Keep on the Shadowfell: Sessions 8 & 9

The next morning, the group were up bright and early, intending to make an early start. Over breakfast, they discussed their adventures.

“Kaza feels more capable this morning,” began Kaza. “As if she's become more powerful overnight.”

Gilee nodded in agreement. “I also feel that way. It's very strange.”

“Not really,” commented Eilonwy. “Over the past few weeks we've defeated dozens of kobolds, completed quests, and killed a dragon. We've survived ambushes and we've travelled far into danger. These experiences will surely have an effect on us. We have learned many lessons, some of them hard and painful. It is only natural that we will begin to feel more capable, more powerful.”

“More healthy,” said Doomgrad.

“More skillful,” said Jia.

“More able to gauge the flow of battle,” said Bakaan.

“Indeed.” Eilonwy looked round at her companions. “So, now that we've reached a new level of competence, is anyone up for collecting more kobold ears?”

After breakfast, the party set out once more in the direction of the kobold lair. The air was cold, and a thin mist lay over the foothills, but they were unassaulted as they approached. Ahead, they could hear the sound of the waterfall that the kobold lair was reported to conceal.

Leaving the rest of the party some distance away, Jia crept forwards, moving stealthily from one patch of cover to another. A small stand of trees provided her with a satisfactory hiding spot, as she cast her eyes over the scene.

About a dozen kobolds were in a small clearing in front of the waterfall. Mist from the crashing water obscured the area, but Jia could see that there was a dark entrance behind the waterfall itself. Loading her crossbow, she motioned for her companions to approach. Once they were in position, she took careful aim, slowly squeezed the trigger, and watched as the bolt flew wide of the mark.

Her companions ran forwards to defend their isolated rogue friend, but none of the kobolds had heard the buzz of the bolt as it flew into the sky. However, their ability to hear the approach of Doomgrad in his plate armour was much better. Rapidly marshalling their superior numbers, they had surrounded the paladin, and one kobold had managed to thrust his spear at the wizard.

“Kaza is unprotected!” she cried. “The kobolds have got into the pocket!” Her time of danger soon passed, as Gilee swung her blade with vigour, cleaving kobold to left and to right. With Eilonwy's magical assaults, the kobolds soon found their numbers greatly reduced.

One skirmisher to the rear, seeing the devastation being caused amongst the ranks of the lizard creatures, shrieked, “Irontooth must be told!” and fled between rocks in the cliff face.

Presently, the kobolds were defeated, and the group immediately set to the grisly task of acquiring a pile of ears. After a few minutes, they had collected the ears, and, covered in kobold gore, proceeded into the secret entrance the kobold skirmisher had fled into.

Immediately they realised that the kobolds had used the time to rally their defences, and here, in their lair, they had the advantage of knowing the terrain. Dragonshields blocked the party's way, and behind them stood skirmishers and a goblin wearing a chain mail shirt and wielding a large axe. A large tusk protruded from his lower jaw, almost reaching to his right eye. This tooth was covered in iron, and it became obvious to the adventurers who he was and where he got his name.

Gilee and Eilonwy headed round to the waterfall, hoping to flank the kobolds. However, unbeknownst to them, a horde of kobolds, led by a wyrmpriest, had the same plan. The kobolds burst through the falling water, and began to concentrate their attacks on Eilonwy. Gilee, aided by Jia who came up to assist, began to fight their way through to the cleric, who was doing her best not to die.

Kaza, sensing that the battle was turning against the adventurers, brought forth her most powerful magics, and conjured a sphere of roaring, spitting flame amongst the ranks of the kobolds. As the flame scorched the kobolds, Bakaan and Doomgrad swung their weapons with mechanical precision, felling the kobolds as a woodsman would fell a tree.

Irontooth now entered the fray, swinging his axe in wide arcs. At the same time, the wyrmpriest emerged from the waterfall, and added his considerable magical prowess to the efforts to kill Eilonwy. At that moment, however, Gilee and Jia were able to engage the kobolds surrounding her and she was able to escape.

Inside, Kaza's flaming sphere was causing mayhem in the ranks of the kobolds, many of them falling dead from the punishing flames and searing heat. The sweat of concentration was seen falling from Kaza's forehead, as she concentrated on the incantations that kept the sphere under her control. With a final fiery blast, she caused the sphere to engulf Irontooth, and he fell to the floor.

“Kalarel and Orcus, prepare my way, I come to your dark embrace” he whispered as he lay on the cave floor, and died.

Outside, the remaining kobold minions had been dispatched, and Eilonwy, Gilee and Jia closed on the wyrmpriest. He screamed defiance, but to no effect. Within the space of a few seconds, he lay in the stream, his blood staining the waters red. The kobold threat was defeated.

The party explored the now empty cave, and found signs of a sudden exit. The female kobolds, the young and the elderly had fled through a passage in the back of the cave which emerged some way into the hills. The tracks leading further into the hills were soon lost in the dust and dirt.

Back in the cave, the party found that Irontooth the goblin had carried a small silver key. This they were able to match to a sturdy wooden chest they found in what were Irontooth's quarters. In this chest they discovered a significant sum of gold coins, well over 400, and a magic suit of dwarven chainmail, which they quickly decided would suit Gilee, though it would need some size alterations made to the next time they were in Fallcrest, what with her being a tall human woman, and the armour being fitted for a short fat dwarven male.

Also in the chest was a message scroll.

“Irontooth,” the message began. “My spy in Winterhaven suggests we keep an eye out for visitors to the area. It probably does not matter. Soon I shall have the artifact from the dragon's grave, and with it I shall be able to open the rift fully.

“Once I have achieved this feat of magical prowess, I shall await with great eagerness for the servants of Lord Orcus to join us. Then shall the bothersome town of Winterhaven serve as food for Lord Orcus' table.

“You have served me well, and in doing so you have served Lord Orcus well. Great rewards will be yours in the days to come.

“Kalarel”

Eilonwy looked up at the others after reading out the scroll. “Well, it looks like we've confirmed that this Kalarel chap is in the area.”

They returned to town to receive a heroes' welcome. Villagers came out to cheer once the news was revealed about the end of the kobold menace. Lord Padraig was also excited to hear of their exploits, but was less pleased to hear about the presence of an Orcus cult in the area.
“Valthrun may have more information for you on this,” Lord Padraig said when he had heard the story. He called for the old man who had accompanied him to the inn when Eilonwy had first introduced herself.

Valthrun the Prescient, the town's sage and scholar did indeed have more information.

“The ruins of Shadowfell Keep to the north of town hold a secret known to few people. Many years ago, scholars and mages from Suzail discovered a portal to the Shadowfell, the elemental plane of Shadow. A keep was built over the keep, to defend it from those who misuse it, and to prevent the denizens of the Shadowfell from coming into our realm.

“The keep was given into the care of a knight of the Purple Dragons, Sir Keegan. He moved here with his family and his retainers, and settled here. However, the influence of the Shadowfell had an effect on Sir Keegan. One night, he killed his wife and children, and slew his most trusted advisors. He turned on his own troops and it was only once he had killed many of them that they were able to force him deep into the passages under the keep where they dispatched him.

“This was the end for the keep. None would stay there any longer, and soon it was deserted. An earthquake a few years later destroyed the upper levels, but it is rumoured that the lower levels still stand and that Sir Keegan's ghost searches the passages for his slain family. Goblins and other foul creatures are also rumoured to live there.

“If this Orcus priest is in the area, he must intend to open the portal to the Shadowfell and unleash Orcus's hordes of undead on us.”

This story of grim death and destruction was greeted with silence. Eventually, Lord Padraig spoke. “Lady Eilonwy, you and your companions have freed us of the kobold threat. Now I must ask that you to save us from this new threat. I regret that I am unable to send troops with you, but our forces are small and will be needed here. I have faith that I can place the survival of Winterhaven in your hands. You must travel to the Keep on the Shadowfell. This is our most desperate hour. Help us, Blue Moon Company. You're our only hope.”