This section of the mines appears like all the rest you have seen so far. There appears to be writing on the walls here, however. The moisture present has smeared much of it beyond recognition. Etched into the wall is a large, single rune. It seems to have been crudely made using a chisel.
It doesn’t appear to have been carved with care. I trust my dwarven friends’ judgment. However, even in these tunnels, I would have expected pride to demand something more precise from folk who appreciate craftsmanship. Perhaps it was rushed or desperate. Or maybe there’s another purpose to it.
After the erudite examen the engraving, the consensus is that it is part of the orcish runic tradition. Best guess is that this glyph represents DANGER.
The history we know of this mine included an orcish occupation. Perhaps they found something beyond this cavern dangerous. We should proceed with caution in the event that whatever was dangerous is long lived and still present.
The hall continues a short distance and turns to the left. It opens up into a large cavernous room. Roughly mined walls surround the perimeter and up to a domed 25' high ceiling. Scattered about the floor are numerous skeletons that are well decomposed. All have tatters of hide and leather armor on them and rusted, crude axes, swords and spears. When you arrive to the entrance of the room you see a luminous and semi-transparent dwarf armed with a halberd slowly form across the room. It remains there in a battle stance looking towards your end of the room.
"Greetings master dwarf. I am Sir Chadwick, paladin of Tyr and this is The Company. We are here to banish evil and help restore this city to its glory under dwarven rule.
We are foes of the orcs who defile this place do you also wage war against them?"
Chadwick also tries to see if he is wearing any holy symbols or heraldry he recognizes. Rolls sent.
Trolkarl steps forward with Darkbane lowered in a gesture of peace. He speaks carefully in dwarvish.
Hail, honored guardian. I am Trolkarl of clan Ravenshield, an ally of dwarves. I come as a friend of the dwarves to aid the reclamation of these mines and the halls above from those who defiled them. With me stand the dwarves Hoid- slayer of dragons, and Kragen Gravelbeard- custodian of Tyr's Judgment. We come not to plunder, but to reclaim. We seek to purge the darkness that has defiled this great place and honor those who stood here before us. What has happened here?
Persuasion: 26. (Spending Heroic Inspiration trying to fish for a nat 20: 12)
The ghost is across the room from where you stand. It is unclear if any heraldry is displayed from this distance. Its mouth opens and the sound of rushing wind emanates to fill the room. (This is nothing like the eerie, spine tingling wail you have heard multiple times already.) The ghost of the dwarf remains in place, weapon readied.
This post is absent clues from access to the Ghost Room link.
Kragen approaches the semi-transparent dwarf.
”I am Kragen Gravelbeard of Clan Delhalls, a Dwarf of Vaasa Mountains, and a Cleric of Tyr. We have come, at the behest of our Dwarven brothers to remove the evil and scourge the plagues this place, and has caused this clan to perish. My compatriots and I seek access to Mountian secrets which might assist us is removing this evil and restoring this great Dwarven stronghold and the forges which provided hearth and home to many. Lay bare your secrets that we can use them to vanquish this evil from the mountain and restart these great forges!”
stands before the entity with shield and hammer at his side. The Scales of Justice gleaming against his chest.
The ghost of the dwarf stands in place, halberd readied. Following Kragen's speech the ghosts mouth opens and the sound of strong wind comes forth. It closes its mouth and the sound stops. You do notice a symbol on the dwarf ghost's spectral armor as that of a hammer surrounded by 12 evenly spaced, radial lines.
Starker plumbs the depths of historical (24) and arcane (11) lore at his disposal, trying by both recall and reason to ascertain the meaning of that hammer and rays symbol.
If there isn't anything menacing or of note in the cave we came to, continue east.
This section of the mines appears like all the rest you have seen so far. There appears to be writing on the walls here, however. The moisture present has smeared much of it beyond recognition. Etched into the wall is a large, single rune. It seems to have been crudely made using a chisel.
Can any of our scholars decipher the rune?
/watching for appropriate skill checks.
Roll made. Not reporting it.
Trolkarl will examine the rune.
It doesn’t appear to have been carved with care. I trust my dwarven friends’ judgment. However, even in these tunnels, I would have expected pride to demand something more precise from folk who appreciate craftsmanship. Perhaps it was rushed or desperate. Or maybe there’s another purpose to it.
Arcana= 18, History= 6
• Inspecting the rune for arcane properties (
• Trying to recall any relevant dwarven knowledge
Starker mutters to himself, peers at marking, measures depth and angles, tests hardness of wall material, consults notebook, …
(Starker sent several rolls (all good) Don not being sure which skill was relevant.)
After the erudite examen the engraving, the consensus is that it is part of the orcish runic tradition. Best guess is that this glyph represents DANGER.
The history we know of this mine included an orcish occupation. Perhaps they found something beyond this cavern dangerous. We should proceed with caution in the event that whatever was dangerous is long lived and still present.
Continue east.
The hall continues a short distance and turns to the left. It opens up into a large cavernous room. Roughly mined walls surround the perimeter and up to a domed 25' high ceiling. Scattered about the floor are numerous skeletons that are well decomposed. All have tatters of hide and leather armor on them and rusted, crude axes, swords and spears. When you arrive to the entrance of the room you see a luminous and semi-transparent dwarf armed with a halberd slowly form across the room. It remains there in a battle stance looking towards your end of the room.
Ghost room
If this is a dwarven ghost that killed orcs, let us attempt parley before violence.
"Greetings master dwarf. I am Sir Chadwick, paladin of Tyr and this is The Company. We are here to banish evil and help restore this city to its glory under dwarven rule.
We are foes of the orcs who defile this place do you also wage war against them?"
Chadwick also tries to see if he is wearing any holy symbols or heraldry he recognizes. Rolls sent.
Trolkarl steps forward with Darkbane lowered in a gesture of peace. He speaks carefully in dwarvish.
Hail, honored guardian. I am Trolkarl of clan Ravenshield, an ally of dwarves. I come as a friend of the dwarves to aid the reclamation of these mines and the halls above from those who defiled them. With me stand the dwarves Hoid- slayer of dragons, and Kragen Gravelbeard- custodian of Tyr's Judgment. We come not to plunder, but to reclaim. We seek to purge the darkness that has defiled this great place and honor those who stood here before us. What has happened here?
Persuasion: 26. (Spending Heroic Inspiration trying to fish for a nat 20: 12)
The ghost is across the room from where you stand. It is unclear if any heraldry is displayed from this distance. Its mouth opens and the sound of rushing wind emanates to fill the room. (This is nothing like the eerie, spine tingling wail you have heard multiple times already.) The ghost of the dwarf remains in place, weapon readied.
This post is absent clues from access to the Ghost Room link.
Kragen approaches the semi-transparent dwarf.
”I am Kragen Gravelbeard of Clan Delhalls, a Dwarf of Vaasa Mountains, and a Cleric of Tyr. We have come, at the behest of our Dwarven brothers to remove the evil and scourge the plagues this place, and has caused this clan to perish. My compatriots and I seek access to Mountian secrets which might assist us is removing this evil and restoring this great Dwarven stronghold and the forges which provided hearth and home to many. Lay bare your secrets that we can use them to vanquish this evil from the mountain and restart these great forges!”
stands before the entity with shield and hammer at his side. The Scales of Justice gleaming against his chest.
The ghost of the dwarf stands in place, halberd readied. Following Kragen's speech the ghosts mouth opens and the sound of strong wind comes forth. It closes its mouth and the sound stops. You do notice a symbol on the dwarf ghost's spectral armor as that of a hammer surrounded by 12 evenly spaced, radial lines.
Starker plumbs the depths of historical (24) and arcane (11) lore at his disposal, trying by both recall and reason to ascertain the meaning of that hammer and rays symbol.
Kragen searches the depths of his religious and historical knowledge for clues about the symbol.
religion 18
History 4
It is likely his clan’s symbol. You do not recognize it.