SESSION SIXTEEN "Death at the Grotto"

As the heroes race down the steep tailing piles of the old mine they quickly piece together a plan to get back to the grotto as quickly as possible. Rory casts a Levitation spell on himself and Tristan as Ewald puts his new Airwalk spell to use. Under the effects of the Levitation, Tristan hangs tight to Gruff's back as Gruff races with Trulla agility down the mountain trail. Rory hangs tight to Ewald, who while not as quick as Gruff, has the significant advantage of running unimpeded across thin air. In this fashion they make excellent time back to the grotto, reaching it in a record quarter candle.

Just upriver of the falls, the party regroups and moves forward at a more cautious pace. No more horns have sounded since the first two warnings nearly fifteen minutes earlier. Weapons are drawn as the group moves quietly from brush to boulder. Before the grotto comes into view they are able to hear a loud splash and crack, like huge rocks smacking against one another while crashing into the pools.

Before they can get close enough to see, there's an ugly growl and two shapes emerge from the brush to the left of the trail. Weapons are raised in defense as the party sees a pair of the nastiest undead hounds they've ever laid eyes on careening toward them. The beasts have putrid flesh hanging from their large frames. The bone of their unnaturally elongated snouts actually jut through the flesh of their face, somehow warped by foul magic to be even bigger and more full of razor teeth. The mouths on these things are easily capable of taking a hand in one solid bite.

Thankfully Gruff is ready and prepared for this threat. Though obviously startled, he has the presence of mind to raise his sword before him. "Ancestors and Gods of light ward us! Culan smite you!" With the words the area directly before him takes on a pearly clarity that spreads in a wave toward the hounds of death. A cold mountain winds whips past Gruff and flows over the creatures, turning one to dust and sending the other howling back toward the grotto in uncontrollable fear.

"That'll warn them I'm afraid," Gruff says with anger.

Any lingering doubts the heroes had about what the emergency might be are now gone. With such unholy creatures about, it can only be truly dire in the grotto.

Sure enough, it's only moments more before they see the first Trulla warrior, sprawled awkwardly in death upon the trail. Hot on the heels of this discovery a deep, powerful voice comes from the grotto, speaking in Knockfar, which Ewald translates for the others. "Magdar, take your men and check on that!"

Now the group veers off the trail, opting to look down into the grotto from the small cliff overhanging it's western edge. Using all the stealth they can muster (a certain Kirith-Syvani even cloaked in invisibility), they approach the edge and look down at the falls and pools onto a massacre.

From their vantage it's easy to see that Billy and the other Trulla were taken by surprise. Six more Trulla corpses litter the ground around the pools edge. On the narrow beach on the eastern side twelve armored Hodra warriors move cautiously toward the base of the waterfall. Their wicked hooked broadswords readied. On the south end the of the pool, a dozen Daagar warriors mill about, making their way toward the west trail and the party's position. Leading this group are four more of the Death hounds, straining at thick leather leashes.

But above and beyond all this, what draws everyone's eye is the source of the deep, commanding voice. Standing thigh deep in the pool, one man-sized boulder in hand, is the biggest Kuldan they have ever seen. And to make matters worse, it appears the thirteen foot ogre is undead. His flesh is sagging around his eyes, which look yellow and pupiless, and a loose flap of bloodless skin hangs from his jaw.

In spite of the creature's lifeless looking eyes, he apparently has very good eyesight and quickly spots Ewald hunkered low behind a rock. Pulling a gnarled wand from his belt, he sends a greasy line of necrotic energy across the pool, striking Ewald dead center and sending the Durin priest writhing to the ground.

Rory wastes no time in returning fire with his newest, hottest spell. A thin trail of smoke flies from his hand as a tiny, bright ball of fire streaks unerringly toward the massive Kuldan and explodes in a huge fireball over the pool's surface. Rising from the water, the Kuldan undead cries out in pain and anger, but unfortunately seems to be still quite full of pep and vigor.

As Tristan moves away from the cliff and toward the oncoming Daagar, Gruff eyes the narrow passage leading behind the falls and the Hodra advancing toward it. This sight combined with the fact that Billy's body can't be seen, leads Gruff to believe that his brother might still be alive and cornered behind the falls. Consigning himself once more into the god's care, he launches himself down the cliff and lands in the shallows of the pool, much to the shock and disbelief of the now visible, but still well hidden Rory.

The four hounds are let loose at about the same time that the Kuldan commands his troops to, "Beware the mage! Split up you fools!" He then sends a second bolt of energy from his wand that staggers Gruff.

The Daagar and the Hodra listen to their commander and break up into smaller groups.

Tristan braces himself as the dogs quickly close with him and he is encircled in a deadly cloud of snapping jaws.

Ewald staggers to his feet, still enfeebled by the wand, but able to rise and airwalk toward Tristan, ready to aid his friend against the hounds.

Fearing that his nicely bunched targets may soon scatter, Rory quickly sends another fireball coursing across the pool and past the Kuldan toward the Hodra. He catches six of the knockfar warriors in this second blast, utterly vaporizing one and turning four more into burning piles of armor and flesh. Only one is lucky enough to dive into the water and avoid the fire.

Unlike Ewald, Gruff is able to quickly shake off the worst of the wand's effects. With purposeful strides he moves along the pools edge toward the undead Kuldan ogre. Before the giant enemy is able to bring the wand up again Gruff raises his sword and once more calls on Culan and his ancestors, "By Culan's Balls May death reclaim you!"

The turning, while somewhat unorthodox in wording, is very effective. The same clarifying wind blows across the grotto pool and into the Kuldan abomination's face. With a terrified cry the lumbering enemy's smile melts into a look of pure terror. With a speed and agility that belies both his size and undead condition he turns and heads straight for the low east cliff of the grotto, obviously very frightened of Culan's balls smiting him down.

As Tristan and Ewald continue to battle the dogs, and the Daagar load crossbows and prepare to fire on them, Rory sends a third fireball into the Kuldan's fleeing backside. The flames wash over his armor and burn his flesh, but again he weathers the attack, before finally gaining purchase on the rock-face and fleeing into the trees, screaming all the way.

Both Rory and Gruff notice with some annoyance and dread that three of the smoldering, fireballed Hodra warriors stir and rise, parts of them nothing more than blackened bone. Tally a few more undead horrors for the enemy.

Though Tristan has managed to put down one of the dogs, the heavy brush proves difficult to fight in, and he has taken one nasty wound to the face. The largest of the death hounds is also giving Ewald a very tough time, even though the Durin is able to fight four feet off the ground. When the Daagar group into a fighting line and finally send a volley of crossbow bolts toward them, Tristan and Ewald grow very concerned.

That concern proves unnecessary however when the fifth and final fireball of the battle detonates in the center of the tightly packed (despite their commander's thoughtful warning), disciplined Daagar battle line. Only two out of twelve Daagar manage to avoid the worst of the blast. Of the rest, those not killed outright are sent screaming and on fire into the woods, never to be seen or heard from again. Those two survivors recover rather quickly however, and Rory sees murder in their eyes as they scream and charge the mage.

Another of the dogs is ended with a head severing blow from Tristan as Rory confounds the two pissed off Daagar with a hasty Invisibility spell. Gruff engages several of the undead hodra warriors before trying a third and final turning, with far less success. Still, the sight of the other Hodra advancing under the waterfall and Cheg's scream is enough to motivate Gruff into a quick dash toward his clansman and hopefully brother.

A Hodra warrior comes sailing out of the falls and into the pool, proving to Gruff that someone still lives and fights back there.

As Ewald, Tristan and Rory continue their battle with the hounds and two remaining Daagar, Gruff finally gets under the falls. He is greeted by the sight of his brother, critically injured with Cheg standing defiantly over him and being swarmed by six undead hodra. The six quickly become five as Gruff puts his horns to good use and sends one the enemy sailing through the falls with a broken back. Another is cut down by Cheg before a hooked sword finds it's way into the brave Trulla's neck.

When the remaining Hodra enter the fray Gruff's hatred keeps him fighting against horrible odds. He is poked time and again by small wounds. Both sides slip and slide on the moss covered stones. Cheg spends the last of his life saving Gruff by grabbing the leg of a Hodra before slipping beneath the falls. Pressed by four hodra warriors, Gruff grows desperate and thinks, "Gavin! If ever I needed your aid it is now!"

The old seer's voice replies, "Use a gem and say these words." as a spell forms in Gruff's mind. Casting his shield down Gruff reaches for a gem and mutters the spell. Thick tendrils of shadow emerge from the rocks at the feet of the Hodra. Before they can react, two of the undead creatures are enmeshed in shadowy tentacles that smother, then crush them. With horrible suddenness they implode in a spray of flesh and bone, leaving Gruff with two assailants.

Backed up nearly on top of his dying brother, Gruff fights on desperately, now shieldless, against opponents that seem not to tire. Outside and above the grotto, Tristan and the others are just finishing off their opponents. With a herculean blow, Gruff nearly bisects one of his remaining opponents. Unfortunately, this ties up his sword for just a moment too long. As he pulls the blade free, he feels a warm wetness in his midsection. Looking down, he sees with disbelief the blade of the last hodra sunk deep in his own body. Though he tries to raise his sword, he next finds himself laying atop his brother, and then finds only blackness...

Rory, Tristan and Ewald soon deduce Gruff's destination. By the waterfall they engage the three remaining Hodra that were knocked into the water earlier. With heavy hearts they step behind the falls and find Gruff and his brother, first thinking them dead.

A quick inspections proves them both still clinging to life. As Tristan watches the entrance, Ewald and Rory tend to the brothers. Gruff's wound is very bad, but fresh, a few minutes later their expert ministrations have staunched the worst of the bleeding. Billy's chest wound is worse, and though they patch it up, his prospects are far more grim.

And speaking of grim prospects...

Everyone but Gruff and Billy, who remain peacefully unconscious, jump at the loud and immediate sound of someone heavy and pissed landing in the shallows of the grotto outside. "AAAAAAGHHHHHHHRRRRWWW!" There seems little hope that it's anyone other than everyone's favorite undead Kuldan commander, finally back from his hysterical jog through the mountains.

Battered, bruised, depleted and freshly down from their adrenaline highs our heroes share a look that speaks volumes.

TO BE CONTINUED...