Previously

The party was united for better or worse, and sent along to the Dwarrow capitol, placed under the observation of the Scholar Veidrie. The previous session in full.

Forge-Gaurd Master Akthas

Veidrie let a female dwarrow into the room, who had insignia of pretty significant rank, and told them that she was in charge of their classification. She was rather strict with, not putting up with much messing around. However, she mentioned she had heard rumors as to the location of the pin, and was willing to let the party retrieve it, as long as they did something for her.

Akthas: "I want you to take two chimes from the tomb of my grandmother."

The party accepts, as Akthas made it quite clear that there would be a hefty or else, and it seemed to align with their goals anyway. They were given a day or so of rest, as Akthas arranged the necessary travel details. Veidrie kept observing them, and proved to have little concept of personal property.

Departure and Arrival

Akthas and a large party of military dwarrow extracted the party from Veidries house and brought them to a station. They left behind as collateral, or hostages, Ilde and Therabad. (We wish Ilde patience, between Veidrie's inquisitions, and Therabads boredom.)

To everyone's gratitude, the crash couches in the cannister had been adjusted for their heights, but their escort peeled off, and only Akthas journeyed with them as they were flung from the capitol.

They arrived at a somewhat smaller outpost, and Akthas told them a little of the history of the tomb.

• It is the only Dwarrow tomb, all other Dwarrow either lost or "Returned to the Forge."
• It houses the remains of the heretics, who turned their backs on the Forge. This has only occurred once.
• (implied) Akthas' grandmother, also known as Akthas, was a heretic.
• They are to retrieve two crystalline devices, much like the ones every dwarrow seems to bear, from the tomb.
• Akthas cannot vouch as to the state of the tomb, nor its security.

After the hike concludes, the PCs and Akthas arrived at the tombs antechamber, and Akthas unlocked the door. Upon scenting the air, she declared the tomb breached. With the promise she would open the door every hour, the PCs entered the tomb, as the heavy door closed behind them.

Inside the Tomb

Entering the Tomb, Varis thought he heard a voice call for the rats to shut up. However, this central room seemed abandoned. Four staircases lead from the room, all descending at different rates, and marked with runes above the door. In the room however, the far end of it seemed to be a shrine to the Forge, with an area set aside for prayer and contemplation before it. Signs of the breach, in terms of a noticeable amount of dirt tracked up one of the staircases, abounded. However, the most direct sign was a campfires remains, seemingly several decades old.

Deciding to investigate the breach, to prevent anything sneaking up on them, they descend the filthy stairs.

Turn back, there is nothing good in remembrance of wrong. Turn to the forge.

Inscription on every descending stairwell.

They find a long hall of alphabetized sepulchers, each evidently to house one dwarrow. One of them has its door stove in, and at the far end appears to be a relatively recent tunnel into the tomb complex.

Investigating the breached tomb (Belonging to one Tlok-Veth), the party found it to be missing its coffin, have all its funereal goods trashed, and to have a life sized statue of a kneeling dwarrow. The statue looked eerily half melted, and in its face was the clear impression of a large fist. Inscribed on the wall of the tomb, evidently by hand, long ago was the following words.

For the elders, I do not weep. I do not mourn for the children. The coals of my heart are dark.

As surely as the Forge has cast us out, We have accepted broader blessings. Blessed be the six, who guided us. But most blessed still is one.

That stills the heart and soul, That grants surcease and end, That bears dominion over substance, And of which instrument I shall be.

For the elders, I do not weep. I do not mourn for the children. The ashes of my soul are quickened.

A wonderful perception check on Raggs behalf revealed that the fist impression bore a ring, whose sigil was familiar to Ragg. The ring belongs to their... patron, the minotaur prophet Umulthud. In the midst of this discovery, a great shuffling was heard.

The Eye In The Dark

Descending the staircase in judgmental solemnity came a troop of undead dwarrow, flesh dessicated and eyes unseeing. The party moved to bottleneck them in the stairwell, and through an inferno of magic and roasting flesh, they could hear a high, cracked voice. The voice alternately applauded their efforts, and insulted them, in a childlike manner. Some glimpsed a green eye, the size of a bowling ball floating in the darkness at the head of the stairs.

"No... not a beholder. It can't be."

"Remember, it did clap."

"Telekinesis ray?!"

The dwarrow seemed not to notice the eye, and so the party could not engage before dealing with the dead. Pursuing it up the stairs and across the central area, they could not get a proper look at it. It taunted them a last time, before fleeing down an unexplored staircase.

End Session Two

Thanks for reading!

Next time: "Explosives, Traps, Rats and Your Objective: Things you find in tombs."w