From the Journal of Pura Lindh, Bard and Historian

Mirtul 7 - 17, 1389 (Year of the Forgiven Foes)

The gang left for Teshwave. One evening on the trail they were attacked by kobolds, which they fended off easily. The rest of the trip was uneventful.

Once in Teshwave, they spoke with the staff of The Rapids Inn (Hallofan Teshdale, the owner; Tula Woodbridge, a serving matron; and Calla Ayetes, a serving wench) and learned more about the Sunken Stronghold, and about an ill-fated adventure group from Teshwave (Taljen the fighter, Charwyn the wizardess, Bradford the paladin, and Barabas the Ranger). They also learned that Karawyn, the daughter of Taljen and Charwyn, offered a reward for information on her parents. They spoke with her and learned that a servant, a Gnome healer named Corkie, was also lost. They also discovered the Manor House was the home of the Golthammer family.

The gang followed the Old Road and found a deep chasm. On one of the many pillars they discovered a strange poem (or puzzle) mixed in with the grafitti:

If A Costume Bard
Clinched Their
Harp, Dug Nil
Soggy Lucres,
Wilt Heathens Smite
Third Hunk Of Mule?
No Anarchy Type
Can Halve Ninny
     Perses, A Nave Lion

Descending into the chasm, they are attacked by dire rats. They entered the stronghold proper and explored. The stronghold is inhabited by kobolds and goblins, which are at war with each other. The gang also learned someone called "The Outcast" lives down here as well. The gang agreed to help the kolbolds retrieve their green dragon from the goblins, which they succeed in doing (though it turns out to be a white dragon). Their reward is a key, which unlocks a secret series of vault rooms.

The gang entered the chamber with the statues and have Ely fly over the pit. A small creature attacked Ely and then Rikulf and Venin. The creature caused fear in several of the gang. When the gang seemed to have gotten the upper hand over the creature, it fled. Mordecai shot it, turning it into a pile of ash and slag. The next room contained a dragon sarcoghagus, which the gang opened. Inside was a troll in Dragonpriest garb. The gang beat it down. They took its treasure and followed a secret door back to the chamber with the statues. The gang decided a rest is in order.

After a good night's sleep, they ventured down towards the goblin section of the stronghold (after a brief visit with Meepo). They found a small chaple with more sarcophagi, in which were five skeletons which attack. Cethric destroyed them with the power of Lathander. They were later attacked by some rats and found the mother of the rats, a bloated, pus-filled creature. They killed it. They found the body of Barabas the Ranger.

The gang retraced their steps to the goblin fortification, which had four goblins guarding. The gang defeated them easily, then pressed on. They found an unguarded stockade with three kobolds and a gnome. The gnome called himself Murky Tumbers. He told the gang the adventurers they were looking for were captured by the goblins and then taken to someone known as Berlack. Venin remembered someone called Berlack the Outcast, an evil druid searching for the Guphais tree. Pura recalled that a Gulphias tree produced magical fruit. The gang plus Murky moved on to a huge room filled with goblin and hobgoblins. Mordecai shot Selena in the back to start the melee. Rikulf closed the door, determining there were just too many goblins. Venin explored off by himself. The hobgoblins sneaked up on the gang, but were quickly dispatched. They found some more goblins to slaughter. Venturing back through the passage Venin found, the gang found the leader of the goblins and attack. Murky is killed and fell into a very deep pit. The gang defeated the goblins.

The gang decided they should go down the vine-lined pit after they saw two dire rats nab Murky's body. Ely flied down to make sure it was safe, as Rikulf and Petro climbed down. Cethric, Pura and Mordecai removed their armor to help make the climb easier. As they did, Selena and Venin climbed down. The gang is attacked by the two dire rats and then a large bugbear, who was angry the gang killed his "hounds". The gang explored the bugbear's lair, and found a hidden dire-rat sized passage that Rikulf and Ely explored. They discovered the rats' nest and the passage continued beyond. Returning, the gang found two more secret passages. Taking one they came upon a goblin lair and fought them. The remaining goblins fled to a cave with a strange earth elemental creature. Mordecai was surprised and was nearly killed. The gang fought to retrieve his body. They returned to the goblin rooms to rest and nurse the bard.

The next day the gang pressed on to a large underground farm. The plants were wan and not particularly healthy looking. They were tended by a couple of bugbears, who were upset when they saw the gang trampling the vegetation. The gang found some additional nurseries, including one tended by skeletons, which Cethric destroyed.

The gang pressed through the double doors and found the room beyond had collapsed about ten feet into a large cavern. There was spindly thorned bushes spread throughout. Ely and Selena did some recon, sneaking up on Berlack the Outcast, two bugbears, and the woody skinned Taljen and Charwyn, all standing under a large sickly looking tree. The gand approached the group and talked with Berlack, learning the tree is the Gulphais tree, born of a stake driven into the heart of a vampire. Ely used a charm to ask Berlack about his father. Berlack shifted form to become Ronin, claiming to be the paladin. Berlack told the gang they should surrender and become part of his great army; the gang opted not to. Berlack ordered an attack. The thorny bushes became mobile and moved in slowly, and the bugbears attacked (including the ones in the garden above). Taljen also attacked. Berlack shifted into a shadow, and cast five magic missiles at Cethric, Rikulf, and Mordecai before slipping back behind the tree. Mordecai was rendered unconscious, so Taljen scooped him up and took him back to the tree. A giant frog jumped on Selena, swallowing her head. The frog, bugbears, and Charwyn and Taljen were all defeated. Berlack/Ronin teleported out, but before leaving he called out in a strange voice that "Perses is mixed up". The gang pulled the signet rings from Taljen and Charwyn and decided to return to Teshwave.

Once in Teshwave, they collected their reward from Karawyn. Cethric followed up on his promise to take Calla to Daggerfalls with him, even buying her a mount. Along the way back home, Petro and Ely determined that "Perses, a nave lion" from the odd carving was an anagram for "Please save Ronin".

Updated: May 27, 2009.