The Stoneheart Monastery. The Sumber Hills. 24th Kythorn. 591 DR.

The adventurers had been charged by the Feathergale Knights to discover the evil lurking in the Stoneheart Monastery, and so they delved once more into its depths, first making sure they’d explored all of the upper level before going into the dungeons. The kitchens, dining hall and guest chambers proved deserted with nothing of value – even the guards on the gate had disappeared by now.

Taking the stairs down from the central shrine and turning the opposite way from which the priest had gone brought them to a crypt, which was guarded by ten zombies. The adventurers dealt with them pretty easily, the slow-moving zombies proving no match for the superior fighting power of the party. (And to think, zombies had inflicted great wounds on the party a couple of months ago…) The group contemplated a set of stairs leading up, only to realise it probably led to the lich above, someone they had no wish to face again.

Heading south, the group found themselves in the mines, where they stumbled on a party of duergar, set there as guards by Qarbo and not yet relieved of their duties (due, no doubt, to the priest now being dead). The duergar were not in the mood to fight to the death, and after a few were slain by the adventurers, they fled as quickly as they could to safer locales. The adventurers, somewhat cautious after their previous encounters, did not pursue.

The deeper mines were dangerous, with grick lurking in unexpected corners. These many-tentacled beasts could attack with surprise from behind, so the group were soon very much on their toes after the first encounter with the aberrations. Cries for help led the adventurers to a cell where several prisoners were being kept, including the pair the group had questioned before (and insisted they were seeking enlightenment).

Unfortunately, before the adventurers could question the prisoners, more grick attacked, surprising the group from behind (despite the prior warnings – they were all distracted by the prisoners!) Once the grick were dead, healing spells were expended and the prisoners freed…

DM Notes

Not that much to say about this session; the group basically mopping up the remnants of the Stoneheart Monastery. The main decisions to make were in how much the monastery had been abandoned by the cult. In the end, I ruled that the prisoners had been forgotten in the chaos, likewise the duergar guards. At this point, the group could go down to the very dangerous level below or return home… they’ll likely do the latter, seeing as they have the freed prisoners to escort home!