Finding Waterdeep (and indeed the North in general) to be a bit…slow…during the mind-numbingly cold winters, the group turns to the previous employer in hopes of obtaining more gainful employment. While the wizards have no need of help now that they have their very nice Soul Gem thankyouvery much, but they might know someone who needs another odd job done. They then contract with a merchant group looking to return the lost caravan goods taken during a raid and to deliver a punitive strike at the raiders. Seeking and finding and returning to the scene of the assault is no great feat – the frozen , naked, half-eaten corpses litter the landscape like some sort of Hieronymous Bosch christmas card.
The group treks out into the High Moor (in the dead of winter…again). From there – a little bit of luck lets the polymorphed wizrd spot a tomb set back into the foothills that seems to have a bit more activity than is to be expected for a final resting place.
Some invisible scouting reveals a pair of manacled ettin forced to stand guard, a bevy of orc strongpoints scattered about and an inviting tomb complex to explore. A bargain is reached with the ettin and the group slips in invisibly, freeing each ettin with a ‘knock’ spell. They proceed into the fortresess and then run afoul of some trapped stairs that plunges them (well, most of them any way) into a deep, spiked pit.
Those that avoid the pit encounter a pair of trolls and a quartet of ogres. Despite the rather severe disadvantage, the group delays the onrushing trolls with magic and slays the entire brood of attackers in the space of 30-40 seconds. Despite their efficiency, one troll manages to alert three more and the battle is renewed. Having won through the onslaught again, the group pauses for a moment – but only a moment, for more doors are opening….
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