As the story begins, our heroes have found the location of the clanstead of the Hammerhand dwarfs. On the way to their destination, they come across an old friend “Frankie the Fantabulous,” a gnome illusionist. It has been a while since Frankie left the group to pursue his own adventures, but he is glad to reacquaint himself with his old teammates (and some new ones). It is only after he agrees to accompany them that they inform him that they are cursed by the gods until they complete their epic quest.
After hiring a local guide, they find the mountainside entrance to the clanstead. A rickety and crude elevator takes them deep within the earth, where the advance group (on the first trip down) encounter two medium spiders, one of which poisons Frankie and leaves him paralyzed for eleven hours. This causes the group to make a strategic retreat back up the elevator.
Once Frankie is feeling better, they descend again, this time finding a filthy and pitiful dwarf shackled to the wall. The dwarf is just an illusory trap for several barghests who ambush the party, and Xander the elven wizard is severely injured in the battle. The team cleric tends to his wounds, as the group ponders the ill-fated start to this adventure.
CK notes
Participating PC’s: Galinda, Xander, Xane, Ransook, Frankie
It was an welcome surprise to discover that Frankie’s player was moving back into the area, and that Kiera’s player may be rejoining the group as well. Since we were unloading a moving truck before the game session started, it was a quick one this night. The group is discovering how vulnerable their spellcasters are these days, however.
All participants receive 112 XP. Frankie gets the XP award of 55.
