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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cinerarium" data-source="post: 1004007" data-attributes="member: 9349">Hammer 17, cont.We awoke from the shared dream to the sounds of muffled conversation at the outer set of doors.  I have been dreading what would happen when we left this chamber for the outside world, knowing that we would likely face an ambush outside.  Knowing that they were outside right now, we decided to lay an ambush ourselves.I called upon Deneir, blessed be His name, to give me insight into the thoughts of our foes on the other side of the doors.  Concentrating for a few moments, I determined that there were not many awaiting us, perhaps five.  One of them, that I guessed was the leader, was frustrated with the others.  He was sure we were inside the room, but his companions were too scared to enter.  As a compromise, they were waiting for us outside for the time being.Toth and Fineon took positions near the doors as I readied my crossbow and blessed the group.  Fin also buffed himself with the power of his faith, and Kazir readied his own ghostly armor.  On cue, Fin caused the doors to slide open.  Our first attacks to our enemies were by surprise, and my crossbow bolt sunk deeply into an orc waiting outside!  I had managed to finally kill a foe in combat!The others made quick work of the rest of the enemies.  Their leader, a human wizard of some kind, was taken alive but unconscious.  Quickly, we bound and gagged him, and pulled the bodies into the room, letting the doors close again.  If any of their friends come to investigate, they will only find bloody trails leading into the room they know is filled with death.Quickly we descended again to where we had narrowly survived out fight with the dragon.  Hopping carefully along the stones in the pond, we came closer to the island.  It looked to be the dragon’s nest, and also the setting for a stone sarcophagus.  Coins littered the ground around the sarcophagus, along with a number of items bearing Durgeddin’s mark.  Swiftly we packed all of the loot, carefully avoiding the sarcophagus, that I could see had the dwarven rune “D” inscribed upon it.  We wished to leave Durgeddin in peace.By the time we returned to the elemental chamber, our guest had awoken on the pile of orc bodies where we had left him.  He looked mortified at our appearance.  A tense questioning followed.  This Morgulio, a Pellman originally from Formyr, said that he and his fellow wizard that we had slain when we first entered the caverns, what seems an eternity ago, had taken up residence here to do research and perhaps found a school for other wizards.  He said he would do us no harm, and that his men, now dead, were the last of the defenders of this place in the upper warrens.  Now we had to decide what to do with him.Toth and Fineon were in favor of killing him, then and there.  Kazir was ambivalent, and I wished to let him go.  Finally I persuaded my companions that he no longer posed a threat to us.  I think this may have caused Toth to lose some respect for me, but I could not in good conscience allow a man to be killed in cold blood.  I made Morgulio swear that he would hurt no others, except in self defense; that he would return to Pell, and give us whatever information we sought when we asked in the future; and that he would send one thousand gold pieces, that he said he had, to the Temple of Deneir in Harren in our names.  I feel some trepidation that he would keep his word, but I think that he may prove to be a valuable ally.  We set out then, confidant we had cleaned out Khundrakar and would be rewarded well by Lord Macon.Oh, how good it felt to breathe fresh air again!  To hear the pine trees sway in the breeze!  To feel the cold tang of winter air in Luc Valu!  I had been far too long in the depths.It occurred to Kazir at this point that our ride back to Harren, Peb the fisherman, would long since have given up looking for us.  Morgulio came to our aid, revealing the location of two skiffs that he and his companions had used to get here.  We camped for the night at the foot of Khundrakar.</blockquote>

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