This session, the characters finally finished exploring the Dwarven Barracks after defeating the surviving trollkin last time.
You can read earlier posts here. This post contains spoilers for Scarlet Citadel.
Still standing on top of the golden anvil, Tricksy brandishes his tiny hammer and praises both Volund and Thor. There is no reaction from the two armoured constructs until he leaves the chamber. When he does so, they follow.
With Tricksy’s unspeaking, clanking companions trailing along behind them, the adventurers search the looted barracks and the kitchen, where the sad fate of the ankylosaurus is revealed. Realising the rubbish chute is the same shaft as the oubliette on Level 1 above, they throw a cauldron down to estimate the depth to the bottom. Luckily, no bats fly up to investigate.
Next, the party opens the door in the southeast tunnel leading out of the owlbear stables, and venture into the passage for a short distance before heading back. Returning to the Entry Hall, Tricksy touches his tiny hammer to the symbol of Thor on the double doors and they slide down into the floor. After investigating the corridor, the party take a short rest and Tricksy re-summons Professor Yaffle.
Refreshed, the adventurers try and fail to pry open the eastern door, then Tricksy fails to pick the lock on the southern double doors. Returning to the east door, they use brute force to break down the slab. Inside are seven small ossuaries, holding the remains of six dwarven warriors and Gerhardt III, and their treasure. Maya puts on Gerhardt’s ring and Tricksy dons Thaull Hrodvaldr’s gold armband.
Going back to the south doors the group experiment with the hammer, the ring, and even Gerhardt’s finger bone to see if these will open them. None of these work, but they do manage to open the west door with the tiny hammer and a spark. Inside Thor’s shrine are two braziers flanking a towering statue of the god. The characters burn the herbs and powder they find here in the braziers but nothing seems to happen.
Finally they return to the south doors again and force them open, triggering the explosive runes. Tricksy enters the room and opens one of the coffins. A wave of necrotic energy sweeps across the room, frightening the elf and Maya. As Chansar and the Pale Circle emerge from the coffins, the clerics turn the undead, driving several of their number back. Chansar isn’t turned and continues to attack until he’s laid to rest by Tricksy. When the group tries to pick off the turned wights one by one, another appears, but the characters still triumph.
Their enemies defeated, the characters leave via the owlbear tunnel and return to Redtower to rest and level up. The two armoured constructs don’t follow.
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Main image by David Auden Nash
Richard Green | Game Designer 