"Enter the smoking tunnels. You will find your forge there..." the construct says with an eerie chuckle.  "...but also your doom. You may escape Gristogar's curse, but if the forge is your destination, then the forge spurned will reap your souls in the name of the Master of the Dark Furnace.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:33, Thu 28 Mar.

"Thank you Gristogar. May your curse bite you in the ass!" He whispers the last to himself. He backs out of the room as quickly as he can.

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:55, Sat 20 Apr.

The companions retreat from the room, carefully maneuvering their way out behind Durwe. The elf is the last to exit the room and shut the door. He stares at it a moment, wondering if it wasnt smarter to move and get somewhere safe. For some reason he does not feel safe.

"Let's find the Smoking Tunnels and get out of here. I can still feel the evil permeating the air!" Aramil states matter of factly.

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:56, Sat 20 Apr.

"I agree, lets head for the tunnels and get out of this evil place! You up to leading Thard? Oh, is anyone hurt?" Valeros asks the others and prepares to move out immediately.

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:56, Sat 20 Apr.

“Thank you Durwe.  I think we would have met a bad end without you.”

I rubbed my shoulder where I’d been bitten, wincing.  Getting out a piece of leather, I cast another ‘Magic Armour’ spell.  I shake my head.

”Let’s finish this and go home.  It took us five days to get here and we have about that much food if we pool our resources.  I don’t think the kobolds know about this hallway yet but once they figure out the trap they will.  I also don’t know what ‘Forge spurned’ are nor who the ‘Master of the Forge’ is but I’m remembering that painting I thought might be Nerrul in the monestary.”

---

+6xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:56, Sat 20 Apr.

Thard cooperated and left the room but it was clearly somewhat reluctantly.

"If I were not ill I'd not leave so easily. There could be knowledge in there that would help me further the Dwarven pantheon."

"Still...we have an objective and a time limit., or at least I do."

---

+3xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:56, Sat 20 Apr.

Cami looks around at her companions, "Maybe it is the wisest thing to do.  We can rest, resupply, and come back recharged with a purpose."

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:56, Sat 20 Apr.

"If you survive Thard, and we survive the Forge, we'll clean it out when we come back. Sound good? It might be a once in a life time chance." Valeros told him.

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:57, Sat 20 Apr.

"Just one question."  Myshra says, stepping up to the others.  "We still have no clue as to where these smoking tunnels are."

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the player at 13:57, Sat 20 Apr.

"Yes we do."  the child, Kimi Eavewalker, exclaims.   "We found our way here through smokey tunnels."

She looks at Kethril expectantly.

"This is true. The smokey tunnels aren't far away from here, and truth be told there is a danger there that we could not identify.  I'm ashamed to admit that some of my former companions were captured and remain so unless we return for them through the smokey tunnels and down through the crevices into the warrens below." replies Kethril.

"I alone wouldn't have been capable of it, but perhaps with this small army we could overcome the kobold captors and free them." he added, thinking of his companions lost.

Just thinking about the fate of Tyran and Edgin's fate made him wince. Edgin was surely dead by now, and Tyran couldn't be far off. "I can lead you to them easily, but entering through the crevices could be a tricky maneuver."

---

+8xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:57, Sat 20 Apr.

Duivelssmak offers to cast a healing spell, should such a service be required.

---

+1xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:57, Sat 20 Apr.

"We heard things in there.  We had no light and only moved forward by feeling our way around the rocks.  We saw an orange glow once, but the smoke is so thick, and we dared not move toward it.  The sounds of chains come from that way and... growling."  Kimi added to Kethril's words.

"It sounds like we better be pretty healthy going in there. A tribe of kobolds, and something unknown that sounds like a challenge as well. At least we have light."

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:58, Sat 20 Apr.

“I will partake of your healing servicrs, Duivelssmak.  That thing in there bitme quite deeply.” says Finn.

”That painting again comes to mind from Kimi’s description.  You might get to understand it after all, mein Herr.  My light won’t cut through the smoke or fog but will light up the area.”

---

+3xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:58, Sat 20 Apr.

"We need to regroup and stick close.  There are to many things in here.  We need to take them out seperately if we can."

She readirs her bow for business.

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:58, Sat 20 Apr.

2E.4626, 4th of Gort, Wednesdaeg  1725 hrs
Droskar's Crucible Undercroft

Finn receives healing from Duivelssmak (+6).

The companions move back up the corridor, through the secret door and into the chapel room. It is as they left it. The doors west and north remain closed.

A quick assessment reveals no noises from the other side of the north door and it is cracked open to look beyond. Kethril and Kimi direct the party forward. Finn's light reveals an oval chamber with a large pit in the middle that leads down into the bedrock. A system of pulleys and chains are attached to something in the pit below.

To the west are double foors  partly opened and leads into another chamber. The area beyond those doors is dark.

To the east side of the chamber the wall has been destroyed. Broken rock and dwarven crafted stones litter an opening into a tunnel through bedrock. The opening is filled with a hazey brown smoke that wafts from the dark opening lazily and drifts upward.

Are these the smoking tunnels?

Kimi gestures at the opening. "In there!"

"Let's hope this is the way to go and we get this done swiftly." Larn says quietly, ready with his sword and shield. "We can explore later, once Thard is cured."

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:58, Sat 20 Apr.

"Agreed, lets tread carefully and stay together. Everyone take your place in line." Val gets everyone organized for the descent to the forge. Kids in the middle with the wizard.

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:59, Sat 20 Apr.

"I'm ready."

Thard took his place at the front of the group.

His thoughts were grim, 'I'll not die like some old man in a bed. Before I let that happen I'll find some evil that I cannot defeat and die fighting like my ancestors would want.'

"Moradin guide me true...", he prayed under his breath.

---

+4xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:59, Sat 20 Apr.

"Though my place was set as the rear, in this instance I am happy to lead from the front. I've been here before, so leading the way seems most sensible for the moment." suggests Kethril. "Once we are through, we shall resume our normal positioning."

---

+3xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:59, Sat 20 Apr.

"I'll take up the rear to guard us from behind. I'll also be able to see a bit in the dark, if it weren't for the smoke." he added.

---

+2xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:59, Sat 20 Apr.

Cami nods to Kethril, "And I'll be right behind you!"

---

+1xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:00, Sat 20 Apr.

Duivelssmak welcomes Aramil to the rear, grateful to have some cold steel in between the party and a potential stab from behind in the dark.  Not that he lacked faith in the Saint, of course.. but he had lived long enough to realize that the gods sometimes had better things to do than tend to their followers needs, especially when they should have been looking out for themselves.

As an elder cleric had once told him, ‘the gods love triers’.

---

+4xp
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:00, Sat 20 Apr.