the Immortal Suzeranity of Ning.  She tells us she is honor bound to report us to the dragon unless we have a champion spar with her.  Snori, insists that he wants to battle the woman, so we all move to the arena.   There, she uses some kind of strange medusa strike and hits Snori with a barrage of strikes.  Snori, wavering so badly it’s a wonder he can stand strikes back and somehow takes the monk down in one strike, both falling unconscious.   While she lays there, we debate if we should finish her off, but decide that since she fought honorably, perhaps she needn’t be killed.  Once she awakens, she tells us that she feels that though she came under honorable pretense, this place isn’t honorable anymore.  That she wants to leave, but can’t assist us in the fight.  She can’t fight for us, but she does tell us how to get to where the dragon is.  Also, from her we learn that the white bear was a barbarian leader being recruited by the dragon.  She also tells us that the dragon is on a large, very slippery platform and that he has a nest with great treasures.

So now we must decide.   Continue our attack and strike at the dragon when most of our magics are in their ebb.  Or, retreat for now, knowing the dragon could leave or bring in more allies, yet we would attack with all our power.   I feel as if I’ve passed another barrier of self with all the fighting we have done and that could I but commune with Grr, I could bring forth a whole new range of magics.  Bloodied and tired, I look at my companions and feel sure I know what their choice will be….

Reign of Winter 34-36: Into the crevasse towards the Ivoryglass...weird creatures, human trophies, and a fortress within a glacier!

Diary of Zaaz Bloodfortune

Standing after the fight I looked over at the creature we had defended.   SO Fluffy was all that came to mind at first.   Looking like a humanoid wolf, she introduced herself as Baknarla of the Adlet race and a shaman.  I can barely keep my focus on her words as I want to go over and pet her so badly.  Disguising the reason for my actions as a healing, I reach out to her and stroke her fur.   It is even more fluffy and soft than I thought it would be.   A fleeting thought of stuffing her and making her into a body pillow skims across the surface of my thoughts and again I need to bring my mind back to the matter at hand.  Was that truly my thought or the voices I hear?  For now, I will choose to believe it be the voices, for surely that was not a thought for the good.   So soft…

Baknarla explains to us that her gift of foretelling has led her to us.   Her people had been driven out of their normal home by the white dragon we go to seek.   Desperate and exiled from their home, they life on the fringes, barely able to survive.   A time before Baknarla had started to have visions of strangers from another place and world coming to save them and give her people the ability to go back home.  An outcast within her tribe, she stuck to her beliefs and readied for the moment to come.   A pull of premonition led her to where we found her today.   The face may be alien in it’s wolfishness, but the satisfaction of vindication does shine strongly from within.  She offers to guide us forward to our goal and tells us of her Uncle who had gone before and never come back from the crevasse. 

After the obligatory attempt of Tauvum to force her to marry Sadobras we journeyed onward.   Though we had lost mounts, the Adlet is able to use the Windwalk spell to keep up with us.  After a quiet night we can see the massive crevasse ahead.   So as not to advertise our arrival we land a good distance off and make our way down inside.  Cold and slippery in places it was.  At first we can still see the open sky and light, but as we make our way deeper the light fails us and we need o prepare torches or other means.  As we find the a cave leading down into the heart of the glacier, we found a pictogram left by her Uncle, letting us know that we have hopefully found the right way.   Thought he obviously didn’t finish his mission of killing the dragon, we are still hopeful that we can find him and his powerful gear.  Baknarla has assured us that he was well armed with weapons that would bring pause to even a powerful wyrm. 

The path led deeper within and seemed to circle it’s way down.  More and more treacherous the footing became till we were beset by a part of strange Frostcrawler Behirs.  Throwing lightning from their mouths I realize that I had certainly not prepared the correct spells for this attack.   Still, a witch must do what she can.  I move up and cast and evil eye on one as I shake off the electrical damage it had done me.  Sadobras and Nevrah move up and attack one, but then the Behirs counter.  In the blink of an eye the one I had hexed sweeps it’s neck over me and plunges it’s terrible mouth down.   Swallowed in a gulp, terror blotted out the indignity of it.   Luckily for me, good Yoska managed to call slumber down upon it and was able to set about freeing me.  Between the group of us we resume trying to take down the two of them.   Baknarla summoned the largest ice elemental I’ve yet seen which struck with great effect.   Sadobras and Nevrah charged again and again striking at them.   On of them also swallows up Yoska, but luckily it was one that I had cast a retribution hex on.   As it does the damage to poor Yoska, she curse it brings about struck it down.  Finally, Sadobras and Nevrah strike a killing blow on the other and all is quiet.

Soon thereafter we encountered one of the strangest, yet most terrifying creature we have yet fought.   As we advanced forward, we noticed a strange humming coming from a side passage.  Investigating, Sadobras found a crystalline thing set with various rocks that seemed to be making the hum.  Moving to investigate, the humming surged in intensity and in a moment, he was rocked in his saddle, stunned.   Nevrah moves to strike the thing, but it slides unexpectedly quickly out of the way.  The hum growing again in intensity, Yoska is hit by a pulse o fit’s energy and stunned as well.   Nevrah concerned for Sadobras grabs him up and tries to back away but is quickly hit by this strange carnivorous crystal.   Within moments it starts to envelop her and we all recoil in terror as we see her skin begin to change and become glassy and transparent.  After a few minutes of battle we finish it off, but at great cost.  Nevrah has become a crystal herself and we are concerned that she will be done.   Luckily Tauvum still has a remaining miracle scroll and manages to bring her back to life.   In the room we found a large number of valuable crystals, but who knows if it will be enough to replace the cost of the scroll?

Retreating a bit we move back to a safe location and decide to make camp.  While Tauvum leaves to pick up Snori from his training, I took the opportunity to get to know Baknarla a bit more.   Difficult it is with no common language, but a tongues spell does come in handy.  As for the return of Snori, while more hands would certainly be welcome, I’m just not sure if the flighty little fay has the hands we need.  Still, one makes do with what one has and it’s not to say that Snori hasn’t gotten us out of a pinch or two.  That he had put us into a pinch or two I suppose balanced it out.

Once Snori and Tauvum returned, we readied ourselves once more and advanced into the glacier.  Dalomar using his invisibility to scout ahead and the rest of us following behind.  Soon he did whisper back using the message spell I maintain on him that he had come to a large cavern with various mushrooms and a feeling of something off.  As we moved forward to see in more detail suddenly a large Frost Worm burst from the floor.  Though I had been friends with a Frost Worm in my youth, I knew that without time to get to know it, a frost worm could be little but an enemy to us.  Sadobras, sensing the danger of the attack so frequent for these creatures, ripped a patch off of his useful cloak and suddenly was holding a large rowboat above his head.  Some protection given, he urged Nevrah to the attack.  As she was getting space to charge, the Worm let loose with a blast of frost.  Sadobras pulled Nevrah sideways at the last moment and took the hit to himself instead of her.  I tried to cast an evil eye on it and weaken it’s resistance, but to no effect.  Snori  moved up and tried to slip into hit it, but its superior reach let it hit him as well.  Still, Snori managed to move close and do serious damage to it.  Tauvum moved into position to support him with his bow as well and the creature let our a roar of indignation.   Nevrah and Sadobras also moved into position to strike at it.

Suddenly, as Sori continued to harras the worm, it whipped it gaping maw around and bit him virtually in half.   Before anyone could do anything, Snori fell to the ground, dead.  Screaming in rage at the loss of a companion, the adlet finished summoning a massive ice elemental which pounded the enemy with a massive slam.  Gazing on the battle and I knew not what to do.   I knew we could summon back Snori’s spirit with a ritual my familiar had taught me, but I knew I had not the required components.  Just as I was thinking this, Tauvum ran up with another scroll and read the terrible and mighty words within.   The breath of life descended upon Snori and his chest began to rise and fall once again. 

As I rejoiced on Snori’s return to life and we continued to restore Snori’s health, the room was shook by a massive explosion as the Frost Worm died.  There was no time for rejoicing though as soon another worm burst from the floor.  Again we fought for our lives.  Moving forward I use my healing hex on Tauvum and with the split hex feat my patron had granted me, I also was able to give more healing to Snori.  The extra health was certainly needed for soon the creature used it’s breath weapon to hit most of the party.   Nevrah and Sadobras move over to ride by attack the worm as it lets out a shrill trill.   Nevrah is fascinated by the strange sound and Sadobras tried to wake her.  Unable to wake her, he reaches to his neck and throws a small crystal at the beast, which transforms in flight to a fireball.  As the creature reels back in pain, Dalomar races in and finishes it.   After the explosion of it’s end passes, all is quiet. 

After taking the time to heal, we decided to move on again, deeper into the cavern.   The next major room we came to we knew must have some hidden danger, for frozen and lined up like a trophy rack stood various warriors.  An elf, a dragonkin, and adlet, and more stood, encased in clear ice.  Baknarla beside me lets our a quiet yelp and I can tell from her reaction, within the ice is the relative she told us of.   Sadobras moves in and goes invisible, moving across the room.   Looking up, he an eye looking down at him.   Whispering back to me, I let all know what he has found, a Roper.   Tauvum immediately begins summoning a djin, while Snori move in and glitterdusts it.  Before it can strike at him, he brings several thin stone walls up to try to surround it.   Unfortunately, it isn’t successful and it manages to move free.  Calling on my magic, I fly forward trying to get into a good position to help, but the Roper manages to hit me with two of it’s tentacles, draining much of my strength.  I try to evil eye it, but it manages to resist the magic.  Dalomar uses another fireball which manges to do some damage and Snori moves in, striking at it’s eye.  Nevrah breathes lightning at it, but it doesn’t seem to do any damage.  The ropes constricting me suck away more of my strength and I was paralyzed.  Snori too is hit by several ropes and fights to stay in the battle.   Tauvum manages to use Clense to wipe away my strength damage and once again I’m in the fight.  Sadobras had moved free of Nevrah to get into position carefully and then used what he had been sneaking up to do.   Throwing another patch off of his cloak, a massive 40’ tall tree appeared and slammed into the monster.   It doesn’t kill it, but it does manage to greatly slow its movement.  I cast enervate, but its innate resistance to magic is hard to overcome.   Dalomar strikes at it doing damage as Tauvum lets loose another spell from his scrolls.   Two massive earth elementals come into existence near the creature and in moments, they smash it to dust.  

I fear for moving forward further into this glacier.   We still only battle underlings and guards, yet they are more powerful than most of the things we have battled before.   I cannot expect with guards of this strength that the Dragon will be any easier.

Such battles as these do drain one’s magic.   We stood contemplating the next fight and decided to rest and restore ourselves.   Moving back to where the Behir did lair, we set watches and prepared.   My cauldron did bubble and soon a few potions did be ready.

The next day, Dalomar scouted ahead and we continued to move through the glacier.  Soon, he found a massive cave and why it was called the Ivoryglass.  A fortress lay under the ice, tall and proud.   Massive and upon a strange cube.  Carefully, carefully we scouted it out.   Dalomar advancing far within, past the surrounding farms and fields, right to the gate.   

Above flights of dragonkin and other dangers there were and we knew it would be no easy feat to journey within.  Snori decided to scout as well and was discovered picking pockets.  Tricky he was and told them he was the money fairy, there to give them reward.  He left them some gold and scooted off.  The alarm wasn’t totally raised, but the guards did be more on alert.

After a day of scouting and planning it was decided to teleport as close as we could, then force our way within through the gate.  The next morning, we put the plan to action and immediately things began to go wrong.  As we appeared by the gate, the invisibility we had raised fell away and we could see the guards had magic items to purge that stealthy magic. Past the first gate and at the door to the keep we were set upon by a pair of barbarians and a wizard we fought to clear the path within.   Dalomar put his picks to work on the doors while the rest of us fought.  Lightning flew back and forth between our group and the defenders.   Another wizard soon appeared, entangling Yoska within an icy prison.  One went down to my slumber and soon I was able to lightning another two.   Tauvum called forth a Djin to help us in the fight as well.  Time was not our friend as Hydras were rapidly approaching from without. 

As we fought outside, Dalomar scouted within and found that death awaited there as well.   Some sort of strange blind half-dragon stood guard and was anxious to come out.  

Retreating back outside Dalomar used his spring attacks to great effect but the creature was formidable and shook off the attacks.   More often than I would have believed possible the half dragon let loose with blast after blast of sonic energy.  Soon the blast took me to the edge of death and only the quick help of Tauvum and a cleanse spell were able to wake me.  After a time, the only enemy left outside was the dragon as the rest had been killed.  The combined attacks of the rest of us did manage to strike it down.  

The way clear we gathered ourselves and ran within the fortress, pulling shut the doors behind.   What new horror does lay within I know not, but the approach of the patrols to the gate tell me it’s not likely much worse within than outside.