(BECMI) Adventures in Gulluvia #20 - The Ice Caves of Thorvald

Our heroes, already collected by the Baronial Guard for a special quest.

• Presto the Magnificient - Elderly magic-user from Velders starting his second career in the arcane.  Ornery and rude .
• Balaquin Drake - a clumsy and much younger magic-user from Velders
• Galaxia Axenmeld - a naïve but violent acolyte of the church, located in Velders
• Hugo Swam'Pas - local hedge mage from Mere known for more successes than failures.
• Beulah Cragmuffin - a fiesty halfling from Mere. 
• Carya Illinoisis (NPC) - former associate of the Mere crew, now a trusted member of the Baronial Guard.  A mountain of a woman that's even stronger than she lets on. 

11 Mai 534 - Village of Mere, Barony of Gulluvia

After stocking up the questers with, winter weather clothing and gear appeared from the capital.  Also arriving in town, by Baronial escort, were more "requested volunteers."

After stocking the explorers, a shipment came from Gulluvia with winter weather clothes and equipment.  and a few  extras of everything.  Another Baronial Guard was to arrive in Mere with three more hand-selected volunteers.

12 Mai 534 - Mere

The additional Baronial Guard arrived, escorting the expected envoy.  

• Gwendalyn the Bright - An acolyte of the Church.  Murmurs from the villagers in Mere were unsettling.  She was far too beautiful to be among the common folk

Gwendalyn the Bright

Aiden Waltram - Another church official.  He was equally stunning, but he kept to himself more, focusing on a few key folks in town.  

Aiden Waltram

An in a bit of a surprise, Jenkins, another former associate, was apparently drafted into the cause.  Jenkins had left Mere after a few adventures, driven by the loss of church leader Barry Manaslow, but specifically the death of his long time partner and ally, Leroy.   He had taken the spoils of his adventures and built a house in the woods.  Thus far, despite being an unaccompanied male, nothing ill had befallen him in the woods at night.

Jenkins, sans Leroy

12 Mai 534 - Mere

Led by Carya, the questers left Mere and travelled... North?  (GM Note: Pogart was left behind to tend to Hugo's magic hovel).  

"We're going to follow the secret trails the Guard uses to traverse the Barony.  People will leave us alone," was all Carya was going to explain to the group. 

They reach the trail that ran along the base of the mountains. For those (re: all) who had travelled through the barony, everyone was familiar with the odd noises during the day and cacophony of strange creatures during the night.  Travel on this path, day and night, was eerily silent, with barely any insects noises, much left any mammalian activity.   The silence left many in the group at an elevated level of unease.

15 Mai 534 - Outside of Thorvald

Almost instantly the groups stroll through the woods become a treacherous snowpack, a good ten foot higher than the group.  Within a few further hours, the cold weather gear was broken out and immediately coated with a good layer of snow. 

"If we get through this, I'm buying a warmer hat, made out of badger.  Heck, I might buy for a live badger to put on my head," was all that Aiden would talk incessantly about.

Carya pulled out a map, then scanned the countryside.  

"We need to descend this snowpack here.  That building off in the distance is our rendezvous with our contact.  They reached out to Lady Dhmis herself."i

The building was once an inn, but it appeared to have been closed and abandoned must earlier than this freak weather.  A faded placard was hanging by two rusty and ice-covered chains, ""The Owl's Roost"

A lone flame from a candle could been seen inside, flickering from the wind.

Carya looked over to the group, "You guys are heroes, weapons out and ready."

The interior of the inn was barely any more comfort than the outside.  Icicles formed from the upper reaches, drifts had collected against furniture.  Only the area behind the bar seemed to have survived unscathed.  The candle sat on a wobbly table near the center of the room.  The meager light it produced only cast most mysteries and concerns. amongst the group. 

A hulking form, towering over eight feet tall, emerged from the shadows.

In a lisping voice, "You come from Gulluvia?"

"Aye, who asks?" questioned Galaxia.

"I am Primus, First Servitor of Korvam Daralia, Mistress of Magic, Lady of the Mountain, My All-Knowing Creator and Blessing onto this world."  The figure folded its arms in front of its chest in a non-threatening manner.

"I bid you welcome, and thank you for making this journey."

Primus moved towards the light and removed his hood.  His face was a nightmarish jumble of disparate parts sewn together with think leather stiching.   His hands were covered in bandages.

Primus, Humble Servant to Korvam

"I thank your dear lady for her assistance, be it belated, but this has been a long time coming.  I daresay my mistress may have had a hand in all this... snow."

"Last fall, my mistress vanished in this area, while searching for another magic.  The cold of winter came early, even where I was residing, and has not relented.  I have been investigating ever since.  One thing I do know is that her life has not completely dimmed from this realm."  

"I do believe I have found where she might be.  Alas... I .... can't fit in the entrance."

"Let me show you the entrance... if you don't believe me, you can leave, but I believe your lady has offered a reward, and while I have nothing, Lady Korvam has items she could provide as gratitude."

The party decided to use the limited shelter of the Owl's Roost to sleep over the night.  At dawn, Primus led them on a day-long hike towards the entrance.  They left the near-glacial ice into a snowpack.  Nearing the entrance, they fell upon an area of dead trees and bones and body parts covered with fairly recent snowfall.  A quick search uncovered some humanoid leg bones that were scraped clean and a few shields where no one could identify any of the heraldry.  

Just pass that site were the ruins of a building.  

"There is,  I know... She's down there."

Besides a pile of rubble was a large, icy crevasse leading into the ground.  

"This probably was the other magic-user's tower.   Somebody "the Undying."   I don't believe their talk was... beneficial."

Looking down, the crevasse had a considerable drop, at least 30'.  

Assembling the ropes, Jenkins was ready to be the first to be dropped below.  Then the ground above rumbled and something burst out of the snow. 

"That's a really big caterpillar!" was all Aiden could eek out before the creature lunged forward. 

Balaquin unleashed a magic missile at the beast and ran behind his compatriots.

Carya pulled out her longsword, uttered her catchphrase "For Fuck's sake!" but the creature eluded the swings. 

What it couldn't elude as well were the mighty fists of Primus.  The creature wailed when the monstrosity landed blow after blow. 

The magic-users all tried one feeble attack each on the monster, before descending the rope.  The warriors and priests walloped it multiple times before it turned tail and ran away.  

Licking their wounds, everyone proceeded to descend the rope into a large cavern.   Primus stopped them and produced a Palantir out of his cloak.  "I promise to protect the ropes and anything you leave up her."   

Looking at Aiden, "This is an efreet ball, use it if you find my lady.  Get as close to her as possible and use the world "Shabash" to activate it.   It's a one-use item, so be careful."

They heard grunting coming down a side passageway and investigated.  While the large cavern had snow in it, most of which was the result of the crevasse, this cavern had a considerably larger quantity, which appeared that someone moved it there.

Presto ducked at the last possible second, as a ball of ice barely whizzed over his head, shattering against the wall.  Over the mounds of snow were three sets of eyes and some howling noises.

Three white-furred monkeys were scurrying to new positions behind the berm, rearming themselves with iceballs.

Again, the fighters and clerics charged over the berm.  The magic-users fell back to the larger cavern.  

Galaxia tried her new catchphrase, "Stop and parley or feel the wrath of our god!"

They quickly dispatched two the monkeys, while the third scurried further away, with an armful of iceballs.

The magic-users heard hooting and hollering coming from a different passageway, so they scurried back to the rest of the party, hid behind the berm, arming themselves with the remaining ice balls.  

No monkey reinforcements manifested themselves.  The party gained their senses and performed a slow, delayed pursuit of the escaped snow monkey.  

The next cavern was quite open, although the snow berms were traded out for a coating of ice.    Presto boldly requested to search the room, outside of small piles of bones and feathers, found nothing.  

"Guys, there's nothing here... it's awfully slippery." was all he could get out, before a loud series of cracks began.  The ice shatters, exposing only a natural bridge in the center of the room, too far for Presto.  He and the ice plummeted sixty feet to his demise.  

As the party peered down, Balaquin inquired, "Dibs on his spellbook."

Only Hugo replied, "Hey we can all share, we need everybody's rope to get it."

Aiden rappelled down the wall, finding Presto's body, two monkeys, and an unidentified body.  

All of Presto's equipment saved his spellbook from being destroyed.

The frozen corpse was male, dressed as a wizard covered in furs.  Aiden grabbed a fancy necklace, two vials, and the fancy boots off of the magic-user's feet. 

Once Aiden climbed back up, Jenkins claimed the boots.  Hugo reviewed the vials and immediately forced Jenkins to drink it.  He instantly felt better.  

"Healing potion, they do exist."

Pursuing further,  they came upon a door.  Inside the door was a room, dominated by a giant rock, with a body's feet barely sticking out of it.   The ice in this area formed magically concentric circles on most surfaces.  Along the back wall was a woman grasping her throat, encased in ice, ice which appears to have a face...

They spent some time debating how to prepare for the ensuing water elemental, once things melted.  They tried to chip the ice away with little headway, then tried to melt the ice with oil flasks with little effect.  As everyone stood outside, figuring out what to do,  Aiden grabbed the Efreet orb, said "Shabash" them tossed orb into the room, right before shutting the door.   Behind the door, incredible light and heat was unleashed.  

After a few moments, Aiden re-opened the door when water began leaking under it.  The efreet was still in the room, fighting a very ornery water elemental.  The blonde-haired woman in question was laying face-down in four inches of water.  As everyone else hesitated going back in and dealing with the oppressive heat, Jenkins was about to run headlong into the room.  A hand grabbed him by the shoulder.  It was Hugo, he pulled a ring off of his finger, "Here, you'll need this."  

Aiden put on the ringer and dashed into the room at super-natural speed.

"It's gotta be the boots!"  

He grabbed the burned woman and dashed back out.  Hugo immediately handed her the other healing potion. 

Korvam was finally rescued.  

Regaining her senses, she dispatched the victorious efreet, and grabbed the empty vessel of the orb.  

"Thank goodness it's rechargable!"

By the time they reached the surface, most of the land was rapidly melting.  The body of Primus lay on the ground.  

Korvam was saddened by the loss of her henchman, but delighted that he provided her saviors.  

Balaquin tried to console her, "Hey, sorry about your creation/henchman/apprentice.  You in the market for a replacement?"

Korvam smiled and winked at him.  

Korvam Daralia, Mistress of Magic, Lady of the Mountain

They travelled to secret stash Korvam had kept "nearby" for some extra awards and gold.

Treasure and Rewards:

• Gwendalyn the Bright -  Two potions of fire-elemental form
• Aiden Waltram -  Shield +3
• Jenkins - Boots of Speed  from the caves, and six vials of healing
• Galaxia  - Plate Mail +1
• Hugo Swam'Pas - Skullcap of Comprehension

• Balaquin Drake received  Lamp of Long Burning, but also some answers, especially upon learning that Korvam was NOT from Gulluvia.  

"Balaquin, it will be hard work, but I'm returning to my tower in Emeron.  You are welcome to come..."

"Emer-what????"

Balaquin bid the party adieu, and the rest returned to Mere.  

GM Notes:   The adventure was highly adapted from The Ice Caves of Azinth, a d20 discount ($2.49) pamphlet adventure from AEG, circa 2001.  

I have always said in the blog that Gulluvia is somehow attached to my World of Geroic, but I've never allowed any connection in-game.  Emeron is the confederation of wizards in my world, so it does narrow down the location of this isolationist barony.

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