The way ahead is finally clear. The Orc encampment has been cleared from the caverns near Fane’s promised long-lost Dwarven stronghold, its slaves freed. Elves, Dwarves, Humans and even a Halfling, have returned to their homes and peoples.
Now is the time to discover the truth - or otherwise - of Nabbigail’s heritage, and what treasures, if any, await in Fane’s Mountain.
***
With their permission, you have travelled to Eirian and Elowen’s hidden retreat in the Forest of Karsharak. Now you are once again only five hours march away from the caverns in Fane’s Mountain. Thanks to your earlier efforts, the roads are now safer than they have been in many years and you have even reached the Elven caves without encountering any monsters.
You plan to leave for Fane’s Mountain at first light, but welcome the shelter and the warmth of your temporary lodgings from the fickle autumn weather.
The trek to Fane’s Mountain
The forest seems more alive than last time you were here. The sound of birds and animals strikes you as more natural, less stilted somehow.
[Check for random encounter at 2 hour mark]
[When the characters can glimpse Fane’s Mountain through the trees (app 30 minutes trek remaining)]
As you travel, you get an occasional glimpse of Fane’s Mountain through the trees.
Roll 3 x perception or less.
[To the successful rollers: You get an uneasy feeling.]
(All) Roll 2 x perception or less.
[To the successful rollers:
You are being watched.
Through the trees some distance away you see someone, long unkempt brown hair, pale eyes.
Watching you.
Something seems strange…
GM
Depending on the roll, add
The face seems somehow larger than it should at this distance.
You blink and look again, but it’s gone.]
You continue, and at last you are overlooking the valley which sits on the northern side of the mountain. Reflected sunshine glimmers from the two lakes nestled in the mountain’s spurs, less than a mile ahead and to the left and the right of your vantage point.
Being careful of any watchers, you retrace your path from your previous visit until you have a good view of the caverns.
[Character action?]
There is no sign that the cavern has been inhabited by anything since the Orcs were defeated some months ago.
[Character action?]
You head closer to the cavern entrance.
[Character action? If players choose to search the caverns, they will find all is as it was when they were last here.
If the players decide to follow the Dwarven path where it leads…]
The Stronghold
.
1 - The Secret Entrance
The Dwarven path leads you to what seems to be a shallow, natural cave in the mountainside. But as you get closer, you see that what was once an intricately carved wall has been severely damaged and in places destroyed. Boulders and rubble litter the roughly 5’ deep, 10’ across space.
[Roll perception 3 x or less]
The damage here looks ancient, hundreds of years old. Broken edges of the exposed Dwarven stonework are rounded in places from weathering.
What seems like deep scratch-marks from mighty claws are gouged into the very mountain.
2 - The antechamber
The rubble extends south into a 15’ x 15’ x 15’ (high) antechamber. There is a broken door on the eastern side of the south wall, and much of the SE corner of the antechamber has collapsed. The broken boulders and rocks are knee-high in some places and in others extend nearly up to where the otherwise evenly carved and exquisitely chiseled roof would be - if it hadn’t collapsed into a pile of rubble.
The antechamber is filthy with rags and bones, some old, some less so. Most are obviously humanoid.
There is a strong smell of rotting flesh emanating from beyond the damaged doorway.
[Roll stealth or less]
3 - Meeting chamber
The foul stench permeating the chamber is explained by the rotting ogre carcass which lies on the pile of rubble you have to navigate on entry to the chamber. The rubble from the collapsed roof and damaged walls extends from the previous room to over 18’ into the chamber and once past the broken doorway leaves only 5’ of clear walking space.
A troll emerges from its resting place behind the rubble, nearly as tall as the ceiling: a massive 3 hex monster brandishing a crudely made giant club.
[Check initiative]
The troll has hidden a plain gold necklace (GS 40) in a hole in the rubble. A perception check 3 x or less if not searching, 5 x or less if searching will discover the necklace.
4 - Corridor 5’ x 25’
Despite the stale air you breathe deeply. There is no rubble, no light, and no stench in this 5’ x 25’ corridor. However, torches, placed ant alternate 5’ intervals on each side of the corridor alight when the door swings shut behind the party. 8’ ahead on the left is an open door. A closed door is situated at the end of the corridor.
7 - Orbs 15’ x 25’
The door opens into a chamber 15’ x 25’, the largest intact room you have seen so far.
You enter the room.
20’ to your left is a heavy door with three spherical indents arranged in a triangle around a locking mechanism in the centre. The indents are coloured red, green, and blue.
Placed strategically around the room are three pedestals. On top of these pedestals are three coloured orbs.
The red orb is surrounded by a ring of fire, two feet high.
*[This orb (fire) can only be removed by physical removal. D-2 Damage.]
The green orb sits underneath a magically suspended bubble of liquid.
*[This orb (air) can only be removed by physical removal. D-2 Damage.]
The blue orb is encased in a block of ice.
*[This orb (water) can be removed by physically smashing or melting the ice.]
What do you do?
GM
The door is not locked.
However the party will hear a slight "click" every time one of the orbs is inserted into the indents in the door, and once one of the orbs is placed in the door the door will become locked.
Rearranging the orbs in a different pattern won't work.
The orbs grant elemental resistance to whoever holds them.
Conversely, players who are smart enough to try opening the door in the first place get to skip a dangerous situation, but miss out on sweet loot.
Removing the orbs will unlock the door.
[Thanks to Reddit member Corvin_R for this fine trap! https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/4z8evt/dms_what_are_some_of_your_best_original_dungeon/]
5 - The Manticore 20’ x 20’
This room, 20’ by 20’, has a pile of rubble on the right hand wall. A very light sent of the woods outside can be detected in the room.
There are skeletal remains of animals and humanoids around the floor. There are rusted weapons and a cracked leather purse amongst the bones.
[Purse contains: 12 copper farthings, 4 silver pennies]
The manticore waits behind rubble on the right wall ahead. This is its lair, where it drags its prey to eat. Once the party is inside and away from the door, it will attack using its quills.
If the bones are searched thoroughly the players will find a plain silver ring and some green copper jewellery (a necklace, two bracelets, two rings).
[The silver ring gives its wearer +2 MA when it is worn allowing potential increases in casting chance, damage, range etc of all spells, and rituals of all colleges. The copper jewellery os worthless.]
8 & 9 - Fane’s Chamber 10’x 15’
A 5’ x 5’ entry leads to Fane’s private chamber and final resting place.
As you enter through a small 5’ x 5’ cloak room, the open door opposite allows a clear view of the shelves placed on the right hand side of the chamber beyond. The dust of ancient parchments litters the shelves.
A stone slab, 3’ x 5’ abuts the left hand wall. On it are the decaying skeletal remains of a Dwarven lord, dressed in fine chainmail and once fine red robes, a war mattock resting across his collapsed chest. Bony fingers of the right hand grip still the mattock’s haft, and an amulet, identical to the one worn by Nabbigail, rests on a chain wound around the lord’s right wrist.
The fingers of the left hand grip a silver scroll case.
Nabbigail, or Nabbi as you are known, thank you for finding me. Your lineage, all but forgotten by our people I am told, is a proud one. My father and grandfather, his mother and so on and on, were strong and respected rulers of the Dwarven realm of the Seran Mountains.
You have read my scroll detailing this of course, or you would not be here reading this now.
The curse of the foul Green Dragon Smaragaid has I hope been lifted. The astrologers can tell me nothing about his ending though, so be wary where the beast is concerned.
You may get some hint of whether he lives still or no in the next chamber.
My burden, that I must give to you, sits there.
But I warn you again: touch not the ring. I have sealed it in a casket of silver inlaid with runes of protection.
You will find it if you ascend.
And there you will find too my gift to you. A weapon, as fine as ever there was, befitting your lineage. Plain it may look, but it was crafted with a single purpose. To slay those beasts and monsters who truly wish only evil on Alus. Dragons, Green especially, it will seek out to destroy it, but when discovered it will serve you well. My remaining loyal friends travelled far to find those with the skill to invest enchantments and charms into the weapon, and those with knowledge will see more than Dwarvish hands in the work.
I do not know your destiny Nabbi. But if because of the curse laid upon my father and me you are meant to meet Smaragaid, then you will not be unaided.
I do not know if you are the last of the line of Bellorn. The astrologers seem to think it logical though their reasoning is unconvincing, to me at least. But our bloodline runs strong in you, of that there is certainty, witness the magic of the amulet.
Though time separates us, my heart is glad and grateful to you that vengeance may yet strike the vile mud lizard and its spawn.
Be not daunted in the face of the unknown, for your strength is beyond your ken.
Know this: your weapon will need a name. It has waited long for you.
Enjoy the getting.
Fane Stoneknower.
10 - The Treasure Chamber
To the party:
In the centre of this odd shaped chamber a platform is suspended from the roof, some 30’ above the floor. 1’ diameter stone pillars reach from the ground to the roof 50’ overhead. At the NE, NW, SE and SW points also ~ 5’ from the platform 5 chains (forming a 1’ diameter circle) hang from the ceiling to a point 4’ from the chamber floor.
The only way up is to climb the pillars, or chains, and to leap from there to the suspended platform. The platform is octagonal in shape with a length of 10’ for each diagonal.
Once the characters reach line of sight (~30’ up) they will see an ornate table single chair. On a plush, suspiciously clean and well preserved cushion on the table rests what looks like a silvered club.
For the GM:
What looks like a silvered club is actually the silvered haft of a great axe - as mentioned by Fane in his letter. When Nabbi takes possession of the weapon two things happen: the double axe head will appear - a strange metallic blue with mesmerising black patterns, and a voice only Nabbi can hear says “Hello Nabbi. I have been looking forward to meeting you.”
When Nabbi removes her hands from the weapon the axe head will dissapear.
The axe has significant magical enhancements which it will explain to Nabbi as the situation dictates.
Beside the cushion on the table is a pristine leather pouch. The pouch contains 20 emeralds (each worth 5 truesilver guineas - 1260 sp) and a note “To share with your brave companions”.
With thanks as always to @ryivhnn for my wonderful Wombats!
