Chapter 20 - The Depths of Duran-Vanu

General Summary

Before they continued, the party collected some loot from the Frost Salamander, gaining a strange clockwork cube with the face of a woman on it. Venturing forth, the Heroes of the South Star walked toward a hallway, and entered a side room. Here, Slytoff Han saw two horrendous pieces of animated armor protecting what appeared to be a library. Slytoff tried to throw a rock at once, and it caused the armor to flare into a rage. The two armor pieces came after Slytoff, knocking him down. After an ensuing battle, with Tequila also going unconscious, the party escaped the dungeon and returned outside to Hilda, who set up camp for them. The party took a long rest. Then, they went back inside to the caverns of Duran-Vanu.
Returning to the side room, they uncovered a library, and found a strange cube with the face of a king. Inside the library, Slytoff also found a spell scroll of Fire Shield intact for him to copy. Once the party left the room, they entered a sanctuary, with four dwarven spirits. Tequila confronted the ghosts, realizing they were not harmful. The ghosts told them the two-headed dragon defiled the temple, and that they'd be grateful if the dragon left. Tequila then took the two blocks and compared them to a large doorway, seeing the blocks correlated with two symbols on the door.
The Southern Stars thus ventured further north in the dungeon, coming across the kitchen, where two Young Remorhaz were feasting on the old rotten remains. Slytoff tried to fire a fireball spell at the creatures, but they proved immune, and were aggravated. Wulfric attempted to destroy one of them, but upon escaping the hallway they were trapped in, he was struck hard by the monsters. Riley and Tequila combined a sickening radiance and guardian of faith spell to destroy the Remorhaz. They exploded from the radiance overwhelming them.
With the Remorhaz gone, the party continued into a bedroom, where they found yet another cube, this time showing a hammer. Slytoff decided to climb under an empty bed to search for more clues but found none. With the completed key, Tequila came to the door and inserted the correct slots. The doors then opened, and the ghosts looked onward, as the party came toward a chamber. On the last wall, the part found an inscription:

In the deserts of Bolderun, the Children of the Hills build their cities of gold and silver. In the Mountains and valleys of Lisanrik, the Children of the Mountains create cities of stone and iron.

The party also found the dead bodies of previous adventurers, who died within the span of a year. On one of the bodies, they found a note, relating to the Hearthstars.

Show spoiler

Day 16. Morgan, of the Heathstars. It has been a long journey, but at long last, I found the Dwarven Temple of Time with my cohorts. According to the legends, the Mountain Dwarves made war with the Wood Elves of Gaelitia, using these mountains as a vantage point. The Mountain King would steal the Mirror Shield from the elves, taking it as part of his personal armory. Eventually, the evil dragon Turzok entered his castle and took it as a new lair. The Mirror Shield remained lost for ages, but I am of the opinion that Turzok hoards it for himself.
Though the Hearthstars warned me of Turzok’s power, the adventurers with me are prepared. After this rest, we shall approach the dragon and slay him. Before I slept, I told our wizard, Alfred, to send a message to the Hearthstars before we entered. If we die, I wish for Riley Woodhame to be assigned to this project.

• His fluency in Elvish and Dwarvish would help him decipher clues.

• I’ve seen him fight. He was taught a dextrous technique by the Elves. It has taught him to be cunning in the midst of a battle.

• Riley works well with others. He could make a good project leader.

He is perfect as a replacement. I pray he can make it this far and find this message: do NOT bring the shield back to the Hearthstars. Our leader, Geralt, has made dealings with an individual named Qenlynn Millerstone. She seeks the shield, and Geralt sent me to find it. I do not trust her. Neither should you. Be wise in how you and any cohorts use the shield, Riley.

Seeing this, the party embraced themselves, being near the door way to the monstrous Turot the Two-Headed. What awaited them would be a test to their true might and cunning...

Date (in world)

May 24th, 5689.

Report Date

20 May 2020

Primary Location

The Dragonscale Mountains

Dwarven Prism by MrCrackerpants

The Dwarven Prism key, collected by the party to enter the final chambers.

Player Characters

Riley Woodhame: Riley Woodhame, human fighter and warlock, is a member of the Hearthstars (an organization based on gathering information under Amagus' teachings). His search for power and knowledge led him to find the Lady of the Lake, giving him an inkling of control over his own fate.

"The Amazing" Slytoff Han: Slytoff Han is a magician! A gnome wizard, he seeks to find funding to create a magic show and has traveled around County Ellis to show off his skills for potential audiences.

Wulfric Cisboren: Wulfric is a human fighter, who hails from Obesfeld, and a former housecarl. He appears to be a man of the north, covered in furs. Recently he has been talking more in a Norden accent, and has been behaving more like the Dwarves of North in his fighting style.

Gilliam Wulfstan Maydestone: Gilliam is an aarakocra swashbuckler, as well as an urchin that grew up in the city of Ebenwald. With his skills with the blade, he seeks higher up contracts to fill his pockets.

Tequila "Teq" Cambow: Teq is a cleric of Amagus, devoting his life and services to the god. He was introduced to the party by the local bishop of Silver Town, searching for field experience and for building his faith.