The Gift: Session 7 Adventure Log

The session begins with the characters advancing slowly through the long narrow chamber. This room differs from the previous caverns they have explored as it is obviously man made, though long disused. The party surmise it may have been used as a store room long ago.

A door is located in the northern wall; the party open it and advance into another rectangular chamber. There are two doors in the northern wall, a wide alcove to the north east, a set of stairs to the south east and a second set of stairs to the south west.

Of more immediate interest are a set of horrific implements of torture; a rack, brazier, manacles and chains and so on. Footsteps in the dusty floor indicate that something has been moving through the chamber.

Nanny Ogg investigates the south eastern stairs; they descend a short way to a small antechamber and the door to a cell. The wizardess advances to the door only for it to spring open and a horrific undead creature to burst out and attempt to pounce on her!

The creature is quickly dispatched and on closer inspection appears to have been a lady of some standing in her previous life; dressed in shredded finery and wearing a valuable gold and ruby necklace. Her "cell", although obviously an ghoulish nest, is a mockery of a ladies boudoir, with ruined furnishings and decoration.

The party move towards the north eastern alcove from which two more cell doors are accessible. As they approach one of the northern doors opens and another macabre undead creature appears; this a sallow skinned dwarf wearing tattered leathers and carrying a vicious looking hatchet.

Combat once again ensues; Goro charges the beast, slamming it with his morning star! The beast is surrounded by a ghastly stench and Goro turns green in the gills! The fiend seems bestial in nature, forgetting to use its axe and biting poor Goro instead. Goro's bad luck continues as he becomes paralyzed by the foul creature.

The fight rages on for some time; Cade and Nanny Ogg strike at the undead with Magic Missiles and Disrupts whilst Juan and Hind battle hand to hand. Things look grim as Juan also becomes stricken with paralysis but eventually the ghast is defeated.

A search of the cells and the room beyond the north west door are disappointing, but the north east room from which the dwarven ghast emerged is more interesting. The room was obviously once the residence for the jailor/torturer of these chambers, and a poorly hidden secret door leads onto a smaller ante chamber where the dwarf had hidden his loot.

The party find a number of gemstones and other trinkets in the chamber along with some valuables on the jailor's corpse. Of most interest are a silver ring inscribed with luck signs, and a piece of rare dwarvish "Scroll Stone", an odd rock capable of storing magical energy until it's owner wishes to use it in future.

The stairs to the south west lead to a trapdoor; this in turn opens up onto the hill top among the ruins of another old tower. Flush with success, and with wealth in their pockets, the party return to their homesteads are celebrate their good fortune.

Out Of Character Note: The party have explored all the secrets that the Dark Eye Hills seem to have to offer up; each character has successfully levelled up! Time to update those character sheets before next session.