| Session Date | January 19, 2019 |
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| Base XP Gained | 11800 |
The Dwarven reinforcements had arrived to the sound of drums and pipes, much to the villagers' delight. Their commander, Alduin of Azzimar, wasted little time in getting them working, and putting the villagers to work as well. He moved into the Inn and established it as his command center; a handful of coins to the innkeeper ensured he would not mind. Meanwhile, the party took time to identify some magic items and write spells in their spellbooks with the ink that Cadwallider returned with. This done, they took a suit of magic chainmail and a magic sword and presented them to the town master, saying they were intended for the leader of the militia, emphasizing that it had to be a leader in the field (i.e. not the semi-worthless Town Master). He was quick to recommend Falgrim, a local rich man and one the party had briefly seen in the thick of the fight (along with his sons). They were content with that choice.
Still at the Inn, now filled with Dwarves, Iban then scryed once more on the Brigand (watching his men build wooden shelters in the wilderness)and twice on Winfrith (speaking with other Rangers in a small room, then later in a great hall eating a meal with other Rangers, all armed). That night, the party celebrated boisterously with the Dwarves, exchanging tall tales of the battle and the like, and generally finding themselves sharing a good camaraderie (though Captain Ziglir-zurash kept talking about how the party was in deep trouble until his Dwarves pulled them out of the fire).
Next day, the party decided to head to the ruined keep, accompanied by Calidor the Ranger of the Barrens. By good fortune, the Paren River was now quite frozen over and the party crossed easily. But first they went north a few miles to scout the area they'd seen smoke when they first arrived in the area. The Ranger soon located an old campsite, clearly used by Brigands but now abandoned. It seemed to be placed to watch river and foot traffic approaching Grilbie. They now moved directly towards the Keep. When close, Iban cast invisibility 10' radius, making them all invisible.
Sneaking into the Keep via the damaged north wall as before, they found a single dead brigand in the courtyard, his throat slit, likely only a few days dead judging by the light snow on him. ZZ cast speak with dead and ask what he was doing up until he died ("I was talking reason, but no one would listen to me."). What reason, ZZ asked ("I told them we'd all die in the wilderness before the thaw, and that I'd probably die either here or there...then they killed me.")
The party then slipped into the ruined keep and made their way to the dungeon area. They did not go very far when a pair of figures pounced on them, likely attacking the sound since they were invisible. The figures turned out to be weirdly dead, pale corpses. They struck out at the party, causing most of them to become visible to fight. The two were quickly slain and the party decided they were wights (half wights, as it turned out). They seemed to be dead brigands, though neither had any wounds on them indicating how they died.
Moving on, the party came to some previously unopened doors. One that was particularly ornate they'd seen before - Iban opened this one and found stairs going down. These he took (still invisible) and noted a cold feeling as he entered what appeared to be a crypt. he quickly retreated. Iban cast detect magic and sensed something beyond one door. Entering after some difficulties opening the door, they found a single person's quarters but otherwise the place was empty, though a chair was still warm. Iban now noted that he could no longer detect magic, so the party began to search for secret doors, finding one a few minutes later. Iban, invisible, passed through and found an abandoned barracks, probably used by a score of brigands. He returned to alert the party, who now went through the door as Iban went back the other way. Both ended up going into the original corridor, to be confronted by a group of wolfmen.
There were three watching the door Iban came out of, and four towards the other door, essentially surrounding the party. Behind the larger group was a shadowy figure, hard to see, who began to speak about his masters and how the brigands' failure mattered not, as your doom was surrounding you like a noose nonetheless and some other vague threats. The Werewolves held fast during this time and did not attack...until Cadwallider began casting a spell. That began a short, sharp melee. Cadwallider (and apparently the shadowy chap, later revealed to be a Specter) cast minor globe of invulnerability simultaneously followed by other combat spells. The Ranger did an excellent job of pinning the Specter down from spellcasting with his bow for a short time, but the werewolves all charged except one that stayed close to the Specter. When the last few Werewolves were nearly slain, the Specter managed to cast cone of cold. This killed the werewolves fighting the party and nearly killed Calidor; it badly maimed the rest of the party. ZZ quickly assisted the fallen Ranger as the others rushed the Specter, but were blocked just long enough by the last werewolf to allow him to flee by magic.
The party now moved to explore the area they believed the leadership used in the dungeon, and indeed found several rooms that were apparently quarters; one was strangely bare of furniture and another had a desk and burned papers. They made only a cursory search except in one that Cadwallider had to open with a knock spell as it was wizard locked; in it they found a rather large treasure, apparently the lair of the Specter. Though sorely wounded, and with Calidor barely mobile, the party did not want the spellcasting Specter to escape and recuperate his spells. So, they continued exploring until ZZ was backstabbed by an invisible foe who did not appear and who began shouting his hatred at the affront to his master. The foe was eventually slain when Cadwallider and Iban detected invisibility then shot him down with magic missiles. The man turned out to be a wererat and was found to be wearing an Elven cloak and boots that were marked as belonging to Voromakil, the elf they'd rescued months before in the north. Clearly some odd things were afoot.
The party returned to the ornate door they'd found before. This time Cadwallider snuck down invisibly and saw the Specter speaking into a green glowing thing, surrounded by a number of humanoid figures backlit by it. He fireballed them all. The figures, all Wights, that survived rushed the party while the party poured fire on the Specter, quickly killing him (his final words were that his masters would avenge him). Though badly wounded, the Wights got in amidst the party. ZZ tried to turn them, without success. Calidor was hit twice, being helpless to do anything, and was drained twice. Cadwallider, too, was hit, and drained one level, before the Wights were dispatched. The crypt proved to be devoid of anything of value and the green glow had vanished, leaving only a small stone urn.
The party was too weakened to travel, they assessed, and decided to rest in the dungeon for the night. First, however, they decided to thoroughly explore it to look for any lingering enemies to avoid any unpleasant surprises. They first returned to the leaders' quarters. In the one with the desk and burned papers they did a more thorough search and found a secret door. Beyond was an empty space with some recent scratches on the floor. This was, they believed, where the brigand treasure had been. Looking into the burned papers they found a number of scraps of writing not burned: "Tell Lammoch the adventurers are in..." "...will come from the Four Friths in..." "remain in Morsby and have not moved south..." "has been hired to deal with the mercenaries..." "and 24 score more arrows..." They also found a largely intact map of the region with numerous markings on it they believed to be locations of brigand camps and other related locations (see attached). Searching the desk they also found an intact letter that read:
10 Coldair 1272 YM [note: about 12 days previous]
Hamidar, Greetings.
I have received your note of 7 New Years. As you warned, the Ranger from Four Friths was indeed prowling about, but in the north, not near Grilbie. Kraggor's men caught him and have delivered him here. He has yet to speak and I may give him to Azgamir, though that one apparently got nothing from the elf we took last summer and instead sent him away north for some purpose of his own. Of note, the Ranger was assisted by a band of human and Dwarven adventurers from the Kingdom. They are still loose and I shall see to them soon. In the meantime, wait for my signal -- I still expect to move before the thaw. I shall be happy. This place wears upon me, and I mistrust Azgamir despite all he has done for us.
Yours,
Fasanorn, Knight of the Road.
The party now completed their check of the dungeon. Aldeberon insisted on checking a barracks they'd fought in before. This proved useful, as they found a lone brigand hiding out there. He claimed to be a deserter, one of three (the other two were "taken by the dead" which is why he was holed up with a pile of forgotten supplies). There had been a revolt of sorts against Fasanorn, their captain, as many brigands did not wish to flee into the Empty Quarter in midwinter. The revolt was quickly crushed, though he and his two companions had managed to desert when everyone left. He had no fight in him and was compliant, so the party took him prisoner and tied him up. They would camp here tonight then return to Grilbie. After that, they were unsure. The felt that Grilbie was secure and in good hands, so there was no point staying there after a few days rest and recovery. A good dungeon seemed like something they were ready for after all the running around in the cold!