Maddgoths Castle (Chapter 2)

Undermountain - rock caves deep below waterdeep

If the Ogre Magi of Blackrock cavern was right, the path to Maddgoth’s Castle is the first passage running north and east of Taurens Gate –
that very gate now lies before you.

You finished dealing with the Ogre yesterday and have fully recovered since then.
The route to get here was a narrow trail over a deep crevice – careful climbing and trading back and forth of magical slippers was necessary, but there was no opposition. Hopefully you will be able to find the Castle and return before the Harvest Feastival of Count Burke two weeks from now, you are the guests of honor after all.

OOC: The tiger would have needed a lot of magical aid to get this far, so was most likely left behind – the journey took several hours.

box text said:

Tauren’s gate is an iron gate that appears to be jammed into the wide tunnel mouth here, behind a number of enclosing stalactites and stalagmites. There is no hinge on the gate, and scrapes along the rock floor and small bends in the gate itself show that it has been shoved into and out of place at least a few times in the past.

Click to expand...

You actually came from the passage to the north through a twisting fissure of rock barely 5’ wide, which had practically no visibility due to the bending of the passage. There was a similar passage running east about 40 feet back up the passage you came from.

The five of you have just entered a cave 40’ x 80' , the gate is to your east 40’ away. The passage on the far side of the gate is 20' wide. The cave extends 40' to the west before ending. A slightly wider passage 10' also leads south from the cave.

Marching order? Light sources? Items in hand? Active magics?

Erik Barrow
[SIZE=-2]Human Fighter 8 stats[/SIZE]

[imagel]http://homepage.usask.ca/~rad764/dnd/erik-avatar.jpg[/imagel]
Erik steps into the cave, and takes a good look around. If the coast looks clear, he takes a moment to relax, and stretch, a little stiff from all the careful climbing and tight spaces.

"You know gentlemen, some part of me always thought Taurens Gate was a metaphore," he says with a little laugh. "Do we shove 'er aside and push on through?" he asks as he sizes up the gate, looking for the best way to move it out of the way.

After a glance back to see that his brother Theobold made it up OK Konrad steps up to join Erik. The dwarf looks like he was born to such mountainous environs.

"So we want to take care of this renegade wizard, but any homunculi may be transformed victims. What's a homunculi look like again?"

Asher Faine

Asher grins, stumbling into the cave behind the Dwarf but hesitates as he steps into the darkness. "We can't all see in the dark you know..." he mutters and invokes a Light spell, habitually reaching to scratch Khirsah behind her ears. "Always did prefer the sunshine" Asher sighs and realizing it would be a while before he saw his feline friend, takes a sip of honey wine and offering a nip to his companions.

Being used to adventuring with his brother's glowing magical mace Konrad does not worry about the human's illumination spell. It was not the dwarf brothers' style to sneak around anyway. "If it makes you more comfortable Asher then your light magic is welcome."

"Just a habit, I guess." Asher mutters, resisting the urge to take a mortal pull on his honeywine. "Gads, its big in here. This place..." Asher swallowed "...its been a while since I've left the Thicket."

Konrad watches the last two come into view. "Any magics you want to use or are we ready to enter?"

Theobold Dwarven Cleric

Theobold looks about, "Lead on Brother, I'll save the spells for when the action starts. I would like a sip of that wine though. All this climbing about has given me a thirst."

After taking a good luck swallow of druid wine, Konrad grabs the great gate by the edge with both hands and with a great effort pulls it open.

Theobold Dwarven Cleric

Theobold has a drink of wine and raises his crossbow in preparation for the excitement that so frequently follows his brother's rash actions.