The Library Of Last Resort 

Into The Wormcrawl Fissure

Kings of the Rift 

Hidden Knowledge Revealed

Finding themselves back on the windswept ruins of the Tilagos isle on which they’d first landed, the Dogs swiftly teleported to Magepoint to report to Tenser. Unfortunately, on arrival, they discovered that the mage had been summoned to an urgent meeting of the Council of Eight and it was not known when he would return.  Hethgelion, Tharvel and Eric set off to do some shopping, while Esmeralda and Maeglin made separate visits to the Temple-Library to research Kongen-Thulnir. Maeglin also took the opportunity to place the Hand of Vecna into Agath’s care. Maeglin also discovered that the scholars in the library were in some disarray as a number of books had somehow  suddenly acquired new chapters , or hitherto hidden paragraphs and sentences had suddenly appeared  in well-known texts. Maeglin speculated that this was somehow connected with the recent events on Tilagos – and the knowledge long hidden in the library of Last Resort had been released back into the world. Maeglin also learned that the Council of Eight had been called to deal with the sudden re-appearance of large numbers of legendary monsters across the Flaeness – also suddenly released from their long captivity. Afterwards a pleasant evening was spent in the All Seeing Eye catching up with their old friend Elegios, who was still resident there while the cleanup of the Free City was completed and he could return to his home.

Next morning, having discovered some reference to Kongen-Thulnir and the temple of Wee Jas, the Dogs decided to return to Alhaster (the nearest temple they knew of) and Saskia duly transported them back to their townhouse. Hethgelion settled in for an afternoon brooding in front of the fire while Maeglin headed off to the nearby temple where he discovered that Kongen-Thulnir was an ancient giantish stronghold somewhere in the north. Eric decided that consulting a bard might help and set off to the palace to consult Tzeech’s bard they’d met at the party - the Ominous Fabler. Unfortunately the Fabler had left a week previously and no one knew where he had gone. After that Eric and Tharvel gadded about the town “being seen” and cementing their presence with the local population. Esmeralda and Saskia called on  Lashonna to find that the lady had gone into hiding, leaving a critic message that she would be in touch. That night the Dogs dined in the Deluxury – renewing their acquaintance with the great and the not-so-good of Alhaster.

Next morning Eric recalled that the local playhouse was run by a bard , Miomay, and despatched Tharvel to get tickets for tonight’s performance. After the play, they invited Miomay to supper at the Deluxury, where the bard recounted an ancient tale, handed down to her mentor from a stone giant bard of the giant’s ancient home in the Great Rift – Kongen-Thulnir!

Using descriptions gleaned from the sources they’d located, Saskia teleported the Dogs the 160 miles north to the great rift. Below them they could see, carved into the living rock the giantish city. They could also see that the city appeared to be under assault by an army of dragons!

Maeglin spotted a winding pathway leading down carved into the rock-face and began the tortuous descent. As they made their way down, a brace of blue dragon broke off from the assault on the city and attached them, but the two young dragons proved little challenge and the Dogs arrived at the gatehouse of the city.

Esmeralda attempted to negotiate with the giant’s in the gate-tower but was making little progress when Saskia suddenly called out in alarm and an enormous green dragon swerved towards them in a charging dive.

Plenty of Greens

As the huge green Dragon swooped low down towards them it unleashed a fearsome blast of it's acidic breath. The Dogs took up what defensive positions they could - those with missile weapons unlimbered them and began firing, the spellcasters began launching their most potent spells at the huge beast. Eventually, though not before it had sorely wounded Maeglin, Hethgelion and Eric with repeated breath weapons attacks, the dragon closed and attempted to grab Maeglin, frustrated by his repeated sound lance assaults. This proved to be a mistake as it put the great beast within striking range of Tharvel, Hethgelion and Eric, all of whom closed to melee as Maeglin used Dimension Door to escape the creature's clutches. Eventually the repeated assaults drove the dragon off.

This still left the Dogs with the problem of how to gain entry to the city in the midst of a full-fledged war. They pondered the 40ft high gates for some time, their ponderings only interrupted by a brief assault by a flight of smaller green dragons catching the Dogs in the effect of multiple breath-weapon attacks simultaneously. Though some of the Dogs, Tharvel in particular, were sorely wounded, the dragon-flight was swiftly dealt with – Saskia’s arc of lightning spell proving most useful.

Realising that standing here in the open in front of the gates only made them a tempting target for any of the assaulting dragons that spotted them, Esmeralda cast a grappling line up to the top of the gates and began climbing, swiftly followed by Eric, both of them dodging a fusillade of rocks thrown at them by a cluster of hill giants behind the gates. Maeglin took the simpler routes of casting phase door on the tower wall and hustling the others through.

After a brief altercation with the small group of giants the other side of the gate. Realising belatedly, that they were valid targets for either side in the battle the party began cautiously exploring the besieged city 

As they approached one of the ruined buildings a familiar voice called out to them. To their surprise, it was the Ominous Fabler!

Fire in the Hole

The Ominous Fabler escorted the party back to his makeshift camp in a ruined building, where he asked if he could join them in order that he might chronicle their deeds. The party readily accepted the offer and spent some time bringing the bard up to date with what had occurred to date. The Fabler in turn confided in them that he had only attached himself to Prince Zeetch to act as a spy on behalf of his patron – a local stone giant thane.

After some time, as night was falling, the party set out moving cautiously through the burned-out, acid-scorched building. Even at night the battle for the city rages and it wasn’t long before they drew the attention of a pair of large red dragons who swept down on them with fiery breath attacks.  Hethgelion and Eric stood firm in the face of the assault while Esmeralda dodged and weaved through the attacks.  While Saskia cast defensive spells and peered into the darkness, Tharvel, Maeglin and the Fabler too refuge in a nearby ruin, where the readied actions to cast spells as soon as they could see a valid target in the darkness.

One of the dragons landed on the partially roofed area of the building and poking its head round and launched another fearsome breath attack. Maeglin reacted with a destruction spell that annihilated the dragon, causing the Fabler’s grease spell to have little effect! However both were caught in the dragon’s breath. Maeglin, unable to bear the shock of the fearsome burns he sustained, collapsed in a heap - instantly dead.  The Fabler tried to heal the faller cleric, but it was too late!

Tharvel charged out ionto the fray, drawing his sun-shard,which threw some light on the situation. Helped by this, the second dragon was swiftly driven-off by Hethgelion, Tharvel and Eric

Shocked by their friend’s sudden demise, the Dogs, accompanied by the Fabler decided to withdraw back to their base in Alhaster. Arrangements were swiftly made with the temple of Wee Jas and a splendid funeral arranged for the next day. Given the prominence the Dogs had achieved as notable residents of the town, the funeral was well-attended by all and sundry – a fitting send-off for the noble cleric.

Next day, after re-supplying in Verbobonc, Saskia teleported the surviving Dogs back to the city. The battle against the dragons was still raging, though to their practiced eye, the dragons seemed to be gaining the upper hand, with large areas of the city now seemingly depopulated and the resistance concentrated in certain strong-points throughout the city.  

Sneaking past one of the giant strong points proved a little challenging to some of the Dogs, but eventually the gained access to the inner part of the city on their route to the citadel they had spotted previously. As they approached the rock-bridge that led to the giant fastness a gruff voice called out to them from the ruins and the swarthy figure of a half-orc Barbarian shambled out of the ruins towards them. He introduced himself as Dench and told the Dogs he’d been given some money and told to meet them here by some crazy old monk who kept muttering about “The Prophecy” . After introductions the party made their way across the bridge after Saskia cast mass fly and Esmeralda used a wand of invisibility to hide them.  

Guarding the fortress were fearsome lookingfire giants. Most of the party, aided by the invisiility, managed to sneak past them, but Eric and Dench must have made some sound as they flew past. The fire giants swung their swords wildly attacking the area the sound came from. Eric was lucky as ther first giant missed her, however Dench took a heavy blow, spurting blood everywhere!  

Blue Lightning

As the remaining Dogs reacted to the emerging sounds of battle behind them, Saskia rose up in the air and cast See invisibility so she could locate all her friends. She also was shocked to see a huge blue dragon lurking invisibly off to the side of the citadel watching them! Ignoring the dragon for the moment, judging the fire giants were the more immediate threat, she could see below that the other Dogs appeared to have the situation well in hand.
 
Eric and Dench had been joined in their battle with the guards at the top of the stairs by Hethgelion, who in order to render the combat more honourable had made himself visible by the simple expedient of punching himself in the face! Tharvel was making his way purposefully to the guard on the arbalest platform, who had run over and begun ringing an alarm bell. The alarm was swiftly silenced as Esmeralda flew over and cut the bell-rope! However, a moment later the rogue came tumbling out of the sky as her fly spell was dispelled - fortunately the rogue managed to tumble onto the arbalest platform rather than plunging into the chasm!
 
The battle against the fire giants was going well, Eric and Hethgelion had the measure of one of the guards while  Dench had severely injured  the one who had attacked him. Suddenly he, Eric, Tharvel and Hethgelion were caught in a cone of fearsome electrical discharges as the invisible blue dragon - Vermirox - swooped in and strafed them with it's breath weapon, badly wounding the Dogs and killing the fire giant outright!
 
Saskia shouted a warning that there was an invisible dragon attacking them, which only served to draw the dragon's attention to her. As the dragon banked round in a long  swooping turn, the sorcerer cast a polar ray at it - to no avail, the dragon was protected against cold magics. However the sorcerer did manage to dispel the dragon's greater invisibility - which enabled the Dogs on the ground to target him with ranged weapons. Pausing only to  cast everards black tentacles on Eric and Tharvel after an abortive attempt by them to aim the giant arbalest at them, Vermirox continued it's seemingly leisurely turn to attack Saskia.
 

As the Dogs on the ground finished off the last of the fire giants, Saskia faced Vermirox alone in the air, she cast a disintegrate spell but only managed to do minimal damage before Vermirox closed on her teeth snapping. Staggered by the dragon's fearsome bite, Saskia cast ghostform  and attempted to seek cover beneath the bridge, but not before the old blue got off another bite at her!

As Saskia fled to heal herself, the dragon turned it's attention to the Dogs below, Hethgelion, Dench and Esmeralda were standing in a tempting bunch as the rogue healed the barbarian with a wand, and the dragon swooped down, again unleashing it's fearsome breath weapon. This time  Hethgelion, already bearing fearsome wounds, crumpled to the ground.
 
The dragon's flight path was taking him to where Tharvel was struggling to free Eric from the grasp on the tentacles when the Ominous Fabler appeared next to them saying "Come with me if you want to live", grasping his hand the Fabler teleported them back to his camp in the ruined city. Frustrated by the disappearance of his targets, Vermirox, began another banking turn aiming to head back to attack Esmeralda and Dench. Here too he was frustrated as Saskia appeared next  to them and teleported them to safety. Eventually coming together at the Fabler's camp, Saskia cast Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion   and the Dogs took a well-earned rest and time to mourn the second of their comrades to fall in the giant city.
 
Next morning, as they exited the mansion, they were greeted by the sight of a human archer with bow nocked. Seeing him, the Fabler immediately teleported away! The ranger introduced himself as Magnus, and he'd been seeking the Fabler for non-payment of a gambling debt. Magnus asked if he could tag along until the Fabler returned.
 
Saskia teleported the party directly to the doors of the citadel this time. Esmeralda was unable to open the doors, nor did a knock spell have any effect. Saskia then cast ghost form a did a quick scout of the area behind the door. Discovering there were no giant's to be seen the area, she cast a dimension door to relocate the party to the hallway beyond. As they materialised in the corridor, they felt an ominous movement in the floor below them! Above them a huge section of ceiling slid away, and something large and translucent was falling on top of them, engulfing them - a gargantuan gelatinous cube!

Hall of Death

As the gelatinous cube dropped from the ceiling, Magnus and Eric managed to throw themselves to the side, whereas the other Dogs found themselves engulfed within it’s protoplasmic mass. As Magnus and Eric began the long-winded process of whittling the gargantuan ooze down, those engulfed by it found themselves paralysed as the cube’s digestive juice began its work. Tharvel managed to resist the paralysation effect but found himself unable to work free form the cube’s interior.

Eventually Magnus and Eric managed to destroy the cube, and after freeing their comrades, they began an exploration of the lower level of the citadel. Esmeralda discovered a secret door in the corridor which led in one way to a ladder leading upward into the upper structure and the other to a secret exit near the arbalest platform they’d fought on yesterday.
Forgoing the secret passageway they decided to proceed up the main stairwell. Reaching a landing, Esmeralda listened at a doorway where she could clearly hear the sounds of a giantish arbalest crew engaging with the draconic assault on the citadel. Sneaking past the doorway they made their way upwards where the passageway carved through the rock gave way to manufactured stone walls. Sneaking down the passageway they discovered a huge set of wooded doors led off to the west and to the north another door blocked the passageway. Esmeralda, listening at the first set thought she could identify animal sounds coming from within, at the other door Magnus could hear a couple of bored giant guards discussing the progress of the battle outside. The Dogs decided to investigate the first set of doors and Esmeralda cautiously edged them open.

Inside was a huge hall, dominated firstly by a large wooden table and secondly by a huge 12-headed pyrohydra chained up in the corner. As she edged carefully into the room she noticed the third occupant of the room, a scarred fire giant, who seeing her, rose to his feet bellowing a challenge and reaching for a spear next to him. Hearing the sound, Tharvel, Eric and Dench deployed into the room as the giant threw the spear, which after hitting Esmeralda, returned to his hand. Esmeralda returned the compliments with three rounds rapid at himThe Dogs then moved forward, heading under the huge table, using it as cover. The giant,  grabbing a flaming axe in each hand, leaped up on top of the table with a mighty bound, his immense weight causing it to collapse on top of the three Dogs. .  After which ES retreated to heal and then rushed in to pour a potion down Eric’s neck

 
As Magnus and Saskia moved to the doorway taking up position, Tharvel, Eric and Dench began extricating themselves from the flattened table – Dench collapsing in a heap as one of the giants hammered him as he emerged. Fortunately Eric emerging near him was able to lay on hands.  As they were doing so, two more fire giant sergeants charged into the room heading for Esmeralda. Esmeralda then let loose with more arrows with a sergeant fire giant before being attached by the hydra. Saskia managed to get off an orb of cold at the first giant and Magnus a flurry of arrows at one of the newcomers, before one of them slammed the door shut, bolting it.
Inside the Hall, Esmeralda fended off the pyrohydra as Tharvel, Eric and battled the fire giants. Saskia first summoned an earth elemental and then when that proved ineffective used a disintegrate to get through the doors. As they did so one of the giant guards from the other room came striding down the corridor to investigate the noise and engaged with Magnus. Tharvel took some fearsome wounds from the twin axe wielding giant before finally dropping him. Esmeralda skipped away from the hydra and used a potion of healing after which she moved across to Eric and used another portion on the paladin . Receiving some healing from Eric enabled Tharvel to get to the chain and reel in the pyrohydra. The remaining giants were swiftly dealt with, but not before Magnus too had to call on Eric’s healing powers to bring him back from the brink of death.

Serpent's Kiss

The Dogs took several moments after the ferocious combat with the fire giants, consuming numerous potions of healing while Esmeralda made free use of her wand of cure moderate wounds. Feeling sufficiently recovered  they continued their exploration of this level of the complex - which turned out to be pretty much just the banqueting hall, the kitchens and the servant's quarters! After Dench had conquered the kitchen and was munching on the spoils - a haunch of ox, the Dogs decided to follow a stairway which ultimately led down below the lowest level of the citadel.
There they found a room laid out like a shrine to Erythnul, guarded by a marilth. Immediately the Dogs leaped into action, assaulting the demon, despite her repeated casting of blade barrier which caused no little damage to the Dogs as they charged forward, Tharvel in particular taking some fearsome wounds. Eric and Dench were first to reach the demon and began hewing away at it till they eventually discovered it was an illusion!
Illusion or not, someone was still casting blade barrier after blade barrier at them and taking a fearsome toll on the party. Tharvel was first to withdraw, rapidly followed by Esmeralda who used a scroll of dimension door to extract herself Eric and Magnus from the ever expanding number of blade barriers. Dench, cut off from the others, had to take the more painful option of running through multiple barriers.
Re-grouping in the hallway, there was a brief interlude when a frost giant, alerted by the sounds of various party members being sliced and diced, appeared from a nearby room, only to immediately cast a spell and vanish! The party just about had time to not react to this when the pesky blade barrier caster arrived, this time her tricksy efforts augmented by attempts to use telekinesis to push various party members into the barriers.    Unable to deal effectively with this renewed assault, and running low on healing, the party, led by Dench, who'd had quite enough, began a strategic withdrawal up the stairway.

A Frosty Reception  

Trapped between the giants above and the marilith below, the Dogs decided that discretion was the better part of valour and Saskia prepared to teleport them back to their townhouse in Alhaster. Before she could do so however, the frost giant who'd disappeared earlier suddenly stepped into view at the foot of the stairs and cast a prismatic spray at them. Fortunately the Dogs managed to avoid most of the more lethal effects of the spell and Saskia was able whisk them away.
Back at the "Casa Diamante", the servants prepared a hasty luncheon for the returning adventurers. Magnus, once informed that they were in Alhaster, advised that he would have to keep a low profile as there was a price on his head as a member of the Resistance. Over the next day or so , the others went about their business, doing some last minute shopping and generally maintaining their profile as upstanding members of Alhaster society. Eric also had a short and someone surprising visit from Armhin Loratio, which she felt was more than a simple social call. After Saskia took a small side-trip to Verbobonc to purchase a scroll of Raise Dead, the Dogs were finally ready to try another assault on the citadel.
Teleporting back, it was clear from the sounds of battle outside that it was still holding out against the dragon's assault. Esmeralda used a scroll of locate object  targeted on Hethgelion's body and the group began to wend their way through the fortress, ending up outside the door of the frost giant they'd seen two days earlier!  Esmeralda surreptitiously opened the door, to see the frost giant sitting at a desk reading. Magnus stepped up and loosed a flurry of arrows at him. The frost giant reacted by casting a spell- and vanishing! As the rest of the Dogs, except Dench, deployed into the room Saskia scanned the area having cast See Invisibility but there was no sign of the giant. While the Dogs searched the room, recovering Hethgelion's body from a table where the giant had obviously been practicing anthropomancy. Esmeralda also recovered Hethgelion's gear (and incidentally the party treasure) from a chest under the giants bed.
Outside in the corridor, Dench noticed the door to the chapel across the way edge open, though he could see no one there. Charging forward, shouting a warning to the others, he could see the marilith at the opposite end of the room, fearing this was another illusion he stopped in the doorway where Eric joined him. Moments later they were hemmed in as a blade barrier cut off their retreat. The other Dogs, save Magnus, charged out into the corridor - just a the frost giant reappeared!
Magnus just had time to get a flurry of arrows off before the giant mauled him to the ground with a barrage of fearsome blows from his warmace.  Calling for help, Esmeralda and Tharvel rushed to attack the frost giant. Eric and Dench, unable to see the caster of the blade barrier, rushed through to face the threat they could see! Eric charged forward, and fortunately still hasted was able to reach Magnus as using lay on hands was able to save the ranger from death.
Saskia, out in the corridor, searched around with  see invisible but could see nothing. Suddenly the tiny spider which had crawled unnoticed to the ceiling above her, dropped to the floor and polymorphed into the marilith. Saskia lurched back and defensively cast an orb of acid at the demon, only to face a fusillade of attacks from her multi-armed opponent.
The frost giant in the other room soon fell beneath the fury of the Dog's assault, and Dench rushed through to aid Saskia. Though suffering fearsome wounds the sorcerer   managed to get off another spell before a furious series of assaults from Dench sorely wounded the demoness. As the rest of the Dogs rushed to join the fray,  the marilith deciding she was outmatched, teleported away.

A Ghost from the Past

While Magnus, Eric and Dench cleared up the scene of battle in the hope of covering their track from the fire giants searching the citadel above. Esmeralda Saskia and Tharvel went down into the vault below. The were presented by a huge set of double doors, which glowed with a powerful mystic aura. Edging closer cautiously, they could see the doors were carved with imaged from fifteen centuries ago when the Order of the Storm last defeated Kyuss -some of the carvings even depicted the Dogs as they fought off the hordes of undead, covering the druid's retreat.
As the other joined them from above - Dench and Magnus guarding the stairwell - a ghostly figure rose up from the floor and greeted them. It was Alastor Land the young lad whose ghost  they had first met in the Whispering Cairn. Alastor told them he had been seeking some reason for his fate and his continued lingering on this plane - despite his bones being laid to rest. he told the Dogs that he had discovered that he - and they  - were all descendants of members of the Order of the Storm. As such their lives - and deaths - were bound up in the Prophecy and the battle against Kyuss. He told them that Dragotha's phylactery was indeed kept in the vault and that destroying it would allow him to be truly destroyed - depriving Kyuss of his greatest general and strategist. He also told them having obtained the vault keys they must seek within themselves for the Ritual of Opening to gain entrance. Once opened however, he warned, the vault would be open to all! Bidding them farewell, Alastor's form faded from view.
Back on the stairwell, Magnus and Dench could hear the fire giant search parties drawing closer and Saskia hastily teleported the Dogs back to Diamond House. Once back in Alhaster, the Dogs arranged for the True Resurrection of Hethgelion. Once returned to life, Hethgelion as a point of honour went to the temple of Wee Jas to see if the same could be done for Maeglin, however the priests there informed him that his friend had gone on his greatest journey and would not return. Hethgelion also arranged for a divination from the temple of Kord as to the location of the keys to the vault. In response he was told to "seek the Thundersmiter and the Mother Worm". The Dogs spent the next couple of days resting and re-supplying and at some point in the night, Magnus quietly slipped out of town. In a number of conferences held over the two days the Dogs reasoned that "the Thundersmiter" was probably the leader of the fire giants and would probably be found in the upper levels of the citadel - probably surrounded by guards! as to the Mother Worm; no-one had any ideas, however Dench pointed out that they had yet to explore the Undercity, save for a brief visit by Saskia Dench and Esmeralda while escaping from Vermirox. Accordingly plans were laid to visit the Undercity of Kolgen-Thulnir.

Teleporting in, the found the Undercity under assault from a huge fang dragon - corpses of hill giant defenders strewn liberally around two large  arbalests. The dragon immediately turned his attention to the new threat - targeting Saskia with a Chain Lightning as the mage cast a Polar Ray at him. Eric, Hethgelion, Tharvel charged into battle while Dench and Esmeralda unlimbered their bows. Hethgelion took a fearsome bite from the dragon and reeled further as its energy drain took effect, but managed to connect solidly with the dragon's armoured hide.

The dragon flew up swinging past Saskia with another fearsome bite attack. The sorcerer severely  wounded used a teleport to retreat to safety. While she healed herself the battle with the dragon continued unabated - hails of arrows raining down on it and when it came close enough swingeing blows from melee weapons were dealt. A few minutes later Saskia returned and launched another Polar Ray the dragon, badly wounded, decided that discretion was the better part of valour and teleported back to it's lair. Licking their wounds the Dogs made contact with the surviving  hill giants - and found another old friend - the Ominous Fabler hiding out with them! 
The Fabler was keen to find out everything that had happened and was taking copious notes, he was also able to tell them that according to the hill giants the Mother Worm could be found in the pits below the Undercity. Esmeralda used a scroll of Restoration to heal Hethgelion's ability drain then she and Saskia teleported out to obtain some more. While the two were gone and Tharvel and Eric continued healing a resting, Hethgelion and Dench went onto investigate the way beneath the Undercity. Kicking their way through a rusty door, they managed to successfully trap themselves in an adamantine cage and found themselves liberally dosed with carrion-crawler juice! Shrugging off the effects of the trap they found themselves unable to break out and settled in to wait. When Eric and Tharvel arrive some time later they too were unable to free their colleagues. Tharvel eventually went back to get the Fabler, who fortunately  managed to locate the mechanism that operated the trap.      

Undercity Express

Heading deeper into the complex built into the cliff-face, the Dogs ran into some brief resistance from some Hill-giant fighters, and although Hethgelion was badly mauled, they giants were swiftly overcome. Beyond the room the giants were in, was an enormous cavern absolutely seething with carrion crawlers. A huge cage hung suspended in front of the doorway to the room, exploring the cage - the exterior of which the crawlers swarmed over - Esmeralda and Dench could make out an entranceway above, but there seemed no way to get to it!

A huge cage hung suspended in front of the doorway to the room, exploring the cage - the exterior of which the crawlers swarmed over - Esmeralda and Dench could make out an entranceway above, but there seemed no way to get to it!Heading back, Eric noticed a door they'd missed  earlier in their search and called the others as it might lead to a way up. There were definite sounds of movement and voices speaking in draconic beyond the doorway - which was barred . In contrast to their usual tactics, the Dogs decided to talk to whomever was there. Being the best draconic speaker, Hethgelion took charge of the negotiations and was eventually able to persuade the troglodyte slaves to let them into their quarters. Unfortunately there was no way up within. Further interrogation of the slaves revealed that there was no way up  to that level from within the complex. !

Deciding that there must be an exterior entrance, Dench, Hethgelion and Esmeralda made their  way out into the Undercity. While Esmeralda searched one nearby building, Dench and Hethgelion made their way to another. Unfortunately a dragon patrol - two blues and a black - spotted the movement and swooped down  to investigate, catching the two in their breath weapons.
Swiftly downing potions of fly the knight and barbarian launched themselves into the air as another  breath-weapon attack form the blues hit them with shocking force! Hethgelion was doubly hit as a ray of enfeeblement cast by the black hit him, draining his strength. As battle commenced, Dench took another serious wound and called for a tactical retreat. Esmeralda in the building below covered his retreat  with a fusillade of arrows. Hethgelion however, refused to retreat and launched another charge at the blue dragon. The dragon retaliated and the hapless knight, slumped bleeding heavily in the air - unconscious. The dragon, grabbed the unconscious knight and dragged him out over the edge of the chasm, leaving him to fall when the fly spell wore off!

Dench downed a healing potion and returned to the fray, this time joined by Tharvel as Esmeralda supported with flights of arrows. Eric, seeing Hethgelion's dying form hovering over the chasm flew rapidly towards the knight getting to him with her lay on hands just before he expired! After a fearsome battle, Tharvel, Dench and Esmeralda managed to drive off the first blue then kill the second. The black, heading for Eric and Hethgelion was made short work of.
 
Licking their wounds the Dogs took shelter in one of the ruined buildings, using a couple of wands to cure their wounds. Esmeralda spotted a door at the back and investigating found it led to a tunnel which spiralled upwards. On the floor of the tunnel was a set of railway tracks. Deciding to investigate the rogue ghosted up the tunnel, the others following at about 50' behind.
 
At the top of the tunnel, using her goggles of darkvision, she could see a mine-cart and what looked like a dwarf crouching in side it! The dwarf had what looked like a wand in his hand and was pointing it at the doorway in front of him. Moving forward she called out. The dwarf wheeled and pointing the wand cast a searing light at her which Esmeralda easily evaded. Drawing her sword the rogue attempted to attack the dwarf, but inside the metal cart as he was, found it difficult to hit him. The dwarf in the cart, sheathed the wand and drew a spiked chain which he swung viciously at Esmeralda, hitting her.
 
Esmeralda stepped back down the passageway a bit and then had to leap to the side as the dwarf released the handbrake on the mine-cart and it trundled towards her. As the cart moved past, gathering speed on the sharp downward slope, she could see the bearded face within grin viscously as he swung his spiked chain again.
 
The hurtling cart had gained a lot of speed by the time it got to the rest of the Dogs someway below in the tunnel. Hethgelion leading the way managed to get out of it's way, but Tharvel Dench and Eric were bowled over and the cart hurtled into them like an express train. The Dogs chased the cart back down the tunnel, but when they reached the building below the dwarf had made good his escape.

Acid Mother's Temple

As Hethgelion surveyed the ruined buildings trying to spot the elusive dwarf, the other Dogs came thundering down the tunnel and began a search of the nearby area. Esmeralda managed to locate the dwarf hiding in a nearby ruin and Tharvel, Eric and Hethgelion, the latter two advising him to surrender, swiftly deployed to cut off any escape. The dwarf took no notice however and made a break for it, however a few arrows from Esmeralda and a series of swift blows from the flat of Tharvel's blade soon put paid to any escape.

The unconscious dwarf was stripped of weaponry and magic items and then trussed up and dumped in the mine-cart, which Tharvel and Hethgelion pushed backup the tracks. The tracks led to what looked like an alchemist's lab with bubbling beakers of foul-smelling green ichor. At the far end a passageway led to the carrion-crawler infested cavern with the cage, and a control level was discovered that opened the floor of the cage.

Hethgelion roused their prisoner to consciousness, the at first recalcitrant dwarf was finally convinced him to talk  on promise of his freedom.  He told them that the Mother Worm could be located in the carrion pit which was a huge cavern below the one they could see, to which a hidden passageway led. Freeing the prisoner, the Dogs, accompanied by the Ominous Fabler headed downward.

The hidden passageway led to an enormous moss covered cavern. Huge stalactites and stalagmites, lit by an unearthly glow from the moss, gave the cavern the appearance of some unearthly temple to some unnameable ancient  god. Dotted about in the moss, they could see the large rounded shape of carrion crawler eggs.  Gingerly they made their way downward and began searching the area. It didn't take them long to find what they were looking for as a colossal shape burst forth from beneath the moss ahead of them.

Hethgelion in typical fashion immediately charged forward, swiftly followed by Eric. Esmeralda darted round into a flanking position. Tharvel uncharacteristically held back and drawing his sun-shard began launching searing light attacks  the Fabler unlimbered his cross-bow and began firing! The enormous creature proved a fearsome opponent, it's six tentacles lashing out viciously as the Dogs flailed away at it - it also reared up at one point and launched a stream of stomach acid which hit the Fabler. The battle was furious, Tharvel having exhausted the power of the sun-shard drew his blade and charged in to join the melee. Eric  had to withdraw and resort to ranged weapons, so badly was she wounded. Indeed before the creature was finally dispatched each and every one of  the Dogs bore fearsome wounds with more than one close to death.

Healing was duly distributed to all from various wands and potions, though the Fabler declined any healing from the party saying he would deal with his injuries himself not wanting to be a drain on their resources.

As Esmeralda began the sickening process of retrieving the key from the Mother Worm's stomach, the Dogs decided that given their current condition a strategic return to their base in Alhaster was called for and Saskia duly obliged.   

Fire and Fury

The Dogs lounged about in the drawing room at breakfast the next morning. As the others kicked a round various ideas on how to retrieve the second key ,Hethgelion consumed vast quantities of mutton and polished his armour. Eventually they settled on a plan, the more martial of the Dogs would create a diversion while Esmeralda sneaked in and tried to filch the key. A quick side trip to Verbobonc was arranged to procure scrolls of locate object and fortunate fate, after which Saskia teleported the party, including the Ominous Fabler, into the basement of the citadel where the frost giant had been. Once there, Esmeralda cast fortunate fate on her friends and then locate object discovering the key was somewhere above. As the rest of the Dogs set out to create a diversion, she then cast invisibility from her wand  and drank a potion of fly, she then began sneaking through the citadel heading for the exterior.

Eric and the others decided to head for the great Hall and crashing in , disturbed three fire giants at breakfast. As battle was joined, one of the giants began ringing a huge bell - sounding the alarm. Outside, trusting to her invisibility to protect her from the assaulting dragons, Esmeralda flew up to the central tower of the citadel. Peeking in through the arrow-slit the locate object spell drew her to  she could see a bedroom, laid out like a hunting lodge, the spell was pointing her towards a pile of sleeping furs in the far corner and she began wriggling through the balistraria. As she went through she could see through an open trapdoor in the ceiling the giant king directing the troops on the battlements in defence of the citadel. Far below her, the remaining Dogs were cutting a swathe through a seeming never-ending supply of fire giants arriving in response to the alarm bell, the Dogs were doling out fearsome damage and the floor was littered with giant corpses, but the sheer weight of numbers was taking it's toll and both Tharvel and Eric had to rely on their fortunate fate spells.

Back upstairs, Esmeralda managed to get into the room and retrieve a small pouch containing the key and also snaffled a very nice longsword, without managing to draw the attention of the giant's on the roof above. Retreating back she first used a scroll of sending to let Erick know it was time to withdraw then a scroll of teleport to make good her escape. Back in the Great Hall things were not going well, most of the Dogs carrying fearsome injuries from the waves of fire giants. Just as Eric got the message to withdraw and called out to Saskia, Tharvel went down in a fusillade of blows, dropping his weapon. Eric herself was badly wounded as was Hethgelion. Fortunately, Saskia managed to get them out of there just before a fresh wave of giants arrived - unfortunately the Ominous Fabler was left behind, and Tharvel's treasured sword!

Back in Alhaster, as the servants as usual turned with hot water bandages and healing unguents, Esmeralda and Eric burned up a couple of wands repairing the damage the assault had dealt. Once recovered, the Dogs spent the rest of the day pondering their next actions. Alastor's advice "to seek within themselves" for the ritual of opening caused much debate and discussions throughout the rest of that day. Later that evening however the Dogs decided to damn the consequences and go for it!

Eric and Tharvel held the keys as Esmeralda used a scroll of teleport to send them to the exterior of the vault. Arriving outside the huge doors, Tharvel and Eric began "seeking within themselves" - as they did they suddenly began chanting in druidic and advancing towards the door. The wards faded as they inserted the keys and turned them - at which point both returned to their senses. The Dogs realised that with the wards down Dragotha and his forces would know exactly where the phylactery was and began to hurry. Opening the huge doors revealed a massive vault on the opposite side was a raised dais with the statue of a huge dragon - within the chest  cavity of the dragon floated the phylactery they recognised from their  trip through time. Guarding the phylactery were two huge Raams - undead giants - who bowed as the Dogs deployed into the vault.

As the Dogs moved forwards somewhat cautiously, the far wall of the vault collapsed and a gargantuan red dragon - Brazzemal - lurched through covering the area with a ferocious gout of dragonflame. All of the Dogs save Esmeralda and both Raams took damage from the fiery breath as the dragon alighted in the vault. As the Raams moved to intercept the dragon, accompanied by a charge fro Hethgelion, Eric and Tharvel made a bee-line for the phylactery, Esmeralda hung back after hurling a vial of sovereign glue to try and hold the dragon, unlimbered her bow. As battle was joined, the dragon cast a chain lightning, and then as Tharvel and Eric reached the statue another fearsome gout of dragonflame. Esmeralda launched a fusillade of arrows at the great wyrm when suddenly she felt a sharp pain as someone attacked her from behind. For a second she saw the familiar form of the Ominous Fabler which instantly transformed into a large worm-infested version of itself - the Fabler was a Favoured of Kyuss!

The battle in the vault raged Esmeralda and the Fable dancing round each other seeking advantage, Brazzemal unleashing a fusillade of spells, and biting ferociously as the Raams and Hethgelion hammered away at it's armoured hide. Esmeralda's battle with the Fabler took a more concerning turn as he leered close to her face and disgorged a clump of kyuss worms onto her.   The quick thinking rogue grabbed at the necklace of fireballs and detonated one at her feet immolating the worms instantly.

On the dais Tharvel managed to remove the phylactery, feeling increasingly woozy as it's touch began draining his wisdom, he dropped to the ground followed by Eric. Placing the phylactery on the ground Tharvel swiped at it with his sword - doing minimal damage to it but feeling even more as it's wisdom draining touch reverberated up his blade. Eric stood by to take a swipe herself when seeing this Brazzemal flew into a rage and ignoring those attacking him and despite his fearsome wounds, once more breathed dragon flame towards them. Already badly wounded previous attacks Tharvel and Eric were unable to withstand by this fresh assault and their fire-ravaged bodies fell - crisped - beside the undamaged phylactery. Seeing this awful turn of events, Esmeralda broke off her combat with the Fabler and charged the dragon to avenge her friends, tumbling into a flanking position, just as the first of the Raams fell. The Fabler seeing his opportunity headed for the phylactery rather than chase Esmeralda. Hethgelion spotting this moved to intercept him and with a mighty blow struck him down.

Form her flanking position Esmeralda was able to launch a stinging series of sneak attacks at the dragon's unprotected flanks while Hethgelion and the remaining Raam redoubled their efforts, inspired to new heights by the death of their friends!  The Dragon, seeing the phylactery unattended tried to teleport over and retrieve it, however presumably distracted by his wounds neglected to cast defensively and fell to a fusillade of attacks of opportunity.

Recovering the phylactery and the equipment from Brazzemal and the Fabler, Eric and Hethgelion gathered up the bodies of their friends and teleported back to Alhaster using a scroll. Hethgelion immediately made for the temple of Kord to arrange to have the high priest cast scrolls of  True Resurrection on the fallen Dogs.

Next: Into The Wormcrawl Fissure

 

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