After a night of rest, Ferris worked on the hidden door to free the bar holding it fast on the other side. Using his specialized skills, and working around the disability of his injured shoulder, he was able to gain access back to the stairs to Dinfaldir. Returning to the dwarven village, they made for the one tavern: The Nugget.
They sought a speedy return home and knew they could not ascend the elevator back at Dacha’s mine which was previously collapsed. In the tavern, they once again spoke with Geire, the shy dwarf who’d helped them get to Tosasth via the hidden door. He suggested returning to Kegh Buldur and then north with a merchant.
To avoid carrying Longstream, who’d lost his right leg, the party negotiated a ride on the supply cart that made weekly trips to and from Kegh Buldur. A protracted argument began, with Tienarth arguing for walking and Aderian not caring much about the 100 gp fee.
Escaping to the Surface
After arriving in the bustling trade town, Longstream directed the party to Dayve, the fishing dwarf. There he inquired about a trip back home where he might heal. Dayve’s nephews Raffi and Riffle were interested in helping. Riffle agreed to help Longstream get home in hopes of learning something of fishing the Long Stream. Raffi asked to join the party as a warrior to make up for the loss of the halfling.
With arrangements concluded, they found a merchant heading north to Hammerstone. A day-long trip passed by a few places the wagoneer noted as old ruins and through mushroom-farming caverns. He advise them that unlike the law and order of Kegh Buldur’s, Hammerstone’s streets were lawless and crammed with citizens of all types. No guards held weapons in lockers there. Justice was a personal responsibility.
As before, they sought and found a ready tavern, this one named the Lush Pig, and settled in for an evening of rest. Ferris and Tienarth abstained while the rest indulged in drink. One serving lead to another. Ghevont, Longstream and Aderian continued their revelry as Ferris and Tienarth retired to a private room.
In the morning, the three found their purses lighter, dimly remembering many acts of foolishness. Longstream felt he’d made many new friends. Aderian matched arm-wrestling skill versus several patrons, besting them all and winning a gaudy blouse. Ghevont gambled away a sizeable fortune, betting against Aderian. Sometime during the night, Longstream’s severed leg, which Ghevont has been daily preserving by magic, was missing.
Slateholm
A portal from Hammerstone rose up from the town to the the surface world. In the bright light, they saw mountains behind them to the west and roads leading north and east. Longstream and Riffle bid them farewell and headed north. The rest walked the eastern road they guessed would bring them back to the coast. And after a day of walking, they met up with the main north-south trade route and turned south to Slateholm.
In the port city, they visited Benabil. Ferris sold two potions of polymorph. Benabil made an offer for the terrible lance recovered from the black knight in Tosasth which Aderian turned down. Ghevont exchanged various coins, gems and jewelry for coins, measuring out shares of 5,697 gp for each of them. Longstream’s share was left in Ghevont’s magical pouch.
Aderian donated his entire savings, including other coins he carried, to the local church, a sum totaling 20,000 gp. He spent a week among the monks at Cathedral of the Towering Mother, praying every day. Ferris joined him for a day and spent 2,000 gp for church supplies. He then distributed 3,000 gp to non-churche charities, sometimes handing out coins to beggars.
Tienarth sought out bards, hiring them to compose a ballad of Tosasth. Between fees to the bards, advertisements and performances, he spent 5,000 gp. The reciting of the ballad in many inns was celebrated and brought much fame to the old elf.
While the others spent time indulging in good works, Ghevont and Raffi when in search for a certain well down which it was told the bones of St. Jaludi were thrown. The cleric dropped a glowing rock down the well and guessed the depth at 60 feet before it splashed into the water. He descended by rope to fetch the rock in three feet of water among a few coins. He detected no magic in the cave system, no mere well, but quickly returned to the surface.
It was now the 15th day of Elephant, a month recognized for remembrance. It was time to return to Lah and report on their adventures in Tosasth.
Lah and Morgansfort
They purchased fresh mounts from their former companion, Nebula the dwarf. Her business was doing well and she had no desire to return to adventuring. They rode south, past the Dancing Frog and into the gates at Lah’s Retreat. Presently, they were before Lah where Tienarth recounted their long journey down through the mines, through the underdark to Tosasth and then through the portal to the realm of Haderax.
Lah listened patiently and complimented them on their bravery. He agreed that the closing of the portal was significant, concluding that their labors were worthy of a rest, encouraging them to return home to replenish strength.
He asked one favor, that they accept into their ranks a young paladin: Stoyk.
Ghevont urged the group to go on south to Morgansfort. It had been more than two years since they left the outpost to avoid a high tax on a magical tapestry recovered from a nameless dungeon. They knew two missing rubies from Ghevont’s mirror remained in Morgansfort. Once there, they discovered the old sage who examined and taxed entrants was deceased.
They met with Baron Halden and negotiated to re-purchase the rubies which they expected would restore the mirror to full functionality. He gladly sold them for 5,000 gp each. He then entertained them with a feast and related news of the fort. Gnoll activity from the swamps to the south ad diminished owing to gnolls moving to fight with the dwarves to the west. Some trouble with goblins struck the previous year, but a surge of soldiers brought in by boat helped break the seige. The past year had been quiet.
The next day, the party rode their horses back to the Jonamor Estate near St. Orlan to be greeted by Bottoms and Azrak, who had no idea how he briefly fought beside them in Tosasth. Proof the adventure remained in the form of black goo staining his boots.
It was now the evening of the 16th and they talked over plans before heading to bed. They considered an assault on the white dragon guarding the pass over to Tosasth. They talked of recovering all of the treasures in the mansions there. Ferris, anticipating time off, thought of finding an alchemist as a instructor, perhaps the herbalist they knew from St. Orlan. He hoped to find a way to brew healing potions. Finally, Ghevont aimed to find Rellora’s village to relate her final heroic act in sealing the portal.
Endnotes
- Treasure: none
- Kills: none
- Characters
- Tienarth/Tre
- Aderian/Jason
- Ferris/Henry
- Stoyk/Henry
- Ghevont/Jeff
- Longstream/Bob
- Raffi/Bob
- Virtues: none
- Vices: none