| Session Date | March 6, 2015 |
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| Base XP Gained | 1245 |
The party passed the rest of the day and the following night safely in the secret room, after their tough battle with the Ogres. The next morning, however, they decided that they would return to Morsby for supplies, as their stock of iron rations was running low. Although Havok could create food and water for them, they decided that this was a waste of his power when they had sufficient coin for all the stores they could carry. So, exiting the dungeon once more, they made their way back to Morsby, not stopping for dark and arriving at Paren's Victory Inn after midnight.
Herron, the pirate turned horse holder, was happy to see them, especially after they passed off a large pile of copper coin to him to cover expenses for him and their horses (he was later seen going about the inn handing coin to other patrons, leading Iban to note he probably had a drinking and/or gambling problem, in addition to his freely wagging tongue). Although late, the party remained in the common room for a short time to eat and relax before bed. During this time, Havok looked about the place for Nali, the dwarf that had asked for them to search for the missing dwarf party. He was not present, so the cleric inquired of some other local dwarves present if they knew where he was -- they did not, saying he passed through fairly often on whatever business of his it was. However, they gladly agreed to pass on a message to Nali about having found signs of the lost dwarves (he specifically did not mention that the party had found one slain most cruelly).
Next morning, the party divided up their loot amongst the party (those not present, see below for your cuts and add them to your own PC sheet -- otherwise it'll be lost and forgotten!!). With so much copper, most of the party opted to visit the nearby money changer to convert to smaller and more valuable coins (also see below). Meanwhile, Brother Lune made a visit to the Temple of Maladominus while Sir Rowan paid a call at the Temple of Alondra, both presenting tithes to the closest thing to their patron deities. Aldeberon also took the opportunity to sell some of their heavier treasures for coin to replenish the common fund (now held by Brother Lune), and purchased two weeks of iron rations for the entire party.
Feeling flush with coin for the first time was too much of a temptation for Aldeberon and Iban, who went on a bender, throwing around a great deal of coin in a festive mood that soon infected much of the town. Much of it was a blur for the two (and many others), but they managed to not destroy much property nor make any enemies in brawls or other chicanery (Iban did lose his coin of light, but small loss was that).
Somewhat addled and aching, the party returned to the northwest the next morning, traveling through the empty country back towards the Dwarf bridges and the ruined fort and its dungeon. They traveled as far as the country just south of the first bridge and there camped a little ways off the track, passing a night in comparative comfort (it is getting on high summer) and without incident.
Next day, they arrived at the ruins by mid morning and once more descended into the dungeons (Parker and Drogo now both invisible). Once below, they cut across to the west, arriving a short time later at the stairs down they'd previously found. Descending, they came to another level similar in construction to the one above. They turned to go north but Parker caught a hint of sound and a bit of movement at the edge of her infravision -- it was a small party of the toad things they'd fought before. They seemed to see the party but did not attack, nor did they respond to any signals, and soon departed the other direction. The party soon found a room to the north inside of which was a chest, obviously plundered previously. Inside was a note on parchment that said simply "Jamal was first."
Further on, the party came to a set of angular passages that formed a sort of figure eight. Finding nothing, they decided to search the interior walls of one of the octagonal portions for secret doors, splitting the party to do so. As they did this, the southern group was set upon by a group of very large spiders. The group shouted to the others to aid them, and the spiders were soon cut down. However, the noise had apparently attracted attention, as a lone goblin had appeared nearby and was watching the party. It made some vaguely threatening remarks about the party leaving it and its master be. The party debated going immediately to investigate the goblin's corridor but, when it left, decided to complete their search for secret doors first.
The search of the first octagonal space proved fruitless. As they began to search the second, Drogo, the rear guard, got a sense that something was moving their way. He quickly alerted the others, who moved to set up an ambush of sorts for the invisible follower. As this was happening, Havok noted some sort of pressure against his mind, which he shrugged off. Sir Rowan could sense a nearby evil presence behind them, as well. However, that faded, and whatever followed seemed to have retreated.
The party now went the way the Goblin had gone, not wishing to leave an apparent threat behind them. They soon came to a door which opened before them to reveal the goblin and his master, an Ogre Mage. The hulking creature welcomed the party, saying it wished to parley with them. It was new come to this place, and wished to know more of it, saying that it hoped to establish a domicile here in the near future, but knew little of the layout. The party also claimed to know little and asked what the Ogre Mage had seen of dangers -- Bugbears and toad-men, mainly, it aid, who it thought would make good servants when they came to know their better. Its Goblin slave, apparently named "Wretch," meanwhile writhed in the corner away from its master, who seemed to treat it with utter contempt. The party wavered for a bit on whether to use the Ogre Mage to aid them in clearing the tougher dangers of the dungeon, or killing it and taking its stuff. The debate was cut short when Parker backstabbed the Ogre Mage.
As she did this, it cried out loudly and let fly a cone of cold into the midst of the party (fortunately, they had spread out some, so a number were not affected). However, Piper was in the center of the blast and went down. The party rushed to attack, and the Ogre Mage, already sore hurt, was unable to get another spell off before being cut down. But before the party could congratulate itself, the half-forgotten Goblin screamed that they had "slain my beloved master." It grabbed something from a necklace about its throat and hurled it at the party, causing an immense fireball. Iban was blasted to the earth, near death, and the unconscious Piper was killed outright. Only Lune managed to avoid injury through his magical chop-socky. Havok was quick to stabilize Iban but it was too late for their magic-user. The goblin had also been blown to bits -- very fortunately for the party, it's last explosive (stronger than the one it threw) did not detonate as well (that'd taken half the party with it!).
The party now made to plunder the Ogre Mage's treasure, a goodly sum of coin and a number of magic items, which they distributed among the party as they considered their next action...