The Phandalin Chronicles

With the morning spent running errands and getting ready for the trip to Axeholm the party finally gathers together and departs south towards Axeholm.

 You make a stop at Umbrage Hill where you meet up with Adabra Gwynn.  She is able to sell you Potions of Healing so anyone who wanted 1 or 2 could buy them.  You find her safe and still unwilling to leave her home.

You continue south towards Axeholm and arrive in the early afternoon.  You cross grassy lowlands that skirt the rocky foothills of the Sword Mountains. The trek passes without incident, though cool winds and rain blowing in from the Sword Coast make the trip far from pleasant.

Thrust out from the base of a dark gray mountain is the entrance to the dwarven fortress—a dark, fifteen-foot-wide passageway flanked by forty-foot-high bulwarks of smooth, seamless stone. An iron portcullis covered with rust blocks the entrance. Arrow slits carved into the bulwarks are dark, revealing no hint of occupation.

Doors are closed but I found this cool art to set the mood.

(@Pal54: Now datz some good art right there, boss!)

"I have to give your people credit, Master Krom! They certainly  know how to make an imposing architecture." Rhogar comments as he slowed in step to try and take more in of the imposing sight. As the Bronze drank his fill of the sight, a much more industrious Ghorar, flutters off to see if she can squeeze her way through the arrowslits, and begin scouting out the interior. If there's a means to do so unnoticed, then she certainly gives it a try.

Ghorar Stealth(if possible): 20.

Ghorar Perception: 22.

"It is a great sight to behold indeed Rhogar!" replies Krom smiling to the dragonborn. The dwarf, moving the carriage towards the entrance, takes a good look at all the fortess. Krom hops off from carriage and taking out from his backpack a small hammer, starts to examine the fifteen-foot passageway looking for differences in the stones that may show a secret entrance or switch. Krom will chant a hymn of Guidance to enhance his stone sense.

(OOC @DM I am trying to use  the stonecunning racial ability to determine if I can find a passage or switch that could open the fortress's door.)

Stonecutting check (History 11 + Guidance 2 )

Rekuberk nods in agreement to the Krom and Rhogar, hopping down from the wagon once he has all of his weapons at the ready. He will move forward to stand next to Krom, drawing one of his hand axes for the time being so he has at least some sort of weapon.

Chip would let out a loud whistle in approval. "This is nice! Do you think this place needs a new king? I would be willing to apply for the job.." Chip would say with a grin.

Krom examines the outer walls of the fortress.  His knowledge of stonecunning is put to the test as he examines the outer defenses.  Krom knows that you stand in the Outer Gauntlet (A1). Axeholm’s primary entrance and exit is this defensible passage, which is blocked by a sturdy portcullis. Arrow slits are spaced along the walls and murder holes line the ceiling, enabling fortress defenders to shoot ballistas at invaders or pour boiling oil on top of them.  

He finds no secret entrance.

Meanwhile Ghorar is able to slip into one of the arrow slits and sends images of the interior rooms that can be seen (A2).

This area contains seven ballistas pointed at arrow slits, a winch that raises and lowers the portcullis, and a stone staircase leading up.

Upper section that you can see

Chill looks up at the forbidding fortress. 

"Dwarves made this?  Wow!"

He begins looking up to see if he could find a place to climb in or if he could fit in one of the arrow slits.

Perception 18

"Do you think we could lift the portcullis?"

Looking up at the arrow slits and watching Ghorar fit into one Chill judges that perhaps a smaller person could squeeze through one, but none of the party could.  However he does spot numerous stone chimneys protruding from the mountainside that he might fit into if he wanted to climb up and take a look.

"Given the fact that this place was made by dwarves? Probably not. Or if we can, certainly not easily!" Rhogar said, chuckling despite the daunting task before the group. "At the very least it'd take most of us to try overcoming it, and leave only JUST enough room for one or two people to slip inside. Problem then becomes if rather someone or thing has already taken up residence, and don't take kindly to visitors." 

If Rhogar hadn't already, he disembarks from the carriage at that point and walks forward for a better view. By which point, Ghorar flutters on up the steps to begin exploring the next level. "But, I'm willing to give it the Triton try!"

Stealth roll for Ghorar please. 

(@Pal54: It was a 16 last, but if it's for the new floor then here ya go: 24.)

As party outside continues to figure out how they might get instead Ghorar quietly makes his way up the stairs.

A22. Upper Bastion

This large chamber extends over the outer gauntlet of the main entrance (A1) and contains many former defensive measures. Arrow slits to the north allow outside light to enter, filling the northern half of the room with sunlight or moonlight depending on the time of day or night.

Thick webs are strung between the walls and pillars. Lurking among them are seen several large spiders. The spiders are spread throughout the southern half of the room.

Other defenses include two fireplaces, which were likely used to heat cauldrons full of oil that the dwarves poured through narrow slits in the floor. Three empty cauldrons are lined up along one of these slits. Arrow slits along the south wall open up onto other areas and stone staircases descend down.

Chill slings his crossbow over his shoulder and stretches his fingers for a moment.

"I'll climb up and see if there is a way in from above."

He then moves to the right side wall and begins to climb up the side, taking his time. Once on top he'll look at the chimneys to see if they might provide a way in.

"Looking at this fortess, I feel like that I am finally at home again" says Krom touching the stone wall of the fortess, "I doubt that we will find a way to open the gate from outside, but let me think more about it." If Rhogar explains to the group what Ghorar is seeing the dwarf will say "Spiders you say Rhogar? They will soon taste Moradin's cleansing flame. I doubt that only spiders have made home inside the fortess. It has been abandoned for long time."  

(OOC History to try to remember something useful about Axeholm and its gate)

History 24 + Guidance 3 

"Well if we do not find a way in easily it make be more practical to attempt making an entrance of our own if we could even do so. Although I am not fond of the idea of damaging this place if we are able to cleanse it of whatever resides through out." Rekuberk says as he slaps the dull side of his hand are against his open palm.

Krom recalls the old stories he listened when he was young and says "The story of Axeholm is a story of tragedy. The fortress was abandoned and sealed up long years ago after being haunted by a banshee — the restless spirit of a moon elf ambassador named Vyldara who tried and failed to foment civil unrest among the dwarves. The dwarves imprisoned the elf and sent messages to her people, asking that they come to collect her. Before envoys could be sent, Vyldara killed two guards trying to escape, only to be cut down by dwarven axes before she could succeed. When the elf’s evil spirit started filling Axeholm’s halls with deathly wails, the dwarves abandoned their stronghold, but not before several dwarves slain by the banshee arose as ghouls to feed on their kin. " The dwarf finishes his story and adds "We will have to defeat this evil spirit if we want to really cleanse this fortress once and for all."

(OCC I will try to remember if I can recall anything useful about banshees -  Religion 18)

"So it seems that we will be dealing mainly with undeath. So it is a good thing we have a Cleric with us Master Krom."

(OCC: So I am going over a Paladin's features. The only thing effective against undead is Divine Smite??)

Quote from MaxHam >>

Krom recalls the old stories he listened when he was young and says "The story of Axeholm is a story of tragedy. The fortress was abandoned and sealed up long years ago after being haunted by a banshee — the restless spirit of a moon elf ambassador named Vyldara who tried and failed to foment civil unrest among the dwarves. The dwarves imprisoned the elf and sent messages to her people, asking that they come to collect her. Before envoys could be sent, Vyldara killed two guards trying to escape, only to be cut down by dwarven axes before she could succeed. When the elf’s evil spirit started filling Axeholm’s halls with deathly wails, the dwarves abandoned their stronghold, but not before several dwarves slain by the banshee arose as ghouls to feed on their kin. " The dwarf finishes his story and adds "We will have to defeat this evil spirit if we want to really cleanse this fortress once and for all."

(OCC I will try to remember if I can recall anything useful about banshees -  Religion 14)

 

 

The woeful banshee is a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf. 

When night falls, unlucky travelers hear the faint cries of the forlorn dead. This woeful spirit is a banshee, a spiteful creature formed from the spirit of a female elf.

Banshees appear as luminous, wispy forms that vaguely recall their mortal features. A banshee’s face is wreathed in a wild tangle of hair, its body clad in wispy rags that flutter and stream around it.

Banshees are the undead remnants of elves who, blessed with great beauty, failed to use their gift to bring joy to the world. Instead, they used their beauty to corrupt and control others. Elves afflicted by the banshee’s curse experience no gladness, feeling only distress in the presence of the living. As the curse takes its toll, their minds and bodies decay, until death completes their transformation into undead monsters.

A banshee becomes forever bound to the place of its demise, unable to venture more than five miles from there. It is forced to relive every moment of its life with perfect recall, yet always refuses to accept responsibility for its doom.

The banshee can magically sense the presence of creatures up to 5 miles away that aren’t undead or constructs. She knows the general direction they’re in but not their exact locations.