Session 3: which way the wind blows? Report

General Summary

It is the next morning after our heroes had routed the evil from the caverns and dungeons beneath Garan's sundry shop. Many townsfolk in Steigs Stand had already heard the news. While people were relieved that evil had been routed, they were disturbed to learn of the darkness below them. Mitus'rugi asked Marcus Wrathbone, landlord of Steigs Rest, to keep an eye on the carpenter...
Upon Mi'tsuru'gi's suggestion the party re-entered the caves and dungeon, but only after convincing Knights of the Watch guards Roxbury and Oroth, that they had left some personal items below. Upon making their way to the wererat's chamber Brimble Knackles sent off two pigeons with notes. Both pigeons flew to the north for about 10 minutes as recounted by Brimble's owl Gil.
As the heroes emerged from Garan's, the sounds of dwarven shouts and a crying child flooded the road. To their right (southish), a crazed looking dwarf had a knife to a child's throat in the middle of the road. Before anyone could act the dwarf slashed at the child's throat, blood spraying out in a stream across the road, and then he charged at our heroes and the Knight's Watch guards. Falkas ran to intercept and slowed the dwarf, but was knocked down in the melee. With help from others the dwarf was killed, but why he killed the child remained a mystery. He was known to townsfolk as Fidmin Copperchin, a dwarf working "The Vault" in the foothills of the Barrier Peaks. He was covered in days old blood, battered and torn. It was fairly easy to follow his trail to the Evensong homestead south of Steigs. 
At the homestead the party found carnage, dead stock, a killed child and father, and wolves who looked like they had been on a killing spree, their fur matted with blood, at least a day old, and looking like the dwarf. After killing the wolves, the heroes found Feria in the house cradling her dead daughter. Feria did not know what happened, the dwarf simply stumbled into their household in a killing rage and moved on. After Falkas buried the bodies, they took Feria back to the village and then returned to follow the dwarf's bloody trail.
The trail was easy to follow for most of the day and after passing to the east of Goldpeak mountain and crossing the Blue river the heroes hiked up a scree slope to what must be the Vault. An abandoned camp lay outside the entrance, dwarven corpses, limbs, and other parts, along with deceased monsters lay about. As Falkas went to check a large tent, two Death Dogs burst from it and battle ensued. Falksa was brought down (later revived), but the other party members were able to slay the beasts. Camp supplies and mining tools, were found strewn around, but a trapped chest (avoided) in the tent contain 22 thin gold bars, worht 10 gp each. The heroes retreated downslope and across the river to camp for the night. On the morrow they returned to Steigs for supplies (i.e. healing potions).
Krisset Alwin's apothecary was able to provide the desired potions and the next day the party set off once more for the dwarven vault. After a crisp morning passing by Feria's homestead and walking the high ridges to the east of Goldpeak, four orcs appeared in the trees and beset the party. Even though they hurled javelins and attacked with their great axes, the orcs were killed. A quick check of the bodies did not reveal and signs of prior combat as found on earlier advesarys.
It is afternoon and there are still several hours until they make the vault.

Rewards Granted

Monsters XP:
Fidmin Copperchin, dwarf beserker: 450
Wolves x 2: 100
Death Dogs x 2: 400
Orcs x 4: 400

Adventure advancement:
General direction of carrier pigeon flight: 100
Location of dwarven vault: 100

Total XP per PC/NPC: 390 each

The cliffside entrance to the vault

Campaign

The March of Bissel Dungeons & Dragons 5e Campaign

Protagonists

Report Date

03 Feb 2022

Primary Location

Steigs Stand

Related Characters

• Brimble Knackles
• Falkas
• Mi'tsuru'gi
• Thomen Jax