A7S3 – Into the Deep

July 27^th: As the eagles flew towards Alatopel, Khalin finally woke, “We can’t leave! Kyan was right; my brother Glom IS still alive!! Yrreth taunted me with the news how he is being tortured in the caverns beneath the fortress.” Malbeth and Calandhir wanted to return their sister first to her father, “We will return to aid you.” The eagles agreed to cause distraction upon the ramparts while Thran’s eagle Hrafn stayed low and behind to stealthfully drop the elf and dwarf off near the secret entrance. 

Guards: Meanwhile, inside the cavern, Theo lit a torch as he and Kyan descended the stone ramp. It wasn’t long before they heard trolls arguing, “Put em down. Ya eard Gorzim, we ain’t suppose to eat the dwarves.” “Come on Bron, it’s a scrawny one at that. He ain’t gonna be missed. Let me eat his leg.” “Sure, Pell, go ahead. And the hill-troll boss can eat your leg in return. Hill-trolls love cave-trolls better than dwarves anyway. Tastier.” 

Theo put out his torch as Kyan tried to bluff in a deep voice, “So ya found our runaway. He’s more valuable as a digger for the treasure than any meal you want. Put em down else I call the wizard on ya. You’d make a pretty fireball.” The trolls puzzled amongst themselves, “Don’t sound like one of those hillmen. Ain’t eard em before.” Theo took over the bluff as he sounded more human, “Ya heard the boss. We captured the other dwarf that got past you. We’ll take yours too back to the dig site. Be quick about it and we won’t tell Yrreth or Gorzim.” Theo relite the torch and held it high before the cave entrance to blind them as he gruffly pushed Kyan pass, “Move along ya foul dwarf. You, other dwarf, join in else I flog you too.” Pell happened to get a glance, “Bron, ya see the size of that hillman?!” Bron countered, “Yeah, and that werewolf that ran with em!” 

The emaciated dwarf Ori Stiffbeard was grateful, “Thought I was a gonner. Been here for months as slave labor expanding the caverns. Then last month tasked to dig for hidden treasure. We tried to resist, the other dozen dwarf slaves and I, as we purposefully dug closer to solid rock to slow our efforts. I finally managed to slip away. Couldn’t tell you the path I took as I just ran and tried to avoid any sounds. Luck ran out as I stumbled into those trolls.” Theo gave him rations to give him some strength as Kyan gave him a hammer before they resumed their plunge into the caverns. They stepped into a large chamber: 

The ruin and wreckage of an ancient battle lay strewn across the chamber’s stone floor. Shattered swords, broken arrows and cleaved shields lay scattered among the skeletal remains of Orc and humans. The chamber lightly glowed with a dull-green bioluminescence they recognized as Goblin Gold moss. Silence until the echo of a beast’s growl wound its way from somewhere deeper inside the caverns. 

Ori stooped to pick up a shield as the others gathered the moss for its known healing properties. And that’s when the cold chill of corruption tainted Kyan [1 Shadow point] as they all saw the etching over the chamber mouth. None could read it, but they all recognized it as evil Black Speech. 

Which way: Two passages ahead; so, Kyan took the right one with the stronger rush of air, “Means there’s an opening further ahead.” Kyan failed to account for the slippery moss on the slick angled natural floor: as he fell on his rump, he thrust his spear (without success) to stop his slide. He fell 20ft into a crevice. Yet at the same time, Theo heard a noise behind them and turned with his torch to spot a black bird hopping along behind them. The torch reflected a foul red glow from its eyes as it spoke in common with a voice they had heard months before while crossing the Brandywine Bridge near the Shire, “Jaws of iron and claws that rend, Heralds death for Elves and Men. Radagast isn’t the only one who has been keeping tabs on you.” Theo gasped, “CAELINDUR!” Before the Beorning could react, the bird hopped, skipped, jumped, and took flight away. 

Meanwhile, Kyan found himself at the bottom of a pit with no-way out. Bones revealed he wasn’t the first victim of the crevice. The skeleton was still dressed in millennia old warrior's armor as the right hand held a muck-covered sword. Kyan lifted the sword that still held its sheen. And that’s when the ghost materialized before him, raising its bony finger to point at the new arrival, “Hear me oh traveler of this treacherous path. Once I was Aratobor, of Dunedain blood of shining Rhudaur. I aided Hirnan as we employed the dwarves of Amon Gallenloth to hide the Rod of Pallando. But soon evil in the shape of werewolves appeared and overran the dwarves, enslaving them. Hirnan and I returned to fight against the forces of Angmar. Yet against Sereghuan I faltered, and in my shame, I fell…and linger still.” 

The History- With prodding, Aratobor recounted the legend: 

Once, this tower was known by the fair people of Rhudaur as Amon Galenloth or the “Hill of the Yellow Blossom," so called for the beautiful flowers that covered the slopes of the hill. With the rise of Angmar, the tower was overrun and inhabited by the evil men and Orcs in service to the Witch-King. Flowers no more bloomed as thickets and weeds now ruled the land. Over the centuries, the rebuilt tower became known by its harsh Orkish name, Garzak, which in Sindarin means ‘The Werewolf’s Jaws.’ The Witch-King, through the power and sorcery of his dark master Sauron, called forth the fell spirits made flesh, the dreaded werewolves, led by the mightiest of these dread creatures, Sereghuan “The Blood-Hound”. With Sereghuan leading the Orc hosts, warriors lost courage in the face of the enemy, and the wicked Orcs reveled in ill-begotten victory.  In the darkest hour, when all seemed lost against Sereghuan, aid came from a Noldor of Lindon (greatest of elves) named Hirnan and his small band of Elvish warriors. With his sword Aglarelen, “the Glory of the Stars” and his armor forged by the Noldor in the ancient days, Hirnan rode with the warriors of Rhudaur to face Sereghuan and the werewolf’s vast host of Orcs and men ruling Amon Garzak. The attack began under the cover of darkness which benefited the forces of darkness. Yet when the moon and stars broke through the dark clouds that had lingered throughout the day and evening, a furious light shone about the sword Aglarelen and the Orcs faltered in their attack. Hirnan seized the opportunity to face Sereghuan in combat and struck the werewolf a deep wound, causing Sergehuan to bellow a fearful and painful howl and break from the field of combat. The Orcs broke rank and scattered in disarray and were swept from the battleground.  Yet the warriors of the Dunedain, weary from the fierce conflict and several wounded, wished to retire from the conflict despite Hirnan’s insistence they carry the fight forward. Only a few Dunedain joined Hirnan to pursue the enemy back to Amon Garzak where they received unexpected aid from a dwarf named Ruric the Red who led a small band of dwarves. He explained their capture and forced labor to dig under the tower to carve out passages and chambers for the practice of sorcery in the depths of Amon Garzak. Yet in their labor, they managed to secretly build an escape passage.  Using the secret entrance, Hirnan’s forces entered the bowels of the tower and surprised its defenders. Sereghuan, however, fled deeper into the caverns. The men of Rhudaur though brave and resolute, were war-weary and even victory was not enough to overcome their exhaustion and fear. They begged Hirnan to leave with them. Hirnan would not relent and cursed them for their cowardice.  “I, Aratobor, agreed to accompany Hirnan and the few Noldor elves who remained. Without further delay, Hirnan turned to venture into the depths of Amon Garzak. A gloom so bleak that even the light of the sword Aglarelen was dimmed shook the men. We lingered until we heard the echoes of horrid howls and the cries of agony. Overcome by fear and shame, I and other survivors fled from Amon Garzak. My fate was this crevice. As for Hirnan, bound to this crevice, I know not his fate or whether Sereghuan still lives. Something foul and of werewolf blood still roams this underground.”

As Kyan tested the balance of the blade, he promised, “Perhaps your blade will be there when we avenge your death.” But Aratobor advised, “It is Hirnan’s sword Aglarelen you should seek to fell that evil beast! Great magic is needed to thwart evil, be it foe or artifact.” 

New Arrivals: Thran and Khalin slipped into the secret passage and even managed to slip past the troll guards. And that’s when a black bird chanced to fly past. Thran’s stinging arrow fell the crebain that croaked one last taunt from Caelindur, “Blinded for now but I have seen and heard enough.” The duo entered the ancient battlefield chamber where the others stood, now that they had pulled Kyan from the crevice by rope. Thus, they all heard Khalin read the Black Speech etching above the chamber arch. Yes, in his long quest to seek out his most hated enemy, he had stooped to learn the foul language (which corrupted him deeply): 

By Morgul hand and blood fresh spilled Angmar’s Lord fulfills his will And summons from the darkest depths Hungry ghosts of wolfish flesh. The Blood Hound of the Morgul Lord That needs not mail, helm nor sword Jaws of iron and claws that rend Heralds death for Elves and Men.

Were it not for Theo’s Strength of Will [critical success against a Corruption test is a pass for all], all would have suffered corruption at hearing such foul words. At least Kyan and Theo now understood the crebain’s taunt as it spoke those last lines. And understood the runes spoke of Sereghuan! 

[Their time spent with Aratobor counted as a short rest for all.] 

Goriel’s Lair- While Ori lost interest in returning to his labor site, and stayed behind, the fellowship took the northern passage that opened unto a larger chamber: 

You emerge in a large cavern filled with stalagmites and stalactites. Along the cavern walls, at various intervals from the ceiling to the floor, are smaller caves. There are five smaller caves, apparently branching out from this area. One cave, however, allows a stream of moonlight or daylight as the case may be, to illuminate a small area in the northwest section of the cave. Webs are strewn among the stalagmites and stalactites. A few cocoons dangle from the cavern ceiling. Looking closely at some of the cocoons, you can clearly perceive desiccated, nearly mummified husks of dwarves (and even a few Orc). 

As the dwarves took the northern side of the chamber (weapons at the ready), the elf and Beorning took the southern side…and paid for it as a spider showed its surprising speed as it lunged at Thran and sank its fangs [natural 20] into his arm. Poison quickly crippled the elf who tried to weakly fight back rather than heal himself [his new ability Weapons of the Enemy allows him to use his Hands of a Healer to remove the poison effects.] Two other Attercop [medium spiders] lunged at Kyan who resisted the poison. And in return, he trusted with his spear then followed up with RingRist. From the moon-lite distant corner, another spider spun webbing at Theo but hit stalactites instead. 

When Theo killed the spider attacking the elf, that allowed Thran to cast Ray of Frost at the distant web-slinger. And when Kyan killed both his attackers, the mother-of-the-brew (the huge monstrosity, Goriel) appeared and hissed in common, “Leave my lair else you too will hang as a cocooned foe.” Kyan countered, “Let us pass and your kids may live.” As the spiders withdrew into their cave openings, the fellowship proceeded…with caution. Only when clear of the chamber did Thran pause to remove his poison and heal the others. 

Wolf Tracks: They turned left at the next opportunity and entered two connecting chambers that proved empty. Yet when they stepped into a long passage, they found wolf tracks going left and right. And to the right, they saw a faint light that drew them forward. It soon proved to be a cave opening to the outside, hidden by brush. They all realized the wolves had to get out of this cavern den in order to attack Alatopel: this was their passage. They turned around and retraced their steps which soon brought them to a side chamber from where they heard a voice moaning in pain. They found Khalin’s brother Glom chained to the wall! 

Emaciated, weak, incoherent, and even a little insane as he repeated, “Enough, enough, kill me Yrreth, kill me for I will never tell where the Rod is hidden.” It wasn’t until Khalin touched his one-handed brother and wiped tears from his face that Glom realized they were not hallucinations. Theo quickly picked the manacles as Thran tended to the rescued dwarf who told his own story: 

20+ years ago, Glom purchased tomes of the Ruric the Red family. Through research, he learned Amon Garzak was a place of werewolves. He and his brother Khalin entered Amon Garzak thru the secret door in hopes of collapsing the roof of the den onto the wolves to end their reign. But they were confronted by the sorcerer Yrreth who thwarted their plans. While Khalin believed his brother was slain as he himself fought a retreating battle, Glom was unconscious and barely alive. When Khalin was driven from the keep out of the wolves’ cave exit, Yrreth returned to nurse Glom to health so he could be interrogated about spell magic within the tomes written in dwarfish. That is, until a month ago when Yrreth sought news about the Rod! “I resisted his torture even after he bit my hand off.”  Glom finished his story, “Another voice tried to torment me. Cardoc I believe his name. He repeatedly asked what I knew of the Rod of Pallando… Only I know the location, and I’ll never tell!!”

As Kyan listened to the story, he suddenly wondered: does a werewolf bit turn you into a werewolf?!! And that’s when they heard wolf howls nearby. Leaving Glom at the rear, they advanced to look into the next chamber… The Wolf Den: 

The tunnel passage opens into a large cavern. In the center of the chamber, bathed in the low green luminescence of Goblin Gold moss, is a crude altar of stones, like a small dolmen, bearing etchings. 

The bones of many dead, whole rib cages, skulls and spines cover the cavern floor. Many of the bones are still adorned in rotting armor, or cling to shattered shields. Other bones bear signs of rending claws and ripping teeth. Locked in a death struggle are two combatant skeletons: one elf in preserved armor, the other naked and bearing cuts across its ribcage. 

You can smell the fetid, feral odor of wet fur and stench of an animal’s raw-flesh breath. Suddenly, from the depths of the darkness, you see glowing red eyes, then another pair, then another. Low growls rumble from their gaping jaws as they come into view. Some walk upright but are neither man nor wolf but a dread union of both: werewolves! Others are on all fours: simple wolves who have joined the pack. 

Theo transformed into a bear and charged into the den to attack the closest werewolf. Two werewolves attacked him but were unable to knock him prone. Kyan closed to throw his spear at a wolf while Khalin closed to throw his spear at one of Theo’s foe, dealing a deep wound [natural 20]. Two more werewolves and a wolf appeared from side passages, yet Thran still chose to turn his back on the new arrivals as he twanged his bow at Kyan’s wolf. The newest werewolves took advantage and attacked the elf with gashing claws! 

[Virtue/Many Foes when outnumbered, and Battle-Fury Rage to deal extra damage while gaining resistance to most damage] Khalin held his own against his 2 foe. Even Theo the Bear dealt with his outnumbering foe. Kyan yelled a battle-cry to inspire his allies (and to heal them too) as he swung RingRist: he was surprised when the axe flared yet his foe did not flinch! As for the outnumbered elf: Thran cast Thunderwave (while excluding his allies) that damaged all foe within 30ft who were also concussed 30ft backwards. Two took more damage when they slammed against the chamber walls. But the foe remained living and continued the fight. 

The fellowship fought bravely and coordinated such as when Kyan reacted [spent his Inspiration to give his Action Surge to the elf] to allow Thran to swing once more that turned out to be the death blow to his foe. Maybe that exposed Thran’s flank, as another wolf slashed with claws, dropping the elf. 

In a fearsome display of power, Theo-the-Bear jumped onto the altar as he lept toward another werewolf. [Having touched the blasphemous altar: 2 permanent Shadow points of corruption] Images of millennia ago flooded his mind as Theo witnessed unholy werewolves being born from the altar as Sereghuan stood proud and drooling. The battle continued around the unconscious elf as claws, bites, and blades traded wounds. And when the last wolf fell, Kyan rushed to the elf’s side to treat the wounds with Goblin Gold poultice. While Theo-the-Bear still stood, he too was near death. The fellowship hung on by a thread.

Yrreth Arrives: Yet that is when Yrreth appeared from a side passage, flanked by 2 more werewolves as he mocked the fellowship and Khalin, “I see you’ve found what’s left of your brother…and my creations. Now you can feel my wrath!” [WISsave else Corruption: Khalin took 1 more point of Shadow that tipped him into a Bout-of-Madness: broke his rage and made him fearful] When Khalin stepped forward to faced his sworn enemy, he hesitated with doubt in his abilities. Yrreth cast Cursed on the dwarf that dealt necrotic damage while causing DisAdvantage on the dwarf’s attacks. Which explained why Khalin’s spear fell harmlessly beside the sorcerer. Kyan took a moment to search for Hirnan’s blade as Theo began to transform back into human form (so he could apply his poultices of healing). Thran laid his hands upon himself to heal. Yrreth laughed as he cast Dominate on Khalin but somehow failed despite the dwarf’s Miserable Condition. 

As Theo continued to transform and Kyan searched, Thran laid hands on the bear to heal him then cast Chain Lightning at the sorcerer: only embers of lightning flashed about the sorcerer who withstood the attack that ended on him and failed to chain onto his werewolves. Kyan gave up his search and threw his spear as a dejected Khalin attempted to throw his axe. Yrreth returned the elf’s favor by casting his own Chain Lightning that ended on Khalin as he too withstood the faltered lightning. So, Yrreth cast Slow that altered time around everyone but Thran. [Slow: speed halved, -2AC, cannot react, and can take one action or bonus but not both.] 

Thran fired a stinging arrow at Yrreth as Kyan raised RingRist to cleave at the altar: sparks flared as a dark wave of negative energy concussed from the defaced altar, dealing damage to all Shadow forces. [And each member of the fellowship who had permanent Shadow points took that many points of damage themselves.] 

Yrreth’s body suddenly spasmed and contorted into a bestial form with matted black fur. As he shook his head in challenge, saliva spilled from its mouth as he bared yellowish fangs. 

The werewolf lord bound forward and lept over the time-delayed Khalin [who could not react with an Attack-Of-Opportunity] as Yrreth charged toward the elf. With a claw and a bite, Thran was down once more in death saves. The werewolf minions closed and attacked Khalin. No longer time delayed, Kyan swung and hit the werewolf lord. Theo finally completed his transformation as he too was back to real time: he quickly grabbed his bow and fired twice…and missed twice. Kyan took the brunt of Yrreth’s 3 attacks (claw, claw, bite). The dwarf was able to hit once in return as he healed himself [Second Wind]. 

As the battle waged around him, Thran slowly came to his senses. He felt a hilt under his palm. As he stood and withdrew the broadsword from the muck around the unholy altar, Aglarelen shone with a bluish radiance. All werewolves took notice of the Noldorian blade forged to battle against the werewolves of Morgoth and Sauron!! Yrreth sprang at the elf to slay him for good before the non-warrior Thran regained more health.

The sorcerous werewolf did not expect the scholarly elf to be able to wield the blade so deftly: [natural 20] Aglarelen cleaved thru Yrreth as if his fur were butter. As the blade struck bone, first the ribcage flared with burning as if a lit fuze. Soon every bone of the werewolf beast burned such that the skeletal frame of the werewolf glowed thru skin before Yrreth became a smoking pile of fur. 

NEXT SESSION: A7S4– The Rod of Pallando