After Mooks death, the party looks to the grey sky and wonders what is next. Mort around the campfire is convinced something is missing or not found in the tomb and urges the rest of the party to go back down. Discussion ensues and finally they decide to go back down and have Tha’pop stay back protecting the camp.
Adira surveys the food supply and determines there is about 1 week of food left that was not damaged from the stampede of the pack animals earlier. Mort tells the party he only needs 2 days to check out the water chamber again.
2 days later the party arrives back at camp and tells Tha’pop that they found the plug, drained the water and found nothing. Group is discouraged and they start to take inventory of what to do next. Nex morning they start packing up what is left of the camp. Searching Mooks belongings they found this note.
The man standing in front of you is named Mook. He can’t read or write.
Tell him he will see his sister and his niece soon.
Ask him if he killed the traveling group with the poison I gave him?
Ask him where the tomb is and give you proof of treasure.
Kill him after he has done this.
Send me the message that this is done. Then send a message to Kron in Doz to kill the woman and daughter.
Griz.
In shock of this revelation, thoughts are kept to themselves about Mook and what happened. Mort searches the packs again and out of a hidden compartment, another guide stone is found.
Mort tosses to Dro who throws him in the fire still going and the other one in his hand starts glowing. They now know the dwarves were following them using the stones. Dro asks Adira if she can use them or change them. Adira replies she can retune them, but it would take a sorcerer’s laboratory and a long time. Mort holds his guide stone and thinks Stephen must have the other stone. Mort pockets the guide stone.
During the night Dro becomes more and more incessed about the treachery of Griz and that the promise of gold will not forthcoming, and never was. Grabbing his rune stones and small fire he moves away from the camp and starts a incancation (rune telling ob6 [uses 3 personal] successful) and weaves a fate chant upon Griz. All during the night the other party members see him howling, and speaking to the wind, water dripping from his beard as he sputters and cast words to the skies.
Dro speaks “ Griz, your miserable life is tied to riches and riches shall be your fall. You have an oath to Drozel Svadifari, and with it you have become an Oathbreaker. Oathbreaker you shall become if you break your word of payment to me. In place of your word that was given and found oathbroken, your riches shall fall from your fingers and shall be taken from you. I have forsworn Drozal Svadifari. “
When the party awakens they find Dro incoherent and in and out of reality and looking at the madness he has spoken of long ago. (failed tax roll) 4 days they watch him mutter and seem to be somewhere else till his wits finally regain him.
The weather is still raining. They take off in the tundra and wet pools and soggy mogs around heading south once again. During the next 2 weeks both Dro and Adira (riding fails) sprain ankles and wrists and try their best. Mort now the only rigger (rigging, tying knots ob 4 fails) does the best he can, but some food is damaged again in the ride. The next few weeks clear up and there is no rain. With no rain, the flies come. Flies as thick as clouds and choking and bringing hell of torment upon the travelers and animals alike. First 1 horse dies, and then another and now the care Mook had given animals is sorely missed. A month ago they had 21 pack animals and now down to 9.
Mort being the guide as best he can (orienteering ob4) brings them to a mountain range they don’t recognize. Coming over a ride they see a glacier valley 4 miles wide and the sheer granite cliffs of the mountains and trees before them.
Looking down to the valley floor they see an ancient tower tall, old and broken, perhaps 15 stories tall left standing. Surrounding this tower is a maze of some sorts spawning out from the tower on the ground, perhaps 1 mile in every direction.
Looking down at it each party member remembers something .
Adira remembers;
Nursery rhyme
Blob
Round, round, twirl around,
Close your eyes and make no sound.
Fall, Fall, fall to ground,
Don’t let the snail tail hold you down.
Up, Up, skip and hop,
Hold my hand, or lose your spot.
Walk, Walk, not in haste,
Tail is slow, but will eat and taste.
Mort remembers;
Nursery rhyme
Dont sleep in the Maze
Maze, Maze, see it grow,
Hear no bird, or the hoof of a doe.
Down comes the feathers and the hoofs to ground,
Up from the earth grows sticks and thorns.
Get out as quick as can be,
Stay too long, and the maze you’ll be.
Dro remembers;
MazKutram
Dwarven history lore regarding the Titan purse
Under King Bronze Shieldtorn II reign, a titan lair was found in the region of Thunderroll mountains. Many failed expeditions to get into the titan fortress on top of ground were repulsed by the monster. King Shieldtorn ordered the fortress to be breached from under. The tunnellers dug deepin the mountain, yet the monster was like an iceberg, getting bigger as deeper they went. Mazkutram guarding the fortress was immense.
Heavy Tentacles would slowly creep in the tunnels. If a tentacle was cut or disturbed a green gas would fill the air. All dwarves in the green gas went blind. The head dwarf quartermaster Goggles Growsomebrass, invented the mining goggles to save the eyes of the workers
. King Shieldtorn tunnellers dug for 150 years to find a way in. A breach was made finally into the titan fortress and great wealth, magic and beauty was inside. The breach held but for 1 day as the monster slowly closed the breach once again, capturing King Shieldtorn, and 7 of the princes in the titan fortress.
Only 2 of the Mazkutram are known. The titan purse and the blob as called in the southern lands of men.
And lastly Tha’pop remembers,
Elven Song of Lore
Excerpt from the chronicle Epic, “ Pathan creates secrets”
Cast away your sleep,
nor slumber Maeral of glade and timber.
For the stars twinkle and moonbeams tell.
Apus flies among the Cobeae and Incarvillea.
Wings alight on Pavo’s tail in the evening light.
Quiet among the Hypoestes,
Nestled among the Nertera,
Feathers fall and flutter to misty ground.
Apus of paradise is singing no more,
Pavo calls out that all is not well.
Her children who bask in song and harp,
Search and call from peak to glade,
Apus is caught and her song is not heard.
Pathan of great and sorrow claim,
Broods upon the terra, and seeks his revenge.
Titan of great seeks more than his brothers,
To hold secrets and whispers of golden treasures.
Perseus and Hercules off to hunt,
Knowing not the plans of a cabal of spinae.
Pathan’s net draws down and snares,
Catching sweet Apus in Ostryra bow.
With cage in hand and revenge in tow,
Pathan makes for Mensa and her folds.
Apus as prize and secrets held tight,
Imbibe his greed and bellow his lust.
Soaking in the fire of dark and fear,
Pathan’s sorrow ever to devour,
Holds the rope of Orion to snare his brethren.
In fortress clouded in dark and thunder,
Plucks forth a seed from his braided beard.
Casting down seed upon the entrance,
Pathans boom of corruption rings across the plains,
As if the command was heard upon the Carina.
Dig deep Mazekutal mi,
Join your brothers in a feast deep in Terra.
Bind with Echidna and follow her heed.
Devour upon sorrow, suffering and despair.
Never see the light, but embrace Styx,
Be my door and protect my secrets.
Slow as the flows upon Olympus,
She weighs down her prey,
Like the boa and plods to death’s door.
Mazekutal mi draws her tentacles to hold and devour,
Catches all in suffering,
till death strips her payment in last breath.
Pathan cries to his brethren aloud.
Come and partake of my pet.
Let us hide our secrets and be as our tormentors.
Cling to your secrets and glory in your treasures,
Be as the gods that torment us.
They decide to get closer to take a look at this ancient and terrible monument or a time forgotten. Adira hears a animals in distress in the wind (perception ob4) . Getting within a mile of the maze and they see something ahead (perception 0b2)
Mort sees a black wolf laying on the ground, chin on her paws, staring at the maze entrance
Ardira sees a Giant black wolf laying on the ground, chin on her paws, her ears cocked one to your group and the other to the maze.
Tha’pop sees and recognizes from the size of the wolf you see that it is a Great Wolf. A sentient, intelligent species. You know it’s kind is neutral to most races, but some have been riders for Orcs and such in the past and fierce opponents. It’s laying on the ground, not paying attention to you, but you know it knows your present.
Dro sees a Giant Great wolf. They know magic and are sentient. This is the first you have ever seen one. Laying on the ground.
Adira asks if possibly they can communicate to the She wolf. They all shrug and Tha’pop says that the stories of them communicating are found in records.
Adira approaches the She wolf cautiously alone and senses something.
Adira senses the wolf looking at you and can feel the piercing of her anguish all the way to your soul. You have no explanation, but in an instant you see a vision.
She wolf crosses plains with 3 cubs in tow.
She wolf chases prey, leaving cubs behind to play.
Shes at the entrance of the maze howling.
She hears her cubs inside whimpering and scared.
Deep dread and sorrow fills her heart.
She howls and keeps watch for her cubs to appear in desperation.
Adira relays the vision to the group and a conversation among the group begins. Should we help? Is this a trap? What can we figure out from our remembering of nursery rhymes, songs and history that would keep us alive? Is there a reward? Does the risk outweigh the reward of a reunion of any with this She Wolf?
The party agrees to help the She Wolf and see if they can enter the maze and get out alive.