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Heroes of Winterhaven (4e)
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<blockquote data-quote="Tikigod" data-source="post: 4734099" data-attributes="member: 75310"><p>The Heroes leave the swamps of the Trollhaunt Fens behind. The terrain becomes hilly and vegetation becomes sparse. Ahead stand the magnificent Longback Mountains and in the vanguard, the terrible Thunderspire Mountain. Nex and Scranton discuss how, thousands of years ago it was the seat of a mighty minotaur kingdom. The group’s destination lies with the depths of the peak, the Seven-Pillared Hall. </p><p> </p><p> The trail followed by the party, leads to an enormous archway. It is flanked by forty foot tall statues of raging minotaur warriors. The hallway within is lit by feeble green lights blinking from old oil lamps. Statues of frolicking demons also line the passage. Smaller dark corridors branch off into a complex labyrinth.</p><p> </p><p> Suddenly, Scranton notices a light coming from one of the side passages. He hears coarse laughter and a voice shouts out, “You’re ours now, Halfling! We Bloodreavers will easily get ten gold for you.”</p><p> </p><p> Another voice responds, “That’s a shame, ‘cause I’m worth twenty. I’ll buy myself if you let me go.”</p><p> </p><p> The Heroes burst through the door, surprising a group of hobgoblin slavers. The enemies quickly compose themselves and form a shield wall across the room. The warcaster grabs Nex with a Force Lure spell and deposits him on the bad side of the shield wall. But Nex has a few spells of his own and escapes the trap with an Expeditious Retreat. The wizard ends up behind his well-armored allies. Ern, Morthos, and Scranton slowly whittle away at the Bloodreavers. The warcaster threatens dire retribution and foully curses the heroes, but to no avail. Soon, the moral of the hobgoblins breaks. The warcaster surrenders while the soldiers are chased down and put to the blade. Scranton frees the captive Halfling from his bonds.</p><p> </p><p> “Rendill Halfmoon at your service! By the Four, your rescue was timely! I was grabbed by these brutes not long ago. They were sniffing around my family’s inn so I tailed them. I wanted to figure out what they were up to.”</p><p> </p><p> Morthos nods gravely, “The Bloodreavers have captured friends of ours. We mean to free them.”</p><p> </p><p> “Then you are in luck! I know where the dirty slavers hole up. Come with me to Halfmoon Inn. I will buy you a drink and draw you a map to the Chamber of Eyes.”</p><p> </p><p> Rendill leads the party to the Seven-Pillared Hall. The Heroes of Winterhaven turn the warcaster in to the local authority, an ogre by the name of Brugg. The Seven-Pillared Hall is run by a group of masked wizards known as the Mages of Saruun. Morthos asks Brugg if the town needs help with the slaver problem.</p><p> </p><p> “What problem?” asks Brugg.</p><p> </p><p> The tiefling points at the Bloodreaver.</p><p> </p><p> “There is no problem,” grimaces the ogre.</p><p> </p><p> Rendill herds the adventurers out of the customs house. “Slavery is viewed…uh, differently here under the mountain. It’s less of a problem and more of an occupation. The Bloodreaver will get a slap on the wrist and spend a bit of time in a hole, but that’s about it.”</p><p> </p><p> The heroes begin to regret turning the warcaster in and discuss improbable plans of how they could have used him to break into the Chamber of Eyes. The Halfling gives the party a tour of the Seven-Pillared Hall and makes good on his promise of a drink and a map.</p><p> </p><p> They then visit Gendar’s Curios and Relics. Gendar is an eye-patch-wearing drow with a silky voice and a predatory smile. After they hand over Bairwin’s casket, Gendar asks them to help retrieve an object stolen from him. It is an ancient skull scepter now in the possession of the duergar at the Horned Hold. Gendar provides rough directions to the old fortress.</p><p> </p><p> The Heroes set off for the Hold. The way is long and exhausting but clear of beasties and monsters. The front gate of the Horned Hold is guarded by orcs behind a solid portcullis. Scranton is confused. Ern believes the Horned Hold has been taken over by the orcs. Seeing no easy way in, the adventurers return to the Seven-Pillared Hall.</p><p> </p><p> Nex, true to his nature, pays a visit to Grimmerzhul’s Trading Post. This store is a duergar trading station. “So your fortress has been overrun by orcs, huh?”</p><p> </p><p> A grey-skinned female casts an alarmed glare at the human wizard, “What do you know of the Horned Hold? Why have you been there!?!”</p><p> </p><p> Nex is taken aback, “Uh…orcs…uh…”</p><p> </p><p> The duergar matron spits, “Bah! Orcs are scum. They serve us on fear of death. Now answer my questions!”</p><p> </p><p> Nex backs out of the store. He fails to notice her motion to one of her guards.</p><p> </p><p> Meanwhile, Scranton has learned news of the Bloodreaver prisoner. The “slap on the wrist” Rendill mentioned is a death sentence. Execution in two hours. A crowd has gathered around the enormous bronze minotaur statue in the middle of the Hall. The warcaster is chained to a crucifix.</p><p> </p><p> “It was only an assault!” he yells wildly. “Why am I going to be killed!”</p><p> </p><p> At the appointed time, a Mage of Saruun teleports in. He wears a rich black robe. His face is covered by a beaten gold mask, depicting a frowning bearded face.</p><p> </p><p> “It is the will of the Mages of Saruun,” he intones.</p><p> </p><p> The Mage points a finger at the Bloodreaver and a flash of lightning explodes forth. The hobgoblin dies with a hideous scream on his lips. The Heroes of Winterhaven surge forward, trying to get the attention of the Mage. But the wizard ignores the entreaty and teleports away.</p><p> </p><p> “Weird,” says Morthos. “Harsh punishment.”</p><p> </p><p> Ern shrugs, seemingly unfazed, “Sure. Now let’s go save Salvanna and Ohlmert.”</p><p> </p><p> So the group follows Rendill's map and reach a door inset with a large staring eye of stone. Multiple eyestalks branch off of the main eye. The chamber within is strewn with rubble. A balcony rises at the far end. A stairway to the east leads to a double door. Scranton prowls the room and hears voices speaking in Goblin. It drifts in from the doors.</p><p> </p><p> “When do you think Krand will divvy up the loot?”</p><p> </p><p> “Shut up, fool! We are supposed to be on guard.”</p><p> </p><p> Ern comes forward and kicks down the door, much to the surprise of the goblins. One flees down the hallway while the other engages the Heroes. Shortly reinforcements begin pouring into the battle. From behind the adventurers, two goblin sharpshooters, a bugbear, and several human bandits appear on the balcony. Hobgoblin soldiers march down the hallway. Morthos moves into a defensive position to stop the hobgoblins in the hallway. Nex launches an effective Sleep spell. Ern trades blows with the bugbear while Scranton melees the bandits. The tide of soldiers slowly pushes past the warlord.</p><p> </p><p> Morthos falls to their relentless assault. Ern, finished with the bugbear, sloshes a healing potion down the maw of the unconscious tiefling. In the meantime, the goblin sharpshooters awaken from their mystic slumber and with an accurate hail of missiles chase Nex from the antechamber. But Ern turns the tide of the battle. Combining dwarven fortitude, his magical healing armor and the sheer power of Boundless Endurance, Ern begins to lay waste to one bloodied foe after another. Soon the battle is won. The waves of reinforcements stop and the only sounds left are the heavy breathing of the exhausted heroes and the slow drip of their blood on the floor.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Tikigod, post: 4734099, member: 75310"] The Heroes leave the swamps of the Trollhaunt Fens behind. The terrain becomes hilly and vegetation becomes sparse. Ahead stand the magnificent Longback Mountains and in the vanguard, the terrible Thunderspire Mountain. Nex and Scranton discuss how, thousands of years ago it was the seat of a mighty minotaur kingdom. The group’s destination lies with the depths of the peak, the Seven-Pillared Hall. The trail followed by the party, leads to an enormous archway. It is flanked by forty foot tall statues of raging minotaur warriors. The hallway within is lit by feeble green lights blinking from old oil lamps. Statues of frolicking demons also line the passage. Smaller dark corridors branch off into a complex labyrinth. Suddenly, Scranton notices a light coming from one of the side passages. He hears coarse laughter and a voice shouts out, “You’re ours now, Halfling! We Bloodreavers will easily get ten gold for you.” Another voice responds, “That’s a shame, ‘cause I’m worth twenty. I’ll buy myself if you let me go.” The Heroes burst through the door, surprising a group of hobgoblin slavers. The enemies quickly compose themselves and form a shield wall across the room. The warcaster grabs Nex with a Force Lure spell and deposits him on the bad side of the shield wall. But Nex has a few spells of his own and escapes the trap with an Expeditious Retreat. The wizard ends up behind his well-armored allies. Ern, Morthos, and Scranton slowly whittle away at the Bloodreavers. The warcaster threatens dire retribution and foully curses the heroes, but to no avail. Soon, the moral of the hobgoblins breaks. The warcaster surrenders while the soldiers are chased down and put to the blade. Scranton frees the captive Halfling from his bonds. “Rendill Halfmoon at your service! By the Four, your rescue was timely! I was grabbed by these brutes not long ago. They were sniffing around my family’s inn so I tailed them. I wanted to figure out what they were up to.” Morthos nods gravely, “The Bloodreavers have captured friends of ours. We mean to free them.” “Then you are in luck! I know where the dirty slavers hole up. Come with me to Halfmoon Inn. I will buy you a drink and draw you a map to the Chamber of Eyes.” Rendill leads the party to the Seven-Pillared Hall. The Heroes of Winterhaven turn the warcaster in to the local authority, an ogre by the name of Brugg. The Seven-Pillared Hall is run by a group of masked wizards known as the Mages of Saruun. Morthos asks Brugg if the town needs help with the slaver problem. “What problem?” asks Brugg. The tiefling points at the Bloodreaver. “There is no problem,” grimaces the ogre. Rendill herds the adventurers out of the customs house. “Slavery is viewed…uh, differently here under the mountain. It’s less of a problem and more of an occupation. The Bloodreaver will get a slap on the wrist and spend a bit of time in a hole, but that’s about it.” The heroes begin to regret turning the warcaster in and discuss improbable plans of how they could have used him to break into the Chamber of Eyes. The Halfling gives the party a tour of the Seven-Pillared Hall and makes good on his promise of a drink and a map. They then visit Gendar’s Curios and Relics. Gendar is an eye-patch-wearing drow with a silky voice and a predatory smile. After they hand over Bairwin’s casket, Gendar asks them to help retrieve an object stolen from him. It is an ancient skull scepter now in the possession of the duergar at the Horned Hold. Gendar provides rough directions to the old fortress. The Heroes set off for the Hold. The way is long and exhausting but clear of beasties and monsters. The front gate of the Horned Hold is guarded by orcs behind a solid portcullis. Scranton is confused. Ern believes the Horned Hold has been taken over by the orcs. Seeing no easy way in, the adventurers return to the Seven-Pillared Hall. Nex, true to his nature, pays a visit to Grimmerzhul’s Trading Post. This store is a duergar trading station. “So your fortress has been overrun by orcs, huh?” A grey-skinned female casts an alarmed glare at the human wizard, “What do you know of the Horned Hold? Why have you been there!?!” Nex is taken aback, “Uh…orcs…uh…” The duergar matron spits, “Bah! Orcs are scum. They serve us on fear of death. Now answer my questions!” Nex backs out of the store. He fails to notice her motion to one of her guards. Meanwhile, Scranton has learned news of the Bloodreaver prisoner. The “slap on the wrist” Rendill mentioned is a death sentence. Execution in two hours. A crowd has gathered around the enormous bronze minotaur statue in the middle of the Hall. The warcaster is chained to a crucifix. “It was only an assault!” he yells wildly. “Why am I going to be killed!” At the appointed time, a Mage of Saruun teleports in. He wears a rich black robe. His face is covered by a beaten gold mask, depicting a frowning bearded face. “It is the will of the Mages of Saruun,” he intones. The Mage points a finger at the Bloodreaver and a flash of lightning explodes forth. The hobgoblin dies with a hideous scream on his lips. The Heroes of Winterhaven surge forward, trying to get the attention of the Mage. But the wizard ignores the entreaty and teleports away. “Weird,” says Morthos. “Harsh punishment.” Ern shrugs, seemingly unfazed, “Sure. Now let’s go save Salvanna and Ohlmert.” So the group follows Rendill's map and reach a door inset with a large staring eye of stone. Multiple eyestalks branch off of the main eye. The chamber within is strewn with rubble. A balcony rises at the far end. A stairway to the east leads to a double door. Scranton prowls the room and hears voices speaking in Goblin. It drifts in from the doors. “When do you think Krand will divvy up the loot?” “Shut up, fool! We are supposed to be on guard.” Ern comes forward and kicks down the door, much to the surprise of the goblins. One flees down the hallway while the other engages the Heroes. Shortly reinforcements begin pouring into the battle. From behind the adventurers, two goblin sharpshooters, a bugbear, and several human bandits appear on the balcony. Hobgoblin soldiers march down the hallway. Morthos moves into a defensive position to stop the hobgoblins in the hallway. Nex launches an effective Sleep spell. Ern trades blows with the bugbear while Scranton melees the bandits. The tide of soldiers slowly pushes past the warlord. Morthos falls to their relentless assault. Ern, finished with the bugbear, sloshes a healing potion down the maw of the unconscious tiefling. In the meantime, the goblin sharpshooters awaken from their mystic slumber and with an accurate hail of missiles chase Nex from the antechamber. But Ern turns the tide of the battle. Combining dwarven fortitude, his magical healing armor and the sheer power of Boundless Endurance, Ern begins to lay waste to one bloodied foe after another. Soon the battle is won. The waves of reinforcements stop and the only sounds left are the heavy breathing of the exhausted heroes and the slow drip of their blood on the floor. [/QUOTE]
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