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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Branding Opportunity" data-source="post: 2272857" data-attributes="member: 31812">Well, here it is, the final installation.  As stated before, if we feel like it, we can continue creating more backstory, but I'd like to finally move on to the IC game now!!!P.S.: Also copied to the first post of this thread.[SBLOCK]FINAL ADVENTURE SYNOPSISIn the fall of 590 CY the group is hired by the Dwarven Union for the Liberation of Occupied Holds and Other Sundry Communities (D.U.L.O.H.O.S.C.) to investigate and if possible liberate the dwarven hold of Eagle’s Nest.  It is located within the peak of the Witch’s Hump, a mountain between the Dear and White Oyt rivers.The Union’s sources have revealed that although the Eagle’s Nest has been held by a family clan of fire giants and their hobgoblin mercenary allies since around 585 CY, there may be some upheaval happening.  The hold sits on a large mithral (or mithril for the Tolkien purists) vein, so the Union members feel that it is essential that it be retaken.  The party is hired partially because of their reputation in the retaking of the Oytpass Keep during the war.The Union has recently received confirmation that a number of dwarven slaves have been brought to this location to assist in the mining and smelting of the precious metal.  The melting in particular is quite difficult, dangerous, and labor-intensive process, requiring dangerously high heat, and the dwarves’ reluctant expertise is greatly needed.  The work is being overseen by a misshapen half-illithid derro who has been employing his psionic or magical powers to keep the miners and metallurgists in line.  This information was provided by a dwarf miner named Nadolf Pickstrike who managed to escape less than a year ago.The party travels through the Stark Mounds where they encounter a raiding party of dire badger-riding gnome rangers and druids, who have recently relocated there from the north-eastern regions of the Stark Mounds.  They are tracking a large band of gnolls who have been despoiling the lands around Gorna.  They are mainly interested in this task, and are only secondarily interested in fighting the larger humanoid and giant menace.  They seem to know nothing of the Eagle’s Nest.After arriving in the vicinity of the Witch’s Hump, initial scouting reveals that all of the mapped entrances to the hold, including the supposedly secret ones, have been made impassible or are heavily defended by traps and/or monsters.The only seemingly undefended access to the Nest is through the ventilation shafts which descend over a quarter of a mile into the mountain to the foundries of the hold.The party makes camp for the night in a well-hidden cave nearby.  During the night they are partially surprised by a large drow raiding party.  Rather than attacking, however, the dark elves indicate their desire to parlay, stating that fighting would only result in needless heavy losses on both sides.  In addition, they state, your goals might be mutually compatible.Whatever the party decides to do, one observant member of the party notices that the drow spokesman bears an unknown drow emblem which arouses his/her curiosity.  If the party agrees to the parlay, the drow reveal that they have heard of the Eagle’s Nest but have avoided it due to the strength of its defenders.  They are currently focusing their attentions elsewhere and agree to withdraw without incidence.If you attack, the drow quickly retreat.The next day you make your way to the top of the mountain, employing some stealth.  Your carefulness pays off when you realize that an invisible, yet powerful air elemental guards the top of the shaft.  You quickly dispatch it before it gets a chance to alarm its masters.Following this encounter, you devise a way of lowering your party the quarter of a mile down the shaft.  As you descend you notice that the gets colder and colder.  Near the bottom you discover to your dismay that an enormous batch of brown mold has been planted here to provide some defense and aid in the circulation of air.Once you devise a way around this obstacle you find yourself near the ceiling of a cathedral-like cavern.  Dozens of forges line the floor, heated by geothermal forces.  Scores of human-sized humanoids make their way between them, guarded by a handful of vigilant fire giants.Through some subterfuge you eventually manage to defeat the surprised giant guards, including one who seems to be a wizard who paradoxically focuses on cold magic.  Upon approaching the dwarven slaves, you find they have been horrifically transformed to better deal with the intense heat found here.  Strange, heat-resistant scales have somehow been grafted onto their bodies, so that they barely resemble dwarves anymore.  In addition, all seem to be under some form of mind control.Through magical or mundane means you break one of transfigured dwarves’ control.  At first he is overcome with grief at the sight of his new form, and begs to be killed.  After being calmed down a bit, he realizes that he can still be of some use in freeing his companions.With his help you track down the half-derro slave lord and defeat him in a pitched battle after first overcoming his enthralled umber hulk bodyguards.  Before the party is completely over, the remaining fire giants return slightly bloodied from a raid, but soon flee before your onslaught.Freed from their mind control the mutated dwarves liberate the rest of the slaves, but decide that they do not wish to return to their surface.  Refusing further aid, they meet and tell you that they wish to travel further into the Underdark, and make a new home there, far way from everything they know.[/SBLOCK]</blockquote>

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