Day One
Isthon, Misty, Mide, Aurora, Chris, and Audrey have been traveling for a while they all know each other very well and trust each other very much.
The Party:
Misty Night- Ranger (twin with Mide)
Mide Night- Magic User (Wizard)
Chris Wood- Fighter
Isthon Horbon (a.k.a Dest0yr) – Ranger (half elf - half human)
Audrey Mist- Cleric (Healer)
Aurora- Cleric (Healer)
Dexter- Unknown (magic abilities; and rouge abilities; party believes him to be a thief)
Defender- Paladin
It has been brought to the attention of Isthon what is believed to be torn page from his father diary may have turned up between the pages of Almanac of The Northern Region. Upon further investigation Isthon realizes the torn page is definitely in the writing of his father Nigel. The torn page reads as follows: …. Tracked the energies all the way to the Northern Shirelands, according to the map I procured from the cartographer’s guild. Not much detail in apparent from studying the map, except for a small village named Long Bridge. The village is situated at the base of a mountain named Firestorm Peak, which itself is the first series of peaks and mountainous features extending towards the North. My studies indicate that the vast gate was still focused when the elders so long ago abandoned it. What gives me more cause to worry is the localized contradiction in reality, which arises whenever the cycle reaches its apex…. Although I have spent the last twenty years of my life researching this location, it is possible that mislead myself about the true dangers of the forces, which I have sought to understand. I fear that I may be forced to use the three CRYSTAL components I have so laboriously gathered from elder Eleven ruins to end a threat that non are yet aware of, save myself. My friends of old shall be my companions on this journey of discovering and danger, Derek Warcaller, Wellfast Brightblade, and Quaren Ael Drim will be ecstatic to learn…..Isthon has asked Audrey, Mide, Misty, Chris, and Aurora if they would like to join him on his journey to find more information out about his father who disappeared almost 27 years ago. They all agree. After a week of traveling the party finally arrives about 8pm in the Town of Long Bridge; where Isthon’s father was last seen. After the party settles into their rooms they go around the town to see if anyone has seen or know anything about Isthon’s father. The bartender remembers a while back that a party was going up the Mountain towards the Dragons Tear and was never to be seen again. There were three of them with Isthon and a he remember a lady named Quarem who was the most beautiful women he has ever seen and it was such shame that she was never to be seen again. After hearing what the bartender told Isthon Audrey and Mide tell the group the history they know about the Dragon’s Tear and Firestorm Peak. The history is: The village of Long bridge is a small community located in the southern foothills of the uncharted Mountain of frost, with in the northern reaches of the Shirelands. Local stories recall the rare but reoccurring storms of flame which ignite the highest reaches of the overshadowing and aptly named Firestorm Peak every 27 years. This awe-inspiring phenomena seem to be somehow linked with the celestial phenomena know as the Dragon’s Tear, a red scar in the sky which openly appears during the times of the firestorm. Although very interesting and quite unique, the marvel has not been deemed particularly significant by local villagers ( mostly due to infrequent nature), other than as an excuse to through a month-long festival Fondly known as the Fire festival, this occur annually, regardless of the presence of the firestorm. Since the last firestorm, however, there has been a subtle yet noticeable change in the lands surrounding Firestorm Peak. Stillbirths among livestock and people alike, locust infestation disease, and drought have slowly increased to a point that a once prosperous is now struggling year by year just to provide sustenance for all. And recently things have taken a severe turn for the worse. In the past five years, attacks by natural creatures of the woodlands and fields have increased markedly. During this same time, there have been reports of the appearance of lethal creatures never before seen by mortal eyes, which have begun to make their abodes on or near Firestorm Peak, Most disturbing off all is in the increase in random acts of cruelty and violence with in the populace of Long bridge. The murder rate had doubled each year for the past five years, not to mention unreported beating and fistfights. Although no concrete evidence support this conclusion, many blame the influence of firestorm Peak for the disruptions, calling the preceding 5 years the Cursed Season—which unfortunately has not yet drawn to an end. After they tell the history then they explain what the Dragon’s Tear looks like: Looking up into the serene, star-sprinkled sky, your gaze is drawn to the highest heights above Firestorm Peak, where some-thing odd is happening. Admist the darkness between the stars, a dim glow appears. It slowly, ever so slowly, brightens until it rivals its companion stars in luminosity. A bright claw of light it seems, or perhaps a celestial tear from some weeping god. Not a heartbeat elapses before a pillar of roaring fire hurtles down form on high with a thunderous noise. The cylinder of flame touches upon the summit of Firestorm Peak, igniting the massive conflagration form which the mountain draws its dramatic name. The twisting pillar of flame dissipates immediately but the firestorm rages on, a red halo of supernatural flame living on the mountain’s top. After Audrey and Mide explain the history of the Firestorm Peak and what the Dragon’s Tear looks like everyone goes their separate ways. These are some of Local Tavern Tales that they herd “Local legend holds that the gates cover the eyes of the Earth Mother. It is said the even the Earth Mother sometimes shows an interest in the upper airs and can’t help but uncover her eyes and look up at the magnificent Dragon’s tear, a seldom-seen gift from her father sky. Then from other people in the town the party hears rumors of the Dragons Tear. Local towns people say “The firefestival will be called off this year, as the surrounding communities and farmers are not eager to travel Long Bridge.” “Long bridge is in the fifth year of the Cursed Season, which has generally been characterized by nervous anticipation and fear, leading finally to violence and despair.”
“Farm animal and pets have become dangerous, forcing many people to dispose of once-loved creatures and stock animals for livelihood.” “ Game animals have been aggressive and stalk their erstwhile hunters with deadly intent, sometime with success.” “ Strange creature of terrifying aspect has been near Firestorm Peak. Those sighting these creature often barely escape with their lives, and there have been an increased number of disapperance of late…” “In the last couple of months, various citizens of Long Bridge have started experiencing episodes of manic criminal behavior so horrible that public execution is the only option for punishment. There is now, on average, one rampage leading to two executions a month.” “ The ornate gates built into the side of Firestorm Peak are ancient and impassable. They only open during the Firestorm every 27 years, and those foolhardily enough to venture within at those times have never been heard of again.” “once the gates open, they remain open for 28 days, the same length of the time that the Dragon’s Tear is visible in the night sky. No force can prevent the gates from closing after 28 days have elapsed.” “No one really knows what lies past the glass gates on the mountain because no one who’s ever entered has ever come out again.” After hearing all the towns people legends Audrey and Mist decided to rest of the party what history they know about the Dragon’s Tear and Firestorm Peak.
After we talk to the towns people everyone heads of to bed because they have a long day ahead of them. Misty and Mide share a room at the Inn. Aurora and Chris share a room and Chris blocks the door with beds because of all of the talk around town. Isthon and Audrey share a room. The night was uneventful.
Around 5 am Isthon and Audrey hear a banging at their door. Isthon ask who it is. The people at the door say “Defender and Dexter we were supposed to meet up with you for the travels to find information out about your father.” Isthon tell them to come in. The Lord Nasher of Neverwinter has sent them here to journey with them. They all talk and Isthon goes to get Mide, Chris, Aurora, and Misty.
7 am: The party head to Mountain. On the way up to the Mountain a Rabbit Cave Bear attacked them. The party kills the bear. After that Audrey casts a spell to speak with the bear. All she understood was gibberish. She could tell that insane forces drove the bear.
The rest of the way to mountain was uneventful. At the mountain entrance there were three dead hunters with purple slime, dismembered, mangled, and half-eaten. Audrey casts another spell and speaks with the least mangled body. The body says “ Tentacles. Evil, Horror AHHH!!!!!!!! Came form the gate!” This was an unknown creature to mankind. At the side of the mountain there appear to be a corridor 20 ft wide leads to the east, into the depths of the mountain. The walls and the floor are perfectly smooth, masterfully carved from native rock. The ceiling 20 ft. above you heads, of cut and carved stone as well. Neither scent, nor light gives away any clue as to what lies in the unrelieved darkness before you. The are very thick door and you it is dark inside. The doors are about five feet thick. All you can see is two torches flickering on the sidewall. Dexter makes the first move in to the mountain. He steps on something and it is a sharp pain and he jumps back out. Misty walks in the mountain sweeping her feet carefully she feels 2 things move against the wall be she sees nothing. Chris moves in the mountain sweeping his feet feel 3 things move but he sees nothing also. Isthon moves in the mountain sweeping his feet very carefully and he feels 4 things move against the wall but see nothing. Audrey move in the mountain sweeping her feet feels 5 things move and see nothing gets prick in the corner and feels poison go through her body. Isthon figures out that there are invisible cowtrops laid through out the room and they are poisoned. Aurora moves in sweeping her feet carefully she feels 3 things move against the wall she picks up 2 of them and put them in her bag. Defender moves in the mountain sweeping his feet carefully and feels nothing move. Mide comes in sweeping her feet carefully and feels 4 things move and she get prick by one. Everyone is moving about the room very carefully sweeping their feet picking up any cowtrops that they feel move. Isthon get hurt picking a cowtrops. In total we collected 16 cowtrops. The mountain atmosphere is quiet, eerie, dark, no smell, no sound, and darkness everywhere except for the very little light that 2 torches burning on the wall bring. We got about 30ft in to the mountain and decided to turn back. We left the mountain around 9pm. On the way back to the town we buried the bodies. Audrey collected their belonging to bring to families in the morning. Got back to the town around 11pm. Audrey casted cure light wounds spell on her and Dexter. She cured Dexter. Aurora helped Audrey cure herself. Everyone went to sleep around 11:30pm. Aurora and Chris shared a room. Isthon and Audrey shared a room. Misty and Mide shared a room and Dexter and Defender go their own room.
Day Two
Everyone wakes up and does there daily morning stuff. They all gather in the Tavern for breakfast. Everyone is there expect for Dexter. Audrey asks Defender if he has seen Dexter. He says “ No, Dexter gets up before dawn and eats his breakfast and does his daily stuff you normally don’t see him in the morning for a little while.” Audrey says “ Ok, how long do you think he will be gone cause we need to get going” Defender says “ Oh he will be here shortly”. After that Dexter brushes up against Mide and scares her. Audrey asks “ Are you ready to go?”
Dexter says, “ Yes, I am ready”. Before the party leaves the town to head for the mountain Audrey go to finds the families so she can return the belonging of the dead to them. Dexter is following her. It takes her 3 hours to find the families she give them their belongings and they thank her. They offer her a bag for their thanks and she declines. She tells them “ I was doing the duty that a Priest should do I can not take anything from you. Thank you very much though”. Then Defender starts to head that way as she is walking back to the party. Dexter comes shortly after. They all meet up and then they head to the mountain. It is about 11am. On their way up Defender says to Audrey “ It’s not right of the church to take gifts from people” Audrey says, “ I declined the gift that they offered me. Why do you bring this up?” Defender says “ Then why did Dexter take a gift form them?” Audrey says, “ I did not see Dexter take anything. I will ask him”. Defender calls
Dexter over where they are talking. Dexter says “ Yes” Audrey says, “ Did you receive a gift from the families?” Dexter says “ Oh yes they gave me this bag because you told them that you could no accept it. Here you go Defender you can give this to your church” Defender look in the bag and it is 31 gold pieces. Defender hands the bag to Audrey and says “ Here Audrey you can give this to your church” Audrey says “ Why don’t we split it amongst our churches?” Defender says “ I do not need money for our church thank you though you can keep it.” Audrey says “ Ok thank you very much” She smiles and puts it away in her bag for the church.
On the way up to the mountain they past the bear that killed yesterday and only bones are left. They stop to bury the bones that are left form the bear. It takes them 3 hours to bury the bear. They party arrives at 2:30pm at the mountain. Every one walks very carefully sweeping there feet into the mountain. Misty picks 5 more cowtrops; Dexter picks up 10 cowtrops. Aurora was sweeping her feet carefully and ran into the cowtrops that were all swept in the one area of the wall. There were about 6 cowtrops in that space and 2 of the cowtrops prick her. On one of them the poison got to her, Defender hands Dexter 1 cowtrops. Mide picks up 2 cowtrops. Everyone is in the mountain and it is still eerie, quiet, no smell, and no sound and nothing but darkness in the cave. Chris picks up 4 more cowtrops, while Dexter picks up 3 more. As we get through the cowtrops traps the corridor emerges into a very large chamber, but you cannot make out its dimensions due to a 10ft tall stone barrier which blocks easy access to the hall. The wall looks to be of a different style of roughly cut granite. The top of the wall is embedded with spikes and barbs, which point down at an angle, make climbing the wall difficult. There is no light beyond the wall, and silence pervades all. Everyone is looking around to find a way to get over the 10ft barrier with spikes pointing down with out getting hurt. Audrey cast a find traps spell to see if there are any traps. She finds none. Misty throws her grappling hook over the wall and it feels like something was grabbing it but then it finally hooks into the wall. She throws a torch over the wall to have light and as the torch is flying through the air is gets unusually dim. Like nothing no has ever seen before. It hits the ground and there is no light to be seen. As Misty was climbing the wall the spikes hurt her. Then out of nowhere Dexter, Defender, and Audrey were stabbed multiple times with a sphere. Audrey was hurt so bad that she feels to ground and was uncounsics. It was an unknown creature that attacked them. As Misty was trying to get down from the in Dwarven she her “Trespassers Die!” Aurora heard a voice in dwarven above the wall but she could not make it out. Everyone started to flee form the mountain. Defender carried Audrey out. While everyone was fleeing Chris was stabbed by a sphere and was hurt by still able to walk. As soon as they got out of the mountain Aurora casted cure light wound spell on Audrey and she was healed enough to walk back to the town. Audrey went to sleep and during the night she woke up and cured herself. Aurora helped cure everyone else. At the Tavern people were telling Misty and Isthon “ If you go into a dark place with no walls and you don’t what is behind it and you can’t see you throw something over you don’t try to climb the wall”. Mean while no in the town believe that they we in the Mountain.