Mining Town of Drekarr - [post siege]

 

Colours based on condition of structure.

The Cursed Goddess and Marshall Drogarr

17th of Planting, Low Summer -  late afternoon

Our heroes take a deep breath  and look about. All still feel very exhausted form the mind-link to the Cursed Goddess. This area is different from the rough caverns and  claustrophobic mining tunnels so far explored. Still warm from the close by lava river, but a cool breeze can be felt coming down the corridor. These hall features intricately carved walls and a polished floor. Every line is precise. Every block of stone, door and flagstone is perfectly cut to stand the test of time. Down the center of the floor in the tunnel, every 20 feet, a ring of multi-coloured tiles encircle a mosaic of the crossed hammers, tome and glasses - the former builders of this complex.

The party notes the undead moving off towards the destroyed dwarven forges and furnaces in the centre of the large cavern. Vencer, sends his owl familiar to scout. Flying high above, the owl's excellent senses note a well-armed group of kobolds fighting the undead, around ten or twelve with a number of the draconic wolves as well.

All can hear a thrumming echoing down the hall, louder now from when they entered the mining tunnels, not sure what it is, but suspect something to do with the Cursed Goddess. Pyra moves carefully forward, the rogue looking for traps carefully on floor, walls and ceiling, "These kobolds are very cunning," she murmurs. There is a door ahead on the right as she moves forward. There is no dust no debris on  the floor or walls. Finding this strange some investigation is made and the
there seems to be an arcane glyph or runes  in opposite corners on each of the stones. It seems to be a form of the prestidigitation spell to keep the area clean. "Perhaps the gnomes.." Skrit decides.

Skrit, ever curious notes dwarven runes carved into the blocks around the well made door. Seemingly a burial chamber for 2 brothers - Tomb of the Illuminated Brothers. Vencer wanted to move onwards, feeling some urgency. as the party moved forward down the passage, Skrit.. looks back and then impulsively, open the door a crack. No trap, but a slight woosh of stale air as it glides open without a creak.

"Ahh guys..", the party looks back to see Skrit peaking into the room behind the slightly open door. Some sighing, they return and peer into the room. A rectangular room with two sarcophagi, a pedestal with an open tomb and the far wall covered in a mural. Skrit carefully moves to the pedestal and book, looking back at the two sarcophagi. Pyra carefully moves in to look at the right. Irakul and Faust stand guard while Vencer murmurs a few words as his eyes glow briefly as he casts detect magic. 

Pyra expertly - even exhausted - notes a trap on the tomb. If the lid is moved something will happen in the floor around the base of the sarcophagi. Again, in the zone, the rogue easily is able to disable and recover part of the gas trap.

As Skrit throws up a light, they see the details of the mural, a dwarf holding a hammer and a gnome holding a large tome. Moving up to the pedestal, the tome is quite large, 2' by 1'.

Moving up to the pedestal - which Vencer warns is magical as well as the book - Skrit scans the book - seems to be written in gnomish. Vencer casts comprehend languages. Extensive information on building fortifications, defensive works and engineering. Ritual casting identify, Skrit determines it is Jarl and Zeer's Illuminated Tome (+1 to intelligence and add engineer profession).

Pyra lifts the lid and sees a dwarf sized mummified figure in dust covered banded armour. Looking closely, Pyra notes something under the body, a space or compartment. Pyra reaches over to move the body aside and at the moment of touch, the glowing eyes open as a moaning wail with lightning speed grabs the rogues arm. Necrotic energy pulses through the contact and she gasps in

pain. "We have a problem here.." She says.

The party engages in battle with the dwarven mummy. Irakul summons his echo and is able to cut twice into it with his Giant's Handax. Vencer blasts an orb of fire narrowly missing Pyra, as it impacts into the wall. Faust will use his Eldritch blast, one impacting into the creature as it hisses. The life energy continues to be drained from Pyra as the undead dwarf clutches her arm. 

Skrit looks about wildly and then runs over to the tome, grasps it and holds it up in the air above his head and a pale blue glow encompasses his form as he calls upon the divine energy of Istus. The undead dwarf screeches and shields its face with one clawed hand, lets go of Pyra and retreats from the divine energy pulsing out from the kobold cleric. Moving to the doorway it looks back and moans again. Skrit advances on it and it continues to move, "I've got the power!" the cleric yells. He continues to force the mummy down the hall, towards the bridge over the river of lava. Skrit keeps holding the tome up, and the undead scrambles up the flagstones and it flips - kobold trap - and the mummy tumbles into the lava.. screeching. (DM: 1 point of inspiration to Skrit)

Pyra, slightly recovered unlocks the dual locks on the compartment in the bottom of the sarcophagus. Irakul casts identify on the ax. Dwarven Battle Ax, (will return to a dwarf whom is attuned to it). Pyra is able to open the compartment finding mithril ingots, gold and silver rolls of coin.

Exploring the hallway further, the adventurers come up to large flagstone stairs going down. Moving quickly, Pyra feels a wire on her foot at the last moment but unable to stop it: CLICK. A trapdoor open up in the floor behind the rogue and the rest of the party reflexively try to not fall. 

Skrit falls - again - into the pit of black acidic ooze. Saving the large book in his hands, he falls on his back. Faust uses his bracers extends his octopus arms to reach down to the cleric, sea water dripping from his long extended arms as the warforged pulls Skrit out of the put. 

Coming down the stairs carefully, the tunnel opens up into a large room. The stairs split into two staircases, one coming down each side of the room. There are four dwarven statues by four doors - two on each side - and then massive double doors facing the party - nearly 20 feet wide and 80 feet high. The four doors have similar runes like the tomb of the Illuminated Brothers explored earlier. As the party moves down the stairs, Pyra notes one of the steps is slightly uneven. Another trap. Skrit is about to step over the trapped flagstone and Pyra grabs the kobold's shoulder. The next step is also trapped. 

"Thanks Pyra!" Skrit whispers back. The party move over avoiding the two steps. For statues, two male dwarves and two female gnomes. The runes are in dwarvish and gnomish. One though is strange. Skrit recalls dwarves have false tombs or an entrance to utilities,, stores and secret passages.

Vencer can hear the shouts or talking of kobolds, and thrum of energy at the main large doors.

Pyra notes gouges in the floor around the small door on the left closest to the large main doors. Skrit thinks it may be a supplies or back access to the area. Opening the door, they don't see a tomb, but hall and then goes up a set of stairs. The sounds of kobolds talking and shouting and the thrum of energy is louder this way. Decided, all the party take the passage and close the side door. The sounds of thrumming and shouts of kobold voices is louder, echoing down the hall. 

Moving quite stealthily, the group note these areas are dust filled and debris on the floor, seems only the main halls and room are kept clean by the dweomer.

A stairway heads up and then a long hallway heads left and right curving out of sight, every twenty feet or so is a aperture seemingly an arrow slit on the inside wall. This is where the racket, voices and booming voice of the Marshall emanates from.

All the party peek through the arrow slits. they are 30' up looking out into a vast room, lit in a bluish and amber glow.

A massive worked stone chamber, ceilings nearly 100 feet high probably over 200 feet wide and 300 feet long,  the walls made of large blocks of fitted stone, primarily blue with some copper and only a couple of red, the red have a mix of blue and copper veins of colour. The blue and copper toned blocks give off a glow to light up the whole room, the ruby blocks are dark, except for the veins of blue and amber.

The Cursed Goddess lies in this room, her long metallic blue neck and head laying on a set of cushions, seemingly in a trance. The stump of a second head visibly seen where the ruby dragon head and neck were cut. The third head, copper dragon, looks to be unconscious, strapped down with large heaving chains and massive buckles. The thrumming sound seems to be the unconscious copper dragon. Center of the room there is a large structure of metal and wood, two towers, created by the

kobolds - led by the Marshall. This is where all the mining rails and wooden ties are now, in a massive structure arching over the dragon. A large group of kobolds, chained and being yelled and cursed at between being whipped pulls on two massive ropes, slowing raising a massive blade - a guillotine above the neck of the unconscious copper dragon head. Vencer seems to note something strange about the blade and contraption, but cannot put a finger on what is amiss.

The Marshall, standing in a third tower, directs the work, his booming voice magically enhanced to fill the room as he directs the groups of kobolds to raise the blade. A single rope from his tower goes to a mechanism where the massive blade is slowly raising. 

Flitting about the room are the four flying kobolds, two of the witch docktors also direct and seem to be working near the Cursed Goddess, one feeding Her from a large vat, which seems to be keeping her in the trance.

As they adventurers look on, the massive blade rises higher over the copper dragon head, kobolds with whips lash out at the two groups of chained kobolds pulling the massive blade higher.

Discussing quickly the heroes come up with a plan. Pyra and Faust will use their expert missile weapon and magic attacks to snipe and attack from the shelter of the arrow slits. Irakul, Skrit and Vencer will upon the surprise attack climb through the arrow slits at the far end to attack as well, Faust would go with but his warforged body was too wide to fit through the arrow slits. Making ready, buffing spells cast, and potions drank, the team were ready. Then.. attack! 

Pyra cranks her crossbow and let flies a bolt at the Marshall, with a critical hit. Faust summons his putrid undead vassal and sends it down to attack on the main floor, it lumbers off towards a stairway down the party passed at the South end of the hall.

Vencer with 3 mirror images, Irakul and Skrit float down into the room - feather fall from Vencer as Irakul is enlarged to the size of a giant. Skrit casts bless on them as well. Blasts of divine energy hit flying kobolds, as well as a pillar of force damage crush a flying kobold crushed into the floor.

Then battle is engaged. Multiple kobolds let fly with arrows, witch doktors blast Irakul whom is a prime target now in his giant form. Marshall Drogarr directs the battle at this time from his tower declining to engage in melee. Irakul lumbers towards him. Skrit casts sacred flame and takes down one of the elite kobold flyers, the glowing blue energy engulfs the flyer whom seems to think this is a blessing from the Goddess and not being attacked.

Vencer is charmed by one of the doktors, and is enticed to moved towards the druidic/sorcerer spellcaster. Ignoring the battle for now, Vencer moves off. A blast of energy from the goddess seems to encompass an area the heroes are in the room and a storm of lightning and thunder crack down in the area, mostly ineffective but doing some damage. The kobolds chained to the 2 massive ropes are screeching and crying, wailing in fear. The ropes go slack and then the massive blade lurches down but stops above the copper dragon head.. for now.

Irakul, slaughters a kobold in his drive to the Marshal's tower. A blast of energy hits Irakul and using his goliath endurance is able to shrug off most of the damage. Moving up to the tower, he swings and his Giant's handax into the structure. two more hits and it is starting to tip as the Marshall holds on. Faust's putrid undead seems to be battling undead as the warlock fires out eldritch blasts at the Marshall, hitting most of the time, but the dragonborn shrugs most of it off.

Irakul swings one more time using his echo knight ability and the tower starts to crash down, pulling the rope that is attached to the main two towers. The blade slices down towards the copper dragon head, and then a hidden second blade swings out and cuts the Cursed Goddess head, both the blue and copper heads sliced off. A rumbling shakes through the whole room, dust trailing down from the ceiling. The party all having a link to the goddess suffer psychic damage as they hear her scream in their minds. The Marshall, tumbles to the ground, rolls his body covered in a blue, amber nd blood -or ruby - ichor gets to one knee.. and then.. laughs, his booming laughter echoing around the room. 

A blue, amber and red glow emanates from the 100 foot dragon body and starts to slowly move towards the dragonborn, while the battle rages on.

Many of the kobolds seeing their Goddess killed, break, shrieking and wailing running towards the two doors one in the South and one to the North. Some stay loyal to the Marshall and continue to fight as the room shakes and rumbles, cracks forming in walls, ceiling and floors.  The Marshall is attacked heavily but not enough as the glowing energy encompasses him. The party hear a final wail of anguish from the Cursed Goddess as the dragonborn seems to grow in height and regenerate.

Skrit notes as some of the kobolds run through the North door, the glimmer of treasure.. the dragon's treasure! Signaling the party, all deem it wise to leave now as the place was starting to come apart, cracks and large chunks of masonry starts to tumble down amongst the dust and the dead or near dead.

The party are able to escape through he North door, last seeing the Marshall still encompassed by the blue, amber and ruby glow, his booming laughter still echoing around. Gathering treasure as fast as they can as more cracks appear in walls, ceiling and floors.

"We have to go now!" Yells Vencer over the din. 

Minutes later, they tumble out of higher up secret entrance to the mines, covered in dust blood and sweat. Many of the remaining kobolds have dispersed but a group of the slaves pulling the two ropes, had bene released by Pyra. With Skrit's language skills, the group now had some loyal followers. 

As the party made their way down to the main town, the rumbling continued, dust billowing up into the sky form the multiple mine entrances, most blocked by the ally Treggin the stone giant.

The glowing form then of the Marshall could been seen far up, Irakul urged Treggin to lob a few boulders at the dragonborn, but due to range and the clouds of dust, his aim was off and the Marshall floated up into  the mountains. gone.. for now. Taking stock of the treasure gained, the allies and status of the town, the Siege of Drekarr was complete. The caravan route over the mountains once again free from the kobold scourge.

The monks of the Three Crescent Moons advised they would advise their Master and assumed aa delegation would return to open up talks of an alliance or trade or more. Treggin would go speak with his brother, and a good friendship at least as well as vows to work at times in rebuilding the town as well as exploring the mines were agreed to.

The heroes, looked about, Pyra noting her wagon from her business in Wayberry, assuming it had bene waylaid by the kobolds. The contents gone, but wagon intact. One or two of the kobolds she saved seemed eager to travel with her; the rest - sixteen or so - under the guidance and future leadership of Skrit seemed most willing to put down the sword and take up the hammer and sickle to build and farm in the mining town. One a female witch doktor apprentice, even understood gnomish so would be able to assist reading the tome Skrit was eager to study.

It seemed that after sending spells to the RedWater Fellowship, decision was made. The mining town of Drekarr would soon be the groups new stronghold. With allies near and far, an opportunity for them all.

Vencer, Skrit, Pyra, Irakul and Faust, one and all.. the Heroes of Drekarr.

An Ally, a Battle and a Race

 17th of Planting, Low Summer -  late morning

The adventurers continue to delve into the mines of the Cursed Goddess.

Further whispered discussion and a plan is devised. A group of kobolds can be seen in a large worked stone room overlooking the vast cavern. 

Boxes, crates and barrels are stacked around the room. On a wide area of the floor is a mosaic of tiles  dwarven or gnomish - most certainly as it shows the crossed hammer, pick, tome and glasses heraldry, now mostly scarred up and disfigured assume by the kobolds. 

The vast cavern is barely  lit by bluish glow on pillars and ceiling. Looked to have once been a set of forges and furnaces dominating the centre area. Now destroyed, bent and melted ruin of metal,
stone and wood. The imprint in the floor shows where the metal and wood tracks on the mining rail tracks were once, the vast majority of it removed.

Massive pillars in the room hold up the high ceiling, covered in the blue glowing moss in vast patches. Along the west and flowing South a glowing river of orange.. Lava one would assume.

Southeast corner of the cavern is a large stockade. From the distance a variety of humanoid and
smaller sized creatures can be seen. All the missing travelers and townsfolk, perhaps..?

Halfway along the west wall is a tunnel where the glinting red ruby scaled dragon head rests. A number of pinpoints of red light glow where scales or rubies lie scattered around the long neck and head. Over the river of lava is a partially destroyed stone bridge which leads to another tunnel in southwest corner.

After discussion with female kobold, it is decided. To take out this group. Pyra moved forward very quietly and keeping an eye on the kobolds in the room missed the tripwire at the entrance way. 

TRAP!

Swinging down is a hidden urn on a string to crash open on the door frame. A large cloud of white powdery dust billows out obscuring the area, and covering nearly all the party in the slightly
choking white dust. Even Mephisto the invisible imp is now a white flying creature.

Battle!

Pyra found two further traps - pits this time, by nearly stepping into them, fortunately the very lithe infernal was able to catch her

self and not fall into one filled with a black oily ooze and another with a fleshy pink and yellow mass with pseudopods, mouths' of sharp teeth and eyes.

It seemed the white party was very flammable when small clay pots were thrown fire engulfed and burned brightly and painfully on the party. Another pit trap this time filled with spikes.

These delayed and set back the heroes, but their coordinate efforts and tactics honed in the wilderness and previous caverns against the mephits proved invaluable here. 

Pyra's stealth and skill with a crossbow and sword continued to do attacks from stealth as well as

against engaged opponents did devastating damage. Irakul with his Echo knight again and again engaged and sliced kobolds dead with his Giant's hand ax. Vencer the wizard - swordsman dashed and teleported into and out of combat, then hurling spells devastated the kobolds. Faust, at first avoided the dust wanted to draw the kobolds into the tunnel, to try and engage  them on the party's terms, but it seems these kobolds were very cunning and more than willing to stay back, not to be drawn in. Using missile weapons and spells from the witch docktor. Stepping up, the warlock sent his imp Mephisto to do poison stinger attacks which most of the

time took down the small kobolds. Skrit, using buffs to assist the party falls into the black oily pit and starts to take damage from the acid.

The female kobold, a potential ally is left tied up and is attacked and killed by a draconic wolf. The kobolds clang a gong, alerting four elite flying kobolds whom join their brethren in defending against these hated invaders. But it is not enough, two are taken down, one sliced in half as he flew into the chamber by Irakul. Another takes a bolt in the eye from Pyra's Dwarven Crank Crossbow.

Vencer is grabbed by a pseudopod from the put trap and is restrained and taking damage from the caustic skin.

To tip the battle, Irakul throws one of the larger urns with a cloud like rune. As it crashes into the floor near the strongpoint of 3 kobolds and a heavily armed and tattooed gnoll, black clouds roil out in all directions and none can see them, but their cries and coughs tell that they are dying in the black cloud filling part of the room.

The witch docktor wove his hands together and threw a packet of dust at Mephisto the imp. The small creature seemed to change allegiance. Unable to be contacted or controlled by his former master Faust. Turning on the nearest opponent, Mephisto attacks Vencer. While this happens, the witch docktor makes his escape through the black cloud - coughing and gasping.

Vencer staggering and covered in blood, not seeing Faust able to control his infernal familiar, grits his teeth and flashes his swords up to slay the small but deadly creature. With a pop and screech the imp returns to the Nine Hells.

The battle over, the party looks about, all injured. The decision is made to go back to the checkpoint, and rest there. Traps are set and guards posted, but the adventurers are not disturbed.

Heading back to the chamber onto the cavern, it is still, no kobolds. The trap doors to the pits are closed automatically reset? Dwarven and gnomish ingenuity it seems.

Seeing the stockade the party moves out into the cavern stealthily up through the destroyed and ruin of dwarven forges. As they get closer it seems there is an alert kobold as the creature opens the stockade gates and races away into the dark. The humanoids start to leave. Then the party takes a closer look.. they are dead. Undead. Zombies mainly it seems and alerted to the party's approach.

The decision is to try and get to the bridge over the river of lava to the southwest. Taking a circuitous route they are able to fend off the majority, with missile weapons and spells. Going along the West wall, they come up to giant dragon head, seemingly dead, nearly mummified,

although not smelling of death. rubies and ruby scales litter the ground around the massive head. All stop at the untold wealth.. just lying there. As the zombies slowly move closer. All in the party grab either scales or rubies and the party is cut off. "Climb over the dragon's head!" 

All jump off or use magic to transport up onto the massive mostly skeletal head. As soon as they do, all are now elsewhere.

A blackness all around. They sense a presence. A vast intelligence. It.. SHE talks to them. IT is HER the Cursed Goddess. Any time one of them responds to Her they feel a crushing weight in their mind has Her mind seems to fully encompass theirs. After what seems like an eternity or was it a day or an hour.. or a split second - they feel Her presence leave. Something else takes Her god-like attention..? 

Their wits again their own, the mass of undead fully surrounds the dragon head. Reaching out but not touching. All are weak and tired [DM: 1 level of exhaustion for all] from their link to the Cursed Goddess, but they persevere onwards.

A bead of energy flies out from Vencer's fingertips and WHUMP! as a fireball clears an area and the
party tired but determined race towards the bridge over the lava.

"Run!" 

They make it, taking steps two at a time and it seems missing two traps as zombies fall as loose flagstones tip them. Kobolds again..

Racing into a long tunnel, this one wider, but still low. It seems the remaining zombies have
become occupied by something else in the cavern and move away. With a long breath, the party lean against worked walls and flagstone floors. This area it seems was built by the dwarves and gnomes. The Cursed Dragon awaits..