Storyline 2, Mission 2

The Dwarven Imperative.
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EvilGenius
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Storyline 2, Mission 2

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After having fought two clutches of wvyrens and a few accompanying orcs, the party rested. The following day Heydrick and Kull's expert moutaineering skills led the party to a high bluff overlooking a valley in the Drachensgrabs.

From their mostly concealed position, the party was surprised to see a huge pit in the ground, nearly 100 feet deep and nearly 100 feet in diameter, slightly conical in shape.

In this great pit was a veritible Hive of wyvrens. They nested in caves in the walls, flying in and out and circling high above. The party also noted a small encampment of orcs near the edge of the Hive. With some magical help, they were able to see about 30 orcs of what appeared to be the Marrow Sucker tribe (fierce barbarians and druids).

The party fell back to consider their plan of attack. Clearly a full frontal assault, favored tactic or not, was going to be dangerous and almost certainly short lived.

Maybe Another Way...

While the party discussed the merits of amush style tactics against the orcs and wyvrens, Kull sat on a rock nearby, tracing what looked like a map on the ground in front of him, occasionally looking up at the sun and the hills around him for reference.

After a few minutes, Kull walked into the middle of the circle of his companions. "Thar might just be another way ta get at thar big hole", he said with a mischivous glint in his eye.

Twisting around to see that he had everyone's attention, Kull continued. "As I've proven time and again to you city-folk, I know these mountains like I know m'own beard. I been over this way before, ya know, huntin some unnatural beasites. Beasties that escaped from below. From ... the Maze".

Kull paused to let the dramatic impact of what he was saying sink in to his listeners. Moraim muttered and spat on the ground, but judging by the blank stares on all of his other companions faces, they clearly did not understand the drama.

Kull sputtered in disbelief. "Wha, ya mean ya doon't know 'bout the Maze? THE Maze? Obsidian Maze? Here'in I thought ye were adventurers! The Maaaaze man! Frickin' Obsidian Maze! Anybody!?!?!"

Moraim cleared his throat and stood. "The Blackrazor Guild, with whom I've had a long association, has made several forays into the Obsidian Maze. I've never been there myself, but I had understood the entrance to be several days to the east-and-south of where we are."

Kull stumped over to the rock where he had been drawing a map on the ground, tfollowed by the others. "Ay an ye're right 'bout tha, brother. See here, I've laid it out for ya," Kull said, pointing to the map. "Thas the main entrance. This is where we are. There are a bunch of other entrances, and I think thar's one nearby. Tha bloody big hole in the ground may be part of the stinkin' Maze."

Everyone sat back, reflecting. Moraim spoke up "well, if we can get close, Ulaa will give me the power to make the earth shake and buckle. That may collapse the hole".

With the basics of a plan, the party set about to working out the details, then set out.

The Windy Mountains

Using Moraim’s spell Find the Path, the party made an overland trek toward an entrance to the Obsidian Maze. The terrain was difficult and the party had to move slowly, but after a day, thanks to the expert outdoors skills of Heydrick and Kull, the party was able to travel a good distance. Satisfied with their progress and knowing their destination to be easily reached the next day, the party made camp for the night.

Shortly after midnight, Kull noted that the wind was picking up quite a bit. As he was easing out of his seat to take a quick look around, he was shocked to see two large tornados form right on top of his sleeping companions!

The bold adventurers woke to see the world spinning madly around them, being pelted by rocks and the limbs of their companions. Nearly everyone was caught in the malstoms. Moraim had rolled away from the others in his sleep and was thus not directly in the whirlwind. As Moraim awoke to the awful noise and the screams of his friends, he instantly knew what was happening. They were being attacked by Air Elementals!

Leaping up, Moraim thrust out his holy symbol of Ulaa and demanded the rampaging elemental beings respect the power of the earth and leave this place. A ripple of stability spread out from his holy symbol, passing over a battling Kull, struggling to keep his feet, and momentarily caused the tornados to waver. The Elementals summoned their will though, and they were able to resist the urge to flee, spinning faster and faster, dashing dwarves and men against the walls of the small ravine in which they had set up camp.

Then from within the cyclonic forms, fire erupted from Mananssi and a column of holy flame shot down from the heavens at the call of Rencour. Moraim caught illuminated glimpses of this companions in various odd positions as the cyclones were lit from within, then as his dwarven vision kicked back in, waded into position to strike the black-and-white image of the an inverted cone, careful to avoid the his companions spinning around past him.

After several more spells and a fair amount of nearly futile melee combat against the winds, the elementals were dispersed, fleeing back to their own realm of existance.
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